Something that was left unexplained

[SilverCacaobean]

I would ask the question at the title but it's from a bonus strip of War and XPs, so I didn't want to spoil it for anyone. Also, feel free to post here anything you feel has been left unexplained, if you don't want to make a thread for some reason...


Anyway.

Why does Shojo dismiss Eugene? They have the following exchange:

Shojo: I normally wouldn't dismiss you so abruptly.
Shojo: But there are certain...forces...that are uncomfortable with your presence.
Eugene: Someone have a problem with spirits?
Shojo: Not exactly. It's complicated.

Does anyone know what is Shojo talking about? Forces? Has it really not been explained or have I simply missed something?


Eugene: That's different.Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Shojo: Oh, I completely agree. Which is telling, really.

What does Shojo mean by "telling"?
A dictionary says:
1. Having force and producing a striking effect.
2. Revealing previously unknown information.

I suppose it's the second definition in this instance but I'm still not sure what his tone is meant to be and what exactly he means. Is he expressing disapproval or something? (For people who want to answer but haven't read it, I should mention that "Which is telling, really" is written in smaller letters. He probably lowered the volume of his voice. But not enough to not be heard by Eugene I think.)


That's strip Bonus310b, by the way.

I hope it's okay I posted the content of two panels...
Soo... Time for wild speculation. Or an answer, if I'm lucky.

[Kish]

I don't know about the first one, unless the scene is meant to imply that Eugene's presence bothers Mr. Scruffy. If it's not that, I suspect either 1) Roy demanded Eugene be dismissed, or, more likely, 2) the paladin ghosts attached to the throne room objected to Eugene's presence.

For the second one, I think the line's similar to "your approval fills me with shame"--Shojo is saying, "I completely agree with you, and if and when I no longer feel like the world will fall apart if I take my eyes off my chessboard of sapient pieces, I'll reflect on the implications of my complete agreement with someone I've concluded is an awful person."

[Gift Jeraff]

Shojo is alluding to Soon's ghost. The DSTP cast page lists Shojo and Soon's relationship as "works with," so they must have been in regular contact.

[ti'esar]

Yeah, it's definitely meant to indicate that Soon's ghost has a problem with Eugene, though in a cryptic way since that reveal hasn't happened yet. The "someone have a problem with spirits?" "Not exactly." exchange is the clincher.

[Ruck]

Huh, that never occurred to me. I always saw Shojo picking up Mr. Scruffy as he said it and assuming that's what he meant; it completely escaped me that he was talking about (and foreshadowing, had this appeared in the original run) Soon.

[Darth Paul]

Huh, that never occurred to me. I always saw Shojo picking up Mr. Scruffy as he said it and assuming that's what he meant; it completely escaped me that he was talking about (and foreshadowing, had this appeared in the original run) Soon.

I don't remember offhand if this strip was written especially for the book or if it was intended to be online, but didn't run for pacing reasons at that time... but it's one of those that made me say "Oh yeah, nice foreshadowing" as I read it, since I already knew what was coming- having read these events once before purchasing the books. I still had to read over it again before catching on.
I never did figure out what the sea monster was foreshadowing in the "Don't Split the Party" bonus strips until it was explained by the Giant himself.

[SilverCacaobean]

Thanks, everyone! :smallsmile: I had completely forgotten about this. Nice foreshadowing. Thanks for the language clarification Kish!

[Aasimar]

I think Scruffy is a misdirection, something for savvy readers to think 'ah, he means the cat', at the time, but really meaning the positive energy ghosts.

It's necessary, when you want to do a bit of foreshadowing, to give at least a plausible non-revelatory meaning, so you can preserve a bit of mystique.

If Sojo hadn't had Scruffy, or if he hadn't been in the scene, people might have kept guessing until they figured it out.

[martianmister]

Soon and martyrs are displeased with him, huh? Interesting. Could it give credence to the theory that Eugene don't deserve Celestia?

[Peelee]

I think Scruffy is a misdirection, something for savvy readers to think 'ah, he means the cat', at the time, but really meaning the positive energy ghosts.

It's necessary, when you want to do a bit of foreshadowing, to give at least a plausible non-revelatory meaning, so you can preserve a bit of mystique.

If Sojo hadn't had Scruffy, or if he hadn't been in the scene, people might have kept guessing until they figured it out.

Imean, it was only in the book form as bonus content, so any speculation would have been incredibly short-lived, and only for people who were introduced to it in book form first.

Also, what was plausible non-revelatory meaning was given to the large underwater monster Elan saw? If you want to assert that it's a necessary element for foreshadowing, then surely there is an answer for this.

[Rogar Demonblud]

That was the black dragon hunting Vaarsuvius. Note that when she makes her big dramatic entrance at the island, she's rising out of the water like Godzilla.

[Peelee]

That was the black dragon hunting Vaarsuvius. Note that when she makes her big dramatic entrance at the island, she's rising out of the water like Godzilla.

Yeah, I wasn't asking what it was, I was asking what the misdirect was, because it was claimed that a misdirect was necessary to foreshadowing.

[Rogar Demonblud]

It isn't, though. Foreshadowing just implies something is going to happen. The name comes fromt he shadow coming into sight before the character enters.

I suppose technically, the dragon thing is a misdirect because Rich uses Hinjo and Lien to establish the view that she's there for the fleet.

[Peelee]

It isn't, though. Foreshadowing just implies something is going to happen. The name comes fromt he shadow coming into sight before the character enters.

Yes, I agree. I was trying to illustrate that to the person who made the claim.

[Quild]

Soon and martyrs are displeased with him, huh? Interesting. Could it give credence to the theory that Eugene don't deserve Celestia?


Soon and martyrs are displeased with him, huh? Interesting. Could it give credence to the theory that Eugene don't deserve Celestia?

Well, there's probably reasons enough to be displeased at Eugene: He neutralized and tied up a deva so he could answer the summon in his stead and rig a trial that is closely related to Soon and his martyrs sacred oath. This trial was rigged along with a Chaotic Good Aristocrat who fools the Paladins since a few years.

Not sure why Shojo cares though. Maybe he tries not to upset the paladins more than necessary.

[Gift Jeraff]

It could be that Shojo wanted to keep Ghost Soon as secret as possible, or perhaps the way Eugene was conjured created an extraplanar interference that prevented Soon from manifesting.