Gunnerkrigg Court 7: Psychopomp and Circumstance

[Shadow of the Sun]

Well. This seems... ominous.

[eee]

Oh, <BLEEP>!!!!!

Annie's really adorable in panel four...

[Haruspex_Pariah]

Son of a...

I thought Ysengrin's tree power was the "strength" and he already got it. Ysengrin's reaction seems to suggest that he is at least partially confused.

I'm still suspicious about what Coyote's planning, but also curious now.

This also puts the first page in a different light; assuming we can take Coyote at his word (difficult, I know) when he says he's been trying to reduce Ysengrin's rage.

As I recall, when Coyote gives away a power he can no longer use it himself, and it gains a drawback that doesn't exist when he uses it (for Reynardine, his body-jumping kills the host). What would constitute Coyote's "strength" I wonder.

[guttering flame]

As I recall, when Coyote gives away a power he can no longer use it himself, and it gains a drawback that doesn't exist when he uses it (for Reynardine, his body-jumping kills the host). What would constitute Coyote's "strength" I wonder.

What makes you say that?

[Haruspex_Pariah]

What makes you say that?

Huh. Now that I've re-read Coyote Stories it seems like that particular clause isn't there. Maybe I'm thinking of a different story.

I'll keep searching the archives, I'm pretty sure it was mentioned somewhere.

[137beth]

Huh. Now that I've re-read Coyote Stories it seems like that particular clause isn't there. Maybe I'm thinking of a different story.

I'll keep searching the archives, I'm pretty sure it was mentioned somewhere.

IIRC it was an author comment.

[eee]

Well. that's... uh... that's...

I'd advise running away, but I don't think that will work at this point...

[Vinyadan]

Coyote is actually a caterpillar?

[Mith]

If the different colours represent Coyotes powers, it does explain why he is all the different colours while Renard and Ysengrin are more regular animal colours.

[Ellen]

And, remember, there's no place to run.

[eee]

This is a VERY confusing chapter, I've got to say.

[Doran]

Coyote’s just showing his ultimate backscratching technique.

Also I’m reminded of Eustace the dragon from Voyage of the Dawn Treader

[Ellen]

Since I don't think this can possibly happen, I'll mention that I had a dream when this story line started where Annie was standing on the Court side of the bridge, safely behind the gates, and seeing Ysengrim standing at the other end looking in. But, she hadn't yet realized he was about to cross the bridge, wreak havoc, and there was nothing there to stop him.

I think we're safely beyond "hadn't yet realized" or are getting close enough to it as makes no never mind.

(What can I say? I love phrases like "as makes no never mind," and you almost never see/hear them outside of really old books/movies. So sad)

[Shadow of the Sun]

Well that's a bother.

[eee]

Just another day in paradise.

Ysengrin's body seems to be regenerating from its withered state. On the surface that's good. We'll see what happens, though.

[Shadow of the Sun]

...that is not what I was expecting.

[eee]

OK, this certainly seems to be going well.

[BannedInSchool]

A comic for kids!

[Vinyadan]

The Best Part Of A Healthy Breakfast!

[Iruka]

But then Ysengrin remembered ... "Oh, I am Coyote too!"

[Giggling Ghast]

Oh.

That’s not good.

[137beth]

That is...certainly not what I expected Ys to do.

[Morty]

I mean, it's not like he didn't have it coming. Though it might be part of some trick or other.

[Morvram]

So if Coyote is actually about to die (assuming that is actually... possible?), I wonder where that will leave the Forest's relationship with the Court.

Also I have to wonder how far this moment was planned, since it was mentioned long ago that Ysengrin knows to a certain degree what Coyote has been doing to his memories, and that he "sometimes" hates coyote.

[Haruspex_Pariah]

Well I shouldn't be surprised anymore but I still am.

I mean, Coyote is still a godlike trickster right. Did he really get outfoxed (ha) by Ysengrin? Kind of weird to think that he would grant anyone enough power to seriously harm him, but he does look...alarmed.

Ysengrin does looks like he's off his rocker. Would he really be capable of hiding his intentions from Coyote, or did the sudden infusion of power set him off.

[Potato_Priest]

Well I shouldn't be surprised anymore but I still am.

I mean, Coyote is still a godlike trickster right. Did he really get outfoxed (ha) by Ysengrin? Kind of weird to think that he would grant anyone enough power to seriously harm him, but he does look...alarmed.

Ysengrin does looks like he's off his rocker. Would he really be capable of hiding his intentions from Coyote, or did the sudden infusion of power set him off.

I share your confusion. I'm looking forward to that wednesday update a lot more than I normally am. Hopefully it'll give some indication of what's going on.

I hope that coyote anticipated this, and if he didn't then you are correct that it doesn't reflect well on him as a trickster.

Then again, he may have been counting on an agressive response but been expecting an opportunity to talk his way out, and is only now remembering that ysengrim bites first and asks questions later.

[Drascin]

I mean, "trickster hoses himself over when his plan was not quite as clever as he thought" is kind of a running thing with pretty much every trickster figure ever.

If anything, Gunnerkrigg's Coyote has been unusually successful up to here.

[Ibrinar]

Though so is "trickster appears to hose himself but later it turns out it was part of something long term" so I will withhold judgement.

[Lapak]

Though so is "trickster appears to hose himself but later it turns out it was part of something long term" so I will withhold judgement.

With Coyote in particular ‘trickster overreaches and literally dies and there is no second layer, but he shows up later in other stories none the worse for wear’ is also a recurring theme.

[Giggling Ghast]

Eager to see if this is:

1) Power-induced madness;
2) Preventing Coyote from taking his strength back;
3) The dog simply biting back after years of abuse;
4) Some combination of the three.