Dr. McNinja V: The End

[JavaScribe]

New comic. Looks a bit bloody.

[-D-]

New comic. Looks a bit bloody.

It's only a flesh wound.

[Emperor Time]

But the Mountain Dew he drinks might heal that right up.

[-D-]

But the Mountain Dew he drinks might heal that right up.

That or Ghost Wizards. Or Dracula.

[Giggling Ghast]

Oh, if only that was Radical's blood. I suspect it's not.

[Leewei]

Oh, if only that was Radical's blood. I suspect it's not.

The sword had no visible blood before the strike. I suppose we'll find out next week.

[Porthos]

Oh, if only that was Radical's blood. I suspect it's not.

No, no, it's almost certainly Radical. Just going by traditional storytelling framing, that is Radical's death (which we will see the aftermath of in a bit).

It also answers a central question of why the voice over the loud speaker in the future vision wanted Dr McNinja alive before threatening to destroy the building. While Rads just wanted to kill the Doc (and was there while the voice over the loudspeaker wasn't) whoever is left in authority after Radical went away will want to presumably try McNinja for his 'crime' or kill him if they can't capture him.

Makes sense at least. See soon enough if that is in fact it.

====

Also? Good riddance to bad rubbish.

[Giggling Ghast]

If that truly IS Radical's blood, then I'm afraid this may be what he wanted, and Doc is now the man who killed the President.

[Vinyadan]

I think there's still room for a twist in this scene. Let's see what happens now.

[Porthos]

I think there's still room for a twist in this scene. Let's see what happens now.

I suppose it might be a decoy or something. But, again, we are at The End. Sooner or later the twists and turns have to stop and we get to the resolutions.

Dunno. Feels like a resolution/climax. Radical certainly deserves it after that last stunt of his.

[PhantomFox]

Remember Franzs request of radical?

[JavaScribe]

Franz Rayner and Dracula still have agendas. Plus Franz is currently VP, and he always wanted to become president by killing the president.

The only thing King Radical still cares about is hurting Doc, and he just killed Doc's other arch nemesis. I wouldn't be surprised at all if this was Radical's end. I do wonder what the surviving Rad Landers will do when he dies.

[Porthos]

Remember Franzs request of radical?

Actually, no.

*checks*

Ah, yes. Franz certainly thinks he is the Vice President. Being president was a long goal, as mentioned by JavaScribe. If Rads is gone, he's in position to claim power in the vaccum.

He does seem to be the type to give folks a chance to surrender (see a couple of pages ago) before straight out killing them. At least right now. Might make sense that he gives an order to capture the Doc before deciding to blast him away.

He's also NOT at that warehouse, which also fits.

Yesssssss. Coming together nicely. Now just have to see if Dan and co try to take on Franz.

[Anteros]

There's just no way I'm going to believe it's that easy.

[JavaScribe]

There's just no way I'm going to believe it's that easy.

It isn't. Because even if he kills King Radical, he's still got two major adversaries in his way. The nightmare won't end until they are dead, the curse (whatever it is) is broken, and he either flees the country or successfully restores Funkhouser to power. No small order.

[Porthos]

There's just no way I'm going to believe it's that easy.

This was easy?

EDIT::::

If you're going to claim that this was 'easy' because the Doc/Radical fight itself was over in a flash, I would remind that it isn't exactly uncommon in stories for a protagonist to have massive, grueling, gut-wrenching emotional fights in the lead up and then finish the so-called Boss Fight in a matter of moments. Mostly because it defies expectations and also because it was the massive, grueling, gut-wrenching emtional fights that led up to the Boss Fight which were important. If one wants to analysize it further, all of the psychological (and physical) torment was the buildup that led to an emtional climax here. A burst of righteous fury that overcame everything and killed Radical stone cold dead.

And even here, King Radical got in one lasting gut-punch (Old McNinja) along with a nice middle finger salute (the dinosaur).

Naturally, Radical being Radical, he might have planned for this and had some sort of Thanatos Gambit going on. Be a tiny bit surprised if he didn't, actually.

Regardless, the Doc's entire life has nearly been shattered. If this was 'easy', I'd hate to see 'hard'!

PS: Do wonder where Hortence is during all of this.....

[JavaScribe]

PS: Do wonder where Hortence is during all of this.....

I've been wondering that too, the mysterious breakup is a major Chekov's gun, and it's a little surprising Radical didn't set that up before his own boss fight.

[SZbNAhL]

PS: Do wonder where Hortense is during all of this.....

Does she even still work for Radical? I don't think we've seen her since the Ghostbot venture went south.

[Anteros]

This was easy?

EDIT::::

If you're going to claim that this was 'easy' because the Doc/Radical fight itself was over in a flash, I would remind that it isn't exactly uncommon in stories for a protagonist to have massive, grueling, gut-wrenching emotional fights in the lead up and then finish the so-called Boss Fight in a matter of moments. Mostly because it defies expectations and also because it was the massive, grueling, gut-wrenching emtional fights that led up to the Boss Fight which were important. If one wants to analysize it further, all of the psychological (and physical) torment was the buildup that led to an emtional climax here. A burst of righteous fury that overcame everything and killed Radical stone cold dead.

And even here, King Radical got in one lasting gut-punch (Old McNinja) along with a nice middle finger salute (the dinosaur).

Naturally, Radical being Radical, he might have planned for this and had some sort of Thanatos Gambit going on. Be a tiny bit surprised if he didn't, actually.

Regardless, the Doc's entire life has nearly been shattered. If this was 'easy', I'd hate to see 'hard'!

PS: Do wonder where Hortence is during all of this.....

That's all build up or (potential) aftermath. The primary antagonist of the series walking up, and being casually murdered off panel during a conversation is too easy. It's also really bad writing, and Hastings is better than that.

So yeah, this seems too easy and I don't believe we've seen the last of Radical.

[JavaScribe]

That's all build up or (potential) aftermath. The primary antagonist of the series walking up, and being casually murdered off panel during a conversation is too easy. It's also really bad writing, and Hastings is better than that.

So yeah, this seems too easy and I don't believe we've seen the last of Radical.

What else is there for Radical to even do? He's given up on saving his people, and the "consolation prize of a Kingdom" is like an afterthought. I mean, I guess he could kick puppies with a jetpack or something. But wouldn't a sudden anticlimactic death be appropriate for the guy that enjoys killing boring people?

[Anteros]

Off screen? In the middle of the climactic chapter instead of the end?

I honestly wouldn't be a bit surprised if Doc just stabbed Hortense (or someone else) using Rad's hologram projector. There is a very clear pattern right now that everything is getting worse and worse for Doc, and killing Radical would subvert that pretty hard. We also know he hasn't hit bottom yet because of the future scene.

[JavaScribe]

Off screen?

Possibly a Gory Discrition Shot.

In the middle of the climactic chapter instead of the end?

Makes way for the rise of President Rayner.

[Porthos]

It's also really bad writing, and Hastings is better than that.

C'mon. You're not going to drag out the 'X is a better writer than that' line, are you? One would think that after people using it over and over and over again, only to see that, yes, the writer is exactly that type of writer, people would learn.

Possibly a Gory Discrition Shot.

It's also one page in a multi-page work. Seeing how emotional it is in context (and I think it was ALREADY pretty emotional) might be wise. That's just me though.

[Anteros]

Rayner has been a joke for like 5 books now. Plus, he's Dan's antagonist. He needs to face him for resolution. I'll be really disappointed if he becomes the main antagonist. At least Dracula is intimidating.

Look, I'm not saying it's impossible that he's killing of Radical. Obviously that's possible. I just think that doing it in this moment in this way is poor writing, so I don't expect Hastings to do it. Maybe I'm wrong and it will end up being great. We'll see.

C'mon. You're not going to drag out the 'X is a better writer than that' line, are you? One would think that after people using it over and over and over again, only to see that, yes, the writer is exactly that type of writer, people would learn.



It's also one page in a multi-page work. Seeing how emotional it is in context (and I think it was ALREADY pretty emotional) might be wise. That's just me though.

How is "people have used this argument and been wrong about other things, so you shouldn't use it" more reasonable?

Saying that someone has historically been a better writer than to deviate drastically from accepted story structure for the sake of an anti-climax is valid. If we were talking about Thunt (Goblins) or someone who does things like that I wouldn't say it.

[Porthos]

One argument for it NOT being Hortence is.... Why would Hortence kill Old McNinja? OK, killing the raptor I could see (no love lost between the two). But Old?

Dunno. Seems a stretch.

Mind, I fully admit that this could be a decoy. But as it stands, and if this is Radical's death, I think it's great writing when the entire build up is read in context. Would an Ultimate Battle of Ultimate Destiny been nice? Sure. But this is pretty good as well. IMO, at least.

How is "people have used this argument and been wrong about other things, so you shouldn't use it" more reasonable?

Saying that someone has historically been a better writer than to deviate drastically from accepted story structure for the sake of an anti-climax is valid. If we were talking about Thunt (Goblins) or someone who does things like that I wouldn't say it.

Because the old "I think X is a good writer and I don't like this devlopment; so since I think X is a good writer something else must be going on" isn't usually right.

More to the point, an anti-climax IS accepted story structure. Having someone fight and suffer and go through hell for (*checks*) 70 pages then kicking the ass of the person who has tormented him in quick order seems satisfactory enough to me. Obviously a YMMV situation.

Maybe I'm just wrankled at the 'really bad writing' bit. Mostly because I think it isn't close to bad writing.

Doesn't mean you have to like it. But 'bad writing'? Nah. Not from where I'm sitting at least.

[Anteros]

"Enemy mastermind discards all defenses and schemes in order to walk into melee range with a ninja to instantly die" isn't bad writing to you? That's an acceptable way for the story to climax?

Ok.

[Fri]

Depending on the context

Yes, it might not be bad writing.

But it might as well.

It all depends on context, buildup, characterization, storyline, and various others.

Example:

"Everything is just a dream" is my personal most hated twist. I remember an editor from sci-fi magazine saying "adam and eve" ending is his most hated twist ever, and if he see a clue toward that ending, he usually just drop the story he's reading and. But you can easily pick good examples of those twists.

But anyway, I'm not saying that if Radical dies now it's definitely good writing. It might be, it might not. And even if it's good writing, people are allowed to like or dislike something. But to answer your question, yes, it can be good plot twist or writing.

Besides, it all depends on what factors you consider "good climatic encounter" anyway. And we still need to see the detail in next strip anyway.

I know you're not talking about something like this, but this is something I've seen in the wild before, and I'm using it as example. Spoilering it because it's only slightly related, but still somewhat related I guess, so feel free to read my rambling or not.

Spoiler

Show

I saw people complaining when the hero only have a short final fight with the supposedly big bad boss, after he had much longer and harder fights with the bosses' lieutenants, in an action series. They say it's unsatisfying, anticlimatic. But it depends on a lot of things isn't it? I'm sure you can imagine yourselves what things involved that can make this kind of ending good or bad.

Another, sillier/more juvenile example, is people who rate how good an action series is on how strong the main character is. I'm starting to go to strawman territory here, but I saw discussion about this, like "x series is worse than y series because the main characters of y series is stronger." Or, something I personally talked about with a friend at school, "x series is better than y series because fights lasts longer in x series, while y series is a monster-of-the-week series, where monsters appear in an episode to be defeated in that episode as well. Obviously, it can be right, but monster-of-the-week series can be better or worse than series where fights last episodes. It depends on many more things.

On superheroes, I have a heated discussion with a coworker quite a while ago, because he says 'the avengers is bad because the villains (the invading aliens)' are never explained much (no scene of lengthy tragic backstory or epic motivation explained for them, I guess). No really, that's the reason why he dislike the first avengers movie. You can obviously see why I tried to argue with him. I mean, you might like, or not like the original avengers, but I really don't think lengthy villain motivation explanation is needed for a good superhero movie.

[JavaScribe]

"Enemy mastermind discards all defenses and schemes in order to walk into melee range with a ninja to instantly die" isn't bad writing to you? That's an acceptable way for the story to climax?

Ok.

King Radical has nothing left to live for but revenge, he's cocky, and playing safe isn't radical at all.

[The Glyphstone]

'Enemy Mastermind arranges a Thanatos Gambit to hurt and torment Patrick one last time from beyond the grave'...that is indeed good storytelling.

President Radical has nothing to live for but making Patrick as miserable as possible. Setting up a situation where Patrick just bluntly murders him in a fit of crazed grief-rage, thus making what's left of his own life even worse somehow, is very much his style. And being beheaded by a ninja is a very radical death. What we'll find out on Monday, assuming it wasn't a hologram (which is also his style, though I find it less likely), is how and why killing Radical here+now was a bad thing for Patrick to do.

[Cazero]

How is that bad storytelling? King Radical lives for the rad. He breathes rad. He murders in the name of rad. The only proper way to defeat such a villain is to ruin their climax. Since throwing him in jail to die of old age is not possible, we move to the next best thing : an off-panel one hit kill.