Harmony: My hands are tied, and I am bounded.
Wax: Who ties God's hands?
Harmony: I tied them myself.
Wax: Who ties God's hands?
Harmony: I tied them myself.
You have been chosen to represent Earth in Mortal Kombat. Be warned. Although your souls are protected against Shao Kahn's evil; your lives are not. I cannot interfere any longer as your Earth is now ruled by the Outworld Gods. These are the words of Raiden.
— Intro crawl to Mortal Kombat 3
Harmony: What is it to be God, Waxillium?
Wax: I don't think that's a question I can answer.
Harmony: It is not one I ever thought I'd have to answer either. But obviously, it has been forced upon me. You would have me intervene and stop the murders of innocents. I could do this. I have considered it. If I were to stop every one, what then? Do I stop maimings as well?
Wax: Of course.
Harmony: And where do I hold back, Waxillium? Do I prevent all wounds, or do I prevent only those caused by evil people? Do I stop a man from falling asleep so that he will not tip a candle and burn down his house? Do I stop all harm that could ever befall a person?
Wax: Maybe.
Harmony: And once nobody is ever hurt, will people be satisfied? Will they not pray to me and ask for more? Will some people still curse and spit at the sound of my name because they are poor, while another is rich? Should I mitigate this, make everyone the same, Waxillium?
Wax: I won't be caught in this trap. You're the God, not me. You can find a line where You prevent the worst. You can find a line where You're stopping the worst that is reasonable, while still letting us live our lives.
Harmony: Perhaps I have already done just as you suggest. You do not see it, because the worst never reaches you.
Wax: I don't think that's a question I can answer.
Harmony: It is not one I ever thought I'd have to answer either. But obviously, it has been forced upon me. You would have me intervene and stop the murders of innocents. I could do this. I have considered it. If I were to stop every one, what then? Do I stop maimings as well?
Wax: Of course.
Harmony: And where do I hold back, Waxillium? Do I prevent all wounds, or do I prevent only those caused by evil people? Do I stop a man from falling asleep so that he will not tip a candle and burn down his house? Do I stop all harm that could ever befall a person?
Wax: Maybe.
Harmony: And once nobody is ever hurt, will people be satisfied? Will they not pray to me and ask for more? Will some people still curse and spit at the sound of my name because they are poor, while another is rich? Should I mitigate this, make everyone the same, Waxillium?
Wax: I won't be caught in this trap. You're the God, not me. You can find a line where You prevent the worst. You can find a line where You're stopping the worst that is reasonable, while still letting us live our lives.
Harmony: Perhaps I have already done just as you suggest. You do not see it, because the worst never reaches you.
Enna Kros: I can't do everything for you now.
Reynn: Everything? But you've barely done anything!
Enna Kros: Besides, every world has its own rules. Like water dousing fire, or light banishing darkness.
Lann: Uhh, I think that's just called "science?"
Enna Kros: Well, I design mine to be so completely unbreakable that even I can't undo them.
Lann: Undo what?
Enna Kros: The rules.
Reynn: Everything? But you've barely done anything!
Enna Kros: Besides, every world has its own rules. Like water dousing fire, or light banishing darkness.
Lann: Uhh, I think that's just called "science?"
Enna Kros: Well, I design mine to be so completely unbreakable that even I can't undo them.
Lann: Undo what?
Enna Kros: The rules.
[Rason, Kurumu, and Gabriel have come to Heaven, pleading with the Elder for help in saving the disembodied souls of Arial and Complica, who are unable to cross the Heavenly barrier and get back into Heaven]
Kurumu: So the Almighty knows about this? What's he going to do to fix it, then?
Elder: Nothing.
All three: Nothing?!
Rason: What do you mean nothing? Elder, two children are trapped on the other side of the barrier! How could the Almighty say he won't do anything about it?!
Elder: Because the Almighty can't do anything about it. The laws of Heaven and the barrier are absolute, and cannot be changed even for a single circumstance. No soul can pass through the barrier, that's how it's supposed to be and stay. The Almighty cannot break the rules of Heaven himself. That's just not possible.
Kurumu: So the Almighty knows about this? What's he going to do to fix it, then?
Elder: Nothing.
All three: Nothing?!
Rason: What do you mean nothing? Elder, two children are trapped on the other side of the barrier! How could the Almighty say he won't do anything about it?!
Elder: Because the Almighty can't do anything about it. The laws of Heaven and the barrier are absolute, and cannot be changed even for a single circumstance. No soul can pass through the barrier, that's how it's supposed to be and stay. The Almighty cannot break the rules of Heaven himself. That's just not possible.
Thor: Look, whatever solution you think up that involves me fixing it for you—I guarantee you there's a bunch of dumb god laws tying my hands, okay?
Odin: We wrote them that way on purpose! There are fewer Good gods than Not-Good gods, you know. If everyone could play in the sandbox all the time, there wouldn't be a lot of sandcastles left unkicked!
Odin: We wrote them that way on purpose! There are fewer Good gods than Not-Good gods, you know. If everyone could play in the sandbox all the time, there wouldn't be a lot of sandcastles left unkicked!
Harry Dresden: Is there some law of the universe that compels you to be so freaking mysterious?
Archangel Uriel: Several, actually. All designed for your protection.
Archangel Uriel: Several, actually. All designed for your protection.
Shazam!: "The villains draw upon your power, you know."
Apollo: "So they do. But I cannot intervene. Your trio has not asked for my aid directly."
Shazam: "They cannot, imprisoned as they are. And I, in my ghostly state, cannot offer them succor. Is there none upon this entire rock who can save my charges?"
Apollo: (sadly) "You know the rules, Old Man. Without their request, we cannot help."
Apollo: "So they do. But I cannot intervene. Your trio has not asked for my aid directly."
Shazam: "They cannot, imprisoned as they are. And I, in my ghostly state, cannot offer them succor. Is there none upon this entire rock who can save my charges?"
Apollo: (sadly) "You know the rules, Old Man. Without their request, we cannot help."
Quentin: You know, while I've got You, I've been wondering. About these Seven Keys. If You're basically omnipresent and probably omniscient too, why don't You go around and just collect the keys Yourself? If they're so important to the realm? I mean, You could probably do it half an hour, tops.
Ember: There is Deeper Magic at work here, my child. Even the gods must bow to it. That is the way.
Ember: I do not think you understand, my child. There are things that a man must do that a god may not.
Gale: I've no doubt she has the power to do so, but as for the permission... Ao would not look kindly on her meddling in mortal affairs. Divine intervention has a tendency to make things worse, not better.
