OOTS #961 - The Discussion Thread

[Wardog]

Roy's made the same kind of mistake before. His caution made him blinder to the truth. Sometimes you just have to be really smart to be really stupid.

Or to be slightly more specific: smart people can be very good at creating justifications for their preconceived ideas.

[Calavera]

Note. Strip#951 now says "Andi", so a lot of the discussion and links no longer make sense.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Note. Strip#951 now says "Andi", so a lot of the discussion and links no longer make sense.

Okay, then it was an error. At least everything makes sense now.

[Keltest]

Okay, then it was an error. At least everything makes sense now.

yay internal consistency!

[Emperordaniel]

Note. Strip#951 now says "Andi", so a lot of the discussion and links no longer make sense.

And here I was hoping that Sally was Andi's time-travelling genetic clone from the future/past... oh well.

[Keltest]

And here I was hoping that Sally was Andi's time-travelling genetic clone from the future/past... oh well.

Obviously she altered time in order to change her alias and not disrupt history.

[Gusion]

We have not yet seen Haley's private reaction to Durkon's situation. We've seen her verbally go along with Roy's plan while *in the presence of Roy AND Elan AND HPoH*. A wise rogue would keep her own counsel in such a situation.

I generally agree with this notion. Haley hasn't given blood yet, either, as far as we know. I kinda hope she's skeptical partially to kill the "good are trusting fools" meme.

As an aside, I am in the "last panel is forced" camp. It just doesn't work for me.

[Nighthawk4]

For those who are not aware - or have not Googled - Hel is a Norse Deity, as of course is Thor.

I really wish Rich was able to post updates more frequently, as I am keen to find out how they get back to normal

[BannedInSchool]

Hmm, Bandana should have asked Roy to hold the "line" in #951, as that's what sailors call ropes.

[Unisus]

Hmm, Bandana should have asked Roy to hold the "line" in #951, as that's what sailors call ropes.

Maybe she dumbed it down for him, seeing that he's not a sailor.

[zimmerwald1915]

Hmm, Bandana should have asked Roy to hold the "line" in #951, as that's what sailors call ropes.

If you want to get really technical, that particular line is probably a shroud. Though it should also be remembered that not all nautical terms transitioned into aeronautics.

[ti'esar]

Is that a challenge? Because we could add familicide and representation to the mix. It wouldn't even be hard.

Frankly, I thought we were already bordering on familicide (at least in terms of the broader issue of prejudice against "monsters") with all of that stuff earlier about how the only good vampire is an extra-dead vampire.

...Man, these discussion threads are going to be either hilarious or utterly unbearable for the duration of this arc, aren't they?

[zimmerwald1915]

Frankly, I thought we were already bordering on familicide (at least in terms of the broader issue of prejudice against "monsters") with all of that stuff earlier about how the only good vampire is an extra-dead vampire.

That's why it wouldn't be hard to make the transition

...Man, these discussion threads are going to be either hilarious or utterly unbearable for the duration of this arc, aren't they?

Yup. 2015's gonna be a hell of a year.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

I generally agree with this notion. Haley hasn't given blood yet, either, as far as we know. I kinda hope she's skeptical partially to kill the "good are trusting fools" meme.

She seemed okay with the idea earlier, in 946.

...Man, these discussion threads are going to be either hilarious or utterly unbearable for the duration of this arc, aren't they?

That's what I'm predicting.

[Bulldog Psion]

/

...Man, these discussion threads are going to be either hilarious or utterly unbearable for the duration of this arc, aren't they?

That's why I've been giving the most recent page a glance, and no more, about once a week, except when I see a new comic is up. Looking at the thread three or four times per month makes it a lot more tolerable.

[Zea mays]

Yup. 2015's gonna be a Hel of a year.

You meant to say that, right?

[Jasdoif]

And here I was hoping that Sally was Andi's time-travelling genetic clone from the future/past... oh well.

And here I was half-expecting them to be traditional twins (or at least go to the same hair stylist), and they held different implements (Sally a wrench, Andi a screwdriver) to help others tell them apart.

[PhallicWarrior]

The comic's been in a bit of a holding pattern for a while now, but the puns and wordplay in the titles just keep getting better. (Or worse, depending on how much you like puns.)

[Gusion]

She seemed okay with the idea earlier, in 946.

If you're referring to her comment... I'd suggest noting that she ends it with, "right?"

There are multiple ways to read that, but I'd suggest that absolute certainty isn't one of them. I think we will find out soon enough what her opinion is, when it comes to be her time to get bitten. Relatively speaking though, I'd much rather learn what the non-oots participants in the story are doing.

I am really curious if we've seen the last of Azure City. I suspect we have, but Rich has left that open.

[Keltest]

If you're referring to her comment... I'd suggest noting that she ends it with, "right?"

There are multiple ways to read that, but I'd suggest that absolute certainty isn't one of them. I think we will find out soon enough what her opinion is, when it comes to be her time to get bitten. Relatively speaking though, I'd much rather learn what the non-oots participants in the story are doing.

I am really curious if we've seen the last of Azure City. I suspect we have, but Rich has left that open.

Azure City as in the physical location, or the refugees? Because the refugees are almost certainly going to come up again at least once more, so their plot can be resolved.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

If you're referring to her comment... I'd suggest noting that she ends it with, "right?"

There are multiple ways to read that, but I'd suggest that absolute certainty isn't one of them. I think we will find out soon enough what her opinion is, when it comes to be her time to get bitten. Relatively speaking though, I'd much rather learn what the non-oots participants in the story are doing.

I am really curious if we've seen the last of Azure City. I suspect we have, but Rich has left that open.

I'm sorry, I totally messed up my source. I don't know what I was thinking. I meant 939, where the blood drive is first brought up.

[zimmerwald1915]

Azure City as in the physical location, or the refugees? Because the refugees are almost certainly going to come up again at least once more, so their plot can be resolved.

How is their plot not resolved?

O-Chul and Lien might make a return appearance, assuming Xykon and Redcloak didn't kill them within seconds of showing up at Kraagor's Gate, but Hinjo, the Katos, and the rest of the refugees? What's their role?

[Keltest]

How is their plot not resolved?

O-Chul and Lien might make a return appearance, assuming Xykon and Redcloak didn't kill them within seconds of showing up at Kraagor's Gate, but Hinjo, the Katos, and the rest of the refugees? What's their role?

I don't know? That would be the point of them showing up again. Theyre clearly doing something, since Hinjo and some soldiers were in the middle of a fight when they got some bad news and had to run off, and we spent like two and some books following them around to some degree or another. At the very least we'll probably see a scene that shows how theyre doing since they landed, since glaring questions like "what happened to the population of Azure City after they disembarked?" are generally things you want either as sequel hooks or answered.

[CaDzilla]

How is their plot not resolved?

O-Chul and Lien might make a return appearance, assuming Xykon and Redcloak didn't kill them within seconds of showing up at Kraagor's Gate, but Hinjo, the Katos, and the rest of the refugees? What's their role?

Something to do with taking back Azure City. They probably won't succeed though

[Jaxzan Proditor]

How is their plot not resolved?

O-Chul and Lien might make a return appearance, assuming Xykon and Redcloak didn't kill them within seconds of showing up at Kraagor's Gate, but Hinjo, the Katos, and the rest of the refugees? What's their role?

Spoiler: W&XPs

Show

Doesn't Belkar still have to save Hinjo's life one more time, as predicted by Sangwaan in the bonus comic

[zimmerwald1915]

I don't know? That would be the point of them showing up again. Theyre clearly doing something, since Hinjo and some soldiers were in the middle of a fight when they got some bad news and had to run off, and we spent like two and some books following them around to some degree or another. At the very least we'll probably see a scene that shows how theyre doing since they landed, since glaring questions like "what happened to the population of Azure City after they disembarked?" are generally things you want either as sequel hooks or answered.

They were fighting carrion crawlers in the elven ruins, trying to claim them for Azurite settlement, just like we were told they'd be doing at the end of Don't Split the Party. It's entirely consistent, and there's no mystery; they're establishing a new status quo for themselves.

Something to do with taking back Azure City. They probably won't succeed though

For who? The fleet didn't leave with enough people to populate Azure City, and they lost a good number of people along the way. The population that stayed behind was enslaved or ethnically cleansed. Many of the slaves were massacred alongside the Resistance. Taking back Azure City is a pipe dream.

Spoiler: W&XPs

Show

Doesn't Belkar still have to save Hinjo's life one more time, as predicted by Sangwaan in the bonus comic

Spoiler: War and XPs

Show

Not if you accept the theory that Belkar's killing the assassin and using the Eye of Fear and Flame to fireball the hobgoblin archers counted as his two life-savings.

[Keltest]

They were fighting carrion crawlers in the elven ruins, trying to claim them for Azurite settlement, just like we were told they'd be doing at the end of Don't Split the Party. It's entirely consistent, and there's no mystery; they're establishing a new status quo for themselves.

Ignoring for the moment the artistic license the carrion crawlers are treated with, if we were never intended to see Hinjo again we would not be given a scene of him clearly planning to do something, and we wouldn't need to see that the sending went through the resistance to Hinjo to the Order, we could have just seen the Order get a sending from an azurite. At the very least, Hinjo has a vested interest in making sure the last gate is as protected as possible, and they at the very least have the resources needed to get involved remotely.

[zimmerwald1915]

Ignoring for the moment the artistic license the carrion crawlers are treated with, if we were never intended to see Hinjo again we would not be given a scene of him clearly planning to do something, and we wouldn't need to see that the sending went through the resistance to Hinjo to the Order, we could have just seen the Order get a sending from an azurite. At the very least, Hinjo has a vested interest in making sure the last gate is as protected as possible, and they at the very least have the resources needed to get involved remotely.

Hinjo made exactly one appearance in Blood Runs in the Family. Where do you get "clearly planning to do something" from his expression, body language, or dialogue in that single panel? Or are you reaching back farther?

As for "making sure the last Gate is as protected as possible," Hinjo has already committed all his available resources, in the form of O-Chul and Lien, to that cause. He did that two books ago, and hasn't done anything since on that score other than relay a message to the Order. Hence my comment that we might see O-Chul and Lien again, but we won't be following the Azurite refugees or revisiting...let's call it the site of Soon's Rift.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Not if you accept the theory that Belkar's killing the assassin and using the Eye of Fear and Flame to fireball the hobgoblin archers counted as his two life-savings.[/spoiler]

Ah, I thought I remembered there being a hypothesis like that. I don't accept it myself, but it's open to interpretation.

[Math_Mage]

Hinjo made exactly one appearance in Blood Runs in the Family. Where do you get "clearly planning to do something" from his expression, body language, or dialogue in that single panel? Or are you reaching back farther?

Niu is reporting the status of Azure City and Xykon, information that would only trigger the immediate reaction from Hinjo if he had an event-triggered plan on hold. I certainly remember reading that strip and thinking that Hinjo was about to march somewhere. I suppose he might have just wanted to contact Lien and O-Chul, though.