The primary goal for countless video games is to empower the player and let them do things otherwise impossible in day-to-day life. This can be anything from giving the player the most powerful sword in existence to letting them soar through the skies to even just letting them have enough money to buy a house and fill it with the best furniture. Video games are some of the best forms of escapism, but even they have their limits, and the 'Awesome but temporary' trope is there to rein things in.
Occasionally in a video game, the player is given an extremely powerful weapon, move, or item that is capable of melting enemies in seconds, or granting the player's party ultimate power. But these powerful abilities don't stick around forever, and the player will soon find themselves losing the all-powerful item almost as fast as they found it. This is the 'Awesome but temporary' trope, and it's prevalent across gaming.
Best Examples of the 'Awesome But Temporary' Gaming Trope
There are a few standard rules for the 'Awesome but temporary' gaming trope. The first is that the item, weapon, or ability the player gains temporarily needs to be noticeably better than every other weapon or ability they have at that time. The second is that no matter what the player does, that weapon or ability needs to be lost or broken within just a few minutes of getting it. The final rule states that if a weapon or ability does reappear later in the game, it'll pale in comparison to its original, overpowered appearance.
The Elder Scrolls series features multiple instances of the 'Awesome but temporary' trope, beginning all the way back in The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind. During Morrowind's Tribunal Temple quest, players will encounter a series of immensely powerful artifacts, including a robe that heals the player indefinitely. But in order to complete the quest the player needs to hand in the artifacts, losing them for good. Oblivion features a similar version of the trope, with the Thieves' Guild questline granting them the Boots of Spring-Heeled Jack, which increases their Acrobatics skill by 50 points. These boots need to be given back in the player wants to continue the Thieves' Guild quest. Even Skyrim isn't free from the 'Awesome but temporary' trope, with its own version of the Thieves' Guild questline granting the player a Skeleton Key that can open any locks, but only temporarily, as they'll also need to hand in this powerful item if they want to progress through the quest.
God of War 2 features a fairly memorable instance of the 'Awesome but temporary' trope. Right before the player faces off against the Colossus of Rhodes, Zeus grants Kratos the Blade of Olympus. This Blade is immensely powerful, capable of wiping out enemies in just a single hit. After Kratos makes short work of the Colossus, Zeus proceeds to take the Blade of Olympus from him and stab him in the back with it. The player never gets to wield the sword again.
Final Fantasy 7 is home to a vast number of tropes, and that includes the 'Awesome but temporary' trope. If the player manages to follow Aerith's hidden quest line, then they should unlock her immensely powerful Great Gospel Limit Break. This Limit Break is by far the most powerful form of healing in the game, able to heal the entire team back to full health, restore their entire mana bar, and even revive downed allies. However, Aerith doesn't really stick around long enough for players to be able to use this Limit Break to its full potential.