Fun piece of trivia. It doesn’t. Not unless you’re at least fifth rank in charmsongs with a charisma of 17 or greater and you’ve got the harp of animal kinship anyway. Really, the ranger will pretty much always be better suited for that job.
Actually, the original quote was “Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast“. It was changed to “beast” when Mr. Bowdler got his extremely proper hands on Shakespeare, because “breast” would obviously cause widespread naughtiness.
Music soothes the savage beast. If anyone wonders why Best would stick his neck out for this, I’d say it’s because he knows his head would roll as easy as the rest, that his death would inspire tales of courage, and he knows something that might actually stop the rage.
I don’t think Amaster was claiming to be quoting anything. Really more of a common assertion than anything else. A phrase in modern society that evidently has roots in seventeenth century literature, but not a quote by any stretch of the imagination.
You kidding? Best has something the party lacked last time we did this. A complete, unflinching and unhesitating willingness to cleave Byron’s head clean off his shoulders. If Byron can’t get this under control he’s getting put down like a rabid dog.
ME AND YOU,
AND YOU AND ME,
NO MATTER HOW WE KILL THE MOBS,
IT HAS TO BE,
THAT YOU STOP WITH THE FROTHY MOUTH,
AND THEN WE’LL BE,
SO HAPPY TOGETHERRRRRRRRR!
,i.I CAN’T SEE ME GETTING OUT OF THIS RAID
WITH MY LIIIIFE!
JUST CHILL THE FUCK OUT SO I CAN GO HOME AND GET IT ON
WITH ALL MY WIIIIIIVES!
No you’re rooting for Byron not to go crazy and try to kill everybody, I’m sure if the best way for that to happen was for Best to slip on a banana peel, skid into a pit trap and scream on the way down, you would be just as happy.
Anyone, you have an idea of what Byron wants to say in the 2nd panel ?
Is it “I don’t want to kill” or, in a more grim perspective, is it “I don’t want medical attention, I want to kill” ?
I’m legitimately puzzled by why she didn’t ask to stock up before they entered the dungeon. At the very least take a moment at the campsite to mix up your raw ingredients into what you can make. I would think as a field medic she’d have come to understand the value of keeping supplied.
Perhaps we will find out. Perhaps she needs to be in a major city to get the ingredients. Perhaps she needs very specific raw ingredients from a specific forest.
Good point. They can only reasonably travel so far, and iirc they’re in some manner of Badlands type setting outside of this dungeon right now. Might have just been unfeasible in the circumstances.
I’m fairly sure he’s just trying to help himself not get sliced into tiny little pieces, as per Bandit. To do this he has to help Byron, but mostly he’s trying to help himself.
Actually he wasn’t there for that scene, so he doesn’t even know how bad-ass Byron can be when lost in the berserk. He already kicked Byron’s ass once, for all he knows he could do it again. I think he’s actually trying to help.
Called it!!*
/applause at subbing in “twang” for Boom :) I ah.. bow to your superior linguistic skills, that really hit the mark.
Also, I suspect Best of nothing more than sheer self preservation instincts (when in doubt, do what you are best at.) Either that, or hes just going to try to take him out. ( one time he rocked so hard it killed ma.. err land-shark)
Best isn’t a total bastard but you are deluding yourself if you think half his reason for doing this isn’t his ego. He’s the Best, he HAS to save the day.
Which is fine in this situation, he isn’t risking anything but himself that wouldn’t otherwise be risked; his antics are only a problem when civilians are present, really.
Lol. I don’t think anyone’s implying he’s more noble than that. Personally I see no problem with the ego either. We could just as easily call it pride and we wouldn’t be wrong. Not like he’s incompetent or anything, and he really is a chosen one on a quest to save the world.
If all the other characters weren’t so caught up in their turmoil and issues they’d be proud too. Probably enjoy the ale and sex the various towns they visit provide. Nothing wrong with any of that. Best’s only issues come from a mediocre mother. He really doesn’t have any reason to be quite so grim.
I’m in complete agreement. The only time his ego gets unsavory is when it endangers others. Honestly, who in the group hasn’t slipped up a couple times and created a situation of increased risk? Gravedust, that’s who. He has ultimate power over life and death while using a system of archery that eliminates risk of missing. He’s an exception.
Feh. It seems that, along with a change in art style, there’s this push to get the audience to like Best. Best is, however, an utterly selfish ass. I’d prefer getting Bandit back infinitely more (I’m still wondering where the heck she is, and why nobody mentions her).
Just saying, Cockney Gnomish Thief with a killer Stooge impression beats Shit Elf Wannabe Rockstar any day.
Saddly gotta agree with Picard here, Best is no wannabe and a capable character…that being said I’d still prefer Bandit returning, whether BEst is there or not.
Please… just kill off Payet. Byron can come back to himself with the realization that he’s done the world a favor and taken out one of the Five Douchebags of Legend.
I’m going to laugh like a hyena if Best really just uses the music playing to distract berserking Byron before he knocks him over the head with his ax/guitar. After all, smacking him unconscious is pretty much the same as hitting him with tranqs, right? XD
Best seems so nice in this comic, it’s almost a different person. Serioursly, his expression in the first panel is almost irrecognizable withouth the arrogant smirk or grumpy why-I-need-to-hang-with-this-losers pouty face.
it looks like byron already HAS some form of control. he isnt killing immediately, he is trying to talk. this makes me think best can actually get through to him.
Meant to add– this might be the first time he’s seriously worked with a team (I know he’s adventured with them before, but he was still trying to do his D-bag thing then) since becoming the “epic hero.” Could be this is an eyeopening experience for him.
I’m still banking on the idea that Best was lonely before, then his fame went to his head, but after a while all that fame became the norm and he realized just how lonely he really is deep down. I think we can all agree that when he was first introduced after our heroes died, he was pretty discontent with his life.
Look at his expression in panel 1: That’s not someone smiling just because he survived a battle, that’s the look of a man who is content. And when one takes in the group dynamics surrounding him, who can blame him? Best was, as far as I can recall, an orphan at best and abused child at worst. He’s always been looked down upon, and once people stopped beating up on him they instantly began to put him up on a pedestal. But now he’s traveling with people who don’t put him on a pedestal, and who function like a family. A slightly dysfunctional family, but a family nonetheless. -And he’s getting along with them- and maybe, just maybe, finding his own niche amongst their group.
In panel 4, one needs to pay attention to body language and dialogue tone. Best isn’t jumping up to be a hero. Sure, he’s got a snazzy one liner but that’s because of who he is. While it’s true that he’s in danger here, he’s not just stepping up to the plate for himself and glory, he’s stepping up to the plate for himself, and the group, and Byron. There are a lot of things about Best we haven’t seen, but it’s pretty clear by now that he’s become a team player.
Finally, still paying attention to body language and tone, one can easily say that the statement made in the second to last and last panels is meant to be soothing. It’s a friend reaching out to another, symbolically offering a hand of assistance. While normally the glimmer of a blade in the last panel would be a threat, I think we can safely write it off as just an artsy representation. He fully intends to play a song that will help Byron snap out of his berserk and resolve the situation peacefully.
Between his constant depressed mood and his occasional berserk stages, Byron has quickly become my least favorite character. I hope he get’s it together soon.
It seems that Best ois trying to become a more sympathetic/good character thet not everyone hates, and Byron is slowly slipping into “not the best character ever” territory.
This angers me. Byron is my favorite character and I don’t like that after the first time going Berzerk it appears to be much easier for him to go Berzerk.
To be fair, it hasn’t been long enough for him to really cool down. He’s basically been thrown from being berzerk and killing his friends right into another series of heavy combat situations.
He’d undoubtedly be doing better it he had a few days to himself.
-nods- Very true I think. Plus, for all we know he’s been suppressing his berserking tendencies for years. Think of a reformed drug addict getting back on his usual junk, in front of friends and family no less, after a decade or so of being clean. Even when the main effects are over it’s a crippling expereince I would imagine.
I will say I am interested how this will work out. Byron seems to have given into the Rage willingly during this fight, as opposed to a defense mechanism when on the verge of death as he did when fighting Harki. So I’m guessing with that comes a degree of self control, albeit tenuous.
Get ready for a sharp tune.
Best, Syr’nj axed you a question.
What’s this? No cutting remark?
The tension is so thick in there you could cut it with an axe.
The situation is really on the edge, anyway you slice it.
That one was sharp!
that arsehole! he’s about to make me axeally like him…*grumble mumble*
Of course if Best’s performance doesn’t cut it, he might get axed.
Baah! Everyone knows that Best is an hack!
I hope he won’t fall flat. If he succeeds, it could be a deaf-defying act.
I’d say that your joke came out of tune, but that’s ok we’ll just be staccato with it.
I hope Best knows what he’s doing, or this could end on a sour note, with an encore of Byron cleffing the party.
Maybe someday Byron will return the favor. They say music soothes the savage Best.
…. I’m just going to sit back and write a slash fic.
it doesn’t look that bad.
the more I read, the less I hate best.
Yeah seriously.
Unfortunately.
Indeedly
That gleam is a threat if I ever saw one. But they do say music soothes the savage beast…
Fun piece of trivia. It doesn’t. Not unless you’re at least fifth rank in charmsongs with a charisma of 17 or greater and you’ve got the harp of animal kinship anyway. Really, the ranger will pretty much always be better suited for that job.
Actually, the original quote was “Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast“. It was changed to “beast” when Mr. Bowdler got his extremely proper hands on Shakespeare, because “breast” would obviously cause widespread naughtiness.
“Musick has charms to sooth a savage breast.” — William Congreve, “The Mourning Bride”, Act I, Scene 1, Line 1.
Not Shakespeare. Otherwise, you are correct.
The other famous line from this play:
“Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned,
Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.”
Music soothes the savage beast. If anyone wonders why Best would stick his neck out for this, I’d say it’s because he knows his head would roll as easy as the rest, that his death would inspire tales of courage, and he knows something that might actually stop the rage.
Actually, it’s “Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast” – William Congreve, The Mourning Bride [1697], Act 1 Sc1.
So if Frigg were getting out of hand…
Woo! Somebody besides me knows that line is misquoted! Props!
I don’t think Amaster was claiming to be quoting anything. Really more of a common assertion than anything else. A phrase in modern society that evidently has roots in seventeenth century literature, but not a quote by any stretch of the imagination.
Whoops. Thought it was Shakespeare. My bad.
You all have it wrong. The exact quote is:
“Metal hath charms to soothe the savage beast.”
–Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny, Act 3 Sc 3
Always hate when a poopy-head comes up with something that makes me have to give him even a teeny-weeny bit of props.
Worst case, he kills Best… I can can live with that.
I think you mean “Best case”.
You kidding? Best has something the party lacked last time we did this. A complete, unflinching and unhesitating willingness to cleave Byron’s head clean off his shoulders. If Byron can’t get this under control he’s getting put down like a rabid dog.
ME AND YOU,
AND YOU AND ME,
NO MATTER HOW WE KILL THE MOBS,
IT HAS TO BE,
THAT YOU STOP WITH THE FROTHY MOUTH,
AND THEN WE’LL BE,
SO HAPPY TOGETHERRRRRRRRR!
,i.I CAN’T SEE ME GETTING OUT OF THIS RAID
WITH MY LIIIIFE!
JUST CHILL THE FUCK OUT SO I CAN GO HOME AND GET IT ON
WITH ALL MY WIIIIIIVES!
That actually made me giggle, hehe.
You sir, receive one free internet.
I’ll be singing that for a few days yet…
And Best steadily gives people less and less reasons to hate him.
I still hate him. :)
I know. I hate him for that.
I feel weird. I’m actually… rooting for Best?
No you’re rooting for Byron not to go crazy and try to kill everybody, I’m sure if the best way for that to happen was for Best to slip on a banana peel, skid into a pit trap and scream on the way down, you would be just as happy.
Yes, Best, play a polka. See how well that ends.
A polka in the eye with a sharp axe?
Best’s gonna heal Byron’s mind with the power of true….METAL!
Oops, linky: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7dPCxbpEbI
I’m trying to figure out who would believe that metal would result in peace instead of just more fighting.
Berserker tried to kill the Metal.
It failed! And was thrown to the ground.
Nah, look at Best’s hair, stylish jacket an vinyl pants. He’s glam rock for sure. I can imagine him in the cover of Aladdin Sane right now.
Best is proficient in multiple music styles.
Too many skills points, huh?
Best’s lullaby:
THWACK!
“There! He’s all good now!”
Anyone, you have an idea of what Byron wants to say in the 2nd panel ?
Is it “I don’t want to kill” or, in a more grim perspective, is it “I don’t want medical attention, I want to kill” ?
I’m guessing don’t want to kill, as he’s holdinh imself back nicely
and Best is slowly becoming less of a douch… I worry that by the time this arc is over, I’ll vauley like him.and it’s all down hill from there
Thanks for the answer, mate. ;-)
Gravedust has the best faces this page.
You haven’t seen the following page yet. ^^
Uh oh, someone didn’t check their “traveling with a berserker and frigg” pack before they left. Tsk Tsk
I’m legitimately puzzled by why she didn’t ask to stock up before they entered the dungeon. At the very least take a moment at the campsite to mix up your raw ingredients into what you can make. I would think as a field medic she’d have come to understand the value of keeping supplied.
Perhaps we will find out. Perhaps she needs to be in a major city to get the ingredients. Perhaps she needs very specific raw ingredients from a specific forest.
Carbonaceous bitumen is hard to come by, y’know.
Good point. They can only reasonably travel so far, and iirc they’re in some manner of Badlands type setting outside of this dungeon right now. Might have just been unfeasible in the circumstances.
They’re in the desert, it seems. That doesn’t lend itself well to foraging.
Wow, Best might be a douche but he actually seems to be trying to help Byron. I’m impressed, once again he catches me off guard with a bit of depth.
I’m fairly sure he’s just trying to help himself not get sliced into tiny little pieces, as per Bandit. To do this he has to help Byron, but mostly he’s trying to help himself.
Actually he wasn’t there for that scene, so he doesn’t even know how bad-ass Byron can be when lost in the berserk. He already kicked Byron’s ass once, for all he knows he could do it again. I think he’s actually trying to help.
Called it!!*
/applause at subbing in “twang” for Boom :) I ah.. bow to your superior linguistic skills, that really hit the mark.
Also, I suspect Best of nothing more than sheer self preservation instincts (when in doubt, do what you are best at.) Either that, or hes just going to try to take him out. ( one time he rocked so hard it killed ma.. err land-shark)
* see previous pages comments
Best isn’t a total bastard but you are deluding yourself if you think half his reason for doing this isn’t his ego. He’s the Best, he HAS to save the day.
Which is fine in this situation, he isn’t risking anything but himself that wouldn’t otherwise be risked; his antics are only a problem when civilians are present, really.
Lol. I don’t think anyone’s implying he’s more noble than that. Personally I see no problem with the ego either. We could just as easily call it pride and we wouldn’t be wrong. Not like he’s incompetent or anything, and he really is a chosen one on a quest to save the world.
If all the other characters weren’t so caught up in their turmoil and issues they’d be proud too. Probably enjoy the ale and sex the various towns they visit provide. Nothing wrong with any of that. Best’s only issues come from a mediocre mother. He really doesn’t have any reason to be quite so grim.
I’m in complete agreement. The only time his ego gets unsavory is when it endangers others. Honestly, who in the group hasn’t slipped up a couple times and created a situation of increased risk? Gravedust, that’s who. He has ultimate power over life and death while using a system of archery that eliminates risk of missing. He’s an exception.
“Oh now I’m being eaten by this ogre after I wasted my life rearing your worthless aaaargh crunch.”
I’m as floored as anyone. Best…being nice?
Perhaps he isn’t being as nice as he appears. Or maybe he is! Agh!
Or perhaps he does not want an axe in his skull.
Feh. It seems that, along with a change in art style, there’s this push to get the audience to like Best. Best is, however, an utterly selfish ass. I’d prefer getting Bandit back infinitely more (I’m still wondering where the heck she is, and why nobody mentions her).
Just saying, Cockney Gnomish Thief with a killer Stooge impression beats Shit Elf Wannabe Rockstar any day.
There’s nothing wannabe about best. He’s all that and then some.
It’s all for the Best, really. Bandit might have just been an NPC Gnome trying to troll our heroes given what we’ve been shown with Dedalus’ pages.
Saddly gotta agree with Picard here, Best is no wannabe and a capable character…that being said I’d still prefer Bandit returning, whether BEst is there or not.
The art style has really gotten nothing but better, though. Look at this page. Look at it. Smell it. Touch it. Kiss it. TASTE IT. It is PUUUURDY.
Please… just kill off Payet. Byron can come back to himself with the realization that he’s done the world a favor and taken out one of the Five Douchebags of Legend.
*Applause all around*
It’s pretty clear Best is planning to cool Byron’s hot temper with a fresh island song.
I lol’d.
I’m going to laugh like a hyena if Best really just uses the music playing to distract berserking Byron before he knocks him over the head with his ax/guitar. After all, smacking him unconscious is pretty much the same as hitting him with tranqs, right? XD
Also, if Byron pulls out of this, it’s most likely because he’s not fully into beserking mode yet (note: his eyes aren’t completely white).
Also capable of basic speech and enough restraint to not be killing. Didn’t think to do a comparison on the eyes though. Good catch.
Best seems so nice in this comic, it’s almost a different person. Serioursly, his expression in the first panel is almost irrecognizable withouth the arrogant smirk or grumpy why-I-need-to-hang-with-this-losers pouty face.
it looks like byron already HAS some form of control. he isnt killing immediately, he is trying to talk. this makes me think best can actually get through to him.
Sure the Byron thing is interesting, but I’m still focused on the adorable sibling thing going on between Gravedust and Frigg.
Seems to me like Best is coming down from his own douchebaggery. If this keeps up I might start liking him!
Meant to add– this might be the first time he’s seriously worked with a team (I know he’s adventured with them before, but he was still trying to do his D-bag thing then) since becoming the “epic hero.” Could be this is an eyeopening experience for him.
Aww, Frigg loves her dwarf.
omgomgomg he’s gonna slash Best to pieces :)
That axe better be magic, or this will end horribly.
Who am I trying to kid? Of course this will end horribly.
I’m still banking on the idea that Best was lonely before, then his fame went to his head, but after a while all that fame became the norm and he realized just how lonely he really is deep down. I think we can all agree that when he was first introduced after our heroes died, he was pretty discontent with his life.
Look at his expression in panel 1: That’s not someone smiling just because he survived a battle, that’s the look of a man who is content. And when one takes in the group dynamics surrounding him, who can blame him? Best was, as far as I can recall, an orphan at best and abused child at worst. He’s always been looked down upon, and once people stopped beating up on him they instantly began to put him up on a pedestal. But now he’s traveling with people who don’t put him on a pedestal, and who function like a family. A slightly dysfunctional family, but a family nonetheless. -And he’s getting along with them- and maybe, just maybe, finding his own niche amongst their group.
In panel 4, one needs to pay attention to body language and dialogue tone. Best isn’t jumping up to be a hero. Sure, he’s got a snazzy one liner but that’s because of who he is. While it’s true that he’s in danger here, he’s not just stepping up to the plate for himself and glory, he’s stepping up to the plate for himself, and the group, and Byron. There are a lot of things about Best we haven’t seen, but it’s pretty clear by now that he’s become a team player.
Finally, still paying attention to body language and tone, one can easily say that the statement made in the second to last and last panels is meant to be soothing. It’s a friend reaching out to another, symbolically offering a hand of assistance. While normally the glimmer of a blade in the last panel would be a threat, I think we can safely write it off as just an artsy representation. He fully intends to play a song that will help Byron snap out of his berserk and resolve the situation peacefully.
With the caveat that he’ll probably revert on Friday HAHAHAHAH… yeah, that’s the look of a guy who just had a good jam session.
Nice analysis, we’ll see. One can never be too sure with Mr. Payet but that’s what makes him so enigmatic and compelling.
Between his constant depressed mood and his occasional berserk stages, Byron has quickly become my least favorite character. I hope he get’s it together soon.
Is that a bit of a smirk I see on Gravedust in panel 1? :)
Yeah, it’s the “oh for fuck’s sake” smirk.
It seems that Best ois trying to become a more sympathetic/good character thet not everyone hates, and Byron is slowly slipping into “not the best character ever” territory.
This angers me. Byron is my favorite character and I don’t like that after the first time going Berzerk it appears to be much easier for him to go Berzerk.
To be fair, it hasn’t been long enough for him to really cool down. He’s basically been thrown from being berzerk and killing his friends right into another series of heavy combat situations.
He’d undoubtedly be doing better it he had a few days to himself.
-nods- Very true I think. Plus, for all we know he’s been suppressing his berserking tendencies for years. Think of a reformed drug addict getting back on his usual junk, in front of friends and family no less, after a decade or so of being clean. Even when the main effects are over it’s a crippling expereince I would imagine.
I will say I am interested how this will work out. Byron seems to have given into the Rage willingly during this fight, as opposed to a defense mechanism when on the verge of death as he did when fighting Harki. So I’m guessing with that comes a degree of self control, albeit tenuous.
Is it a recent stylistic choice to not draw eyes and use shadows instead in far shots? I never noticed it before.
Re-reading this page, I misread the bottom-left line as “Byron. You’re prettier than this.”
…and you can get control, with Vidal Sassoon.
Come to think of it, it would be a great thing if Gravedust could be voiced by Sean Connery. Who would you pick for the other characters ?
Ok, before i go to the next page i want to say
1. Best’s hand is very beautiful in that last panel
2. It’s an obvious target for a worked up berserker
So with tepidation, i now head for the next page.
Alt text made me laugh out loud =)