OOTS #1218 - The Discussion Thread

[The Giant]

New comic is up.

[Kareeah_Indaga]

I am loving that last panel.

[hamishspence]

Good to see Roy asking Elan's opinion for once.

[Arin]

Good to see Roy asking Elan's opinion for once.

Think it just took this long for him to embrace that Elan's genre-savvy shenanigans actually have value in this world. :)

[Worldsong]

Okay, that's just heartwarming.

This isn't even a throwaway gag or anything. Roy is actually relying on Elan's expertise for what could be a crucial decision which determines the difference between success and failure on the quest to save the world.

[2.5 cats]

Absolutely LOVE that Roy has real respect for Elan's ability to see narrative structure!

[Zhorn]

Absolutely LOVE that Roy has real respect for Elan's ability to see narrative structure!

Things are serious when Roy is looking to Elan for information to base their tactics on.
Not even a joke; it is showing the growth of the group, understanding everyone's 'strength' is still a strength worth using.

[Edreyn]

Are we at the final battle, right here in this canyon?

Oh dear, what if they really ARE!

[Breccia]

Wow. Possibly the single (double?) strip where everyone's pesonality is best displayed, all at once.

[Scizor]

Oh dear, what if they really ARE!

I'd hope not, exactly for the reasons Elan stated. It'd feel too adrupt.

[KorvinStarmast]

Last panel would be perfect without Elan's line, but it's still very good. His contribution (it seems to me) was the excellent set up in previous panels as Roy consults with him in his field of expertise.

Whole strip is full of win. Agree with Breccia's post on how each member's 'being who they are' shines forth.

Behind the door that Haley has selected, the Order will find ... what?

Monsters or nothing? Good 'leave it hanging' feel to this strip also.

[Edreyn]

I'd hope not, exactly for the reasons Elan stated. It'd feel too adrupt.

I don't really believe it myself, but maybe the author will do the twist sometimes used in games: the Order will destroy Team Evil, but then something new and unexpected will happen.

[Reboot]

Absolutely LOVE that Roy has real respect for Elan's ability to see narrative structure!

Apparently, Tarquin left a mark.

[Wraithfighter]

Granted, Roy's probably just using him as a tie-breaker (aka he's been presented with two seemingly equally valid plans, prep for an immediate fight vs hide and draw things out), but I really do enjoy that Roy's realizing that Elan actually does have some sort of cosmic line on the story and how it should be going, and is trying to leverage that for some small tactical advantage.

.........but yeah, this is feeling like even more proof that we're going to get some sort of weird reveals behind at least one of the doors. Maybe it's the OOTS finding the actual gate, maybe it's Team Evil getting trounced, maybe both, but we're definitely well before the Final Confrontation period right now, who knows where things are going to be going...

[Wraithfighter]

Apparently, Tarquin left a mark.

Given the number of times he struck him with a magical weapon, Tarquin probably left quite a few marks on Roy...

[Synesthesy]

So let's start the bets!

What will they find?

A) an already cleared cave filled with corpes and other maybe usefull things
B) a cave filled with monsters that casually are at their level and not at Xykon's
C) a cave filled with epic monsters that make them retreat
D) the gate

[Arkku]

So, the odds of finding the gate at random are, like, a million to one? =)

[Synesthesy]

So, the odds of finding the gate at random are, like, a million to one? =)

So you bet on D, nice!

[Edreyn]

What will they find?

All at once: Team Evil fighting Monsters at the vicinity of the Gate.

[deltamire]

Fantastic strip. Loved every panel of it, and seeing the Order all together and working together as a team (a argumentative, combative and generally pell-mell team, but a team nonetheless) is just so, so so good. Roy in the first panel on the second page just thinking it through and then singling out Elan is such a good change and Minrah just being tugged along and just happy to be here : ) is all solid gold. The different ways the rest of the Order get down the cliff in the first page is a nice touch as well.

[SlashDash]

For the exact reasons stated, I think it's obvious they aren't going to go into a conflict with team evil now. My guess is that things will change into an entirely new direction.

Perhaps something will happen to the gang beyond the door they go in?

Perhaps Xykon will just be tired of chasing Durkon since he really isn't much of a threat?

Perhaps the invisible guys from the end of last book will take the party away?

[drazen]

So, the odds of finding the gate at random are, like, a million to one? =)

One clever way to hide, perhaps:

Wall of Stone -- cover up the door they go into. Not sure he has one left after blowing it on the table, though.

Silent Image -- put a fake rock wall over an "X" door somewhere, so when Redcloak activates True Seeing, he thinks that's where they went.

Bonus being that Oona was wrong, so Xykon won't listen to her tracking a second time, because his personality is to quickly grow impatient with underlings who waste his time.

[BaronOfHell]

So Serini who is the architect of this final obstacle is a rogue, just like Haley. I wonder if Haley realizes some kind of clue everyone else has been missing when choosing which door to go for?

[Cicciograna]

Very nice to see that, after almost 1200 strips, Roy still stands by his words from the last panel of strip 22.

[Goblin_Priest]

Oh wow, this is wonderful. Elan and Roy are great. Loving it.

[Ravenred]

The back and forth on whether they should prep for battle was great. Given Xykon has only burst a couple of slots with his resistance-testing from the cliff-top, feels very much like the right call. Have to imagine that this is the kickoff for the penultimate set of narratives, though.

[Aisper]

I notice all of these plans are predicated on the idea that Team Evil is will show up momentarily. I am going to predict that the Order hides behind a door, prepares their buffs, and...waits. That Team Evil does not chase after them because they have learned something important. If not the location of the Gate, then perhaps something that will change their search pattern. This would put a different time pressure back on the Order.

[Schroeswald]

I missed the Order, welcome back Order, being their amazing selves. Also, I'm starting to think that the Team Evil corridor will be one they've really been in, but this won't be, but this does have a chance of being the gate.

[Darkohaku]

Elan is right, that's spooky.

But the final fight now would be a little too soon, so, Haley's plan is the best for now.

Can't wait for the next strip!

[Mic_128]

One clever way to hide, perhaps:

Wall of Stone -- cover up the door they go into. Not sure he has one left after blowing it on the table, though.

Silent Image -- put a fake rock wall over an "X" door somewhere, so when Redcloak activates True Seeing, he thinks that's where they went.

They would immediately notice the sudden door-sized blank space of rock between the doors.