Order of the Stick 596!

[Orius]

So much for my theory, when V doesn't seem to care one way or other what's happening with Hinjo.

Still, normally V tends to bore me, but the character amused me this strip nearly as much as Belkar does.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Honestly, V's indifference to good and evil has reached dangerous levels, but I don't see this strip or its predecessor as particularly good illustrations of why. It's not at all clear to me that what V did was evil; it would be a perfectly legitimate move for a Chaotic Good character as well, if for no other reason than the risk to further (largely Good-aligned) lives inherent in keeping Karaoke or whatever his name was alive.

It was a perfectly legitimate move for a Chaotic character, yes. In terms of morality it can defined as neutral at best. Honestly, V's admission that it was done solely for impatience without even knowing the facts pushes it squarely into Evil. I could give the benefit of the doubt were V fully aware of the situation, but because it was solely because Elan had him tied up? Evil.

Furthermore, it's because of V's indifference to morality that V is Evil. It isn't the case anymore that V is simply pragmatic; it's that doing what is Good, and more importantly, not doing Evil, doesn't matter that pushes V into Evil.

Elan, on the other hand, is simply awesome.

 

[Staffan]

Oh, and another thought. Look back at #331 for a moment.
V: "How will I achieve complete and total ultimate arcane power?"
Kobold oracle: "By saying the right four words to the right being at the right time for all the wrong reasons."

Four words.
Disintegrate
Gust
Of
Wind

I'm thinking that V won't get away with this, and as a result will be executed (either by Hinjo & The Paladins, or more informally by some of Kabuto's followers), which will lead V to undeath and greater arcane power.

Either that, or V will get access to Kabuto's resources, including some form of spellbook or other thing boosting V's powers.

Oh, and a totally unrelated thing. A kabuto is the helmet associated with traditional japanese samurai armor. So I'm guessing that makes Lord Kabuto Lord Helmet

 

[stonegod]

Oh, and another thought. Look back at #331 for a moment.
V: "How will I achieve complete and total ultimate arcane power?"
Kobold oracle: "By saying the right four words to the right being at the right time for all the wrong reasons."

While I think this is putting V on the path, I don't think this is "the moment." Like w/ the kobold-village and Belkar, methinks its not going to be subtle.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

"...but that mustache did not do him any favors, either."

My favorite line, too!

 

[jmucchiello]

V: "How will I achieve complete and total ultimate arcane power?"
Kobold oracle: "By saying the right four words to the right being at the right time for all the wrong reasons."

My impression is that these 4 words will result in an immediate achievement of complete and total ultimate arcane power.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Great strip...

V doesn't care about alignment concepts. That doesn't mean they don't care about him.

 

[Fenes]

Great Strip!

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

"...but that mustache did not do him any favors, either."

Agreed - funniest single line of the strip!

Although the comment about "30 or 40 strips of trial sequence...probably involving those two idiot lawyers" was pretty good too.

 

[WhatGravitas]

Liked it... and Elan actually had a pretty witty response!? Woohoo!

And V is dangerous, right now. I daresay he's a mild version of chaotic evil - he's obsessive, does as it pleases him, does not care for anything but himself and his little obsession.

Because killing people out of impatience is pretty much evil and chaotic behaviour. And that he deals so readily with his own motivations, it's pretty clear that he embraces such behaviour right now.

A (half-)sane form of chaotic evil - not Joker or demonic chaotic evil, but the mundane form. I actually like that - a CE person with reasonable motivations, not just the bloodthirsty kind.

Cheers, LT.