# 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:** 384
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7662 "2013-10-10T17:48:40Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Is Tarquin standing by the rift? Because if he isn’t, then they might be heading right toward it. Earlier, Tarquin and his army were between the Order and the Gate so they’re now heading away from it. ---
**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:** [October 10, 2013, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7663 "2013-10-10T22:27:22Z")
So Tarquin could just gate what’s left of the army to intercept the OOTS. But I think Laurin would tell him to jam it if he asked. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7664 "2013-10-11T16:52:17Z")
A quick query about Belkar: could the prophecy be resolved by him being Reincarnated as something else? Or, could it refer to him drawing Mr Scruffy’s last breath? I very much doubt Mr Burlew is going to kill him off permanently before near the very end. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7665 "2013-10-11T16:58:27Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > A quick query about Belkar: could the prophecy be resolved by him being Reincarnated as something else? Or, could it refer to him drawing Mr Scruffy’s last breath? > > I very much doubt Mr Burlew is going to kill him off permanently before near the very end. Those possibilities don’t really jive with the birthday cake or IRA comments. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7666 "2013-10-11T17:12:19Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > So Tarquin could just gate what’s left of the army to intercept the OOTS. But I think Laurin would tell him to jam it if he asked. Except showing up unannounced with an army in the middle of the Dwarven Homeland is probably not going to go down to well. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7667 "2013-10-11T17:57:25Z")
Anyone notice that Burlew made a continuity error in the strip? He forgot to include Mr Scruffy in the fourth panel of the second page. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7668 "2013-10-11T19:18:04Z")
> [@yellowjacketcoder](#): > > Those possibilities don’t really jive with the birthday cake or IRA comments. I forget the IRA comments but the birthday cake would be squared away by being reincarnated because he would have a new birthday. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7669 "2013-10-11T19:34:38Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I forget the IRA comments but the birthday cake would be squared away by being reincarnated because he would have a new birthday. How so? “should savor his next birthday cake” implies that he’s not getting anymore, not that he’ll get them on a different day. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7670 "2013-10-11T19:35:23Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Except showing up unannounced with an army in the middle of the Dwarven Homeland is probably not going to go down to well. Why? What could go wrong? 😉 Actually, I meant he could gate the army to intercept the OOTS _now_, in the desert, or at least as soon as his troops have regrouped. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7671 "2013-10-11T19:37:34Z")
> [@yellowjacketcoder](#): > > How so? “should savor his next birthday cake” implies that he’s not getting anymore, not that he’ll get them on a different day. He’ll be reincarnated as someone with a severe gluten intolerance. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7672 "2013-10-11T19:43:42Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Why? What could go wrong? 😉 > > Actually, I meant he could gate the army to intercept the OOTS _now_, in the desert, or at least as soon as his troops have regrouped. Oh, yes, good point. But I don’t think he’d go for it. His army was getting its ass kicked when they had surrounded the Order and occupied the high ground. They’re not likely to have those tactical advantages again any time soon, which means that another fight is probably going to go even worse for Tarquin’s forces. Tarquin was already second guessing his orders before Belkar hijacked the allosaurus, I don’t think he’s going to pursue directly at this point. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7673 "2013-10-11T22:14:05Z")
Why pursue? I thought Tarquin’s goal was to make his son Elan look good (in the role of a hero), in melodramatic fashion. Fighting his out from the middle of an army while riding an Allosaurus seems to fit that bill. What I expect now is that Tarquin will want to somehow set things up so that his so that Elan will want to come back (eventually) and confront him (Tarq, that is), giving him the legendary ending to his story that will last down through the ages, retold by bards everywhere (kinda like how the story of King Arthur/Mordred, with the alignments reversed). ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7674 "2013-10-11T22:25:13Z")
He wanted Elan to be the Leader of the party, not just the bardic support, which meant killing off the current leader, Roy. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7675 "2013-10-11T22:38:43Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Anyone notice that Burlew made a continuity error in the strip? He forgot to include Mr Scruffy in the fourth panel of the second page. He must have been on the other side of the dino. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2013, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7676 "2013-10-11T22:50:20Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > He must have been on the other side of the dino. No, he showed both sides of the dinosaur in other panels and Mr Scruffy was up on top and visible from both sides. And we also saw that Mr Scruffy never lost his seat, even when the dinosaur fell over and got back up. So I think we’ve got to mark this one down as a continuity error. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2013, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7677 "2013-10-11T22:56:38Z")
> [@Lok](#): > > He wanted Elan to be the Leader of the party, not just the bardic support, which meant killing off the current leader, Roy. You can’t believe anything Tarquin says at face value. Keep in mind Roy, Durkon, and Belkar weren’t actually killed. Tarquin may have just wanted to threaten them as a move in some scheme without actually wanting them dead. And being Tarquin, he probably has an entire regiment of ineffective and expendable fighters on hand for just such a contingency. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7678 "2013-10-11T23:00:42Z")
## The reins also disappeared in panel 4. My take is that Scruffy shifted positions and the missing reins are a mere trick of the light. 😉 More seriously, Burlew may have drawn what he intended to draw - it’s legitimate in my book to cut out extraneous details to focus on the action, in this case chomping action. Or it could be a mistake. Not sure it matters, except for the purpose of this thread of course. Admittedly my disbelief is easily suspended provided the characters act credibly. Status: Tarquin has a gate to observe, study and test. Xykon is at the other gate. It will take a while for Oots to reach the new gate. Can Haley resolve her father’s problem with a Send spell? He’s a tough guy after all. Or maybe they’ll pick him up on the way North? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7679 "2013-10-11T23:05:48Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > No, he showed both sides of the dinosaur in other panels and Mr Scruffy was up on top and visible from both sides. And we also saw that Mr Scruffy never lost his seat, even when the dinosaur fell over and got back up. So I think we’ve got to mark this one down as a continuity error. Maybe he briefly hid behind Belkar when the Allosaurus went in for the kill. Work with me here! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7680 "2013-10-11T23:46:34Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > You can’t believe anything Tarquin says at face value. Keep in mind Roy, Durkon, and Belkar weren’t actually killed. Tarquin may have just wanted to threaten them as a move in some scheme without actually wanting them dead. And being Tarquin, he probably has an entire regiment of ineffective and expendable fighters on hand for just such a contingency. It wasn’t that they were ineffective. It is that in D&D, high level characters can wipe the floor with a 0 level army. The only reason they were really in danger was the damage they had already taken in the earlier fights and the explosion. And Tarquin’s statements in [this strip](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0916.html) are completely consistent with what he says in [this one](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0921.html). ---
**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:** [October 12, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7681 "2013-10-12T02:23:14Z")
Belkar had to let go of the reins briefly to untangle them, after his heavy metal album cover pose. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=383) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=385)