SOMEONE’S PISSED
AND THE PLOT HAS ARRIVED VIA LIGHTNING BOLT
Ngl I thought Tynan sent his bolt down straight on Zuurith’s head for a second XD. I also just noticed the tiny Kendal & Dainix on the last panel, that was a HUGE strike woah-
“Hey guys, sorry I’m late. Oh, am I interrupting something? Yeah, my bad. Lemme just leave and come back when you’re done. No worries, barely anyone was vaporized, right?”
Oh no, KRAOOOM. No webcomic writer uses the KRAOOOM SFX without good reason.
I’m just imagining all those arena spectators trying to silently budge away from Zuurith, expecting him to explode and lash out at Kendal. Meanwhile poor arena commentator has no choice but be right next to him.
Looks like Dainix is resisting his transformation, otherwise Kendal wouldn’t have been able to make this speech. Maybe the shock from the new arrival could halt it entirely; I mean it’s no Kendal cooldown hug, but it could still work.
Honestly Zuurith should have seen this coming. Giving the ex-vessel of his sworn enemy an audience and freedom to speak; of course Kendal was going to criticise him in front of everyone. That, along with begrudging respect for Vash as a peer, should have taken precedent over teaching one gladiator a lesson.
Well good news Big Z, the storm god has arrived so you may get out of that speech while saving face. Bad news … pretty much everything else about the storm god’s arrival.
What we didn’t know was that this was all just a competition to see who could glow the most, yeah I think Tynan won…
In other news, over the last few pages the tension has really been building up over Tynans’ arrival and well when it comes to breaking tension I think a massive lightning bolt takes the cake.
So, are we going to have both Tynan and Dainix chasing Kendal–with Zuurith happy to have an end the last trace (in his view) of Vash? Or is Zuurith going to get the danger to his city and act? I suspect option one, and certain god is going to be owing the FLOOF squad a major debt.
Awe-inspiring thunderbolt. No wonder Vash nearly lost to Tynan.
Tynan strides forward next page, lifts his hands as lightning falls and kills all across the city. “How dare, indeed. Let me show you how it’s done, godling.”
*proceeds to fist-fight Zuurith, Kendal, and Dainix simultaneously… and have the upper hand*
By the looks of the second panel, Dainix’s right hand is about to break open as well. And the bandage is still burning away.
I don’t think Kendal has ever been so f*cking furious as he is now, at least not openly. When he encountered the chimera in chapter 8, he was cold, quiet, and serious due to the flashbacks to Vash’s destruction, but after seeing Falst for the first time and realizing that this isn’t a similar situation, he calmed down quite quickly. When he gave Jolon that mid-combat speech in chapter 10, he was righteously angry due to Jolon’s manipulation and bigotry, but Kendal didn’t get very loud, it was more of a very stern talking-to. But here? This is the first time he’s genuinely shouted at someone out of pure rage. Even his earlier yelling was more of a desperate plea to get Zuurith to stop, but since Zuurith didn’t listen, the gloves are officially off.
And finally, after five whole chapters of buildup and suspense: The Shadow of Thunder, God-Killer, The One With Too Many Epithets, The Storm That Would Be King… Tynan has arrived. LET’S F*CKING GO.
Okay, I just noticed two more things: first, Dainix and Kendal getting blown away by Tynan’s initial smiting. Second: a new chapter cover just dropped, and it looks gorgeous.
There are so many amazing details here. Notice how everyone around Zuurith is just staring at him, waiting for a reaction. Notice how Kendal and Dainix are both thrown away by the lightning.
Actually, speaking of which, it’s clear that Kendal won’t be able to take on Tynan by himself. We might even get an ‘enemy of my enemy’ situation with Kendal and Zuurith teaming up, but it’s more likely that Zuurith is just going to sacrifice him to Tynan, and the rest of the Floof Gang will fly in to do a (drumroll please)
***BOSS FIGHT***
On a separate note, that lightning makes an absolutely epic entrance.
@EvilTree
I just looked at the chapter 16 cover art, and OH MY GOD, THIS IS GOING TO BE EPIC.
Also, just something I found funny, the size of the chapter covers slowly increases as you go down the Archive page.
I redact my earlier statement, we may in fact be getting a one-on-one combat scene.
Kendal, pointing to fire-Dainix: THIS is your body on gladiatorial fights!
I love how everyone in the crowd is looking at Zuurith like “Ohhh, you gonna take that?” I really bet he wouldn’t have if he hadn’t been interrupted by Theatre-kid extraordinare Tynan. Congrats to everyone who predicted he would show up during the Dainix v. Kendal fight, you get a cookie. I’m really hyped to see what’s going to happen now that Tynan is here. It certainly throws uncertainty into the mix. How is this Tynan thing going to intersect with Dainey’s fire thing? The demon is a real force to be reckoned with, but I don’t think fire can do much against storms. Dainix might just be out of commission since he seems very preoccupied with the fire-arm thing.
In other news, the cover art for chapter 16 looks AMAZING. Given that Kendal is alone against Tynan, it makes it seem like he’s going to have to face him alone, which makes sense since he’s in possession of Vash’s sword, which has sundered this storm before. His shadow interests me, though. It seems like there are two shadows– one is Vash, and one is Kendal or something that looks like him. Is this referencing his conflict about whether or not he’s human or god? Seems like we’re gonna get some nice existential crisis as a side dish to KILLING A F*CKING STORM.
OH SHIT! Tynaan has made an entrance!!! Kendal insulting you is now the least of your problems Zuurith…
Imuyan Mango Cat: I laughed way to hard at that…
DragonMaster66: same Im kinda disappointed he didn’t.. At least now he can suffer the shame of dealing with Kendal and his million, “I told you so”s
Bees: If only Tynaan was that considerate…
DisastrousGoth: LET THEM SEE IT!! I am a theater geek and I am proud of it!!
Evil Tree: agreed, kraooom sound effect is not to be used lightly. Honestly, yeah we know that Zuurith is an idiot, but to be this much of an idiot is pushing it even farther.
Quartz d’Innocence: Everything. Everything could go wrong.
Akidwhomistookmathskillsforapersonality: Sure… that sounds right…
Straythoughts: Agreed, Tynaan won… which does not bode well for the fight
Icuausancalion: Normally I would disagree that he would at least have that much common sense but this is ZUURITH we’re talking about. This guy is a certified idiot.
Somebody: not nearly as loud as the cloud overhead…
ImuyanMangoCat: thank you for that comment, it made me laugh
Goldfinch: The two shadows are fascinating, especially because the Vash-like one is the only one holding a sword, which appears to be going through the chest of the Kendal-like one. Conflict indeed.
New cover is totally awesome, but in the scary way. I don’t think Tynan is a one-off villain, I think they’re gonna have to retreat and he’ll be recurring (at least he may humble Zuurith along the way.)
Ave:
That’s a good catch! I didn’t even think about that. It’s interesting that that detail is included because the chest is where Vash was stabbed and had his soul pulled out, thus creating Kendal. Conflict indeed.
Eeee, here we go! A touch sooner than I was expecting (I thought we were going to cut back to the Floof Squad and see them arrive right around panel 3, and thus draw the suspense out just a little longer), but I will admit that is exactlythe entrance I was hoping we’d see.
To Goldfinch:
I wouldn’t count Dainix out just yet–far from it, in fact. I don’t think what’s going on in that second panel is preoccupation–I think it’s a battle-of-the-minds scenario, the prize being control over Dainix’s body, and I think our redheaded friend just lost. Kendal’s going to be in for a nasty shock in the next couple pages, because Tynan’s just unknowingly cost him an ally he’s going to verymuch need…
And Ave beat me to mentioning the sword-shadow, but I have to agree with them–it is quite the fascinating detail, especially considering the symbolism Red tends to put into the (absolutely gorgeous–like seriously, I think this is the best one yet) chapter covers. It’s not just that the sword’s shadow is piercing shadow-Kendal where he was stabbed when he was still Vash’s Incarnation, it’s that, were it not for the point of the sword poking out, shadow-Kendal seems to grow from it. There are so many possible implications here–there’s the existential crisis you mentioned, with Kendal trying to define himself (weapon or person? Extension of Vash or his own self?), for example. It could be simply referencing the fact that the two are and always will be linked, because of what Kendal is (though i highly doubt this is all there is to it). Or perhaps (and this is my thought), it is further evidence of the theory that Kendal-the-Person is really Kendal-the-Sword, the transference into Vash’s incarnation after the latter was snatched out of it finally pushing him into full personhood. Note also how shadow-Kendal stands, and how the blade of the sword-shadow pierces his wrists–as if it chains him. He feels bound to his duty to free Vash (and by extension the people of Vash-the-City), and again, it does lend itself to the existential crisis aspects of his situation–but if he really is Kendal-the-Sword, then what does that mean for him once Vash is freed?
(I mean, we as readers know he’s probably going to get a happy ending if this is the case. But he wouldn’t know that–heck, he might not even consider it an option (like in the riddle–you’re told to go into a room and pick an exit. There are two doors in the far wall, each with a different negative consequence on the other side. How many people would remember that there is also a door behind you, and that it was never specified you had to choose one of the far doors?))
Also, and this is something I just noticed–Kendal’s design is a bit different, especially compared to his two shadows. And it’s not just that his hair is shorter–he looks younger. Maybe it’s the angle, or the perspective, or there’s been another slight artstyle shift (or, heck, maybe we’re all getting faked out and that’s not actually him), but there’s something distinctly childlike about that silhouette. Granted, the guy’s only a few weeks old and he’s going up against a storm god with a grudge, and even if he’s still got a few tricks even he doesn’t know about he’s still only a demigod, so it could just be a symbolic representation of all that. But there’s just this sort of Luke Skywalker vibe going on here–the “boy takes up his father’s sword because he’s the only one left to face the monster” thing. Which I am aware is basically Kendal’s situation in a nutshell all things considered, but there’s still this, I don’t know, sort of vulnerability to that figure and that’s the only way I can describe it. (It being a common start to the Hero’s Journey aside.)
And on a lighter note, a thought experiment: which Pokemon do you think each character would train and/or be? I may have started Legends:Arceus last night and named a couple of my ‘mons after Aurora cast members…
(Erin the Buizel and Dainix the Ponyta, to answer the inevitable question)
We’ve got a demigod in Kendal, the mortal incarnation of life in Alinua, the void dragon’s incarnation in Erin, and Tynan the incredibly pissed off storm. If you look at https://comicaurora.com/aurora/1-12-10/ you can see that Tahraim says that there are *at least* 4 different world-shaking entities converging on Dainix. I’m going to assume that he’s not omniscient from that “at least” hedging his bets, but I don’t think it’s likely that Tess is going to be the mortal incarnation of lightning like some people have theorized. However, Tahraim is talking about world-shaking entities *besides* Dainix, so it very well could be the case that Dainix is the mortal incarnation of fire. He does say that he could bust out at any time he wants to, do he is definitely very powerful. Whether this demon possession is actually just a low level demon or the actual being of primordial fire is yet to be seen.
We know that Kendal, armed with Kendal, is going to be able to combat Tynan. Life magic isn’t going to be particularly useful, but then again, primordial life might change things from what a simple life mage could do. Void dragon isn’t going to be much help, and Tynan himself is the fourth world-shattering power known by Tahraim. Dainix’s fire might be of help because it’s not a physical thing, it’s energy, so it might be able to damage Tynan’s incorporeal incarnation. Kendal *might* not have to face Tynan alone, but I’d say it’s likely he will.
Audibly gasped at the “how dare you call yourself a god” line, that was such a power move! And immediately followed by an even bigger power move from Tynan. I don’t like the guy but he does make an epic entrance! So, so excited for Friday!
oh my goddddss. I know we’re all thinking it, but the anticipation is too much. And that new cover art is so so so beautiful– Both with the visuals, and the metaphors.
Imagine Zuurith’s vessel pulling a Kendal and coming to life? Lol
Like, if the collector lady gets Zuurith to and he get sent down to the cave where Vash is and Vash is like floating around and says
“New here?” lol
Skye:
Kendal would probably have Honedge or one of its evolutions, to drive home the existential crisis of Kendal-the-Person vs.
Kendal-the-Sword.
I think if anyone would only use one type of Pokémon it would be Alinua with grass types; and Erin would be the exact opposite. He would try to have diverse type coverage, while considering competitive usage overall, although there would be in one way or another some crucial flaw with his team that causes it to completely fall apart. Or his overconfidence would be his downfall.
I feel the breeze on my face in expectance
Not very long before the storm reaches here
Off in the distance the lightning is flashing again
Feel something strong as the power draws near
Is it the rolling of thunder that scares you?
Is it the clashing of clouds that hold fear?
But all I know as I sit in a corner alone
It takes me back to my childhood again
And as I wait and I look for an answer
To all the things going round in my head
I ask myself, could it be a disaster and when
It’s maybe threatening to happen again?
As the ominous light draws near
There’s a lone dog howls in the park
All the people hurry inside
As a lightning flash lights dark
The storm is nearly here
Only God will know
You’re sitting alone, you watch
As the wind’s blowing treetops
And the swaying rusting of leaves
Plenty of time to perceive
As you wait for rain to fall
Theres a new chapter cover??! THERES A NEW CHAPTER COVER!!! Thanks for pointing that out! Woah it looks *awesome*! Excuse me while I take notes on how to do lightning effects, I actually need that lmao-
Tynan is here and Zuurith is an asshole. Kendal rightfully gives Zuurith some smack talk again. Zuurith might just, let this happen. His ego’s more important than the safety of his people and the future of his city. Can Life Mum revoke a god’s divinity? Probably not but I’m hoping she humbles him. Anyways,
@Skye
I think Alinua would have an Audino, because healing and stuff, and maybe a cottonee
I like to think that Erin would keep HUGE Pokémon. idk why I just think he would.
It might be (probably is) the sleep deprivation’s fault but I’m now picturing Tynan as a toddler stomping his foot and yelling “PAY ATTENTION TO MEEEEE!” Tynan the Thunder Toddler. Alliteration!
Unrelated- I am extremely impressed and somewhat jealous of how good that lightning looks. I still haven’t managed to draw lightning AND make it look good.
Skye:
I think sword guy would have a Honedge, since he is a lone sword and hasn’t learned the importance of self preservation, a Golurk since to a degree he is one (empty vessel animated with a mysterious force, compelled to protect a certain group of people), and a Zacian because he’s a loyal little doggo fighting against his own darkest day dragon (the void dragon)
(continued)
Erin might have a shiny Garchomp, because shines are rare but shiny Garchomp is a joke, big ego but underwhelming. And an Eternatus that does not listen to him to represent the void dragon.
For Alinua, maybe a Venusaur or Vileplume, both pretty flowers with deadly poisons underneath. Plus they can use vine whip. Maybe a Minior since it can crack its dull shell to show the underlying color (this one would have to be green)
“How dare you!”s from a protagonist always make me smile smugly.
Certainly, for a god who claims to support order, this is not very orderly
Time for some reckonings
oh no
Kendal rightfully
yells at Zuurith once again.
Oh, hello Tynan!
SOMEONE’S PISSED
AND THE PLOT HAS ARRIVED VIA LIGHTNING BOLT
Ngl I thought Tynan sent his bolt down straight on Zuurith’s head for a second XD. I also just noticed the tiny Kendal & Dainix on the last panel, that was a HUGE strike woah-
DRAMATIC ENTRANCE, GET OUT THE VILLAIN THEME. TYNAN IS HERE YOU’RE ALL GONNA DIE
Now that is a gorgeously colored lightning bolt.
KROOOM is the best lightning sound effect
Tynan’s Heeereeeee
I’ve been wanting to say this for months and it finally happened!!
“Hey guys, sorry I’m late. Oh, am I interrupting something? Yeah, my bad. Lemme just leave and come back when you’re done. No worries, barely anyone was vaporized, right?”
Whoop, that’s a killer entrance
Well, he said what we (maybe it’s just me that’s thinking this and I’m projecting) were thinking.
But now there’s explosions… that can’t be good
Go away, Tynan, Kendal was having a moment!
Well shit, that entrance came sooner than I expected.
Funny thing that I should finish the Skypiea arc in One Piece at the same time as THIS page drops.
Now that’s a dramatic entrance. Que the boss music.
Careful, Tynan. Your theater kid background is showing.
Oh no, KRAOOOM. No webcomic writer uses the KRAOOOM SFX without good reason.
I’m just imagining all those arena spectators trying to silently budge away from Zuurith, expecting him to explode and lash out at Kendal. Meanwhile poor arena commentator has no choice but be right next to him.
Looks like Dainix is resisting his transformation, otherwise Kendal wouldn’t have been able to make this speech. Maybe the shock from the new arrival could halt it entirely; I mean it’s no Kendal cooldown hug, but it could still work.
Honestly Zuurith should have seen this coming. Giving the ex-vessel of his sworn enemy an audience and freedom to speak; of course Kendal was going to criticise him in front of everyone. That, along with begrudging respect for Vash as a peer, should have taken precedent over teaching one gladiator a lesson.
Well good news Big Z, the storm god has arrived so you may get out of that speech while saving face. Bad news … pretty much everything else about the storm god’s arrival.
*Cue ominous latin chanting*
Zurich’s mad from that sick burn, but we’ve got other things to worry about. Friday’s gonna be awesome.
Here comes a new challenger!
*one-winged angel intensifies*
*cue ominous latin chanting*
OH CRAP
Tynan: oh you’re a villain alright, just not a super one!
Zurrith: oh yeah?! What’s the difference?!
Tynan: PRESENTATION!!!!!
*welcome to the jungle starts playing*
Now we have TWO white-haired villains with Catra-like masks! Wjat else could go wrong?
It’s Leroy the friendly storm god who like liberating the oppressed …..right?…..
What we didn’t know was that this was all just a competition to see who could glow the most, yeah I think Tynan won…
In other news, over the last few pages the tension has really been building up over Tynans’ arrival and well when it comes to breaking tension I think a massive lightning bolt takes the cake.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9Wpghdhbbo
Color me shocked. /pun
So, are we going to have both Tynan and Dainix chasing Kendal–with Zuurith happy to have an end the last trace (in his view) of Vash? Or is Zuurith going to get the danger to his city and act? I suspect option one, and certain god is going to be owing the FLOOF squad a major debt.
Awe-inspiring thunderbolt. No wonder Vash nearly lost to Tynan.
This page’s image source code: god
Tynan strides forward next page, lifts his hands as lightning falls and kills all across the city. “How dare, indeed. Let me show you how it’s done, godling.”
*proceeds to fist-fight Zuurith, Kendal, and Dainix simultaneously… and have the upper hand*
You’ve been… thunderstruck!
Ladies and gents, this is the moment we’ve been waiting for.
“He’s about to be very nudged.”
THE FAN, THE FAN, THE SHIT HAS NOW OFFICIALLY HIT THE FAN
TL;DR: Sword guy protests once more, but not as loud as the cloud overhead.
Zuurith is a good example of someone claiming to be lawful neutral, but playing chaotic neutral instead.
“It’s him, Tynan!” *John Cena’s music plays*
Deus ex… Machina?
Deus ex lightning kahoom?
*kaboom
Tynan: “Eleven’s not high enough. Allow me to turn it up a bit more.”
Greta Thunberg moment
I love the subtle rain effect in panel 3, really helps build the foreboding atmosphere.
ATTENTION COMMENT SECTION!
The cover art for chapter 16, Downburst, is live!
@Akidwhomistookmathskillsforapersonality
New headcanon, Leroy is the storm that gave Tess her spark
KNOCK KNOCK OPEN UP THE DOOR, IT’S REAL
way to stick the landing stormy-eyes! 10/10
By the looks of the second panel, Dainix’s right hand is about to break open as well. And the bandage is still burning away.
I don’t think Kendal has ever been so f*cking furious as he is now, at least not openly. When he encountered the chimera in chapter 8, he was cold, quiet, and serious due to the flashbacks to Vash’s destruction, but after seeing Falst for the first time and realizing that this isn’t a similar situation, he calmed down quite quickly. When he gave Jolon that mid-combat speech in chapter 10, he was righteously angry due to Jolon’s manipulation and bigotry, but Kendal didn’t get very loud, it was more of a very stern talking-to. But here? This is the first time he’s genuinely shouted at someone out of pure rage. Even his earlier yelling was more of a desperate plea to get Zuurith to stop, but since Zuurith didn’t listen, the gloves are officially off.
And finally, after five whole chapters of buildup and suspense: The Shadow of Thunder, God-Killer, The One With Too Many Epithets, The Storm That Would Be King… Tynan has arrived. LET’S F*CKING GO.
Okay, I just noticed two more things: first, Dainix and Kendal getting blown away by Tynan’s initial smiting. Second: a new chapter cover just dropped, and it looks gorgeous.
There are so many amazing details here. Notice how everyone around Zuurith is just staring at him, waiting for a reaction. Notice how Kendal and Dainix are both thrown away by the lightning.
Actually, speaking of which, it’s clear that Kendal won’t be able to take on Tynan by himself. We might even get an ‘enemy of my enemy’ situation with Kendal and Zuurith teaming up, but it’s more likely that Zuurith is just going to sacrifice him to Tynan, and the rest of the Floof Gang will fly in to do a (drumroll please)
***BOSS FIGHT***
On a separate note, that lightning makes an absolutely epic entrance.
@EvilTree
I just looked at the chapter 16 cover art, and OH MY GOD, THIS IS GOING TO BE EPIC.
Also, just something I found funny, the size of the chapter covers slowly increases as you go down the Archive page.
I redact my earlier statement, we may in fact be getting a one-on-one combat scene.
Kendal, pointing to fire-Dainix: THIS is your body on gladiatorial fights!
I love how everyone in the crowd is looking at Zuurith like “Ohhh, you gonna take that?” I really bet he wouldn’t have if he hadn’t been interrupted by Theatre-kid extraordinare Tynan. Congrats to everyone who predicted he would show up during the Dainix v. Kendal fight, you get a cookie. I’m really hyped to see what’s going to happen now that Tynan is here. It certainly throws uncertainty into the mix. How is this Tynan thing going to intersect with Dainey’s fire thing? The demon is a real force to be reckoned with, but I don’t think fire can do much against storms. Dainix might just be out of commission since he seems very preoccupied with the fire-arm thing.
In other news, the cover art for chapter 16 looks AMAZING. Given that Kendal is alone against Tynan, it makes it seem like he’s going to have to face him alone, which makes sense since he’s in possession of Vash’s sword, which has sundered this storm before. His shadow interests me, though. It seems like there are two shadows– one is Vash, and one is Kendal or something that looks like him. Is this referencing his conflict about whether or not he’s human or god? Seems like we’re gonna get some nice existential crisis as a side dish to KILLING A F*CKING STORM.
OH SHIT! Tynaan has made an entrance!!! Kendal insulting you is now the least of your problems Zuurith…
Imuyan Mango Cat: I laughed way to hard at that…
DragonMaster66: same Im kinda disappointed he didn’t.. At least now he can suffer the shame of dealing with Kendal and his million, “I told you so”s
Bees: If only Tynaan was that considerate…
DisastrousGoth: LET THEM SEE IT!! I am a theater geek and I am proud of it!!
Evil Tree: agreed, kraooom sound effect is not to be used lightly. Honestly, yeah we know that Zuurith is an idiot, but to be this much of an idiot is pushing it even farther.
Quartz d’Innocence: Everything. Everything could go wrong.
Akidwhomistookmathskillsforapersonality: Sure… that sounds right…
Straythoughts: Agreed, Tynaan won… which does not bode well for the fight
Icuausancalion: Normally I would disagree that he would at least have that much common sense but this is ZUURITH we’re talking about. This guy is a certified idiot.
Somebody: not nearly as loud as the cloud overhead…
“How dare you call yourself a god?”
holy frick this line slaps
alt text: knock knock!
@ImuyanMangoCat I will never not feel a surge of glee at a Megamind reference (:
Everyone in that arena is now deaf 😛
Tynan has arrived!
OH MAN IT’S TIME
ImuyanMangoCat: thank you for that comment, it made me laugh
Goldfinch: The two shadows are fascinating, especially because the Vash-like one is the only one holding a sword, which appears to be going through the chest of the Kendal-like one. Conflict indeed.
New cover is totally awesome, but in the scary way. I don’t think Tynan is a one-off villain, I think they’re gonna have to retreat and he’ll be recurring (at least he may humble Zuurith along the way.)
Ave:
That’s a good catch! I didn’t even think about that. It’s interesting that that detail is included because the chest is where Vash was stabbed and had his soul pulled out, thus creating Kendal. Conflict indeed.
Kendal: How dare you call yourself a god!
Tynan: *Triggered*
Eeee, here we go! A touch sooner than I was expecting (I thought we were going to cut back to the Floof Squad and see them arrive right around panel 3, and thus draw the suspense out just a little longer), but I will admit that is exactlythe entrance I was hoping we’d see.
To Goldfinch:
I wouldn’t count Dainix out just yet–far from it, in fact. I don’t think what’s going on in that second panel is preoccupation–I think it’s a battle-of-the-minds scenario, the prize being control over Dainix’s body, and I think our redheaded friend just lost. Kendal’s going to be in for a nasty shock in the next couple pages, because Tynan’s just unknowingly cost him an ally he’s going to verymuch need…
And Ave beat me to mentioning the sword-shadow, but I have to agree with them–it is quite the fascinating detail, especially considering the symbolism Red tends to put into the (absolutely gorgeous–like seriously, I think this is the best one yet) chapter covers. It’s not just that the sword’s shadow is piercing shadow-Kendal where he was stabbed when he was still Vash’s Incarnation, it’s that, were it not for the point of the sword poking out, shadow-Kendal seems to grow from it. There are so many possible implications here–there’s the existential crisis you mentioned, with Kendal trying to define himself (weapon or person? Extension of Vash or his own self?), for example. It could be simply referencing the fact that the two are and always will be linked, because of what Kendal is (though i highly doubt this is all there is to it). Or perhaps (and this is my thought), it is further evidence of the theory that Kendal-the-Person is really Kendal-the-Sword, the transference into Vash’s incarnation after the latter was snatched out of it finally pushing him into full personhood. Note also how shadow-Kendal stands, and how the blade of the sword-shadow pierces his wrists–as if it chains him. He feels bound to his duty to free Vash (and by extension the people of Vash-the-City), and again, it does lend itself to the existential crisis aspects of his situation–but if he really is Kendal-the-Sword, then what does that mean for him once Vash is freed?
(I mean, we as readers know he’s probably going to get a happy ending if this is the case. But he wouldn’t know that–heck, he might not even consider it an option (like in the riddle–you’re told to go into a room and pick an exit. There are two doors in the far wall, each with a different negative consequence on the other side. How many people would remember that there is also a door behind you, and that it was never specified you had to choose one of the far doors?))
Also, and this is something I just noticed–Kendal’s design is a bit different, especially compared to his two shadows. And it’s not just that his hair is shorter–he looks younger. Maybe it’s the angle, or the perspective, or there’s been another slight artstyle shift (or, heck, maybe we’re all getting faked out and that’s not actually him), but there’s something distinctly childlike about that silhouette. Granted, the guy’s only a few weeks old and he’s going up against a storm god with a grudge, and even if he’s still got a few tricks even he doesn’t know about he’s still only a demigod, so it could just be a symbolic representation of all that. But there’s just this sort of Luke Skywalker vibe going on here–the “boy takes up his father’s sword because he’s the only one left to face the monster” thing. Which I am aware is basically Kendal’s situation in a nutshell all things considered, but there’s still this, I don’t know, sort of vulnerability to that figure and that’s the only way I can describe it. (It being a common start to the Hero’s Journey aside.)
And on a lighter note, a thought experiment: which Pokemon do you think each character would train and/or be? I may have started Legends:Arceus last night and named a couple of my ‘mons after Aurora cast members…
(Erin the Buizel and Dainix the Ponyta, to answer the inevitable question)
We’ve got a demigod in Kendal, the mortal incarnation of life in Alinua, the void dragon’s incarnation in Erin, and Tynan the incredibly pissed off storm. If you look at https://comicaurora.com/aurora/1-12-10/ you can see that Tahraim says that there are *at least* 4 different world-shaking entities converging on Dainix. I’m going to assume that he’s not omniscient from that “at least” hedging his bets, but I don’t think it’s likely that Tess is going to be the mortal incarnation of lightning like some people have theorized. However, Tahraim is talking about world-shaking entities *besides* Dainix, so it very well could be the case that Dainix is the mortal incarnation of fire. He does say that he could bust out at any time he wants to, do he is definitely very powerful. Whether this demon possession is actually just a low level demon or the actual being of primordial fire is yet to be seen.
We know that Kendal, armed with Kendal, is going to be able to combat Tynan. Life magic isn’t going to be particularly useful, but then again, primordial life might change things from what a simple life mage could do. Void dragon isn’t going to be much help, and Tynan himself is the fourth world-shattering power known by Tahraim. Dainix’s fire might be of help because it’s not a physical thing, it’s energy, so it might be able to damage Tynan’s incorporeal incarnation. Kendal *might* not have to face Tynan alone, but I’d say it’s likely he will.
Audibly gasped at the “how dare you call yourself a god” line, that was such a power move! And immediately followed by an even bigger power move from Tynan. I don’t like the guy but he does make an epic entrance! So, so excited for Friday!
@Skye:
Kendal with Golurk and Aegislash,
Falst could have a Weavile.
Maybe a Shiftry for Alinua.
Hisuian Voltorb for Tess?
Maybe Zuurith did know about the storm. The arena fight could just be his plan for having Kendal and Dainix fix the problem for him.
oh my goddddss. I know we’re all thinking it, but the anticipation is too much. And that new cover art is so so so beautiful– Both with the visuals, and the metaphors.
Imagine Zuurith’s vessel pulling a Kendal and coming to life? Lol
Like, if the collector lady gets Zuurith to and he get sent down to the cave where Vash is and Vash is like floating around and says
“New here?” lol
Welp, time to start making my popcorn.
Skye:
Kendal would probably have Honedge or one of its evolutions, to drive home the existential crisis of Kendal-the-Person vs.
Kendal-the-Sword.
I think if anyone would only use one type of Pokémon it would be Alinua with grass types; and Erin would be the exact opposite. He would try to have diverse type coverage, while considering competitive usage overall, although there would be in one way or another some crucial flaw with his team that causes it to completely fall apart. Or his overconfidence would be his downfall.
Kendal: “How DARE you call yourself a god?”
Tynan: “Well, damn. I couldn’t have asked for a better cue!”
I cannot stress enough how happy it makes me that Kendal finally said this
The cover page for Chapter 16 is up and it looks sick!
I feel the breeze on my face in expectance
Not very long before the storm reaches here
Off in the distance the lightning is flashing again
Feel something strong as the power draws near
Is it the rolling of thunder that scares you?
Is it the clashing of clouds that hold fear?
But all I know as I sit in a corner alone
It takes me back to my childhood again
And as I wait and I look for an answer
To all the things going round in my head
I ask myself, could it be a disaster and when
It’s maybe threatening to happen again?
As the ominous light draws near
There’s a lone dog howls in the park
All the people hurry inside
As a lightning flash lights dark
The storm is nearly here
Only God will know
You’re sitting alone, you watch
As the wind’s blowing treetops
And the swaying rusting of leaves
Plenty of time to perceive
As you wait for rain to fall
Only God knows
The whole sky glows
Maybe lightning strikes twice
Maybe lightning strikes twice
Wait
I’ve run out of comic
NOOOOOOOOOOOO
Plot twist, Tynan’s doesn’t want to be the bad guy anymore and is here to bring justice and extra popcorn. (:
Theres a new chapter cover??! THERES A NEW CHAPTER COVER!!! Thanks for pointing that out! Woah it looks *awesome*! Excuse me while I take notes on how to do lightning effects, I actually need that lmao-
AAA I’M SO EXCITED!! Caught up right as the boss fight is about to start 😀
@KittyShipperCaveGirl: Welcome to the Aurora fandom! We’re glad to have you! Don’t worry, you’ll get used to the wait between pages.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Tynan is here and Zuurith is an asshole. Kendal rightfully gives Zuurith some smack talk again. Zuurith might just, let this happen. His ego’s more important than the safety of his people and the future of his city. Can Life Mum revoke a god’s divinity? Probably not but I’m hoping she humbles him. Anyways,
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
@KittyShipperCaveGirl
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE! you’ll get used to the wait
THE NEW CHAPTER COVER LOOKS GORGEOUS!!! TH FREAKING SHADOWS BEHIND KENDAL, TYNAN IN THE FRONT! ITS AWSOME!!!
Also @Hermit Thrush, I love that movie
@Skye
I think Alinua would have an Audino, because healing and stuff, and maybe a cottonee
I like to think that Erin would keep HUGE Pokémon. idk why I just think he would.
@Blueberry: Welcome to you, too!
?? Its probably Tess ?
Time for SMITE
woah
It might be (probably is) the sleep deprivation’s fault but I’m now picturing Tynan as a toddler stomping his foot and yelling “PAY ATTENTION TO MEEEEE!” Tynan the Thunder Toddler. Alliteration!
Unrelated- I am extremely impressed and somewhat jealous of how good that lightning looks. I still haven’t managed to draw lightning AND make it look good.
@ImuyanMangoCat That was wonderful.
I’m so excited for friday this is going to be amazing. The chapter 16 cover art has gotten me fully hyped.
I wonder how the arenamaster and announcer will react. In their eyes Kendal vs. Tynan is kinda the ultimate matchup
And then along came Tynan
He hurrrled his thunderbolt!
well he knows how to make an entrance
Skye:
I think sword guy would have a Honedge, since he is a lone sword and hasn’t learned the importance of self preservation, a Golurk since to a degree he is one (empty vessel animated with a mysterious force, compelled to protect a certain group of people), and a Zacian because he’s a loyal little doggo fighting against his own darkest day dragon (the void dragon)
(continued)
Erin might have a shiny Garchomp, because shines are rare but shiny Garchomp is a joke, big ego but underwhelming. And an Eternatus that does not listen to him to represent the void dragon.
For Alinua, maybe a Venusaur or Vileplume, both pretty flowers with deadly poisons underneath. Plus they can use vine whip. Maybe a Minior since it can crack its dull shell to show the underlying color (this one would have to be green)
For Falst: IDK. Just give him a bunch of cats?
I love to image tynan waiting in the clouds, fixing his hair, waiting for the perfect time for his Dramatic Entrance
It was very considerate of Dainix to wait for Kendal to finish talking to resume the murder show
@orangehoodie LOL yeah, that makes WAY more sense than Tynan…
@Fay I was nearly gonna make that reference, and you have beat me to it.
Reloading comments
So close…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=616-QGQyx-I
Ohhhhh yes!
WITH A CRASH OF THUNDER, A GOD FALLS FROM THE SKY
♫chaos♫