Girl Genius XXI: Cancel the Jugglers

[eee]

Hmm. In that case, I wonder if Bang knows where Skifander is...

She might know of it, but given how difficult it appears to be to get to it, and that Bang is a pirate and conqueror, not an explorer, I doubt she's interested in it or has gone there. Nothing of value to her.

And if she had gone and knew about the place, she might have said something to Zeetha during their cake party at the Corbettites. I think she was close enough to hear Klaus speaking Skifandarin to Zeetha during the Chicken Wagon battle, so if she knows the language she knows where Zeetha is from. But nothing was said, so either Bang doesn't know or Gil / Klaus told her not to bring it up.

And of course she also doesn't know who destroyed her pirate fleet. Complete mystery to her, that. I think she still intends to kill whoever did it, though.

[eee]

Martellus may be a jerk, but he's a savvy jerk. This may not be going the way Zola expected.

[eschmenk]

Martellus may be a jerk, but he's a savvy jerk. This may not be going the way Zola expected.

Yes, it did seem as if she expected him to overreact and slaughter the revenants. The hope might have been that the MoP wouldn't realize that they were revenants and turn on Martellus, resulting in both sides being harmed.

I think she was close enough to hear Klaus speaking Skifandarin to Zeetha during the Chicken Wagon battle, so if she knows the language she knows where Zeetha is from.

That's far from clear. She was a pretty good distance away when Klaus told Zeetha to surrender and she could have easily missed that. We don't know where she was when Klaus first started talking to Zeetha in Skiff. I wouldn't draw any conclusions one way or another.

[eee]

And THAT'S why she wanted to find a lamp-post!

Spoiler, just to be on the safe side.

Spoiler

Show

Now I wonder who Tarvek's grandfather was...

And we see why the MoP has hopes for Collette as his successor, she's already a cyborg. She has a autocratic view of Parisians, though. Not "These are MY people, please don't abuse them unless it's warranted or funny" but "My family has to rule these people". Rather French noble / the common rabble like.

That's far from clear. She was a pretty good distance away when Klaus told Zeetha to surrender and she could have easily missed that. We don't know where she was when Klaus first started talking to Zeetha in Skiff. I wouldn't draw any conclusions one way or another.

This is true. And it is all dependent on Bang knowing Skafandarian, to begin with. I'm still not sure she knows of the place, but I would not be surprised if Bang's island, Skifandar, and where-ever the Geisters are from are all connected in some way.

Although this being the Foglios, I'll probably be surprised at HOW they're connected...

[eee]

Oh, and by the way, I translate that as "One two three my cat is blue".

[Shining Wrath]

Oh, and by the way, I translate that as "One two three my cat is blue".

I agree, and "You sound just like your grandfather" is indeed TMI for poor Tarvek. Also, Collette's comment about "my family has to rule these people" has a very Lawful Neutral vibe to it IMNHO.

And if "Now then, I'm really not supposed to be driving Papa's city by myself" is not foreshadowing I miss my bet.

[SZbNAhL]

Spoiler

Show

Now I wonder who Tarvek's grandfather was...

Judging by this page, I'm guessing he was the previous head of the family, probably some flavour of lord or prince. As to why Tarvek sounds just like him when he's talking about being flogged, well, unless he really hated his grandfather and resents the comparison, I think the "Yerk, I did not need to hear that" is an indication of the mental images Grandmamma is conveying.

[Rogar Demonblud]

First, let me just say that Collette is suddenly starting to scare me a little.

Second, since we're now about 2.5 years into the second half (which is projected to wrap in 2025), do y'all think we might be seeing something of a resolution to some hanging plotlines in this mess? I doubt anything will happen to Martellus (he's Tarvek's chew toy), but Andy might do Agatha a favor and fry Zola for her temerity (especially if he thinks she's a Heterodne).

Also, let me put a few quatloos on The Master being the one to give Andy a reality check that won't bounce. They used to know each other, it seems.

[eschmenk]

I've learned to not trust Phil's and Kaja's time estimates. They have often been far too short.

The MoP seemed to be foreshadowing his own demise. I don't know whether or not to trust that, but I wouldn't be surprised if he goes down. If he does, Collette may scare you more than a little. (The way she's already stepping up feels like it could amount to additional foreshadowing.)

It's rather formulaic, but maybe the MoP will wind up sacrificing himself in order to stop Andronicus.

[BannedInSchool]

The MoP seemed to be foreshadowing his own demise. I don't know whether or not to trust that, but I wouldn't be surprised if he goes down. If he does, Collette may scare you more than a little. (The way she's already stepping up feels like it could amount to additional foreshadowing.)

Or the MoP could end up in Collette's body, as an accident with her plugging into a city sub-station while he takes over the whole shebang. Maybe she insists he take her body, or one or the other of them end up inhabiting the city. Just thinking of alternatives to the MoP being dead. And something happening to Collette would be a dramatic development as well.

[eee]

Where did THESE guys come from? It looks like they just teleported in...

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Where did THESE guys come from? It looks like they just teleported in...

They're gargoyles. Therefore, they were sitting along the edge of the roof of the building.

GW

[Divayth Fyr]

It seems we could even see one slightly earlier.

[Shining Wrath]

Yes, it appears that the MoP can activate gargoyles sitting on the buildings of major nobles - at a minimum. And the nobles don't know it.

Sweet setup!

Also, that's a pretty serious case of the cavalry arriving. I wonder if Collette will abide by the "don't hurt them!" idea?

[Rogar Demonblud]

It gives a new meaning to 'Death From Above'. that's for sure.

I've learned to not trust Phil's and Kaja's time estimates. They have often been far too short.

The last time estimate they gave was for 2023. 2025 is from assuming the second half'll run a bit longer than the first.

[eschmenk]

And the nobles don't know it.

I suspect that many of them probably do, but can't do anything about it.

I wonder if Collette will abide by the "don't hurt them!" idea?

I hope so. She seemed to be pretty savvy and level-headed. Even if not, Seffie is hopefully on her side and hopefully would warn her if she was about to play into someone's hand. She might panic and overreact though. But this being GG, something will probably happen that will quickly make it a moot question anyway.

[lord_khaine]

I suspect most of them just takes it as a fact of life in Paris. That the Masters mastery of the town is absolute. I guess it could even be a source of comfort for those living there.

[Shining Wrath]

"Disperse". I think at least some of those being dispersed are being DISPERSED - at least one spider got squashed, and one smoke knight lost his sword at a minimum. Getting stomped or kicked by one of those would be ... bad.

[Rogar Demonblud]

I went back and reread the last several months of updates, and am now certain that the two guys in jaeger costumes behind Jenka are Wooster and Boris.

Also, when Agatha and Friends arrived at the Library, they were told that the Lord High Conservitor had left to acquire an expert on the Other and Wasps. None of us twigged to the fact that the only person who fit that description hostile to the Other is...Tarvek.

[HandofShadows]

Love it how Tweedle is so arrogant that he thinks that the Master is there to support HIM! Boy, did he learn fast that wasn't the case.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Well, two faulty assumptions. One you mentioned. The other is that the Master is in control. Bad assumption, just with the Geisters and Revenants.

We know Collette's in charge of these gargoyles, though. And she may be willing to 'accidentally' squash Tweedle; perhaps for Seffie's sake--they seem to be friends, and Tweedle is very trying.

[geoduck]

Well, two faulty assumptions. One you mentioned. The other is that the Master is in control. Bad assumption, just with the Geisters and Revenants.

We know Collette's in charge of these gargoyles, though. And she may be willing to 'accidentally' squash Tweedle; perhaps for Seffie's sake--they seem to be friends, and Tweedle is very trying.

Seffie has never given the impression that she seriously wants Tweedle to die. If anything, she seems genuinely fond of the big oaf. And Collette's smart enough to know that.

[SZbNAhL]

We know Collette's in charge of these gargoyles, though. And she may be willing to 'accidentally' squash Tweedle; perhaps for Seffie's sake--they seem to be friends, and Tweedle is very trying.

Seffie has never given the impression that she seriously wants Tweedle to die. If anything, she seems genuinely fond of the big oaf. And Collette's smart enough to know that.

Plus the alternative is Tarvek, who would in all likelihood have her killed.

[multilis]

Plus the alternative is Tarvek, who would in all likelihood have her killed.

Tweedle plays rougher than Tarvek and was content to kill whoever was his rival and let the rival's followers switch to him.

Tarvek is just as good or better a rival for Agatha which if successful frees up Gil for Seffie.


I guess that Seffie sees Tweedle as better option (her brother who she could manipulate), but Tarvek as livable with diplomacy. Best option though may be to have someone else marry or otherwise remove Agatha and Gil takes storm king throne with Seffie as his bride or mistress.

[factotum]

Oh, that's interesting--Colette is not a Spark? How does the Master imagine she's going to take over his work if she isn't one?

[HandofShadows]

Maybe he thinks she can take over because she isn't a spark and is much more stable.

[geoduck]

He did say he had "hopes" with Collette, not that he was definitely planning to hand control over to her.

[factotum]

He did say he had "hopes" with Collette, not that he was definitely planning to hand control over to her.

We haven't seen anyone else who he might be grooming for the job, though, and he doesn't seem the type to put all his eggs in one basket unless he's reasonably certain said basket is solid and secure.

[slayerx]

Well this page answered some questions that have been nagging me. Neither seffie nor Colette are sparks. It bothered me because Gil had said he had not met any female sparks, and yet he hung out Colette, and i think its implied that he and seffie may have been aquinted. So neither of them being sparks is consistent.

Oh, that's interesting--Colette is not a Spark? How does the Master imagine she's going to take over his work if she isn't one?

I'm guessing the reason why the master has not found a suitable heir is because NONE of his children are sparks. For some reason he's been having trouble siring a proper sparky offspring; Colette is simply the best of all his non-sparky offspring. He may also have hopes that, at her young age, there's still a chance she might breakthrough.

Its not so much the case that he's putting all his eggs in one basket, but that every other basket broke and he only has one left. He tried and failed to turn each of his children into a successor and colette is so far the best he's got.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

We haven't seen anyone else who he might be grooming for the job, though, and he doesn't seem the type to put all his eggs in one basket unless he's reasonably certain said basket is solid and secure.

It might be that the Master wants his successor to be both a spark (because you need to be one to run the city) and his daughter (believing, say, that women are more stable, and that running the city is the family business). This would explain the large number of children he has, and why he has to hold on - we know sparks are unpredictable, and more common in males.

GW