Final Quest #20

Again, I don't think the issue would be too many deer, but rather too few. If the Go-Backs tamed a bunch of deer and brought them to the Holt where the Wolfriders - and their wolves - live... well...

Zadzi wrote:

It's like, Kahvi's personality sort of stayed the same after she died and showed up in the palace - maybe more at peace but still rough around the edges.

I always got the impression that everybody's personality stayed the same, just - as you say - more at peace.

Yes, I think they mostly kept their personalities as well definitely. That's kind of why I am not into Krim/Skot at all. But knows, maybe in the comic we'll get more of that since this was only a preview. Having them stay the same way though is a bit lame. I always felt like in talking to Krim or Skot in the palace, you'd be pelted with invisible snowballs, because that's how they come off. Fun and not too deep.

Also - In some ways, I was sort of hoping that at some point Cutter's parents would show up. It would've been kind of awesome. I loved it when they showed up way back when in OQ when things were dire and serious. I was really expecting them to pop up when Cutter was having his Timmain spazz. It's probably too late for that now but here's to hoping.....

As far as the deer thing.... meh, I am sure it will be resolved. The Go Backs maybe get they're really wolfriders and abandon their deer as they fully become integrated into their ancestry ? I don't know.... I kind of hope not. It would be cool if they kept the deer and something was arranged. Besides, they've never seemed like they bonded on that same cellular level as the wolfriders. The wolfriders bonding with the wolves is archetypal at this point, it's not really being done due to blood alone, like it was in the past, and the blood is so thinned out. I'm actually curious about the Go Back bond to deer in general. Kahvi asks about it silently in one of the issues, and I know it's long ago... but it's interesting to think about , because while deer were convenient in the area the bond was definitely more necessity rather than that deep cellular stuff. It was never emotional from what we've been shown.

Zadzi wrote:

The Go Backs maybe get they're really wolfriders and abandon their deer as they fully become integrated into their ancestry ?

Or maybe they'll realise that riding deer in a dense forest is just not wearing practical... what worked in the Frozen Mountains might not work in the Holt.

Zadzi wrote:

I'm actually curious about the Go Back bond to deer in general. Kahvi asks about it silently in one of the issues, and I know it's long ago... but it's interesting to think about , because while deer were convenient in the area the bond was definitely more necessity rather than that deep cellular stuff. It was never emotional from what we've been shown.

Definitely. In fact I think that if the Go-Backs ever had a shortage of food they had a pretty simple way of solving it.

ember's basically trying to throw her weight around it seems. The gobacks riding deer won't be anymore noticeable than her tribe on wolf back.

Prism wrote:

Member's basically trying to throw her weight around it seems. The gobacks riding deer won't be anymore noticeable than her tribe on wolf back.

You're right, the wolves have the same impact on the environment as the deer. But I think the sentence was more about how much the Wolfriders are in tune with nature and how much the other elves aren't.

Even though the Wolfriders are an invasive species by themselves...

I disagree. I think the difference is that the Go Backs need to pen and tame their deer. If the deer were just wandering free in a herd and came when called, that would be different. But if they need to pen them, you need cleared space for that. Also, grazing areas. And the deer are then vulnerable to attack-- most likely from the wolves. In a tree filled forest, surrounded by wolves, that's a conflict.

But it doesn't look as if the Go Backs were had tame deer at that point anyhow.

I will just say, I will never care for how separated the characters and the fore ground are from the back ground. The first thing I noticed were that the elves on that first page were floating.

I did like the moments between strongbow and moonshade. I liked that strongbow was talking, it made me think of the last issue of OQ when he finally admits his world and way are changing forever and he's not sure if he can live with that.

The dream was weird, after reading dream-time it makes sense. Skott and krim are resharing with them what the couple shared with them long ago. Unfortunately I felt the transition into the moment was off and the words used made no sense. Maybe Wendy's been into pikes dream berry stash.

Edited to add: I was sitting in church tonight when that scene with moonshade and strongbow popped in my head and now I have a new thought. If strongbow spoke his piece in OQ and then collapsed resigned to die, before cutter talked some sense into him, then what does this scene mean here and could it have anything to do with next issues blurb?

Far of thought, but what I could see it so clearly a few hours ago.

my impression:

Just musings, no spoiler, do you think, that maybe no elves are going to stay behind?

Miss Gillespie wrote:

I think it's nice, this would be the first time an elf has sex with an ugly person

lol!  

Miss Gillespie wrote:

Leetah is pregnant.

inb4 Jink

So now two of three chiefs are expecting except for the one that should be preggo in the first place
Does Snakeskin have an heir already maybe he should get busy too

Miss Gillespie wrote:

Also, I didn't like the concept of the Mender-look-alike troll...

I didn't notice until you pointed it out. But indeed, I guess it makes sense seeing how fond Trinket is of Mender lol

Miss Gillespie wrote:

Kathleen is going to get, with reason, angry, that that "native guy" not only speaks with broken English, he even thinks in broken English. Those primitives, eh?
He tried to help the Djun's men, right? Are there cracks in Shuna's alliance?

I think that was her ex husband, but older and less buff. Appearently he still holds a grudge against her.

Didn't Shuna teach the Djun's language to the natives? I figured that was the broken language he was speaking. I didn't get what happened with that torch-- why he came with it in the first place.

Lunakat wrote:

Didn't Shuna teach the Djun's language to the natives? I figured that was the broken language he was speaking. I didn't get what happened with that torch-- why he came with it in the first place.

Maybe as a signal, or to find his way. Since it was the Rootless Ones' forest that caught fire, they're still a ways from the Father Tree.

It doesn't strike me as peculiar that there's at least one human willing to side with the Djunlanders. There's always someone with a "what's in it for me?" personality, not to mention grudges. And not necessarily just with Shuna. How many babies and expectant mothers could Shen-shen not save?  

The second Recognition was a surprise to me; I wasn't expecting that. Ironically, though, Leetah's crept up on my personal Death Pool list.

Lunakat wrote:

Didn't Shuna teach the Djun's language to the natives? I figured that was the broken language he was speaking. I didn't get what happened with that torch-- why he came with it in the first place.

Yes but his thinking was also in broken English - you'd think that someone would think fluently in their own language.

He thought the torch would mean that he has friendly intentions to the Djunsmen or something

I just reread it. I'm not sure if he's thinking in broken English (which would be profoundly stupid) or if he's just thinking... and thinking tends to be edited. I think he was one of Shuna's husband's tribe and they are still holding a grudge... for some reason they seem to know about the Djun's men and that they are after the "spirits"-- so he was trying to make allies with them. Whatever.

Most pointless forest fire ever.

Miss Gillespie wrote:

Ahdri hooks up with Two-Edge, some of us called. I think it's nice, this would be the first time an elf has sex with an ugly person

He's not ugly. ^^    


And the collaborating guy is definitely Nunkah, the Spider - look at his outfit. He didn't age well.

I don't see how it could be Nunkah when he was older than Shunah and she's only as active as she is because Leetah extended her life.

I was reading everyone's comments and didn't understand what on earth you guys were talking about - like what kind of alternate reality was that? And then I remembered the new issue lol.

I liked the recognition with Cutter/Leetah but I wish Cutter would stop talking all cryptic like Timmain, it's starting to piss me off. I do get the impression that in terms of conception maybe this is some kind of Skywise/Cutter/Leetah baby if Timmain hooked up with him again, maybe Jink is a result of a 4-way traffic jam style conception

Also, I don't think Two-Edge is ugly at all! I think it makes a lot of sense for he and Ahdri to hook up, I was hoping for it, and it's really the one thing I truly liked in this issue, because those two are in a sense compatible.
I hope it's not just a mercy f*** though from Ahdri,that would be really sad.

The Mender troll thing was just ... nonsense. I think that's the part I really cared for the least, even more than Shuna's ex who's always been like a bludgeon.
That fire in general really seemed unnecessary though, just in terms of story.
I liked the parts with Rayek and Windkin and enjoy their friendship. They're both solitary and do their own thing and seem to understand each other.
And I did like the art in this one. Venka looked gorgeous but Ahdri was really beautifully drawn and colored in this , I think. She's got that glow going on.... maybe she'll end up pregnant too

The art in this one is amazing! It has the spontaneous, fluid, organic quality of classic EQ art. Relatively few reused drawings, and when present they've been incorporated a bit better than usual, I feel. Even the crowd scenes look fabulous. Kudos to Wendy on this one, probably my very favorite FQ issue to look at.

Liked the story a lot, too, actually!

- Two-Edge and Ahdri hook up! I was rooting for that, there have been sparks. Two characters who've spent a bunch of time pining for someone else getting together themselves is a trope that tends to make me happy. Love Two-Edge's expression at Ahdri's suggestion. Interesting to see my suspicion confirmed that he'd boned the odd troll maiden. Two-Edge has always been visually pleasing to me, and to the troll ladies he's probably downright bishonen.

- Speaking of bishonen trolls -- Mender, WT actual F. I actually sort of liked this -- I mean, it's ridiculous but it did give me my biggest laugh in FQ since the babyjet. Really hope Mender's on the level that the guy asked for this, given what we've seen of the misfit trolls' mental state -- they're not your personal Barbies, dude! So basically, is Mender's career on the World of Two Moons going to be giving makeovers to trolls?

- Cutter and Leetah recognize a second time, which really took me by surprise, but in a good way. Was this the only way she'd get to use his soul name again? Can't remember if she'd been able to yet. But it's kind of a cool way to reaffirm both their relationship and the Wolfriders' official decision to stay. I liked that Cutter was worried about what the whole "I am also Timmain" thing would mean for Leetah, and am kind of nonplussed that she straight up didn't want to know.

- Like many other's here, feeling skeptical about the New Agey vagueness in Skot and Krim's sending (Kahvi's no less straightforward in death, so why them?), but I really liked Strongbow honestly wondering how long Moonshade has been stuffing herself down for him, and generally, his journey toward acceptance of her choice. His choosing to pull back from sending hurt my heart a little, but I think it was the right thing to do in order for them to begin the process of pulling apart.

- I continue to like Dart and Mender together even though the story hasn't really earned it.

- Also digging Rayek and Windkin's scenes together. Windkin actually got Rayek to think before using Winnowill as his go-to solution! And Rayek listened to him! That is development I can get behind! On an utterly shallow note, Rayek's outfit is amazing and he has never looked hotter, which is saying something since he's one of the prettiest male elves IMO.

The only thing that struck a sour note for me was the whole thing with Nunkah, which was truly stupid as presented. It basically makes his whole life revolve around sticking it to Shuna and/or the elves. But lo, he is Evil, and Evil sides with Evil even when it makes no sense. Have we ever seen the war-men try to cultivate natives as allies or bribe them into giving information on the elves, or do anything at all besides rape and pillage their way across the continent? If they have ever offered carrot along with stick, I am not remembering it.

manga wrote:

I don't see how it could be Nunkah when he was older than Shunah and she's only as active as she is because Leetah extended her life.

I wondered this too -- how is he even still kicking?

It can't be him. It has to be the case that he passed his need for petty revenge on to the next generation... along with his outfit.

"henceforth, you shall wear this loincloth of mine, and my grudge with it!"

regarding the 'thinking in broken english part', when did people ever not think in complete sentences in EQ?

ErinC1978 wrote:

manga wrote:

I don't see how it could be Nunkah when he was older than Shunah and she's only as active as she is because Leetah extended her life.

I wondered this too -- how is he even still kicking?

Lunakat wrote:

It can't be him. It has to be the case that he passed his need for petty revenge on to the next generation... along with his outfit.

His son, then? It's got to be someone related to him, this resemblance can't be unintentional.

How many years have passed since Searcher and the Sword anyway?

On a sidenote, anyone seen Khorbasi lately?

Gifa and Angrif were teenagers at the beginning of Wild Hunt, Angrif had grown up children in FiQu, so I'd say at least 40 to 50 years. Maybe it's a plothole and Wendy forgot, that Shuna's ex (how subtle, he's a spider) should be dead by now
We probably will never know

Zadzi wrote:

I was reading everyone's comments and didn't understand what on earth you guys were talking about - like what kind of alternate reality was that? And then I remembered the new issue lol.

Zadzi I had the same thing.

I read the same thing but I just can't connect to the story the way I used to connect to Elfquest.
I did like that Two-Edge and Ahdri were about to hook up. I don't think Two-Edge is ugly, either. He just doesn't look like an elf, that's all.
I liked Rayek and Windkin together as well.
I dislike Cutter when he talks like that. I don't understand it the first time around, and I don't want to read it again. I don't care much for Leetah getting pregnant.

I'm sorry that my wording was off, what I wanted to say is, that we only get to see pretty elves hooking up with pretty elves*. It's nice to see that Two-Edge gets some love, too.





*During the orgy Ekuar was paired up with a rather dry looking female, if I remember correctly.