OOTS #1201 - The Discussion Thread

[bunsen_h]

Bandana’s confusion tells a different story.

That could also be a "crap, that means that one of them is about to die for dramatic reasons" look.

Huh, I thought they were both dudes too.

Likewise.

[Fish]

Possibly - but more likely is that Xykon's massive deathtrap fortress was a giant waste of time for him...

I think Xykon's Secret Astral Fortress has some out-of-story meaning, as well as some in-story utility.

Out of story, it shows the reader that Xykon is taking sensible precautions against death. He's learned not to be so cavalier about his phylactery. He's worried.

In story, it gives Rich a way for Xykon to instantly know he's been betrayed. Either:

• Xykon is destroyed and starts to re-form. He'll expect to find himself in his Top Secret Fort. When he doesn't, he'll know Redcloak cheated him somehow. OR,
• Redcloak realizes Xykon will detect such betrayal. If Xykon is in danger of being destroyed, Redcloak has to get back to the Super Secret Treehouse before Xykon wakes up.

[ti'esar]

Ah, thanks! I knew there had to be some cultural reference. But in this case I had never heard of the band, let alone the song!

Ditto.

Also, this strip was hilarious. Completely blindsided me.

[Anansiil]

It's the little things that make us love one another :D

[Ron Miel]

Is it just me, or does the kerning seem off when Elan says "long" in panel 6? It looks just fine when Roy says it in the same panel, but it looks kind of like Elan is saying "bng" instead.

If you didn't see that before and now you can't unsee it, then you're welcome.

You must really hate us.

[gerryq]

Such Great Heights, by The Postal Service is a great song, so it nice to see it lyrics as the title. And must be tough for the potion seller if they have to teleport that far away in order to sell an basic potion.

I checked it out on youtube. At first I didn't like it but when I closed my eyes and switched to audio-only, away from the stupid fablab video, the song itself was fine. Honestly, I've rarely seen a song so poorly served by the official video. (Or an unofficial one, for that matter.)

[danielxcutter]

Welp. That was unexpected.

[Latimer]

Anyone know what the title refers to?

Methinks Postal Service lyrics:
I am thinking it's a sign
That the freckles in our eyes
Are mirror images
And when we kiss they're perfectly aligned

[Elanasaurus]

Ohhh he's prone to slipping because of the pegleg

[Necris Omega]

I know Elan's lute is undeniably classic, but in an alternate universe, I could totally see him inserting a sax solo at the end here.

[Alcore]

Welp, I think I'm in full agreement with Elan this time, in pretty much every panel.

And uh... If they're depending on Julia to pass the message and they can only talk so long as his blood oath isn't fulfilled, well? Issue.

The same way any salesmen of potions manage to get to the room before the final boss regardless of the level of the enemies around them.

Grey Wolf

I always thought they were let in by the monsters. Depending on the game and difficulty they drop healing stuff too. And what merchant wouldn't sit before a boss battle? All that revenue they rake in... the boss is the one place guaranteed to have heroes approaching.

[Mic_128]

Without any news for a time she might hire a caster to Send to them, then I guess.

Bandana did say she was going to hire a Wizard when they got to Tinkertown.

[druid91]

Huh, if the final dungeon merchant pops up here does that mean... Xykon's Astral Tomb-Fortress is a bonus dungeon?

Why would they need to go there?

[danielxcutter]

Methinks Postal Service lyrics:
I am thinking it's a sign
That the freckles in our eyes
Are mirror images
And when we kiss they're perfectly aligned

I’m sorry to say that you’ve apparently been ninja’d by the entire relevant population of Azure City.

[bunsen_h]

Huh, if the final dungeon merchant pops up here does that mean... Xykon's Astral Tomb-Fortress is a bonus dungeon?

Why would they need to go there?

Someone triggering an alarm there is an excellent way to get Xykon to drop whatever he's doing and rush there to investigate.

[AlurenDarkfire]

Love the callback to Belkar's "They only sell basic potions anyway" line.

[Kantaki]

Why would they need to go there?

They don't need to.
That's why it's a bonus dungeon.

[Voyager]

Yeah, I also saw the Final Boss Potion vendor pop up, and thought This is it!

Hype mode engaged. Has it really been twelve years since I started reading this?

[aldeayeah]

Airship - Check

Final dungeon - Check

Ominous music - Loading...

[Wowlock]

The potion seller feels weirdly ominous. Am I forgetting a reference?

It is the ''Vendor before the final boss''.

[pendell]

This is the first strip I've really laughed at in a long , long time. Both the resolution of the subplot of which I was unaware up to now, and the re-appearance of O'aka XXIII , merchant extraordinaire! Or at least his expy, because that would violate copyright!

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[braveheart]

It's time for the final boss rush, everything I've been reading here for the last 10 years will get payed off, and we finally din out exactly what is under the umbrella!

[HandofShadows]

Not often we see Elan at a loss of words like that.

[Finagle]

Huh, if the final dungeon merchant pops up here does that mean... Xykon's Astral Tomb-Fortress is a bonus dungeon?

Why do people keep bringing this up? It's a red herring. Xykon's Astral fortress is completely empty and devoid of anything interesting except traps. Even if someone did dig into the center of it, the prize is...the fake phylactery. It's about as valuable as a cheap plastic imitation of the Amulet of Yendor.

[jwhouk]

It's time for the final boss rush, everything I've been reading here for the last 10 years will get payed off, and we finally din out exactly what is under the umbrella!

I get the feeling that MITD's reveal will be on the very last page of OOTS.

Why do people keep bringing this up? It's a red herring. Xykon's Astral fortress is completely empty and devoid of anything interesting except traps. Even if someone did dig into the center of it, the prize is...the fake phylactery. It's about as valuable as a cheap plastic imitation of the Amulet of Yendor.

"I'm sorry, Roy, but the phylactery you are looking for is in another castle!"

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Why do people keep bringing this up? It's a red herring. Xykon's Astral fortress is completely empty and devoid of anything interesting except traps. Even if someone did dig into the center of it, the prize is...the fake phylactery. It's about as valuable as a cheap plastic imitation of the Amulet of Yendor.

Like someone said, because it is a convenient distraction. "Oh no, Xykon is about to take control of a mcGuffin!" "Let's teleport to his tomb, right now". Xykon gets informed by an alarm of someone entering his tomb, he panics and leaves to defend his phylactery, and the mcGuffin is saved.

I get the feeling that MITD's reveal will be on the very last page of OOTS.

He's not that important. I'd expect the MitD reveal to be a key moment in the fight against Xykon and RC, maybe a turning point, but it's not likely it'll be the final moment of the strip.

Grey Wolf

[Ruck]

Someone triggering an alarm there is an excellent way to get Xykon to drop whatever he's doing and rush there to investigate.

Oooh, this I could see being an interesting way to get him out there. I still don't think the Order will follow him there.

[Fyraltari]

Hey that's weird, some of the posts have the thread titled as #1201.

[hamishspence]

You're able to change the title of your post, when posting.

[Fyraltari]

You're able to change the title of your post, when posting.

But I didn't for that one:

Die with the rest of the planet?

It looks like it is doing it automatically on this very post though.