Checkov's scorch mark

[Lexible]

Someone with a reasonably high intelligence or wisdom is going to spot the half a scorch mark when viewing the tunnel from the Team Evil side.

I am talking to you panel 9 of comic 1223!!

Team Evil is not gonna get as surprised as Haley thinks.

[NerdyKris]

I think it's unlikely they're going to go into a face off against Team Evil as they exit the cave. Something else is going to happen with the Order before Team Evil finishes searching whatever dungeon they're in. Like whoever those invisible voices were.

[Quartz]

They didn't spot the whole scorch mark when going in. In #1222 Oona was looking at Redcloak and was between Redcloak and the scorch mark.

[Goblin_Priest]

They didn't spot the whole scorch mark when going in. In #1222 Oona was looking at Redcloak and was between Redcloak and the scorch mark.

Because Xykon was rushing them in, perhaps. But once they fail to find the order, Oona and Greyview might be more observant and notice the half scorch mark that happens to be exactly where the scent trail ends.

[KorvinStarmast]

Because Xykon was rushing them in, perhaps. But once they fail to find the order, Oona and Greyview might be more observant and notice the half scorch mark that happens to be exactly where the scent trail ends.

Nominal five copper bet that it's Grewyview who notices it.

[Metastachydium]

Nominal five copper bet that it's Grewyview who notices it.

Well, his head tends to be quite close to the ground.
Also, it's dark and invokes images of ruin and destruction.

[The Pilgrim]

Because Xykon was rushing them in, perhaps. But once they fail to find the order, Oona and Greyview might be more observant and notice the half scorch mark that happens to be exactly where the scent trail ends.

Team Evil doesn't have a particular reason to believe the Order rushed in on that tunnel, though. Remember that they lost the track, and Xykon picked a door mostly at random. If they don't find the Order, they will just assume they hide on another tunnel.

[Goblin_Priest]

Team Evil doesn't have a particular reason to believe the Order rushed in on that tunnel, though. Remember that they lost the track, and Xykon picked a door mostly at random. If they don't find the Order, they will just assume they hide on another tunnel.

I mean Xykon was rushing Team Evil in, preventing them from taking the time to properly analyze the environment for clues and oddities.

[Shirow]

Well, his head tends to be quite close to the ground.
Also, it's dark and invokes images of ruin and destruction.

Well, scorch marks are merely symbolic of how yet another explosion has gone by and
how we're still here regardless. No matter how desperate we are that someday a larger, more powerful
blast will painlessly release us from suffering, with each tile of the floor that is so blackened, we know it's not
yet to be; that for the rest of our sad, wretched, pathetic lives, we will continue to decay and suffer a little more, and more, every waking moment to the bitter end. Inevitably, irrevocably. So are you really lucky you took half or no damage from that? "Saving" throw? No such thing.

(This was a Seinfeld reference, btw. I am OK)

[Finagle]

They discussed the plan before doing it. Therefore it won't work. That's been established as a rule, for some reason I don't understand.

[Gehatan]

They discussed the plan before doing it. Therefore it won't work. That's been established as a rule, for some reason I don't understand.

Google "unspoken plan guarantee". They haven't really discussed it in detail though so I'm not sure it's that big a deal. It's not like they've discussed detailed coordination of actions, which specific spells to use etc.

I would watch though for the consequences of saying that the trap is probably stopping something leaving and then turning their backs on whatever that is while they carry out an ambush facing the other way.

[Yirggzmb]

They discussed the plan before doing it. Therefore it won't work. That's been established as a rule, for some reason I don't understand.

Basically, the idea is that there's not much entertainment value in hearing what the plan is and then seeing it go off exactly as stated.

Think like the Scooby-doo cartoons. Fred would set up and explain a trap. But you knew it wouldn't work as stated. They'd get the bad guy, but the fun we in seeing how it would get screwed up and how Scooby or Shaggy stumbled into helping.

Meanwhile, if you don't know what the plan is ahead of time, then the entertainment is in discovering what the plan even is. In those cases, it's better for the plan to work, because if you don't know how it was supposed to go then seeing it go wrong has less impact. You might get this one as a "I've got a plan!" with a jump cut to them executing it, or you might get it as a voice over as you watch things unfold.

[Finagle]

Basically, the idea is that there's not much entertainment value in hearing what the plan is and then seeing it go off exactly as stated.

Sure there is. "I love it when a plan comes together."



It's just that today, there are so many "rules" about how things can unfold. Along the way, this one got included for some arbitrary reason. It's cliche, but it's everywhere. I believe it to be related to personality types, where there is a specific type that is quickly bored and craves novelty above all else while the rest of us are perfectly fine with a much milder diet.

[Yirggzmb]

Sure there is. "I love it when a plan comes together."



It's just that today, there are so many "rules" about how things can unfold. Along the way, this one got included for some arbitrary reason. It's cliche, but it's everywhere. I believe it to be related to personality types, where there is a specific type that is quickly bored and craves novelty above all else while the rest of us are perfectly fine with a much milder diet.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I think story telling "rules" are made to be broken when appropriate. Just that "we told you exactly what the plan is, so now there's no way it's going to work as stated" is extremely common.

Personally, my favorite plan presentation is the one where the plan is explained to you in voice over while you are watching it take place. That way you get the novelty of not knowing what the plan is beforehand, but still get the feeling of "gosh, that was clever!" as you get to see it go off exactly as planned.