[2395] a word that comes to me

[wies]

So, the Court's omega device is behind it all, eh?

Hmmm, makes the zimmy pages and Tony's weather research look even more ominous. I wonder how it ties in with the pages with Kat and Paz?

[madjack]

Seeing as it's apparently a longstanding, ongoing project, good odds Kat will be the one to make it work.

[wies]

That white thing that seems to spread itself out and then multiplies. I realize it is a motif we have seen connected to the court, what with Bismuth being a single seed that sprouted a whole city.
But we have seen that motif also in a bit of different context.

[hnau]

Yellow stars against a blue background: Loup is moving to the continent.

[arf]

Looking at this picture, I realize that Coyote's tooth matches the symbol on Loup's forehead.
Interesting...

[basser]

Is that some quarks?

Speaking of quarks I just remembered the Omega baryon is made up of three strange quarks, which made me laugh on account of Zimmy and Gramma show up in a chapter titled Two Strange Girls.

[migrantworker]

Nov 27, 2020 10:38:37 GMT basser said:

Is that some quarks?

Speaking of quarks I just remembered the Omega baryon is made up of three strange quarks, which made me laugh on account of Zimmy and Gramma show up in a chapter titled Two Strange Girls.

It brightens my day to learn that some Omega baryons are double charmed while others only have double charmed bottoms. I think in some deep sense, it is a fitting commentary on the current state of society. Also, it kinda reminds me of the double salted A Video Game. And that page cracks me up right to this day. (Players allowed! I mean, come on!)

[phyzome]

We've seen that specific imagery (the expanding hexagons) in the comic as well, but I don't know where.

[pyradonis]

Nov 27, 2020 12:22:57 GMT phyzome said:

We've seen that specific imagery (the expanding hexagons) in the comic as well, but I don't know where.

On the chapter's title page. I don't think we've seen it anywhere else.

[Druplesnubb]

Um guys, you're missing the important part here. Loup pretty much links the thing he saw back in Chapter 73 that "Renard must have been close to" to the Omega Device. This is important because Reynard was right next to Kat at the time. This pretty much only leaves two options:

Option 1: Kat was working on Omega Device in that chapter.

Option 2: Kat herself is the omega Device, or at least a part of it.

[aquamafia]

Maybe the omega device is similar to the arrow Kat was working on? Or the arrow was a part of it?

From what the comic has been hinting at, the omega device seems like a project to control the ether. The court's goal is to become god according to Coyote. The arrow is the only tech we've seen out of the court to manipulate the ether to such an extent.

Zimmy and Annie seem like they're part of the experiment, since they're also tied to the ether. Zimmy is attuned to it like Coyote and Surma's pregnancy was being studied. Her death was etheric in nature, since her life force was somehow given to Annie. Maybe the omega device is trying to transfer all etheric power to certain people the same way?

[saardvark]

Nov 27, 2020 10:38:37 GMT basser said:

Is that some quarks?

Speaking of quarks I just remembered the Omega baryon is made up of three strange quarks, which made me laugh on account of Zimmy and Gramma show up in a chapter titled Two Strange Girls.

Well, two quarks make a meson, so that would make Zimms and Gamma a phi meson (made of one s + one anti-s quark).  Im guessing Zimmer is the definitely represented by the strange quark, and Gamma must then be the "calming" anti-strange one, zeroing out the total strangeness of the pair.  Gotta keep the strangeness under control!

[saardvark]

The image looks kinda like an array of movable sub millimeter or radio telescopes... a huge collecting array of ether gathering dishes, maybe? The telescopes are moved into various configurations to do interferometry - resolving extremely fine detail of distant sources. Not sure if that applies to the ether project, though....

[Gemminie]

Nov 27, 2020 13:52:12 GMT Druplesnubb said:

Um guys, you're missing the important part here. Loup pretty much links the thing he saw back in Chapter 73 that "Renard must have been close to" to the Omega Device. This is important because Reynard was right next to Kat at the time. This pretty much only leaves two options:

Option 1: Kat was working on Omega Device in that chapter.

Option 2: Kat herself is the omega Device, or at least a part of it.

I agree; something's definitely going on there. There are a couple other options I have thought of:

• Kat is indeed a thing Loup can't see, but she isn't the Omega Device – Loup is mistaking one thing he can't see for another
• Renard has Coyote's tooth/dagger inside him, in tooth form, and that's the thing Loup can't see, because Coyote has prevented Loup from knowing about it
• Renard also has Coyote's possession power, but Coyote gave him something else at the same time (like more hidden memories or powers), and Coyote has also prevented Loup from knowing about that

I'm not saying your options are wrong – I'm just adding more options to the pile.

[Per]

"Another human word comes to me... exposition. Your knowledge of volume structuring is boundless, Coyote."

[atteSmythe]

It just turns back time to 13 seconds ago. That’s the real reason that Kat had to meet the Narns Norns.

[Gemminie]

So here we see more teeth, but in cross section, with the blood vessels connecting to the pulp within them. We also see some Forest foliage and stones, and of course, the rocks and stones are Coyote's powerful teeth. The stream of water is probably also meant to be part of the Forest symbolism, because some of the blood vessels are in front of the water while others are behind it. I'm not sure what the stars represent, but some of them go off the right side of the frame, so they may be part of whatever's going to be on the next page.

And then we have a repetition of the chapter's title image. More than before it looks like a sequence: one point, a hexagonal array of seven points linked by line segments, a similar array of larger discs linked by line segments, a similar array of even larger discs with points at their centers, marked by line segments, a hexagonal network of those line-marked discs. The final array of seven discs is casting a shadow upon the larger network beneath it, so it looks like a higher layer. Loup believes that the Court is working on something that "functions essentially the opposite to the branches Coyote constructed in the Ether." An array of orderly precision rather than chaotic branches, growing stronger the more orderly they are, instead of the more they're in disarray. But I'm not sure whether the sequence that we see is the final structure or the steps leading to the final structure. One, seven, seven stronger, seven yet stronger, many.

Loup has managed to inveigle a word out of all this, and that word is "Omega." This has to be related to the mysterious "Omega Device" that's been mentioned twice before (and hinted at once). This links the Omega Device more strongly than ever to this project that Loup believes the Court is working on. The project to create the Omega Device definitely existed after Surma died, and it's hinted to have existed several years earlier, when Tony and Surma were dating. Exactly when it began is unknown. The fact that Zimmy and Gamma are referred to by Greek letters may or may not be related to it. But Tom's note probably means that the "something" that Loup can see is what the chapter title refers to.

[pyradonis]

Nov 27, 2020 15:01:30 GMT Gemminie said:

Nov 27, 2020 13:52:12 GMT Druplesnubb said:

Um guys, you're missing the important part here. Loup pretty much links the thing he saw back in Chapter 73 that "Renard must have been close to" to the Omega Device. This is important because Reynard was right next to Kat at the time. This pretty much only leaves two options:

Option 1: Kat was working on Omega Device in that chapter.

Option 2: Kat herself is the omega Device, or at least a part of it.

I agree; something's definitely going on there. There are a couple other options I have thought of:

• Kat is indeed a thing Loup can't see, but she isn't the Omega Device – Loup is mistaking one thing he can't see for another
• Renard has Coyote's tooth/dagger inside him, in tooth form, and that's the thing Loup can't see, because Coyote has prevented Loup from knowing about it
• Renard also has Coyote's possession power, but Coyote gave him something else at the same time (like more hidden memories or powers), and Coyote has also prevented Loup from knowing about that

I'm not saying your options are wrong – I'm just adding more options to the pile.

Actually we don't know that Renard was next to Kat in that moment. We only know he generally was with her on that day. When Loup peeked through the connection, Kat could have been somewhere else.

What Loup saw - or rather didn't see - could have been pretty much anyone or anything. Kat's computer. Some other device in Kat's lab. Robot. Arthur. Tony. Anja. Donald. Anja's computer. Andrew. Some dude sitting next to Kat and Renard on the train. Something behind a door labelled "NO secret projects" Kat and Renard were just passing in that moment. Et cetera.

[Gemminie]

Nov 27, 2020 17:18:53 GMT pyradonis said:

Actually we don't know that Renard was next to Kat in that moment. We only know he generally was with her on that day. When Loup peeked through the connection, Kat could have been somewhere else.

What Loup saw - or rather didn't see - could have been pretty much anyone or anything. Kat's computer. Some other device in Kat's lab. Robot. Arthur. Tony. Anja. Donald. Anja's computer. Andrew. Some dude sitting next to Kat and Renard on the train. Something behind a door labelled "NO secret projects" Kat and Renard were just passing in that moment. Et cetera.

Very good points. Turns out the Omega Device was in the warehouse next to Kat's workshop all along. We've got a liberal sprinkling of hints and no certainties here.

[machiavelli33]

Oh Loup.

Self-reflection is the beginning of all personal growth.

But I have a feeling you're not long meant for this world, Loup.

Is it the ultimate tragedy, then, to finally grow only to be cut down?

[basser]

I just noticed you can see a vague outline of the thing Loup was seeing behind Renard and it's rockin some kinda weird eyeball shape, or perhaps a very plump lemon.

Everyone keep on the lookout for large glowing citrus fruits.

[Druplesnubb]

Nov 27, 2020 17:18:53 GMT pyradonis said:

Nov 27, 2020 15:01:30 GMT Gemminie said:

I agree; something's definitely going on there. There are a couple other options I have thought of:

• Kat is indeed a thing Loup can't see, but she isn't the Omega Device – Loup is mistaking one thing he can't see for another
• Renard has Coyote's tooth/dagger inside him, in tooth form, and that's the thing Loup can't see, because Coyote has prevented Loup from knowing about it
• Renard also has Coyote's possession power, but Coyote gave him something else at the same time (like more hidden memories or powers), and Coyote has also prevented Loup from knowing about that

I'm not saying your options are wrong – I'm just adding more options to the pile.

Actually we don't know that Renard was next to Kat in that moment. We only know he generally was with her on that day. When Loup peeked through the connection, Kat could have been somewhere else.

What Loup saw - or rather didn't see - could have been pretty much anyone or anything. Kat's computer. Some other device in Kat's lab. Robot. Arthur. Tony. Anja. Donald. Anja's computer. Andrew. Some dude sitting next to Kat and Renard on the train. Something behind a door labelled "NO secret projects" Kat and Renard were just passing in that moment. Et cetera.

The bonus page is Renard's side of events just after the conversation got interrupted. He literally hasn't even had time to turn around and face Kat yet.

[mzpx]

I'm almost always wrong with my guesses (and maybe someone has made this guess already), but perhaps the Omega device is the Court's attempt at recreating, controlling and using the Seed Bismuth? It would make sense that they would be bugged by their own genesis being caused by the ether, so I'd assume that the Omega project has existed ever since the very beginning. It would explain why there is a school in the middle of what's essentially a research institute - it's the perfect cover to examine successive rounds of people with 'special powers', and hoping that one day, they will find a student whose powers are just right.

(Also, hi! [waves] I have been reading the comic for ~8 years now and have been meaning to sign up to the forum for many years. The moment I read 'omega' on this page, I just knew that this was the time.)

[wies]

Welcome, mzpx! I know that feeling of meaning to sign up here for years and then finally doing so because of a particular page. Mine was when Zimmy returned to the story by stepping in the argument between Paz and Annie.

[zbeeblebrox]

Hmmm...is this the broadest chapter we've seen? So far we've jumped between four perspectives in four different locations. I know there have been other chapters that have jumped around, but I think that's a record

[gpvos]

Nov 27, 2020 17:18:15 GMT Gemminie said:

Loup believes that the Court is working on something that "functions essentially the opposite to the branches Coyote constructed in the Ether." An array of orderly precision rather than chaotic branches, growing stronger the more orderly they are, instead of the more they're in disarray.

Some key words there. This describes almost every human endeavour.

[pyradonis]

Nov 28, 2020 16:18:30 GMT Druplesnubb said:

Nov 27, 2020 17:18:53 GMT pyradonis said:

Actually we don't know that Renard was next to Kat in that moment. We only know he generally was with her on that day. When Loup peeked through the connection, Kat could have been somewhere else.

What Loup saw - or rather didn't see - could have been pretty much anyone or anything. Kat's computer. Some other device in Kat's lab. Robot. Arthur. Tony. Anja. Donald. Anja's computer. Andrew. Some dude sitting next to Kat and Renard on the train. Something behind a door labelled "NO secret projects" Kat and Renard were just passing in that moment. Et cetera.

The bonus page is Renard's side of events just after the conversation got interrupted. He literally hasn't even had time to turn around and face Kat yet.

Oh, I had completely forgotten the bonus page. Okay, that limits the number of possible solutions. But it could still have been anything that was near the two of them at this moment. Kat has a lot of stuff in and around her workshop, and several other characters come and go there.

Nov 29, 2020 10:34:24 GMT gpvos said:

Nov 27, 2020 17:18:15 GMT Gemminie said:

Loup believes that the Court is working on something that "functions essentially the opposite to the branches Coyote constructed in the Ether." An array of orderly precision rather than chaotic branches, growing stronger the more orderly they are, instead of the more they're in disarray.

Some key words there. This describes almost every human endeavour.

And yet, too much order means stagnation. The new is born out of chaos.

[alevice]

There can be multiple interpretations here. The word that comes to Loup could be about vague reminders of Coyotes plan, or mentions of it while he peering at the unknowable thing the court has.

As for the thibg itself, it could be Kat given he was right beside Renard, or it could ve the general vicinity of the court new dorms as they relocated. It could have been no accident they were placed there, closer to the Omega device.

Depending on how you choose to interpret, one hypothesis to reach could be that The courts goal (to become a God) is perhaps intentionally achieved through Kats robot godhood acesion via ibterfering with it through the Omega device. Or Kat is the Omega device. Zimmy could be part of the o ega device (perhaps since know the reality distortion that Zimmy can cause can be controlled as the robot cruiser did along with the seraphs,it can allow to make things from there be real or easily transformed as Kat could make a body waaaay faster when there).

[alevice]

Also, when Loup first showed up, he seemed less uninged and more perhaps wile, his hair in control and his eyes just classical white sclera and black pupils. When we met him again, he had become more unhinged, his hair turned wilder, and his sclera became reddish (due to blood vessels), his pupile also reddish and much smaller (not relaxed). He seems so far stm back to his old self.

[mzpx]

Nov 27, 2020 17:18:15 GMT Gemminie said:

So here we see more teeth, but in cross section, with the blood vessels connecting to the pulp within them. We also see some Forest foliage and stones, and of course, the rocks and stones are Coyote's powerful teeth. The stream of water is probably also meant to be part of the Forest symbolism, because some of the blood vessels are in front of the water while others are behind it. I'm not sure what the stars represent, but some of them go off the right side of the frame, so they may be part of whatever's going to be on the next page.

And then we have a repetition of the chapter's title image. More than before it looks like a sequence: one point, a hexagonal array of seven points linked by line segments, a similar array of larger discs linked by line segments, a similar array of even larger discs with points at their centers, marked by line segments, a hexagonal network of those line-marked discs. The final array of seven discs is casting a shadow upon the larger network beneath it, so it looks like a higher layer. Loup believes that the Court is working on something that "functions essentially the opposite to the branches Coyote constructed in the Ether." An array of orderly precision rather than chaotic branches, growing stronger the more orderly they are, instead of the more they're in disarray. But I'm not sure whether the sequence that we see is the final structure or the steps leading to the final structure. One, seven, seven stronger, seven yet stronger, many.

Loup has managed to inveigle a word out of all this, and that word is "Omega." This has to be related to the mysterious "Omega Device" that's been mentioned twice before (and hinted at once). This links the Omega Device more strongly than ever to this project that Loup believes the Court is working on. The project to create the Omega Device definitely existed after Surma died, and it's hinted to have existed several years earlier, when Tony and Surma were dating. Exactly when it began is unknown. The fact that Zimmy and Gamma are referred to by Greek letters may or may not be related to it. But Tom's note probably means that the "something" that Loup can see is what the chapter title refers to.

Hmm, looking at the structure in the top left background - is that just a reference to Coyote's ether branches, or something more? They look a lot like cells, with the dots in the middle as the nucleus. Their disorder would neatly contrast with the ordered (Court-ly) structures on the right side, and would reinforce the growth motif.