Girl Genius XXVI: Madness is the best possible response

[xroads]

That clank body is more solid than I expected.

Also Lu killed Albia before? So she definitely is from the future and doesn’t care about creating grandfather paradoxes.

She said "But I have killed your kind before." She didn't say she had killed Albia before.

[gbs5009]

That clank body is more solid than I expected.

Also Lu killed Albia before? So she definitely is from the future and doesn’t care about creating grandfather paradoxes.

Not Albia specifically, just god-queens of her ilk.

[Fyraltari]

Oh right, I read too fast.

[HandofShadows]

Of course that was thousands of years ago (the slow way). Albia has learned a LOT since then and she was not caught by surprise, while Lu clearly didn't have a plan for this encounter right now.

[Squire Doodad]

The fact Gil just got rewired to get rid of the Baron's overlay, methinks.

This seems reasonable; if we assume the overlay operates on similar fundamental principles (something starts to think where your mind is supposed to be), then Gil is used to the general feeling while Tarvek is completely taken off guard.

[Hamsandlich]

Of course that was thousands of years ago (the slow way). Albia has learned a LOT since then and she was not caught by surprise, while Lu clearly didn't have a plan for this encounter right now.

There's also the possibility that Clank-Lu is using less advanced tech than the Lucrezia that whacked Albia's peers way back when. Time travel and all, and the Other's overlays display a distinct lack of innovation.

[HandofShadows]

Clank-Lu has stolen tech as her zap stick seems based on Gil Lightning stick. Or at the very least its the same tech. Gil charging the atmosphere at Mechanicsburg Cyborg Lu attacking the Queens. The Professors went out of their way to have Albia mention it. Not sure how it will play out, but this looks like a big Chekhov's gun to me and the Professors LOVE that trope. Heck, they have built up a whole armory over the years.

[Rodin]

Clank-Lu has stolen tech as her zap stick seems based on Gil Lightning stick. Or at the very least its the same tech. Gil charging the atmosphere at Mechanicsburg Cyborg Lu attacking the Queens. The Professors went out of their way to have Albia mention it. Not sure how it will play out, but this looks like a big Chekhov's gun to me and the Professors LOVE that trope. Heck, they have built up a whole armory over the years.

Now that's an interesting thought. "A weapon we could not even comprehend." Like, say, electricity? A thousand years before it was invented?

If so, Clankcrezia may be in for a bit of a shock.

[Squire Doodad]

Now that's an interesting thought. "A weapon we could not even comprehend." Like, say, electricity? A thousand years before it was invented?

If so, Clankcrezia may be in for a bit of a shock.

Honestly, this more closely resembles Agatha's Major Micro Mountain Murderer. While an electrical device could explain why the Queens didn't recognize it and why Albia now knows how to block it, it also doesn't quite look like it is actually a thunderbolt.
EDIT: Closer examination suggests that the Cyborg Lu has a more of a wavy pulse (kind of like a weird pulse of lightning or plasma), while Clankcrezia seems to use a coherent focused beam (either hand-held or a newer model).

(Incidentally, we have affirmation by way of a semi-canonical comic (one of Cheyenne's Thorpe stories) that King Arthur exists...but Albia is evidently many times his age. I wonder how that worked?)

[Rogar Demonblud]

Obviously, somebody had to be Morgan le Fay. Or Guinevere. Or both at the same time (yay shapeshifters).

And nobody invented electricity. It's a natural force.

[Rodin]

Obviously, somebody had to be Morgan le Fay. Or Guinevere. Or both at the same time (yay shapeshifters).

Maybe Lady of the Lake too.

And nobody invented electricity. It's a natural force.

Yeah, I know. I just couldn't figure out a better way to word it. On further thought the better phrase would be "a thousand years before anyone HARNESSED electricity".

[Analytica]

OK, that I did NOT expect. Who is she really?

[HandofShadows]

A combat clank for sure. But the loss of a hand and the zap stick really cuts into it's offensive firepower. What's more, that body can feel pain. I wonder how Bohrlaikha would do against Lu?

[Narkis]

OK, that I did NOT expect. Who is she really?

Why, Lucrezia of course.

[Vinyadan]

Why, Lucrezia of course.

I like to add a "konk" sound effect to panel 4.

[Kantaki]

Someone who looks like a overgrown cockroach really shouldn't call others insects.

[xroads]

I think Trelawney's torn purple pants is a bit of a homage to the Incredible Hulk.

[HandofShadows]

I think Trelawney's torn purple pants is a bit of a homage to the Incredible Hulk.

Don't think so. Gil is the one that Hulk's out.

[xroads]

Don't think so. Gil is the one that Hulk's out.

Trelawney also hulked out. Just not with the classic green skin.

[Rogar Demonblud]

I think Trelawney's torn purple pants is a bit of a homage to the Incredible Hulk.

The hand blaster looks a bit like one of Tony's as well.

[wingnutx]

So why don't the commandos blast her to bits?

[Fyraltari]

So why don't the commandos blast her to bits?

They are trying to! That’s why she’s on fire.

[Squire Doodad]

Obviously, somebody had to be Morgan le Fay. Or Guinevere. Or both at the same time (yay shapeshifters).

And nobody invented electricity. It's a natural force.

King Arthur's unrecorded last words were: "Darling, I just noticed you and Morgan le Fay and also Nimue all kind of look similar. Also, I don't think I've ever seen two of the three of you together at the same time...heh, what a weird coincidence!"

The grammar for the first panel is a bit hard for me to process for some reason. It seems to say
"Where did you go? You think we can hide from-"
...why would Lucrezia think that Albia's form shifting causes Lucrezia to hide? It seems like it would either be "You think you can hide" or "You think we would hide" depending on whether Lucrezia or Albia is supposed to be the one doing the hiding.

[Stabbey]

Albia has left. Trelawny is back to her old self. Look at her eyes.

[Vinyadan]

Albia has left. Trelawny is back to her old self. Look at her eyes.

I think this is why Lucrezia is surprised. Either Albia surprised her by leaving Trelawney the moment she opened fire, or Lucrezia managed to hurt or banish Albia from Trelawney anyway, and she was surprised to find a spark where she expected to see a corpse.

[wingnutx]

They are trying to! That’s why she’s on fire.

Thanks. That went right over my head.

[runeghost]

I don't know, she doesn't sound like Lucrezia. She sounds like Zola. Lucrezia never resists ranting like this

I think we can rule out "Zola's mind in a clank" after today's strip. The intruder is a rubbish combatant, but has a ton of tricks - Lu all the way.

[Squire Doodad]

I think we can rule out "Zola's mind in a clank" after today's strip. The intruder is a rubbish combatant, but has a ton of tricks - Lu all the way.

She does, however, have what kinda looks like Zola's hairstyle? More Zola's than Lucrezia's at least.

An irrelevant point, but a fun one :D

[Scarlet Knight]

Odds on who takes down Future-crezia? We haven't seen Rakethorn, Trog, or Boilergeist in a bit. Or is this where an enhanced Oggie shows up?

I think Trelawney's torn purple pants is a bit of a homage to the Incredible Hulk.

Knowing the Foglio's work, is anyone else suprised that her pants aren't torn more...um... strategically?

[Squire Doodad]

Knowing the Foglio's work, is anyone else suprised that her pants aren't torn more...um... strategically?

...I'm sorry? I don't exactly see her torn too much. Unless you mean they should be torn MORE, which I guess wouldn't make sense? Honestly, it looks like she is torn from diverting the blasts more than transforming.