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Has anyone else noticed that the Caduceus reactor (medivac energy upgrade) has a funny name?
The Caduceus is the staff surrounded by twin snakes, usually symbolizing gamblers, liars and thieves (it was held by mercury). It is often mistaken for the rod of Asclepius, which is a symbol for healing/medicine (a staff surrounded by 1 snake).
+ Show Spoiler [Caduceus] +
+ Show Spoiler [Rod of Asclepius] +![[image loading]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Rod_of_asclepius.png) Rod of healing
So did Blizzard purposefully mix up the names, or did they make a mistake?
EDIT: I didn't play Brood War, but as someone pointed out in the thread (thanks, carbonaceous) the Medic Energy Upgrade was also called Caduceus Reactor. Could Blizzard have been in error without noticing for 12 years?
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus#Misuse_as_Symbol_of_medicine
Common practice according to wikipedia
It is relatively common, especially in the United States, to find the caduceus, with its two snakes and wings, used as a symbol of medicine instead of the correct rod of Asclepius, with only a single snake. This usage is erroneous, popularised largely as a result of the adoption of the caduceus as its insignia by the US Army medical corps in 1902 at the insistence of a single officer (though there are conflicting claims as to whether this was Capt. Frederick P. Reynolds or Col. John R. van Hoff).[21][22]
The rod of Asclepius is the dominant symbol for healthcare professionals and associations in the United States. One survey found that 62% of healthcare professionals used the rod of Asclepius, while 76% of commercial healthcare organizations used the caduceus
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Maybe they are tricking you into thinking its worth getting that upgrade?
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Maybe they really like the movie Black Dynamite?
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In the United States people use the Caduceus as a symbol of medicine. It may be based on a historical mistake, but that's how it's used a lot of the time. Blizzard isn't trolling, they're going with ordinary usage.
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United States7483 Posts
I've figured out what the purpose of the upgrade is after watching Korean Terrans do this multiple times:
It's to fake upgrade cloak for your banshees, so that when you cancel it, you lose less resources. They see the tech lab spinning and assume cloak.
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The Caduceus symbolizes doctors and healers I think :o In France, doctors have a stickers on their cars to be able to park anywhere, the sticker is called a caduceus. (and it's the one in your first spoiler)
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Does anyone ever actually research that upgrade anyway?
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On October 10 2011 06:31 Icekommander wrote:
Does anyone ever actually research that upgrade anyway?
Nope, why would you?
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Its for so when you get feedbacked, you don't... oh wait.
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It's so you can use restore on FIVE units per medic instead of FOUR! =O
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Yea, regardless of historical mistake, it is nonetheless a recognizable symbol of medicine.
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That might be the case but recall in Diablo 2: expansion that there is a scepter for the Paladin that is called Caduceus http://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Scepters . (you have to scroll down to the scepter it is under elite)
So they've got it right one time at least.
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It's to fake upgrade cloak for your banshees, so that when you cancel it, you lose less resources. They see the tech lab spinning and assume cloak.
You get refunded 100% for cancelling an upgrade. It's just that CR only costs 100/100 and that's much less of a deposit you have to make to fake cloak research.
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On October 10 2011 06:38 Elldar wrote:That might be the case but recall in Diablo 2: expansion that there is a scepter for the Paladin that is called Caduceus http://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Scepters . (you have to scroll down to the scepter it is under elite) So they've got it right one time at least.
that one doesnt have ANY snakes on it.
unless its a caduceus of the snake I guess.
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On October 10 2011 06:41 caradoc wrote:Show nested quote +On October 10 2011 06:38 Elldar wrote:That might be the case but recall in Diablo 2: expansion that there is a scepter for the Paladin that is called Caduceus http://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Scepters . (you have to scroll down to the scepter it is under elite) So they've got it right one time at least. that one doesnt have ANY snakes on it. unless its a caduceus of the snake I guess.
Well, you can't mix symbolic symbols with "objects" anyway, but the naming is right. (it is named caduceus and it is a scepter/rod).
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This is a common mistake, even House doesn't use the right one:
![[image loading]](http://www.seat42f.com/images/stories/tvshows/House/house-caduceus.jpg)
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The pharmacist(apothecary?) and doctor here have almost the same emblem. Probably some medical thing.
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Epic picture of Dr House ^^
Maybe because most of the Terran units are ex criminals.
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actually, the House picture looks like a Asclepius but near the top turns into Caduceus, mirroring House's own Good/Evil contrast of personality and ethics. (maybe).
I wouldn't put it past Blizzard to make a bigass mistake like getting certain age-old images misinterpreted.
A really cool catch.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Caduceus.svg)
