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In Nanoha StrikerS (season 3), several of the high-end mages had
[limiters](http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Limiter) imposed on them to limit
their power output thereby reducing their mage rank levels:

  * [Nanoha Takamachi](http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Nanoha_Takamachi) \- S+ reduced to AA.
  * [Fate Testarossa](http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Fate_Testarossa) \- S+ reduced to AA.
  * [Hayate Yagami](http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Hayate_Yagami) \- SS reduced to A.
  * [Lutecia Alphine](http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Lutecia_Alpine) \- S reduced to D?

The purpose of the limiters was to limit the damage that could be caused to a
small area and possibly to protect the mages themselves from overexerting.

Furthermore, limiters can only be removed by a high-ranked official.

With the exception of Lutecia (who was a captured antagonist), why were the
mages not trusted to remove their own limiters if their purpose was to prevent
**accidental** collateral damage?


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question
nanoha
Why aren't mages trusted to remove their own limiters?


This limiter is in place because high-end mages' powers become _so_ powerful
that they can present a danger simply by being unrestrained.

When a group of mages are in close proximity, or are working together, they
_must_ be limited. Because of their high amount of power, this much energy
(mana) in one area would endanger the fabric of time-space (the series's
equivalent of _space–time_ ).[[ _Nanoha_
Wiki]](http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Limiter) So consider, if mages were to be
allowed to remove these limiters without consent of the
[TSAB](http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/TSAB), they may do it unscrupulously,
which could lead to unpredictable damage.

This is compared to a parallel in real life, where incredibly powerful weapons
are sealed away for emergency; not every soldier on the battlefield has a
rocket launcher because that would just lead to destruction (and high costs!).

> This is similar to how a normal organization is restricted from carrying
> excessive weaponry during normal missions, only using such equipment in
> times of emergency.[[DVD Booklet
> translation]](http://asnano.wordpress.com/2007/10/07/nanoha-strikers-
> dvd-3-booklet/)

TV Tropes calls this [Awesomeness Is
Volatile](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AwesomenessIsVolatile),
stating that " _they'd run the risk of having their sheer combined power
potentially warping the fabric of reality_ " and " _[Hayate, Nanoha, and Fate]
alone pretty much constitute an army_ ".


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answer