Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth

[Paragon Fury]

So we should all be familiar with Wonder Woman and her Lasso of Truth; but I have question?

What exactly are the limitations of it's power/it's exact power set?

Because I just got done watching Flashpoint Paradox and I saw WW use it to do something I always thought to be beyond it's power - to COMPEL someone to do something against their will that didn't involve the truth.

[spoilers]

In the movie WW catches Shazam in the Lasso and asks him if there is a way to turn him back; he answers yes - a word. She then commands him to "Say the word". Shazam does, and then WW kills the kids that make up Shazam.[/spoiler]

Shouldn't this be WAY beyond the power of the Lasso? Saying the word is a command - an option - he can't say the wrong word; but Shazam doesn't have to say anything. Staying silent isn't lying/untruthful - it's just refusing to comply. Even not staying silent, he could refuse the order and say "No" as she didn't ask a question with a right/wrong answer. Hell, Wisdom of Solomon says basic logic would let Shazam give WW the runaround for fucking hours with this. Even if she asks "What is the word?" doesn't he also have to deliver it with the intent to change - which she can't command him to do?

And at that point WW is kind of screwed because Shazam is basically on her level and she can't do anything that would actually kill or hurt him, putting her in a bind because she can't let go but also can't do anything.

 

[Secondhand Revenant]

Eh a lasso that can't compel someone to yell the truth would be pretty useless if everyone could just shut up and stop talking. Therefore reasonable way to make it not silly is to force someone to say the truth. Her command is functionally the same as saying "Tell me the word" and nitpicking over exact wording for a magic item seems silly unless they want to make the wording a focal point in the story.

 

[Queen Michael]

I think the lasso has the power to compel you to speak the truth. As in, You must speak and you must be honest.

 

[Saelune]

I think the problem is how it is presented. "What is the word?" would have been better. But the Lasso also has shown to force them to actually answer the questions.

 

[DoPo]

OK, I'll admit I'm not much into comics and superheroes, but I think I know enough to explain this.

Spoiler

The lasso has the power of "plot".

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

SNIP

Yeah but remember Flashpoint Paradox was horribly written. It was just an excuse to do a bunch of grimdark what-if moments.

 

[Saltyk]

I'm pretty sure you can't lie when the lasso is used on you. Nor can you simply remain silent. It actually makes you tell the truth. There is probably an exception somewhere, but not an easy one. I know there's a movie where they use the lasso on a man asking him what other depraved thoughts he must have and he comments on Wonder Woman's awesome rack.

Now, I'm not sure if the Lasso could compel Shazam to transform. I'm pretty sure he has to say the word with the intent to transform. However, I also can't see why it couldn't since it can compel a person to tell the truth. It's also worth noting that Wonder Woman and Shazam get power from the same Gods.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Every time I see one of these "But in Episode 24 of Series 5...." questions I'm always reminded of that part in Galaxy Quest where the fans pester the cast with irrelevant questions about the malleability of the plot. Don't think too much about it.

 

[Zhukov]

So if you put it on someone who's mute will it compel them to answer your questions in sign language or writing?

Can people answer in a language that they know you can't understand? If they know multiple languages, do they get to choose which one the answer in?

Truly, these are the great questions that keep me awake at night.

 

[Kurt91]

I don't read the comics, but I had to ask...

Has there ever been an occasion where the person in the lasso just starts babbling incoherently about all sorts of random personal things in an attempt to get out of revealing important information? Kind of like "Well, I have to speak the truth, and I'm compelled to speak, but nobody ever said that it had to be about the specific topic."

 

[bastardofmelbourne]

OK, I'll admit I'm not much into comics and superheroes, but I think I know enough to explain this.

Spoiler

The lasso has the power of "plot".

This is the official explanation.

The lasso has, at various times: compelled people to volunteer embarrassing truths, forced people to confront their self-delusions, dispelled magical illusions or enchantments, forced someone to do something they said they would do because if they didn't do it then they would've been lying, and cause physical pain on contact to in-universe fictional characters.

If you put it on Donald Trump, he'd explode.

 

[Paragon Fury]

i think it is interesting

 

[WindKnight]

As an aside, I keep seeing a modified page where powergirl hands back the lasso, WW asks a question, and PG gives distinctly R-rated truth, which leaves them both shocked. Its been bugging me as to what was actually said in the original.

 

[maninahat]

So we should all be familiar with Wonder Woman and her Lasso of Truth; but I have question?

What exactly are the limitations of it's power/it's exact power set?

Because I just got done watching Flashpoint Paradox and I saw WW use it to do something I always thought to be beyond it's power - to COMPEL someone to do something against their will that didn't involve the truth.

[spoilers]

In the movie WW catches Shazam in the Lasso and asks him if there is a way to turn him back; he answers yes - a word. She then commands him to "Say the word". Shazam does, and then WW kills the kids that make up Shazam.[/spoiler]

Shouldn't this be WAY beyond the power of the Lasso? Saying the word is a command - an option - he can't say the wrong word; but Shazam doesn't have to say anything. Staying silent isn't lying/untruthful - it's just refusing to comply. Even not staying silent, he could refuse the order and say "No" as she didn't ask a question with a right/wrong answer. Hell, Wisdom of Solomon says basic logic would let Shazam give WW the runaround for fucking hours with this. Even if she asks "What is the word?" doesn't he also have to deliver it with the intent to change - which she can't command him to do?

And at that point WW is kind of screwed because Shazam is basically on her level and she can't do anything that would actually kill or hurt him, putting her in a bind because she can't let go but also can't do anything.

I miss the good old days when Shazam was called Captain Marvel and everyone was confused.

Ahem.

WW's whip tends to do different things depending on the writer. Sometimes there is a degree of forced obedience involved, as well as forced truth telling. Regardless, not disclosing pertinent information counts as a white lie and I imagine even white lies aren't possible against the lasso. It isn't the speaking part that makes a lie a lie, it's the act of deception involved.

 

[American Fox]

One of its original powers is that people bound by it are compelled to obey her/the wielder, not just tell the truth. Its part of the bondage thing.

They talk about it in the PBS superheroes documentary.

Remember: You can't spell subtext without buttsex!

 

[MeatMachine]

One of its original powers is that people bound by it are compelled to obey her/the wielder, not just tell the truth. Its part of the bondage thing.

They talk about it in the PBS superheroes documentary.

Good to know I'm not the only one who's seen that documentary. The inspiration behind Wonder Woman's creator was... interesting.

 

[Vausch]

Well keep in mind Flashpoint was an alternative timeline in which certain aspects of the characters were changed rather dramatically. Namely that Wonder Woman in this timeline, rather than the spirit of truth and love, is a monster who willingly killed a 12 year old boy who in the main timeline is the paragon of what it means to be a hero.

 

[Paragon Fury]

really interesting, women are mysterious creatures