[260] Story Discussion - The Fangs of Summer

[Aspen d'Grey]

New chapter! Yay!

Thats NOT Raynardine

I'm guessing a trip to the woods is in order.

[Count Casimir]

Awesome! I'm pumped for some wolf-on-wolf fighting, if it comes to that.

Of course, I dunno if that's Tom's thing. I can only imagine it will be beautiful in a violent way if it happens.

Whilst 'lectric guitars play in the background, of course.


EDIT: Your drunk duck updates have corrupted me! I've tried to remain pure and only look when Tom updates, but the temptation is too great!

[yeochild]

I love Annie's hair in this.

[Yin]

I predict werewolves.

[yeochild]

The wolf seems to have no visible eyes, thus giving strength to the idea that it is an anti-Reynardine.

[owl]

Well! O.O

This will be GOOD.

[UbiquitousDragon]

yeochild said:

The wolf seems to have no visible eyes, thus giving strength to the idea that it is an anti-Reynardine.

Ooh, I like that idea. It did make me wonder. I love Annie's hair too, I really like how Tom's style has developed. Though, while my first thought was werewolves, but then I thought that Tom likes to put an alternative spin on these things, like Rogat Orjak. But werewolves are cool. ;D

[todd]

While there isn't much to comment on when it's a title page, there's still a thing or two about today's instalment (aside from the obvious one of the spectral wolf in the heavens) that I'd like to mention.

The chapter title includes the word "summer", while Annie is wearing her familiar school uniform, so evidently she's still at the Court even if the summer holidays have started (mind you, we don't know that much about the school's schedule as yet). It makes sense, however, that she'd be at Gunnerkrigg. From the in-story perspective, with her mother dead and father missing, she doesn't have anywhere else to go (though if the Donlans were going somewhere on summer holiday, I'd like to think that they - especially Kat - would invite her along). And, of course, since the whole point of the webcomic is the bizarre things that take place in Gunnerkrigg Court, it'd be difficult to have a chapter set away from the school (at most, containing flashbacks about events elsewhere, such as Annie's childhood in the hospital).

But we'll have to see what comes on Monday.

[Mezzaphor]

I assumed the chapter title means that summer is approaching, and Annie's first year at Gunnerkrigg is nearing its end.

[Phantasmagoria]

I think the wolf's eyes are covered simply because of the effects of long fur and slipstream? As someone mentioned in the comments, it could be moving at top speed. All the better to bite off Annie's head quickly.

[Aspen d'Grey]

Originally I was thinking along Phantasmagoria's lines, but as I examine the artwork it almost seems as if this wolf is blindfolded. It might -be- Reynardine after all, blinded somehow, maybe he had a bad runin with the Nice Old Man.

[todd]

I found myself reminded of those giant wolves in Norse mythology who would eat the sun and the moon at the end of the world. Though I don't know if Tom had that in mind; averting Ragnarok might be a little much even for Annie to pull off, for one thing.

[Count Casimir]

Gosh, every time I learn something new about Norse mythology, it just gets more and more kickass.

Aspen, I agree; the first impression I got was that it was blindfolded. Of course, it also doesn't look like Rey at all. So either Tom is changing Reynardine's artistic profile, or it's something (someone?) else.

I postulate it's something (someone?) that has met Rey in the past, and it's covering its eyes to prevent hostile takeover, relying on other senses (like smell; it is some sort of canine) to help it take down its enemies.

[Bobbey]

My, this promises of being an interesting chapter; a definite change from the last one.
Count Casimir, your approche on this futur subject intrigues me and for some reason I predict an epic battle between Reynardine and whatever the hell that thing is, may it be a blind wolf or a blindfolded animal (or maybe demon?) of some sort.

Also, all this talk about Norse mythology sounds very interresting, so I shall go Wiki it at once.

[xux]

Hmm...this obviously symbolizes Reynardine possessing Annie. Someone probably gets in trouble and Reynardine's the only one who knows how to save them but he loses his body and Annie can't reach his head and time's running out...so Annie orders him to possess her and save said person.

[todd]

If Reynardine's going to possess Annie, we're going to need some new developments first regarding the consequences of his possessing people. Remember that when Reynardine leaves a body that he's possessed, that person automatically dies. Therefore, at present, Reynardine possessing Annie would mean Annie's death - which, in turn, would automatically bring "Gunnerkrigg Court" to an end, unless Tom plans to pass the torch on to a new narrator.

[mrw]

Ooooh, this is looking interesting...

A few of thoughts come to mind:

1) The wolf could be Reynardine blindfolded to prevent his being able to escape during a mission of some sort.
2) The wolf could represent Reynardine attempting to get the better of Annie in a different way (because he is unable to take over his owner).
3) The wolf could be Reynardine's "fool cousin" attempting to retaliate. Hilarity ensues.

Right now I'm thinking 3 is more likely, with less hilarity and more pain.

I love Annie's expression and posture. Whatever it is, she will face it with dogged determination and fearlessness.

Edit: Just noticed Yeochild has already called #3 in the Wild Spec thread.

[Aspen d'Grey]

Wow, you summarized an hour long AIM conversation into that? Nice.

Anywase, I'm still thinking it's Reynardine, because of the blindfold- he needs to be able to make eye contact in order to posess something.

[todd]

Would Reynardine's cousin necessarily be wolf-like in appearance? The only reason why Reynardine's currently "wolflike" is because he inadvertently possessed her plush wolf doll, and his previous victim was a Rogat Orjak (which didn't look much like a wolf at all). On the other hand, Reynardine's cousin might have the form of a wolf for some entirely unconnected reason. But we'll have to wait and find out.

[Mezzaphor]

Rey had a wolf or fox-like appearance when he tried to possess Antimony.

[mrw]

When Reynardine left Sivo's body in his attempt to take over Annie, his non-physical form had a wolf-like appearance even before entering the toy.
Edit: oops - simultaneous posts...

[todd]

Thanks for bringing that up. I checked the page, and yes, Reynardine's fiery form does indeed look wolflike. You're right about that.

[xux]

Ya, I am inferring this from one picture after all. :/

But...when someone shows an image like that above or beside someone it's usually representative of that person (IE a parallel or a metaphor) or it's that that thing being shown is a part of them, like a split personality or something that has taken over their mind. Showing Reynardine would've been too obvious so instead we're shown something that resembles him in every appearance they've been in with an (maybe unintentional or perhaps meant to throw us off) emphasis on its eyes. The sort of selfless act brought on by the circumstances I mentioned in my last post seems to be rather fitting of Annie. But...I'm really just making this all up based on one picture and it's probably something completely different.

Also, Reynardine doesn't have to leave Annie. Given her distanced attitude towards most of the other characters and her dislike of Mr. Eglamore he could probably pull it off...except Kat would probably see through it. Or maybe, in awe of her selflessness, Reynardine lets her keep control.

Or...maybe she is immune to the effects of Reynardine removing himself and it just cuts down her lifespan which would render her bedridden by her late 30's or so.

But still...one picture. And my overactive imagination. :/

[Goatmon]

yeochild said:

The wolf seems to have no visible eyes, thus giving strength to the idea that it is an anti-Reynardine.

That would make sense, since his relative lives in the woods. However, while we don't know much about the unnamed demon's situation, I doubt that he's also trapped in a stuffed toy designed to look like a wolf so I doubt that the animal depicted on the new chapter page has anything to do with a demon.

Unless the OP is wrong and it actually is Reynardine after all.

[Hazel]

xux said:

Or...maybe she is immune to the effects of Reynardine removing himself and it just cuts down her lifespan which would render her bedridden by her late 30's or so.

Ooh, maybe the same thing happened to Surma, which is why she died early, and that's her connection to Rey. (This is sounding more and more like Wild Spec.)

[mrw]

xux said:

when someone shows an image like that above or beside someone it's usually representative of that person (IE a parallel or a metaphor) or it's that that thing being shown is a part of them, like a split personality or something that has taken over their mind. Showing Reynardine would've been too obvious so instead we're shown something that resembles him in every appearance they've been in with an (maybe unintentional or perhaps meant to throw us off) emphasis on its eyes.

That is very clever, and it makes sense too. I like it.

[Count Casimir]

Hazelly, you beat me to it!

Anyway, xux is quite possibly right. The wolf could just be a visual connection to the title and not in the chapter at all, as a metaphor.

Edit: YAY! 100 posts!

[owl]

xux said:

Or...maybe she is immune to the effects of Reynardine removing himself and it just cuts down her lifespan which would render her bedridden by her late 30's or so./

*gasp* THAT's what killed Surma!

She was possessed by Rey in the past, and because of whatever was special about her (and by heritage Annie) prevented her from dying and merely rendered her very sick...Annie's birth, added to the "complications" taht were already there, killed her off!

Rey feels remorse about it, or maybe only feels a little respect for her, since she DIDN'T die like everyone else..

It makes so much sense! Thank you, xux! ;D

[xux]

Heheh, sure. That's the thing about random crazy theories: you gotta connect them and account for everything and such.

And...I would've kept this going and put this theory in Wild Speculation (and still might; the possession could still happen) but these last two pages seem to be pointing against it already.