2019/07/19 - The Descent

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trekkie
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by trekkie »

dr_eirik wrote:
Jacy wrote:I so want to go down there. I'd trust Kari fully any day.
I'v often mentioned that Kari is the ultimate wild card. Even Pete couldn't figure him out. But I also think that he's ultimately the most trustworthy of the characters. If you are fundamentally good, no (permanent) harm will come to you in his presence. Even if there was a grue, or snake or something equally deadly to Marion in those tunnels, nothing will happen to him. It's not that Kari would throw himself in the way of danger, but more that Dig Dug will suddenly pop into the tunnel and inflate the evil-doer to bursting or something.

I know I'm guessing as much as anything, but I strongly suspect (or maybe that's hope I feel) that the end of the tunnel is going to be answers in some form. I suppose that it could simply end in a random forest clearing, but that's not Karishads style. Could be at the remains of the temple, the Milton mansion, the local Funko Pop store, or anything.

So, my speculation on what might happen....

<Karishad leads Marion down the tunnel for some time>
Marion: Where are we going, anyway? Deeper into the woods?
Kari: <typing away on his phone non-stop> No... yes... no, maybe. We need to find a place to stash you until the heat wears off. Or at least until the oven is preheated.
Marion: Look, I don't want to sound ungrateful, but I don't want to get too far from the neighborhood.
<They reach an ornate wooden door, which Karishad opens to reveal Lois, Fox and Fido standing on the porch of a home in Babylon Gardens. They turn and look startled>
Fox: What are you doing here?
Karishad: I asked you first.
Fox: No you... look, we came looking for answers. We think... is that the squirrel we're looking for?
<Tarot opens the door, looks at all of them, eyes settle on Marion, hiding behind Karishad>
Tarot: Everyone inside. <She uses her grabber to close Fidos muzzle before he can talk> Hold all your questions for the end, Detective Friday. This is not really a police matter...

I love the visual of Tarot using her grabber on Fido. I wonder if Fido and Fox will talk to Kevin and Ralph and hear a squirrel matching Marion’s description that talked about transformation, or perhaps read Kevin’s report, as Kevin writes a lot of reports.

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Last edited by trekkie on Mon Jul 29, 2019 5:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Amazee Dayzee
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I just love Marion's face in the last panel of the strip when Karishad asks him what he is talking about because he doesn't know and Marion's expression there is himself wondering what he got himself into and why he is being punished. XD
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by Valareos »

fenrirblack wrote: 4: The Wolf House. This is because of several reasons. King is there so bring him into the plot for kicks and giggles. There is still a possibility that Miles was Marion's teacher so he might know him and with his experience with King believe Marion if he told Miles the truth. Third the Wolf house is actually one of the very few places we know has a basement so if there was going to be an underground tunnel leading somewhere then it would make sense for it to lead to someone's basement. Plus it would be up Kari's alley to lead Marion to a pack of wolves because it's Kari.
Ok I am a bit confused. I don't see in the comic anywhere about Miles being his teacher. Is this a reader supposition, something pieced together from different panels, or am I just that blind?
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by dr_eirik »

Amazee Dayzee wrote:I just love Marion's face in the last panel of the strip when Karishad asks him what he is talking about because he doesn't know and Marion's expression there is himself wondering what he got himself into and why he is being punished. XD
To be fair, Marion has been wondering why he's being punished since he stopped screaming after discovering hair growing in unusual places. For that matter, the REST of us are wondering why he's being punished, too.

You do have to wonder if the thought was crossing his mind that he did tell Jessica that he wanted to crawl into a hole and die...
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I'm pretty sure Jessica is smart enough to know that he didn't mean that literally.
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by fenrirblack »

dr_eirik wrote:
fenrirblack wrote: I was thinking about that last night and came up with a few possibilities based on Kari's history:
1: Tarot's house. This seems like the most obvious option because of their history and the fact that we need Tarot's help. The problem is it would make more sense for Fox to take Marion there, not Kari unless Fox, Fido, and Lois would go there separately and they all meet there not unlike that little scenario.
Obviously I like this one, and it is a pretty likely outcome... which is the only reason I wouldn't expect it. So far, Rick has played with our expectations pretty much at every turn.
Rick has been better this time at following a more obvious pattern of storytelling compared to the past. The "Call of The Wild" arc was pretty unpredictable because of how many loose threads were being thrown at us. Not to mention the number of characters all doing something simultaneously.

dr_eirik wrote:
fenrirblack wrote:4: The Wolf House. This is because of several reasons. King is there so bring him into the plot for kicks and giggles. There is still a possibility that Miles was Marion's teacher so he might know him and with his experience with King believe Marion if he told Miles the truth. Third the Wolf house is actually one of the very few places we know so if there was going to be an underground tunnel leading somewhere then it would make sense for it to lead to someone's basement. Plus it would be up Kari's alley to lead Marion to a pack of wolves because it's Kari.
I admit that I really like this one, if only for that moment when Marion realizes hes surrounded by wolves and at the moment he looks like a midnight snack. I could also see Miles doing a double take before he's told anything, taking a deeper sniff, "Marion Ward? What are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's finals week! And you're a squirrel! Were you always a squirrel or am I getting forgetful?"
Poor Miles doesn't have the experience with magic to fully grasp the situation if it did present itself. I expect he would have the frame of mind to immediately bring King into the situation should it present itself.
dr_eirik wrote:
fenrirblack wrote:5: Somewhere in the middle of the woods. At this point why not? Plus I still believe that there is a chance that Fox and Fido might be able to catch up to them if they leave Jess's house and move quickly.
They would have to have some idea where it's coming out first, and it would take more than a few seconds to get that outta Jess. Though, it's not exactly impossible that the opening is about 10 feet from the front door. This is, again, Kari.
This one is a long shot because of the fact that if this did happen then these last few strips would essentially have been a complete waste of time. I don't think Rick would waste three entire strips for a gag.
dr_eirik wrote:
fenrirblack wrote:6: A different comic. Sure why not? It is Kari we're talking about.
I love this idea, but I'm not sure that Rick has ever pulled a gag like that. I could easily see it though:

Marion: Is that a polar bear and a raccoon playing paintball? Where the heck are we?!
It's a shame that it really isn't Rick's style to have such obvious references and cameos. I was thinking something like Savestate since Rick did or does read that one. Karishad and Marion appearing in Kade and Nicoles basement. Harvey explains to Kade (who's playing a game on the couch) "There is a fox and a squirrel down in the basement and the Fox is messing with my soul jars"
Valareos wrote: Ok I am a bit confused. I don't see in the comic anywhere about Miles being his teacher. Is this a reader supposition, something pieced together from different panels, or am I just that blind?
It's just a fun idea that maybe Miles could have been one of Marion's teachers since we don't know what school Miles got that job at. It would be a fun way to bring Miles and the wolves into Marion's story line by having them have history. Technically there is nothing that confirms or denies the possibility that Miles is/was one of Marion's teachers.
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by NHWestoN »

dr_eirik wrote:
Amazee Dayzee wrote:I just love Marion's face in the last panel of the strip when Karishad asks him what he is talking about because he doesn't know and Marion's expression there is himself wondering what he got himself into and why he is being punished. XD
To be fair, Marion has been wondering why he's being punished since he stopped screaming after discovering hair growing in unusual places. For that matter, the REST of us are wondering why he's being punished, too.

You do have to wonder if the thought was crossing his mind that he did tell Jessica that he wanted to crawl into a hole and die...
Marion's despairing outburst probably triggered Jess's recollection of the basement and, knowing that she'll have to open the door since ferals "have no rights", she could hide him there and Karishad would guard our beleaguered squirrel. The K9s have history with the place before Kari put in the cellar so they might just not notice it.
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by dr_eirik »

Valareos wrote: Ok I am a bit confused. I don't see in the comic anywhere about Miles being his teacher. Is this a reader supposition, something pieced together from different panels, or am I just that blind?
fenrirblack wrote: It's just a fun idea that maybe Miles could have been one of Marion's teachers since we don't know what school Miles got that job at. It would be a fun way to bring Miles and the wolves into Marion's story line by having them have history. Technically there is nothing that confirms or denies the possibility that Miles is/was one of Marion's teachers.
[/quote]

More than that, last we heard Miles was a substitute teacher, so it's easily possible that he's been in a class of Marions without being his actual teacher. I think the only thing thats been confirmed is that the unnamed student that showed up for a single cameo in an earlier arc who asked if Mr. The Wolf was one of the cubs dad was NOT Marion. So it's easily possible that the two have never crossed paths..

And it's true that, AFAWK, Miles has little direct magic experience, but certainly t least one wolf does. Daryl was in the first temple arc as well as the trip to Australia. He has clearly filled Miles in since he didn't bat an eye at King double checking that he knew he was once human. Confronted with a question of both protecting Marion from harm and getting him help, I don't doubt that he'd do exactly what needs to be done.
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by NHWestoN »

It's also intriguing to me that Karishad has a grue or two in his "diggin's". Those creatures are not normal subterranean dwellers. Their menace and presence strengthens the theory that our favorite Fox has reopened a route into the Temple.
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by dr_eirik »

Sorry, this popped into my head a second ago and I can't let it go.

<Karishad opens the door to the end of the tunnel into a brightly lit room. He leaps out>
Karishad: OK people! Listen up! We've got a Defcon 2 emergency! You! Bar the door! No one gets in here alive! You! I need you to get a hold of every magic(k) user in the tri-state area! You! I need a good side dish to go with squirrel stew! Get moving, people!
Random clerk: <Stunned> Sir, this is an Arby's...
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by NHWestoN »

Careful, grue's have that effect on people...
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by Champion Wallace »

Seeing as Karishad mentions light, where is the light coming from? No one's holding any flashlights and there are no torches on the wall, so when Jessica closes the trapdoor will everything be pitch black? I have no doubts Karishad can get where he's going blind (eventually), but there's the grue to worry about and a love of cornhole can only get you so far.
Gbr23 wrote:Nice couple of throwbacks with the robe and the Grue...

The Grue isn’t actually there... right?
It's in the tags so it's there. I think it's somewhere in the fourth panel.
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by John-056 »

dr_eirik wrote:Sorry, this popped into my head a second ago and I can't let it go.

<Karishad opens the door to the end of the tunnel into a brightly lit room. He leaps out>
Karishad: OK people! Listen up! We've got a Defcon 2 emergency! You! Bar the door! No one gets in here alive! You! I need you to get a hold of every magic(k) user in the tri-state area! You! I need a good side dish to go with squirrel stew! Get moving, people!
Random clerk: <Stunned> Sir, this is an Arby's...
[One of the Arby Waiters takes off hat, sets down his Clipboard and puts on a Helmet and an Ornate Shield out of nowhere.]

Waiter?: Sorry Lads, I'll try to be back ASAP! DEUS VAULT!

[[Paladin Class Waiter] Races Out the Door.]
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

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fenrirblack wrote:But I have a question. How is there a grue there when the temple was destroyed. Because, again it's worth repeating, that everything in the temple was magic and therefore existed in a space within the temple. So that would mean either Kari is toying with Marion (again) or the grue escaped like the gargoyles.
the gargoyles routinely escaped, often enough that keene had to set up traps. who's to say they were alone.
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by Argent »

John-056 wrote:[[Paladin Class Waiter]]
Wandering Inn reference?
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by John-056 »

Argent wrote:
John-056 wrote:[[Paladin Class Waiter]]
Wandering Inn reference?
That was an actual Reference?! :shock:
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by NHWestoN »

Well, Marion's not exactly "Wandering Out".... ;)
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by fenrirblack »

Something extremely obvious just occurred to me. Once Fox and Fido explain the situation to Jess, she can just tell them about the trap door and let them chase after Marion and Kari through the tunnel and let them fend off the Grue. If Jess knows where the tunnel leads then she can tell them so they can meet Kari and Marion at the other end which would be the better option especially if Lois is apart of this little escapade. That way they can avoid the Grue.
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Given the fact that Jess just LOCKED down her whole house, you think she will let them explain what is going on? 8-)
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by fenrirblack »

Amazee Dayzee wrote:Given the fact that Jess just LOCKED down her whole house, you think she will let them explain what is going on? 8-)
She is more sensible than you might think given the circumstances. Yes, she locked down her house but that was only to buy time. She can’t keep the entire place under lockdown forever. She knows that the longer she resists the harder it would be for her and the rest of them. Now that Marion is out of the house, there is no need for the Purge Level security.
Last edited by fenrirblack on Wed Jul 31, 2019 8:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

That is ture and once they tell her, I would imagine that she wouldn't believe them but bring them to the tunnels that Marion is currently heading to.
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Re: 2019/07/19 - The Descent

Post by Argent »

John-056 wrote:
Argent wrote:
John-056 wrote:[[Paladin Class Waiter]]
Wandering Inn reference?
That was an actual Reference?! :shock:
Wandering Inn is one of those super long web-serial stories, and everyone has a [Class] and [Skills] that are written like that in text and apparently spoken so everyone can hear the brackets. Someone can tell the difference between "I'm a pinball wizard" and "I'm a [Pinball Wizard]".

People level up and gain new [Skills] in the evening as they fall asleep and actually get level up messages like...

New level! John is now [Paladin of Melitta]
New level! John is now [Level 20 Waiter]
Class merge, John is now [Paladin Class Waiter]
New skill: [Perfect Coffee]
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