While rereading, i looked more closely at the Oracles prediction for V.
what he said was: "By saying the right four words to the right being at the right time for all the wrong reasons."
even ignoring whether the stutter disqualifies: "I-I must succeed," wouldn't the fact that ze had a little bit of the right reason (ie, saving hir family) mean that it wasn't all the wrong reasons, just mostly?
This would be an interesting way to look at it... If the Giant hadn't explicitly said that that was V's prophecy fulfillment.
Where did he say that?
also, mightn't he mean that that could be seen as fulfilling the prophecy, but there will be a more satisfying fulfillment later, in the same way that giving the +20 ring of jumping technically fulfilled his prophecy, but it was fulfilled in a better way when he stabbed the oracle?
also, mightn't he mean that that could be seen as fulfilling the prophecy, but there will be a more satisfying fulfillment later, in the same way that giving the +20 ring of jumping technically fulfilled his prophecy, but it was fulfilled in a better way when he stabbed the oracle?
In the fourth book's commentary.
And that would be the reverse. Belkar killing the Oracle and V accepting the deal were what their prophecies were referring to; Belkar killing Roy was a tease and anything after V's deal with the IFCC would also be some weird, sorta retrospective tease.
Other people have already pointed out Rich debunking this, so I'm just going to address what's online.
1) - does not fill the same punctuation role as ... . I suggest you look both of them up before calling Vaarsuvius' repeating the word "I" a "stutter."
2) Vaarsuvius' real reason for touching the blue orb was to win. S/he made that perfectly clear in the online comic.
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"You are what you do. Choose again, and change." --Miles Vorkosigan
"The really unforgivable acts are committed by calm men in beautiful green silk rooms, who deal death wholesale, by the shipload, without lust, or anger, or desire, or any redeeming emotion to excuse them but cold fear of some pretended future. But the crimes they hope to prevent in the future are imaginary. The ones they commit in the present--they are real." --Aral Vorkosigan
Well, the truth is, Vaarsuvius was not doing it to save his/her family - at least, (s)he did not gain the power itself to do so. The IFCC members gave him/her a perfectly valid (if convoluted and bizarre) alternative, one that would have saved his/her family's lives and saved him/her a lot of trouble.
However, it is made very clear that Vaarsuvius wanted to kill the dragon (him/her)self and, as evidenced by his/her actions after defeating the dragon, to show everybody else just how powerful (s)he had become. Vaarsuvius may not have had no good reason to gain the power, but all the reasons (s)he decided to take the power were wrong. I think that is the key concept here.
Well, the truth is, Vaarsuvius was not doing it to save his/her family - at least, (s)he did not gain the power itself to do so. The IFCC members gave him/her a perfectly valid (if convoluted and bizarre) alternative, one that would have saved his/her family's lives and saved him/her a lot of trouble.
V could and, in my opinion, should have ignored that alternative on the basis that it was so convoluted and relied on factors that may not have come through. But s/he didn't. S/he ignored the alternative on the basis that s/he had to be the one to bring the hurt on the dragon.
Similarly, concerning Azure City, s/he wasn't concerned with the loss of the soldiers lives or the suffering of the Azurites as much as the implication that s/he wasn't a good enough wizard to win the battle.
S/he has changed greatly and has gone from one of my least favorite characters to one of my top 5...maybe 10 when she learned that "pointless" actions that weren't part of the mission (Moving the fleet to a hospitable land, for example) are still significant not because it proves him/her to be a skilled wizard, but because of what it accomplished.
That still, however, doesn't change the fact s/he has Chekov's Gun pointed right at hir (and, by extension, the party and the rest of the world's) head.
I've rarely been more satisfied with any part of any story ever than I was with V's prophecy, so that would really be going some. I somehow don't think bigger explosions will cut it, though.
I would actually be disappointed if this wasn't the fulfillment of V's prophecy. I disagree that it was not satisfying - there was drama, action and character development.
V did speak the four right words for all the wrong reason. S/he was given another option by the IFCC and while (as the imp pointed out) that plan was no good, V was too confused to see that. It was pride and lust for power that motivated hir, rather than being in a true "I have no choice"-situation.
I don't mean to get this thread too sidetracked.
And I REALLY dont wont to star another Belkars death argument.
But it just occured to me, when Belkar dies (most probably going to the abyss) and Vaarsuvius has to fulfill his side of the IFCC contract, putting the two of them in a room together could make an awesome punishment for them both
I don't mean to get this thread too sidetracked.
And I REALLY dont wont to star another Belkars death argument.
But it just occured to me, when Belkar dies (most probably going to the abyss) and Vaarsuvius has to fulfill his side of the IFCC contract, putting the two of them in a room together could make an awesome punishment for them both
Are you kidding me? Locking V and Belkar in a room so they can duke it out is all they've ever wanted (aside from Ultimate cosmic power and the kitty) XD
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I wonder if, when the comic eventually ends, people on the boards will continue for several years to say that it's not actually over yet...
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Having read the commentary in DStP, V's Prophecy has been fulfilled. The acceptance was for all the wrong reasons in that there was a chance to save the family via another method. V's motivation for accepting the deal was to kill the Dragon hirself. (S)he refused to accept any other solution beside hir power being use to solve the situation.
The author of the story has stated that the prophesy has been fulfilled for V. I can accept this and move on. I am more interested in seeing how Belkar dies. He seems to have most of the world aligned against him.
Well, the truth is, Vaarsuvius was not doing it to save his/her family - at least, (s)he did not gain the power itself to do so. The IFCC members gave him/her a perfectly valid (if convoluted and bizarre) alternative, one that would have saved his/her family's lives and saved him/her a lot of trouble.
Perfectly valid? Let's see -- the imp would have to saw V's head off. Then, Durkon would need to cast resurrection -- 10 minutes casting time. Sending to Aarindarius is quick because of the scroll, but we're talking 20 minutes minimum anyway. As it was, V reached his house within a minute or two of the dragon teleporting out, and the creature's work was almost done. And this, of course, is based on the assumption that Aarindarius is willing and able to go up against a dragon instantaneously after a sending arrives.
That's not a valid alternative, that's a 100% chance of failure.
As for V feeling guilty about being unable to save the soldiers because of insufficient power -- well, I'll tell you, in reality, you're probably not going to find one instance of guilt where the person doesn't feel responsibility to one degree or another. In fact, I'd say that guilt inevitably involves a send of either personal culpability or personal inadequacy.
Why it's a crime for V to feel guilt in a perfectly normal way is beyond me.
V could and, in my opinion, should have ignored that alternative on the basis that it was so convoluted and relied on factors that may not have come through. But s/he didn't. S/he ignored the alternative on the basis that s/he had to be the one to bring the hurt on the dragon.
Similarly, concerning Azure City, s/he wasn't concerned with the loss of the soldiers lives or the suffering of the Azurites as much as the implication that s/he wasn't a good enough wizard to win the battle.
That still, however, doesn't change the fact s/he has Chekov's Gun pointed right at hir (and, by extension, the party and the rest of the world's) head.
Yes. If (s)he just wanted to save hir family, s/he would have ended the spell right after killing the dragon (or possibly after the famillicide).
Perfectly valid? Let's see -- the imp would have to saw V's head off. Then, Durkon would need to cast resurrection -- 10 minutes casting time. Sending to Aarindarius is quick because of the scroll, but we're talking 20 minutes minimum anyway. As it was, V reached his house within a minute or two of the dragon teleporting out, and the creature's work was almost done. And this, of course, is based on the assumption that Aarindarius is willing and able to go up against a dragon instantaneously after a sending arrives.
All true, but V wasn't thinking of that. She was too confused to see the shortcomings, and only chose the alternate plan in order to preserve her own ego.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thajocoth
I wonder if, when the comic eventually ends, people on the boards will continue for several years to say that it's not actually over yet...
Perfectly valid? Let's see -- the imp would have to saw V's head off. Then, Durkon would need to cast resurrection -- 10 minutes casting time. Sending to Aarindarius is quick because of the scroll, but we're talking 20 minutes minimum anyway. As it was, V reached his house within a minute or two of the dragon teleporting out, and the creature's work was almost done. And this, of course, is based on the assumption that Aarindarius is willing and able to go up against a dragon instantaneously after a sending arrives.
There's also the issue of whether or not Durkon would want to resurrect V at all. To Durkon, it would appear that V had been consorting with devils, and V had done nothing but antagonize Durkon for the better part of a year. Durkon has no reason to not let the elf stay dead, and V knows this.
All this makes little difference, of course. V's actions were irrevocable, her repentance insincere as far as it's possible to determine, and the reasoning underlying her actions - sure, other people deserve to exist...if you're my sort of person - apparently not that uncommon.
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Originally Posted by Anarion
And remember, whoever captures the fox and brings it under their control first gains ownership and accompanying property rights over the wild beast.
I wonder if, when the comic eventually ends, people on the boards will continue for several years to say that it's not actually over yet...
At least it will relieve the tedium of post after post of "I know we aren't supposed to discuss the update schedule...." and "I'm new here. When do new comics come out?"
Perfectly valid? Let's see -- the imp would have to saw V's head off. Then, Durkon would need to cast resurrection -- 10 minutes casting time. Sending to Aarindarius is quick because of the scroll, but we're talking 20 minutes minimum anyway. As it was, V reached his house within a minute or two of the dragon teleporting out, and the creature's work was almost done. And this, of course, is based on the assumption that Aarindarius is willing and able to go up against a dragon instantaneously after a sending arrives.
That's not a valid alternative, that's a 100% chance of failure.
And Qarr noticed this. And the IFCC acknowledged it. And Rich acknowledged it in the DSTP commentary. While we're all in agreement the plan wouldn't have worked, Vaarsuvius believed it could have worked, and it's what exhausted panicky time-pressed V believed at the time that's most relevant. By accepting the deal when an alternative is apparently available, V is admitting that saving h** family comes second to proving h** arcane might.
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Pixar Fanboy of the Hinjo Fanclub
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Originally Posted by Hallavast
Ya know? I think I'd about kill Rowling if she wasn't holding me hostage with that last book of hers...
Er, yeah, you guys are pretty much all right. That's not really what I meant, but I notice now that it was worded horribly and implied that I thought the plan would have worked, which it wouldn't have. I think I must have meant to make some sort of reference to the fact that V thought it was a "perfectly valid alternative" despite that not being the case, although I can't really remember anymore. Anyway, I pretty much agree with most everything that's been said regarding the issue...except my own comment, I guess. Wasn't thinking straight when I said that, slipped up a bit.
Actually, the same thing sort of applies now, so I probably shouldn't even be here right now.
Last edited by Xykeb Zraliv : 10-04-2010 at 01:07 AM.
Since the Giant said it happened, then that's it really. I still find it hard to believe that that was complete and total arcane power. Maybe V just wasn't using it right, but when I think "complete and total arcane power" I imagine something more powerful than Galactus, Dr. Manhattan, and Teggen Toppa Gurren Lagann combined, not something that could be smacked around by a lich, goblin, and a chick with undead issues.
Since the Giant said it happened, then that's it really. I still find it hard to believe that that was complete and total arcane power. Maybe V just wasn't using it right, but when I think "complete and total arcane power" I imagine something more powerful than Galactus, Dr. Manhattan, and Teggen Toppa Gurren Lagann combined, not something that could be smacked around by a lich, goblin, and a chick with undead issues.
Well, the thing is that those guys have an understanding of elemental strategy, and more self-control.
V? Not so much. V had the power, but couldn't use it.
Well, the thing is that those guys have an understanding of elemental strategy, and more self-control.
V? Not so much. V had the power, but couldn't use it.
Even so. You have complete power. Unlimited power one might say. Why not just blink you eyes and teleport half of Azure City to the lower planes. S/he did that with a fleet of ships (except, you know, not to another plane). What, could the elven wizard who studied arcane practices for like a century really not conceive maybe I should strike far from a distance instead of basically entering a close ranged smack fight with magic?
Vaarsuvius has only himself/herself to blame if s/he assumed "complete and total ultimate arcane power" meant "omnipotence." Forum agreement with that assumption aside, it was an assumption.
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Spoiler
"You are what you do. Choose again, and change." --Miles Vorkosigan
"The really unforgivable acts are committed by calm men in beautiful green silk rooms, who deal death wholesale, by the shipload, without lust, or anger, or desire, or any redeeming emotion to excuse them but cold fear of some pretended future. But the crimes they hope to prevent in the future are imaginary. The ones they commit in the present--they are real." --Aral Vorkosigan
Even so. You have complete power. Unlimited power one might say. Why not just blink you eyes and teleport half of Azure City to the lower planes. S/he did that with a fleet of ships (except, you know, not to another plane). What, could the elven wizard who studied arcane practices for like a century really not conceive maybe I should strike far from a distance instead of basically entering a close ranged smack fight with magic?
Apparently not. If V could've conceived of the easier, better route, things would be different and we wouldn't be talking now.
Even so. You have complete power. Unlimited power one might say. Why not just blink you eyes and teleport half of Azure City to the lower planes. S/he did that with a fleet of ships (except, you know, not to another plane). What, could the elven wizard who studied arcane practices for like a century really not conceive maybe I should strike far from a distance instead of basically entering a close ranged smack fight with magic?
Because she's V. It was just as much about her ego as destroying Xykon; she wanted to prove that she was superior, it's what she does.
Also, Ultimate=/=Unlimited.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thajocoth
I wonder if, when the comic eventually ends, people on the boards will continue for several years to say that it's not actually over yet...
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Reopening the issue of V's prophecy
"I-I must succeed," wouldn't the fact that ze had a little bit of the right reason (ie, saving hir family) mean that it wasn't all the wrong reasons, just mostly?
giving 
the +20 ring of jumping technically fulfilled his prophecy, but it was fulfilled in a better way when he stabbed the oracle?
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