Girl Genius XX: Endothermic Life Forms Are Inherently Heretical

[Calemyr]

I think there was a misunderstanding. Both Prende and Tinka zapped people in order to knock them unconscious. I think nearly everyone assumes that Van Rijn built in the ability to do that much. However, I think there was some confusion over how to interpret Calemyr's quote, "You think a Spark wouldn't weaponize their mechanical teachers?" I had assumed he was talking about the Storm King or later sparks weaponizing whatever muses they had learned things from. (I don't think that happened.) Now I think he probably was talking about Van Rijn weaponizing the muses himself. (In that case, I think he did, at least to some extent.)

ADDED: I suspect that sometimes teachers or tutors for sparks did wind up weaponized, though. Or even worse, of course.

Uh, first off, that wasn't a "quote", per se. It was a hypothetical banter that could happen to explain why the Muses are tougher than Tarvek assumed they were. I hope that was clear, but in case it wasn't I wanted to state that.

But yes, I meant to suggest that Van Rijn would have weaponized them anyway. Sparks tend to just have that kind of compulsion. "This clank can sing six hundred lullabies, cradle and even nurse infants after a fashion, translate cries with a 92.8% accuracy rating, can serve quite effectively as a tutor and confidant as the child matures, and will out-and-out destroy anything stupid enough to try to hurt you baby." For in-series examples, I point you first to Master Payne's Circus, which Agatha "repaired" into a cleverly disguised army of war machines. Or Beetle using Mr. Tock as a weapon when Klaus discovered the hive engine really early on. Overdesigning things, particularly with absurd destructive potential where none is necessary, is kind of a hallmark for Sparks.

As for this twist, I agree it seems time-related, mainly because of Valois' relationship to Van Rijn, who was obsessed with the Muse of Time. I think we're finally getting to the point where pieces will finally start fitting together regarding the time shenanigans going on in this story. I'm intrigued by the thought that the Storm King is a chronophage, and thus opposed to the Muse of Time, and became such a threat that both Van Rijn and the Lady Heterodyne of that time had to find a way to stop him.

[Darth Tom]

"This clank can sing six hundred lullabies, cradle and even nurse infants after a fashion, translate cries with a 92.8% accuracy rating, can serve quite effectively as a tutor and confidant as the child matures, and will out-and-out destroy anything stupid enough to try to hurt you baby."

I have a mental image of this being GG-verse C-3PO. I'm going to have that image all night now.

[Kantaki]

I have a mental image of this being GG-verse C-3PO. I'm going to have that image all night now.

I think Han and Leia's kids had a nanny like that in the Legends stories. Everything you need to take care of a baby. Most importantly four arms. With built in heavy blaster cannons.

[Douglas]

I think Han and Leia's kids had a nanny like that in the Legends stories. Everything you need to take care of a baby. Most importantly four arms. With built in heavy blaster cannons.

Given their enemies, that was probably quite wise and practical of them.

[Kantaki]

Given their enemies, that was probably quite wise and practical of them.

Yup. I think the book that droid appeared in involved an attempt to kidnap Anakin Solo. My favorite part was it telling him to turn away and close his eyes before opening fire on the kidnappers. I don't think it survived the battle, but only because the other guy brought a army.
The idea is still good.

[Rodin]

Can't believe the most obvious case of drastically over-weaponized household object was missed!

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comi...9#.V1iA5_krKUk

[SZbNAhL]

It certainly seems possible that the armour may in fact be a life support system for his head and there's not that much left. He lacks a belly, for example. And the left hand seems to be a mechanical replacement.

He'd have to have at least one of his original organic hands (or at least the bones from it) to grab Madwa in the last page, and I'd assume that if he's still got that he's got the arm as well. I guess he could have grafted that onto a robotic torso, but it seems a little weird when he could have had a full robot body.

[Calemyr]

Can't believe the most obvious case of drastically over-weaponized household object was missed!

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comi...9#.V1iA5_krKUk

True enough. But that was a Heterodyne creation. Agatha is on the low end of over-weaponizing by the standards of her family. Agatha.

[Shining Wrath]

He'd have to have at least one of his original organic hands (or at least the bones from it) to grab Madwa in the last page, and I'd assume that if he's still got that he's got the arm as well. I guess he could have grafted that onto a robotic torso, but it seems a little weird when he could have had a full robot body.

Right hand is intact and I believe that's a right hand grabbing Madwa in the previous strip.

I imagine Madwa is escaping as fast as her legs can carry her right now.

[Giggling Ghast]

Though everyone seems on the same page here, I'll note that the Wiki seems to have concluded that the creature is indeed Andronicus Valois, the original Storm King. My own theory is that the "conjurer" he is referencing may be Ogglespoon, the mad sorceror who was his rival for the hand of Euphrosynia Heterodyne.

http://girlgenius.wikia.com/wiki/Andronicus_Valois

Anyway, I suspect this is one of those times where the man doesn't match the legend. He was likely always a monster.

[SZbNAhL]

Anyway, I suspect this is one of those times where the man doesn't match the legend. He was likely always a monster.

All the way from "monstrous chronophage" to "Hero of the West" in only two centuries? I guess it's possible, but seems a little unlikely. Especially since the MoP was willing to fight at his side, and he really doesn't seem like the "deal with the devil" type.

[Darth Tom]

Yup. I think the book that droid appeared in involved an attempt to kidnap Anakin Solo. My favorite part was it telling him to turn away and close his eyes before opening fire on the kidnappers. I don't think it survived the battle, but only because the other guy brought a army.
The idea is still good.

Yes, I remember that one. Kevin J Anderson's "Jedi Academy" trilogy. It does seem the sort of nanny you would get in Girl Genius. Oh wait.

[Darth Tom]

All the way from "monstrous chronophage" to "Hero of the West" in only two centuries? I guess it's possible, but seems a little unlikely. Especially since the MoP was willing to fight at his side, and he really doesn't seem like the "deal with the devil" type.

That's really interesting - he uses a similar turn of phrase as Otilia in the "kept safe for the world" sense. I hadn't noticed that.

Speaking of things I hadn't noticed, I can't believe I missed the priest's comment here: http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20130415 about the "dark rites" and "mysterious lost sciences that hold back hideous extradimensional beings". I'd thought he was merely being melodramatic but now I'm not so sure.

[smuchmuch]

Hmm, maybe I'm reading too much in the art style but now that we see what is (presumably, twist can alway happens) the strom king, I can't help but notice that his facial structure, particulary his chin, reminds me not only of Martelus but also, now that I tink of it, of Higgs. ( particulary as seen here and in the latest stips with the very define square face, the chin that leave a little in the middle and the well defined cheeckbones . Not so much in his first apparences where his chin seemed smaller.)
(Though in both cases, the facial hair color doesn't match;)

[eee]

All the way from "monstrous chronophage" to "Hero of the West" in only two centuries? I guess it's possible, but seems a little unlikely. Especially since the MoP was willing to fight at his side, and he really doesn't seem like the "deal with the devil" type.

Ah, but that was before Euphrosynia, and all the trouble. From the story, the opera, the books, we have some idea what lead up to the engagement of the Storm King and the Heterodyne Girl, but not much what happened afterwards. We also don't have much of a handle on the personalities of those involved, before or after. Andy may have been the kind of guy Voltaire would have been willing to hang out with before; but after?

Maybe we'll get more of an idea what really went on back then, if this IS the Storm King.

[Calemyr]

Ah, but that was before Euphrosynia, and all the trouble. From the story, the opera, the books, we have some idea what lead up to the engagement of the Storm King and the Heterodyne Girl, but not much what happened afterwards. We also don't have much of a handle on the personalities of those involved, before or after. Andy may have been the kind of guy Voltaire would have been willing to hang out with before; but after?

Maybe we'll get more of an idea what really went on back then, if this IS the Storm King.

There's also Gil. If you needed an example of how a little time, a crush on a Heterodyne girl, and some Sparky Sparky brain stunts could royally screw up an honest, upright, and heroic guy, you don't have to look much further than Wulfie Jr.

[Kantaki]

There's also Gil. If you needed an example of how a little time, a crush on a Heterodyne girl, and some Sparky Sparky brain stunts could royally screw up an honest, upright, and heroic guy, you don't have to look much further than Wulfie Jr.

I think that has more to do with having to run the Empire and a mental imprint of his father looking over his shoulder all the time. Well, and with wanting to help Agatha of course.
So... Euphrosynthia having something to do with it is possible.
On the other Hand didn't she betray him somehow? Maybe this is why she did it. SK turns into a time eating monstrosity and she helps to seal him away.

[Calemyr]

I think that has more to do with having to run the Empire and a mental imprint of his father looking over his shoulder all the time. Well, and with wanting to help Agatha of course.
So... Euphrosynthia having something to do with it is possible.
On the other Hand didn't she betray him somehow? Maybe this is why she did it. SK turns into a time eating monstrosity and she helps to seal him away.

It's a valid theory at this point, but we don't know much about anything, really.

We know that Voltaire was allied with him at one point. We know that Euphrosynthia was allied with him at one point, and enemies at another point, and both Marcellus and that Jaegar agree that they loved each other, but the Jaegar suggests that there was more at play than that. We know that he was allied with Van Rijn, that the muses were meant to be loyal to Valois, and that Van Rijn sided with Euphrosynthia in the breakup (with possible suggestions of an affair). We also know that one muse, the Von Pinn, was tasked by Valois with taking care of the next female Heterodyne - an objective she has done her best to interpret in creatively destructive ways. (Why do Bang and Von Pinn not get along again?) We also know that the lantern was legendarily used to save Valois from a "castle where the sun never sets".

We now also know that Van Rijn was obsessed with the Muse of Time, the one muse he did not create, and that he managed to capture her before he died. We also now know that at least one muse is working against her nature against Valois (assuming this guy is the real deal), actively saying she can't interfere while begging others to do so in her stead. We also now know that Valois (again, assuming) believes his last memory is of a "conjurer" sending him somewhere. Presuming this to be Van Rijn would be simple given the Sparks visionary accomplishments, but we don't have solid evidence yet.

My theory is similar to yours.
1 ) Valois the hero. Friend to Voltaire and Van Rijn.
2 ) Valois falls in love with a Heterodyne and continues pursuing heroism.
3 ) Valois's heroism and Euphy's heritage clash. Love gives way to rivalry, and then violence. War between the greatest houses in Sparkdom breaks out.
4 ) Van Rijn sides with Euphy. Maybe for love, maybe for SCIENCE!. The betrayal sends Valois out of control.
5 ) The lantern is employed to stasis lock Valois, freeing him from his torment. The last of the muses sits down to guard the tomb of her living master.
6 ) Van Rijn, feeling his years catching up with him, becomes more desperate to find immortality and captures the Muse of Time.
7 ) The muse cannot escape, but does not provide the needed help. Van Rijn dies in the pursuit, but the muse does not discover it.
8 ) Agatha frees the Muse of Time, finds the tomb, and watches as Violetta destroys the lantern to stop Lucy's minion from recovering it.
9 ) Valois is freed, his time stop rendering the betrayals still fresh in his mind.

I think it fits in everything we know, but there are still a lot of details to be revealed. Perhaps Euphy is the Muse of Time? It would even work in the larger narrative, as Lucy discovers Euphy's legacy while doing her own projects in the Kestle, then pushes further than she should and getting tangled up in something she couldn't get out of and Bill couldn't save her from. What comes back is a convoluted combination of Lucy and Euphy, two very powerful Sparks with no moral compasses. This would also mean that Von Pinn's duty should have been to find Van Rijn and protect the capsule containing the Muse of Time, but she didn't know this and instead read the instructions in a way she could actually pursue.

Ah, my bad. It's actually "the sun never sets" in the legend, not "never rises". Ah well.

[tonberrian]

It's a valid theory at this point, but we don't know much about anything, really.

We know that Voltaire was allied with him at one point. We know that Euphrosynthia was allied with him at one point, and enemies at another point, and both Marcellus and that Jaegar agree that they loved each other, but the Jaegar suggests that there was more at play than that. We know that he was allied with Van Rijn, that the muses were meant to be loyal to Valois, and that Van Rijn sided with Euphrosynthia in the breakup (with possible suggestions of an affair). We also know that one muse, the Von Pinn, was tasked by Valois with taking care of the next female Heterodyne - an objective she has done her best to interpret in creatively destructive ways. (Why do Bang and Von Pinn not get along again?) We also know that the lantern was legendarily used to save Valois from a "castle where the sun never sets".

We now also know that Van Rijn was obsessed with the Muse of Time, the one muse he did not create, and that he managed to capture her before he died. We also now know that at least one muse is working against her nature against Valois (assuming this guy is the real deal), actively saying she can't interfere while begging others to do so in her stead. We also now know that Valois (again, assuming) believes his last memory is of a "conjurer" sending him somewhere. Presuming this to be Van Rijn would be simple given the Sparks visionary accomplishments, but we don't have solid evidence yet.

My theory is similar to yours.
1 ) Valois the hero. Friend to Voltaire and Van Rijn.
2 ) Valois falls in love with a Heterodyne and continues pursuing heroism.
3 ) Valois's heroism and Euphy's heritage clash. Love gives way to rivalry, and then violence. War between the greatest houses in Sparkdom breaks out.
4 ) Van Rijn sides with Euphy. Maybe for love, maybe for SCIENCE!. The betrayal sends Valois out of control.
5 ) The lantern is employed to stasis lock Valois, freeing him from his torment. The last of the muses sits down to guard the tomb of her living master.
6 ) Van Rijn, feeling his years catching up with him, becomes more desperate to find immortality and captures the Muse of Time.
7 ) The muse cannot escape, but does not provide the needed help. Van Rijn dies in the pursuit, but the muse does not discover it.
8 ) Agatha frees the Muse of Time, finds the tomb, and watches as Violetta destroys the lantern to stop Lucy's minion from recovering it.
9 ) Valois is freed, his time stop rendering the betrayals still fresh in his mind.

I think it fits in everything we know, but there are still a lot of details to be revealed. Perhaps Euphy is the Muse of Time? It would even work in the larger narrative, as Lucy discovers Euphy's legacy while doing her own projects in the Kestle, then pushes further than she should and getting tangled up in something she couldn't get out of and Bill couldn't save her from. What comes back is a convoluted combination of Lucy and Euphy, two very powerful Sparks with no moral compasses. This would also mean that Von Pinn's duty should have been to find Van Rijn and protect the capsule containing the Muse of Time, but she didn't know this and instead read the instructions in a way she could actually pursue.

Ah, my bad. It's actually "the sun never sets" in the legend, not "never rises". Ah well.

How do we know that van Rijn sided with Euphrosynthia over Valois?

[Calemyr]

How do we know that van Rijn sided with Euphrosynthia over Valois?

I... huh. I don't remember. I was sure it was said, but I can't remember the scene now that I try to think of it. I thought it had been part of Martellus interrogating Rerich, but it wasn't there. It's an interesting section to reread, though. A Jaeger's take on the Heterodynes, including observations that may well apply to Agatha as well. She may really like Tarvek and Gil, but would she marry either of them if it meant destroying the lovable monsters of Mechanicsberg?

[Deliverance]

I... huh. I don't remember. I was sure it was said, but I can't remember the scene now that I try to think of it.

For what it is worth, I don't recall reading anything in the comic that suggested that van Rijn sided with Euphrosynia over Valois either.

[Rodin]

In fact, there's a scene at the beginning of one of the novels where the Muses come to Valois and instruct him not to marry her, as she will betray him.

[Giggling Ghast]

All the way from "monstrous chronophage" to "Hero of the West" in only two centuries? I guess it's possible, but seems a little unlikely. Especially since the MoP was willing to fight at his side, and he really doesn't seem like the "deal with the devil" type.

Well, there's monsters, and then there's Heterodynes, which he opposed.

[Deliverance]

We now also know that Van Rijn was obsessed with the Muse of Time, the one muse he did not create, and that he managed to capture her before he died. We also now know that at least one muse is working against her nature against Valois (assuming this guy is the real deal), actively saying she can't interfere while begging others to do so in her stead. We also now know that Valois (again, assuming) believes his last memory is of a "conjurer" sending him somewhere. Presuming this to be Van Rijn would be simple given the Sparks visionary accomplishments, but we don't have solid evidence yet.

My highlighting; We know no such thing as "at least one muse is working against her nature against Valois (assuming this guy is the real deal), actively saying she can't interfere while begging others to do so in her stead."

That is your interpretation of the muse saying "The lamp is damaged. I can only watch. You must help!"

The only thing we know from this is that the muse wants Agatha &Co. to help with something that the muse claims to be incapable of doing herself.

That could be acting against Valois (your interpretation), but it could just as easily be helping Valois.

As an example of a narrative that would fit the second case, let's say that Valois was dying and the lamp was used to hold him in stasis pending discovery of a cure and that the muse is unable to repair the lamp.

Or any number of other possible explanations. For now, we don't know what it is the muse wants Agatha to help with or whether it is in Valois' interests or not.

[Calemyr]

My highlighting; We know no such thing as "at least one muse is working against her nature against Valois (assuming this guy is the real deal), actively saying she can't interfere while begging others to do so in her stead."

That is your interpretation of the muse saying "The lamp is damaged. I can only watch. You must help!"

The only thing we know from this is that the muse wants Agatha &Co. to help with something that the muse claims to be incapable of doing herself.

That could be acting against Valois (your interpretation), but it could just as easily be helping Valois.

As an example of a narrative that would fit the second case, let's say that Valois was dying and the lamp was used to hold him in stasis pending discovery of a cure and that the muse is unable to repair the lamp.

Or any number of other possible explanations. For now, we don't know what it is the muse wants Agatha to help with or whether it is in Valois' interests or not.

Fair enough. I'll shut up now.

[SZbNAhL]

Yeah, I don't remember anything about van Rijn siding against Andy either, although I do maintain that he was on bad terms with both the immortal sparks by the end of his life (if he's desperate enough to capture the muse of time for help, he's desperate enough to ask his old buddy Simon for some research tips).

Edit: I was very smoke-knighted.

[anon62453]

His sword? Klaus couldn’t possibly have predicted this end game this far out, could he?

[factotum]

OK, looks like it's confirmed this *is* the Storm King, and it sounds like he believes van Rijn betrayed him. Doesn't mean van Rijn actually did so, of course--it would surely have been far easier to just kill the guy than to imprison him in some sort of time stop field for hundreds of years, after all.

[geoduck]

OK, looks like it's confirmed this *is* the Storm King, and it sounds like he believes van Rijn betrayed him. Doesn't mean van Rijn actually did so, of course--it would surely have been far easier to just kill the guy than to imprison him in some sort of time stop field for hundreds of years, after all.

Yup. I imagine that Prende is telling him the unvarnished truth here.

[Shining Wrath]

He looks seriously unhealthy. Side effect of "storage", or was he dying and stasis was how van Rijn saved him?