The Paladin of #298

[Watcher]

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0298.html

Is this guy (who passes stilted Belkar) the same guy as O-Chul? He has the exact same appearance except for the scar and his shoes, and I dunno if it's just a coincidence and was an art similarity (Haley's first hairstyle was used in different colors for a lot of NPCs) or not.

I didn't find this anywhere else; sorry if it's already been brought up.

Edit: On http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0403.html, O-Chul has a movement shot which is identical except for the colors of the shoe and the scar.

[Jagos]

I'm mainly going to assume that it's supposed to be just a random passerby. Nothing except the scars really differentiate him and O-Chul. So let's just say it's a small case of same identity.

[Superglucose]

I'm going to assume it IS o'chul, and that Giant just forgot to add in the scar. Worse things have happened.

[factotum]

I don't think it's O-Chul. Quite apart from the missing scar, that guy looks too happy somehow--has anyone ever actually seen O-Chul smile in the strip so far, apart from the somewhat sheepish grin he had on when he met up with Hinjo on the island?

[Herald Alberich]

I don't think it's O-Chul. Quite apart from the missing scar, that guy looks too happy somehow--has anyone ever actually seen O-Chul smile in the strip so far, apart from the somewhat sheepish grin he had on when he met up with Hinjo on the island?

Yeah, in the most recent strip. But that's not really the same thing either. You're right, O-Chul doesn't seem like a "Just fine, thanks for asking!" kind of guy.

[Morquard]

I don't think it's O-Chul. Quite apart from the missing scar, that guy looks too happy somehow--has anyone ever actually seen O-Chul smile in the strip so far, apart from the somewhat sheepish grin he had on when he met up with Hinjo on the island?
You have noticed though that each time we met O-chul he was either getting tortured by Xykon, tortured by Redcloak or tortured by Lord Shojo ("empty the litterbox"). Or he was defending a gate to a god-killing abomination against Xykon.
None of these events would make a guy overly happy, don't you think?

[Liwen]

Maybe he got the scar after meeting Belkar in the streets? Perhaps a new year eve mishap like a bar fight. Would that be funny if he just got the scar by falling down on some broken glass? No big mysterious epic adventure, no profound significance or reminder of something dreadful. Just a plain old accident?

[Thanatosia]

You have noticed though that each time we met O-chul he was either getting tortured by Xykon, tortured by Redcloak or tortured by Lord Shojo ("empty the litterbox"). Or he was defending a gate to a god-killing abomination against Xykon.
None of these events would make a guy overly happy, don't you think?
Pretty much this, that (likely) O-chul encounter is the only time we've realy seen (probable) O-chul in a situation where being cheerful would make sense for anyone. I dont think its fair to characterize him yet as a particular dour or gloomy person based on the circumstances we've tended to see him in thus far.

[Thanatosia]

Maybe he got the scar after meeting Belkar in the streets? Perhaps a new year eve mishap like a bar fight. Would that be funny if he just got the scar by falling down on some broken glass? No big mysterious epic adventure, no profound significance or reminder of something dreadful. Just a plain old accident?
LoL, just for its plain ol' sillyness I realy like this theory. But yes, there is no prior pictures of O-chul to compair to before 298 other then perhaps a flashback panel showing one of the Paladins sent by Shojo to investigate Lirians Gate (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0290.html).

Note that the possible O-chul in 290 in addition to sharing the no-scar with the paladin belkar passed in 298 also has the same boot color in 290 and 298. Maybe he lost his newer shinier boots in the Street Brawl too :)