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NecroMonster posted:It's even better than that The optimal simulation also had endbringers powered by the thinker, and Zion still powered the capes, except now the level of conflict is optimal because everyone is playing for real. Zion is basically the most credible threat that can be faced by humanity, and everyone is aware of the threat of extinction, including Zion himself. Algid fucked around with this message at 01:55 on Oct 13, 2013 |
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Oct 13, 2013 00:25
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I haven't been following this for 3 years, but after nonetheless reading 1.5m words I'm really worried about whether the end will be able to live up to the rest of the story.
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Oct 13, 2013 01:00
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TOOT BOOT posted:I haven't been following this for 3 years, but after nonetheless reading 1.5m words I'm really worried about whether the end will be able to live up to the rest of the story. I think Wildbow can probably pull it off, especially since he keeps saying that he's worried he'll be able to pull it off and that it's not easy. Apparently, according to the comments, Wildbow always does his best stuff the more challenged he feels. My real worry isn't that he can pull off something large and emotionally impactfull enough to stand up to the rest of the work, it's instead that the sacrifices Taylor has and will make end up feeling like they were worth it in the end. Basically, I'm pretty sure the ending will be fulfilling, I'm just worried that it'll be something I'll hate and not something I'll love.
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Oct 13, 2013 01:28
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Wait, which one in the thinker's projection is supposed to be an alternate version of Jack? I think I spotted an alternate Miss Militia and Armsmaster/Defiant or Chevalier, but Jack?
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Oct 14, 2013 10:38
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Tollymain posted:Wait, which one in the thinker's projection is supposed to be an alternate version of Jack? I think I spotted an alternate Miss Militia and Armsmaster/Defiant or Chevalier, but Jack? The Black Knight, who can't lose as long as he's fighting a parahuman
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Oct 14, 2013 10:57
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veekie posted:The Black Knight, who can't lose as long as he's fighting a parahuman Sounds more like Taylor to me.
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Oct 14, 2013 14:11
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Dietrich posted:Sounds more like Taylor to me. Except she is not likely to be mistaken for a man.
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Oct 14, 2013 14:27
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veekie posted:Except she is not likely to be mistaken for a man. Her father had the same shard, just never triggered.
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Oct 14, 2013 14:29
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Dietrich posted:Her father had the same shard, just never triggered. I know exactly the scene you're referring to, but I didn't think that was supposed to be Taylor.
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Oct 14, 2013 14:31
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Mostly I'm just saying that description doesn't say Jack to me. Number-man, maybe.
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Oct 14, 2013 14:36
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quote:We bait them into a fight, then sic him on them. He’ll be able to win as long as it’s parahumans he’s fighting. Note how it's phrased. The Black Knight is described like an attack dog there. Taylor, however she winds up, will be a Master type due to the Administrator shard, not something you use in a head on attack. Number Man is extremely strong head on but only really powerful when used behind the scenes, he has more uses than direct assault. The only character you could 'sic' on parahumans and always win is Jack.
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Oct 14, 2013 14:52
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Grundulum posted:I know exactly the scene you're referring to, but I didn't think that was supposed to be Taylor.
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Oct 14, 2013 16:02
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veekie posted:Note how it's phrased. The Black Knight is described like an attack dog there. Taylor, however she winds up, will be a Master type due to the Administrator shard, not something you use in a head on attack. Number Man is extremely strong head on but only really powerful when used behind the scenes, he has more uses than direct assault. I don't really understand where you're drawing that from. His powers weren't really a universal trump of any sort. He was just really good at orchestrating capes and making them do what he wanted them to do though manipulations.
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Oct 14, 2013 16:44
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It was the combination of two qualities: -Firstly, his ability to connect with, predict and manipulate any shard bearer. This would basically put him at a high level Thinker's combat qualities, not unlike Number Man. However, unlike Number Man and Contessa, this ability lets him anticipate what they do in a wide range of ways, including subconscious cues that only their shard is normally privy to. Additionally, the battle-Thinkers we've seen have no powered offenses, they work with blades, guns, and if they're lucky, Tinker-made weaponry. This means there normally are no-win scenarios for a battle-Thinker, because they simply don't have the offensive muscle to get through a defensive power. -Secondly, his restricted Broadcast ability, to extend the cutting power and range of a slashing attack. This ability cuts just about anything, as befits what was originally transdimensional transmission ability. On it's own, it's just another blaster option, but in combination with his secondary ability, it makes for a neat combination that would make him capable of defeating any normal parahuman. Just about the only things he might be weak to are certain kinds of Strangers that can counter his communication ability(e.g. Mantellum), an Endbringer class Brute(Hookwolf and Noelle wouldn't be sufficient, as he could cut their cores, but an Endbringer's core may negate the power) or a Blaster of such magnitude that they could destroy the entire zone he's in, rapidly enough that he cannot escape the area in the time between the Blaster having the intent to do so and finishing the deed(as far as I can tell, this would be some of the Indian capes or Zion himself).
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Oct 14, 2013 17:07
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Algid posted:Yeah, that was Imp. There's a quote in the Zion POV interlude, where he says he's sending the last shard (that he mostly destroys; and later mentions as Taylor's shard) to a "thin" man (Danny) surrounded by "strong males and females" (the dockworkers) close to the future seeing shard (Dinah's). The Black Knight is probably Jack Slash. It's mentioned Jack seems to know what parahumans are going to do and Golem explicitly gets the upper hand on him by sending a normal person after him. If it was Number Man, there'd be no reason to say he always wins against parahumans. Number Man can wipe the floor with almost anyone. Outside of the story, Wildbow specifically denied he was Chevalier after one person suggested it; most of the rest of the commenters agree that it's Jack and Wildbow hasn't corrected them. There's no point in keeping people guessing, since I doubt we're ever going to revisit that alternate future.
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Oct 14, 2013 18:04
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The only other real option is Hatchet Face, and not even he had anywhere near the track record Jack had against Parahumans. Also, Taylor would probably have never triggered in that timeline, no wards program means no pardon for Shadow Stalker means no bullying.
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Oct 14, 2013 18:38
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Happy Yeti posted:There's a quote in the Zion POV interlude, where he says he's sending the last shard (that he mostly destroys; and later mentions as Taylor's shard) to a "thin" man (Danny) surrounded by "strong males and females" (the dockworkers) close to the future seeing shard (Dinah's). Taylor didn't get her powers in such a condition, it was talking about Imp and how she wanted to escape from notice. edit: I think I see what you're talking about, though it's only in Imp's case that the shard was shown to have explicitly moved from the parent to the child. Algid fucked around with this message at 19:32 on Oct 14, 2013 |
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Oct 14, 2013 19:28
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I thought the "male guards his offspring" bit was for the first shard Zion gifted, and he was surprised that in humans it was the young who were better able to utilize the shards, rather than a mature human. After the girl triggered and took the shard, all future shards were distributed to the young.
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Oct 14, 2013 22:03
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hollylolly posted:I thought the "male guards his offspring" bit was for the first shard Zion gifted, and he was surprised that in humans it was the young who were better able to utilize the shards, rather than a mature human. After the girl triggered and took the shard, all future shards were distributed to the young. It was the first shard he gifted. The shard sort of wasn't "happy" with the man, so Zion tried it again giving it to the daughter, when that worked he coded the shards such that they have some choice in their final "human". This shard is also the shard that blocks the memory of the visions people receive during their trigger event, AND is also Imp's shard. It's not so much that shards are distributed to the young as it is the shards themselves preferring the young. For instance, Taylor's shard, the last shard Zion gifted, was given to Danny, but chose Taylor instead.
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Oct 15, 2013 02:28
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new chapter
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Oct 15, 2013 05:21
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I'd post a response consisting of simply the word "gently caress" but I think that might be too small. gently caress!
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Oct 15, 2013 05:24
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Indeed.
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Oct 15, 2013 05:32
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Well that was a thing that happened.
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Oct 15, 2013 05:38
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So. I read a comment on the site that has me terrified of certain implications. Does anyone else remember the relay bugs?
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Oct 15, 2013 05:42
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SerSpook posted:So. I read a comment on the site that has me terrified of certain implications. If those still work. Well... That would explain what Teacher is scared of.
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Oct 15, 2013 05:46
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Why is everybody freaki... Oh. Oh. gently caress. NecroMonster posted:Worm; Oh jesus what did you do Taylor. Lord_Pigeonbane fucked around with this message at 06:15 on Oct 15, 2013 |
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Oct 15, 2013 06:12
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I was expecting worse honestly, though the side effects are troubling. Only being able to control your own body through your power. Something like this was kinda inevitable and even hinted at. Her own power is just not in the league needed to do anything meaningful to stop Zion. She needed her power to increase in some way other than the impossible third trigger.
TOOT BOOT fucked around with this message at 06:55 on Oct 15, 2013 |
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Oct 15, 2013 06:31
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Administrator. Administrate. Thread title fits perfectly here.
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Oct 15, 2013 09:05
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pretty much sums that up nicely. One of the commenters on the site brought up the hidden gun that the Simurgh created. That could be interesting. Kapow, right to the avatar.
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Oct 15, 2013 09:35
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Fellwenner posted:
Theory is that the glass tube isn't a gun at all, it's a bottle for Taylor(should we call her Web now?)
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Oct 15, 2013 09:44
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Hnrrrrrggggggg
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Oct 15, 2013 13:06
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Virigoth posted:Hnrrrrrggggggg New thread title. What if, in addition to these new abilities, Taylor also gained the ability to unlock or repair other shards? Wasn't that something Scion was doing with her shard before he arrived at the Earths?
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Oct 15, 2013 14:01
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Worm: Doing all the wrong hrrrrnnnnggg for all the right hrrrrnnnng (and other web serials)
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Oct 15, 2013 14:51
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WMGs for the latest chapter: 1. Kid Win was half right, and the bucket plan is still on. Simurgh's little person jar is full of air, air that Taylor's going to need if they head to the dead world (aka no oxygen) where Scion's main body is. Can she get in range to administrate and destroy parts of Scion's own body? Destroy enough of Scion's 'critical' functions that he needs to live in time (i.e. before Scion rushes back to kill her)? When she triggered, she was alone in the locker with used, rotten tampons and pads full of blood. If, at the end, she is alone in a glass chamber in a blocked off world with the bloody ruins of Scion's main body around her... In a way, full circle back to the beginning. 2. Of course to get there, she needs to: a) find where that main body is (perhaps Glaistig knows) and b) a way there without using Doormaker. Cue: mysteriously missing Faultline crew with Scrub and Labyrinth. 3. Dinah's probability numbers kept changing while around Taylor because if she'd stayed, she would have been tempted to warn Taylor off from this plan because it'd cost Taylor greatly ... but it's probably the highest probability plan and both she and Simurgh know it. Of course, now that it's already done and happened, she and by corollary, Faultline's crew, can show up again. 4. "I'm sorry." Best probability that humanity survives ... but another sucky sacrifice for Taylor. Cutting ties once again, except this time, to everyone. For Tattletale, if she thinks of it, Simurgh's pose to remind her of the hanged brother? I'm really, really sad if it's true, but in particular, a reference to Taylor's future attempt to heroic sacrifice - a suicidal, one way trip to take the fight to Scion's main body - and perhaps a suicide that Tattletale cannot prevent as she could not her brother's. Goodbye, Undersiders. 5. Not really all that probable, but I'd love to see Lisa storm into the latter half of this plan. Stop the end of the world? Fine. Another suicide by one she loves? All her nopes. She couldn't save her brother, but with her powers, she can now intuit a way to save Taylor. After all, in Taylor's trigger event, someone did eventually come and release her from the cage. Then, the three or four (if Imp comes along) Undersiders head off to get a well-earned vacation.
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Oct 15, 2013 14:58
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This wasn't recent, but why was Taylor able to shoot Jack when they were at the school?
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Oct 15, 2013 15:31
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Taylor's problems right now are probably related to her shards lack of knowledge about controlling humans. When people trigger one of the things the shard does is a "scan" for pertinent knowledge, Taylor's shard didn't get a chance to scan for "how do I human" and thus is piss bad at it. The good news is; Shards learn. With enough time, effort, and experimentation Taylor may be able to put herself back together for lack of a better term, on the other hand the chances of Taylor ever being able to avoid taking control of any living thing within sixteen feet aren't great. The bad news is; the Human race doesn't have the loving time for Taylor's shard to figure this poo poo out properly. Defeating Zion has to happen really soon or humanity just won't be able to bounce back from the damage he's done. And in very vague "news"; We know thanks to something Dinah said a long time ago that, win or lose for humanity, Taylor lives, but ends up "changed". Personally I'm hoping that the reason for the Simurgh's reminding Lisa of her brothers suicide is probably for Taylor's benefit. Not to facilitate Taylor's final suicide, but to prevent it, because as messed up as Taylor seems right now, a lot of it can probably be overcome with time. And oh yeah It occurs to me that if anyone could help figure out how to put Taylor back together again, it'd be Contessa.
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Oct 15, 2013 20:06
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Lord_Pigeonbane posted:This wasn't recent, but why was Taylor able to shoot Jack when they were at the school? Because her shard gives a similar combat advantage, as said by Golem when he compared Jack's thinker ability to Taylor's.
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Oct 15, 2013 20:39
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SerSpook posted:Because her shard gives a similar combat advantage, as said by Golem when he compared Jack's thinker ability to Taylor's. Well it might not actually, but Jacks did give him such an advantage, and experience fighting with and against Taylor helped him come up with an idea that would possibly (and did in fact) work. If Taylor's shard was giving her such an advantage, the question is how? Jack's was communicating with other shards in a very subtle manner, would Taylor's have been exercising very subtle control over nearby shards?
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Oct 15, 2013 20:46
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You'd think it would have taken a little more convincing for Amy to mess with brains again.
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Oct 15, 2013 20:50
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Simurgh is singing and Zion is destroying the town around them. That's a lot of persuasion.NecroMonster posted:Well it might not actually, but Jacks did give him such an advantage, and experience fighting with and against Taylor helped him come up with an idea that would possibly (and did in fact) work. Seems likely to be largely the same, a subtle awareness of other shards in the vicinity and possibly, some slight influence over the subconscious aspects of their manifestations.
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Oct 15, 2013 20:53
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