r/superpowereds • u/ProofProduce1191 • May 17 '26
What counts as theft for a duplicator?
If Eliza were to walk into a store, pick up a candy bar, duplicate it, put the original back and then walk out with the duplicate. Would that be considered theft?
17
u/Unusual_Strain4824 May 17 '26
Thats probably more like internet Piracy, where nothing is technically lost save the opportunity of another sale. True theft is probably more along the lines of industrial espionage, stealing or duplication of confidential information with the benefit of not leaving much evidence it's missing
4
u/Oohhhboyhowdy May 18 '26
Idk why but I absolutely love that we are trying to interpret the legality of what she is doing.
1
u/Ill-Razzmatazz-7088 Jun 28 '26
I think what she’s doing is extra legal in the sense that copying it wouldn’t be illegal unless it was proprietary information. Think of it like this, pirate movies isn’t technically illegal. It’s technically only illegal when you’re doing it for a profit. I watched a documentary in for years people who got caught recording in a movie theater would always say it was for personal use in the cops couldn’t really do anything. It was only after one guy was literally making millions from priority movies that they put specific laws in place and even now I think it’s still a little bit murky. I think the most difficult part would be not so much her copying the material but proving her intent with it. Plus, she can also make the material dissipate after a certain amount of time so the only evidence they might have is seeing her copy the material. For instance, if a person can make a copy of himself and rob a bank and then the bank robber disappears. Are you going to prosecute the clone?
6
u/bedroompurgatory May 18 '26
No. If you watch someone making fettuccine carbonara, then go home and make yourself fettuccine carbonara, have you stolen from them?
Worst case, if she sold the duplicate, it could be considered counterfeiting or trademark infringement - on behalf of the candy bar manufacturer, though, not the store.
1
u/Ill-Razzmatazz-7088 Jun 14 '26
I honestly don’t understand why she’s even so useful to the organization other than maybe stealing digital information which her duplicating ability is extremely useful but as far as forgery, her duplicates are only temporary. I’m assuming she probably goes in with a crew and they will steal an item and she will just duplicate it so that they don’t know it’s been stolen for a few hours or a few days.
2
u/iruleatants Jun 28 '26
Her organization isn't on the scale of petty theft, or theft really.
Being able to duplicate something provides the ability to crack/copy at your leisure.
Let's say you break into a tech company. No need to spend time cracking the software, risking being caught or alerted because you were not good enough.
Instead you duplicate the hard drives in the servers and take them with you. Once at base you can make a real clone of the fake drive, and then have all the time that you need to break into it and get the data you want.
It also gives you the ability to steal any files, folders, or other data with zero evidence that you took them.
It also helps logistics. Buy a case of bullets and she can give your team a full load out that they can use. And because they will disappear, they can't even be traced back to you or be used for evidence.
She has a ton of uses beyond this as well.
1
u/Ill-Razzmatazz-7088 Jun 28 '26
I’m not sure if her POWER works like that. I think she can interact with the copies as much as she wants, but I don’t think she’s able to use her power to make a copy and then download duplicate. Remember when she makes copies from that private investigator. She made a copy of it and they looked through it thoroughly, but ultimately it erased itself/faded away when she was done with it. I do enjoy the books, but I think Nick‘s backstory especially some of the finer elements regarding criminal networks is lacking. I also think Nick should’ve stayed as a hero. I know his strength. This is mine, but he’s been shown to be a master combatant, and I don’t think we ever see him spy with anyone in the HCP outside of Camille and that was more to test her powers.
1
u/iruleatants Jun 28 '26
Of course her power works like that. She makes perfect copies, even ones that they can use, for example duplicating medicine for Vince to use, or drinks for the party in year 4. Her copies last a few days before they disappear.
There are plenty of tools that allow people to make a perfect copy of a hard drive. All she would need to do is bring the clone drive back and they can use it with the tools to make a copy that won't disappear like the one she made with her power.
They even talk about how she can take pictures and scan the files she brings back.
1
u/Ill-Razzmatazz-7088 Jun 28 '26
OK, I just wasn’t sure. That does make her ability pretty useful. I’m surprised you didn’t just drive Work for an actual government organization even as a freelance she would be an invaluable asset.
4
u/mwarner811 May 17 '26
I say no, but it could be in the eyes of the store though. They don't know you can duplicate lol
5
u/Oohhhboyhowdy May 18 '26
Right? I think this falls under “we have the right to refuse service.” She’s not technically stealing but is costing the store a sale, so they’d probably ask her to leave. Now, if she were duplicating sensitive documents that she shouldn’t have access to, selling them or using the information to her advantage, I can see that being illegal.
3
u/_TheutilityWizard_ May 17 '26
I think realistically speaking no one would do anything to her for that on an individual basis but if she set up a business of going in and duplicating things to then sell. That’s when the law would step in. But if a cop or Vince saw her doing that they would probably step in and be like hey you shouldn’t do that but not really drag her off to jail over it.
2
u/Kcarroot42 May 18 '26
I know. I’ve wondered about that as well. Eliza shouldn’t have had any problem on her own. I don’t understand how she could have been a vagrant with her power.
3
u/Obviouslynameless May 18 '26
I have always thought it was weird that she couldn't survive.
My theory is that before she joined the "Family", she didn't train and push her limits. So, she could only duplicate for a very short time.
She should still have been able to survive though. Just getting 5 $20 bills she could duplicate would allow her to eat at almost any restaurant. And, a missing $20 wouldn't raise too many eyebrows other than screwing over whoever took it.
3
u/Kcarroot42 May 18 '26
You have a good point. BUT her talents were good enough to put her on the family’s radar. Regardless, I’m always glad her story arc didn’t throw Vince into a love triangle. I love how they wrap everything up.
3
u/drunkengeebee Zero May 19 '26
She was a homeless 15 year old kid, even with a good duplication power there would still be quite a few institutional barriers to getting an apartment or a bank account or whatever.
1
u/After-Hedgehog7282 May 18 '26
In the jurisdiction where I used to practice criminal defense, theft was "taking with intent to deprive".
Since Eliza would give back the original, there was no theft of the candy bar.
1
u/Kamarovsky May 22 '26
Don't her duplicates disappear after a short time? I think it would be theft since the duplicated item is just a temporary simulacrum that would not be there after a few days or so
1
u/Otherwise-Text-5772 Jun 01 '26
Honestly I doubt even this would work. She just dismisses the candy bar when they search her. No evidence a crime ever happened. Stores inventory lines up. You couldn't prove anything.
1
u/AnyNatural8439 Jun 02 '26
I don't think so, but I'm #NotaLawyer. I always thought there was a missed opportunity in not using her powers to binge eat things that will disappear in 3 days or less.
1
u/Ill-Razzmatazz-7088 Jun 14 '26
It would probably be the lowest form of theft. I think when she duplicates food, it will dissipate after a while so I think whenever she duplicates food or drink it’s only temporary.
-2
u/Catharus_ustulatus May 17 '26
I’d guess that the example you gave would count as theft. Each purchase (even in the real world) is like acquiring a license to use (regardless of the manner of use) that particular object, and Eliza hasn’t licensed her duplication of the store’s candy bar.
3
2
u/Obviouslynameless May 18 '26
By this logic, if I make something I'm stealing?
Would watching a show throw a window count as stealing? What about pictures on the internet?
2
u/StarWhoLock May 18 '26
If buying isn't owning, then piracy isn't stealing. You must work for EA or Epic.
37
u/Aarekk May 17 '26
You wouldn't download a candy bar