Belkar's End

[brian 333]

We all knew it was coming. What none of us saw was that it would end without a dramatic death scene, including posthumous gratuitous insult. It ended when the Belkster was beaten by Durkula. He fell off the cliff. Sometimes you fail the big saving throw.

I hope I'm wrong.

[Bestigle]

Fairly certain that he's alive. There was a moment somewhere where it was stated that he would save Hinjo's life twice. He's only done it once so far. Plus, he's survived worse.

[Talion]

I wouldn't count the Belkster one way or the other. Not until we see the body. And possibly not even then. It's not like there's a small swarm of mid to high level clerics in the immediate area.

[Goosefarble]

Fairly certain that he's alive. There was a moment somewhere where it was stated that he would save Hinjo's life twice. He's only done it once so far. Plus, he's survived worse.

Really? Where was that stated? I don't think I remember that.

[Wildroses]

It was in a bonus comic in one of the books. It never appeared online.

Personally I have believed since before his fall that Belkar will die in the final battle to seal the gates or save the last one from destruction, exactly like Kraagor did when the Order of the Scribble were active. So I am calmly convinced he's fine.

[StLordeth]

My personal opinion that I think I've said a few times here. There is no way in my eyes they will kill off Belkar before the last book. Period. Because once he dies, he's not going to simply be resurrected like Roy. He's gone for good. We're not having a main character like that disappear from the comics unless it's the last book.

[theasl]

Fairly certain that he's alive. There was a moment somewhere where it was stated that he would save Hinjo's life twice. He's only done it once so far. Plus, he's survived worse.

Some people contend that he has already done it twice, in a more indirect manner.

[littlebum2002]

Some people contend that he has already done it twice, in a more indirect manner.

Yeah, but only the one time really holds up to any sort of scrutiny. Saying he "saved Hinjo's life" in any other instance is about as much of a stretch as saying he "caused the death of" Roy or Miko.

[Bestigle]

Yeah, but only the one time really holds up to any sort of scrutiny. Saying he "saved Hinjo's life" in any other instance is about as much of a stretch as saying he "caused the death of" Roy or Miko.
Exactly. And we've seen how well that turned out for the oracle.

[littlebum2002]

I mean, let's face it. There's no reason Rich would have put that prophecy in a bonus strip except to give us something to look forward to, so why would he use that on a half-hearted life saving event from Belkar? It doesn't make sense.

The only reason it makes any sense to be in there is if it gives us a huge event in the future to look forward to.

Therefore, Belkar is not dead. QED.

[Ornithologist]

I want to point out all the ways Belkar could metaphoricaly die as well. so as to fulfill the proficey without dying.

But then I remember the Oracle is a huge jerk (insert worse word here), and doesnt like Belkar. So he probably would be predicting actual death.

Side note:
Belkar is tragic because he has even started changing away from being a psychotic monster, and he will probably never change enough in time. I might even be his last regret.

[brian 333]

The Oracle (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0572.html) is pretty explicit (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0329.html) in his explanation of his answer.

[Synesthesy]

Belkar won't die at all.

After Shojo's death, we won't see again the death of Mr Scruffy's companion... Nobody would let the little cat alone again :smalleek:

[brian 333]

Without Mr. Scruffy we don't have a comic.

I do wonder, though, why is Belkar glowing (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0996.html)?

This looks a lot like Roy's power-up, and I'm not aware of any such associated power with his dagger (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0960.html).

[dmc91356]

I think he is glowing because of the protection from evil cloak clasp he invoked. (Compare to This strip (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0969.html))

[Idiotic_Bird]

Without Mr. Scruffy we don't have a comic.

I do wonder, though, why is Belkar glowing (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0996.html)?

This looks a lot like Roy's power-up, and I'm not aware of any such associated power with his dagger (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0960.html).

Its the clasp that he bought from the gnome shop in #969. Dunno why it lit up only then...

[Pyrous]

Its the clasp that he bought from the gnome shop in #969. Dunno why it lit up only then...
It has to be activated, and it hurts Belkar when it is.

[RighteousWarior]

It has to be activated, and it hurts Belkar when it is.

How...incredibly useless...why did he keep that thing again? It may very well have lost him that fight.

[Pyrous]

How...incredibly useless...why did he keep that thing again? It may very well have lost him that fight.

The clasp prevents domination by Durkula. Without it he wouldn't even get the chance to fight.

[littlebum2002]

How...incredibly useless...why did he keep that thing again? It may very well have lost him that fight.

Being physically injured >>>> being mentally dominated

[Quild]

How...incredibly useless...why did he keep that thing again? It may very well have lost him that fight.

hurts =/= inflicts damages

[Turin_19]

I always thought the yellow light was the 'Silence' spell. He stops being able to speak right at that moment.

Since I never played D&D, it might well be possible that there's no silence spell. But I mean, the same spell from the strip before.

[Pyrous]

I always thought the yellow light was the 'Silence' spell. He stops being able to speak right at that moment.

Since I never played D&D, it might well be possible that there's no silence spell. But I mean, the same spell from the strip before.

Belkar is shouting "ROY!!", trying to warn him. Then Durkula catches up, Silence spell still running. Belkar can't yell anymore so he knows Durkula is near. He draws his daggers to fight and activates his clasp to avoid being dominated (that is the moment when the yellow light turns on). Durkula defenestrates him and dismisses Silence.

[Hiro Quester]

It's the clasp. You see him touch it right after he notices he's been silenced.

The silence spell Durkula has cast on himself. So it applies when he is near Belkar.

Belkar recognizes that a bit of damage is better than failing the will save to a compulsion effect (which he has failed many times before). Plus he got it half price, by hiding his south of the border alignment from the gnome who created it.

But back to the main point, Belkar can't be dead yet. There is far too much good comedic value for the story in his character. The narrative needs him still. At least I do.

[The gF]

Belkar falling to his death off-screen is not narratively suitable. It doesn't complete his character arc well, and while the Giant is known for playing with narrative tropes, he also recognizes that "oh yeah belkar died from the fall" would be an unsatisfying conclusion for a main character whose final, ultimate demise was heavily foreshadowed.

[ChillerInstinct]

I originally figured Belkar would get Vamped, since he wouldn't be able to breathe anymore, technically fulfilling the prophecy. However, being trapped in his own body while a dark spirit remains in control until he inevitably gets snuffed would kind of defeat the purpose of him getting character development. I mean, it'd be a pretty cruel anticlimax for him to finally take steps towards redemption only for it to be totally negated by being taken over by an Evil spirit while he's forced to watch.

Still, I don't think the cliff is going to kill him. At the very least, not permanently. Technically speaking Belkar could go splat, the Order could pay one of the High Priests to find his body and raise him, which would make it another fake-out. I mean, the prophecy never said that he couldn't die temporarily BEFORE drawing his last breath EVER. Even then though I suspect he's somehow going to survive the fall.

[Grey Watcher]

Maybe I've been listening to Elan too much, but I don't think Belkar's going to bite it until reasonably close to (if not during or possibly even after) the climax of the Whole Story. Still people have been predicting "THIS IS IT!" whenever he's been anywhere near a whiff of danger, so, sooner or later, somebody's bound to be right.

(Overall, this hypothesis is considerably less silly than the time someone suggested he'd get killed on the Ranch Dressing Plane.)

[Ramien]

Belkar's not dead, he's just going to land on Thog (Flumphs are played out), who wandered out of the Empire of Blood after the collapse of the roof above him sent him through the floor to the unpopulated layer below. The two will have wacky hijinks getting back up the mountain. Said trip will involve at least one instance of Belkar refraining from killing a kobold to show how much he's developed.

[veti]

Sometimes you fail the big saving throw.

Serious question: has Belkar ever succeeded at a saving throw?

[goodpeople25]

Serious question: has Belkar ever succeeded at a saving throw?
Yes, strip #469, he took no damage from his emergency chamber pot's fire attack which means he made his reflex saving throw and has evasion much to his surprise.
He probaly made others in other strips but i can't remember for sure and you can't always tell but this one is clear.

[Lord Stoneheart]

Yes, strip #469, he took no damage from his emergency chamber pot's fire attack which means he made his reflex saving throw and has evasion much to his surprise.
He probaly made others in other strips but i can't remember for sure and you can't always tell but this one is clear.

It's will saves that Belkar never makes. It's probably the result of his abysmal wisdom.

[Synesthesy]

Well, we know that Belkar will die, and we know that death can mean a lot of things, and that we need something that isn't alive to break Durkon's shield.....

[Lord Stoneheart]

Well, we know that Belkar will die, and we know that death can mean a lot of things, and that we need something that isn't alive to break Durkon's shield.....

How long does the barrier last? Because to create an undead wouldn't necessarily be super quick. And Belkar's not even in the same room. He's actually a long way down the mountain.

In any case, all the stuff the Oracle said about Belkar's death seems to imply that he won't just come back as undead. (He's not long for this world, he shouldn't bother funding his IRA, etc...). I'm pretty sure when Belkar dies, his death will be quite final.

[Synesthesy]

How long does the barrier last? Because to create an undead wouldn't necessarily be super quick. And Belkar's not even in the same room. He's actually a long way down the mountain.

In any case, all the stuff the Oracle said about Belkar's death seems to imply that he won't just come back as undead. (He's not long for this world, he shouldn't bother funding his IRA, etc...). I'm pretty sure when Belkar dies, his death will be quite final.

Just to know, I still think that Belkar won't die at all.

But the way Durkula said 'alive' was surely written for us to think that now something that isn't alive will save the day.

Roy can just resolve the problem alone with his intelligence score as he did with Thog, like throwing his sword.
And the words 'next phase' show us that Durkula won't die here, his arc is not done. So, maybe 'alive' is a way to make us think to sexy undead god of war.

[Bulldog Psion]

Just as a random idea, what if something like this happens:

Belkar returns to the scene and sees the demigod priests going along with an undead Stoner ushering them. He attacks and kills them all, thinking they're allies of Lurky (which, in a way, they are).

The priests don't show up, but Belkar does. The duration on Lurky's anti-life shell starts giving out.

To avoid being killed (which will prevent his vote being counted AND prevent him taking the final gate and destroying it), Lurky flees the room. While this nullifies his vote, it still leaves him free to try to take the gate, wreck it, and force the gods' hand anyway.

Lurky takes off with the Undead Stoners (except the one Belkar killed) and rampages through Dwarven lands on his way to the final gate.

[Souhiro]

ROY has survived even worse in the last times, and he's some levels behind Belkar. Having him dying such an insificant death would be just WASTING

[Dumah333]

In strip #435, Belkar's pseudo-conscience demons state that he's got a slaad knocking around in his noggin. I'm unfamiliar with slaads, but I don't think it's gonna just sit by while its host bites it.

[Lord Stoneheart]

In strip #435, Belkar's pseudo-conscience demons state that he's got a slaad knocking around in his noggin. I'm unfamiliar with slaads, but I don't think it's gonna just sit by while its host bites it.

Huh? It's not an actual slaad in there though. it's just the chaotic equivalent to a shoulder devil. We see Elan's shoulder slaad earlier on. http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0068.html

I mean, it's not the worst advice in free fall. :smalltongue:

[KorvinStarmast]

We see Elan's shoulder slaad earlier on. http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0068.html

I mean, it's not the worst advice in free fall. :smalltongue: It's one of the better strips Rich wrote, IMO, as it pokes fun at alignment paradigms so concisely.

[notthedog]

If I remember correctly wasn't Belkars path during his fall "corkscrewing" and he looked more frustrated and bored than fearfull. I think he has a magic item like the previously mentioned cloak that has a featherfall spell on it. Or at least that is how I read it.

Just reread it, yes he is glowing yellow and descending in a "spiral dive", looks like featherfall to me.

[dmc91356]

Actually, a featherfall item (cloak clasp or something else) makes complete sense. Belkar had no reason to expect any other means of travel other than the Mechane, and HPOH has already caused him to jump off twice. I would think it would be perfectly rational for Belkar to buy something with featherfall.

Nice theory, I like it.

[notthedog]

Thanks DMC, I just double checked the comics between the magic items shopping trip and Belkars fall, didn't see V or any other casters cast that or any other spells on panel. Adds a bit of weight to my theory. For all we know Belkar could have had this (likely stolen) item for years and didn't mention or use it till now.

[jere7my]

If I remember correctly wasn't Belkars path during his fall "corkscrewing" and he looked more frustrated and bored than fearfull. I think he has a magic item like the previously mentioned cloak that has a featherfall spell on it. Or at least that is how I read it.

Just reread it, yes he is glowing yellow and descending in a "spiral dive", looks like featherfall to me.

The yellow glow comes from his Protection from Evil clasp. You can see it just beginning to glow as he activates it in the fourth panel of 996.

[notthedog]

Agreed Jeremy the yellow glow during Belkars fall (996) is the same colour as the glow from the protection from evil clasp (969). Which should be answer enough, except for comic 960, where Durula dominates Belkar and commands him to jump of the airship, and Roy rescues him with a crane. Maybe he had the featherfall item then and that is why he survived and remained within the airships crane reach. Alternatively 960 could be an example of absurdist humour.

We will know soon enough I bet

[brian 333]

We all knew it was coming. What none of us saw was that it would end without a dramatic death scene, including posthumous gratuitous insult. It ended when the Belkster was beaten by Durkula. He fell off the cliff. Sometimes you fail the big saving throw.

I hope I'm wrong.

Apparently I was wrong too.

[Nightcanon]

Apparently I was wrong too.

I see that some folk here picked out a Featherfall item of some sort as a possible solution, though.

[gken1]

Long live Belkar.

[notthedog]

I am just glad he is still alive, Happy Holidays everyone.

[StLordeth]

Apparently I was wrong too. Yeah but this forum would be pretty boring without all the theories shot around tbh.