Annotated 44-22
Okay, so we got a little more action out of the non-Frigg side of this chapter, even if it’s just one panel of Rana zooming away and another of frustrated response to that. Penk makes a very good argument for Rana to stay put, but Goblaurence is right: Rana is beyond argument at this point. Perhaps he’s been beyond argument since the Champions were formed, and just happened to be pointed in the same direction as Penk until recently.
Syr’Nj’s own struggles with her prejudice against avians will come up again and achieve some resolution in the final chapter.
I’m gonna say the same power that allows Best to change appearance every so often has shielded him from the cold but it’s faltering now. He clings to his delusions with a powerful grip, but even that grip’s strength has limits.
FB: It seems these predictions are thinning the herd. Rana just flipped his teammates the bird, and Best still doesn’t know the meaning of the Word. Guess “now is the winter of our discontent” (to misquote Richard the Third).
Yalaria and Rana always felt like they were meant to be more in the story. Like they just didn’t have a chance to fit it, or were forgotten.
Speaking of forgotten: Rana’s not tagged, by the way!
Earlier annotations (coming on three years ago themselves, fancy that) did mention there being a plan of sorts to save Yalaria, but there were a fair few things on at the time and she got relegated to the backburner until it killed her.
Ah yeah I have an inkling of that, but still Rana went kind of nowhere. I can’t say we even see the man cope. He shows a small handful of times and looks stoic.
7 others+that guy+3 more = 11.
Eleven elven answers are needed to convince Payet Best.
I am afraid is not so much “gives up because he is at last convinced” but rather “stops talking because he has turned into a popsicle”.
So what you’re saying is, Best goes to eleven?