Question about Saphirre Guard's Saphirre

[SolkaTruesilver]

Hi there. While quietly reading No Cure for the PAladin Blues, I noticed something weird. I already noticed it before, but dismissed it.

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0277.html

If you look closely at the panel where Soon bows in front of Shojo and his father, you will notice that there is no Saphirre on the throne room. Not only that, but it seems that Soon is actually handing the saphirre over to the lord.

Was it.. a mistake at the time on Rich's part? Did he not planned, at the time, that the saphirre was the gate, and could never be moved?

Your comments

[monty]

It was being moved by the power of plot. Either that, or the not-movable thing was something Rich added later.

[HomerHT]

This was raised up a while back and I think the consensus was that the gem that Soon is holding is symbolically used in the transfer of command of the Sapphire Guard. As you will notice in other shots of the throne, the sapphire is quite tiny and unable to be seen. Plus, the gem that Soon hands over is HUGE. It's bigger than the holding setting for the actual sapphire.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

I'e always seen the Throne are being the Gateposts, while the Sapphire was the Gate. You have to build up the supports before you can install the door.

While Soon Kim might believe that only the Honor of a Samurai is unbreakable, he might have decided to hedge his bet a little. By having the Sapphire imbued with magic to help hold the Snarl in, or as a last defense, cause the gem to explode. This would destroy whoever attempted to use the gem, and possibly destroy or at least injure the Snarl.

Might even be a bit of forshadowing for Girard's Gate and Kraagor's Gate.

[NerfTW]

Despite my annoyance at "they might be lying" responses to any plot exposition, in this case, since there were non sapphire guard members there, he probably intentionally mislead the characters about the location of the actual gate being in the gem.

[TheElfLord]

I think the Saphire is there. The crayon section seems to beseen through a filter that lightens color. Compare the thrones in the two panels. It is royal blue in the flashback but more of a blue purple in the current time. Note that the light that surrounds the throne is white in the flashback but has darkened to a light blue in the current time. If you take the gray shaphire shaped piece on top of the throne and darken it, it becomes the blue of the modern saphire. It was always there, the colors were just off.

[TheAlmightyOne]

The sapphire was dirty hence its grey appearence. Soon Kim was handing over the royal contact lens

[David Argall]

The saphire is already in place in the crayon version. It is not clear what Soon is passing over, but the most likely idea is that this is a symbol of his office as leader of the Saphire Guard. Soon may have carried a saphire as his token of office, and thus turned it over to Shojo's dad when he yielded office to him.

[TorJin]

I feel the need to point out that the sapphire is NOT in place in the throne in the crayon version. The sapphire in the throne is very large, and quite clearly the entire blue oval above Shojo's head. In the crayon version, there is no large blue oval in the throne-but there is a large blue oval in Soon's hands. I'm with Surfing Half-Orc. Can't put the gate up without gateposts.

[blackspeeker]

Despite my annoyance at "they might be lying" responses to any plot exposition, in this case, since there were non sapphire guard members there, he probably intentionally mislead the characters about the location of the actual gate being in the gem.

Honestly, this seems the most likely thing suggested, I mean Shojo was known for deceit (or at least, we know him for deceit).

[monty]

Remember, plot>>accuracy.

[The Extinguisher]

I feel the need to point out that the sapphire is NOT in place in the throne in the crayon version. The sapphire in the throne is very large, and quite clearly the entire blue oval above Shojo's head. In the crayon version, there is no large blue oval in the throne-but there is a large blue oval in Soon's hands. I'm with Surfing Half-Orc. Can't put the gate up without gateposts.

Look behind, there's a nice big sapphire behind his head.

[TorJin]

Look behind, there's a nice big sapphire behind his head.

The gray oval behind his head? I was under the impression that that was simply a slot for the sapphire Soon is handing to Shojo's dad to be put in.

[David Argall]

The gray oval behind his head? I was under the impression that that was simply a slot for the sapphire Soon is handing to Shojo's dad to be put in.

The data we have is that the rifts are immobile, at least short of god-level magic. So the gates were put in place long before the picture of Soon with the emerald took place. That had to happen while the party was still on speaking terms, not after Soon had spent years campaigning. The gate thereafter was fixed in position. Thus the thing in Soon's hand can not be the gate, which is already in the throne.

Now there are a number of possibilities as to what it is. One idea is that it is a thin shell of sapphire, to be placed over the actual gate. But Soon is not handing over a gate.

[Mauve Shirt]

The gates were put up by Durokan, right? He was the party wizard. I gathered that Soon built the tower after they all broke up, and certainly it was done before he would've handed it down to Shojo's dad.