Gunnerkrigg Court 7: Psychopomp and Circumstance

[Vinyadan]

Would she take the Court's side?

I think that she would take Eaglemore's side. Or, at least, have a strong opinion about a slaughter out of nowhere.

Anyway, it was Coyote that made the Annan (or the canyon in which it runs). I wonder what the Court did before that.

[eee]

I thought they just suppressed all knowledge of how she was created (with, y'know, murder and soul-binding), not the knowledge that she existed. I mean, how would you even hide a homicidal ghost quite literally on the doorstep of a group of people almost defined by their inquisitiveness? The first time someone pops down to the Anan for a water sample and gets sliced in two, people are going to notice.

Sir Young said they would eliminate all knowledge of Jeanne; and they did so, so perfectly, the only records left of her were her portrait in her 'tomb'; Diego's little robot; and the way the Court robots reacted, without knowing why, when they heard her name ("She died and we did nothing").

As to the Annan Gorge, don't forget, it's DEEP. There's no easy access, to reach the bottom you have to be lowered by rope, fly, or teleport.The Court could simply say "It is too dangerous; students, teachers, everyone is banned from even attempting to go down there", and who would dispute? Especially since, any person or group that DID try going down there... wouldn't come back...

I think that she would take Eaglemore's side. Or, at least, have a strong opinion about a slaughter out of nowhere.

Anyway, it was Coyote that made the Annan (or the canyon in which it runs). I wonder what the Court did before that.

According to Coyote, when he came to the area Court and Forest were one, but the Court was trying to enslave the magical creatures. He stopped that by making the Gorge and confining the Court on one side, the Forest on the other.

That may have been a serious mistake...

[Mith]

According to Coyote, when he came to the area Court and Forest were one, but the Court was trying to enslave the magical creatures. He stopped that by making the Gorge and confining the Court on one side, the Forest on the other.

That may have been a serious mistake...

Coyote never lies.

I wonder if it was the seed bismuth that was looking to enslave if not the actual human institution at the time. That would fit Coyotes perspective to turn people a little bit against the Court.

[Ellen]

Am I the only one now wishing we could get a flashback on how Rey finally took a power from Coyote? Was there more apocalyptic stuff than we know about? And was Rey's mind messed with more than we're realized?

[Fawkes]

These are not good memories.

[Giggling Ghast]

If he absorbed Coyote’s knowledge as well, he’ll know the Annan Waters are safe to cross with his army.

Yup. Yup yup. Called it.

[Nettlekid]

What's Coyote's endgame here? Even for a god who was a dead goose in a bush, and also the bush and all things around it, this is a weird plan.

[Ibrinar]

Considering that the memory flood seems to be designed to get him to attack what with pointing out that the river is save again and compressing repeated mocking for his reason (some said that would make him more angry at coyote but he already ate coyote so the Court is the next target.) Anyway considering that stuff maybe he just thought a little war would be nice for a change.

[eee]

What's Coyote's endgame here? Even for a god who was a dead goose in a bush, and also the bush and all things around it, this is a weird plan.

It is hard to believe Coyote would screw up this badly. And yet, there doesn't seem to be a lot of opportunity for backtracking...

Maybe this is a hoax, a dream, an imaginary story. As DC comics used to say...

[Ibrinar]

I honestly thing it isn't a screw up and everything is a planned, I don't think he did the repeated asking then stealing memories or showing the river is safe and then stealing the memory randomly. I think he planned for them to be reabsorbed so he probably planned to be eaten. Coyote is a being which much weird magic getting eaten isn't necessarily fatal for him.

[geoduck]

I honestly thing it isn't a screw up and everything is a planned, I don't think he did the repeated asking then stealing memories or showing the river is safe and then stealing the memory randomly. I think he planned for them to be reabsorbed so he probably planned to be eaten. Coyote is a being which much weird magic getting eaten isn't necessarily fatal for him.

Maybe he'll do some kind of possession/takeover from within..

[Tvtyrant]

I personally think this has to do with the seed that grew the court. It and Annie share a weird alchemical connection, both science and etheric.

[Nettlekid]

I don't think that Coyote could be killed like this, least of all by his OWN strength. Coyote's whole thing is that he's more of a concept than anything else; you can't tear a concept to pieces with your teeth.

[BannedInSchool]

Coyote telling the story: "And that wasn't the only time I was killed and eaten either! But it was my best performance."

[CawCawMarmalade]

Perhaps Coyote will regrow from the tooth he left with Annie.

[Doran]

That would explain why he didn't let Annie tell anyone from the Forest about his tooth - he doesn't want his phylactery to be known by Ysengrim.

What are the odds of Coyote's tooth stabbing Ysengrim do you think?

[Leewei]

That would explain why he didn't let Annie tell anyone from the Forest about his tooth - he doesn't want his phylactery to be known by Ysengrim.

What are the odds of Coyote's tooth stabbing Ysengrim do you think?

I think you're on to something, here.

[Typewriter]

It's been a while since I read the comic so maybe I'm forgetting something but I'm currently wondering if maybe Ysengrin isn't actually Coyote. Like, maybe Coyote made himself into a wolf long ago but also remained himself. He's spent all this time tormenting himself and eating his own memories and now, just for fun, he sacrificed himself to his other self and later Ysengrin will remember that he was coyote all along. I feel like, when dealing with characters with this level of omnipotence, anything is in the realm of possibility.

Another odd thought. If I'm not mistaken a facet of this whole 'etheric' power thing is that the future can have an impact on the past - this is essentially why Kat is seen as a god in the Ether - because later (now?) she's being worshipped as a god by robots. We've seen Ysengrin in the Ether haven't we and he was just himself - wouldn't this mean that he never becomes the god we are now seeing him become? Again, omnipotence is confusing.

[Mith]

Perhaps Coyote will regrow from the tooth he left with Annie.

I like this idea. Considering the very rocks are said to be Coyote's teeth, perhaps that can be GC's version of Coyote dolies and is reborn again in the morning.

[CawCawMarmalade]

So...
Is this new panel Ysengrin with all of Coyote's powers, Coyote possessing Ysengrin, or some sort of fusion of those two?
Either way, that smile is worrying.

[CawCawMarmalade]

It's been a while since I read the comic so maybe I'm forgetting something but I'm currently wondering if maybe Ysengrin isn't actually Coyote. Like, maybe Coyote made himself into a wolf long ago but also remained himself. He's spent all this time tormenting himself and eating his own memories and now, just for fun, he sacrificed himself to his other self and later Ysengrin will remember that he was coyote all along. I feel like, when dealing with characters with this level of omnipotence, anything is in the realm of possibility.

This theory is out there, I love it. Perhaps he is Reynardine as well?

Another odd thought. If I'm not mistaken a facet of this whole 'etheric' power thing is that the future can have an impact on the past - this is essentially why Kat is seen as a god in the Ether - because later (now?) she's being worshipped as a god by robots. We've seen Ysengrin in the Ether haven't we and he was just himself - wouldn't this mean that he never becomes the god we are now seeing him become? Again, omnipotence is confusing.

Pretty sure Ysengrin looked golden and shiny in the Ether - while not as godlike as Coyote or Kat, he definitely doesn't look "just like himself". That definitely fits with the implied power level (or something) of Yesangrin and Reynardine - they never were said to be particularly powerful gods, if gods at all. If I remember correctly.

[Nettlekid]

So...
Is this new panel Ysengrin with all of Coyote's powers, Coyote possessing Ysengrin, or some sort of fusion of those two?
Either way, that smile is worrying.

Hmm, I think a bit of a fusion. I think it's mostly Ysengrin gaining Coyote's powers, but Ysengrin had so many missing pieces (figuratively and literally, look at the ear) that some parts are Coyote alone poking through. Like the essence of Coyote is the core, just in a vessel of Ysengrin. But it may get difficult to tell.

Either way I'm really digging it.

Remember that when Coyote gives a power of his to someone else it comes with a limitation that Coyote doesn't suffer from. Like Reynard is forced to burn out and kill whoever he possesses, which Coyote doesn't have to worry about. So I'm thinking that some component of this is the consequence of Ysengrin using Coyote's strength.

[Zejety]

I believe the fusion is mostly Ysengrin, if only because this whole thing seems like a setup by Coyote to get around his oath to not harm the court.

[eee]

Right.

Never mind me, I'm just going to go stand over here in Confusion Corner and rub my finger over my lips going "bub bub bub bub" until things start making sense again.

[Typewriter]

I think this fusion looks dumb. I also feel like this whole story arc feels very fast. Like it just sort of happened and escalated out of nowhere. I mean - it sort of makes sense. We've seen Coyote eating his memories, we knew Ysengrin was blocked by the waters, we knew the waters were cleared. But then it all just sort of goes wild with Coyote spontaneously making an announcement then getting eaten. Just feels off to me.

This theory is out there, I love it. Perhaps he is Reynardine as well?

Yeah - I was thinking of that as well. They could all just be aspects of the insanity that is coyote.

[Doran]

Yeah - I was thinking of that as well. They could all just be aspects of the insanity that is coyote.

The only issue I have with X is Coyote pretending for long term characters, is that it can theoretically be applied to every character in the comic, including Tom's self-insert character.

Anyone could be a shapeshifter clone!

[Typewriter]

The only issue I have with X is Coyote pretending for long term characters, is that it can theoretically be applied to every character in the comic, including Tom's self-insert character.

Anyone could be a shapeshifter clone!

While true in concept I feel like it makes thematic sense more with Ysengrin and Reynardine. In Game of Thrones there are dozens of characters who could have been secret Targaryens - this doesn't mean that none/all of them are. That being said it's not specifically something I think is going to happen so much as it is wondering at the possibility. I mean, the whole story of him becoming a dead goose could have been establishing foreshadowing for such a reveal at some point. Or it was just a fun, goofy, story.

[Giggling Ghast]

What? Ysengrin is evolving!

Ysengrin is now Coyotegrin!

[NEO|Phyte]

We sparkledogs now I guess.

[Adaon Nightwind]

This can only end well, right? ...right?