Annotated 3-20
Sting seems to be confusing the basic principle of the exchange of services for goods with the afterlife, which is a… unique approach to spirituality, but it’s quirky enough that I’m almost sorry he won’t be with us very much longer. Still, when he fed Syr’Nj that line, his fate was largely sealed.
This is Syr’Nj’s first solo action, not counting her work as a field medic, and she finally looks effective and borderline badass. Possibly related: she doesn’t say a word here. Although she seems to improvise the flash grenade while Sting makes his move, she’ll be using it semi-frequently in combat going forward.
A handful of rag tag adventurers taking down an entire pirate crew *would* seem silly if said pirates consolidated their forces. As it is, the dispersed defense plan claims another villainous victim.
The most badass thing here is syr’nj shrugging off that crossbow bolt. In contrast to byron’s quick exit from the fight (and hers later at the hands of magda).
I appreciate her silence during action here. I am clearly in the minority here, as it is a very popular thing in entertainment, but goddammit does (terribly over-used) one-liners make me groan. A fresh one will get a much bigger pass with me, as unrealistic as it seems to shout a stupid line before attacking to amuse… yourself?, but the the classic ones just make me mad. If she had gone for “OK now it’s MY turn!”, “Try THIS on for size!” or “Oh yeah? How’s this?!” Guilded Age would’ve lost many of the points it earned in my eyes.
That being said at this point I was so in love with Guilded Age already I would’ve just winced this time and moved on. B-but I would shake my head in disapproval, I guess…?!
Also because Sting’s courteous enough to set up his own action punchline. Syr’Nj could have said something along the lines of “I disagree”, but anything else would be too much and even that would be pushing it.
Yeah, this sells the punchline without OVER selling it.
“Do not fear the dog that barks; beware the one that doesn’t.”
Sting must be very inexperienced if he thinks a ragtag band of adventurers is anything less than the most dangerous thing in the world to villains, dragons with shiny hides, monsters in general, peace, law and order, civilians, or the fabric of all reality.
More significantly, Sting didn’t kill Gravedust before going after Syr’Nj. That’s a really obvious rookie mistake.
No, it does make sense. That ones stuck and can be dealt with later. The other ones an active threat. Take out the threat, don’t turn back on threat, and the other one can be dealt with afterwards.
In the words of Tuco the Rat:
“If you’re going to shoot, shoot! Don’t talk!”
If you ever need to stare down the wrong end of a crossbow, pray the person wielding it is an evil man. Evil men want to gloat, want to watch you squirm, want to draw the moment out. A good man will kill you with hardly a pause.
(very) paraphrased from Terry Pratchett, because I can’t be arsed to walk ten feet to look it up.
Good, bad, I’m the one with the gun.
TBF, she actually is fairly bright.
I never thought she was improvising the flash-bang; she seems to pull it ready-made from her bag, and she already has the dark lens option on her goggles.
Funnily enough, Gravedust would agree with that sentiment.