|
Paladin is gonna give her a research project based on punching things.
|
#
?
Nov 26, 2014 00:49
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 4, 2024 19:39 |
|
|
Advising an independent project isn't quite the same as teaching, either. I think Paladin would be good at helping Alison figure out how to use her powers to make an actual difference in the world.
|
|
#
?
Nov 26, 2014 01:28
|
|
|
Wittgen posted:Advising an independent project isn't quite the same as teaching, either. I think Paladin would be good at helping Alison figure out how to use her powers to make an actual difference in the world. "Hey, I got this big crankshaft that needs turning for my new battery charger..."
|
|
#
?
Nov 26, 2014 23:53
|
|
|
Yeah we kinda figured that much, Paladin. Hey Allison has some pull with the Templar board if you do her a solid on this whole college thing wink wink.
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2014 10:47
|
|
|
So it sounds like Moonshadow now has a motivation to target Paladin, assuming she knows about that.
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2014 15:51
|
|
|
That depends on whether or not Moonshadow will switch M.Os from Rapists to people who assisted super villains.
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2014 16:30
|
|
|
Captain Bravo posted:I'm actually wondering if Paladin has a dark past. All her work is based around robotics, and so far the only robots we've seen in the story are the killbots used by Templar. I can't tell whether the fact that the artist poked fun at people who didn't get this means I should be less smug, or incredibly more so. 
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2014 08:55
|
|
|
Captain Bravo posted:I can't tell whether the fact that the artist poked fun at people who didn't get this means I should be less smug, or incredibly more so. Dude, Templar. Just like the comic says. Historically a paladin = a knight templar (or one of the knights of the round table, but still) Error 404 fucked around with this message at 18:36 on Nov 29, 2014 |
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2014 18:32
|
|
|
Right, what I'm saying is that I'm the only person in the thread who suggested a connection between Paladin and Templar. My confusion is whether it was so immediately obvious that nobody else bothered to point it out, or whether out of everyone in this thread I'm the only one who wasn't enthralled by the "Paladin must be a terrible boss" conversation long enough to put together the dots.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2014 21:33
|
|
|
The person whose super power seems to be mostly about making robots made the only robots we've seen? Yeah, it really was that obvious.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2014 21:36
|
|
|
Well, poo poo. 
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2014 21:43
|
|
|
I didn't make the connection, but I can't even remember the last time Templar was a plot point since Patrick had that meeting with the Chinese supers at the dock. Pretty sure people have been namedropping it occasionally though so eh.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2014 22:44
|
|
|
Captain Bravo posted:it was so immediately obvious that nobody else bothered to point it out This.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2014 23:00
|
|
|
I didn't make the connection from the name, but from her being the only character shown making robotsWittgen posted:I think the robots might be former Templar robots that have been re-purposed. They're friendly and harmless, but occasionally the old programming shines through. Jackard posted:Did it ever say where he got the robots from? Another biodynamic on his team maybe? 
Jackard fucked around with this message at 10:03 on Nov 30, 2014 |
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2014 09:57
|
|
|
In this update we learn that Menace has employed the most terrifying foe to keep Paladin in his grasp for all these years lawyers.
|
|
#
?
Dec 2, 2014 22:34
|
|
|
man it's just like being trapped in a conversation with a person you admire who keep talking poo poo about one of your friends, and you don't know how to defend them without revealing that you are friends. awkward
|
|
#
?
Dec 3, 2014 01:12
|
|
|
Paladin's statements are completely accurate, though?
|
|
#
?
Dec 3, 2014 01:35
|
|
|
Brought To You By posted:In this update we learn that Menace has employed the most terrifying foe to keep Paladin in his grasp for all these years lawyers. I hope Moonshadow puts killing those lawyers at a higher priority than murdering Paladin.
|
|
#
?
Dec 3, 2014 03:24
|
|
|
Serious Frolicking posted:Paladin's statements are completely accurate, though? Are they? I need to archive binge to be sure but I don't know if Menace personally killed anyone.
|
|
#
?
Dec 3, 2014 05:14
|
|
|
thatbastardken posted:Are they? I need to archive binge to be sure but I don't know if Menace personally killed anyone. He was a Supervillain. While he may not have murdered anyone, I doubt he stopped his evil deeds at taking candy from babies.
|
|
#
?
Dec 3, 2014 14:28
|
|
|
nimby posted:He was a Supervillain. While he may not have murdered anyone, I doubt he stopped his evil deeds at taking candy from babies. He always seemed to work through intermediaries, from what we've seen. Possibly precisely due to the issue Paladin is describing.
|
|
#
?
Dec 3, 2014 14:52
|
|
|
Captain Oblivious posted:He always seemed to work through intermediaries, from what we've seen. Possibly precisely due to the issue Paladin is describing. I can imagine that whatever thoughts go through someone's head while they are dying are disturbing enough to the guy who can't turn off his telepathy. I wouldn't say that he hasn't been near people who have died, he seemed pretty collected at the hospital after Allison punched a guy through a wall, but he built his original organization so that he wouldn't have to be on the front-line. Maybe there is something more to that than maintaining secrecy for his identity.
|
|
#
?
Dec 3, 2014 15:10
|
|
|
thatbastardken posted:man it's just like being trapped in a conversation with a person you admire who keep talking poo poo about one of your friends, and you don't know how to defend them without revealing that you are friends. awkward The only one who believes Menace has really reformed is the dumb and naive protagonist, and that's because she was convinced by a smooth-talker who could read her mind to find in it what would convince her.
|
|
#
?
Dec 3, 2014 15:24
|
|
|
Cat Mattress posted:The only one who believes Menace has really reformed is the dumb and naive protagonist, and that's because she was convinced by a smooth-talker who could read her mind to find in it what would convince her. She is also the only one who has seen Menace since he stopped being a supervillain.
|
|
#
?
Dec 3, 2014 20:01
|
|
|
Cat Mattress posted:The only one who believes Menace has really reformed is the dumb and naive protagonist, and that's because she was convinced by a smooth-talker who could read her mind to find in it what would convince her. Menace lying about his reform would really go against the themes of the story though.
|
|
#
?
Dec 3, 2014 22:58
|
|
|
Dr Pepper posted:Menace lying about his reform would really go against the themes of the story though. Turns out Feral's organ donations were all an elaborate tax evasion scheme.
|
|
#
?
Dec 3, 2014 23:12
|
|
|
At this point it isn't clear whether Menace has reformed or not, or even what reform means for him. What we do know is that he stopped attacking major cities with giant robots. The story has already told us that he's deceiving Alison about his dealings with the Chinese, but we don't know why he's doing that. He hasn't been in touch with his old group (probably - having his ex-henchmen attack Alison doesn't seem like it'd be part of his current plans). Whatever purpose it was that was driving him when he was a villain probably still is, he's just expressing it in different ways, possibly less destructive ones.
|
|
#
?
Dec 4, 2014 00:26
|
|
|
I've always thought that he just changed targets once he realized that something bigger than him was out there. He still is acting like a villain in the shadows, just with a much smaller body count (as far as we know).
|
|
#
?
Dec 4, 2014 01:45
|
|
|
He expressly told her how he would get people to do what he wanted by telling them what they wanted to hear and playing to their doubts, fears, and impulses; and he got her to let him go free by telling her something that played to her doubts, fears, and impulses. Dude is the loving villain, and Allison is steadily going Anakin Skywalker here, they are both planning to disrupt society (which is classically what the villain does) the question is what is the end state and if the ends justify the means. This is perfectly keeping not only with the established theme of the comic, but the direction of the chapter - issues of supes using their powers for the state interests, and now they are in trouble because their end goal and methods were fine against the other, but not against the state (Moonshadow effectively nullifying the act of the state by murdering those kids, then murdering actors of the state - the judge and the mercenaries)
|
|
#
?
Dec 4, 2014 18:11
|
|
|
Fried Chicken posted:He expressly told her how he would get people to do what he wanted by telling them what they wanted to hear and playing to their doubts, fears, and impulses; and he got her to let him go free by telling her something that played to her doubts, fears, and impulses. This is a good post.
|
|
#
?
Dec 4, 2014 18:49
|
|
|
I don't think it's that simple, though. He's clearly doing shady things, but I think that he's been truthful with her about his goals. I just don't think he trusts her to allow him to work through the channels he feels will accomplish those goals.
|
|
#
?
Dec 4, 2014 19:20
|
|
|
Fried Chicken posted:
Pretty much agree with everything except this bit, because out of Menace and the US government/Capitalism I'm pretty sure I know who the villain is.
|
|
#
?
Dec 4, 2014 21:26
|
|
|
Dr Pepper posted:Menace lying about his reform would really go against the themes of the story though. Not necessarily. The story, at least so far, is about the ethics of cultural transformation, socially and personally, and the trauma involved therein. Whether or not Menace has "reformed" is only one source of tension; the detachment and interrelation between various forms of "good" ("Are you a good person?" "I don't really identify as a person") is really the question that's being chewed on here. For now, at the very least, the ambiguity of his "reform" is thematically potent in itself. It's easy to read this just as a social justice vehicle or whatever, but you can't ignore the superhero aesthetic. The interplay between that exaggerated, iconic imagery with the smaller-scale stuff is important. This: Fried Chicken posted:they are both planning to disrupt society (which is classically what the villain does) the question is what is the end state and if the ends justify the means is at least partially on point, and the unresolved discussion of comic. Axeface fucked around with this message at 21:50 on Dec 4, 2014 |
|
#
?
Dec 4, 2014 21:48
|
|
|
thatbastardken posted:Pretty much agree with everything except this bit, because out of Menace and the US government/Capitalism I'm pretty sure I know who the villain is.
|
|
#
?
Dec 5, 2014 02:37
|
|
|
Well yeah, figured it went without saying.
|
|
#
?
Dec 5, 2014 04:31
|
|
|
Fried Chicken posted:He expressly told her how he would get people to do what he wanted by telling them what they wanted to hear and playing to their doubts, fears, and impulses; and he got her to let him go free by telling her something that played to her doubts, fears, and impulses. You're ignoring the possibility that he told Paladin the exact thing that would cause her to leave his organization, by preying on her doubts, fears, and impulses.
|
|
#
?
Dec 5, 2014 05:26
|
|
|
Everything that happened, happens or is going to happen has gone, is going or will go exactly as Menace had planned all those years ago before he started his supervillainy.
|
|
#
?
Dec 5, 2014 07:18
|
|
|
Captain Bravo posted:You're ignoring the possibility that he told Paladin the exact thing that would cause her to leave his organization, by preying on her doubts, fears, and impulses.
|
|
#
?
Dec 5, 2014 11:14
|
|
|
Heck of an awakening for a new AI. "Welcome to the world, here's a sock to the jaw to see if you can be provoked to violence!"
|
|
#
?
Dec 5, 2014 11:52
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 4, 2024 19:39 |
|
|
That's not what Paladin's asking for, it's "if it IS violent please beat it up."
|
|
#
?
Dec 5, 2014 12:57
|
|