Theory: Belkar will die under the following circumstances:...

[Dagonet]

Belkar is likely to be killed by the snarl, and soon. If killed by the snarl, there's no coming back to life via resurrection, an explanation for why Belkar will take his last breath by the end of the year.

(yes, it is possible that he will be turned into an undead that doesn't need oxygen, free-willed or otherwise, but I'd rather not explore that improbability.)

Also, in his latest book Rich foreshadowed that to bring OOTS together one of the members will pay a very hefty price. While it looks like it might be Haley since she will be indebted to the Thieves Guild for a very long time, Belkar seems like the prime candidate. Becoming a martyr is sacrifice enough, but getting killed in a way that will prevent you from ever getting raised? That's GOT to be the greatest sacrifice of all.

[Kaytara]

While I agree that Belkar being killed by the Snarl is a definite possibility, I disagree with him being the one to pay the price for Roy's resurrection. For one thing, they are not anywhere near a gate at the moment and Roy looks like he may be finally getting raised (and even if not, they'll just go to Cliffport instead, so they still won't be anywhere near a Gate). So Belkar being killed by the Snarl in order to get Roy resurrected is probably out of the question.
Besides, if I remember correctly, it's not just a heavy toll one of the Order will have to pay, it will change the Order forever. Now, there may be some sympathy for him if the Order genuinely buys his newfound "good guy" schtick (which is unlikely), but I don't see his death, even a superly heroic one, having a profound effect on the Order.

[Dagonet]

You Don't?!? Wow. Ok, it seems that according to their actions V and Belkar have switched places. Even if the team gets together, it doesn't mean that there will be any "togetherness." A whole lot more is necessary to unify the OOTS then the resurrection of their leader. I can totally envision a scenario when they meet Xykon, his "secret weapon" reveals itself to be the snarl, and belkar occupies the thing in the snarl to give the team an opportunity to fight Xykon and Redcloak 5 on 2. At this point in time Durkon and V will be completely unwilling to work together but when V has an epiphany that Belkar is actually better then her/him, she will get her magic mojo and kick some ass.

[David Argall]

The odds of Belkar being killed by the Snarl appear pretty zeroish.

The Snarl seems scripted in as final big bad, and may well effectively not appear at all. So Belkar's chance to fight it seems quite low.

Belkar dies within the year, and the odds are there are only a couple of months left in that year. And the party must still battle Xykon and Nale over 2 gates, deal with Elan's father, rescue Haley's dad, cause trouble for the dwarves, and travel some long distances in the process. The calendar just doesn't seem to allow him to survive that long.

Belkar's fake niceness is just about sure to end badly for him. He will be killed for being good.

[TheSummoner]

:redcloak: What I find really fascinating is that all of the accounts I've heard of the rifts from before the five Gates were ever built describe the Snarl reaching out and consuming thouse nearby.

Redcloak later theorizes that the remaining gates are preventing it from even reaching out yet. Recall that even before the gates, the Snarl was imprisoned, yet able to reach out of it's prison. Just because it hasn't yet doesn't mean it can't or won't in the future. As I see it, once Girard's gate falls, the Snarl's prison will become weak enough once more that it will be able to attack, despite still being trapped. THAT is when it will kill Belkar

[factotum]

Theory: Belkar is going to die when there's a Y in the day of the week... :smallwink:

[Assassin89]

Theory: Belkar is going to die when there's a Y in the day of the week... :smallwink:

Another theory: Belkar is doing to die in a month that has twenty eight days :smallwink:

[Dagonet]

I'm kinda curious whether or not Belkar's alignment will change any time soon. He may be good 'cause he's Evil, but maybe when he acts good he'll become good under the hood.

[MickJay]

The price could be almost anything, the possibilities I see include Haley's money (but she doesn't seem to have enough to actually pay; more likely it will involve giving up on freeing her father in a foreseeable future), Belkar's life, Vaarsuvius' life, V giving up his UAP or Durkon dying. If Giant does not plan to reunite Order anytime soon, then both Haley and Belkar may not be the ones to pay the price.

I think it's more likely that Belkar will die very near the end, possibly after a real character development and at that time it will be extremly saddening to everyone, etc, etc. Or not. 90% of predictions look just silly after a few weeks :smalltongue:

[[TS] Shadow]

Belkar might die to the Snarl (NOT THE MITD, HOWEVER. HE IS A REAL D&D MONSTER, NOT SOMETHING THAT THE GIANT MADE UP. THERFORE, HE ISN'T THE FREAKING SNARL.) I see a paralell between the OotS and the OotSC, in which Belkar and Kragoor are paralells. So, it's likely that he might die to let the other members stop Xykon/seal the gate. And like Kragoor's death, I expect it to have a significant impact on the party. Like him or not, the party has bonded with Belkar over the time, and if they AREN'T upset, then they have no soul. Seriously, you don't know how much you'll miss someone until they're gone (take it from me, I know.)

[Dagonet]

Actually, I suppose that it is the perfect argument that the TITD could not possibly be the snarl, since the Giant has already said that the true identity of the TITD is not of his own creation.

[Dagonet]

In either case, I would be very keen to the idea of Belkar's change for the better altering V in some drastic way.

[Berserk Monk]

Wrong! Belkar will only die under the following circumstances: his heart stops beating.

[Optimystik]

Wrong! Belkar will only die under the following circumstances: his heart stops beating.

Not if he becomes a golem :smalltongue: What we DO know for sure is that he will stop breathing.

[Otomodachi]

Belkar signed his own death certificate in this strip, 622;

he WILL die saving Mr. Scruffy. "We're in this together to the top of the heap or bust, until the very, very end" is a sure-fire way to guarantee either you or your friend's death in any kind of story; he just collapsed the probability in on himself.

[SPoD]

I took today's strip to foreshadow the following:

1.) That Belkar will exist in some format until the end of the comic (the "very, very end" is an oddly conspicuous phrasing). Whether he is alive or not, he will still be a part of the story.

2.) That whatever fate befalls him will also befall Mr. Scruffy. So if Belkar dies, so will Scruffy.

[Quorothorn]

Theory: Belkar doesn't die at all. At least, not within the time span prophesied by the Oracle.

This is my pet theory, and I will not change from it.

[Epic_Wizard]

I'm more for the whole "Belkar turns into something that doesn't breath" idea since that would fit in better with the Oracle and his POOR sense of humor. Besides I think there would be a hue and cry if/when Belkar Bitterleaf bit it.

Also yeah the MITD is a real monster. Rich has said so a number of times. Therefore the MITD != the Snarl. Though someone needs to compile a list of monsters that it COULD be. (Stuff of Medium or Large size with 2 eyes, the ability to speak Common, and sufficient Str to throw Miko a good quarter mile though this last part is better interpreted as "high Str")

[Raging Gene Ray]

Therefore the MITD != the Snarl. Though someone needs to compile a list of monsters that it COULD be.

That happened once, but it devolved into jokes about Pokemans. Which brings me to my how Belkar will die theory:

Mr. Scruffy evolves into his 3-Headed-Leskylor form, Mr. Snuffy and devours Belkar. Ms. Snuffy flies off, Belkar's intestines dangling from his teeth, dripping blood onto Azure City below. Redcloak slips on the blood, dropping Xykon's phylactery and smashing it, setting off a chain reaction that somehow leads to the destruction of the Snarl.

Either that, or Belkar chokes to death on a sandwich in the next strip. Mr. Scruffy eats what Belkar didn't finish and nonchalantly nibbles the corpse's ear.

[Ganurath]

My prediction:In his conversation with Crystal, he said "...But kill me? Never gonna happen." Thus, I anticipate that Crystal will be directly responsible for the death of Belkar Bitterleaf.

[Epic_Wizard]

My prediction:In his conversation with Crystal, he said "...But kill me? Never gonna happen." Thus, I anticipate that Crystal will be directly responsible for the death of Belkar Bitterleaf.

Nah because I can't see Belkar dieing before they at least get to Girand's gate.

I wish to point out that they went to see the Oracle at most 1-2 Months after the northern New Year and a few days after the Southern New Year the first time and it had been (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0498.html) maybe 3.5 months since the city fell. This combined with the traveling and such means that there is probably another 6 or so months for Belkar to bite it.

Yeah I bet he gets killed by TMITD but takes it down with him.

[MickJay]

When Belkar will be close to death, timely intervention by [?] will transfer Belkar's soul into Mr Scruffy and will end up mixing their personalities. Thus the Belkar we know will indeed draw his last breath and no longer be in this world; from that moment onwards, there will only be Mr. Belkuffy. Or perhaps Mr. Scrufkar. It also explains why Belkar should savour his next birthday cake: after the merging, he will simply not know on which of the two possible dates to celebrate, and if it should be once, twice or even eight times per year ("cat years").

Now you know.

[Jural]

Hmm, I think Belkar is unlikely to be the one to die to get the team re-united. I would guess:Haley: The reason? Elan imagines he will never see her again, and his dramatic sensibility is probably the closest thing to infallible in the entire comic.

[hamishspence]

Haley seems to be "paying a dreadful price" in cash not life, in which case Belkar's death may be delayed quite a while.

[Epic_Wizard]

Hmm, I think Belkar is unlikely to be the one to die to get the team re-united. I would guess:Haley: The reason? Elan imagines he will never see her again, and his dramatic sensibility is probably the closest thing to infallible in the entire comic.

But the oracle said that Elan at least will get a happy ending which seems like it would include Haley so I doubt she'll die. Besides Belkar is the most likely to die in a way that isn't able to be resurrected

[Berserk Monk]

You know what I'd find hilarious: the oracle referring to Belkar's relationship with Jenny. Him at one point saying "You take my breath away." (meaning all his breaths have been taken away, meaning he has no more breaths, meaning he has taken his last breath) I'm just gonna laugh over at how many people thought this was the end for the Sexy Shoeless God of War. (I doubt this theory though. Just felt like expressing it.)

Also, the oracle never said what calendar by year. As evident in strip 302 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0302.html), the order did not know Azure City was celebrating its new year. It could be possible the northern continent has one calendar and the southern continent has another and so the order was unaware of any holiday. Azure City does appear to be based off China/Japan and they have a different calendar than our Julian one.

[JonahFalcon]

I know what's going to happen. Hee hee

Belkar is going to take Xykon's place.

Watch.

[JonahFalcon]

But the oracle said that Elan at least will get a happy ending which seems like it would include Haley so I doubt she'll die. Besides Belkar is the most likely to die in a way that isn't able to be resurrected

Didn't I already say this - Elan will have a happy ending if he dies in the most poetic way possible. Elan loves good writing above everything else.

[Epic_Wizard]

Didn't I already say this - Elan will have a happy ending if he dies in the most poetic way possible. Elan loves good writing above everything else.

Nah. If you read Rich's comments in the published volumes on the exchange with the Oracle he meant that to be an uplifting bit of news not foreshadowing Elan's death. Besides Elan's idea of a good story is one where the good guys WIN not all die...

[David Argall]

Nah because I can't see Belkar dieing before they at least get to Girand's gate.

I wish to point out that they went to see the Oracle at most 1-2 Months after the northern New Year and a few days after the Southern New Year the first time and it had been (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0498.html) maybe 3.5 months since the city fell. This combined with the traveling and such means that there is probably another 6 or so months for Belkar to bite it.


The current best estimate is that Azure City fell on January 12, Southern Calendar. Roy came down from the Mountain about May 5, when Lady Kato was 8 weeks pregnant. She is now a minimum of 6 months pregnant, making the minimum date September 15, and late November entirely reasonable. December 31 could possibly happen with the next strip.

Belkar has a distinctly limited chance of seeing Girard's gate.