why Nale hated Malack (RE comic 906)?

[JeenLeen]

In this comic (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0906.html), Nale states that he had planned killing Malack since he was 9 years old.

Since that seems long before Nale attempted his coup against his father, I was wondering if we ever were told why he had a particular grudge against Malack. Anything in the comic or some speculation that seems solid?

[KorvinStarmast]

In this comic (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0906.html), Nale states that he had planned killing Malack since he was 9 years old.

Since that seems long before Nale attempted his coup against his father, I was wondering if we ever were told why he had a particular grudge against Malack. Anything in the comic or some speculation that seems solid? I think it's due to jealousy, since Dad was always going off with his best friend and Nale the child was not getting enough Dad attention, but now that I recall that I can't figure out where that info comes from. Might be from the BRITF book commentary by Rich.

[hroþila]

No official word on it - it's probably the kind of thing we'll see in a Vector Legion/Linear Guild prequel if we end up getting one.

As for solid speculation... Since Nale is all about holding unreasonable grudges over semi-imagined slights and Malack is a total monster despite his civil façade, all bets are off.

[Kantaki]

Considering Nale was... well, Nale, I expect it was something incredibly petty.
Maybe Malack forced him to do his homework* or forbid him from having a sixth serving of icecream.

*Although this might be a valid reason.
Even more so if you take into account how Malack could have done so.

[Rogar Demonblud]

I have a hunch it's a real, solid reason, which will help explain why Nale treats every disagreement as justifying a nuclear flame war level blood feud.

[factotum]

I have a hunch it's a real, solid reason, which will help explain why Nale treats every disagreement as justifying a nuclear flame war level blood feud.

Except both Nale and Malack are dead and gone, and the Order have left the Empire of Blood far behind them, so why would any such explanation be inserted into the plot at this stage? It's easier to assume Nale was always a contrary little sod who hated people just because--we're talking someone who attempted to kill his own twin brother for the heinous crime of saying "No" to him, after all.

[MReav]

In this comic (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0906.html), Nale states that he had planned killing Malack since he was 9 years old.

Since that seems long before Nale attempted his coup against his father, I was wondering if we ever were told why he had a particular grudge against Malack. Anything in the comic or some speculation that seems solid?

Nale is a petty sadist. The reason is most likely trivial. I go with Stewie's "No sprinkles! For every sprinkle I find, I shall kill you" schtick.

[Kish]

Except both Nale and Malack are dead and gone, and the Order have left the Empire of Blood far behind them, so why would any such explanation be inserted into the plot at this stage?
Because Rich said a Vector Legion/Linear Guild prequel is something he might make, at some point.

I suspect he's deliberately avoided giving any details of why Nale hates Malack so that he can decide it when/if he makes such a prequel. As other people have said, between Nale's pettiness and Malack's vileness, there's plenty of room for Nale's reason for hating Malack to be either a very good one or a very bad one, with a middle ground being the least likely.

[dps]

Considering Nale was... well, Nale, I expect it was something incredibly petty.
Maybe Malack forced him to do his homework

IIRC, Malack was Nale's tutor, so that might be it.

[Peelee]

IIRC Malack was also an undead horror, so that might be it too.

[Ruck]

IIRC Malack was also an undead horror, so that might be it too.

The guy was in a long-term relationship with a succubus; I don't think that aspect of Malack necessarily bothered him too much.

I think, if we ever get an explanation, it's more likely to be about Nale's pettiness than Malack's monstrousness, but that's just a guess-- I think it would both be funnier and be true to Nale's nature that the atrocities themselves don't bother him-- and either one is possible.

[Goblin_Priest]

The guy was in a long-term relationship with a succubus; I don't think that aspect of Malack necessarily bothered him too much.

I think, if we ever get an explanation, it's more likely to be about Nale's pettiness than Malack's monstrousness, but that's just a guess-- I think it would both be funnier and be true to Nale's nature that the atrocities themselves don't bother him-- and either one is possible.

Not to mention he had no qualms with trying to recruit Durkula.

[Knaight]

Except both Nale and Malack are dead and gone, and the Order have left the Empire of Blood far behind them, so why would any such explanation be inserted into the plot at this stage? It's easier to assume Nale was always a contrary little sod who hated people just because--we're talking someone who attempted to kill his own twin brother for the heinous crime of saying "No" to him, after all.

It could easily be a tiny thing; Nale did overreact to tiny slights. On the other hand, his plan was unusually effective and not particularly convoluted; it was an assassination plan and not a vehicle for him to show off his superior intelligence. He took it much more seriously than he took any of his other conflicts, and that suggests something deeper.

There's also the matter of how there are two pieces of information that suggest opposing things. Nale's involvement as an incredibly petty and vindictive person suggests something minor; Malack's role as a psychopathic brute with a facade of charm basically makes him Xykon-Lite, and that suggests a certain severity.

[Lacuna Caster]

It could easily be a tiny thing; Nale did overreact to tiny slights. On the other hand, his plan was unusually effective and not particularly convoluted; it was an assassination plan and not a vehicle for him to show off his superior intelligence. He took it much more seriously than he took any of his other conflicts, and that suggests something deeper.
Touched on before (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?524302-What-if-Elan-and-Nale-Switched-places&p=21997760&viewfull=1#post21997760), but yeah, that's why the final showdown with Malack works on a dramatic level- straightforward effectiveness is so shocking from Nale that it gives a new dimension to his personality.

However, this is still no guarantee that Nale has a legitimate grievance- it could have been, like, five or six tiny provocations on Malack's part down the years, nursed into a grudge of epic proportions.

[Vinyadan]

A few options from an answer to an older thread. I think the last one is the most interesting.


Quasi-imagined slights.

The wish of self-realization before his father, who likes a vampire better than him.

A father against whom he rebelled, and whom Malak helped.

So, I think it's all due to very complicated daddy issues, Tarquin's inability to show love to his child beyond his usual masquerade brought the child to hate Tarquin's best friend and kill his children, preparing for the time to murder him.

The fact that Malak also was his teacher put Nale in his power. That must have made the situation even worse for him. We don't know if Malak was a cruel teacher (somehow, I doubt it), but being forced to being grown up by the dude you want to substitute as Dad's BFF and Guy He's Proud Of and To Whom He Talks About Grown-Up Things must have been pretty hard for him, especially if his disposition staid the same since he was a child.

So, in the end, I think it mostly was Tarquin's fault. Or, I'm sure Tarquin had an horrible effect on his child. I'm not sure about how the undead monstrosity handled him. It could have been unspeakable horror or a rather "human" relationship, like he was trying to build with Durkon.

Or Nale hates him because he acted like someone who loved his children, while his own father couldn't go beyond vain showboating.

[Riftwolf]

I think there're some hints to an event twelve years ago; Miron had a favour from Tarquin for twelve years ago, which is when Nale was nine years old (roughly), and ive always wondered if Nale had some connection to Malacks children (like childhood friend or stepmother who got vamped) that made him want to destroy them (beyond them being casualties in his power grab)

[Keltest]

I think there're some hints to an event twelve years ago; Miron had a favour from Tarquin for twelve years ago, which is when Nale was nine years old (roughly), and ive always wondered if Nale had some connection to Malacks children (like childhood friend or stepmother who got vamped) that made him want to destroy them (beyond them being casualties in his power grab)

Nale indicates that he did so as "practice" which says to me that he killed them specifically because of their relation to Malack, whether because he knew it would hurt Malack. or because he believed their presence would interfere with an attack on him.

[factotum]

Nale indicates that he did so as "practice" which says to me that he killed them specifically because of their relation to Malack, whether because he knew it would hurt Malack. or because he believed their presence would interfere with an attack on him.

Or he killed them as "practice" because he wasn't sure how to kill a vampire, and thus wanted to make sure with ones that weren't very dangerous before he tried the trick on the master.

[unbeliever536]

I think there're some hints to an event twelve years ago; Miron had a favour from Tarquin for twelve years ago, which is when Nale was nine years old (roughly), and ive always wondered if Nale had some connection to Malacks children (like childhood friend or stepmother who got vamped) that made him want to destroy them (beyond them being casualties in his power grab)

Miron owed a favor. I don't doubt that they're connected, but the direction is important. (Specifically, because I thought this was also related to Tarquin's protection of Nale, but it (obviously) can't have been, otherwise Tarquin would have been the one owing the favor)

[ti'esar]

Possibly the reason Tarquin wasn't around to try and head off whatever the conflict was because he was helping out Miron.