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

[Traab]

I see it more as a scapegoat ritual - the blame is explicitly being transferred to the Heterodyne. I don't really see how the Heterodyne (the old ones, at least) would care too much about "See now the price of your power. See now the cost of your actions. See now what your choices have wrought.". Well, apart from as experimental results, perhaps.

But yes, I do see this as being for the sake of the townsfolk rather than being for the Heterodyne.

EDIT: Let's see what the game is. I don't think it will be Candyland...

But the thing is, the heterodyne really IS to blame. The buck stops here. All roads lead to the heterodyne. Everything the residents of mechanicsburg do, is done for their heterodyne. Maybe its not atonement, but acknowledgement. Heavy is the head that wears the crown and all that. The heterodyne must always remember that whatever happens is on their head. Because they are the ones in charge. And I get the feeling this event/ritual/game/lesson, is meant to enforce that knowledge on them year after year so they can never truly forget. Even if only for one night, they have to acknowledge that yes, everything that happened, is because of them. It feels like that is symbolically exactly whats going on here. Taking that crown, accepting it. Nobody else can do it for her, only she can choose to accept it. And everything that comes with it. I cant wait to see what comes next.

[Manga Shoggoth]

But the thing is, the heterodyne really IS to blame. The buck stops here. All roads lead to the heterodyne. Everything the residents of mechanicsburg do, is done for their heterodyne. Maybe its not atonement, but acknowledgement. Heavy is the head that wears the crown and all that. The heterodyne must always remember that whatever happens is on their head. Because they are the ones in charge. And I get the feeling this event/ritual/game/lesson, is meant to enforce that knowledge on them year after year so they can never truly forget. Even if only for one night, they have to acknowledge that yes, everything that happened, is because of them. It feels like that is symbolically exactly whats going on here. Taking that crown, accepting it. Nobody else can do it for her, only she can choose to accept it. And everything that comes with it. I cant wait to see what comes next.

That's why it is scapegoating rather than atonement - leaving out the religious definitions, atonement is the action of making amends for a wrong or injury, scapegoating is placing the blame on someone else (in this case the Heterodyne).

I don't see any atonement here - certianly not from the townsfolk (who are partying), and I would be surprised if there was any from the old Heterodynes, who seem to have managed only one major moral/religious crisis in their entire history. And that was dealt with by packaging the mess up and giving it to the Cobetites and then having pie.

You may be right about the ritual, but it doesn't give that sort of vibe for me. In fact with this "game" in the offing it sounds more like a regular payment for some faustian bargain. I keep thinking Wild Hunt because of the antler motif, but I'm pretty convinced it isn't that.

And yes, I can't wait either. This is starting to get interesting, especially now that the "crown" is glowing (and the grin on the girl's face isn't helping...).

[Rogar Demonblud]

Remember when Agatha first met the old clergyman in the Red Cathedral he made specific reference to unholy rites to keep unspeakable evils at bay. I think this arc is about that.

[Manga Shoggoth]

Remember when Agatha first met the old clergyman in the Red Cathedral he made specific reference to unholy rites to keep unspeakable evils at bay. I think this arc is about that.

Ah yes - that could get very interesting. At least some of what we saw there looked to be a little messing with the Heterodyne (1, 2) - and while Agatha saw through it pretty quickly, I suspect that given her interests the Professoressa will be a littlelot more gullible.

[Ellen]

The one virtue the old Heterodynes always, unquestionably had was their loyalty to their people and town. I'm wondering if this ritual is part of that. The Heterodynes didn't care about the cost to their neighbors and various other bystanders--and their definition of "care" was maybe something that would fit better in a Godzilla movie. But, maybe this ritual is about that one virtue, not "this is what your power costs others" but "this is the responsibility that comes with your power/your people's loyalty to you."

[Grif]

Ah.

Spoiler

Show

So this is the day where the minions gets to upstage the master for one night, eh?

[Kantaki]

So it is that kind of ritual.
Let's hope the Professora's a good runner...
Makes me wonder if Agatha knew what she was getting away from though.
Also how many of the old Heterodynes used a stand-in for that day.

[Agi Hammerthief]

So it is that kind of ritual.
Let's hope the Professora's a good runner...
Makes me wonder if Agatha knew what she was getting away from though.

I‘m confident that her plot armor is juuust heavy enough to have narrow escape.

[memnarch]

You know, we probably should have wondered where the black eye came from...

[theangelJean]

So, I was wondering earlier if she would be Heterodyne enough for whatever came next. The "little girl" either thought she was the real deal or didn't care. But in practical terms, I'm starting to think it might actually matter.

The Jagers were informed that this was a stand-in - which makes sense, as they would have worked it out anyway in seconds. They know their Mistress.

Has anyone else been let in on it?

[HandofShadows]

You know, we probably should have wondered where the black eye came from...

I was wondering about that, but I wasn't sure it wasn't some kind of preexisting condition. I'm wondering if the mob is being controlled by something as everyone has glowy eyes. Or is that just an effect?

[Shining Wrath]

I, too, wonder if the glowing eyes mean something.
And Oggie said that the Heterodyne "walked home alone".
It may be that this ritual is a symbolic cleansing of some sort.

1) Castle shuts down.
2) Jagers get drunk and go home. They actually don't know what is happening out there.
3) Heterodyne is left to face the mob alone, and must fight or run - and a stand-in doesn't have the power to fight. So ... "Run!".

[HandofShadows]

Really, not many characters we have seen could fight that many people. And all of them would be super human on some level. It just occurred to me that the "crown" is the trigger for this.

[Kantaki]

Really, not many characters we have seen could fight that many people. And all of them would be super human on some level. It just occurred to me that the "crown" is the trigger for this.

Probably. Would make sense, with the antlers.
Sure, they are a king's crown, but a hunted king's.
Like a deer.

Which... Well, in retrospect the Professora will probably kick herself, considering how obvious the symbolism is.

[Rogar Demonblud]

You're talking a basic Stag Cult, like in the Myth of Actaeon (someone gets named honorary ruler and hunted down and slaughtered to appease the spirits). The mythology most people learn as kids is incredibly watered down.

[Traab]

Maybe a rite of appreciation? "See what life is like without the people of mechanicsburg to be your loyal minions? How much harder it is to survive without us? We love you, but you should make sure not to take us for granted because of how much easier your life is with us to help." Having to escape a powerful mob of whatever the heck they are solo, the heterodyne realizes that yeah they CAN do it, but its so much better with help! A different sort of morality lesson. :p

[Manga Shoggoth]

You may be right about the ritual, but it doesn't give that sort of vibe for me. In fact with this "game" in the offing it sounds more like a regular payment for some faustian bargain. I keep thinking Wild Hunt because of the antler motif, but I'm pretty convinced it isn't that.

And yes, I can't wait either. This is starting to get interesting, especially now that the "crown" is glowing (and the grin on the girl's face isn't helping...).

Well, the hunt (or, at least a hunt) it is. Possibly the revels are to keep the Jagers busy.

[Kantaki]

You're talking a basic Stag Cult, like in the Myth of Actaeon (someone gets named honorary ruler and hunted down and slaughtered to appease the spirits). The mythology most people learn as kids is incredibly watered down.

Things you learn from Terry Pratchett books.

I mean, this probably doesn't map exactly*, but it certainly seems to be along similar lines/roots.
Or maybe it's just the timing/symbolism, but even then it's probably used for a reason.

*The Heterodyne is unlikely to get slaughtered for one, unless they really messed up somewhere.
Which is just Tuesday for them I guess.

[Scarlet Knight]

Maybe this is like the Gil/Vole game of "Who's the bigger monster"?

"See? Tho' I walk through the Valley of Death...I shall not fear... let me show you why all fear me instead!"

[slayerx]

My guess is that these are the "ghosts" of past people of mechanicsburg who rise up once a year and go after whoever wears the crown

However i'm also thinking that they are not real ghosts and that this is all the result of some long forgotten Heterodyne experiment, that later heterodyne's just turned into a yearly survival game/ritual... Oh and Agatha is currently in the process of turning it off, which is why she's missing the festivities.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Nah, she went off to deal with some random monster turned loose by a non-Heterodyne Spark. Otherwise known as skipping out on her responsibilities.

[theangelJean]

Nah, she went off to deal with some random monster turned loose by a non-Heterodyne Spark. Otherwise known as skipping out on her responsibilities.

Wasn't it a monster of one of the old Heterodynes in the first place? Judging by her reaction to the Beast, I'm guessing Agatha might feel like that's also her responsibility.

[Kantaki]

Wasn't it a monster of one of the old Heterodynes in the first place? Judging by her reaction to the Beast, I'm guessing Agatha might feel like that's also her responsibility.

Hephaistos Heterodyne.

[wingnutx]

Good thing she got new boots with the patented 'flee in comfort' soles.

[Thales]

Interesting how much her hair color changes through the strips of this story. Blond to reddish to brown.

[theangelJean]

Interesting how much her hair color changes through the strips of this story. Blond to reddish to brown.

I actually think that's lighting effects. There's a lot of shine there (which is probably partly translucency too). My husband's hair is kind of like that.

Although oddly enough, in the very first page of the webcomic, if that's the Professora behind the Professor? The base colour of her hair there is reddish, like Agatha's.

[geoduck]

Good thing she got new boots with the patented 'flee in comfort' soles.

She's not wearing them, sadly. You can see her feet when she's leading the parade.

[Narkis]

You know, we probably should have wondered where the black eye came from...

In retrospect yes, yes we should.

[Kantaki]

New comic

Oh. The Castle is helping her.
She's doomed.

[Agi Hammerthief]

New comic

Oh. The Castle is helping her.
She's doomed.

nah, she’s too much fun.