Girl Genius XIV: A Lightning Arc in All But Speed!

[Imgran]

The general complaint is that Bombadil is entirely capable of just smashing the ring and solving the plotline partway through book one.
...but I'm just parroting.

No, that's not actually demonstrated. The Ring doesn't affect him, and he can keep the Riders (in their early, somewhat less powerful rendition) out of his little neck of the woods, but he was never proven to be able to outright destroy it, and Tolkein specifically spelled out why giving the Ring to Bombadil was a bad idea. The short version is that Bombadil would be too indifferent to the Ring to make a good guardian.

[petersohn]

I feel a bit of context is in order.

Sharon Apple (the singer and the huge projected figure) is the galaxy's first and only virtual idol, who has just achieved sentience. Her first public act is to mesmerise everybody who's tuned into her first concert on Earth (ie, almost everybody on the planet), then takes control of the SDF-1, a space ark that carried humanity earlier in the Macross story and the most powerful war machine created by the Earth Federation.

Explaining it a bit further would involve diving into the (in)famous Macross love triangle, at which point it's just easier to tell you to go watch Macross Plus (which you should do anyway as the anime's excellent).

The overall theme at this point is awe, followed by an 'oh crap' moment for fans of the original series that recognise the SDF-1 and realise that the primary and secondary male leads are going to go up against the pinnacle of military hardware and firepower in prototype AVF interceptors.

So you are trying to fit a theme music to a Girl Genius scene that just doesn't fit there. Explaining why it's good in the original series doesn't make it work better here.

[Traab]

Yeah, the music is still really really terrible. I get whats going on in the scene now, but the music just stinks.

[Radar]

So you are trying to fit a theme music to a Girl Genius scene that just doesn't fit there. Explaining why it's good in the original series doesn't make it work better here.

Considering the setting, something more symphonic would be in order. From the very same composer (Yoko Kanno) I'd rather pick this or this. Honestly though, The Castle would most likely choose Wagner or any other bombastic classic (I think It would like the idea of playing music with heavy weapons).

From more recent, I might be inclined to propose Kilar.

As a side note: soundtrack to Macross Plus is really weird at times, but this piece is great.

[Grif]

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Is that a Yamato Gun?

[Thomar_of_Uointer]

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Is that a Yamato Gun?

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No, the Castle is just happy to see you.

But if I had to speculate, I'd agree. Yeah, it definitely looks like it's aimed in the right direction. I was expecting the Castle to start launching buildings at the airships.

[Turalisj]

Well, when you've had it building up for that long....

[factotum]

Ooh! Lookit all the pretty lights...

[datalaughing]

Oh, no, someone shut off the protection grid! All the ghosts are escaping!

[Brother Oni]

So you are trying to fit a theme music to a Girl Genius scene that just doesn't fit there. Explaining why it's good in the original series doesn't make it work better here.

*Shrug* The song works for me. I guess it doesn't work for you or Traab (although it seems unusually hostile to Yoko Kanno's music which is renowned for its quality).

Considering the setting, something more symphonic would be in order. From the very same composer (Yoko Kanno) I'd rather pick this or this. Honestly though, The Castle would most likely choose Wagner or any other bombastic classic (I think It would like the idea of playing music with heavy weapons).

From more recent, I might be inclined to propose Kilar.

True, the castle would probably prefer something more baroque and doom laden.

[Scarlet Knight]

"Cry Havoc and let slip the Skittles of War!"

[Fjolnir]

Did the castle just GROW a creepy mountain Redoubt in the middle of mechanicsburg?

[Knight13]

No, it was always like that.

[eee]

Ooooo, PRETTY!!!!

I have no idea what's happening, but I suspect now would be an excellent time for the Baron's forces to advance with great vigor off the field of battle. As far away from Mechanicsburg as they can get.

[Othniel Edden]

Der Kestle uses Color Spray!

Turn in next week Friday to Girl Genius and find out if its super effective!

[BannedInSchool]

Add motion and I get the Sailor Moon transformation sequence, which is making it hard for me to see this as dramatic.

[Lagren]

It's not really bad yet.

It's really bad when Der Kestle starts heterodyning.

[Lix Lorn]

Oh god no xD

[Qwertystop]

It's not really bad yet.

It's really bad when Der Kestle starts heterodyning.

I really hope this happens.

[Zazu Yen]

TIME FOR: Der Kestle's Disco Fight-O-Rama!

I've been expecting it to shed it's skin and simply walk off the battle field. But an explosion of colors I did not expect.

I don't remember Higgs remembering things from the past, but I know he knew of them as a trained seneschal would. But perhaps I'm wrong.

He could simply be the Foglio's version of Heinlein's "Lazarus Long", an essentially immortal character who just tools around doing whatever seems interesting at the time, like being an airman for a while because he's never been one before, and he just happened to save the Baron's life because it seemed like the thing to do since he was there.

I like the comparisons to Tom Bombadil, though I might compare him more to the Istari who were rather more unflappable and serious than Tom (the movies rendition of Radagast notwithstanding).

[Grif]

He's clearly one of the lost Blue Mages.

Clearly.

[GaeasSon]

My guess is that we've hit Castle singularity. The point where the castle has been repaired and powered enough that it can finish the repairs itself all at once, bring all weapons online, and execute the almighty smack-down at will.

If so the castle should now be prepared to defend itself against anything... except its growing dingbot infestation.

[The Glyphstone]

And apparently unleashing a monster horde.

[Turalisj]

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They've been locked up for 16+ years. They reaaaaally need to get walked.

[Grif]

Is that a giant dingbot?

[Xel]

Der Kestle is Repaired! Now we will see the power of this Fully Operational Battle..., er, well, you know.

Nice click into place. So it's meant to be able sag at an angle like that.

[factotum]

Nice click into place. So it's meant to be able sag at an angle like that.

I don't think it was ever *meant* to sag like that, it's just the Castle was now able to repair the damage since it's got power.

[Brother Oni]

Looking at last Friday's episode, there's always the possibility that the Castle is unleashing all those monsters to fight Higgs...

[eee]

Castle Heterodyne's awesomeness index has just gone off scale.

Those half fallen towers were always disturbing. It's going to be nice to see them standing up straight from now on. Assuming Klaus doesn't bomb them out of existence ASAP.

I wonder where the monsters came from. Were they in stasis, or has der Kestle been taking care of them automatically for 20 years?

[Knight13]

Or they've survived by hunting eachother through the halls. Which would mean that only the strongest ones are left now.