# 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:** 217
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4322 "2012-06-11T03:36:39Z")
[New one up.](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0855.html) ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4323 "2012-06-11T03:37:39Z")
[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0855.html](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0855.html) 855 up So hot off the presses I haven’t even read it yet. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4324 "2012-06-11T03:42:06Z")
Shakes fist! Damn you and your tactical element of surprise! ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4325 "2012-06-11T04:15:27Z")
Hee. Love the lack of cutaway panel gag thing. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4326 "2012-06-11T05:05:38Z")
In the last panel, those appear to be balloons filled with red paint. ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4327 "2012-06-11T10:34:16Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > In the last panel, those appear to be balloons filled with red paint. Yeah, Roy learned about the value of surprise in a tactical situation because he was surprised by the other students. Not the nicest way to learn, but it did teach him. 🙂 ---
**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:** [June 11, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4328 "2012-06-11T17:01:48Z")
My books are packed away… Are those the same Beta Alpha Beta frat guys from the prequels? ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4329 "2012-06-11T20:34:01Z")
I dunno exactly, but I wouldn’t bet against them being members. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4330 "2012-06-11T20:56:11Z")
Those clothes kinda begs the question of why they all match. Do the frat dudes all wear orange uniforms? ---
**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:** [June 11, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4331 "2012-06-11T21:17:59Z")
The Beta Alpha Beta frat brothers were in _On the Origin of PCs_, which was printed in greyscale. And characters tend to look alike when all you’ve got is a circle, two dots, and a line for a face (and maybe eyebrows if you’re lucky). That said, all of the frat brothers in the book had BAB printed on their shirts so it appears the orange uniforms these guys are wearing are different. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4332 "2012-06-21T03:22:38Z")
I guess it’s true what they say about [comedy and tragedy](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0856.html). ---
**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:** [June 21, 2012, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4333 "2012-06-21T03:50:54Z")
Appropriately enough, when I just searched for new posts, this thread came up next to “People you were surprised to find out are dead”. ---
**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:** [June 21, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4334 "2012-06-21T04:14:45Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > I guess it’s true what they say about [comedy and tragedy](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0856.html). It’s more than that…that’s Quarr, the same imp that goaded V into going the full revenge soul splice route, so HE KNOWS! He’s not just laughing because they’re all dead…he’s laughing because it was V who killed them… ---
**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:** [June 21, 2012, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4335 "2012-06-21T15:37:44Z")
Yep. He was sitting on the couch with the Three Fiends, watching it happen. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4336 "2012-06-21T15:44:01Z")
I wonder if Sabine just being a supportive evil girlfriend, or is playing some kind of game here by persuading Nale to ignore Tarquin’s manipulations… ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4337 "2012-06-22T03:29:01Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > I wonder if Sabine just being a supportive evil girlfriend, or is playing some kind of game here by persuading Nale to ignore Tarquin’s manipulations… Oh definitely playing a game. What game and on what side? I doubt she is certain at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4338 "2012-06-22T05:13:06Z")
I think she’s trying to stop Nale from stepping on his own dick. If Nale didn’t think he was in control(-ish) then he’d try some stupid plot or treachery to gain control. Problem is, Tarquin’s a hell of a lot smarter and wiser than Nale; yet for some peculiar reason, wants to keep him around. Yeah, I can’t figure it out either, other than sentimentality. T’s right now keeping a very pissed-off 15th level Cleric (minimum to Create mummies) from snuffing him outright. Nale jerking the rest of the EoB guys around may convince T that Nale’s not worth the trouble to keep him alive. Sabine’s bright enough to see it, and so is convincing Nale that he’s a boss, got it all under control, etc… If there’s any treachery immediately, it’ll be T killing Malack to save Nale. Blood is thicker than water, and I can’t think of any other reason why an evil Overlord would have kept his dipshit son (who’s holding back vital knowledge from him) alive and happy. T and M (there’s no other major character named M now, right? We still call MITD by all four letters?) could empty out Nale like a wine bottle if they wanted to—_ **quickly** _, though it wouldn’t seem that way to Nale—and Nale would beg them to hurry it up. T can’t seriously think that Nale has the chops to run things, can he? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4339 "2012-06-22T06:43:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Problem is, Tarquin’s a hell of a lot smarter and wiser than Nale; yet for some peculiar reason, wants to keep him around. Yeah, I can’t figure it out either, other than sentimentality. I think that Tarquin honestly loves both his sons, and he’ll keep both of them alive out of sentimentality, until and unless dramatic narrative really, really calls for the death of one or both. This might be the only honest thing about Tarquin. And DAMN but Burlew can really write some great villains. In a lot of stories, villains are evil because they think it would be cool to be evil, or something along those lines. But Burlew’s villains are each evil in their own individual ways, and for their own individual reasons. ---
**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:** [June 22, 2012, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4340 "2012-06-22T06:55:30Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > And DAMN but Burlew can really write some great villains. In a lot of stories, villains are evil because they think it would be cool to be evil, or something along those lines. But Burlew’s villains are each evil in their own individual ways, and for their own individual reasons. Even minor throwaway villains like Hilgya, Samantha, Leeky Windstaff, the Black Dragon, Bozzok, Crystal, Kubota, and Gannji and Enor are real distinct characters. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4341 "2012-06-22T09:03:51Z")
I also wonder if Tarquin is going to pull the same stunt on the Linear Guild as he plans to do for OotS - let them fight their way to the prize only to snatch it from them at the last minute. Mind you, I don’t know what the prize _is_ but Tarquin plays things close to his chest. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=216) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=218)