Incredibly nerdy and fantabulous conversation
So, as many of you know, I quite enjoy Doctor Who. I was on the train earlier this week, and fell asleep, and...well...this conversation came of it on a friend's Facebook wall. As usual, all names have been changed.
Me: So, in my dream last night I was fighting the weeping angels, and our hideout was in this maze of mirrors. Considering the image of an angel becomes an angel, was this actually a good strategy? (there were enough mirrors so that every angel could see at least several other angels in the mirrors, even if there was only one.)
Also I was fighting them with Kincaid from the Dresden Files, wtf. And smilingvillain got partially turned into one, but then I handed her a plate to break over her head and she got better.
Mr. Beats-Me-At-Scrabble-Always: It depends whether an image of an angel becomes the same angel, or a new angel, and I can prove it by mathematical induction. If there is only one angel, and it looks in the mirror (making hundreds of reflections but no new angels), it obse...rves itself (none of that 'I can look at the medusa in the mirror' crap, assuming it really is quantum related, we know how observation works). If that image becomes the same angel, then each angel stuns the next one, and since the angels are all the same, all are stunlocked.
But, if each angel makes a new copy via its image, unless the angel is looking at the mirror at such an angel that the new angel looks back at it, it has just created a new free angel. For example, the angel created by a mirror behind the angel would have neither looking at each other.
Given that a human (and thus presumably angel) frame of vision is less than 180 degrees, and also given an arbitrary number of angels, the new angel creation rate will be one based around > .5* the number of angels, and as such will diverge, not converge. Given that the rate of divergence will be the speed of light, there will be lots of angels not observing each other, very quickly. Of course, they will always be looking backwards.
But of course, if they are all the same angel, to observe one is to observe them all, and it would stun lock itself by stunlocking some of its iterations.
I'll have to look at the math a bit more (as this is more my speculation than my thinking, and is based on the base case of only 1 angel), but I have to get groceries.
Mr. Beats-Me-At-Scrabble-Always: I am worried about the implications of angels, though. Looking at each other, as they blink out of existence, they should stop observing each other (not existing anymore) and should blink back and forth. As such, with enough time, I think they could slowly coordinate themselves out of such an arrangement.
(Later)
Mr. Beats-Me-At-Scrabble-Always: crap. I had intended to make an inductive proof, but I had to leave, and so I forgot.
Me: ...so, if I'm parsing your argument correctly (and I can't even articulate how much I love that you took my question seriously, WE ARE SUCH NERDS GUYS IT ROCKS) then the proper response to a weeping angel in a maze of mirrors is "OH SHIT", because even though it may be observing itself, a new angel is coming out of the mirror *behind* it?
Me: OH SHIT!
Mr. Beats-Me-At-Scrabble-Always: exactly. And those angels won't be observing each other (by the very fact that they are back reflections).
Me: But they'd still have to turn around...so...hm. I guess then it would depend on how the maze was set up on whether they could actually make it to the people in the center without observing one another?
Mr. Beats-Me-At-Scrabble-Always: worse, what if you break the mirrors, or they are clown mirrors? You could end up with thousands of tiny angels, or one huge death angel. OR a fat angel, or a skinny tall angel. On the plus side, if you wear mirrors, you are immune to angels, because you will be wearing angel armor (incidentally made out of angels as well)
Me: ...note to self, never fight an angel in a place with a disco ball. XD
As for the angel armor, would they be able to affect you as long as they are on the opposite side of the mirror? Cover the backing really well so they couldn't touch you?
Mme. Plays-Trumpet-Well: Mr. Scrabble definitely beat me to any conclusions I might have made, but this fills me with love. I do wonder what would happen if the 'new' angel that is looking away from the face of he mirror then turned around with the intention of badassery. Wouldn't they then be in the same situation as the original angel?
Me: I kind of think it might be possible to have a feedback loop where you'd be pretty safe.
At least, until all the lights went out.
Mr. Beats-Me-At-Scrabble-Always: yeah, all I'm saying is, at best, you end up with about the same amount of angels. At worst, you end up with millions. Worse, imagine a projection of angels along the mirrors through the whole maze. Sure, they are all looking at each other, but it also means you can't walk THROUGH the maze without blocking their gaze at each other. So you'd have to know which one was at the tail of the new chain, and look at IT, as you passed through. But with the infinite back and forth, IT would be on both sides of you...
Me: So, in short, it's probably not that viable a strategy even for a temporary hideout?
(based on what information we have)
Mme. Plays-Trumpet-Well: I would agree, but if we're talking about episode plot potential, then the rule of cool trumps all other concerns. Imagine the faces on the rabid fans as the Doctor and co. flee from pursuing angels, appear to have found a safe hideout, then catch their breath and look around... only to realize that they are surrounded by mirrors... and an angel got in with them...
Me: Ooh, that's a really good plot point!
Me: DUN DUN DUN
Ayup.
Upcoming: part 2 of my SEA Semester stuff, probably in more than one part; a NaNoWriMo summary; your usual dreamwaffles rambling. Missed all of you!
tl;dr: My friends are nerdily awesome, I have really creepy but really cool dreams, boats are cool.