Murphy's Law 5: To Comic 100...And Beyond!

[CoffeeIncluded]

Guys, can we please get back on topic here?

[Asta Kask]

There's a topic?

Right, right... webcomic...

Reaction to Lloyd's homosexuality:

Janine - disappointed but no more; at least it wasn't my feminine wiles that failed
Matt - you're not sleeping next to me
Serrin - meh, it's cool
Radic - ?
Tinder - ?

Reaction to Lloyd's massacre:

Janine - ok. that's bad, but you've said you're sorry, right? right?
Matt - I'm morally superior to someone!!!
Serrin - you're not sleeping or walking or fighting next to me
Radic - ?
Tinder - ?

[Symmys]

Matt - you're not sleeping next to me

Yeah, that sounds about right.

Serrin - you're not sleeping or walking or fighting next to me
Radic - ?
Tinder - ?

I'm not sure Serrin would react quite like that. She would be horrified, yes, but I don't think she would be that angry.
As for Tinder, he could react either comparatively well- "at least now you're making a conscious effort to judge people fairly"- or really badly. We'll just have to wait and see.

[Lix Lorn]

Which is party of my thesis on Danish being an elaborate prank that got out of hand.

Hee. Siggable?

[CoffeeIncluded]

Well, you'll see!

Also, Lloyd did not say outright that he was gay, at least not to the rest of the cast.

[Marnath]

Well, you'll see!

Also, Lloyd did not say outright that he was gay, at least not to the rest of the cast.

That's what a future run-in with Lexi is for, right?

[Worlok]

No, most of the German words have rules for that.

Sure, but being a native speaker, I have to inform you that most of those don't really work that way. They're more like guidelines anyway.

With that, I will gleefully re-enter topic:

So he left out that particular detail. Seeing how with a farewell-scene like that, it would seem hard - in my opinion, that is - to avoid giving names, can we assume that that last part was Lloyd's slide from telling them about his past to having a personal flashback?

[mucat]

So he left out that particular detail. Seeing how with a farewell-scene like that, it would seem hard - in my opinion, that is - to avoid giving names, can we assume that that last part was Lloyd's slide from telling them about his past to having a personal flashback?

Actually, I would assume he not only avoided names, but left out a lot of the details the reader saw in his flashback.

'Cause if not, he just gave the Drow survivor -- who has every reason to hate Kago soldiers, including those who say "In principle, I oppose massacring Plavaans, but to actually take a stand would be dangerous" -- all the information she needs to rat out his friends, likely leading to their deaths at the hands of their own government.

Maybe she wouldn't do that, but Lloyd would be foolish to take the chance.

[Asta Kask]

They wouldn't believe her. Why should they?

[Marnath]

Even if he did mention Lexi, that doesn't mean they'll immediately conclude he means Lexington versus Alexis.

[mucat]

They wouldn't believe her. Why should they?

They wouldn't have to. An anonymous tip, along with corroborating details (such as that the tipster knows about Elizabeth's doubts, about Lloyd's defection, and about details of his last mission that were never made public) could be enough to pose a serious danger to Lloyd's friends.

Such a tip might come to nothing (or officially come to nothing, while unofficially placing them under a cloud of suspicion), but I can't imagine Lloyd taking that risk.

[Lix Lorn]

They wouldn't have to. An anonymous tip, along with corroborating details (such as that the tipster knows about Elizabeth's doubts, about Lloyd's defection, and about details of his last mission that were never made public) could be enough to pose a serious danger to Lloyd's friends.

Such a tip might come to nothing (or officially come to nothing, while unofficially placing them under a cloud of suspicion), but I can't imagine Lloyd taking that risk.

That said, he may not want to take the risk... but I doubt he wants to lie anymore.

[RdMarquis]

But he wouldn't be lying so much about his past as he would be lying to protect his friends.

Incidentally, does Kylie seem like the type to do report Lloyd and his friends in Kago? She did stop to hear him out, after all.

[MoleMage]

But he wouldn't be lying so much about his past as he would be lying to protect his friends.

Incidentally, does Kylie seem like the type to do report Lloyd and his friends in Kago? She did stop to hear him out, after all.

Plus...how much good is it going to do a Plavaan to rat out the only people in the Kago government working to end the mistreatment?

I mean, really, if anything, she's going to want to help Lloyd's friends, not obstruct their goals...

[CoffeeIncluded]

Lloyd did not explicitly state what happened. Once the voiceover stopped, we see the flashbacks and he only gave the gist of what happened.

[mucat]

Plus...how much good is it going to do a Plavaan to rat out the only people in the Kago government working to end the mistreatment?

I mean, really, if anything, she's going to want to help Lloyd's friends, not obstruct their goals...

I could imagine it going either way: "I should give the reformers a chance to change their government" or "There is no such thing as a good Kagan, and those who know their government is wrong and keep quiet are despicable hypocrites. Treason trials will lower morale and help tear their country apart from within."

From a storytelling standpoint, I think Kylie is going to take the first stance...I just don't think Lloyd knows that yet.

Incidentally, does Kylie seem like the type to do report Lloyd and his friends in Kago? She did stop to hear him out, after all.

Again, I don't think she would actually do it. Until Lloyd knows for sure, it would seem reckless to talk openly about the Kago dissidents. (Hell, even if he trusts Kylie fully, it's not the kind of thing you talk about on a public street.)

Of course, that could just go to show that Miles was right when he said Lloyd's not cut out for clandestine work...

[Asta Kask]

I think they should kill her now, just to be on the safe side.

...what?

[Mina Kobold]

Hee. Siggable?

If you fix the typo then yes

Otherwise, yes as well

[Lix Lorn]

If you fix the typo then yes

Otherwise, yes as well

Hooray! Thankies!

[mucat]

Reaction to Lloyd's massacre:

Janine - ok. that's bad, but you've said you're sorry, right? right?
Matt - I'm morally superior to someone!!!
Serrin - you're not sleeping or walking or fighting next to me
Radic - ?
Tinder - ?

As Symmys said before, I don't think Serrin is going to hate Lloyd for what he did...but she will be absolutely horrified and traumatized to learn that such massacres are happening in the first place. Serrin suspects that something bad is happening in Kago, but she seems to have no idea what. Learning the truth will shake her sunny view of life badly. (But not shatter it, I'm sure. 'Cause Kaylee.)

Matt, Janine, and Tinder all seem to already think of "Paladin of Kago" as a synonym for "brutal zealot," so for them the big surprise will be not that the war crimes are taking place, but that Lloyd was part of them.

I'm really curious to see how Janine reacts. She knows that her religion has a strong anti-Plavaan streak, and so far this doesn't bother her, since it meshes with her own prejudices. Will she be shocked to realize how far some of her compatriots are taking this, or does she already know roughly what's happening, and condone it? If so, she might be the only one who criticizes Lloyd for deserting, rather than for what he did in Kago's service.

Either way, the fallout from this revelation is going to challenge her beliefs; we might be about to see some serious character growth on Janine's part.

[Lix Lorn]

(But not shatter it, I'm sure. 'Cause Kaylee.)

...
Because Coffee is too nice to do this*? Please?

*Warning: Click only if you have several hours available

[CoffeeIncluded]

Very interesting comments, Mucat. You'll see on Friday!

Actually, now I'll be able to update more often too, so it might be sooner!

EDIT: Well, maybe not; I have a few tests this week. But we'll see what happens.

[Silverraptor]

Very interesting comments, Mucat. You'll see on Friday!

Actually, now I'll be able to update more often too, so it might be sooner!

EDIT: Well, maybe not; I have a few tests this week. But we'll see what happens.

Tests or finals? I had my first final today in politics. It was not as scary as I thought. Who knew I had pretty concrete knowledge about all the different types of taxation and why each different government uses different amounts of each.

[CWater]

...
Because Coffee is too nice to do this*? Please?

*Warning: Click only if you have several hours available

We shall see... Considering her character I find it hard to believe that there will be no pain when she gets to see "what the world really is like". I doubt that it will truly break her though.

...And I apparently missed your warning...

[Lix Lorn]

Poor Ceedubya. (cuddles)

[MoleMage]

Poor Ceedubya. (cuddles)

I saw your warning, saw the website it was about, and fell for it anyway...DAMN YOU TVTROPES!!!!

[Marnath]

I don't think Serrin would take it too badly if she finds out how bad people really are. She strikes me as the eternal optimist, who can see the good in anyone, no matter how dark the soul.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Well, this should keep you guys on topic: A Tuesday Update!

#102: Fair For Its Time

Spoiler

Show

[Dusk Eclipse]

Umm coffee Janine's face looks weird in the second to last panel. like a combination of and

[Marnath]

Nice update. Couple thoughts here:

Tinder is strong! O.o

Having held an angry cat, I have to hope Lloyd was wearing thick gloves and arm protection, or he'll be in serious pain.

Sounds like being a second-class citizen isn't the best thing in the whole world. I bet she has trouble making enough money to support herself and her brother.

*sigh* Dang it Janine... Learn some tact, girl!