…aaaaaaand I spoke too soon, I didn’t notice the second tail that someone pointed out in [another comment](https://comicaurora.com/aurora/2-5-37/#comment-96937).
I’d never noticed them before, so now I’m going to check out the list compiled by someone further down in that thread.
i think the idea with the two tails but one text is that her voice is weird and life-magic-y, but Life™️ isn’t in control or even commenting on the situation herself
1-2-26 just as she’s losing control breaking rock.
1-3-22 before she was about to fight the Sentinel.
1-7-11 as she wakes up post-Void blast.
1-8-18 midway though putting down the chimera-bear.
1-9-16 waking as she realises Kendal is in the woods.
1-10-15 angry at Jolon for being the chimera culprit.
1-14-14 making a melon wall to stop Shrike.
and here are the ones I found! (I felt like Edna Mode doing her “No Cape” rant when typing that)
The 1-14-14 one is what intrigues me the most; all the others have intense scenes of Alinua and Life grappling with power, misuse of power, and ancient gods … except for that one. Life joined in on Alinua making that melon vine wall, despite Ali being more than capable of doing it herself, in a matter purely between mortals.
Did Life recognise that Alinua’s freedom was in peril? Has the primordial grown to like Falst and the others and want to help them? Did Shrike make such a poor impression that even a millennia-old eldritch being went “OH, F**K THIS B**CH.”?
(There appears to be a limit to reply chain depth, as I cannot reply directly to Evil Tree, hence my reply to this comment instead.)
My theory is that the instances where Life talking aren’t necessarily … Life talking? Like, when Alinua is waking up from her magic life sensing dream and wonders out loud what Kendal is doing … would Life really care about that? Alinua absolutely would, but I struggle to see how Life would even know Kendal’s name, when even ordinary gods struggle to recognize individual mortals (Kendal is not mortal, but from a Primordial’s perspective, he’s more or less the same thing). There *are* absolutely some instances, like Alinua’s anger towards Jolon, that could be interpreted as Life being fully on board with what Alinua is saying, but not all of them are like that.
I think the instances where Life’s voice come through has really more to do with the amount of power Alinua is using (which then corresponds to her eyes going all glowy). Like how Kendal’s eyes get glowy when he’s recalling Vash’s memories or using the starfire, but while that indicates a lasting connection to Vash’s power, that isn’t Vash exercising his autonomy over Kendal’s body. In the same vein, I think this indicates Alinua drawing on Life’s vast pool of energy (in contrast to smaller acts of magic, in which she can draw on her own pool), and that causing her voice to echo with a bit of Life’s voice.
I wonder … Alinua was afraid that she was losing her autonomy and identity to Life … but what if it’s the other way around? Life is slowly becoming Alinua. Alinua isn’t just a *vessel* for Life. She *is* Life, the entity who exercises autonomy and willpower over the primordial energy of all elemental Life, and the being who used to be Life is slowly becoming little more than a near-limitless energy pool that Alinua can draw on. The era of primordials is long dead, and I can hardly imagine that something as simple as speaking someone’s true name can permanently revive them from death. What, are you gonna start reviving *people* by finding their true names?
@Evil Tree
I honestly wouldn’t count 1.7.11 in the “life tail” list, because that’s Life directly speaking through her? I think Life was kind of forced to start the healing process and wake Alinua up there, because Alinua was unconcious so she physically couldn’t do it on her own. So that’s different than what we’re talking about here, where it’s caused by Alinua channeling a LOT of Life magic. Kind of giving control back to Alinua after fixing her, like how their voices overlap at the end of the Jolon fight scene and Tam and L.D. after L.D.’s speech to Erin.
Idk if this makes sense but it does to me
The Henry Stickmin Collection. Almost every time you pick some variation of Charles as your next move, the happiest helicopter pilot in the world does something as funny as it is stupid.
. “Selach!” Caturus shouts, surrounded by a bubble of water under his power, preventing him from being flung upward. “Stop fighting the current and rise!”
. “I can’t just leave her–!” Selach starts before breaking off in shock, eyes widening as a brilliant green light reflects in them and tinges everything green.
. Alinua curls into a ball, slowly sinking through the water as Life magic pours off her. Chimeric lines coat her skin, making it a brilliant contrast of light and dark as she glances backward.
. “Don’t be afraid,” Alinua says softly, the ocean of Life she’s channeling lending her voice a faint echo.
. Alinua closes her eyes, Life magic surrounding her as she reaches the Wyrm’s mouth.
I don’t know why, but the first thing that came to my head while reading this page is “could you use Life magic to make yourself tastier ? To make something else tastier ? Is that what the Auroran slaughterhouses do to the meat ?”
you can use Life magic to mess with biochemistry, but the primary function of Life magic is to adapt things to survive, even down to the cellular level. it’d be hard to make ‘tastier’ work within that goal. probably easier to just use it to grow more spices or something. you wouldn’t want to risk accidentally making your meat bonier or tumor-y-er or other things that would make it *less* edible.
I think generally, Life magic is viewed with a lot of caution and trepidation, and they probably aren’t using it for food flavouring. (food production volume, on the other hand, maybe)
They might be doing it with plants, those are easier to mess with without causing too much trouble, and the whole point of fruit is to get eaten, so making it tastier is actually a viable strategy. Even if the fruit in question is necessarily seedless, because it doesn’t have the blessing of the twins
Imagine what Dainix is going to think after hearing about this whole story, he’s going to be impressed his advise was used so effectively and terrified to give any more off-hand tactics in-case it inspires any more crazy ideas.
He was talking primarily about giant robots, I think. Being inside a robot makes it difficult for it to attack you. The inside of creatures are exactly where they want you to be, generally, and are a much more hostile environment (contain teeth, digestive acids, etc). He will likely highlight this distinction. Emphatically.
No Northern Wyrm! Don’t eat the Limited Edition Life Green and Elf Purple Bath BombTM!
Another instance of Alinua’s text boxes having two ticks, one for her, and a greener one for Life; the only time this chapter we can be totally sure Life has some involvement in, and it’s to help Alinua in her own endeavours. After spending this chapter worrying about whether her alterations were made by Life or as a reflex action, this may be good for Alinua, if she realises this.
Funny thing about those multiple ticks, every instance they’ve appeared were marked by big Alinua-Life moments, except 1-14-14 where Alinua makes a melon wall to stop Shrike and her boys. Do I take that to mean Life also hates Shrike? Or likes Falst and Tess?
Caturus making his own bubble is neat and sensible; he may not be able to turn the waters against the Wyrm, but he can use them to protect himself, maybe increase his speed too. Selach staying to help Alinua probably breaks protocol, especially when wounded and carrying a wounded member, but it’s a good sentiment.
It also means she has a front row seat to Alinua’s plan. Do not look away Selach, you witness (potentially) a god’s revival.
This reminded me of “no little German boy” and i thought “no little Life girl! Don’t go into the corrupted Wyrm!!!” “O mein gott zis Würm ist full of Plaguenstabbers!!!”
Charles would be proud, anyways fun fact!
Did you know:
The first successful helicopter flight occurred in 1936, with it not looking much like helicopters of today, instead looking more like a biplane with it’s wings cut off and 2 large propellers put in their place.
Alinua: Ok, guys. I have the most awesome plan. I’m gonna sink right into the Northern Wyrm’s mouth.
Selach: What do you mean? Like you’re gonna sink down and smash it with your magic?
Alinua: No, no, I’m going to let it eat me! What do you guys think? I’m ready to-
Selach: Hold on, I don’t… really understand.
Alinua: What’s not to understand? It’s simple: I sink down and let it eat me.
Selach: But… H-how does that help?
Alinua: Sigh. I don’t really think you get it. Life, you get it right?
(Life gives a triple thumbs up)
You can’t say “be not afraid” without harnessing both ominous and incomprehensible powers. It’s against the rules.
Good thing that is exactly what she’s doing
I think to the wyrm
I am moderately surprised we didn’t get a voice change.
Yeah it took me a moment to realize that she’s still just herself.
…aaaaaaand I spoke too soon, I didn’t notice the second tail that someone pointed out in [another comment](https://comicaurora.com/aurora/2-5-37/#comment-96937).
I’d never noticed them before, so now I’m going to check out the list compiled by someone further down in that thread.
i think the idea with the two tails but one text is that her voice is weird and life-magic-y, but Life™️ isn’t in control or even commenting on the situation herself
Avoid being eaten for real with this one weird trick!
“Actually get eaten!” is as weird as can be.
“Do not be afraid.” Alinua says, like a biblical angel.
And all I can think of is
“That’s a lot of teeth!”
I’m not sure if she’s talking to it, or herself. Probably both.
There’s a second tail to that speech bubble, so Life Mum is speaking as well. Adding even more possible interpretations. XD
Oh that’s such a neat detail!
Is this the first time or has it happened before and I missed it?
It’s happened before! I don’t know how many times, but it’s happened on 1.14.14 at least.
1-2-26 just as she’s losing control breaking rock.
1-3-22 before she was about to fight the Sentinel.
1-7-11 as she wakes up post-Void blast.
1-8-18 midway though putting down the chimera-bear.
1-9-16 waking as she realises Kendal is in the woods.
1-10-15 angry at Jolon for being the chimera culprit.
1-14-14 making a melon wall to stop Shrike.
and here are the ones I found! (I felt like Edna Mode doing her “No Cape” rant when typing that)
The 1-14-14 one is what intrigues me the most; all the others have intense scenes of Alinua and Life grappling with power, misuse of power, and ancient gods … except for that one. Life joined in on Alinua making that melon vine wall, despite Ali being more than capable of doing it herself, in a matter purely between mortals.
Did Life recognise that Alinua’s freedom was in peril? Has the primordial grown to like Falst and the others and want to help them? Did Shrike make such a poor impression that even a millennia-old eldritch being went “OH, F**K THIS B**CH.”?
(There appears to be a limit to reply chain depth, as I cannot reply directly to Evil Tree, hence my reply to this comment instead.)
My theory is that the instances where Life talking aren’t necessarily … Life talking? Like, when Alinua is waking up from her magic life sensing dream and wonders out loud what Kendal is doing … would Life really care about that? Alinua absolutely would, but I struggle to see how Life would even know Kendal’s name, when even ordinary gods struggle to recognize individual mortals (Kendal is not mortal, but from a Primordial’s perspective, he’s more or less the same thing). There *are* absolutely some instances, like Alinua’s anger towards Jolon, that could be interpreted as Life being fully on board with what Alinua is saying, but not all of them are like that.
I think the instances where Life’s voice come through has really more to do with the amount of power Alinua is using (which then corresponds to her eyes going all glowy). Like how Kendal’s eyes get glowy when he’s recalling Vash’s memories or using the starfire, but while that indicates a lasting connection to Vash’s power, that isn’t Vash exercising his autonomy over Kendal’s body. In the same vein, I think this indicates Alinua drawing on Life’s vast pool of energy (in contrast to smaller acts of magic, in which she can draw on her own pool), and that causing her voice to echo with a bit of Life’s voice.
I wonder … Alinua was afraid that she was losing her autonomy and identity to Life … but what if it’s the other way around? Life is slowly becoming Alinua. Alinua isn’t just a *vessel* for Life. She *is* Life, the entity who exercises autonomy and willpower over the primordial energy of all elemental Life, and the being who used to be Life is slowly becoming little more than a near-limitless energy pool that Alinua can draw on. The era of primordials is long dead, and I can hardly imagine that something as simple as speaking someone’s true name can permanently revive them from death. What, are you gonna start reviving *people* by finding their true names?
@Evil Tree
I honestly wouldn’t count 1.7.11 in the “life tail” list, because that’s Life directly speaking through her? I think Life was kind of forced to start the healing process and wake Alinua up there, because Alinua was unconcious so she physically couldn’t do it on her own. So that’s different than what we’re talking about here, where it’s caused by Alinua channeling a LOT of Life magic. Kind of giving control back to Alinua after fixing her, like how their voices overlap at the end of the Jolon fight scene and Tam and L.D. after L.D.’s speech to Erin.
Idk if this makes sense but it does to me
She’s looking back a little, so she could also be talking to Selach.
That’s how I interpreted it as well!
A lot of teeth, but also a lot of space between teeth. Fish often vacuum up fry and merely hold them in their mouth for protection.
Insomnia level unlocked: awake for the comic upload
…are we doing it? Should we yell? Okay:
LEEEEROOOYYYYY JEEEENKIIIIINSSS!!!
(On another note, AAAAH the art in these panels!!! The gorgeousity of them! Facial expressions, everything!)
nah. This is pure Charles!
I don’t know that reference, but I would love to know 😮
Charles Calvin from the Henry stickmin games
The Henry Stickmin Collection. Almost every time you pick some variation of Charles as your next move, the happiest helicopter pilot in the world does something as funny as it is stupid.
it’s a henry stickmin reference
Same vibe as biblically accurate angels.
Really? I find that interpretation kind of hard to swallow.
(heyooo)
Noooo
For mobile readers.
Alt-text: cannonball!
Image source: afraid
tumblr text: cannonball!
(i don’t remember the last time Red reused the same joke for more than one of these…)
. “Selach!” Caturus shouts, surrounded by a bubble of water under his power, preventing him from being flung upward. “Stop fighting the current and rise!”
. “I can’t just leave her–!” Selach starts before breaking off in shock, eyes widening as a brilliant green light reflects in them and tinges everything green.
. Alinua curls into a ball, slowly sinking through the water as Life magic pours off her. Chimeric lines coat her skin, making it a brilliant contrast of light and dark as she glances backward.
. “Don’t be afraid,” Alinua says softly, the ocean of Life she’s channeling lending her voice a faint echo.
. Alinua closes her eyes, Life magic surrounding her as she reaches the Wyrm’s mouth.
For mobile readers, alt text: cannonball!
Tumblr text: this is the greatest plaaaaaaan-
Charles Henry Stickmin reference? In THIS Aurora caption? It’s more likely than you’d think.
I don’t know why, but the first thing that came to my head while reading this page is “could you use Life magic to make yourself tastier ? To make something else tastier ? Is that what the Auroran slaughterhouses do to the meat ?”
Anyway, plan Vore is going swimmingly
Don’t call it that
please just- just don’t
Seconded. New name needed.
I mean…it’s an accurate plan name, I just can’t forgive the pun
Plan Sun Wukong. It’s plan Sun Wukong.
you can use Life magic to mess with biochemistry, but the primary function of Life magic is to adapt things to survive, even down to the cellular level. it’d be hard to make ‘tastier’ work within that goal. probably easier to just use it to grow more spices or something. you wouldn’t want to risk accidentally making your meat bonier or tumor-y-er or other things that would make it *less* edible.
I think generally, Life magic is viewed with a lot of caution and trepidation, and they probably aren’t using it for food flavouring. (food production volume, on the other hand, maybe)
They might be doing it with plants, those are easier to mess with without causing too much trouble, and the whole point of fruit is to get eaten, so making it tastier is actually a viable strategy. Even if the fruit in question is necessarily seedless, because it doesn’t have the blessing of the twins
Alinua!! Ahhh this is such a good she-gets-to-shine moment… literally!
God she’s so pretty…
Imagine what Dainix is going to think after hearing about this whole story, he’s going to be impressed his advise was used so effectively and terrified to give any more off-hand tactics in-case it inspires any more crazy ideas.
He was talking primarily about giant robots, I think. Being inside a robot makes it difficult for it to attack you. The inside of creatures are exactly where they want you to be, generally, and are a much more hostile environment (contain teeth, digestive acids, etc). He will likely highlight this distinction. Emphatically.
freakin henry stcikman reference, don’t think i can’t see you
No Northern Wyrm! Don’t eat the Limited Edition Life Green and Elf Purple Bath BombTM!
Another instance of Alinua’s text boxes having two ticks, one for her, and a greener one for Life; the only time this chapter we can be totally sure Life has some involvement in, and it’s to help Alinua in her own endeavours. After spending this chapter worrying about whether her alterations were made by Life or as a reflex action, this may be good for Alinua, if she realises this.
Funny thing about those multiple ticks, every instance they’ve appeared were marked by big Alinua-Life moments, except 1-14-14 where Alinua makes a melon wall to stop Shrike and her boys. Do I take that to mean Life also hates Shrike? Or likes Falst and Tess?
Caturus making his own bubble is neat and sensible; he may not be able to turn the waters against the Wyrm, but he can use them to protect himself, maybe increase his speed too. Selach staying to help Alinua probably breaks protocol, especially when wounded and carrying a wounded member, but it’s a good sentiment.
It also means she has a front row seat to Alinua’s plan. Do not look away Selach, you witness (potentially) a god’s revival.
This reminded me of “no little German boy” and i thought “no little Life girl! Don’t go into the corrupted Wyrm!!!” “O mein gott zis Würm ist full of Plaguenstabbers!!!”
TACTICAL NUKE INCOMIIIIIIIIIIIIIING
she is calling life for this one, really going with the biblical angel vibes for this one are we?
Oh no thanks
I’ve played Outer Wilds
Summoned
(anglerfish are my third-most-hated way to die in OW ::} )
My least favorite is the most common way to die in the dlc once you’ve gotten the hang of it
only third!? my stomach still drops when I see video of them
Flashbacks to that one time Sky of all things turned evil on me
“Don’t be afraid”, I think they might be more afraid now because either their only hope is going to be eaten, or blow up the wyrm
I see Alinua picked the Charles option. Quite fitting, I’d say.
Charles would be proud, anyways fun fact!
Did you know:
The first successful helicopter flight occurred in 1936, with it not looking much like helicopters of today, instead looking more like a biplane with it’s wings cut off and 2 large propellers put in their place.
Huh. That sounds cool
Did… Did Red just drop a Henry Stickmin reference in the page notes!?
Alinua: Ok, guys. I have the most awesome plan. I’m gonna sink right into the Northern Wyrm’s mouth.
Selach: What do you mean? Like you’re gonna sink down and smash it with your magic?
Alinua: No, no, I’m going to let it eat me! What do you guys think? I’m ready to-
Selach: Hold on, I don’t… really understand.
Alinua: What’s not to understand? It’s simple: I sink down and let it eat me.
Selach: But… H-how does that help?
Alinua: Sigh. I don’t really think you get it. Life, you get it right?
(Life gives a triple thumbs up)
“Be not afraid”
Is Allinua saying that to herself, the mermaids or the Wyrm?
Yes.
Goddammit Red, you’re hitting me with the Charles sadness here. You better not be killing off Alinua.
“Don’t be afraid” well ya can’t blame the lass for saying that, selach did literally go :0
“Don’t be afraid.”
“Yes Green Mommy!”
“…be a little afraid.”
hoping this plan goes better than charles’, even if the description isn’t giving me much confidence…
“Don’t be afraid. You are the one who will open the door.”
Vore.
Vore never changes.
Why are there no likes here? W/e, have this instead
what in the bible
TACTICAL NUKE INCOMING
“this is the greatest plaaaaaaan-” Is that a reference to the Henry Stickman series 😀
Henry Stickmin reference?
I just binged this since Friday. I can’t believe I read so much in so little time. Now I have to wait like everyone else. Yaaaaaaaaay.
Cannonball indeed.
Bluesky Text: gooooood morning
“Jarvis, you ever hear the story of Jonah?”
“I’m not sure I would consider him a role model, sir.”