# 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:** 90
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1781 "2009-06-16T05:40:50Z")
Se IS a warrior of Azure City, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1782 "2009-06-17T02:24:35Z")
Okay, I finally got Start of Darkness. I finished Start of Darkness. Great stuff, great backstory, but man, was the ending depressing. Redcloak and Right Eye and Xykon’s nasty plan… ugh. I’m now even more certain that Redcloak will do a turn-around in the end. My guess is that Redcloak and Xykon will be right at the (whichever) Gate at the conclusion of the Final Battle when it happens. Xykon will seize the Gate and try to do something awful, and Redcloak will jump in and stop him at the last moment. Redcloack may or may not survive his moment of heroism. ---
**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:** [June 18, 2009, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1783 "2009-06-18T13:35:39Z")
I see what people upthread mean by the irregular publication pace-it’s been 4-5 days at least now since the last strip… ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1784 "2009-06-18T14:21:51Z")
Yeah, But there is a good chance the next one is a huge supersized splash page that is taking some time to create. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1785 "2009-06-18T14:25:27Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > I see what people upthread mean by the irregular publication pace-it’s been 4-5 days at least now since the last strip… Three days. #663 came out on the 15th. The longest wait between strips since late April was six days between #655 and #656, but other than there’s usually a strip at least once every five days. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2009, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1786 "2009-06-18T14:32:54Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Three days. #663 came out on the 15th. The longest wait between strips since late April was six days between #655 and #656, but other than there’s usually a strip at least once every five days. Ha. Try reading Goblins. Cliffhanger after cliffhanger and he updates \* maybe \* once a week. That’s one comic I wish I hadn’t discovered for another couple of years so I could read the archives. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2009, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1787 "2009-06-18T14:48:33Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > Ha. Try reading Goblins. Cliffhanger after cliffhanger and he updates \* maybe \* once a week. That’s one comic I wish I hadn’t discovered for another couple of years so I could read the archives. I discovered goblins about 3 weeks ago. I had a fantastic time steaming through the archive. Now I am waiting with everyone else… ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1788 "2009-06-18T15:09:57Z")
^This.^ ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1789 "2009-06-18T21:29:58Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Yeah, But there is a good chance the next one is a huge supersized splash page that is taking some time to create. Or maybe a triple page strip with a wrap up for everyone cutting back and forth… ---
**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:** [June 18, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1790 "2009-06-18T22:50:49Z")
I wonder what Vaarsuvious is going to be doing once he recovers from the paralysis. After all, he’s been obsessed about finding Haley and Roy and that’s done. And he’s been guilt-ridden about abandoning the soldiers in Azure City but he’s done something to redeem that. He’s taken his best shot at Xykon. Will he just find a new target to obsess over or will he finally stop and take a moment to reflect? ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1791 "2009-06-18T23:06:44Z")
I’ve infected my younger brother with the OOTS bug. He’s up to Strip #112 and counting. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1792 "2009-06-19T17:18:16Z")
Wait, he’s _COUNTING_ them? Well, that’s a nice start, I guess, but see if you can’t get him to READ them. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1793 "2009-06-19T19:43:33Z")
Just wondering; why would Roy know the location of Girad’s Gate? ---
**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:** [June 19, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1794 "2009-06-19T19:50:14Z")
> [@CrazyChop](#): > > Just wondering; why would Roy know the location of Girad’s Gate? The general location of the gates is no big secret, it is? The specifics of what’s protecting them is the unknown factor. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1795 "2009-06-19T20:52:24Z")
_taps foot impatiently_ Hello, Rich, it’s been four days, Let’s get moving… ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1796 "2009-06-21T01:40:36Z")
Since Rich is taking forever and day to get the next strip out, I thought I’d ask a few questions on _Start of Darkness_. [spoiler]Who is Mr. Bedevere, and why did he follow Roy’s father out of the valley of the oracle? The whole scene with Xavon- from the panel showing his S-Men, I’m guessing he’s a parody of some character from X-Men? Likewise, the page before Xykon gets lichified (“Deader. Stronger. Faster”), that’s also a parody of something, right? More seriously, when Order of the Stick opens, I get the impression that Xykon & Co. have been sitting on the Gate for quite some time already. Why haven’t Xykon or Redcloak tried to use it yet? [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1797 "2009-06-21T01:50:56Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Since Rich is taking forever and day to get the next strip out, I thought I’d ask a few questions on _Start of Darkness_. > > [spoiler]Who is Mr. Bedevere, and why did he follow Roy’s father out of the valley of the oracle? > > The whole scene with Xavon- from the panel showing his S-Men, I’m guessing he’s a parody of some character from X-Men? > > Likewise, the page before Xykon gets lichified (“Deader. Stronger. Faster”), that’s also a parody of something, right? > > More seriously, when Order of the Stick opens, I get the impression that Xykon & Co. have been sitting on the Gate for quite some time already. Why haven’t Xykon or Redcloak tried to use it yet? [/spoiler] I haven’t been able to get ahold of _Start of Darkness_ yet, but I do know one of the answers. “Deader. Stronger. Faster” is going to be a parody of the opening sequence of _The Six-Million Dollar Man_. "_We can rebuild him. We have the technology. Better. Stronger. Faster."_ ---
**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:** [June 21, 2009, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1798 "2009-06-21T01:51:19Z")
Ah, youth. [spoiler][Mr. Belvedere](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Belvedere), old sitcom. It’s a joke, son. [Professor X](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professor_X), mentor of the X-Men. (Patrick Stewart, in the movies) [Six-Million Dollar Man](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Million_Dollar_Man): rebuilt “better, stronger, faster”. Dorukan’s gate was warded against Evil creatures. Hence, when Roy tossed Xykon into it, Xykon got blown up. They hadn’t used it because they _couldn’t_, thanks to Xykon. Xykon tried to trick one of the PCs into doing so, however.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1799 "2009-06-21T02:24:13Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > More seriously, when Order of the Stick opens, I get the impression that Xykon & Co. have been sitting on the Gate for quite some time already. Why haven’t Xykon or Redcloak tried to use it yet? They HAVE tried to use it by sending disposable goblins to die on it. I believe Redcloak raises some objections about their methods at some point. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1800 "2009-06-21T02:50:11Z")
Okay, so Belvedere is a sitcom character butler. Is there more to the joke than that? Because the whole thing seemed really random. I know I’m making a big deal about a one-scene gag, but it just really confused me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096.md?page=89) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096.md?page=91)