BatmanCanBreatheInSpace cleanup and discussion thread

Batman Can Breathe in Space is a trope that should be clear enough: characters that are human (or close enough) somehow are not bothered by exposure to the vacuum of space. That it's why it uses Batman, the human guy superhero, in the name. It's essentialy a subtrope of Artistic License – Space.

Unfortunately, it's also misused a lot as "this character has superpowers that include being able to survive in space." This is actually not Batman Can Breathe in Space, since the character's ability to survive in extreme conditions would then be justified by his superhuman nature.

The text of the trope makes this distinction.

Unfortunately, the trope itself includes the big and confusing mistake of listing this trope as a subtrope of The Needless, for characters that have superpowers that cause them not to need food, water, air, etc.

So, besides cleaning up incorrect examples, we should also remove any hint that Batman Can Breathe in Space is a subtrope of The Needless.

Edited by renenarciso2 on Apr 28th 2024 at 11:38:03 AM

While this thread can clean examples, any actions like renaming need TRS.

Okay, I removed the bit about creating a new trope.

As for removing the part that says this trope is a subtrope of The Needless, is that okay?

Okay, here is my analyses of quite a few cases in the trope page that don't really follow the rule of:

You don't need a "can-breathe-in-space" power, it doesn't need to be explained, and you certainly don't need a spacesuit. It makes you wonder why astronauts bothered with them in the first place.

Characters clearly have superpowers that explain their survival:

Anime and Manga

• Played with in UQ Holder! in regards to Karin Yuuki. She actually can't breathe in space but her immortality makes it only a minor nuisance rather than a life-ending danger.

Seems like there is a explanation for why she survives.

Comic Books

• Superman: Pre-crisis Superman could hold his breath indefinitely in space. After the Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot, he needed an oxygen mask until Mongul Jr. taught him a method of holding his breath.

He is Superman. He is superhumanly resistant to all sorts of stuff.

• If you're a comic book character simply ignoring physics is a valid option: in Trinity (2008), Despero leaps out of his armada flagship to fight Green Lantern in space. When his lackey objects, saying that he has no spacesuit on, Despero merely shouts "Air is for cowards! Do it!", and he actually survives perfectly fine.

I've read quite a few Despero stories with him surving in space, that is a part of his super-duper-alien powers. His dialogue seems more of a badass boast about his superpowers than an "option to ignore physics". Similary to Captain America in The Ultimates saying parachutes are for sissies.

Now, we have cases where the humans "breathing" in space is actually explained in the story, contrary to what the trope description says of characters surviving vacuum with no explanation:

Anime and Manga

• Digimon Frontier: Late on the series, our heroes end stranded in a moon, and there's no air problems. A Fan Sub actually lampshaded this. Then again, they're in the digital world. Everything is made of data, so real-world physics don't apply.

I'm unfamiliar with the series, but this seems a case where people surviving in space unaided is a consequence of the world being digital?

Unclear examples, I'm unsure and ask for opinions:

Anime and Manga

• Dragon Ball:
  • In Dragon Ball Z, during a filler episode, Vegeta and Nappa are shown to be able to breathe in space, with both Saiyan warriors standing just outside their small spaceships. However, Frieza later points out that Saiyans would suffocate in space.
  • During the fight between Bardock and Frieza, Bardock is just floating in space kicking butt (or is at least in the outer atmosphere). Despite Frieza's claim, Saiyans and other high-level fighters are shown doing perfectly fine in a vacuum.
  • In Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, Beerus and Goku have a conversation and part of their fight in low Earth orbit. While Beerus is a legitimate Physical God, Goku is still supposed to be a normal Saiyan, who would suffocate due to lack of oxygen, if the series hadn't already shown that it doesn't care about that.

Now, I've read only a couple of Dragon Ball stories, I don't consider myself an expert. But this sounds iffy. These aren't normal humans or even lesser superhumans, right? If I remember right, the main fighters in Dragon Ball Z are massively powerful and tough. One character pointing out once that "Sayans" should suffocate in space VERSUS a lot of evidence that they don't suffocate, is this Batman Can Breathe in Space or is it one character not knowing Sayans as he/she/they think they do?

• On the last episode of the Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel anime, the girls fly off to space via pure willpower to destroy a Kill Sat. They're also shown surviving re-entry into the atmosphere fine. Oddly, despite all her complaints of "How do we go to space?" and "How do we come back from space?", Kurumi never asks how are they breathing in space.

Again, unfamiliar with the series. But these girls can do all sorts of stuff with willpower alone, if I understood it right? Occam's Razor says they used their magic willpower powers to survive exposure.

• Kill la Kill: Apparently, this is another ability of the Life Fibers. In the final episode, Ryuko and Ragyo's final battle takes place in low-earth-orbit. They both have Life Fibers incorporated into their body, and Life Fibers, being alien beings hurled to earth, probably can survive without oxygen.

The troper argues against themselves that these Life Fibers thingies gave them the ability, right?

• Sonic X:
  • The third season. All the furries and alien beings can breathe, speak, and generally not die while strolling or freefalling in space without wearing anything other than their fur or clothes, but human characters (Chris and Eggman) have to wear spacesuits when space walking.

So, this is some special ability these furries and aliens have?

Comic Strips

• Calvin and Hobbes:
  • Calvin's Spaceman Spiff persona is once seen repairing his spaceship without adequate vacuum protection. This is Artistic License on the part of the character rather than the author.
  • Calvin himself breathes in space just fine, such as in the strips where he sneezes himself into orbit, grows too large to stand on the Earth, or flies to Mars with Hobbes on his wagon. Of course, considering it might all just be Calvin's imagination, it makes sense he wouldn't let himself asphyxiate in his own fantasy.

Clearly a case of Imagine Spot or something like that. But may merit the inclusion as some meta example?

Not really examples:

Anime and Manga

• Doraemon:
  • Usually averted; whenever space is visited the comics take care to bring up the lack of air and the characters use one of Doraemon's gadgets, either the "Adaptation Light" or the "Edible Spacesuit".

Do we need to list aversions for every work where exposure to vacuum works as it's expected to?

Edited by renenarciso2 on Apr 28th 2024 at 2:02:33 AM