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Post by avurai on Mar 20, 2015 7:35:50 GMT
Tony really makes no sense to me here. He is so obviously hostile that I think we can assume he's aware of what he's doing to Antimony. But an actively hostile Tony conflicts with the sort of Tony that (according to Donny) would have contacted Annie by phone...but does fit with the earlier Tony we see in the hospital, angry at his daughter for her mother's death. I see three options to resolve this conflict: - He was a softer and friendlier person until the events of Divine caused him to revert back to his older persona (possibly from his bone-laser plot not succeeding).
- Donny is misreading the intent of the phone call and/or Tony has changed his personality since the two last interacted.
- We are just misreading Tony altogether, and he's a wild card. Or, I suppose, it's not really Tony.
The fourth is that he heard what Zimmy said when she punched him in the face and assumes Annie was in on it and this is being done out of spite. |
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Post by Daedalus on Mar 20, 2015 7:36:07 GMT
well... I could be wrong, but isn't adenine a nitrogenous base itself, not a "component" of a nitrogenous base? It's a base because of the amino group attached to the cyclic structure... It is a component of a larger DNA molecule, or of adenosine triphosphate may be a biochemist/surgeon, but Tom isn't. That being said, imagine the two switching jobs and Tony writing Gunnerkrigg Court (shiver) Tony really makes no sense to me here. He is so obviously hostile that I think we can assume he's aware of what he's doing to Antimony. But an actively hostile Tony conflicts with the sort of Tony that (according to Donny) would have contacted Annie by phone...but does fit with the earlier Tony we see in the hospital, angry at his daughter for her mother's death. I see three options to resolve this conflict: - He was a softer and friendlier person until the events of Divine caused him to revert back to his older persona (possibly from his bone-laser plot not succeeding).
- Donny is misreading the intent of the phone call and/or Tony has changed his personality since the two last interacted.
- We are just misreading Tony altogether, and he's a wild card. Or, I suppose, it's not really Tony.
The fourth is that he heard what Zimmy said when she punched him in the face and assumes Annie was in on it and this is being done out of spite. That's one of the subcategories under the first, in my opinion (shrug) |
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Post by imaginaryfriend on Mar 20, 2015 7:38:46 GMT
Since you will copy all your homework from your classmate anyway I don't see the need to waste one perfectly good textbook on you. In that way, this actually does make sense.  But supposing Tony doesn't know about that, this makes no sense whatsoever. I have to think that this is Annie's nightmare, it just wouldn't make any sense that Tony wouldn't even give her a textbook. What if he's thinking, "You weren't here when the books were being passed out and now you don't have one. I'm not going to interrupt my lecture to give you one so stfu." I've had more than one teacher like that. Doesn't really matter if she didn't get one as an oversight (since that seat was empty) or no. |
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Post by msouth on Mar 20, 2015 7:39:22 GMT
As one of the many people who figure this is actually a nightmare, I have to say you're doing a great job of making us feel the real mental pain that people feel in these kinds of dreams.
Annie has a deep-seated fear that she doesn't want to face--she is afraid that her father hates her because Annie's birth more or less directly led to her mother's death.
The absence of her father and his lack of communication are exacerbating this, and this is how her subconscious is attempting to help her process these emotions.
[ Five cents, please. ]
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Post by zimmyzims on Mar 20, 2015 7:41:28 GMT
In that way, this actually does make sense. But supposing Tony doesn't know about that, this makes no sense whatsoever. I have to think that this is Annie's nightmare, it just wouldn't make any sense that Tony wouldn't even give her a textbook. What if he's thinking, "You weren't here when the books were being passed out and now you don't have one. I'm not going to interrupt my lecture to give you one so stfu." I've had more than one teacher like that. Doesn't really matter if she didn't get one as an oversight (since that seat was empty) or no. Um, you guys make me feel I've gone to pretty good schools. |
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Post by imaginaryfriend on Mar 20, 2015 7:51:11 GMT
What if he's thinking, "You weren't here when the books were being passed out and now you don't have one. I'm not going to interrupt my lecture to give you one so stfu." I've had more than one teacher like that. Doesn't really matter if she didn't get one as an oversight (since that seat was empty) or no. Um, you guys make me feel I've gone to pretty good schools. Heh. I've been to some "good" schools but not all the teachers were good. Actually some of the profs I had in college who had arrangements like they appear to have in GC [splitting time between doing their own research or work and their mandated teaching duties] were some of the ones who resented interacting with their students the most, at least when doing their teaching duties. Teaching is what TAs are for. One dude gave out no contact info except his office number, would open his office during his required office hours at the exact dot, admit one student at a time, and then kick out anyone there at the dot as soon as his required hours ended. Didn't get your problem addressed? Too bad, so sad. |
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Post by zimmyzims on Mar 20, 2015 7:52:17 GMT
Um, you guys make me feel I've gone to pretty good schools. Heh. I've been to some "good" schools but not all the teachers were good. Actually some of the profs I had in college who had arrangements like they appear to have in GC [splitting time between doing their own research or work and their mandated teaching duties] were some of the ones who resented interacting with their students the most, at least when doing their teaching duties. Teaching is what TAs are for. One dude gave out no contact info except his office number, would open his office during his required office hours at the exact dot, admit one student at a time, and then kick out anyone there at the dot as soon as his required hours ended. Didn't get your problem addressed? Too bad, so sad. Have to admit that many University teachers are outright horrible, not even hiding how much they hate teaching and loath students. |
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Post by Rasselas on Mar 20, 2015 7:52:42 GMT
Jerk status: confirmed.
Also you guys make me wonder if he didn't get something more than just a punch from Zimmy. Maybe he's spider infested like Jack was. (Nah, I don't really think so, but this forum always awakens wild speculation.)
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Post by Toloc on Mar 20, 2015 7:53:35 GMT
"Now to continue, turn to page 394." And now Anthony has that that voice in my head. Brilliant |
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Post by imaginaryfriend on Mar 20, 2015 8:01:16 GMT
Heh. I've been to some "good" schools but not all the teachers were good. Actually some of the profs I had in college who had arrangements like they appear to have in GC [splitting time between doing their own research or work and their mandated teaching duties] were some of the ones who resented interacting with their students the most, at least when doing their teaching duties. Teaching is what TAs are for. One dude gave out no contact info except his office number, would open his office during his required office hours at the exact dot, admit one student at a time, and then kick out anyone there at the dot as soon as his required hours ended. Didn't get your problem addressed? Too bad, so sad. Have to admit that many University teachers are outright horrible, not even hiding how much they hate teaching and loath students. Could have been worse. I only ran into one relic that still graded his class on the competitive scale and I was able to drop his class and avoid him for most of the rest of my educational career there. [In case people don't know, the competitive grading system assigns the top 1/5 of the class an A, the next fifth a B, and so forth. "D" usually meant you'd have to repeat the class if it was a major requirement and "F" meant failed... even if you passed all of your exams and papers.] {edit] I should also mention that I didn't drop that dillweed's class just because of the grading system. He also mandated a group project and let it be known on the first day of class that if you kick someone out of your group at the last second they wouldn't be able to make other arrangements and this would increase your chance of passing. And he said that with undisguised glee, anticipating the giggles he'd get watching people get screwed over the week before finals. Just FYI I found out later through the department that he was an alcoholic. [/edit] |
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Garbage
New Member
ANTHONY CARVER DEFENSE FORCE, 1ST LIEUTENANT OF THE SUPPORT DIVISION
Posts: 29 
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Post by Garbage on Mar 20, 2015 8:03:08 GMT
Tony is still exhibiting actions to be expected from a strict and rule-y teacher, but im starting to feel he's taking it too far, as the only time i've seen it this bad is when a teacher genuinely has it out for someone.
I continue to have this Tony support bar in my signature, but wearing it becomes vainer by the update.
C'mon Tom, surprise us, don't let Tony become a villain in such a cliche!
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Post by Corvo on Mar 20, 2015 8:03:36 GMT
Yep, he's trying to make her burst in flames all right. Just another step in order to get his experiments done. It's got to be it!
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Post by antiyonder on Mar 20, 2015 8:05:53 GMT
This is seething disdain for his progeny. There is no way of backing out of this and the attempts to do so are physically painful to read. This guy is mad that his daughter exists because it means Surma had to die. This has been visually suggested in-comic before. One thing to also consider is that in a way, a person lives on in their offspring, and being dismissive of Annie is basically both a slap in the face to his wife, and pissing on her grave. Heck, I think Al Bundy is father of the year compared to him. |
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Post by zimmyzims on Mar 20, 2015 8:07:14 GMT
Tony is still exhibiting actions to be expected from a strict and rule-y teacher, but im starting to feel he's taking it too far, as the only time i've seen it this bad is when a teacher genuinely has it out for someone. I continue to have this Tony support bar in my signature, but wearing it becomes vainer by the update. C'mon Tom, surprise us, don't let Tony become a villain in such a cliche! My problem with this is not just that it is breaking my heart to see Tony doing this now that he returns, after having waited for his intervention for 20 odd chapters. It is that this seems completely pointless. I cannot understand how is this needed for the Katocalypse storyline - the one true storyline we profess. |
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Post by imaginaryfriend on Mar 20, 2015 8:12:15 GMT
I am still hypothesizing that he was brought back or came back to rein rebellious too-close-to-the-Woods Antimony in. This first day we are seeing the insertion of bit and bridle. Classwork will be the saddle. As soon as she steps a hoof out of line there will come the riding crop.
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Post by antiyonder on Mar 20, 2015 8:14:15 GMT
Tony is still exhibiting actions to be expected from a strict and rule-y teacher, but im starting to feel he's taking it too far, as the only time i've seen it this bad is when a teacher genuinely has it out for someone. Ehh. As others have best explained, it would be one thing if the strict teacher routine was an isolated incident. But on top of being absent in her life, plus showing clear signs of blaming Annie for her mom's death, the "strict" teacher routine added to that leaves no room to see him in a positive light. Even the claims in universe that he's a good person is all tell and no show, thus I choose to see it as people indulging him because they fear retribution from him. |
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Post by sapientcoffee on Mar 20, 2015 8:18:40 GMT
Yep, he's trying to make her burst in flames all right. Just another step in order to get his experiments done. It's gotto be it!  That's my current thinking, too. Or some form of, "how far can she be pushed?". I dunno. The longer this goes on the more uncomfortable I am reading it. |
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Post by zimmyzims on Mar 20, 2015 8:21:37 GMT
I am still hypothesizing that he was brought back or came back to rein rebellious too-close-to-the-Woods Antimony in. This first day we are seeing the insertion of bit and bridle. Classwork will be the saddle. As soon as she steps a hoof out of line there will come the riding crop. This would really be an extremely dysfunctional way to bring her back to the Court. If anything, it drives her to the Forest. Surely experiencing the much missed father's love would strengthen Annie's ties to the Court the most. Edit: I guess that the point of this turn of events is exactly to drive Annie to the Forest. In that sense, it serves the prophecy, but still seems unnecessary to me. It could have easily be done without Tony's re-appearance. But by the end of this book, so I say, Annie will live in the Forest and hardly hold any efficient positive ties to the Court (albeit she would still befriend Smitty, Paz and Parley), just growing in her hate towards it. This is partly because of Tony being such a douchebag and partly because Kat has returned to her work and is becoming a robot-godess, leading her robot army and threatening the Forest, which Annie doesn't like at all. |
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Post by SilverbackRon on Mar 20, 2015 8:26:21 GMT
Since you will copy all your homework from your classmate anyway I don't see the need to waste one perfectly good textbook on you. In that way, this actually does make sense. But supposing Tony doesn't know about that, this makes no sense whatsoever. I have to think that this is Annie's nightmare, it just wouldn't make any sense that Tony wouldn't even give her a textbook. That said, if this was her nightmare, it would be strange that she was imagining getting the support she normally does not get from her class mates (remember, she's very unpopular). It would be in the logic of dreams of this kind that the other kids either wouldn't care or would even laugh at her. I agree this is about the worst possible family get-together Annie could have expected. At least he hasn't directly assaulted her... yet. I still don't buy the "it's all just a bad dream" though. And one powerful reason is exactly what you said. In a dream where you show up at school in a state of undress (or similar distressing situation) only the Dreamer is fully aware of it. Usually others don't notice or if they do, they don't rush to the support of the Dreamer. In this scenario, EVERYONE is supporting Annie except one person, her father. Because he is a dick and this isn't a dream. Edit to add: I use the "undressed in public" bad dream as an example because everyone is familiar with it and we talked about in over the last couple threads, the similarities of having an unpleasant experience in front of others in the spotlight, so to speak. |
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Post by antiyonder on Mar 20, 2015 8:27:18 GMT
Yep, he's trying to make her burst in flames all right. Just another step in order to get his experiments done. It's gotto be it! That's my current thinking, too. Or some form of, "how far can she be pushed?". I dunno. The longer this goes on the more uncomfortable I am reading it. True, but the moment he comes to the realization he's wrong and breaks down in regret, only for his daughter to reject him, will make it all worthwhile. SilverbackRon: While I don't discount that physical abuse is a serious matter, I'd argue emotional abuse is equal, if not worse because it's not quite as obvious and easy for a person to recover from. |
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Post by SilverbackRon on Mar 20, 2015 8:31:51 GMT
Yep, he's trying to make her burst in flames all right. Just another step in order to get his experiments done. It's gotto be it! That's my current thinking, too. Or some form of, "how far can she be pushed?". I dunno. The longer this goes on the more uncomfortable I am reading it. Indeed. I almost feel like I should come back in a couple weeks to see how this turns out. This is the slowest of slow motion train wrecks to watch. But I just can't turn away. |
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Post by psybershadow on Mar 20, 2015 8:44:35 GMT
Hey guys. Gone through the comic a few times but never actually made an account until now. I saw someone mention that Annie may end up being kept from sharing a book with someone else. But what if she started using her etheric abilities like Red and the others to do well (not including her cheating by using Kat's work) in the class?
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Post by imaginaryfriend on Mar 20, 2015 8:51:17 GMT
I am still hypothesizing that he was brought back or came back to rein rebellious too-close-to-the-Woods Antimony in. This first day we are seeing the insertion of bit and bridle. Classwork will be the saddle. As soon as she steps a hoof out of line there will come the riding crop. This would really be an extremely dysfunctional way to bring her back to the Court. If anything, it drives her to the Forest. Surely experiencing the much missed father's love would strengthen Annie's ties to the Court the most. (shrug) Antimony's relationship with her father is dysfunctional. It really isn't a surprise to me to see it continue to dysfunction now that he's back. While I'm unsure if the Court knows *how* dysfunctional it is, even if they did that wouldn't stop them from wanting her father to come back if they wished for someone/something to bring Antimony back under control. Not sure they'd care if the methods he used were dysfunctional as long as they were successful, and he is making good use of the old "punish the whole class for one student's transgressions" tactic. Normally that would bring peer pressure to bear to help the discipline work but here the guilt she feels will probably be the more important factor. Hey guys. Gone through the comic a few times but never actually made an account until now. I saw someone mention that Annie may end up being kept from sharing a book with someone else. But what if she started using her etheric abilities like Red and the others to do well (not including her cheating by using Kat's work) in the class? Welcome to the forum! You may have discovered how she could survive this class without going crazy or running away: Leave her mind behind to learn and wander around out-of-body! |
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Post by SilverbackRon on Mar 20, 2015 8:55:06 GMT
SilverbackRon: While I don't discount that physical abuse is a serious matter, I'd argue emotional abuse is equal, if not worse because it's not quite as obvious and easy for a person to recover from. Oh I agree completely! Emotional abuse is vicious. I just threw that out there as "how much worse can it get?" Well the truth is it can get a lot worse and every new page is worse. Now imagine that the entire chapter is just one more page after another of MR Carver turning the screws... Hi psybershadow, welcome! I really hope Annie does come up with something like that to improve her schoolwork, or even just escape this class! Edit- ninja'd by imaginaryfriend |
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Post by philman on Mar 20, 2015 8:55:20 GMT
Ok a lot of people here are still saying this is just Tony being a dick. Up until now I had that feeling as well, but not giving her a book in class is something different, it's not just about him being strict and making her adhere to the rules to the letter anymore, it is something else.
I think he is testing her, he wants to see how advanced her etheric abilities are. We know she can easily use the ether to read the book over someone elses shoulder, Tony wants to test this ability. IF this constant abuse causes her to flame out, he wants to test this as well, to test how far she can be pushed, or how resilient she is to avoiding the flame out. I assume that in Tony's mind, the anger that leads to using the fire is a bad thing and must be controlled. If Annie does use the fire Tony will see it as somehting that needs to be corrected, or an excuse to resume attempts to remove the fire ablities under the authorisation of the court.
This goes beyond Tony being a dick, he has reason for his dickishness now. This doesn't excuse him at all, but as characters have said before, Tony doesn't do things without reason. I think this is all a test of Annie's control over her abilities, and to see how far she has developed them, and therefore to see how much work he has to do to remove them.
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Post by psybershadow on Mar 20, 2015 8:55:40 GMT
Thanks guys for the warm welcome! And part of me was honestly hoping that Tony was trying to drive her into using her abilities like this so that she might become better than her mother. I'm a bit naive though, so that's probably not the case. Just well-wishing. |
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Ammy
New Member
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Post by Ammy on Mar 20, 2015 9:16:22 GMT
Wow, what a Jerkasaurus Rex. If he really is lashing out at her just for being born, knowing damn well what would happen if he couldn't fix the fire elemental issue in time, it's his own fault.
I think it's more likely that he's intentionally trying to get a rise out of her for whatever purposes that would entail. Even if he is being outright spiteful, it feels like it's being laid on a little too thick in too short a time (and I'm sure more abuse is coming Monday). Either that or he thinks that Annie ruined his face/right hand on purpose, or perhaps both.
It's odd, though. He used to at least care for her, what with treating her wounds and such (though I don't remember if the page where he bandaged her foot was before or after Surma passed, or if that was even inferred?). I guess when Surma died, since Annie is something like her reincarnation, he just couldn't handle her presence and the painful memories it brought anymore, and shipped her off to boarding school. Maybe he thought he really could have a daughter that he wouldn't struggle to not resent and really did care for her, or only did so out of respect to Surma's wishes while she was alive.
I'm a strong believer in the theory that Anthony really does not care for his daughter at all. He's not trying to save her; he never was. Perhaps he's trying to bring Surma back through the reincarnating fire elemental aspect of Antimony, even if Annie has to die from her soul's division. He certainly didn't seem to care how ill she was from the bone lasering.
But hey, maybe Tom is laying on the hurt really thick to super fake us out in a few pages. Like maybe this is some form of social experiment! .. haha yeah no. I almost wish it was like that, if that wouldn't be extremely difficult to pull off as not seeming extremely cheap.
(Also, hi! Long time reader, first time commenter. This chapter hurt too much to not say anything about anymore.)
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Post by psybershadow on Mar 20, 2015 9:21:39 GMT
Does anyone know EXACTLY what caused those bone-like protrusions that put Annie in a coma were meant to do? Were they some kind of test, or some kind of etherically enhanced scalpel? Was he trying to see and experiment on the flame inside of her? Did he intend to try and take part of it out to revive Surma? What if pushing her to use her abilities is all part of his plan to understand it more. It's not like this entire comic hasn't had small plot points mixed up in all the tangled up big plots. And welcome Ammy! Edit: Also in response to that, it was never stated that the division itself was what caused Surma's death. It was the transfer of it in its entirety over time to Annie. It's possible he could be trying to find a way to make sure both remain. He'd have to be doing etheric research... Wait. What if the research into the ether that the court is doing has something to do with the Ether plane thing? I don't know what else to call it. |
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Post by antiyonder on Mar 20, 2015 9:27:19 GMT
Ok a lot of people here are still saying this is just Tony being a dick. Up until now I had that feeling as well, but not giving her a book in class is something different, it's not just about him being strict and making her adhere to the rules to the letter anymore, it is something else. I think he is testing her, he wants to see how advanced her etheric abilities are. We know she can easily use the ether to read the book over someone elses shoulder, Tony wants to test this ability. IF this constant abuse causes her to flame out, he wants to test this as well, to test how far she can be pushed, or how resilient she is to avoiding the flame out. I assume that in Tony's mind, the anger that leads to using the fire is a bad thing and must be controlled. If Annie does use the fire Tony will see it as somehting that needs to be corrected, or an excuse to resume attempts to remove the fire ablities under the authorisation of the court. This goes beyond Tony being a dick, he has reason for his dickishness now. This doesn't excuse him at all, but as characters have said before, Tony doesn't do things without reason. I think this is all a test of Annie's control over her abilities, and to see how far she has developed them, and therefore to see how much work he has to do to remove them. Disagreed. 1. If you want to be technical, we all have the cards of "good intentions" in our decks. But the only people who need and tend to use them are the people who are wrong. I mean how often if any, has anyone in the complete right (morals and all) had to say "Good intentions". None, because those individuals understand that actions speak louder than words. And frankly, I think good intentions are more harmful to society than malicious behavior. 2. Given how some brought up past pages like Kat giving her two cents on Tony, it seems like Tom is going for delusional villain. Otherwise, if we are suppose to respect him in the end, it would be best if that's achieved through him putting his own well being on the line for a chance to do right by Annie. Without the intent of earning any forgiveness. Looking at Zuko from Avatar The Last Airbender for example, he earned respected by acknowledging that tramas & intentions don't justify jerkiness and giving up comfort and safety at home to do the right thing. Even working with those who had every reason to hate him (and in Katara's case, wanted him dead). |
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Post by cu on Mar 20, 2015 9:31:17 GMT
I am still hypothesizing that he was brought back or came back to rein rebellious too-close-to-the-Woods Antimony in. This first day we are seeing the insertion of bit and bridle. Classwork will be the saddle. As soon as she steps a hoof out of line there will come the riding crop. You know where that analogy leads, don't you?  |
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