Baselss Speculation on #879

[SaintRidley]

I've been thinking. We're over 200 strips in Book 5 already with what appears to be no way to get to the gate, get all players to the gate, have them confront and kill some of each other, and explode the gate before the book becomes too large for Rich's liking (in other words, larger than War and XPs).

So I've been thinking. Why would Rich want this precise sequence to be his nine strips in nine days? Obviously it will herald a huge change in Durkon, possibly Belkar as well. But maybe there's another reason. Maybe we won't actually make it to the gate at all in this book, and Girard's Gate will be an explosive beginning to Book 6. Maybe #879 will be the last page of Book 5.

Now, I'm not sure it can happen if Rich does a single page. But Rich might be planning a double page for the end of the sequence, a special bonus thanks in this Kickstarter reward. In that case, I see a rough breakdown as follows:

Page 1 -

Row 1: Durkon feeds on Belkar. Does he drain him and raise him as a vampire? Probably not, I'm imagining. Maybe just feeds on him and drains his constitution down some more. Possibly Durkon kills Belkar, or leaves him alive. I'm thinking alive, and dominated.

Row 2: Vaarsuvius is moving through the bottom of the pyramid. Thanks to the passwall, V has wound up in the vicinity of the Gate, just underneath. V senses a trapdoor above and approaches.

Row 3-4: Malack, Durkon, and Belkar (with Mr. Scruffy at his side) head back to where the rest of the Order is, having just gotten the last trap off the door. At first, the Order is happy. Malack says something along the lines of "Rejoin your companions, halfling. We have no further quarrel this meeting." Elan asks what Durkon is doing, since he's not moving to join them as well, and Roy appeals to Durkon to come on over. Haley says something along the lines of "I think something's wrong here, guys.

Page 2:

Row 1: V enters the room behind the door from below and sees the Gate. Flash to Messrs. Lee, Nero, and Cedrik - "Now." "It's" "Showtime."

Row 2: One panel, all pink (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0634.html)

Row 3: The force of V's transformation blasts open the door. Durkon and Malack go gaseous to leave, Malack saying "Let us leave, Brother Thundershield" and Durkon speaking for the first time with "Goodbye, lads." The Order turns around to find Darth V and Roy says "We're screwed."

Row 4: End of Book 5.


I don't know. There's just something telling me that #879 might be the last of the book. We've just reached a great break point, and we're running high on strips. This book will be close to the length of War and XPs already. It seems like a perfect fit. Now let's see how wrong I can be.

[Rui]

Well... maybe. We can't be sure, but if it'll happen I'm gonna lose my sanity from the huge tension.

[Raineh Daze]

That would be an interesting way for things to end.

[fergo]

And if there's a break before the new book starts (as I believe is usual), it would give Rich time to focus on the Kickstarter rewards...

Although I doubt things will go exactly as you've said they might, it'd still be one hell of a way to end the book :smallbiggrin:.

On the other hand (and I don't think this will, or probably should, influence the Giant's decision in any way), we've just finished an extended break because of the thumb injuries, and as a reader I'd like to say it'd be a wee bit disapointing for another one to begin almost immediately.

[Mutant Sheep]

To lend my thoughts on the speculation, isn't Tarquin ?( And Nale, and KilKil, and Z) out in the desert somewhere? Without Malack, they cannot control the weather to fly in, so they are effectively out of the game for a while. At least, not close enough to quickly engage. I feel like he is going to do some Malack-splaining soon.

[Vemynal]

But every book has ended with a long journey of some sort. Not where the action is just beginning and would pick up immediately into a fight once the ext book starts

[fergo]

But every book has ended with a long journey of some sort. Not where the action is just beginning and would pick up immediately into a fight once the ext book starts

True, but that doesn't mean it always has to be like that. While we can't know what the Giant is thinking of doing book-wise, with the page count adding up and no resolution to the present plotline in sight, it's looking increasingly likely that either a) the trend will be bucked and the end to this book will be in the middle of the action; or b) the current book will be split into two volumes (perhaps at the point where the OotS set off from the Empire of Blood).

Eh, actually, there's options c) and d). C) the book will just be really long; d) something unexpected will happen before long that resolves the issue, probably before all parties get to the Gate.

Personally I think a) is most likely.

[Ellye]

As a minor aside, I had never thought of the possibility that the IFCC might use those soul splices on V again when they decide to take their time with hir... That would be scary (though I find it unlikely).

Anyway, I agree that the end of this book will probably be a cliffhanger regarding the gate.

[Porthos]

I don't know. There's just something telling me that #879 might be the last of the book. We've just reached a great break point, and we're running high on strips. This book will be close to the length of War and XPs already. It seems like a perfect fit. Now let's see how wrong I can be.

I've had similar thoughts FWIW. Just a feeling, mind.

[SteveDJ]

The one issue I have with that prediction is:

This whole comic is "The Order of the Stick". And while we've had instances of split party for this and that, the full party of 6 always tends to return together.

So, having it end with Durkon 'flying away' just doesn't feel right. Others might speculate that indeed the whole party is broken apart - and while it may be quite a compelling and interesting story, the continuing story would no longer be about "The Order of the Stick".


On the other hand, Star Wars V, and Star Trek II, both ended down one main character... so I suppose it could happen?

[SaintRidley]

The one issue I have with that prediction is:

This whole comic is "The Order of the Stick". And while we've had instances of split party for this and that, the full party of 6 always tends to return together.

So, having it end with Durkon 'flying away' just doesn't feel right. Others might speculate that indeed the whole party is broken apart - and while it may be quite a compelling and interesting story, the continuing story would no longer be about "The Order of the Stick".


On the other hand, Star Wars V, and Star Trek II, both ended down one main character... so I suppose it could happen?


Rather busy at the moment, so just a brief response. I'm not suggesting Durkon won't return to the group ever again, just that he would not be rejoining the group right away, and would leave with Malack at least for now.

[Porthos]

The one issue I have with that prediction is:

This whole comic is "The Order of the Stick". And while we've had instances of split party for this and that, the full party of 6 always tends to return together.

So, having it end with Durkon 'flying away' just doesn't feel right. Others might speculate that indeed the whole party is broken apart - and while it may be quite a compelling and interesting story, the continuing story would no longer be about "The Order of the Stick".


On the other hand, Star Wars V, and Star Trek II, both ended down one main character... so I suppose it could happen?

W&XP ended with the party split and down a main member though.

[hamishspence]

Yup- I think the commentary for the next book said their nadir was at Greysky City- with V having left, and Haley & Belkar being in danger of being killed by the thieves.

Then, after Belkar's recovery, things began to improve.

[Fish]

Don't get ahead of yourself. He could have chosen this 9-strip section, not because it was essential or important, but because it was easier to draw (no complicated backgrounds, few characters; no new characters, no crowds, no new scenery).

[SaintRidley]

Don't get ahead of yourself. He could have chosen this 9-strip section, not because it was essential or important, but because it was easier to draw (no complicated backgrounds, few characters; no new characters, no crowds, no new scenery).

Don't worry. Like I said, baseless speculation and looking forward to seeing how wrong I wind up.

[Twilight Jack]

Don't get ahead of yourself. He could have chosen this 9-strip section, not because it was essential or important, but because it was easier to draw (no complicated backgrounds, few characters; no new characters, no crowds, no new scenery).

The cynicism is strong in this one.

[Onyavar]

Don't get ahead of yourself. He could have chosen this 9-strip section, not because it was essential or important, but because it was easier to draw (no complicated backgrounds, few characters; no new characters, no crowds, no new scenery).

Also, you might have noticed how anxious everyone got, and how we gather in the forum to endlessly speculate about the next comic.
Quick progression means that the vampire cliffhangers are resolved quickly, and the number of needlessly triple-redundant six-dozen-redundant threads is (on the overall) minimized. Imagine the current rush building up in the course of a month... the forums would get swamped.

The OP's end-of-book-theory is quite likely imho (that means, I estimate the probability of that happening at above 10%).

[Minitroll]

I think Darth V's return will be the end of this book. Things need to get even worse.

Things I think need to happen:

Xykon's arrives with Team Evil.
The IFCC moves one of their plans into action- be it Darth V or something else, the IFCC joins the fray.
Team Tarquin meets back up and heads back into the pyradmid, with or without the Linear Guild.
Kilkil turns out to be a ninja and kills Nale. :smallcool:

[Carl]

I've said it before, sans a miracle from out of nowhere i see no way for the OoTS to do anything but lose massively if they run into either set of bad guys any time soon. Frankly the only way i see this book ending is with the OoTS someone prisoners. Give Tarquins attitude so far I'm betting on Xykon getting that pleasure. (Why is an open question with many answers.

[Ellye]

I believe that the next strip might be the end of this book, with it ending as the Order finding whatever was hidden by that door.

The gate? The gate with Team Evil around it? Something or someone else? We'll see.

[factotum]

I'm actually with Ellye here. The previous book ended with a massive revelation about the nature of the rifts, it would be neat if this one ended with something similar. The only caveat I would give is that I don't think it will happen next strip because I think V needs to rejoin the party first.