Final Quest #12

KR Wordgazer wrote:

I was glad Cutter's reaction to Timmain's revelation was at least as negative as mine.  I mean, how can he feel good about any of his accomplishments now?  "My father praised me for thinking things through and answering him with reason-- but maybe that was just Timmain's wisdom.  I unified and led all the elf tribes-- but that was just Timmain's power.  I am open to change and letting things grow-- because Timmain. In a sense, I don't even really exist!"

Yeah, hearing "You, Cutter, are really just a chunk of my soul" is utterly shattering no matter how nice a spin Timmain tries to put on it, and it was a relief that the story acknowledged it as such. Cutter shying away from Leetah's use of his soul name feels inevitable.

KR Wordgazer wrote:

I also really had a problem with Timmain's assessment that no outcome was better than another-- that an outcome where Tam is not destroyed is no better than an outcome where he is.  Destroyed. Not killed.  Meaning that once Tam's body is gone, there will only be Timmain.  How could an outcome where that doesn't happen not be better than one where it does?  

I know Timmain has some sort of esoteric, woo-woo take on these things, but honestly!

It's frustrating. It's like all these individuals living and dying on the ground mean nothing to her except insofar as they're a larger pattern she can observe. How can she claim to have truly learned what Cutter has taught her if she doesn't get that those things do matter?

KR Wordgazer wrote:

I really wish I could read the whole thing at once rather than this way!  I don't like to judge without having all the facts of the story....

I agree. It feels like all these big themes are wrestling within FQ, and I honestly don't feel like I'll know whether the handling of them works for me until I see it as a single unified work.

Zadzi, I'm willing to toss out your questions in a post on the ElfquestFan FB page, and see if either of the Pinis bite.

Yeah, Timmain really comes across in this issue as not 'getting' individuals as individuals. She may be a great leader, but her ability to empathize with a single person, or even a group of people, is lacking.

I don't think she has ever been or claimed to be a leader.

Though she HAS claimed to be the security guard/bouncer of the Palace. And the final word on whether or not Skywise is allowed to use a pod.

My somewhat snarky theory is her sudden weakness in ish 12 has less to with "the tearing away" and more sheer depression and bewilderment of "he said no to me. No Woldrider has ever said no to me before!"

Davrille, that would be awesome.... thank you!

@Wingthing...well, to be fair, there was that one time Strongbow blocked her and she was like, Rejection...how strange I've always thought Timmain just has severe boundary issues.
And yes, she has pretty much taken over the palace since she's the only 'high one'. Some part of me still wants another high one to be alive somewhere and showing up, because I think it would be really interesting. Probably not going to happen but I still wish it.

Zadzi wrote:

Some part of me still wants another high one to be alive somewhere and showing up, because I think it would be really interesting. Probably not going to happen but I still wish it.

Me too! High One are my favorites!

Well, it took me a few days to get the issue and a few more to catch up on this thread, but I think I'm finally there. I do want to do a re-read--maybe I'll start from the special and go over all of FQ so far. I basically read all of the original Elfquest material in one long, wonderful stream with no waiting when I discovered the series, so the two-month gaps can be really jarring for me.

Right now, having read it once, I'm kind of in the middle on this issue. I don't think it was any spectacular, but I did enjoy reading it more than a few other issues and I'm genuinely very excited to see what comes next.

I liked Reef's transformation a lot, and like a lot of folks I'm really glad that Cutter's reaction to the reveal was so extreme. It should be! This is a big deal! I hope to get some nice meaty wolfrider-y tracking and hunting in the next issue, but I think they can leave Dre-ahn's hulked-out pony home for this one. Maybe bring some down-to-earth spirits instead, like Bearclaw and Joyleaf--but only if they're pissed off to learn about what Timmain did too!

I legitimately shivered at the comparison of Timmain/Cutter vs. Winnowill/Leetah. I certainly hope that's the direction we're headed, because I would LOVE to see the fallout and shock of finding Timmain out as something other than the benevolent mother of all!

Recycled art bothers me less than I expected, I don't tend to notice it so much. But the lack of unique expressions absolutely has an effect, and I'm not keen on the colors. I'd rather read in black and white, honestly. The storytelling style is choppy, but from an artist's perspective I'm not really sure how you would streamline it when you only have this one issue at a time to present. If you were presenting a whole book at once I know how I'd re-arrange things, but it's tough to keep all these threads together with so few pages per two months. You don't want readers forgetting about a story element entirely because you've waited 6 months to re-visit it.

that is the only direction that could redeem this storyline. Also, what the heck is Dre-Ahn doing in that search and rescue mission. "OMG our chief went nuts and ran off! Let's throw together a posse made up from those that love him most! And this random mute guy we just met! And the Schwarzenegger of ponies!".

I'm sure he will turn out to some ancient long lost Wolfrider chief with some Very Important Secret That Explains It All at some point. But right now it makes no sense for him to be there.

Random Far Side reference because I can.

An excellent reference!

Yeah, right? "We have to makes sure he feels safe so we are only inviting the people he loves most... and this complete stranger. Tally ho!"

not to mention how much ponies and wolves love each other.

Ponies are delicious.

Elwing wrote:

not to mention how much ponies and wolves love each other.

Maybe that's it--bringing along a snack in case the search takes a few days! Now that's smart planning!

I still can't get over that pony. Maybe it's a transformed high one, the Timmain of the equid world! But then it would have reacted better to the palace.

Elwing wrote:

that is the only direction that could redeem this storyline. Also, what the heck is Dre-Ahn doing in that search and rescue mission. "OMG our chief went nuts and ran off! Let's throw together a posse made up from those that love him most! And this random mute guy we just met! And the Schwarzenegger of ponies!".

Dre-Ahn did say (or... hand-helded) that he would help but without involvement or concern. Maybe Dre-Ahn needs to be there because while the members of Cutter 'Heart Circle' might know whatever Cutter might think or do, they might not know what Someone who has been driven to the brink of insanity might do.

Because, you know, no one in that group has EVER dealt with Cutter during a period of emotional distress and mental instability.

There's probably some connection to the singing - it's 'not magical' in the palace sense, but it's more like an earthy (hmmm WoTM-y) type of magic.

kathleen3.0 wrote:

Because, you know, no one in that group has EVER dealt with Cutter during a period of emotional distress and mental instability.  

Not as severe a this. Not to the point when they couldn't even send to him.

Zadzi wrote:

There's probably some connection to the singing - it's 'not magical' in the palace sense, but it's more like an earthy (hmmm WoTM-y) type of magic.

Yeah, perhaps Dre-Ahn's singing will help keeping Cutter grounded in The Now.

Skywise has been driven to the brink of insanity-- in that weird little story.

Yeah, I think Dr Dre is going to calm him down by singing to him. It's a very basic thing-- singing to calm down babies or animals or whatever. It's preverbal. Maybe Cutter is going to need something very basic.

It's strange he just volunteered and that they accepted him like that without question. I think it would have made more sense for Timmain to maybe tell Skywise to take Dre Ahn. She should have known what would help and who and what Dr Dre was and could do.

Wasn't that 2-part story in HY called How Can I Keep From Singing, or something like that? Maybe there's some connection to the High Ones in the singing. Plus I think Dre did some spirit singing or something in the issue where he appeared after Timmain shrunk down. She and everyone was listening, and we got an image of Bearclaw and Joyleaf and other chiefs also. Maybe when he sings again he can kind of 'channel' them to Cutter or something. I'm probably really reaching here, but it just seems like it might connect, and I also think it's about high time that Cutter's parents make an appearance. I'd imagine they definitely have some things to say about all of this. If they don't appear and actually say some stuff that would be crazy since they are directly connected to this entire clustercuss.

I agree.

You know.. I wonder if Timmain did what she did because Cutter was holding everybody back?

Holding them back, how? Because of 'the way', or....?

Well, remember when Cutter asked Leetah and Skywise how long they would give up everything good for them for the sake of him? He's not just Leetah's hubby and Skywise's boyfriend-- he's everybody's chief.