2019/07/26 [RE 63.37] The shadow slayer is the Shadowslayer

[Lying Foo]

Wait, Jake wasn't planning on Loki being there, but his plan hinged on killing her (or someone)... was he just banking on someone to be there?

[Puyon]

Wait, Jake wasn't planning on Loki being there, but his plan hinged on killing her (or someone)... was he just banking on someone to be there?

I don't think Jake's plan hinged on Loki dying so much as Merlin's did

"It's gonna be worth it" Merlin I should have punched you more at Anthrocon >

[Tapewolf]

"It's gonna be worth it" Merlin I should have punched you more at Anthrocon >

I'd like to think it will be worth it, but I'm struggling to see how.  As a rule, this sort of thing doesn't end well, e.g. Star Wars killing off iconic characters and replacing them with vapid nonentities.  It also becomes much more difficult to care about the rest of the characters, given that they may also get the rug pulled out from them too.

[Lying Foo]

I have to say, I've been a bit puzzled why the two of you - Tapewolf and Puyon - are attaching so much weight to Loki's death.  It's been clear for a long, long time that it's been on the docket, and although she's a major character, there's nothing singular about her; RE's never had a main character, and if it did, it'd probably be Mana before Loki.  I hardly think Saturn, Danni, Claw, Jinx, and so on are "nonentities."

I don't think Jake's plan hinged on Loki dying so much as Merlin's did

The shadow said in the previous strip, though, that his purpose was "how many died," but as far as I can tell, without Loki's intrusion, no one would have died... then again, deity of the God of Lies.

[Tapewolf]

I have to say, I've been a bit puzzled why the two of you - Tapewolf and Puyon - are attaching so much weight to Loki's death.  It's been clear for a long, long time that it's been on the docket, and although she's a major character, there's nothing singular about her; RE's never had a main character, and if it did, it'd probably be Mana before Loki.

I disagree.  Loki was essentially the main character.  At the very least, they were the most interesting character, and with so many years of backstory there isn't really a drop-in replacement.
Unless I'm forgetting a massive chunk of the plot - and it's a long-enough running series that that's very possible - Mana hasn't done much, she's largely just been there as a supporting character.  Loki's been the prime mover for about half the story arcs, with the underlying current of "How can she defeat the curse?", plus a number of sub-plots such as the rivalry in the monster races, and of course, Ori.  (The antagonists for both of those plots emerge triumphant, which seems rather a shame).

Yes, Loki's death has been hinted at, but I think what Puyon and myself were doing was trying to figure out how that could be cleverly circumvented, in much the same way as "The life of Destania is ended by Daniel Ti'Fiona" was warped into a very different meaning (though in that instance, it may even refer to a future event.)  On that basis, I think we deserve to feel a little cheated, even if this was a case of self-delusion.  FWIW, there was also a case to be made that her death would happen after the events of Random Encounter.

I hardly think Saturn, Danni, Claw, Jinx, and so on are "nonentities."

Neither have they been suddenly introduced to act as a replacement for Loki.  But by and large they haven't been anywhere near as pivotal as Loki in making interesting things happen.  FWIW, Jinx may not be long for their world either - his dying in this chapter alongside Loki was also given due consideration from what I'm told.

EDIT EDIT: Of course, the other way to look at this is that we're feeling irked by what's happened and need to vent ;-)

[Merlin]

Shadowman doesn't have a plan; he's just a dick. Doesn't matter if anyone was there or not he was gonna say it - he did after all kill at least a village's worth of people before Saturn could stop him. He just kills a bunch of people and taunts the only person who can stop him for not stopping him sooner.

He probably didn't even have any idea who Loki was. He's not very smart, he just does this one thing over and over again.



anyway, nearly 1000 pages!! maybe i can get to the bottom of the kiborn curse sometime in the next 1000

[Puyon]

I mean we've got lots of questions left to have answered... how does Jinx become the reaper? How does Danni get that weird transformation power? Loki may be dead, but does that mean her role in the story is finished? How come in NG+ era, Bluff is the god of balance? How much deeper in the bullshit hole can Phoenix Claw go with her facade?

Obviously we have a lot of Random Encounter left... as Merlin is also now implying we've got 1,000 more pages to go. But with Loki dying I think there is a lot of weight to consider. This is the first main character who's death will be permanent. That's going to be a huge tonal shift. Loki had a presence that was hard to ignore. I don't understand why you wouldn't attach a lot of weight to this. Loki's presence was a pivotal driving force of Random Encounter. Her absence will be just as pronounced.

Even not considering the major impact this will have on... everything, Tape's right. I do feel a little cheated, watching her die after coming up with all sorts of ways she could survive. And like... To put things in perspective, I've been following Random Encounter since I was 12. From childhood to adulthood, I've been cheering Loki on, hoping to see her succeed in everything she wanted to do, first thinking it would be a cool thing to see, then as a teenager feeling like I could relate to her despair and loneliness, and now as an adult thinking she's a kid who deserved so much better than to be stuck with centuries old bullshit deciding her fate. Yes, she's a fictional character, I know, but the mark of a well written narrative is how attached I got to her, to the point I felt myself actually grieve for her.

I'm on this ride for however long it'll take us. There's room for so much more, but I don't think I'll ever feel different about this. The feeling that Loki deserves better than what she got.

[Merlin]

Obviously we have a lot of Random Encounter left... as Merlin is also now implying we've got 1,000 more pages to go.

well if we're like, barely half way through the first year of school and there's 3-4 years...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BErrWiUfAXI

[Lying Foo]

Since that was such a good gauge for RWBY.

[Merlin]

Since that was such a good gauge for RWBY.

I have no idea what that is

[Keleth]

There's many stories I read where the world and characters, just can't die. And in a way, it really takes away any sense of danger or urgency in a world where it really is dangerous.

It's like reading lord of the rings, except imagine if the story bible was "No characters can die or be stopped" , bohomir's actions would not have the impact they do have.

If nobody could die in movies like star wars (Let's face it ,there's lots of character death in those movies, Even main characters throughout the trilogies.)

I'm not saying this is the same situation.

But it's seeming like it's a catalyst for a lot of future events to unfold. I won't weigh in till the end of the story, as we have no idea how this will change things.

But I have a feeling, change, things will.

But there has been character death in other stories already (way back home, New Game +)

The world is dangerous, and I'd feel weirder if there was no consequences for any character's actions or planning, or the lack thereof.

I'm here to read the story as it unfolds, and like any other novel, movie, or comic book I read, it's not something I'd feel attached enough to wish harm upon anyone or demand changes.

Mostly because it is their story, and I'm lucky enough that it is being shared with me. I can dream and write and ponder. But in the end, it's their story to tell, not mine.

I'm just along for this magical roller coaster ride.

[ProfesseurRenard]

Since that was such a good gauge for RWBY.

I have no idea what that is

See if this helps at all: https://youtu.be/qGdjuMSVnwM

[Lying Foo]

I have a sneaking suspicion she was not entirely serious.

(And even if she was, this is the better introduction.)