Girl Genius II

[Aquillion]

Something that just occurred to me: where's Wooster gotten off to? Given that the last time we lost track of his whereabouts, he proceeded to knock a soldier off a rooftop and then very nearly shoot Klaus, I think that he's a definite wild card in the near future.

That reminds me of something.

Has anyone considered what that second page actually means?

There's no way (given his dialog) that the gun Wooster was pointing at Klaus was some sort of 'knockout sniper rifle'. He was going to assassinate Klaus Wulfenbach.

Again, given his dialog, it really doesn't seem likely that he was doing that just because he was on Gil's orders to keep Agatha safe.

So... the only alternative is that he as doing it on his own initiative as a British agent, isn't it? Maybe he wasn't specifically ordered to (although it seems insane that he'd assassinate one of the most powerful leaders in the world without specific instructions to do so), but he must at least have clearance to do it if it becomes necessary.

What does that mean?

[Tirian]

I think that Wooster's comment just means that Gil isn't going to like the lengths to which Wooster will have to go in order to carry out his orders. Gil didn't say "by all means necessary," but from the depths of his wrath he may as well have. Plus, he was under the same order from Her Majesty and, as you suggest, it may have been her order to take the shot if it were offered to him.

Anyway, would a bullet to the head really kill Klaus Wulfenbach? Wooster would know that he is a construct and therefore nigh-immortal. A "fatal" injury would potentially require months of hospitalization, which would be unsettling to peace on the continent especially if it was revealed that it was Gil's manservant who pulled the trigger, but it might not quite measure up to attempted regicide.

[Gez]

I don't think de kestle speaks french.

I don't think he speaks English, either.

[TheTurnipKing]

What does that mean?

At a rough guess? The British consider the Baron a wild card, his successor less so.

Of course, given what we've seen of his Sparkiness in Mechanicsburg, I think that belief may be misplaced.

[John Campbell]

Anyway, would a bullet to the head really kill Klaus Wulfenbach?

I expect it would, unless his skull's heavily enough armored to stop it. Mad Medicine is pretty powerful stuff, but it needs something to work with. Splash Klaus's brains all over the landscape, and you could probably get his body up and walking around again without much trouble, but it wouldn't be Klaus.

[TigerHunter]

[Klaus] is a construct and therefore nigh-immortal.

...did I miss a page somewhere?

[Gez]

...did I miss a page somewhere?

Some constructs can be resurrected again and again, though there are side effects.

[John Campbell]

Huh. Electric Coffin didn't used to show the Wulfenbach wings on Agatha's Trilobite locket, did it?

I think someone's been messing with the space-time continuum here.

[Tirian]

I expect it would, unless his skull's heavily enough armored to stop it.

Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me if it were. He spent a lot of time under the knife during the Heterodyne Boys era, and was evidently able to absorb and refine the Jager's technology for physiological improvement. And who better to appreciate the importance of keeping your brain intact?

...did I miss a page somewhere?

Perhaps. For the uninitiated, the Secret Blueprints were written by the Foglios as a sort of prologue to Volume I, and while partially strongly focused on the Beetleburg arc, it contains the seeds of storylines that won't be resolved for another ten years.

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Specifically, I have never heard anyone doubt the hypothesis that Klaus and his two brothers died in a lab explosion in childhood and his mother built a single child from the parts that she could find afterward.

[John Campbell]

Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me if it were. He spent a lot of time under the knife during the Heterodyne Boys era, and was evidently able to absorb and refine the Jager's technology for physiological improvement. And who better to appreciate the importance of keeping your brain intact?

Yeah, but in that case, it's not even a temporary assassination; it's just a good way to get him really irritated at you.

[Sampi]

Huh. Electric Coffin didn't used to show the Wulfenbach wings on Agatha's Trilobite locket, did it?

I think someone's been messing with the space-time continuum here.

Well, it does show them in the print version of AHatBC. Printed in 2002. So you're the one from the different continuum, I'd say. You time-travellers are always mixing up the timelines of decent folks like us mad scientists.

[Gez]

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Specifically, I have never heard anyone doubt the hypothesis that Klaus and his two brothers died in a lab explosion in childhood and his mother built a single child from the parts that she could find afterward.

Honestly, there's nothing that would seriously confirm or infirm this rumor. It'd explain his stitches, but anything else could explain them as well since after all he spent some times as the chew toy/buttmonkey sidekick of the Heterodyne Boys.

[John Campbell]

Well, it does show them in the print version of AHatBC. Printed in 2002. So you're the one from the different continuum, I'd say. You time-travellers are always mixing up the timelines of decent folks like us mad scientists.

Hmm. Maybe it was this one that I was remembering.

[Arioch]

Honestly, there's nothing that would seriously confirm or infirm this rumor. It'd explain his stitches, but anything else could explain them as well since after all he spent some times as the chew toy/buttmonkey sidekick of the Heterodyne Boys.

I agree with Gez on this. I don't see anything in that article that suggests the construct theory. It just makes a short reference to his two brothers.

[Aquillion]

Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me if it were. He spent a lot of time under the knife during the Heterodyne Boys era, and was evidently able to absorb and refine the Jager's technology for physiological improvement. And who better to appreciate the importance of keeping your brain intact?

I don't think he actually has any Jaeger technology (that's proprietary, and the Jaegers are very touchy about it.) He just has generic construct stuff.

But even if his skull is armored, it seems odd that Wooster would know about it... and even if he knew about it from his job as a spy, it seems even odder (knowing that or not) that he'd aim at Klaus' head.) Armored or not, you don't usually aim at someone's head unless you want to kill them... he could've shot Klaus in the chest or legs, and given that he's a construct (plus with Sparky science) that probably would've been fixable.

As we've seen, a hit to head is the one thing that can definitely kill someone dead for good in the Girl Genius universe. If he was worried about keeping Klaus alive, he would've aimed anywhere but there.

[tyckspoon]

I don't think he actually has any Jaeger technology (that's proprietary, and the Jaegers are very touchy about it.) He just has generic construct stuff.

Mamma Gkika thinks otherwise. She seems certain that Klaus knows some of the Jaeger's construction, although it's not certain if he has applied it to himself or only augmented Gil.

[Evil DM Mark3]

Mamma Gkika thinks otherwise.

Is it just me or does Gil look a bit Jagger in the next page when he is roaring?

[Tirian]

By the way, somebody tell the Castle that a fiancée can't be a boyfriend, by definition... A girlfriend, yes; but a boyfriend can only be a fiancé.

I see that the castle has been retroactively enlightened.

[memnarch]

Need I say it?

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Maybe Gil is in a place this part of the castle can see and is wondering if Agatha likes him?

SNEAKY GATE STUFF

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Heh, think I might be right.

And I'm also sure that the castle definitely wants Agatha paired with Gil.

[ripple]

SNEAKY GATE STUFF

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Heh, think I might be right.

And I'm also sure that the castle definitely wants Agatha paired with Gil.

I've been checking things out through the Sneaky Gate way too much recently...but I'd have to agree in general. I think things are just about to get even more interesting...

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but I think that the castle just wants Agatha paired off in general, and a continuing Heterodyne line. Interesting, though, that the castle asked before randomly attacking...and that the fragmented castle has enough understanding of the outside world to know that Gil's the sole heir *and* that he's the one who stopped the stompy war clanks. And I love the reference to the flying and overly large and cylindrical CW...

[TigerHunter]

I feel stupid for not being able to find the sneaky gate.

No, don't tell me, I'll go look some more...

[ripple]

I feel stupid for not being able to find the sneaky gate.

No, don't tell me, I'll go look some more...

Well, at this point you could wait about 15 minutes, or

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you could go to the URL for the current picture
that ends in .jpg (simplest way in Firefox: right click on
the picture, and then click on "View Image")...but modify
the URL to point to tomorrow's date.

[TigerHunter]

Well, at this point you could wait about 15 minutes, or

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you could go to the URL for the current picture
that ends in .jpg (simplest way in Firefox: right click on
the picture, and then click on "View Image")...but modify
the URL to point to tomorrow's date.

ACK QUOTING IT REVEALS SPOILERS! MUST NOT LOOK!!!

Edit: Heh, I love the euphemisms and Agatha's responses.

[tyckspoon]

ACK QUOTING IT REVEALS SPOILERS! MUST NOT LOOK!!!

Edit: Heh, I love the euphemisms and Agatha's responses.

Euphemisms? What euphemisms? This is sparky romance! The qualities of a prospective beau's death ray are perfectly relevant!

[dogmac]

This is the funniest one for a long time.

You are RIGHT, Agatha. The magnificentness of a death ray is NOT a basis for a stable relationship. Nor is the size of any of his other large weapons.

After all, it isn't the size that matters, it is what he does with them.

[Mephisto]

This is the funniest one for a long time.

You are RIGHT, Agatha. The magnificentness of a death ray is NOT a basis for a stable relationship. Nor is the size of any of his other large weapons.

After all, it isn't the size that matters, it is what he does with them.

Gil's death ray isn't that big, you know. Just a short stick with a knob on the end. But what he does with it is ... astonishing.

*pop*

Cor blimey, there goes my innuendo gland.

[slayerx]

Aw, i just love seeing the castle or murder and mayhem playing match maker... don't know what all this crazy talk is about great death rays not being a basis for a stable relationship though; a good lover should have a good taste for death rays... oh agatha so wrapped up in denial that you're ignoring one of your biggest turn ons

question on my mind... if Gil is the one entering the castle, then whose the "attendant"?
Top three possibilities would be Zeetha and Krosp since they care about Agatha and would want to tag along, and Higgs because he can most easily be identified as Gil's "attendant"... a little up in the air since no one disappeared with Gil when we last saw him... i'm putting my money on Higgs

[CarpeGuitarrem]

It's not how big your "Fwoosh" is, it's how you use it. So says Richard.

[Tirian]

question on my mind... if Gil is the one entering the castle, then whose the "attendant"?

I think that Wooster is the only one that the Castle would clearly identify as an "attendant". Still, I'm going to hope that it's Theo.

[dogmac]

I think it is Theo