Favorite Character thus far?

[Harbinger_]

I haven't seen a thread about this yet so I figured I'd post it. Whats your favorite character in Erf so far and why? For me it's hard to decide between Jack and Wanda but after alot of deliberation I chose Wanda. Powerful, dark and on the border of what seems to be good and evil. Can't ask for anything cooler in a female character I think ^_^

[Kreistor]

Charlie. Probably because we know so little about him.

[SeraphRainy]

I have to go with sizemore because of who he is. How effective hes been and that great line, "If life gives you crap make crap golems."

(Other than that I have to say that the Spidew knights kick ass. So heyo.)

[Welf]

I like Stanley. He's interesting and I really would like to see how he will develop.
From the lesser important characters my choice is Dora. She was cute. I wish she had more than 2 1/2 sentences.

[Lissou]

I like Sizemore too. He seems more human than the others (Including Parson, weirdly enough).

[DevilDan]

The one who made me laugh the most: Manpower.

[sun_tzu]

Lord Hamster, by a pretty wide margin.

[lamguin]

Vinnie. Just ... Vinnie.

[teratorn]

I haven't seen a thread about this yet so I figured I'd post it.

There were a few threads on this subject, but the last one was long ago. My fave is Wanda, slightly ahead of Parson. Wanda is way to clever when compared to other Erfworld units, and she is passionate about her work, and her "hobbies."

On a different level for some reason I truly like uncroaked Dora, unlife really suits her. It's a pity she'll decay rather fast. I also like Maggie, she is shrewd and seems to have bonded with Parson, I even forgive her for what happened to Misty.

[Lamech]

I'm going to have to go with Wanda. Although thats certainly not the only character I like.

[DevilDan]

On a different level for some reason I truly like uncroaked Dora, unlife really suits her. It's a pity she'll decay rather fast. I also like Maggie, she is shrewd and seems to have bonded with Parson, I even forgive her for what happened to Misty.

I still think that it's possible that Wanda went back and upgraded both Dora and Webinar--assuming it was indeed Webinar and Dora on the other two unipegataurs.

[Kreistor]

I still think that it's possible that Wanda went back and upgraded both Dora and Webinar--assuming it was indeed Webinar and Dora on the other two unipegataurs.

Not much of an assumption. Webinar is the one that drops Ansom. Note how Ansom says, "Webinar" after he hits the ground. Compare 120.2, 116.8, and 112.1. Same helmet. Only the colour changes.

Note that Jaclyn was supposed to amoung the fliers in Wanda's assault on Ansom. She was uncroaked in 98.13, and practicing with the pega-whatevers in 100.2 and 100.5. Flying must be a natural ability for her, because casters become infantry per Klog 7. this would be the only reason to uncroak her, I suppose, since she wouldn't be that good an infantry. I wonder if she'd still be a commander, though. That would at least allow her to lead a side (despite no leadership), allowing the stack to avoid automatic attacks. So, maybe an uncroaked caster isn't completely useless.

[DevilDan]

Dead warlords can be made into uncroaked warlords. What I should have said is "assuming that Dora was riding on the third unipegataur." Anyway, let's try not to hijack this thread further. Yes, it was my fault to begin with.

[Kreistor]

Okay, let's move it to the "Ansom" thread. It's kinda relevant there, and since I started that one, no one's going to whine about hijacking.

[SeraphRainy]

I still think that Sizemore is better than wanda and maggie. This because he is shrewd enough to want to know everything. Smart enough not to want to fight. And competent enough to get things done. (Plus the crap golems)

For the small characters. This K.I.S.S. is way better than dora. (Using them all as one character.) They had only one sentence but they have dance fight bonuses. Way cooler.

[Aquillion]

I still think that Sizemore is better than wanda and maggie. This because he is shrewd enough to want to know everything. Smart enough not to want to fight. And competent enough to get things done. (Plus the crap golems)

I don't think I'd say that it's exactly like that.

He strikes me as simply naturally curious and interested in knowledge for its own sake; it's not some shrewd ploy for knowledge or power, he honestly likes to know as much as possible. And his desire to avoid fighting strikes me as a matter of temperament, not intelligence. (Although, I do think he's intelligent and tends to hide it beneath his natural fatalism.)

[Dacia Brabant]

Mostly because of Wanda's characterization early on (introduction up until the interrogation) I think she'll always be number one in my book, although Vinny got extremely close to dethroning her in his staredown moment with Ansom.

[The Bookworm]

I think Maggie is my favorite. She is the most amoral, I think.

[Varthonai]

I'd have to say that every single character on Stanley's team ties for first place, as far as I'm concerned.

Why?

Because whenever they're in danger, you become absolutely terrified for their safety. Even though they're the villains, you tense up in suspense whenever there's an impending threat to their lives, and it's NOT because you're worried they might survive. I think that's really the most novel and original thing about Erfworld--lots of other works of fiction make you question your definitions of good and evil, and lots of other works of fiction make you sympathize with the morally ambiguous characters, but not many other works of fiction actually make you root for the bad guys.

This is especially clear when you look at the big picture. Think about other fictional villains we're made to sympathize with--say, Hannibal Lecter. What's the worst that can happen if Hannibal wins? A few dozen innocent people get eaten; it's tragic, but it's not an abomination of Holocaust proportions. If Stanley wins, he will go on a power-hungry killing spree to get more Arkentools. We already know from Vinnie that Stanley's no stranger to genocide. And yet we still root for him and his followers. What the hell is wrong with us?!

I mean, Stanley has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Rob Balder's gone to great lengths to show us that he is devoid of goodness. He's stupid, he's intolerant, he's self-centered, he's impatient, he deals with black magics like Croakamancy, he has fairly sadistic lackeys, he's got a bad temper and possibly a sadistic streak of his own {Scrubbed} Wanda's pretty much the same, although she's obviously got a bit more going on inside of her skull. Parson and Sizemore are a bit more likable but you'd think that would make us root for them to turn and join Ansom, or something.

Erfworld takes unrepentant evil and makes us love it, makes us pray for it to triumph over those nasty uppity goody-goodies, makes us write long boopin' posts about how awesome the bad guys are. Look at the favorite characters listed in this thread--the only Jetstone allies I see are Charlie and Vinnie, and... well, Charlie's not exactly a good guy, and Vinnie's just sort of the exception to the rule because he's a pretty original idea on his own.

TL;DR? Bad guys ftw.

[Strengfellow]

So true Varthonai, so true.

Fave characters Wanda, Sizemore, Bogroll, anyone named after slang for toilet tissue instantly endears themselves to me.

Hopes:
Wanda croaks and then uncroaks Ansome, getting Jillian back in the process and gets her to rid herself that god awful short curly abomination atop her skull.

Sizemore survives the war, finds another branch of magic he is adept at discovering a way to regrow his hair and is never called turdboy (or what ever it was) again.

Bogroll survives the war after saving Parson from a fate worse than a village fete finding in the process a Cher wig and forging a new career as a female impersonator under the stage name Burly Chassis.

[Godskook]

Erfworld takes unrepentant evil and makes us love it

Some of us don't view Stanley as Evil. He is selfish and egotistical, but I suspect that there are more justifying reasons behind his actions than there are behind Ansoms.

[The Minx]

Some of us don't view Stanley as Evil. He is selfish and egotistical, but I suspect that there are more justifying reasons behind his actions than there are behind Ansoms.

We really don't know that at all. The first four panels of page 34 indicate that Stanley has attacked people left, right and center; wiping out entire tribes in the process. And why? By his own claim, it is because he believes he was ordained by the Titans to collect the Arkentools and rule the world.

[EBass]

Vinnie by a stretch, then probably Charlie.

[SteveMB]

I mean, Stanley has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Rob Balder's gone to great lengths to show us that he is devoid of goodness.

A couple (possible) counterexamples:

1. Retaining the upkeep on Parson, Wanda, and Sizemore when he concludes that they've either failed or betrayed him.

2. Trying to comfort Jack and even almost bringing himself to admit responsibility for his condition.

Admittedly, each case does admit of a cynical interpretation (for the first one, maybe Stanley just wanted GK to stand as long as possible to divert Coalition attention from him; for the second one, maybe Stanley was insincerely saying whatever he thought might bring Jack around), which is why I included the "possible" qualifier.

[Godskook]

[QUOTE=The Minx;5584570]We really don't know that at all. The first four panels of page 34 indicate that Stanley has attacked people left, right and center; wiping out entire tribes in the process.

Nothing said in page 34 indicates why Stanley acted like he did. Theoretically, he could have legitimate reasons.

And why? By his own claim, it is because he believes he was ordained by the Titans to collect the Arkentools and rule the world.

What if he's right?

Also, he's never claimed a 'rule the world' mandate. Actually, he really seems like he doesn't care if others have parts in the Titan's plan. He just believes that his part is to have all the tools.

[The Minx]

What if he's right?

What if he's not? He has not provided anything to support his claims other than his own opinion (he is attuned to the hammer, but Charlie is attuned to his own arkentool too). You do not give guys like that the benefit of the doubt.

Of course, the royals also claim that they have a divine mandate, and they go to war to support their claims. Though we're in a position that they may be holding the default assumption. This is given they are descended from the ones the Titans initially chose to rule (going by the assumption that the historic records have not been tampered with), and the inheritance rules seem hardwired into the game world. Now it may be that the Titans changed their minds and want Stanley to succeed, or that both claims are irrelevant all together, but we don't have enough information to know that yet.

Anyway, more to the point: as for liking the character, all of this is somewhat beside the point. You can still "like" bad guys like Darth Vader for instance, who think they are doing the right thing, but aren't or the Emperor Palpatine who know they are doing evil but do it anyway, and still not like Luke Skywalker. In that case, just don't use "he's more/less evil than that other guy" as a reason.

Also, he's never claimed a 'rule the world' mandate. Actually, he really seems like he doesn't care if others have parts in the Titan's plan. He just believes that his part is to have all the tools.

Point, at least as far as we know. Though the rulership thing, or to have a destiny to strike down all the other would-be rulers is pretty heavily implied. Perhaps he wants to eliminate royal sides to create a level playing field for non-royals to succeed in the world. Still, even so, (and this was my original point) he cannot be said to be less vile than Ansom based on what we know, doubly so since he has show no indications that his intentions are anything less than egomanical.

[quindraco]

Of the ones we've seen:
Vinnie Doombats.

Of the potential ones we haven't:
StayPuft, King of the Marbits.

[Godskook]

What if he's not? He has not provided anything to support his claims other than his own opinion (he is attuned to the hammer, but Charlie is attuned to his own arkentool too). You do not give guys like that the benefit of the doubt.

I give everyone the benefit of the doubt

Of course, the royals also claim that they have a divine mandate, and they go to war to support their claims. Though we're in a position that they may be holding the default assumption. This is given they are descended from the ones the Titans initially chose to rule (going by the assumption that the historic records have not been tampered with), and the inheritance rules seem hardwired into the game world. Now it may be that the Titans changed their minds and want Stanley to succeed, or that both claims are irrelevant all together, but we don't have enough information to know that yet.

I agree.

However, as I see it, if the Titans wanted to really shake things up because the royals stopped listening to them(the Titans), a good deity portrayal would have the Titans sending a subversion* of the expected stereotype.

*Judeo-Christian literature is famous for this.

Though the rulership thing, or to have a destiny to strike down all the other would-be rulers is pretty heavily implied. Perhaps he wants to eliminate royal sides to create a level playing field for non-royals to succeed in the world. Still, even so, (and this was my original point) he cannot be said to be less vile than Ansom based on what we know, doubly so since he has show no indications that his intentions are anything less than egomanical.

Show me one comic where Stanley states or indicates an interest in fighting anyone, except those attacking against him, which would be self-defense.

[SeraphRainy]

I don't think I'd say that it's exactly like that.

He strikes me as simply naturally curious and interested in knowledge for its own sake; it's not some shrewd ploy for knowledge or power, he honestly likes to know as much as possible. And his desire to avoid fighting strikes me as a matter of temperament, not intelligence. (Although, I do think he's intelligent and tends to hide it beneath his natural fatalism.)

While he may not be shrewd in wanting knowledge why does that have to be a qualifier. They best and most efficiant warlord would be one who dosnt want war at all. Wisdome is appliable to every area of life unlike skills in battle being ridgid and of one mindset. I think that qualifies sizmore as a better character because hes NOT shrewd.


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{Scrubbed}
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quindraco Re: Favorite Character thus far?

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Of the potential ones we haven't:
StayPuft, King of the Marbits.

lulz quin I vote for him

[Aquillion]

I give everyone the benefit of the doubt

But you can't, here. You'd have to give it to both Stanley and Ansom, and their views are (at least as far as I can tell) incompatible.

While he may not be shrewd in wanting knowledge why does that have to be a qualifier. They best and most efficiant warlord would be one who dosnt want war at all. Wisdome is appliable to every area of life unlike skills in battle being ridgid and of one mindset. I think that qualifies sizmore as a better character because hes NOT shrewd.

I didn't mean it was a qualifier. I just objected to him being called shrewd. He may be smart, but I don't think he's particularly shrewd.