OOTS #1228 - The Discussion Thread

[The Giant]

New comic is up.

[Soup du Jour]

Looks like Serini has been keeping an eye on basically everything that's been going on. Wonder what she knows about the Order, at this point?

[Peelee]

I did not know I wanted an art upgrade to the Azure City throne room fight until now.

[RMS Oceanic]

That was insanely specific. Did Dorukan or Girard have some sort of super-scry set up? Or is it just a coincidence that Miko used his sword?

I'm getting a better handle on Serini now, it feels like a more organic conflict. Will be interesting when the Order gets mentioned.

[RMS Oceanic]

I did not know I wanted an art upgrade to the Azure City throne room fight until now.

Miko's fall would be a good scene for such a treatment.

[EmperorSarda]

Looks like Serini has been keeping an eye on basically everything that's been going on. Wonder what she knows about the Order, at this point?

Sounds like she definitely has access to scrying and divinations.

But it also sounds like she doesn't have the full information. It sounds like she thinks Xykon is the true threat, when he's not. She doesn't have the information on Hel, or the Dark One.

Cause with Hel's bet, there's no way O'Chul would break the gate. Breaking the gate at this instance has the same effect of Xykon and Redcloak taking the gate; the gods destroy the world and start over.

There is more at stake than Serini realizes.

The question is, do the paladin's know about Hel's gambit? And the godsmoot and the Dark One?

[Ninja Dragon]

Serini makes a very sensible point, not just about the paladins, but also the Order. When it comes to preventing Redcloak from taking control of the multivese, or the Snarl from destroying everything, losing the planet may be a better fate.

Then again, considering they may be dooming billions of future planets to destruction by Snarl in the process, that is still a pretty crappy solution compared to actually getting the deal with Redcloak. But neither the paladins nor Serini know that, and when it comes to the battle, they still may prefer that fate over Xykon or Redcloak winning.

So it's impossible to guarantee nobody will want to destroy the gate. The question now is what plan does Serini have in place of that

[Schroeswald]

I’d like to say maybe this will shut up arguements about Serini being evil but I’ve been here far too long to expect that, maybe it will slow down though.

[dancrilis]

Good for Serini, 'no intention' is indeed the kind of thing people say to indicate they should not be trusted.

[Dausuul]

I'm starting to really like Serini.

Admittedly, taking the mickey from paladins is like shooting fish in a barrel, but still.

[iTookUrNick]

Somehow, Serini reminds me of Yoda, more so in this strip.

[Ivrytwr]

Wonder how Serini is getting her information?
Do love watching paladins squirm under their value system ...
Thanks Giant!

[RMS Oceanic]

Serini makes a very sensible point, not just about the paladins, but also the Order. When it comes to preventing Redcloak from taking control of the multivese, or the Snarl from destroying everything, losing the planet may be a better fate.

Then again, considering they may be dooming billions of future planets to destruction by Snarl in the process, that is still a pretty crappy solution compared to actually getting the deal with Redcloak. But neither the paladins nor Serini know that, and when it comes to the battle, they still may prefer that fate over Xykon or Redcloak winning.

So it's impossible to guarantee nobody will want to destroy the gate. The question now is what plan does Serini have in place of that

Well Roy sounds like he's made the opposite determination O-Chul did in the throne room. He knows this is for keeps, so will strive to avoid being put in that situation. But then the question is how anyone can possibly prove that? By proving they can beat Xykon, I guess.

[fuschiawarrior]

What a schock that Serini had sensible reasons to capture the paladins and was not in fact evil.

Anyways this indicate that Serini will treat the Order much in the same way that she is treating Lien and O-Chul since they are responsible for the destruction of two gates.

[Dr.Zero]

Her take seems very similar to Xykon, when he said that he didn't want to destroy the world, only to dominate it. And she seems to prefer that, and not without a reason: a world dominated by Xykon is still a world where Xykon can be beaten, or where people can maybe hide out of his reach. Hell, Xykon and RC are so powerful that to some extent they could already dominate their own country.

One might wonder if she knows that RC true plan is to give the Gate to the DO. But, if she knows, well, mostly the DO wants to renegotiate the goblinoids' place in the world.

So, yes, if X and RC can't be stopped, it makes sense to at least NOT destroying the gates.

Edit: and I see I've been ninjaed by Ninja Dragon (quite ironic!) on this point.

[snowblizz]

It's stuff like this why I say bonking paladins is good thing just on general principle.

[Agi Hammerthief]

nice corner you got that paladin in to

[KorvinStarmast]

I did not know I wanted an art upgrade to the Azure City throne room fight until now.

In another thread, I opined that the whole of War and XP in the new art style would please me to no end. But that's not happening.

But it also sounds like she doesn't have the full information.

It also indicates that she, like Girard, salivates like Pavlov's dog when presented with a Paladin even though her style is different.

There is more at stake than Serini realizes.

I suspect that her entire focus is "the world and everything, and everyone, in it" and she has not been cut in on the deity level issues at hand.

I’d like to say maybe this will shut up arguements about Serini being evil but I’ve been here far too long to expect that

We have a winner.

What a schock that Serini had sensible reasons to capture the paladins and was not in fact evil.

Sensible from her point of view, and considering what she does know, but not what she doesn't.
(EDIT: I keep spelling things wrongly )

[GregTD]

So she's aware of the fight at Azure City, and totally unaware of the Godsmoot?

[Peelee]

It's stuff like this why I say bonking paladins is good thing just on general principle.

I think you just hate paladins.

[Dragonus45]

Good for Serini, 'no intention' is indeed the kind of thing people say to indicate they should not be trusted.

What? No. Saying you don't intend to do a thing is just a way of being honest that you haven't ruled it out but aren't going into a situation with it on your list if initially acceptable ideas.

[GregTD]

Looks like Serini has been keeping an eye on basically everything that's been going on. Wonder what she knows about the Order, at this point?

Nope

She missed the Godsmoot

Since, unless I'm totally missing the boat, the Gods will be destroying the world if Xykon gets near to controlling it.

The Paladins are a possibility of doom, failure to stop Xykon is a certainty.

No?

As are the vast majority of people in OoTS land. (Wrecan's point on the secret mission)

I think more people are aware of what happened at the Godsmoot, than are aware of how the Azure City Gate was destroyed.

I also find it amusing that Girard had a serious stick up his backside about "each of us will leave the other alone", and here Sirini was clearly violating that rule

[KorvinStarmast]

So she's aware of the fight at Azure City, and totally unaware of the Godsmoot?

As are the vast majority of people in OoTS land. (Wrecan's point on the secret mission)

The Paladins are a possibility of doom, failure to stop Xykon is a certainty.

Nice way of putting that.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

It is an interesting question: whether or not it's better to let Xykon take control of the final Gate or to blow it up. Clearly, Serini takes the former stance, but I'm not (and I don't think anyone should be) entirely sure she has the right of it. It seems like she does not know much about Redcloak's intentions here and I wonder if that would change her thoughts. The main issue is no one really knows what will happen when the last gate is destroyed. Will the Snarl immediately break loose? It seemed content to chill when the rifts were originally opening, but there's clearly something lurking in the Western gate.

Of course, this will all be moot if the Order destroys the Gate anyway while Serini's distracted.

I did not know I wanted an art upgrade to the Azure City throne room fight until now.

110% agreed.

[RMS Oceanic]

So she's aware of the fight at Azure City, and totally unaware of the Godsmoot?

Aren't Godsmoots (Godsmeet?) a really secret affair?

[Windscion]

Serini makes a strong case.
Whether Roy and/or Durkon can convince her otherwise, remains to be seen.

This does raise a question: Does Serini know that V has been attempting to contact her? I am thinking probably not, that she is completely blocked.

[snowblizz]

I think you just hate paladins.

I've always suspected I was Chaotic.

[Morgaln]

That throne room was protected from scrying by a spell powerful enough to keep Xykon from looking inside, yet Serini seems to know what happened there.I wonder how she got that information.

[Shadespyre]

A bit confused - is everyone else reading this as Serini having scryed the Azure City events? Because until I came here, I saw this as O-Chul's flashback, reminding us of why he can't take the oath as first offered?

[Quild]

So she's aware of the fight at Azure City, and totally unaware of the Godsmoot?

But the event of the Godsmoot makes it even more important not to destroy the Gate. As stated by Roy 4 strips ago.

Serini seems to know already that breaking the Gates is a bad idea. I don't get why she seems to think that "cease to exist" (last panel of previous book) is a better option though. Since it would mean that the Snarl got free and destroyed everything.