Who are the nine sides?

[hihidude]

I can't realy keep track. I'm confused as to how many we've seen. Here's my list:
-OotS
-Team Evil
-Archfiends
-Tarquin
-Linear Guid
-... Who else is there?

[Oppolo]

This has been discussed a lot, the answer is pretty much that we can't be sure yet.

Here are some suggestions;

-The Elves
-Redcloak / The Dark One (distinct from Team Evil)
-Azure City (if distinct from OotS)
-Serini (if she's alive)
-Girrard (and his family)
-The world within the Snarl
-The Gods
-The Snarl itself

[Conuly]

Team Evil is two sides - Redcloak and Xykon are only working together, but we know RC has no interest in letting Xykon get anywhere, and it's obvious that Xykon will turn on RC the second that becomes too blatant to overlook (or before, if there's any advantage in it).

The remaining Scribblies and the Sapphire Guard may make up either one or two sides, depending on how you look at it, and the various deities may make up a side or two of their own.

The truth is, however, that we really don't know how many sides there really are ("at least" nine implies that there's a good shot there are more than that, or that it's highly contingent on how you look at it) OR what each side consists of. (And does Tarquin constitute "one of the sides"? He found out about the Gates just recently, after all.) So this is a subject that's up for frequent, frequent discussion.

[Gift Jeraff]

Team Evil is split into Xykon and the goblinoids. Those are the 6 sides we're "sure" about. Some people consider the Sapphire Guard/Azure City a separate side as well, but I don't know about that. The Draketooths might also be a separate side.

Although these latest strips make me cross out my theories that the Elven Lands/Team Peregrine and Tsukiko by herself would have become sides.

[Kish]

The truth is, however, that we really don't know how many sides there really are ("at least" nine implies that there's a good shot there are more than that, or that it's highly contingent on how you look at it) OR what each side consists of. (And does Tarquin constitute "one of the sides"? He found out about the Gates just recently, after all.) So this is a subject that's up for frequent, frequent discussion.
Yes, this.

I think it's a throwaway line by a demon roach. If I were to discover that Rich had decided on exactly nine clearly demarcated sides, I'd be amazed.

[Bulldog Psion]

It has about as much real indication of how many sides there are as saying "there are a zillion people in the store today" is a sober assessment of local demographics, IMO.

In short, I think it's one of the most absolutely meaningless statements in the comic that has thread after thread after thread after thread made about it, never reaching any conclusion precisely because it is absolutely meaningless....

[Obnoxious Hydra]

I'd say the nine sides are..

- OOTS.
- Team Evil (currently including Redcloak until he directly turns on Xykon).
- Order of the Scribble.
- Archfiends.
- Tarquin.
- Linear Guild.
- Azure City/Sapphire Guard
- Goblins (shares Redcloak with Team Evil, includes the Dark One).
- The Oracle? A relatively important character, no doubt, but might not be a side.

Of course, only from a viewer perspective. I doubt The Giant is ever going to say 'these are the definite factions of the comic'.

[B. Dandelion]

(And does Tarquin constitute "one of the sides"? He found out about the Gates just recently, after all.)

Per the DStP commentary I would say yes. The next book was supposed to introduce an as-of-then totally unrevealed player who represented one of those sides. It's not exactly a wide-open field for contenders.

[martianmister]

* OotS and Allies
* Xykon
* Redcloak, Dark One and Goblinoids
* Tarquin and his followers
* Linear Guild
* IFCC
* Girard and his family
* Elves?
* Mongolian Hordes
* Snarl itself

[Timeless Error]

The Order of the Stick (and Azure City?)
Xykon and company
Redcloak and company
Tarquin and company
The Fiends (and Linear Guild?)
The Elves (?)
The Dwarves (?)
Girard and company (?)

I would say that the Order, Xykon, Redcloak, Tarquin, and the Fiends are all definite, with the Linear Guild and Azurites possibly being sides of their own and the Elves, Dwarves, and Girard maybe being or becoming involved.

[The Pilgrim]

Being a "side" means being involved in the struggle for control of the Gates. Thus far we have seen, in the regular comic (excluding the Prequels), the following people contesting for control of the Gates, for different motives:

- The OOTS (save the Gates, save the World)
- Xykon (rule the World to combat boredom)
- Redcloak (control a Gate to give the Goblins a better share)
- IFCC (use the Snarl to erradicate the Good planes)
- Nale (if someone is going to control a Gate, it must be me)
- Tarquin (that Gate thing looks important, better if I'm in charge of it)

The Sapphire Guard was also involved in defending a Gate, and now in helping the OOTS to defend the two remaining gates, for reasons in line of those of the OOTS. It's, thus, debatable whenever they form a side on his own or are just part of the OOTS side.

Giriard could be a different side, but we need him and his pals to show up and show their cards to confirm.

The Snarl and the Gods could be sides also, but they haven't been shown as such still.

[Talvereaux]

I agree with the assertion that the Sapphire Guard remnant is not its own 'side' of the conflict.

Being a separate side from the Order of the Stick implies that they have different motivations and plans regarding the gate, and that those views may come to clash with the Order's in the future. While the Sapphire Guard and Order of the Stick are separate factions, nothing's happened to indicate they're on a different side.

[Zevox]

Well, I guess it has been a good number of months since our thread of this sort. And hey, I actually have to update my usual copy/paste response!

Sides I think are definite:
- The Order of the Stick
- Xykon, Tsukiko, their undead. (And probably MitD, for now.)
- Redcloak, Jirix, the Goblins, their undead.
- The Linear Guild
- The IFCC

Sides I think are possible:
- Tarquin & Co (Unclear whether he should be considered separate from the Linear Guild, due to having joined/commandeered them now - we'll have to see where that piece of the story goes.)
- The Sapphire Guard (Unclear whether they form one "team good" side with the Order or not.)
- Girard/Orin and friends/family (We'll see what their status is when we get back to the Order's search for them.)
- The Order of the Scribble (Seems unlikely though since they'd mostly just be on the Order's side, except perhaps Girard. But in any event only two of them are left, one of which may be his own "side," as mentioned above.)
- The Elves (Tried to help liberate Azure City, where one rift is, and Lirian's rift is located in their lands, so it's possible they'll become involved.)
- The Dwarves (The last Gate is probably located near their lands, so them becoming involved is a possibility.)

"Sides" I've seen suggested which I reject due to them not being active in the struggle over the Gates and seeming unlikely to ever become actively involved:
- The Gods
- The Snarl
- The Oracle/Tiamat/Dragons
- The Greysky City Thieves' Guild

Zevox

[Morgan Wick]

Because of the DStP commentary, I think it's more definite that Tarquin is a separate side from the Linear Guild than that the IFCC is. Remember, up to this point the LG has pretty much done the IFCC's bidding constantly, whether Nale knows it or not. Meanwhile, the LG was formed out of rebellion against Tarquin.

[Emanick]

Because of the DStP commentary, I think it's more definite that Tarquin is a separate side from the Linear Guild than that the IFCC is. Remember, up to this point the LG has pretty much done the IFCC's bidding constantly, whether Nale knows it or not. Meanwhile, the LG was formed out of rebellion against Tarquin.

Yes, but the IFCC and the LG have different goals. Redcloak has pretty much done Xykon's bidding (at least in regards to the gates), but nobody is proposing that we treat them as part of the same side.
If I had to make my Nine Sides list, it'd look like this:
OOTS and Allies
Xykon
Goblinoids
Linear Guild
IFCC
Girard (and Serini?)
Tarquin and co. (different goals from LG; makes them a separate side in my book)
Dwarves
Unknown Actor (or Serini)

[Aidan305]

If I recall DStP correctly, Isn't there a side forshadowed in Elan's Underwater Adventure? The big murky shadowy thing they see there.

[The Succubus]

Don't be silly, there's no such thing as a d9.

[Shale]

If I recall DStP correctly, Isn't there a side forshadowed in Elan's Underwater Adventure? The big murky shadowy thing they see there.

That's a certain big scaly adversary they've already met. And dismembered.

[RMS Oceanic]

My guess is:

- The Order of the Stick
- Azure Island
- The Draketooth Clan
- The Elves
- Xykon
- Redcloak and the Dark One
- The Linear Guild
- The IFCC
- Tarquin

Of those nine, I'd say the shakiest one is the Elves.

[Xelbiuj]

Well . . .

1. Lawful Good
2. Neutral Good
3. Chaotic Good
4. Lawful Neutral
5. Neutral
6. Chaotic Neutral
7. Neutral Evil
8. Lawful Evil
9. Chaotic Evil

lol:smalltongue:

[Alagaesian]

I guess the nine sides can be differentiated by what their goals are in respect to the Gates

Team Good: The Order, paladins, and anyone else who's currently working to stop Team Evil.
Xykon: Use the Gates to control the world
Redcloak: To improve goblin civilization
Linear Guild: To control the world - and let everyone else know it!
Tarquin's Group: To rule their continent
IFCC: Assumed to want to shift the Gate to the Upper Planes to destroy them.
Scribblers: Want to hide the Gates/protect them from everyone, not just the bad guys.
The Snarl: To escape the gates and lay waste to the world (or maybe something else, considering what Blackwing saw)
-insert side we haven't met yet here-