ESB/Dead Man's Chest/OotS

[Dunesen]

I don't have much point to this post, I just want to talk about something I realized today.

When Dead Man's Chest came out last year, Moriarty at Ain't It Cool compared it to the Empire Strikes Back. All the established characters split off on their own adventures before coming back for the final scenes. Ultimately the movie ends with the villains seemingly winning and one of the heroes gone, setting up the start of the third movie as the other heroes trying to get them back.

Then today I was reading #484 again and I realized we have the exact same scenario: the heroes had to split up throughout the course of the battle of Azure City, the villains ultimately win the day, one of the heroes is beyond reach, and now the next story-arc will involve getting the hero back.

Just wanted to point it out. I think it's a pretty cool story setting in general, and hasn't become a cliche or archtype yet.

[ChopSticks28]

You're on to something, it really looks the same.

If that's the case, then it means that the next story arc will be the last; seeing out heroes getting their asses kicked a second time won't fit.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

You're on to something, it really looks the same.

If that's the case, then it means that the next story arc will be the last; seeing out heroes getting their asses kicked a second time won't fit.

I don't see why it would be the last arc... The next arc will have the heroes getting back together, THEN the following arc would have the Grand Finale'.

That is assuming there isn't yet another story arc between those two.

Possible Story Arcs Awaiting Resolution:


1. Belkar's Death
2. Roy's Return
3. Ian Starshine's Rescue
4. Durkon's Posthumous Return
5. Durkon and Hilgya's Love Child
6. Elan vs. Nale Part III... This time it's PERSONAL!
7. Return of the Paladin (O-Chul)
8. Roy and Miko's Afterlife Misadventures
9. Lord Kubota, the Half-Orc Ninja Girl and the Demon (?) Advisor
10. Pirates of the Western Continent
11. Railways of the Western Continent
12. Roy, Julia and the Mystery Sibling
13. Who killed Fryon's son? (Yeah, we know it was Xykon, but when? In what room? With what item?)
14. Redcloak's Niece (SoD)
15. Elan vs. Nale vs. Lord Tyrinar!
16. Roy and Celia's Wedding
17. Elan and Haley's Wedding.
18. Crystal the Assassin (OtOoPCs)
19. Traditional Theater Snacks vs. the New Upstarts


And that's just off the top of my head, based on the plot hooks Rich has left laying about. Gods only know what new ideas will be dropped during the next story arcs...

[psychoticbarber]

13. Who killed Fryon's son? (Yeah, we know it was Xykon, but when? In what room? With what item?)


Actually, contrary to popular belief, it was Colonel Mustard in the Conservatory with the Lead Pipe.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Actually, contrary to popular belief, it was Colonel Mustard in the Conservatory with the Lead Pipe.

DUDE!!!! Spoiler Tags, PLZ!!!!!

[Icewalker]

Yeah, makes for a good story.

What I'd guess is the next really major scale story arc (ie "azure city" not "V's a lizard" scale) will be them getting back together and facing off Xykon at Girard's gate, where Xykon will fail and head for the last one.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Yeah, it's a common device in planned episodic works.

The key distinction is whether the "middle" work is good (Empire or War and XPs, as this superarc will be called in book form) or terrible (Dead Man's Chest or Matrix Reloaded). Hell, even the traditional drama has a similar structure where Act 3 is low or most tragic point in the narrative, and frequently the most violent.

Anyway, with the way thing's have panned out so far, I'm expecting OotS to be a story in five "Acts", rather than the more common trilogy. Specifically,

Act I: Dungeon Crawlin' Fools: the main heroes and villains are introduced.
Act II: No Cure For the Paladin Blues: the central conflicts are presented.
Act III: War and XPs: The heroes reach their low point in the narrative: lost, divided, and in some cases dead, things can only go up from here. At least in a non-tragedy.
Act IV: Heroes recover from their losses in Act III and begin fighting back against the now overwhelming odds.
Act V: Final showdown and denouement.

That's just my speculation.

[The Extinguisher]

I recall The Giant saying something like seven books worth of material, not including extra projects.

Anyway, I predict two books until Girard's Gate goes the way of the others. One or two for Kraggor's Gate. And one after that. Which brings it to 7 or 8.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Well, we have had one "transition" book so far. So putting one before each of the two remaining Gates is feasible, and would bring the total to seven, I suppose.

[Ecalsneerg]

The key distinction is whether the "middle" work is good (Empire or War and XPs, as this superarc will be called in book form) or terrible (Dead Man's Chest or Matrix Reloaded).
Matrix Reloaded wasn't that bad. It was just the follow-up to the Matrix. It was only pants in comparison.

Revolutions was among the worst 2 hours of my life.


Anyway, with the way thing's have panned out so far, I'm expecting OotS to be a story in five "Acts", rather than the more common trilogy.
All Shakespeare's work was in 5 acts :P

[Lord]

Actually I thought that Dead Mans Chest was almost as good as the first. Now At Worlds End THAT was bad.

[Nerd-o-rama]

All Shakespeare's work was in 5 acts :P
Which is why I said "common" rather than my original word "traditional".

I could also see this being done in 6 books, like Lord of the Rings (a trilogy of three volume that it is published as atrilogy.

Now Lord, this isn't the right place to discuss this, but I'll respectfully diasagree.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

I'm thinking close to eight-ten books total:

-1. Start of Darkness
0. On the Origins of PCs
1. Dungeon Crawlin' Fools
2. No Cure for the Paladin Blues
3. War and XPs
Then on to unknown territory:

4. Pirates of the... Meh, can't think of anything. They have to cross the ocean. Also might end up as a "Battlestar Galactica" type of plot line, considering the refugee status of the fleet.
5. The Good, the Bad and the Belkar (I have a feeling the Western Continent will have a "Cowboy" theme. Another "Epic") The rescue of Haley's dad, the battle of Lord Tyrinar, and Girard's Gate. Belkar's Death Scene.
6. War of the Dwarves. Hilgya and Durkon's Love Child wants a little payback for daddy ditching momma. Durkon's Death Scene.
7. Final Chapter. No clue how it will go, except it will probably end with Xykon and Redcloak's Death Scene.

Plus the possibility of one or more story arcs tossed in before the Final Chapter for good measure.


Just a few thoughts. The strip has several years left in it.

[lin_fusan]

Nerd-O-Rama already pointed out the 5-act structure (in my screenwriting class, the instructor breaks it down to three acts, which Act I being Introduction and central conflict lumped together, Act II being War and XPs, and Act III being the Recovery, showdown, and denouement, which is borrowed from classic literature.)

Which really means that OotS is classic literature. Yay!:smallbiggrin:

[redzimmer]

The upside to a 5-part arc as opposed to a three-part arc would be we will be spared Vaarsuvius convincing a tribe of feral teddy bears that s/he is their god.

Flash Forward to OOTS # 516...

---

:elan: V! Tell them if they don't do as you wish, you'll become angry and use your godly magic.
:vaarsuvius: But what godly magic? In case you're forgetten, I deal in arcane magic, and have no access to divine...
:elan: Just tell them.

---

Of course I have faith Rich wouldn't use such a contrived plot device...