What plot twist most disappointed you?

[Calavera]

No disrespect to the Giant is intended, whatever he comes up with will be better than my stuff for sure. That said, are there any plot elements that when introduced made you disappointed?

Mine would be in Girard's Gate: Roy vs Xykon, and it's not an epic climactic battle. In fact Xykon goes down like a bitch. OK we expected Redcloak vs Xykon trouble was brewing, but now the plot is that Xykon wasn't the big bad after all, Redcloak is going to have to complete the ritual without Xykon and find a new epic caster, what a magnificent twist... Oh.

[Mightymosy]

The "solution" how Durkon beat Durkula. For me, didn't match the setup for the scene, and the explanation given (outside the comic) read like a "rules-lawyering" victory. Basically, kill Durkula with a buffer-overrun....

Emotionally, it was pretty nice, though.

[Peelee]

No disrespect to the Giant is intended, whatever he comes up with will be better than my stuff for sure. That said, are there any plot elements that when introduced made you disappointed?

Mine would be in Girard's Gate: Roy vs Xykon, and it's not an epic climactic battle. In fact Xykon goes down like a bitch.

Xykon just lost his legs and pelvis. Dude still seemed perfectly capable of fighting if he'd wanted.

[Calavera]

Xykon just lost his legs and pelvis. Dude still seemed perfectly capable of fighting if he'd wanted.

??? I've no idea what you mean. In that scene, which for just a brief moment I thought was real, Xykon had full on double dead "x"s for eyes.

Edit, just realised you think I meant the scene with the real Xykon, after the gate blew up. Nope.

[hroþila]

In Peelee's defense, it took me a LONG while to figure out that "Oh" at the end meant "Oh, it was just an illusion, none of this actually happened, how disappointing" rather than "Oh, Xykon going down so easily was a disappointing twist and I'm being sarcastic", which made your post very confusing for me.

It wasn't exactly a plot twist, but I was disappointed that Andi turned out to be completely unreasonable and basically cuckoo. Similarly, I wasn't a fan of Miko's "I'm special" thing.

[ti'esar]

Uh, I'm pretty sure Peelee was being tongue-in-cheek.

[Peelee]

Uh, I'm pretty sure Peelee was being tongue-in-cheek.

...... Yeeeeees, I totally didn't make the same misreading hroþila*did, nope, not at all.

[understatement]

With time most plot twists that didn't pack the punch the first time sort of settle around, so I'll throw this one it:

where Haley makes the shot.

The 1st time I got there I was pretty surprised, because I always viewed Haley's hair as orange (which I suppose is on the red color spectrum). However, on rereads this strip confirmed Haley's hair was a variant of red, so all was good.

Pretty cool reveal, and the ensuing fight's conclusion made him burning in the sun somewhat vindicating, but foreshadowing leading up to it was a little on the sparse side.

And this one, I guess.He only appeared in one previous strip and none of the Greenhilts ever made a single mention of him. Still, it's one of the sweetest and saddest strips in the whole comic and the context makes it all the more better.

[Ron Miel]

The four words.

There's a lack of direct connection between saying the words and gaining power. And, as Xykon points out, the power was never really V's to begin with.

[CriticalFailure]

In Peelee's defense, it took me a LONG while to figure out that "Oh" at the end meant "Oh, it was just an illusion, none of this actually happened, how disappointing" rather than "Oh, Xykon going down so easily was a disappointing twist and I'm being sarcastic", which made your post very confusing for me.

It wasn't exactly a plot twist, but I was disappointed that Andi turned out to be completely unreasonable and basically cuckoo. Similarly, I wasn't a fan of Miko's "I'm special" thing.

Yeah I was kind of confused about where all that came from with Andi. It seemed out of left field and like an extra villain was needed.

[Mightymosy]

With time most plot twists that didn't pack the punch the first time sort of settle around, so I'll throw this one it:

where Haley makes the shot.

The 1st time I got there I was pretty surprised, because I always viewed Haley's hair as orange (which I suppose is on the red color spectrum). However, on rereads this strip confirmed Haley's hair was a variant of red, so all was good.

Pretty cool reveal, and the ensuing fight's conclusion made him burning in the sun somewhat vindicating, but foreshadowing leading up to it was a little on the sparse side.

And this one, I guess.He only appeared in one previous strip and none of the Greenhilts ever made a single mention of him. Still, it's one of the sweetest and saddest strips in the whole comic and the context makes it all the more better.

Honestly, I didn't get that at first as well.
I thought they were talking about the red hair clip or jewel or whatever pulls Haley's hair together and is red.......
But that's just me and English language =)

The four words.

There's a lack of direct connection between saying the words and gaining power. And, as Xykon points out, the power was never really V's to begin with.

I admit I rather liked that one except I found the "it's 4 words because repetition of I" a little un-elegant.
But again, just me and English language.....I came to like it, and it certainly makes sense with the interpretation that it served as an emphasis that V, V AND NOBODY ELSE had to succeed!

Yeah I was kind of confused about where all that came from with Andi. It seemed out of left field and like an extra villain was needed.

Yeah, for me that also was a little bit of a weird setup that didn't exactly pan out to give me the impression that was probably intended....
It is ok that Rich needed an antagonist for Bandana and if that needs to be her former babysitter who is jealous - fine. But it just wasn't set up very well in my opinion. Not extremely bad or anything, but also not as well as other story arcs.

To each their own, I guess.

[Wizard_Lizard]

that the linear guild were evil.
I know.
One of the first twists.
I like zzd'tri

[factotum]

The four words.

There's a lack of direct connection between saying the words and gaining power. And, as Xykon points out, the power was never really V's to begin with.

The direct connection is there because those were the words V used to convince himself that he should accept the fiend's deal--hence being the right four words at the right time to the right person (himself) for all the wrong reasons. If he hadn't said the words he'd probably have withdrawn his hand and tried to find another way to save his family.

[understatement]

The stutter's also a little off.

I guess "I have to succeed" wouldn't fit V's speech patterns, though.

[The Pilgrim]

I was dissapointed with Hylgia murdering Durkon and being allowed to get away with it. Though I still hope that a proper karmic death will visit her before the end of the current book.

[hroþila]

The stutter's also a little off.

I guess "I have to succeed" wouldn't fit V's speech patterns, though.

I don't think that was a stutter, but a longer pause. Stuttering would have been represented as "I– I must succeed", I think.

[understatement]

I was dissapointed with Hylgia murdering Durkon and being allowed to get away with it. Though I still hope that a proper karmic death will visit her before the end of the current book.

As Roy points out, she's "allowed to get away with it" because it's also Durkon's kid strapped to her chest (well, until this current strip. Guess she's fair game then).

[Takver]

Do you know, I can't think of one. Rich is very good at plot twists and satisfying reveals; that's one of his biggest strengths as a writer, I think. I don't ever remember thinking "that doesn't work." I guess the most wrong-footed I've been is the revelation that Redcloak may be key to saving the world, since I really want him to pay for his crimes. But that hasn't played out yet. I have confidence that Rich will handle it well.

[EmperorSarda]

Mine would be in Girard's Gate: Roy vs Xykon, and it's not an epic climactic battle. In fact Xykon goes down like a bitch. OK we expected Redcloak vs Xykon trouble was brewing, but now the plot is that Xykon wasn't the big bad after all, Redcloak is going to have to complete the ritual without Xykon and find a new epic caster, what a magnificent twist... Oh.

Wait. Your complaint is that Xykon went down too fast in the illusionary battle? As you state later, you believed for a little bit that it was a real fight.

So I don't get your complaint. Or is the complaint that you did believe the illusion and were disappointed that it turned out to be an illusion?

[KorvinStarmast]

MiTD head faking Xykon into leaving the desert (much to Red Cloak's frustration): not sure if that's a plot twist, but it sure wasn't disappointing. It was the rational consequence of O'Chul's mentoring and friendship.

[Resileaf]

MiTD head faking Xykon into leaving the desert (much to Red Cloak's frustration): not sure if that's a plot twist, but it sure wasn't disappointing. It was the rational consequence of O'Chul's mentoring and friendship.

What's clever about this is that there are multiple layers to that. Xykon isn't dumb, and he probably knows that the MitD is trying to save the Order, but what he wants to do most is to reassert his dominance on Redcloak. And there's no better way to do it than by taking the advice of the guy who is obviously covering for the good guys.

[hroþila]

What's clever about this is that there are multiple layers to that. Xykon isn't dumb, and he probably knows that the MitD is trying to save the Order, but what he wants to do most is to reassert his dominance on Redcloak. And there's no better way to do it than by taking the advice of the guy who is obviously covering for the good guys.

That's how I read it too. Xykon felt he had been bested by Redcloak in the Tsukiko affair, so he lashed out at the earliest opportunity in the pettiest way he could think of just to put Redcloak in his place.

[Resileaf]

That's how I read it too. Xykon felt he had been bested by Redcloak in the Tsukiko affair, so he lashed out at the earliest opportunity in the pettiest way he could think of just to put Redcloak in his place.

And it continues at Kraagor's gate. His every interaction with Redcloak is to put him down, insult him, and tell him to shut up because he's the one in charge.

[Fyraltari]

I’m not sure Xykon knew that the MitD was genuinely trying to help the good guy, but as soon as Redcloak took a stance he was going to take the opposite. Or rather as soon as Red tried to order him around ‘‘if you would just listen, for once...’’

[Vinyadan]

I'll go with Andi's motivation, too. This is for two reasons. The first one is that I thought it was the result of two different mentalities (engineer vs artist/dreamer). The second is that I found Andi much easier to relate to: feeling unappreciated and disgruntled in the workplace isn't too rare. I have said in the past that her character had something Dilbertesque about her. I definitely wasn't expecting it to be "she never grew out of being her babysitter".

[CriticalFailure]

I was also confused that the ship's engineer wouldn't know that the weapons could be dropped. Seemed like a pretty big thing for the ship's engineer to miss.


Speaking of Redcloak paying for his crimes and Xykon, it makes me wonder what they could do to him that would make him more unhappy than working with Xykon does.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

I was also confused that the ship's engineer wouldn't know that the weapons could be dropped. Seemed like a pretty big thing for the ship's engineer to miss.

Because she spent more time on deck complaining to the captain and attempting coups than she did repairing the weapons, obviously.

It is also easy to miss functionality you don't expect to be there. The mechanisms for a quick release should look similar to the mechanism that allows you to slow-release the weapon (for, say, repairs or upgrades).

But ultimately, the text was clear that for all her self-aggrandising, she was just not that great of an engineer, and obviously even less of a captain. Dunning–Kruger effect incarnate, in effect.

Grey Wolf

[understatement]

Speaking of Redcloak paying for his crimes and Xykon, it makes me wonder what they could do to him that would make him more unhappy than working with Xykon does.

Probably Gobbotopia being handed back to Azure City people.

Or the TDO rejecting him.

Or getting soul binded.

RC says he's going to "retire" to Gobbotopia if he has the chance, and we all know what that means. And I really can't see anyone but Xykon dealing the final blow.

IMHO

[LadyEowyn]

The Azurites are never returning to Gobbotopia. The city’s fall was a direct consequence of the crimes of the Sapphire Guard; it will not be reversed. And GDGU made it clear that the Azurites are doung fine where they are.

Either Gobbotopia will survive, or it will be destroyed (either by the Rift, or by an angry Xykon). The latter really is the worst thing that could happen to Redcloak.

I want the goblins to have a home and equality with other nations, so I really hope that won’t happen, but it is in line with Rich’s trend of having characters face terrible consequences for their actions.

[Rrmcklin]

What's clever about this is that there are multiple layers to that. Xykon isn't dumb, and he probably knows that the MitD is trying to save the Order, but what he wants to do most is to reassert his dominance on Redcloak. And there's no better way to do it than by taking the advice of the guy who is obviously covering for the good guys.

That's how I read it too. Xykon felt he had been bested by Redcloak in the Tsukiko affair, so he lashed out at the earliest opportunity in the pettiest way he could think of just to put Redcloak in his place.

Pretty sure we have word from the Author that that was exactly what was going on. I don't remember what thread, though.