Gunnerkrigg Court 8: Thrown for a Loup

[Vinyadan]

I can't help but feel that the subject should at the very least place her chin against a solid surface, or, better, lie the heck down, if she wants someone to shove a chip anywhere near her medulla oblongata

[Ionathus]

Yeah, this sequence is wild. Almost like a fever dream. Things are moving so fast and I feel like one or both of them would have spoken up? Strange that they took so little convincing, I was prepared for a lot of back and forth.

I dunno what’s happening, but the comic has played with my expectations and perception in the past so I’m just going to assume it’s a conscious decision to feel “off” and go along for the ride.

[JavaScribe]

We were worrying too much, it's looking like everything is going to be just fine!!!

[Rodin]

Calling it now: Annie didn't actually implant the chip. Hence the change from tears to a smile behind Kat's back.

[Pax1138]

I mean, that could be what's happening, but that's not much of a plan? It defuses this one situation, but tomorrow Kat's going to want it again, and be mad about being lied to.

[Ionathus]

I mean, that could be what's happening, but that's not much of a plan? It defuses this one situation, but tomorrow Kat's going to want it again, and be mad about being lied to.

Same. Maybe they're just trying to buy time so they can go talk to...Tony? Kat's parents? What about Kat has made them think they can't just communicate directly to her about their concerns?

This whole scene continues to confuse the heck outta me.

[Devlerbat]

Maybe Paz was crying out of worry and then was happy to see that it went fine with no harm done? /shrug

[Ionathus]

Shurg indeed.

[WanderingMist]

We were worrying too much, it's looking like everything is going to be just fine!!!

My brain has been screaming "WARNING! SOMETHING HAS GONE WRONG! EVACUATE THE AREA!" on repeat since this morning.

[137beth]

Did we know Annie had medical knowledge? Did she learn it from Anthony?

[WanderingMist]

Did we know Annie had medical knowledge? Did she learn it from Anthony?

We know she picked up at least conversational Polish by conversing with the souls of the newly-departed. Presumably, she picked up other skills as well from them. She also spent her entire childhood in a hospital and probably spied on the surgeons and such from time to time.

[eee]

Sholy Hit.

Suddenly, I'm really scared.

[Pax1138]

Let's hope for Kat's sake that was just the device in her hand exploding, and not the chip in her neck. One would be bad enough, but the other would be catastrophic.

[Ionathus]

Oh dear, now on top of "confused" I'm also worried. GC doesn't seem like the kind of comic to have Kat sustain a grievous injury...does this somehow play into Annie & Kat smiling at each other in the previous page? It doesn't feel like the kind of prank they would pull.

I continue to feel like I have no idea what's happening and it feels like this scene is going at a snail's pace

[Gez]

Well that was darkly hilarious. I must admit I didn't expect that, and still have no idea where the story's going. Just kind of hoping we'll still need eyes to see; which is not guaranteed at this point.

[wingnutx]

GC doesn't seem like the kind of comic to have Kat sustain a grievous injury.

Annie has been close to death before.

[Ionathus]

Annie has been close to death before.

Right, but in more of an esoteric “ooh her life force is being drained”

What I mean to say is, I doubt we’ll be seeing the bloody remnants of Kat’s shattered spine this Wednesday update. Something else is probably afoot.

[PhantomFox]

Does she become paralyzed and have to upload herself into one of her synthetic bodies?

[WanderingMist]

Wasn't expecting that at all.

Right, but in more of an esoteric “ooh her life force is being drained”

What I mean to say is, I doubt we’ll be seeing the bloody remnants of Kat’s shattered spine this Wednesday update. Something else is probably afoot.

I think they meant all thos times Annie was there when people were being taken by the psychopomps.

[Gez]

Does she become paralyzed and have to upload herself into one of her synthetic bodies?

That could allow her physical appearance to finally match the technonightmare bird god of death that Zimmy sees her as.

In the meantime, they've got to turn her off and back on and see if she reboots.

[eee]

It took a lot of willpower to open the Gunnerkrigg court page today. I was prepared for a funeral, or a hospital ER. Wasn't prepared for an immediate resumption of the action.

[Yuki Akuma]

It took a lot of willpower to open the Gunnerkrigg court page today. I was prepared for a funeral, or a hospital ER. Wasn't prepared for an immediate resumption of the action.

Yeah, but we know Kat survives? The Norns said she'd visit them again in the future, and she hasn't done that yet.

[JavaScribe]

Just how much basic testing did Kat skip for it to outright explode? I would normally expect errors from this type of tech to result in something more along the lines of seizures.

[Typewriter]

My prediction is that right as they're about to cut it out Kats voice is going to call out from a nearby machine telling them to stop.

[geoduck]

My prediction is that right as they're about to cut it out Kats voice is going to call out from a nearby machine telling them to stop.

Either that or she'll snap back to life and rise up in a halo of energy.

[Neoriceisgood]

I for one would enjoy it if she's just dead. her spinal cord got breached right under the neck due to the explosion, and she just died.

Don't get me wrong, I like Kat, but having her just plop over dead over some random super risky operation she wanted on a whim
would go against all narrative conventions & subvert all expectations.

Spoiler

Show

Which'd make it funny to me.

[Vinyadan]

I for one would enjoy it if she's just dead. her spinal cord got breached right under the neck due to the explosion, and she just died.

Don't get me wrong, I like Kat, but having her just plop over dead over some random super risky operation she wanted on a whim
would go against all narrative conventions & subvert all expectations.

If it weren't for the spoiler, I'd assume you are Rian Johnson.

Personally, I've been wondering if she's just suffering from the activator exploding, and she just has a bad concussion, shock, and maybe one blown ear with consequent balance problems. Opening her like Paz wants doesn't strike me as a good idea in that case.

[Clertar]

My prediction is that right as they're about to cut it out Kats voice is going to call out from a nearby machine telling them to stop.

And we've got a winner!

[Ionathus]

Ohhh, no. I don’t like this development.

Hopefully she’s just remote controlling things and not, Y’know, evicted from her physical form…

[sihnfahl]

Hopefully she’s just remote controlling things and not, Y’know, evicted from her physical form…

No, cause we see her as an adult in the scenes with the Norns.

I'm guessing this is like a Decker / Netrunner? Body goes limp while the cybernetic interface takes over sensory input and the individual issues commands? Interfaces with linked devices?