Girl Genius XXVIII: Dancink! Ve is here for de dancink!

[Shining Wrath]

IIRC Heinlein had a story about a guy who, through time-travel and sex reassignment surgery, was both his own father and mother. Future he impregnated past she, and there were complications during the birth that resulted in she becoming he.

He had no plausible answer to the question of "How do you exist", but Descartes-like, insisted that he did.

Therefore it's entirely possible that we'll find out that Agatha is Lucrezia's mother or some such. Once you start time traveling, you can't stop.

[Manga Shoggoth]

Why do I get the feeling that this Ancient Secret Rite is going to be a huge anticlimax. And have something to do with hats.

[Traab]

Why do I get the feeling that this Ancient Secret Rite is going to be a huge anticlimax. And have something to do with hats.

Or something like, the heterodyne having an hour to play in his or her lab while in the next room they do all sorts of "mystical" and "secret" things to impress the residents of mechanicsburg while they relax before the actual event.

[geoduck]

IIRC Heinlein had a story about a guy who, through time-travel and sex reassignment surgery, was both his own father and mother. Future he impregnated past she, and there were complications during the birth that resulted in she becoming he.

He had no plausible answer to the question of "How do you exist", but Descartes-like, insisted that he did.

"All You Zombies-", for anyone who is interested.

[Scarlet Knight]

Or something like, the heterodyne having an hour to play in his or her lab while in the next room they do all sorts of "mystical" and "secret" things to impress the residents of mechanicsburg while they relax before the actual event.

I think La Professora is still hoping for something vile & deviant like "Love Prisoners of the Jaegars".

[Rogar Demonblud]

Given this was established by the Olde Skoole Heterodynes I doubt it's that benign.

[wingnutx]

So does that make the Professora a distant relative of the Mongfish?

It means that Phil based both Agatha and the Professora on his wife Kaja.

[Narkis]

Yes, that's obviously the Doylist answer. What's the Watsonian one though?

[Fyraltari]

Yes, that's obviously the Doylist answer. What's the Watsonian one though?

There's not really a need for one, is there. Unrelated people having similar facial features, enough to fool strangers at a distance is hardly unprecedented.

[Rodin]

There's not really a need for one, is there. Unrelated people having similar facial features, enough to fool strangers at a distance is hardly unprecedented.

...You mean Keanu Reeves isn't really immortal?

My entire worldview is shattered.

[Grif]

Even if the Professora wasn't a Mechanisburg resident, I have no doubt she'd be an honourary one by the end of this arc.

[BRC]

I'm getting the impression that "Get some rando (ideally an outsider) to play the Heterodyne" is actually part of the tradition.

[Manga Shoggoth]

I'm getting the impression that "Get some rando (ideally an outsider) to play the Heterodyne" is actually part of the tradition.

Naah. Rattlegat did it for the last 8 years.

On the other hand, isn't Snozz looking well? And all dressed up for the occasion. Mind you, he probably didn't have much notice last time...

[theangelJean]

On the other hand, isn't Snozz looking well? And all dressed up for the occasion. Mind you, he probably didn't have much notice last time...

Ahh, Snozz. You know Girl Genius is a product of its time when the acceptable initial reaction to "it's a girl!" is "Oh, can I have sex with it? Hmm, maybe not."

So, is the Professora a Spark, or just your typical obsessive academic? I'm starting to think she won't get this paper written ... that greedy "I will learn all your secrets!" attitude never turns out well....

[Fyraltari]

Ahh, Snozz. You know Girl Genius is a product of its time when the acceptable initial reaction to "it's a girl!" is "Oh, can I have sex with it? Hmm, maybe not."

A lot of things are more socially acceptable when you're four metres tall with arms as thick as a human torso is wide.

[Rogar Demonblud]

But not as many as when your last name is Heterodyne.

[HandofShadows]

So, is the Professora a Spark, or just your typical obsessive academic? I'm starting to think she won't get this paper written ... that greedy "I will learn all your secrets!" attitude never turns out well....

Typical obsessive academic. I would disagree with the typical part, but then though back to the other academics we have seen and they are almost as bad as the sparks.

[Ellen]

Do.

NOT.

Talk.

To.

The Castle.

[Rockphed]

Do.

NOT.

Talk.

To.

The Castle.

Because, worst of all, it thinks it has a sense of humor.

[theangelJean]

Okay, well, before, I was thinking she wouldn't get her paper written, but now ...

The Professora is going to be okay ... isn't she?

[PraetorDragoon]

Do I want to know what Der Kestle thinks is a good proper old solstice?

[Agi Hammerthief]

Do I want to know what Der Kestle thinks is a good proper old solstice?

I guess it doesn’t matter, we are going to find out.

[sihnfahl]

The Professora is going to be okay ... isn't she?

I think Der Kestle finds her ... amusing. So she'll come out alive.

So, uh, define okay.

[Gez]

I think Der Kestle finds her ... amusing. So she'll come out alive.

So, uh, define okay.

She's the obvious insert of Kaja Foglio, that's worth all the plot armor in the world.

[sihnfahl]

She's the obvious insert of Kaja Foglio, that's worth all the plot armor in the world.

True. Nothing gets through plotanium.

[HandofShadows]

The Professors are (in comic) are supposed to have traveled from the GG universe to ours and this story is them recounting Agatha's history. IIRC they were running from Agatha because she was very mad at them. So it's even better than plot armor, we know she will make it though because she is telling the story.

[Ailurus]

Do I want to know what Der Kestle thinks is a good proper old solstice?

"Cease your vigilance and take your well-earned rest", combined with the "Good night to you all - BOOOM" in the last panel makes me think that Der Kestle is shutting itself down for the duration of the festivities.

[BRC]

So, on this night

Der Kestle is shut down

The Jaegers are distracted

And the Heterodyne is explicitly Alone (They make a big show of walking back alone)

I feel like this tradition is about either 1) Buying the Heterodyne some privacy to do something that their most loyal servants would not approve of (Whatever that might be)

OR 2) A designated night for family members to try assassinating each other.

I can't think of much that both the Castle AND The Jaegers would object to the Heterodyne doing.

[Rogar Demonblud]

As far as we know, there's only one. Risking the ending of the Heterodyne line.

[Kantaki]

A petting zoo.
With fluffy bunny rabbits and little lambs.

Okay, it would be more the Castle is confused why the Heterodyne is doing this- the bunnies aren't carnivorous and the lambs don't even spit acid -and the Jägermonsters are pouting because they don't get to play with the cute pets.