Order of the Stick

[MikeJ]

Yeah, I seriously doubt it myself. Like I said, I think it’s Nale.

I really doubt that the strip Sebmojo pointed out is a coincidence.

[JonRowe]

I really doubt that the strip Sebmojo pointed out is a coincidence.

Yeah, I didn’t see that till after I posted.

I don’t think it was a co-incidence. He specifically mentions “wanting” (wishing) for something to happen there.

[Sebmojo]

I’ll bet the MitD had nothing to do with that teleport.

Basic drama (not to mention the close up on the eyes when it says ‘ESCAPE’) suggests you’re wrong.

Nale would be cheap. The MITD rescue was earned.

[wonderpug]

Basic drama (not to mention the close up on the eyes when it says ‘ESCAPE’) suggests you’re wrong.

I think Jon’s probably wrong in this case, but Burlew has a habit of trying to mislead readers and do the unexpected and so I think it’s going a bit far to toss out the possibility entirely. Hell, I wouldn’t even be surprised if Burlew made it so MitD does have the teleport power but also wasn’t the one to do it in this particular instance.

[Sebmojo]

I think Jon’s probably wrong in this case, but Burlew has a habit of trying to mislead readers and do the unexpected and so I think it’s going a bit far to toss out the possibility entirely. Hell, I wouldn’t even be surprised if Burlew made it so MitD does have the teleport power but also wasn’t the one to do it in this particular instance.

Oh, fer sure - it’s about time for Nale to make an entrance, as Team Evil have been taken out of commission for at least a bit. But I think MITD doing this is dramatically satisfying and can’t see any benefit in pulling a swifty over the readers.

We’ll see, I guess!

[JonRowe]

Did you read the post where I rescinded my comment? You posted right after it, but made no mention of it.

[Aeon221]

I actually knew about the linked prior evidence before I made my comment.

Here’s my chain of thought:

Nale hasn’t been in a comic for a while, and Rich likes to bring back characters in unexpected ways. We know he’s trying to rebuild his old team. We also know that his girlfriend works for the three fiends that helped V – who in a previous comic said that if V didn’t survive, all this would be for nothing. And, finally, we know that both Nale and Demon Chick want information about the Snarl so that they too can use it to gain power.

The MitD doesn’t care about V, so he would have only teleported O’Chul. Nale and Sabine would have wanted V for the demons, and O’Chul for information about the Snarl. The imp who set everything up could easily bring her information about both of them. As to the arcane power necessary, Nale probably already has a caster lined up for the team, and he’s pretty good about making complex plans mostly work.

Then you have the MitD, which has not previously manifested magical powers, although I will admit some sort of setup along those lines. That said, Rich loves misdirection, so the close up and the roaches could have been totally meaningless.

All that said, I bet you millions of monopoly dollars that we won’t know who did it for several episodes.

[peacedog]

Even the compendium books offer a bunch of additional content (bonus strips, commentary from the author and characters, etc.). I love them, and can’t wait for a new one.

Yep, the books are absolutely worth it even to fans who follow the series closely online.

[noun]

It took an epic level teleport spell to even get into the tower, and even that wasn’t easy. Aren’t those barriers still in place? And even if they weren’t, how would Nale have even found V in the first place? And if even Nale did somehow find V, why V? Elan is his nemesis, everyone else is just in the way.

[Miramon]

I don’t see any current relevance for the Linear Guild right now either, but that’s just why they might be brought in. Elan would say it’s silly to waste a recurring villain, after all.

[Aeon221]

It took an epic level teleport spell to even get into the tower, and even that wasn’t easy. Aren’t those barriers still in place? And even if they weren’t, how would Nale have even found V in the first place? And if even Nale did somehow find V, why V? Elan is his nemesis, everyone else is just in the way.

Nale and Sabine would have wanted V for the demons, and O’Chul for information about the Snarl. The imp who set everything up could easily bring her information about both of them. As to the arcane power necessary, Nale probably already has a caster lined up for the team, and he’s pretty good about making complex plans mostly work.

Like I said, they’ve got the right connections and access lined up.

[Wader]

It took an epic level teleport spell to even get into the tower, and even that wasn’t easy. Aren’t those barriers still in place? And even if they weren’t, how would Nale have even found V in the first place? And if even Nale did somehow find V, why V? Elan is his nemesis, everyone else is just in the way.

Remember, there’s a giant gaping hole in the cloister spell that Xykon used for summoning spells. (I forget which comic Celia mentioned this in, I think it was linked upthread). I am not that familiar with D&D summoning spells, but would that hole exist for summoning out from under the cloister spell as well?

[Ed_Solomon]

New one is up.

[Hanacker]

If I see you with more eyes than assholes, I’m going to shove one in the other and give your cloak to that hobgoblin.

Definitely one of his best lines ever.

[Drastic]

THEN RAISE HIM!

It’s promising that events lit a fire under Xykon’s coccyx, at least. I’m not entirely uncertain the whole slowdown wasn’t a nod to the fact that an awful lot of rpg parties are purely reactive in how they go about things–if evil forces aren’t driving actively forward, Team PCs are mostly twiddling their thumbs as their players look blankly around the table at each other and take turns saying “uh…” as the GM sighs. I might be projecting there.

[Tortilla]

THEN RAISE HIM!

It’s promising that events lit a fire under Xykon’s coccyx, at least. I’m not entirely uncertain the whole slowdown wasn’t a nod to the fact that an awful lot of rpg parties are purely reactive in how they go about things–if evil forces aren’t driving actively forward, Team PCs are mostly twiddling their thumbs as their players look blankly around the table at each other and take turns saying “uh…” as the GM sighs. I might be projecting there.

Heh, that happens in my game too often. It generally indicates a failure of the GM to provide the players with an adquate indication of what directions are open to them, or players becoming disinterested in the game, or in the worst cases both.

[Tortilla]

Definitely one of his best lines ever.

That line re-affirms my belief that the OOTS will never finish Xykon off, but rather Redcloak will. Rich is setting up an Emperor/Darth Vader dynamic between Xykon and Redcloak and eventually Xkyon will push him too far. Redcloak might not be quite able to take on Xykon in a straight fight, but I can see him seizing an opportunity to jump in and tip the balance when the OOTS are going toe to toe with him.

[Dean]

Heh, that happens in my game too often. It generally indicates a failure of the GM to provide the players with an adquate indication of what directions are open to them, or players becoming disinterested in the game, or in the worst cases both.

If it seems like the bad guys aren’t moving forward with their nefarious plans, my players start crafting immediately.

“Here’s my list of shit I want to make. I’ll be in my tower until something happens. Tell me how much of it I get done.”

“Hey, here’s my list of shit I want you to make for me, but I don’t want to wait until you get all your shit done. I’ll pay a little extra to alternate with your shit.”

“Okay. Every time I finish one of my things I start making one of his. Tell me how much I get done.”

“Okay, you start crafting your Deck of Many Things. After two hours there is a loud crash and screaming outside.”

“Two hours? Two fucking hours?”

[Aeon221]

http://www.nuklearpower.com/2009/06/13/episode-1140-where-the-sun-dont-shine/

I declare this a related comic. 8 Bit is always worth reading, but these two pages dovetail nicely.

[Jasper_Phillips]

THEN RAISE HIM!

It’s promising that events lit a fire under Xykon’s coccyx, at least. I’m not entirely uncertain the whole slowdown wasn’t a nod to the fact that an awful lot of rpg parties are purely reactive in how they go about things–if evil forces aren’t driving actively forward, Team PCs are mostly twiddling their thumbs as their players look blankly around the table at each other and take turns saying “uh…” as the GM sighs. I might be projecting there.

Everyone knows there is always time for one more side quest while the world burns! Evil always waits.

Oh, wait, that’d be CRPGs.