Ending Parson's existence

[djharr]

So, everyone keeps telling Parson that the spell that they used on him demands absolute obedience to Stanley, and that if Stanley wills it, he can end his existence entirely.

B******t. It occurs to me that Parson is not FROM Erfworld. He has no Erfworld "stats," his existence is actually independent of the existence of Erfworld. I am betting that if Stanley wills it, he will end Parson's existence in Erfworld. So, he will just go back home.

Yes, I know it is a long chance, but frankly, were I the target of one of Stanley's little "I like it better when you don't talk, you fat tub of lard" comments, I would probably flip him off and say "Sit and spin, fathead. Do your worst."

Of course, I have a fairly short fuse, too.

[Erk]

Um, except when Stanley orders Parson to be quiet, Parson shuts up. When Stanley orders Parson to laugh, Parson laughs without even realising he is supposed to, because he's been ordered to.

So I think it's safe to say that if you really reacted as you say you would, you'd be gone within three strips.

[djharr]

Um, except when Stanley orders Parson to be quiet, Parson shuts up. When Stanley orders Parson to laugh, Parson laughs without even realising he is supposed to, because he's been ordered to.

So I think it's safe to say that if you really reacted as you say you would, you'd be gone within three strips.

Yes, but that is in Erfworld. In Erfworld, he is compelled by Stanley. My point would be that I would dare him to eliminate me, thus getting a free ride home, and avoiding having to listen to the little blowhard.

(This of course ignores the fact that Parson is probably actually happier in Erfworld than he was at home, given his soliliquy to his gaming buddies.)

[Bag_of_Holding]

I agree with djharr's idea. However, in addition, even if Stanley (Tool) orders Parson to do something, if it is beyond Parson's ability, he cannot do it. If Tool ordered him to fly into the sky and fight the Doombats, he may jump up and down hard but he can't do it.

Same goes to "ceasing to exist" case; where he may ask Wanda to transport him back (which she migh refuse) or he might cleverly tweak the order in some ways. Harming himself would be the last thing he'd do though; kids read the comic, too.

[SteveMB]

I am betting that if Stanley wills it, he will end Parson's existence in Erfworld. So, he will just go back home.

You'd bet your life on that?

OK; that would be your call. Parson evidently thinks differently.

[Om]

Parson is a unit under the control of Stanley. He's clearly not a normal Erfworld unit but Stanley has demonstrated his control on more than one occasion.

[djharr]

OK, it appears that I have not made myself clear in my first post. I have no doubt that Stanley controls Parson. My point is that since they pulled Parson from someplace else, he is not really a part of Erfworld, so the extent that Stanley can will him out of existence is merely to send him back where he came from, not kill him. So, I think that the worst that Parson is facing is an abrupt trip home ( and maybe the necessity of explaining where he has been for however long has passed in reality).

[Erk]

But... it seems phenomenally foolish to risk one's very existance on that possibility. My point was not that Parson does exactly as Stanley orders, but that the other criteria of the control have been demonstrated true. You'd have to be amazingly desperate to risk everything on the un-backed-up theoretical possibility that maybe you would get sent home rather than die. It's kind of a russian roulette don't you think?

Besides, Parson isn't desperate, he seems quite happy. I imagine he'd put up with a lot worse than Stanley's big head (literally) to be where he is now.

[Scientivore]

Interestingly, one of the decision-making problems that teenagers have is that they're often too logical. (Hah! Bet you weren't expecting that one.) For example, if offered a million bucks to play Russian roulette (while roleplaying a scenario), many of them will stop and think about the odds.

Sometimes the odds don't matter. Some things, such as money, are always less valuable to me than a risk to existence. I think that excitement and freedom can be worth it, but not pride. I would rather play along and learn more about my options before doing anything with such potentially final consequences.

[chionophile]

I'd say the odds are pretty good that if his orders to make you laugh and shut-up actually make you laugh and shut up then his orders to make you blink out of existence are not going to simply send you home.

Does that sentence make sense? Possibly.

Anyways, my point is that Erfworld is not imaginary; it has rules and laws of its own. It took a hugely powerful spell to summon Parson, why would disbanding him do the opposite of that spell and not what it normally does?

[Ultimatum479]

Ending Parson's existence in Erfworld would presumably end his existence completely because he's not simultaneously existing in both worlds at the moment: he's just existing in Erfworld.

[Maerad of Pellinor]

If it does end his existance in Erfworld only, it would be a good way to end the comic and send him home....

[Legendary]

If the spell only affects Erfworld, then how did they get Parson in the first place? Also, see Panel 9 in the link below:

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/erf0005.html

The spell reaches across ALL existence. Since Stanley uses this spell to control Parson, erasing him from existence means that he'll be killed, not just kicked out of Erfworld.

[Ultimatum479]

I don't think that's the case, Legendary. Stanley's power over Parson isn't unique. He can end the existence of _any_ unit which betrays him, so far as I know. He's the recruiter unit in a TBS: the units he paid good money to recruit shouldn't betray him, cuz that's breaking game rules, and if they do he just doesn't pay their upkeep and they're removed from existence. Since his power over other units doesn't extend to Earth, I'd say the same for Parson. The real problem is that Parson isn't on Earth at the same time as here right now...he's JUST on Erfworld, so if his existence here ends, bam!

[Legendary]

His power DOES extend to Earth. That's how he got Parson. The thing is, none of his units are on Earth, so we don't know if he can control them there or not.

Also, his power IS unique. No other characters have been shown to have to laugh if told to, or to be silent.

[Ave]

Parson doesn't want to be sent back.
Wanda summoned the 'perfect' warlord, all selection criteria for the summon was true.
Part of the summoning criteria was that he is willing to serve without morale problems.

[Demented]

Maybe Parson should get out of the Efdup tower square before rebelling. Most TBS games won't allow units from two different players to be in the same team... thus, if Parson rebels, he plots out of existence.

However, if he's in his own square, alone, rebelling will set him to the Neutral player. Voila, we have a renegade Parson running around on his own turn!

Or maybe Stanley will just 'Disband' him.

[Rocheforte]

Thing is, Parson's not a standard unit. He's a Summoned Creature (a strong enough somethingmancer could probably banish him), and as such is not quite in the same boat as other characters when it comes to free will issues. If the summoning scroll didn't consume itself in the casting, and Parson ever gets hold of it, several Faustian possibilities will arise.

Unless that happens, though, it is possible that Stanley's control extends only as far a dismissal back to his home plane of existence, rather than outright disbanding.

[djharr]

Why is it that I can start the thread, post three times and STILL not explain what I am trying to say as well as Rocheforte does in two sentences? <grumble>

[Legendary]

Ah, I GET it now. OK. *sighs* I'm just stupid, ok?

Anyways, I see what you mean. I guess it's 50/50. Still, I'm not the type to risk my life on those odds, you know what I mean?

[Roderick_BR]

Thing is, he doesn't know if "ending existence" means sending him back, or just making him vanish forever. The summon spell seems the kind that is not evil in a "obey or die" kind, but something that was not fully complete. "we don't need you anymore, but instead of teleporting you back, we'll just throw you in the trash can."
If they'd done it before, they may not know what exacly happens to un-summoned warlords, so they may believe the warlords are simply destroyed too.