Girl Genius XXXI: Let’s look at it from farther away!

[Shining Wrath]

Klaus's whole mindset is basically the classic "Benevolent Dictator" with a mix of being the Ultimate Pragmatist. Nobody else is capable of keeping Europa in check, so he must do it. He doesn't WANT to do evil things, but he holds that it may be necessary. For example, Agatha SEEMS to be a heroic heir to his best friend's legacy, but she's potentially The Other, and even if she's not, she's an independent-minded heterodyne, she threatens the peace, and must be destroyed.

His Moral system is such that he employs Bangladesh Dupree, because, despite the considerable collateral damage that comes from sending her in, she's a useful enough tool to keep around.



Which brings us to his experiments. His passion is to discover the nature of The Spark, he pursues this by torturing Sparks. He's a Pragmatist, so he limits his actions to torturing DANGEROUS sparks like Dr. Dimm and OTHAR TRYGVASSEN, Gentleman Adventurer. Just like employing Dupree or destroying Mechanisburg, it's a calculus he makes that the benefit of discovering the nature of the Spark is worth the damage and pain he's inflicting on, what he sees as very dangerous people. He'd probably be executing them on the spot otherwise, so if you ask him he'd probably say that this is only a little more evil than just shooting them in the brain, and that the moral difference in the two approaches is justified by the knowledge he stands to gain.

He's not a Good Person, and he doesn't see himself as such. He sees himself as a lid keeping the boiling chaos of sparky Europa from boiling over into absolute anarchy.

Which is to say, he's not Humble, his behavior is not that of a Humble man. The key is that he's not AMBITIOUS either, at least not in the standard "Power and glory" sense.


It might be most accurate to say that he views himself as extremely capable, but he doesn't see that capability as translating into him desiring or deserving power.

The first time we meet him, he's going to take Dr. Beetle prisoner and drill into his head, which prompts Beetle to try to kill Agatha. And Beetle seems to have been fond of Agatha; he's killing her to save her from Klaus. Dr. Beetle was a disobedient minion, and of course messing about with a hive engine is dangerous, but Beetle was not going to start any wars of conquest or attempt to murder every other Spark on the planet. In short, I think it's at best an assumption that he only experiments on "bad" Sparks; more likely, he experiments on any Spark that gets in his way or annoys him.

That's sort of where I was going, yeah. If you asked Klaus up-front, he'd probably say that he *could* conquer all of Europa if he needed to, but it's fine as-is and doing so would be such an utterly miserable headache above and beyond his current one. He voluntarily imposes limits upon himself, which plenty of lesser Sparks lack the self-control to do. The arrogance is in assuming that no one, even The Heterodyne backed by a resurgent Mechanicsburg, is really capable of withstanding him if he puts an effort into it. He respects her/the Other as a dangerous opponent, but doesn't question his ability to eventually defeat her any more than Professor Aeroape questioned his destiny to rule the Empire.

I'll agree that Klaus has some self-control, but I think he believes he could rule the whole world, he just lacks sufficient quantity and quality of minions to do so. He just can't get good help.

And again, the "use unwilling human beings as experimental subjects to further your research, which involves destroying portions of their brain" is not something found this side of sociopathy. He really has to believe that satisfying his curiosity (which he will pretend is to help the world, but every Spark says that, no?) justifies torturing humans and rendering intelligent, capable people drooling idiots.

Albia is shocked by what has been done to Vapnoodle, whom she has good reason to hate. She refrains from destroying Gil only when he assures her he's not involved in his father's research. And Albia is probably not a goody-two-shoes entity of pure benevolence and innocence. If Albia, who is capable of Not Nice, thinks Klaus is a monster, maybe we should assume that Team Foglio also think that Klaus is a monster - just a useful one to have around. Klaus is Bang writ large.

[JavaScribe]

The first time we meet him, he's going to take Dr. Beetle prisoner and drill into his head, which prompts Beetle to try to kill Agatha. And Beetle seems to have been fond of Agatha; he's killing her to save her from Klaus.

We don't actually know what Klaus was planning to do to Beetle. I assumed he was sending him to Castle Heterodyne, really.

Beetle's attitude could have been derived from a misunderstanding. We don't know the details, but apparently Barry made some sort of accusation that made Dr. Beetle, Punch, and Judy see him as a traitor. Klaus expressed confusion over the accusation, not knowing where it came from, but acknowledging that this accusation made it entirely understandable Dr. Beetle would oppose him. Perhaps Lucrezia framed him, or maybe they saw him under slaverwasp control through a time window without knowing a slaverwasp was involved. Ultimately though, our information on this subject is too ambiguous to draw conclusions.

[Shining Wrath]

We don't actually know what Klaus was planning to do to Beetle. I assumed he was sending him to Castle Heterodyne, really.

Beetle's attitude could have been derived from a misunderstanding. We don't know the details, but apparently Barry made some sort of accusation that made Dr. Beetle, Punch, and Judy see him as a traitor. Klaus expressed confusion over the accusation, not knowing where it came from, but acknowledging that this accusation made it entirely understandable Dr. Beetle would oppose him. Perhaps Lucrezia framed him, or maybe they saw him under slaverwasp control through a time window without knowing a slaverwasp was involved. Ultimately though, our information on this subject is too ambiguous to draw conclusions.

His reaction was not fear, but horror. I don't think Der Kestle would provoke "I'll never submit to that! Never!" followed by "You won't get me! You won't get any of us!" and an attempt to kill the only other not-Wulfenbach Spark in the room. And then Klaus wants to know how his head fared in the explosion.

[Rodin]

His reaction was not fear, but horror. I don't think Der Kestle would provoke "I'll never submit to that! Never!" followed by "You won't get me! You won't get any of us!" and an attempt to kill the only other not-Wulfenbach Spark in the room. And then Klaus wants to know how his head fared in the explosion.

It's pretty clear Beetle was afraid of having his head carved open. Whether or not the Baron intended to do so is less clear. He is furious with Merlot for prompting the conflict despite knowing about the hive engine, and states that without Merlot he might have been able to salvage Beetle. He's shocked at Agatha's suggestion that Beetle will be killed. He orders a hero's funeral for Beetle as well.

That to me does not indicate that Beetle was going back merely to be inspected. He likely intended to keep Beetle on Castle Wulfenbach as an advisor, much like the other powerful sparks he has working for him.

As for Beetle's head, that's not because he wants to inspect Beetle's brain. It's because he can be resurrected. Beetle with only his head surviving would still make a good advisor, or he could be put into a clank body.

I'm in agreement that we don't know enough to draw a conclusion. Beetle's reaction means he knows what might happen, and is exaggerated by the fact that he's hiding Agatha from the Baron. We know nothing about what the Baron would have actually done.

[BRC]

His reaction was not fear, but horror. I don't think Der Kestle would provoke "I'll never submit to that! Never!" followed by "You won't get me! You won't get any of us!" and an attempt to kill the only other not-Wulfenbach Spark in the room. And then Klaus wants to know how his head fared in the explosion.

Eh, the state of a brain is a common question since Resurrection is a thing. Klaus can extract a lot of information from a functional brain, and Beetle had plenty of information Klaus wanted.


Which isn't to say that Klaus WASN'T planning to experiment on Beetle. If he experiments on any sparks he would execute, then Beetle, being a powerful and respected spark who broke Klaus's #1 rule, might have qualified as being too dangerous to leave on the board.

Like, I could see it being the following flowchart

You ARE A SPARK, you have COMMITTED A CRIME AGAINST WULFENBACH

1) Are you willing/trustworthy enough to follow orders?
If Yes, Welcome to the service of The Baron Wulfenbach! Disobedience will see you handed over to Captain Dupree.

If No, proceed

2) Are you dangerous or powerful enough that Klaus decides he cannot afford the risk of you being out there to work against him?

If Yes! Welcome to the Labs of the Baron Wulfenbach. If you lie still, the agonizing pain will be over shortly and you'll either die, or start a new life as a lobotomized janitor. Either way, The Baron appreciates your contributions to science.

If No? Off to Der Kestle.

[Traab]

Klaus has no interest in ruling the world, in fact he HATES being in charge. He laments that he would like nothing more than to just do his research in peace but he cant. Europa fell apart while he was gone, and he felt responsible for fixing it. So he did, his way. And it more or less worked. He calmed europa down big time. He kept a tight lid on incipient war and if he had a few more years to establish his son it might have even worked past his direct rule. Im sure there would have been unrest either way, but it would have likely been smaller as gil would already be handling most of it before the official turnover and so be a known quantity not to be messed with.

[theangelJean]

Wednesday comic: I can see from Panel 1 that the Professor does in fact have two legs, but in panel 3 he looks a bit like a hand puppet. Like these in Rusty&Co.

[TeChameleon]

Huh. Wonder if Franz knows something we (and the other characters) don't, or if it's just him being sort of provincial/hometown proud and dismissing anything that didn't come out of the Heterodynes or Mechanicsburg? Or is he just that much of a bookwyrm?

[Divayth Fyr]

Huh. Wonder if Franz knows something we (and the other characters) don't, or if it's just him being sort of provincial/hometown proud and dismissing anything that didn't come out of the Heterodynes or Mechanicsburg? Or is he just that much of a bookwyrm?

Any and all options are equally valid at this point. Though I'm leaning on the artifact either not being all that powerful or it being very specific (like working only with dragonfire). All we have on it really is what Brother Marcus told us, and Id argue he is biased/operates on information that may not really be valid. Like he seems to be infuriated by the idea of Franz getting the Iram, but let us be honest - if he got it, it would get locked in his hoard, never to even see daylight. I doubt he'd want to use it in Mechanicsburg, and we know he doesn't exactly go on conquests (unlike his masters of old)...

[Fyraltari]

Wednesday comic: I can see from Panel 1 that the Professor does in fact have two legs, but in panel 3 he looks a bit like a hand puppet. Like these in Rusty&Co.

The professor's a woman.

[Shining Wrath]

I like Professor worm-high (translating). A veritable scenery-chewing villain. In panels 1 and 3, you can clearly see boobage, so yes, Blintzie is female.

I don't think she should count on the loyalty of her students if things get rough. I also don't think she should count on the acquiescence of Humongulous if it looks like she might deliberately injure one of his friends. In classic Spark fashion, Professor Wormhaut believes she is in control of the situation, but isn't.

Franz is serene in the face of a notorious dragon hunter. He is probably prepared in some fashion for dragon hunters in general, and perhaps this one in particular. Getting word of the Professor's location back to the Monster's Guild in Mechanicsburg might be sufficient, actually.

Conspicuous by his absence in all group shots: Kliban. Here, kitty, kitty, kitty?

[lord_khaine]

Arrogance, perhaps. I think the more accurate description may be that he does not display hubris or over-reach? He commands enough power and is personally both physically capable and a strong enough Spark that when he says he will do something, it is not a boast or a blustering threat - it is a statement of fact. Barring the 'unknown unknowns' that he can't plan for, what Klaus wants to have happen happens. Very few other characters have that degree of assurance.

The arrogance is in assuming that no one, even The Heterodyne backed by a resurgent Mechanicsburg, is really capable of withstanding him if he puts an effort into it. He respects her/the Other as a dangerous opponent, but doesn't question his ability to eventually defeat her any more than Professor Aeroape questioned his destiny to rule the Empire.

Its not arrogance if your actually able to do the stuff you think you can do. Klaus started with himself and his infant son. And from there carved out the biggest empire in europe.
So yeah i just think its justified confidence.
I certainly dont think its arrogant to assume you can handle a single city state with the combined might of an empire.

It's pretty clear Beetle was afraid of having his head carved open. Whether or not the Baron intended to do so is less clear. He is furious with Merlot for prompting the conflict despite knowing about the hive engine, and states that without Merlot he might have been able to salvage Beetle. He's shocked at Agatha's suggestion that Beetle will be killed. He orders a hero's funeral for Beetle as well.

Im surprised people think this was Beetles worry? He though Klaus was the other.
Were secretly working on revenant stuff. I though it was pretty clear he didnt want to be wasped.

[Fyraltari]

Im surprised people think this was Beetles worry?

Personally I thought he was afraid of being sent to do repairs on Der Kestle, but the brain-scoopibg makes more sense.

He though Klaus was the other.

Did he? I don't remember this coming up.

Were secretly working on revenant stuff. I though it was pretty clear he didnt want to be wasped.

But if Klaus were The Other, wouldn't he have wasped him already?

[lord_khaine]

Personally I thought he was afraid of being sent to do repairs on Der Kestle, but the brain-scoopibg makes more sense.

The brain scooping dont make sense, in the light that his first action was to attempt to kill Agartha.
Who at that time wasnt in the Barons sight at all. And had not done anything worse than atrocious filing.
It does make sense if he though Klaus was there to wasp everyone.

Did he? I don't remember this coming up.

Its a bit implicit. But i think it hinted among other places here.
https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/com...4#.Y90kFa3MJaQ

Certainly Barry accused Klaus of something horrible.
Something that would make Beetle want a functioning hive engine. And not allow Klaus to take either him or Agartha.

Meanwhile from Klaus's reaction to Beetle dying. It seems clear he wasnt intended for brain coring or the castle.
Klaus directly states a desire to having salvaged the situation. And being furious over his teachers death.

[geoduck]

Re: Klaus and Beetle. It's made clearer in the print-novels that Barry for some reason thought Klaus was indeed working for the Other, and passed this attitude on to Beetle. Why Barry thought this is currently unknown. Conversely, the first novel also has Beetle explicitly say that he'll never agree to be one of Klaus's experimental subjects.

[Rodin]

Re: Klaus and Beetle. It's made clearer in the print-novels that Barry for some reason thought Klaus was indeed working for the Other, and passed this attitude on to Beetle. Why Barry thought this is currently unknown. Conversely, the first novel also has Beetle explicitly say that he'll never agree to be one of Klaus's experimental subjects.

We haven't learned much about Bill and Barry, but what we have learned leads me to think that Barry was significantly less idealistic and generally "sharper" than his brother. It's entirely possible that Barry was aware of Klaus's affair with Lucrezia. If he also wasn't aware of Klaus's disappearance (or at least the reason for it) it could have left him believing the two were in cahoots the whole time.

There's also the time travel aspect. Bill and Barry may have traveled into the future at some point, or a future version of Klaus going into the past. Or maybe Lucrezia let something slip by forgetting the order of events in all of her time traveling. Any of the above could have resulted in Bill and Barry discovering Klaus gets wasped at some point in Klaus's future. So when Barry comes back, he decides Klaus is either already wasped or that they don't know when or how he will get wasped. Barry decides the safest course of action is to steer well cleer of Klaus, and advises Beetle the same.

[Traab]

Re: Klaus and Beetle. It's made clearer in the print-novels that Barry for some reason thought Klaus was indeed working for the Other, and passed this attitude on to Beetle. Why Barry thought this is currently unknown. Conversely, the first novel also has Beetle explicitly say that he'll never agree to be one of Klaus's experimental subjects.

Klaus and Lu were very much so a couple until she went with whichever heterodyne boy she picked. They had a long history and if they figured out she was the other, then obviously they cant trust any person she was close to.

[Manga Shoggoth]

It's interesting. Franz is (or at least, appears to be) completely uninterested in the Iram Solis. And he's met Hydragyros. Granted this could be before the Iram Solis was made, but the "shiny new dragon" line suggests otherwise.

Now, Franz has no particular problem with fire and could well be more interested in books (and gold), but perhaps there's a little less to the Iram Solis than people think...

EDIT: Blast! TeChameleon got there first...

[Spamotron]

My view is that Franz considers Hydrgyos' creator as inferior to the Heterodynes. The Iram Solis may impress the plebeians but Franz believes he could ask for something 10 times as powerful anytime he wants.

[Kantaki]

My view is that Franz considers Hydrgyos' creator as inferior to the Heterodynes. The Iram Solis may impress the plebeians but Franz believes he could ask for something 10 times as powerful anytime he wants.

Not that Franz needs it.
Because when the Heterodynes build a engine of destruction and terror they don't need to add some tacky bling to make it work. Or so he'd say, I guess.

[Divayth Fyr]

Not that Franz needs it.
Because when the Heterodynes build a engine of destruction and terror they don't need to add some tacky bling to make it work. Or so he'd say, I guess.

Would he be wrong though?

[Agi Hammerthief]

„speak friend and enter“ with a twist

[runeghost]

So, I may have lost a bit of the plot and thus be totally off-base, but...

Spoiler: Hypothesis that would be a spoiler only in the unlikely case that I'm right

Show

Is the Monday strip a hint that Franz was moonlighting as Hydrargyros the Godburner, and he's joined the expedition to cover that up/retrieve some of "his" stuff?

[theangelJean]

So, I may have lost a bit of the plot and thus be totally off-base, but...

Spoiler: Hypothesis that would be a spoiler only in the unlikely case that I'm right

Show

Is the Monday strip a hint that Franz was moonlighting as Hydrargyros the Godburner, and he's joined the expedition to cover that up/retrieve some of "his" stuff?

I don't think the current story really supports that, but it would be really interesting if you were right.

[Shining Wrath]

Franz had a girlfriend! Franz had a girlfriend!

Franz and Asphodelia
Sitting in a lair
Smooching and smooching
With her smoldering hair!

[DavidSh]

Would he be wrong though?

Only if you require your dragons to fly unassisted.

[Ailurus]

Franz had a girlfriend! Franz had a girlfriend!

Franz and Asphodelia
Sitting in a lair
Smooching and smooching
With her smoldering hair!

Yeah, that's my take on this strip. Franz invents a new language centuries ago and uses it to try to impress a princess.

[Divayth Fyr]

Only if you require your dragons to fly unassisted.

Did we ever see a true dragon that is capable of unassisted flight in GG? There was that Wurm Gil flew, but don't think it would actually count as a dragon...

[geoduck]

Did we ever see a true dragon that is capable of unassisted flight in GG? There was that Wurm Gil flew, but don't think it would actually count as a dragon...

We've only seen one other dragon besides Franz, "Pretty Boy" who worked for Klaus and fought Franz during the siege of Mechanicsburg. He didn't fly.

[Grim Portent]

So far we've only seen three 'true' dragons to my recollection, none of which seem to be able to fly. Franz, Hydrargyros, and Floriel Flametognue, the dragon that showed up in the Siege of Mechanicsburg.

They've all got roughly the same design but with different proportions, I'd guess the later ones are based on Franz what with him being the first dragon and all, and their wings probably aren't enough to let them fly. What we've seen of them is that they are fireproof, and favour settling contests by punching and wrestling rather than biting or clawing. They're basically big scaly humans with vestigial wings and tails. A sort of showy doorguard/siege weapon/vanity pet.


Given what else we've seen in the comic a dragon that can fly is certainly not beyond imagination, but I get the feeling that it wouldn't be called a dragon. Sky Wurms are fundamentally dragons to us, but no one ever calls it a dragon in the comic, not that it gets talked about much admittedly.