El Goonish Shive

[Landis963]

I don't think he is Jerry's reincarnation, really. For one thing, his ears aren't pointed. All the immortals we've seen so far have pointed ears.

It would be strangely fitting if he was Jerry's reincarnation, though.

You have a point about the pointed ears. However, he hasn't shown up beforehand, he's clearly not drunk, and no one else is reacting to their conversation (as far as we the audience can see). Maybe he's disguising himself to Diane because she won't accept this advice from someone who looks very much like Santa Claus. That plus "debt to your sister" and the discussion that Ellen and Nanase had earlier about Susan's growth spurt draws a very strong case for this.

[The Rose Dragon]

Jerry's reincarnation probably wouldn't look like Santa Claus, anyway. I would think the rebirth would reset physical appearance as well as mental processes.

[Landis963]

Jerry's reincarnation probably wouldn't look like Santa Claus, anyway. I would think the rebirth would reset physical appearance as well as mental processes.

Maybe. I personally thought it would be more like "reset to baby-hood" with all the appearance changes that implies.

[Calemyr]

Maybe. I personally thought it would be more like "reset to baby-hood" with all the appearance changes that implies.

No. The brain-damaged twins are adults, even though they only died (improperly) since Susan and Nanase went to France. They are not infants, they just reset to what you might call "factory default", a state that is already a fully functional immortal without the burdens of experience removing the spice of surprise from their lives.

Mister Punch Blocker could certainly be Jerry (immortals can shapeshift, remember), since college age is definitely a nice snapshot to spring back to - just the right balance of maturity and immaturity to start life anew from.

If it is Jerry, that would definitely argue to the fact that Susan and Diane are twins. Mister Punch Blocker said he owed Diane's sister a favor, not that he owed Rhea a favor, and Jerry has stated quite clearly he owes Susan a serious debt. (Which, upon looking at the previous page, was already pointed out. Ah well.)

[The Rose Dragon]

Then the question is, how would Jerry's reincarnation even know Diane is Susan's sister, when no one else involved seems to know (not even the readers)? And how strongly would he remember Susan, specifically, before meeting her?

[Calemyr]

Then the question is, how would Jerry's reincarnation even know Diane is Susan's sister, when no one else involved seems to know (not even the readers)? And how strongly would he remember Susan, specifically, before meeting her?

Perhaps a better question is: why exactly wouldn't he know? Our data pool is not the same as would be available to an immortal. Things that are readily obvious to him would be unclear to us. Remember, Jerry died properly. He isn't a brain-fried idiot who needs to recap events from three strips ago just to keep it all straight. Who knows what data Jerry felt prudent to discover for his next incarnation?

[The Rose Dragon]

Jerry was dying when he met Susan. I don't think he had much of an opportunity to discover anything about her before he died. And his reincarnation is unlikely to remember Susan with a lot of detail, if his comment about reading it from a book is true. If he hasn't seen Susan so far, would he even know what she looks like, and make the connection to Diane?

Of course, it's been more than six months since we've last seen Jerry. It is possible that his reincarnation immediately got to work on tracking down Susan, Sarah and Grace, and learning more about them, since we don't know how immortal death exactly works.

[Calemyr]

Jerry was dying when he met Susan. I don't think he had much of an opportunity to discover anything about her before he died. And his reincarnation is unlikely to remember Susan with a lot of detail, if his comment about reading it from a book is true. If he hasn't seen Susan so far, would he even know what she looks like, and make the connection to Diane?

Of course, it's been more than six months since we've last seen Jerry. It is possible that his reincarnation immediately got to work on tracking down Susan, Sarah and Grace, and learning more about them, since we don't know how immortal death exactly works.

Jerry said he still had to package his memories. If looking up this trio wasn't a costly task, he could have done so. If it was, it is certainly probable he is intrigued by his memories of them and want to know as much as possible about them in order to do right by them (or screw with them, this is Jerry, and he is at the most immature part of his life cycle).

[Lord Raziere]

Charlotte is my favorite character now. its like….she knows how I think, and says it out loud without any problems. I find her logical honesty endearing in a way.

[The Rose Dragon]

Speaking of dolls with Nanase's face, whatever happened to Nase? She was so adorable and could contribute so much to Susan's development.

[theNater]

Speaking of dolls with Nanase's face, whatever happened to Nase? She was so adorable and could contribute so much to Susan's development.

Most of Susan's latest appearances have related to the video reviews, and I'd be willing to bet that summoning Nase in Elliot's presence is somewhere on this list.

[The Rose Dragon]

Most of Susan's latest appearances have related to the video reviews, and I'd be willing to bet that summoning Nase in Elliot's presence is somewhere on this list.

Which is why she needs to appear again, preferably while Elliot is around.

[theNater]

Which is why she needs to appear again, preferably while Elliot is around.

Oh, absolutely, and I suspect she will(at whatever time provides maximum drama, naturally).

I was just trying to work out why we haven't seen her lately, and concluded that it's probably because we haven't seen Susan in a situation when she'd reasonably summon Nase. I figure Nase is around whenever Susan is alone; it's just all been off-panel lately.

[Lord Raziere]

Charlotte! you are so logical! you are so deductive! you are so calm and….

cute! yup, Charlotte for favorite character! I like her, she is good at figuring stuff out, and she doesn't act like its a big deal, she just calmly does it. I think she is the real detective here…..

[ZarDaranth]

Why do I feel that Charlotte has been impacted by Pandora in some way?

Either her information had to come from a Pandora-influenced source, or she might be yet another magick-marked Moperville teenager. It feels like it, at least.

*checks to see if I'm glowing. Nope*

[Calemyr]

Well, she's clearly been impacted by Pandora. The events that Pandora set into motion have set her on her path. That's how Pandora plays the game - like dominoes, setting up a chain reaction complex enough that there might be enough chance that she could be wrong - and at her age that requires a LOT of complexity. Char may not have been touched by Pandora personally, but she's no doubt a link in the chain reaction.

But Dan's been working a good number of tertiary characters into this, older ones like the brain-damaged French Immortals, Magus, Abraham, Jerry, Noah, Diane, and Max Fuzzball. And that's not even including those who may well have already played their part, like Dex or the Whale.

Dex is a great example, though, of how a seemingly very minor character can have a huge impact, so we'll just have to see who, if any, among this growing cast will play a part in Pandora's game.

[Pink]

Why do I feel that Charlotte has been impacted by Pandora in some way?

Either her information had to come from a Pandora-influenced source, or she might be yet another magick-marked Moperville teenager. It feels like it, at least.

*checks to see if I'm glowing. Nope*

Keep in mind that there has been a ton of visible supernatural phenomenon happening, some televised and such. For that matter, if I recall correctly, magic was just publicly acknowledged by a government official. There's even a super hero. Any supernaturally interested person is going to pay attention, and between living in the city it's happening, having attended the High School where a major event happened Charlotte is in a good position to hear rumors and collect information. Charlotte also seems to have the logic and critical thinking to be an Oracle type character for Nananse and Ellen.

Not saying she's not influenced, but there is enough background to say that she's just a perceptive and smart norm.

[Mando Knight]

Well, now that we have confirmed spooky stuff going on downstairs (that you can see the roots of in previous updates), I think that supports the "Guy in the Santa Hat is Jerry" theory. Also the "Jerry, being young again, is also an immature prankster again" theory. Fortunately, an unscheduled sex change is a fairly easy problem to fix in this world...

(The "totes lesbians" girls are making out by the stairs instead of the just drunken attention-getting kissing, and everyone at the party except the "lovebirds" are now female. There's definitely something in the punch.)

So, in conclusion, either Jerry, Charlotte, or the "lovebirds" are responsible for this. Or even Rhea, since she does have a "gender studies" folder...

[Pink]

I totally did not notice that from last comic. And I didn't even quite get it in this comic until I read Dan's notes. I just thought, "There's suddenly a ton of girls at this party...and some of them look quite mannish..."

Anyway, considering the Whale basically said that the city has huge unnatural amounts of magic, I wouldn't rule out that this is some spontaneous magic occurance...Though I think the Jerry theory is much more likely.

[Mando Knight]

I totally did not notice that from last comic. And I didn't even quite get it in this comic until I read Dan's notes. I just thought, "There's suddenly a ton of girls at this party...and some of them look quite mannish..."

In order, starting from the first panel of today's comic:

Spoiler

Show

The first two were originally guys, the pair trying to get Nanase to play the drinking game. The one on the left transformed in the background here (the one on the right had already changed, but appears not to have changed by the 11th).

The girls making out in the stairwell were, as I mentioned before, the "totally lesbians" from the 10th. While Diane's sneaking about (on the 11th), they're still holding each other. Probably due to the spiked punch (alcohol or magic, matters little at this point).

The guy in the third panel was first seen leaning into the panel when the "totally lesbians" shouted out for attention. The girl he's talking to was most likely a girl before the party, since she is such on the 7th. She is also visible sitting on the couch next to the blonde on the 11th. They seem to be flirting.

The pair of girls in the fourth panel were both first seen on the 10th, looking at the punch bowl... the one with the short hair was the guy with the goatee, and was still a guy on the 11th when Diane slipped by the couch he was sitting on at the time. Her companion was probably always a girl, since she is one on the 10th (She's the one that calls the girl in the middle a wizard for suggesting they reverse the drinking game.), but you can never be too sure.

The blonde girl in the fifth panel was seen on the 7th, 10th, and 11th, as a woman all three times. The girl on the right was a guy on the 7th and 10th (the "Who's up for drinking games?!" guy, also leans into the "totally lesbians" panel).

The sixth panel is the "wizard" and the "astronaut" from the 10th. The "wizard" was apparently always a girl, and the "astronaut" has a new approach towards getting lesbians (though "wizard" seems unimpressed).

The seventh panel is the pair from the third panel. They seem to be hitting it off.

Eighth panel is Charlotte's room again, in case you couldn't tell.

No evidence as to if the characters noticed that (almost) all the guys have changed sex. You'd think they'd be freaked out, not chatting it up. But then again, they're also drinking spiked punch, so their judgment is impaired.

[Calemyr]

No evidence as to if the characters noticed that (almost) all the guys have changed sex. You'd think they'd be freaked out, not chatting it up. But then again, they're also drinking spiked punch, so their judgment is impaired.

If I were a betting man, I'd say that somewhere in Moperville Dan and Minion are playing a rousing game of "What does this button do again?".

[Somebloke]

Okay, people, this is going to sound really weird:

When I was, oh, I don't know, seven, I watched a Scooby-doo episode.

The Scooby-gang arrived at an old town, and went to a pub. The pretty one (can't recall her name) tried one of the local brews.

Then the townsfolk turned into werewolves. And so did the pretty one.

The twist of course being that the drink was what was turning people into werewolves, rather than some silly curse, and some people turn out to be doing to for ah he** I really can't remember.

For some reason that episode stuck in my head like crazy.

I guess it did for Dan, too.

Never, ever thought that obscure memory would ever get dredged up again.

Now, if only they could replicate the G-Force episode where the pink girl gets swallowed by a plant...I will be vindicated. Somehow.

[Mewtarthio]

Yeah, I'm guessing that Jerry magicked the punch, seeing as he was so keen on keeping Diane from drinking any.

The twist of course being that the drink was what was turning people into werewolves, rather than some silly curse,

"There, you see, there was no curse at all! It was just a wizard spiking the tap with a simple potion! Pah, "curses"; what superstitious nonsense!"

[theNater]

Pretty sure Jerry didn't enchant the punch himself, as that would violate the "guide and empower" restriction. He almost certainly knows what's up, though. It's possible he guided a mortal into enchanting it, but I don't think we can rule out the idea that his only involvement is watching out for Diane on Susan's behalf.

[Landis963]

And now Diane has noticed the changes going on. And they apparently involve symptoms consistent with guilelessness (sarcasm blindness, straight-faced honesty etc.) as well as the more dramatic gender-bending.

[Mando Knight]

So: amplified weirdness censor confirmed. Also increased susceptibility to suggestion. Whether it's part of the magic effect or because everyone affected is drunk remains to be seen.

[theNater]

So: amplified weirdness censor confirmed. Also increased susceptibility to suggestion. Whether it's part of the magic effect or because everyone affected is drunk remains to be seen.

Given how stable Rhea is compared to how wobbly she was on Tuesday, I'm gonna guess the magic has replaced drunkenness with something else. Or that Rhea has been replaced with someone else. Probably not Ellen.

[VeliciaL]

Ok, show of hands, who else didn't even notice the gender changes until Dan pretty much blatantly pointed it out?

I'm not very observant.

I'm also new to this thread.

[Mewtarthio]

Okay, this is getting seriously creepy.

[Pink]

Ok, show of hands, who else didn't even notice the gender changes until Dan pretty much blatantly pointed it out?

I'm not very observant.

I'm also new to this thread.

*hand up*

And welcome to the thread.