Gunnerkrigg Court 7: Psychopomp and Circumstance

[Vinyadan]

Cvet has the squat & the accent, now needs an Adidas tracksuit.

I'm not sure... iirc that's a thing that is easier to find in Orthodox slavic countries. Slovenia is more like Croatia and (old) Czechoslovakia, so culturally it developed in a closer contact with the Catholic west.

[understatement]

What was the ashray about again?

[SZbNAhL]

What was the ashray about again?

The ashtray attacks; Short-Haired Annie identifies the ashtray by name.

[geoduck]

Do have to wonder why a water elemental has the word "ash" in its name.

[Smurfton]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asrai
Wikipedia says the etymology is unknown, but it is supposedly English folklore. Perhaps they're named ashray because they turn into a puddle when the sun shines on them for too long?

[Vinyadan]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asrai
Wikipedia says the etymology is unknown, but it is supposedly English folklore. Perhaps they're named ashray because they turn into a puddle when the sun shines on them for too long?

Oh, I was wondering why it was called "ashtray"...

Personally, reading the article, I can't help but think that the name was invented for the 1884 poem. It sounds like someone imitating Sanskrit or Arab.

[keybounce]

So, finishing up book 1 / chapter 7, and ... I'm not sure that I understood that fight on the bridge?

[Rodin]

So, finishing up book 1 / chapter 7, and ... I'm not sure that I understood that fight on the bridge?

You're not supposed to...yet. Chapters 8 and 9 have some explanation, but I don't think you find out what was really up with it for quite some time.

[Mith]

I have to wonder if Annie's just super over confident about what she could do vs. what Paz is capable of.

Granted, I could be overestimating what trainging she ever got from Ysgrin.

[Max_Killjoy]

I stopped reading when her emotionally abusive, negligent father showed back up out of the blue.

Did that arc ever resolve, and if so, where/when would I pick back up reading to skip over it?

[Willie the Duck]

I stopped reading when her emotionally abusive, negligent father showed back up out of the blue.

Did that arc ever resolve, and if so, where/when would I pick back up reading to skip over it?

The plot has moved to a different place. Her father has been shown to have some sooomewhat good reasons for what he did, and has done and sacrificed a lot for her, but is still probably the most controversial figures for the fanbase. Now she is at a subtle truce with him, and trying to figure out how to live with him back in her life. On one hand, it is actually more realistic to have a flawed parent you have to learn to deal with than have all your enemies be hyper-evil villains you can cheer the eventual demise of. OTOH, it's frankly less satisfying.

I don't know when to pick up again. Any time Chapter 54 or after he is mostly just a new thing that exists in the comic, and he rarely comes into focus (except one chapter where we see in the past how he and Surma got together in the first place).

[Thufir]

I have to wonder if Annie's just super over confident about what she could do vs. what Paz is capable of.

Granted, I could be overestimating what training she ever got from Ysengrin.

Paz is capable of talking to animals. So barring the presence of a particularly dangerous animal she could recruit to her side in a fight, she's going to fare very poorly against Annie, who can set things on fire with her mind.

[Willie the Duck]

Paz is capable of talking to animals. So barring the presence of a particularly dangerous animal she could recruit to her side in a fight, she's going to fare very poorly against Annie, who can set things on fire with her mind.

But is also not a murderer. I decidedly think that this theoretical fight would be much more appropriate to ~14 y.o. (how old are these kids again?) girls in school together than much of the rest of the series otherwise is.

[Mith]

Paz is capable of talking to animals. So barring the presence of a particularly dangerous animal she could recruit to her side in a fight, she's going to fare very poorly against Annie, who can set things on fire with her mind.

But is also not a murderer. I decidedly think that this theoretical fight would be much more appropriate to ~14 y.o. (how old are these kids again?) girls in school together than much of the rest of the series otherwise is.

My musing is more that it feels like Annie is highly over confident (as a person who can (sort of?) fly and just toss around fire would be), but at the same time, is often over turned by her own over confidence. So even though she finds Paz sizing her up amusing, she could also be very wrong.

[Vinyadan]

Annie could beat up boys when she first showed up in the Court. She threw theWinsbury away like a pillow. https://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=34

[lord_khaine]

Yeah, that does take a bit of skill.
Im quite certain Annie were correct in her estimate.
Even before factoring in her ability to set stuff on fire.

[SZbNAhL]

According to this flashback, she's a black belt in (presumably) judo. She's also the human torch and has ESP. Paz can talk to animals. Annie can talk to psychopomps. I know who I'm backing.

[Lethologica]

According to this flashback, she's a black belt in (presumably) judo. She's also the human torch and has ESP. Paz can talk to animals. Annie can talk to psychopomps. I know who I'm backing.

The belts are explicitly no specific color. Annie knows some judo. How much is left up in the air.

[SZbNAhL]

The belts are explicitly no specific color. Annie knows some judo. How much is left up in the air.

In my haste to post the link I forgot to read the commentary. My apologies.

[Hytheter]

Annie could beat up boys when she first showed up in the Court. She threw theWinsbury away like a pillow. https://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=34

Man the old chapters sure look... different...

[Mith]

According to this flashback, she's a black belt in (presumably) judo. She's also the human torch and has ESP. Paz can talk to animals. Annie can talk to psychopomps. I know who I'm backing.

I guess where I am getting at is that part of me is expecting Paz to pull something bizarre out in such a confrontation like a friendly Salamander or something like that.

To be fair, I do not expect a confrontation. It just sometimes feel like the story likes to pull rugs out from Annie's feet when she is feeling too confident. Which isn't a bad thing, but it does mean that I end up being skeptical about supposedly 1 sided arguments.

[wingnutx]

I don't think that Paz has much to back her threat up with, but she's worried enough to make it anyway.

[Rodin]

I mean, this is the girl that summoned a leviathan from the deeps the last time she was underestimated. I fear both.

Also on today's page...uh oh. Not going to be so easy, I guess.

[Vinyadan]

Maybe she summoned the Ashray?

[Max_Killjoy]

I wish the cast page would just name the characters, instead of just being a bunch of pictures that link to first appearances.

[Tvtyrant]

I think Paz might have a shot with powers, swarms of things tend to do a lot of damage (although Annie can make a fireshield.)

[SZbNAhL]

I wish the cast page would just name the characters, instead of just being a bunch of pictures that link to first appearances.

Anyone specific? Between us, the thread hivemind probably knows the names of every character in the comic.

[Max_Killjoy]

Anyone specific? Between us, the thread hivemind probably knows the names of every character in the comic.

I used to know who all of them where, I just need to refresh my memory... I'm trying to jog loose who Paz is.

(I read the comic as it updated, up to the point where Annie's jerk dad showed up.)

[Mith]

I used to know who all of them where, I just need to refresh my memory... I'm trying to jog loose who Paz is.

(I read the comic as it updated, up to the point where Annie's jerk dad showed up.)

Paz is Kat's girlfriend. She's Spanish and has influence over animals.

[Qwertystop]

I mean, this is the girl that summoned a leviathan from the deeps the last time she was underestimated. I fear both.

Also on today's page...uh oh. Not going to be so easy, I guess.

Wait, what? I don't remember that at all.