This reminds me a bit of Gail Simone’s Wonder Woman run years ago. Diana was cut off from sourcing her power from the Greek Gods, but had built up enough favor with other dieties that she was able to get power from others. She was patroned by Maui for a while, which was cool.
gods are a lot more limited than you would usually expect ?…
Trick question, are certain gods associated with/made of/ master of one or more magic elements?
Because if there’s one thing I’m confused about, is the hierarchy between the Twins, the Primordials and all the other mayor and minor gods, and consequentially their relation with magic energy.
BTW look at Ilia’s face in the last panel 😀 she didn’t expect that handshake from Kendal xD
To be frank, I somewhat gathered that the various smaller gods were very much inspired by Asian mythology, in that they’re immortal but often deities/spirits of a specific area. Like in the latest round of JTTW we have a being who is specifically in charge of the general goings on of the Black River. I think that unless a god does represent something worldwide, it stands to reason that they shouldn’t be able to move far from their domain, nor do much once they do.
Question: If the Collector destroys the things the gods are anchored to in order to obtain their souls, then how the Hekk would the Nightmare Queen be obtained? By destroying the concept of nightmares? Or is her place just called “The Court of Nightmares” or something as a title and I’m thinking about this too literally?
Waaaaaait a minute… There are six elements known to the mages of the land, right? But there were seven gods that Ilia mentioned as being the “greatest and most powerful”. Seven. Seven, not six. From the colors, all six elements correspond to six of the gods. However, the three-eyed red goddess at the top right does not Seem to correspond with any element. So this could be the Seventh Element. However, Red’s Seventh-Elemental rundown in “Extra Lore” has a theory that The Seventh Element is similar to stone. And the Collector always places souls within blades. Within metal blades. Metal may be the Seventh Element.
I’m not sure if there are any gods besides Erin’s spooky hitchhiker that can control the seventh element; it’s likely that the three-eyed lady either controls an element that one of the other six already does, or she doesn’t control any at all. As we saw with Vash, it’s possible for a god to be magically incapable.
I think it’s unlikely that the seventh element is metal. I’m relatively certain it’s just something like consumption, and the opposite of life. The fact that cave-corruption and stone-corruption are often present in the same person is that in the singing caves they’re being exposed to lots of stone energy too, and they’re cave-corrupted because these days I doubt there’s much life in the caves like what there used to be, so unless you’re content to lick the walls or minimum supplement the only thing to eat is what you have with you. Cave-corrupted individuals found in areas ridden with famine are probably not stone-corrupted as well.
The fact that the collector stores her souls in blades I imagine is that she must need to get some sort of soul lock on before she can activate the magic that sucks the soul out, and this is achieved via coming into contact with said person that has just been stabbed. Frankly I would really like to know what sort of magic is at play here, because I thoroughly doubt that it’s one of the elements.
Also three-eyed goddess might be Nightmare Queen (not my idea, scroll through the comments to find the original bright spark).
I second this. Soul trapping “magic” is different from normal elemental magic, and probably only the Collector knows how it really works.
Several speculations could be made on known “exotic”/ not explored magical manipulation methods, mentioned in the extra lore pages: soul shaping? Truename exploitation? That time someone created beings without the Twins’ blessing? (soulless containers?) “The old elemental magus never died” theory? Who knows of she’s involved in some of that stuff ?
One similarity with common magical artifacts can be seen in the aesthetic of the knives inscriptions; again, from the extra lore pages, those runes are usually written in SoulCrystal powder ink, but that sounds counterintuitive knowing you are not trying to contain magic, you are trying to contain a soul…
The theory I follow on her soul-sucking magic: it’s related to the seventh element. Her knives’ blades are all black, just like the dark fire that Erin wielded when possessed, and on top of that, her collecting all these souls is consumption in a way. The only hitch in this theory I’ve realized as of yet is how she could’ve infused her knives with seventh element magic…
She refers to the “Great Gods”, not the primordials. The primordials are one of each element, it doesn’t mean that those great gods are a specific element. They might be inclined towards a certain element, but none of the gods have complete control over any element, and multiple gods can have some power over the same element. I don’t even think that the gods control a certain element. Ilia might not control water, she is just linked to a body of water. For example, one of the deities we saw in the previous page, the short one that was a glowing orange, i think might be linked to a volcano, as he is solid but glowing and fire-like. He doesn’t control the element of fire i think, but he mimics the domain over which he has power, much like Gleicann in chapter 8.
Oh and as well as that, I don’t think that the gods we saw on the previous page are the great gods, as one of their designs matches up perfectly with a design that red posted on twitter, where they described them as a “minor deity”.
So gods can essentially teleport their souls to incarnate in faraway places, as long as they have the necessary strength? That explains how Ilia got here so fast
Ilia: Help us Obi-Wan Kendalbi, you’re our only hope.
Good to know that Kendal and his “demi-god” status may still save the day yet, this pep-talk really helped Ilia. Maybe it’ll be worth going to Asera to see if she has some goodies to help the gang.
Fingers crossed Vash is still in one piece after they get that dragon tattoo sorted.
TL;DR: Ghost goddess does more exposition. Apparently gods can’t get too far from their routers because they’re all wired. This makes them clearly inferior to Floofy boi, which is wireless. Floofy boi learns he can ask other gods for exposition dumps instead of bothering Pantene god, who probably regrets having that feature on his Sword 5S Pro.
Ooooooh snap, he’s not only a paragon leader hero, he’s also a chosen one! Someone send a masseuse his way, this guy’s back is going to ache if people keep adding weight to his manly shoulders
This reminds me a bit of Gail Simone’s Wonder Woman run years ago. Diana was cut off from sourcing her power from the Greek Gods, but had built up enough favor with other dieties that she was able to get power from others. She was patroned by Maui for a while, which was cool.
Did he say ‘you’re welcome’?
And on a related, very important note, was he hench as f***?
Or just an ordinary demi-guy?
Ding ding ding, Kendal unlocks the new title! Now he is “Kendal, beloved by the gods”! Or maybe Kendal Godbotherer..
gods are a lot more limited than you would usually expect ?…
Trick question, are certain gods associated with/made of/ master of one or more magic elements?
Because if there’s one thing I’m confused about, is the hierarchy between the Twins, the Primordials and all the other mayor and minor gods, and consequentially their relation with magic energy.
BTW look at Ilia’s face in the last panel 😀 she didn’t expect that handshake from Kendal xD
Nevermind, I should check my sources more often
https://comicaurora.tumblr.com/post/615410106304200704/hey-the-folks-at-the-discord-started-theorizing
To be frank, I somewhat gathered that the various smaller gods were very much inspired by Asian mythology, in that they’re immortal but often deities/spirits of a specific area. Like in the latest round of JTTW we have a being who is specifically in charge of the general goings on of the Black River. I think that unless a god does represent something worldwide, it stands to reason that they shouldn’t be able to move far from their domain, nor do much once they do.
Mmmm… Delicious looore…
The Nightmare Queen?? That sounds like an album name.
Just a wild guess here, I’m pretty sure Ilia means the red lady.
Question: If the Collector destroys the things the gods are anchored to in order to obtain their souls, then how the Hekk would the Nightmare Queen be obtained? By destroying the concept of nightmares? Or is her place just called “The Court of Nightmares” or something as a title and I’m thinking about this too literally?
If she is the three eyed “spider woman”, maybe her place is just a cave full of spiders?
Oh god no.
That last panel… Kendal is such a puppydog. So sincere 12/10.
Waaaaaait a minute… There are six elements known to the mages of the land, right? But there were seven gods that Ilia mentioned as being the “greatest and most powerful”. Seven. Seven, not six. From the colors, all six elements correspond to six of the gods. However, the three-eyed red goddess at the top right does not Seem to correspond with any element. So this could be the Seventh Element. However, Red’s Seventh-Elemental rundown in “Extra Lore” has a theory that The Seventh Element is similar to stone. And the Collector always places souls within blades. Within metal blades. Metal may be the Seventh Element.
I’m not sure if there are any gods besides Erin’s spooky hitchhiker that can control the seventh element; it’s likely that the three-eyed lady either controls an element that one of the other six already does, or she doesn’t control any at all. As we saw with Vash, it’s possible for a god to be magically incapable.
Though then again, you were spot-on when you predicted that our unexpected guest would be a water deity… we’ll just have to wait and see.
Hmm.
I think it’s unlikely that the seventh element is metal. I’m relatively certain it’s just something like consumption, and the opposite of life. The fact that cave-corruption and stone-corruption are often present in the same person is that in the singing caves they’re being exposed to lots of stone energy too, and they’re cave-corrupted because these days I doubt there’s much life in the caves like what there used to be, so unless you’re content to lick the walls or minimum supplement the only thing to eat is what you have with you. Cave-corrupted individuals found in areas ridden with famine are probably not stone-corrupted as well.
The fact that the collector stores her souls in blades I imagine is that she must need to get some sort of soul lock on before she can activate the magic that sucks the soul out, and this is achieved via coming into contact with said person that has just been stabbed. Frankly I would really like to know what sort of magic is at play here, because I thoroughly doubt that it’s one of the elements.
Also three-eyed goddess might be Nightmare Queen (not my idea, scroll through the comments to find the original bright spark).
I second this. Soul trapping “magic” is different from normal elemental magic, and probably only the Collector knows how it really works.
Several speculations could be made on known “exotic”/ not explored magical manipulation methods, mentioned in the extra lore pages: soul shaping? Truename exploitation? That time someone created beings without the Twins’ blessing? (soulless containers?) “The old elemental magus never died” theory? Who knows of she’s involved in some of that stuff ?
One similarity with common magical artifacts can be seen in the aesthetic of the knives inscriptions; again, from the extra lore pages, those runes are usually written in SoulCrystal powder ink, but that sounds counterintuitive knowing you are not trying to contain magic, you are trying to contain a soul…
The theory I follow on her soul-sucking magic: it’s related to the seventh element. Her knives’ blades are all black, just like the dark fire that Erin wielded when possessed, and on top of that, her collecting all these souls is consumption in a way. The only hitch in this theory I’ve realized as of yet is how she could’ve infused her knives with seventh element magic…
Ok. ; – ;
She refers to the “Great Gods”, not the primordials. The primordials are one of each element, it doesn’t mean that those great gods are a specific element. They might be inclined towards a certain element, but none of the gods have complete control over any element, and multiple gods can have some power over the same element. I don’t even think that the gods control a certain element. Ilia might not control water, she is just linked to a body of water. For example, one of the deities we saw in the previous page, the short one that was a glowing orange, i think might be linked to a volcano, as he is solid but glowing and fire-like. He doesn’t control the element of fire i think, but he mimics the domain over which he has power, much like Gleicann in chapter 8.
Oh and as well as that, I don’t think that the gods we saw on the previous page are the great gods, as one of their designs matches up perfectly with a design that red posted on twitter, where they described them as a “minor deity”.
So gods can essentially teleport their souls to incarnate in faraway places, as long as they have the necessary strength? That explains how Ilia got here so fast
Yep, but there is a limit to a point before their essence runs out.
I wonder how many “mortals” can say they have grabbed a goddess’ hand.
Well, that sounds like a plan to me! Finally, support.
Friday: *last panel shows conversation cut short by Erin getting possessed again*
*Flashbacks of the ominous sentinel attacking in the last page of chapter two*
instinctively hit back a couple times. missed once. year zero… whoops.
“Whoa, WHOA! Too far back!!”
I love how everyone that interacts with Kendall eventually reacts with Ilia’s expression in the last panel
Soooo are gods essentially really strong nature spirits? Because they’re tied into one place essentially, but has a lot of capabilities.
Ilia: Help us Obi-Wan Kendalbi, you’re our only hope.
Good to know that Kendal and his “demi-god” status may still save the day yet, this pep-talk really helped Ilia. Maybe it’ll be worth going to Asera to see if she has some goodies to help the gang.
Fingers crossed Vash is still in one piece after they get that dragon tattoo sorted.
TL;DR: Ghost goddess does more exposition. Apparently gods can’t get too far from their routers because they’re all wired. This makes them clearly inferior to Floofy boi, which is wireless. Floofy boi learns he can ask other gods for exposition dumps instead of bothering Pantene god, who probably regrets having that feature on his Sword 5S Pro.
I love these sarcastic summaries.
Ooooooh snap, he’s not only a paragon leader hero, he’s also a chosen one! Someone send a masseuse his way, this guy’s back is going to ache if people keep adding weight to his manly shoulders
EXPOSITION!
alt text: vash: bwuh? sorry I was nappin’, whaddya need
Image source: guidance
Being a god makes you tied to the ground
So their hope stands to Kendal, who can move around