"I hereby revoke your permission to ask me difficult questions."

[Maerad of Pellinor]

Sounds like the kind of thing a tyrant would say....I mean, getting rid of free speech from one of your closest (and most trusted?) advisors, and making it sound like he was lucky to have the right to free speech in the first place? Jeez. At least Stanley only makes people call him Lord/Tool....

Thoughts?

[Jari Kafghan]

If it were me, and I was not looking forward to a question like that, especially when I knew the answer, and my adviser was as close as that, I would have said the same thing. Something to cut the tension and admit I knew the answer without answering it.

I am starting to think this Erf world is more of a shades of gray then good and evil. I like it.

[Mewtarthio]

There's a difference between saying "I'd rather not think about that right now" and "Still thy tongue, underling!" My guess is that Ansom's going for the former rather than the latter.

[DreadSpoon]

However, keeping a vampire-ish creature in your army IS a sign of pure, unadulterated evil. Obviously horrendously evil, and vile, and wicked, and otherwise not-nice. Wretchedly foul, even. Disgustingly naughty. Repulsive, repugnant, and irreputable. <Insert more synonyms here>

[Maerad of Pellinor]

However, keeping a vampire-ish creature in your army IS a sign of pure, unadulterated evil. Obviously horrendously evil, and vile, and wicked, and otherwise not-nice. Wretchedly foul, even. Disgustingly naughty. Repulsive, repugnant, and irreputable. <Insert more synonyms here>

Not necessarily. Vampires don't have to be evil, no more than demons do. And there are certainly good demons in lots of fantasy books....

Just playing the Devil's advocate here....

[Psychonaut]

Ansom's expression in the panel where he says that suggests he's saying it jokingly - as a way to move the conversation off the topic, yes, but because Ansom knows Vinnie respects him enough to take the hint, not because he was issuing an actual order. If he had been glowering when he said it, I might interpret it otherwise, but as it is it just looks like he's talking with Vinnie buddy-to-buddy, and made reference to his position of authority only for the sake of humor.

(In a similar way, Vinnie's use of "Boss" doesn't strike me as an underling's deference to authority so much as a conveniently respectful "nickname" of sorts.)

[Maerad of Pellinor]

Ansom's expression in the panel where he says that suggests he's saying it jokingly - as a way to move the conversation off the topic, yes, but because Ansom knows Vinnie respects him enough to take the hint, not because he was issuing an actual order. If he had been glowering when he said it, I might interpret it otherwise, but as it is it just looks like he's talking with Vinnie buddy-to-buddy, and made reference to his position of authority only for the sake of humor.

(In a similar way, Vinnie's use of "Boss" doesn't strike me as an underling's deference to authority so much as a convenient and respectful "nickname".)

But in the last panel, Vinnie is so serious....And while it's true that matters are very serious, and they shouldn't be joking about the upcoming battle, he almost looks angry for having to obey someone who isn't smart enough to see that he's walking into a trap.

And Ansom should know as well that from a military standpoint, he can't shirk from a question like "do you trust this person?"

[Erk]

I'm strongly of the mind that Ansom really isn't anywhere near as benevolent as he seems, but I gotta say that line came off more as banter with a friend than as an order from a tyrant.

[Jari Kafghan]

"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." - Freud

I think more of us need to remember that.

[Psychonaut]

But in the last panel, Vinnie is so serious....And while it's true that matters are very serious, and they shouldn't be joking about the upcoming battle, he almost looks angry for having to obey someone who isn't smart enough to see that he's walking into a trap.

But look at the panel just before that and Vinnie's immediate reaction. Besides, his expression in the last panel looks serious - but that could just be because he's concerned and wants Ansom to take him seriously, not necessarily because he's angry.

[Revlid]

I have to agree. It sounds more like a friendly joke than a tyrannical command, and Vinnie seems to be looking serious to get Ansom to realise that he is serious. Not angry. I'd guess V&A are close friends.

[Tor the Fallen]

Sounds like the kind of thing a tyrant would say....I mean, getting rid of free speech from one of your closest (and most trusted?) advisors, and making it sound like he was lucky to have the right to free speech in the first place? Jeez. At least Stanley only makes people call him Lord/Tool....

Thoughts?

Uh, who said Erfworld was America? Do they have a fweedom of speech clause in their constitution? Do they even have a constitution? Maybe a constitooshun.

[SteveMB]

And Ansom should know as well that from a military standpoint, he can't shirk from a question like "do you trust this person?"

I don't think he shirked the question at all -- it seems clear to me that this was a way of saying "I'm really not sure".

Ansom's expression in the panel where he says that suggests he's saying it jokingly - as a way to move the conversation off the topic, yes, but because Ansom knows Vinnie respects him enough to take the hint, not because he was issuing an actual order. If he had been glowering when he said it, I might interpret it otherwise, but as it is it just looks like he's talking with Vinnie buddy-to-buddy, and made reference to his position of authority only for the sake of humor.

That's my read on it -- Vinnie chuckles before continuing the conversation. Also, note the initial exchange:

Vinnie: "One more time to charge to Zamussels' rescue, Prince? Or are you goin' there to croak her with your bare hands?"
Ansom: "Heh. I don't know, Vinny. Maybe I'll decide when I get there." (emphasis added, and note that Ansom's expression is certainly not that of someone who actually has murder on his mind.)

They're bantering.

[ref]

Not necessarily. Vampires don't have to be evil, no more than demons do. And there are certainly good demons in lots of fantasy books....

Just playing the Devil's advocate here....

I'd say you were playing the Demon's advocate...

[belboz]

It's really somewhere between a joke and a command. Ansom doesn't really mean he forbids Vinnie to ask him difficult questions, but it's not totally lighthearted, either--it's an uncomfortable joke meant to deflect the discussion from something he's not happy thinking about.

Vinnie's expression is serious because he's really not satisfied with that. He thinks his old friend and commander is in grave danger, and doesn't want him sticking his fingers in his ears, even temporarily.

[Bogardan_Mage]

People have really got to stop reading so much into Stanley and Ansom's various passing comments. Not everything these two say is a comment about the legal or moral situation in their respective countries. You may have noticed also that people see what they want to see in these circumstances. It's not evidence, it's confirmation bias.

[Estelindis]

It's really somewhere between a joke and a command. Ansom doesn't really mean he forbids Vinnie to ask him difficult questions, but it's not totally lighthearted, either--it's an uncomfortable joke meant to deflect the discussion from something he's not happy thinking about.

Vinnie's expression is serious because he's really not satisfied with that. He thinks his old friend and commander is in grave danger, and doesn't want him sticking his fingers in his ears, even temporarily.

Quoted for truth. I think this sums up the dynamic of the exchange perfectly.

[SteveMB]

It's really somewhere between a joke and a command. Ansom doesn't really mean he forbids Vinnie to ask him difficult questions, but it's not totally lighthearted, either--it's an uncomfortable joke meant to deflect the discussion from something he's not happy thinking about.

Agreed, and I think it also contains the answer "I really don't know" to Vinnie's question.

[Schattenjaeger]

I think Ansom's response is more of an "I'd really rather not think about that because I might not like the answer." deal. Blissful ignorance. Given he's romantically interested in Jillian, it's a perfectly normal thing to do; blatantly overlook a love interest's faults in favor of holding up this image that they are perfection incarnate.

As far as the candor of the comment, I think he was being flippant. He seems to allow Vinny a great deal of linguistic freedom, more as one would a friend than a minion. It has the air of humorously dodging the question, not "Shut up meatbag."

As for the last panel, I don't think Vinny is at all annoyed he has to say that. I expect Ansom already knows this; having Vinny say it out loud emphasizes how obvious a gambit it is. But Ansom will probably go ahead with his galant rescue anyhow. Because he seems the type to do so.

Oh, and to be fair, on page 39 of the comic, Stanley gives Parson permission to speak. So he's not exactly ruling from a democratic/republic standpoint either.

[SteveMB]

I think Ansom's response is more of an "I'd really rather not think about that because I might not like the answer."

There's certainly an element of that (though being unable to give an immediate and straightforward answer to the question "Do you trust so-and-so" pretty much is an answer, and I think Ansom realizes that).

It's interesting to compare this exchange to the previous occasion when Vinnie asked Ansom a question (about his true motives for opposing Stanley) to which Ansom didn't want to give a straight answer. Vinnie was more insistent on pressing that question, and Ansom seemed more uncomfortable confronting it. It's as if that question were more important and/or more troubling than the current question (whether Ansom trusts Jillian), which seems rather odd. Is it just that they were under more stress at the time, or is there something more to it?

[Xiander]

What i find interesting is what seems to be Vinies point in the last panel.
Vinnie says by th word: "Do you trust me?" he gets an affirmative answer to which he says: "Then don't go this time,boss. it's what they're expecting."
Basicly, what i read out of this is: "this might very well be a trap, i can go alone, so you and the aliance won't be in danger".
This is a very interesting thing for a mob like vampire dude to say :)

[Gez]

Thoughts?

You're both overanalyzing it (inferring far too much from it) and underanalyzing it (not recognizing it as the friendly banter it is).

[innovan]

There's whole classes of "impossible orders" that can't be carried out.

Like "I order you to not read this order".

There's also physically impossible orders. Like "I order you to become 100 ft tall." "I order you to never die." (Pretty useful order before combat, otherwise)

And there's probably rule breaking orders as well. "I order your stats to be the max high, have a million hit points, and never take damage" and "I order you to always hit and for your opponents to always miss."

Orders are also subjective in their interpretation. Look at the problems when Parson was ordered to laugh at Tool's jokes but couldn't tell which were actual jokes and which were not. Probably as one improves at your own ability to interpret and bend orders to your own means (as Wanda has), an order like this would be so subjective that it would be ignorable.

[Corsair]

I got the impression he was basically saying "Look, I don't really know the answer and I'm starting to get uncomfortable, can we please change the subject?"

[SteveMB]

Vinnie says by th word: "Do you trust me?" he gets an affirmative answer to which he says: "Then don't go this time,boss. it's what they're expecting."
Basicly, what i read out of this is: "this might very well be a trap, i can go alone, so you and the aliance won't be in danger".

I agree; Vinnie doesn't need to spell out what he's really asking (for Ansom to stay behind and let him take care of this). I suspect that they've had this conversation before, given that Ansom flying to the rescue is an established pattern.

It seems to me that if Ansom's (stated) reason for going himself is one of noblesse oblige, it ties back to their previous conversation -- in Ansom's worldview, taking such traditional responsibilities seriously is one of the reasons why nobles are suited to rule and commoners aren't. (The fact that Vinnie is also a noble doesn't count (pun unintentional); some things you just have to do yourself.)

[Kaerbek]

Sounds like the kind of thing a tyrant would say....I mean, getting rid of free speech from one of your closest (and most trusted?) advisors, and making it sound like he was lucky to have the right to free speech in the first place? Jeez. At least Stanley only makes people call him Lord/Tool....

Thoughts?

You really have some issues with democracy my dear...

Don't take it that seriusly, it obviusly didn't sound like THAT at all.

[SteveMB]

I got the impression he was basically saying "Look, I don't really know the answer and I'm starting to get uncomfortable, can we please change the subject?"

Speculation:

Spoiler

Show

That would be all the more true if my suspicion that the battle plan Ansom described to Jillian isn't exactly the real one -- if so, he was presumably hoping to prove his doubts wrong but feeling that he couldn't risk the possibility that they were right. He wouldn't be at all happy about it, and would not appreciate the reminder.

At this point, we can but wait and see.

[Enlong]

Ansom was joking around with Vinny. Hence Ansom's face in that panal, and Vinny laughing in the next one. They both know it's a difficult subject, and Vinny appreciates the jokery.

[JonathanC]

Sounds like the kind of thing a tyrant would say....I mean, getting rid of free speech from one of your closest (and most trusted?) advisors, and making it sound like he was lucky to have the right to free speech in the first place? Jeez. At least Stanley only makes people call him Lord/Tool....

Thoughts?

This is a joke, right? You did actually read and comprehend the comic, right? You noticed that he did, in fact, take Vinnie's advice? He was joking with his buddy. It's obvious that Ansom sees the value of Vinnie's advice, even if it does make him have to consider difficult questions that he'd rather not think about.

[Maerad of Pellinor]

This is a joke, right? You did actually read and comprehend the comic, right? You noticed that he did, in fact, take Vinnie's advice? He was joking with his buddy. It's obvious that Ansom sees the value of Vinnie's advice, even if it does make him have to consider difficult questions that he'd rather not think about.

I did notice that he took Vinnie's advice after page 43 was posted, not before. And I've decided that it's probably a good idea not to take anything in this comic for granted, especially not until we know more about the characters....So no, it's not a joke.