# Order of the Stick General Discussion Thread (Open Spoilers and Speculation) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 2, 2009, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096 "2009-02-02T07:39:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 61
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1201 "2009-05-18T23:10:14Z")
Oh, man. There is no what that what is about to happen isn’t going to be awesome. ---
**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 18, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1202 "2009-05-18T23:21:02Z")
Really, the only problem with Goblins is that it’s updated so sporadically. It’s supposed to be every Saturday, but it seems like it’s delayed a week every time a gnat sneezes. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1203 "2009-05-19T00:11:41Z")
You know, it occurs to me that O-Chul has been second-in-command of the Sapphire Guard for a _long_ time, and if there were any built-in defenses around still, he’d certainly know about them. So he might have more of a chance than it would at first seem… ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1204 "2009-05-19T00:23:18Z")
THAT’S what a paladin is supposed to be. Go O-Chul! ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1205 "2009-05-19T01:00:31Z")
Hell, yes. O Chul is a man! That’s a guy to have at your back. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1206 "2009-05-19T07:29:25Z")
Another mark of the skill with which this story is crafted is that O-Chul was slipped in as what seemed to be a background NPC at first, and you couldn’t see how important a character he would become for hundreds of strips. If we had met him fully first, and then met Miko, her flaws would have been that much more glaring – it would have been clear that her inflexibilty and self-righteousness weren’t class traits but her own personality at fault. He’s been in the hands of his enemy for months, after seeing the entire Sapphire Guard (with a very few exceptions, and none that were in the throne room at the time of the attack) cut down in a horrific and humiliating way, tortured and abused the entire time, and far from falling into despair, he has behaved with unfailing courage and grace, and is now about to unleash what promises to be some serious whoop-ass. O-Chul: Badass to the bone. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1207 "2009-05-19T08:04:49Z")
If O-Chul hadn’t given that speech beforehand, I’d say he has a chance of surviving. But since he seems destined to be the person the MitD “turns” for, he is probably, sadly, toast. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1208 "2009-05-19T13:53:43Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Doubtful. Paladins turn as a Cleric 3 levels lower (so if O-Chul’s a level 10 Paladin, his Turn Undead works the same as a level 7 Cleric’s), so he’s naturally weaker at it than a Cleric would be. Turn Undead rules only allow you to affect a maximum of your effective cleric level + 4. Adding those together, and assuming Xykon is level 20 (since he’s used some epic spells, he’s probably higher), then O-Chul would need to be at minimum level 19 to have a chance of affecting Xykon, and I find that highly unlikely. > > Yes, Burlew’s ignored the exact rules when it suits him, but disregarding the math, the point is that O-Chul would need to be nearly as powerful as Xykon in order to have a chance at turning him, and I doubt he’s anywhere near that. I haven’t read the books yet, but I know at one point in the strip Redcloack threatens Xykon with “Not another word or I’ll rebuke you into next week.” So either Redcloak is also epic-level, that mantle gives him some serious power, or… it was just a good joke, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1209 "2009-05-19T14:50:42Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > If O-Chul hadn’t given that speech beforehand, I’d say he has a chance of surviving. > > But since he seems destined to be the person the MitD “turns” for, he is probably, sadly, toast. ☹ Yeah. He’s going to die, which will allow V to escape. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1210 "2009-05-19T15:11:04Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > Yeah. He’s going to die, which will allow V to escape. Or … the CitD does its earthquake stomp just as Xykon or Redcloak is about to zap O-Chul, causing so much damage to the room and castle that O-Chul and V are able to escape in the devastation, and are rescued either by the OotS or Thanh and his rebels. I just really really want O-Chul to live. O-Chul rules! ---
**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 19, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1211 "2009-05-19T16:19:00Z")
> [@](#): > > I haven’t read the books yet, but I know at one point in the strip Redcloack threatens Xykon with “Not another word or I’ll rebuke you into next week.” So either Redcloak is also epic-level, that mantle gives him some serious power, or… it was just a good joke, I guess. Is this a whoosh? ---
**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 19, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1212 "2009-05-19T16:24:07Z")
Wait, Xykon is a triplet? ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1213 "2009-05-19T16:26:06Z")
Wait, what gate? ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1214 "2009-05-19T16:37:05Z")
I’m not convinced Monster-san is gonna play a big part yet. Seems too early for him to switch sides in any irreparable way – that would give the good guys way too much of an advantage. And I don’t know how Xykon would be able to let it survive, assuming he has power over it. Aside from, as it says in _Start of Darkness_, having the ability to implant the command to swallow Redcloak and spit out the phylactery if Redcloak goes rogue Maybe the MitD will do something helpful that can be construed as accidental by Xykon/Redcloak? ---
**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:** [May 19, 2009, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1215 "2009-05-19T16:41:50Z")
Jeez…I can’t stop reading Goblins now. It’s been pretty much my entire morning. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1216 "2009-05-19T16:49:19Z")
> [@choie](#): > > I’m not convinced Monster-san is gonna play a big part yet. Seems too early for him to switch sides in any irreparable way – that would give the good guys way too much of an advantage. And I don’t know how Xykon would be able to let it survive, assuming he has power over it. My prediction is that it will rescue V and hopefully O-Chul, return them to the party and them wander off to ponder his existance until the plot demands that he return. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1217 "2009-05-19T17:04:05Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Is this a whoosh? To clarify **Little Nemo** ’s sentiment, when [Redcloak threatens rebuking](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0422.html), [it’s not to Xykon](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0431.html). Specifically, he threatens the Eye of Fear and Flame. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1218 "2009-05-19T18:52:27Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Jeez…I can’t stop reading Goblins now. It’s been pretty much my entire morning. Also be sure to check out the Tempts Fate section. It’s a series of entertaining short adventures driven by donations that’s disconnected from the main story. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1219 "2009-05-19T19:05:36Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > [it’s not to Xykon](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0431.html). Linking to that comic reminded me of something that was bugging me for awhile – why the hell does Redcloak’s telescope have the price tag hanging from it? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1220 "2009-05-19T19:25:37Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Linking to that comic reminded me of something that was bugging me for awhile – why the hell does Redcloak’s telescope have the price tag hanging from it? I always took it to be a jab at the fact that most non-magical adventuring gear usually only costs anywhere from some copper to a few gold, except for the spyglass which is worth a whopping 1000 gold. You can get armor made out of mithril for not much more. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096.md?page=60) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096.md?page=62)