Do you think there is ever going to be a Belkar-focused story arc?

[Green-Shirt Q]

There have been story arcs in OOTS that have focused on specific characters. Haley had her speech loss, Elan had the Linear Guild, Durkon had Hilga, V was a lizard, and the whole story is Roy's.

My question is, will there ever be a Belkar focused story? Should he get a story?

[Kato]

Hm... Durkon's five strips were hardly an arc, but anyway ^^'

I) I don't think there will be a Belkar arc. It' d only about him murdering and killing people.
II) I want to have a Belkar arc. It'd be all murdering and killing ^^

Anyway, there is his mark of justice side plot... and there was his 'falling Miko' side arc... dunno, he gets some attention... I'm not sure, what to bring on in him... A love adventure? An arch nemesis? A change of heart? o.o

[Ceaon]

I don't really feel those were story arcs, perse. Lizard V was a (long) gag, the rest provided some history or depth to characters but were not arcs:
Linear Guild introduction (including Hilgya): Dorukan's Dungeon Arc.
Lizard V: Starmetal Arc.
Haley's speech impediment: Starmetal, Miko and Azure City Arcs.

I also feel Belkar should never be provided with any depth or history other than "he's a mean little bastard that would slit his momma's throat for a nickle".

[Green-Shirt Q]

Well, I know they are not story arcs, but I couldn't really think of anything else to call them.

[Remirach]

There have been story arcs in OOTS that have focused on specific characters. Haley had her speech loss, Elan had the Linear Guild, Durkon had Hilga, V was a lizard, and the whole story is Roy's.

My question is, will there ever be a Belkar focused story? Should he get a story?
Mark of Justice. It's been an ongoing thing with him and it certainly hasn't yet been resolved to his satisfaction.

[Mauve Shirt]

There shouldn't be too much deep Belkar character development, or we won't find his homicidal-bastard-ness funny anymore.
I think that the MOJ is the only Belkar-focused "arc" that we're gonna get.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

I think there will be a Belkar arc, but it will be his first, last and only arc... The final panel(s) will be his death.


I also think Belkar's time is coming soon. Up to Solk's murder, Belkar's killing sprees have had some justification, even if it was somewhat thin. But there was no reason for Belkar to kill the gnome except to reduce any sympathy people might have had for the Belkster.

Actually, Belkar did get an arc, his quest to force Miko to fall. Just because it was blended in with the rest of the story doesn't mean he didn't get his own moments to shine.

[lord of kobolds]

I think there will be a Belkar arc, but it will be his first, last and only arc... The final panel(s) will be his death.


I also think Belkar's time is coming soon. Up to Solk's murder, Belkar's killing sprees have had some justification, even if it was somewhat thin. But there was no reason for Belkar to kill the gnome except to reduce any sympathy people might have had for the Belkster.

Actually, Belkar did get an arc, his quest to force Miko to fall. Just because it was blended in with the rest of the story doesn't mean he didn't get his own moments to shine.

The belkster doesn't need sympathy, he's awesome! also, I know that my roommate and I will stop reading oots if they lose him.:smallfrown:

[Lupy]

Belkar killed the gnome (you may have won this round CNN, but the war is hardly over!) because Rich hates it when people think he's CN.

[lord of kobolds]

I think there will be a Belkar arc, but it will be his first, last and only arc... The final panel(s) will be his death.


I also think Belkar's time is coming soon. Up to Solk's murder, Belkar's killing sprees have had some justification, even if it was somewhat thin. But there was no reason for Belkar to kill the gnome except to reduce any sympathy people might have had for the Belkster.

Actually, Belkar did get an arc, his quest to force Miko to fall. Just because it was blended in with the rest of the story doesn't mean he didn't get his own moments to shine.

The belkster doesn't need sympathy, he's awesome! also, I know that my roommate and I will stop reading oots if they lose him.:smallfrown:

[Remirach]

My personal theory revolves around frustration with the MoJ, and enjoyment of his newfound freedom outside a town leads Belkar to run off with Roy's corpse so as to pursue a life of unfettered killing in the wild. He is a ranger, after all, even if a crappy one, so the only thing he'd want to go into town for is the occasional whore. Haley and Celia are forced to chase after him, which ominously leads the party near Greysky City, which we know is en route to Cliffport.

I want Belkar to die, but not till the end. And I want it to be while saving Vaarsuvius... on accident. And for V to never find out it was an accident. That Vaarsuvius spends the rest of her days singing Belkar's praises is to be Belkar's eternal torment in the afterlife.

[lord of kobolds]

I think there will be a Belkar arc, but it will be his first, last and only arc... The final panel(s) will be his death.


I also think Belkar's time is coming soon. Up to Solk's murder, Belkar's killing sprees have had some justification, even if it was somewhat thin. But there was no reason for Belkar to kill the gnome except to reduce any sympathy people might have had for the Belkster.

Actually, Belkar did get an arc, his quest to force Miko to fall. Just because it was blended in with the rest of the story doesn't mean he didn't get his own moments to shine.

The belkster doesn't need sympathy, he's awesome! also, I know that my roommate and I will stop reading oots if they lose him.:smallfrown:

[Gitman00]

I think the closest thing we're going to see to a Belkar arc was his escape from AC's prison and subsequent prolonged battle with Miko. The reason is related to the reason Rich doesn't give us his backstory in SoD, i.e. it will make him too sympathetic. His "charm," if you want to call it that, is that he's completely irredeemable. If we knew his troubled childhood was the reason for his personality, he'd become less of a heroic sociopath (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HeroicSociopath) and more of a woobie (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheWoobie). Same thing if we had an entire plot arc devoted to him.

[ABB]

My personal theory revolves around frustration with the MoJ, and enjoyment of his newfound freedom outside a town leads Belkar to run off with Roy's corpse so as to pursue a life of unfettered killing in the wild. He is a ranger, after all, even if a crappy one, so the only thing he'd want to go into town for is the occasional whore. Haley and Celia are forced to chase after him, which ominously leads the party near Greysky City, which we know is en route to Cliffport.

I want Belkar to die, but not till the end. And I want it to be while saving Vaarsuvius... on accident. And for V to never find out it was an accident. That Vaarsuvius spends the rest of her days singing Belkar's praises is to be Belkar's eternal torment in the afterlife.


WOW! You really are one twisted little crawler, aint'cha? ;)

[Mr Horse]

I think we're seeing Belkar's arc right now - it started with him getting an animal companion. I have no idea where it's going, but it might be resolved with Roy's resurrection, or simply with Belkar's own death.

He might even go all Cerebus on our asses and get a really deep story line of his own.

[Remirach]

WOW! You really are one twisted little crawler, aint'cha? ;)

What can I say, I have an evil mind... :smallamused:

I like to imagine V delivering the eulogy, a mere 14 hour long sermon, and Belkar forced to listen from down below, crying his eyes out in fury as V extols the hidden nobility and sacrifice of their beloved Halfling companion... Belkar, his name will live on forever as one synonymous with the redeeming qualities of true friendship...

BELKAR: What in my life did I EVER do to deserve this cruel and unusual punishment?!

We'll build a statue of him... Elan will write songs about him... adventuring parties in the future will be looking for someone to be "their Belkar...

BELKAR: I HATE YOU ALL!!! ::weeps::

[NerfTW]

I think there will be a Belkar arc, but it will be his first, last and only arc... The final panel(s) will be his death.


I also think Belkar's time is coming soon. Up to Solk's murder, Belkar's killing sprees have had some justification, even if it was somewhat thin. But there was no reason for Belkar to kill the gnome except to reduce any sympathy people might have had for the Belkster.

Actually, Belkar did get an arc, his quest to force Miko to fall. Just because it was blended in with the rest of the story doesn't mean he didn't get his own moments to shine.

Killing the gnome seemed more like a way of saying "Haley really has no way of controlling Belkar if he really wanted to ditch them", unlike Roy, who had the power word. I think it was more of a way to show Haley taking command over the team through sheer willpower, since Belkar can easily beat her in a head on fight.

[NENAD]

Belkar cannot be developed. At all. It grates against his character design far too much.

[Hippoboy]

What can I say, I have an evil mind... :smallamused:

I like to imagine V delivering the eulogy, a mere 14 hour long sermon, and Belkar forced to listen from down below, crying his eyes out in fury as V extols the hidden nobility and sacrifice of their beloved Halfling companion... Belkar, his name will live on forever as one synonymous with the redeeming qualities of true friendship...

BELKAR: What in my life did I EVER do to deserve this cruel and unusual punishment?!

We'll build a statue of him... Elan will write songs about him... adventuring parties in the future will be looking for someone to be "their Belkar...

BELKAR: I HATE YOU ALL!!! ::weeps::

The image you conjured was deliciously EVIL :biggrin:

[David Argall]

Belkar is #4 in number of appearances, not far below Elan and Haley, and well above Durkon and V. And he relatively rarely is just a stick in the scene. He normally gets lines.
There isn't much need for a Belkar series. He is not suffering from a lack of space in the story.

Now if you have some ideas for a good series, whether or not it involves Belkar...

[Liwen]

Theory about Belkar's possible story arc:

Near the end of OotS, has the epic final battle goes on, Belkar found himself in a position where he could actually turn the fight to the clear advantage of the villians or his companions. Redcloak notice, and says : "Against all the evilness your have commited, do you think the one selfless act of saving the world from me and Xykon and the Snarl will change anything? You have betrayed them Belkar, you have join us for only a brief moment and it resulted in that cranky elf death. What possible avantage could you get from ending me now?" Belkar "Fun". Then he finish off Redcloak and is almost instantly hit by one of the Snarl's claw and dies. :smallfrown:

Yep, he'll never change.

[Raider]

Belkar vs. Great Wyrm Gold Dragon

[lord of kobolds]

My idea is
belkar fights the snarl and kills it!:smallbiggrin:

[tenguro]

If there it, it might be of Belkar having an Epiphany(spelling?) about his life, and what his purpose is. I guess.

[VForVaarsuvius]

As many have said, the Mark of Justice, Mike, and something I don't think have been noted: 'Miko's stupid horse.' And also his running rivalry with V.

So instead of one big one, he has a jumbled mess of small ones.

\V/

[lord of kobolds]

Belkar Vs. O-chul!

[kabbor]

Ah, but Belkar did change. "Owl's wisdom" (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0058.html) Sure, wisdom is his dump stat, but he's sure to pick up some of his own some time....

[NENAD]

Given Wisdom is a stat (WIS) that comes with levels and could be allocated to more STR or DEX, the odds that Belkar will spend any precious XP buffing it is slim to none.

[Morgan Wick]

I don't really feel those were story arcs, perse. Lizard V was a (long) gag, the rest provided some history or depth to characters but were not arcs:
Linear Guild introduction (including Hilgya): Dorukan's Dungeon Arc.

The "Dorukan's Dungeon arc" is the whole first book. The introduction of the Linear Guild IS an arc, by the standards of your other two. Durkon still doesn't count because Hilgya is part of it, and Elan would probably count more for getting his Dashing Swordsman class than for the Linear Guild because they're full-fledged recurring villains and characters in their own right.

Q, how do you count Haley's speech impediment but not Belkar's Mark of Justice? Did you just forget about it? (Or is the difference Belkar's failure to angst about it, which is debatable?)


I think the closest thing we're going to see to a Belkar arc was his escape from AC's prison and subsequent prolonged battle with Miko. The reason is related to the reason Rich doesn't give us his backstory in SoD, i.e. it will make him too sympathetic.

Do you mean Origin of PCs?

[Green-Shirt Q]

Q, how do you count Haley's speech impediment but not Belkar's Mark of Justice? Did you just forget about it? (Or is the difference Belkar's failure to angst about it, which is debatable?)


Mainly because Haley's speech impediment resulted in an actual story with her struggleing with her feeling for Elan. Belkar's Mark of Justice hasn't really been made to an individual story in my opinon. It is more of a disadvantage or an excuse not to have him kill anyone then an actually story within the story.

Everything else I said (except for maybe Elan's thing and Roy's thing) have resulted in little sub-stories revoving purley around that one character, containing massive character development. That is why I counted them.

Of course, that is simpily my thoughts.

[Kish]

I would say the Mark of Justice counts as much as the speech impediment does, but if "must contain great character development" is a requirement for something to count as a story arc, then the answer to the question in the title is no, Belkar will never get one. There's just not that much to him other than "stabby."

[Calinero]

There's just not that much to him other than "stabby."

Which is why I predict an early death for him.

[Uncle Festy]

Nah. Rich
said he wouldn't in NCftPB (I think).

[MeTheGameGuy]

Linear Guild introduction (including Hilgya): Dorukan's Dungeon Arc.
Lizard V: Starmetal Arc.
Haley's speech impediment: Starmetal, Miko and Azure City Arcs.


Haley's speech impediment only started in the Miko arc (and was also in the Cliffport arc).

What is your definition of an arc, by the way? Dorukan's dungeon was 120 strips long (from first strip, until the OotS actually said it was the end of the arc), while the Starmetal quest (from the blacksmith to the metal) was only 54 strips long. (The Miko arc was about 61, from the storm to prison).

[Green-Shirt Q]

What is your definition of an arc, by the way?


As I said before, arc is far from what I mean. I just said "arc" for lack of a better word.

So my definition for my use of the word "arc" is a little story withen the story based entirly on that character. Durkon was alone with Hilga when his character deveopmant shined. It was purely Haley's character develpoment when she finally broken free of her speech impediment and finally told Elan her true feeling. It was purely V's character development when she was turned into a lizard and he had to rescue everyone from the dragon.

Belkar's mark of justise has not branched out into his own little story as far as I'm concerned. His mark has not resulted in any character development or in a little adventure for him alone to show off his true personallity and ability.

I suppose his little fight with Miko could be concidered this. As it truly showed off his torturing abilities and evil mind.

But other then that, I too doubt that there will ever be any character deveopment around the phycopathic halfing. That would definetly spoil the funny in his character.

I simpily wanted to know what everybody else thought.

[NENAD]

Do you mean Origin of PCs?

No, I'm pretty sure if Belkar were to have had a story arc, it would have fit best in Start of Darkness. Are you one of those people who still thinks he's not evil?