Girl Genius XXVII: Hoy! Hennybody else not dead?

[Manga Shoggoth]

The other thing to remember is the backstory. The story starts after Klaus has imposed peace in Europa, and before that the area was composed of warring sparks.

Before that, we had the Heterodyne Boys - the white sheep of a very black family - travelling around Europa trying to bring down tyrannical sparks.

We see a largely peaceful environment because Klaus has enforced the Pax Europa, Paris is controlled by The Master of Paris and Britannia is controlled by Albia. When Klaus goes down, Europa shatters back into warring sparks.

Now, admittedly we only see the Queens through Albia's eyes, but the Queens do appear to have been largely civil and co-operative. We should also note that they were also isolated, relying on the mirrors for communication.

Incidentally, reknowned mad social scientist Dr Mittlemind has this to say on the subject. Remember, given the huge imbalance between the genders and the spark, he is largely talking about male sparks.

[lord_khaine]

The Summoning Engine is a recent phenomenon though. The girls would only have started disappearing in the last 20 years or so. While it would have a big effect it doesn't explain the lack of older female sparks.

Sure it does. I dont think age was any limit when they were hunting for sparks to stuff into that machine.
And i dont think the lack of older female sparks are that explicit.

[SZbNAhL]

Reason may be more a result of upbringing than anything else. Colette is continuing her father's reasonable tradition, Gil is continuing his father's reasonable tradition, Lucy and her sisters continued their father's tradition of being a generally bad egg who wants to take over the world.

Also, ruling sparks are more likely to be reasonable people, simply because empires ruled by bellicose people don't last as long. Even Martellus was willing to work with others when necessary, such as in the battles of St Szpack and Paris. With the general shortage of non-ruling female sparks, those we do meet are generally going to be reasonable due to rulership natural selection.

[Manga Shoggoth]

Also, ruling sparks are more likely to be reasonable people, simply because empires ruled by bellicose people don't last as long. Even Martellus was willing to work with others when necessary, such as in the battles of St Szpack and Paris. With the general shortage of nonruling female sparks, those we do meetare generally going to be reasonable due to rulership natural selection.

This is a fair point - with the noted exception of the old Heterodynes, for whom bellicose is putting it mildly. Also in favour of this point, according to the novels Bill and Barry were brought up by their mother outside the castle, which is partly why they were the exception to the heterodyne pattern.

[Rodin]

This is a fair point - with the noted exception of the old Heterodynes, for whom bellicose is putting it mildly. Also in favour of this point, according to the novels Bill and Barry were brought up by their mother outside the castle, which is partly why they were the exception to the heterodyne pattern.

The Heterodynes got away with it for two reasons. The first is the strength of their Sparkiness, which is rivaled only by the Queens and a handful of others like the Master of Paris and Baron Wulfenbach. The second is Mechanicsburg, which is noted to be a natural fortress that would be capable of fending off any normal army. With additional defenses built by generations of Heterodynes it was nigh invulnerable.

The impression I get of the old Heterodynes is that they would periodically rampage across Europe. Eventually Europe would unite against them sufficiently to drive them back to Mechanicsburg where they would lick their wounds for a while before the whole process started over again. Either that or the Heterodyne would get bored and go home. Either way the Heterodyne always had a lair to return to.

Lesser Sparks try the same thing but are not strong enough to maintain it. They get wiped out by an angry mob, a rival Spark, or just the local nobility raising an army to crush them.

[Manga Shoggoth]

The impression I get of the old Heterodynes is that they would periodically rampage across Europe. Eventually Europe would unite against them sufficiently to drive them back to Mechanicsburg where they would lick their wounds for a while before the whole process started over again. Either that or the Heterodyne would get bored and go home. Either way the Heterodyne always had a lair to return to.

Pretty much - the whole process is described in the novels (the second one, I believe), although there was only one big fight with Europa, and that was only when the Storm King finally managed to convince the rest of Europa that the Heterodynes were a threat to the entire continent, not just their immediate surroundings. The big fight took place at the fortress of Sturmhalten. There the Heterodynes were defeated, and the Storm King was manipulated into marrying the then Heterodyne's daughter (whose name I am not even going to try spelling from memory) as part of the surrrender.

EDIT: Current strip. Oh dear, this is going to get very silly, isn't it? I wonder if there is going to be any rock for curlers?

[Grif]

Fashion is very serious business.

I look forward to the hilarity.

[Vinyadan]

I hope that this "I owe you" isn't too big a deal. I can't say I'm enthusiast at the idea of Xerxephina (or anyone else) becoming part of Agatha's Circus of Servants.

[Agi Hammerthief]

I hope that this "I owe you" isn't too big a deal. I can't say I'm enthusiast at the idea of Xerxephina (or anyone else) becoming part of Agatha's Circus of Servants.

sounds more like a big deal for the story rather than the readers. Like a „get out of jail free“ card.

[PraetorDragoon]

To me it sounds like a "I owe you, so I will help you in the future once" kinda deal, which can be important for a future event. Seffie does have a lot of political influence due to her position and family. Probably either by helping when Agatha runs into (more) trouble with Seffie's family or providing intel in the search for the lantern. (I think that was a plot point, once.)

[cptnspldng]

And it does appear in the current strip (panel 1) that Zeetha's canines are becoming more pronounced. Looks as though Mama's potion may have some side effects after all.

[Vinyadan]

And it does appear in the current strip (panel 1) that Zeetha's canines are becoming more pronounced. Looks as though Mama's potion may have some side effects after all.

Maybe she's turning into Lum Invader

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[HandofShadows]

And it does appear in the current strip (panel 1) that Zeetha's canines are becoming more pronounced. Looks as though Mama's potion may have some side effects after all.

Naw, her canines have been that big before.

[Rogar Demonblud]

And it's not like she's the only one to have her face reshaped for impact. Klaus can scowl hard enough to elongate his jawline by a good two inches.

[Manga Shoggoth]

Maybe she's turning into Lum Invader

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Ah, Urusei Yatsura. My second manga and first anime. (At least, knowingly - Apparantly Marine Boy was an anime...)

[Traab]

I hope that this "I owe you" isn't too big a deal. I can't say I'm enthusiast at the idea of Xerxephina (or anyone else) becoming part of Agatha's Circus of Servants.

Yeah chances are this is the sort of thing that goes like, martellus turns on her again and tries to enslave her, again, and xerxe sets her free to make them even. Or she warns them of the incoming doublecross so they can turn it around. Probably that option as the other is a little too open and upfront for someone like her. "Btw, martellus plans to do sparky thing at x time, might want to watch for that."

[Squire Doodad]

Yeah chances are this is the sort of thing that goes like, martellus turns on her again and tries to enslave her, again, and xerxe sets her free to make them even. Or she warns them of the incoming doublecross so they can turn it around. Probably that option as the other is a little too open and upfront for someone like her. "Btw, martellus plans to do sparky thing at x time, might want to watch for that."

Martellus probably won't actually try anything after Paris, and even if he did Seffie would let Agatha go either way. She does see Agatha as her friend.

This feels like it's plot relevant, but I don't think it means "+1 companion". Agatha has enough at the moment already.

[Scarlet Knight]

To me it sounds like a "I owe you, so I will help you in the future once" kinda deal, which can be important for a future event. Seffie does have a lot of political influence due to her position and family. Probably either by helping when Agatha runs into (more) trouble with Seffie's family or providing intel in the search for the lantern. (I think that was a plot point, once.)

I hope Seffie keeps her word; but it is very possible she'll take the Tweedle approach of "Hmmm. You know if I double-cross you & everyone dies, no one will be able to say I didn't keep my pledge. Now how do I successfully do that and not kill that hunk Gil?"

@v: Your way may be funnier.

[SZbNAhL]

I hope Seffie keeps her word; but it is very possible she'll take the Tweedle approach of "Hmmm. You know if I double-cross you & everyone dies, no one will be able to say I didn't keep my pledge. Now how do I successfully do that and not kill that hunk Gil?"

I choose to read that as "that hunk Gil" being part of the Tweedle approach.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Well, he does need to marry off his sister to someone. It goes against the Code of Royalty to leave a princess to her own devices or in control of her life.

[SZbNAhL]

Well, he does need to marry off his sister to someone. It goes against the Code of Royalty to leave a princess to her own devices or in control of her life.

Yes ... his sister ... that's what I meant.

[SZbNAhL]

Gosh, Madwa's still alive. I'm in raptures of shock. Raptures, I tell you.

At least now we know who Steelgarter and Moonbeam really work for, I guess.

[Fyraltari]

Oh yeah, I had forgotten Violetta was "supposed" to be dead. Did we ever get a clear explanation of what happened?

[theangelJean]

I mean, I'm not that surprised, but wasn't Madwa really-dead-yes-really-we-saw-the-body-it's-really-her dead? On the submarine?

Violetta might be good, but I guess she's still wrong?

[Scarlet Knight]

Island? With horrible rats? Are we going to...Sumatra?

[Vinyadan]

Island? With horrible rats? Are we going to...Sumatra?

Either that, or to the Île de la Cité

[SZbNAhL]

Island? With horrible rats? Are we going to...Sumatra?

Steelgarter might be, but Agatha's itinerary's been set for a while, and Indoneisa isn't on it.

[Rockphed]

So, are the rats vermin, or are the rats residents?

[Kantaki]

So, are the rats vermin, or are the rats residents?

Yes.

[geoduck]

I mean, I'm not that surprised, but wasn't Madwa really-dead-yes-really-we-saw-the-body-it's-really-her dead? On the submarine?

Violetta might be good, but I guess she's still wrong?

No, we only saw her checking out Dr. Zardeliv's body. There was mention of an additional female corpse, but we never saw it and we don't know if any of Our Heroes ever looked at it. So yeah, Madwa was pretty much still alive.

And according to The Works card game at least..

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Dr. Monahan specializes in creating giant rats.