"Optimized" characters or parties?

[asqwasqw]

Grr, this got lost a couple pages back, but let me ask you this -- what difference, if any, exists between the following two people:
- A character with a given selection of stats, feats, skills, spells, and equipment which makes him really good.
- A character with a given selection of stats, feats, skills, spells, and equipment which makes him really good plus a satisfactory backstory which explains it all.

I'm asking because I understand many points being made by many folks, but I don't understand yours. What makes the first character worse in-game than the exact same character who also happens to have a favorite color? Are they somehow incapable of doing the same things?

One makes sense, the other one does not. You should be able to explain what you can do. But you forgot this guy:

A character with a given selection of stats, feats, skills, spells, and equipment which makes him really good but he says he can do something else entirely different.

Look ma, I'm a archer!
Why do you have that sword and no bow?
No reason...