Book 2 – Page 77

[onlyme]

No idea what Lloyd's deal is though, unless he's doubling some healomancy, or doubling their attack shots and just can't keep up, or is running out of juice.

Remember: the unipegataurs are doubled.
(Best spelled out back in "Book 2 - Text 48"). I guess doubling such big units needs some constant juice to keep them in existance.

[onlyme]

Also, we saw his buddies calling dibs on his dices after he was plotted away.

All that could also be part of a dream. Dreams can contain fake real life.

I do not think Parson saw that part, only we as audience know. So we know he is really in a different world, but he does not know and is always asking himself if he is in some dream. So the question is: Will he do something stupid some day because he got sure he dreams and think that is needed to wake up?

[MarbitChow]

So the question is: Will he do something stupid some day because he got sure he dreams and think that is needed to wake up?

It's a good question, but honestly I doubt he will. He already thought about the possibility of the world being a dream in Book 1, and ultimately ended up with a very real fear of death. Only the act of walking through the MK portal fell into the category of 'risking his life', and that was because he was out of options. No matter what the world really is, Parson is treating it as if it is completely real.

[Kreistor]

It's a good question, but honestly I doubt he will. He already thought about the possibility of the world being a dream in Book 1, and ultimately ended up with a very real fear of death.

I'm not sure that analyzing it as any more than a normal fear of death is appropriate. He is in a more lethal environment now, so an increase in awareness of death should not be interpreted as an excessive fear of death.

Only the act of walking through the MK portal fell into the category of 'risking his life', and that was because he was out of options. No matter what the world really is, Parson is treating it as if it is completely real.

Going to strongly disagree here. Stepping out to assist in the Courtyard fight put himself at risk. Trying to run through the MK is potentially lethal. Talking to the Carnymancer was potentially lethal. Preparing to fight through the Thinkamancers to Jetstone is potentially lethal. Fighting in Jetstone is potentially lethal. Parson has easily overcome any earlier perceived notions that he is afraid of risking his life.

[MarbitChow]

Going to strongly disagree here. Stepping out to assist in the Courtyard fight put himself at risk. Trying to run through the MK is potentially lethal. Talking to the Carnymancer was potentially lethal. Preparing to fight through the Thinkamancers to Jetstone is potentially lethal. Fighting in Jetstone is potentially lethal. Parson has easily overcome any earlier perceived notions that he is afraid of risking his life.

Then allow my to clarify my stance: stepping through the portal was the only instance where Parson might be thinking 'well, if this IS a dream, I hope this wakes me up'. He's facing risk at multiple opportunities, but that's the only instance where he would have inflicted death upon himself voluntarily based on known Erfworld logic, rather than simply entering a risky, potentially lethal situation in order to accomplish a goal. I'm assuming that those are the type that fall into the 'stupid actions because I'm dreaming' category; others are just calculated risks.

[Kreistor]

Maybe. But you also have to consider that Balder is on record stating that he wasn't sure if Book 2 was going to happen, due to the relatively low popularity of Erfworld. The Portal had two possible conclusions:
1) Stay in Erfworld and do Book 2
2) Leave Erfworld for the real world and end the story.

That let Rob leave the decision until the end of Book 1, and obviously he chose "1". Personally, I do not read much into Parson's character from that event, because it was a plot driven necessity that gave the author freedom to end or conclude the story. As such, it shouldn't be overused as evidence of someone's character.

[querzis]

He didnt get hit, it was just his cloak. Hence the «uncloaked» sound effect. Man I love the sound effects in this comic.

I read it as him getting hit and the cloak blocking the blast affect. I think it makes more sense that the cloak performed its function and consumed its single charge, than that it was arbitrarily destroyed by the attack.

...Its a cloak, not an armor. Its function is to look cool.

[MarbitChow]

...Its a cloak, not an armor. Its function is to look cool.

Cubbins enchanted it before he went into battle : "And the cape will negate one blast."

[boegiboe]

Maybe. But you also have to consider that Balder is on record stating that he wasn't sure if Book 2 was going to happen, due to the relatively low popularity of Erfworld. The Portal had two possible conclusions:
1) Stay in Erfworld and do Book 2
2) Leave Erfworld for the real world and end the story.

That let Rob leave the decision until the end of Book 1, and obviously he chose "1". Personally, I do not read much into Parson's character from that event, because it was a plot driven necessity that gave the author freedom to end or conclude the story. As such, it shouldn't be overused as evidence of someone's character.

Though all may be as you say in real life, we're reading a story. Let the story stand.

Be it Balzac or Gidget or General Hospital: It won't matter down the ages why the author's choices were made. The end product will be. If it fails to stand as a good plot in and of itself, well that's the way it goes. But it never helps to analyze the reasons for a serial's directions....

Well, I just realized I was making the mistake I thought Kreistor was making. Assuming the stories I knew came down to me "untarnish'd" by public commentary. They may well not have. Maybe General Hospital regularly drew inspiration from its fans. Maybe Balzac, the inventor of the soap opera himself, constantly sought input on where his story should go. Maybe Rob benefits from these discussions, occasionally.

Still, it seems to me wrong to make logical arguments based on facts about the writing of the story itself. It risks, I dunno, perversion, in its most literal sense.
Why should we consider the story in any other light than how it's presented to us?

[kriss1989]

Maybe. But you also have to consider that Balder is on record stating that he wasn't sure if Book 2 was going to happen, due to the relatively low popularity of Erfworld. The Portal had two possible conclusions:
1) Stay in Erfworld and do Book 2
2) Leave Erfworld for the real world and end the story.

That let Rob leave the decision until the end of Book 1, and obviously he chose "1". Personally, I do not read much into Parson's character from that event, because it was a plot driven necessity that gave the author freedom to end or conclude the story. As such, it shouldn't be overused as evidence of someone's character.

Though all may be as you say in real life, we're reading a story. Let the story stand.

Be it Balzac or Gidget or General Hospital: It won't matter down the ages why the author's choices were made. The end product will be. If it fails to stand as a good plot in and of itself, well that's the way it goes. But it never helps to analyze the reasons for a serial's directions....

Well, I just realized I was making the mistake I thought Kreistor was making. Assuming the stories I knew came down to me "untarnish'd" by public commentary. They may well not have. Maybe General Hospital regularly drew inspiration from its fans. Maybe Balzac, the inventor of the soap opera himself, constantly sought input on where his story should go. Maybe Rob benefits from these discussions, occasionally.

Still, it seems to me wrong to make logical arguments based on facts about the writing of the story itself. It risks, I dunno, perversion, in its most literal sense.
Why should we consider the story in any other light than how it's presented to us?

There are two trains of thought one can have when evaluating a work of fiction's narrative choices. One is to view it as a work of fiction and to judge it as a persons creative endeavors. The other is to take the world of the work itself at face value and judge it as a true standing tale, a recounting and not a fabrication. Both are valid in their own way, and both have an impact on ones enjoyment of the work in question. Which one people chose first tends to be the same every time.

[Kreistor]

Though all may be as you say in real life, we're reading a story. Let the story stand.

Not when the author is on record about such decisions.

And, yes, many shows on TV consider fan input. The Battlestar Gallactica reprise chose the last cyclon based on fan sites and blogs... choosing the one person they couldn't find anyone having predicted... partially because everyone was glad she was dead.

[benthehater]

I dug Ossomer's disco pose in Panel Three. I wonder if Tremmenis has disco'd too. I recall that Ansom has during the DDR sequence in book 1.