Red Strikes True...

[curtis]

Has Haley EVER been called Red outside that one comic? I've been re-reading the series, and it's been bugging me...

[JonestheSpy]

Obviously, this prophecy has not yet been fulfilled. Let's theorize about it.
OhpleasenoI'mbeggingyousweetjesusnonono

[suszterpatt]

"The red haired chick" would have been too straightforward for a cryptic foreshadowing.

[Conuly]

You don't know it, but Red was actually Haley's nickname right up until she started her Goth* phase. Yeah, it was the name that chased her all through her childhood, and that's why she dyed her hair!

She hasn't let the Order in on this little secret, but of course ghosts know this sort of thing.

*Yes, yes, "what is this Goth of which you speak".

[Shhalahr Windrider]

If it was something the Order called her, then the prophecy would have been too easy.

[Xykeb Zraliv]

You're all wrong. Haley is secretly a ten year old boy on an adventure to enslave wild animals and force them to fight for her for no readily apparent reason. Also, Nale is really a magical goat that took human form and wants to exact revenge on Roy for herding him badly. The story with Elan is just a cover-up.

[Shpadoinkle]

... Haley has red hair. Red is a common nickname for people with red hair, so it's not a huge leap. If he'd said "Haley will shoot them down" then it wouldn't have been a prophecy.

[Zherog]

You're all wrong. Haley is secretly a ten year old boy on an adventure to enslave wild animals and force them to fight for her for no readily apparent reason. Also, Nale is really a magical goat that took human form and wants to exact revenge on Roy for herding him badly. The story with Elan is just a cover-up.

Holy cow! It all makes so much sense now!

[miibtp]

...maybe it is something about the demon roaches? all they seem to be there for at the moment is comic relif...

[chionophile]

How often do you call people with goatees, "Goat?" The prophecy wasn't about nicknames, it was about physical features.

[Conuly]

How often do you call people with goatees, "Goat?" The prophecy wasn't about nicknames, it was about physical features.

Every day, actually!

And sometimes I call the folks without goatees "Goat" too, just to mess with them.

[miibtp]

...what? that makes no sense

[Skorj]

You don't know it, but Red was actually Haley's nickname right up until she started her Goth* phase. Yeah, it was the name that chased her all through her childhood, and that's why she dyed her hair!

She hasn't let the Order in on this little secret, but of course ghosts know this sort of thing.

*Yes, yes, "what is this Goth of which you speak".

Wait, you mean she helped sack Rome when she was younger? Wow, that's taking teenage rebellion against authority a bit far. :smallbiggrin:

[faustin]

It´s far more simple than that. Eugene took prophesy lessons from the Oracle, so their style match (they both sucks).

[Souhiro]

Actually, I think that the prophecy is about the RedBlade family. All of them parties with a shepherd commoneer, and everytime, they ask that shepherd to turn a goat in order to strike true.

Roy's Mom IS a RedBlade, so he have that kind of power inside of him, and just need to have someone to turn a goat.

[AxeD]

Wait, you mean she helped sack Rome when she was younger? Wow, that's taking teenage rebellion against authority a bit far. :smallbiggrin:

Haley disaproves of your assumption that she was around back then.

:haley: "I'm not old! I'm 24! That's not old! Twenty! Four!" (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0168.html)

But yeah, if by "sacking" Rome, you mean looting the valuables, sure, she'd totally do that.

[KillItWithFire]

It was pretty early in the series, and I'll be honest the really old strips are not very good as far as writing goes. My guess is that it's a cliched trope that Rich threw in and was probably one of the first examples of Rich thinking more than 5-6 strips ahead. Obviously his work has much improved since then snd the entire storyline has been planned in advance.

[Souhiro]

It was pretty early in the series, and I'll be honest the really old strips are not very good as far as writing goes. My guess is that it's a cliched trope that Rich threw in and was probably one of the first examples of Rich thinking more than 5-6 strips ahead. Obviously his work has much improved since then snd the entire storyline has been planned in advance.

Yeah.. bt I can refute your theory with just ONE word:

RETCON

[KillItWithFire]

i suppose thats one of way of looking at it, point is that it's not something that was ment to carry that much weight.

[PopcornMage]

Where did this prophecy even come from? I know Eugene said it, but where did he get it from?

[KillItWithFire]

he didn't get it from anywhere, he just delivered it. As I said it just seems like a cheap throwaway cliche.

[Souhiro]

Where did this prophecy even come from? I know Eugene said it, but where did he get it from?

A wizard did it.

[Ancalagon]

Where did this prophecy even come from? I know Eugene said it, but where did he get it from?

I think he was totally without a backstory back then. He was "Roy's Ghost Father" and had "ramblings from beyond the grave". Note it was the first storyarc Rich tried in his then "pure RPG-fun-comic" so it's probably one of the things that "Ghosts simply do".

[KillItWithFire]

I think he was totally without a backstory back then. He was "Roy's Ghost Father" and had "ramblings from beyond the grave". Note it was the first storyarc Rich tried in his then "pure RPG-fun-comic" so it's probably one of the things that "Ghosts simply do".

yes this is what I was trying to say but the way you put it is a bit more lucid. Who knows? perhaps Rich will someday go back and address this, we'll just have to wait and see.

[PopcornMage]

That we will.

[SocietyX]

It looks like we have our "Red." Maybe the Giant was reading this?

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0758.html

[Nimrod's Son]

It looks like we have our "Red." Maybe the Giant was reading this?
So... you're saying Ian was the one who shot Nale back in Dorukan's Dungeon? :smallconfused:

[Cleverdan22]

I'm pretty sure "Red" was just there to help anyone who couldn't remember who Ian was supposed to be.

[Umbra]

Crack Theory: The goat is somewhat associated with lechery (through the ancient Greek "goat-songs" a.k.a tragedies, performed in honor of Dionysus, the god of, essentially, partying.) and could thus symbolize Tarquin, who does indeed get around a lot, if you know what I mean.

Therefore, Ian (formerly known as "Red") will obviously strike true against Tarquin when he "turns" a.k.a. when Elan's beliefs about his father changes and he "turns" evil, which should be in a few strips.

No, I don't believe this is going to happen, but it would be cool if he did.

[iowaforever]

It was pretty early in the series, and I'll be honest the really old strips are not very good as far as writing goes. My guess is that it's a cliched trope that Rich threw in and was probably one of the first examples of Rich thinking more than 5-6 strips ahead. Obviously his work has much improved since then snd the entire storyline has been planned in advance.

i agree; i think it was only for the first story arc and doesn't have to do with what's happening now. Eugene's comment to Roy strip 78 http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0078.html kind of backs up the fact it was for that arc

[Forum Explorer]

I agree that it was for that first arc and the nickname was just a clue so we would know who he was.

However it would be absoulutly hilarious if the prophecy came back to be fullied over 700 strips after everyone thought it ended.

[Shyftir]

Just gonna point out Ian used to be called "The Red." Possible source of fulfillment? oh yeah!

[Souhiro]

I Think that I read in this forum, that in Dungeon Crawling Fools, the Giant said that the prophecy was fulfilled now.


EDIT: Besides, that joke was done in Eight Bit Theater: In strip seven, Black Mage says "Four white mages? It won't work!", but in the penultimate strip, four white mages INDEED killed the ultimate evil in the world.