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Annotations Every Day - Written by T Campbell & Flo Kahn - Illustrated by John & Jason Waltrip

There'll be plenty of walls to watch in prison, I guess.

Chapter 49 – Page 49

on March 2, 2018
Chapter: Chapter 49
└ Tags: Carol, Shanna, Xan
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Discussion (53) ¬

  1. brasca1
    brasca1
    March 2, 2018, 12:10 am | # | Reply

    Probably rubber walls. Remembering back to HR’s talk about the cavern nobody wants to hear something that disrupts what they think the truth is. As soon as they hear her story they’ll declare her insane.

    • RBuckalew
      RBuckalew
      March 2, 2018, 12:38 am | # | Reply

      Could be a “weirdness censor” like in webcomic Skin Horse, where people just block out what they can’t understand. In this situation, they’d probably just come up with their own explanations.

      • Adam
        Adam
        March 3, 2018, 6:28 am | # | Reply

        “This doesn’t look like anything to me.”

    • Not a Name
      Not a Name
      March 2, 2018, 2:21 am | # | Reply

      I’ve always been a bit torn on how I feel about Carol, but honestly the last pages have really made me feel bad for her. She was totally indoctrinated by her adoration (Love?) of HR, but managed to break free from it to do the right thing in the end. Her reward? Being the fall man…

      • Kennerly
        Kennerly
        March 2, 2018, 10:34 am | # | Reply

        Her reward is ending the madness.

      • DannyboyO1
        DannyboyO1
        March 3, 2018, 5:32 pm | # | Reply

        She’s not… innocent. She hired a hitman, who killed one of the scooby gang. THAT earns her a stay in the big house. If she really thought the 5 were merely trapped, and salvagable, murdering to keep their vacation a secret would be a BIT of a problem if they could be restored to full health in the world. It’s a bad escalation when the absolute worst would be “Hey, they signed the releases for our questionable medical testing so we didn’t kidnap or coerce anybody. It just hasn’t gone as well as we’d like and we tried to keep mum to avoid stockholder panic. So… real-world medical experts, help?”

        But it’s a totally sensible move for someone who is trying to cover up 5 corpses in the basement. A few more doesn’t make you *less* damned. And she has, increasingly over the past couple chapters, been realizing that she is truly damned. And having someone with a faint shred of a clue what vital signs look like tell her what’s up? To prove she’s been lied to? And then to get confirmation from the cult leader himself as he monologs through his trope egomania? Clearly evil AND destroying the world?

        Fek. Redemption doesn’t mean you go home happy. It doesn’t mean you go home. It means you clean up the enormous mess you made. It means you pay the bill. Because you had to earn a much worse fate to have redemption be an option. This shitty, painful, never-getting-out-of-jail result *is* the reward. And it was earned. Not just through the villainy. Not just because of the heroic act. But because paying the bill is part of it. The prize isn’t freedom, it’s being able to live with yourself and what you’ve done, and still being human.

        Don’t take that away from her, or lessen what she’s getting back. :)

        • Tyr Boh
          Tyr Boh
          March 5, 2018, 12:44 am | # | Reply

          Wow. wow. I love your third paragraph here. Redemption is closing your tab and paying the bill. Eloquent.

        • Not a Name
          Not a Name
          March 6, 2018, 3:49 am | # | Reply

          Oh, I am no way trying to lessen it, I just sympathize, even if I don’t necessarily think it’s unjustly deserved. She is most definitely on the ‘villain’ side overall, even if she realized “HEY MAYBE I’M ACTUALLY NOT THE BEST PERSON” overall, to put it succinctly.

    • Angel
      Angel
      March 3, 2018, 9:55 am | # | Reply

      To be honest that’s probably the kinder of the two choices. How do you think people would react knowing that she was a party to Necromancy and Black Magic? a Rubber Room or Torches and Pitchforks, I think out of all the options that could happen to her, an insane asylum would be the kindest option, especially considering I think she does need genuine Counseling through all the bullcrap she’s been through. (Do realize the only reason Xan and Shanna snuck up on Carol was because she Drank herself to sleep)

  2. FoolishOwl
    FoolishOwl
    March 2, 2018, 12:20 am | # | Reply

    One last Plato’s Cave reference. And, scene.

  3. RBuckalew
    RBuckalew
    March 2, 2018, 12:35 am | # | Reply

    And it’s as foggy as ever: notice the halo around the floodlights and headlights.

    • LockeZ
      LockeZ
      March 2, 2018, 3:53 am | # | Reply

      When your eyesight gets a little worse, that just happens for all lights at night.

      • wolfpax
        wolfpax
        March 2, 2018, 12:33 pm | # | Reply

        And then when you get glasses, they turn them into little starbursts.

        • maggPi
          maggPi
          March 3, 2018, 8:50 pm | # | Reply

          Starbursts? Sounds like astigmatism.
          When I was a kid, I thought everybody saw starbursts halos around streetlights and headlights etc. But it turns out not. Lucky me, it’s really pretty.

  4. Rules Lawyer
    Rules Lawyer
    March 2, 2018, 12:50 am | # | Reply

    I suppose this is more heartwarming than Carol committing 2 more murders.

    • Mujaki
      Mujaki
      March 2, 2018, 4:07 am | # | Reply

      Technically, she’s accessory to at least five more.
      “Couldn’t have done it without you, Carol.”

      • Chris
        Chris
        March 2, 2018, 4:53 pm | # | Reply

        Those could be argued as manslaughter. She believed the 5 were still alive, but trapped. Their deaths were unexpected and not intentional.

        • Anvildude
          Anvildude
          March 2, 2018, 9:07 pm | # | Reply

          Those would TOTALLY be accessory to manslaughter. Honestly, she’s not done all too much wrong- even her killing HR is technically in self-defense, and the rest were either situations that she was unaware of, or she was being coerced. About the only thing she’s really guilty of is holding the 5 without telling anyone (which… depending on the contracts they signed…) and not reporting on HR when she realized that things were going wrong (namely, uh, body parts and murdered coworkers.)

          Oh, wait, the Mercenary. Forgot about him. Yeah.

          Still, if the courts actually believed her, she might get off easily. Now, they’ll probably think her insane, so who knows what’s going to happen there.

          Unfortunately, it might mean that she gets forced to take antipsychotics, which would ACTUALLY drive her insane…

          • Thrawcheld
            Thrawcheld
            March 3, 2018, 8:42 am | # | Reply

            Being an accessory means helping the principal avoid justice after it happens. In the case of the manslaughter of the Five, she’s not doing that – they only just died, as far as anyone knows, and she’s reported it within minutes. She’s joint principal for one murder (Kaye, whom she hired a hitman to silence), and an accessory to another (Ferris, by disposing of the body – an opportunistic kill, so she could not have known before it happened). The Five may be a case of manslaughter (I’d argue for misadventure), but if she’s guilty, it’s as principal, not accessory.

            Killing HR is self-defence… IF they believe her story.

            (IANAL so take all this with an appropriately sized grain of salt)

            • Thrawcheld
              Thrawcheld
              March 3, 2018, 8:46 am | # | Reply

              Oh right, also multiple counts of attempted murder via JJ. Let’s not forget that.

              Not sure what her position is re police killed by JJ when he rampaged. They weren’t part of his job.

              • Rules Lawyer
                Rules Lawyer
                March 3, 2018, 12:56 pm | # | Reply

                I’m not a fancy highfalutin city lawyer, But…
                DENY DENY DENY

  5. random whatever
    random whatever
    March 2, 2018, 1:49 am | # | Reply

    <> I have been thinking about Wednesday’s strip. It’s haunting me. I keep staring and reading the dialogue again and again. There was discussion whether the explosion blew the flesh off the bones of the five. I argued otherwise. The arguments that the explosion decomposed the corpses at the instance of HR’s collapse made sense to me. but if so, How come HR’s corpse which was at the center of the blast pretty much intact. He was floating around in the soup for less time and perhaps was alive the whole time until the bullet hit the bone. Either way I will miss these forums and the perilous installments thrice weekly. I will miss the yearly swimsuit issue (of course) Ask an adventurer and Axemas where welcome relief from the suspense. What a ride! I amgoing to hit the road for a while and do not know when I will be able to comment again so SO LONG EVERYBODY.

    • Talewinds
      Talewinds
      March 2, 2018, 5:36 am | # | Reply

      Safe journey.

    • Chris
      Chris
      March 2, 2018, 4:55 pm | # | Reply

      Safe journeys. You know, I used to venture out just like you, but then I took an arrow to the knee.

    • John Waltrip
      John Waltrip
      March 2, 2018, 8:12 pm | # | Reply

      Not good-bye, but good journey. For the end of one journey is the beginning of another.

    • Lirazel
      Lirazel
      March 2, 2018, 11:36 pm | # | Reply

      May your eyrie receive you at your journey’s end.

    • BW
      BW
      March 3, 2018, 8:34 am | # | Reply

      There’s a whole other chapter still to go.

    • Speedy
      Speedy
      March 21, 2019, 9:08 pm | # | Reply

      I don’t think it was an explosion. I think HR attacked the Five in Sepia World with the tendrils coming from his body, in a desperate attempt to kill them before they could kill him in Arkerra. I think the tendrils smashed the five tubes, and then started devouring them alive. Shanna and Xan were terrified of the tendrils that were starting to attack them, because they were watching what the other tendrils were doing to the Five.

  6. random whatever
    random whatever
    March 2, 2018, 1:50 am | # | Reply
  7. random whatever
    random whatever
    March 2, 2018, 1:51 am | # | Reply

    (GAME OVER)

  8. raven0ak
    raven0ak
    March 2, 2018, 2:34 am | # | Reply

    just needs final closing of sepia world and closing of arkerra (assuming it wasnt destroyed when servers were plugged off)

  9. ROGUE
    ROGUE
    March 2, 2018, 2:37 am | # | Reply

    the game may not be over, usually authors put a FIN or THE END if the comic is done. or announcement of Hiatus or of a new work in progress with a start date

  10. ROGUE
    ROGUE
    March 2, 2018, 2:43 am | # | Reply

    there will probably be more next week

    • Kamino Neko
      Kamino Neko
      March 2, 2018, 5:52 am | # | Reply

      Of course there will – even if we don’t see any more on Sepia World, there’s still the Arkherran part of the denouement to do.

    • Rosetiger12
      Rosetiger12
      March 2, 2018, 10:25 am | # | Reply

      Given that the first page of Chapter 49 intro’d it as the penultimate (2nd to last) chapter, there’s going to be a chapter 50 to look forward to.

  11. Talewinds
    Talewinds
    March 2, 2018, 5:34 am | # | Reply

    Puck: A Midsummer’s Night Dream
    “If we shadows have offended,
    Think but this, and all is mended,
    That you have but slumbered here
    While these visions did appear.
    And this weak and idle theme,
    No more yielding but a dream,
    Gentles, do not reprehend:
    If you pardon, we will mend….”

    • Thracecius
      Thracecius
      March 2, 2018, 1:16 pm | # | Reply

      Wells quoted, Talewinds. :)

    • maggPi
      maggPi
      March 4, 2018, 4:19 pm | # | Reply

      *Sniff* (covers face, turning away)
      Hand me a tissue, wouldja please?

  12. Toecutter
    Toecutter
    March 2, 2018, 6:48 am | # | Reply

    Thank you Campbell, Kahn and Waltrips for a great ride. I look forward to hearing about what you will do next and when/where I can enjoy it. Y’all rock!

    • Rimswythor'Nj
      Rimswythor'Nj
      March 2, 2018, 6:18 pm | # | Reply

      Don’t leave, yet! Still got one chapter to go. :)

    • John Waltrip
      John Waltrip
      March 2, 2018, 8:14 pm | # | Reply

      Thank you!

      • BrainWizard (Merasmus' former lab partner)
        BrainWizard (Merasmus' former lab partner)
        March 3, 2018, 4:51 pm | # | Reply

        No, thank you! You given us more than just a webcomic, you’ve given us a wonderful and amazing story with artistic detail to match it’s quality! Some of us might not have the money to show our support and adoration for the five star work you’ve given us, but it’s support that won’t diminish or leave, even if you go elsewhere. I’m sure me and ToeCutter aren’t the only ones who are looking forward to your future endeavors, but you probably already know that because of the enormous number of readers, commenters, and donors.

  13. Rosetiger12
    Rosetiger12
    March 2, 2018, 10:27 am | # | Reply

    Hehe, a hurricane outside Hurricane studios.

    The last page and this page do make for a pretty solid ending to the webcomic given the twists and turns it’s taken along the way, but looking forward to see what the final chapter brings.

  14. Commiekeebler
    Commiekeebler
    March 2, 2018, 1:51 pm | # | Reply

    This is a little surreal given what’s happening in the Boston and New York right now, weather-wise.

  15. Psolo Ghoti
    Psolo Ghoti
    March 2, 2018, 4:55 pm | # | Reply

    “We’ll always have shadows.”

  16. The Indomitable Eric
    The Indomitable Eric
    March 2, 2018, 5:54 pm | # | Reply

    One hell of a storm.

    • Wyvern
      Wyvern
      March 2, 2018, 11:52 pm | # | Reply

      You might even call it a hurricane.

  17. Tsapki
    Tsapki
    March 4, 2018, 4:07 pm | # | Reply

    So paraphrasing…

    Shanna : “If I see you again…”

    Carol: “You won’t. There’s nothing more to see.”

  18. Koravel
    Koravel
    March 4, 2018, 10:53 pm | # | Reply

    A bit of a problem for those who think the five have been dead a long time.

    http://guildedage.net/comic/chapter-9-page-22/

    Dadelus thought they were still alive and was actively trying to get them out. There is no reason for him to be lying here as he’s the only one in the room.

    • Koravel
      Koravel
      March 4, 2018, 11:01 pm | # | Reply

      Also here: http://guildedage.net/comic/chapter-10-page-13/

      I know we now know those aren’t brain readings, but then, what are they? And what would cause a spike in them other than some sort of activity from the five?

      • Koravel
        Koravel
        March 4, 2018, 11:11 pm | # | Reply

        However, a few pages further on, they do seem to indicate there is no brain activity anymore. So I don’t know.

        • Koravel
          Koravel
          March 4, 2018, 11:12 pm | # | Reply

          Err, not a few pages further on, a few pages back, here: http://guildedage.net/comic/chapter-49-page-8/

  19. kokul
    kokul
    March 16, 2018, 1:58 pm | # | Reply

    Thanks a lot of of question and answer

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Guilded Age is co-written by T Campbell & Flo Kahn, and illustrated by John Waltrip. Site design by Samantha Kyle. Fonts by Blambot.com.
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