If Kendal was “just a weapon” he’s probably be a flamethrower, ’cause he’s throwing out some sick burns.
Even without the roasting it’s a great analysis of Zuurith’s mentality; his dedication to law and order is only skin deep. I wonder just how sustainable his method of rule is, whether through outside influence or his own population revolting, if such a thing is possible, is it less an “if” Zuurith falls and more of a “when”?
“How long have you known?” I think this is the cue for Kendal to do his own deductive reasoning and realise that Dainix is a god’s champion, maybe even deduce that said god is Caliban.
@lolest: No, Dainix is on to something here. If Kendal were “just” a weapon he wouldn’t have thoughts or opinions. He wouldn’t apologise for inconvenience. ‘Just a weapon’ works as a metaphor for Dainix, since they have no other options or purpose and are under the thumb of someone who wishes them to do violence, but Kendal’s journey is entirely voluntary.
Dang. Kendal just sat there, idly venting about Zuurith being a jerk, like they were in high school together or something.
Dainix meanwhile: dude, *what are you*?
Kendal saying he’s a weapon makes me wonder if he considers his body as a weapon, or if he’s reinforcing, even if subconsciously, a theory I’ve proposed before: that Kendal’s soul originated from Kendal the sword. Since the materials that made the sword were a part of Vash’s body for a while, some of his own soul energy could’ve imprinted on the sword, similarly to the sentinel; when Vash’s body was left soulless, his sword filled the void. This is reinforced by the page where Gleicann explains to Kendal how he can clearly see him, but not mortals. In the picture where Gleicann describes Kendal’s unique soul, we see his soul is concentrated in three areas: his eyes, like a deity, but fainter; the scar on his stomach, where soon-to-be-his body got stabbed by The Collector; and most interestingly, the hilt of the sword. I believe Tahraim wasn’t just being metaphorical when he called our lad “the divine blade”; I believe that Kendal the sword and Kendal the lad are one in the same.
OK so Zuurith sounds like a textbook abuser and now I’m trying to think of the proper term for domestic abuse scaled up to a city. “Tyranny” doesn’t quite seem to fit with the way the world works, since Zuurith IS the city (and thus everyone’s home), not just the city’s ruler….
@TheUnknownGame:
Wow, that’s an amazing theory. If it’s true it would probably be even more surprising for everyone then Kendal’s body producing the soul out of itself. We can see in page 1-2-7 that Vash doesn’t know how Kendal came to be, and our boy himself doesn’t seem to have thought of any other possibility. Vash’s vessel was strong, maybe strong enough to receive a new soul from out of it. And when Kendal and Alinua are talking to the mayor of Windscrest in 1-4-19 he mentions that it’s easier to hear Vash when he is holding the sword. Alinua’s healing probably played a part in fixating Kendal’s soul to the body. We know that soul energy is very resistant and usually rejects exterior intervention, but maybe if it came from Life Mom herself it would be possible to put a previously existing soul in an empty body.
…I don’t know how to end this comment. This a really cool possibility!!
Ok, with Dainix we now have 4 out of 5 people being influenced by gods, two of them who are “vessels” to primordial beings who should be dead. Wonder what Falst thinks of this.
This! Thank you so much, I saw some people noting for him to take it easy on Kendal (no intended shade at them for reacting that way), but it’s a question that implies personal experience
I know the whole shipping thing is weird, and the whole comment is weird in general, but these two have been sharing screen for only two pages and I kindda want them to kiss. I know it’s weird, sorry.
@TheUnknownGame
I’ve honestly had a similar thought for some time now, esp as it explains WHY Kendal thinks he is just a weapon and not really a person. it’s because originally, he was. He was a sword. And probably because of the nature of the sword’s creation, he was able to have a soul that then got transferred once Vash’s soul left the vessel. it contextualizes everything Kendal talks about himself and how he doesn’t really know basic things like sleep… a sword wouldn’t know about the concept of sleep heh
this unique situation and hopefully being with dainix will maybe help him realize his own personhood i feel. like “yeah you used to be a sword, but you now are a person with a soul. you have thoughts and feelings… would just a weapon have that?”
Wait this makes a lot of sense. I used to think there was some truth behind zuurith, and he was being hard on Kendal cuz Kendal didn’t follow his laws or something, and that confused me as Kendal didn’t break any laws. But now I see zuurith just wants power, and he finds that power using physical force to control his people. He was scared of Kendal because Kendal isn’t under his power. I think Kendal and the gang will have to “free” zuurith in a sense. Kendal and Alinua and the Ignon who’s name I still don’t know will not leave the townspeople under the ”law” of a dictator that covers up his hunger for power as an icon of law and order, so I’m guessing this side quest will not only be the gang escaping, but taking zuurith down a notch or two. Or hopefully taking him down forever.
That…That makes a lot of sense–I’m gonna need to go back to that page again, because clearly I missed that first go-around. It would also explain why he chose to call himself Kendal–why he felt that the name fit him. I mean, if he sees himself as a weapon (even without the extra implication), then the choice makes sense, given that that’s what Vash called his sword (plus the whole “Vash needs me to free him” deal being part of the reason he exists). But if Kendal chose his name because it IS his name, even if the recognition is/was subconscious…
Oooh. I kinda feel bad for everyone (including us) who gets prematurely spoiled via comments if this turns out to be the case, but I REALLY want this to be the case… The plot/character/world development potential is amazing.
@Evil Tree Zuurith is basically Doctor Doom (Marvel Comics)
A flamethrower would be an example of a “dumb” weapon; Kendal is a “smart” weapon, in that he has been given an objective and has the ability to analyze available resources, obstacles, and tactics to achieve that goal, and the goal involves defeating an enemy. In much the same way that the greatest weapon in the US arsenal during WW2 was the US economy.
As seen previously with that Not-Pan forest god, gods are influenced by how the people view them. So, Zuurith would be a bit of a victim of his own laws, and the laws that seemed oppressive created Zuurith to be oppressive, which just leads to making more oppressive laws. It’s a great tumble through that oppression.
@Yellow Rose I don’t think it’s going to be that easy to deal with Zuurith — remember, in a very real sense, he IS the city, not just its ruler. As we saw with Vash, it would be *difficult* to take him on without dealing massive collateral damage to the city’s residents. Some form of diplomacy/politics might help rein him in… or he’d just find a more insidious way to express his control. Though with Tynan on the horizon, maybe we will see a situation where he’s kicked down a few notches…
@Theory cat Thinking about the implications a bit more, I suppose it’s possible that the way Zuurith acts is due to the residents’ collective ideas of how their city-god *should* act, which would be all kinds of disturbing… but in that case we could probably call it a toxic community. Still trying to think of a good term if that’s not the situation and it’s a one-way abuse dynamic. “Dictator” and “enslaver” both seem a bit too impersonal for the situation.
Skye:
I’m not spoiling anything; I don’t have insight into the story going forward, this theory is pure intuition with a healthy dose of thumbtacks and string. If it ends up being correct, then it’s a lucky guess on my part.
(I do hope I’m right, though, that would be a neat character trait…)
@Hermit Thrush
Lol “Tynan on the horizon” I get it.
Also I’m sure Technoblade could easily take down zuurith with 5-6 withers, give or take.
I really gotta stop making DSMP references. BUT all jokes aside, I think Golden Girl will help take down zuurith, indirectly or not. Idk about tynan. I don’t think he’ll end up here, especially since zuurith is really protected (mountains).
But yeah we rlly dont wanna hurt the people so c o m p l i c a t i o n s
Zuurith is pretty much every dictator out there: a person with a fragile ego that needs to control everyone around them and force them to obey so they feel like they’re worth something.
I’m honestly more curious how Zuurith got to be that way. It’s been made apparent that belief in gods affects what they’re like over time, so, if Zuurith is a horrible tyrant…did he start that way or was there some precipitating event where the government decided they needed to “crack down” on some population that precipitated his downward spiral? Either way, I think there’s been a feedback loop that’s caused him to get worse (more people thinking of him as a tyrant causing more tyranny causing more belief in tyranthood and so on).
Kendal, I think one of the fundamental problems here is that, if nothing else, the people in the jail all think of Zuurith as a horrible tyrant and a place of injustice. I don’t think the place can get better while the jail still stands. I dunno what the rest of the population thinks, but I suspect they all live in a degree of fear that they’ll slip up and be next…which only makes them more zealous in persecuting everyone who isn’t them.
“Look, Look! I’m helping! I’m on your side! Yes, I did run across the rooftops last night, but that doesn’t matter, it’s not really a *real* crime, not like jaywalking! Jail that guy for a thousand years! Just don’t look at me!”
…Possibly I might have been listening to too much Magnus Archives, but I do think that the locals are definitely worried about “stepping out of line” and that definitely seems like it’d feed into the god as belief.
I guess my real question is “Why do the Paladins have an Archive here?” Do they not care about the Evil part of the Lawful Evil nature of the city or what?
Well, it wouldn’t be a spoiler in the sense that you’re trying to deliberately ruin it, but it sort of would be in the sense that a major twist has been revealed so early. For example, my brother saw ‘Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2’ about a week before I did, and he was telling a friend about it within earshot of where I was working on a project. He didn’t specifically reveal specific details (he knows I have good ears and a sharp mind, and read too much for my own good), but even while being vague I was able to put together the film’s major plot points and reveals. It admittedly made for an interesting viewing, because I went with someone who also had never seen the film, but that didn’t have the same knowledge of events than I did…
(I hope you’re right, too. You don’t see a lot of characters who technically are/were sentient and/or enchanted objects, and they always make for an interesting perspective… Real interesting to write, too, depending on how much of their ‘self’ is tied to their current body, and how much is still attached to their original form…)
I mean. Saying “I’m *just* a weapon” is and easy shorthand to describe his situation, without getting into the full explanation of what he really is.
You don’t just start with “Yeah, so. Vash made an incarnation. Got his soul stolen. And then somehow that incarnation developed it’s own soul. And that’s me, Kendall.”
Also also.
Damn. Kendall really did go “I thought Zuurith would be a decent rival. But he’s really just a dick. how disappointing.”
Nice. That’s like the oposite of the “Your approval fills me with shame” trope. Nice one.
@Ophidiophile
I wasn’t being serious with that weapon comparison. I was making a joke, comparing Kendal with a flamethrower that causes literal burns while he was taking apart Zuurith’s psychology and criticising his methods, metaphorically “burning” him.
@Skye
omg yes the name thing too, that slipped my mind! lol like originally i thought the first thing, that he chose it because he sees himself as an extension of Vash and for his purpose… it was only when you brought it up that i was like “huh.. yeah that does fit that theory because he identified himself with that name and felt connected to it” it further lines up to both kendals being one and the same!
and honestly, when it comes to spoilers 1. i always, either indirectly or directly, spoil myself and, most of the time, it doesn’t ruin my experience with the media i enjoy. after all, i don’t know the journey of how the reveal will come to be 😉 or how they portray it! (but that’s me) and 2. i always try to theorize with the media i consume so im more than willing to accept the things i come up with might be true and spoil myself. very rarely do i just not theorize about something i am watching, and its usually with more low stakes stories ^_^
The TLDR is that Zuurith and the Paladins have a deal.
The Paladins lend their assistance to the city’s guards and hunters, and in return Zuurith allows them to house their archives in the city.
(Meanwhile in a parallel universe where your friend might be a dog)
Primordial Life: what’s in your mouth
Voidy, mouth full of stars: n-nothing
Life: dROP IT
Voidy: (starts running)
I love the theory of Kendal’s soul is from his sword, but it’s more than likely that when he was Healed by the Life Primordial, she sparked the life in the body of what used to be Vash, and now Kendal see’s himself as a weapon because that was Vash’s purpose for him. Now that he has his own “Life” he is able to grow and be more than that.
“Laws are threats made by the dominant socioeconomic-ethnic group in a given nation. It’s just the promise of violence that’s enacted and the police are basically an occupying army. You know what I mean?” -Bud Cubby, Dimension 20.
i mean, I’m the same–I usually don’t mind spoilers, and often end up spoiling a lot of things for myself (intentionally or otherwise–I love theorizing where a plot or character’s gonna go, and it’s scary how often I’m right), but I know some people get pretty irritated about getting spoiled, and I understand that, too, because there are things I’ve deliberately tried to avoid spoilers for, only to inadvertently come across one. It’s only really ruined a film for me once, though–but that film was basically a play-by-play of another, so I was mostly disappointed that, not the fact that I could guess what was coming.
Yeah, that name thing is pretty subtle, isn’t it? That’s what makes it so good–it’s one of those little things that hits like a truck once the dots are connected. One of my favorite kind of details–and arc-building–for sure! (Especially in a case like this…I wonder if Red’splanning on covering ‘Tomato in the Mirror’ on OSP anytime soon…?)
Fair. It’s still too soon to know for sure, after all, and there was obviously a lot going on at that point for everyone involved–it’s quite possible we’ll never truly know what sparked Kendal’s existence.
Though I do find it very interesting how often the panels seem to focus on Kendal-the-sword when Kendal-the-person is being asked about his origins and quest… (There’s also something a bit odd about his eyes, something not unlike the gem in the sword’s hilt…)
Come on Dainix don’t say that 🙁
Kendal’s so sad, I want my baby to be happy
fuck everyone else, Dainix is my new favourite
Kendal is simultaneously the biggest brain alive and the bestest Himbo around
Hooray for small talk!
Despite his observations,
Dainix assumed wrong.
Dainix assumed wrong.
Ah geez, now things are awkward.
Hooray for small talk…?
Kendal don’t be sad! 🙁
Could this be the beginning of a wonderful friendship built on respect, wisdom and gorgeous hair?
If Kendal was “just a weapon” he’s probably be a flamethrower, ’cause he’s throwing out some sick burns.
Even without the roasting it’s a great analysis of Zuurith’s mentality; his dedication to law and order is only skin deep. I wonder just how sustainable his method of rule is, whether through outside influence or his own population revolting, if such a thing is possible, is it less an “if” Zuurith falls and more of a “when”?
“How long have you known?” I think this is the cue for Kendal to do his own deductive reasoning and realise that Dainix is a god’s champion, maybe even deduce that said god is Caliban.
Tiles 5 – 7 are giving me trans vibes
XD at the alt text.
@lolest: No, Dainix is on to something here. If Kendal were “just” a weapon he wouldn’t have thoughts or opinions. He wouldn’t apologise for inconvenience. ‘Just a weapon’ works as a metaphor for Dainix, since they have no other options or purpose and are under the thumb of someone who wishes them to do violence, but Kendal’s journey is entirely voluntary.
Dang. Kendal just sat there, idly venting about Zuurith being a jerk, like they were in high school together or something.
Dainix meanwhile: dude, *what are you*?
TL;DR: Don’t assume, kids! You may be making your cellmate out to be more human than he gives himself credit for!
But go ahead and vent about the guy running the city, he deserves it.
If Kendal was “just” a weapon there’s no way he could have broken down Zuurith’s whole deal like that. My boy needs some self-worth, stat!
Sounds to me like Dainix is projecting a little…
Backstory time coming up?
It looks like Dainix is projecting a little…
Backstory time?
Kendal saying he’s a weapon makes me wonder if he considers his body as a weapon, or if he’s reinforcing, even if subconsciously, a theory I’ve proposed before: that Kendal’s soul originated from Kendal the sword. Since the materials that made the sword were a part of Vash’s body for a while, some of his own soul energy could’ve imprinted on the sword, similarly to the sentinel; when Vash’s body was left soulless, his sword filled the void. This is reinforced by the page where Gleicann explains to Kendal how he can clearly see him, but not mortals. In the picture where Gleicann describes Kendal’s unique soul, we see his soul is concentrated in three areas: his eyes, like a deity, but fainter; the scar on his stomach, where soon-to-be-his body got stabbed by The Collector; and most interestingly, the hilt of the sword. I believe Tahraim wasn’t just being metaphorical when he called our lad “the divine blade”; I believe that Kendal the sword and Kendal the lad are one in the same.
OK so Zuurith sounds like a textbook abuser and now I’m trying to think of the proper term for domestic abuse scaled up to a city. “Tyranny” doesn’t quite seem to fit with the way the world works, since Zuurith IS the city (and thus everyone’s home), not just the city’s ruler….
To Hermit Thrush,
Enslaver? Dictator? I mean maybe not dictator, it has a very similar meaning to tyrant
If you can think and act, you are NEVER “just” a weapon.
Or to steal a quote from a classic – “Not a gun.”
@TheUnknownGame:
Wow, that’s an amazing theory. If it’s true it would probably be even more surprising for everyone then Kendal’s body producing the soul out of itself. We can see in page 1-2-7 that Vash doesn’t know how Kendal came to be, and our boy himself doesn’t seem to have thought of any other possibility. Vash’s vessel was strong, maybe strong enough to receive a new soul from out of it. And when Kendal and Alinua are talking to the mayor of Windscrest in 1-4-19 he mentions that it’s easier to hear Vash when he is holding the sword. Alinua’s healing probably played a part in fixating Kendal’s soul to the body. We know that soul energy is very resistant and usually rejects exterior intervention, but maybe if it came from Life Mom herself it would be possible to put a previously existing soul in an empty body.
…I don’t know how to end this comment. This a really cool possibility!!
Ok, with Dainix we now have 4 out of 5 people being influenced by gods, two of them who are “vessels” to primordial beings who should be dead. Wonder what Falst thinks of this.
@Does my name go here?
5/6 if you count flashy paladin boi and maybe 3/6 on the ‘influenced by primordial beings’ count.
So you’re saying he’s a God of Control? …Anybody got the Phantom Thieves’ number? They’re pretty good against those.
This! Thank you so much, I saw some people noting for him to take it easy on Kendal (no intended shade at them for reacting that way), but it’s a question that implies personal experience
“Ray, if someone asks if you’re a god, you say yes!”
I know the whole shipping thing is weird, and the whole comment is weird in general, but these two have been sharing screen for only two pages and I kindda want them to kiss. I know it’s weird, sorry.
Kendal might deduct this, but from my guess we already have a team member for deductive reasoning. So… yeah, that might take a while.
“I’m a weapon with a soul, I guess.”
“…That just raises more questions, sorry.”
Oh hoho is this another companion for the companion band I AM READY FOR THIS NEW FRIEND
@theunknowngame I love that theory! God now I want that to be true I hope it is
@TheUnknownGame
I’ve honestly had a similar thought for some time now, esp as it explains WHY Kendal thinks he is just a weapon and not really a person. it’s because originally, he was. He was a sword. And probably because of the nature of the sword’s creation, he was able to have a soul that then got transferred once Vash’s soul left the vessel. it contextualizes everything Kendal talks about himself and how he doesn’t really know basic things like sleep… a sword wouldn’t know about the concept of sleep heh
this unique situation and hopefully being with dainix will maybe help him realize his own personhood i feel. like “yeah you used to be a sword, but you now are a person with a soul. you have thoughts and feelings… would just a weapon have that?”
Wait this makes a lot of sense. I used to think there was some truth behind zuurith, and he was being hard on Kendal cuz Kendal didn’t follow his laws or something, and that confused me as Kendal didn’t break any laws. But now I see zuurith just wants power, and he finds that power using physical force to control his people. He was scared of Kendal because Kendal isn’t under his power. I think Kendal and the gang will have to “free” zuurith in a sense. Kendal and Alinua and the Ignon who’s name I still don’t know will not leave the townspeople under the ”law” of a dictator that covers up his hunger for power as an icon of law and order, so I’m guessing this side quest will not only be the gang escaping, but taking zuurith down a notch or two. Or hopefully taking him down forever.
Jeez I was naive. Zuurith really is a dickhead.
Also I think we may need to call in the blade if my above theory is true.
To TheUnknownGame:
That…That makes a lot of sense–I’m gonna need to go back to that page again, because clearly I missed that first go-around. It would also explain why he chose to call himself Kendal–why he felt that the name fit him. I mean, if he sees himself as a weapon (even without the extra implication), then the choice makes sense, given that that’s what Vash called his sword (plus the whole “Vash needs me to free him” deal being part of the reason he exists). But if Kendal chose his name because it IS his name, even if the recognition is/was subconscious…
Oooh. I kinda feel bad for everyone (including us) who gets prematurely spoiled via comments if this turns out to be the case, but I REALLY want this to be the case… The plot/character/world development potential is amazing.
@Evil Tree Zuurith is basically Doctor Doom (Marvel Comics)
A flamethrower would be an example of a “dumb” weapon; Kendal is a “smart” weapon, in that he has been given an objective and has the ability to analyze available resources, obstacles, and tactics to achieve that goal, and the goal involves defeating an enemy. In much the same way that the greatest weapon in the US arsenal during WW2 was the US economy.
@Leska red has confirmed Dainix to be both Trans and gay.
As seen previously with that Not-Pan forest god, gods are influenced by how the people view them. So, Zuurith would be a bit of a victim of his own laws, and the laws that seemed oppressive created Zuurith to be oppressive, which just leads to making more oppressive laws. It’s a great tumble through that oppression.
@Yellow Rose I don’t think it’s going to be that easy to deal with Zuurith — remember, in a very real sense, he IS the city, not just its ruler. As we saw with Vash, it would be *difficult* to take him on without dealing massive collateral damage to the city’s residents. Some form of diplomacy/politics might help rein him in… or he’d just find a more insidious way to express his control. Though with Tynan on the horizon, maybe we will see a situation where he’s kicked down a few notches…
@Theory cat Thinking about the implications a bit more, I suppose it’s possible that the way Zuurith acts is due to the residents’ collective ideas of how their city-god *should* act, which would be all kinds of disturbing… but in that case we could probably call it a toxic community. Still trying to think of a good term if that’s not the situation and it’s a one-way abuse dynamic. “Dictator” and “enslaver” both seem a bit too impersonal for the situation.
Skye:
I’m not spoiling anything; I don’t have insight into the story going forward, this theory is pure intuition with a healthy dose of thumbtacks and string. If it ends up being correct, then it’s a lucky guess on my part.
(I do hope I’m right, though, that would be a neat character trait…)
…….I smell an interesting backstory……
Kendal calling himself a weapon is TT_TT
PEOPLE! USE THE REPLY FUNCTION! IT KEEPS THINGS ORGANISED!!!
Guys pls tell me is the Ignon’s name Dainix? When tf did we learn that?
@Hermit Thrush
Lol “Tynan on the horizon” I get it.
Also I’m sure Technoblade could easily take down zuurith with 5-6 withers, give or take.
I really gotta stop making DSMP references. BUT all jokes aside, I think Golden Girl will help take down zuurith, indirectly or not. Idk about tynan. I don’t think he’ll end up here, especially since zuurith is really protected (mountains).
But yeah we rlly dont wanna hurt the people so c o m p l i c a t i o n s
WAIT PLOT TWIST TYNAN AND ZUURITH ARE FRIENDS
Zuurith is pretty much every dictator out there: a person with a fragile ego that needs to control everyone around them and force them to obey so they feel like they’re worth something.
I’m honestly more curious how Zuurith got to be that way. It’s been made apparent that belief in gods affects what they’re like over time, so, if Zuurith is a horrible tyrant…did he start that way or was there some precipitating event where the government decided they needed to “crack down” on some population that precipitated his downward spiral? Either way, I think there’s been a feedback loop that’s caused him to get worse (more people thinking of him as a tyrant causing more tyranny causing more belief in tyranthood and so on).
Kendal, I think one of the fundamental problems here is that, if nothing else, the people in the jail all think of Zuurith as a horrible tyrant and a place of injustice. I don’t think the place can get better while the jail still stands. I dunno what the rest of the population thinks, but I suspect they all live in a degree of fear that they’ll slip up and be next…which only makes them more zealous in persecuting everyone who isn’t them.
“Look, Look! I’m helping! I’m on your side! Yes, I did run across the rooftops last night, but that doesn’t matter, it’s not really a *real* crime, not like jaywalking! Jail that guy for a thousand years! Just don’t look at me!”
…Possibly I might have been listening to too much Magnus Archives, but I do think that the locals are definitely worried about “stepping out of line” and that definitely seems like it’d feed into the god as belief.
I guess my real question is “Why do the Paladins have an Archive here?” Do they not care about the Evil part of the Lawful Evil nature of the city or what?
Steakthedog:
HOW??? You’re the only person it works for anymore since the site crash, unless you know a secret technique to circumvent the problems?
Yellow Rose:
The Ignan’s name is in fact Dainix; a guard said his name at the beginning of this chapter.
To The UnknownGame:
Well, it wouldn’t be a spoiler in the sense that you’re trying to deliberately ruin it, but it sort of would be in the sense that a major twist has been revealed so early. For example, my brother saw ‘Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2’ about a week before I did, and he was telling a friend about it within earshot of where I was working on a project. He didn’t specifically reveal specific details (he knows I have good ears and a sharp mind, and read too much for my own good), but even while being vague I was able to put together the film’s major plot points and reveals. It admittedly made for an interesting viewing, because I went with someone who also had never seen the film, but that didn’t have the same knowledge of events than I did…
(I hope you’re right, too. You don’t see a lot of characters who technically are/were sentient and/or enchanted objects, and they always make for an interesting perspective… Real interesting to write, too, depending on how much of their ‘self’ is tied to their current body, and how much is still attached to their original form…)
To Steakthedog:
Believe me, I’ve tried; it doesn’t work. Posting a comment that begins with “To Whomever” and hoping they see it is the best I can do.
1-13-3
“That was really impressive, Dainix.”
-some guard
I mean. Saying “I’m *just* a weapon” is and easy shorthand to describe his situation, without getting into the full explanation of what he really is.
You don’t just start with “Yeah, so. Vash made an incarnation. Got his soul stolen. And then somehow that incarnation developed it’s own soul. And that’s me, Kendall.”
Also also.
Damn. Kendall really did go “I thought Zuurith would be a decent rival. But he’s really just a dick. how disappointing.”
Nice. That’s like the oposite of the “Your approval fills me with shame” trope. Nice one.
@TheUnknownGame @OpportunisticScavenger Thank you I’m such a idiot lol
@Ophidiophile
I wasn’t being serious with that weapon comparison. I was making a joke, comparing Kendal with a flamethrower that causes literal burns while he was taking apart Zuurith’s psychology and criticising his methods, metaphorically “burning” him.
@Skye
omg yes the name thing too, that slipped my mind! lol like originally i thought the first thing, that he chose it because he sees himself as an extension of Vash and for his purpose… it was only when you brought it up that i was like “huh.. yeah that does fit that theory because he identified himself with that name and felt connected to it” it further lines up to both kendals being one and the same!
and honestly, when it comes to spoilers 1. i always, either indirectly or directly, spoil myself and, most of the time, it doesn’t ruin my experience with the media i enjoy. after all, i don’t know the journey of how the reveal will come to be 😉 or how they portray it! (but that’s me) and 2. i always try to theorize with the media i consume so im more than willing to accept the things i come up with might be true and spoil myself. very rarely do i just not theorize about something i am watching, and its usually with more low stakes stories ^_^
@WuseMajor
The TLDR is that Zuurith and the Paladins have a deal.
The Paladins lend their assistance to the city’s guards and hunters, and in return Zuurith allows them to house their archives in the city.
Source: https://comicaurora.tumblr.com/post/649513896696299520/so-zuurith-condoned-a-cult-being-behind-his-walls
(Meanwhile in a parallel universe where your friend might be a dog)
Primordial Life: what’s in your mouth
Voidy, mouth full of stars: n-nothing
Life: dROP IT
Voidy: (starts running)
Zuurith, you need to start playing nice with other god’s toys! You are in SO much trouble when mom finds another lacrima!
I love the theory of Kendal’s soul is from his sword, but it’s more than likely that when he was Healed by the Life Primordial, she sparked the life in the body of what used to be Vash, and now Kendal see’s himself as a weapon because that was Vash’s purpose for him. Now that he has his own “Life” he is able to grow and be more than that.
“Laws are threats made by the dominant socioeconomic-ethnic group in a given nation. It’s just the promise of violence that’s enacted and the police are basically an occupying army. You know what I mean?” -Bud Cubby, Dimension 20.
NOOOOOO I CAUGHT UUUP!!!!!! ARGH! I neef more! Tjis is some of the best content I’ve read in a while!
To shadowsapphic:
i mean, I’m the same–I usually don’t mind spoilers, and often end up spoiling a lot of things for myself (intentionally or otherwise–I love theorizing where a plot or character’s gonna go, and it’s scary how often I’m right), but I know some people get pretty irritated about getting spoiled, and I understand that, too, because there are things I’ve deliberately tried to avoid spoilers for, only to inadvertently come across one. It’s only really ruined a film for me once, though–but that film was basically a play-by-play of another, so I was mostly disappointed that, not the fact that I could guess what was coming.
Yeah, that name thing is pretty subtle, isn’t it? That’s what makes it so good–it’s one of those little things that hits like a truck once the dots are connected. One of my favorite kind of details–and arc-building–for sure! (Especially in a case like this…I wonder if Red’splanning on covering ‘Tomato in the Mirror’ on OSP anytime soon…?)
To Azlandre:
Fair. It’s still too soon to know for sure, after all, and there was obviously a lot going on at that point for everyone involved–it’s quite possible we’ll never truly know what sparked Kendal’s existence.
Though I do find it very interesting how often the panels seem to focus on Kendal-the-sword when Kendal-the-person is being asked about his origins and quest… (There’s also something a bit odd about his eyes, something not unlike the gem in the sword’s hilt…)
Kendal: I’m just a weapon
Dannix: the hell kind of weapon are you
Kendal: mostly sociological rhetoric, less collateral that way
this is some good morals
Alt text: you know what they say about assuming
Kendal out here casually ending this man’s whole godlyness
two dudes chilling in a prison cell kind of far apart cause their actually quite gay
Damn, Kendal absolutely spitting