Also, poor June. The last time we saw her she was when she was watching Voidy fighting Tynan. I assume she’s either already worked out Erin’s deal, or is about to very soon, in which case I have a few predictions about how she’ll react to this:
1. She could run off to warn the other Paladins, leading to them hunting him down
2. She could recognise that Erin is trying to get rid of Voidy and attempt to help him, using her knowledge of the primordial dragons
J.A. is looking very downcast, Trusk is making small talk on the way back, and Shrike realises that nice breakfast she promised Vienne probably won’t be happening anytime soon.
Wow, no matter how many times I see Alinua’s tree, or at what angle, it still impresses me. Makes me wonder what they’ll do with it; destroying it might compromise the mountain face’s stability, so it could become a permanent addition to the city.
It also means the main prison will be out of action for a while, so Shrike’s services in rounding up criminals will not be in demand (though her stone magic might be handy in the reconstruction effort). Now, is she going to show her softer side and see what’s up with our favourite Paladin?
I’m not sure what the state of the paladin archives are in. I thought, looking at 1-16-18, that the archives were far enough away from the trail of destruction to be spared, but I could be wrong, and I haven’t seen the glow of their barrier dome. If they have been destroyed then that, on top of V.D. picking a vessel, might have J.A. in a bit of a meltdown.
Hey quick question: where did y’all get the name June from? Is it something canon Red posted somewhere or is it just a shortening of ‘Junior Archivist’?
Shrike sits looking at the torn-open prison,
Where so many bounties she led.
Alone on a ridge she sees the junior archivist,
Who sits pensive and huddled.
I think Red is trying to mislead just who exactly is pensive and who is malicious/foreboding here and you all are falling for it. Our knowledge and presumptions about the characters tell one thing, but the colors and panel composition tell another.
Oh no!!! June looks so sad, I hope this doesn’t mean that all the paladins are dead.
I have to give Red kudos for how good the composition of that last panel is, though. June looks so small in comparison to the mountain and world around her, and the colder palatte and separation from other people really gives you the sense that she’s alone. That combined with her hunched posture really effectively gives you the feeling that she’s lost and alone and scared…
Nah shrike is just now realizing how close she came to challenging someone who could have killed her with a snap of her fingers. Also she is probably processing some trauma from being in there and is fearing about prisoner’s revenge.
Shrike no longer feels like a winner, it seems. She who helped destroy so many lives has no idea how to react when destruction is turned back on her. I feel no sympathy for her; for willingly helping Zuurith’s system, I think she dug herself into this pit.
I see no lights in the valley below the junior archivist, and there are more mountains there than there are in Zuurith. Methinks she’s shadowing the protagonist squad.
Time to wrap this stuff up. Is Shrike ruminating on the day’s events, or just being freaked out in general by almost getting flooded? Is June taking a moment to collect herself? Is she watching the floof squad? Is she just going to go back to the archive or is she doing something else? Did she see Void Erin’s shenanigans, and if so, is she contacting the Light Dragon/Gabriel?
I really want her to have seen him so that we can have Gabriel against the floof squad. I think he’d make a cool antagonist, since he seems to want to do good (IE, getting rid of the threat Voidy is currently posing) but that will involve killing Erin. The floof squad of course doesn’t want this to happen, even if they agree that Voidy is a big threat. They’ll probably insist that they can handle him (and it seems like they can) but Gabriel probably wouldn’t accept that. Thus, interesting conflict. I really want this to happen.
Ok. Shrike is back so it’s time for me to get back to my old shenanigans.
REASONS WHY SHRIKE WOULD MAKE A GREAT PROTAGONIST
1) Zuurith’s old system of was destroyed along with the prison so now Shrike needs to find a new way to find fulfilment and meaning in life. What better place to do that than with Alinua and the boys?
2) I bet she would have some fun banter with Falst “You shot me with a crossbow!” “It was a small crossbow” “You still shot me!” idk I’m not a writer.
3) She’s cute. Don’t @ me.
I like Called by Magic rhyme!! Thank you Magic! between Thank you Raid you answer to Story. Story- Void Dragon is sometimes called ‘Walter’ by some commenters.
Thank you to all who mentioned both JA and Trusk above! I missed out in my first read of the panel. I hope to see more banter between Strike and Trusk! I am happy following up Zuurith’s city story line.
My 2 cents on where the Paladins are- it seem some have forgotten that Junior Archivist (and Senior) ARE part of the Order of the White Dragon? Paladin just has not arrived yet, perhaps because he is very far away still (but he might show up soon then expected.) My money is on Paladin being a ‘Chekov Gun’ @storylineobessed check out ‘Character Archive’ picture “???’ (he/him) for who (some) commentator’s label Paladin (because he has pretty wings).
like, i’m digging these intense ambiance panels but uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh i want to get to the group get together, reassess, exposition dump while Kendal is in a void hopefully NOT being consumed by the souls of Vash’s dead!?
I like to think Shrike is sitting there thinking “I tried to go toe to toe with the person who broke open an entire mountain” amd just really reevaluating her life decisions
I have a feeling part of Shrike’s expression is realizing she just fought someone who can make plants grow very quickly, and is now seeing a very quickly grown tree that /cracked a mountain in half/. She’s put two and two together and found that she was a lot further over her head than she thought.
I’m kinda surprised no one else has picked up on the subtext of Shrike realizing just how much Alinua was holding back, and what might have happened if she decided not to…
shrike looks a little stunned at what she was able to get away with when chasing alunia. looking at the sheer strength of the tree breaking the jail compared to the little grass wall would be a bit stunning.
These last two pages have been such a punch to the gut… Shrike looks like shes biting her lip, two seconds away from crying. It’s barely different from a resting face, but there’s enough there to get the expression across perfectly.
Red how do you DO that.
Also its a tad bit ominous since that would make June the foreboding/malicious one…
I’ll admit, the whole thing about there being a supposed opposite to the Void Dragon fascinates me.
Which is why I’d really like to see more of our friend “June” here…
I need some answers. Unfortunately, I do believe it’s going to be a while before we get those.
Leapyeargirl96
such an interesting comment, Alinua did break that city,
I don’t recall her being a relevant combatant in the Arena, that destruction was everyone else, she shook that city to it’s literal roots…
Also objectively I don’t know if he is correct about that being the only way to play that class
But he is correct about how to play the shit out of your characters
It’s fantasy role playing, you don’t have to go big or go home; the better question is why wouldn’t you go “big”?
Size is irrelevant, Bruenor Battlehammer, Flint…Taz
We all love the big guys, Wulfgar, the minotaur with the axe that showed true, Caramon Majere.
Laguz 24, you are on to something, not just specific fear about individuals who Shrike interacted with…
Zurith the city; like most that end up somewhat fascists are ALWAYS chock full of propaganda about how frightening whatever that localized boogie man narrative was being pushed.
Blue mentioned in his Rome video about Roman citizens not giving a shit about all the slavery that was foundational to Rome and the known world.
Zurith was telling a narrative about each citizen in the mountain prison “deserved” or; in the Arena that portrayed these PEOPLE as less than, inherently corrupted or lost. To dangerous to be free while being seen fighting each other to the death in the hope of living.
In Superman’s detail diatribe an interesting throw away line was about how the superhero’s are always present before supervillains…
protagonist and antagonist are less biased terms, less offensive/triggering to whomever is not controlling the narrative.
Everyone who had a stable comfortable life is likely pondering what anxieties are the new focus; they may mistakenly identify with what in their society took a hit and instead of change, double down on ignorance & hate.
Parallels abound both in modern times & historically
I wonder how Shrike will be when we see her again. I feel like it’ll be a while, but I think Red mentioned somewhere she was going to use her more than she first intended. She’s going to be very shaken, I think she’ll either have turned around her moral stance, or be spiraling (and potentially ready to be pushed into turning around her moral stance).
GASP. SHRIKE??????????
oh my god june’s back!!!!!
also shirke. girliepop WHY are you LOOK like that. please
Aurora Question #1.) Who is your favourite character so far?
Finally found this dear god that took AGES
For mobile readers.
Alt-text: sup girl you’re looking foreboding and malicious
Image source: shrike
Hmm, perhaps not the last we’ll see of Shrike? Also the poor Junior Archivist, such a bad day for so many reasons.
:O Shrike’s back! I wonder what she’s doing here?
SHRIKE’S BAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!
Also, poor June. The last time we saw her she was when she was watching Voidy fighting Tynan. I assume she’s either already worked out Erin’s deal, or is about to very soon, in which case I have a few predictions about how she’ll react to this:
1. She could run off to warn the other Paladins, leading to them hunting him down
2. She could recognise that Erin is trying to get rid of Voidy and attempt to help him, using her knowledge of the primordial dragons
J.A. is looking very downcast, Trusk is making small talk on the way back, and Shrike realises that nice breakfast she promised Vienne probably won’t be happening anytime soon.
Wow, no matter how many times I see Alinua’s tree, or at what angle, it still impresses me. Makes me wonder what they’ll do with it; destroying it might compromise the mountain face’s stability, so it could become a permanent addition to the city.
It also means the main prison will be out of action for a while, so Shrike’s services in rounding up criminals will not be in demand (though her stone magic might be handy in the reconstruction effort). Now, is she going to show her softer side and see what’s up with our favourite Paladin?
I’m not sure what the state of the paladin archives are in. I thought, looking at 1-16-18, that the archives were far enough away from the trail of destruction to be spared, but I could be wrong, and I haven’t seen the glow of their barrier dome. If they have been destroyed then that, on top of V.D. picking a vessel, might have J.A. in a bit of a meltdown.
Hey quick question: where did y’all get the name June from? Is it something canon Red posted somewhere or is it just a shortening of ‘Junior Archivist’?
Shrike sits looking at the torn-open prison,
Where so many bounties she led.
Alone on a ridge she sees the junior archivist,
Who sits pensive and huddled.
Sorry I’m late, I had an early lecture.
Nice view though
oop we gon see June and Shrike have a convo?? or is this just a “where they are now” type montage
Methinks June is up to something our protagonists might not like.
storylineobsessed June is just a shortening of Junior Archivist.
I think Red is trying to mislead just who exactly is pensive and who is malicious/foreboding here and you all are falling for it. Our knowledge and presumptions about the characters tell one thing, but the colors and panel composition tell another.
@storylineobsessed: It’s just short for ‘Junior Archivist’
Also where are the Paladins? Are they safe? Are they alright? June’s making it seem like they’re all dead, but I’m not giving up hope yet.
Oh no!!! June looks so sad, I hope this doesn’t mean that all the paladins are dead.
I have to give Red kudos for how good the composition of that last panel is, though. June looks so small in comparison to the mountain and world around her, and the colder palatte and separation from other people really gives you the sense that she’s alone. That combined with her hunched posture really effectively gives you the feeling that she’s lost and alone and scared…
Is that Trusk I see in the crowd? Hell yeah!
Shrike is definitely getting beat up
Nah shrike is just now realizing how close she came to challenging someone who could have killed her with a snap of her fingers. Also she is probably processing some trauma from being in there and is fearing about prisoner’s revenge.
Aww poor June. I hope Gabriel shows up and they get to do some cool Light-Dragon and Erin-related shenanigans together
Hey, wait, is that broken semicircle of stone next to the mountain the arena??! When did that get destroyed?
Shrike no longer feels like a winner, it seems. She who helped destroy so many lives has no idea how to react when destruction is turned back on her. I feel no sympathy for her; for willingly helping Zuurith’s system, I think she dug herself into this pit.
I see no lights in the valley below the junior archivist, and there are more mountains there than there are in Zuurith. Methinks she’s shadowing the protagonist squad.
TL;DR: sitting on hills, thinking foreign thoughts… Great way to spend an evening.
There once was a girl named Shrike,
As sharp and hard as a pike.
Will she find pity
For the people of the city?
Or will she continue to strike?
Time to wrap this stuff up. Is Shrike ruminating on the day’s events, or just being freaked out in general by almost getting flooded? Is June taking a moment to collect herself? Is she watching the floof squad? Is she just going to go back to the archive or is she doing something else? Did she see Void Erin’s shenanigans, and if so, is she contacting the Light Dragon/Gabriel?
I really want her to have seen him so that we can have Gabriel against the floof squad. I think he’d make a cool antagonist, since he seems to want to do good (IE, getting rid of the threat Voidy is currently posing) but that will involve killing Erin. The floof squad of course doesn’t want this to happen, even if they agree that Voidy is a big threat. They’ll probably insist that they can handle him (and it seems like they can) but Gabriel probably wouldn’t accept that. Thus, interesting conflict. I really want this to happen.
Ok. Shrike is back so it’s time for me to get back to my old shenanigans.
REASONS WHY SHRIKE WOULD MAKE A GREAT PROTAGONIST
1) Zuurith’s old system of was destroyed along with the prison so now Shrike needs to find a new way to find fulfilment and meaning in life. What better place to do that than with Alinua and the boys?
2) I bet she would have some fun banter with Falst “You shot me with a crossbow!” “It was a small crossbow” “You still shot me!” idk I’m not a writer.
3) She’s cute. Don’t @ me.
Alinua saved a town with a tree.
And Alinua broke a city with a tree.
I like Called by Magic rhyme!! Thank you Magic! between Thank you Raid you answer to Story. Story- Void Dragon is sometimes called ‘Walter’ by some commenters.
Thank you to all who mentioned both JA and Trusk above! I missed out in my first read of the panel. I hope to see more banter between Strike and Trusk! I am happy following up Zuurith’s city story line.
My 2 cents on where the Paladins are- it seem some have forgotten that Junior Archivist (and Senior) ARE part of the Order of the White Dragon? Paladin just has not arrived yet, perhaps because he is very far away still (but he might show up soon then expected.) My money is on Paladin being a ‘Chekov Gun’ @storylineobessed check out ‘Character Archive’ picture “???’ (he/him) for who (some) commentator’s label Paladin (because he has pretty wings).
Shrike is kinda calm, but oh?
Is that June over there all alone?
like, i’m digging these intense ambiance panels but uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh i want to get to the group get together, reassess, exposition dump while Kendal is in a void hopefully NOT being consumed by the souls of Vash’s dead!?
I like to think Shrike is sitting there thinking “I tried to go toe to toe with the person who broke open an entire mountain” amd just really reevaluating her life decisions
I have a feeling part of Shrike’s expression is realizing she just fought someone who can make plants grow very quickly, and is now seeing a very quickly grown tree that /cracked a mountain in half/. She’s put two and two together and found that she was a lot further over her head than she thought.
I’m kinda surprised no one else has picked up on the subtext of Shrike realizing just how much Alinua was holding back, and what might have happened if she decided not to…
Congratulations, Shrike.
Like many of these people you’ve lived above for years by being a glorified slaver, you have officially lost your livelihood.
shrike looks a little stunned at what she was able to get away with when chasing alunia. looking at the sheer strength of the tree breaking the jail compared to the little grass wall would be a bit stunning.
These last two pages have been such a punch to the gut… Shrike looks like shes biting her lip, two seconds away from crying. It’s barely different from a resting face, but there’s enough there to get the expression across perfectly.
Red how do you DO that.
Also its a tad bit ominous since that would make June the foreboding/malicious one…
I’ll admit, the whole thing about there being a supposed opposite to the Void Dragon fascinates me.
Which is why I’d really like to see more of our friend “June” here…
I need some answers. Unfortunately, I do believe it’s going to be a while before we get those.
oooh ho ho that devastation! Feel things, Shrike!
Team Shrike for life!!!!!
Shrike might also be considering… there’s a LOT of folks she sold into slavery now free down there, and they might not be very happy with her.
Idk why I’m the only one who thinks the ” foreboding & malicious” comment is supposed to be ironic. I think BOTH June and Shrike are shaken.
Leapyeargirl96
such an interesting comment, Alinua did break that city,
I don’t recall her being a relevant combatant in the Arena, that destruction was everyone else, she shook that city to it’s literal roots…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y84OYRwzZU8
JoCrap is freakin’ hilarious
Also objectively I don’t know if he is correct about that being the only way to play that class
But he is correct about how to play the shit out of your characters
It’s fantasy role playing, you don’t have to go big or go home; the better question is why wouldn’t you go “big”?
Size is irrelevant, Bruenor Battlehammer, Flint…Taz
We all love the big guys, Wulfgar, the minotaur with the axe that showed true, Caramon Majere.
Laguz 24, you are on to something, not just specific fear about individuals who Shrike interacted with…
Zurith the city; like most that end up somewhat fascists are ALWAYS chock full of propaganda about how frightening whatever that localized boogie man narrative was being pushed.
Blue mentioned in his Rome video about Roman citizens not giving a shit about all the slavery that was foundational to Rome and the known world.
Zurith was telling a narrative about each citizen in the mountain prison “deserved” or; in the Arena that portrayed these PEOPLE as less than, inherently corrupted or lost. To dangerous to be free while being seen fighting each other to the death in the hope of living.
In Superman’s detail diatribe an interesting throw away line was about how the superhero’s are always present before supervillains…
protagonist and antagonist are less biased terms, less offensive/triggering to whomever is not controlling the narrative.
Everyone who had a stable comfortable life is likely pondering what anxieties are the new focus; they may mistakenly identify with what in their society took a hit and instead of change, double down on ignorance & hate.
Parallels abound both in modern times & historically
I wonder how Shrike will be when we see her again. I feel like it’ll be a while, but I think Red mentioned somewhere she was going to use her more than she first intended. She’s going to be very shaken, I think she’ll either have turned around her moral stance, or be spiraling (and potentially ready to be pushed into turning around her moral stance).
is the acolyte related to Vienne?
Lots of symbolism here. Literal new life shattering the establishment to pave the way for a new beginning.