Frigg… lecturing Byron about how you care is probably not helping to get him mad. See, while horrible in way she likely wasn’t planning on going here, she needs to be punching Syr’Nj if she wants results.
You know, that’s a mighty fine idea. If they had arranged things ahead of time, just in case, they could have pulled off a whole fake combat with fake blood and fake ouchies.
It’d be brutal, but I’m pretty sure Byron might seriously die before he goes off again. Heck, even dark magic wasn’t enough. The last times we saw him slip were from lethal trauma and high adrenaline immediately afterward. Times his life was at risk. I think he knows these people won’t kill him unless they feel they have to, which he accepts. He needs something to make him lose it. That or Frigg really has to go nuts, which I’m not sure she can right now.
Beating Syr’Nj, on the other hand, would skyrocket his stress, and probably remove the rational side of him keeping everything in check. With the probably added bonus of anger. Maybe with a speech about how he’s getting his friends hurt by being as he is to help it along.
Anybody else, I’d say they wouldn’t even consider this. Frigg… well, I have faith in her being just enough bitch to realize it’s viable.
i agree. i can see her next line being “yknow what? Im tired of beating someone who dont give two shits bout it.” WHAM *syr drops* “how many shits do you give now?”
The problem is; that ironically, even as good as Frigg is at pissing people off. There’s nothing she can say to Byron that’s can make him mad, he’ll either agree, think he deserves it or feel guilt/sadness. And no mater how badly she beats him, she’ll never get his adrenalin pumping with fear of death or lust for battle.
I think Byron’s berserk mode comes from desperation to win a battle, which in turn depends on having a important reason to win. Which saving himself a beating, or even his life, just isn’t important enough to him. Let alone the fact he’d never actually want to win a fight against “his family”. No motivation = no zerk for you.
/End over analyzing fictional characters motivations, returning to “looking forward to seeing what the WRITERS will create”
This is a really well done page. First off, because Frigg is showing not only a willingness to beat up Byron, but showing solid evidence of giving a shit about him functioning. She does want him to be “cured” – and the way she phrases her arguments, it hints that she has some emotional attachment to Byron as well. Granted not much – and certainly Frigg would be the last to admit that she gives a damn about Byron in a personal sense. Remember when we saw their “real world selves”? Frigg’s player was the one who had no use for relationships (probably due to nasty experiences with rejection).
I also think the gesture between Syr and Gravedust is beautifully done. It’s possible that not only is Syr covering her face in an “this is not going as planned” facepalm…but that watching what is being done to Byron is much more difficult than she had anticipated. I have no doubt that Syr is capable of inflicting pain on her patient: she was a field medic. Wanna take bets on how many field amputations she had to do while she was in service?
But that’s not the same as listening to the man you love admit that he’d rather be burned alive than hurt you (or anyone else in the group). That kind of depression and self hatred is as devastating to witness as it is to endure.
It’s actually rather astonishing that surly, ill-tempered, defensive and guarded Frigg just directly expressed her respect for Byron and that she cared about him. Possibly, the fact that she was beating him up made it easier for her to say that.
But it looks a lot like while we were expecting a transformative moment for Byron, we’ve just seen one for Frigg.
I imagine Frigg’s been punching really hard things for years. She probably didn’t even think that much about how it’d toughen her hands up when she started. I could see her just thinking it’d be badass.
That gal is no paladin, says right in the cast page she’s a crusader. Like most D&D esque stuff, different versions have different rules and noen of them technically apply to this comic, but in some versions Crusaders are more or less what happens when your would be paladin says “okay, you sold me on the good, but not so much this lawful thing, patron god.” and the god replies “yeah, but we still tight. Go do your thang fool.”
I’m just glad Frigg’s showing her decent, human side here after last update’s brutalization of Byron (with reason, not holding it against her). She’s just so rough and tough it’s sometimes hard to remember she’s a good guy.
And this is depressing. Poor Byron. The experimental beatdown by Frigg is nothing compared to how he keeps beating himself up inside.
If anything, I expected Frigg to do the facepalming, but she looks terribly guilty. So much awkwardness in that last panel you could cut it with a freaking knife. xD
Is this a good time to point out that the forums are now open again? I think in the past they used to be really busy, and then they vanished for a bit – but they’re back now.
I love Byron. I really do. I think his player and I would probably join the same LARP group and hang out and discuss the finer points of Jedi philosophy together RL.
Frigg… lecturing Byron about how you care is probably not helping to get him mad. See, while horrible in way she likely wasn’t planning on going here, she needs to be punching Syr’Nj if she wants results.
You know, that’s a mighty fine idea. If they had arranged things ahead of time, just in case, they could have pulled off a whole fake combat with fake blood and fake ouchies.
It’s just the buildup. Expect a catfight in the next strip.
Well, that’s…definitely tough love, right there.
Oh man, perfect icon for it too…
It’d be brutal, but I’m pretty sure Byron might seriously die before he goes off again. Heck, even dark magic wasn’t enough. The last times we saw him slip were from lethal trauma and high adrenaline immediately afterward. Times his life was at risk. I think he knows these people won’t kill him unless they feel they have to, which he accepts. He needs something to make him lose it. That or Frigg really has to go nuts, which I’m not sure she can right now.
Beating Syr’Nj, on the other hand, would skyrocket his stress, and probably remove the rational side of him keeping everything in check. With the probably added bonus of anger. Maybe with a speech about how he’s getting his friends hurt by being as he is to help it along.
Anybody else, I’d say they wouldn’t even consider this. Frigg… well, I have faith in her being just enough bitch to realize it’s viable.
i agree. i can see her next line being “yknow what? Im tired of beating someone who dont give two shits bout it.” WHAM *syr drops* “how many shits do you give now?”
*thumbs up*That’s textbook Frigg, I wouldn’t be surprised if she said exactly the same thing!
Frigg has found something she can’t deal with by hitting it.
Yeah, that really took the starch out of her, didn’t it?
Un-frigging-believable
That said, hurting Syr’Nj might inject Byron with a real need to ‘zerk.
I think I’m ready to subscribe to Rachel’s religion now.
The problem is; that ironically, even as good as Frigg is at pissing people off. There’s nothing she can say to Byron that’s can make him mad, he’ll either agree, think he deserves it or feel guilt/sadness. And no mater how badly she beats him, she’ll never get his adrenalin pumping with fear of death or lust for battle.
I think Byron’s berserk mode comes from desperation to win a battle, which in turn depends on having a important reason to win. Which saving himself a beating, or even his life, just isn’t important enough to him. Let alone the fact he’d never actually want to win a fight against “his family”. No motivation = no zerk for you.
/End over analyzing fictional characters motivations, returning to “looking forward to seeing what the WRITERS will create”
You may call it over analyzing fictional characters’ motivations, but I call it being astute. Here’s something to support your theory:
“That’s right, Byron. You have to kill to live. So why not kill to live.” http://guildedage.net/webcomic/chapter-11/chapter-11-page-8/
This is a really well done page. First off, because Frigg is showing not only a willingness to beat up Byron, but showing solid evidence of giving a shit about him functioning. She does want him to be “cured” – and the way she phrases her arguments, it hints that she has some emotional attachment to Byron as well. Granted not much – and certainly Frigg would be the last to admit that she gives a damn about Byron in a personal sense. Remember when we saw their “real world selves”? Frigg’s player was the one who had no use for relationships (probably due to nasty experiences with rejection).
I also think the gesture between Syr and Gravedust is beautifully done. It’s possible that not only is Syr covering her face in an “this is not going as planned” facepalm…but that watching what is being done to Byron is much more difficult than she had anticipated. I have no doubt that Syr is capable of inflicting pain on her patient: she was a field medic. Wanna take bets on how many field amputations she had to do while she was in service?
But that’s not the same as listening to the man you love admit that he’d rather be burned alive than hurt you (or anyone else in the group). That kind of depression and self hatred is as devastating to witness as it is to endure.
I mean, what the hell can you say to that?
It’s actually rather astonishing that surly, ill-tempered, defensive and guarded Frigg just directly expressed her respect for Byron and that she cared about him. Possibly, the fact that she was beating him up made it easier for her to say that.
But it looks a lot like while we were expecting a transformative moment for Byron, we’ve just seen one for Frigg.
Nicely said. :)
Have you ever watched a shounen anime?
I’ve watched all of Fist of the North Star as well as Fist of the Blue Sky, so I understand whatcher goin’ for. :3 -nods-
This situation has a certain gravitas to it, seems like Frigg’s being weighed down by that emotional burden.
Many outwardly brash and self-confident people do find complex emotional issues an heavy load to bear.
Looks like Frigg has had some levels in monk at one point(certainly not recently) because punching those chains should have shattered her knuckles.
I imagine Frigg’s been punching really hard things for years. She probably didn’t even think that much about how it’d toughen her hands up when she started. I could see her just thinking it’d be badass.
that… makes much more sense than her ever being Lawful.
Paladins are Lawful too, you know.
That gal is no paladin, says right in the cast page she’s a crusader. Like most D&D esque stuff, different versions have different rules and noen of them technically apply to this comic, but in some versions Crusaders are more or less what happens when your would be paladin says “okay, you sold me on the good, but not so much this lawful thing, patron god.” and the god replies “yeah, but we still tight. Go do your thang fool.”
Sound familiar?
Frigg broke him :x
…What. Why is this here? I posted at the bottom!
Way to go Frigg. Not only did you NOT make him mad, you revered him back to Boo-hoo-er.
Gravedust comforting Syr in the background, beautiful.
See to them… you’re just a Freak.
They need you right now. But when they don’t…they’ll cast you out. Like a leper.
(So yeah, gratuitous quoting on my part.)
I’m just glad Frigg’s showing her decent, human side here after last update’s brutalization of Byron (with reason, not holding it against her). She’s just so rough and tough it’s sometimes hard to remember she’s a good guy.
And this is depressing. Poor Byron. The experimental beatdown by Frigg is nothing compared to how he keeps beating himself up inside.
See what happens when you start talking to people for a couple of panels Frigg? They make you feel like a dick.
SMASH HIM HARDER!
I know Syr is hiding her face out of emotional distress for Byron, but I read that as a facepalm as first.
Maybe it is, because right now they are going in the exact opposite direction of where they want to go…
*at first
If anything, I expected Frigg to do the facepalming, but she looks terribly guilty. So much awkwardness in that last panel you could cut it with a freaking knife. xD
heh. chain male.
Is this a good time to point out that the forums are now open again? I think in the past they used to be really busy, and then they vanished for a bit – but they’re back now.
I’m having Evangelion flashbacks HARD.
Time to crank up the trollume.
I’m predicting Frigg’s gonna start beating on Syr next to get Byron going.
I love Byron. I really do. I think his player and I would probably join the same LARP group and hang out and discuss the finer points of Jedi philosophy together RL.
I love Byron too. Though in a much less philosophical, much more objectifying way *wicked grin*
But you can talk philosophy when I’m done with him! :P
My husband would object if I loved him in a non-platonic ‘You’re my bro’ kind of way…
Now I want a syr’facepalm avatar.
Damn, that just broke Frigg… she’s totally not feeling this anymore… she needs to tag a buddy in.
Okay you know what, after seeing this page, I take back about what I said about Frigg in the previous one.
She really does care (Hell of a way to show it, am I right)
/facepalm rather than a kodak moment?
It’s times like this I almost wish Payet wasn’t most likely falling forever through some sort of infinite nothingscape.
I think he’d be better suited for this procedure than Frigg, let’s face it, when it comes to pissing Byron off, he’s the Best.
I see what you did there.