# 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:** 74
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2022, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1464 "2022-05-13T18:38:07Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > with his luck the two goblins playing Junior Detective are going to figure out the teleporters now. I’m fairly sure that’s exactly why Xykon used the words “junior detective”. It’s an indirect way of telling us that the bad guys have found the swap-over trap. Which means Team Evil is going to get into the real dungeon where the gate is. Right now. There won’t be another chance to set up the ambush that they had before. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2022, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1465 "2022-05-13T18:53:49Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > It’s an indirect way of telling us that the bad guys have found the swap-over trap. Maybe. Except this door was inaccurately marked as cleared. So I’d think it’s mainly Redcloak and Oola (Oona?) trying to figure out why it had monsters in it. That could lead to them finding the trap but solving MITD’s deception is riddle enough for “junior detective” work. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2022, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1466 "2022-05-13T19:33:44Z")
There’s half a scorch mark on the tunnel floor where the rat’s head disabled the trap. There’s a sharp cutoff where the other half of the mark is in the real tunnel. The spot check for seeing that is lots easier than the line of tiny runes on the floor. That’s a big clue and probably why they started to play junior detective. ETA: the half scorch mark can be seen [here](https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1223.html) in panel 14 (third panel in the second page). ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2022, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1467 "2022-05-13T22:08:19Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > That’s a big clue and probably why they started to play junior detective. Except Xykon was literally calling Redcloak “Nancy Drew” a couple strips before that. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2022, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1468 "2022-05-13T22:19:23Z")
What I meant was why they are staying in the tunnel and not leaving with Xykon. If they examine the scorch mark, that should give them a bonus towards spotting the line of runes. And then a Detect Magic to discover the swap-over trap. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2022, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1469 "2022-05-14T01:44:47Z")
But you can see the trap line behind Xykon as he flies out and calls behind him. The other two are deeper in, not near the trap (Xykon is obscuring where the scorch mark would be, though). Whatever they’re investigating that makes Xykon call them junior detectives, it’s not the trap line. Presumably, it’s why the monsters are “back” in a “clean” cave. ---
**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:** [May 15, 2022, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1470 "2022-05-15T17:37:13Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > the two goblins playing Junior Detective Goblin and bugbear. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1471 "2022-05-15T18:06:35Z")
Goblinoids! ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2022, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1472 "2022-05-25T18:22:43Z")
New one: [**1258: Operational Security**.](https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1258.html) ---
**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:** [May 25, 2022, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1473 "2022-05-25T18:25:23Z")
Bonk bonk. ---
**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:** [May 25, 2022, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1474 "2022-05-25T18:37:37Z")
I want to hear more about the icicle… ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2022, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1475 "2022-05-25T19:13:53Z")
“Empty brain-boxes” – Band name! ---
**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 25, 2022, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1476 "2022-05-25T19:39:27Z")
> [@CardboardBoxx](#): > > The Dark One, (if he’s lying to Redcloak, otherwise part of side 3) I don’t feel the Dark One is lying to Redcloak. But Redcloak may be lying to himself. Redcloak is positive that he is following the Plan. But the Dark One’s plan may have been for the various goblin races to have a secure homeland - which has already been achieved in Gobbotopia. Redcloak may be putting that at risk by trying to manipulate Xykon, the Snarl, and all three pantheons to get more. This interpretation would fit the Dark One’s message of “Don’t screw this up” as well as Redclaok’s interpretation. ---
**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:** [May 25, 2022, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1477 "2022-05-25T19:53:38Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > But the Dark One’s plan may have been for the various goblin races to have a secure homeland - which has already been achieved in Gobbotopia. I have long thought that this is the point of [TDO’s message to Redcloak](https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0704.html). “Don’t screw this up”. Meaning don’t throw away Gobbotopia while pursuing the Gates. ---
**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 25, 2022, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1478 "2022-05-25T20:21:19Z")
It would fit in with Redcloak’s personality. Redcloak has become fixated on following the Plan with no possible deviations; this absolute fixation is what has allowed him to keep going. He has refused to consider any possible change to the plan, even to the point of killing his own brother over it. He’s become so fixated on following the path he’s lost sight of the destination. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2022, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1479 "2022-05-25T21:19:54Z")
So will he continue to follow the wrong path to defeat and destruction, or will he realize, at the very last minute, with a cry of “How could I have been so blind?”, that he is wrong and turn on Xykon? ---
**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 25, 2022, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1480 "2022-05-25T21:27:14Z")
I think Redcloak eventually turning on Xykon is pretty much a given. When? Why, at the most dramatic possible moment, of course. ---
**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:** [May 25, 2022, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1481 "2022-05-25T21:38:23Z")
Redcloak will never turn on Xykon. He will deceive and use Xykon to the last. And he hasn’t been blind. He’s always known what Xykon is. He’s expecting Xykon to turn on him, though. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2022, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1482 "2022-05-25T23:32:18Z")
The strip is getting deeper. I kinda miss the old funny days. But this is good writing. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2022, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438/1483 "2022-06-08T14:56:29Z")
[1259 - By Size, Color, and Number of Holes](https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1259.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438.md?page=73) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-7-discussion-thread/847438.md?page=75)