2017-05-15 [DMFA #1753] - Opening move

[Tapewolf]

While that gets them out of the way of Hizell, I'm not sure falling 30ft is exactly going to be good for Wildy or Jyrras.  I've done that with jump spells in Morrowind, so I should know...

I also wonder what Abel is going to do next, given that he's basically fighting against someone who has killed many people immeasurably more powerful that himself.  Even fleeing will only prolong it.

[Kibin]

While that gets them out of the way of Hizell, I'm not sure falling 30ft is exactly going to be good for Wildy or Jyrras.  I've done that with jump spells in Morrowind, so I should know...

I also wonder what Abel is going to do next, given that he's basically fighting against someone who has killed many people immeasurably more powerful that himself.  Even fleeing will only prolong it.

I'm guessing Abel's plan there is 'Mab will hear the screams and will use fae omnipotence to save them'. And they were otherwise tossed towards the inn.

I'm also guessing that Abel's plan is 'welp I lived a good life'. Or 'The screams of Jyrras will get Mab over here who will save me'? Although on the other hand it could just be that Abel is dead now and he just accepted it.

[MT Hazard]

In D&D terms Wildy and Jyrras would have the size category 'small', don't know if that effects falling damage. The fact that they are significantly lighter that others may help. Also factor in Wildy's magic.

Or he could have just thrown them at something soft.

[Tempestfury]

Abel's plan is to make sure only he dies. No more, no less.

He's accepted his death. Though I suspect he'll go down swinging.

[ZacAttac21]

Now that I think of it, Quoar may even step in here, considering he seems to have some interest in Abel.

[Somebodyelse]

Is it just me or does Hizell look...

sad/apprehensive/not-really-feeling-the-whole-murder-and-genocide-thing?

[Kuzma Volkov]

Is it just me or does Hizell look...

sad/apprehensive/not-really-feeling-the-whole-murder-and-genocide-thing?

I have this feeling it's destina morphed into a dragon..

[Tony]

I am bracing myself for imminent sads.

[Tilendor]

I'm really impressed by how Abel has regained his composure.

Abel's terror in the last panel of the previous comic is well portrayed and severe.
To see Abel process the threat and have the clarity to act decisively is quite the contrast from Abel's first encounter with violence when Devin was killed.

I've heard of moments like this referred to as visits from the "Angel of Death" that can bring a sharp focus to one's priorities and values.  That gives Abel's compliment to Jyrras even more weight.

I'm worried for Abel here.  Jy and Wildy won't want to abandon him, others may be keeping tabs on them as well, and there is Pip's very puzzling act of leaving a flower on May's grave.  I'm aware of no indication that Pip had any connection to May at all.

That would mean either:

• Pip somehow knew May, and wants to pay his respects.
• Pip knows that Abel visits, and cares about Abel and the gesture is for him.
• Pip knows that Abel visits and that something is going down, and the flower is going to play into the plot via some unrevealed mechanism (Teleport anchor, magic shield, who knows...)

Pip has not shown affection or caring for pretty much anyone, except his companionship with Mab. 
There was that weird dream Abel had of Pip, which Pip expressed no knowledge of (http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Vol_1099.php) that is pretty hard to interpret whether he is lying to Mab, the dream(which Abel shouldn't have had) was Abel reliving some trauma, or some other player planting it.

Amber dedicated a whole comic to Pip leaving the flower, and I don't think he was operating out of a personal caring for Abel.  My thought is the third possibility, that its going to be significant in this confrontation. Abel is important to both Dan and Jyrras, who are especially close to Mab.

Much of DFMA has been light hearted and happy-go-lucky.  I've been reading it dedicatedly for years.  I think the comic is maturing.  The story and the characters are growing and becoming deeper.  Abel's story shows a capacity to deal with darker themes intelligently and competently as a story teller.  Many plot and story elements have happened recently that speak to a story-world that is tied into the larger world, and speak to things with permanent consequences. Amber has been doing some excellent world building and revealing many threads that are happening beyond the main characters that are weaving in and around them, and are going to suddenly yank them into some gripping and engrossing events.

Just look at so many carefully laid elements: Mab's portents of loss, Destania's & Biggs plotting, the tenuous position the Cubi have found themselves against the Dragons and the alliance with the Insectis, the revelation of Fa'lina's terminal fate.  Amber has very carefully set the stage here.  Having spent nearly 2 decades in this world, it has really grown and fleshed out and become a remarkable mythology of its own.  I'm on the edge of my seat to see what happens next as the tension that has been building breaks loose from the dams holding it back and sweeps us along with it.  I'm expecting some bruises and pain, and hope all the characters I've come to know and love make it through.  I also acknowledge that aging brings larger awareness of loss and grief and is another part of maturing.

Either way you've got my full engagement Amber and I support you to take your time with these panels.  This is a story worth telling well, and not sacrificing to meet what is an arbitrary(but useful) schedule.
 

[Shadowdancer]

Not sure Pip placed the flower. It may have been Abel who had already placed it before the cut-to happened.
Pip did not look like he was in the mood to leave flowers: http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Vol_1737.php

From what I have gleaned of Abew, he probably did not think much beyond getting his friends out of the line of fire. I am guessing he will now try to throw smoke and run.
I am, however, suspicious that that isn't just Pip using a cheap enchantment, one of Jycorp's morphing rings, or he could even be cheating.

Jy will be fine. He grew up with Dan remember? I don't know where, but there was an episode that involved jumping off a cliff or something.

[Tilendor]

Not sure Pip placed the flower. It may have been Abel who had already placed it before the cut-to happened.

Ah, looks like I made an assumption there.  You are right that Pip was never shown holding or placing a flower, and was pensive/angry looking.

That poses very hard to answer questions.  Guess I just have to buckle in and watch.

[Jyoumon]

Jyras....Get the mech 

[justacritic]

Then next we go rounds of "your Abel is in another hoard. "

[Arcblade]

Popping back in only to say... Short of something very unexpected: farewell, Abel.  I liked you pretty well.

[Kazzellin]

Personally, I'm hoping they get flung towards the theater just as the movie is getting out, are caught by Deebs, and then Jy lets MACY have at the dragon. Maybe Deebs can try smothering him, since she's made of gum.

Hey, a girl can dream, right? 

[FFKonoko]

"Feather Fall!"

I do wonder how Hizell will react to this. He specifically commented on how he had given Siar the chance to act first before, which involved calling the clan to join the fight, ending with all (but Aniz) being wiped out together. Which is the absolute antithesis of Abels actions, instead throwing them AWAY from the fight, sacrificing himself.

[katasev]

Eh, they're small, they'll bounce! Plus even if they do break a limb or two in the fall it's gotta be better than dragon stompage. That's a guaranteed kill, rather than only a maybe. Even when the only chance to save yourself is a fragile tuft of grass on a cliffside, you grab it.

I do find it interesting that Hizell is allowing Abel the first move as he did with Siar, apparently. If Siar hadn't gone after him, would he have let her go? He's obviously not on a COMPLETE genocide run still, since there are Cubi out and about in the world at large, so I wonder what this will involve...

(Also holy cow Abel's face in panel 4 just squeezes my heart. Ow.)

[Tapewolf]

I do wonder how Hizell will react to this. He specifically commented on how he had given Siar the chance to act first before, which involved calling the clan to join the fight, ending with all (but Aniz) being wiped out together. Which is the absolute antithesis of Abels actions, instead throwing them AWAY from the fight, sacrificing himself.

Depends exactly what his motives are.  If it's personal, he might want to kill Jyrras and Wildy anyway, just to upset Abel before he dies too (being the clan of misery, after all).  And there are some good practical reasons, as well.  Wildy is a member of an adventuring guild who might be about to witness a Creature commit an unprovoked murder.  What good a bounty on Hizell would do I couldn't say, but it wouldn't necessarily lead to good PR (for him).  Jyrras is someone the Creature Council views as a potential threat, so stomping him would be really useful too.

I do find it interesting that Hizell is allowing Abel the first move as he did with Siar, apparently. If Siar hadn't gone after him, would he have let her go?

AFAIK the reason for attacking Siar was to try and draw Aniz and Destania out of the Academy so he could end Cyra's line.  So I doubt it...

[Tempestfury]

there is Pip's very puzzling act of leaving a flower on May's grave.  I'm aware of no indication that Pip had any connection to May at all.

... I hadn't noticed that. I had not noticed that Pip was visting May's grave. It never clicked until now.

Still, it's odd. He looked angry and upset on that page, but the very next page 1738 he looks sad and mourning, even a little wistful perhaps...

It shows more than anything else that Pip is more than likely going to be playing a role here. After all, why would we see him visting the grave of Abel's mother, and for Abel to be ambushed there minutes later, if Pip isn't going to play a roll right now?

[Tapewolf]

It shows more than anything else that Pip is more than likely going to be playing a role here. After all, why would we see him visting the grave of Abel's mother, and for Abel to be ambushed there minutes later, if Pip isn't going to play a roll right now?

Hopefully.  But we don't really know what makes him tick.  He tried to exascerbate the situation when the BoB went after Abel before, so it's possible that he just wants to watch Abel get killed, or cheer Hizell on.  He appears to have serious precognitive powers, after all.

[Grey Wolf]

As unrealistic as it undoubtedly was (especially considering her current inebriation), I was really hoping for Wildy to play healer/defense for Abel

[Prroul]

Wow. Yea. Not... entirely unexpected. He basically did the same thing at the tavern, pulling aggro and making sure no one else was in the line of fire.

He already knows he's dead. Not think, knows. There is no potential escape from this one. So he's doing the only thing he can: getting his friends out of the way. And Hizel is polite enough to permit this. But he probably considers Beings to be some sort of creature that one can have affection for if one is weak and emotional, like Cubi. Which just keeps Jy and Wildy safe. After all, having revenge on the son of your enemy? Fine. But revenge on your son's cat? Pfffffft.

And Hizel is going to make the classic Draconic ego mistake of dismissing them. Although I suddenly had a cute scene in my head...

"MACE?"
"Yes paternal parental unit?"
"Your petition to co-pilot the Gryph-mech has been considered and accepted. Suit up, we're leaving."
"Executing subroutine SQEEEEEE.bat"
"Excuse me, young lady?"
"Apologies. sudo ./SQUEEEEEE.bat"
"That's better."

[maus_merryjest]

Well... this is a sad development. There really is no way out for Abe in this scenario, short of a miracle.
And Mr. Snarkyspots is my favorite character, to boot

Good job with the emotional twist, Amber. I hope Hizell gets what's coming to him someday, though. And Destania. Oh boy does Destania deserve a cosmic boot to the head, too.

*Plays David Bowie's "Seven" in honor of the soon-to-be late Mr. Snarkyspots*

[Merlin]

They're in Zivnth and Jyrras is Jyrras, so I guess him and Wildy will be OK since Chaz is on the case. Hopefully Kria can save the day? Dude I'm pretty hopeful

[ArchTeryx]

Y'know, that dragon is way too confident considering the number of Creatures, Fae and other assorted super-powered beings who might take a teeny bit of offense at Abel getting offed outright.  Yeah, Hizell is really powerful and all, but he ain't the biggest fish in this pond.  And there are a lot more of them then there are him.  Not to mention, the apparent lack of evil gloating.

There's something extremely weird about this whole situation.  I still say my solution is best.

[Dard]

Umm...

those two moons in the background.
How do they work?
Two different suns shining at them from a different angle each?

Sorry, hobby-astronomer speaking here. Moons are very often drawn in impossible ways in comics and once I started noticing it I can't stop recognizing all the mistakes. I have to admit that I have never seen this particular oddity yet.

[katasev]

that's no moon...!!

*cough* no but for real, since moon phases are based on where the moon itself is in relation to sun's light rather than where the sun itself is, they're probably just offset from each other on their cycle. Or the first moon could be blocking most of the light from the second moon if they're close together but in a line. Or that moon could actually be sitting at a planet-occluded angle? relative angles are weird when you put space in the mix. it could be any of the above, or other reasons, or it could just be that it's a fantasy comic and there's magic and that's what the moons feel like looking like today.

[Foxx Trotter]

Here's hoping for a, um, soft landing.

[Timeheart]

Looks like they're blasting off again! Oh wait, wrong show.

[Form_Goblin]

They're in Zivnth and Jyrras is Jyrras, so I guess him and Wildy will be OK since Chaz is on the case. Hopefully Kria can save the day? Dude I'm pretty hopeful

Agreed.  I wonder how Chaz will react to this, and whether her first reaction will be to save Jyrras and Wildy, or call in reinforcements.

...  Good luck Abel.