What if Miko returned...? [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

Surfing HalfOrc

2009-07-14, 11:57 AM

Well, originally, she was supposed to be a part of the strip until the end...

What has never been explained is "Where" she ended up at. She fell, and never regained her paladin status, but that doesn't mean she is perminantly booted to a different plane... She just can't get to the top of Mt. Celestia and the city of paladins that sits at the top. I thought Roy might run into her gutting fish along the shores of the Celestial Sea...

And there is no reason why she can't come back. All that is needed is a piece of her body (which is rotting in a dump somewhere in or near Azure City), 10,000 GP worth of diamonds, a cleric of high enough level, and someone who wants her back! (The last is the hardest to find.) The "It wouldn't fit the plot" argument has a hard time gaining traction after a literal revolving door was installed in Celestia...

For me, her story only ends when we see her in the afterlife, as we did with Roy, Eric, Roy's mom, Eugene, Soldier borh under the sign of the Pig, Miscounting Cleric (Wait! I had a 22!), Blue Bandana Samurai, and a host of others.

BUT! If she returned, there would be much cheering, AND weeping and gnashing of teeth on the forums. You can't make everyone happy, so you're better off telling your story, your way. It usually comes out better than writing a story by committee.

pflare

2009-07-14, 01:12 PM

If Miko returned it would have to fit the plot. I think it would be out of left feild if she just randomly started hunting them down again. Frankly, Miko has served her purpose storywise. She was an antagonist for the 2nd and 3rd books, she killed Sojo and destroyed Soon's Gate. Like I said before unless she was a character in a completely different capacity then frankly I don't really want to see her again.
Oh I just hought of this but what if Miko and V wound up in the same place in the afterlife. I mean both wanted to do good but got... zelaous with it.

hamishspence

2009-07-14, 01:12 PM

Now thats an interesting possibility.

Olorin Maia

2009-07-14, 01:22 PM

I would pay good money to see that. Maybe it will be a bonus strip, and then I really would pay good money to see that.

Jagos

2009-07-14, 01:25 PM

One thing I'd love to see is her judgement. Although Soon did a good job, having her sit with a Deva would be an... interesting conversation as she tried to bully her.

Hilarity would definitely ensue.

Olorin Maia

2009-07-14, 01:33 PM

I wonder if it would look bad if you tried to massacre the Deva as an agent of evil trying to trick you into going into the wrong afterlife...you might get points for dedication, at least.

Tempest Fennac

2009-07-14, 01:37 PM

I miss Miko (it was nice to see someone berate the Order considering what V and Roy are like with NPCs). I think someone mentioned Rich commenting in 1 book that she ended up as an example of someone who died without being redeemed so that would become meaningless if she was somehow revived.

Haruki-kun

2009-07-14, 01:39 PM

What if Miko came back?

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t288/Vaarsuvius89/NO.jpg

Sorry, that's my take on it.

Ridureyu

2009-07-14, 01:45 PM

Yeah, Miko would kill any Deva who dared judge her, and then try to hunt down the gods.

I'd rather not see that.

Souhiro

2009-07-14, 02:42 PM

Well, I think that Miko can be an "Ace on the Hand", much like the Linear Guild. You think that Xykon and RedCloak are The Evil Team, but the Linear Guild are in league with the Three Fiends, altough the don't notice at all!

Dark Faun

2009-07-14, 02:54 PM

Miko might not even want to come back. She was not particularly happy when she was alive and she may have reunited with her parents in the afterlife. I want her to have a happy ending despite everything she did. :smallsmile:

I'd pay good money to see her and V in the same afterlife though. :smalltongue:

Optimystik

2009-07-14, 02:58 PM

*snip*
Sorry, that's my take on it.

That's the most adorable categorical denial ever. :smallbiggrin:

Miko might not even want to come back. She was not particularly happy when she was alive and she may have reunited with her parents in the afterlife. I want her to have a happy ending despite everything she did. :smallsmile:

I would've at least liked to see Shojo forgive her. A bit too late for her own redemptive process, perhaps, but it would have been nice all the same.

Raging Gene Ray

2009-07-14, 04:37 PM

I think someone mentioned Rich commenting in 1 book that she ended up as an example of someone who died without being redeemed so that would become meaningless if she was somehow revived.

I heard that, too. In fact, you might be referring to me. I'd like to see some sort of "Where are They Now" shot, showing Miko checking out of a Celestial Sanitarium, perfectly content to accept her shortcomings and a new life as a regular petitioner and not a Holy Paragon of Virtue at the right hand of the 12 Gods.

As someone who has been diagnosed with mental disorders in the past, I'd like to see a character successfully overcome those, despite getting in trouble for them in the past. (So now you know why I relate to Miko instead of Roy).

[TS] Shadow

2009-07-14, 05:33 PM

Being honest, I really didn't mind Miko all that much. Yeah, she was irritating in her self-rightousness, but that's how she's supposed to be. I wouldn't mind seeing her again, but with recent story developments, I doubt it would work well. Sticking characters just for fanservice rarely does...

Berserk Monk

2009-07-14, 05:37 PM

What if...

Eugene Greenhilt
Eric Greenhilt
Sarah Greenhilt
Horace Greenhilt
Yik Yik
Yok Yok
The entire Sapphire Guard
Right Eye
Shojo
Kubota
Therkla
Trigak
25% of all black dragons

...returned?

Kish

2009-07-14, 05:42 PM

The Order would be in trouble.

Xykon and Redcloak might be in trouble for a little while, but then they'd simply kill all the people they'd killed again.

FoE

2009-07-14, 05:54 PM

She'd have difficulty walking. :smallamused:

Darakonis

2009-07-14, 07:54 PM

Well, originally, she was supposed to be a part of the strip until the end...
Oh really? Why did Rich change his mind?

I liked Miko. I can't say I want to see her brought back to life and go after the OoTS, but it would be nice to at least see her in the afterlife, a la Roy.

If she would return to life, I hope it would be after reaching a certain "enlightenment." Dying is a life-changing event, right? Would be nice to see her return for a chance at redemption.

FlawedParadigm

2009-07-14, 08:04 PM

Oh really? Why did Rich change his mind?

...Obviously, you were not around the message boards at the time Miko was alive. Heh. I made a post a couple of weeks back detailing the Miko Wars for those of you who missed them. Lemme see if I can dig it up...

EDIT: Ah, here it is. http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6378669&postcount=35

Bibliomancer

2009-07-14, 08:19 PM

I heard that, too. In fact, you might be referring to me. I'd like to see some sort of "Where are They Now" shot, showing Miko checking out of a Celestial Sanitarium, perfectly content to accept her shortcomings and a new life as a regular petitioner and not a Holy Paragon of Virtue at the right hand of the 12 Gods.

As someone who has been diagnosed with mental disorders in the past, I'd like to see a character successfully overcome those, despite getting in trouble for them in the past. (So now you know why I relate to Miko instead of Roy).

Personally, I would prefer to see a bonus comic where Miko attempts to attack Shojo (after Shojo mocks her for 6-8 panels) but gets beaten up, demonstrating that power in the afterlife is derived from spiritual strength and certainty, not level in real life.

I didn't particularly dislike Miko, but I'd prefer she didn't come back, except as an addition to the Sapphire Guard.

David Argall

2009-07-14, 08:30 PM

And there is no reason why she can't come back. All that is needed is a piece of her body

it is not the laws of D&D that keep Miko dead, but rather the laws of drama. Miko got a final send-off, the sort of thing that is reserved for a character's final scene. That scene would be almost ruined by Miko coming back, and so Miko will not be back.

LuisDantas

2009-07-14, 08:34 PM

If she DID come back, I'd want Hinjo, O-Chul, or Belkar to be the one to send her back to the pit. But she won't.

Agreed. Except that Belkar has no place in that list. Let's use Vaarsuvius, Lien or Celia instead.

Crazeemeel

2009-07-14, 08:45 PM

I don't think Miko will come back simply because in killing her off the Giant wanted to make a point that characters can be taken out of the story and not recur all the time. If she returned then everyone will be hoping that any character will return and thats not what he wants.

She had an example made of her whether we like it or not.

Ehra

2009-07-14, 09:02 PM

Bringing back Miko now after how her death went would be like making another seasons of Scrubs after the finale in season 8.

Wait......

:(

Janmorel

2009-07-14, 09:13 PM

She'd have difficulty walking. :smallamused:

She'll bite their legs off!

Forbiddenwar

2009-07-15, 12:01 AM

Oh really? Why did Rich change his mind?

Book Spoilers:

If I remember the commentary in the books correctly, Miko was originally designed to be Roy's Romantic lead (instead of Celia) So, originally, she was thought to be a semipermanent character who would stay to or near to, the end of the story. But after writing her, the Giant realized her lines were coming off adversarial, much more than was intended. Instead of trying to force the character to the original design, as poor writers do when their characters take them by surprise, he, like good writers do, went with it. And it went to the Miko we all hate/love today. "An example of the wrong way to play a Paladin" (Giant's words) That is why it became necessary for Miko to FALL and die. again in Giant's words (my paraphrase, I don't have the book in front of me): "Two things happen in nearly every story with a fall from grace. The Character falls deeper and becomes a villian, and/or the character finds redemption. Miko's tragedy is that She dies before we find out what would have happened to her. Would she become a villian or find redemption? We will never know"

Which is why we need to accept that Miko is gone. Like Tasha Yar, or bambi's mother, she won't be back.

Tempest Fennac

2009-07-15, 12:32 AM

I would have prefered Miko to Celia as Roy's girlfriend due to finding Celia to be one of the most irritating characters ever thanks to her tendancy to rant at everyone else while failing to do anything about her own cluelesness (the closest Miko came to doing that was when the inn exploded, which I class as a reasonable reaction considering how she'd had to spend tome with a psychopath, a moron and 2 arrogant people with superiority complexes).

I find it a joke as well about Roy claiming that Miko never cared about the dignity of other sentinet beings when he sees NPCs as existing either as quest hooks or because they fill some sort of rol in his story (eg: the Dirt Farmers, Teleport Wizard, the Oracle after he was killed by Belkar). Then there's Vaarseuveus who is quite happy to blow people up because s/he is incapable of keeping track of a horse claim ticket. (It's ironic how neither of them can take the sort of stuff they give out in my view).

I'm sorry to hear that about your past problems, RGR.:smallfrown: Are they okay now?

Starscream

2009-07-15, 12:47 AM

I'd pay good money to see her and V in the same afterlife though. :smalltongue:

There was a thread a while back in which we were supposed to give examples of things we'd like to see happen in the strip (but which almost definitely won't).

Mine was this:
Vaarsuvius is killed, and because of his/her actions while Soul-Spliced goes to the LN afterlife (yeah, I know, at this point an argument could be made for V being anywhere on the alignment chart. Just go with it). I imagine it being a boring bureaucratic place full of lawyers and paperwork. Vaarsuvius does not enjoy his/her time there.

V meets Miko there. Initially they fight, but seeing as they can't actually die while already being dead, they give up. Miko still feels that she was screwed over and is a righteous person, who deserved better. V on the other hand, realizes that his/her actions led to this unpleasant afterlife, acknowledging the mistakes that were made. Knowing that the rest of the Order will soon resurrect him/her, V vows to do it right this time and make up for his/her misdeeds to avoid a return trip.

Inspired by this example, Miko finally accepts the possibility that it was her own actions and misjudgments that caused her to fall. Although merely acknowledging that she made a mistake isn't enough to redeem her, she is given one last chance. The 12 Gods, as eager to avert the apocalypse as anyone, return her to the Material Plane as a ghost to join the Order and help them defeat Xykon, promising her a place in the LG afterlife if she succeeds.
If this sounds like really awful fanfic to you, congratulations! You are sane! I honestly don't know what I was thinking when I dreamed that sanctimonious garbage up.

Surfing HalfOrc

2009-07-15, 07:17 AM

it is not the laws of D&D that keep Miko dead, but rather the laws of drama. Miko got a final send-off, the sort of thing that is reserved for a character's final scene. That scene would be almost ruined by Miko coming back, and so Miko will not be back.

That would be true in almost any other story. But not this one. There's literally a revolving door in Celestia. Roy is back, Eugene came back four times, Belkar was going to have to pay to bring back a nameless guard, on and on and on. Death is not perminant, it's just a potential inconvience.

For Miko to stay gone, there needs to be a scene where she chooses not to return, or someone makes that kind of statement about her (like Belkar made about Shojo). The few references to Miko since her death don't indicate she doesn't want to come back, they were more on the line of "Huh. I didn't know she was dead."

Which is why we need to accept that Miko is gone. Like Tasha Yar, or bambi's mother, she won't be back.

While Bambi's mom never came back, Tasha Yar came back several times. :smallwink:

Ancalagon

2009-07-15, 08:08 AM

That would be true in almost any other story. But not this one. There's literally a revolving door in Celestia.

Err, you missed the part about "not coming back because of drama"? Sure the rules allow it, but it's not going to happen due to drama, as in "Her part in the story is over. And the end was done in a very awesome way, anything else would water that ending down". Sure it COULD happen... but I think it won't.

For Miko to stay gone, there needs to be a scene where she chooses not to return

A) Why? She's not coming back due to drama, not due to rules.

B) Who would resurrect her in the first place? No character from the story I can think of would say "Gosh, we really need that whacky Miko back, let's cast a spell for her!"

Elder Wraith

2009-07-15, 08:17 AM

All hell would break loose.

Probably literally.

Elder Wraith

2009-07-15, 08:26 AM

Ancalagon

2009-07-15, 09:27 AM

I dunno, um, Sabine? She did try to own her soul, and may try again.

Please, how likely is that? I see more "wishful thinking" than "a likely possibility". Also you failed to address the "drama"-issue, which imo really trumps all "rule-possibilites".

Darakonis

2009-07-15, 09:46 AM

Thanks for the replies regarding why the Giant chose to end Miko sooner than he originally intended.

I agree with the laws of drama. Miko had, by far, the most powerful death scene in OoTS. Every other death was either meaningless or comical - heck, I believe I laughed out loud and cheered when Roy died.

Imagine an action movie where an important protagonist/antagonist is about to die, delivering his final speech... and then he doesn't die. "Uh... whoops. Awkward..." Do I need to start quoting Monty Python here? "I got better..."

But what if we were to see Miko in flashbacks? Maybe her parents were somehow involved in something related to the overarching plot, or perhaps Miko was sent on some plot-related mission before she met the OoTS...

Surfing HalfOrc

2009-07-15, 10:12 AM

Err, you missed the part about "not coming back because of drama"? Sure the rules allow it, but it's not going to happen due to drama, as in "Her part in the story is over. And the end was done in a very awesome way, anything else would water that ending down". Sure it COULD happen... but I think it won't.

A) Why? She's not coming back due to drama, not due to rules.

B) Who would resurrect her in the first place? No character from the story I can think of would say "Gosh, we really need that whacky Miko back, let's cast a spell for her!"

Yeah I guess there is no drama in a redemption arc... None whatsoever.

And as for who? If I were the commander of a military and knew I could get my highest level warrior back? Yeah, I wouldn't want her skills, abilities and knowledge either. Or the leader of a group of adventurers who might have use of the knowledge of what she saw during the last few minutes in the thrown room?

In a story with such an active afterlife, where even the most random of mooks sometimes gets a short scene, shouldn't such a major character as Miko get her "afterwards" scene? :smallconfused:

Zevox

2009-07-15, 10:15 AM

B) Who would resurrect her in the first place? No character from the story I can think of would say "Gosh, we really need that whacky Miko back, let's cast a spell for her!"
This, definitely this. I mean, come on people, how many characters in this comic are even aware she is dead? Not many - O-Chul because he was there, and Roy because of the Oracle's comment. Neither of them has any reason to want Miko back. Roy should go without saying why, and for O-Chul, she was a tragic case of a fallen Paladin who never even started on the path to redemption, and in fact was pretty thoroughly nutty right to the end, as he plainly saw. Bringing her back would cause more problems for him and the Sapphire Guard, not benefit them. Even assuming they relay information about her death to their respective teams, neither the Order nor the Sapphire Guard have any more reason to bring Miko back than Roy and O-Chul do.

Hell, how many other characters are even aware of Miko's existence anyway? Redcloak and Xykon? Already tried converting her once - didn't work. Now that she finished serving her purpose as a convenient scrying target, they have no reason to care about her. The Linear Guild? Hell no - again, Sabine tried converting her once, and got a twisted neck for her trouble. If she wanted Miko's soul that badly (and I truly doubt she does), she'd just plane shift off to Mechanus or Arcadia and kidnap her. Raising her would be counter-productive, as it gives Miko back full control of her body and soul.

Seriously, Miko died without so much as a friend in the world, and basically as an adversary - or at least annoying complication - to everyone around her. There is no one who would want her back.

Plus at this point getting her body would likely be difficult at best, since it's either rotting somewhere in Azure City, which is currently controlled by Hobgoblins, Undead, Redcloak, and Xykon; or more likely long since disposed of by the city's new inhabitants. Which would mean True Resurrection or Wish/Miracle would be required to revive her. Yeah, we've never even seen a Cleric capable of casting spells that powerful, so good luck with that.

Zevox

Dark Faun

2009-07-15, 10:23 AM

What's possible on the other hand is a prequel about the Sapphire Guard where she might appear... if more knowledge about the Sapphire Guard is considered needed.

Ancalagon

2009-07-15, 10:26 AM

Yeah I guess there is no drama in a redemption arc... None whatsoever.

Where would be the point of "not for everyone", then?

It was a truely awesome point. Cliche is that everyone gets their redemption in the end who is a candidate for it. Rich finally made a cool story where a character does NOT get it but realises it is not needed. Miko does not WANT redemption in the end.
Why ruin that cool plot for some generic "in the end, everyone gets redemption"?

Kish

2009-07-15, 10:31 AM

If I remember the commentary in the books correctly, Miko was originally designed to be Roy's Romantic lead (instead of Celia)
No. Rich talked about Miko being Roy's romantic foil, and some people on the board took that as synonymous with "permanent romantic interest." Later, after Miko had killed Shojo, destroyed the Azure City gate, and died, Rich clarified that this, with only some tone changed, was what he'd planned from the start.

Surfing HalfOrc

2009-07-15, 10:39 AM

Where would be the point of "not for everyone", then?

It was a truely awesome point. Cliche is that everyone gets their redemption in the end who is a candidate for it. Rich finally made a cool story where a character does NOT get it but realises it is not needed. Miko does not WANT redemption in the end.
Why ruin that cool plot for some generic "in the end, everyone gets redemption"?

Oh, I agree with that completely! Miko shouldn't get redemption, but she should get at least one more moment of screen time. A moment to acknowledge that she isn't going to get her shot at redemption, and acceptance of that fact.

In other stories death is the end of the line, and Miko's death without redemption would be quite powerful. But this isn't other stories, and death isn't the end of the line here. Unless the character wants it to be, like Shojo chose it to be.

And sometimes not even then. Xykon summoned the soul of a goblin back to avoid the hassle of digging through his desk for his spare set.

The lack of a final ending that fits the rest of the story is what keeps me wondering if Miko still has a part, large or small, left to this story. Large if she comes back and attempts to redeem herself, or small if she acknowledges that she won't be. So far, neither has happened.

Ancalagon

2009-07-15, 10:45 AM

Oh, I agree with that completely! Miko shouldn't get redemption, but she should get at least one more moment of screen time. A moment to acknowledge that she isn't going to get her shot at redemption, and acceptance of that fact.

We had that. Her final speech with Soon made pretty clear what all was about.
She is not getting redemption (for the reasons stated) and she's fine with that (as long as she can meet her horse again).

Your "shot" would shoot down the cool climax of her story, no thanks, please. I'm fine with things being more subtle than some character turning the face to the camera (4th wall) to explain things for anyone and everyone (that camera-talking can also be from two characters in the comic to each other).

If that's too subtle for someone, they can also laugh at the "slipping on vomit", thanks to Rich, this comic offers something for anyone's taste (I didn't find anything about that scene funny, but it's pretty cool how many audiences this comic can and does serve).

pflare

2009-07-15, 10:48 AM

Frankly if Miko was brought back in the same role she was before (crazed paladin) or even something like a undead crazed blackgaurd it would totally be jumping the shark. The OOTS have enough to deak with withouit MIko back screwing it up again.

Aris Katsaris

2009-07-15, 11:10 AM

Yeah I guess there is no drama in a redemption arc... None whatsoever.

There can be lots of drama in *anything*. But when you insert things, it inevitably means you need to remove other things.

For example, the drama of a redemption arc for a resurrected Miko, seriously weakens the drama of her non-redemptive end.

Why don't you seek to redeem someone who hasn't already been given a natural end to their storyline? In that case we still get the benefits of a redemption arc AND we don't get Miko's end diminished.

And as for who? If I were the commander of a military and knew I could get my highest level warrior back?

The high-level murderer of their lord, you mean?

I mean they could resurrect her, just so as to lawfully execute her themselves, but that seems like a waste of diamonds.

Yeah, I wouldn't want her skills, abilities and knowledge either.

Yeah, when she's slicing you in half, you'll really appreciate her skills and abilities.

Or the leader of a group of adventurers who might have use of the knowledge of what she saw during the last few minutes in the thrown room?

Nobody knows she even was in that throne room, other than O'chul. And he knows everything she'd know -- more so, since he was actually listening to something other than the echoes within his own head.

You're seriously stretching your logic here. Nobody in the good-guy camp has the slightest reason to resurrect Miko. There's a ton of other Azurites they'd seek to resurrect first -- from the General, to the Diviner, to any of a hundred other paladins. Even Belkar would be more likely to receive a resurrection than Miko.

Her storyline has been given its natural end: a fanatic destroying the thing she'd sworn to protect, being an enemy to her own order's deeper goals, and dying because of her fanaticism. Her small piece of contentment with the only good thing in her life (her horse, Windstriker) is a grace and a joy, but doesn't take away the misguided failure that was most of the rest of her life.

That scene was the natural end for her character's storyline. Nothing in a "redemption arc" can lead to a more natural finale for her.

In a story with such an active afterlife, where even the most random of mooks sometimes gets a short scene, shouldn't such a major character as Miko get her "afterwards" scene? :smallconfused:

I wouldn't mind seeing something of her in the afterlife. But you wanting a whole *arc* about a character that has largely completed any story purpose?

I seriously doubt it's gonna happen.

Ancalagon

2009-07-15, 11:32 AM

Why don't you seek to redeem someone who hasn't already been given a natural end to their storyline? In that case we still get the benefits of a redemption arc AND we don't get Miko's end diminished.

I bet he simply wants to see Miko in leather pants! ;)

Surfing HalfOrc

2009-07-15, 12:32 PM

>Snipity because I absolutly detest page after page of post dissection. I used to let myself be drawn in, but I try not to anymore. Personal quirk.<

I wouldn't mind seeing something of her in the afterlife. But you wanting a whole *arc* about a character that has largely completed any story purpose?

I seriously doubt it's gonna happen.

I never wanted a "whole arc."

What I've wanted is a "final" scene for Miko. And with this story, the final scene isn't death, it's afterwards. Her final judgement, and reward or punishment. This isn't "The Truman Show" where the lead character walks off, never to be seen again.

David Argall

2009-07-15, 02:07 PM

Yeah I guess there is no drama in a redemption arc... None whatsoever.
As noted, in life, or a story, you have to choose. Our writer chose not to go with a redemption arc for good or bad reasons, and put up a great big locked "not going there" gate on the road to redemption. Having gone for the dramatic death scene, he can't really go for a dramatic redemption scene. We can question the wisdom of his having done so, but it's clear enough he did so.

And as for who? If I were the commander of a military and knew I could get my highest level warrior back? Yeah, I wouldn't want her skills, abilities and knowledge either. Or the leader of a group of adventurers who might have use of the knowledge of what she saw during the last few minutes in the thrown room?
I can't say that either idea sounds all that good to me, but I have been partial to the idea that Sabine turns out to really have a thing for Miko, and raises her by bribing some high level cleric [and Sabine can obviously bribe in high level male cleric]. When Miko tries to break her neck again, Sabine offers a deal. If Miko were to convert a succubus to LG, that would surely be enough to recover her paladin status, right [actually no, but Miko might well see it that way]. So if the two "associate", Miko gets a chance to reform Sabine, and Sabine gets a chance at Miko's bod. All sorts of amusing confrontations can follow [tho we could do with a better artist when we are dealing with two hot women.]

In a story with such an active afterlife, where even the most random of mooks sometimes gets a short scene, shouldn't such a major character as Miko get her "afterwards" scene? :smallconfused:
She did. That was what 464 was.

SadisticFishing

2009-07-15, 02:22 PM

Woah, people aren't considering that closure? I was genuinely sad when I read that (the second time, hated her guts the first)... That's the end of a character, right there.

Ancalagon

2009-07-15, 02:23 PM

Woah, people aren't considering that closure? I was genuinely sad when I read that (the second time, hated her guts the first)... That's the end of a character, right there.

Finally something we can agree on.

Miko was build up very well for that awesome - final and closing - ending!

Anything beyond that would destroy that awesome ending, even a "short joke in the afterlife" would ruin it for good!

Optimystik

2009-07-15, 02:35 PM

can't say that either idea sounds all that good to me, but I have been partial to the idea that Sabine turns out to really have a thing for Miko, and raises her by bribing some high level cleric [and Sabine can obviously bribe in high level male cleric]. When Miko tries to break her neck again, Sabine offers a deal. If Miko were to convert a succubus to LG, that would surely be enough to recover her paladin status, right [actually no, but Miko might well see it that way]. So if the two "associate", Miko gets a chance to reform Sabine, and Sabine gets a chance at Miko's bod. All sorts of amusing confrontations can follow [tho we could do with a better artist when we are dealing with two hot women.]

Out of curiosity... do you work at Cinemax?

Ancalagon

2009-07-15, 02:38 PM

[tho we could do with a better artist when we are dealing with two hot women.]

That's no problem of "art", but one of your imagination. ;)

Saknussem

2009-07-15, 02:44 PM

What are the strip #s in which Miko finally dies, is brought back, is killed permanently, and is seen in the afterlife, please? Sorry for not having an OotS-focused eidetic memory. Thank you.

Ancalagon

2009-07-15, 02:51 PM

What are the strip #s in which Miko finally dies, is brought back, is killed permanently, and is seen in the afterlife, please? Sorry for not having an OotS-focused eidetic memory. Thank you.

Doesn't exist. Luckily, I have to add!

fangthane

2009-07-15, 03:34 PM

If Miko ever has another appearance in the comic (and as others have said, she's had her closure; there's really no need) I'd prefer it be part of a big splash page like the Azure City battle and without specific attention drawn her way. She's served her time as a Noteworthy Member of the Cast - let her rest.

Raging Gene Ray

2009-07-15, 06:55 PM

I'm sorry to hear that about your past problems, RGR.:smallfrown: Are they okay now?

I've found that instead of trying to adapt people to my desires and seeking people who I enjoy spending time with anyway seems to keep me sane and happy.

Personally, I would prefer to see a bonus comic where Miko attempts to attack Shojo (after Shojo mocks her for 6-8 panels) but gets beaten up, demonstrating that power in the afterlife is derived from spiritual strength and certainty, not level in real life.

If power in the afterlife is derived from certainty, then someone with a one-track mind like Miko's should be the most powerful. In that scenario, Miko's loss should signal to Shojo that she's experiencing doubt for the first time in her life existence, and he would use that to calm her down and get her to seek treatment.

I find it a joke as well about Roy claiming that Miko never cared about the dignity of other sentinet beings when he sees NPCs as existing either as quest hooks or because they fill some sort of rol in his story (eg: the Dirt Farmers, Teleport Wizard, the Oracle after he was killed by Belkar).

Agreed. Even after Roy's "epiphany" about realizing that he should be more like his mother and less like his father, he acts that way. That's what annoys me...I'd like to see that comic show some actual change in Roy's personality.

EDIT: Then again, that might be made apparent once we find out what message he asked Roy's Archon to deliver and to whom.

Tar Palantir

2009-07-15, 07:25 PM

If Miko came back, I would shoot her in the face so we could move on with the story. I mean, sheesh, the good characters hardly get enough screen time as is without bringing back Psycho McPaladinChick.

Xesirin

2009-07-15, 07:56 PM

She might make return appearance in the afterlife (either in a bonus strip, or a later one) but I consider the possibility a bit remote.

I imagined she would get this sort of return right before Roy got revived. Like, she would approach him all humble, tears in her eyes, trying to apologize. (even though that would be completely out of character) We'll have to wait to see if it's in the print or not, apparently.

Tempest Fennac

2009-07-16, 12:49 AM

That's probably the best idea as far as coping goes RGR. I'm starting to wonder if the only reason Roy and Miko didn't end up dating was because they were too similar to be honest. (Celia appears to care about people who aren't part of the main story, which is 1 difference between her and Roy. The fact that bother her and Miko have huge issues with interracting with other people sometimes due to their upbringings is something else she has in common with Miko, though.)

Krennel

2009-07-16, 01:15 AM

Nimrod's Son

2009-07-16, 10:10 AM

I'm starting to wonder if the only reason Roy and Miko didn't end up dating was because they were too similar to be honest.
No, it's because Miko was a dangerous lunatic with a horrible personality.

I think Miko may come back, cause think about it.
V is evil
Roy doesnt care
The people at celestia want it (V) hunted down
Crazy Paladin needs redemption and already hates them.
So the gods let her come back, on the grounds she hunt down and convert or kill V.
The gods don't have any say in whether or not she gets resurrected. Also, if they were so keen on "hunting V down", they probably wouldn't have left their report in the care of Eugene in the first place.

Jagos

2009-07-19, 10:20 AM

Well, an overworked secretary isn't going to understand. But maybe later on a bigger entity comes to talk to Roy or whatevs.

Regarding Miko, it WOULD be interesting to see her or some reincarnation of her as a Death Knight.

Gotta admit, after seeing her fights with the Order, I'd love to see another full on, 1 vs many scenario again. And if one of them happened to be a Death Knight that looks similar to her but Evil, maybe it'd be a great storyline or two.

Ancalagon

2009-07-19, 10:23 AM

I think Miko may come back, cause think about it.
V is evil
Roy doesnt care
The people at celestia want it (V) hunted down
Crazy Paladin needs redemption and already hates them.
So the gods let her come back, on the grounds she hunt down and convert or kill V.

As Soon explained: Something like that does NOT warrent redemption. Redemption is a personal thing and surely is not tied to "hunt and kill"; it can involve those things, but it really, really is not about those things!

I hope Miko stays dead, her story was just to great to try to top it even more (an attempt that's very, very risky - and I think Miko just is not the type for redemption, which is, remember, not for everyone).