thought about the Linear Guild...

[Gandariel]

these days i've discovered a Gameboy emulator for my Ipod, so i've been playin pokemon and...

don't you think that the Linear Guild has the same function of the Team Rocket in the comic?

i mean, they're obviously weaker than the protagonists and they are beaten every time, even though they prepare cunning and elaborate plans.. (and often they're beaten in stupid ways)
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0357.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0064.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0065.html
... need to continue?
they're funny
they come back now and then...

they're identical!
or well, i think so at least...

[Dr.Epic]

Yeah, I figured this out awhile ago. The linear guild and team rocket are in the same trope.

[NerfTW]

i mean, they're obviously weaker than the protagonists and they are beaten every time, even though they prepare cunning and elaborate plans.. (and often they're beaten in stupid ways)

How so? Their last fight was with significantly diminished numbers, with no magical backup. Individually against their counterparts, they're about equal.

They haven't been beaten in any "stupid" way that I've seen. They were beaten in a head on battle that they barely lost, then they won their next fight, seeing as how Thog and Nale's purpose was simply to swap places with Elan. Then in their third encounter, they were, as I said already, significantly outnumbered, especially in the area of magic.

The Linear Guild is typically the Order's equal, in contrast to Xykon, who is epic.

[Nimrod's Son]

The Linear Guild should get a jingle. I don't even vaguely actually mean that.

[Zelthax]

I don't even vaguely actually mean that.

Well, I think it would be fitting, as Elan would feel compelled to sing it every time they came around! :smallbiggrin:

[BridgeCity]

Well, I think it would be fitting, as Elan would feel compelled to sing it every time they came around! :smallbiggrin:

What sort of person sings someone else's theme song? Granted Elan is dumb enough to do it. :smallbiggrin:

[Gift Jeraff]

What if Qarr joins them as Nale's familiar? Is he going to interject at the end of their theme song?

Actually, Qarr reminds me of Meowth. And Thog is more like Wobbuffet. (And I would say Jessie = Nale and James = Sabine.)

(Though the Linear Guild making their comeback on a hot air balloon modeled after Thog's head would be unbelievably epic.)

[factotum]

What sort of person sings someone else's theme song? Granted Elan is dumb enough to do it. :smallbiggrin:

You're talking a person who was doing sinister musical cues for a dead opponent in one of the early strips... :smallwink:

[Dr.Epic]

The Linear Guild should get a jingle. I don't even vaguely actually mean that.

Only if Thog gets to write it.

[FlawedParadigm]

...Frankly, I'd just like to see what the Linear Guild is up to again these days...been awhile since we've seen them, and if I recall, didn't Nale mention intending to go to Girard's Gate too? Would be an appropriate time too since...wait a minute...

Nale's already here, and Tarquin knows it. Tarquin's support and offer to help the group are because he's already sided with Nale. Nale's just staying behind the scenes this time, and Tarquin is already familiar with Girard Draketooth's name because he's already helping or has helped Nale! This whole plot going on right now is the Linear Guild waiting to set an ambush because they knew the Order would be going to that general locale anyhow. We just haven't seen any strips about it being set up because Rich wants to ambush us just as much!

Savage epileptic tree, but if it's right, that's a really serious massive spoiler.

[EternalMelon]

...Frankly, I'd just like to see what the Linear Guild is up to again these days...been awhile since we've seen them, and if I recall, didn't Nale mention intending to go to Girard's Gate too? Would be an appropriate time too since...wait a minute...

Nale's already here, and Tarquin knows it. Tarquin's support and offer to help the group are because he's already sided with Nale. Nale's just staying behind the scenes this time, and Tarquin is already familiar with Girard Draketooth's name because he's already helping or has helped Nale! This whole plot going on right now is the Linear Guild waiting to set an ambush because they knew the Order would be going to that general locale anyhow. We just haven't seen any strips about it being set up because Rich wants to ambush us just as much!

Savage epileptic tree, but if it's right, that's a really serious massive spoiler.

Good plan, but Nale hates Tarquin, Tarquin hates Nale. We know this because even BEFORE the gates Nale showed his hate towards his father. i dout that hed drop the father/son rivaly just to help his son who tryed to take over the throne that HE (Tarquin) did all the work (supposedly) for. I think Tarquin likes not-Nale not Nale

[Dr.Epic]

...Frankly, I'd just like to see what the Linear Guild is up to again these days...been awhile since we've seen them, and if I recall, didn't Nale mention intending to go to Girard's Gate too? Would be an appropriate time too since...wait a minute...

Yeah, we'd all like to see them. It's been a few hundred strips now. Hell, even the two minor assassins got to reappear before them and their story arc ended awhile ago.

[NerfTW]

Nale knows that Xykon is heading for Girard's gate next, though. If he plans for the possibility that Xykon lost the Azure city gate, it makes more sense to go after Kraagor's gate instead, to have the most time to get set up. He's already expressed his dislike of competing with A-list villains for screen time.

Although the idea of him showing up at Girard's gate for a big family showdown makes my theory a little bit shakier.

[Dr.Epic]

Nale knows that Xykon is heading for Girard's gate next, though. If he plans for the possibility that Xykon lost the Azure city gate, it makes more sense to go after Kraagor's gate instead, to have the most time to get set up. He's already expressed his dislike of competing with A-list villains for screen time.

How does he know that? Roy knew where Xykon was going from the Oracle and he told the other party members before Nale impersonated Elan. I don't recall him mentioning Xykon was head there next. Roy only said they were headed off the Girard's gate next.

[FlawedParadigm]

Good plan, but Nale hates Tarquin, Tarquin hates Nale. We know this because even BEFORE the gates Nale showed his hate towards his father. i dout that hed drop the father/son rivaly just to help his son who tryed to take over the throne that HE (Tarquin) did all the work (supposedly) for. I think Tarquin likes not-Nale not Nale

We also know from experience both Nale and Tarquin are, well, liars. The only real reason to believe anything either of them might have said about each other in any context (or anything else either of them might say) is that Nale mentioning his father denying him happened pre-Cerebus syndrome OotS. Even then, it could be any number of other points Tarquin denied him on other than the one we know now which REALLY steams his beets.

Plus, lying tends to heighten dramatic tension...like I said, my theory is a wild guess supported only by some minor snippets of evidence, but it is actually plausible, if not probable. And would have been a really cool twist I wouldn't have seen coming if not for this thread reminding me the Linear Guild actually exists.