December 20th, 2016
20 Dec 2016 · page 661 of 1306
It's probably good that Sid isn't upfront here because he is perhaps the least intimidating person in the comic
Cast: Benjamin Thackerey, Dominik Voss, Heinrich Wolfe, Verity Cunningham
Comments (65)
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And the winner is...Vee with an ear twist take down! and the crowd goes wild
I'm not strong in ear physics, but shouldn't that move have dern near taken his ear off?
She yoinked him back with her left hand, and shoved him over with her right.
A strong contender, but I'm pretty sure that Sid is more intimidating than Rosie.
Dunno, I think if Ms Bell got annoyed she could throw a pretty good punch if she swung from the hips and got her weight behind it. Ms Cassandra Fenton, on the other hand is probably less intimidating than Mr Malik. Nine times out of ten.
They can be dangerous, but that's not the same as intimidating.
I wouldn't want to knock her pint over... :-)
Violin dad is not mad, just disappointed.
More seriously tho, Dominik doesn't particulary look green with Envy, surprisingly.
At this point he's probably worked up a resistance against that particular spirit's influence.
Envy flipped him off and went to find new playmates.
That's my theory as well.
chuckle Wolfe is Disappoint.
I really like how litteraly every person who exists in the story is comming back.
Curtain Call, it's in the title.
That might be difficult for most of the characters from Piece of Cake, though, on account of most of them not having been born yet. Then again, one of them is literally a time-traveling secret agent.
It should also prove interesting when they encounter Sloth, considering what happened to a certain councilwomen the last time we saw her.
Shhhh.... I kinda forgot about them not living in the same time. And i also don't get the link between the title and the reapearing characters (English is weird)
English is tricky, I apologise! A curtain call is what happens at the end of a play, when all of the actors return to take a bow. Any book with Sidney in will have a stage or stage magic term in them :)
Thank you for the expanation.
Wait, so he can speak English? Since when? I feel like Envy implied he couldn't.
He's probably had to learn at least a little, in sheer self-defense. Also... maybe he remembers how the words sounded, in English? I'm not sure how that particular piece of magic interacts with the body, long-term - but it wouldn't surprise me if Voss doesn't retain a ghost of certain skills via muscle memory.
It appears that he only remembers the phrase "Would you believe", which is kind of funny! Maybe he learned it previously to his stolen English, the word "would" at least does sound similar in German. Silly Voss, don't you know that if you're in a foreign country where you don't speak the language, the first words you should learn are "I don't speak [language]" and "I don't understand".
Also: "where is the bathroom"
Generally, if you are around a language enough you pick up a few words. Not enough to hold a conversation but you might pick up things like Hola for Hello, Bien for Good, Gracias for Thanks, things like that.
Quite so, but "Would you believe" requires a pretty sophisticated knowledge of English, particularly the peculiar way in which sentences are marked for politeness using progressively less emphatic modals, which, in turn, requires a knowledge of how English modals work -- which is extremely different from the way German modals work.
So, no, I don't believe that Voss speaks no English
I definitely agree that's it kind of an odd phrase for him to know. I certainly don't remember learning anything about modals in my two years of high school German. : P
We know that in Chapter 5 page 103, Envy "returned" whatever stolen English-speaking abilities he had, which is why I don't think he's faking when he says he can't speak English. I'm just guessing there must have been some strange situation before that (or, in the last two days???) in which he learned this phrase, although I can't imagine what they would have been. My excuse for learning some sort-of-obscure phrase or word is usually "it was in a song", but I can't really see that for Voss.
He may be trying to lie to cover his ass.
Oh, Voss's left eye...
Bad day. First the bouncer won't let you past the rope, and then the guys you owe money to show up with their big sister...
Metaphorically speaking.
Hey Voss, maybe if you're helpful they'll forget to mention to the police that you're still in town.
But if you get a chance to get that deal you better be VERY helpful because Vee looks ready to take you apart right now, and you should probably leave England after you're done just in case someone changes their minds about not talking to the police about you.
Why does the idea of Sid trying to be threating conjure up the "Come, or you shall be late." threat from Slartibartfast?
Although Sid would throw in the explanation of the threat without giving the other person time to ask a question about it, I mean you wouldn't want them to be unclear about your intention, that would just slow things down and of course the point of a threat is to get everyone moving in the right direction quickly Oh I am doing it again aren't I just everyone carry on...
Hot damn, I noticed Verity was significantly forceful while they were making their way through the police station, and I figured "yeah well, bound to be obstacles, and throwing/kicking your way through them is pretty effective/fast." But now I'm thinking she just likes doing that. I'm guessing Harry got a little tired of Verity's....distinct....approach whenever they worked together.
Harry: silently approaches window to pick the lock because she doesn't want to disturb any potential guards
Verity: breaks window Now dear, we really need to pick up the pace-! face to face with guard dog
Harry: grunts in frustration I agree. high tails it
It's possible, but keep in mind that here she's dealing with a man who recently wronged a relative of hers! A younger relative. (Seems like Wolfe and Ben must have given her and Sid the two-minute rundown on how they know him.)
How nice for Ben that he finally gets the chance to yell at Voss a little, after losing the opportunity back in Chapter 5! : ) Ben's thinking, "Even if he can't understand English now, my tone of voice and body language will communicate my disapproval."
When did Voss learn to speak English....? o_o
Eh... to be fair, German isn't that different from English in many aspects, and Voss has had the questionable benefit of being stuck in England for a bit now. He could've learnt some as a means of survival, or picked some up passively...
Opera? Great moments and terrible quarter-of-an-hours. Think I'll give it a miss.
Sadly, that attitude is truly widespread, and whether you believe it or not, I wish people weren't taught it.
Saying "opera" is kind of like saying "movies": there's a wide variation between the best and the worst, and there a huge sweep of topic and genre among the best. You can go from pure bedroom farce (The Marriage of Figaro) to revolutionary propaganda (much of Verdi's work) to historical fiction (Boris Godunov) to complicated investigations of morality, corruption, and the will to power (The Ring cycle).
So don't just go to see Rogue One, come to the opera and hear Mefisto gloat about how he's going to destroy the world (https://www.youtube.com/wat...! "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKmNeOi5rlM)!") Listen to the Statue invite Don Giovanni to "have dinner with him" (https://www.youtube.com/wat... "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzQMtnjiceY)"). Watch Scarpia get his just deserts (https://youtu.be/S69kOVD8pE... "https://youtu.be/S69kOVD8pEg?t=5m27s)"). Listen to John Wellington Wells' sales pitch (https://youtu.be/Lw2bHXt8_aI) "https://youtu.be/Lw2bHXt8_aI)").
You seem to be under the impression that what people find off-putting is the story, which is a bit like assuming mime is unpopular because of how claustrophobic those boxes are or nuclear weapons are frowned upon because of how expensive they are.
It's not the plots, or the stories, or the writing, or the genres, or the drama, or the comedy, or the acting, or the pacing, or any of that that irritates people. Many of those are quite good. The problem is that in order to be able to get to any of that and be able to appreciate it, you have to listen to people singing opera.
Which means, of course, that your tastes should dominate the world? So you don't like opera -- fine, I don't much like movies -- but does that mean you should tell other people not to watch it or listen to it?
You are confusing your own tastes with what other people should like. That's my objection, not your own dislike for one of many media.
It has a great deal to do with attitudes and how one is brought up, yes. For example, my mother was an opera singer and taught voice at the Musical Conservatory of Copenhagen. To this day I enjoy much opera -- not all, because my tastes are as human as anyone else's -- but I also enjoy rock music, jazz, rap, movie soundtracks, et cetera, et cetera...
Also sometimes you can enjoy the music and singing while despising the plot. I loved The Magic Flute as a child and still like it today, only today one merely needs to mention the actual plot of the thing to make me froth at the mouth with rage. o.o On the other hand, my grandmother hated Wagner for putting music she despised to a plot she considered significant and epic. She once said that the Ring Cycle was a masterpiece, too bad about the music in it.
All in all, it is with opera as any other art form. There is a great deal of variety, no tastes are the same, and the masterpieces that stand the test of time are often jewels anyone can learn to enjoy. Prejudice alone is no reason to reject any art form whatsoever.
Sorry, when exactly did I say anything about what people's tastes should be? You were confused about why people don't like opera, so I helpfully (if snarkily) clarified it for you. "Should" never even enters the equation. That's simply what my and a large number of other people's tastes are. Its a declarative statement, not a command.
If anyone's trying to dictate what other people should or should not like, it'd be the guy who said, and I quote:
Projecting much?
Mmkay, this thread's getting a little heated (though to be honest I am entirely unsure why) so I'd just like to request that both sides remain respectful of one other. Thanks!
By the way, the nuclear arms race happened because nuclear weapons are comparatively cheap, at least when compared to ground troops. In fact, modern warfare has been dominated by a steady progression away from high-cost weapons (large armies and navies) towards much lower cost weapons (computer hacking, IEDs, drones, nukes) over the last three quarters of a century. That's why a third tier power like Russia (with an annuals GDP less that that of Italy) can still project force or threat worldwide.
Oh yes, great moments. Let's not forget the best tune ever written:
[https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOewwwDgsTk "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOewwwDgsTk")
and if the hairs on the back of your neck don't stand up for that last long chord, check your pulse because you may, in fact, be dead.
I also love Gilbert & Sulivan, although I don't think it qualifies as Grand Opera. Iolanthe is particularly underrated:
[https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQB8LYKhLog "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQB8LYKhLog")
And I like this song so much I wrote a fan fiction story about it:
[https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUXWaeYPkKA "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUXWaeYPkKA")
[http://archiveofourown.org/...](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5052862 "http://archiveofourown.org/works/5052862")
Still not sure I could sit through 3 hours of Wagner though...
Yes, I should have thought of the Pearl Fishers Duet. To hell with the last chord, if you don't start having a few feels during the chorus, you might want to check your own pulse. I hadn't ever heard Angels Guard Thee; that's truly lovely.
Here's one that I'm just learning now. The text is from A. E. Houseman's A Shropshire Lad.
[https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDoR6v8TJ1w "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDoR6v8TJ1w")
But this all beside the point. The real point is that there's a vast selection of heart-stoppingly beautiful music among the snobbish 'operatic repertory', and it's worth at least sampling it.
Verity sez: "You keep your filthy hands off off my cousin! Only I can beat him up!"
I have the strong suspicion this is not the first time Verity has put someone on the ground and demanded they apologize for being mean to Ben. Although to be fair I can also see child!Ben as that kid that tries to fight back despite being half the size of the person they're up against.
yes and yes <3
Yep, you are surrounded by people you've tried to kill, directly or otherwise... Good luck!
Soooo... Ben understands German now?
Not necessarily; he could be reacting to the "Would you believe" part of Voss's line, before he switched to German.
Though he's been living with/palling around with Wolfe for a while now, so he might've learnt some... :)
Also, the German word for English is pronounced very similar to to the English word, so Ben probably wouldn't have much trouble figuring out what was being said.
Although I totally agree that both Ben and Mal have probably picked up some German by now. Mal probably more so, since early in their travels Wolfe would still be learning English and would be more likely to slip back into German if he was upset/tired/drunk, but I could also see Ben being curious and Wolfe being delighted to teach him.
Here's the thing I just thought of today...Envy's in the Opera. Voss was arguing with the guard to try to get into the opera. And right before his old "friends" caught up with him, he's just found the back door.
And Voss might have a bone to pick with Envy....
Ah see, I told you my client would be a free man, innocent all the way.
Really, once the Judge heard of spirits or demons possessing a person in our civilized scientific age, the case was in the bag... Indeed hearsay I say.
(My have not been commenting for sometime, but indeed have been lurking and enjoying the reading of the story)
I've seen a grand total of four episodes of Get Smart and somehow I still read Voss's dialogue in panel 4 in Maxwell Smart's voice. Would you believe it?
Anyone else notice that the green tint over everything disappeared when they yanked Voss away from the building?
I am sure that in their absence, Verity will be quite happy to inflict compensatory and punitive damage instead. o.o
I think that has a long and noble history in the UK, going back to the Vikings. ;)
Should that say "<would you="" believe..=""> I can't speak English"?
Or is Voss saying "Would you believe" in English and "I can't speak English" in German?
I am fairly certain that Voss said "Would you believe" in English and "I can't speak English" in German.
Ben's reply of "There isn't a language I'd trust YOU in, Voss." seems to support that interpretation as well.
Whups.
Ooooh, just got back from a two-week holiday and catch up to find this! I can't wait!
And omg, I love Verity being the protective cousin