Miko, Redeemed.

[TimeWizard]

That was possibly the most satisfying thing I've seen in a long time. That makes up for a lot of things. "friendly contact", oh man, thats priceless...
/tired

[Kal]

Break, Break, Break the skanky evil outsider's neck.

Go Miko!!!

[Skyserpent]

I DO like Miko more than Sabine at least... I don't think I recall a Sabine Fan Club... ((Prepares to be proven wrong...))

[MrBean13]

At least she's not letting herself down to those LG-guys. After all she hasn't lost her self-respect, although she's still a fallen paladin.
Despite this I'd really like to know what Miko looks like in black leather.

[EdgarVerona]

ROFL, I was about to come over to the forums to post the *exact* same thread topic. Indeed, this comic was awesome, and Miko won some cool points with me. =)

EDIT: I do want to note, however, that someone in another thread correctly pointed out that it's disturbing that she snaps someone's neck and we think of it as an improvement... me included, because I did (and still do) think of it as such. =) I think it says something that she didn't proceed to rake out Sabine's eyes afterword. It's like she's on a sedative in comparison to how she was before. =)

[Renegade Paladin]

She didn't just snap anyone's neck; she snapped a demon's. That should be a matter of course for pretty much any adventurer; your average paladin would be tripping over himself trying to slide his blade between her ribs as quickly as possible. She didn't just off some random guy on the street, y'know.

[Talyn]

Right you are, RP. Remember, killing evil outsiders is ALWAYS a Good act! Especially when they are blatantly trying to steal your soul.

Yay, Miko! *dons the platemail and pompoms of the Paladin Cheerleader*

[N0-1_H3r3]

She didn't just snap anyone's neck; she snapped a demon's. That should be a matter of course for pretty much any adventurer; your average paladin would be tripping over himself trying to slide his blade between her ribs as quickly as possible. She didn't just off some random guy on the street, y'know.

Indeed. Sabine is an Outsider with the Evil subtype... and is thus intrinsically evil in a way far more deep-seated than any mortal could be. Even Demons who've somehow changed their alignment to something other than Chaotic Evil are still 'Chaotic Evil' creatures for the purpose of, well, almost everything.

Killing Evil creatures isn't an evil act. It might not always be a good act (killing a random tribe of Orcs just because they're there, for example, instead of when they're a threat), but it's not evil.

This is Belkar's biggest redeeming feature - He's an indiscriminate killer, and doesn't really care what he's killing, so long as he gets to kill something. He's like Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer in that regard; he doesn't care what ends up on the ends of his knives, just that it stops breathing as a result.

[Sage in the Playground]

Indeed. Sabine is an Outsider with the Evil subtype... and is thus intrinsically evil in a way far more deep-seated than any mortal could be. Even Demons who've somehow changed their alignment to something other than Chaotic Evil are still 'Chaotic Evil' creatures for the purpose of, well, almost everything.

Killing Evil creatures isn't an evil act. It might not always be a good act (killing a random tribe of Orcs just because they're there, for example, instead of when they're a threat), but it's not evil.

This is Belkar's biggest redeeming feature - He's an indiscriminate killer, and doesn't really care what he's killing, so long as he gets to kill something. He's like Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer in that regard; he doesn't care what ends up on the ends of his knives, just that it stops breathing as a result.

Redeeming feature?! Don't you mean comedic feature? Or something? Thats not redeeming?

[Dectilon]

A slight redeeming, not a complete one : ) It is what makes him likable as an anti-hero. He might be a something of an evil sadist, but he is (at least that's how it seems) a loyal friend and cynic : P

I don't feel Miko is particualrily redeemed. She violently snapped an evil person's neck (even if it didn't do much), which is something I would totally expect of her. There are really very few ways she can be redeemed, and killing evil is not one of them I think.

[Baalzebub]

Indeed, if Miko wants to become a Paladin again she must attone for the gruesome evil act she commited (killing an innocent, good old man), and for that she first need to accept she was wrong, and looking how arrogant and proud is Miko, that'll be a difficult decision for her. So, she needs to make a huge good act to make the gods change their decision and give her a second chance. Snapping the neck of an evil outsider gives you points, yes, but is not good enough.

Besides, Sabine survived anyway.

[daggaz]

snapped sabine's neck??! Looked to me like she just B---- slapped her.

[Demented]

Ah, but her humor potential is redeemed, even if she has committed an evil act for letting Sabine live.

(Did anyone get nostalgic after reading that latter clause? Oh, the good old days...)

[agentx42]

In no way is she redeemed, but C'MON! That was just satisfying as all get out! All throughout the run of this story, I never once hated her until she killed Shojo, and even then at the same time I pitied her and felt for the sad course she'd taken. I disliked her brittle personality, but that's not the same. I'm still not back in her corner yet, but that act made me step a few feet closer.

[BardicLasher]

I DO like Miko more than Sabine at least... I don't think I recall a Sabine Fan Club... ((Prepares to be proven wrong...))

Hi!



I am sad. I was entirely in favor of friendly contact all over an evil outsider.

[Mr Teufel]

snapped sabine's neck??! Looked to me like she just B---- slapped her.

Nope. Definitely turned her head right around with a big SNAP noise. She falls down, gets up again with her head still around the wrong way.

A slap would have been a SLAP noise.

[Talya]

Despite this I'd really like to know what Miko looks like in black leather.

She'd look like a stick figure.

[Baalzebub]

She'd look like a stick figure.

Yes, but don't forget about the black leather... and the "sexy" factor of Miko.

[AK-00]

See? See?
Surround her with obnoxious "good" characters, and of course she's going to wind up doing something technically "evil". Surround her with scum, and she'll set to tidying the place up in no time.

[elliott20]

Seeing as Sabine shares an uncanny resemblance to my cheating ex, I find it hard to find myself in any fanclub of hers.

Watching her get her neck snapped was kind of unhealthily satisfying for me.

I still think that if Miko wants to redeem herself she needs to focus more on her personal flaws then just trying to over-compensate by killing evil creatures. We all know she can destroy evil better than any buddy. But the reason she fell has nothing to do with her capacity to destroy evil, it's her hubris. Until she can deal with that part of her personality flaw, she's got not a chance in hell to be redeemed not just as a paladin, but even as a decent person.

Still, at least she's getting her comedic value back. This is honestly the first time in a long time that I have found Miko not being the butt end of a joke.

[Effovex]

Indeed. Sabine is an Outsider with the Evil subtype... and is thus intrinsically evil in a way far more deep-seated than any mortal could be. Even Demons who've somehow changed their alignment to something other than Chaotic Evil are still 'Chaotic Evil' creatures for the purpose of, well, almost everything.

Killing Evil creatures isn't an evil act. It might not always be a good act (killing a random tribe of Orcs just because they're there, for example, instead of when they're a threat), but it's not evil.

I know D&D's morality system is retarded, but that's like an additional creamy layer of retarded on the cake of retardness.

This is Belkar's biggest redeeming feature - He's an indiscriminate killer, and doesn't really care what he's killing, so long as he gets to kill something. He's like Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer in that regard; he doesn't care what ends up on the ends of his knives, just that it stops breathing as a result.

Indiscriminate killing is a redeeming feature? You're easy distracted by the shiny lights of protagonism, aren't you?

[Dectilon]

Now that you mention it, he is kinda like Spike : P Evil, but in a good way : )

[Tokiko Mima]

I know D&D's morality system is retarded, but that's like an additional creamy layer of retarded on the cake of retardness.

But it's true. Demons and Devils are so twisted to the cause of Evil that their very existance supports Evil itself. Ending that existance therefore is a Good act regardless of what Sabrine is saying or doing at the time. If Sabrine became a nun, devoted her life to charity and ran an orphanage for a century or three it would still not be an Evil act to slay her. Demons/Devils can't be redeemed, period. They simple ARE a living manifestation of Evil.

[Silverlocke980]

Miko's an intriguing character. Burlew's refusal to go the simple route of making her a Blackguard- at least right off the bat- makes me go "Yes!" Burlew's got something planned, and the giant rocks.

And so we follow!

[Dectilon]

But it's true. Demons and Devils are so twisted to the cause of Evil that their very existance supports Evil itself. Ending that existance therefore is a Good act regardless of what Sabrine is saying or doing at the time. If Sabrine became a nun, devoted her life to charity and ran an orphanage for a century or three it would still not be an Evil act to slay her. Demons/Devils can't be redeemed, period. They simple ARE a living manifestation of Evil.

I'd like to think upbringing is much more important : )

[Effovex]

Inflicting pain and/or death cannot be justified as non-evil because the victim is evil, no matter what George W. Bush would have you believe. There is a D&D precedent for this: the Cataclysm of Krynn, which was caused by the Kingpriest of Ishtar's blind pursuit of "good" and the destruction of "evil".

The road to hell is paved with good intention.

"Good" has to believe in the redemption of "evil", not in stamping it out. Otherwise it's just evil in candy wrappings.

[Sethis]

This is why the Book of Exalted Deeds has a Mature label on it, it gives the D&D definition of good, which does not agree with the morality of some people.

Thats the thing about the D&D world, there IS an overarching moral code. People can't argue about their own codes as much without having some basics in common because the gods have structured reality that way.

Besides, people seem to be missing the point. Killing a bunch if orcs for example is a lot different from killing fiends.

Ok, first of all, orcs. Orcs are not intristically evil, they are brought up that way. According to D&D, then, killing a full band of orcs for no other reason than they exist is not an evil act. However, that's only if they fight back. An Exalted character, ie. one who is truely good in the way the cosmos' moral code expects, would offer mercy and the possibility of surrender to them first, second, and last. Killing things too young to defend themselves would always be an evil act. Orcs can be redeemed, there are good orcs who have no spec of evil in them.

Now, fiends. Fiends sping full grown and fully sentient from places. Depending on game world there are different interpretations. In Faerun, fiends are actually the departed souls of mortals who lived long ago, died without worshipping a good god, and sold thier souls to devils or demons. They were made into dretches/lemures (the lowest form of fiend) by infusing thier very souls into evil. They can then get "promoted" up the ranks, upgrading thier forms to higher demons or devils over centuries of evil. A fiends body is literally MADE of it's eternally damned soul, and if it is anything other than a lemure/dretch, it cas committed MILLENNEA of the most vile evil acts to get that far. That's not something you can redeem. Even celestials, who are the pure embodiment of good, destroy fiends without remorse, pity, or mercy. And they instill this fervor onto their mortal followers. Fiends cannot be redeemed. A Lawful Good Succubus Paladin would still register as Chaotic Evil to detect alignment spells because she has those subtypes. She is MADE of chaos and evil. Just like an efreet is made of fire. Take it away, and it isn't an efreet anymore. Some fiends can become celestials, but they have to exceed thier evil works with good ones, and that is a job that will last eons.

[aberratio ictus]

Well, if you ask me, I don't think it is such a big surprise that she refused to become a blackguard and work with the linear guild.

Mostly because of what she did was no evil, but a chaotic act.

She'd rather be attracted by a bunch of chaotic good characters who want to fight evil their way.

[Sethis]

Murdering a defenseless humanoid of Chaotic Good alignment in cold blood without any proof of allegations, or trial, is both a Chaotic, and very Evil act.

[Effovex]

Thats the thing about the D&D world, there IS an overarching moral code. People can't argue about their own codes as much without having some basics in common because the gods have structured reality that way.

Now, fiends. Fiends sping full grown and fully sentient from places. Depending on game world there are different interpretations. In Faerun, fiends are actually the departed souls of mortals who lived long ago, died without worshipping a good god, and sold thier souls to devils or demons.

You're taking Faerûn morality as the basis of all D&D morality. However, Dragonlance demonstrates that not all D&D settings agree with this logic, and what's more, OOTS is not set in Faerûn. Considering this comic - and everything that's happened with Miko so far - I would say Rich Burlew's perception of good and evil is more nuanced than the one you're advancing.