# Order of the Stick book 7 discussion thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comic-strips\ **Created:** [February 3, 2020, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438 "2020-02-03T17:48:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 126
**Author:** ![blue\_infinity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_infinity/32/2817_2.png) [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2025, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2504 "2025-09-12T14:32:55Z")
It does sound like a Chekhov’s fountain. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2025, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2505 "2025-10-12T22:46:15Z")
Been a month since the last new strip; he’s made 18 new strips this year, and up to the last one he was on pace to better the count for the last two years (22 and 21), but at this point if he’s now down to one per month or even less he may not equal 2024’s total. Too bad. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2025, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2506 "2025-10-12T22:59:06Z")
Will we ever see this strip completed? Will we at least get the kickstarter rewards we paid for? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2507 "2025-10-13T16:22:29Z")
[**Like clockwork**](https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1334.html) Damned if i know the answer to either of your questions, but we did get a new strip today, and i enjoyed it. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2508 "2025-10-13T16:25:40Z")
OK, what IRL thing is Serini referring to in the last panel? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2509 "2025-10-13T16:33:21Z")
no message ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2510 "2025-10-13T16:34:54Z")
I know what Tik-Tok is obviously. Serini is clearly referring to something specific in the last panel, (both in and out of universe) And the fact the thread has been bumped IS your spoiler warning, don’t like it, go to the GitP forum FIRST. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2511 "2025-10-13T16:39:56Z")
[Tik-Tok of Oz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tik-Tok_(Oz)) ---
**Author:** ![blue\_infinity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_infinity/32/2817_2.png) [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2512 "2025-10-13T16:40:24Z")
[Tik-Tok](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tik-Tok_(Oz)) is a character from the Wizard of Oz books. He has wind up keys for thought, action, and speech. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2513 "2025-10-13T17:27:05Z")
OK the way I saw it was Serini gets something from Tik-Tok. Haley calls Tik-Tok a mine of misinformation. Serini refers to something about keys, Minrah says “that’s a deep cut”. This really works great if the thing Serini says also refers to something on the streaming platform Tiktok so it’s a double reference from Serini, and the “deep cut” line from Minrah is a triple: That’s obscure (Oz)/that’s viscious snark(Tiktok)/that literal wound is deep (OotS). If Serini isn’t actually referring to something on Tiktok with a double meaning the last panel is a lot flatter than I thought. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2514 "2025-10-13T17:38:33Z")
Yes, the tick-tock man in the strip is literally an reference to Oz, (and i recognized him, but i don’t think it’s important to do so.) I think the joke is mostly about the app. So this is really a throw-away joke, and may not advance the plot. Still, i thought it was funny. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2515 "2025-10-13T18:38:52Z")
It’s not a reference to _something on_ the site Tik-Tok, it’s a reference to the site Tik-Tok itself as a medium. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2516 "2025-10-13T20:26:35Z")
Oh, yes, it’s definitely a swipe at Tik Tok itself, and not to some particular content on Tik Tok. ---
**Author:** ![Frilly\_Heck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/90ced4/32.png) [@Frilly\_Heck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frilly_Heck)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2517 "2025-10-13T21:50:58Z")
Here’s a clip from the movie “Return to Oz” showing what Tik-Tok is like when his thinking key isn’t wound up: [Return to OZ - Tick Tock Runs out of Brains](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uQTVTH5qdw) ---
**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 15, 2025, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2518 "2025-10-15T17:43:14Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Will we ever see this strip completed? Possibly, but probably not and Rich doesn’t owe us that. It’s clear he wants to finish the work. Quality remains high, even if throughput is limited. I remain reasonably hopeful of another book release. I suspect the remainder of the story could easily be characterized in one or two pages. It’s the humor, drama, and cleverness that I keep coming back for (as well as the commentary in this thread) and that aspect is episodic. I’ve said it before but 12 decent strips a year is far above the level that most comic strip artists can deliver. Burlew easily clears [Sturgeon threshold](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturgeon%27s_law). > [@](#): > > Will we at least get the kickstarter rewards we paid for? I got mine years ago. Some of those who ordered crayon drawings may be disappointed. The last update was on Dec 31, 2020. The latest Monster for Every Season release was 4 years ago this month. Yikes. If Burlew lived in Japan, a publishing house would have hired him long ago and given him the administrative, editorial, and artistic support that he needs. But such companies don’t really exist in the US; to the extent that the do, they are wholly unreliable. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2519 "2025-10-15T17:48:29Z")
I got my Kickstarter rewards, too. I’m just hoping that he has recorded the end of the story somewhere, so that is he dies before he can complete the story, we will get that satisfaction. But i don’t need it now. ---
**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 15, 2025, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2520 "2025-10-15T17:55:41Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I’m just hoping that he has recorded the end of the story somewhere, so that is he dies before he can complete the story, we will get that satisfaction. But i don’t need it now. I don’t know if he’s recorded it but he’s said he already knows what the final strip will look like. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2521 "2025-10-15T17:59:05Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > The latest Monster for Every Season release was 4 years ago this month. Yikes. I wasn’t a backer, but I picked up the MFES PDFs on Gumshoe or whatever that site is called. I use them for NPCs in my RPG campaigns. They’re fantastic. I wish he would release some more! ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2522 "2025-10-15T19:59:27Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > > > Will we ever see this strip completed? > > Possibly, but probably not and Rich doesn’t owe us that. He owes us for the Kickstarter rewards that we paid for. > [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > I got mine years ago. > [@puzzlegal](#): > > I got my Kickstarter rewards, too. I didn’t get all of mine. There’s a few missing. We were promised a “mystety prize” and PDFs called Dim Sun, Julio Scoundrel, Sir Francois, and CliffPort Police Department. The last one is particularly bad. Three particular backers paid a large sum of money to choose the subject of a PDF. Two of them got their Therkla and Belkar stories. The third is still waiting for his CPPD story. We don’t have a right to complain if the free stuff is slow. We do have a right to complain when we don’t get the stuff we paid for. How many years has it been now? ---
**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 17, 2025, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/2523 "2025-10-17T01:05:38Z")
I joined the Kickstarter because I wanted three books. I paid the price for three books. I got three books. Plus a bunch of other stuff. Way I see it, Burlew and I are square. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438.md?page=125) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438.md?page=127)