Gunnerkrigg Court 5: Bismuth as Usual

[Wayson]

Robot, why'd you have to go so ****in' creepy?

For The Greater Good.

[mystic1110]

People's lives were at risk. While Robot has been acting creepy for a while I would say that this is where he crosses the moral event horizon.

it would be worth it though

[halfeye]

I would say that this is where he crosses the moral event horizon.

Moral event horizon?

Sounds as if, once you cross it there is no way back. Ever.

Niska: Oh, you do not like I kill this man?

Mal: Oh no, I'm sure he was a... very bad person.

Niska: My wife's nephew. At dinner I am getting earful. There is no way out of that.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0579539/quotes

Redemption should be for everyone, maybe even Niska.

[Spacewolf]

So does anybody recognise all the symbols? The only ones I can get are Antimony, Mercury and Sol. I'm sure I've seen the one over Kat somewhere as well but cannot remember for the life of me where.

[Emperordaniel]

So does anybody recognise all the symbols? The only ones I can get are Antimony, Mercury and Sol. I'm sure I've seen the one over Kat somewhere as well but cannot remember for the life of me where.

Kat's symbol is the Mark of the Creator, seen several times throughout the comic, and first given a name here.

The upper triangle has, in clockwise order from the top, the Greek letters Zeta, Gamma (it should be obvious what those two refer to), and Iota. The latter refers to Jack, maybe?

[Spacewolf]

That would explain where I've seen it before then. The thing behind Kat is also rather ominous as well.

[Mith]

I find it interesting that recently, Renard has been depicted always on the side of the Court (by being stranded there), but Anna has been moving closer and closer to the Forest, leaving Renard standing in the Court and by Kat. Do people think this is foreshadowing?

Also, interestingly enough, Kat seems to have a large number of tombstones behind her...

[Emperordaniel]

Also, interestingly enough, Kat seems to have a large number of tombstones behind her...

I don't think those are tombstones (although they're certainly laid out in a fashion intended to imply such), but robot followers of the Cult of the Angel - the ones closest to her even have the green circles which are typical of robot eyes in the court.

Also, I think I spy the forest fairy from the previous chapter in the lower right corner...

[Qwertystop]

Hm. Mort's soldier-helmet and a tiny mannequin, Coyote-Sun and fingerprint-Moon, Kat's dress is reminiscent of an apron (I'm thinking blacksmith for some reason), Renard is unexpectedly on Kat's side. Fire and moon over Renard and Ysengrin, opposite the moon and sun. And what's the symbol over Kat's chest? Where Zimmy has a dot when we've seen her, and Annie has a little Coyote circle?

[Emperordaniel]

Huh. Taking a closer look at the robot thing slumped against the tree, it seems like it has the same symbol on its face as Hetty did on hers. No idea what that symbol means, though.

And what's the symbol over Kat's chest? Where Zimmy has a dot when we've seen her, and Annie has a little Coyote circle?

We've seen that insignia on Court official uniforms before.

[Qwertystop]

So Tea seems to be on an abandoned highway.

[eee]

It'd be really interesting, knowing more about the world Tom and Tea inhabit. It seems very... odd. And changeable.

...

RE the Seraphs, their plan, and Robot: You know, thinking it over, while it all seems creepy, I'm not sure we've got the whole picture. We know Robot loves and worships Kat. And has similar feelings towards Annie. And slightly different but equally strong feelings involving Shadow. He seems to want what's best for other robots, and not to be particularly hostile towards humans in general. This doesn't quite fit with what would appear to be callow and unscrupulous manipulation of Kat just to try to get her to speed up her work. Manipulation that put other students and Annie in danger. Particularly when he could have just explained about Ship and asked her to help him, and stimulated her interest that way.

(ponder, ponder)

This might be like Coyote taking Ysengrin's memories. On the surface it SEEMS evil; but until we know exactly what he's doing, and why, we can't say for sure. Until we know WHY the Seraphs and Robot did things this way, I'm going to suspend judgement on it.

But it DOES seem really creepy. O_O

[Emperordaniel]

Is it just me, or is every bird we see going to be described as "pretty tough"?

[Rodin]

That robin may be pretty tough, but I think it's about to be described as "pretty chewy" instead.

[Marnath]

Is it just me, or is every bird we see going to be described as "pretty tough"?

Keep in mind the narrator of this section is a pigeon, and pigeons are kind of pathetic. It doesn't take much to be tougher than that.

[halfeye]

Keep in mind the narrator of this section is a pigeon, and pigeons are kind of pathetic. It doesn't take much to be tougher than that.

Also, it's a European robin I think, which are smaller than American robins, and may well be more hardy.

[Landis963]

Also, it's a European robin I think, which are smaller than American robins, and may well be more hardy.

I wonder if we'll see European swallows next.

[GAAD]

I wonder if we'll see European swallows next.

I hope that in that case City Face informs us of their unladen airspeed velocity. which is super tough

[Qwertystop]

I hope that in that case City Face informs us of their unladen airspeed velocity. which is super tough

On the one hand, that joke's been done to death.

On the other hand, I'm trying to imagine how City Face would say it, and even though I can't quite come up with anything that sounds right (I keep lapsing into surfer-dude when I try), it's still great.

[eee]

There's something wrong with seagulls. They're like 90 pounds of aggression in a five pound bag.

[Alent]

There's something wrong with seagulls. They're like 90 pounds of aggression in a five pound bag.

Don't forget that they live in Utah. Whenever you're going over the list of things wrong with Seagulls, living in Utah should be foremost at the top of your list.

[BannedInSchool]

There's something wrong with seagulls. They're like 90 pounds of aggression in a five pound bag.

Wish I could pull up from memory something from the seagull in Watership Down. He was an ornery cuss, IIRC.

[Emperordaniel]

Well, this has been a very emu-tional update.

[danelsan]

Hah, and I foolishly thought Emu would be the biggest bird shown...

[Emperordaniel]

I absolutely did not expect thiiiiiiis!

[eee]

I thought the emu was weird. To a pigeon, a emu would be like "What is this I don't even." But a giraffe???

I gape in terrified anticipation at what's coming next. O_O

[banthesun]

Well, this has been a very emu-tional update.

I find your pronounciation emu-sing.

[GAAD]

Super wow! Those things is ULTRA MEGA tough!

[BannedInSchool]

Giraffes ain't no joke if you've seen them fight.

[Lizard Lord]

Anyone else find it odder that the giraffe is standing on a tree than the fact that City Face thinks its a bird?