"Sufficiently advanced magic" is a concept often used in fantasy literature and games. It refers to the idea that as magic becomes more advanced or powerful, it can appear and function in ways that are indistinguishable from advanced technology. This concept stems from the famous quote by Arthur C. Clarke, which states, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." In the context of fantasy, this concept allows for the exploration of magic systems that operate with rules and limitations similar to technology. The magic described in such systems is often highly complex and can be used for intricate purposes.
The magic described in such systems is often highly complex and can be used for intricate purposes. It may even mirror real-world scientific principles, such as the laws of thermodynamics or quantum mechanics. With "sufficiently advanced magic," the magical abilities or spells may seem like supernatural phenomena but can be broken down and understood through logical reasoning.
Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon Talk About Their Historic Dunk Contest, Vince, and Getting Props from MJ
Before the start of the dunk contest in the Air Canada Centre last night, the Jumbotron flashed images of the best moments from its 31-year history. It ended on shots of Vince Carter, who, in 2000 as a Toronto Raptor, put on the best dunk contest performance in basketball history—and perhaps one of the most iconic, most remembered events in sports history. The crowd went nuts, and it felt safe to assume it was the loudest it'd likely get all night. Dunk contest since haven't even come close. Vince Carter killed the NBA All-Star slam dunk competition.
Or so we thought.
Read MoreThe NBA just released a gorgeous, high-quality reel of Toronto Raptors-era Vince destroying rims around North America
The show Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon put on last night was breathtaking in that drop-your-beer, food-falling-out-of-your-mouth way that sports moments always have the potential to be, but so rarely are. It felt like it did sixteen years ago, when I was a kid sitting cross-legged on my carpet, wide-eyed and wondering what kind of cereal Vince Carter ate for breakfast. It took two kids born in 1995—who both would have been four when Vince shocked the world—to get us back there. And goddam, are we glad they did. As part of Mountain Dew's Court Vision Virtual Reality Experience, GQ caught up with them separately the morning after their historic showdown.
You get any sleep last night?
If closing your eyes counts. I blinked a lot.
This one has to be sweeter than the first one.
Yeah I feel like it’s better cause I went up against probably the best competition I ever been in. I definitely think it was one for the ages. I felt like it was the Rocky and Apollo Creed scene, where they both punch each other at the same time. Somebody’s getting hit, but both of y’all are getting hit.
Have you watched it back yet?
Nah, I haven’t even watched it yet. I’ve just seen some of the highlights. I was looking at both of his dunks anyway, like, "How do you do that?"
Which one blew you away the most?
The two that were tripping me out were when we went under both his legs over the mascot and then over the mascot between the legs. Professional dunkers do that. He did it one time, one try. And he’s freakin’ 6’10” man, so for him to get up over a mascot on a little hoverboard? [laughs] That’s like 45 inches in the air plus vertical.
Did you think he had you when you saw that?
Hell yeah! I didn’t know what I was gonna do, man. I just kept coming back with jabs. The longer it went, we just had to get creative. He had a 48, I think. [Ed’s Note: It was a 47] I was like, "Okay, how am I going to beat that?" We don’t got that many dunks. But if I lose, man, you can’t be mad at yourself. We just had one of the best dunk contests ever. So I tried a through-the-legs from as far back as I could, got my heel on the back of the line, and called it a wrap.
I saw Drake on Instagram said that you just walked up to him and were like, “I’m just gonna put this through the legs" like it was no big deal. Was that true?
That was true, yeah. Will Barton, the other contestant, was like, "You ever gone between the legs from the free throw line?" I was like, "Nah, man, never tried that." So I was walking up to Drake and I was only thinking about him holding it or him throwing it up to me, get the crowd into it, try to get a high score. And I was like, "You know, man, I’m just gonna try to go between the legs." I thought maybe it was going to be nasty. Was it good?
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It was fucking awesome.
It was crazy? [laughs]
Because we're in Toronto, the dunk contest everybody is talking about this weekend is Vince’s 2000 one. You were born in 1995! No way you remember that, right?
I remember the replays. The first dunk, that 360 windmill. And then T-Mac hit him with the bounce. Puting his arm in the rim. That’s the one that me and Aaron started thinking more. You can’t do dunks that, like, no one can do them but it looks too easy for us. A couple of our dunks we have, it was just like, "Man, how’d he do that?" But it looked too easy. That [Vince's arm in the basket dunk] was one of them. They didn’t give him a 50 on that dunk. And it was like: That dude just put his arm in the rim! No one did that before. A couple of Aaron’s and a couple of my dunks, it was like, "How’s that not a 50, man?! No one’s done that before."
You think you guys beat the Vince dunk contest?
Man, I think so. There’s 12 dunks in there that probably go down in the top 50 dunks ever. It’s crazy.
So what was your night like?
I went out last night, to the NBAPA party with Future. I just went with my family and we got food in the lobby. And ESPN was on the big screen in the back, and they were just re-running and re-running and re-running the dunk contest. It was really cool. Really cool.
Talk to me about your phone situation.
Oh yeah, its blowing up. I can’t even—I texted my Day Ones, my boys. But other than that, I can’t really respond to everybody. It’s like 200 something.
On your introduction video, you were saying your brother used to dunk on you every day, and you wanted to bring this back to show him what’s up. You didn’t win, but still, did you at talk to him and be like, "Dude, you see what I did?"
[laughs] The thing about my brother is he’s gonna be like, “Yeah. But you didn’t win. Where’s the trophy.” Ah! Maybe next year.
Do you feel like you lost? Still kind of made a pretty big impact.
I did six dunks that have never been done in the NBA dunk contest before. Six. So I’m completely proud of myself. That was the ultimate goal. I just ended up not getting the trophy.
Have you talked to [Magic Mascot] Stuff the Magic Dragon? Is he doing okay?
Stuff is doing okay. [laughs] I’m gonna have to get Stuff a Rolex or something like that. He put me on.
Did you say anything to him?
I just gave him a hug. Me and Stuff are like good friends now. Weird as that sounds.
How did you come up with the under the legs dunk?
I was going to try to go under both my legs and reverse it on the other side. But it just didn’t look very good. It didn’t look all that clean. And then I was going to try and do a Scorpion: you jump up, you reverse and you finish on the other side and come back. It’s another dunk that just wasn't very clean. I knew I wanted to go under both my legs. And it kinda just came together. It took me awhile to get it. But once I got it the first time, I was like, "Oh. That’s a wrap."
Have you watched it back?
Not yet. The WiFi in my hotel is not good enough.
The other NBA guys watching right there on the sideline, were you talking to them?
Yeah, yeah. When I jumped over Stuff the first time, they kind of came up to me and were like, “Whoa. Respect, man. Respect.” But really I was talking to Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo, Mario Hezonja, cause they’re my teammates. I knew they were in my corner from the jump. They knew I could win.
And who’s the one guy you’ve gotten props or dap from in the last 12 hours that blew your mind.
Mike. MJ.
What did he say?
He said I need to make my jumper.
If you could have one dream guy to dunk on, not in a disrespectful way, just as a prop, who is it?
It would have to be MJ.
And if you could have a 1-on-1 dunk off with anybody?
Zach. That was the best thing. Zach is an incredible dunker and we both pushed each other.
We’ll see you next year then.
Quite possibly.
These interviews have been edited and condensed.
This one has to be sweeter than the first one.
Yeah I feel like it’s better cause I went up against probably the best competition I ever been in. I definitely think it was one for the ages. I felt like it was the Rocky and Apollo Creed scene, where they both punch each other at the same time. Somebody’s getting hit, but both of y’all are getting hit.
These magical systems often require intense study and practice to master and exploit. This concept introduces a sense of wonder and mystery to the world in which the story takes place. It creates a fusion of the fantastical and the rational, blurring the lines between magic and science. This can lead to unique storytelling opportunities and allow for the creation of intricate and believable magical worlds. However, "sufficiently advanced magic" does not necessarily mean that all magical systems in fantasy need to be explained scientifically. It is simply a tool used to enable complex and logical magic systems that align with the principles of advanced technology. The focus is on creating an internally consistent and coherent magical world that engages the reader's sense of awe and fascination. Overall, "sufficiently advanced magic" contributes to the depth and richness of fantasy storytelling. It allows authors to create magic systems that are both fantastical and logical, sparking the imagination of readers while still grounding them in a sense of order and rationality. This concept is a testament to the boundless possibilities of combining science and magic to craft captivating narratives..
Reviews for "The Mystical Origins of Sufficiently Advanced Magic"
1. Peter - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with "Sufficiently Advanced Magic". The pacing of the story was incredibly slow and the plot felt convoluted. The author introduced too many characters without properly developing them, leaving me confused and uninvested in their fates. The magic system, which was supposed to be a highlight, felt overly complicated and bogged down the narrative. Overall, I found this book to be a letdown and struggled to finish it.
2. Sarah - 3/5 - While "Sufficiently Advanced Magic" had some interesting ideas and a unique magic system, the execution left much to be desired. The writing felt dry and lacked emotional depth, making it difficult for me to connect with the characters. The constant infodumps about the magical world and its intricate rules became overwhelming, taking away from the overall enjoyment of the story. I can see how this book can appeal to fans of complex fantasy worlds, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.
3. Michael - 2/5 - I have to admit that "Sufficiently Advanced Magic" didn't captivate me at all. The protagonist was bland and lacked any real depth, and the supporting characters were forgettable. The dialogue felt stilted and unnatural, making it difficult to become immersed in the story. Additionally, the book suffered from pacing issues - it was slow and dragged on for far too long. I was hoping for a more engaging and dynamic fantasy read, but unfortunately, this one fell short for me.