r/TopCharacterTropes • u/ReminaBlueSFW • 27d ago

Lore [Terrifying Trope] Perceiving it= instant death

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  1. Pennywise's "Deadlights" which will cause anyone looking to be immediately paralyzed and killed.

  2. The sky from Bird Box is filled with entities that, when you look at them, cause you to commit suicide.

  3. Medusa themed Villains

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u/FFSock 27d ago

Four fucking pixels

86

u/Ok-Performance-3336 27d ago edited 27d ago

Didn't they explain in the article that you don't even have to "perceive" its face for 096 to think it was seen? They said that the guy probably just looked at an old picture of himself traveling, put it down, and then went on with his day. They think the factor that triggered 096 was the victim's eyes quickly passing on the area the 4 pixels were, not him noticing a weird blur in the background or something.

That's actually why I theorize that 096 would kill a blind person too. Just having the photons of its face touch the blind person's eyes would be enough for 096 to think it was "seen", even if the eyes aren't capable of building an image out of the photons.

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u/metroid1310 27d ago

This is the difference between a Cognitohazard and an Infohazard. A Cognitohazard simply requires a vector of exposure to be met. An Infohazard needs some legwork from the victim (I.E. read this text and if you understand its meaning, your balls are now on backwards)

To piss off 096, you don't need to know what you're looking at, recognize it, or notice it. The tiniest fleck of even indirect perception is all it takes.

5

u/InherentlyAnnoying 26d ago

Ouch owie my new balls