Final Quest #14

Zadzi wrote:

I still expect her to wield a cat o nine tails and wear a bunch of black leather every time she talks about her damn 'Lesson of Pain'.

Yes, waiter? Bring the brain bleach please?

Shadowpath wrote:

Yes, waiter? Bring the brain bleach please?

Thought this issue was the closest to the ElfQuest I know, then any of the other issues have been.

Still dislike Dra-Whatever his name is. Does absolutely nothing. Like a piece of cardboard traveling with them.

The moss elves or whatever at the end, not impressed so far, but that's just their intro. So I am willing to wait and see.

But a lot of this focused on Cutter's feelings, which I thought was nice. And naturally his wolf friend passing was very touching.

Zadzi wrote:

I still expect her to wield a cat o nine tails and wear a bunch of black leather every time she talks about her damn 'Lesson of Pain'.

Skywise, oh Skywise, you're a kinky one, eh

My favourite moment was when Cutter fell into the dell and the next thing you saw was Skywise saying "He's dead."
For a brief second there I thought Skywise had actually been able to somehow sense Cutter...

Tymber wrote:

Still dislike Dra-Whatever his name is. Does absolutely nothing. Like a piece of cardboard traveling with them.

Think Leetah would disagree with that!

The funguys remind me of Odo's people from Deep Space Nine in that with all their talk about being drawn back to the "pesky four-limbed shape" and their apparent hive-mind, they almost seem as liquid as the Founders. ( Who, for the non-Trekkers here, lived in a literal ocean of each other.)

They do! (I'm a trekker!) yeah- that was always an interesting idea. I liked that character a lot.

On a related note, I know a lot of people have complained about Dr. Dre and how lacking in personality he seems-- but I actually like the concept behind that character. The only thing putting me off to him is the clunkiness of the story and the didactic way his scenes play out. He's also just obviously placed here now as a plot device. But... If he had been introduced, not as one of four, but one of many elves who reached the Palace in those ten years... And if he had emerged from the crowd in a more natural way... I think I would be arguing right now that he is a pretty nifty character. I like that his way of thinking and being is so different from the rest of the elves. I also like that the fungus people also seem to have a different cognitive experience of themselves and their relationship with the world. The neurodiversity being introduced lately is really cool. It's interesting-- and I think it's neat that the creatures could have evolved so differently from eachother over tens of thousands of years. I was hoping that the call would bring in elves vastly different from the ones we are used to--- just... maybe, more of them... Or a bunch of similar elves and a few different ones... Anyway, more than one guy who can say 'hi' (or mutely wave as the case may be). But that aside... The diversity of beingness is cool.

Dre-Ahn weirds me out.
Especially the part where he grabs Leetah. The fact his expression doesn't change bugs me a lot for some reason.

I actually found that part really funny. Him holding her at the scruff of her neck, his face unchanging, it's incredibily amusing to me. He looks so unimpressed.

That's an interesting view on the fungus elves, manga!

I loved Odo!
And I can't wait to see more of the Funguys!

But speaking of Leetah's resque scene, should it not have looked more like this?

(Drawing this with the issue as an example, I realised once more what a great artist Wendy is.)

HAHA! Priceless!

No, it shouldn't! In that case there would not have been Sifra art to make aour day!

I didn't dislike this one all that much. Damned by faint praise?

The more I go through, the more I start to identify with Moonshade. I think something immaterial is shifting in my life (what? I have no idea), and I've had to shed relationships I didn't want to cut off because they were hurting me. I just don't know where the shift is taking me. But with me recovering from the metaphorical deadweight and actively trying to seek healing and understanding, I can see where Moonshade is going with her new way of thinking.

I'm still a little sad her path took the turn in the way it did, and I'm sorry Strongbow just doesn't get it, but I'm getting closer to accepting it.

Startear wrote:

I actually found that part really funny. Him holding her at the scruff of her neck, his face unchanging, it's incredibily amusing to me. He looks so unimpressed.

Yeah! As if he's just being all "How stupid are these people? Can't even watch where they go! Good thing I decided to join this little quest!

Startear wrote:

I actually found that part really funny. Him holding her at the scruff of her neck, his face unchanging, it's incredibily amusing to me. He looks so unimpressed.

XD Yeah! He does.
I can see why it's humorous, it just makes me think he reading ahead in the script.

Startear wrote:

I actually found that part really funny. Him holding her at the scruff of her neck, his face unchanging, it's incredibily amusing to me. He looks so unimpressed.

Dunno, I thought the scene was rather weird. Leetah's falling looked strange, the fact, that his horse is so close to her, but the hole doesn't affect it. Will say, Leetah falls in full body, but the horse seems to have firm ground.
Also, I assume all elves are "light as a feather" (with the exception of Treestump), and I don't that Leetah is especially light weighted...

Miss Gillespie wrote:

Dunno, I thought the scene was rather weird. Leetah's falling looked strange, the fact, that his horse is so close to her, but the hole doesn't affect it. Will say, Leetah falls in full body, but the horse seems to have firm ground.

Exactly. That scene felt... forced. Like I need to do something with Dre-Whatever, what can I do? Oh. Have him catch Leetah for no random reason.

I don't really get why they use her for that scene. If there's anybody in that party that has plot armor, it's Leetah.

As usual, Sifra nails it! I miss your artwork, girl!


I don't know why you guys are complaining about Dr. Dre. I mean he was kind of eyerollingly random at first but the scene with him snoozing on his pony and then this past scene with Leetah kind of made me dig him more. He's just totally mellow and chill, I like it.

As many complaints as I have about FQ, the scene with Leetah wasn't one which bothered me, regardless of how mindless it seemed. I think it just showed that he was not touched by all the drama, which is nice. Although the whole blue steel expression on them is a bit rigid and unnatural though that's just I feel an artwork problem, one which is recurring.

Zadzi wrote:

I don't know why you guys are complaining about Dr. Dre. I mean he was kind of eyerollingly random at first but the scene with him snoozing on his pony and then this past scene with Leetah kind of made me dig him more. He's just totally mellow and chill, I like it.
As many complaints as I have about FQ, the scene with Leetah wasn't  one which bothered me, regardless of how mindless it seemed. I think it just showed that he was not touched by all the drama, which is nice. Although the whole blue steel expression on them is a bit rigid and unnatural though that's just I feel an artwork problem, one which is recurring.

I think my main problem is - he's an oxymoron. But not in a good way.

On one side, they seem to show him completely in touch with everything - the birds, nature, everything - he whistles and everything seems to respond, be soothed, and be calm.

Then the other side - he's utterly and completely detached from the Elves. He's made no effort to get to know them. Explain himself or anything.

So I don't think his "Blue Steel" look is bad art - I think it's Wendy showing he's utterly "detached" from everything. His expression never changes, because nothing is truly impacting him.

But, that complete oxymoron of being utterly in touch with the entire world, but not connecting with his own kind (and I don't mean in that cool, "I hate you guys!" - Rayek or Winnowill kind of way - I mean in a - "I have no character development, I'm just a walking card board" kind of way).

It kills me that Rain - in the Blood of Ten Chiefs origin story of Cutter (Issue #4 of the B&W magazine of OG) has more personality in the short time he's alive than Dre-Pain has had since he first appeared several issues ago.

He's cognitively different than they are. That's what I get from his character. I think it's cool. The only thing that bugs me about him are the obvious cut and pastes, his consistently pink skin tone, and the awkward way he was introduced as a pointed plot device. I wish he had been better integrated into the story. It was like 'the call goes out for ten years to summon all elves!' Followed by 'hey guys! Here's Dre-ahn! The only guy in ten years to show up to the party. These are the way he's different and these are his special powers.' Followed by Cutter's crisis and 'Ohmigosh- Dre-ahn's coming with us-- what are th chances?' It's too obvious to really swallow easily.

But as a character, I like him. I like his blankness. He thinks differently than they do-- and it's interesting.

Ps-- I didn't mean to say that Dr Dre had the blue steel look. It's everybody else.