OotS 406

[Knight Otu]

Well, I'm pretty sure that when Miko next calls Windstriker, he won't heed that call.
True, Shojo was exposed as a liar and manipulator, but the charge of treason is pretty much a fabrication of hers. She may not realize that she fabricated it, because she connected the dots the wrong way and got a twisted mockery of the true image, but it remains a fabrication, fueled by her need to be right. She has no interest in the truth, only in her satisfaction to be right. Otherwise, she should have listened to Hinjo, who, in that moment, would most likely be the supreme authority of Azure City and who expressed that Shojo would be dealt with after the more pressing matter of an approaching army. If bad comes to worse, her actions may lead to the Azure City defenses being essentially headless, unprepared, and thus overwhelmed. Even without that, it appears that any possible planning was at least delayed.
Shojo, I'm pretty sure that he is dead. In fact, to me it looks as if he willingly accepted the deadly blow after realizing what Miko is up to (third to last panel, "Everything I did, I did for my people."). Whether that is a final manipulation, or a self-sacrifice (or entirely my imagination, for that matter) remains to be seen.

 

[Victim]

Okay, I hope this is going to make sense... and I hope it doesn't get too political.

The reason we have court systems is that sometimes folks who are accused of crimes aren't guilty of those crimes. This should be obvious. So, instead of rushing to judgement, we have a process whereby evidence is gathered and presented, and weighed carefully (by a jury of one's peers in the UK and US, but by celestial forces in OotS). Then, sentence is passed, which can result in an acquital or condemnation.

This is all well and good, but it only works if the powers-that-be play 'by the rules'. If, instead, they engage in show-trials, having prejudged the situation, then they make a mockery of justice. If the public are aware of this, they lose faith in the system, and law breaks down - since in reality there is no justice, and so no reason not to stab your neighbour, provided he doesn't have any great influence.

On the other hand, if the 'powers-that-be' are succeptible to corruption, and instead acquit criminals who should be found guilty (or happen to 'lose' evidence, or have the jury replaced by the ghostly remains of the father of the accused), then again they make mockery of justice. And, again, the public lose faith in the system, and law breaks down - only this time you can stab your neighbour if you have sufficient influence.

And, of course, the Order of the Stick actually were guilty of the crime they were accused of, they just didn't know it.

In any event, if Shojo wanted the services of the Order of the Stick, he could very easily have sent them some sort of message that would have compelled them to come. Instead, he had them dragged back in chains, and went through with a 'trial' which has now been revealed to be a fraud. This sets a precedent for trials in the land not being fair... and also raises a very important question - if this trial was rigged, how many others have been? How many other murderers have been set free when they should have been executed, but who were convenient agents for the government? How many innocent men have been executed because they knew something they shouldn't? And what happens next time?

It is a very, very dangerous precedent Shojo has set.

Just having a secret order of paladins dispensing justice separately from the normal laws of the land is a dangerous precendent. Sapphire Guard stuff has nothing to with normal Azure City laws.

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0267.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0287.html

 

[Darklone]

OK, am I the only perv who read this and for the first time wished this wasn't a stick figure comic?

"It's all about your own fantasy, son..."

 

[Gez]

On the other hand, if the 'powers-that-be' are succeptible to corruption, and instead acquit criminals who should be found guilty (or happen to 'lose' evidence, or have the jury replaced by the ghostly remains of the father of the accused)

New reminder that it's the ghostly remains of the father who organized that.

 

[Endur]

And thus, Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader.

 

[Nifft]

Miko and Belkar = Disturbing Mental Image

Miko and Sabine = slash fanfic

Belkar and Sabine = Wrongness cubed

Sabine and Miko = exotic slash fanfic

-- N

 

[delericho]

Just having a secret order of paladins dispensing justice separately from the normal laws of the land is a dangerous precendent. Sapphire Guard stuff has nothing to with normal Azure City laws.

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0267.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0287.html

True that. Strange that none of the Paladins have thought to bring that up. Unless, of course, the paladins, while within the area controlled by the Azure City are subject to Azure City law in addition to the Sapphire Guard codes.

(One more thing occurs: since Azure City affairs are distinct from Sapphire Guard affairs, and since Shojo was the head of state as well as the head of the order of paladins, surely Miko must now stand trial for regicide, quite aside from killing the head of her order?)

New reminder that it's the ghostly remains of the father who organized that.

Yeah, but Shojo knew about it, and could have chosen not to go along with it. Even if he didn't organise the corruption of his courts, he is complicit in it.

The thing is, I can understand why Shojo did as he did. His motives make sense, and he is correct in his assessment that something had to be done, and it couldn't be done by his paladins. It's his methods that are all wrong.

 

[The Grackle]

Now it's clear that Miko's had a fallen-paladin-story-arc from the very beginning. Next comes losing her powers, trying to rationalize it, and finally becoming evil. And then in the end, hopefully, Belkar will kill her.

 

[wayne62682]

Great strip. Darth Miko, here we come!

 

[I'm A Banana]

Huh. In my games, intentional killing of in innocent being is an automatic and permanent loss of Paladin abilities. It doesn't matter if the Paladin "thought" he was doing the right thing or not.

I agree....

....which is why my half-cocked theory throws doubt on whether or not the old meddler really was an innocent being. Because if Miko is at least half-right and she really is serving the greater good by cutting him down and hornoring the legacy of the ancestor of her paladin order, she may not loose her Paladin status.

And, personally, I think that having a LG foil violently oppose the OotS is *much* more interesting than having a clear-cut villainous fallen blackguard cliche.

(Not that Rich will fall too easily into the cliche trap...I trust him enough even if Miko does fall).