11/17/08 [FFC #44] - Approving methods from two classy madmen...

[Zedd]

Luke is gonna be either A) Pissed or B) In a lot pain again...I say C) All of the above...

[Tapewolf]

So basically, what he was doing was giving him a suitable shock for the wing-reflex?  I thought it might be the case on the previous page, but it was still a little vague as to whether the whiteness was Luke's wing, or Bengahl's power.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I'm wondering what the test actually was, and what blowing him out through a wall proves.

Or proved.

Is it just the fact that he glowed on the way down?

Edit: And Tapewolf beat me to it. :-P

[ShadesFox]

Maybe Bengahl just wanted to blast Luke for giggles?  Seems like a simple enough explanation.  Oh sure it happened to prove his point too...

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Oh, sure Bengahl wanted to blast Luke. The question is, what did blasting him prove, other than that Bengahl is a Thaelith and crazy?

[ShadesFox]

That Bengahl is a Taelith and crazy?

[techmaster-glitch]

Oh, -just- missed that fountain

Ink looks happy as well

[Kabbalist]

The facial expressions in this episode seem particularly well-drawn. Then again, I've always been a sucker for expressive characters. That's probably my inner ham kicking in.

I'd guess that Bengahl is doing this for multiple reasons, as others have suggested:

1.) Force Luke to show his Thae'lith nature, proving his heritage.
2.) Test Luke's reflexes and durability...thus starting his Training from Hell.
3.) Because it's FUN  to blast people through walls. There's no harm in a little horseplay, after all. Okay, make that "minimal harm and moderate collateral damage."

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

My query, Kabbalist, is that we don't know how this establishes that Luke has a Thae'lith nature.

Sure, we know Bengahl wants to display it - how does punching him through a wall do that?

[Tapewolf]

My query, Kabbalist, is that we don't know how this establishes that Luke has a Thae'lith nature.

Because Thae'lith have energy-wings and 'Cubi don't.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Did we see energy wings? Or did we see a huge splash of energy from the punch?

/devil's advocate.

[Tapewolf]

Did we see energy wings? Or did we see a huge splash of energy from the punch?

Look at panel 1.  It looks wing-like to me and it seems to be supporting him.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Granted. But it could well be splash from the punch lighting up his physical wings, is all I'm saying.

[Tapewolf]

Granted. But it could well be splash from the punch lighting up his physical wings, is all I'm saying.

Maybe I'm just seeing what I want to see, but if you look closely he seems to have two wings and a tail, set out as if he was gliding to the ground.

[ShadesFox]

I can't help but think that Turnsky is looking at this and giggling...

[Turnsky]

I can't help but think that Turnsky is looking at this and giggling...

yes, yes i am.. just to note, that Luke's demonstrated similar traits in the past. 

[ShadesFox]

What, like this?
http://www.ariannia.com/2007/08/03/2007-08-03/

I thought of posting it sooner, but it looked like they were having too much fun being contrary ;p

[Kabbalist]

What, like this?
http://www.ariannia.com/2007/08/03/2007-08-03/

I though of posting it sooner, but it looked like they were having too much fun being contrary ;p

Dang it! I was gone for ONE day and missed all the fun. That's what I get for being employed...more or less.

[Turnsky]

What, like this?
http://www.ariannia.com/2007/08/03/2007-08-03/

I thought of posting it sooner, but it looked like they were having too much fun being contrary ;p

and a little further back, like, earth far back..

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I thought of posting it sooner, but it looked like they were having too much fun being contrary ;p

Oh, of course. I _know_ he's shown them further back. I'm just being contrary because it's fun. ;-]

... and because there's still some questions I'm vague on, I guess.

[Tapewolf]

and a little further back, like, earth far back..

The missile incident was what immediately sprang to mind when Bengahl fired.

yes, yes i am.. just to note, that Luke's demonstrated similar traits in the past. 

I was expecting a bit more "pissed because Tape/llearch can't interpret the artwork correctly" 

[AmigaDragon]

I'd guess that Bengahl is doing this for multiple reasons, as others have suggested:

1.) Force Luke to show his Thae'lith nature, proving his heritage.

His forced Thae'lith nature (he was human after all when the story started).

BTW, what happened to the forum? I remember more message threads than I see now.

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Now playing on Winamp: Goldfinger - 99 Red Balloons (2000) (SonicBlu's Time Machine Show - KWKAT)
via FoxyTunes

[ShadesFox]

How do you know that Luke wasn't born weird and that the experiments only made him different weird?

[Tapewolf]

How do you know that Luke wasn't born weird and that the experiments only made him different weird?

I seem to recall that this was indeed the case for Luke and his companions.  Indeed, rounding them up should be an interesting task for the 'Cubi.

[Kabbalist]

How do you know that Luke wasn't born weird and that the experiments only made him different weird?

I seem to recall that this was indeed the case for Luke and his companions.  Indeed, rounding them up should be an interesting task for the 'Cubi.

*blink blink* 

Woah...now that you mention it, I seem to remember something of the sort. Okay, forgetting story points like that means it's time for an archive dive. Time to get the SCUBA gear out of storage!

...And yes, I would imagine that Luke's companions will provide those attempting to "round them up" with more action than anticipated. Special heritage or not, they did go through brutal military war games before (literally) landing in their current situations. Of course, since a number of them are still unaccounted for we still have the potential for characters popping up in unexpected places.

[AmigaDragon]

I'll have to go back for a re-read too.

Were they all something other than or more than human before the transformations? Are they all thaelith (note that Luke didn't have wings at first either) or what? Do thaelith come in a range of species appearances like cubi (fox, cat, wolf, etc.)? And I'm not talking about shapeshifting or mere coloration.

[Tapewolf]

Were they all something other than or more than human before the transformations? Are they all thaelith (note that Luke didn't have wings at first either) or what? Do thaelith come in a range of species appearances like cubi (fox, cat, wolf, etc.)?

If memory serves you do get wingless Thae'lith, but it's a mutation like albinism.  Takahn is one of those, only having the energistic wings rather than physical ones like Bengahl.

As for the others, that's a little more vague than I remember, but look here:

http://www.ariannia.com/2006/07/28/2006-07-28/ - This is where it comes out that Luke is special, the implication being that the transformation process also awakened his dormant abilities.

http://www.ariannia.com/2006/09/11/2006-09-11/ - Takahn mentions that the others may have also have the abilities to a lesser degree (but doesn't sound sure)

[Sicill]

http://www.ariannia.com/2007/03/27/2007-03-27/
This page comes to mind on just how "special" Luke is. Granted, it opens a whole slew of questions such as
While the reflex action does not normally occur in humans, could they learn to control it?
And,
What "type" of souls do Manit (and the Manitou) and Caperne have?

Regarding the Wendigo I got the impression that they were somehow artificial and created by Benghal, although that is not explicitly stated anyplace that I can remember.

[AmigaDragon]

I went back and reread from the beginning for a refresher.

So he already had "the soul of a reaver", but I was referring more to genetics. What of his friends? Are they also thaelith (though wingless like Takahn), or something less than thaelith (to use DMFA terminology, creature or being)?

Do all thaelith appear to be of some canine appearance (dog, fox, wolf, etc.) or do they vary widely like cubi (canine, feline, equine, etc.)? Is Reaver just another name for thaelith?

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Now playing on Winamp: Yello - Oh Yeah (1985) (SonicBlu's Time Machine Show - KWKAT)
via FoxyTunes

[Eagle0600]

I think there are three names for Thae'lith, if you count Reaver and Benghalli. I could be horribly wrong, though.