1516: Win by Induction

2015-04-27T08:49:11Z

Addaleax: /* Explanation */ constant growth rate <=> linear growth

{{comic
| number = 1516
| date = April 24, 2015
| title = Win by Induction
| image = win by induction.png
| titletext = This would be bad enough, but every 30th or 40th pokéball has TWO of them inside.
}}
{{Incomplete|Citations in explanation and trivia}}
==Explanation==
In the {{w|Pokémon}} franchise, human characters called Trainers capture fantastical creatures from the wild, the titular Pokémon (a shortened form of "Pocket Monsters"), and train them to battle one another. Pokémon are captured and stored in devices called Poké Balls, which shrink the creatures down to pocket size (hence "Pocket Monsters"). The anime's dub has enshrined the phrase "''<Pokémon's name>'', I choose you!" into popular culture memory. When Trainers do battle, they often shout this phrase while throwing the ball to the ground, releasing the Pokémon at full size.

In this comic, a Pokémon chosen at some point was a {{w|Pikachu}}, which does not intend to engage in the battle himself. Instead, the Pikachu chooses another Pikachu to fight for him. This process then repeats itself. Behind the Pikachu with the Pokéball is a long line of other Pikachu, suggesting that this process has been going on for a while.

Nearby stands [[Cueball]], holding a closed Pokéball, and [[Megan]], looking at her watch. This suggests that Cueball intends to have his own Pokémon fight the Pikachu, but is waiting to see which enemy his Pokémon must face before the battle can actually begin (waiting in vain, if the above described process repeats indefinitely), while Megan is growing impatient with the delay. Given that Cueball is holding a closed Pokéball he has not deployed yet, Megan cannot herself be his Pokémon. She could be his opponent, or a spectator.

The joke in this comic comes from analogy with the mathematical {{w|proof by induction}}, which is a proof with a base case, followed by a never ending sequence of steps. Each step leads to the next, thus proving something for all cases. This title seems to suggest that the process of Pikachu choosing Pikachu will not end, effectively postponing the battle indefinitely.

The name "induction" comes from logic and discrete mathematics, and is thus unrelated to the physical phenomena of {{w|electromagnetic induction}}; but the fact that Pikachu is an "Electric-type" Pokémon could be a word play connecting the two ideas.

If there were always only a single Pikachu in each Pokéball, this would spawn an unlimited number of Pikachu growing at a constant rate. Since, as the title text notes, there are occasionally two of them in a Pokéball, this would lead to exponential growth assuming each of the spawned Pikachu in this case is bearing a Pokéball!

Pikachu was used in one of the storylines of [[1350: Lorenz]]. See all the attack moves it made [[1350:_Lorenz#Pok.C3.A9mon|here]].

==Transcript==
:[There's a long queue of Pikachu extending out of the frame to the left. They are all just out from their ball, at least the last eight Pikachu's open balls lie in two parts on the ground at their feet. They are standing in front of Megan and Cueball. Cueball is holding a closed pokéball while Megan checks the time on her watch. The frontmost Pikachu, holding a closed pokéball, speaks.]

:Pikachu at the front: Pikachu, I choose ''you!''

==Trivia==
*For some reason Pikachu is drawn without its lightning shaped tail.
*In Pokémon canon, Pokémon are only allowed to hold on to an ''empty'' Pokéball when stored in a Pokéball.
*In Pokémon canon, only one Pokémon can exist in a pokeball.
*Randall has drawn the pokeballs with the button that opens them in the middle of the red half. Wheras in acutal pokeballs the button is located where the two different halves meet. The open pokeballs are also shown broken in two, when they should be connected by a hinge

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Math]]
[[Category:Video games]]
[[Category:Pokémon‏‎]]

1516: Win by Induction

2015-04-24T10:22:28Z

Addaleax: /* Explanation */ At no point in time would there be an infinite number of Pikachus, therefore 'unlimited' is the correct term here

{{comic
| number = 1516
| date = April 24, 2015
| title = Win by Induction
| image = win by induction.png
| titletext = This would be bad enough, but every 30th or 40th pokéball has TWO of them inside.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This explanation is quite short, and the title text is not explained}}
{{w|Pikachu}} is a type of {{w|Pokémon}} from the cartoon series Pokémon. In the show, characters frequently 'fight' each other. This involves both characters choosing a Pokémon, who will then attack each other. Choosing a Pokémon is done by saying "I choose you, - name of the Pokémon -", and throwing a Pokéball to the ground. A Pokémon then appears from the Pokéball.
This comic suggests that a Pokémon chosen at some point was a Pikachu, but that this Pikachu does not intend to fight himself: carrying a Pokéball instead, Pikachu chooses another Pikachu to fight for him. This process then repeats itself. Behind the Pikachu with the Pokéball is a long line of other Pikachu's, suggesting that this process has been going on for a while.
The joke in this comic comes from analogy with the mathematical proof by induction, which is a proof with a base case, followed by a never ending sequence of steps, in which each step leads to the next, thus proving something for all cases. This title seems to suggest that the process of Pikachu's choosing Pikachu's will not end, effectively postponing the battle until the other Pokémon (not depicted) gives up.

If there was single Pikachu in each ball, this would spawn an unlimited number of Pikachus forming a single line. If, as title text suggests, there's occasionally two of them in a Pokéball, this would lead to exponential rather than linear growth, quickly forming a huge mob.

==Transcript==
[There's a long queue of {{w|Pikachu}} just out from their ball, standing in front of Megan and Cueball on the right, Cueball holding an opened pokeball while Megan checks the time on her watch. The front most Pikachu speaks.]

Front most Pikachu: Pikachu, I choose ''you''!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]

explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1516: Win by Induction

1516: Win by Induction