What if the Godsmoot actually passes the destroy the world vote?

[grandpheonix]

Well then. People have been posting, saying that they know for a fact that the world wont end as a result of this godsmoot. The only question I have is, how do they know? Sure, Elan will have a happy ending, but what if thats him and Haley dying in eachothers arms, not realizing the world is being unmade?

Durkon has officially arrived into his homelands posthumously at this point, Belkar killed the Oracle, Hayley got her voice back, Xykon has arrived at that other gate first, and Belkar could, in fact, be unmade with the destruction of this world, and not be brought back in upon the remaking of it.

I guess, what Im trying to say is... Sure, we know Rich is planning on another two books. I get it. But who's to say he doesnt get tired now, and just end it? As in (I can finish this in 4 more strips) add in an Epilogue, and call it done?

[Mad Humanist]

Well then. People have been posting, saying that they know for a fact that the world wont end as a result of this godsmoot. The only question I have is, how do they know? Sure, Elan will have a happy ending, but what if thats him and Haley dying in eachothers arms, not realizing the world is being unmade?

Durkon has officially arrived into his homelands posthumously at this point, Belkar killed the Oracle, Hayley got her voice back, Xykon has arrived at that other gate first, and Belkar could, in fact, be unmade with the destruction of this world, and not be brought back in upon the remaking of it.

I guess, what Im trying to say is... Sure, we know Rich is planning on another two books. I get it. But who's to say he doesnt get tired now, and just end it? As in (I can finish this in 4 more strips) add in an Epilogue, and call it done?

I think that would be completely out of character for the Giant. He has set up a conflict over the ritual and the last gate, and I am sure he will deliver.

What the moot tells us is that if the last gate is destroyed (or perhaps if Redcloak does the ritual) the world will be destroyed quickly. Most of the protagonists would escape to the outer planes and the Greenhilt/Xykon battle would continue there. That I can see happening.

[AcerbicOrb]

Isn't Order of the Stick the Giant's main source of income now? He wouldn't just 'get bored and end it'.

[LordFluffy]

Who says the end of the world is the end of the comic?

[Rift_Wolf]

Isn't Order of the Stick the Giant's main source of income now? He wouldn't just 'get bored and end it'.

I can imagine, if I was the Giant, I'd be sorely tempted sometimes to have a rock fall. The number of times he's had to defend his creative work from preemptive criticism, misinterpretation and memetic inflation must take a toll.

[Kish]

Well then. People have been posting, saying that they know for a fact that the world wont end as a result of this godsmoot. The only question I have is, how do they know? Sure, Elan will have a happy ending, but what if thats him and Haley dying in eachothers arms, not realizing the world is being unmade?

Durkon has officially arrived into his homelands posthumously at this point, Belkar killed the Oracle, Hayley got her voice back, Xykon has arrived at that other gate first, and Belkar could, in fact, be unmade with the destruction of this world, and not be brought back in upon the remaking of it.

I guess, what Im trying to say is... Sure, we know Rich is planning on another two books. I get it. But who's to say he doesnt get tired now, and just end it? As in (I can finish this in 4 more strips) add in an Epilogue, and call it done?
Me.

I say he doesn't get tired now and just end it.

[Nightcanon]

(snip)....I guess, what Im trying to say is... Sure, we know Rich is planning on another two books. I get it. But who's to say he doesnt get tired now, and just end it? As in (I can finish this in 4 more strips) add in an Epilogue, and call it done?

I'm not sure what you're getting at, here. As you acknowledge, we have Word of Giant that there is another book after this one, and that the resolution will be vs Xykon at the final gate. We've also had a recent indication (last couple of weeks) that we are closer to the beginning of the Book of Durkon than we are to the end. It's possible that he has a sudden New Year resolution to jack it all in, just as it's possible that I get hit by a bus tomorrow, but there's no indication that that might happen.

[rodneyAnonymous]

Sure, Elan will have a happy ending, but what if thats him and Haley dying in eachothers arms, not realizing the world is being unmade?

No. The prophecy was that the story would have a happy ending (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0331.html) (from Elan's perspective, which basically means from most readers' perspectives I think). The world being unmade is probably not a happy ending.

[Mandor]

No. The prophecy was that the story would have a happy ending (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0331.html) (from Elan's perspective, which basically means from most readers' perspectives I think). The world being unmade is probably not a happy ending.

I disagree. Elan asked if the story will have a happy ending. The Oracle said "Yes... for you at least." That's a judgment by the ORACLE's standards for a happy ending, NOT by Elan's standards. And who knows? From the Oracle's standpoint, the world ending, all good people going to a just reward and all bad people going to a just punishment, might count as a happy ending.... especially if what the oracles means in "for you at least" is "you're a fundamentally good person, you'll end up going to a good place".

I do agree that the world is unlikely to end. But I'm not convinced that the story is automatically over if it does. And for that matter, I'm not convinced the gods will be ABLE to destroy the world before the Snarl sends them running for cover even if the vote is to destroy the world. Loki thinks they'll have fifteen minutes easy; we do not know that Loki's opinion is infalliably correct. Consider the Snarl is already aware and pounced at Laurin when she psi-scanned the area. Perhaps Loki's estimate of 15 minutes is based on a Snarl being passive and not really understanding what's going on around it... not a Snarl that is already poking and prodding at the gates and ready to charge forth at the first opportunity.

[blunk]

I can imagine, if I was the Giant, I'd be sorely tempted sometimes to have a rock fall. The number of times he's had to defend his creative work from preemptive criticism, misinterpretation and memetic inflation must take a toll.Agreed, but he'd probably get much more "(lack of) bang for the (lack of) buck" by just shutting down "Forum > Comics > The Order of the Stick". :smallamused:

[factotum]

It always amazes me, given how the story has unfolded so far, the sheer number of people who come on and post theories that can best be described as, "Why won't this absolutely terrible story idea happen?". Simple reason: the Giant is a far better writer than that. If you want a more real-world reason, him ending the story in that way would kill his primary source of income almost instantly: once word gets around that the story ends in such a clunky and anti-climactic way, no-one will buy the books anymore.

Now, that's not to say that the world won't get destroyed, but if it *does*, the story will somehow continue.

[Valynie]

I disagree. Elan asked if the story will have a happy ending. The Oracle said "Yes... for you at least." That's a judgment by the ORACLE's standards for a happy ending, NOT by Elan's standards. And who knows? From the Oracle's standpoint, the world ending, all good people going to a just reward and all bad people going to a just punishment, might count as a happy ending.... especially if what the oracles means in "for you at least" is "you're a fundamentally good person, you'll end up going to a good place".


Or it might mean that Elan would find as a bard the conclusion of the story satisfactory even if he does not survive it.

[Kish]

Happy, not "satisfactory."

(Setting aside the small matter of what's supposed to be satisfactory about "you die too fast to know that the entire world's being destroyed with you.)

[Shining Wrath]

The Giant has blogged he intends to reach nearly 2000 pages total - pages, not strips. He's a long way off.

Of course, he could end the world and say "Psych!". Or find a way to continue things after the world ends - maybe if this world is destroyed, everyone "falls" to the world in the rift rather than dying, which would doubtless really piss Hel off big time.

[Murk]

Who says the end of the world is the end of the comic?

This.
Roy dying wasn't the end of the comic. Durkon dying wasn't the end of the comic. It wasn't even the end of both characters.

I highly doubt it, but I'm confident the Giant could find an Original and exciting way of having the world be unmade, and the comic still going strong.

[grandpheonix]

Thank you everyone for your opinions. I just know that I've painted myself into walls before in DnD, and know how nice the temptation for the Eff It, starting over from scratch-ish is.

[KorvinStarmast]

Who says the end of the world is the end of the comic?They might all just go to the beach (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0900.html) when the world ends.

[Syldar]

This, obviously. (http://http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EarthShatteringKaboom)

[Kish]

Thank you everyone for your opinions. I just know that I've painted myself into walls before in DnD, and know how nice the temptation for the Eff It, starting over from scratch-ish is.
But this isn't a game. It's a story. If you assume that Rich is randomly generating what the members of the Order do, or having someone else decide it, then the D&D comparison makes sense--but of course he isn't doing that.


They might all just go to the beach (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0900.html) when the world ends.

Putting that link in this thread amuses me because I remember at least one person saying that the fact that we didn't see Roy again after he got hit by the Disintegrate meant we needed to seriously consider the possibility that Redcloak had just killed Roy, when that strip was the most recent one.

[KorvinStarmast]

Putting that link in this thread amuses me because I remember at least one person saying that the fact that we didn't see Roy again after he got hit by the Disintegrate meant we needed to seriously consider the possibility that Redcloak had just killed Roy, when that strip was the most recent one. One of the things that amused me about that strip was the refrigerator and the roaches.

[PoeticDwarf]

Isn't Order of the Stick the Giant's main source of income now? He wouldn't just 'get bored and end it'.
It is a nice theory of course, but as Doomchicken says he isn't going to end it because he's bored.

[KorvinStarmast]

No. The prophecy was that the story would have a happy ending (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0331.html) (from Elan's perspective, which basically means from most readers' perspectives I think). The world being unmade is probably not a happy ending. But going through the gate to a new and unexplored world is very happy for adventurers. (From a certain point of view, per Obiwan Kenobi ...)

[Necris Omega]

I can imagine, if I was the Giant, I'd be sorely tempted sometimes to have a rock fall. The number of times he's had to defend his creative work from preemptive criticism, misinterpretation and memetic inflation must take a toll.

Seriously? Rocks fall, everyone dies?

Only if he was hired by Obsidian Entertainment.

[KorvinStarmast]

Seriously? Rocks fall, everyone dies?

Only if he was hired by Obsidian Entertainment. Speaking of rocks falling, and Roy versus Thog, is that Roy's sword picture in your sig? I popped over to your DA page and like a lot of your work. Nicely done.

[Ron Miel]

Isn't Order of the Stick the Giant's main source of income now? He wouldn't just 'get bored and end it'.

Sometimes creators get really fed up with their most popular creatio0n and decide to end it, the most famous example being Sherlock Holmes.

And the Giant has stated that he has other projects planned for when OOTS ends. I get the impression that he is really looking forward to the time when he can pursue them.

[Keltest]

Sometimes creators get really fed up with their most popular creatio0n and decide to end it, the most famous example being Sherlock Holmes.

And the Giant has stated that he has other projects planned for when OOTS ends. I get the impression that he is really looking forward to the time when he can pursue them.

Rich is (or at least claims to be) telling this story as much for himself as for his audience. I doubt he would cheat himself out of his own story like that out of boredom.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Well then. People have been posting, saying that they know for a fact that the world wont end as a result of this godsmoot. The only question I have is, how do they know? Sure, Elan will have a happy ending, but what if thats him and Haley dying in eachothers arms, not realizing the world is being unmade?
That doesn't sound like a happy ending to me—it's bittersweet at best. And while the Oracle has given useless answers before ("In his throne room," "Yes"), he hasn't given any outright misleading ones—and the one time a question was phrased so specifically as to risk misleading the asker, he tried to convince the asker to ask a question which would lead to a non-misleading answer! (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0331.html) That's not the behavior of an oracle which would call a bittersweet ending "good" to mislead a childish bard.
EDIT: The closest we get (aside from blatantly-useless answers) is V's answer, and not specifying that V would be talking to hirself is hardly on the same level as calling "dying i Haley's arms" a happy ending.

Destroying the world via Godsmoot makes for some neat fanfic ideas, but it's unlikely to happen in canon.



I can imagine, if I was the Giant, I'd be sorely tempted sometimes to have a rock fall. The number of times he's had to defend his creative work from preemptive criticism, misinterpretation and memetic inflation must take a toll.
Oh, like he's the only author who deals with that? Lesser men than Rich have weathered greater volumes of criticism.

[Wildroses]

They might all just go to the beach (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0900.html) when the world ends.

I'm glad someone bought that up. I've seen the theory of a happy ending coming with the world ending due to a planetwide evacuation into the new world, or the gods remaking all the souls into bodies on the new world before. It would probably satisfy the Dark One as it would give him the chance to call baggsies on some decent land for the Goblins. At this point it is hard to see why Rich would introduce a planet in the Rift, but he's surprised me so many times in the past I'm not going to marry myself to that theory.

I also don't want to rule out the possibility the vote to destroy the world passes, but they Gods can't destroy it instantly, giving the heroes some time to try and fix things to remove the snarly threat that is why the Gods want to destroy the world.

[Bulldog Psion]

I was just coming here to post the idea that it doesn't matter to the heroes' lives if the world ends while they're inside the breach on Snarlworld, but I was beaten to the punch on that theory by a looooong time. :smallbiggrin:

[multilis]

The world can't just end in 4 strips because Belkar would not have a chance to declare his undying love for Miko and that would be bad storytelling.

Yes the Gods could vote to destroy the world, but that doesn't mean the world will actually get destroyed...

[BaronOfHell]

So we followed Roy, and the Order, through all those perils and quasi-imaginable successes for what exactly? The character development doesn't make a lot of sense if we ultimately were always aimed for our protagonist(s) being guests at a world ending event that until a couple of strips ago was entirely independent to our story. Not to mention it'd diminish what we've went through with many other interesting characters, such as Xykon, RC, MitD and O'chul, etc.

The story could theoretically end now, but the story could theoretically end at any time. I'm willing to accept the danger our heroes faces as serious and worthy of consideration, but when I'm not engulfed in the story, I am not going to believe this will be the end of the story.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Yes the Gods could vote to destroy the world, but that doesn't mean the world will actually get destroyed...
Who's going to stop them?

[Kish]

I also don't want to rule out the possibility the vote to destroy the world passes, but they Gods can't destroy it instantly, giving the heroes some time to try and fix things to remove the snarly threat that is why the Gods want to destroy the world.
Key to Loki's argument for not destroying the world now was that five minutes would be enough time to destroy it later.

[multilis]

Who's going to stop them?
Snarl, Gods, IFCC, one of 9 sides, etc.

Lots of ways can happen, Snarl can have changed, destroying world may not get rid of Snarl so aborted as useless, some faction may be waiting for Gods to try and unmake world before pulling off a backstab, Dark One can say "No! Mutually assured destruction if you proceed because of X, etc"

Probably has it's own TV Trope page, eg the now sentient supercomputer is out of control, we pull the abort failsafe to shut it down but the computer is not shut down, it foresaw the attempt and found way to protect itself. Edit: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FailsafeFailure

Some options by other factions would fall under different TV Tropes

Eg we can have God(s) as secret allies of Snarl pull a backstab, secret plan to try and control Snarl and backstab other gods, a full blown ragnarok (civil war of Norse gods) if Snarl is not immediate doom, etc.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Snarl, Gods, IFCC, one of 9 sides, etc.
In order:

1. I'd be surprised if the Snarl could interfere with the gods remaking its prison. (Seems like a pretty major flaw in the design, if you ask me.) Even if it could, wouldn't it make more sense to interfere with making the new world, rather than destroying the old?
2. They just voted to destroy the world. If there was a serious chance the losing side would be able and willing to nullify the winner's choice, why bother voting?
3. They're archfiends. Archfiends are as far below true gods as the Order of the Stick is below archfiends.
4. One of the what?

[factotum]

2. They just voted to destroy the world. If there was a serious chance the losing side would be able and willing to nullify the winner's choice, why bother voting?


I agree with you. The entire point of this voting process is to prevent the sort of divine disagreements that caused the formation of the Snarl in the first place--there is absolutely no chance that any God is going to go against the decision of the Godsmoot. No-one else in play has the power to do anything to stop them destroying the world, nine sides or no. The IFCC? They pretty much crumbled in the face of a single Goddess (Tiamat) and were forced to promise her they'd kill as many Good dragons as Darth V killed evil ones--doesn't seem like the actions of a group who could realistically mount a challenge to the Godsmoot to me!

[Atomic Knight]

I'd like to propose a (new) way of evaluating whether or not something could / should / would / will happen in the comic:

1. Would it make for a brilliant, fantastic, epic fantasy story? If the answer can possibly be "Yes," then it's not out of the question.
2. Would it reflect well upon the quality of the work that The Giant has produced so far? If the answer can possibly be "Yes," then it's not out of the question.

Mind you, something might be of superb quality, but we might not yet realize it. The answer doesn't automatically have to be "No," but it might just be that we don't fully understand the work we're viewing. But if you can't answer "Yes" to the above two questions, your theory is either wrong or you don't yet realize how superb an upcoming action/plot point is. If your answer is "No," you're misinterpreting or just plain silly.

We just need to ask ourselves these questions every time a member of the forum questions how the story will end... So, every second of every day.

[Keltest]

I'd like to propose a (new) way of evaluating whether or not something could / should / would / will happen in the comic:

1. Would it make for a brilliant, fantastic, epic fantasy story? If the answer can possibly be "Yes," then it's not out of the question.
2. Would it reflect well upon the quality of the work that The Giant has produced so far? If the answer can possibly be "Yes," then it's not out of the question.

Mind you, something might be of superb quality, but we might not yet realize it. The answer doesn't automatically have to be "No," but it might just be that we don't fully understand the work we're viewing. But if you can't answer "Yes" to the above two questions, your theory is either wrong or you don't yet realize how superb an upcoming action/plot point is. If your answer is "No," you're misinterpreting or just plain silly.

We just need to ask ourselves these questions every time a member of the forum questions how the story will end... So, every second of every day.

The problem with that evaluation is that we cannot possibly see every possible path that a specific event could take. I think the Godsmoot is quickly becoming a bad idea that Rich should not have done, but darn it if he probably isn't going to make me reconsider anyway. That doesn't mean ill actually be able to think of a way for it to recover, now or ever.

[multilis]

I agree with you. The entire point of this voting process is to prevent the sort of divine disagreements that caused the formation of the Snarl in the first place--there is absolutely no chance that any God is going to go against the decision of the Godsmoot. No-one else in play has the power to do anything to stop them destroying the world, nine sides or no. The IFCC? They pretty much crumbled in the face of a single Goddess (Tiamat) and were forced to promise her they'd kill as many Good dragons as Darth V killed evil ones--doesn't seem like the actions of a group who could realistically mount a challenge to the Godsmoot to me!
In real world after a democratic vote, there is absolutely no chance that anyone would go against the results of the democratic vote, no matter how evil they were or schemers or how situation changed. IN fiction whenever a group that contains evil guys participate in a democratic vote, no chance that the evil guys will backstab the good guys and not follow the constitution or results of vote. Norse god myth is based on a civil war to the death between gods at end of world. Never a chance that one evil portion of Gods may wish to imprison, enslave or kill the others rather than be part of a balanced democracy forever. RIP Baldr.

Much of premise of story is one Redcloak + Dark one has power over all gods under the right conditions and we are sure that IFCC will always crumble in face of gods. By your logic "Dark One: I am going to blackmail you"... "Gods... world is unmade, snarl is no longer a threat, we don't care!"...

No chance that the "failsafe" that will stop Snarl will fail because Snarl has grown/changed beyond his previous nature, and/or cleverly used the people he has kidnapped to fashion a magical solution to escape his jail... if Dark one can move Snarl out, Snarl can't do something himself, Snarl can't level up, gain new abilities, etc? We don't see chaos inside the rift, we see a whole new world. That suggests Snarl has grown or was never as described. (IF the dinosaurs of Jurassic park build rafts and sail across ocean then the democratic vote to nuke the island becomes meaningless)

[If Redcloak + Dark One + X have potential to challenge all the gods of the universe then possible many other factions can as well, including Snarl, evil faction of gods, IFCC, oracle+friends, etc... even MITD could potentially make a wish about Snarl. ]

[factotum]

In real world after a democratic vote, there is absolutely no chance that anyone would go against the results of the democratic vote, no matter how evil they were or schemers or how situation changed.

No matter how evil they are (and it should be noted that a number of evil gods are voting No to destroying the world, Loki for a start, so this isn't a simple good/evil divide), the Gods in this scenario won't go against the vote because they're afraid. Afraid of setting up another divine conflict that results in another Snarl being created--and the Snarl is pretty much the only thing in the universe that can kill them. There's also the critical point that, if the vote is for Destroy, chances are that the world will be gone inside minutes--not really a lot of opportunity for any god to work against the vote!

[dps]

we have Word of Giant that there is another book after this one, and that the resolution will be vs Xykon at the final gate.

I know that the Giant has said they'll be another book, but when did he say that the final resolution with be with Xykon at the final gate?

[multilis]

chances are that the world will be gone inside minutes--not really a lot of opportunity for any god to work against the vote!
Nale had a plan in his pocket to deal with Malack.... some Gods could have secret plans, organised for days or years... if possible for Dark one, possible for another god or team of gods to scheme for victory over fellow gods in some way. Even Hel... claiming to want the "souls" may be a ruse and her real plan much worse... in less than 1 day her team of vampires will have full spells and possible surprise advantage.

One option is a partnership between Hel, some of other evil gods and IFCC to defeat the entire good side and afterlife in current world.

[Zwiebelchen]

Well then. People have been posting, saying that they know for a fact that the world wont end as a result of this godsmoot. The only question I have is, how do they know? Sure, Elan will have a happy ending, but what if thats him and Haley dying in eachothers arms, not realizing the world is being unmade?

Durkon has officially arrived into his homelands posthumously at this point, Belkar killed the Oracle, Hayley got her voice back, Xykon has arrived at that other gate first, and Belkar could, in fact, be unmade with the destruction of this world, and not be brought back in upon the remaking of it.

I guess, what Im trying to say is... Sure, we know Rich is planning on another two books. I get it. But who's to say he doesnt get tired now, and just end it? As in (I can finish this in 4 more strips) add in an Epilogue, and call it done?
There's a problem with the world ending (and being remade), not necessarily from a story perspective, but from a writer's perspective:
It would make all things that happened until this point irrelevant, unless the new world has exactly the same inhabitants and everyone would keep their memories (in which it wouldn't really be a new world, right?).

[Nightcanon]

I know that the Giant has said they'll be another book, but when did he say that the final resolution with be with Xykon at the final gate?
I can't remember the exact details, I'm afraid, but I'm pretty sure that there was some sort of statement to the effect that this is still the story of the Order of the Stick and the Gates, whatever happens on the way there.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Much of premise of story is one Redcloak + Dark one has power over all gods under the right conditions and we are sure that IFCC will always crumble in face of gods. By your logic "Dark One: I am going to blackmail you"... "Gods... world is unmade, snarl is no longer a threat, we don't care!"...

[...]

[If Redcloak + Dark One + X have potential to challenge all the gods of the universe then possible many other factions can as well, including Snarl, evil faction of gods, IFCC, oracle+friends, etc... even MITD could potentially make a wish about Snarl. ]
Here's the problem...the Dark One, being a god, has power comparable to the other gods. If the Snarl were under his(?) control, the Dark One would have serious power.
The IFCC is powerful by mortal standards, such that most mortals would consider them functionally equivalent to gods. But then, the same is true of sufficiently powerful casters. Both archmages and archfiends are immensely weaker than the gods.
Even wish is mortal magic. Nothing a mortal can do holds up to the power of any god worth its salt. It's hypothetically possible that some


No chance that the "failsafe" that will stop Snarl will fail because Snarl has grown/changed beyond his previous nature, and/or cleverly used the people he has kidnapped to fashion a magical solution to escape his jail... if Dark one can move Snarl out, Snarl can't do something himself, Snarl can't level up, gain new abilities, etc? We don't see chaos inside the rift, we see a whole new world. That suggests Snarl has grown or was never as described. (IF the dinosaurs of Jurassic park build rafts and sail across ocean then the democratic vote to nuke the island becomes meaningless)
Whatever the Snarl is, if the gods want it contained, they probably made sure the prison couldn't be modified or even understood from the inside. If the Order of the Scribble story is reasonably accurate, then the Snarl is mindless enough that it probably can't innovate enough to change meaningfully.
Regardless, the Snarl has no reason to want the world to not be destroyed. Indeed, its goals align with destroying the world. (It would object to making a new, better one to imprison it, but it makes more sense to disrupt that than to disrupt the gods' attempts at getting rid of the first prison.)


Nale had a plan in his pocket to deal with Malack.... some Gods could have secret plans, organised for days or years... if possible for Dark one, possible for another god or team of gods to scheme for victory over fellow gods in some way. Even Hel... claiming to want the "souls" may be a ruse and her real plan much worse... in less than 1 day her team of vampires will have full spells and possible surprise advantage.
One option is a partnership between Hel, some of other evil gods and IFCC to defeat the entire good side and afterlife in current world.
First off, there are only so many secret plans that can plausibly be working at once for any one subject. Second, there are only so many plot-relevant (let alone plot-solving) secrets that can be revealed with little foreshadowing before the readers cry foul.
Second off, Hel doesn't seem eager to share knowledge of her secret plan with many. Why would she partner up with several other gods who might be willing to let her be queen?
Finally, why would Hel ally with the IFCC? Does China ally with Pitcairn Island?

[Mad Humanist]

Does China ally with Pitcairn Island?

Well actually China and Taiwan have been arguing over who has the right to the title "Republic of China" or whatever. This has involved alliances with small states in the UN.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Well actually China and Taiwan have been arguing over who has the right to the title "Republic of China" or whatever. This has involved alliances with small states in the UN.
Fair. Though I'd argue that the lack of interest by Pitcairn/the IFCC is as important as the lack of power.

[Kish]

I can't remember the exact details, I'm afraid, but I'm pretty sure that there was some sort of statement to the effect that this is still the story of the Order of the Stick and the Gates, whatever happens on the way there.
No. He's said a few times, in a few different ways, that it's the story of the Order of the Stick. He generally says it specifically to refute "...and the Gates," when someone posts "Why are we watching the Order do all this crap that doesn't relate to Xykon or the Gates?"

[Nightcanon]

No. He's said a few times, in a few different ways, that it's the story of the Order of the Stick. He generally says it specifically to refute "...and the Gates," when someone posts "Why are we watching the Order do all this crap that doesn't relate to Xykon or the Gates?"
Sure, in the sense that when people complain that X is a subplot/ sidequest that is "taking us away from the real plot", because everything that happens 'on-screen' is the real plot, but I'm pretty sure that there has been some indication that the defeat of Xykon/ Redcloak over the Gates will be the a key thread right to the end, rather than 'some interesting but ultimately irrelevant stuff that happened in the backstory before things took off in a totally new direction when the Godsmoot decided to undo and remake the world again'.