Girl Genius XIX: Worth a Third of Your Grade

[Shining Wrath]

Or maybe they actually want her to overhear, so that she will expect them to betray her and do something that she would otherwise be difficult to manipulate into doing. The old Kansas City Shuffle, as it were.

Well, they've been whispering a lot ... but wheels within wheels is par for the course.

[eschmenk]

Or maybe they actually want her to overhear, so that she will expect them to betray her and do something that she would otherwise be difficult to manipulate into doing. The old Kansas City Shuffle, as it were.

Maybe, but at some point one starts to overthink GG. Sometimes GG is just as simple and straightforward as it seems at first glance. OK, not very often, but sometimes. Yes, really!

I'd be pretty happy to have Larana and Aldin not be all that competent, actually. Not everyone can be like Wooster and I would feel bad for Hoffmann if they make him look too bad by comparison. Or who knows, maybe Hoffmann and everyone else is waiting to see what they are up to.

And we already know about one layer of deception involving Larana and Aldin, so that's something.

[memnarch]

...

By the way, am I the only one that can't access the Buck Godot collection? I was wanting to read it a while back, but all I get is 404s. Have they been moved elsewhere, or was it announced that they are permanently off line?

Apparently, the Foglio's are in the process of updating the webpage layout for the comic, though I wasn't told why they didn't just simply leave it up in the meantime.

[Stabbey]

Did I miss something? When did Prende's Lantern first get mentioned, and do we know what it is or why people are looking for it?

[eschmenk]

Did I miss something? When did Prende's Lantern first get mentioned, and do we know what it is or why people are looking for it?

It certainly was mentioned here. IIRC, the entire set of evidence that Lady Selnikov was searching specifically for it while she was in the vaults is on that page. That's what got Agatha interested in the lamp. We don't have any reason to suspect that Zardilev was looking for it, other than the facts that he was fascinated with clocks and time and had become an expert on time. It does seem like something he would have been interested in, though.

While trying to find that URL quickly, I used the GG Wiki. It suggests that "the lamp that summoned the night" mentioned in the sixth panel here might have been the same thing. (Summoning the night would solve the problem of the "castle where the sun never sets.") If so, that would have been the first mention, probably. Even if Violetta and The Storyteller were referring to the same story, we don't know if it's true, but this being GG, there is a decent chance that it is mostly true.

[Stabbey]

It certainly was mentioned here. IIRC, the entire set of evidence that Lady Selnikov was searching specifically for it while she was in the vaults is on that page. That's what got Agatha interested in the lamp. We don't have any reason to suspect that Zardilev was looking for it, other than the facts that he was fascinated with clocks and time and had become an expert on time. It does seem like something he would have been interested in, though.

Okay, thanks.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Like I said, I need a scorecard.

It might be better to go full-on conspiracy wall.

My head really hurts.

Obviously, you aren't getting enough sugar or alcohol intake before trying to unravel GG.

[wingnutx]

If we do that one, I would prefer: Girl Genius XX: Mostly Dere's A Lot Ov Biting

That's the full phrase and I think it's a little funnier that way.

You are right.

[Deliverance]

Jäger shredding machine.

The Foglios like their little jokes, though the setup for this one is much akin to the earllier Jäger joke concerning Occam's Razor.

Which raises the obvious question; Was the jäger shredding machine invented by a Heterodyne enemy as a way to fight Jägers or by Hetrodyne (presumably to to answer the curious question, "what happens if you shred Jägers?)

[Kantaki]

Jäger shredding machine.

The Foglios like their little jokes, though the setup for this one is much akin to the earllier Jäger joke concerning Occam's Razor.

Which raises the obvious question; Was the jäger shredding machine invented by a Heterodyne enemy as a way to fight Jägers or by Hetrodyne (presumably to to answer the curious question, "what happens if you shred Jägers?)

I would say the former. The Heterodynes- even the... differently sane ones- are unlikely to risk the loyality of their favourite killing machines like that. Not to mention that it would be a waste of good killing machines.
I mean there is a reason the minions and creations of house Heterodyne are incredible loyal. And the reason is not that their masters kill them horribly for no good* reason.

*That part might be up to debate. Sparks and their minions and creations tend to have a... interesting relationship with common sense.

[Grif]

What are the odds that these two (Smoke Knight mook duo) would be able to flee the fight? Or even want to?

[Rogar Demonblud]

*That part might be up to debate. Sparks and their minions and creations tend to have a... interesting relationship with common sense.

Sparks are a couple time zones from common sense.

[geoduck]

It was pointed out on another forum the Knight wearing the gloves has been seen before, working for Seffie.

[Simius]

It was pointed out on another forum the Knight wearing the gloves has been seen before, working for Seffie.

Yeah, good catch. It took me several rereads to understand that these smoke knights are not the rogue knights that Violetta is talking about. They're Seffie and Martellus' spies and she's calling on their help to take out Madwa.

[anon62453]

Yeah, good catch. It took me several rereads to understand that these smoke knights are not the rogue knights that Violetta is talking about. They're Seffie and Martellus' spies and she's calling on their help to take out Madwa.

And on that note, I think Zeetha and Violetta offered us two very good options for the next thread:

1. Girl Genius XX: Grandma always hated Lucrezia
2. Girl Genius XX: Why are you talking so loud?

[Shining Wrath]

"All Shadows are to come into the light". Nice.

Delivered looking over her shoulder right at them, more or less.

If you go back to April 18th you can see what may well be these two "friends" of Vi's, trailing the party in the last panel.

[eschmenk]

It was pointed out on another forum the Knight wearing the gloves has been seen before, working for Seffie.

So that would be Varpa. She isn't "getting in the man's way", though. I think that is because both are now hunting Madwa. However, it sounded as if Violetta was telling them to reveal themselves, but they didn't. Maybe they will?

Is Madwa in the flashback with Lucrezia? I doubt it. The person who looks most like a woman is the furthest from Lucrezia.

[Grif]

So that would be Varpa. She isn't "getting in the man's way", though. I think that is because both are now hunting Madwa. However, it sounded as if Violetta was telling them to reveal themselves, but they didn't. Maybe they will?

Is Madwa in the flashback with Lucrezia? I doubt it. The person who looks most like a woman is the furthest from Lucrezia.

Now we know why she isn't "getting in the man's way". Truly, kissing can be most distracting.

[Shining Wrath]

GG XX: "Less kissing. This is important."

Aldin is truly losing it. Given that Violetta is actually pretty capable, these two must be amazing. Sneaking past both Dimo and Zeetha at the same time and reading Agatha's book - yeah, that's sneaky.

Martellus sending one to keep an eye on Agatha is almost sweet.

[hajo]

GG XX: "Less kissing. This is important."

This

Sneaking past both Dimo and Zeetha at the same time and reading Agatha's book - yeah, that's sneaky.

That also means, they could have kidnapped/killed Agatha's weasel

[Kantaki]

Well, it seems these two Smokeknights have the right priorities.

Violetta's comment about Dimo and Zeetha insisting they were on guard is nice too.

That they are this good is scary. Fortunatly they are on our heroes side. For now at least. I hope that doesn't change too soon.

[JavaScribe]

So how does Violetta know all this? Is she just really good at reading people, or does she have her own contacts?

[Kantaki]

So how does Violetta know all this? Is she just really good at reading people, or does she have her own contacts?

Well, they are all family, and considering how this family tends to act it is likely that everyone knows who is working with/for whom.
From that- and they way those two act- Violetta should be able to guess why they were send after them.

[factotum]

That also means, they could have kidnapped/killed Agatha's weasel

Pretty sure Agatha would have noticed by now if they'd done that.

[geoduck]

The weasel is with them in the maze, you can see it in the last panel here.

[eee]

This


That also means, they could have kidnapped/killed Agatha's weasel

True, but...

They are obviously not Revenants or they would have done that. Since they have free will, the question is, would they have done it for any other reason? Martellus' guy, if he's been briefed about the weasel, won't harm it now and will protect it instead. Because Agatha needs to touch it or Martellus every hour or so, and in the depths of the Crypt there's not much chance they could get her out before she dies. After they're out, the weasel might be fair game. But Seffie's girl will probably protect it even then, and may well be why Martellus' Smoke Knight didn't kill the weasel before they reached the Library. Because it's a danger to the Other and her plans, and anything that does that is fine with Grandmother. And probably Martellus, too.

[lord_khaine]

They are obviously not Revenants or they would have done that. Since they have free will, the question is, would they have done it for any other reason? Martellus' guy, if he's been briefed about the weasel, won't harm it now and will protect it instead. Because Agatha needs to touch it or Martellus every hour or so, and in the depths of the Crypt there's not much chance they could get her out before she dies. After they're out, the weasel might be fair game. But Seffie's girl will probably protect it even then, and may well be why Martellus' Smoke Knight didn't kill the weasel before they reached the Library. Because it's a danger to the Other and her plans, and anything that does that is fine with Grandmother. And probably Martellus, too.

I think they point were more that these guys are so good, they at any time could have snatched up the weasel if they wanted to.
And could still do as soon as Martellus is within 1 hours distance of Agatha. Or at least as soon as they were not getting in each others way.

[eschmenk]

I think they point were more that these guys are so good, they at any time could have snatched up the weasel if they wanted to.
And could still do as soon as Martellus is within 1 hours distance of Agatha. Or at least as soon as they were not getting in each others way.

Yes, but it's no surprise that Martellus would have smoke knights who are as least as good as Violetta. Martellus learns from his mistakes, just not as much as he should, and changes his plans, so there is no particular reason to expect that he would want to force that issue anytime soon. Martellus has been treating Agatha very differently since they met back in the Corbettite vaults. No doubt he is up to something and has some sort of ulterior motives, but we have no way of knowing what they are. In the meantime he's allowing Agatha to do what she wants to do.

Really, if Martellus were smart at all, he probably would figure out that having Agatha chemically dependent on him wouldn't be a very good idea. Agatha may have asked Violetta about Rappaccini's poison and that's only one of many ways in which it might backfire horribly. I'm not particularly expecting him to ever try to kill the weasel.

[halfeye]

I'm not particularly expecting him to ever try to kill the weasel.

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comi...2#.Vy5LNeRimBM

Not again, perhaps.

[Traab]

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comi...2#.Vy5LNeRimBM

Not again, perhaps.

Too be fair, at the time marty had no clue wtf was going on, the time he had missed, the plans that had fallen apart, etc etc etc. As far as he was concerned it was the next morning after stealing agatha from mechanicsburg and baron wulfenbachs army getting spanked and all he had to do was control her to control all of europa as the storm king. Now he knows it isnt that simple. Oh, if an opportunity to enslave her falls into his lap he wont reject it, but his priorities have changed a bit.