Annotated 46-26
Interesting expressions from the goblins in both reaction panels here. Goblaurence and Auraugu would feel worse if this fight had gone the other way, but they both have some personal feelings about Harky, who led the whole Rebellion to its current position of strength and who promoted Goblaurence into his current, much more respected role. And Don Gobligno…man, I think that might be the only time in the entire series that he looks actually dignified. One might expect him to be smirking and scheming when no eyes were on him…Harky did humiliate him in public, after all…but no. Maybe he’s just deep in thought about what this political shift means for his own ambitions. Or maybe he’s actually feeling some emotions appropriate to the moment.
Nothing to say about Gondolessa’s tearful face, or Penk’s grim one, except that John earns his stripes as ever.
Designated representatives stand in for the leaders who couldn’t make it. A high-ranking troll stands in for Harky, for obvious reasons, and an elder dwarf stands in for…well, it would’ve been Iver, who made some excuse in preparation for his coup attempt, but now he’s standing in for Gravedust. Similarly, Magda is missing from the observers’ row on the left because she’s busy carting Iver off to his sentencing.
I meant to ask this yesterday, but now it’s today.
Did it mean something that, throughout their battle, we only ever saw Penk wielding Tectonicus’ fire? Did that mean that Penk had Tectonicus’ blessing and Harky did not? Or did Harky never wield fire? Or is that a feature of the Fire’s Eye, and Harky lost his fire when he passed the Eye to Penk?
I don’t believe we ever did show Harky wielding fire, and he at least had no reason to hold back at B’ial Vezk. My view is that he chose to channel Tectonicus’ blessings purely into strength and fortitude, which worked out fine for him up to now. Pre-Tectonicus, he was still a warrior, whereas Penk was a drummer, and therefore Penk’s a bit more comfortable channeling energies in the middle of combat.
Thank you for three great and powerful panels of art. You can really feel the tension.
I always thought that maybe, just maybe, Penk could have gotten Harky to surrender by invoking Gondolessa. But maybe Penk didn’t think that, and maybe it wouldn’t matter in the end anyway and they both know that.
We can’t always have our cake and eat it too.
I fear the troll way means that a death is required : if Penk allowed Harky to surrender it would be showing that he lacked the strength to make the toughest decisions, at least as far as trolls would see it (one combatant would be shamed by surrendering, the other by accepting/offering such an option).
Retirement doesn’t seem an option for a war chief, at least when there is a war going on, trolls stake the adage that if you have two leaders you have no leader very seriously. It might be possible to change things once peace is achieved, but to try to make changes during war would look the chief was wanting to save their own skin.
I think that would have enraged Harky even beyond the ‘that is not the troll way’ element.
‘How dare you imply he is not strong enough to handle this?!’
So Penk would have still been forced to kill Harky, but the old man would have died angry and disappointed, not satisfied that Penk had what it took to lead the trolls into the new path.
I know it’s probably mostly just the shape of his beak, but Gondolessa seeming to smile works so well to me. He knew this would come, he is brokenhearted about it, and also so proud of Harky and Penk.
Don Goblino looks to me like he finds the whole ritual kinda stupid. And he might be concerned what this change of course means for his own ambitions, and now convinced that it’s good.
Goblaurence’ expression is really relieving to see. He often seems to have little regard for others’ life or death but this scene shows that he actually does, when he’s not playing the cool guy.
I’d hoped for a word of regret from Penk before the final blow, but then that would have slowed him down and actually might have prevented that blow. I will take his hesitation as a sign that he had some reservations about killing his mentor.
To me the Don just looks like he finds it brutish or barbaric. Meanwhile the Madam and PlaceholderDorf look remorseful and mournful. Which is weird because I keep looking at them and they all hold the same expression.
Waltrip magic or preconceptions from knowing the Don is a dick?
The world might never know!
I think it’s the eyebrow/eyebrow-equivalents. The Don’s are up, which makes him look less concerned & more “ugh”. So… Waltrip magic, I think
I’d like to think, following on Harky’s last words that as the mace fell down, Harky found a bit of the peace he had for so long sought, a peace that once he believed could only be achieved with the genocide of their oppressor. Penk had proven to him, in the tectonicus-approved troll way in which he placed so much stock, that he was wrong. There was no need for genocide, no more need for hatred. He could now rest at last, in the assuredness that someone who proved himself more capable would achieve what he could not.
I also like how the
54, who once were Harky’s deadly enemies and victims stare solemnly instead of cheering at his dismissal. I think they came to understand him in those last moments and saw his passing not as a victory but as a lamentable necessity. Frigg’s face is especially telling. I get the feeling that if in the future someone talks trash about Harky in her presence, they will get a bashing. (She, obviously, will talk as much trash as she wants about him.)They definitely had major respect for Harky. Not just as a warrior, not just as a leader, but look at the sheer fucking dignity and grace he goes down with. It’s very clear to him that Penk just won, that Penk is going to lead the trolls down a path that Harky would rather die than allow, and yet his final action is to bid Penk to take his life, in order to make his will as strong as he possibly can.