PDA

View Full Version : When Silver Items are used in fiction...



MJN SEIFER
05-16-2011, 02:49 PM
Like how you see things like "S/he can no longer touch a Silver Item, without causing himself/herself great pain", "S/he will be killed by a Silver Item". Do they mean the item is made of silver, or it's colored silver?

Madonna
05-16-2011, 03:14 PM
If it looks silver. This is why the shoe from Monopoly is so effective against mummies.

Skyblade
05-16-2011, 03:51 PM
If the reference is to specific powers of an item, it almost always refers to the metal.

qwertysaur
05-16-2011, 04:40 PM
It's a reference to either the metal silver or if it's quicksilver then it's mercury. Silver is incompatible with life, while Mercury is quite toxic, fun to play with, and a key ingredient in Medieval "science" (Alchemy), as well as Medicine.

Rule of thumb.
Solid = Silver
Liquid = Mercury

rubah
05-16-2011, 06:26 PM
Metals are pretty important with regards to folk tales and legends. Werewolves can only be killed with a bullet made of silver, elves cannot touch anything that is made of iron. (remember Dark Elf in ff4)

if it's capitalized, you can be very sure that it is the metal itself, and not the color. But consider; if it is the color, something has to be making it appear that way, and fantasy settings aren't very fond of paint.

NorthernChaosGod
05-16-2011, 07:42 PM
Can you list some specific examples of this? The only thing I can think of is silver and werewolves.

crono_logical
05-16-2011, 08:03 PM
It's an indication of going overbudget so the story is continuing in black-and-white only :p

Shlup
05-16-2011, 09:40 PM
The color silver? Really?


Can you list some specific examples of this? The only thing I can think of is silver and werewolves.

It often burns vampires too.

blackmage_nuke
05-16-2011, 10:53 PM
If it was the silver colour then disabling a werewolf would be as simple as throwing the spare change you have in your pocket at it.

Shlup
05-16-2011, 11:02 PM
That would be kind of fun. Someone make that video game.

MJN SEIFER
05-16-2011, 11:28 PM
Can you list some specific examples of this? The only thing I can think of is silver and werewolves.

This. Sorry, I guess I should have been more clear.

PS: Also, while we're on the subject, is there any reason why, when someone becomes one they always turn evil, regardless of whether they're a good person when still human (other than "because it's cool")?

escobert
05-16-2011, 11:42 PM
If it was the silver colour than disabling a werewolf would be as simple as throwing the spare change you have in your pocket at it.

Yes because there's soo much silver in the average coin :p For the most part they're made of Zinc. with a nickle/copper/silver coating

I Took the Red Pill
05-16-2011, 11:49 PM
If it was the silver colour than disabling a werewolf would be as simple as throwing the spare change you have in your pocket at it.

Yes because there's soo much silver in the average coin :p For the most part they're made of Zinc. with a nickle/copper/silver coatinghttp://www.reece-eu.net/gallery/var/albums/funny/thats-the-joke.jpg

Bunny
05-17-2011, 12:12 AM
PS: Also, while we're on the subject, is there any reason why, when someone becomes one they always turn evil, regardless of whether they're a good person when still human (other than "because it's cool")?

I would say it mostly comes with creatures, like vampires and werewolves, being associated with the Devil or other nefarious beings. It could also be, to a lesser degree, a factor of losing one's "soul," which is typically theorized as being the sole separation between "good" and "evil." There are several standouts that go against the whole "evil creature of the night" archetype though.

NorthernChaosGod
05-17-2011, 01:30 AM
Can you list some specific examples of this? The only thing I can think of is silver and werewolves.

This. Sorry, I guess I should have been more clear.

PS: Also, while we're on the subject, is there any reason why, when someone becomes one they always turn evil, regardless of whether they're a good person when still human (other than "because it's cool")?
Along with what Bunny has already said, I would think it has something to do with turning into a "wild animal". Werewolves are typically unaware of their actions in a lot of fiction.

blackmage_nuke
05-17-2011, 08:04 AM
In the case of Vampires most modern fiction implies turning into a vampire doesnt turn you evil, vampires might feed on humans but its just what they have to do to survive, It would be like saying humans are evil for feeding on cows.

escobert
05-17-2011, 11:51 AM
If it was the silver colour than disabling a werewolf would be as simple as throwing the spare change you have in your pocket at it.

Yes because there's soo much silver in the average coin :p For the most part they're made of Zinc. with a nickle/copper/silver coatinghttp://www.reece-eu.net/gallery/var/albums/funny/thats-the-joke.jpg
Well then that was a pretty crappy "joke" :(

blackmage_nuke
05-17-2011, 11:52 AM
If it was the silver colour than disabling a werewolf would be as simple as throwing the spare change you have in your pocket at it.

Yes because there's soo much silver in the average coin :p For the most part they're made of Zinc. with a nickle/copper/silver coatinghttp://www.reece-eu.net/gallery/var/albums/funny/thats-the-joke.jpg
Well then that was a pretty crappy "joke" :(
I said colour not metal, because silver coins whilst not made of silver are still silver coloured. Had i said metal your explanation of my joke wouldve made sense, otherwise it doesnt. I am well aware of the metalic contents of 'silver' coins

Loony BoB
05-17-2011, 01:58 PM
Apparently the vulnerability of werewolves to silver can be traced back to some monster wolf (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beast_of_G%C3%A9vaudan) which was allegedly shot with a silver bullet.