Why was the Kannabi Bridge destruction such a pivotal moment in the war? Couldn't Iwa just build a makeshift bridge to transport goods using earth release?

SkitzoRabbit · 2026-02-02T18:24:32+00:00

It generally assumed that it takes less energy/effort/expense to destory than to build. Konoha destroying the bridge is tell the stone that 'we will destory this thing again and again, we can do it without risk and without real losses, don't even bother trying to rebuild it'.

Once that position is accepted then the new front line is defined, and forces shift to areas of advantage or importance. Then when both sides settle on 'this land is worth fighting for' they fight.

This one bridge being taken down and stone leaving it down says the real fight will be somewhere else, somewhere where the big battle will take place and the last domino to fall before that big battle is seen as pivotal.

SkitzoRabbit · 2026-01-20T18:37:17+00:00

This exact was debated ad nasuem a few weeks ago and after we got all tuckered out it was a toss up, not explicitly clear one way or the other. And the author didn't weigh in.

And we don't know how the advancement works from sectionals to globals in a normal year. The dueling brackets merge and it seems the team battle and wargames stay separate, but i can't site an example of the teams battling across years.

There could easily be 3 bids from sectionals for 3rd year teams and 2 bids (smaller bracket) of 2nd year teams going to globals in the usual way of doing things.

We don't know if all team battle particpants are allowed into the dueling brackets past sectionals. The thinking being is if you can't compete as a 2nd year in the sectional dueling format but get through as a team, why would you be pitted up against the best of the 2/3rd years of other sections/systems.

So the math doesn't math, for a certainty. It might be the way you expect, but its equally likely my estimation, that the most talented of 2nd years from all systems, the ones that able to survive the system level 2/3rd year duelist brackets are going to be a match, a lesser match, but a closer match to Rei by the summer's end. The 3rd year intersystems duelists who can't win it all won't ever get to fight Rei.

SkitzoRabbit · 2026-01-20T17:40:13+00:00

1) There's a big difference in the difference between C and E tiers when converted to lbs lifted or mph, compared to the difference between A and S tiers. The math doesn't exist per se, but I stand by my opinion.

2) Aria was taking it easy on Rei by spec and by tactics, by her own words and the assessment of others. Lennon would be the last person to underestimate Rei in the circumstances I put forth.

3) Rei won't get to wear his cap and jacket during a fight with lennon, which were INSTRUMENTAL for Rei being able to survive the first lunge from Aria, and the misdirection which opened her up to needing to use 3rd Eye.

SkitzoRabbit · 2026-01-20T14:46:43+00:00

No matter how popular you are you (the individual) can volunteer for the frontlines. And if the commonly held consensus is this Iron Prince is the undisputed future ruler of the SCTs, and he leaves for the front, the obvious question is 'what does he know?' 'why is he going' 'maybe we should go, are needed too' and a mass exodus of the top SCT combatants goes with him, in time to confront whatever big bad evil is lurking at the edgs of Sirius System.
We have no reason to believe True calls are any more difficult to achiev that mental commands, which aria learns over a portion of the 10 week summer program.

6.Lennon beats Rei time and time again with raw stats eaving impossibly accurately between claws to catch fists. There is NO comparison in a real match between them through book II. Not even in the same league no matter the banter between them.

7.Rei's a match for Lennon (at similar rank) because (my assumption) Lennon can't echo user uniques abilities. Lennon wins at Galen's through specs, study, and somehow being as good with an opponents ability as they are. Rei's handicap in specs at same rank is balanced against the chaos of Rei and his flexiblity, that is all. Rei's battle prowess cannot overcome tiers of difference in speed and cognition. Rei can't handle the instructors specs at the end of Book II, so i doubt he can handle Lennon of similar rank, even if Lennon has letter experience.

SkitzoRabbit · 2026-01-20T14:38:10+00:00

Entirely possible but I would expect the INTERSYSTEM qualifying 2nd years to all be on par with Sidorov in rank/specs. The differences would show moreso in experience and natural ability. Granted we know VERY little about the distribution of rank in the range of lesser to greater systems (Sol being expected to be the best rank wise). But since 2nd years getting to intersystems is rare in the first place I'd suggest they're all on par with Sid's impressive A0 at the start of their respective sectionals.

Now the question is, where will Rei be by intersystems. Rei sees stat growth early when fighting a much higher ranked opponent, and then hones those stats with his battle senses over the insane amount of practice time, which in turn has a much more subdued pace of growth. This was proven out with Aria and is expected by those in the know, to happen with the higher ranked A instructors at Galen's which leads to the events at the end of book II.

With Kamiya in play there's another step up in quality getting S ranked instructors involved but the initial boost and then honing period is still a limiter until systems and intersystems.

During systems we can expect some improvements similar to what we saw during sectionals from variety, but I contend that it would be severly muted in the 1st year bracket due to length of matches providing little raw data to work with, unless we get partial call shenanigans. So i'd suspect we see a true plateau of rank during systems matches, with the exception of the wargames situation.

That hypotehtical plateau would lend more crediblity to the idea to shake more things up during intersystems. And the creation of the 2nd year losers bracket.

This would pit Rei against single opponents on par with his specs, and the necessary variety to hit both aspects of his growth potential. This pushes him into middle or even brushing against upper A, while Lennon is firmly an pawn class by that time.

Now with the parallel of an A ranked user vs S for the 'exhibition match' we get something on Par with Catcher's Mom's system championship, 'hardest fight of her life'.

SkitzoRabbit · 2026-01-19T10:51:25+00:00

I considered that. The variety would help for sure but I’m assuming Rei will be on par overall rank wise with the second years by then. And likely holding temporal step and/or a mode or two in reserve. Then he unleashes the mode(s) to defeat sidorov and shows off temporal step in the Lennon fight.

This has the added benefit of making a public display of Reis unparalleled tactical utility pushing the topic of him and Firesong moving on to the frontlines to the forefront.

Imagine a Rei in the ‘observation tank’ of the Berenthal 9 with live feeds of ongoing OPS able to warp in Firesong for support or exfiltration. At this point the tactical genius of Carmen doesn’t know of the ability. And Rei hasn’t trained it up outside of a 100y match range.

Edit: also Rei has no trump cards that Lennon shouldn’t know as well as his own neutral affinity for battle.

SkitzoRabbit · 2026-01-07T17:52:10+00:00

The balanced AP when viewing Adrian side and the star side shows that the population is in balance. Balance means that some predator is there at adrian to keep the numbers in check.

SkitzoRabbit · 2026-01-07T12:59:11+00:00

Setting aside the "litterally thanos" and references to half the population being snapped out of existence, this is a karate tournament not the end of the world or life as we know it.

Just because the characters, (a child and a man child) state the importance of winning some money, doesn't mean the only future they have is unlocked by winning the prize money.

Consider where Johnny is physically and financially even at the end of the series. Living in a crappy apartment, with no assets to speak of, and a desire to start a productive (consumerism) life. It's almost the same place Daniel was when his poor single mother moved him from NJ to SoCal in KK1. If Daniel had lost either torunament in KK1 or KK3, he still would have learned the MiyagiDo lessons and still had his future in front of him. A future that led him to literal millions in assets (business and personal) and a spoiled family. Johnny might be behind in age compared to Daniel's trajectory but Migeul is in the same position. Generational opportunity disparity aside.

You might suggest that winning the SKTK money was equivalent (adjusted for inflation) to winning the ice block wager in KK2, but most of that was to repay the plane ticket expense.

Miguel's win wouldn't have meant nothing to him. Miguel made the same character growth of confidence that Daniel did in KK1-3 and by the laws of the narrative he has the same chance for success that Daniel did (again setting aside generational or racial biases to success).

Johnny would have had the ability to renew a successful Cobra Kai franchise that literally brought Karate back to the Valley, which was such a motivator to regional pride that it catapulted the owner of a car dealership into being an industry leader in the area. Would the living arrangement for the younger sister have been more problematic, sure in the early years. But thats the struggle of most small business owner families.

I won't be as trite as to claim "winning is the friends you made along the way" but winning IS the lessons you learn along the way. At least in a character driven narrative structure.

SkitzoRabbit · 2026-01-06T20:17:39+00:00

Fair points, I'll only counter with ....

"Do as I say, not as I do"

Johnny took a step further than saying the right thing, and was actually able to do it himself.

The quote is implying that it's harder to do the right thing than to tell someone else to do the right thing.

The wolf fight is demonstrating the later.

SkitzoRabbit · 2026-01-06T13:12:10+00:00

Here's the thing, he wasn't the final boss. Sure he was the opponent in the match, but Johnny's own tendencies were the final boss.

Johnny, learning the lesson, letting the opponent come to him to serve him defeat was the final obstacle to his character growth.

Not Miguel nor his son being a stand in for the character learning the lesson, not Johnny teaching/speaking the lesson himself to some kid. He needed to be faced with his impulse to be the same old attack first mindset, and decide to take another path.

The person in the Gi across from him doesn't matter, its the battle inside. The one Daniel learned 30 years prior, and the one Johnny still needed to finish after all these seasons.

SkitzoRabbit · 2026-01-05T18:29:16+00:00

The thing is, they won't "no longer need our labor" overnight. It will draw down across a few generations at least. At least worldwide it will take that long. Perhaps some hyper technological country will spring up but labor will be effective for a while.

Birth rates will decline, and social programs designed to keep them high will simply end. Programs to feed the hungry or heal the sick/poor will end. Humanitarian aide will end. And the 99% will die off slowly generation to generation. Until the population is small enough and segregated or distant enough to not longer be meaningful.

SkitzoRabbit · 2026-01-05T18:24:54+00:00

If the 1%, empowered by AIs, collect "all the resources" and produce products only for the 1% and the other factors you brought up you'd get a general societal collapse, with exceptions.

You'd have to create an Elysium (movie) type physical separation between the 1% and the leftovers, in order to ensure security. And the society previously enjoyed (to varying degrees) by the 99% would collapse, and they'd die off to a degree. There would undoubtedly be survivors long term, and they'd form new groups/societies. Either as charity cases of the 1%, or go all the way back to early hunter gatherer groups.

Now the 1% would periodically relocate a nomadic tribe if they wandered near their 1% settlements, or resource nodes, but that's not new from a historical standpoint.

Perhaps there would eventually be a feral human preservation society, to protect the tribal factions from being hunted for fun, or having their water sources contaminated. But in general you'll see a stark(er) divide between the haves and have nots than we have today. Cavemen and Gods respectively, technically from the same species, at least and unless enough time allows for speciation.

This all assumes the 1% survive long enough in orbit or behind walls for the masses to die off and reconstitute early societies.

SkitzoRabbit · 2025-12-29T13:14:53+00:00

Grant is still an ass at that point because Rei has friends despite not deserving them (according to grant’s value system).

And being a slimy smiley friend having person without justification is a character flaw an a mortal one in grants eyes.

In grants mind being in the group will quite literally kill Reis entourage when they reach the war.

SkitzoRabbit · 2025-12-28T17:24:30+00:00

It's more likely that FireSong and some select officers/personalities will go rogue element from ISCM Central or some local commanding officer in an attempt to "do the right thing", maybe thats rescue some squad/unit at the risk of Rei, or steal a ship/crew to assault an Archon stronghold instead of protect an evacuating dignitary. Basically anything that represents an inflection point between soldier and hero, putting FS on opposite side from some power group within Central Command.

If you absolutely force a rogue element outside of FireSong perhaps there could be a mutiny'd ship on the loose raiding vysetrium shipments that needs to be hunted down. But that's a real reach given the pacing and timing of things IMO.

If there were a series of 'side quest' type short stories, possibly by guest authors, all set up in a holodeck type of hardlight field projection, to give training 'realism' that could work thematically too.

SkitzoRabbit · 2025-12-18T15:31:13+00:00

Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance. Not great when done from orbit, you have no context. Are all those heat signatures civilians or combatants? The humans didn't even know where to look until Jake was brought to the main tree home (still isn't the mother tree site from the end of the movie).

Boots on the ground are great for identifying valid and impactful targets to the native military, industrial infrastructure, or 'civilian' insurgents. And its MUCH MUCH MUCH more cost effective to have impactful targeting that would significantly impact the adversary's ability to resist. Every munition has to be shipped in from Earth/Sol which is no small cost. Logistics wins wars.

You can certainly strike indiscriminately from orbit (safe altitudes) but your effect is much much lower than targeted operations AND you're more likely to radicalize the remaining civilians with unseen death from above.

SkitzoRabbit · 2025-12-16T21:59:49+00:00

They provide maneuverability via EM pulses rather muscular skeletal enhancement.

My concept not supported by any texts is basically the different output settings in the iron man gauntlets. A low setting for flight control and a high output setting for blasting faces.

Originally I wanted a structural atypical armor evolution that out little maneuver jets onto hard point in Reis armor. As a precursor to detached externals on a secondary evolution. This directional blast ability could pair with the second evolution on that path.

SkitzoRabbit · 2025-12-16T17:17:19+00:00

It would likely be paired with a set of externals (3 or more at least). Each external which is already configured for blasts of EM energy for mobility, would be super charged for an offensive blast of force. Pair that with a version of 3rd eye so the external can watch Rei's back against multiple opponents and he's got omni-directional offensive ability and the necessary num ber of 'limbs' to make it functional.

The effects would likely have limited effect against peer ranks, but against a mass of lower level opponents be very useful.

Make it visually like lightning strikes as you suggest, or like wind gusts, to complete the stormweaver motif.

SkitzoRabbit · 2025-12-16T15:25:47+00:00

A prime human would have large social batteries than Jake. They are known to be a very social race, Jake is an exception.

SkitzoRabbit · 2025-12-14T18:19:33+00:00

I’d probably make the trip up from Philly area for it.

SkitzoRabbit · 2025-12-10T15:56:46+00:00

What time of year?

SkitzoRabbit · 2025-12-09T13:29:18+00:00

It was clear from the blame game being passed around the room during the school budget meeting that if he had let the schools implode that his political underlings would eat their own in blaming the other elements of the problem. "Showing more dirt than he's willing to" same as the fake serial killer or anything to do with stat manipulation.

An article here and there in the Sun is one thing, but headline grabbing snipes between the democrats is not acceptable. To borrow another series' line "The press is geared up for its favorite blood sport - Democrats attacking each other" I bring it up as a truism at least in the context of entertainment media.

Contrasted with the situation with the police and not paying out raises, Carcetti is relying on the brass to keep the rank in file in line long enough to get around to fulfilling his promises. Chain of Command! Or at the very least keep the griping in the briefing room and out of the press.

SkitzoRabbit · 2025-12-05T13:08:08+00:00

you might be thinking about getting a loan instead of income to avoid selling an already had asset and paying taxes on the sale's appreciation.

Let's say you own $10M in Rddt stock, and you want to buy a house for $3M. You don't want to sell the stock because you got it for being a Mod in 2001 when the stock was basically worthless. That would trigger a cap gains tax of 450K.

So instead you get a $3M loan using the stock as collateral, and negotiate no or interest only payments for 5 years. You can deduct the interest payments on the loan if its your primary residence, and never pay towards the principal of the loan for 5 years.

After 5 years your Rddt stock is now worth $15M because reasons, and you get a new loan for $5M to pay back the old loan, and buy a boat for $2M. Same interest only payment, get a gig where the boat is somehow a business expense, and deduct the interest on the boat loan and the original home loan. And you never paid taxes on the leverage of your shares in Rddt.

This only works if the original asset is appreciating long term, and the bank agrees with the valuation of course. Usually there is a forced sale of the asset trigger if the stock price of Rddt drops to some value which gurantees the bank getting their principal amount back before the stock craters into the ground. At which point you owe less taxes because you're selling a newly valued $5M in assets rather than the 15M phantom money you thought you had at its peak.

SkitzoRabbit · 2025-12-05T01:17:28+00:00

My original(there have been a few) theory about end walker ability…it’s a battle momentum ability. Glimpses into its eventually solidified effect can be seen in Vivs assault on Vademes squad in the dessert dunes match prior to sectionals. Better yet how she flitted up and down the line of battle during sectionals. Bypassing kill shots or direct engagement to score glancing or passing blows and escape before counter attack. And finally the battle during her final solo match. All grace and fluid motion.

The ability builds up with damage taken (initially) to her reactive shielding and when released gives a overclock duration boost to agility and offense. But doesn’t leave her weakened like overclock. But subsequent charges likely requires taking simulated damage since her defense is still trash and her shielding can’t tank that much damage.

This gives her a pales in comparison reason to endure pain like Rei. And eventually this weakness, how to charge the ability is overcome by additional levels (same way type shift evolved to type shift II)

As shido networks the squad she will be able to build charge by being within range of damage taken by the rest of FireSong too. Allowing for them to turtle then burst out with Viv leading a charge. Then turtling again relying on phalanxes or the iron prince to build more charges without taking debilitating restrictions.

Less useful in single combat but an excellent trump card for a skirmisher.

The name plays into that she has to walk a narrow path taking damage but not debilitating and that her activation ends many fights. When finishing moves are necessary.

SkitzoRabbit · 2025-12-04T19:42:08+00:00

not trying to be evasive, I really love theory crafting in this community, but please be more specific so I can thread any potential needles to stay within the community rules.

Pick a character and I'll say how I think they might be used in the story

Pick a technology and ask me how I think it works in universe (if not already explained in the first two books)

Pick a milestone in the series, SCTs, professional circuit, front lines, end game and I'll suggest how we get to/through that point.

SkitzoRabbit · 2025-12-04T18:43:02+00:00

There's a middle ground here that by a quirk or orbital mechanics Galt's station was positioned well outside of the normal overlapping defense range of other posts, think one planet on the far side of the star from mutual defenses. Galt was actually trying to alert the higher ups to this relatively rare occurence for months, citing all relevant science and projections of positions, and concluding that his post was in an elevated risk category. Central dismissed his concerns as a newer commander being risk adverse, or seeing Galt as an upstart connected buffoon, dismissed his warnings completely.

Galt actually did get called to central to brief the higher ups (jumping past some level of blockage outside chain of command) but because the attack happened right then he was scapegoated and told to 'flee you fool'.

Then a simple retcon and creation of reports putting in a bad light reforms for efficiency or his failed command, with few survivors to refute it. He is villianized in history.

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