Girl Genius V: Madre de Diodes!

[Mauve Shirt]

I wonder if Agatha's recent attitude of "Cross me and die!" is a sign of Lucrezia breaking loose. It's never really been Agatha's style.

[Rockphed]

I think it is more the castle and town getting to her. I suspect her father and uncle would go on like that in Mechanicsburg if people were being unhelpful.

[Gez]

I wonder if Agatha's recent attitude of "Cross me and die!" is a sign of Lucrezia breaking loose. It's never really been Agatha's style.

Dunno, I got the impression she was mostly saying that because that was what the others wanted to hear. I mean, she had just gotten a lecture on the social dynamics of Sparks.

[Myrdhale]

Gil was a toddler when Klaus returned from Skifander. I find it *highly unlikely* that he'd have access to Jager Tek when totally out of touch with Europe, which eliminates #3 in my mind.

Also, if he knew that he'd constructed the Perfect Heir^tm, why would he spend so much time testing him?

Jager tek has definatly been implemented to help Gil. We saw that when Mama Ginka was able to heal him using techniques that would only affect Jagers. Additionally, I'm fairly sure that the mysterious wife Klaus mentioned way back when, who we can assume is Gil's mother, was most likely a woman of some importance in Skifander (knowing Klaus, the queen or princess ), And seeing Zeetha, we see That Skifander blood has great potential for strengths and ability is properly trained (which is what Klaus has done.)
More then likely he enhanced Gil when he got back, for fear that someone from Skifander is coming to kill him (He told Gil that's why he thought Zeetha was here).

So it's not so much building the perfect heir, it's making sure his heir is perfect enough to survive in this world, which, despite the fun-tastic adventures it produces, seems pretty god-damned dangerous.

[lord_khaine]

for fear that someone from Skifander is coming to kill him

Gil is proberly the biggest target for assasination in europe, surpassing even Klaus as im sure by now people have discovered how hard he is to kill.

so any potential assasin from skifander would proberly have to draw a number and wait in the very long line of people who wants to kill Gil.

[HandofShadows]

It might start out as a long line, but once they started to try and kill Gil the line would get short very quickly. Not only is Gil very formidiable, trying to kill Gil would also tick off Agatha and Zetha as well as some of the Jagers.

[Aidan305]

On the subject of Gil getting killed.

Othar's twitter says that he dies in Castle Hetrodyne.

[Gez]

Gilgamesh Wulfenbach died inside Castle Heterodyne. Well...well good. He was a dirty fighter, what with all that "winning" all the time.

Ah, Othar. You can make the saddest things funny.

[datalaughing]

So it seems entirely possible that Gil's death might be prevented by the actions of Othar himself. If Othar's twitter is to be believed, and if it's not an entirely separate universe from the one our normal story is in (a distinct possibility), then something needs to happen to save Gil and stop the Other. Othar is the wild card. Suddenly his role is seeming quite a bit more significant in the overall story.

[LurkerInPlayground]

Jager tek has definatly been implemented to help Gil. We saw that when Mama Ginka was able to heal him using techniques that would only affect Jagers. Additionally, I'm fairly sure that the mysterious wife Klaus mentioned way back when, who we can assume is Gil's mother, was most likely a woman of some importance in Skifander (knowing Klaus, the queen or princess ), And seeing Zeetha, we see That Skifander blood has great potential for strengths and ability is properly trained (which is what Klaus has done.)
More then likely he enhanced Gil when he got back, for fear that someone from Skifander is coming to kill him (He told Gil that's why he thought Zeetha was here).

So it's not so much building the perfect heir, it's making sure his heir is perfect enough to survive in this world, which, despite the fun-tastic adventures it produces, seems pretty god-damned dangerous.

Everything said here is fraught with assumptions of too many distasteful kinds. We don't know that Klaus was married to anybody important in Skifander, although it is likely he married one of their girls and, by extension, learned some of their "warrior secrets."

There's no reason to assume that these secrets are unique to royalty. Nor is there any reason to suspect that their abilities are passed through the bloodline (and it's a stupid fantasy cliche anyway). What we *do* know is that Klaus gave Gil some Skifandrian warrior training -- although Zeetha didn't seem to care that Gil received such training.

At any rate, it's reasonable to assume that Klaus learned quite a number of Heterodyne biological secrets before or after his stay in Skiff, as he was a "close family friend."

[Gez]

There's no reason to assume that these secrets are unique to royalty. Nor is there any reason to suspect that their abilities are passed through the bloodline (and it's a stupid fantasy cliche anyway).

"Know, Agatha Clay, that the warrior tradition of the royal house of Skifander is old, proud and jealously guarded. In this life I am allowed to train one besides my own daughters. I have chosen you."

There you go.

Hey, know what else is a stupid fantasy cliché? Scantily-clad warrior princesses.

[Elaro]

Hey, bringing up the tw- I'm sorry, I can't bring myself to say "Othar's Twitter". Can we find a less anachronistic name for these bits of news? Maybe "Othar's Broadcast Telegram", or something?

Anyway, "it" doesn't say that Gil dies in the reconstruction of Castle Heterodyne (although it might). It's possible that Gil was assassinated by Other!Agatha when it (she?) broke free of the locket's restraint, and made it look like an accident/one of de Kestle's jokes gone wrong.

All I'm saying is that Othar may not have as much importance as it seems.

[dogmac]

Othar's brain bursts, I think of them as.

[Elaro]

Oh hey, yeah, good one.

Sneaky gate!

Spoiler

Show

Well, well, well, looks like the tables have turned. Or is that the weapons?

Still, Agatha's little insult there seemed to lack kick. "Nasty warped little buffoon"? Really? I realize she's pissed, but still...

[memnarch]

Thinking that she could have come up with a better insult?

[datalaughing]

I think she really should have skipped the insult and jumped straight to the blasting people.

[Gorgondantess]

I think she really should have skipped the insult and jumped straight to the blasting people.

Aye. It is rather pathetic...

[Oracle_Hunter]

Well now, Agatha is really beginning to wear the Villain Hat these days. First a casual threat, now an exclamation that includes Fool!

Of course, this can be just what Von Mekkan was talking about. Still, Gil's frightened expression in the last panel is telling - I think there's some shock mixed in with the massive amounts of pain.

So, bets on Wednesday?
(1) Death Ray hits, slagging the clank. Merlot is dead
(2) Death Ray misses, but the clank is disabled. Merlot is alive
(3) Third Party takes out Merlot before he can fire
(4) Third Party takes out Agatha before she can fire
(5) Weaponry Malfunction - nobody can fire and hilarity ensues

I'm thinking number 3 (Zeetha) since Agatha is giving into anger which (I'm sure) is against the Skifandi Warrior Code.

I'm also going to hedge on 5, since it seems so right

[Xel]

I'll take 1.5: Death Ray hits, surgically disabling clank. Merlot lives, has complete frothing breakdown at being spared by Agatha. Gets to spend the rest of his life in the secondary kitchen.

My second choice is: Zola interrupts by triggering sabotaged Kestle-killer with amusing results. Merlot and Zola sit blinking stupidly at each other in aftermath.

But you're not properly celebrating the good news, here. The Death Ray is unbroken!! Yay!

As to Agatha acting somewhat villianous -- hasn't she always been a bit quick to anger? Gil's always been the nice, one. Agatha just rescues people, she doesn't mince about with HOW she does it.

EDIT: I guess my second choice falls into your option #3, strictly speaking.

[evileeyore]

I just noticed something...


Irony of ironies, Merlot finally Sparks and he's still an ineffectual buffoon.

I wonder how he'll reconcile his continued failures in the face of his own Spark? (By blaming everyone else of course, duh.) But it will be -amusing- to watch.


So my vote goes with Merlot lives. Likely rendered unconscious by Zola. The only non-Spark in the room.

[Gez]

Well now, Agatha is really beginning to wear the Villain Hat these days. First a casual threat, now an exclamation that includes Fool!

What about "Die, thing of evil!"?

Or "I'll report this! Dr Beetle's clanks will come after you! They'll find you and they'll put you in a jar in University Square to rot! And I'll come every single day while you bake in the sun and starve and claw at the glass and scream as you die slowly like the miserable rats you are!"? (Scenery chewage omitted from quote.)

[Mauve Shirt]

Geez, Agatha. Watch it, you'll turn into a "true heterodyne"!

[HandofShadows]

Gil and Agatha save each other's life in the space of 3 seconds. Agatha has to get it through her head she needs help from friends.

[Felius]

Please, everyone note, that while agatha isn't at fault for Doctor Merlot plight (except for existing), Doctor Merlot is actually pretty much in fault for everything Agatha has gone through until now. If it weren't for him, Dr. Beetle would still be alive, the Baron wouldn't have saw the hive that was at the university, and etc. Now, due only to his actions, he have ended in castle heterodyne, blames Agatha for it, and is trying to kill her.

So I'd say she have a LOT of reason to be royally pissed off with him, and show that after all, she IS a heterodyne...

[Gez]

So I'd say she have a LOT of reason to be royally pissed off with him, and show that after all, she IS a heterodyne...

She always was:

"I'll report this! Dr Beetle's clanks will come after you! They'll find you and they'll put you in a jar in University Square to rot! And I'll come every single day while you bake in the sun and starve and claw at the glass and scream as you die slowly like the miserable rats you are!"

[Aidan305]

the Baron wouldn't have saw the hive that was at the university,

Actually, that was the main reason he was there.

[Exachix]

<QUOTE>

She always was:
<QUOTE>

That rage of anger iirc wasn't at the Baron though, that was at those who stole her Locket.

[Gez]

That rage of anger iirc wasn't at the Baron though, that was at those who stole her Locket.

Yeah, and... ?


To be clear, the reason I was quoting that was merely to point out that since the very beginning Agatha was able to rage like the best evil geniuses out there, so it's not "the Other breaking loose" or "Mechanicsburg getting to her" -- it is her nature to say such things when she's stressed.

[lord_khaine]

yeah, the Baron had allready figured it out, out from such things as The price on honey.

Irony of ironies, Merlot finally Sparks and he's still an ineffectual buffoon.

where do you have the idea that Merlot is a spark from? the only thing he has done is to go crazy with a borrowed heterodyne warmachine.

[Gez]

where do you have the idea that Merlot is a spark from? the only thing he has done is to go crazy with a borrowed heterodyne warmachine.

Up until now, Phil Foglio has only used this type of speech balloons for Sparks in their "madness place". If Merlot didn't break through, he's the first non-Spark to use them...