# The Inverse Law of Ninjas



## Garren Jacobsen (Mar 8, 2017)

Awhile back my friend and I were discussing this trend in the media. It seems that the more ninjas, or assassins, there are the less powerful the ninjas are. However, as the ninjas are whittled down they grow ever more powerful. Now, you could argue that its because the person they are fighting is getting tired, but the problem with that notion is that there is usually no showing that the person they are fighting is getting tired. My theory is that a group of ninjas are like Highlanders. The ones that live get the abilities and powers of the dead ninjas, but that is just my own head canon.

What prompted this post is a scene in Into the Badlands wherein four assassins tried to kill the MC and the first 3 got dispatched with ease but the last guy took a long time to actually die.
What are your thoughts as to why this inverse law of ninjas exist?


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## FifthView (Mar 9, 2017)

Survival of the fittest?


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## Garren Jacobsen (Mar 9, 2017)

I thought that too, but the thing is that last ninja is still getting beat like a red-headed step child but just doesn't get killed. It's weird.


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## FifthView (Mar 9, 2017)

Could also be that overconfidence, due to numeric superiority, is slowly whittled down, so the survivors grow more cautious, focused.

Or, they have to fight around each other, which limits options/access to the target, and are able to fight more strategically when they are fewer in number.

But in a movie, it could be the director's wish to keep the tension high, heh.  Just slapping opponents down repetitively, easily, could grow boring pretty fast. OTOH, if they were equally weak, the hero's kills would actually be quicker as the fight progressed, heh, due to the reduction in complexity, and that would look weird, wouldn't it?


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## TheCrystallineEntity (Mar 9, 2017)

It could have something to do with bad guy civility-- that is, attacking one at a time instead of all at once, which would be the smart thing to do.


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## Garren Jacobsen (Mar 9, 2017)

TheCrystallineEntity said:


> It could have something to do with bad guy civility-- that is, attacking one at a time instead of all at once, which would be the smart thing to do.



In many shows that is true. But at least in Into the Badlands the guy gets attacked several times by multiple bad guys and still fights them off. He's able to break one from the group and kill his ass. Then the last guy puts up a better fight than everyone else. Stupid.


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## La Volpe (Mar 10, 2017)

Maybe the inverse law of ninjas is related to the way the badguy always sends out minions in ascending order of power. While the heroes are weak, he sends out his weakest minions, and then gradually ups the challenge so that the heroes are strong enough by the time they reach the Dragon.

If the badguy had just sent the Dragon in the first place, his supreme rule would still be in place.

-- But I am quite partial to the theory that ninjas all share the power, so the less there are, the more power there is to go around.


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## Michael K. Eidson (Mar 10, 2017)

Brian Scott Allen said:


> Awhile back my friend and I were discussing this trend in the media. It seems that the more ninjas, or assassins, there are the less powerful the ninjas are. However, as the ninjas are whittled down they grow ever more powerful. Now, you could argue that its because the person they are fighting is getting tired, but the problem with that notion is that there is usually no showing that the person they are fighting is getting tired. My theory is that a group of ninjas are like Highlanders. The ones that live get the abilities and powers of the dead ninjas, but that is just my own head canon.
> 
> What prompted this post is a scene in Into the Badlands wherein four assassins tried to kill the MC and the first 3 got dispatched with ease but the last guy took a long time to actually die.
> What are your thoughts as to why this inverse law of ninjas exist?



If some in the group have not worked together before, the more experienced might be hesitant to act first, thinking the less experienced might get in their way. When the less experienced have been dispatched, then the more experienced ones take their turn.

If the entire group has worked together before and are practiced at cooperation, they ought to be stronger as a team, in which case the inverse law should not apply.


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## DragonOfTheAerie (Mar 10, 2017)

The title of this thread cracked me up. 

But I don't really have any explanations.


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## CupofJoe (Mar 10, 2017)

It's TV law... 
Kill the first few easy to show how good the Hero is. 
Kill the last one hard to show that it isn't always that easy for the Hero.
If you are looking for IRL reason, the bad [dumb, stupid, slow, weak, whatever...] will usually [always?] die first.


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## Garren Jacobsen (Mar 10, 2017)

CupofJoe said:


> It's TV law...
> Kill the first few easy to show how good the Hero is.
> Kill the last one hard to show that it isn't always that easy for the Hero.
> If you are looking for IRL reason, the bad [dumb, stupid, slow, weak, whatever...] will usually [always?] die first.



I told you all the real reason. Ninjas are basically highlanders.


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## Futhark (Mar 10, 2017)

There can be ONLY ONE!

You guys crack me up.


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## Garren Jacobsen (Mar 10, 2017)

Futhark said:


> There can be ONLY ONE!
> 
> You guys crack me up.



Crack you up how? Am I a nut cracker? Is my mouth ginormous and do I wear a ridiculous outfit? Am I here to open up nuts for your consumption? Does this amuse you?


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## Futhark (Mar 10, 2017)

I am a nut I think.  I know I'm a little cracked.  You can open macadamia nuts for me anytime.  I'm too much of a gentleman to comment on your mouth or outfit.  Everything amuses me now.  Laugh or cry at life, and I'm out of tears.


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## Mythopoet (Mar 11, 2017)

It's because they're shadow clones. They are inherently much weaker than the ninja who creates them. You have to get through all the shadow clones before you can get to the real ninja.


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