Could Charlie be a future version of Parson? Or someone else from this world?

[Firestar27]

Charlie could be Parson from the future. There is some pretty good evidence.
Exhibit A: Parson and Charlie have a few of the same vocal mannerisms. Charlie says to Parson, "M'glad you think so". Later, Parson uses the same phrase when speaking to Ansom.
Exhibit B: Charlie understands (and find funny) the phrase "omg h4x". He also uses the phrase "lol" and understands what Parson means by "In mah base, croakin ur d00dz".
Exhibit C: Charlie is pretty sure that Parson will "come through this just fine".

If Charlie isn't Parson from the future, then Exhibit B is pretty good proof that he's from our world.
Why would Charlie enter the war if he is a future Parson? Because Parson needed him to win. How does he know that? Because when he was Parson, he needed Charlie to win. [/circular logic]

[DigoDragon]

Hmm... *ponder*

[Znek]

Although you bring up some interesting points, I would argue against them that a time-travel or alternate future component does not really fit to the comic.

A) coincidence

B) Charlie is the greatest Thinkamancer we have seen so far (including bonuses from Arkendish etc.), so it just might be that he had enough time to check out Parson's out world language (during their first meeting) to be able to speak to Parson that he understands him and therefore share similar vocal mannerisms.

C) he might have guessed or he knows what Parson's "special" bonus (thanks to thinkamancy) is...

[historycrusader]

I suspect Charlie's grasp of current communication trends is more related to his ArkenTool, which everyone else (besides Parson) agrees, has made him a bit... odd.

Wouldn't you be if you watched Satellite TV 24/7, except for your turn?

[Mando Knight]

Exhibit A: If Charlie was already known for expressing pleasure in phrases like "M'glad you think so!" then Parson's use may have been a ploy to make Ansom doubt Charlie and sever ties with him, making it more likely that Charlie will become neutral (at least) in the war...

Exhibit B: This made me think that Charlie was possibly someone else from "The Real World," or that, possibly, Charlescomm units have communicated in such a way enough before that a minor cultural parallel developed...

[Lamech]

A) I agree with Mando Knight, Parson screwing with Ansom.
B) Its possible that this is an erfworld-earth similarity, or perhaps Charlie thought Parson was talking like an orly. Or maybe Charlie picked this up on earth, so this is decent evidence, but it is far from conclusive.
C) Charlie is probably pretending that Parson will be alright, so Parson doesn't hold it against him. It also possible, Charlie has predictamancy and knows Parson will come out alright, or has reason to believe Parson can make the coalition collapse.

We have a little evidence in point B, and Charlie's "strangeness", for Charlie being from earth, but I don't see anything for Charlie being Parson.

[Karui_Kage]

Why does everyone assume that Charlie understanding the phrase 'omg h4x' makes it evidence that he's from our world? Does no one remember how Stanley talks in his little messages?

Sure, the :( and '2' and such may not be as complex, but it still always seemed obvious to me that people in this world were at least aware of that kind of shorthand.

[Chicken Little]

I agree, Kauri_Kage. I always assumed that the eyebooks communicated in internet shorthand that varied depending on the person's personality. Specifically because of the books appear to be a magical version of an IM conversation. Making sounds when sending and receiving messages, colored names, etc.

[Zolem]

Why does everyone assume that Charlie understanding the phrase 'omg h4x' makes it evidence that he's from our world? Does no one remember how Stanley talks in his little messages?

Sure, the :( and '2' and such may not be as complex, but it still always seemed obvious to me that people in this world were at least aware of that kind of shorthand.

AH, but omg h4x is a long cry from using 2 as shorthand. It requires a knowledge of:
1) God, the Erfs have Titans.
2) Replacing A with a 4, which is a bit more advanced thatn what we've seen before.
3) The idea of hacking, which is 100% computer reliant. And we've seen no evidence of the existance of computers.

Let's not forget that Sizemore got confused by even basic txttlk when Parson contacted him.

[Richbin]

Although the possibility that Charlie is a future Parson is also supported by the fact that if the eyebooks are attuned and secure (only attuned to those they are meant for) therefore Charlie, being Parson's is also attuned to his book...

[LordVader]

I think Charlie is not originally from Erfworld, but I don't believe he's a future Parson.

[lamguin]

My theory on Charlie.

He's Erfian. Attunement to the Arkendish gives him unparalleled Thinkamancy skills. It also gives him unparalleled Lookamancy skills. Lookamancy powerful enough to view other worlds. Such as Parson's world.

Such as the ability to read Erfworld. Such as the ability to read this forum.

Now, quick. Someone make CharlsNChrg and reply in-character. Bonus points if Rob or Jamie do it.

[LordVader]

Makes sense too, I guess.
Although you kinda blew the opportunity there, it won't be as funny now.

EDIT: After further re-reading of Erfworld, the fact that Charlie understands leetspeak when no one else in the world does seems to indicate that, like Parson, he is not of ErfWorld either.

[Richbin]

You are a match for his strangeness, seems to indicate Charlie is not from around here. When you couple this with the gamer tmers.... waitaminnit here...
What if Charlie is not from this world, is indeed Erfian, but is an Erfian gamer?

He certainly might pick up on a lot of the terms and/or develop his/her own as well...

Imagine, if you will, a parallel Parson, or Erf's Parson equivalent - a gamer who has enjoyed learning, deciphering and conquering as much as Parson has, designing, re-desining and playing with scenarios for the fun of it.
Could ou imagine parson walking into Charlie's sanctum sanctorum, and finding it replete with artefacts from Earth - all kinds of wargames strewn all over the place, with Risk, stratego, Squad Leader and Panzer Commander scenarios all laid out?

Sorry, tangent, but... this would also explain their similar mindsets as well as Charlie's familiarity with terms.

[dr pepper]

Ever read "The Gaming Magi"? Trilogy by Bischoff (i forget the first name), came out in the late 70's. The premise is that reality is a stacked series of universes whose operation is implemented as game systems. And gaming is the path to learning the secret workings of things. Advanced gamers eventually learn to control the environment around them. Just beware, you may be a gm here, but on the next level up, you're somebody's pawn.

[Richbin]

The layers of the universe are indeed manyfold, and I have not had the opportunity to read that series. It sounds interesting - depends on the execution and writing - would you recommend it?

In this circumstance, though, i suspect that would be far too esoteric an answer to explain Charlie.

[dr pepper]

I definitely recommend it.

[The Demented One]

3) The idea of hacking, which is 100% computer reliant. And we've seen no evidence of the existance of computers.

Seeing as Charlie managed to get access to Parson's supposedly secure eyebook, and think it may be the "hacking" in Erfworld doesn't necessarily have to be done with computers.

[multilis]

Charlie is a Tool of the Titans. That btw is above royalty in Erfworld.

Parson is Special.

You ask the wrong question. It is not "who is Charlie?" It is "who are the Titans".

;-)

PS: Don't underestimate what the Dirt will become.

[Albub]

If Charlie is a future Parson why on Earth would he be willing to work so closely with Parson? and I think Parson would know his own handwriting in those messenger books... so we can comfortably say that Chuck ain't Parson of the future.

[Izad]

I've got a couple theories about this:

1) Stanley obviously believes he was meant to unite all the arkentools, he may or may not be right about that, but what's important is it seems to imply that there's some sort of prophecy that some great hero will come, unite allthe arkentools and...I dunno, fix everyone's plumbing or something. If this is an actual prophesy, maybe Charlie both knows about it AND thinks that Parson has some important part to play in it.

2)I appreciate the fact that the titans all look like Elvii, but for some reason I've been thinking that maybe they were humans and charlie knows this, this ties in with:

3) Parson is a human, and as such is much much more capable than the standard efworlders, but exactly how has to be defined. Charlie probably knows exactly what parson is capable of, and as such is trying to get on his good side.

I just don't get the feeling that Charlie is a future parson, and the neatness of how Charlie and his Angels fit into the pop culture reference scheme Erf has is a strike against him being a human, but he might be.

[mikeejimbo]

Also, if he were a future Parson, he would have the magic calculator thingy.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Man, the Tinfoil Hat Alliance (TFHA) called this theory ages ago.

I'd link to the thread, but the MIB used Laser Guided Amnesia to erase its location from my memory. Now, if only I can follow this trail of clues I left behind to restore my memory in case such an event occurred, I should be fine.

[Richbin]

With Charlie's behaviour in the latest strip (I will pry this item from your charred corpse if need be), I think this can be called as no longer a possibility.
Durned

[Ramien]

We've also pretty well laid to reset the idea of Charlie being able to read everything that Parson's been putting down, since he doesn't know the battle plans that Parson was worried about him knowing.

[Richbin]

We've also pretty well laid to reset the idea of Charlie being able to read everything that Parson's been putting down, since he doesn't know the battle plans that Parson was worried about him knowing.

On the other hand, Parson has been adding to his plans furiously, tweaking, modifying, working with Maggie to try and find additional twists and sploits.
Reading notes can be detrimental to haxxorz health with such an overheated imagination at work. the plan after three iterations, resembles nothing from its inception.

[Laurentio II]

On the other hand, Parson has been adding to his plans furiously, tweaking, modifying, working with Maggie to try and find additional twists and sploits.
Reading notes can be detrimental to haxxorz health with such an overheated imagination at work. the plan after three iterations, resembles nothing from its inception.

We found Parson trying foolish or not realizable ideas like mass-suggest all warlords. If he takes notes, as it's suggested by his reaction, it should be quite easy to find out what is a solid strategy (like "Order Sizemore to remove tunnels' support and replace them with golems ready to collapse everything if enemies don't surrender") from desperation ("Make Wanda uncroak small bunnies in the hope that they won't harm undead puppies") and useless notes ("I want beer! I WANT BEER!").

[Richbin]

We found Parson trying foolish or not realizable ideas like mass-suggest all warlords. If he takes notes, as it's suggested by his reaction, it should be quite easy to find out what is a solid strategy (like "Order Sizemore to remove tunnels' support and replace them with golems ready to collapse everything if enemies don't surrender") from desperation ("Make Wanda uncroak small bunnies in the hope that they won't harm undead puppies") and useless notes ("I want beer! I WANT BEER!").

okay, that last part was unfair - my shiields were down. BEER!....
the office now has confirmation I must be a lunatic from the explosive bout of laughter issuing from my office.

However, there are many plans that might be viable, but choosing which might or might not have been implemented, to what degree, as well as all the last minute mopds that can have been brought to bear, would take a lot of time - time he does not have.