Tarquin still has a happy ending!

[Sunken Valley]

Whilst Tarquin has been defeated by Elan and found out he wasn't the real villain, leaving the story with a look of fear on his face, he otherwise hasn't been defeated.

Whilst he's stuck in the desert, he's tough enough to find his way back after a few days to the gate, guarded by his men. Then he can get back to his empire, which still stands along with the empires run by his four allies and live like a god for more time. The empire is still under his tyranny.

His gambit in 763 still stands. If he lives, he gets to be a king in his empire. If he dies to some hero who uncovers his scheme whilst he's back in his empire which he will be, he gets to be a legend who inspires villains to be like him.

Was this a flaw in the writing or deliberate design to allow the petty, short sighted and erratic villain to survive and effectively retain his happy ever after?

[Porthos]

Whilst Tarquin has been defeated by Elan and found out he wasn't the real villain, leaving the story with a look of fear on his face, he otherwise hasn't been defeated.

Whilst he's stuck in the desert, he's tough enough to find his way back after a few days to the gate, guarded by his men. Then he can get back to his empire, which still stands along with the empires run by his four allies and live like a god for more time. The empire is still under his tyranny.

His gambit in 763 still stands. If he lives, he gets to be a king in his empire. If he dies to some hero who uncovers his scheme whilst he's back in his empire which he will be, he gets to be a legend who inspires villains to be like him.

Was this a flaw in the writing or deliberate design to allow the petty, short sighted and erratic villain to survive and effectively retain his happy ever after?

Tarquin doesn't have Malack around any longer to help keep him grounded*. So he might very well get obsessed and chase after Elan, demanding that they have their 'proper confrontation'.

* "Grounded". Heh. :smallamused:

Or half a dozen other things that could throw a spanner in the works. Tarquin could start brooding over this loss (ironic, no?). He could decided to make life miserable for whatever Starshine relatives are still around in the Western Continent. Or a bunch of other things that distract from his masterplan of living like a king while acting from the shadows.

Basically, he 'wins' if he shrugs this loss as "No Big Deal". The jury is still out on just how Tarquin is going to take all of this, as well as how stable his three cards shell game is gonna be with a major piece missing and a good portion of the team slightly honked at him.

tl;dr: I wouldn't call "Win-ses" for Tarquin quite yet. :smallwink:

[Happy Gravity]

His gambit in 763 still stands. If he lives, he gets to be a king in his empire. If he dies to some hero who uncovers his scheme whilst he's back in his empire which he will be, he gets to be a legend who inspires villains to be like him.

Was this a flaw in the writing or deliberate design to allow the petty, short sighted and erratic villain to survive and effectively retain his happy ever after?
This might be true, but his expectations were raised...in the exact same comic strip that you're citing. "Now, I can really see the big picture. It's YOU, Elan. If anyone will ever defeat me, it will be you."

He doesn't just want to get flattened by some random hero, not anymore. He wants Elan to fulfill that place in his story. And Elan's not going along with it. He's not going to sit back and decide, "Well, I guess I'll just sit here and enjoy my hedonism while it lasts."

He doesn't take well to denial, we've seen that much. I think he'll probably keep trying to push the issue once he's recuperated a bit.

So where does that put him? ...well, where the Linear Guild used to be, narratively. Just a bit player putting an obscene amount of effort and resources to annoying the protagonists.

[Porthos]

This might be true, but his expectations were raised...in the exact same comic strip that you're citing. He doesn't just want to get flattened by some random hero, he wants Elan to fulfill that place in his story. He's not going to sit back and decide, "Well, I guess I'll just sit here and enjoy my hedonism while it lasts."

He even alludes to this in 924 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0924.html). It's the difference with being content and being thrust in the spotlight for the ages. Having the spotlight 'robbed' from him might not sit very well with him. In fact, I'm guessing from what we know of his character it won't sit very well with him at all.

[BeerMug Paladin]

I'll post the same speculation here that I posted in the other thread.

I wonder if Sabine will find Tarquin in the desert before he makes it back to his allies. And a source of healing.

Come to think of it, a certain pair of skilled rogues could have seen a red-cloaked figure fall from an airship from one of their hidey-holes.

[Turgon9357]

This might be true, but his expectations were raised...in the exact same comic strip that you're citing. "Now, I can really see the big picture. It's YOU, Elan. If anyone will ever defeat me, it will be you."

He doesn't just want to get flattened by some random hero, not anymore. He wants Elan to fulfill that place in his story. And Elan's not going along with it. He's not going to sit back and decide, "Well, I guess I'll just sit here and enjoy my hedonism while it lasts."


He even alludes to this in 924 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0924.html). It's the difference with being content and being thrust in the spotlight for the ages. Having the spotlight 'robbed' from him might not sit very well with him. In fact, I'm guessing from what we know of his character it won't sit very well with him at all.

Agreed. He has tasted something even better than what he had going for him before, and now he can't have it.

At the risk of projecting, I think I've found another dimension to Tarquin. A while ago I was still recovering from the end of a relationship. I couldn't keep myself from imagining scores of scenarios in which everything got elegantly resolved and fixed and lead to a happily-ever-after (a la, Elan's hope for his family). Here Tarquin was, doing his thing, when something far more appealing to him shows up on his doorstep, as if by fate. But no, running into him really was an accident, and Tarquin was the only one trying to force it into being something else.

\projection over


I'll post the same speculation here that I posted in the other thread.

I wonder if Sabine will find Tarquin in the desert before he makes it back to his allies. And a source of healing.

Come to think of it, a certain pair of skilled rogues could have seen a red-cloaked figure fall from an airship from one of their hidey-holes.

Both of those ideas have beautiful possibilities. Sabine could show up as a comically over-the-top...I don't know, "lady of the desert" or something before disemboweling him.

Ian: "Well, lookie what I found." :smallamused:

[Copperdragon]

He does not see it, but Tarquin did everything he planned to do.

He set up Elan as his adversary, as Elan cannot ignore him anymore. Elan will finish his current adventure (which Tarquin does not take serious) - and then cannot ignore his Father is an Evil Overlord in an Evil Empire.

No matter if Roy is the party's leader, no matter Elan lost no hand, eye or girlfriend in this, Tarquin achieved everything he wanted to. Apart from being NOW the central figure, but really, he is insane after all.

But I still subscribe to the theory Tarquin ended his own story when he killed Nale, as Nale was the brother who was set up to fight against him and replace him. Of course, he does not like the story of being the Despot before the Current Lordly Despot (Nale). But that is his problem alone.

[johnbragg]

SEconding Porthos, Turgon, Happy Gravity, etc.

The original Plan was for Team Tarquin to live like gods for a few decades before some paladin or whatever burst in and put an end to things. Expanding their empire over the whole continent was mostly an act of "aggressive defense", since at least some of the surrounding warlords would be the conquering types.

But when Elan came on the scene, Tarquin saw himself as the Great Villain in an Epic Story.

Would Darth Vader be content and happy running Jabba the Hutt's operations, if Return of the Jedi had ended very, very differently? No.

Tarquin will go back to running the Empire, but will take no joy in it.

[doctor23]

I'll post the same speculation here that I posted in the other thread.

I wonder if Sabine will find Tarquin in the desert before he makes it back to his allies. And a source of healing.

Come to think of it, a certain pair of skilled rogues could have seen a red-cloaked figure fall from an airship from one of their hidey-holes.

Speaking of Ian and Geoff actually I could actually see Tarquin and Ian joining forces to keep their kids from getting married. Taquin no longer considers Haley to be an acceptable consort for his progeny (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0934.html) and of course Ian has no love for Elan (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0772.html). That would be funny to watch those two show up just as Xykon is finally defeated to stop the wedding of the century. In Tarquin's mind it would deny Elan what he wants until Elan gives Tarquin what he wants.

[Capt Spanner]

I'd have a guess that we've not seen the last of Tarquin.

For example:

Many here speculate that he will chase and harass the Order of the Stick.

I speculate he'll show up at a crucial moment during the battle for the final gate. Either Xykon or Redcloak will kill him with barely a thought, but that moment of distraction will be enough to tip the balance and allow the Order to win.

[Seto]

I speculate he'll show up at a crucial moment during the battle for the final gate. Either Xykon or Redcloak will kill him with barely a thought, but that moment of distraction will be enough to tip the balance and allow the Order to win.

Unless the final battle is very, very far from now and OoTS have gained 15 levels... Well, if Tarquin shows up at full HP and Xykon or Redcloak kill him "with barely a thought", with the saves he has, that'd mean the Order wouldn't stand the tiniest chance (or maybe they would with incredible preparation and tactical planning, or incredible luck). So, I think it's unlikely to happen. However, I agree it would be awesome to see Tarquin (and the rest of his team ?) during a big final three-way (or more) showdown. And I agree it's likely that his intervention, willingly or not, somehow tips the scales in favor of the Order.

[Jay R]

Tarquin himself disagrees. He says that this sending:
a. has no satisfying resolution,
b. has no sense of closure, and
c. is a terrible ending.

It therefore follows that it's not a happy ending for Tarquin, no matter how much you want to claim one for him.

[Messenger]

Whilst Tarquin has been defeated by Elan and found out he wasn't the real villain, leaving the story with a look of fear on his face, he otherwise hasn't been defeated.

Whilst he's stuck in the desert, he's tough enough to find his way back after a few days to the gate, guarded by his men. Then he can get back to his empire, which still stands along with the empires run by his four allies and live like a god for more time. The empire is still under his tyranny.

His gambit in 763 still stands. If he lives, he gets to be a king in his empire. If he dies to some hero who uncovers his scheme whilst he's back in his empire which he will be, he gets to be a legend who inspires villains to be like him.

Was this a flaw in the writing or deliberate design to allow the petty, short sighted and erratic villain to survive and effectively retain his happy ever after?Two reasons he doesn't have his happy ending:

1. He doesn't see it that way, as we can see now. Elan didn't comply with anything that he wanted. Elan simply moved on. At the same time, neither has Tarquin realized that he isn't the main villain. It doesn't matter if he practically has all that power; to him, it's overshadowed by events not going according to his narrative.

2. The story hasn't ended yet, nor is it guaranteed that Tarquin has established his ending, nor that Elan will defeat him. Elan may not be the type to leave innocents under his father's power, but what's to stop another bunch of adventurers from defeating Tarquin while Elan is away?

All in all, there's no ending because the story hasn't ended yet.

[Oryutzen]

I am fairly sure he won't see it as happy.
His goal isn't having an empire. He uses the empire and everything surrounding it as means to further 'his" own story. The way I see it, he doesn't use narrative to get an empire, but rather uses the empire to get his narrative.

[faustin]

Whilst he's stuck in the desert, he's tough enough to find his way back after a few days to the gate, guarded by his men. Then he can get back to his empire, which still stands along with the empires run by his four allies and live like a god for more time. The empire is still under his tyranny.

His gambit in 763 still stands. If he lives, he gets to be a king in his empire. If he dies to some hero who uncovers his scheme whilst he's back in his empire which he will be, he gets to be a legend who inspires villains to be like him.

Was this a flaw in the writing or deliberate design to allow the petty, short sighted and erratic villain to survive and effectively retain his happy ever after?

That´s like saying Strahd could have a happy unlife as ruler of Barovia, as long as he forgets about Tatyana. He cannot, and he is condemned to be a slave of his obsession, risking everything he has to archieve his impossible goal, over and over.

[BeerMug Paladin]

Both of those ideas have beautiful possibilities. Sabine could show up as a comically over-the-top...I don't know, "lady of the desert" or something before disemboweling him.

Ian: "Well, lookie what I found." :smallamused:

Out of the two, I'd guess Sabine over the others. I'll briefly explain why I suspect so in a spoiler.
It would be more fitting a defeat for Tarquin to be slain not in his throne room, not by a hero, and his empire to crumble into dust without his leadership. After all, his behavior doesn't only make heroes mad. The scene between Sabine and Qarr was implying she cared more for Nale than her immediate superiors. With Nale's death, there's little personal character motives for Sabine now but revenge for killing her lover.

Ian and Geoff have reasons to want Tarquin dead, but they're not as personal and as narratively gripping as that one.
I'm pretty sure whatever happens, it will still surprise me and make me wonder why I didn't see it coming all along. But then, that's just what good writing seems to do.

[Jay R]

From our point of view, this ending means that we can finally get back to saving the world. Tarquin is in fact irrelevant.

His most poignant line is "I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!"

His problem isn't that it isn't happy.

His problem is that it isn't an ending.

[ralphmerridew]

I'd have a guess that we've not seen the last of Tarquin.

For example:

Many here speculate that he will chase and harass the Order of the Stick.

I speculate he'll show up at a crucial moment during the battle for the final gate. Either Xykon or Redcloak will kill him with barely a thought, but that moment of distraction will be enough to tip the balance and allow the Order to win.

Tarquin's had heavy losses today with no real gain; I'd say that while he had everyone pulled away, at least one of the three kingdoms had a revolt during today's actions.

[jidasfire]

I don't think Tarquin's going to get anything resembling a happy ending out of this. I also don't think he's going to be a recurring villain. In fact, what I think happens next is that we're going to see the embodiment of that old expression, "Be careful how you treat people on the way up. You'll meet them again on the way down."

Which is to say, Tarquin has casually screwed over a lot of people in this story: Gannji and Enor, Amun-Zora, Ian Starshine, Sabine, and probably more. Plus, he's lost his most loyal friend and ally, and the others are beaten and exhausted and probably sick of indulging him. His army is isolated from the city, and he's lost all his magic weapons. Plus, he's an emotional wreck after having his son basically shatter his illusions about being the great master villain.

I think Tarquin would be able to shrug off any one or two or three of these things, since he's very powerful, and prepared for a lot of contingencies, but all of it happening at once, I believe, is going to get the best of him. I don't think he's likely to die, but I suspect he's going to lose everything and be forced to live in obscurity, which for him is worse than death.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

I don't think that Tarquin has a happy ending. The problem is, there are just too many unknowns. He can't have a happy ending, because not everything has been wrapped up. There are still many ways today could end even worse for him.

However, even assuming that nothing further goes wrong, I still don't think that he has a happy ending. Today he lost one of his closest friends and supporters, a favor from another friend, many soldiers and dinosaurs, and both of his sons. While he still might rule an empire, he has lost a lot. It's not a terrible ending, but it's a long, long way from being a happy one.

[Mike Havran]

I think it's undeniable that from Tarquin's point of view, this evening sucked. But he survived so far and now it's clear the Order won't kill him. He probably has no weapons anymore, but should have his ointment, Ring of Regeneration and Ring of True Seeing. It's shown he can still do a considerable harm even bare-handed.

What is dangerous to him at this point? Sabine is banished and the rest of his Western Continent enemies (Amun Zora, Ian, Gannji and Enor) have no real reason to be in that particular part of the desert. His army isn't terribly far, Kilkil can Send and Laurin gets her Wormhole back tomorrow.

Tarquin needs to get a bath, a few drinks and a good night's sleep and then analyze the events the next morning.

[Squark]

Maybe it's just me, but I kind of think Tarquin set himself up for failure here. As a general rule, the villain doesn't get what they wanted. They fail. That's so ubiquitous it's passed beyond the realm of trope or cliche and into something more. Frankly, while I suspect his fate is going to be more self-inflicted than this, I could have seen Tarquin actually dieing from the fall and then getting eaten by wild dogs or something- the perfect, ignominious, footnote in a footnote sort of ending.

[Copperdragon]

As it seems now he's set up to show up at some final fight - and then gets crunched by one of the A-listers. Xykon and/or Redcloak.

Or the story is not at an end and Tarquin does find his final demise in the desert now. Not even Elan knowing about it? How sad would that be for Tarquin... no one knows how he died, alone in the desert. Not his party, not his son, not his empire. That would be fitting.

I can see Sabine playing a role in that.

[Porthos]

The REAL problem for Tarquin, presently, is that he doesn't realize he is suffering from one of the greatest of sins that a literary character can suffer:

Hubris.

Characters failing because of hubris is almost as old as storytelling itself, and Tarquin is showing it in spades. He will have to overcome his hubris to be able to walk back to his army and go back to living the life of luxury. He would have to ignore the nagging prickling in the back of his soul to get back at Elan NOW. He would have to overcome his own character flaws to realize this is a temporary setback and regroup later with much less obsession.

In short, he would have to grow as a character from this defeat.

It's possible, yes. Probable is another story, though. :smallwink:

Ironically, Tarquin might become the one brooding in a thunderstorm whilst all around him tell him to move on (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0763.html). Be a fitting inversion for such a character. :smalltongue:

[Zmeoaice]

Speaking of Ian and Geoff actually I could actually see Tarquin and Ian joining forces to keep their kids from getting married. Taquin no longer considers Haley to be an acceptable consort for his progeny (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0934.html) and of course Ian has no love for Elan (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0772.html). That would be funny to watch those two show up just as Xykon is finally defeated to stop the wedding of the century. In Tarquin's mind it would deny Elan what he wants until Elan gives Tarquin what he wants.

There's one problem with that theory. Ian hates Tarquin's guts. In fact, the reason he doesn't like Elan is because he though Elan was working for Tarkie.

[mootoall]

The thing is, Tarquin is, in fact, the main villain--in Ian's story. Tarquin just doesn't know that, because he discounts him as unimportant. I would be very happy to see Ian and Geoff discover him in the desert, and sneak attack him to death.

[3WhiteFox3]

The Tarquin that we met at the beginning of this story arc would have been glad to just sit pretty and live life to it's hedonistic fullest, simply waiting for the day that he became the legend he always wanted. Now though, something's changed, like Elan, he's been forced to recognize the uncomfortable truth of his impotence in certain matters. Elan had to realize that he couldn't just wave a magic wand and fix his family to have a fairy tale ending; Tarquin is similarly learning that he can't force his ending to go the way he wants.

The last lines that he utters in the strip are extremely important here.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g68/Cats_Are_Aliens/Banners/Tarquin.png : You get back here and give this plotline a satisfying ending this instant!!!

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g68/Cats_Are_Aliens/Banners/Tarquin.png :Elan! Elan, there's no sense of closure! I don't know what happens next!

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g68/Cats_Are_Aliens/Banners/Tarquin.png : This is a terrible ending!

He starts out by trying to command Elan to do his desires, just like he's become accustomed to as the dictator he is. But even here, his facade is slipping; instead of patiently waiting for things to turn out (like he thinks) they should or calmly setting another plan into motion, he starts to crack. He wants his gratification now, this instant.

Then he moves from demands to a plead for Elan to come back and give him the sense of closure and control that he wants to have over the plot. He's admitting his inability to control the story, he can't predict what's going to happen, he doesn't have a clever scheme or someone to dominate, his worldview is crumbling before his eyes, and he knows who caused that... His son, Elan. He's weak and weak people who have become obsessed with their own power never like that revelation. The truth can do ugly things to the deluded.

At one point, earlier on, he might have raged and uselessly screamed about his own power or how he is in control and tried to fix things; forcing them to fit his insane worldview. But now he realizes that Elan has bettered him, he's shown Tarquin his own insignificance.

What he does with this knowledge is unknown, and Tarquin is now like us, he doesn't know how this is going to go. He's just another member of the audience who's faulty expectations were thwarted. He doesn't like that one bit, which is why he screams that he doesn't like this ending.

Because now he's revealed to just be an observer to what happens in the greater plot, just another piece being moved, and ironically moved by the greater storyteller... Elan.

Elan's storytelling knowledge and understanding of the genre has proven to be better than his father's because Tarquin's understanding revolved around the fact that he was the center of the story. He won't be able to just go back to his duties as tyrant, or if he does any joy or relish in that task will be empty and he will have to live in the hell of routine, resigned to his fate. He might try to forget or ignore what he's learned here, but regardless, his role in the story isn't what he thought.

tldr; Tarquin's seen a bit of the greater truth, and had the chance at something greater, his plans are unraveling and for the first time (that we know of) he is not in control of events. That truth is going to make his life miserable, and the knowledge of what he can't attain will drive him mad. He's a broken man; and even if he comes back, it will be the useless, desperate attack of a powerless madman and not the machinations of a conquering ruler.

[Mean_Fighting_Guy]

What about Tarquin *not* getting his happy ending, but dying ingloriously in the desert from starvation or being eaten by some random monster which now, while he's low on HP and has perhaps lost a crucial part of his gear, is a real danger to him? Without anyone ever knowing, making him an obscure advisor that appeared one day in the EoB but vanished in the wastes of the Western Continent with his fate unknown?

(just assume that he hasn't prepared for *this* particular turn of events like his lines indicate)

[The Recreator]

Tarquin's a survivor. I expect he'll make it out of the desert alive... eventually. Maybe.

Question is, what will happen while Tarquin claws his way back to civilization? Will he still have his empire? I doubt the Empress of Blood is competent enough to get to the war room, let alone direct troops in an orderly fashion. Acting alone, she'll lose "her" empire in days.

Tarquin's allies have abandoned him, choosing to save their own skin over his. Given that his power base is gone, they might not even care to come back for him. Though there's that favor he owes Laurin, however debasing it may be.

And even if he does return to civilization, nobody will tell the story of how badass Tarquin was when he fell. All they'll see is a former general who went out into the desert and came out of it with his ass served to him on a silver platter. Without anyone to act as witness, it's only Tarquin's word against the wild imaginations of the people. That's an uphill battle for anyone.

This is what will be running through Tarquin's mind over the next few days. Even if there is an upside to his current situation, he's gonna be too consumed by rage to notice it.

Happy endings only come to those with the wisdom to appreciate what they have.

[Killer Angel]

Tarquin is alive, but has been defeated and humiliated, and suffered heavy losses. It's very different from an "happy ending"

[Sir_Leorik]

That´s like saying Strahd could have a happy unlife as ruler of Barovia, as long as he forgets about Tatyana. He cannot, and he is condemned to be a slave of his obsession, risking everything he has to archieve his impossible goal, over and over.

Agreed 100%, with the only difference being that Elan will have a happy ending, unlike Tatyana's soul. Even if her current reincarnation (Tara Kolyana) lives the rest of her life as an Anchorite serving in Hazlan, the second she hits Venerable age category and dies of old age, she will be reincarnated in Barovia, and Strahd will get a chance to futilely pursue the new incarnation.

Tarquin is now obsessed with making sure that Elan "gets the story right", never mind that the story itself is perfectly happy with Elan being happy where he is. Tarquin will probably try forcing himself back into the narrative, possibly by gathering the rest of his party, promising them all a future favor, and going after the OotS on the Northern Continent. Luckily the Oracle has already told us how this story ends:

:elan: "Will this story have a happy ending?"

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/redxiv/oracle.gif "Yes -- for you, at least."

[EclipseDarkSun]

Well, if he can be as philosophical as he is in this comic, he should be able to get over this - http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0763.html

"If someone conquers an empire and rules it with an iron fist for thirty long years, and then some paladin breaks into his throne room and kills him, what do you think he's going to remember as he lays dying?

That good triumphed over evil?

No, that he got to live like a god for three decades! Sure the last ten minutes sucked, but you can't have everything."

It all depends if he can abandon his new "big picture". Probably not, since the story will likely demand his obsession, ironically.

[warrl]

Elan had to realize that he couldn't just wave a magic wand and fix his family to have a fairy tale ending; Tarquin is similarly learning that he can't force his ending to go the way he wants.

Somehow I doubt that Tarquin is learning that lesson - or any other lesson.

Even though he has just been shown that sometimes all that is needed for Evil to fall on its face is for Good men to do nothing.

[tulebast]

To put my 2￠ in, this is not a happy ending for Tarquin because:


He's lost the son he intended to complete his own epic. Elan has left very little doubt that he considers Tarquin unimportant by skewering him where it hurts the most ("You're not the real villain." You know that one hurt the most, and you know he meant it because he didn't take Tarkie hostage.)
He's got 3 very powerful enemies about to rain on his empire parade. Seriously, Amun-Zora has a score to settle because of the double-cross, Ian (and his probably not trustworthy relative Geoff) who is already working to take T down, and now Elan has recruited Scondrél to take his father down (even more fuel to indicate that Elan considers T unimportant, he's sub-contracted out to have his father dealt with...). Not to disparage Ganji and Enor, but they don't seem to be on par with the other three.
His empire scheme is starting to unravel, what with his personal enemies starting to multiply (above) and with Reptilia possibly wise to the program, too.


Tarquin is in a lose-lose situation here. He can stay with the empire scheme which is going to crumble (without any direct involvement from his son), or he can abandon it to chase after Elan thereby ending the story he desires (even while he believes he would be fulfilling it somehow).

Too bad for him.

[TriForce]

im pretty sure that hearing "you are not the real villain" hurt tarq more then any sword or spell ever did.

the point also is: he really ISNT the real villain of this story, and therefor is highly doubt we will see him have any more relevance with the order until, perhaps, the epilogue.

my personal theory is still that the order will only come back to him after everything with the gates is finished, and they will defeat him off-panel, perhaps with only 2 or 3 lines of text dedicated to it at all. Tarq's final defeat wont be his death, but the fact that his death or life never mattered in this story

[Jay R]

I'm not going to judge the ending until we see the ending.

The Giant has told us that this is not the end of the arc. That means something else is going to happen.

We generally fail at predicting what's coming next, and something is going next.

Until we see what that is (Sabine? Ian and Geoff? Laurin's favor?), we have no business deciding what kind of ending it is.