Grudgematch: Battle of the Time Machines
Well, in the true tradition of grudgematches, I've narrowed this down to two contenders. Sure, I could have included such time machines as HG Wells' and that one from that crap TV series where they'd go back in time a week to stop disasters, but that would suck. So instead, we have my two favourite time machines.
In the red corner, weighing in at helluva lot because it's made from aluminium for some reason, the Deloreon from Back to the Future!
And in the blue corner, rather appropriatly, we have Doctor Who's TARDIS!
Firstly, let's look at the TARDIS. As far as time machines go, it may not seem that iconic, but consider this: if you walk down a street, and saw a police box sat on the road, would you think "Oh look, there's a police box from the 1950's" or "Oh look, there's the TARDIS!"? The fact that a TV show managed to take an everyday item (at the time) and turn it into a time machine that is now recognised as a time machine before it's recognised as that object is incredible in itself! So for an icon of a time machine, it holds up pretty well.
How about as a time machine itself though? Well, it's succumbed to the odd malfunction over the years, but you have to give it credit for being roomy. Also, it has the ability to travel anywhere in time AND space, not just through time, which has to come in handy. Plus you can apparently look into it, and start glowing and have super powers, being able to deconstruct entire races into atoms. That's gotta give it a few bonus points.
However, when it comes to the Deloreon, we truly see a time machine icon. Not only would the Deloreon be forgotten were it not for Back to the Future, but the two flaming tracks left behind, as well as '88 miles per hour' to time travel have become ingrained in pop culture. It doesn't come much better than a car disappearing at high speeds, leaving two flames behind. Beats a police box fading away as it whines, anyway. Not to mention, far more people are familiar with Back to the Future than Dr Who!
But, as a time machine itself, we get some failures. Sure, it can fly, and leave awesome looking flame streaks, and after the first movie it was powered by garbage, which must be fuel efficent, but in general, it's a little crappy. It starred in three movies, and in everyone it broke. It's fragile, being disabled by a bow and arrow. It can be sent flying through time and badly damaged if struck by lightning. It's generally unsafe and dangerous to use, no matter how cool it looks.
That means, the TARDIS wins as a time machine. It's safer, it's bigger, and it can go anywhere as well as anywhen. It may not be as cool as the Deloreon, but being cool is useless when your stuck in 1885 because your car got struck by lightning!
It should also be observed that the time travelling Deloreon is a very american thing, whereas the TARDIS is a very british thing. So scratch this one up to a victory for the brits!
The TARDIS wins easily, despite ending up in Cardiff instead of at the award podium and the Deloreon gets sent flying back to 1337 because of an inconviently placed electric cable and Pete's tampering with the controls.
Join us next Grudgematch where we'll debate two things in a stupid and pointless argument! (What, did you think I was actually going to say what that argument was!? Do I appear to have that much planning!? Really!).
In the red corner, weighing in at helluva lot because it's made from aluminium for some reason, the Deloreon from Back to the Future!
And in the blue corner, rather appropriatly, we have Doctor Who's TARDIS!
Firstly, let's look at the TARDIS. As far as time machines go, it may not seem that iconic, but consider this: if you walk down a street, and saw a police box sat on the road, would you think "Oh look, there's a police box from the 1950's" or "Oh look, there's the TARDIS!"? The fact that a TV show managed to take an everyday item (at the time) and turn it into a time machine that is now recognised as a time machine before it's recognised as that object is incredible in itself! So for an icon of a time machine, it holds up pretty well.
How about as a time machine itself though? Well, it's succumbed to the odd malfunction over the years, but you have to give it credit for being roomy. Also, it has the ability to travel anywhere in time AND space, not just through time, which has to come in handy. Plus you can apparently look into it, and start glowing and have super powers, being able to deconstruct entire races into atoms. That's gotta give it a few bonus points.
However, when it comes to the Deloreon, we truly see a time machine icon. Not only would the Deloreon be forgotten were it not for Back to the Future, but the two flaming tracks left behind, as well as '88 miles per hour' to time travel have become ingrained in pop culture. It doesn't come much better than a car disappearing at high speeds, leaving two flames behind. Beats a police box fading away as it whines, anyway. Not to mention, far more people are familiar with Back to the Future than Dr Who!
But, as a time machine itself, we get some failures. Sure, it can fly, and leave awesome looking flame streaks, and after the first movie it was powered by garbage, which must be fuel efficent, but in general, it's a little crappy. It starred in three movies, and in everyone it broke. It's fragile, being disabled by a bow and arrow. It can be sent flying through time and badly damaged if struck by lightning. It's generally unsafe and dangerous to use, no matter how cool it looks.
That means, the TARDIS wins as a time machine. It's safer, it's bigger, and it can go anywhere as well as anywhen. It may not be as cool as the Deloreon, but being cool is useless when your stuck in 1885 because your car got struck by lightning!
It should also be observed that the time travelling Deloreon is a very american thing, whereas the TARDIS is a very british thing. So scratch this one up to a victory for the brits!
The TARDIS wins easily, despite ending up in Cardiff instead of at the award podium and the Deloreon gets sent flying back to 1337 because of an inconviently placed electric cable and Pete's tampering with the controls.
Join us next Grudgematch where we'll debate two things in a stupid and pointless argument! (What, did you think I was actually going to say what that argument was!? Do I appear to have that much planning!? Really!).
posted by Li at 12:12 AM
1 Comments:
I'm actually not sure which one would have come off worse if I did that....arrows break the Deloreon, the TARDIS has fallen down pits and been buried by avalanches and remained unscratched...
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