Girl Genius XXII: Paris Needs Pants

[eee]

It's kind of nice to see Seffie considers Agatha a friend, of sorts. Of sorts: If you parse what she says, she doesn't actually say she DOESN'T know where Tarvek is, just that there's no new news and that Collette can't find him.

Deceivers like to lie by telling the truth. It makes things more convenient.

(I wonder if anyone's stowed away in one of those trunks...)

There's a gal by that name who goes to scifi conventions and is/was a member of a Renaissance-themed singing group. I'm guessing she's a friend of the Foglios.

Her Twitter account is Carla Hennes @ tempesthennes, and the Tempest is the name of the airship in the dock. There are coincidences, and then there's non-coincidences.

[eschmenk]

It's kind of nice to see Seffie considers Agatha a friend, of sorts. Of sorts: If you parse what she says, she doesn't actually say she DOESN'T know where Tarvek is, just that there's no new news and that Collette can't find him.

I think Seffie is thinking more of Agatha as a prospective sister in law. Martellus is allowed to talk with Agatha, but not to Seffie's friends, so that implies not a friend. But yes, you are right about what Seffie wasn't saying about what she knows or suspects regarding Tarvek. Also the advice about Agatha forgetting Tarvek may have been self serving.

I think that unlikely, if only because we saw Tarvek a few strips ago (he was the one putting "pants on Paris", as the thread title says) and he seems throughout to have been working with Colette, whereas Zola and perhaps Grandma are both working against her. In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Tarvek is in the process of hiding aboard the airship so he can accompany Agatha to England without her knowledge.

Why would Tarvek hide from Agatha and Colette? It couldn't have taken him very long to find decent clothing. I'm pretty sure that Mr. Obsidian kidnapped him again. If Tarvek managed to get away, he might have hidden himself so he could escape with Agatha, but I think that's a long shot.

[Rogar Demonblud]

I think Seffie is thinking more of Agatha as a prospective sister in law. Martellus is allowed to talk with Agatha, but not to Seffie's friends, so that implies not a friend. But yes, you are right about what Seffie wasn't saying about what she knows or suspects regarding Tarvek. Also the advice about Agatha forgetting Tarvek may have been self serving.

I take it you don't have a little sister. Seffie's line about not talking to her friends actually says she likely considers Agatha a friend (as much as said concept exists between rival Spark families). The oafish remarks Tweedle keeps making (here, reducing Agatha to a brood mare) are why he's not allowed to speak to Seffie's friends--he's too embarrassing to have around. And he just embarrassed her in front of Agatha.

Plus, I'm pretty sure she's figured out that Agatha would much sooner gut Tweedle than marry him. Attempted strangulation aside, I don't think she wants anything bad to happen to her brother. But she needs to steer Agatha away from Tarvek to protect the position of her side of the family. Which unfortunately means implicitly giving the Heterodyne a steer back towards Gilgamesh Wulfenbach.

Dynastic politics are the only thing I know of that can compete with high school clique status wars.

[multilis]

I take it you don't have a little sister. Seffie's line about not talking to her friends actually says she likely considers Agatha a friend (as much as said concept exists between rival Spark families). The oafish remarks Tweedle keeps making (here, reducing Agatha to a brood mare) are why he's not allowed to speak to Seffie's friends--he's too embarrassing to have around. And he just embarrassed her in front of Agatha.

Plus, I'm pretty sure she's figured out that Agatha would much sooner gut Tweedle than marry him. Attempted strangulation aside, I don't think she wants anything bad to happen to her brother. But she needs to steer Agatha away from Tarvek to protect the position of her side of the family. Which unfortunately means implicitly giving the Heterodyne a steer back towards Gilgamesh Wulfenbach.

Dynastic politics are the only thing I know of that can compete with high school clique status wars.

I think it goes back to beginning when Seffie left her brother while he was chasing Agatha because Tweedle was playing the brute and easier for Seffie to be diplomat that way... she wants to be good cop to Tweedles bad cop.

I think Seffie wants Gil, that means that Tweedle is good option for Agatha, and Tarvek is ok backup plan for Agatha, and Tweedle wants to kill Tarvek. Seffie is keeping her options open, and telling Tweedle he is hurting his chances. For the sake of "duty", "common good" she was already working on getting Gil to agree to marry her, she probably plans to stay on Agatha's good side to work out same "duty" with Tweedle+Agatha. Like Grandma she isn't just betting on one horse but trying to win no matter which of the 3 potential storm kings wins the race.

It is also possible that Seffie loves Gil unselfishly enough that she might actually help him get Agatha in the end so he his happy.

[eschmenk]

I take it you don't have a little sister. Seffie's line about not talking to her friends actually says she likely considers Agatha a friend (as much as said concept exists between rival Spark families).

I have two younger sisters, actually. I have no idea why you would have thought I didn't.

Seffie is in love with Gil and is bitterly jealous of Agatha. Yes, she is afraid that Martellus might say something to her friends that would be as bad as what he said to Agatha, but she doesn't seem to consider Agatha to be a friend. Why would she?

It is also possible that Seffie loves Gil unselfishly enough that she might actually help him get Agatha in the end so he his happy.

I agreed with everything else you said, but I can't image Seffie being unselfish.

[Wristlet Eater]

Seffie's line about not talking to her friends actually says she likely considers Agatha a friend (as much as said concept exists between rival Spark families).

I don't think they are really friends yet as in that case Seffie wouldn't let him talk to Agatha in the first place. Maybe almost there though as she is caring about him being embarrasing.

[multilis]

I agreed with everything else you said, but I can't image Seffie being unselfish.

We already had Tarvek after all his scheming encourage Agatha and Gil to kiss so Gil had something to live for, so I can imagine Seffie being unselfish and helping Agatha getting Gil while secretly crying... not saying it is likely just possible, strong love can be a powerful influence.

[Shining Wrath]

Tarvek seemed rather perturbed to find Mr. Obsidian a few feet away from him. I don't think he got to go where he wanted after that. It seems to be Obsidian's job to ensure that Tarvek goes where Grandma wants him to go.

When last seen, Grandma was taking Zola somewhere that Colette wouldn't be able to find her and crush her. Therefore, whether within Paris (doubtful) or without, Grandma can hide from Colette in all her Master of Paris glory. If Obsidian once again conveyed Tarvek to the tender mercies of his grandmother, that implies that Tarvek would likewise be unobservable by Colette.

I think it's simplest that the three are together; but simplicity is not a hallmark of Grandma's scheming.

Possible Grandma scheme: Force Zola and Tarvek to wed; thus making Tarvek also royalty (King of the Dawn) and a possible backup claimant as Storm King. Alternatively, if the Other wins via Zola, a Sturmvarous is now part of the ruling family of Europe. This takes Tarvek out of the running to be Agatha's consort as long as Zola lives .....

[eee]

I have two younger sisters, actually. I have no idea why you would have thought I didn't.

Seffie is in love with Gil and is bitterly jealous of Agatha. Yes, she is afraid that Martellus might say something to her friends that would be as bad as what he said to Agatha, but she doesn't seem to consider Agatha to be a friend. Why would she?



I agreed with everything else you said, but I can't image Seffie being unselfish.

The trouble with trying to get Seffie's range is, we've never actually seen her innermost thoughts; and she is such a master deceiver we can't trust her public performance. We need a full blown unburdening of the heart, or her triumphant and dropping all guises, to figure her out. With Varpa her Smoke Knight MIA, we probably won't get the former; and I doubt we'll see the latter for a good long time.

[geoduck]

The trouble with trying to get Seffie's range is, we've never actually seen her innermost thoughts; and she is such a master deceiver we can't trust her public performance. We need a full blown unburdening of the heart, or her triumphant and dropping all guises, to figure her out. With Varpa her Smoke Knight MIA, we probably won't get the former; and I doubt we'll see the latter for a good long time.

Yeah. The bit where she smashes her teacup in a rage is the closest we've come to seeing how she really feels about things. She has a deeply unhealthy romantic fixation on Gil. Everything else is guesswork.

[eschmenk]

Yeah. The bit where she smashes her teacup in a rage is the closest we've come to seeing how she really feels about things. She has a deeply unhealthy romantic fixation on Gil. Everything else is guesswork.

It's not just her feelings for Gil; Seffie's feelings toward Agatha come across rather clearly on that page, too. Unsurprisingly, it appears that Seffie is jealous of Agatha and wanted to make her look bad in front of Gil and everyone else. Seffie is overriding her emotions and acting more friendly toward Agatha than she feels.

[eee]

THAT'S a good porter!

Aldin seems, very covertly and without getting into details like the Muse of Vengeance, to be trying to warn Agatha about the Library's failsafe plan. I wonder if she'll put two and two together.

It's nice to see Hoffmann and Larana have managed to overcome cluelessness and shyness so well...

[Kantaki]

„I know. I had Madame Desmana send them explosives.”

To start the royal wedding with a assassination attempt under friends?

Some Spark thing I guess.

[Landis963]

„I know. I had Madame Desmana send them explosives.”

To start the royal wedding with a assassination attempt under friends?

Some Spark thing I guess.

I was under the impression that these were not live explosives, i.e. Agatha sent them some C4 wrapped in ribbons as opposed to wires.

[geoduck]

I was under the impression that these were not live explosives, i.e. Agatha sent them some C4 wrapped in ribbons as opposed to wires.

Yeah. Larana is an explosives expert. Or at least enthusiast.

[Shining Wrath]

Yeah. Larana is an explosives expert. Or at least enthusiast.

Very hard to live long as an enthusiast without some expertise.

[eschmenk]

New update

It feels kind of artificial to me. I'll guess it's the last page of the book.

Aldin was probably thinking of the Muse of Vengeance, which could be turned loose (thanks in part to Aldin) if Agatha acts like the old Heterodynes. I wonder if it will happen even if she doesn't. Lucrezia taking over Agatha could also trigger the library activating it. It seems a bit odd that it would be relevant if Agatha is leaving for England, though.

ADDED: Regarding a mistake a couple of pages ago:

Shouldn't tha speech bubble be pointed toward Violetta?

It's been fixed now.

[halfeye]

Very hard to live long as an enthusiast without some expertise.

Yeah, but I think Miller counts:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Force_...one_%28film%29

It's fiction of course.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Actually, the character was based on someone MacLean knew who was an SBS veteran.

As always, the book is better than the movie, which is true of all the dozen or so movies based on his novels except Where Eagles Dare (the panoramic scenic shots being a blessing beyond compare).

[keybounce]

Page 128, all plot lines at a stopping point, a full recap just happened, a big splash page showing the whole current cast ...

Yea, looks like an end of book page.

So new D&D, new GG, ...

[factotum]

As always, the book is better than the movie, which is true of all the dozen or so movies based on his novels except Where Eagles Dare (the panoramic scenic shots being a blessing beyond compare).

Maybe that's because he wrote the novel and the screenplay for Where Eagles Dare at the same time, rather than the movie being adapted later from one of his novels?

[Rogar Demonblud]

No, a big piece of it is how you can't get a lot of the twists from the book into a movie (caveat--they did a good job with the paranoia in Ice Station Zebra). And some things are probably completely unfilmable; HMS Ulysses and San Andreas are great stories, but no movie can express the element of time within them. There's a similar issue with some of Monsarrat's work, like HMS Marlborough Will Enter Harbour or The Kappilan of Malta.

[factotum]

No, a big piece of it is how you can't get a lot of the twists from the book into a movie

Which would surely actually reinforce my point? Since he wrote the screenplay and the novel alongside each other he could make sure that he didn't include anything in the book that couldn't easily be transferred to the screen. I confess it's many, many years since I read the novel, though, so I'm probably not remembering any differences between it and the movie.

On an unrelated note, I notice the letterer listed for the filler strip today is M Lucie Chin. Is that the same M Lucie Chin who wrote "The Fairy of Ku-She"? It's a very unusual name so I'd be surprised if it was a different person...

[Kantaki]

New comic

Well, ain't that a depressing thought...

[Rockphed]

New comic

Well, ain't that a depressing thought...

This comic was penned in 1982 and has made the rounds on the internet before. Looks like it is about to be colored by Cheyenne the Mole King, so that will be new.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Well, ain't that a depressing thought...

Hi! I miss Buck Godot. May have to buy the stories, now they aren't online.

[Kantaki]

This comic was penned in 1982 and has made the rounds on the internet before. Looks like it is about to be colored by Cheyenne the Mole King, so that will be new.

„Old” comic then.

[Rodin]

This comic was penned in 1982 and has made the rounds on the internet before. Looks like it is about to be colored by Cheyenne the Mole King, so that will be new.

I thought it looked familiar. I had no idea it was THAT old though.

Dangit, now I want more Buck Godot.

[eee]

Let us BASK in the glory of the Winslow! ALL HAIL HIS HOLY FUZZ!

[GloatingSwine]

I'd settle for any Buck Godot, given that it's offline.


I'd possibly kill for a physical copy of The Gallimaufry, which is one of the best standalone comics. I mean someone I didn't like of course.