Sam, the Super Awkward Man
Super Awkward Man was created by Pixzzo & Afra, it can be read on Webtoon
Welcome back to the blog! Time for one of the more absurd characters I've documented here. Strap in, cause you don't wanna miss this. On a different note, I'd like to mention that after this blog, I'll have made 50 research blogs in total! To celebrate, I'd like to announce early that the next blog is going to focus on a Homestuck character. Considering the amount of content to cover, it's a group effort involving several peeps in the VS community. It's likely take longer to finish compared to other blogs, but there's still time to join in to churn it out sooner! I need all the help I can get with this one. If you're at all interested in helping out, let me know in my blog's Discord server! With that out of the way, let's talk about Sam.
Background
“I call everyone cringe. Everything cringe… but the truth is that I was never too comfortable with myself… But these guys are brave, living life without a care for what the world may think… Maybe you are right…Maybe I should just embrace it… Maybe life is too short to give a crap about what is 'cringe' anyway… You are wrong about one thing though, old man. These cringe lords are not my friends… Can you not read the sign? We're a family, now.”
Do you REALLY know what it means to cringe?
It's more than just receiving second-hand embarrassment from watching kids sing Minecraft parody songs or recoiling at your relative publicly making a fool out of themselves. True cringe is a visceral feeling felt through one's entire body. The sensation of awkwardness incarnate is so severe, you feel like you could just explode.
What if your sensitivity to cringe was so potent that it constantly risks blowing up the planet? That's a threat Sam here has to deal with every waking moment of his life.
Sam is an immortal alien cursed with world-threatening superpowers fueled by cringe. He was born in the center of the galaxy at the Dark Holey Castle, son of the kingdom's king and queen. To the dismay of his father, he was conceived in an anime art style instead of a realistic painted style like those dwelling in the otherworldly kingdom. Said drama brought about cringe when his wife revealed his closeted otaku tendencies in front of the royal guard. For making him and the entire palace cringe, his dad yeeted baby Sam all the way to Earth and cursed him with eternal cringe.
Sam's curse poses immense danger to the human race. He's fully aware of the consequences of it, since Sam is singlehandedly responsible for the annihilation of the dinosaurs when his curse first went into effect. Even if he cares a lot about the safety of other people and would prefer if the curse simply destroyed himself instead of others around him, his concerns mainly stem from his obsession of junk food. Junk food is the one thing in life that gives Sam a purpose. It has taken over 6,000 years for snacks and sweets to taste this good, so the extinction of humanity means the evolution of junk food will cease.
Sam has been on his own ever since his banishment. Despite his immortal status, he lives like a total bum. He has no education, he's always broke, and he isn't permitted for most jobs without a birth certificate. Sam tries to get by in life as best he can all while avoiding as much social interaction as possible. Where there are people, there is cringe. And the biggest cringe lords out there happen to be his "friends" who won't leave him alone.
Sam's recurring acquaintances include an over-eager candyshop worker who unknowingly embarrasses people while trying to help them, a french fry-themed fast food heir with an abysmal track record for his flirting attempts, and a clumsy shy girl in a dinosaur costume with a habit of accidentally saying incredibly raunchy things. Sam even makes some rivals who he keeps bumping into like a metalhead trying to find the secret to his powers and make him her bodyguard and a wannabe gangster and his little sister. And then there's Vector, the metalhead's rich brother who has been monitoring Sam's activity and wants to utilize his power to eradicate junk food from the entire world.
Sam is absolutely DONE with everyone's shit, yet he can't seem to shake off his stragglers. However, he does start to warm up to his cringy entourage over time. They may be embarrassing to associate with and they always drive him nuts, but his misadventures with them often lead him to bountiful junk food. Maybe they aren't so bad after all! In fact, he ends up becoming so attached to them, that he once redirected his cringe force's explosion just so he doesn't risk harming his friends.
After all this time, Sam finally starts to get a better hold of his powers. That's when his pops barrels back into his life to cause more chaos. After yeeting his son, the Dark Holey Queen banished her otaku husband and stripped him of most of his powers. Finally locating Sam, he offers to bring him back home, as well as make everything up to him. Sam is undecided at first considering what his father did, but it becomes apparent that remaining on this planet may be dangerous for his friends.
Vector unleashes his greatest scheme: forcing Sam to join his ranks or risk blowing everyone and his friends up on a junk food-themed cruise ship. He escapes the rigged ship, choosing to return home so he doesn't pose a danger to his cringey chums.
Sam is starting to show he cares more about his friends on the planet over junk food. Sensing this, and knowing he can't undo the curse, the least Sam's dad can do is help him embrace it. He helps Sam view his cringe sensitivity less like a curse and more like a superpower, able to use it to protect those he cherishes instead of using it for unintentional destruction. With his guidance, Sam gains better control over his curse.
Not wanting his friends to think he drowned, he returns to the cruise ship thwart Vector's schemes once and for all. All his skills he learned were put to the test when he had to destroy a tsunami he unintentionally caused.
Sam's life mellows out after that. He patched things up with his dad and chose to remain on Earth, and now he's running his own candy shop! Beyond that, the main difference compared to before is that he doesn't consider the cringe lords his friends anymore.
They're his family.
Experience and Skill
Sam has existed for at least 65 million years, spending most of his time trying to not actively blow up Earth. Although he has never received proper education, he has picked up on many life hax that make avoiding cringe easier; stuff like never taking buses and making sure to check if peoples' headphones are plugged into speakers at public libraries. He's extremely methodical about it, and acts quickly when faced with cringey situations. The only factors that tend to make him slip up are when sweets or his cringe lord friends are involved.
In the eons he has lived, it was only until recently that Sam was able to gain full control over his powers. Sam's dad intended for him to master it over the course of a few thousand years, but he was able to get a hang of it in a fraction of that time. Training mainly consisted of his dad making Sam cringe and aim his weaponized awkwardness away from or at specific targets. He even brought his son to a parallel fantasy universe where Sam got to meet parallel variants of the cringe lords and receive proper experience in not blowing them up. His training was put to the test when he accidentally caused a huge tsunami that threatened all his friends, and put all his effort into harnessing his curse to stop it.
Sam has existed for at least 65 million years, spending most of his time trying to not actively blow up Earth. Although he has never received proper education, he has picked up on many life hax that make avoiding cringe easier; stuff like never taking buses and making sure to check if peoples' headphones are plugged into speakers at public libraries. He's extremely methodical about it, and acts quickly when faced with cringey situations. The only factors that tend to make him slip up are when sweets or his cringe lord friends are involved.
In the eons he has lived, it was only until recently that Sam was able to gain full control over his powers. Sam's dad intended for him to master it over the course of a few thousand years, but he was able to get a hang of it in a fraction of that time. Training mainly consisted of his dad making Sam cringe and aim his weaponized awkwardness away from or at specific targets. He even brought his son to a parallel fantasy universe where Sam got to meet parallel variants of the cringe lords and receive proper experience in not blowing them up. His training was put to the test when he accidentally caused a huge tsunami that threatened all his friends, and put all his effort into harnessing his curse to stop it.
Equipment
Zipper Coat
To avoid awkward silence when he's at a store and his items are bagged, Sam stores bought goods in his puffy coat's many sleeve pockets. It's also a great snack container! Storing chips in them also has its perks beyond eating, as the extra air in the extra air inside the bags help him float on water.
To avoid awkward silence when he's at a store and his items are bagged, Sam stores bought goods in his puffy coat's many sleeve pockets. It's also a great snack container! Storing chips in them also has its perks beyond eating, as the extra air in the extra air inside the bags help him float on water.
Flip-Flops
Sam's cringe-induced toe curls are so strong that they often destroy his footwear, so he stocks up on cheap flip-flops. Wearing closed-toed shoes are usually too expensive and those exploding can send him flying into the air.
Sam's cringe-induced toe curls are so strong that they often destroy his footwear, so he stocks up on cheap flip-flops. Wearing closed-toed shoes are usually too expensive and those exploding can send him flying into the air.
Abilities
Cringe Force Manipulation
When people cringe from awkwardness, they generate a destructive form of energy Sam calls cringe force. Others around him can generate it from second-hand embarrassment. Sam's curse makes him extremely sensitive to awkwardness, so being exposed to cringe force overcharges his body with it. The cringier the scenario, the higher the percentage the cringe force builds up. Once he exceeds his limit, Sam is forced to unleash his cringe force, lest he risks another extinction.
While it's most known for causing explosive energy surges/beams or altering the weather, his cringe sensitivity can affect his own body like making his hair stand on end and become incredibly sharp. He's also able to hold back his overcharge to send the destruction into nearby objects.
When people cringe from awkwardness, they generate a destructive form of energy Sam calls cringe force. Others around him can generate it from second-hand embarrassment. Sam's curse makes him extremely sensitive to awkwardness, so being exposed to cringe force overcharges his body with it. The cringier the scenario, the higher the percentage the cringe force builds up. Once he exceeds his limit, Sam is forced to unleash his cringe force, lest he risks another extinction.
While it's most known for causing explosive energy surges/beams or altering the weather, his cringe sensitivity can affect his own body like making his hair stand on end and become incredibly sharp. He's also able to hold back his overcharge to send the destruction into nearby objects.
Immortality (Type 1)
Sam is waaaaay older than he looks. He's been alive since the age of the dinsosaurs!
Sam is waaaaay older than he looks. He's been alive since the age of the dinsosaurs!
Explosion Manipulation
When Sam unleashes his cringe force, it tends to result in explosions either centered around himself or targeted anywhere from miles away like the meteor shower. Sam can even have explosions occur inside objects like a volcano, deep fryers, and boxes. One time it even caused parts of pumpkins to blow off to create jack-o-lanterns with expressions of pure unfettered cringe. With his training complete, he's able to redirect the explosive cringe to wherever he commands.
When Sam unleashes his cringe force, it tends to result in explosions either centered around himself or targeted anywhere from miles away like the meteor shower. Sam can even have explosions occur inside objects like a volcano, deep fryers, and boxes. One time it even caused parts of pumpkins to blow off to create jack-o-lanterns with expressions of pure unfettered cringe. With his training complete, he's able to redirect the explosive cringe to wherever he commands.
Weather Manipulation
Sam's cringe force typically has an effect on the weather, such as creating giant tsunamis and generating clouds.
Sam's cringe force typically has an effect on the weather, such as creating giant tsunamis and generating clouds.
Ice Manipulation
Much like his weather abilities, cringe force can have an effect on elements, such as shooting up giant ice spikes and icebergs from underneath icy waters.
Much like his weather abilities, cringe force can have an effect on elements, such as shooting up giant ice spikes and icebergs from underneath icy waters.
Self-Sustenance (Type 1)
Breathing is for cringe lords, ain't that right, Sam?
Breathing is for cringe lords, ain't that right, Sam?
Enhanced Strength
Sam is physically stronger when cringing. To anyone who wants to get stronger, take note.
Sam is physically stronger when cringing. To anyone who wants to get stronger, take note.
Technology Manipulation
Cringe force can be used to power up technology, like this dysfunctional egg costume that couldn't turn into its mech form without Sam's cringe.
Cringe force can be used to power up technology, like this dysfunctional egg costume that couldn't turn into its mech form without Sam's cringe.
Singularity
As a member of the blackhole race, only a single version of Sam exists in the entire multiverse. Even in parallel universes, other versions of Sam don't exist in them.
As a member of the blackhole race, only a single version of Sam exists in the entire multiverse. Even in parallel universes, other versions of Sam don't exist in them.
Techniques
N/A
Feats
Overall
- Caused the extinction of the dinosaurs
- He sunk Atlantis
- Sam is responsible for sinking the Titanic
- Saved an entire island from a tsunami he unintentionally caused
Feats
Strength
- Cracked the ground under his foot just by curling his toes too hard
- When Sam first experienced cringe without any control over his powers, he caused the meteor shower that took out all life on the planet, wiping its surface (multi-cont).
- He sunk Atlantis
- Cut a cruise ship in half with a giant ice spike he summoned
- Reacting to cringe shook an entire candy store
- His redirected cringe force reduced a small robot to ash
- Burned down a house
- Caused an explosion that could be seen from space (around country level)
- Exploded a large candy-filled ball like fireworks
- Smashed a PC
- Caused Mt. Fuji to erupt with his cringe force
- Made this huge explosion in a desert
- Has obliterated entire cities in the past
- Shot a cringe beam through a tree
- Caused this big explosion on the top of a mountain
- One of his cringe blasts made a mushroom cloud
- His explosion once eclipsed a small island, creating a storm practically just as big as it
- Created a huge tsunami that threatened a small island
- Destroyed said tsunami
Speed
- When Sam was born, his father yeeted him from the "center of the galaxy far far away" all the way to Earth during an indeterminate amount of time. Moving "at lightspeed," he had to actively dodge objects in his path as an infant while flying through space, before crashing onto Earth in a giant explosion.
- Moves like a blur while playing an arcade game
- He cringed so hard while playing a motorcycle arcade game, that the cringe force caused the motorcycle prop he was riding on to activate and drive him from the arcade to a bridge at an unknown location
- Scales to the Dark Holey King, who can fast travel a lightyear in distance
Durability
- Survived being thrown from the center of the galaxy all the way to Earth, causing an explosion that's at least country level
- Scales to the Dark Holey King, who withstood a direct beam attack from Sam
Weaknesses
- Sam's powers are dependent on how much cringe is around him. Without it, he can't do shit. He realizes near the end of the series that he's pretty much powerless without his friends.
- As Sam is hyper-sensitive to awkwardness, he isn't excluded from feeling immense cringe
- Despite his millennia of experience, Sam is always broke. It's all because he's still trying to repay a hospital a huge medical bill from ten years ago (he didn't get injured, he just tripped and refused to get back up while people were still watching him).
- Junk food clouds his sense of judgment. This leads to Sam exposing himself to cringey situations, but it also makes him prone to stupid decisions. One time he sent his credit card info and home address to a malware cookie notice because he thought he'd receive more cookies.
- Sam has PTSD from waifu figurines
Matchup Potential
Sam vs Kusuo Saiki (Super Awkward Man vs The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.)
(thumbnail by JustADude)
(thumbnail by JustADude)
Vibe Check
Both are supernatural junk food-obsessed "teens" (who are older than they seem) from comedy series with personalities screaming that they're done with the world's shit. Both are "cursed" with the insane power capable of destroying the planet, which they constantly need to hold back and keep hidden from everyone else in order to NOT do that and live normal lives. Both are dragged into shenanigans by their "friends" of extreme personalities who usually fail to grasp the concept of common sense, which brings the risk of both their powers being revealed and the potential destruction of the planet should they lose too much control.
While I'm not too familiar with Saiki K, I could immediately connect with it from the vibes alone. This has the potential to be an absurdly funny episode given the shenanigans both characters could get into that increase the destructive potency of their abilities.
I debated this in another server, and while Saiki is undeniably haxxier, that wasn't enough to get past Sam's stats. For now, I'd say he wins.
NinRookie
Connections: Two apathetic "teen" protagonists (Saiki is older due to continuously turning time back by a year in order to deal with the volcano, while Sam is literally thousands of years old but looks like a normal teen) of slice-of-life comedies who are "cursed" (literally in Sam's case) with enough power to accidentally destroy the planet at any moment but try to live completely normal lives nonetheless. They have fathers who are complete unreliable and reckless losers, and are surrounded by the biggest groups of idiots you've ever seen, who themselves are parodies of common tropes. Despite their antisocial nature, they are incredibly easily motivated by sweets (for Sam it's junk food as a whole), and over the course of their respective stories their own groups of idiots end up growing on them too much to the point they have to admit that they kinda maybe sorta like them, with the climax being them attempting to prevent a natural disaster which threatens to wipe their friends out. By the end, they learn to come to terms with their "curse" more.
First of all the setup for the fight is incredibly easy. Sam runs a candy shop by the end of his story for crying out loud and Saiki's friend group is a cringe-force bomb for him. Most likely Saiki teleports Sam away since he would either sense the IMMENSE danger he poses or receive a vision from precognition, and the fight would start from there. Their abilities allow for a lot of energy clashes, though Sam's are a lot more physically-damaging but with more creative function while Saiki just has a lot more abilities in general. Some fun ideas are Saiki attempting to BFR Sam via teleportation but Sam returning via super-powering a motorcycle from his cringe-force energy, and the weirdly specific counter of any time shenanigans not working on Sam due to his nature as a singularity and how it's explained in the webcomic. The banter potential is pretty obvious and their tone is an exact match for each other due to their comedy series origins, and weirdly enough, with the stuff that tends to happen in Saiki K... it's pretty easy to just keep Sam powered up throughout the fight via just events that would normally happen in both of their series.
That's what I've got for now just based off of my memory alone, honestly I've forgotten a lot of the things both can do.
You could also unironically take this into space if you wanted, I think? I forget if Saiki can survive the vacuum of space or not, I thought I remembered something where he did but I might be wrong. I'd be kinda surprised if he couldn't tho.
NEXT TIME ON WCAB… whenever I feel like it
