Or a kobold.
Belkar is too popular and funny a character to kill off until just before the end of the strip. Since Rich has said that is still 3 to 4 years away, I don’t think we’ll be saying goodbye to our halfling any time soon. So the Oracle was probably very ambiguous and we just haven’t figured out the catch yet.
I’ve already expressed my theory: the Oracle was lying.
He didn’t tell them that Belkar was going to die as an official answer to any question. He did it “accidentally” and then “accidentally” arranged to have Roy remember this information. That’s a pretty big mistake for a precognitive to make.
My theory is he did it deliberately. He knew that the Order was going to kick Belkar out but he also knew that they would need Belkar to save the world. So he told them a lie that he knew would convince them to keep Belkar around.
I’ll be that the same would have been true of Kraagor, back in the Scribble days.
In one of the bonus strips in book 3, the blind seer from Azure City told Hinjo that Belkar would save his life twice. The first time was back during the siege, but the second hasn’t happened yet, and probably won’t any time soon. So Belkar’s probably not going to check out any time soon.
One day, Rich might well write a prequel book telling the story of the Scribbles. If and when that happens, Kraagor’s death will be nearly the end.
Likewise, If Belkar dies, it will come near the end of the saga.
Think out of the box.
Maybe Belkar is permanently enspelled so he no longer needs to breath?.
He doesn’t die, he just doesn’t need to inhale again… ever.
Unless he wants to.
I’m still going with the “You told me Darth Vader killed my father” thing, “he ceased to be Belkar Bitterleaf and became <Good Belkar>.”
Though I’m probably wrong since OOTS is pretty good about having non-silly twists (unless it’s for humor).
Please let this happen.
So what happened to today’s strip? We were supposed to get a strip a day here.
Having Belkar’s consciousness implanted into a kobold could possible work with the oracle’s prophecy. If only they had one around and not doing much…
With just over 12 hours left to go, the Kickstarter’s at $1,157,435. That’s over 2000% funded. Wow.
Burlew should have started a pool. Whoever guessed closest to the final tally won a drawing or something.
Soooo not complaining.
It’s going to be really funny when Belkar dies and stays dead, and so many people are going to be completely surprised by it, even though he’s been telling us all along that’s what would happen. The big twist is that there is no twist.
I really underestimated the impact of new deals being added.
Wow indeed.
#840 is up.
Thief’s tool indeed. I’m starting to feel sorry for the little guy. It’s one thing to be dominated when in battle; it’s a whole other ball of wax when you become someone’s personal slave.
ETA: Roy’s eyebrows in the last 4 panels shows his inner monologue perfectly.
That is an interesting technique.
heh heh heh
Yeah, I’m with Roy here - sending POWs to clear minefields is a major violation of the Geneva Convention, so to speak. Plus, mind control as a whole is extremely skeevy.
Oh yes, agreed.
Not good, maybe not even neutral.
But definitely funny.
ETA: Come on man!
Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson CREATED kobolds as cannon fodder just like giant ants.
Just as an aside, when was the last time we saw giant ants?