An interesting look at our mindsets

[Paseo H]

I notice that Niu is quickly becoming a bit of an Ensemble Darkhorse, i.e. a character gaining popularity despite her diminutive role in the story (so far).

Why is that?

I could venture some reasons, but let's hear some others first, that I might not have considered.

[Starscream]

I blame O-Chul. He started out as being pretty much a background character, only to become this site's official poster-child for Badass. And considering how many badasses there are in this strip that's really saying something.

Overall the Giant has been pretty good about seeding characters before they become important (Celia, O-Chul, the Thieves Guild, Daigo and Kazumi, even technically Redcloak), so we're always on the lookout for which minor character is going to suddenly do something awesome and catch our attention.

We've even begun to make fun of ourselves for this. I'm still waiting for that prequel book all about That Guy With The Halberd.:smallwink:

[Kish]

Because her name lends itself to punning.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Because it's a trend that anyone who is officially named may later become well known so there is a rush to comment. The comic is like a fan club, where every new comer invites gossip.

In fact, they don't even need names, such as the 'What Would The Guy With the Halberd Do' club. Just one of the random guys on the wall during the goblin siege.

Really, if a couple or three people were ignored when they brought this stuff up it'd never begin.

[Gift Jeraff]

It's just one thread full of Niu and skeleton-related puns and another pointing out the physical similarities between her and Miko. I don't think she qualifies as an Ensemble Darkhorse.

[Jagos]

It's just one thread full of Niu and skeleton-related puns and another pointing out the physical similarities between her and Miko. I don't think she qualifies as an Ensemble Darkhorse.

Compare her with Thanh. She has tons more personality in the five or so strips she's been in (remember, Haley told Thanh anything that seemed roguelike, let her handle) than Thanh who's too much of a goody good to really be personable.

[Paseo H]

It's just one thread full of Niu and skeleton-related puns and another pointing out the physical similarities between her and Miko. I don't think she qualifies as an Ensemble Darkhorse.

The point is that there are people on this board trying to establish Niu as a presence, despite so far her seeming like little more than a grunt.

The whole "named characters may become important" thing makes some sense, though.

The truth is, I'm not so above it myself.

Recently I watched the entirety of Code Geass. My favorite character by the end? Monica Kruszewski, Knight of Twelve. She gets all of maybe four or five lines of dialogue. But she's cute.

[ClockShock]

Compare her with Thanh. She has tons more personality in the five or so strips she's been in (remember, Haley told Thanh anything that seemed roguelike, let her handle) than Thanh who's too much of a goody good to really be personable.

Actually, i'd say Thanh has three fistfuls of personality over Niu.
Thanh has the Goody-Goody two shoes thing, plus some background, some fears, and by the looks so far, some characer growth.
(He started as a low-level errand boy, overcame fears of inability, and seems to be competently leading the resistance)

Niu's just decked out with a load of crazy equipment which is making her look cool. Over than that, all we get of her character is second hand from Haley

[Scarlet Knight]

Compare her with Thanh. She has tons more personality in the five or so strips she's been in (remember, Haley told Thanh anything that seemed roguelike, let her handle) than Thanh who's too much of a goody good to really be personable.

Thanh has personality. We know he's loyal to his lord, without a sneaky bone in his body, prone to monologuing in battle, & is impatient with greedy haflings.

The problem is he is the straight man to Niu.

Simply, Costello was more popular than Abbott, Lewis more than Martin , etc.

[TriForce]

It's just one thread full of Niu and skeleton-related puns and another pointing out the physical similarities between her and Miko. I don't think she qualifies as an Ensemble Darkhorse.

agreed, i couldnt care less about her tbh

[CletusMusashi]

Actually, i'd say Thanh has three fistfuls of personality over Niu.
Thanh has the Goody-Goody two shoes thing, plus some background, some fears, and by the looks so far, some characer growth.
(He started as a low-level errand boy, overcame fears of inability, and seems to be competently leading the resistance)

Niu's just decked out with a load of crazy equipment which is making her look cool. Over than that, all we get of her character is second hand from Haley


Haley hasn't done much lately. I mean, later on when all the strips are read right in a row she'll still come across as getting her share of plot, but actually reading the new comics as they come out it's not unusual for a main character to appear for long periods to go through a sort of "action slump," and that happens to be happening right now. Haley is walking around looking for a gate. Niu is in Azure City fighting monsters. So not only does that mean there's an Action Girl vacuum to be filled, but it means there's a qualified individual who actually has the endorsement of Haley herself.
Plus Niu is secretly The Guy With Halberd's girlfriend. (Don't ask about the coconut oil.)

[Kieran Cage]

Plus Niu is secretly The Guy With Halberd's girlfriend. (Don't ask about the coconut oil.)

Blasphemy. I'm fully aboard the Thanh/Niu ship.

[Optimystik]

She's a perfect foil to Thanh. Free-spirited liberal + fastidious conservative? Come on! They're like the Dharma and Greg of the resistance, for crying out loud. :smalltongue:

[-Sentinel-]

Niu does not qualify as an Ensemble Darkhorse, but she's certainly one of those characters we like to keep track of for whatever reason; OotS counts many such characters, who are likeable because they make the story less protagonist-centered by reminding us that extras can be cool and competent in their own right. I like Niu mainly for her awesome hair, but of course her badassitude can't hurt. (Well, it sure hurts goblins, but you get my meaning, right?) I think the fact that she's just a Mauve Shirt is part of why we like her. For example, I personally like Kayumi and Daigo a bit less since their wedding: it seems to me that their development into full characters made them lose their "cool extras" status.

I'm also a big fan of Blue-Haired Eyepatch Chick, who appeared in only three strips (here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0533.html), here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0706.html) and here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0707.html)), for the following reasons: she wears an eyepatch, she's part of a resistance movement and she looks borderline sociopathic. I don't need any more justification than that.

[Ancalagon]

I notice that Niu is quickly becoming a bit of an Ensemble Darkhorse, i.e. a character gaining popularity despite her diminutive role in the story (so far).

Why is that?

I think it just has something to do with the fact that people like OotS and simply suck up ANY small detail up like a dry sponge - and since there is so much time after discussing about the things that ARE important, everything else (in descending order from "nearly important" to "outright unimportant") gets discussed and discussed... I think that's all.
People simply like OotS and want to talk about it. If there is nothing new to talk about right now, they just pick whatever is left available - but we ALSO have to admit there are a lot of details that can be discovered, which surely is all the encouragement discussions about all things important or (seemingly) not-so-important need.

That... and sometimes, just sometimes, some people are simply bored. ;)

[Starbuck_II]

I'm also a big fan of Blue-Haired Eyepatch Chick, who appeared in only three strips (here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0533.html), here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0706.html) and here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0707.html)), for the following reasons: she wears an eyepatch, she's part of a resistance movement and she looks borderline sociopathic. I don't need any more justification than that.

Eyepatch girl is alright.

Who is Nui again?