About time Ron had *some* sort of realization. I can only hope it includes realizing that hitting Charles not only wasn’t related to his parents splitting up, but helped protect his friends… something his dad does every day.
It’s a “WTF is that thing outside of our spaceship?” realization, followed by a “This is worse than all of those dreams where I was sucked into an airplane’s engine while flying combined,” realization.
Yeah, the fact that he’s looking sort of off to the side instead of straight at the camera makes me think that he’s also spotted something more important.
Dunno about ‘more important’, but something along the lines of, “What the zark is that, and where did it come from?” They are floating alone in deep space, after all…
They’re not alone in space, at least not anymore. Technically they haven’t been alone since the object Ron is looking at in the last panel locked onto the “Valiant Lance” and moved in, twenty minutes ago. 😀
@Frith Ra: Bad aliens. Well, technically it’s only one, but it’s really big. And bad. And it has max ranks in Stealth. It does not know the way to Kansas, or Omaha.
@=Tamar: Of course it’s in this sequence! What do you think Ron is looking at in panel, if not a huge alien bad guy? A polar bear?
Well, if you want to be technical, we the readers didn’t know it was there either (and I don’t mean those who have the book, because I’m not included in that assemblage), and Ron’s reaction is the first indication that we have that they are no longer alone.
While I think the “wow, look, a distraction!” interpretation is more likely after a bit of time to examine it, my first impression was, “Huh, that looks kind-of like how his mom looked when she was mind-controlled into signing him up for Praetorian; is there some programming that’s kicking in?”
Also, I see what you’re going for there, Tyler, but it takes a bit of the oomph out of the “you can hit me if you want to” line when you’re wearing a football helmet.
Tyler’s not that squishy. He’s just somewhat averse to pain, which is an understandable reaction to being raised by Ultima and Soveriegn Power. But he is wearing armor, a football helmet, and he has the inflatable thingy if he needs it. But I think Tyler was looking to talk Ron down using reverse psychology.
Unfortunately they’re going to have to settle for the old superhero cliche of “fight, then team up”.
Excuse me, a couple of pages back, I wondered if Ron knew that Tyler is Moonshadow. I re-read from where Ron said he hit Charles and what do I find: Tyler had told him. Well, that answers that.
Tyler sure does get surprised, a lot. very much so.
Tyler told him in the Time Temple thing, where Ron specifically wouldn’t remember. Now, people seem to keep impressions of what they experienced there, which is probably why Moonshadow became deprecated in his eyes. I think the “you made me hit Charles” thing is more a rationalization for his sudden disgust. (Not necessarily, though; it’s possible he decided to blame Moonshadow anyway.)
Regardless, Tyler’s never told him in a time and place where Ron would remember. Not that I can recall, anyway.
Ron was already starting to blame Moonshadow for his problems (and stopped seeing him as a hero) much earlier. It happened when the Revenant helped Moonshadow record a message to send to Ron, the same night Captain Clarinet and Moonshadow fought the first Septo scoutship (and Tyler was infected). Ron had been acting out in class, and was sent to the principal’s office of Excelsior Public School. He refused to speak to Mr. Wooster or any of the teachers and only wanted to speak to Moonshadow, so Miss Kyle borrowed the “calling card” Emerald Gauntlet got from Moonshadow, and contacted the Revenant via MetaNet. Ron wanted guidance, and Tyler wasn’t sure what to tell him.
Personally, I think Tyler made things worse, though the Septo Scoutship’s arrival didn’t help things. Maybe if Moonshadow had come in person to Ron’s bedroom or maybe if he’d have unmasked, things might have turned out differently, but the way things turned out, that night Ron Peterson stopped being one of Moonshadow’s fans.
Suspense!
so everyone’s guesses were wrong
About time Ron had *some* sort of realization. I can only hope it includes realizing that hitting Charles not only wasn’t related to his parents splitting up, but helped protect his friends… something his dad does every day.
I dunno, is that a “what the hell am I doing?” realization or a “what the hell is that big thing that showed up in front of us?” realization?
It’s a “WTF is that thing outside of our spaceship?” realization, followed by a “This is worse than all of those dreams where I was sucked into an airplane’s engine while flying combined,” realization.
i was thinking, “wait a minute i’m mad he made me punch someone, punching him is really kind of dumb”
By the way he looks, seems more “Holy distraction Batman, something huge stealthed unto us!”
Yeah, the fact that he’s looking sort of off to the side instead of straight at the camera makes me think that he’s also spotted something more important.
Dunno about ‘more important’, but something along the lines of, “What the zark is that, and where did it come from?” They are floating alone in deep space, after all…
They’re not alone in space, at least not anymore. Technically they haven’t been alone since the object Ron is looking at in the last panel locked onto the “Valiant Lance” and moved in, twenty minutes ago. 😀
So, are they good aliens or bad aliens? & do they know the way back over the rainbow to Kansas?
Where was that? It’s not in this current sequence.
@Frith Ra: Bad aliens. Well, technically it’s only one, but it’s really big. And bad. And it has max ranks in Stealth. It does not know the way to Kansas, or Omaha.
@=Tamar: Of course it’s in this sequence! What do you think Ron is looking at in panel, if not a huge alien bad guy? A polar bear?
Well, if you want to be technical, we the readers didn’t know it was there either (and I don’t mean those who have the book, because I’m not included in that assemblage), and Ron’s reaction is the first indication that we have that they are no longer alone.
While I think the “wow, look, a distraction!” interpretation is more likely after a bit of time to examine it, my first impression was, “Huh, that looks kind-of like how his mom looked when she was mind-controlled into signing him up for Praetorian; is there some programming that’s kicking in?”
Nope. 🙂
Also, I see what you’re going for there, Tyler, but it takes a bit of the oomph out of the “you can hit me if you want to” line when you’re wearing a football helmet.
And body armor, can’t forget the body armor.
Especially if you’re as squishy as Tyler is.
Tyler’s not that squishy. He’s just somewhat averse to pain, which is an understandable reaction to being raised by Ultima and Soveriegn Power. But he is wearing armor, a football helmet, and he has the inflatable thingy if he needs it. But I think Tyler was looking to talk Ron down using reverse psychology.
Unfortunately they’re going to have to settle for the old superhero cliche of “fight, then team up”.
I suspect the ‘fight’ part is now done with – time to move on to the ‘team up’ phase.
Excuse me, a couple of pages back, I wondered if Ron knew that Tyler is Moonshadow. I re-read from where Ron said he hit Charles and what do I find: Tyler had told him. Well, that answers that.
Tyler sure does get surprised, a lot. very much so.
Tyler told him in the Time Temple thing, where Ron specifically wouldn’t remember. Now, people seem to keep impressions of what they experienced there, which is probably why Moonshadow became deprecated in his eyes. I think the “you made me hit Charles” thing is more a rationalization for his sudden disgust. (Not necessarily, though; it’s possible he decided to blame Moonshadow anyway.)
Regardless, Tyler’s never told him in a time and place where Ron would remember. Not that I can recall, anyway.
Ron was already starting to blame Moonshadow for his problems (and stopped seeing him as a hero) much earlier. It happened when the Revenant helped Moonshadow record a message to send to Ron, the same night Captain Clarinet and Moonshadow fought the first Septo scoutship (and Tyler was infected). Ron had been acting out in class, and was sent to the principal’s office of Excelsior Public School. He refused to speak to Mr. Wooster or any of the teachers and only wanted to speak to Moonshadow, so Miss Kyle borrowed the “calling card” Emerald Gauntlet got from Moonshadow, and contacted the Revenant via MetaNet. Ron wanted guidance, and Tyler wasn’t sure what to tell him.
Personally, I think Tyler made things worse, though the Septo Scoutship’s arrival didn’t help things. Maybe if Moonshadow had come in person to Ron’s bedroom or maybe if he’d have unmasked, things might have turned out differently, but the way things turned out, that night Ron Peterson stopped being one of Moonshadow’s fans.
Good Points!!!
Anyone else seeing the classic Batman/Superman “I don’t like you very much, because… Well, Just because…” background noise?