New OOTS products from CafePress
New OOTS t-shirts, ornaments, mugs, bags, and more
Page 6 of 7 FirstFirst 1234567 LastLast
Results 151 to 180 of 201

Thread: unOrdinary

  1. - Top - End - #151
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Tron Spacetime

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    Quote Originally Posted by TeChameleon View Post
    And this culture is even further gone than I thought if one high school, no matter how prestigious, merits this kind of scrutiny for the students maybe being taught something 'the authorities' don't like. Then again, if one friggin' escapist book about a character whose most defining trait was that they weren't a complete douchenozzle is considered society-threatening heresy, they've got problems.
    While they got problems, they banned the book after it caused a wave of vigilantism. Or that's my impression. I'm not sure why Willian published it. It was meant only to help John deal with his post-Bostin recovery.


    Quote Originally Posted by Taevyr View Post
    Yeah, nobody deserves the Keon treatment. Giving teens targeted PTSD for breaking the law isn't right under any circumstance.
    Terrence is willing to take any high-power individual, cripple them (as in breaking their legs) and then rent crutches for favors. Keon mentally gimping him is karma, biting back.
    Last edited by -D-; 2022-08-09 at 06:45 AM.

  2. - Top - End - #152
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Right behind you

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    Quote Originally Posted by -D- View Post
    Terrence is willing to take any high-power individual, cripple them (as in breaking their legs) and then rent crutches for favors. Keon mentally gimping him is karma, biting back.
    Yeah, that's one of the reasons I often dislike karma in popular culture/common conversation. Too often is it twisted to mean "an eye for an eye", when it means anything but. Hell, a comic I read somewhere parodied that very idea by having a character go "I believe in Karma, which means that whenever I do something bad to someone, they must've done something to deserve it."

    But I honestly don't feel like getting in a forum discussion on "the real meaning of karma", not to mention that it skirts the boundary of discussing real-life religion.

  3. - Top - End - #153
    Banned
    Join Date
    May 2007

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    The concept of karma comes from reaping what you sow. It absolutely fits in regards to Terrance. It's not twisted at all.
    Last edited by Anteros; 2022-08-09 at 09:59 PM.

  4. - Top - End - #154
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Tron Spacetime

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    Quote Originally Posted by Taevyr View Post
    Yeah, that's one of the reasons I often dislike karma in popular culture/common conversation. Too often is it twisted to mean "an eye for an eye", when it means anything but.
    I obviously meant colloquially. Not in a religious sense.

    The basic concept doing good, leads to good. Doing bad leads to bad.

    Humans/Primates have penchant for perceived equality of treatment.
    Last edited by -D-; 2022-08-10 at 08:15 PM.

  5. - Top - End - #155
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Germany
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    Of course he has that kind of backstory...
    I can see why Terrence would join Spectre.
    Still disagreeing with their methods*, but the question isn't so much why people join but why there aren't more.

    Also, could someone hit Keon in the face please?
    With something heavy. Like the moon.

    And Zeke seems under some delusions John was ever his friend. Or liked him at least.

    Sera's plan is gold though. The repowering is only temporary? Just steal the machine.

    *Maybe if we had seen a deserving target or three.
    Even then, the Safe House attack? Yeah, no.
    Your organisation (claims it) wants to make things better for low rankers? Then! Don't! Target! Them!
    "If it lives it can be killed.
    If it is dead it can be eaten."

    Ronkong Coma "the way of the bookhunter" III Catacombium
    (Walter Moers "Die Stadt der träumenden Bücher")



  6. - Top - End - #156
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Tron Spacetime

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    Quote Originally Posted by Kantaki View Post
    Still disagreeing with their methods*, but the question isn't so much why people join but why there aren't more.
    Because authorities execute anyone that disobeys. Or they are assigned to a Ghetto we saw during Remi's vigilantism.

    Quote Originally Posted by Kantaki View Post
    Also, could someone hit Keon in the face please?
    With something heavy. Like the moon.
    Egads, you're letting him off scots free. Magnetar at the very least. Or binary black holes.

  7. - Top - End - #157
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    TeChameleon's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    Quote Originally Posted by -D- View Post
    Egads, you're letting him off scots free. Magnetar at the very least. Or binary black holes.
    Nah, thinking too small. Just invert his power so that he's trapped in it and leave 'im.

    Terrence is... more understandable, but still a horrible little weasel, and just as hypocritical as the rest of SPECTRE.

    And I wonder if it's just Japan(?) that's spectacularly ****ed in this world, or if other countries are ruled by the biggest available bastards as well? You'd think, by the law of averages if nothing else, that there'd be someone who is both incredibly powerful and benevolent somewhere...
    Times being what they are, the stars aligning and the End of All Things barely registered as background noise.

    At a bit of a loss as to what to do next, and with bills to pay, a certain Elder Thing has taken up bartending.

    This is...

    The Last Call of Cthulhu

  8. - Top - End - #158
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    SolithKnightGuy

    Join Date
    Apr 2008

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    This new chapter put such a huge smile on my face. Just so goofy and genuine.

  9. - Top - End - #159
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Flumph

    Join Date
    May 2020

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    I am definitely getting a feeling that John's dad will be the ultimate villain here. Skilled at hand-to-hand combat, strong ideals that, while admirable, are demonstrably leading some folks to actions way over the moral line, connected to the power source fueling basically all the conspiracies we've seen, close connection to the main protagonist... it fits to me.

  10. - Top - End - #160
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Tron Spacetime

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    Quote Originally Posted by Thales View Post
    I am definitely getting a feeling that John's dad will be the ultimate villain here. Skilled at hand-to-hand combat, strong ideals that, while admirable, are demonstrably leading some folks to actions way over the moral line, connected to the power source fueling basically all the conspiracies we've seen, close connection to the main protagonist... it fits to me.
    You take that back, you sonnova bitch. If William is mastermind we riot!

    Ultimate villain is the Authorities.
    Last edited by -D-; 2022-09-11 at 07:29 PM.

  11. - Top - End - #161
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    TeChameleon's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    Or this Orrin prick. Managed to out-douchnozzle Terrence in, what, two appearances, when we've had almost the entire series to learn to hate Terrence? That's kind of impressive, in an awful way.
    Times being what they are, the stars aligning and the End of All Things barely registered as background noise.

    At a bit of a loss as to what to do next, and with bills to pay, a certain Elder Thing has taken up bartending.

    This is...

    The Last Call of Cthulhu

  12. - Top - End - #162
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Flumph

    Join Date
    May 2020

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    More tension among Spectre!

    Spoiler
    Show
    This assassin seems fairly tough. Granted, John and Sera don't have their powers, but semi-intangibility, ranged lockdown, and considerable offense seem like a pretty good skillset. Also notable that John did seem to break through the depowerer, likely because of its connection to his mother, but possibly also just because he has better intrinsic knowledge of how powers work than other victims of it.

  13. - Top - End - #163
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Germany
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    New comic

    Poor Doc. He's never getting away from those kids- especially John -and their habit to get hurt- especially John.
    "If it lives it can be killed.
    If it is dead it can be eaten."

    Ronkong Coma "the way of the bookhunter" III Catacombium
    (Walter Moers "Die Stadt der träumenden Bücher")



  14. - Top - End - #164
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    TeChameleon's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    Hah, poor Doc indeed. Just when he thought he was out, they pull him back in again!

    Also, Kayden apparently hangs out with a Jedi
    Times being what they are, the stars aligning and the End of All Things barely registered as background noise.

    At a bit of a loss as to what to do next, and with bills to pay, a certain Elder Thing has taken up bartending.

    This is...

    The Last Call of Cthulhu

  15. - Top - End - #165
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Germany
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    New comic

    At this point Orrin is the best argument for controlling high tiers.
    A power like this in the hands of that kind of person?
    Very bad indeed.

    Let's hope he gets a taste of his own medicine.
    I'd suggest the Keon special, but Orrin might genuinely see that as a highlight reel.

    Also, the offered deal is "work for us if you want your power back*".
    Obviously refusal would only make Orrin murder you with someone else's bare hands, but I still want to see the faces when someone says "I don't".

    *as long as it is useful to us.
    "If it lives it can be killed.
    If it is dead it can be eaten."

    Ronkong Coma "the way of the bookhunter" III Catacombium
    (Walter Moers "Die Stadt der träumenden Bücher")



  16. - Top - End - #166
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    TeChameleon's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    I'm amazed that Orrin has gotten anywhere in life, especially with that ability. The man has all the subtlety of a pie to the face, and is just as clownshoes. Just random casual murder, and it appears to be his go-to solution for everything. Wouldn't be at all surprised if people who cut him off in traffic turned up dead.

    In fact... hang on, has he had any screen time at all where he's not ordering a murder? Like, even one single appearance?

    Sheesh. Terrence was a hateable little douchenozzle, but he was a ray of freaking sunshine compared to Mr. "Murder is the only solution" over here.
    Times being what they are, the stars aligning and the End of All Things barely registered as background noise.

    At a bit of a loss as to what to do next, and with bills to pay, a certain Elder Thing has taken up bartending.

    This is...

    The Last Call of Cthulhu

  17. - Top - End - #167
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Germany
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    Back in school Orrin was the best student in his class.
    He also was the only student.
    Puzzling that.

    My guess would be he dislikes High Rankers because his power only works on weaker people.
    "If it lives it can be killed.
    If it is dead it can be eaten."

    Ronkong Coma "the way of the bookhunter" III Catacombium
    (Walter Moers "Die Stadt der träumenden Bücher")



  18. - Top - End - #168
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Flumph

    Join Date
    May 2020

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    More information about ability conversion! I would guess that this is used by the authorities to give all of EMBER the flame claws power. Orrin says that the conversion is 75% efficient — does that mean that the person using the converter gets 75% of the donor's power level, or the donor's ability, modified to 75% of their own base power level? I would guess the latter, based on Volcan's effectiveness. (Donor should perhaps be in quotes: this is the abducted guy who got strangled.)

    It's odd that in this setting, power level is something that seems to exist largely independently of ability. Like, flame claws seems like a pretty awful ability, but because its user had a high power level, she was able to overpower people with abilities that do something other than hit well at melee range. I guess the idea is that "channel" is power level, and "aura" is the nature of the ability. So John can change his own aura (and perhaps if he had channels that were further open, could change other people's auras too), and his mom can control how open people's channels are? I wonder if John's late development of his power wasn't that he took a while to figure it out, but that his mom sealed his channels for some reason?
    Last edited by Thales; 2022-12-07 at 11:34 PM.

  19. - Top - End - #169
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    TeChameleon's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    Tough to say on the 'mom sealing channels' thing- I'm pretty sure that the only info we have on her is some vague indications on how her power works and the fact that she's John's mom. Not a lot to go on.

    I'm oddly amused by the fact that a single moderately competent person with a handgun would absolutely wreck something like 85-90% of the characters we've seen on panel thus far. It's always a bit weird in settings like these where they have basically all the modern technology that the real world does... except for guns. Avatar the Legend of Korra did similar, and it felt sort of weird there too, although I guess the Avatar would be a bit less of a big deal if someone could just shoot them.

    Nice to see John growing and healing and finding things he enjoys again, and here's hoping that the crew gels together well and those that need them regain their abilities properly.
    Times being what they are, the stars aligning and the End of All Things barely registered as background noise.

    At a bit of a loss as to what to do next, and with bills to pay, a certain Elder Thing has taken up bartending.

    This is...

    The Last Call of Cthulhu

  20. - Top - End - #170
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Germany
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    New comic

    Arlo, I know the nice lady at the office told you to keep Authority information secret, but if you're gonna warn your friend warn her properly.
    Might as well have said nothing.

    John's improvised lesson though...
    "It helps if you think about someone who ticks you off."
    Absolutely murders the punching bag in demonstration.
    'Okay, that might've been a bit excessive.'
    Well, at least he's aware.

    I half expected Sera to step in.
    "If it lives it can be killed.
    If it is dead it can be eaten."

    Ronkong Coma "the way of the bookhunter" III Catacombium
    (Walter Moers "Die Stadt der träumenden Bücher")



  21. - Top - End - #171
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    TeChameleon's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    Quote Originally Posted by Kantaki View Post
    New comic

    Arlo, I know the nice lady at the office told you to keep Authority information secret, but if you're gonna warn your friend warn her properly.
    Might as well have said nothing.

    John's improvised lesson though...
    "It helps if you think about someone who ticks you off."
    Absolutely murders the punching bag in demonstration.
    'Okay, that might've been a bit excessive.'
    Well, at least he's aware.

    I half expected Sera to step in.
    Every once in a while we're reminded that for all his airs, Arlo is still just 17-ish. And really really not very good at communication

    And with Sera's expression? I half expected her to join in.
    Times being what they are, the stars aligning and the End of All Things barely registered as background noise.

    At a bit of a loss as to what to do next, and with bills to pay, a certain Elder Thing has taken up bartending.

    This is...

    The Last Call of Cthulhu

  22. - Top - End - #172
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Flumph

    Join Date
    May 2020

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    This week's comic has another flare of power from John, and he specifically compares it to how it was when he was first discovering his power. Sera specifies that he might have some resistance to the drug. Given that the drug seems to be somehow be derived from his mother, this seems to lend some credence to the idea that his mother suppressed his power for some reason.

  23. - Top - End - #173
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    TeChameleon's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    Aw... kinda happy that Doc/Darren is finding some happiness. And it looks like, as usual, attempts to keep well-meaning friends from getting involved by not telling them things is going to result in them getting involved blindly and at cross-purposes
    Times being what they are, the stars aligning and the End of All Things barely registered as background noise.

    At a bit of a loss as to what to do next, and with bills to pay, a certain Elder Thing has taken up bartending.

    This is...

    The Last Call of Cthulhu

  24. - Top - End - #174
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Germany
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    New comic

    Teleportation does make tailing people tricky, yes.
    Also, Sera looks good in a suit.
    "If it lives it can be killed.
    If it is dead it can be eaten."

    Ronkong Coma "the way of the bookhunter" III Catacombium
    (Walter Moers "Die Stadt der träumenden Bücher")



  25. - Top - End - #175
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Flumph

    Join Date
    May 2020

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    The Specter civil war looks to be starting up. Interesting that John can detect ability transference, and I wonder how his ability is reduced when his channels are only partially open?

  26. - Top - End - #176
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    TeChameleon's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    The obvious, not-very-well-thought-out (by me, at least) answer is that he couldn't use his copied abilities to their full potential/at full power. Another possibility is that once he gained some control over his own channels, he just instinctively popped them all the way open again.
    Times being what they are, the stars aligning and the End of All Things barely registered as background noise.

    At a bit of a loss as to what to do next, and with bills to pay, a certain Elder Thing has taken up bartending.

    This is...

    The Last Call of Cthulhu

  27. - Top - End - #177
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Flumph

    Join Date
    May 2020

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    So John and Will both have part of the puzzle as to what happened to Jane, and both are sort of looking, but they're both still missing a good bit of info. I'd be mildly surprised if she gets rescued in the nearish future, but we'll see how this develops.

  28. - Top - End - #178
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    TeChameleon's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    Somehow I don't think Will will be getting much more info from his source, though.

    And John was hilariously petty exiting the lab, I kind of love it.
    Times being what they are, the stars aligning and the End of All Things barely registered as background noise.

    At a bit of a loss as to what to do next, and with bills to pay, a certain Elder Thing has taken up bartending.

    This is...

    The Last Call of Cthulhu

  29. - Top - End - #179
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Germany
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    New comic

    Wow. Arlo is kind of really, really bad at spying.
    Oh well, I'm sure all Cass has in mind is a little sparring. I mean she even gave him the only safety vest.
    Wait. Something isn't right here.
    Edit: Never mind, she is wearing one. Kinda hard to see over her jacket.
    I still don't trust it.

    Also, "Surely there's more than one level of readjustment."
    Oh you sweet summer child...

    And Sera's going to prison. Sure nice of them to just put that stuff in the files. Also that the trial happened already.
    Last edited by Kantaki; 2023-03-26 at 04:15 PM.
    "If it lives it can be killed.
    If it is dead it can be eaten."

    Ronkong Coma "the way of the bookhunter" III Catacombium
    (Walter Moers "Die Stadt der träumenden Bücher")



  30. - Top - End - #180
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Flumph

    Join Date
    May 2020

    Default Re: unOrdinary

    Understandable by Remi here, but unwise. Perhaps the cache of ability amplifiers will let her and her friends handle the fight?

    I continue to find it a bit interesting that power and how conceptually good an ability is remain largely separate in this universe. Flame claws is a pretty worthless ability as far as it being something that lets you do something humans can't do, but for EMBER agents at least, it comes with a huge generic boost of speed, strength, and durability. It seems that that's sort of how powers manifest: generic physical enhancement and a portion that gets shaped into a form particular to an individual.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •