The Intra-Order Relationships Compilation

[Draz74]

The Order of the Stick has 6 members. That means that it has 15 relationships (between two characters each) within it. I'm interested in seeing which relationships have gotten more or less screentime or development.

Roy & Haley - a personal favorite of mine, but sampling bias aside, certainly a rich development:

Initial Mistrust (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0014.html)
Mistrust being earned (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0029.html) ... and again (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0129.html).
Roy has to lie to Haley (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0139.html) (and roll a nat 20) to keep her on his team
Haley trying to convince Roy to do the right thing (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0153.html) (she admittedly had ulterior motives)
Haley saving Roy from his bad choice (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0172.html)
Roy learns (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0184.html) that Haley has the hots for Elan
Roy is surprised when Haley shows her Good side (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0212.html) (incidentally, I'm not sure whether Haley was CG or CN before about this point in the story)
Haley enjoys (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0236.html) teasing Roy (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0237.html) a bit too much - I'm not sure whether this was because she resented some perceived chauvinism in him before, or whether she was just having fun, but either way, teasing is an important step for a relationship to take
Haley gains new respect for Roy as a leader (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0250.html)
Roy doesn't need a contract to get Haley's help anymore (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0294.html)
Roy sees that maybe he should pay attention to Haley's gut more often (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0362.html)
"I trust her gut." (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0428.html)
Haley mourns (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0444.html) ... and continues to draw strength from Roy (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0527.html) (while he epicly fails a Wisdom check)
Roy thanks, compliments, and teases Haley (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0666.html)
Haley worries about Roy's safety (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0686.html)
Roy explains to Haley that she's earned his trust (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0773.html)


Roy & Durkon - Obviously the greatest developments in this relationship happen in OtOoPCs. Oh well, here are the online ones that come to mind.

Theological disagreement (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0201.html)
Empathizing over love life difficulties (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0215.html)
Not especially dramatic, but a good snippet from a few episodes of just friendly, comfortable discussion (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0305.html)
Probably the most moving one (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0333.html)
Durkon's alternative mourning style (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0444.html)
Roy scries on Durkon first (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0500.html)
Plotting against Xykon together (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0672.html)
Disagreements in Lawfulness (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0733.html) ... I guess it's not the first time (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0263.html), but at least that other one turned out for the best
Roy mourns (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0880.html)


Roy & Elan - definitely a quirky relationship, but I'm not sure it's developed all that much.

Initial impression (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0014.html) ... not sure it's changed that much.
Roy's disrespect for Elan (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0153.html) ... and the corollary (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0162.html)
There are too many strips where Elan just tortures Roy with his silliness, but this (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0185.html) might be the definitive one.
Elan really cares about Roy's opinion of him (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0217.html)
Elan out-wisdom's Roy (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0231.html)
The Ultimate Sacrifice (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0234.html) ... actually, somewhat more moving than the wartime rerun (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0425.html)
Delegation of certain responsibilities to Elan (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0691.html)
Just because. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0771.html)
Possibly the closest we've gotten to seeing Roy develop some actual respect for Elan (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0836.html)


Roy & Vaarsuvius - Hmmm. Not positive any of their scenes beat the one in OtOoPCs.

Intellectual conversation (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0016.html)
Neural envy (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0031.html)
A successful Intimidate check (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0186.html)
Asserting authority (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0213.html) ... twice (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0221.html), no, thrice (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0323.html)
V sees the disaster impending in the Roy-Miko ship (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0223.html)


Roy & Belkar - very involved and interesting.

The original clue (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0011.html)
Initial impression (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0014.html)
Lack of respect (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0048.html)
Roy earns a modicum of respect from Belkar (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0105.html)
Roy learns to keep Belkar in line by brute force (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0125.html)
Funny, if not especially believable (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0146.html)
Frustration (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0213.html)
Verbal abuse (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0244.html) ... twice (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0249.html) ... much later, yet again (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0753.html)
"Belkar IS one of my people." (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0285.html)
Redemption program (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0295.html)
"it gives me the tingles when you go all badass" (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0408.html)
"he thinks that you've learned your lesson, and with my guidance, you'll stop resorting to violence to solve your problems." "So, he's doing it because he doesn't really know me at all." (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0420.html)
Roy's rather dramatic influence (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0489.html)
Not friends (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0572.html)
Discussing Belkar control with Haley (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0666.html)
Belkar pretending to be Employee of the Month (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0676.html) ... and failing.
Discussion of ethics (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0687.html)
Banter (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0738.html)
Boy, has he been wanting to do THAT for a long time (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0748.html)
Roy can't see Belkar's actual development (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0786.html)
Trust issues culmination (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0880.html)

[Draz74]

(reserved for 5-10)

[Draz74]

(reserved for 11-15)

Contributions welcome, especially on the relationships I've already gone over.

[Vinsfeld]

Pretty nice. If I find something useful, I'll post it.

[Bird]

Hey, great thread idea. It never occurred to me how much Order of the Stick's large cast and serial format lend themselves to this kind of analysis.

Sticking with Roy's relationship, a few additions:

Roy/Elan
Roy has a critical role in his plan for Elan which relies on Elan's effectiveness, (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0863.html) even though the role doesn't prove necessary.

Also, I'd point out that in one of the strips you already linked to (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0691.html), Roy is smiling in the third-to-last panel just to see Elan excited -- something I don't recall coming up a lot.

Roy/Haley

A nice little long-term setup and payoff:

Roy doesn't take Haley's insight into cons seriously at first, but then realizes she's an authority. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0428.html)
Roy now instinctively goes to Haley in order to suss out a possible con. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0697.html)

My favorite Haley/Roy scene was in OtOoPC, though.

[oppyu]

Roy/Elan

Roy thinks nice, non-exasperated or hateful thoughts about Elan while falling to his death (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0443.html)

[137beth]

Roy earns a modicum of respect from Belkar
The link given does not make sense.

[Lvl45DM!]

Yeah it does. Belkar appreciates Roy's recklessly violent tendencies

[Jack of Spades]

I can't find it, but the comic where Roy tells one of the OotS members about the Belkar prophecy should probably be in the Roy/Belkar relationship.

[Turgon9357]

I am digging this thread. Analyzing the characters like this could help get us a broader grasp of the characters beyond what they've done or said in the past 3 updates.