What are you hoping to see in this last book?

[Peelee]

A straight-up and conclusive Order vs Team Evil confrontation. No victories by dumb luck, no missing team members, no running away

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at least not before the fight's actually, you know, done

just a fight. The comic is long, long overdue for this.

Imean... A conclusive confrontation probably means the end of the comic (or an imminent end), so I'm not sure I'd call it overdue.

[understatement]

I think I commented on this before, but so far within the strip there hasn't been any fights that include the entire Order against a singular (or group) of enemies. Crossing fingers that there will in this upcoming book.

[dancrilis]

I think I commented on this before, but so far within the strip there hasn't been any fights that include the entire Order against a singular (or group) of enemies. Crossing fingers that there will in this upcoming book.

Yes there has, panel 1 (they won too).

[Frozenstep]

There's a lot of things I want, but most of them amount to "I want answers to what's still unknown."

But one non-standard thing I was imagining...is for Inky to learn about V's character growth. Something like after saving the world and being celebrated, V comes back to Elven homelands and gives a speech at whatever magical university to a huge crowd. And they're all supportive, believing clearly he's the real hero who saved everyone, because wizard arrogance. But then V gives a stunning speech on his own failings, and the danger of the arrogance we see from so many wizards in the comic. And of course, Inky is somewhere in the crowd, shocked at the change in V.

V has changed so, so much. It's been gradual, and I don't really remember if any of the order has really reacted to his transformation (besides the one scene where Roy learns about famlicide), because a lot of it has been outside their view, and slowly enough that it didn't come as a shock.

[understatement]

Yes there has, panel 1 (they won too).

Perfect. Book ends.

[Worldsong]

Just thought of something I'd like to see.

In the scenario that Redcloak turns and helps the OotS before the end of the story (and thus helps them fight Xykon) I'd be entertained if Redcloak and Roy end up getting along swimmingly. They're both kinda sorta militarists who prefer a more logical and strategic approach to things, so I could see them synchronizing if they're not being occupied with being antagonistic towards one another.

[deltamire]

In the scenario that Redcloak turns and helps the OotS before the end of the story (and thus helps them fight Xykon) I'd be entertained if Redcloak and Roy end up getting along swimmingly. They're both kinda sorta militarists who prefer a more logical and strategic approach to things, so I could see them synchronizing if they're not being occupied with being antagonistic towards one another.

Ooh, that's a good one. We'd have to come a long way from where we are currently (Roy has a knack, for better or for worse, of not seeing the point of view of those he's ethically opposed to, and he's shown to be taking a lot of leaves out of Haley's book in terms of alternative views, who has no love lost for Redcloak after Azure City) but the solidarity between two people of radically different backgrounds and alignments realising they're pretty much the only people on their respective teams with enough brain cells to spare and finding solidarity in that is really, really great.

[Edreyn]

I want to:

1) See the image of MitD, not the off-screen description of who he really is, but the actual image of fully visible Monster no longer in the Dark.
2) Prophecy fulfilled without Belkar dying and also he should remain active character.

[Quebbster]

Ooh, that's a good one. We'd have to come a long way from where we are currently (Roy has a knack, for better or for worse, of not seeing the point of view of those he's ethnically opposed to, and he's shown to be taking a lot of leaves out of Haley's book in terms of alternative views, who has no love lost for Redcloak after Azure City) but the solidarity between two people of radically different backgrounds and alignments realising they're pretty much the only people on their respective teams with enough brain cells to spare and finding solidarity in that is really, really great.

Did you mean "ethically opposed to"? I don't see much ethnical opposition in OoTS.

I want to:

1) See the image of MitD, not the off-screen description of who he really is, but the actual image of fully visible Monster no longer in the Dark.
2) Prophecy fulfilled without Belkar dying and also he should remain active character.

Number 1 is practically a given, but I am looking forward to it too. It was the MitD that first got me interested in OoTS.
Number 2...I would be very disappointed if that was what happened, it would feel like a cop out. Belkar has been evolving a lot as a character and the foreshadowing that he won't survive to the end makes his story even more compelling in my eyes.

[deltamire]

Did you mean "ethically opposed to"? I don't see much ethnical opposition in OoTS.

{scrubbed}, I didn't see that. That's what you get for doing things on mobile with stubby fingers - I definitely meant ethically. Ethnical opposition is a very different thing, and I'd be shocked if Roy was for it.

[bravelove]

Just thought of something I'd like to see.

In the scenario that Redcloak turns and helps the OotS before the end of the story (and thus helps them fight Xykon) I'd be entertained if Redcloak and Roy end up getting along swimmingly. They're both kinda sorta militarists who prefer a more logical and strategic approach to things, so I could see them synchronizing if they're not being occupied with being antagonistic towards one another.

Now that would be amazing to watch and makes me sad they never interacted much in all honesty they could have such a good dynamic!

[Darth Paul]

I'd like to see Sabine be the one to blow the IFCC's plan out of the water, in revenge for their non-intervention in Nale's fate.

[MilesBeyond]

I'm hoping for two plot points:

1. Tarquin (presumably with pals) arrives and tries to interfere but is killed by Sabine. At this point Tarquin feels like too much of a loose end to be left dangling but not enough of a loose end to make for good sequel fodder, no matter what Elan says. Sabine's got the motive and ability to kill him and to add insult to injury it would ruin the narrative he's attempting to set up between himself and Elan.

2. Belkar pulls a Kraagor. We know Belkar's death is going to be final, and death by the Snarl is also final (at least based on the information we currently have). I also feel fairly confident that Belkar's going to make some sort of sacrifice just because that's the direction his character arc is moving in. It'd be a little silly for him to grow and learn to value people (well, animals, at least) above himself and then not have any payoff for that. In the past people have guessed that he'll die and the party won't want to raise him because he's so evil, but at this point they've been through enough together that that would feel like a pretty unsatisfying conclusion to Belkar's story.

In fact, I'm hoping that the Order of the Stick will actually be a foil to the Order of the Scribble here - rather than Soon sacrificing Kraagor and as a result tearing the party apart, Roy will try to sacrifice himself but Belkar will intervene and sacrifice himself instead, as a result binding the party closer together.

[Arcane_Secrets]

The predictions thread is doing good business, so I'll ask this; what are you hoping to see in currently unnamed book #7? It's supposed to be even bigger than BRITF and is scheduled for at least 5 more years, so there's plenty of time and space for things to happen. Nothing is too ridiculous or unrealistic.

Personally, I'm psyched for an O-Chul + Redcloak scene. They haven't interacted since 655, and the changes Redcloak's probably going to have to go through in an evolve-or-die sort of way would make for a fantastic interaction. Maybe even involve Lien - she's still got beef with the goblins for the destruction of Azure city, even if she seems to be dealing with it a little better than the others. In terms of characters, I'd like to see more of Celia and Inkyrius. We had an aside regarding Celia here, and Inkyrius' portrait was used for a gag regarding their messed up relationship with V here, so it's fair to say they're both still considered affecting characters in the comic's canon. However, it's unlikely that they'll turn up anytime soon - unless something goes terribly wrong, two civilians aren't going to be hanging around at the North Pole for a lark.

Are you looking for something plot-wise, like seeing the world inside the snarl?

Absolutely. I'd like to see one more fight between Roy and Xykon, although I don't know if that'd be what actually does Xykon in or if Redcloak does (or even with a sort of poetic justices, its actually the Snarl).

I'd like to see a resolution to the status of the goblins after its been such a long-standing (and interesting) plot, especially since I've read Start of Darkness.

I want to see what the MitD actually is.

How does Belkar die, and is it permanent, or more of a resurrection revolving door?

Does Tarquin get permanently defeated or does he show up one last time, since following genre rules since we didn't see him die he probably isn't dead?

What does the fiends finally making their move wrt Vaarsuvius end up looking like?

Does Banjo become a full-fledged deity in the rebuilt world if that's what ends up happening?

[Peelee]

How does Belkar die, and is it permanent, or more of a resurrection revolving door?

Given the Oracle said he would draw his last breath ever, I doubt a resurrection is in store for him.

Does Tarquin get permanently defeated or does he show up one last time, since following genre rules since we didn't see him die he probably isn't dead?

Imean.... last we saw, he was explicitly alive, so I don't think anyone has reason to suspect he's dead at the moment.

Of course, me theory is that he will be defeated off-panel where he has no power at all, and it will be mentioned on-panel to confirm.

Does Banjo become a full-fledged deity in the rebuilt world if that's what ends up happening?

If TDO can't even survive to a new world, I don't see how a puppet would.

[Schroeswald]

Given the Oracle said he would draw his last breath ever, I doubt a resurrection is in store for him.

Belkar dying and then coming back to life is even less likely than him not dying.

[Neponde]

...Someone who has appeared in exactly one (1) page of the story so far (including all the prequel stories) will become an important ally in the first half of the next book. ...

I'm excited to see who this is. I always love it when a new character joins the cast. It creates realms of character depth through the possible interactions.

I hope Bloodfeast the Extreme-inator will be returned to his original shape to wreak some havoc at some point.

Yep.

[Quebbster]

I'm hoping for two plot points:

1. Tarquin (presumably with pals) arrives and tries to interfere but is killed by Sabine. At this point Tarquin feels like too much of a loose end to be left dangling but not enough of a loose end to make for good sequel fodder, no matter what Elan says. Sabine's got the motive and ability to kill him and to add insult to injury it would ruin the narrative he's attempting to set up between himself and Elan.

2. Belkar pulls a Kraagor. We know Belkar's death is going to be final, and death by the Snarl is also final (at least based on the information we currently have). I also feel fairly confident that Belkar's going to make some sort of sacrifice just because that's the direction his character arc is moving in. It'd be a little silly for him to grow and learn to value people (well, animals, at least) above himself and then not have any payoff for that. In the past people have guessed that he'll die and the party won't want to raise him because he's so evil, but at this point they've been through enough together that that would feel like a pretty unsatisfying conclusion to Belkar's story.

In fact, I'm hoping that the Order of the Stick will actually be a foil to the Order of the Scribble here - rather than Soon sacrificing Kraagor and as a result tearing the party apart, Roy will try to sacrifice himself but Belkar will intervene and sacrifice himself instead, as a result binding the party closer together.

Belkar standing alone at Gjallerbru. I like it.