OOTS #1092 - The Discussion Thread

[unbeliever536]

Roy's not even going to speculate that Durkula might have made more minions in the meanwhile? I know he broke the staff, but still...

It's been fewer than three days. Without the staff, he can't.

[Alex Warlorn]

Isn't it Elan who's supposed to mess up on the particulars and make a good comment into a depressing one?

[Jasdoif]

Elan still struggling with basic maths I see...

Are Venn diagrams in the category of "basic maths" these days?

[Mortsdeer]

Is that the same entrance Durkon got tossed out of? Sure looks like it.

Oh my, not only the same entrance, the same art! I'm not one to complain about any tricks needed to keep the welcome high rate of comics going, but … at least edit the edge of the cleared snow, maybe?

[woweedd]

Elan acting like he's never been depressing when trying to motivate someone...

The power of character development! Also, probably some extra points in Wisdom.

[ManuelSacha]

Hel, it's about time!

[The MunchKING]

They also haven't addressed how doilies are the gateway to ULTIMATE COSMIC POWER, so clearly they will be crucial to the outcome of the whole Snarl thing

Might need a little while longer if he wants to outdo 8-Bit theatre for "longest time to payoff brick joke on what was thought to be a throw away line before the comic had much of a plot".

[georgie_leech]

Might need a little while longer if he wants to outdo 8-Bit theatre for "longest time to payoff brick joke on what was thought to be a throw away line before the comic had much of a plot".

I mirrored Black Mage that day.

[alwaysbebatman]

I love the way people still talk about plot armor, when OOTS has already had two of the main six die (and plenty of other good guys).

Elan, though, is unlikely to die, because of the prophecy about his happy ending.

I disagree on both points actually. You can hardly count death as more than a temporary setback as long you aren't dusted and blown away, like Nale.

And a case could be made that Elan already experienced a happy ending in Girard's Final Phantasm.

[2D8HP]

And a case could be made that Elan already experienced a happy ending in Girard's Final Phantasm.

I hadn't considered that before. Please vote for Greyview

[KorvinStarmast]

Elan, though, is unlikely to die, because of the prophecy about his happy ending.

Elan gets happy endings every few days via Haley.

Hel, it's about time!

Starcraft II ref much appreciated.

[The MunchKING]

I disagree on both points actually. You can hardly count death as more than a temporary setback as long you aren't dusted and blown away, like Nale.

And a case could be made that Elan already experienced a happy ending in Girard's Final Phantasm.

He said he got his happy ending later that day when Belkar gave him a whistle. :p

[Cazero]

It's been fewer than three days. Without the staff, he can't.

He can't make vampires. Many lesser undead take one casting of a spell.
Summoned extraplanar creatures are also an option.

[woweedd]

I disagree on both points actually. You can hardly count death as more than a temporary setback as long you aren't dusted and blown away, like Nale.

And a case could be made that Elan already experienced a happy ending in Girard's Final Phantasm.

A very, very, very fragile case, yes.

[Breccia]

Roy's not even going to speculate that Durkula might have made more minions in the meanwhile? I know he broke the staff, but still...

Game rules or not, Roy is counting his vampires before they've spawned. Not that they're going in half-strength or anything, but still, watch yourselves down there.

[Centaur]

Elan still struggling with basic maths I see...

The inclusion–exclusion principle is not so basic math.

[PH7]

The inclusion–exclusion principle is not so basic math.

Ah, perhaps. But there is a difference between being able to explain the principle (and Venn-diagrams) and simply understanding how they are used.

Also, everyone but Elan understood what Roy meant. If "everyone - 1" isn't enough to qualify for basic knowledge, I don't know what is.

[Kgw]

And a case could be made that Elan already experienced a happy ending in Girard's Final Phantasm.

A case could be done on anything. I still remember how people said that V's "four words" were NOT the four words.

Mr. Giant said quite clearly that Elan's happy ending means a final, definitive, happy ending for the story (and Elan).

[Shoelessgdowar]

A case could be done on anything. I still remember how people said that V's "four words" were NOT the four words.

Mr. Giant said quite clearly that Elan's happy ending means a final, definitive, happy ending for the story (and Elan).

Actually the words were never debated, merely the count (I must succeed us only 3 words, and it is hard to stretch single letter words when demonstrating stuttering), the target being and the 'rightness' of the being (Nobody is by definition no being, so how can a nonexistent being be the right being), the 'rightness' of the time (a crisis is not a right time, especially when deprived of rest, under pressure, with one's family's lives hanging in the balance), and the 'wrongness' and variety of the reasons (Protecting ones family is not a wrong reason, therefore it wasn't for ALL the wrong reasons)... "I must succeed" was never disputed as the words said.

[Svata]

"All the wrong reasons" doesn't mean "only and exclusively wrong reasons". It means "all the reasons that could be a wrong one". It does not exclude a good one being included with all of the wrong ones.

[hamishspence]

V is talking to a person - V. People do talk to themselves.

V is convincing V that V is doing the right thing.

"The right time" is "the moment when vast amounts of arcane power are available"

And the "wrong reasons" - satisfying V's own ego when it came to magic, was one of them.

The Giant made it crystal clear how it worked, in Don't Split The Party commentary.

Even the repeated I - it's a pause, not a stutter.

If it was a stutter, it would be

"I-I must succeed"

not

"I ..... I must succeed"

[Quebbster]

Please let us not start this discussion again, we had it a mere five strips ago.

[Kish]

No valid case can be made that anyone still in the story has had a happy ending. The story is not over.

Shoelessgdowar will jump on any opportunity to deny all the Oracle's prophecies by any stretch, for reasons that I'm sure have nothing to do with the inevitable death of a certain character who their screen name might evoke.

[happycrow]

That was beautiful, Giant.

:D

[Ivrytwr]

I do enjoy that Haley is so past "Do I have to explain it to you?" and straight into "I will explain it to you."
Belkar taking a slight from Elan without a death threat? Hmmm ... not ready for that.
But Elan, hand on shoulder, pointing at Roy's shortcoming? Funny!

I think the world has already ended and Roy didn't notice.
Thanks Giant! Funny and meta-worrying!

[skim172]

I should know better by now, but whenever the story reaches a "calm before the storm" moment preluding to an imminent fight scene, I start thinking "is this the one where Belkar dies?"

If I had been the Oracle, I would've told Belkar about his pending death, just so he'd constantly experience that anxiety for the rest of his (short) life.

[Doug Lampert]

I should know better by now, but whenever the story reaches a "calm before the storm" moment preluding to an imminent fight scene, I start thinking "is this the one where Belkar dies?"

If I had been the Oracle, I would've told Belkar about his pending death, just so he'd constantly experience that anxiety for the rest of his (short) life.

I don't think Belkar is that introspective. He expects to die someday. Being told, "and it will be soon BWAHAHAHA!" probably wouldn't bother him that much, he might not bother with faking character growth if he knew he would not live to the payoff, he might be a bit more likely to go on a murder rampage just for the EviLOL. But why would he worry about it? If it's a true prophesy then it's not like he can do anything about it. If it's a false prophesy then it's even less worth worrying about.

I know I'm going to die, they issue you a death when they give you a life, the delivery of the death is just delayed a bit, it could happen any time. It doesn't really bother me all that much. Knowing it would be within X weeks might bother me a bit more, or the certainty might be a bit comforting, but I think I'd just indulge myself some and make sure my will was in order, and I'm a LOT more introspective and prone to worry than Belkar.

Edited: And, yes, you should know better. Belkar is hardly likely to die permanently prior to the climax. I've been wrong on predictions before, but "Belkar doesn't die prior to them actually FINDING the last gate" strikes me as a fairly solid prediction.

[factotum]

Edited: And, yes, you should know better. Belkar is hardly likely to die permanently prior to the climax. I've been wrong on predictions before, but "Belkar doesn't die prior to them actually FINDING the last gate" strikes me as a fairly solid prediction.

Well, they're presumably not that far from the last gate, considering they're in dwarven lands and that's where it lies. Also, it seems to be there's a lot of potential story between "finding the last gate" and "defeating Xykon and everyone lives happy ever after", so Belkar dying when they've found the final gate doesn't necessarily mean he'll be around for the climax of the story.

[Kish]

Well, they're presumably not that far from the last gate, considering they're in dwarven lands and that's where it lies. Also, it seems to be there's a lot of potential story between "finding the last gate" and "defeating Xykon and everyone lives happy ever after", so Belkar dying when they've found the final gate doesn't necessarily mean he'll be around for the climax of the story.

Given that they're explicitly not even trying to go toward the final gate at the moment, "Belkar will die after they've found the final gate, and Belkar will die in the current book, not the next one" are premises I would not want to try to reconcile.

[Blatt]

So, now they can hover! They couldn't just hover back when they had seconds to pick a mountain to dodge though.