Figured as much. Still, those dudes ain’t immortal, as demonstrated at the Attack of the Killer Squash incident. Also, this kind of confirms that, personally, physically, SGV can’t really do squat, which is nice to know, I guess.
This pretty much cinches it. Sweetgrass Voice’s only genuine, personal power is deceit. which it probably does without lying. Deceitful… um, entities, are much more dangerous when they don’t have tell you things that are untrue to mislead you.
Well, let’s see.. it’s a narrow, thin ledge, several feet up..
They aren’t going to be able to move quickly enough to catch up.
Digger can break the ledge.
Even if it comes to a fight, she’s got a MUCH more stable platform for fighting than they do, what with a lower center of gravity, but there are a lot of them.
@Robin: I think you’re onto something there. We know there are other exits from the cavern, so breaking the ledge doesn’t cut Digger and Ed off from being able to get out afterwards, but it should in the short term make it much harder for the CS to pursue them. And Digger already has pickaxe in hand, yes?
Also – Ed has a crowbar. I wonder what would happen if you pried the mask off a Cold Servant while they were still “alive”. Would it “unplug” them from their power source, a la certain mask-wearing Japanese undead?
That is the sort of power I was expecting from SGV since she did not strike first.
Well, Digger diestroying the ledge looks like a good idea *even* if there is no other way back. She will have no problem digging a new way for them on the rock wall anyway.
*giggles imagining the scene*
A wombat on the ledge, facing the enemy, rised pickaxe and shouting “You shall not cross!”
Yeah, this is so Thermopylae all over again – if Digger does it right, anyways. Collapsing the walkway is a better idea though. I don’t think there is another way onto or off that ledge…but Digger has rope. And mad pick axe throwing skills. Maybe. And a god up top who can send allies once the job gets done.
Hey – if they succeed…does the tunnel stay connected? Or will it fail when the being twisting the space to make the connection goes bye bye. Ed may have to meet Digger’s family and have a long strange trip with the peddeler to get home – though…he really doesn’t have a home (that cave really doesn’t count – it was just a house) to go back to…the closest thing would either be the temple…or Digger…hmmm…
Without the terrain advantage, I would say that even a single cold servant could defeat Digger one one one… the narrow ledge really helps. I agree that making a break in it could help in some situations (and Digger might even do so plausibly). If she does it, then cutting steps down might be rather painful, since the cold servants can throw a lot of rocks at them in the time it takes to get down, and that is assuming they don’t have dedicated throwing weapons. All in all, I don’t really see how they are going to get to the heart once they drop it to the floor… of course even just doing that might be enough since it will make putting tension on the pulleys that keep it beating much harder, plus the falling damage to the heart.
Actually, it just occurred to me that one of them (probably Ed given narrative conventions), could quite plausibly “death from above” the heart after it is on the ground. As for the effects on someone dropping a good distance, even onto the cushion of a large bag of muscle (without blood in it, right?)… well that is why I said that narrative convention requires that it be Ed.
The lines in that last panel are absolutely beautiful. I love how it looks like the Dark Servants were outlined in white instead of filled in-they really look like part of the darkness. Plus the skull of the middle guy seems iridescent and it’s eerily beautiful.
@Everyzig, Marty — The masks being black makes sense, as Marty said — I admit, I’ve been thinking of them as a sort of dark steel grey, probably the “cold” makes me think of metal.
What does anybody bet that Thursday takes us back to Murai and Bone Claw Mother?
No bet, Gramina. 🙂 …well, unless we get one more page to show how hopelessly outnumbered Digger and Ed are.
Though this might actually be a slight improvement in the odds — Digger’s pickaxe couldn’t have harmed SGV, but it can probably take out the Cold Servants. If she can just hold that ledge long enough for Ed to crowbar those chains…
The only problem I see with this is reach, as Digger pointed out when Grim-eyes was chasing her, and elsewhere (“I was going to make one SHORT hyena”) her limbs are one-third the length of a hyenas. If they have weapons, they may not have to get within pick-axe range.
Someone mentioned Ed possibly going to the Warren, and I was rereading, so I’ve got to ask. Does anyone remember Digger’s first meeting with the skins? She thought she was hallucinating that she was being chased, that the Warren had been destroyed and they were coming after her. The skins were real, though, which makes me wonder how intact the Warren is.
… /gloomy.
@ Bunny: *laughs hysterically for ten minutes straight*
@ Everyzig and other mask discussion folks: Iron. It makes a lot of sense from the metaphysical stance too, iron being used to bind mystical beings in various folk tales.
Also: Digger’s 24! If we all vote everyday even when there’s not an update, I bet we can crack the Top 20! And doesn’t Digger deserve it?!
This is kind of random, but I wonder what kind of hyenas we are dealing with? Neither stripes nor spots seem dominant in the tribe, so possibly brown hyenas? I suppose with skin painters around it would be hard to tell. Are the hyena tribe and Cold Servants different species, or were the later simply the same kind altered by either He-Is’s blood and/or the demon?
@Hebi R: spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta): Only they have the same… unique genito-urinary system shown by female members of The People. If it were any other species of hyena the details we’ve been given about the problems they have during birth, plus their strong matriarchal structure, wouldn’t make any sense.
And No “female members” was NOT meant to be read as a cheap joke, but seeing how it will be anyway I’m not even going to bother to fight it.
FIRST! Oh noes, cold servant time….
Figured as much. Still, those dudes ain’t immortal, as demonstrated at the Attack of the Killer Squash incident. Also, this kind of confirms that, personally, physically, SGV can’t really do squat, which is nice to know, I guess.
“Oops”
This pretty much cinches it. Sweetgrass Voice’s only genuine, personal power is deceit. which it probably does without lying. Deceitful… um, entities, are much more dangerous when they don’t have tell you things that are untrue to mislead you.
Well, let’s see.. it’s a narrow, thin ledge, several feet up..
They aren’t going to be able to move quickly enough to catch up.
Digger can break the ledge.
Even if it comes to a fight, she’s got a MUCH more stable platform for fighting than they do, what with a lower center of gravity, but there are a lot of them.
Never underestimate the power of a fanatic…
Yikes!
http://topwebcomics.com/vote/10180/default.aspx too.
SGV ridiculous power #9: Forcing all present to utilize Shatner-Speak :p
Yep: no crazy magic, only observing from afar and lots of tough armored minions. Course, most generals would literally kill for that…
@Robin: I think you’re onto something there. We know there are other exits from the cavern, so breaking the ledge doesn’t cut Digger and Ed off from being able to get out afterwards, but it should in the short term make it much harder for the CS to pursue them. And Digger already has pickaxe in hand, yes?
Also – Ed has a crowbar. I wonder what would happen if you pried the mask off a Cold Servant while they were still “alive”. Would it “unplug” them from their power source, a la certain mask-wearing Japanese undead?
Uh-oh, I knew those guys were gonna show up! Breaking the ledge might be a good option for Digger (I hope)….
Uh…uh-oh…
Incidentally, what color would you guys say the Cold Servant masks are? I am making one out of clay, but am not sure what color to glaze it.
@EveryZig: I’d wager, Black, since it’s clear they’re attempting to emulate SGV.
aaaand that’s when the fertilizer hit the ventilator……
That is the sort of power I was expecting from SGV since she did not strike first.
Well, Digger diestroying the ledge looks like a good idea *even* if there is no other way back. She will have no problem digging a new way for them on the rock wall anyway.
*giggles imagining the scene*
A wombat on the ledge, facing the enemy, rised pickaxe and shouting “You shall not cross!”
Digger remains so calm in the face of danger–I would guess that SGV still doesn’t get how strong she is.
Yeah, this is so Thermopylae all over again – if Digger does it right, anyways. Collapsing the walkway is a better idea though. I don’t think there is another way onto or off that ledge…but Digger has rope. And mad pick axe throwing skills. Maybe. And a god up top who can send allies once the job gets done.
Hey – if they succeed…does the tunnel stay connected? Or will it fail when the being twisting the space to make the connection goes bye bye. Ed may have to meet Digger’s family and have a long strange trip with the peddeler to get home – though…he really doesn’t have a home (that cave really doesn’t count – it was just a house) to go back to…the closest thing would either be the temple…or Digger…hmmm…
The Cold Servants are the early experimental Arrancar… SGV is Aizen’s TRUE FORM!!!
IT… MAKES… SENSE!!! :O
*Alondro is filled with otaku geekness and stupidity today* :B
Without the terrain advantage, I would say that even a single cold servant could defeat Digger one one one… the narrow ledge really helps. I agree that making a break in it could help in some situations (and Digger might even do so plausibly). If she does it, then cutting steps down might be rather painful, since the cold servants can throw a lot of rocks at them in the time it takes to get down, and that is assuming they don’t have dedicated throwing weapons. All in all, I don’t really see how they are going to get to the heart once they drop it to the floor… of course even just doing that might be enough since it will make putting tension on the pulleys that keep it beating much harder, plus the falling damage to the heart.
She poked the bear!!!
Breaking the ledge may or may not be a wise tactical/engineering decision (rockfall, anyone?)
I’m about to start chewing my fingernails anticipating Thursday!!!
Actually, it just occurred to me that one of them (probably Ed given narrative conventions), could quite plausibly “death from above” the heart after it is on the ground. As for the effects on someone dropping a good distance, even onto the cushion of a large bag of muscle (without blood in it, right?)… well that is why I said that narrative convention requires that it be Ed.
As I said a few pages ago, Oh crap, it’s them again!
This is where my narrative instincts expect Shadowchild — pardon me, Shadowlescent — to cavalry in and kick some You Shall Not Pass.
Of course, this is URSULA VERNON, so she’s sure to do something that blindsides my instincts while making perfect narrative sense.
The lines in that last panel are absolutely beautiful. I love how it looks like the Dark Servants were outlined in white instead of filled in-they really look like part of the darkness. Plus the skull of the middle guy seems iridescent and it’s eerily beautiful.
I think SGV’s boxed them in. SGV’s on one side and the Cold Ones are coming up from Ed’s side. Is Ed armed with anything?
@Everyzig, Marty — The masks being black makes sense, as Marty said — I admit, I’ve been thinking of them as a sort of dark steel grey, probably the “cold” makes me think of metal.
What does anybody bet that Thursday takes us back to Murai and Bone Claw Mother?
No bet, Gramina. 🙂 …well, unless we get one more page to show how hopelessly outnumbered Digger and Ed are.
Though this might actually be a slight improvement in the odds — Digger’s pickaxe couldn’t have harmed SGV, but it can probably take out the Cold Servants. If she can just hold that ledge long enough for Ed to crowbar those chains…
@Draco Dei: if someone does go and do a “death from above” attack it has to be digger. otherwise we wouldn’t get to make a drop-bear joke.
@Hawk: As for the inadvisability of poking bears, this surely takes the biscuits…
http://darwinawards.com/personal/personal2002-22.html
The only problem I see with this is reach, as Digger pointed out when Grim-eyes was chasing her, and elsewhere (“I was going to make one SHORT hyena”) her limbs are one-third the length of a hyenas. If they have weapons, they may not have to get within pick-axe range.
but if they do…..REMEBER TUNNEL SEVENTEEEEEEN!
Someone mentioned Ed possibly going to the Warren, and I was rereading, so I’ve got to ask. Does anyone remember Digger’s first meeting with the skins? She thought she was hallucinating that she was being chased, that the Warren had been destroyed and they were coming after her. The skins were real, though, which makes me wonder how intact the Warren is.
… /gloomy.
@Everyzig: I’m gonna guess either iron or bronze. They do go *klong* when hit, after all. Thick, heavy, not at all practical.
@ Bunny: *laughs hysterically for ten minutes straight*
@ Everyzig and other mask discussion folks: Iron. It makes a lot of sense from the metaphysical stance too, iron being used to bind mystical beings in various folk tales.
Also: Digger’s 24! If we all vote everyday even when there’s not an update, I bet we can crack the Top 20! And doesn’t Digger deserve it?!
This is kind of random, but I wonder what kind of hyenas we are dealing with? Neither stripes nor spots seem dominant in the tribe, so possibly brown hyenas? I suppose with skin painters around it would be hard to tell. Are the hyena tribe and Cold Servants different species, or were the later simply the same kind altered by either He-Is’s blood and/or the demon?
@Hebi R: spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta): Only they have the same… unique genito-urinary system shown by female members of The People. If it were any other species of hyena the details we’ve been given about the problems they have during birth, plus their strong matriarchal structure, wouldn’t make any sense.
And No “female members” was NOT meant to be read as a cheap joke, but seeing how it will be anyway I’m not even going to bother to fight it.
Heh, zoology puns ftw. I don’t think that’s a cheap joke, some folks will have to work to understand why it’s funny.
Y’all are ruining it by predicting stuff. XD
Then again maybe I should stop reading comments. LOGIC!
Looking at the way they’re talking, I’d say it’s Huey, Dewey and Louie. ;-9