Favorite OOTS Character Final: ALL EVIL! #5 BELKAR v #2 REDCLOAK

[Deliverance]

Quality beats quantity: Redcloak for the win!

[Goblin_Priest]

Redcloak for now, but I think Belkar's end will be better than Redcloak's.

Reason? Belkar was a straight line of one dimension. He's not much more deep now, but the line is twisting and turning so it's hard to tell where it'll end up.

Redcloak is the opposite. He's very much the unexpected villain, trope-breaker I name thee.

We know Belkar will die. It seems fairly safe to assume it'll involve some redeeming heroic sacrifice. I don't really feel anxious to actually see it happen, it feels meaningless by it's expected meaningfulness.

Redcloak? He's so invested in the Plan, there's so many moving parts... Will he succeed? He might succeed, and the result might be unexpected, given how little we know of the Dark One and his plan. He might fail... but how? Why? Will the Plan fail, but somehow succeed in another way (him obtaining peace for his people without completing the ritual)? Will it utterly fail, with Xykon destroying his people? Will it fail, with Xykon also destroyed, and no gain for his people? What's in the astral fortress, is it the real phylactery or the fake one? If the fake, where's the real? What will be done with it?

Team Evil has so many conflicting interests and deceit, I find the story to be much more thrilling than the main "we are the good guys, we'll fight the bad guys, and we'll win in the end".

Belkar's prophecy feels like a spoiler. Makes his "character development" feel like a trope to make his death more meaningful, which, to me, cheapens it. Team Evil, though, offers a much more compelling story. They get enough showtime to make us understand their efforts, motivations, and challenges more than in a typical story, which I greatly appreciate. Makes them more than just generic "bad guys" for the good guys to defeat. Also means that they had enough show time to add the possibility of them being defeated by other means than a direct fight with the heroes.

I wonder if Oona has a worthwhile background story? :P

[Hamste]

You can't. It's a fact

Sure you can argue facts. People do it all the time.

[Kish]

I think lots of people would argue that Belkar isn't funny at all, or is only funny when the joke is on him.

"He gets a joke in nearly every strip he's in" only matters if there's universal agreement that all his jokes are funny--which is nowhere near being the case. If you mean "the more humor-oriented character," say that.

[Peelee]

You can't. It's a fact

Note to self: Liquor Box's opinions are now apparently facts.

[The Pilgrim]

This is a great day for the vertically challenged people. Whoever wins, it will be a midget.

That said, Redcloak for the win. Because the Villiain is always more interesting than the Hero.

[Dienekes]

Hmm, I guess I'd go with Belkar. Both interesting characters, but honestly, Belkar using Bloodfeast to save the two bounty hunters, and his brief discussion talk about why the rest of the OotS keep him around for hurting people were more poignant than anything Redcloak has done. Redcloak for all his deviousness and theoretically noble intentions is really just a petty hypocrite.

[jidasfire]

Both good characters, but only one rides a T-rex through a mass of carnage while laughing with his kitty. So Belkar it is.

[alwaysbebatman]

Redcloak still has a 3-point lead. 38/33. ETA I mean 38/35.

[ironkid]

Redcloak

let's summon some Plutonium elementals 4 the win!!!

Interestlingly, I don't either contestant getting a perfect happy ending at the end of story, but if they were perfect, they wouldn't be so loved, would they???

[Chei]

Redcloak still has a 3-point lead. 38/33.

That's... not a 3-point lead.

[alwaysbebatman]

Thank you! The margin was correct, but Belkar's score had a typo. 39/35 Redcloak now.

[martianmister]

When will this end? I'm confused.

[137beth]

When will this end? I'm confused.

Didn’t you hear? Belkar will draw his last breath ever before the end of the year, thereby granting the win to Redcloak.

[alwaysbebatman]

Today's the last day. Automatically closing at 4:59 PM California, 7:59 PM NY, 11:59 PM London.

[Laurana]

Redcloak winning this will be as disappointing as strip #830 winning that other contest. Very.

[Potatomade]

Come on, O-Chul people! Do you really want the guy who just barely edged out our favorite to win this thing? At least make the bugger sweat for it!

[Chei]

Come on, O-Chul people! Do you really want the guy who just barely edged out our favorite to win this thing? At least make the bugger sweat for it!

... Yes? The one who edged out my favorite had better come out on top. A vote for Belkar =/= a vote for O-Chul.

Edit: Did I even vote for O-Chul over Redcloak? I don't think I did. Either way, they're both good. For certain definitions of 'good'.

[Potatomade]

... Yes? The one who edged out my favorite had better come out on top.

No! Redcloak's victory over O-Chul must be punished by losing to a far greater evil!

Petty vengeance! That's what O-Chul fans want, right?

...right?

[Chei]

No! Redcloak's victory over O-Chul must be punished by losing to a far greater evil!

Petty vengeance! That's what O-Chul fans want, right?

...right?

Hahaha. Your argument will definitely compel the Belkar fans, at least. But the Redcloak fans have come too far to give up now. If Redcloak loses, everything they've done would have been for nothing.

[Jasdoif]

Did I even vote for O-Chul over Redcloak?

You did not.

---

Belkar	#	Peelean Freethinking Forward Team	#	Redcloak
Euclidodese	1	Peelee	1	Goblin_Priest
Potatomade	2	Bobb	2	goodpeople25
Chobarth	3	Grey_Wolf_c	3	drazen
Fincher	4		4	Kish
Laurana	5		5	martianmister
Bob_McSurly	6		6	The Curt Jester
Riftwolf	7		7	Ruck
Hamste	8		8	NamonakiRei
Rack	9		9	lothos
Dr.Zero	10		10	Jaxzan Proditor
KorvinStarmast	11		11	Arkku
aurilee	12		12	2D8HP
Ornithologist	13		13	white lancer
littlebum2002	14		14	Amazon
Gift Jeraff	15		15	Chei
blademan9999	16		16	The Aboleth
Rogan	17		17	Joerg
Rasputin	18		18	LadyEowyn
Thedoctorking	19		19	hroþila
h0m3st4r	20		20	Legato Endless
RatElemental	21		21	Nathan5
alwaysbebatman	22		22	Mandor
TheBeggarDwarf	23		23	Svata
Johanz	24		24	Bluepaw
The1exile	25		25	B. Dandelion
grandpheonix	26		26	137ben
GuySmiley1970	27		27	Dushara
Darth Paul	28		28	elros
-D-	29		29	Synesthesy
Elkad	30		30	Floret
Peat	31		31	TheStargazer
CrimsonMage	32		32	Sylian
Liquor Box	33		33	L8r
Dienekes	34		34	StragaSevera
jidasfire	35		35	Second Arrow
	36		36	Manty5
	37		37	Deliverance
	38		38	The Pilgrim
	39		39	ironkid

[RicB76]

Bitterleaf for the win! Redcloaks a dope, he's no hope and getting smoked....and so on.

[Liquor Box]

I think lots of people would argue that Belkar isn't funny at all, or is only funny when the joke is on him.

"He gets a joke in nearly every strip he's in" only matters if there's universal agreement that all his jokes are funny--which is nowhere near being the case. If you mean "the more humor-oriented character," say that.

Obviously I was only kidding when I told Pelee that Belkar being the funniest is a fact.

I think he is the funniest and it seems that many others (probably the majority) do to. Obviously it's not unanimous, but I think that's a bit of an unrealistic threshold - I doubt there's a character in the strip who is universally agreed (by posters) to be funny.

That Belkar gets a lot of jokes suggests two things. First, it implies that the Giant thinks he is consistently funny, or at least thinks his readers find him consistently funny. Second, for those who do find him consistently funny (most of us I think), we get a lot of the humour we like - while those that find Redcloak funny get much less mileage from him.

[Potatomade]

Did I even vote for O-Chul over Redcloak? I don't think I did.

You did not.

Chei!! Accursed nonbeliever! It was YOU all along! We lost because of your vote!

[Lastofthemany]

Is this over? Hope not.
My vote: Belkar.
This discussion of who the more interesting or well developed or funny character is is pointless. None of those are at issue here. I agree Redcloak is more developed, but that makes no difference. My favorite character is Belkar. Period. Though I'd say Redcloak moved up several slots after the Azure City storyline.

[Anukan]

Sexy shoeless god of war! Belkar.

[Bobb]

Switching from o chul to belkar for maximum drama.

[Elanorea]

Redcloak for me

[littlebum2002]

Ugh all we need is 1 more vote to tie it up!

[alwaysbebatman]

Bobb's switch momentarily tied it up.

39/38 Redcloak. Just under two hours to go!