12/26/09 [DMFA #1070] - Okay who ordered the kids meal?

[Aurawyn]

Yay! Finally we find out about P-Ducky's Story! Unless Amber fades to black... urk.. 

[Bjalf]

Wow.
If I understand correctly, Pyroduck is ancient. As ancient as SAIA. I thought he would be relatively young.

He's less than ten thousand years old, so for a Dragon, he's very, very young 

I have a feeling somebody's robbing the cradle here, I'm just not sure who.

[Crawldragon]

Edit:Just noticed how Fa'Lina looks. And while that wouldn't have been her reaction then... knowing how she is now, that is how she would possibly normally react.

She looks like she's in mourning... I wonder if she knew one of PD's father's victims...

[Madd the Sane]

Also, dull wings, black clothing and drapery... emo Fa'Lina?

I was more thinking mourning Fa'lina.

Edit:Just noticed how Fa'Lina looks. And while that wouldn't have been her reaction then... knowing how she is now, that is how she would possibly normally react.

She looks like she's in mourning... I wonder if she knew one of PD's father's victims...

Blargh! You beat me to it!
But I was more thinking of mourning her entire clan.

[PurpleCheeseLlama]

Wow, Fa'Lina looks so...young and vulnerable in the last panel. The lack of "blaring pink" and that she's not wearing lipstick probably helps, but...wow. Wow. Wow. That panel really makes me need to hug Fa'lina (though I think it'd be better not to.)

Also, I'm getting serious Cheshire cat vibes from that Dimanika 'Cubus XD

[Silverling]

I'm amazed no one has said this yet..... *cough*



More baby P-Ducky pls. •w•
He's cyute.

[ooklah]

Pyroduck calling Fa'lina ...... mom..

[SpottedKitty]

Is P.D's father is still around do you think he will try and reclaim him at some point?

Notice Pyro's careful (after one slip) use of the past tense. I think he might be a Norwegian Blue dragon.

[Sunblink]

Oh wow, am I the only one in this thread who doesn't feel sympathetic for the Dimanika Clan at all? They're practically killing babies.

eeeeeugh *shudder* I love the story-telling, but my squick-button has been pushed.

Okay, back to sleeping like a rock.

Edit: But I love these developments with Pyroduck's backstory, I forgot to mention. And by love, I mean really, really, really love.

Edit 2: You're welcome, Mel.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Wow, we've made it to page two of the discussion without anyone pointing out that it is a baby on a plate. I know the general opinion of the forum is that cubi are perfect but is no one else is appalled by this? Even if it's symbolic the symbolism is incredibly mentally sick.

Edit: Thanks Keaton, for proving that not every forumite is cubi-blind.

[Psaakyrn]

Oh wow, am I the only one in this thread who doesn't feel sympathetic for the Dimanika Clan at all? They're practically killing babies.

eeeeeugh *shudder* I love the story-telling, but my squick-button has been pushed.

Okay, back to sleeping like a rock.

The problem is that it's not just cubi, the dragons also does it too (the whole genocide aspect).

[Sunblink]

The problem is that it's not just cubi, the dragons also does it too (the whole genocide aspect).

I don't see how this makes anything better. It explains why the clan did it, but it doesn't make the fact they were sending (Dragon) babies to their deaths acceptable.

[Techcubi]

The problem is that it's not just cubi, the dragons also does it too (the whole genocide aspect).

I don't see how this makes anything better. It explains why the clan did it, but it doesn't make the fact they were sending (Dragon) babies to their deaths acceptable.

Well, what better way to make a father suffer, than to allow his enemies to do whatever they please with the father's kids?

[Sunblink]

Well, what better way to make a father suffer, than to allow his enemies to do whatever they please with the father's kids?

That makes me feel worse, actually. AAAAAAAH.

I'm gonna have nightmares tonight. GOOD NIGHT FORUM *sleeping sound!*

[Cogidubnus]

Wow, we've made it to page two of the discussion without anyone pointing out that it is a baby on a plate. I know the general opinion of the forum is that cubi are perfect but is no one else is appalled by this? Even if it's symbolic the symbolism is incredibly mentally sick.

Edit: Thanks Keaton, for proving that not every forumite is cubi-blind.

I suspect, Mel, that the intent of the message isn't really that they wanted Fa'Lina to eat the baby, but rather that they were delivering the dragon's child on a literal silver platter. As well, at least in -this- case, I don't think it's so much that people think Cubi are perfect, so much that they think that Cubi in general are simply made up of individuals, just like dragons are - and that while there are good ones and bad ones, and there are even ones that kidnap children - and there are ones like Fa'Lina, who seems like a fairly selfless person from what we've been able to observe. Indeed, she raised the baby as her own son.

While they are offering the baby on a utensil generally reserved for food, I don't think they were expressly expecting her to actually eat the baby, and I don't think that was the message that was intended to be conveyed, either. "On a silver platter" is a well-known metaphor for delivering something entirely at the leisure and wish of another person. This would match the stated intent of the baby-stealing Cubi, that of stealing the dragon's children and delivering them to those whom he'd wronged, much more than then them being a baby take-out place, I think.

[Scarydragon]

Fact: Amber mad this storyline up just to spite babies (and the people who love them).

It's true I swear!

But at least Pyroduck makes an especially cute dinner/present!

[Mel Dragonkitty]

The message was still that the baby is a consumable product, even if a cubi of her level doesn't actually chew up and digest it. I'm sure their intention was that she "consume" it in the cubi manner.

And my point was that there is such forum blindness to cubi evil that the discussion was "OMG! Falina forgot her lipstick!" instead of "OMG! They are killing infants!"

[Scarydragon]

And my point was that there is such forum blindness to cubi evil that the discussion was "OMG! Falina forgot her lipstick!" instead of "OMG! They are killing infants!"

Welcome to the Internet! I'd say be careful around the deep end, but we had that filled in last month. The shallow end is just as good though...

But seriously, maybe no one wanted to focus on the horrible thought of babies being slaughtered/eaten/soul-sucked? (All of which would lead to the same conclusion now that I think of it.)

Or maybe some of us just plain don't like babies!

[Lucheek]

Sorry, I can't find myself to get into the horror of an innocent babe on a silver platter when I can't un-see this face...

[Cogidubnus]

The message was still that the baby is a consumable product, even if a cubi of her level doesn't actually chew up and digest it. I'm sure their intention was that she "consume" it in the cubi manner.

And my point was that there is such forum blindness to cubi evil that the discussion was "OMG! Falina forgot her lipstick!" instead of "OMG! They are killing infants!"

I agree. I'm sure the intent of their gift was that, if she wished, she could kill the baby. This is, without question, a terrible thing.

However, we knew the end of this story, already. Fa'Lina takes the child and raises it as her own - a happy ending. And, seeing characters that we know, and have a connection to, we tend to focus on them. This is human nature.

Now, it may be true that we haven't really paid very much attention to the fact that there were -other- siblings, and that what these Cubi are doing is despicable - but, then again, I can easily see why. These unknown children of an unknown evil dragon are entirely abstract, and difficult to form an attachment to. I don't approve of what this clan has done, just as I don't approve of what the dragon did in the first place. While nothing can justify what the Cubi did, I suspect that the dragon himself (or herself) also did unjustifiable things. They don't cancel out, but then, and I do not mean to sound callous, it still makes it harder to get worked up over. This isn't right, but this tends to be human nature as well.

I hardly think that the people here are so pro-cubi that they approve of stealing and eating babies. That's absurd - no one approves of such things. That they took more notice of those people and those characters which they know, and which are featured in this comic, isn't surprising to me. Silence on the issue of the other siblings doesn't imply approval of what happens to them. They made not have made an issue of saying it, but then, it's something that goes without saying. I seldom have to express my feelings that rape is bad, because that generally goes without saying in today's society. Baby-eating and stealing would be thesame
This doesn't mean that it is necessary that "rape is bad" or suchlike to go without saying, or that it shouldn't be expressed - If I am offensive I apologize. I merely wish to express the opinion that, unless otherwise stated, you can expect your average citizen to agree that rape is, indeed, bad.

I will admit that this forum does like it's Cubi, but that's who the comic features. It's not entirely surprising, given the fact that we know more about Cubi than about any of the other races, except perhaps beings.

[ChaosMageX]

First off, Fa'lina can definitely pull black off.  She can probably make any color look good.

I do not approve of baby eating/soul-stealing either, but as Cogidubnus said, it's hard to get worked up over abstract background babies.  I, like Cogidubnus, believe that the general concept was presenting the infants on a literal silver platter, not as a way of convincing their recipients to perform unspeakable deeds on the infants.

Heck, how do we know that the recipients of Pyroduck's other siblings did not also raise them, and turn them into assassins to murder their own mother/father as an act of vengence?  Now that would be pretty sweet.

I certainly do not approve of what the Dimanika or the Que'tnar clans are doing, but at least Pyroduck ended up okay in the end, and that's what truly matters.

[Lego3400]

First off, Fa'lina can definitely pull black off.  She can probably make any color look good.

Orange. The thought of it makes my eyes hurt

[ChaosMageX]

First off, Fa'lina can definitely pull black off.  She can probably make any color look good.

Orange. The thought of it makes my eyes hurt

Hmmm, orange, pink, and white...for some strange reason that has me thinking of a parfait of some sort.

In other words, Fa'lina could probably pull orange off, but she'd look like a giant walking parfait in the process.

[PencilinHand]

Hey Fa'lina and Pyro have the same color eyes. Fancy that.

Edit: Wait, does Mab know Pyro is a dragon? Can demi god like creatures interfere in the future sight seeing of other demi god like creatures? Can pyro be an unforeseen force that can save the 2 that would die from their demise? Will cheese ever be made into a drinkable form that can be sold to the masses? So many questions, so little an attention span. Wait, what am I doing here when i could be mining Kernite in Amarr space!? Gotta fly! *insert zoom noise here*

You would be better off mining Scordite with today's trit and pyer prices especially considering its availability.

-------

Interesting that the next comic makes it pretty clear P-Duckys father was involved (he "took" the entire clan).  Not sure exactly how he was involved though.

Also, I have the feeling that Amber intended for shadow cubi to have a bit of a Cheshire look.  It is a pretty somber and morbid tale being told(genocide and infanticide), without a little something in there it would be a near total downer of a comic.  Still, excellent story telling and drama fuel. 

Also, I am surprised that some are so up in arms about an infant on a platter.  Many modern countries do little better in the name of convenience.

[Bjalf]

And my point was that there is such forum blindness to cubi evil that the discussion was "OMG! Falina forgot her lipstick!" instead of "OMG! They are killing infants!"

But the cubi being evil is nothing new, we have been told that several times already. I was half expecting a choice of wines or "would you want fries with that?".

Fa'Lina without lipstick, now, that is a shock.

[Tapewolf]

The message was still that the baby is a consumable product, even if a cubi of her level doesn't actually chew up and digest it. I'm sure their intention was that she "consume" it in the cubi manner.

Given the following strip that would appear not to be the case.  Though we still have no clear idea what their precise motives for doing this were.
As for "the cubi manner", that is not specific to 'cubi by a long shot.  It would not surprise me in the least if that was what happened to Fa'Lina's own children.

And my point was that there is such forum blindness to cubi evil that the discussion was "OMG! Falina forgot her lipstick!" instead of "OMG! They are killing infants!"

Or it was simply too horrible to want to dwell upon.  As Cog said, it is pretty clear that both sides did unspeakable things to each other during the war.  I'm not sure it needs amplifying.

[Caswin]

Yup.  That's per-robably the most fundamentally skin-crawlingly creepy 'cubi I've seen in the whole comic.

Fortunately, that's what we have Fa'Lina for.  I may not like her, but aesthetically, I like everything in that last panel.  Are those pupils?

...to say nothing of the Dragon-'Cubi wars and its ties to Pyroduck's past.  Yes-sir-ree, I like where this is going.

[inuhanyo]

Heck, how do we know that the recipients of Pyroduck's other siblings did not also raise them, and turn them into assassins to murder their own mother/father as an act of vengence?  Now that would be pretty sweet.

That was sort of the backstory for Savvack in the second Star Trek movie.  She is a Romulan raised by Vulcans, she was kidnapped as an infant by enemies of her Romulan parents, who then left her where she would be found by Vulcans.  Apparently this is a particularly elegant form of revenge among Romulans, to make sure your child is raised among your enemies, forever estranged from you.

[Baal Hadad]

Heck, how do we know that the recipients of Pyroduck's other siblings did not also raise them, and turn them into assassins to murder their own mother/father as an act of vengence?  Now that would be pretty sweet.

That was sort of the backstory for Savvack in the second Star Trek movie.  She is a Romulan raised by Vulcans, she was kidnapped as an infant by enemies of her Romulan parents, who then left her where she would be found by Vulcans.  Apparently this is a particularly elegant form of revenge among Romulans, to make sure your child is raised among your enemies, forever estranged from you.

Not intending to off-topic too much, but I have to know--WHY was she called "Mister" in Star Trek II and no one (including those who watched it) even bats an eyelid?

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Not intending to off-topic too much, but I have to know--WHY was she called "Mister" in Star Trek II and no one (including those who watched it) even bats an eyelid?

Ensign, yes? Anyone in the navy or airforce or army would recognise the "everyone gets called mister when being addressed by superiors" syndrome. It's a way of not having to pay attention to the little details like rank, and/or used as a club to bring attention to the fact that the person so addressed needs correction. Generally speaking. In Sci-Fi circles, it's used as a generic honorific for both male and female persons. It saves the time of having to think which gender you're referring to, and avoids the whole Miss/Mrs/Ms/Mz/etc debacle. In times of action, this can be useful...

This is how I've understood it to be used, anyway. I could well be wrong, since I don't recall the movie in question just now...