# Order of the Stick - Book 5 Discussion Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 31, 2009, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323 "2009-08-31T04:09:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 212
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4222 "2012-05-03T22:21:21Z")
Plus, whoever’s under that helmet is an extremely competent warrior, of the likes of which Tarquin is the only known example. Any objection to it being Tarquin would equally well apply to anyone else (even someone not yet met) it could be: Mystery Warrior wouldn’t have any reason to throw _his_ life away, either. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4223 "2012-05-03T22:26:41Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Malack’s there to bring him back from the dead if he ‘throws his life away’ – which Tarquin doesn’t figure has a chance of happening unless it makes for a really terrific story. I don’t know if that’s an option…remember, Malack couldn’t bring his own children back. We don’t know if it was circumstances, the method of their deaths, or the fact that he’s the priest of a death god (who might not hand out Resurrection spells like candy…they eat into his profits) that caused him not to be able to return his children to him. He may not HAVE Resurrection as a casually available spell because of any number of circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4224 "2012-05-03T22:29:28Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > You think its someone pretending to be Tarquin pretending to be Thog? He knows who he is ! He’s the dude playin’ the dude disguised as another dude ! ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4225 "2012-05-04T20:02:17Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I don’t know if that’s an option…remember, Malack couldn’t bring his own children back. We don’t know if it was circumstances, the method of their deaths, or the fact that he’s the priest of a death god (who might not hand out Resurrection spells like candy…they eat into his profits) that caused him not to be able to return his children to him. He may not HAVE Resurrection as a casually available spell because of any number of circumstances. I think it has been established that it is almost impossible to bring children back. They always go to their alignment paradise and they have no pressing duties calling them back. See [here](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0496.html). ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4226 "2012-05-04T20:13:22Z")
> [@Strassia](#): > > I think it has been established that it is almost impossible to bring children back. They always go to their alignment paradise and they have no pressing duties calling them back. See [here](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0496.html). Darn you…I’d forgotten about that strip. That’s one of the ones that always grabs me by the tear ducts and just squeezes… _snif_ ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4227 "2012-05-04T20:45:07Z")
We’ll see. Tarquin just going down like that in battle against his son with no grandiosity or fanfare totally flies in the face of his beliefs. ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4228 "2012-05-04T20:49:49Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > He knows who he is ! He’s the dude playin’ the dude disguised as another dude ! The obvious candidate for this line of thinking would be Thog. Thog is pretending to be Tarquin pretending to be Thog. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4229 "2012-05-04T20:52:33Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > We’ll see. Tarquin just going down like that in battle against his son with no grandiosity or fanfare totally flies in the face of his beliefs. He hasn’t gone down yet. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4230 "2012-05-04T20:54:45Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > We’ll see. Tarquin just going down like that in battle against his son with no grandiosity or fanfare totally flies in the face of his beliefs. Defeating them single-handed would be grand, but battling them to a standstill is sufficiently impressive if it provides his teammates with a suitably magnificent diversion. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4231 "2012-05-04T20:56:54Z")
> [@Reno\_Nevada](#): > > The obvious candidate for this line of thinking would be Thog. Thog is pretending to be Tarquin pretending to be Thog. Thog can barely keep straight that he actually IS Thog. There’s no way he can keep straight that he’s Thog pretending to be Tarquin pretending to be Thog. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4232 "2012-05-04T22:15:32Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > We’ll see. Tarquin just going down like that in battle against his son with no grandiosity or fanfare totally flies in the face of his beliefs. But what if he then removes his helmet, revealing that Elan just killed his own father? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4233 "2012-05-05T04:04:03Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > But what if he then removes his helmet, revealing that Elan just killed his own father? That kind of thing would be right up Elan’s alley. I think he’d get over it. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4234 "2012-05-05T08:43:56Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > He hasn’t gone down yet. Pretty sure that there was a slavegirl off-panel a few episodes back… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4235 "2012-05-06T00:27:22Z")
A question about Vaarsuvius’ androgyny. We know that Roy, Belkar, and Durkon are confused over whether V is a man or a woman. But I’ve always assumed that Haley knows and just hasn’t said anything (due to the Rule of Funny). Am I correct or has Haley ever said anything in the strip to indicate she’s also unaware of V’s gender? And what about Elan? Has he ever said anything on the subject? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4236 "2012-05-06T00:57:23Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > A question about Vaarsuvius’ androgyny. > > We know that Roy, Belkar, and Durkon are confused over whether V is a man or a woman. But I’ve always assumed that Haley knows and just hasn’t said anything (due to the Rule of Funny). Am I correct or has Haley ever said anything in the strip to indicate she’s also unaware of V’s gender? And what about Elan? Has he ever said anything on the subject? No and no, to the best of my recollection. And it’s not clear to me that the V’s race even has a gender. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4237 "2012-05-06T01:24:16Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > No and no, to the best of my recollection. And it’s not clear to me that the V’s race even has a gender. Many of the other characters feel it’s an issue which they wouldn’t do if elves didn’t have genders. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4238 "2012-05-06T01:36:38Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Many of the other characters feel it’s an issue which they wouldn’t do if elves didn’t have genders. I was making a joke, and should have added a smiley. But seriously, it really isn’t clear to me if Elves in the Stickverse have genders; the members of the Order may be as clueless about this as we are, esp. if, like V, all the elves anyone meets don’t even understand that this is a question, responding: “gender? what’s that?” as V seems to on occasion. Though to be fair, V has used pronouns correctly if occasionally, so maybe nobody has posed the right question to her. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4239 "2012-05-06T02:08:58Z")
We have seen some unambiguously-female elves, and the existence of half-elves implies that the elvish reproductive scheme is (or at least can be) compatible with humans. Personally, I think that V’s gender is 1/sqrt(2) (|male\> + |female\>), while Inkyrius’s gender is 1/sqrt(2) (|male\> - |female\>). And this board is one of very few places I could say that and be understood by anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4240 "2012-05-06T08:44:42Z")
We, of course, also know that V has a life partner … or did. It matters not to me if V is male or female. But, perhaps interviewing this entity might make sense. However, it occurs to me that V’s mate is not available for comment as in 'dead. Maybe I am wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4241 "2012-05-06T08:58:32Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > However, it occurs to me that V’s mate is not available for comment as in 'dead. > Maybe I am wrong. Well, he or she was alive enough to [file for divorce](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0678.html). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=211) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=213)