Girl Genius XXV: It needs work! BUT THE CONCEPT IS SOUND!

[xroads]

Interesting. I totally expected a different reaction from Tarvek. I figured he would peel away from the rest to try and find Violetta. But it sounds like he's already accepting her death as fact and is starting the grieving process.

Didn't that gun use to need time to reload? Is it powered by anger, or what?

I just assume time passed between panels. Either that, or he's been tinkering with it as he goes along.

[SZbNAhL]

Didn't that gun use to need time to reload? Is it powered by anger, or what?

He's a spark. He upgrades his weapons off-panel.

[Manga Shoggoth]

What about Anveka?

True, but he had time to come to terms with Anveka. They had the initial accident, and then the amount of time it took Anveka to die and the clank to take over.

On the other hand, this was dropped on him out of nowhere, and after he has gone to considerable trouble to keep Violetta alive.

[Mobius Twist]

Didn't that gun use to need time to reload? Is it powered by anger, or what?

The first time we see it used, it's fired twice prior to reloading. It's also been fired twice now.

[Shining Wrath]

Tarvek's shock may because someone killed Violetta and he, Tarvek, didn't smell the bad guy out in time to stop it. He's pretty sure he's the best spy / spy catcher there is, and someone was a Violetta - level assassin without him spotting them.

[Fyraltari]

Hey, Zulenna and Tarvek liked each other! Wait, when did he learn she died?


Also, still not buying that Violetta is dead.

[petersohn]

Violetta died off-screen. No body was ever found. Therefore, she is alive.

[PraetorDragoon]

Violetta died off-screen. No body was ever found. Therefore, she is alive.

Yup. I have consumed too much media to buy her being dead.

[Onyavar]

12 years 7 months and 14 days. That's got to be in the Top Ten.

We'll see Zulenna again some day, and that's gonna beat all records.

Does a flashback without her face count?

If yes, is Dimtree still record-holder? (or did he also have flashbacks?)

Oh the questions that can only be asked in a forum where there exist competing fan counting projects of character appearances.

[RedScholarGypsy]

Yay Zulenna was mentioned! And was a cousin of Tarvek's? I wonder where Gil has been keeping her and General Selnikov all this time?

Man Tarvek must have really cared about her to not be thinking clearly. There are at least a dozen plausible explanations why she hasn't been around recently that involve her still being alive. My money is on Violetta sneaking onto the sub with Lady Steelgarter and following her to discover more of her plan after faking her death (granted he can't know this one, but I did say at least).

Also, where do you think Vole is in all this? Higgs did say "we" last time he was seen in comic.

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20161102

[xroads]

I don't think Violetta is dead either. I think she is spying on Steelgarter's mysterious partner (possibly Madwa?).

Hey, Zulenna and Tarvek liked each other! Wait, when did he learn she died?

It doesn't sound like the Baron was planning on keeping her death as well as her resurrection a secret. So Tarvek might have learned it through his normal network of informants. Or, possibly from Otilia/Von Pinn.

[xroads]

My money is on Violetta sneaking onto the sub with Lady Steelgarter and following her to discover more of her plan after faking her death (granted he can't know this one, but I did say at least).
http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20161102

Definitely a possibility.

Looking back, it is interesting that Steelgarter herself doesn't seem to use her lower arms after the fight. Now they very easily could be broken.

But maybe, she's not the real Steelgarter? Maybe Violetta interrogated her for information, and then disguised herself as Steelgarter.

Seems a bit of a stretch. But anything is possible. After all, there is currently an amphibian man pretending to be a human spark in the comic. So why can't a ninja pretend to be a four armed construct?

[Rogar Demonblud]

Oh. Oh my.

Notice the speech bubbles in the last panel?

Tarvek's gone Mad.

Who has the popcorn machine this time?

[tyckspoon]

Is this the first time Tarvek has admitted to actually liking Gilgamesh? I mean, it's been obvious before, the whole 'we're grudging rivals' thing is a really thin disguise, but is this the first time he's stated it on-page?

[SZbNAhL]

Is this the first time Tarvek has admitted to actually liking Gilgamesh? I mean, it's been obvious before, the whole 'we're grudging rivals' thing is a really thin disguise, but is this the first time he's stated it on-page?

He expressed a fairly strong desire to keep him safe after Gil and Agatha's rooftop encounter during the siege of Mechanicsburg (if I have time later I'll go and find the exact page).

[Scarlet Knight]

Is this the first time Tarvek has admitted to actually liking Gilgamesh? I mean, it's been obvious before, the whole 'we're grudging rivals' thing is a really thin disguise, but is this the first time he's stated it on-page?

DON'T BELIEVE HIM HIGGS! Tarvek is lying! He doesn't care for anyone! Yes, he built a clank for Anevka, but he also shut her down. He cares for Agatha but shut her locket so Lucrezia could take over! He has said over & over how he plans to defeat Gil!

Tarvek is the villian! The villian!

[Fyraltari]

DON'T BELIEVE HIM HIGGS! Tarvek is lying! He doesn't care for anyone! Yes, he built a clank for Anevka, but he also shut her down. He cares for Agatha but shut her locket so Lucrezia could take over! He has said over & over how he plans to defeat Gil!

Tarvek is the villian! The villian!

Well as long as he isn't the villain...

[eee]

Also, where do you think Vole is in all this? Higgs did say "we" last time he was seen in comic.

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20161102

The trouble with Vole is, as he is now, he's too big and stands out too much. In Paris he'd be an oddity; in England he'd be a red flag. If there's something else he could be doing - maintaining an emergency escape vehicle in case the crew has to leave England fast, for instance - I think Higgs would have him do that. Otherwise, it's hard to say.

(One place Higgs could 'park' Vole AND Bohrlaikha without attracted unwanted attention would be, Master Payne's Circus of Adventure. They'd fit right in. Heck, they'd be featured attractions! And that would provide yet another reason for a reunion between the Circus and Agatha, beyond just friendship.)

[xroads]

I wonder if Tarvek knows that Bang killed his cousin Zulenna? If he does, he certainly doesn't show it.

He has no real love for Bang. So if he does know, I wonder if he has anything planned for her? Or is he biding his time til the day Bang is no longer in Gil's service (which is conveniently now)?

[keybounce]

I find myself thinking of HP:MoR, when Harry realizes that Hermione is dead and the seer gives a prophecy of the one that will destroy the stars is now here.

[slayerx]

I wonder if Tarvek knows that Bang killed his cousin Zulenna? If he does, he certainly doesn't show it.

He has no real love for Bang. So if he does know, I wonder if he has anything planned for her? Or is he biding his time til the day Bang is no longer in Gil's service (which is conveniently now)?

I would imagine that Klaus would report her death to her family but he would leave out the fact that she was killed by someone working for him

[Rogar Demonblud]

Klaus wasn't going to tell anyone. His plan was to just reanimate her and let her make her own choice if that would disqualify her from inheriting the family kingdom. No idea if that went through, what with the slaver wasp incursion, Agatha escaping, Sturmhalten, Mechanicsburg, etc.

[Rockphed]

New Strip (Friday). Only the inks right now, but it is pretty legible.

Spoiler

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Well, if anyone didn't believe that Higgs was a Jaeger General, I think this scuppers that. Also, Castle Heterodyne is awesome. On the other hand, I'm surprised the train isn't commenting on how much he looks like squashy.

[Fyraltari]

Spoiler

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Intersting. The little Castle isn't aware that Higgs is undercover while the real deal knew better than reveal his secret. So it seems that was a decision taken sometime after the destruction of the Castle.

[HandofShadows]

Spoiler

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Intersting. The little Castle isn't aware that Higgs is undercover while the real deal knew better than reveal his secret. So it seems that was a decision taken sometime after the destruction of the Castle.

Spoiler

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Well, this piece of the Castel seems to have been separated from the main part for a long period of time. It also does not seem to realize that Higgs is perfectly willing to tell the Castel to &^%$% off if he feels like it. Course I think the main Castle may not realize it either.

[SZbNAhL]

Spoiler: It's the first five posts, right?

Show

I believe Higgs is in hiding because of Lucrezia's possession of Agatha.Other-attack-era Castle therefore wouldn't have any way of knowing about it.

[halfeye]

It's the first five posts, right?

In one of the other threads three was agreed on. Dunno whether there's a different rule in this one, rules per thread generally aren't held to anyway.

[Traab]

Honestly, for comics like this one, that update like clockwork, I find it less important to spoiler reactions than for say, the goblins comic which updates completely randomly so there is no telling if a new post is a furtherance of the discussion of the last update, or if there is a new update to talk about. You KNOW that its m/w/f and so the comic is updated, so you should have already read the comic before coming to the thread. It was one thing with the sneaky gate or whatever it was called for an early release of the comic.

[Rockphed]

Honestly, for comics like this one, that update like clockwork, I find it less important to spoiler reactions than for say, the goblins comic which updates completely randomly so there is no telling if a new post is a furtherance of the discussion of the last update, or if there is a new update to talk about. You KNOW that its m/w/f and so the comic is updated, so you should have already read the comic before coming to the thread. It was one thing with the sneaky gate or whatever it was called for an early release of the comic.

My personal feeling is that you should include a new comic warning and spoil the first couple posts. Or at least make non-spoilery comments. Sometimes I come back after a couple days away from the internet and manage to get a dozen pages of thread to read through and forget that there were new comics along the way.

That said, I love the castle and train bots. They bring a dynamic relationship that allows for comic relief, "accidental" exposition, and the occasional bit of slapstick.

And I just noticed that Tarvek has exactly 3 people he cares about: Agatha, Violetta, and Wulfenbach. Bromance confirmed?

[eee]

Spoiler

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Intersting. The little Castle isn't aware that Higgs is undercover while the real deal knew better than reveal his secret. So it seems that was a decision taken sometime after the destruction of the Castle.

The Kestle in Otilia was going to blab it, too, before Higgs 'suggested' quiet by cutting the robotic body in two.

If Higgs follows the protocol der Kestle has hinted he does, he'll now have to kill Krosp, the bear, and Beast-Bot to keep his secret, secret.