Discussion Poison Weapons?

[Sigma]

We've discussed fire weapons and some think they would be mostly ineffective but what about poison weapons? Titans obviously have a nervous system so I'm guessing they would be vulnerable to a neurotoxin of some sort. And their highspeed regeneration and ultra high body temperature seems to indicate a very rapid metabolism, meaning that a poison would be absorbed and spread throughout their system very quickly.

As for delivery a gas might work but some kind of dart might be better, especially in cities where you don't want to gas your entire population as well. Though fashioning a dart that would carry a big enough dose might be an issue.

Also, I'm wondering if a type of poison like ricin would be effective at eliminating a Titan's regenerative capabilities since it kills cells by preventing them from making proteins. I'm guessing this would depend on the titan's cellular structure though.

 

[TheOwl]

It would take a lot of poison to (hypothetically) take down a Titan, and the inside of their bodies is too hot, which as far as I know should make the poison ineffective.

 

[Huesoman]

Poison could be effective, but maybe not such effective against shifters, they could undo their transformation to get rid of the poison and then transform again. A virus or bacteria could be effective also, but again not against shifters.

 

[Sigma]

A bacteria or maybe a virus might be neutralized by the heat but I don't think something like a blood agent or neurotoxin would be. I think their high rate of metabolism would just spread the poison faster.

 

[Utsune]

It really depends on the type of poison, and some poison won't be affected by high temperature in the way some think they would, as you have correctly put it.

Second and third point to consider is, the way the titan body works, and the way the poison works. As far as my ignorant deduction goes, a lot of crucial information on the titan body is missing. Blood seems to evaporate quickly once it gets spilt, but I can't say whether it is a foreign substance that chemically changes the composition of the blood, or that it isn't even blood to begin with... hence I don't know if the blood-flow works the same way as in humans, and that whether their body functions the same as humans. For a start, they don't require to eat in order to replenish their energy. They don't have a brain in the titan body (if I discount the possibility of a person controlling it in the nape...) which actually leads to my next point, an effective poison would be something that could hijack into the agent that is used as a form of 'communication' between the titan body and the supposed human body within. I'm not a biologist, but by agent I mean something like (for a human body) blood in your blood stream (something effectively damaging through the inclusion of this foreign agent would be reducing the effective oxygen supply to your brain, for example,) or ions in your nervous system (such as alcohol or caffeine messing with your brain...)

I have assumed some sort of transference of material between the titan body and the supposed human body to maintain this titan-human connection, and that the titan body is in a sense invulnerable. Since damaging the supposedly real body in the nape can kill it, if a poison can reach this person in control, it might somehow affect a titan's activity. Some titans have demonstrated the ability to learn, meaning a brain is in effect...... If there's a brain (i.e. a central control,) it can be shut off specifically. But your common neurotoxin isn't necessarily the chemical for the job. To be honest, they probably don't even have the technology to produce a very specific neurotoxin should it be required.

One thing that gets at me is that, when a normal titan dies, it seems that either nothing remains of the supposed person within, or they just can't tell apart the extra body that appears within the pile of corpse. In fact, Sawney and Bean don't seem to have anything remaining within their corpses, otherwise Hanji would be freaking out over that.

I don't even know what I'm typing anymore. Basically I'm trying to say, you can't assume blood is a necessity for a titan, and that cells aren't really the way you think they are in their bodies. Though I agree that they probably have a nervous system of some sort, I'm using the term "nervous system" in the loosest possible way. Actually now that I think about it, Eren and Ymir can even regenerate limbs, that's alchemy I tell ya

 

[Sigma]

It really depends on the type of poison, and some poison won't be affected by high temperature in the way some think they would, as you have correctly put it.

Second and third point to consider is, the way the titan body works, and the way the poison works. As far as my ignorant deduction goes, a lot of crucial information on the titan body is missing. Blood seems to evaporate quickly once it gets spilt, but I can't say whether it is a foreign substance that chemically changes the composition of the blood, or that it isn't even blood to begin with... hence I don't know if the blood-flow works the same way as in humans, and that whether their body functions the same as humans. For a start, they don't require to eat in order to replenish their energy. They don't have a brain in the titan body (if I discount the possibility of a person controlling it in the nape...) which actually leads to my next point, an effective poison would be something that could hijack into the agent that is used as a form of 'communication' between the titan body and the supposed human body within. I'm not a biologist, but by agent I mean something like (for a human body) blood in your blood stream (something effectively damaging through the inclusion of this foreign agent would be reducing the effective oxygen supply to your brain, for example,) or ions in your nervous system (such as alcohol or caffeine messing with your brain...)

I always assumed that the "person" in the nape of the neck shared a linked nervous system with the main titan body and that's how they controlled it. I mean, they're pretty much hanging on right beneath the brain stem, allowing all nerve impulses to travel down the spine and into the titan's body.

I have assumed some sort of transference of material between the titan body and the supposed human body to maintain this titan-human connection, and that the titan body is in a sense invulnerable. Since damaging the supposedly real body in the nape can kill it, if a poison can reach this person in control, it might somehow affect a titan's activity. Some titans have demonstrated the ability to learn, meaning a brain is in effect...... If there's a brain (i.e. a central control,) it can be shut off specifically. But your common neurotoxin isn't necessarily the chemical for the job. To be honest, they probably don't even have the technology to produce a very specific neurotoxin should it be required.

Titan's clearly have a circulatory system of some kind, Hange even mentioned that they have hearts when she stabbed Sonny in his heart for testing. Maybe a blood agent like Cyanide or Arsine would be effective. Though overall, I still think a neurotoxin would work best at disabling a titan, theoretically anyway.

One thing that gets at me is that, when a normal titan dies, it seems that either nothing remains of the supposed person within, or they just can't tell apart the extra body that appears within the pile of corpse. In fact, Sawney and Bean don't seem to have anything remaining within their corpses, otherwise Hanji would be freaking out over that.

I'm guessing the "person" in the nape of the neck of an average titan is so permanently fused with the titan body that when it dies they dissolve along with it.

I don't even know what I'm typing anymore. Basically I'm trying to say, you can't assume blood is a necessity for a titan, and that cells aren't really the way you think they are in their bodies. Though I agree that they probably have a nervous system of some sort, I'm using the term "nervous system" in the loosest possible way. Actually now that I think about it, Eren and Ymir can even regenerate limbs, that's alchemy I tell ya

I assume that the regeneration is a product of the vastly sped up metabolism of the titans, this ultra fast metabolism would also explain the intense heat they generate.

 

[TitaNick]

Considering the speed of their regeneration I have a hard time imagining a poison that could work. Your average titan can regrow its entire head (a mass of tissue and bone the size of a sedan) in under a minute. That's a healing factor even Wolverine can't match.

Lots of poisons do their damage by getting into the blood stream and burning the victim from the inside. Some do things like causing muscles to contract, or shutting down body functions. But unless you've got enough acid to dissolve the nape of its neck and the ability to apply it correctly, I think you're better off with giant box cutters.

Or a cliff. I think pushing them off a really high cliff should still work.

 

[lordoffantasy]

no poison would not work. from waht can be seen their cardiovascular system might have a different function. ours works to spread nutrients, oxgeon, and energy through out body. however titans simly absorb sunlight it seems.

however there is another method. Acids. a very strong corrossive acid would probably not kill a titan, but it would cause its regeneration to struggle as the acid will keep on burning until its chemical reaction ceaases.

this would be extra devestating if a titan were to be tricked into consuming it. it would not liekly kill, but it would more than disable a titan.