Asterix/Headscratchers

• So, if Obelix fell into the potion as a child, and got the effects permanently without any bad side effects, why don't the Gauls bathe in a large amount of potion? (Or just dip every newborn/chile, for that matter, requiring less potion.) Wouldn't they then all have the effects permanently and not have to worry about Getafix being kidnapped or getting attacked by surprise when not battle ready?
  • He didn't just fall into the potion, he drank a lot of it while in the cauldron. Also, Obelix's strength turned him clumsy and prone to disaster, so the perpetual effects don't seem that good.
    • Every single (male) gaul in the village is prone to disaster, and half of them are clumsy, stupid or the best of two worlds. Anyway, Getafix states that if a child drink a large amount of potion, the duration is unknown. For Obelix is permanent; for the son of Caesar, it's a few days. On adults, it's dangerous: a Roman became a statue after drinking to much.
  • A recent picture book entry into the franchise, that eleborates on Obelix' bath in the potion as a child suggests, that the huge ammount of potion also drastically altered his personality: Pre-Potion Obelix was shy and a pacifist. So, bathing every newborn in potion would probably result in them having a whole generation of Obelixes to raise.
    • Also, Obelix eats a LOT. Though not stated, the potion may well cause changes to one's metabolism, to the point in which the sustainability of the village might suffer from a whole generation of Obelixes.
      • Well, Obélix was fat and, apparently, not too bright even before falling inside the cauldron. Also I don't think the potion changed his personality: he just knew himself invincible and wanted revenge.
  • One comic showed that drinking too much potion turns people into stone, I believe Obelix drank just enough before he was rescued from the cauldron to give him superstrenght without the side effect, but since it was an accident, maybe the druid doesn't know the exact ammount Obelix drank and doesn't want to risk turning a newborn baby into stone for nothing.
    • No, it's drinking more potion while still under the effect of the potion is what turns you to stone.
  • In Asterix and Son, we get to see what an absolute terror a super-strong baby is; even when super-strong themselves Asterix and Obelix can barely manage him, and the property damage is enormous. At least one additional story reveals that children aren't allowed magic potion, probably because they're not ready for that much power yet.
• This may be just an issue of translation, but in the Druids' competition in the Forest of the Carnutes, one of them demonstrates a potion that makes you immune to pain, and demonstrates this by taking chips out of boiling oil with his bare hands. He seemed to incur no damage, but if pain was the only thing removed, his hands would still have been destroyed by the heat. Did the original French text say "immune to heat"?
  • The brazillian portuguese version also just said immune to pain. My guess is that they meant immune to pain as in "immune to damage", seeing as in a later comic the village druid comments how the potion gives superstrenght, but not ivulnerability, then adds something to the effect of "but there's other potion for that".
• Obelix has a birthday party in Obelix and Co., and no one mentions Asterix. However in a later issue it is revealed both were born at the same day, and always celebrate their birthdays togheter.
  • I also wondered about that, but it would certainly be in character for Asterix to decide that this year would be for Obelix. After all, Obelix has completely forgotten what day it is, so it's easy to imagine Asterix laughing to himself as he goes around to the villagers and say "Look, Obelix doesn't remember it's our birthday, so I want to arrange a surprise for him."