Miko: A Tragic Charactor? (spoilers)

[Pyro]

Personally I think she is. If you take her history and look at it, it is sorta sad. I’ll go from her beginnings to her end. (I’m gonna speculate here) When Miko was young she was orphaned and sent to a monastery. There she is alone and afraid. Soon Miko take to the lawfulness of the monks and clings to it very strongly as it is the only thing she knows. After an unknown period of time Miko is yet again taken away from everything that is familiar to her (the monastery) and begins training as a paladin. I also believe Miko saw Lord Shojo as a father figure due to how he comforted her during her first night away. While training for paladin hood Miko has trouble making friends with the other paladins (At this point I already see as very lawful and maybe even a little withdrawn.) and her only companion is Windstriker. As Miko becomes more experienced she is sent out on long lonely missions, further cementing Windstriker as a companion. Finally after some time she meets the Order of the Stick. They have their adventures together, mutual distain for each other blah blah blah. The most interesting part is when Roy apologizes, but scorns Miko’s attempt to reach out to him and her dating possibility. There a thread out there detailing this and Ill be grateful is someone found it. Anyway now I see Miko being sort of a “scorned women”, not crazy, but on the edge. Now during the trial Belkar further pushes her over the edge and then later the rest of the Order for being allowed to escape without being punished for their crimes. Mainly defending Belkar. Next time she does something interesting is when she hears Shojo spill about what he’s actually been doing. Miko, who can’t stand to see Shojo (father figure…) not stand to her moral standards, loses it and kills Shojo. When she falls she’s confused because she thought she had everything figured out. Subconsciously I think she knew that she screwed up but couldn’t accept it when she failed to hold herself to he own high moral standards that she insisted everyone else follow. So Miko constructs an explanation that allows her to still be right. Later she escapes and sees the scene in the throne room. Miko smashes the sapphire hoping that she’ll be in the gods favor again. Soon shows up and gives her a talk about redemption. At this point she realizes she could be wrong about what she did and sees her entire view of the world coming crashing down in a sense. I think her last words sorta show this. When she says “I can live with that” I believe she wasn’t only speaking of Windstriker. I think she also meant she could live with being wrong for a change. Also her concern for Windstriker shows she was probably very lonely and confused and he was her only friend. To sum everything up I think she’s tragic because many times she appears to be the victim of other people’s choices and she is pushed off the edge because of that.

BTW: I know some of this is probably over-analysis.

[ThorFluff]

complete agreement, she was tragic from the get go, i constantly wanted to shout out: OH GOOD LORD STOP HER FOR HER OWN SAKE!
but nobody did, and then she died in utter vanity.
the epitome of tragic if you ask me.

[Ridureyu]

Nobody could stop her. Do we even have a guarantee that, if she weren't dying, she would have listened to Soon's ghost?

[Zedgo]

Nobody could stop her. Do we even have a guarantee that, if she weren't dying, she would have listened to Soon's ghost?
Do you have a guarantee that she wouldn't?

[InfernusTribble]

Personally I think she is.

Yup, she's a tragedy...her entire life was one it seems. The order of the stick helped bring her down in many different ways, but she was just so ill-equipped to deal with other people that she hid behind her orders and wound them up into really giving it to her on several major occassions

ShatteredTower linked together a very nice precis of how logical and well-fitted Miko's character arc is - wish i could remember where it was posted as it was the best I've seen so far

I came to the same conclusions myself as you have a couple of weeks back - but then she died a lot quicker and more mercifully than I expected; and I was expecting a truly horrendous fate for her, so I'm grateful for that small mercy at least. My fear was that she was going to end up as a Death Knight, which in retrospect would have been a shockingly horrible thing to happen to someone as misguided and immature as her

To be honest, I think that this was Miko's only half decent way out at this point in her virtual life - a great shame but all the other options seemed worse or just implausible

[squidthingy]

miko's story was tragic until she became a fallen paladin, when that happened she started to do things just to try to redem herself, she started taking every little thing as a sign from the gods(linear guild escaping or crack in the prison bar) which ultimitaly lead to her demise

[Ladorak]

I disagree, becoming fallen is a vital part of Miko's tradagy, but not the end or the begining of it.

A tragic hero is a character who commits an action or mistake which leads to his downfall. The idea of the tragic hero was defined by Aristotle; 'A man doesn't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.'

Some charactoristics include suffering more than they deserve, being doomed from the start without responsibility for that fatal flaw, nobility in nature but imperfect (so that the audience can see themselves in him) and finally being wounded, resulting in his death.

The idea of all this being to build up tension and then release it emotionally right at the end.

Miko is the very definition of a tragic hero... Or maybe an anti-hero

[FreeloadingSausage]

Miko's a real nature vs. nurture issue, ain't she? You raise a group of paladins to believe in turth and justice and the Azure City way, and then wonder when they rebel when it turns out you've lied to them all along? Miko always jumped to some major conclusions, and died doing it, but one wonders what sort of sick Calvinistic Lawful Good gods this game-world has. The gods seem loath to directly communicate with their followers...well except in the circumstances of major magical means (i.e. stripping of one's paladin abilities, direct granting of spells through the prayer of high level clerics, etc...) and when Miko is accepting that the gods are punishing her and is waiting for a sign of what to do, she is (in my interpretation of Burlew's tone during her escape) given nothing but a small crack in the wall, which her own Hubris interprets as a sign.

Why on earth would a god of Good completely turn away from someone who has made a mistake and is now actively seeking guidance?

Apparently because Miko's god is every bit as stone-facedly legalistic as Miko in her worse moments. After killing the Lying Politician Dictator of an apparently legalistically religious society her only sin seems to be thinking that the Order is still evil, so A) Her god refuses to help her because of a logic issue, or B) her god refuses forgiveness.

How can Miko be any different given the circumstances, and her obviously high knowledge: religion modifier?

We can easily assume that Miko's behavior is an aberration among the Sapphire Guard until seeing the cold reception from her gods when she flings herself upon their mercies.

All I say is: poor Miko for being born into the Azurian society where she's been put into this situation. But I'll give Burlew this: it's very Japanese.

[TheBaffledKing]

Yes, absolutely. She certainly had a tragic death... My post in the OOTS #464 Discussion Thread:


That comic was extremely sad, and very, very touching.

In her final moments, Miko is faced with the realisation that the beliefs she held about herself and her role in life were erroneous, and that the actions they inspired her to take were misguided and caused far more harm than good.

In this moment, all she can turn to for comfort is the news that she will be able to see her only friend in the afterlife.

Her only friend is her mount, because her beliefs have pushed everybody else away from her.

Yet seeing her mount is enough for her, because she has never experienced the more fulfilling kinds of companionship most people take for granted.

That is truly tragic.

[Ladorak]

Poor Miko, my heart is cleaved in twine as if by a katana

[TheBaffledKing]

miko's story was tragic until she became a fallen paladin, when that happened she started to do things just to try to redem herself, she started taking every little thing as a sign from the gods(linear guild escaping or crack in the prison bar) which ultimitaly lead to her demise
Erm... isn't that possibly the most tragic part of her story? Being a paladin was what was most important to her, or so it seemed.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Oh I haven't been here for a while...but I agree wholeheartedly. Frankly, it was Miko's death scene that redeemed her in my eyes. I had really started to loathe how she seemed to live in her own little world and wouldn't listen to reason (I hate characters who refuse to listen to reason in general), but when Soon came and comforted her before she passed on, he said that she did the right thing. Not the best thing, but still the right thing. Still, I doubt she'll go to Celestia (if we're to assume that this is the Great Wheel). I'd say there's a cog somewhere in Mechanus with her name on it.

[toysailor]

Shakespearean "Tragic Hero" characteristics:

1. Fundamentally good person with a fatal flaw.
2. Finds redemption at the end.

One might argue that Miko does fit the bill here. But who cares? Its a stick comic and I think some people are over-analyzing stuff.

[_Someguy]

Shakespearean "Tragic Hero" characteristics:

1. Fundamentally good person with a fatal flaw.
2. Finds redemption at the end.

One might argue that Miko does fit the bill here. But who cares? Its a stick comic and I think some people are over-analyzing stuff.


Shouldn't the second characteristic be: The character finds that their flaw (or huberis) is their downfall?

After all In Oedipus Rex (not sure if that spelling is right) the main character doesn't nessicarily find any redemption whoever you would consider the 'main character' to be in said story that is.

[Dave Rapp]

Miko's life and death were certainly tragic, but somehow I doubt it ends here. Remember what the oracle said to Belkar? He's going to kill Miko, Miko's horse, or V. And with Miko dead the the horse gone, that means we now know almost for sure that Belkar is going to kill V. I doubt Rich would allow us to know this so soon.

Also, consider that they revived that one Wizard guy, and attempted to revive Lord Shojo. We know that it's relatively easy for them to revive fallen members of the Saphire Guard, and even though Miko may have fallen, I think they would at the very least try to revive her. If anything, she still needs to stand trial.

No, I doubt we have seen the end of Miko. I think she may be doomed to suffer more. :smallfrown:

[Rad]

To the OP, yes, Miko is a tragic character indeed. Her story really is a beautiful subplot in the campaign. I don't know if we saw the last of her but I wouldn't take either option for sure... damned resurrections! They really hurt stories badly.


Miko's life and death were certainly tragic, but somehow I doubt it ends here. Remember what the oracle said to Belkar? He's going to kill Miko, Miko's horse, or V. And with Miko dead the the horse gone, that means we now know almost for sure that Belkar is going to kill V. I doubt Rich would allow us to know this so soon.
The oracle mentioned Roy as well, and there has been a long and debated thread on whether Belkar giving him his ring of jumping fulfilled the prophecy about causing his death. No respectable prophecy works out as expected after all.


Also, consider that they revived that one Wizard guy, and attempted to revive Lord Shojo. We know that it's relatively easy for them to revive fallen members of the Saphire Guard, and even though Miko may have fallen, I think they would at the very least try to revive her. If anything, she still needs to stand trial.
Well, the only surviving members of the sapphire guard are probably Hinjo and O'Chul. The high-level ones were the ones massacred in the throne room and the low-levels were defending the streets, which got sweeped by the hobgoblins. This and the fact that Soon's gate is no more makes me think that the SG is to be considered disbanded and not putting anyone under trial, much less raising someone just for that!

[evileeyore]

The oracle mentioned Roy as well, and there has been a long and debated thread on whether Belkar giving him his ring of jumping fulfilled the prophecy about causing his death. No respectable prophecy works out as expected after all.

:belkar: Do I get to cause the death of any of the following: Miko, Miko's stupid horse, Roy, Vaarsuvius, or you?
http://www.geocities.com/evileeyore/oracle.gif Yes
:belkar: Sweet! Which one?
http://www.geocities.com/evileeyore/oracle.gif Next!

So by actual count we have three potential victims... if Miko's Horse isn't being reassigned to another Paladin for Belkar to encounter and if Miko stays dead...

[factotum]

Well, the only surviving members of the sapphire guard are probably Hinjo and O'Chul.

Nope. In strip 413, when talking about troop dispositions, O-Chul says:

And the paladins, Lord? Many are away, but there are at least 100 of us here.

This makes it clear that a significant portion of the Sapphire Guard were not in the city when it was sacked and will therefore still be alive. (Assuming they're not all on missions so dangerous that they don't come back from them, of course. :smallsmile: )

[Ladorak]

Shakespearean "Tragic Hero" characteristics:

1. Fundamentally good person with a fatal flaw.
2. Finds redemption at the end.

One might argue that Miko does fit the bill here. But who cares? Its a stick comic and I think some people are over-analyzing stuff.

'Cos nobody over-analyzes Shakespeare...

[Catch]

I'd have to feel sorry for Miko in order for her death to be tragic.

She'd also have to not deserve it.

[Ladorak]

... You don't know what a tragic hero is do you?

Notable tragic heros include: Agamemmnon (Killed his child) Hercules (Non Roman version) (killed his wife and six children) Ajax (Attempted to kill his fellow kings) Achilles (Brutalises Hector's body before the eyes of his father) Othello (Killed his wife) King Lear (Causes his only faithful daughter's death)... This is a llong list

[Catch]

... You don't know what a tragic hero is do you?

Notable tragic heros include: Agamemmnon (Killed his child) Hercules (Non Roman version) (killed his wife and six children) Ajax (Attempted to kill his fellow kings) Achilles (Brutalises Hector's body before the eyes of his father) Othello (Killed his wife) King Lear (Causes his only faithful daughter's death)... This is a llong list

I'm a literature major. I know exactly what constitutes a tragic hero.

Aristotle himself said, "Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is admirable, complete (composed of an introduction, a middle part and an ending), and possesses magnitude; in language made pleasurable, each of its species separated in different parts; performed by actors, not through narration; effecting through pity and fear the purification of such emotions."

Miko was a villain. She was not admirable, pitiable, nor did I fear for her demise. Hell, I enjoyed it.

She certainly possessed a great deal of pride and was fatally flawed--which affected the world on a significant scope--but she is not a tragic hero.

Case in point: I didn't cheer at the end of Oedipus Rex. I didn't gloat over Hamlet's demise. Miko? I giggled.

Next time, don't assume that whoever you're talking to is an idiot.

[elliott20]

just because the medium is in stick format doesn't mean it's incapable of a serious storyline with the usage of classic literary techniques. As such, when such device come to surface, I believe it definitely deserves such analysis and treatment.

[ThorFluff]

I'm a literature major. I know exactly what constitutes a tragic hero.

Aristotle himself said, "Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is admirable, complete (composed of an introduction, a middle part and an ending), and possesses magnitude; in language made pleasurable, each of its species separated in different parts; performed by actors, not through narration; effecting through pity and fear the purification of such emotions."

Miko was a villain. She was not admirable, pitiable, nor did I fear for her demise. Hell, I enjoyed it.

She certainly possessed a great deal of pride and was fatally flawed--which affected the world on a significant scope--but she is not a tragic hero.

Case in point: I didn't cheer at the end of Oedipus Rex. I didn't gloat over Hamlet's demise. Miko? I giggled.

Next time, don't assume that whoever you're talking to is an idiot.


I for one, even though i never liked her, found myself pitying her all the time. And i even found her admirable at times.

Next time, dont assume that whoever you're talking to shares your "humor".

[Kreistor]

I completely disagree. Just because you enjoyed watching her fall, that doesn't mean she wasn't a hero.

Her actions did imitate heroism. Her flaw prevented them from being truly heroic. That is completely in sync with the tragic hero. The tragic hero is incapable of recognizing that she is flawed and slowly descends from the pinnacle of standing into the depths of depravity.

I think it is clear that Miko follows that model. She begins by being interpreted as a standard hero, though one with an extreme viewpoint. She reveals subtle differences in some ways, though, that suggest her flaw without revealing it. And then she begins her descent, making her flaw obvious -- hubris. "I am special." Now we have an explanation for all of those little things that were tugging on our senses that we couldn't explain. And we watch Miko lose all of her friends and status due to that flaw, and eventually it guides her to her own destruction.

Lord Soon even follows the Shakespearean model for tragedy, performing the "explanation" that he so often inserted to serve as the final revelation of why the whole mess lead to such a tragic result.

I personally expected the tragedy to go further, with Miko descending into true Evil, but it seems the Giant didn't want to take her further.

[Ladorak]

Can't say I'm a literature major (American version of a degree?) but Aristotle wrote
exactly what constitutes a tragic hero.


Four stages. Stage the first... Nobility or wisdom. Is Miko of the Nobility... You know I think she was...
Stage the second... Hamartia (Rough translation flaw or mistake). You know I honestly don't think Miko's made any mistakes...
Stage the third. A reversal of fortune brought about because of the hero's Hamartia. Does being cleved in twine count?
Final stage. The discovery or recognition that the reversal was brought about by the hero's own actions. Assuming Miko's not deaf she heard Soon

The idea of all this is to induce Catharsis, which I have defined as 'The term in drama refers to a sudden emotional breakdown or climax that constitutes overwhelming feelings of great sorrow, pity, laughter or any extreme change in emotion that results in the restoration, renewal and revitalization for living.'

Next time, don't assume that you're the only one who's read the obscure text.

[Mr Teufel]

The OP asks if Miko was a tragic character, not a tragic hero. Given that the flaws that made her who she was also brought about her downfall, I'd say she's a perfect tragic character. But she never was a hero. The hero is the protagonist, and she was always an antagonist. The fact she had her own story arc made her a well-made antagonist, not a protagonist.

[Ladorak]

A good point, but a tragic hero is not always the protagonist. In Othello for instance Othello is not the main charactor (Even though the play is named after him) yet he is the tragic hero.

[Catch]

*snip*

The idea of all this is to induce Catharsis, which I have defined as 'The term in drama refers to a sudden emotional breakdown or climax that constitutes overwhelming feelings of great sorrow, pity, laughter or any extreme change in emotion that results in the restoration, renewal and revitalization for living.'


A couple of good points here, but I disagree in a few areas, the first being Miko's catharsis--of lack thereof-- which I believe is the the key factor in her candidacy for tragedy.

I ask: At any point, did Miko ever realize her flaws or even consider the possibility of being wrong?

Not once, and not even after being mortally wounded and on the brink of death. Even while Soon is ghosting above her, explaining how she royally screwed everything she's still convinced that she deserves her paladinhood. In traditional tragedy, the hero--character is perhaps a better term--realizes his or her faults, albeit too late to avoid a grisly end. Had Miko recognized her moral (and mental) shortcomings, her death would be tragic instead of due comeuppence.

My personal bias against her stems from her complete incognizance of her own faults. All tragic characters are unaware of their shortcomings until too late, but the point of tragedy is that they realize their mistakes and find some sort of moral vindication, yet die anyway.

In short, she goes through all the motions, yet misses the most important piece.

[Pyro]

When she says “I can live with that” I believe she wasn’t only speaking of Windstriker. I think she also meant she could live with being wrong for a change.

This is at Catch. This could be seen as realizing her "fault". Of course thats just my opinion.

[elliott20]

A couple of good points here, but I disagree in a few areas, the first being Miko's catharsis--of lack thereof-- which I believe is the the key factor in her candidacy for tragedy.

I ask: At any point, did Miko ever realize her flaws or even consider the possibility of being wrong?

Not once, and not even after being mortally wounded and on the brink of death. Even while Soon is ghosting above her, explaining how she royally screwed everything she's still convinced that she deserves her paladinhood. In traditional tragedy, the hero--character is perhaps a better term--realizes his or her faults, albeit too late to avoid a grisly end. Had Miko recognized her moral (and mental) shortcomings, her death would be tragic instead of due comeuppence.

My personal bias against her stems from her complete incognizance of her own faults. All tragic characters are unaware of their shortcomings until too late, but the point of tragedy is that they realize their mistakes and find some sort of moral vindication, yet die anyway.

In short, she goes through all the motions, yet misses the most important piece.
I thought "I can live with that" was supposed to be that crucial, important piece.

[Ben7el]

I thought "I can live with that" was supposed to be that crucial, important piece.

I believe that "Will.... Will I get to see Windstriker again?" was the crucial moment when Miko realized she was wrong, after all, why would she ask Soon that if she thought was right and going to the Celestia(sp?). She was worried that she would never be able to see Windstriker again BECAUSE she realized she was wrong and that she probably is not going to the same place that Windstriker is. The "I can live with that." was just her saying she would be content as long as Windstriker could visit her.

I personally believe Miko isn't in Celestia(Sp?) but it the other LG place that starts with an A.

Just my 2 cents, you can believe whatever you want too.

[elliott20]

yeah, the entire dialogue reads to me as her finally accepting the very real possibility that maybe there really isn't anything wrong with... well... being wrong every once in a while, in some small way, gain a bit of humility that vindicates her hubris.

[TheBaffledKing]

I believe that "Will.... Will I get to see Windstriker again?" was the crucial moment when Miko realized she was wrong, after all, why would she ask Soon that if she thought was right and going to the Celestia(sp?). She was worried that she would never be able to see Windstriker again BECAUSE she realized she was wrong and that she probably is not going to the same place that Windstriker is. The "I can live with that." was just her saying she would be content as long as Windstriker could visit her.
EXACTLY. She began to realise that her actions had been wrong only when it was too late for her to compensate for them, or even to let the likes of Hinjo know that she was sorry. Tragic.

[Kioran]

EXACTLY. She began to realise that her actions had been wrong only when it was too late for her to compensate for them, or even to let the likes of Hinjo know that she was sorry. Tragic.

Hinjo is certainly not the person I´d let know I was sorry. He is Lawful Good, no question, and really good at that. I think he is, also, a weaker leader than Soon in that he gets superficially involved with many people, yet lacks the Wisdom(not the Stat, the character trait) to the give them guidance and seperate between the different kinds of friendship and respect due different people. Honestly, making merry with the OoTS and then patronizing a distraught, fallen, hurt and bleeding Miko was downright moronic, and he deserved his ass kicked, not for evil acts but as a lesson. Please note that Miko doesn´t get uppity with Soon, and not only because she´s dying, but also because Soon shows compassion and integrity beyond anything normal(perhaps because he learned from the breakup of the Order of the Scribble).
The only reason I´d be sorry for killing Shojo and kicking Hinjo´s ass, and that is the tragic part of it, is because it put innocents in harms way. It might have very well cost some Azurite lives.

Please note that tragic heroes also seldomly appear in healthy environments.

[hanzo66]

Personally I've always found Miko as a rather well-done character. She's not the most likeable, but I like her character. She definitely does seem to be a Tragic Figure in that her hubris leads her into irrational and destructive choices. I like to think she manages to die with the lesson that Soon tried to teach her, finally learning that she can be wrong. Though she technically did not redeem herself, she perhaps found peace in death.

[elliott20]

Though she technically did not redeem herself, she perhaps found peace in death.
really though, for characters like Miko, that is probably the best she can hope for.

[Ladorak]

If anyone had shown her but a glimpse of respect, dignity or compassion maybe Miko would have found redemption a little more within her grasp. I know she's not an easy one to treat as a fellow human being but apart from Soon nobody ever did.

[LordVader]

That's because she never let them.:smallannoyed: She never made any attempts at friendship either. Roy attempted it, but she never returned it. Let's face it, would you want to show any of those things to someone who treated you like crap? It's easy to say they should've, but in fact, I would have done the same thing. It's no one's fault but her own-instead of rationally looking at the situation, she always just believed she was infallible. IMO, it serves her right.

[David Argall]

I believe that "Will.... Will I get to see Windstriker again?" was the crucial moment when Miko realized she was wrong, after all, why would she ask Soon that if she thought was right and going to the Celestia(sp?). She was worried that she would never be able to see Windstriker again BECAUSE she realized she was wrong and that she probably is not going to the same place that Windstriker is.
Possible, but only possible.

Another is that Windstriker was in fact about the only thing she loved. Given the descriptions of her lifestyle and job, she spent more time with the horse than with any other individual, and possibly with all other individuals combined. Quite possible to assume an obsession with the creature. [Also possible to assume little more than the joy of having a good tool, but...] In that case, her other questions merely become larger ways of asking if she gets Windstriker back. She need not care about Heaven or Hell, or much else. They are but aids or difficulties to reaching the true goal.
Even if we assume that Miko goes to the same place as Windstrider, Miko is unlikely to be sure of how things are handled there. Particularly since she has been told she will not be a paladin. Will Windstrider even want to associate with her? She can't be sure.

Or we can say she didn't care at all about the silly horse, but deemed it a good way to measure the official attitude towards her. If Windstriker is still friendly, things won't be too bad. If he is hostile...
Note that this idea does not require her to realize at all she was ever wrong. It would not be hard for her to put all the blame on the brass, or somebody else. And think they are covering their asses by sticking it to her. Or she may accept full blame. But either way, the attitude of the horse is a good measure of what will happen to her.

[And a perfectly possible reason is that our writer wanted us to feel sorry for the annoying twit, something a lot of people found way too hard to even come close to doing. So a little girl heart tug, whether or not it fit the rest of the story at all, at least managed to pull in those of us with a little common decency.]

We are overanalyzing a webcomic. Don't be too sure of conclusions.

[elliott20]

clearly, this is the greatest example of how an alignment does not necessarily indicate patience and altruism. Perhaps the only person who has ever given Miko the courtesy of respect even in her blatantly abrasive personality was Durkon. It definitely shows the greater wisdom that he displays as a character.

Fact is, Miko does not make herself easy to deal with. She pushes everyone away because I don't think she believes any of their opinions REALLY matter. In her eyes, the only person's opinion who would matter are those she can see as infallible or at least have no taint on their record. As such, Soon and the 12 Gods were on her list. But short of that, everybody else, by virtue of being mortal or not a legendary hero, would in her eyes be incapable of judging her. Arguably, Shojo was in that list as well until he has revealed himself to be capable of treachery. (however well intentioned it was)

This however, also means she does not bother to relate to anyone, and as such makes herself even less accessible.

It would honestly take a person with near saint like patience like Durkon or the spirit of one of their greatest heroes to actually get through to her and have her listen.

[InfernusTribble]

If anyone had shown her but a glimpse of respect, dignity or compassion maybe Miko would have found redemption a little more within her grasp. I know she's not an easy one to treat as a fellow human being but apart from Soon nobody ever did.

The one time Roy showed her some respect she reciprocated with offering the chance of a romantic relationship to him, opening up quite considerably, only for him to publicly scorn her in front of the rest of the OOTS

In retrospect Miko had very few social skills - she did seem to be the kind of person who hid behind her duty in case she ever got hurt. The one time she does open up and prioritises dealing with people instead of simply dragging her "prisoners" to Azure city (Maybe two times if you count after she bisected Shojo and fell - but that's stretching it bigtime I think) Roy sticks the boot in so hard it's like a sledgehammer

[Ben7el]

Right David, sorry for speaking in obsoletes, I understand that most of this discussion is just guess work, and any one of us might be wrong or right, anything is possible because we don’t know the mind of the Giant.

[TheBaffledKing]

Hinjo is certainly not the person I´d let know I was sorry.
Well, it's fairly hard for me to put myself in Miko's shoes, but y'know, if I killed an 80-year old because I was under the false impression that he was conspiring with evil liches, then the first people I'd apologise to once I found out I was in error would be his family. Beyond that, Miko let the Sapphire Guard and frankly the whole city down by executing it's ruler and then getting herself put in jail at a time when both she and Shojo would be needed the most - and again, I think she'd want to apologise for that. Being as Hinjo was Shojo's nephew, the man that replaced him as ruler of Azure City, and a fellow paladin, I think that Hinjo would be one of the first people Miko would apologise to if she became fully aware of how wrong she was.


Please note that Miko doesn´t get uppity with Soon, and not only because she´s dying, but also because Soon shows compassion and integrity beyond anything normal(perhaps because he learned from the breakup of the Order of the Scribble).
Or perhaps she also doesn't get uppity because she holds him in the highest esteem as a heroic and noble character who founded the order to which she has dedicated herself?

[Lord Zentei]

That's because she never let them.:smallannoyed: She never made any attempts at friendship either. Roy attempted it, but she never returned it.

O'RLY? (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0250.html)


Let's face it, would you want to show any of those things to someone who treated you like crap? It's easy to say they should've, but in fact, I would have done the same thing. It's no one's fault but her own-instead of rationally looking at the situation, she always just believed she was infallible. IMO, it serves her right.

Ahem. She isn't obligated to befriend people she just arrested.

As for the sapphire guard, we haven't really seen much of her past history to judge one way or the other. I'd suggest that perhaps, yes, it may be argued that an order of paladins should try and help one of their own from the brink.