[639] I told you she was an angel.

[Rasselas]

Actually, you're raising some very interesting points here, probably more suited for wildspec. What if part of Diego's "essence" was built into the ether-connected CPU's? What if part of Kat's genetic heritage was ..well, either Diego, or perhaps even Jeanne herself? Fodder for thought (for a brain that's more than half awake, which is not mine at this moment).

As to why the robots see Kat as an angel: consider being looked upon by a being who understands your essence, your very purpose at a glance? Who has an affinity enabling her to know your innermost workings? Who can fix you when you're broken, even improve upon your design - and for a robot with an etheric chip, that might mean somewhat more than just a visit to the doctor. She's as close to being their creator as it gets in the current generation of GC.

[Jiminiminy]

Nov 5, 2009 1:30:04 GMT Rasselas said:

Actually, you're raising some very interesting points here, probably more suited for wildspec. What if part of Diego's "essence" was built into the ether-connected CPU's? What if part of Kat's genetic heritage was ..well, either Diego, or perhaps even Jeanne herself? Fodder for thought (for a brain that's more than half awake, which is not mine at this moment).

Thought about the season of Red vs. Blue: Reconstruction just after I finished writing. I won't ruin it though. And don't worry, I was (and still am) half asleep when I wrote it, it helps with the understanding.

But I still wonder if there could have been multiple minds, based on model (S, H, LC) or series (S-1, S-2, etc.) or both if there were enough people willing. Though don't know Kat's heritage, I don't think she was related to Jeanne (Neither of her parents really look anything like her, and Anja was from some foreign place if I recall). Diego; maybe, though I am no geneticist.

Nov 5, 2009 1:30:04 GMT Rasselas said:

As to why the robots see Kat as an angel: consider being looked upon by a being who understands your essence, your very purpose at a glance? Who has an affinity enabling her to know your innermost workings? Who can fix you when you're broken, even improve upon your design -

Hah like a doc-

Nov 5, 2009 1:30:04 GMT Rasselas said:

- and for a robot with an etheric chip, that might mean somewhat more than just a visit to the doctor.

-tor. Oh. Well, I suppose that's likely. Still though, this seems like an interesting possibility, though anything else I have to say will be in Wi-Spec.

[unctuous]

At first glance, I thought the note for this page was "This comic is choc-full of robot glaze." I was all, "Robot glaze? What the heck is robot gla...oh wait"

[Chrome]

Maybe instead of anything like a genetic ability, she just has that ability described in the first post - to understand and know robots and AI's on such a level that she can see into their inner workings. Basically, I'm suggesting she had the same gifts as perhaps Diego did. It'd explain how she could build Robot a parkour-capable body out of spare parts, how she can produce an antigravity plane in a matter of hours, and how she just knows all this stuff. It's an extra-normal ability to be sure.

But that very gift would make the robots view her as an angel. It's actually a pretty tidy way of doing all that, without having to make a family line, genetics, or any other the "make the world much smaller to pull this off" tropes.

[dragonsong12]

Nov 5, 2009 1:54:18 GMT Jiminiminy said:

Thought about the season of Red vs. Blue: Reconstruction just after I finished writing. I won't ruin it though.

Haha! As soon as I read your initial post, this was all I could think of. Oh, Reconstruction, rekindling my love of RvB.

Oh yeah, Gunnerkrigg Court! As you were then!

[Rasselas]

But Kat has Diego's nose. Not that big, but a little bit big, just like her father's.

[sebastian]

Nov 4, 2009 21:41:41 GMT tyler said:

Usually Halos are depicted above or behind someone's head. Halo around the eye? Not so much.

Not all angels are actual humanoid in forms, I'm not sure if there was an actual angel represented as an eye surrounded by a wheel of light but it would not surprise me.

[warrl]

Nov 5, 2009 22:50:58 GMT sebastian said:

Not all angels are actual humanoid in forms, I'm not sure if there was an actual angel represented as an eye surrounded by a wheel of light but it would not surprise me.

No, that was Sauron.

[todd]

Many early accounts of angels do suggest that they were almost alien in appearance; look at the four angels surrounding the throne of God at the start of the Book of Ezekiel. They have four faces (a human's, a lion's, an ox's, and an eagle's), and are joined together in a surrealistic manner. (Note that when the angel appears to the shepherds to announce Jesus's birth in the New Testament, he starts off by saying "Fear not!" - as if his appearance is so astounding and alarming that he has to calm them down before saying anything else.)

[Mezzaphor]

Each of the angels in Ezekiel was also accompanied by a wheel, gleaming of beryl and rimmed with eyes.

[Robo Alchemist]

I'd agree with the "soul splitting" thing that people are mentioning with the RvB thing, and I'll go ahead and mention the movie 9 as well. In fact, 9 might be a bit more close to home with this as it's story has direct relations to alchemy just like GC does.
How did Diego die, anyways? was it just old age? did he die in the act of revenge for Jeane? or is Tom writing another 'soul-splitting' tale? (not that it would be a bad thing if he did)

Of course, although I'd agree, I can't shake the feeling that we're missing something by saying that. Wouldn't it make more sense that, when you give a piece of your soul to something to give it sentience, the piece you gave grows back inside of you, plus some more because of the act of creating? I mean, in the HP verse, it was the act of destroying or killing someone that divided your soul.


As to the angel thing, angels/spirits come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. it simply matters on the level of the ability to understand things and on the personality of said spirit. mostly why most of the angels in visions always have to start off with "Fear not!" because even though how they speak to us is directly matched with what we'll understand (it's not like they draw straws or something on who visits someone) how they look to us is not always something we'd be entirely comfortable with.


Aaaand, I think I have a sturdy hypothesis as to why Tom was saying we'd have a problem with the chapter we are now reading. As casual the lot of us are discussing fairly religious topics, someone might come on here who doesn't believe in this stuff and either make a scene (and I wouldn't blame them to only defend their own beliefs) or just feel upset or uncomfortable in general by the topics here.
I'm not trying to be a party pooper, that's just my thoughts.

[Seth Thresher]

First off, I'm not here to nitpik or speculate or anything about the comic (this time). I just feel like running with this little goose trail.

Angels in the Bible are not terribly well described in detail, and when they are they hardly seem to make sense. When we do see them, they either look vaguely human, if not "super" human or else just completely mind-boggling that we get word of six wings, four heads, fiery wheels and tonsa eyeballs. Top it all off with talk of Satan 'appearing as a being of light', we tend to get the impression that if anything, the appearance of an angel is not necessarily static.

That being said, halos I don't think are ever mentioned in scripture, but that wouldn't limit a shape-shifting glowing spiritual being from deciding it feels like having one, around its head, eye, or otherwise

[the bandit]

Today when I picked up the mail from the secretary downstairs, I remarked, "I must be in heaven, because I see an angel before me."

"What?!" she shrieked. "Are you likening me to a four-headed beast gleaming of beryl and rimmed with eyes?!"

And I thought to myself, "Yeah, I suppose that's a reasonable response."

[Seth Thresher]

Mehehe =]

[Mezzaphor]

Nov 6, 2009 1:10:53 GMT Robo Alchemist said:

Aaaand, I think I have a sturdy hypothesis as to why Tom was saying we'd have a problem with the chapter we are now reading.

Are you referring to that Twitter post from back in August? If so, Tom clarified right afterwards that he was talking about Ch 24.

[Casey]

Incidentally, still drawing a blank on what it was we were supposed to have such a problem with.

There were disagreements on what Jack's behavior meant (and still are, I imagine) but that isn't the same thing as having a problem with the content of the comic. I know many people considered it among their favorite chapters.

[todd]

Maybe Tom was joking.

Or maybe he thought that some people would have a problem with the situation really being the teachers playing a practical joke on the students and nothing more than that.

[the bandit]

There was nearly blood drawn in the forums when Jack called Annie an ice queen. A new poll thread and everything. Given the grand fight over whether or not Jack is a villain previous to that, I'm rather certain that's what Tom was predicting.

[Casey]

Nov 6, 2009 14:55:09 GMT the bandit said:

There was nearly blood drawn in the forums when Jack called Annie an ice queen. A new poll thread and everything. Given the grand fight over whether or not Jack is a villain previous to that, I'm rather certain that's what Tom was predicting.

Again I say, that isn't the same thing as having a problem with the chapter.

Having an a-hole character say an a-hole thing is perfectly fitting with the chapter and the comic. Having Annie suddenly sprout wings and be able to fly, THAT is something that people would have a problem with the chapter.

I have no problem with Jack saying a-hole things, as I already know he's an a-hole. Now if KAT called Annie an ice queen, or if Robot called Annie an ice queen, then people would have a problem with the chapter.

EDIT: And I think you're exaggerating, saying blood was almost drawn.

[Ulysses]

Nov 6, 2009 1:11:51 GMT Seth Thresher said:

That being said, halos I don't think are ever mentioned in scripture, but that wouldn't limit a shape-shifting glowing spiritual being from deciding it feels like having one, around its head, eye, or otherwise

Halos in particular, but also wings to an extent, were introduced on angels in medieval(ish) paintings etc. of biblical stories. Haloes were a way of showing someone was holy. Wings were used to show a figure was ethereal rather than holy human born on Earth. Medieval logic probably ran "Heaven is up, right? So how are angels supposed to get down? They must fly. We've only seen birds fly, and they have wings, so angels must have wings too". Or something.
That's why I think that if the microscope is supposed to look like a halo, the robots' definition of 'angel' is one that has been programmed into them from human cultural images rather than one that they have developed within their own separate society.

[tyler]

If a circle around the eye is representative of a halo, then the dog from Little Rascals is an angel, yes?

[Casey]

Yes, tyler. And the Target mascot as well.

[the bandit]

Oh what bizarre ideas we flocculate, when first we begin to speculate.

[Per]

As long as we ad hocculate, confusion will accumulate.

[Jiminiminy]

As we post our verbal distillate, so rises the urge to cantillate.

[wynne]

Nov 6, 2009 3:47:23 GMT the bandit said:

Today when I picked up the mail from the secretary downstairs, I remarked, "I must be in heaven, because I see an angel before me."

"What?!" she shrieked. "Are you likening me to a four-headed beast gleaming of beryl and rimmed with eyes?!"

And I thought to myself, "Yeah, I suppose that's a reasonable response."

Of course it is. That's a terrible pick-up line. Next time you should use "Hey, are you a traffic ticket? Because you've got fine written all over you."

Nov 5, 2009 23:39:41 GMT todd said:

(Note that when the angel appears to the shepherds to announce Jesus's birth in the New Testament, he starts off by saying "Fear not!" - as if his appearance is so astounding and alarming that he has to calm them down before saying anything else.)

Fear is kind of a tricky word religion-wise, in the sense that Gods and deities often intend to inspire fear (as a kind of awe and respect) on purpose. After all, "Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear, and Grace my fear relieved." Funny enough, we just had this conversation in English class.

[Mezzaphor]

Nov 6, 2009 18:54:42 GMT tyler said:

If a circle around the eye is representative of a halo, then the dog from Little Rascals is an angel, yes?

If the circle were glowing with a heavenly light, then yes.

[tyler]

Fluorescence has nothing to do with heaven.

[Jiminiminy]

In lieu of previous logic, would not every man to have ever worn a monocle be a divine being?

[the bandit]

Nov 6, 2009 20:58:34 GMT wynne said:

Of course it is. That's a terrible pick-up line.

It's not the cleverness of a pick-up line that's important. It's the attempt, and the ever-so-important moment of confusion. The actual "angel" pick-up line in circulation is: "Did it hurt? ...when you fell from heaven?" And I've experienced great results with "Holy dairy farms, if beauty was milk, you'd be a cow!"