Cucumber Quest: Basically if Paper Mario the Thousand Year Door was a comic

[Illogictree]

I've been following this comic for several months now and I've been enjoying it quite a bit.

As to the current discussion, I think it's pretty clear the lapses are meant to be caused by some kind of memory manipulation. I do have to wonder, though, if the discrepancy between what Nautilus remembers from legend actually reflects a change in Rosemaster/Thornmaster's identity? And if so, what it signifies?

As to the larger story, I think I can guess what's going on - though likely I'm not the first to think of this. Essentially the whole situation is some sort of story or play, with each of the characters acting out their role - some more willingly than others, and with varying degrees of realizing this. As to why this story exists and why it keeps recurring, I think it's one of those "Be careful what you wish for" situations - either the first Hero, or the Nightmare Knight himself, being the one who made the wish. The Knight is now bound by the constraints of the story he's in, so he's obligated to make sure the bad guys lose. And I don't think Rosemaster has grasped that this is why he's acting against them. Glitchmaster? We'll see.

My guess for who granted the original wish and is perpetuating the cycle? The Oracle, of course.

[Qwertystop]

I do have to wonder, though, if the discrepancy between what Nautilus remembers from legend actually reflects a change in Rosemaster/Thornmaster's identity? And if so, what it signifies?

Missing the barely-subtext, I suppose. Rosemaster's MtF.

Yes, it's been explicitly confirmed-by-author.

[Tectonic Robot]

I've been following this comic for several months now and I've been enjoying it quite a bit.

As to the current discussion, I think it's pretty clear the lapses are meant to be caused by some kind of memory manipulation. I do have to wonder, though, if the discrepancy between what Nautilus remembers from legend actually reflects a change in Rosemaster/Thornmaster's identity? And if so, what it signifies?

As to the larger story, I think I can guess what's going on - though likely I'm not the first to think of this. Essentially the whole situation is some sort of story or play, with each of the characters acting out their role - some more willingly than others, and with varying degrees of realizing this. As to why this story exists and why it keeps recurring, I think it's one of those "Be careful what you wish for" situations - either the first Hero, or the Nightmare Knight himself, being the one who made the wish. The Knight is now bound by the constraints of the story he's in, so he's obligated to make sure the bad guys lose. And I don't think Rosemaster has grasped that this is why he's acting against them. Glitchmaster? We'll see.

My guess for who granted the original wish and is perpetuating the cycle? The Oracle, of course.

I don't quite agree with your theory, but I feel that something sinister is happening with our family neighborhood Dream Oracle!

[Illogictree]

Missing the barely-subtext, I suppose. Rosemaster's MtF.

Yes, it's been explicitly confirmed-by-author.

Ah, I thought that might be the case. I wasn't sure though. I only follow the comic, not the author's other social media, so I missed that confirmation.

[AdmiralCheez]

So I just noticed that their father has arrived in the lair of the Guardener. I wonder what he's up to this time?

[Qwertystop]

Apparently, providing exposition is enough of a distraction for the Guardener to forget to guard.

[AdmiralCheez]

Well, I didn't see that one coming. I was figuring it would be Cosmo or some other character we've seen before, but I was not expecting that.

That's truly terrifying.

And still nobody notices Cabbage sneaking around.

[smuchmuch]

... Uh.... It's twenty days too early for April's fool so I guess this is a serious update ? O_o

[GAAD]

*gasp*
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
*gasp*
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
*gasp*
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
*gasp*
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
*gasp*
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Okay, I'm done now.

[Illogictree]

OK, that last update... made me laugh out loud. Good job, gigi.

...Yeah, looks like Cabbage just stole the magic flower. I wonder what he's doing with it? Is it for himself, for Mr. R, for Rosemaster...?

...Just as a random thought, is Mr. R actually Rosemaster in disguise or something? Or am I imagining things?

[AquaLord]

...Yeah, looks like Cabbage just stole the magic flower. I wonder what he's doing with it? Is it for himself, for Mr. R, for Rosemaster...?

If you notice on the first panel it looks like he stuffs it into almonds pocket.

[Illogictree]

If you notice on the first panel it looks like he stuffs it into almonds pocket.

...

I can't believe I missed that. It just looked to me like he was sneaking off.


Hm... here's a thought. Is the contest 'fake' because there's some sinister purpose (like a distraction) behind it, or is it fake because it's rigged and Mr. R has already decided the winner?

[smuchmuch]

...
... I still don't get what is so scarry about the bunny.

[Lord Raziere]

...
... I still don't get what is so scarry about the bunny.

from our perspective? its not. its just a bunny, and the fact that they find it scary is funny.

from their perspective its a completely different art style than the one they usually see in the comic. imagine if a cartoon character suddenly came out of the TV into real life.....but without adapting its art style to the real world. now imagine that you never seen cartoons before and don't know what a TV is. you'd be wondering what in the world is that freakish abomination at best and screaming your head off at the eldritch abomination somehow moving through a 3-D world with only two dimensions at worst.

[Yuki Akuma]

New page.

Spoiler

Show

I

Um

What?

[Qwertystop]

So, the door doesn't understand "opening".

[AdmiralCheez]

Poor Peridot, she just looks so... fatigued by all this door stuff. She would never survive being a main hero.

[Lissou]

So... looks like the flowers represent people. The cabbage was a big hint, obviously, but then when Carrot gave Cucumber one and kept the other I had a feeling they were "them"...which a quick Google search confirmed.

I wonder what's up with that... Good thing Sir Carrot is so good with plants.

[Illogictree]

Ah-ha! I just realized that myself before coming and posting - funny Cuco wouldn't know what a cucumber flower looks like...

As to why Rosemaster has a bunch of flowers... sympathetic magic? That would explain why Nautilus and Peridot were separated and imprisoned - they don't have flowers associated with them!

[Lissou]

Ah-ha! I just realized that myself before coming and posting - funny Cuco wouldn't know what a cucumber flower looks like...

As to why Rosemaster has a bunch of flowers... sympathetic magic? That would explain why Nautilus and Peridot were separated and imprisoned - they don't have flowers associated with them!

Ooh you're right! I was wondering about that one.

[-D-]

Missing the barely-subtext, I suppose. Rosemaster's MtF.

Yes, it's been explicitly confirmed-by-author.

What's MtF?

[super dark33]

What's MtF?

Male to Female transsexual.

[Qwertystop]

Well. This is an unexpected result. Distrust? Maddened by power? I like how the glitching isn't affecting what Rosie does.

[banthesun]

Quite the opposite, I think. My theory is Rosemaster still trusts (loves?) Nightmare Knight too much to betray him, even if he hasn't been honest with her.

[-D-]

Well. This is an unexpected result. Distrust? Maddened by power? I like how the glitching isn't affecting what Rosie does.

I actually expected this to happen. The number of subversions of various trope opened the possibility.

I suspect Rosemaster is doing her (their?) thing out of love for Nightmare knight. Namely taking down Glitchmaster.

It reminds me of what Rich said about two villains working together opposed to what players where expecting. This is pretty much tha,t except with another villain as stand-in for player. Glitchmaster thought that like every villain Rosemaster wants to win at all costs, while Rosemaster probably only wants to win to earn Nightmare knight's favor/love. Glitchmaster misunderstood Rosemaster and will probably get an ass whooping fast.

Very well written, I must admit.

[smuchmuch]

I doubt this is the last we've seen of GlitchMaster though.

So what are those ?
I mean they obviously represent the people associated with the flowers but what are those spheres ?

[-D-]

I doubt this is the last we've seen of GlitchMaster though.

So what are those ?
I mean they obviously represent the people associated with the flowers but what are those spheres ?

I wouldn't be surprised if GlitchMaster is or ends up working for a Bigger Bad than Nightmare Knight.

I assume sympathetic magic. Basically, having that sphere with flower, she can exert some level on control.

[smuchmuch]

(They do look a little like the sphreres the disaster masters turn into; when defeated, now that I think of it)

[-D-]

(They do look a little like the sphreres the disaster masters turn into; when defeated, now that I think of it)

She is master over flower/plants. By invoking Plant Magic™ on flowers representing their true names she can assert power over them.

[danelsan]

Ouch, poor Peridot XD