What if Miko gets resurrected?

[petersohn]

I suppose Miko is the most over-discussed person in the comic, but also the most interesting one, and I'm not that long in the forums. So, the question is as above. I don't think it would ever happen, but it's still an interesting speculation. Let me share my ideas:

The first question is, what happened to her after her death? One possibility that she was judged as Lawful Neutral. In this case, I think she would accept the resurrection and fight for redemption. This must involve admitting her mistakes and becoming less harsh at making judgements, ie. becoming a protagonist. This is what I want to see, but something I really feel unlikely. But wait, we didn't see much character development for her, so maybe.

The other, more probable case is that she will be accepted as Lawful good (Soon's line about Windstriker in #464 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0464.html) suggests that), though with similar conditions that Roy. Then, I suppose her ego would override her conscience, and she wouldn't come back, knowing that she would have to face her mistakes.

If she came back as the old Miko without any character development, that would make little sense, except for some annoyance to the OOTS. Some different kind of character development is also possible, like becoming an evil blackguard, and allying with Xykon, but I doubt it, she is not an evil kind of person, just overzealous and blinded by her lawfulness.


Even if she doesn't come back, it would be fun seeing her meet Roy before he gets resurrected.

[Snake-Aes]

Miko's last words were too conclusive, so with Roy's return coming soon, I find it sadly unlikely that we'll see another Miko strip.

[Ancalagon]

Not gonna happen. Miko's story is over. All points are made. Anything else would just water the points that were made down.

Sure it would be nice to see what happend to her... but only in the epilogue, as long as the story runs, her part is over.

Note: Rich, make an epilogue-book once the story is over. I'd buy it. :)

[Ladorak]

I don't know... I'd like her to come back for one strip advicing the Order, repeting of the evil of her ways. Like Achilles appearing before Oysseus advising him against the Hero's path. 'I would rather spend one day as a slave of a slave then be King of the land of the dead for an enterity.'

Only with Miko it would be more like 'I would rather admit I was wrong then see you make the same mistakes...'

[JJ48]

Even though I don't think Miko will be appearing again (except in the archives, whenever we re-read the series. :smallbiggrin:), I think that if she DID come back, she would like have experienced some amount of personal growth, but that everyone else, remembering the old Miko, would treat her the same way they always had, which would frustrate her, and have her slipping back into the "I'm the only one who has any idea what's going on" mindset.

[EENick]

I don't think Rich would want to open the can of worms for a character he didn't particularly enjoy by all acounts. I think we're more likely to see Miko's horse again then her sadly as I think there could be more stories to tell with her.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Hmm... Miko is/was controversial, but that doesn't mean she can't come back. In fact, Rich may have dropped a hint with the "Revolving Door" joke when Roy first got to Celestia.

Other than the fact that many, MANY people personally dislike of her, there is really no reason NOT to bring her back. The "Her Death Scene was too Final" argument really doesn't fly in this particular story. All that is needed to bring her back is a big diamond, a high level cleric, and someone to want her back. The first two are semi-common, the last? Not so much. But it only takes one person willing to get the other two items and Miko has a return ticket to this Vale of Tears.

And a high level Paladin is not someone you just "Write-Off" just because they have some personality quirks. Lord Hinjo may not have been her biggest fan, but he did acknowledge her skills.

There still is some major evil in the world that needs to be dealt with. A bit more humble and less mental Miko might be what is needed to either defeat Xykon, or maybe even the Snarl.

That her role is over is a strong possibility, and one I'm willing to accept. But why is it so hard for others to accept the possibility of a Redemption Arc for Miko as well? Put aside your hatred for "That control freak you know in real life who reminds you so much of Miko" and tell me why Miko can't come back, but Roy, a Nameless Hero, and even a Generic Guard can?

For her to be perma-gone, she really needs a scene in Celestia, or Mechanius, where she accepts her fate and makes the decision to decline any possible returns. The scene with Lord Soon-Kim really wasn't enough...

[homeosapiens]

Why do you thnik Rich didnt enjoy Miko? Did he ever mention it? I once played such a paladin, before even knowing Miko existed, and it was great experiance. Imprisonated whole team and burned them ^^.

[EENick]

It used to say so in a quote from Rich on wikipedia before they eliminated her individual page and moved her into a general OotS characters page with a more brief summery and no pictures.

I can't remember the exact quote but it said something to the effect that he thought Miko was a jerk and she was written specifically as a take that at lawful good players who like to go around policing other players in the party telling them what they can and cannot do.

[Kish]

Beware the Telephone Game effect.

(In plain English: If you see a direct quote from Rich, believe he said something. If you see a paraphrase by someone who doesn't remember the exact quote, keep the salt-shaker handy, no offense intended to EENick--I'm skeptical about your memory, not your honesty.)

[Dagren]

I can't remember the exact quote but it said something to the effect that he thought Miko was a jerk and she was written specifically as a take that at lawful good players who like to go around policing other players in the party telling them what they can and cannot do.See, no offence but that doesn't say that Rich didn't enjoy writing Miko. He knew what she was like from the beginning, and if he didn't think she was a good character he wouldn't have introduced her in the first place, would he? (this isn't really to do with the question at hand, since none of what I've said means that she might not have used up all her funny, or indeed that Rich didn't get bored of her, just that saying she's a jerk and saying you don't like the character are actually two different things. See also: Belkar, who has his share of fans despite being CE)

[liooil2000]

I have a feeling that miko won't be resurrected, although she might be a ghost ore something like that.

[Elan man]

I doubt it will happen but if it does she will try and kill Roy

[petersohn]

I can't remember the exact quote but it said something to the effect that he thought Miko was a jerk and she was written specifically as a take that at lawful good players who like to go around policing other players in the party telling them what they can and cannot do.
Yes, her first appearance is a parody of players like that, and of that a good one. But in her Azure City story, she becomes a really interesting character. Why? Because she apparently wants to be good, but her personality prevents it.

As I said I doubt that she would return, but a "what if..." speculation is not about what will actually happen. Knowing Rich it won't happen anyway.

[Cracklord]

She will get resurrected, only to be instantly run over by a cart, maiming her body beyond recognition, and somehow creating a freak accident that causes her to be soul bound and the gem to fall into a bag of holding that then falls into a portable hole, destroyng her for ever.
The comic will be titled, most appropriately, "Now Shut Up."

[Silverraptor]

Miko Ressurected?

:vaarsuvius:"A highly unlikely scenario"

[Zevox]

Not gonna happen. In order for her to be resurrected, someone first has to want to resurrect her. And no one does, nor has any reason to. And even if they did, they'd then have to retrieve her corpse, which is either lying around in the midst of Goblin & Xykon-controlled Azure City or, more likely, long since disposed of by the City's new inhabitants. No, she's gone.

Incidentally, I disagree that the more likely scenario is Miko being judged Lawful Good. From where I'm sitting, she was always borderline Lawful Neutral, and shifted purely into that category when she murdered Shojo. Besides, Roy was nearly judged True Neutral just for abandoning Elan, and was nearly judged Neutral Good at the end there for much lesser non-Lawful actions. And Miko had a hell of a lot more to answer for than him, starting with murdering Shojo. No, I don't see any rational way she could get into Celestia.

Zevox

[Mando Knight]

She will get resurrected, only to be instantly run over by a cart, maiming her body beyond recognition, and somehow creating a freak accident that causes her to be soul bound and the gem to fall into a bag of holding that then falls into a portable hole, destroyng her for ever.
The comic will be titled, most appropriately, "Now Shut Up."

...That's rather harsh.

Anyway, I doubt Miko will get resurrected, mostly for an entirely different reason: her apparent end has already arrived, and she's been dead for about 180 strips without appearing again. Except for one of those Chekov's Gunman (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ptitle54psy2mkt9lx) situations, it's extremely unlikely she'll come back.

[Foryn Gilnith]

It could happen. I see no particularly strong reason why it's implausible. I see no particularly strong reason why Rich Burlew would want to. It would be interesting, but the author has many interesting ideas he could use instead.

[Vemynal]

lmao, I just thought of a great way to write off Miko for good


Belkar dies and goes to the chaotic evil plane- only to see Miko who responds "**** off"

[Zevox]

lmao, I just thought of a great way to write off Miko for good


Belkar dies and goes to the chaotic evil plane- only to see Miko who responds "**** off"
As much as I would laugh my ass off at that, it really isn't realistic. Miko was pretty crazy, but I truly doubt she qualifies as Chaotic Evil. Or Chaotic anything, for that matter - the whole "stick up the ass, convinced she's always right" routine she had going is a pretty distinctly lawful flaw, not a chaotic one.

Zevox

[liooil2000]

As much as I would laugh my ass off at that, it really isn't realistic. Miko was pretty crazy, but I truly doubt she qualifies as Chaotic Evil. Or Chaotic anything, for that matter - the whole "stick up the ass, convinced she's always right" routine she had going is a pretty distinctly lawful flaw, not a chaotic one.

Zevox

Also, I believe that Paladins have to be Lawful and maybe Good.

[Elan man]

roy will be killed as soon as he is razed

[Dagren]

Also, I believe that Paladins have to be Lawful and maybe Good.They have to be both. However, she seemed to descend even further into gibbering hysterics after her fall (and she wasn't exactly the most rational or reasonable person before, so that's saying something). Don't know if she got so far as CE, though.

[Zevox]

Also, I believe that Paladins have to be Lawful and maybe Good.
They have to be Lawful Good specifically, no "maybe" to it. And that's what she was for most of her life, even if only borderline. Thing is, Miko fell. For the last day(s) of her life, she was no longer a Paladin - and the event that made her fall could easily have signaled an alignment change, which would in turn be part of the reason for her fall. So her alignment at the end is very much debatable.

However, even for someone like me, who has about as negative an opinion of Miko as it is possible to have, the idea that she had gone as far Chaotic Evil is ridiculously far-fetched. I'd have a hard enough time buying an argument that she hit Lawful Evil, much less Chaotic.

Zevox

[petersohn]

I would say Lawful Neutral at worst. She always acted as LN, but she fell only when she murdered Shojo. This, plus Soon's line suggests to me that there wasn't an actual alignment change, despite the continuously neutral behaviour and an evil act.

[David Argall]

The "Her Death Scene was too Final" argument really doesn't fly in this particular story. All that is needed to bring her back is a big diamond, a high level cleric, and someone to want her back.

You misunderstand the finality of the death scene. It's not a matter of the mechanics. Of course she can be returned to the story if it is desired. Soap operas have devised dozens of ways dead characters come back to life, and they don't even have the advantages of magic.
What is final here is the manner of the death. Miko and Soon discuss her life and give a summation of it, and Miko accepts his judgement. In literary style, such a scene is a final scene for the character. He is gone from the story. The reader has said final goodbyes to the character and reacts poorly to any revival.
Compare with Roy's death. He is still fighting all the way down, and everybody treats the death as temporary, annoyingly long as it has been.
So we look at Miko's death and we read "this character is gone from the story." Any attempt to bring her back is a violation of the story.

[Haven]

They have to be Lawful Good specifically, no "maybe" to it. And that's what she was for most of her life, even if only borderline. Thing is, Miko fell. For the last day(s) of her life, she was no longer a Paladin - and the event that made her fall could easily have signaled an alignment change, which would in turn be part of the reason for her fall. So her alignment at the end is very much debatable.

However, even for someone like me, who has about as negative an opinion of Miko as it is possible to have, the idea that she had gone as far Chaotic Evil is ridiculously far-fetched. I'd have a hard enough time buying an argument that she hit Lawful Evil, much less Chaotic.

Zevox

Seconded. I think she probably would have ended up in Arcadia (if we're going by Planescape's version of the Outer Planes, and frankly, everything should be going by Planescape; also, we have Pandemonium already, soo...), home of the rigidly lawful and somewhat good. It's the headquarters of the Harmonium, and there is no group in the multiverse which fits Miko better than them.

I don't think we'll see her again alive, but between the strips with Roy (establishing the afterlife as a setting in this strip) and the mentions of her afterlife in her conversation with Soon, I think there's a decent chance we'll find out what her afterlife is like. I imagine she'll have only vague memories of her life and will be assigned to several centuries worth of KP (with very occasional breaks when her fighting prowess is needed to fight invading demons or whatnot) before being judged worthy to join some sort of Arcadian police force (because her outlook is nothing if not Harmonian).

[EENick]

See, no offence but that doesn't say that Rich didn't enjoy writing Miko.

No offense taken.

However don't forget there is a difference between likeing a character and enjoying writing for a character let me point out. The two don't always go hand in hand.

[MReav]

My take is that until Miko gets her smiley removed, she's probably going to make some future appearance.

My current take is that she's a ghost parked in front of one of the broken Gates, with an amulet designed to continuously transmit until destroyed.

[Code Black]

I think the best way to have Miko appear again is to have the characters walk through the afterlife, and have her sitting under a tree or something with Windstriker, actually content for once.

Essentially, a cameo that give a final homage to the character without involving her too much, since I think a Miko reappearance would be a bad idea for the reasons already said: it would take away from the weight of her last strips, which were set up specifically to be final and absolute.

But, because of the way the afterlife is set up, I doubt that's possible anyway.

[varto]

Sorry to spam this thread with something not entirely related to this topic, but could someone please explain me why she was so strong? In her first fight she defeated the entirely party! It took the loosing of her paladin class (and equipping Roy with a sword) to finally defeate her. i know she was a monk/paladin but i tried to create a character like that and it didn´t work at all!
I just wanna check if this is not one of those "it´s because the script said so" moments that usually comics use to explain why sometimes Hulk beats Thor and sometime Thor beats Hulk.

[shadzar]

I think Miko has been discarded by now, or glued back together and turned into an undead by Redcloak. No real chance that I see her returning any more than I expect the gnome with the candy bar to return.


Sorry to spam this thread with something not entirely related to this topic, but could someone please explain me why she was so strong? In her first fight she defeated the entirely party! It took the loosing of her paladin class (and equipping Roy with a sword) to finally defeate her. i know she was a monk/paladin but i tried to create a character like that and it didn´t work at all!
I just wanna check if this is not one of those "it´s because the script said so" moments that usually comics use to explain why sometimes Hulk beats Thor and sometime Thor beats Hulk.

I think simply the agility of a monk with the abilities of a paladin led to Miko's strength. Not really something from the books, but probably more along the lines of the favorite arguement of what a monk should be and be able to do vs what the rules have monks doing.

I also think had Roy had his sword all along he would not have lost to her so easily.

If she does somehow come back, we will find out then what she has this go round after Roy's return.

[Dagren]

Simple answer: She's higher level than them. Even a few levels can make a big difference.