Don't screw WHAT up?

[Ron Miel]

What do you think The Dark One's instruction "Don't screw this up" means. Don't screw WHAT up?

First time I read the strip, I assumed it meant "Don't screw up the mission to control the gate." But then when I reread it a different possibility occurred to me. Maybe he actually meant "Don't screw up Gobbotopia for me." Perhaps now that a Goblin nation is established, TDO is no longer interested in the gates at all.

[ThePhantasm]

But he sent Jirix back knowing that Redcloak would give Gobbotopia to him to rule... meanwhile his words "don't screw this up" were directed at Redcloak not Jirix.

Reread the part about "battles of trade, logistics, diplomacy, etc". The Dark One sent Jirix back to rule and directed the words "don't screw this up" at his "prophet" Redcloak, not Jirix.

[Ron Miel]

Reread the part about "battles of trade, logistics, diplomacy, etc". The Dark One sent Jirix back to rule and directed the words "don't screw this up" at his "prophet" Redcloak, not Jirix.

Yes, exactly. He gave Jirix instructions about trade and diplomacy. And he told Redcloak not to screw up the trade and diplomacy that Jirix is doing.

That's one possible interpretation, isn't it?

[Shale]

Well, Jirix specifically said the message was about The Plan, which is the gate gambit, not Gobbotopia.

[Conuly]

He could, I suppose, mean "Don't screw this up by confusing the PLAN with the GOAL", that is, "If the goal is accomplished, don't gamble it all on the Plan, that's for when we NEED it."

[TheBlackShadow]

Indeed, it could potentially be both. There's also the possibility that Jirix left some other stuff out, but lets not consider that for fear of spawning a wave of "Is Jirix Bluffing" threads in the vein of the Girard gambit.

[ClockShock]

Or, "don't screw this up" as in, get back to the plan and take that goblin killing abomination with you.
The Dark One has two fronts now, an established city plus his long shot, better to keep both working than risk Xykon blowing both up at once.

[Zevox]

Well, Jirix specifically said the message was about The Plan, which is the gate gambit, not Gobbotopia.
This. Jirix specifically said "regarding the Plan and all." The Plan has exactly one meaning when dealing with Redcloak and the Dark One, and it has nothing to do with Gobbotopia.

Zevox

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Well, Jirix specifically said the message was about The Plan, which is the gate gambit, not Gobbotopia.
Of course, Jirix saying it was about the Plan wasn’t a direct quote from the Dark One. There could be a filter on the message based on assumptions Jirix may have made.

[Asta Kask]

What do you think The Dark One's instruction "Don't screw this up" means. Don't screw WHAT up?

First time I read the strip, I assumed it meant "Don't screw up the mission to control the gate." But then when I reread it a different possibility occurred to me. Maybe he actually meant "Don't screw up Gobbotopia for me." Perhaps now that a Goblin nation is established, TDO is no longer interested in the gates at all.

"After crossing the Halys, Croesus will destroy a great empire."

Beware of messages from the Gods; they always have more than one interpretation.

[JonestheSpy]

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I'm leaning toward the "Now that my people have their nation, don't screw up by letting the Snarl destroy the world" interpretation.

[veti]

It's a nasty message. The Dark One could have been much more explicit about what he meant, but he chose instead to go with "stern but vague".

If I were a senior manager, and I received (at second hand) a message like that from my boss - with no obvious way to clarify it, without making a fool of myself - then I'd assume I was being set up. I will undoubtedly screw something up, sooner or later, and then (the message suggests) I'll be hung out to dry.

Poor Redcloak.

[Cisturn]

i have to go with the group mentality here, i really wish the Dark One was referring to Gobbotopia because peronally i like Redcloak and i don't want to see the goblins continue to get screwed over by the gods. I do still think however he was referring to the gate, no matter how much i don't want him to be

[hamishspence]

Given the phrasing

"He had a message for you. Regarding The Plan and all"
"Don't screw this up"

it does seem to imply it's The Plan he's focussing on.

It could be "Don't (while pursuing The Plan) screw this (referring to Gobbotopia) up"-

but it seems a bit of a stretch.

It might be a hint about Redcloak's previous failures to seize a gate, meaning in essence "Don't screw this attempt up"

[TriForce]

Yes, exactly. He gave Jirix instructions about trade and diplomacy. And he told Redcloak not to screw up the trade and diplomacy that Jirix is doing.

That's one possible interpretation, isn't it?

so hes giving a message to RC not to screw up the thing the messenger is going to do? thats so far beyond logic i have a hard time thinking of a way you can reach that conclusion. best to just go with the only likely interpertation "dont screw up the plan" especially since jirix is saying the message is about the plan... there never was a plan for gobbotopia, that just formed as a result of a failure of the real plan

[DBJack]

I doubt it's about Gobbotopia, though. The Dark One probably cares more about the gates and vengence than he does about one city, although the city is a good start.

'this' is about The Plan. The Plan for the gates, not The Plan for Gobbotopia. He's telling Redcloak not to let Xykon mess up the plans the Dark One has, and not to let the gates be destroyed.

[Jagos]

He has two more chances. Girard's gate and Kraagor's. Read SoD and understand that The Plan is all the Dark One is really caring about. Gobbotopia is just small potatoes when you factor in the power the DO will wield when he controls a gate.

[Snake-Aes]

Until there's an indication that Gobbotopia caused the gods to admit them as non xp-fodder races, gobbotopia is worth nothing towards the Dark One's main goal: equality to goblinoids. The gods themselves decided, when creating world 2.0, that goblins were condemned to the fodder state.

Bigger events did not as much as make a god blink, I doubt Gobbotopia has long-term value to the dark one.

[hamishspence]

True- but it's important to Redcloak, going by DStP:


Like the heroes, they are mostly in a holding pattern, frittering their time away on mindless fun. Unlike everyone else though, this is intentional on Redcloak's part: he wants to establish Azure City as a permanent goblin outpost, above and beyond the plan to use the Snarl.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Given the phrasing

"He had a message for you. Regarding The Plan and all"
"Don't screw this up"

it does seem to imply it's The Plan he's focussing on.
Well, as I mentioned before, the “Regarding the Plan and all” bit wasn’t actually said by the Dark One. It’s possible that the Dark One was a bit more vague than Jirix realized.

For example, take something along the lines of, “Hey, I like what Redcloak’s been doing. So can you tell him, ‘Don’t screw it up,’ for me? No pressure, though.”

The Dark one could be referring to Gobbotopia as “what Redcloak’s been doing,” but Jirix could think he was referring to Redcloak’s progress on the plan. It’s possible Jirix made a hasty assumption without realizing it.

[Mewtarthio]

I'm with Snake on this one. The Dark One wants to end goblinoid inequality once and for all. Giving them there own nation isn't enough: The gods themselves are the ultimate oppressors.

[Watcher]

Since there's probably going to be no way to prove otherwise, it was probably exclusively about the Plan and the Gates, not Gobbotopia. The only way I see it being clarified is if the Giant specifically says so in the commentary.

[Orzel]

There are only 2 possible answers to me to What is:

1) The plan. The Dark One wants Reddie to keep his eyes on the prize and not get distracted by hatred, getting stronger, or helping the new country.

or

2) Tsukiko.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Giving them there own nation isn't enough:
No, it’s not enough. But it just might be a step in the direction. It certainly opens a number of new possibilities in the pursuit of the primary goal.

[Zeful]

Well, as I mentioned before, the “Regarding the Plan and all” bit wasn’t actually said by the Dark One. It’s possible that the Dark One was a bit more vague than Jirix realized.It's not a direct quote, true. But given the reverence Jirix holds for the The Dark One, he's not going to be adding words or divining meanings if it will screw up what his god means. They likely talked at length about many things (after all the spell that brought him back has a very long casting time) including the Plan.


For example, take something along the lines of, “Hey, I like what Redcloak’s been doing. So can you tell him, ‘Don’t screw it up,’ for me? No pressure, though.”

The Dark one could be referring to Gobbotopia as “what Redcloak’s been doing,” but Jirix could think he was referring to Redcloak’s progress on the plan. It’s possible Jirix made a hasty assumption without realizing it.
Possibly but since we don't see the conversation about the plan, but know it takes place. Jirix is being used to convey that The Dark One has apprehensions about Redcloak implementing the plan.

[blueblade]

Now I'm sure of it. We are all collectively over-analysing this comic to death. Myself included :smalleek:

This comic was simply a bit of exposition and confirmation that the Dark One and Redcloak are still going along with the plan. If anything, it should have stopped all this speculation. And it was a great punchline. I know I'd rather have an intelligent god with a sense of humour!

[olthar]

The Dark One must mean the plan because even if gobbotopia was everything that they wanted, it is still in a city that has a huge rift in the reality of the universe above it. Giant rifts in the universe do not make for the most stable of living areas, so Gobbotopia is not nearly as secure a location as it seems to be. Therefore, The Plan is still important.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

It's not a direct quote, true. But given the reverence Jirix holds for the The Dark One, he's not going to be adding words or divining meanings if it will screw up what his god means.
Not intentionally, no, he wouldn’t. But people have a habit of making assumptions without realizing it all the time. If the scenario I suggested is the case, Jirix doesn’t have to consciously add anything to the message. He just has to be so focused on the idea of Redcloak pursuing the Plan that it doesn’t occur to him that the Dark One might be referring to a more specific stepping stone along the way.


They likely talked at length about many things (after all the spell that brought him back has a very long casting time) including the Plan.
If they talked at length, I think Jirix might have had a bit more detailed message.


This comic was simply a bit of exposition and confirmation that the Dark One and Redcloak are still going along with the plan.
You’ll note that before this comic, all the speculation was on whether Redcloak was still going with the Plan. That speculation has been put to rest (for the time being anyway).

The current speculation is if the Dark One is still going with the Plan v. 1.0 or if he might consider Gobbotopia a new direction in the plan. And that speculation only just started because of the not-as-clear-as-it-could-have-been wording in the comic.