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Post by mojojojo on Jun 21, 2010 12:20:21 GMT
or maybe things aren't going according to plan. Jack may have invited Annie and Rey to the power plant so he could trap them there. Except he seemed pretty surprised when Annie wanted to stay with Rey, rather than leave with him. www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=715 and 716. |
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Post by todd on Jun 21, 2010 12:22:56 GMT
If the de-etherized rain from the power station is dissolving the illusion, rather than creating it, does that mean it's the opposite of Zimmy's regular illusions?
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lovecraft1024
Full Member
What does anything mean? Basically
Posts: 118
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Post by lovecraft1024 on Jun 21, 2010 12:37:48 GMT
Well I see that "Annie" could really be Zimmy, but I still don't see the point. And if so, it would seem that Zimmy somehow has the ability to put on the facade of another person.
Or, I guess we're seeing this all from Zimmy's viewpoint (as Annie) and Annie in that context looks like Zimmy, while Gamma is Gamma. So then how Annie (looking like Zimmy) got to Jack so fast on the steps by the iron leaning is quite curious.
Obviously the whole thing is calculated to confuse us, but I do hope most of this has a meaningful explanation... (note I'm not asking for a rational explanation!)
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Post by judgedeadd on Jun 21, 2010 12:43:54 GMT
That smoke coming from Jack and dissipating is white, just like the spider and its webs. The rain is washing the spiderdom away.
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Post by todd on Jun 21, 2010 12:56:09 GMT
Obviously the whole thing is calculated to confuse us, but I do hope most of this has a meaningful explanation... (note I'm not asking for a rational explanation!) Maybe it's connected to the point I mentioned above (the de-etherized rain washes away the illusion rather than triggering it). Maybe this nightmare city runs on a different set of rules than the one from Chapter Nineteen. |
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Post by hal9000 on Jun 21, 2010 12:57:37 GMT
Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality. Open your eyes, look up to the skies, and see... Let's find out if that Surma-like fire can burn spiders. It's worked pretty well in the past at sorting things out but before she wasn't this confused. On the other hand, she looks a lot more angry this time. I don't think Annie is in any condition to do anything helpful, unless the theory that Annie and Zimmy somehow swapped places is true. Additionally, the rain seems to be thwarting the spider pretty good already, so then it might not even be necessary to take such dramatic action. |
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Post by swordfish on Jun 21, 2010 13:18:02 GMT
Is Zimmy/Annie crying?
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Post by imaginaryfriend on Jun 21, 2010 13:28:36 GMT
Let's find out if that Surma-like fire can burn spiders. It's worked pretty well in the past at sorting things out but before she wasn't this confused. On the other hand, she looks a lot more angry this time. I don't think Annie is in any condition to do anything helpful, unless the theory that Annie and Zimmy somehow swapped places is true. Additionally, the rain seems to be thwarting the spider pretty good already, so then it might not even be necessary to take such dramatic action. Antimony is a born medium, she may just need to get mad enough to tear through the static. The "rain" may be allegory for that, not sure where it would come from otherwise, unless someone deactivated the power plant before it reached transmission stage and the rain that fell still had etheric energy. Even then, in reality they're still inside a building. |
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Post by Per on Jun 21, 2010 13:38:35 GMT
Even then, in reality they're still inside a building. I believe they're on the roof. |
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Post by imaginaryfriend on Jun 21, 2010 13:45:09 GMT
Even then, in reality they're still inside a building. I believe they're on the roof. Yep you're right, I forgot that. Then Jones could've just shut the plant down. |
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Post by Rex on Jun 21, 2010 13:49:41 GMT
That's the most likely scenario. Jones shuts the power plant down mid-collection cycle (before the etherium or whatever is drawn from the water) and it just comes down.
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Post by legion on Jun 21, 2010 14:01:55 GMT
D:
Pannel 3: scariest pannel Tom ever drew.
Purple rain in a world of illusion reminds me of Escaflowne.
Jack saying "not yet" in a dark, decaying building, with rain, reminds me of Blade Runner.
Also, I still think Annie and Zimmy are themselves, and there's just some etheric mind-confusion/melting going on (come on, this is much more plausible and interesting than a sudden and unexplained perspective shift).
Also, maybe this is just real rain that just happened to rain this night, unrelated to the power station?
This chapter rocks!
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Post by 5lizak on Jun 21, 2010 14:02:49 GMT
Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality. Open your eyes, look up to the skies, and see... Jack's just a poor boy, he needs no sympathy. |
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Post by Per on Jun 21, 2010 14:07:22 GMT
Jack saying "not yet" in a dark, decaying building, with rain, reminds me of Blade Runner. Incidentally, the thread title reminds me of Scar from The Lion King (in the song "Be Prepared"). |
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Post by mojojojo on Jun 21, 2010 14:09:54 GMT
Well I see that "Annie" could really be Zimmy, but I still don't see the point. And if so, it would seem that Zimmy somehow has the ability to put on the facade of another person. I'm not sure she has the ability to do that exactly. It's part of the illusion of Zimmingham. She doesn't have the ability to control her apparitions. They are born out of her subconcious and the etheric intersecting. As to a point - well, I've been entertained. And if you want more I think this is just how life is for Zimmy. And I think it's told us a lot about Zimmy and Gamma. I think the viewpoint is what an unseen observer would see. We're in Zimmy's mind. |
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Post by Aris Katsaris on Jun 21, 2010 14:18:03 GMT
I think we should at the very least wait for the chapter to be finished until we even start guessing at "the point" of any particular element thereof.
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Post by atteSmythe on Jun 21, 2010 14:36:19 GMT
Down came the rain and washed the spider out...
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jon77
Full Member
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Post by jon77 on Jun 21, 2010 14:49:14 GMT
Maybe Jones did something. You know, I get the feeling there might be a bit of a falling out going to happen between Jones and Annie when this is over. Like when Jones tells Annie something along the line of how "interesting" all this was, and that they'll just "get over it". Interesting point. I think there might even be a precedent. For example, I wonder how well Parley and Smitty are getting along with Jones now, after her little power-manipulation of them. On an unrelated note, I recall how Reynardine was not willing to touch anything Zimmy created, and even revealed his disguise in order not to be touched by her. We still don't know why, do we? |
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troll
Junior Member
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Post by troll on Jun 21, 2010 14:50:00 GMT
Down came the rain and washed the spider out... Well, all's well that ends well. Hurray for Zimmy's so-intense-and-consuming-so-as-to-be unsympathetic dependency issues. |
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mariposa
Full Member
Hi, I'm Elise!
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Post by mariposa on Jun 21, 2010 14:59:09 GMT
Suprised no one has mentioned Annie's teeth yet. They got all pointy.
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Post by atteSmythe on Jun 21, 2010 15:03:01 GMT
Down came the rain and washed the spider out... Well, all's well that ends well. Oh, not so fast - at the end of the rhyme, the spider climbs up the water spout again. |
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chibisoma
New Member
Banned - Rule 1
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Post by chibisoma on Jun 21, 2010 15:06:04 GMT
The lady who mentioned she was qualified to operate the facility and the robot both prove you wrong, man. I think he meant "Have some idea what is going on" rather than "competent at anything". It's a shame for Spider Jack that he's not prepared like regular Jack in panel 6 here www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=458 . The rain seems to be having a different effect here than it did in Power Station. Something Jack did or something Jones has done? Or maybe it's not related to the power station at all, and it's just regular rain (ok, a bit of a coincidence there, but if everything is going according to SpiderJack's plan, you'd have thought he would have left enough time). See the pink and purple coming with the rain in the last panel - is that the dawn sky? Further specualtion - Zimmy is very, very scared of losing Gamma, and is very insecure. She fears that Gamma being cut off from everyone else (because she can't speak English) is the only reason she's still with her. (see also, Zimmy telling Gamma that everyone is saying Gamma is ugly and stupid) That's why she's so terrified of Annie/Gamma - Annie can speak Polish. Zimmy did not react well to the discovery. Add to this Annie not being a bitch or a psycho, and having a better relationship with Mr. Dentist, and it's perhaps clear why Zimmy threatened. And that's partly why Zimmy is "confused" with Annie at the moment - she want's to be more like Annie as she thinks Annie would be a better friend for Gamma than she can be. Probably the most likely solution. Zimmy's terrified of losing the one person she genuinely cares about. She wants to be more like Annie - she wants to be kinder and more caring - but she doesn't know how because her jealousy is nearly all-consuming. She wants to be better, but she still wants Gamma all to herself. I think the first step that needs to be made is for Gamma to show her that she isn't going anywhere; that having friends doesn't mean she's going to leave Zimmy. Gamma loves Zimmy, Zimmy loves Gamma. But Zimmy thinks Annie is better than her. She knows Annie has cancellation powers. She can speak Polish. She's well aware of her own problems but she has no idea how to deal with it rationally. So here we see her become Annie. But it doesn't work, because when not-Zimmy is near Gamma, Gamma's holding onto her for dear life when she's scared. Zimmy doesn't realize that Gamma's fine with her as she is. We're seeing here that Gamma really does love Zimmy as she is. That she doesn't NEED to change. Gamma stays with her because she loves her, not because she feels obligated. This, even after learning that Zimmy was lying to her about what others were saying. What we're coming to here is the end of this confusion. Where 'Annie' will fully change back to Zimmy (her illusion means nothing if she can't be with Gamma), 'Zimmy' will change back to Annie, and we'll learn why Jack's doing this. He's had two of a kind, he's had a full house. He's trying to assemble the cards necessary for a royal flush. I think we'll also see Zimmy's breakdown. We need to. We need to see her lash out at Annie. We need to see her scared concerns laid out bare so both of them understand. And I know it won't happen this way, but... Zimmy's there, going off about all of her fears, the tears still coming. And after that long rant, in English, Gamma comes up and, also in English, says she won't leave Zimmy. Since Annie told her what others said, she's been trying to learn the language, and understood enough of Zimmy's rant to realize what was going on without having to have it relayed. I think that'd be really, really sweet. But I doubt that's how it'll go. Ah well... In short: Zimmy really needs a hug. |
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jon77
Full Member
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Post by jon77 on Jun 21, 2010 15:07:45 GMT
Down came the rain and washed the spider out... Hahaha! So appropriate.  |
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Post by zylonbane on Jun 21, 2010 16:31:33 GMT
Suprised no one has mentioned Annie's teeth yet. They got all pointy. That was discussed last Friday. When they got pointy. Last Friday. |
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Post by Dvandaemon on Jun 21, 2010 16:36:42 GMT
The lady who mentioned she was qualified to operate the facility and the robot both prove you wrong, man. I think he meant "Have some idea what is going on" rather than "competent at anything". It's a shame for Spider Jack that he's not prepared like regular Jack in panel 6 here www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=458 . The rain seems to be having a different effect here than it did in Power Station. Something Jack did or something Jones has done? Or maybe it's not related to the power station at all, and it's just regular rain (ok, a bit of a coincidence there, but if everything is going according to SpiderJack's plan, you'd have thought he would have left enough time). See the pink and purple coming with the rain in the last panel - is that the dawn sky? Further specualtion - Zimmy is very, very scared of losing Gamma, and is very insecure. She fears that Gamma being cut off from everyone else (because she can't speak English) is the only reason she's still with her. (see also, Zimmy telling Gamma that everyone is saying Gamma is ugly and stupid) That's why she's so terrified of Annie/Gamma - Annie can speak Polish. Zimmy did not react well to the discovery. Add to this Annie not being a bitch or a psycho, and having a better relationship with Mr. Dentist, and it's perhaps clear why Zimmy threatened. And that's partly why Zimmy is "confused" with Annie at the moment - she want's to be more like Annie as she thinks Annie would be a better friend for Gamma than she can be. That seems so logical I can't believe it wasn't mentioned before the idea of the Spider speaking instead of Jack also completely changes the way I look at previous strips |
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Post by lurker on Jun 21, 2010 16:57:18 GMT
It's becoming clear now what's happening. When the power station triggers an episode of Zimmingham, Zimmy's attributes get imprinted upon those who happen to get sucked in. Gamma, being an "ether-sink", is the only one immune to this. Annie has picked up enough of Zimmy's character that Gamma mistakenly identifies her as Zimmy, and even now she's acquired Zimmy's jealousy over Gamma. Spider-Jack has picked up Zimmy's rain-absorption characteristics. Just as the rain cools down Zimmy, dispelling her etheric stress, so the rain will cool off spider-Jack's etheric madness--prematurely, it seems, from his POV.
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Post by lurker on Jun 21, 2010 17:07:59 GMT
P.S. Also, this being the "spider's nest", it seems that what's happening here must've been what happened to Jack in the first Power Station chapter. And now with the rain dispelling spider-Jack's madness, it seems that Annie's the next-in-line to acquire an etheric spider.  |
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Post by King Mir on Jun 21, 2010 17:56:12 GMT
That's the most likely scenario. Jones shuts the power plant down mid-collection cycle (before the etherium or whatever is drawn from the water) and it just comes down. That would explain why it's too soon for spider jack, but Jones would need a reason to change her plan to let the station do its thing. She or Rey would have to conclude that something is wrong and stopping the station would change that. Also, Jones said the station uses evaporation, not condensation to collect energy, so evaporated water should already be either-free. |
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Post by vegacoyote on Jun 21, 2010 18:18:49 GMT
The rain came because Zimmy's started to cry. Her tears are washing the illusion away.
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Melly
New Member
*sigh*
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Post by Melly on Jun 21, 2010 18:24:50 GMT
So now it's safe to assume this is from zimmy's point of view? (or this is a big mindscrew moment)
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