That Darned Cat

[Wormwood74]

Anyone else notice some odd things about Shojo's cat?

1. Given Belkar's nature, why would he suddenly start caring so much about a living thing? (See comic 672, he's sleeping with that animal held protectively)

2. Given it's Belkar, wouldn't it have been far more in character if he had cooked the crtitter in a nuanced hollandaise sauce and eaten it with a nice chianti a couple hundred comics ago?

3. The Mark of Justice and the vision of Shojo. Notice it's the cat that sets off the vision in 605 when he licks Belkar?

4. The Giant wouldn't just keep the cat around for no plot purpose. It will either be there for demonstrable character development (Belksar discovers how much he loves animals via the cat and re-dedicates his life to protecting them or some such non-sense), or for some unknown purpose the cat is vital to moving the overll plot line foreward.

There's something special about the cat, and it's going to play an important role down the road, I believe.

Has all this already been discussed? I haven't seen it, but I also haven't been in the forums that long either.

[pita]

Anyone else notice some odd things about Shojo's cat?

1. Given Belkar's nature, why would he suddenly start caring so much about a living thing? (See comic 672, he's sleeping with that animal held protectively)

Belkar doesn't really care, but the cat amuses him, so he holds on to it. Much like he helps Elan.


2. Given it's Belkar, wouldn't it have been far more in character if he had cooked the crtitter in a nuanced hollandaise sauce and eaten it with a nice chianti a couple hundred comics ago?

It's actually a fine chianti, and Belkar doesn't kill things when they provide entertainment.


3. The Mark of Justice and the vision of Shojo. Notice it's the cat that sets off the vision in 605 when he licks Belkar?

No


4. The Giant wouldn't just keep the cat around for no plot purpose. It will either be there for demonstrable character development (Belksar discovers how much he loves animals via the cat and re-dedicates his life to protecting them or some such non-sense), or for some unknown purpose the cat is vital to moving the overll plot line foreward.

There's been a dead parrot and a snake that have moved the plot much less forward than the cat. The cat has moved the plot forward anyhoo. It's helped bring the paladins of Azure City back under one rule.


There's something special about the cat, and it's going to play an important role down the road, I believe.

It already has


Has all this already been discussed? I haven't seen it, but I also haven't been in the forums that long either.
Not that I know.

[tcrudisi]

1. Given Belkar's nature, why would he suddenly start caring so much about a living thing? (See comic 672, he's sleeping with that animal held protectively)

2. Given it's Belkar, wouldn't it have been far more in character if he had cooked the crtitter in a nuanced hollandaise sauce and eaten it with a nice chianti a couple hundred comics ago?

Belkar is a Ranger. Just because he likely has "Favored Enemy: Humanoid" does not mean that he wants animals to die.

[Dark Faun]

Belkar doesn't seem to want to harm animals. The only time he did harm an animal (a vulture) it was for food and he didn't show any enjoyment of the deed.

Besides, he actually liked Shojo, so that may help.

[Optimystik]

Mr. Scruffy actually befriended Belkar first (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0405.html), and indeed may have been the first non-prostitute organism to do so in his entire life.

(I neatly ruled Jenny out yet again; I'm getting good at that.)

[BatRobin]

3. The Mark of Justice and the vision of Shojo. Notice it's the cat that sets off the vision in 605 when he licks Belkar?


...Give me something you're on.

Or did you just not read the comic except 5 strips?

[Starscream]

I always just assumed that the cat was now Belkar's animal companion. He's been shown directing it in battle.

Just because he's an angry psycho doesn't mean he won't avail himself of all the violent potential his class offers. A ranger who can't cast spells is bad enough, but one without an animal companion as well would be pretty sad.

[Croverus]

I always just assumed that the cat was now Belkar's animal companion. He's been shown directing it in battle.

Just because he's an angry psycho doesn't mean he won't avail himself of all the violent potential his class offers. A ranger who can't cast spells is bad enough, but one without an animal companion as well would be pretty sad.

This could make sense, in that Belkar has the option of having an animal companion do to being a ranger but hasn't bothered, until now. Mr Scruffy does appear to be a bit tougher than the average housecat.

[David Argall]

Anyone else notice some odd things about Shojo's cat?
You should assume that most anything that happens more than a dozen strips ago has been noticed and commented on. And yes, various people have noticed most all of this.


The Giant wouldn't just keep the cat around for no plot purpose. It will either be there for demonstrable character development , or for some unknown purpose the cat is vital to moving the overll plot line forward.

Or our artist simply likes drawing cats, or thinks we like looking at cats, or...
When you come down to it, neither the Katos nor Durkon have been that much more than scenery.

[batsofchaos]

I'm sure Mr. Scruffy's included simply for comedic affect and won't strongly affect the plot at all. You know, like V's familiar. OH WAIT.

:smallbiggrin:

Mr. Scruffy was already an important plot piece in uniting the underground groups of Azure City, and I'm sure he'll continue to be important in some fashion. I very much doubt it will be to help Belkar turn over a new, less bitter leaf. I'm leaning towards animal companion.

[Optimystik]

When you come down to it, neither the Katos nor Durkon have been that much more than scenery.

To be fair, Durkon is more along the lines of a healing macguffin than scenery. It doesn't give him much more depth, but still :smalltongue:

[BatRobin]

I'm sure Mr. Scruffy's included simply for comedic affect and won't strongly affect the plot at all. You know, like V's familiar. OH WAIT.

:smallbiggrin:

Mr. Scruffy was already an important plot piece in uniting the underground groups of Azure City, and I'm sure he'll continue to be important in some fashion. I very much doubt it will be to help Belkar turn over a new, less bitter leaf. I'm leaning towards animal companion.

I see what ya did there...

[Meg]

I've heard a theory Mr. Scruffy is Shojo incarnate, somehow. Not sure how that would work, but hey.

[Prowl]

Clearly you don't have a cat, or it would require no explanation.

[Kaytara]

Clearly you don't have a cat, or it would require no explanation.

Win. :smalltongue:

[Wormwood74]

Shojo's cat gets a lot more screen time than your average slightly used McGuffin (Hilgya, Leaky, Pompey), and he's definitely not a one off joke like the dead parrot or the dead gnome (that Belkar killed...)

If he didn't have a purpose going forward, I don't know that Rich would continue to bother including him in scenes where he really didn't do anything.

The animal companion idea is the only reason I see to keep including Mr. Scruffy if he isn't going to be a part of another big reveal later. I was under the inpression rangers usually took companions a little more deadly than housecats, but maybe there's special rules for the companions that make Scruffy a lot more menacing. I haven't played since 2nd edition so I don't know the new rules.

[multilis]

Mr. Scruffy=Snarl. He is very good with suggestion spells, in the past he used them to control Azure city. Now he is moving his pawns, the OOTS.

[whitelaughter]

Hmmm - have a look at the confusion spell:
-------------------------------------------------------------
71-100 Attack nearest creature (for this purpose, a familiar counts as part of the subject's self).
--------------------------------------------------------
Granted that Mr Scruffy is an animal companion rather than a familiar; further granted that Belkar is psychotic rather than enchanted - but I'd still assume that for purposes of Belkar's self-centredness, Mr Scruffy is part of Belkar's self.


Also, remember that Shojo made Paladins clean out Mr Scruffy's litter tray: that's why Belkar regarded Shojo as his hero. So the cat whose litter tray has been cleaned out by paladins - that has to win many points with the Belkstar.

So

[Harr]

Mr. Scruffy has already proven integral to moving the plot forward a couple times, namely being flung into Tsukiko's face so that Haley was able to escape, and being an omen for the rebel leaders to pledge their loyalty to that mustachioed paladin guy.

Knowing cats' general awesomeness, it's a safe bet he'll prove useful once again in the future, in some way or another.

Also, just because someone's Evil, or even Chaotic Evil, doesn't mean they can't decide to care about something/someone. If Belkar for whatever reason chose to care about the cat, it's not a big deal that tears the character asunder or anything... He just likes the frickin cat.

[PBoy]

I do believe Mr Scruffy to be a lot more than he would appear to be at first sight. Considering the evidence:

We already have a precedent in the strip for "pet" related class abilities. Blackwing is only on screen when he's needed. Mr Scruffy is elevated above this status, regularly not only participating in combat, but being drawn when he has no actual impact on what is going on. It's a disproportionate amount of effort being put into a minor class feature/occassional McGuffin.

Mr Scruffy is claimed to guide the rule of Azure City. Now, as readers, we're told that this is just a ruse by Shojo to enable his ruling of the city without the assassination attempts, but really, how ironic would it be if this was in fact being played straight right from the start? A double bluff being played on the reader. To further this, Shojo is one of the few people who understand the gravity of the OotS's mission. He knows that it's not simply about a Lich who wants some dominion over the planet. He knows that there is a weakening of the Snarl's prison that could lead to the destruction of the planet and murder of the gods. Would he be above that chaos in the afterlife? Doubtful. Why would he put himself out of the running in stopping that kind of disaster unless he knew that more was going on than appeared?

And of course, the huge one for me that seals the deal. Mr Scruffy. Snarl. The Snarl is named so for its nature of threads of reality woven into a huge mess. You could say, he was a bit scruffy.

[Cleverdan22]

I have an idea. Maybe Belkar caring about Mr. Scruffy works as interesting character development for him, showing that he is capable in some way of compassion.
Just seems more likely to me then "Mr. Scruffy is a gate/god/snarl/villian/magic item/chaotic evil/etc."

[Forbiddenwar]

And of course, the huge one for me that seals the deal. Mr Scruffy. Snarl. The Snarl is named so for its nature of threads of reality woven into a huge mess. You could say, he was a bit scruffy.


small error in your reasoning


Everyone knows cats CAUSE snarls in fabric.

[Roc Ness]

Hey! I was the first one to start saying Mr. Scruffy is the Snarl and you can't take that away from me! :smalltongue:

[Forbiddenwar]

Hey! I was the first one to start saying Mr. Scruffy is the Snarl and you can't take that away from me! :smalltongue:

We also can't take the way she wears her hat away from you.:smallwink:
Sorry, tired.

And now there is singing.

[Itamarcu]

The dumbest theory I've ever heard about Belkar's death was that Mr. Scruffy will kill Belkar while searching for fish, and then kill everyone who's trying to raise him.:smalltongue:

[Hitorijun]

My 2 copper pieces?


Comic relief. Yes throwing a cat in a spell casters face may help, but its freakin hilarious. :)

[Taekwondodo]

Didn't you know? Mr. Scruffy is going to be the one that kills Belkar!

EDIT: Darnit Ninja'd!

[Zerg Cookie]

After the snarl will kill Belkar in Kraggor's gate, the scruffinator will have revenge!

[JT Jag]

It's actually a fine chianti,It's actually a big amarone.

[Arachu]

Mr. Scruffy=Snarl. He is very good with suggestion spells, in the past he used them to control Azure city. Now he is moving his pawns, the OOTS.

That's the best one I've heard since I said he was a Wizard who used True Strike on Tsukiko. :smalltongue:

... Wait a minute, polymorph- :smalleek:

:smalltongue:

[Spiky]

To be fair, Durkon is more along the lines of a healing macguffin than scenery. It doesn't give him much more depth, but still :smalltongue:

His existence was justified for all time when he discussed a tankard o' moose urine. He can be boring in every strip forever after that.

[Alaska Fan]

I've argued before:


Mr. Scruffy has Shojo's soul. It's why Shojo didn't come back. When Scruffy licked Belkar's hand, Belkar hallucinated about Shojo to a critical conclusion, and came out of his coma at exactly the right time. And Belkar's prophesied death will somehow wrap around Mr. Scruffy and Shojo.

As others have noted, the threat presented by the Snarl and Xykon are too great for Shojo to abandon his efforts...

[whitelaughter]

Belkar doens't have an inner angel, just two demons and a slaad....we haven't seen the slaad yet - or have we? I submit that Mr Scruffy is the form that the Slaad has taken to encourage Belkar to act more chaotically.

[moxproxy]

Isn't it obvious?

Mr. Scruffy = cat. Snarl = big ball of yarn.

I can haz Snarlz? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Spielendes_K%C3%A4tzchen.JPG)

[the_tick_rules]

Cause Scruffy is Awesome?

[Sequinox]

Mr. Scruffy=Snarl. He is very good with suggestion spells, in the past he used them to control Azure city. Now he is moving his pawns, the OOTS.



Preach it, man!

[Onyavar]

Mr. Scruffy=Snarl. He is very good with suggestion spells, in the past he used them to control Azure city. Now he is moving his pawns, the OOTS.

:smalleek: :smalleek: :smalleek:
Wow. Great insight! And the reason for Mr Scruffy to demand the string is obvious now!

Wait, one thing doesn't fit: The MitD clearly is the snarls offspring, I won't abandon this theory...

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-8/1204323/mr_scruffy.jpg: I am your father!
:mitd: :NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!