13:18 - Death (Final Destination) vs. Polar Express

[UMPIRE]

SEASON 13, ROUND 18

Death (Final Destination)

Slot: The Team's Horror Icon
Season Wins: 3
Season Losses: 1
Fantasy Team Page
Read more about Death (Final Destination) at Wikipedia
Official Site: New Line Cinema

Polar Express

Slot: The Team's Christmas Themed Character
Season Wins: 3
Season Losses: 2
Fantasy Team Page
Read more about Polar Express at Wikipedia
Official Site: Warner Bros. Pictures

Battle Terrain
Christmas Vs. Halloween: Costume Contest

[Culwych1]

Death incarnate, who is a shape-shifting force that is able to look like anything, including but not limited to a pile of corpses, a Demonic mist or a deadly mysterious man. Or a train. Which a lot of people have to get every day to work in the morning.

I know which one would get my vote! 

Easy win for Death. 

 

[DSkillz]

As with the last time Death had this terrain, it'll be tough to design an easily identifiable form for it. 

If one can pull off a good Polar Express costume, though, people will know it right off the bat and be wowed by it. 

[Culwych1]

5 hours ago, DSkillz said:

As with the last time Death had this terrain, it'll be tough to design an easily identifiable form for it. 

If one can pull off a good Polar Express costume, though, people will know it right off the bat and be wowed by it. 

I'm pretty sure as a cosmic shape-shifting being, Death could make himself be recognised (and epically so). To pull from a recent (epic) debate - if this turned up at the contest then I'm sure people would 1. know it is Death and 2. be absolutely amazed by it...

 

[DSkillz]

23 hours ago, Culwych1 said:

I'm pretty sure as a cosmic shape-shifting being, Death could make himself be recognised (and epically so). To pull from a recent (epic) debate - if this turned up at the contest then I'm sure people would 1. know it is Death and 2. be absolutely amazed by it...

 

Heh. 

Thing is, if Death came dressed like that, most people will just say that it's a crowned skeleton or the Grim Reaper. Much like beings like the Angel of Death in The Prince of Egypt (another film I've seen recently  ), Final Destination's Death doesn't have a form that anyone would recognize specifically as the entity from the Final Destination films. 

[Culwych1]

25 minutes ago, DSkillz said:

Heh. 

Thing is, if Death came dressed like that, most people will just say that it's a crowned skeleton or the Grim Reaper. Much like beings like the Angel of Death in The Prince of Egypt (another film I've seen recently  ), Final Destination's Death doesn't have a form that anyone would recognize specifically as the entity from the Final Destination films. 

The challenge isn't to be the most recognisable (and I'd add that Polar Express could well be mixed up with the Murder on the Orient Express or other trains), it is a costume contest which could also be for the best costume. A giant Death that can suddenly turn into mist would get most if not all the votes!

[DSkillz]

On 2/5/2024 at 2:11 AM, Culwych1 said:

The challenge isn't to be the most recognisable (and I'd add that Polar Express could well be mixed up with the Murder on the Orient Express or other trains), it is a costume contest which could also be for the best costume. A giant Death that can suddenly turn into mist would get most if not all the votes!

All you'd realistically need to make a recognizable Polar Express is to make a black steam locomotive tugging a black passenger car with the name POLAR EXPRESS emblazoned in gold on its sides. 

To add to the effect, you could include other people authentically dressed as characters from the film, such as Hero Girl.

[Culwych1]

15 minutes ago, DSkillz said:

All you'd realistically need to make a recognizable Polar Express is to make a black steam locomotive tugging a black passenger car with the name POLAR EXPRESS emblazoned in gold on its sides. 

To add to the effect, you could include other people authentically dressed as characters from the film, such as Hero Girl.

Again - the contest isn't to be the most recognisable. Being a train is being a train. Being a shapeshifting force of nature that can appear as anything is a sure winning combo for a costume contest. 

[DSkillz]

20 hours ago, Culwych1 said:

Again - the contest isn't to be the most recognisable. Being a train is being a train. Being a shapeshifting force of nature that can appear as anything is a sure winning combo for a costume contest. 

The Polar Express definitely stands out among trains, both in its purpose and what it was able to pull off in the film. Its recognizability isn't its only advantage here, though.

A full, authentic Polar Express would be a sight to behold and would require several people to pull off. The costume could consist of a train that alone would take at least a couple of people dressed as the locomotive and its cars, connected together and moving in concert, along with others dressed as, say, the conductor, the Hero Boy and Girl, and maybe even the Hobo. If a group of people can pull off something this elaborate and in a convincing fashion, the crowd and the judge would be absolutely enthralled. 

While someone could no doubt pull off good costumes of various personifications of death, not only would none of them really represent Death from Final Destination (since he doesn't even seem to have an identifiable form in the films), but you'd also be hard-pressed to see one that would take as much of a combination of elaboration, teamwork, and sheer performance of a Polar Express costume comprised of the train and the accompanying characters. 

[Culwych1]

20 minutes ago, DSkillz said:

The Polar Express definitely stands out among trains, both in its purpose and what it was able to pull off in the film. Its recognizability isn't its only advantage here, though.

A full, authentic Polar Express would be a sight to behold and would require several people to pull off. The costume could consist of a train that alone would take at least a couple of people dressed as the locomotive and its cars, connected together and moving in concert, along with others dressed as, say, the conductor, the Hero Boy and Girl, and maybe even the Hobo. If a group of people can pull off something this elaborate and in a convincing fashion, the crowd and the judge would be absolutely enthralled. 

While someone could no doubt pull off good costumes of various personifications of death, not only would none of them really represent Death from Final Destination (since he doesn't even seem to have an identifiable form in the films), but you'd also be hard-pressed to see one that would take as much of a combination of elaboration, teamwork, and sheer performance of a Polar Express costume comprised of the train and the accompanying characters. 

I thought it was agreed previously that this is the actual characters entering the costume contest - I.e  actually Polar Express and actually Death.

[DSkillz]

23 minutes ago, Culwych1 said:

I thought it was agreed previously that this is the actual characters entering the costume contest - I.e  actually Polar Express and actually Death.

There never seemed to be a consensus on that.  

Even so, the Polar Express itself could easily show up in the vicinity of the contest, as it's shown to be capable of pulling up to a location out of nowhere, and with the characters in tow. Even if the contest is staged indoors, the audience and judges could then step outside long enough to marvel at the sight. 

Death itself showing would also present a problem, as the only real way it can manifest itself is to actually start trying to kill people. 

[Culwych1]

22 minutes ago, DSkillz said:

There never seemed to be a consensus on that.  

Even so, the Polar Express itself could easily show up in the vicinity of the contest, as it's shown to be capable of pulling up to a location out of nowhere, and with the characters in tow. Even if the contest is staged indoors, the audience and judges could then step outside long enough to marvel at the sight. 

Death itself showing would also present a problem, as the only real way it can manifest itself is to actually start trying to kill people. 

Well my interpretation is that this is the characters themselves, and hence the shapeshifter takes it.

And nope, it has manifested itself without killing people in the books and comics - both in real world a d in their dreams.

And a train sitting outside is all good, but a huge Grim Reaper hovering above the ground above it should make people pick the right choice..

[DSkillz]

3 hours ago, Culwych1 said:

Well my interpretation is that this is the characters themselves, and hence the shapeshifter takes it.

And nope, it has manifested itself without killing people in the books and comics - both in real world a d in their dreams.

And a train sitting outside is all good, but a huge Grim Reaper hovering above the ground above it should make people pick the right choice..

And therefore lies another issue: people are likely just going to see Death as yet another Grim Reaper costume, which has been done many times. 

Meanwhile, a magical train appearing out of nowhere with a colorful set of characters? That would be something special and unique. 

[Culwych1]

1 hour ago, DSkillz said:

And therefore lies another issue: people are likely just going to see Death as yet another Grim Reaper costume, which has been done many times. 

Meanwhile, a magical train appearing out of nowhere with a colorful set of characters? That would be something special and unique. 

Another Grim Reaper costume that is 100 feet tall or that spontaneously turns to a mist with large glowing eyes, and back again?

[DSkillz]

We'd probably better get in some last arguments in case the Death Matches presumably wrap tomorrow morning/afternoon in U.S. time. 

On 2/7/2024 at 6:59 AM, Culwych1 said:

Another Grim Reaper costume that is 100 feet tall or that spontaneously turns to a mist with large glowing eyes, and back again?

Unless Death actually starts killing people (which would scare people off rather than gain favor for the contest), the audience might just see the display as another, albeit possibly impressive, magic act. 

A train and its tracks suddenly appearing in the vicinity when they clearly weren't there before, along with the crew putting on quite a show as they bring out refreshments? Definitely something that the audience would appreciate. 

[Culwych1]

1 hour ago, DSkillz said:

We'd probably better get in some last arguments in case the Death Matches presumably wrap tomorrow morning/afternoon in U.S. time. 

Unless Death actually starts killing people (which would scare people off rather than gain favor for the contest), the audience might just see the display as another, albeit possibly impressive, magic act. 

A train and its tracks suddenly appearing in the vicinity when they clearly weren't there before, along with the crew putting on quite a show as they bring out refreshments? Definitely something that the audience would appreciate. 

Magic is one of the most impressive displays that impresses people, plus an actual shapechanging costume entry would be amazing - so I'll accept the argument and count it as a win for Death.

[UMPIRE]

Match Final Results

Death (Final Destination): 4
Polar Express: 8