Girl Genius XXXII: The scientific method at work!

[Lord Fullbladder, Master of Goblins]

Mm, it does make sense as one of the postmortem treasure defences Wyrmhaut mentioned to Franz that most non-Franz dragons maintain.

[theangelJean]

Hmm, okay, I guess I just wasn't getting the "post-mortem defences" bit. A defence that simulates your ghost when you're already dead isn't going to do much when you're dead. But I guess that's why I'm not in charge of a dragon horde.

Spoiler: Today's comic

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Was there much in the way of Phantom of the Opera references before this page? Because they seem to be shoehorning them all in right now. And I don't really get how it fits in.

[Shining Wrath]

OK, so the "ghost" was comprised of flammable gas, and when Lumi shot it she ignited it. That's a fine post-mortem trap for dragon slayers whose approach is "shoot first, figure out what it is later"; doubtless a large percentage.

But it appears that Hector has been planning to do for Professor Wormhaut all along, and just carried her off to wherever it is that ghosts hang out when not manifesting? The explosion of roses suggests some sort of supernatural event.

Or, perhaps, Hector was smarter than he let on and it's a Sparky thing.

For a slightly creepy take, Hector has an obsession with the Professor and planned all along to take her to his swinging bachelor pad?

Anyway, I think we've seen the last of her, and I hope most of the books survive Flaming Ghost Chandelier.

[Rockphed]

I imagine that he and the professor had an agreement that she took one way and he took another.

[Fyraltari]

OK, so the "ghost" was comprised of flammable gas, and when Lumi shot it she ignited it. That's a fine post-mortem trap for dragon slayers whose approach is "shoot first, figure out what it is later"; doubtless a large percentage.

But it appears that Hector has been planning to do for Professor Wormhaut all along, and just carried her off to wherever it is that ghosts hang out when not manifesting? The explosion of roses suggests some sort of supernatural event.

Or, perhaps, Hector was smarter than he let on and it's a Sparky thing.

For a slightly creepy take, Hector has an obsession with the Professor and planned all along to take her to his swinging bachelor pad?

Anyway, I think we've seen the last of her, and I hope most of the books survive Flaming Ghost Chandelier.

I think the rose are for Lumi. Like he's mysteriously disappearing in a fashion befitting a charming rogue/supernatural apparition and he's taking the Professora with him because they're a team. She's just not agreeing to leaving at this point.

[Shining Wrath]

Cue the Doobie Brothers "What a fool believes / he sees ...". Possibly Hector believes he and Hautwyrm are loyal friends or even lovers, and she views it as BBEG / disposable minion. He was the perfect useful idiot right up until he wasn't.

I think Hector was leaving roses for Vipsania earlier, now for Lumi? Fickle is the heart of a ghostly rogue.

[geoduck]

Cue the Doobie Brothers "What a fool believes / he sees ...". Possibly Hector believes he and Hautwyrm are loyal friends or even lovers, and she views it as BBEG / disposable minion. He was the perfect useful idiot right up until he wasn't.

I think Hector was leaving roses for Vipsania earlier, now for Lumi? Fickle is the heart of a ghostly rogue.

I don't think he has any illusions whatsoever about his relationship with Hautwyrm. She's an amoral Spark, he's her undead minion.

[Shining Wrath]

I don't think he has any illusions whatsoever about his relationship with Hautwyrm. She's an amoral Spark, he's her undead minion.

Good minions don't normally carry on with what they are doing when their master is yelling "Noooo! Unhand me you fool!"

[DavidSh]

Good minions don't normally carry on with what they are doing when their master is yelling "Noooo! Unhand me you fool!"

That depends on whether what their master is doing is going to get herself permanently killed. Not that that is necessarily the case here.

[Rockphed]

Good minions don't normally carry on with what they are doing when their master is yelling "Noooo! Unhand me you fool!"

Merely good minions may listen when the master yells "unhand me you fool!" Great minions do what is good for the master even when told to stop.

Having said that i now have an image of Von Zinzer plopping a plate a spinach in front of a grumpy Agatha. How much would that cost to commission, I wonder?

[Shining Wrath]

I'll admit that a minion may sometimes do what is best for the master despite orders to the contrary, but Hector's triumphant "Ha! HA! HA!" suggests he's following his own agenda. Also, I think I count 16 roses - that's a lot of flowers for "I'm going to save my mistress from herself, be right back" dramatic exit. This looks like Hector departing the story and taking Hautwyrm with him.

[Rockphed]

To be clear, I imagine the next time we see Hautwyrm and Hector together he will be the master and she will be his servant. Or, to get out of such she will disabuse him of the notion that he is dead.

[Shining Wrath]

To be clear, I imagine the next time we see Hautwyrm and Hector together he will be the master and she will be his servant. Or, to get out of such she will disabuse him of the notion that he is dead.

Or, she'll actually kill him. Although she no longer has her gun and I don't know if she still has the Iram Solis - she had it two strips ago in her left hand, which is not shown in the most recent strip.

[eee]

Or, she'll actually kill him. Although she no longer has her gun and I don't know if she still has the Iram Solis - she had it two strips ago in her left hand, which is not shown in the most recent strip.

Franz gave it to her too easily. I bet it's booby-trapped.

[geoduck]

Franz gave it to her too easily. I bet it's booby-trapped.

Or maybe it only works with dragon-flame. (I may have predicted this already..)

[theangelJean]

I'll admit that a minion may sometimes do what is best for the master despite orders to the contrary, but Hector's triumphant "Ha! HA! HA!" suggests he's following his own agenda. Also, I think I count 16 roses - that's a lot of flowers for "I'm going to save my mistress from herself, be right back" dramatic exit. This looks like Hector departing the story and taking Hautwyrm with him.

To be clear, I imagine the next time we see Hautwyrm and Hector together he will be the master and she will be his servant. Or, to get out of such she will disabuse him of the notion that he is dead.

Nobody else got the Phantom of the Opera references? Or you did, and they just made as little sense to everyone else as they did to me?
* Chandelier, coming down
* "Ghost" obsessed with beautiful maiden(s)
* Angel (of Flame, in this case, rather than Music)
* Black roses
* Specific kind of maniacal laughter
* Kidnapping

Of course, it's referring to several parts of the story at once, so I can't work out whether Hautwyrm is taking the place of one of his maidens, or he is saving the other maidens from her.

[Shining Wrath]

Nobody else got the Phantom of the Opera references? Or you did, and they just made as little sense to everyone else as they did to me?
* Chandelier, coming down
* "Ghost" obsessed with beautiful maiden(s)
* Angel (of Flame, in this case, rather than Music)
* Black roses
* Specific kind of maniacal laughter
* Kidnapping

Of course, it's referring to several parts of the story at once, so I can't work out whether Hautwyrm is taking the place of one of his maidens, or he is saving the other maidens from her.

It has been too long since I watched that, I missed all this. I would say, though, that Hector is saving the other maidens from Hautwyrm, based on her statement that she needed to kill them all and turn Franz into a coat.

EDIT:

I just had a very bad thought - Humongulous is right beneath that chandelier that is raining molten glass. Is he immune? Maybe. Is he immune with all the damage he's taken? Maybe not. OTOH Brother Marcus does not seem to be concerned.

EDIT:

Hector has been a cunning thief all along! And Brother Marcus at least was on to him from the black roses. But not so cunning as to not fall into the bottomless pit.

THREAD TITLE: He's a Heinous Blaggard.

[Kantaki]

New Comic

„Ah yes. Mechanicsburg“.
Well, on the bright side she doesn't want to change him.
Didn't. After that dramatic exit stage left straight into the (allegedly) bottomless pit that might well change.*

Also, why am I not surprised that the Black Rose School Of Dramatic Acquisitions is a thing.
Phantom Thief is probably a recognised and honourable profession in this world.
Even if this one still seems to be in training*.

*Well, maybe it's all part of the plan/Hector's prepared for it, but so far? Not impressed.

[Rockphed]

Thread title: The Wingnut and her Monkey

That said, Franz called Hector a monkey and they just fell down a bottomless pit. We are obviously going to discover that he is a winged monkey.

[Fyraltari]

Damn, Lumi. Is. Smitten.

[wingnutx]

So he's not a minion, he's a contractor.

[Shining Wrath]

So he's not a minion, he's a contractor.

He's a cunning thief (and a Heinous Blaggard) who pretended to be an incompetent student in order to be in a position to steal from a dragon's hoard, specifically the Iram Solis.

Which perhaps he is stealing on behalf of a Spark who wants to create their own dragon?

[Grim Portent]

Occam's Razor suggests he was working for Wyrmhaut the whole time, and decided to cut things short before anyone he cares about (besides his evident crush on Lumi, he seems to consider Vipsania a friend) gets hurt. He's just been waiting for an opportunity to grab the professor and make a dramatic smokebomb escape.

Sequence of events would be Wyrmhaut hires him, or his organisation anyway, to acquire the Iram Solis -> he joins Vipsania's first expedition under false pretences -> everyone but him and Vip die, the door is still shut, Vip leaves thinking everyone is dead -> Hector contacts Wyrmhaut, who comes to try and open the door herself and tasks Hector with keeping away other treasure hunters when it becomes apparent it will take time-> we meet Hector doing his 'travellers beware' ghost bit.

Might not be the case, he could be working for someone else, but if so then why abduct Wyrmhaut just now rather than let the fight continue and try to grab the Iram Solis in the ensuing chaos?


The Black Roses seem to have similar skills as Smoke Knights for suddenly appearing and disappearing, which would explain some of his 'ghost' shenanigans back when we first met him.

[Devlerbat]

The idea that he is a member of a thespian thieves guild makes me think that Hector's ghost bit was basically him just going "yes and".


"You died" "Yes and....now I'm a ghost! Whoooo!"

It doesn't matter if they believe it so long as they believe he believes it.

Actually, that could explain his persona in general given Professor Wyrmhault's personality as well. "You are all incompetent idiots!" "Oh, this character is an incompetent idiot. Okay."

[theangelJean]

I was thinking the Professor wasn't going to get away with the Iram Solis that easily. Couldn't figure out how Hector fit in with her plans, though. Still not sure.

But ... Hector has already fallen into the bottomless pit once, right? Either there's a secret exit ... or they're both dead now? (Bonus points if Hector the ghost managed to get the Professor to drop the Iram Solis before Taking Her With Me.)

[Shining Wrath]

I think that, given that Hector is a professional thief from the Black Rose School of Dramatic Acquisitions, we should consider every statement made and action performed since the beginning of the quest to be Drama in furtherance of his Acquisition, and none of them revealing who he really is or his real intentions toward the Professor, the other students, or Franz's party. This includes making Lumi swoon. We had clues early on that Vipsania had some feelings for him; that may be part of his scheme.

We certainly have no one's word for it other than his that he actually died and became a ghost.

In other words, we don't really know what he wants other than the Iram Solis. He may casually kill the Professor if that's how his School rolls. Or he may leave her to be dramatically rescued by Franz and friends while he makes off with the Iram Solis. Or, while Hautwyrm is being rescued, he'll circle back and get all the gold and jewels in his professional-thief sized Bag of Holding (tm).

[Manga Shoggoth]

THREAD TITLE: He's a Heinous Blaggard.

Thread title: The Wingnut and her Monkey

Both noted...

We are obviously going to discover that he is a winged monkey.

Depends how wildly Lumi was shooting...

[theangelJean]

In other words, we don't really know what he wants other than the Iram Solis.

I thought it was the Professor who wanted the Iram Solis. I don't think Hector has actually said what he wants ... your "loop back and steal everything" idea is definitely on the cards, here.

[Shining Wrath]

Brother Marcus thinks that Hector is smarter than he looks - a low bar. The other students still think he's an idiot. I'm with the brother.
If Hector really is a ghost, than he and Professor Hautwyrm may haunt this place, together, forever. That would serve her right.
But we've had opinions opined in the strip that ghosts aren't real. So if Hector is pretending to be a ghost, then he survived the first fall into the bottomless pit, and might survive this one as well. After that there's a couple ways it could go - does he also save the Professor? If so, who gets the Iram Solis, and what do they do with it?

Would a ghost actually drag someone?

[Devlerbat]

Is "Hector is really a ghost" a theory that anyone actually believes in? Even if ghosts are real in this world, it still seems obvious that Hector isn't one.

Also, Hector's classmates are missing the vital information about Hector's real job.