March 20th, 2018
20 Mar 2018 · page 781 of 1306
If you're going to do the protagionist thing properly, Mal, you gotta get more savvy than that.
Cast: Harriet Barber, Jack O'Malley
Comments (97)
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Easy there, Mal, don't get cocky.
Seeing all the doors gain makes me wonder if he gets to decorate his like the others eventualy.
And who's going to come through the 4th (green?) door
My bet is that it's luxurias door. Seems like the big end game kind of thing he would have planned. Arrange the escape of his fellow sins to get a witch back to widdershins so he could be "captured" and sent to that witch room so he could steal a door.
That would be very cool, but not sure how he/she would steal a door. Then again, we still don't really know much about how the doors work, so could happen!
We also don't know what all Luxuria has been up to in the years since he tangled with henry barber and freed himself of the limits of the necklace. He has been a fully manifested spirit with a will and intelligence for a long time now, several decades i believe, so for all we know he has learned quite a bit about how the doors work. I mean if i were him i wouldn't like the idea that a witch could seal me away again, i'd learn a way to at worst counter it, or at best make myself immune to being desummoned.
We know that each of the doors corresponds to one of the witches of one of the anchors. So whomever it will be, it will be a witch of a fourth anchor.
Maybe it's already the way he wants it. Nothin' fancy.
Mal there, wildly tempting the gods of storytelling.
Oh come on, the odds of anything going wrong are one in a Million.
And you get those odds nine times out of ten...
So what you're saying then, is, that it just might work?
Somebody has to say it out loud, though.
Never tell me the odds!
But feel free to let us know the evens.
...I apologise for nothing.
Hisss
What do you expect in a world populated largely by anthropomorphic personifications?
Him and Wolfe both.
That pipe she's smoking is a concern
I'm worrying her gun is crossing the border of the circle :((
Long as it doesn't break the outline it shouldn't matter
Going off the picture above, it is breaking the circle. There is a gap above it.
The barrel of a firearm tends to be thinner than the body, such that when laid on its side as in the picture the barrel should be above the floor rather than on it. Thus the line would not be broken.
Still not a good idea to leave it there. Metal objects can scrape away markings quite easily.
I've gotten the impression that Mal's the only one who can draw on this floor.
Don't get cocky, son.
facepalm
I have a worry here... Is lust going to use Wolfe against Mal?
I has been afraid of that for a long time... since the end of Pride part, maybe.
I dunno but the Parameters of "Lust" have been kind of wibbly depending on Writer-to-Writer. I think it's supposed to mean the "Eros" or "Mania" side of the whole Greek Love Scale- Sexual love bordering on Obsession- that is suppose to be the actual SIN but some writer's have used it for the whole thing. Agappe/Storge (Brotherly love and Familial love) included. So keeping that in mind I would place Mal's affections for Wolfe solidly in the non-sexual side of the Greek Definitions.
But Luxuria is pretty damn good at manipulating the affections people have for each other to their Benefit so honestly there is No assurance of Safety for any of Mal or Harry's loved ones. 8/
I mean Lust has also historically been associated with anger and blood lust (hell its in the name of the term).
Both Mal and Harry have people they care deeply about in the outside team - for Mal, his two closest companions who are as much family as friends, and for Harry, the man she's falling in love with and an old partner who, rivalry aside, she still probably wouldn't want to see anything bad happen to. This could be dangerous on all kinds of levels.
On Harry's side, I would imagine her family to be the most obvious source she cares deeply about. And there are the little kid nephews and nieces out there too...
The only hope in this regard is that Lux doesn't know about Harry in the Anchor.
Considering Lux's actions in the past? this guy is like master of the Victorian-Era Xanatos Gambit.
Oh, I agree it is a weak hope, but Lux did ask Wolfe about Mal (and apparently didn't know he is ace) so I think there is a chance of that, if very little.
Lux may have guessed Mal isn’t alone, though - they have to have noticed that the other Sins are getting desummoned, which requires the presence of a Barber.
Yeah, I have a thought about that. Mal wasn't sure about that (necessity of Barber's presence at binding), but Isabelle said that clearly. Well, too bad. :/
Yes, that's a big worry. And we don't know where Acedia's gotten to, but she knows where the farm is, because she hijacked Henry and Izzy's carriage there...
And we know Acedia has no qualms about mistreating children. :/
Or for glory...to be the Hunter for whom the family is known, in her own right...
Caring about someone deeply is most definitely not the sin of lust, unless it's in the form of an obsessive desire for possessing that person. We'd call that 'stalking or control' in our time, and, yes, that is definitely a sin -- a form of lust. Rational love between persons is not a sin, but the complementary virtue.
In fact, rational and controlled sexual desire is not a sin, but a virtue. It's the irrational or uncontrolled form which is a problem...
The thing is that with the sins lose in the physical plane they have the ability to magnify their given sin to the point it is an obsession. And if Lust is able to get a hold of someone either Mal or Harry cares about, it could use threats to them to try and make either do what it wants.
>Caring about someone deeply is most definitely not the sin of lust
No, and that wasn’t what I was thinking about with that comment - more the possibility that non_canon mentions, of them being used as hostages to control Mal and/or Harry.
Well, love hasn't to be of sexual kind for Luxuria using it for its purposes as it used love of Invidia to Superbia and Isabelle to Henry. Its words that it doesn't "know anything about it [love]" are remarkable, though.
As a bit of offtop, I wonder if Latin language has all these terms for different kinds of love as Greek one has.
Re-read chapter 6. This version of Lust is not necessarily sexual or romantic only, nor does it necessarily play on someone's affections for another. (https://www.widdershinscomi... "https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/june-12th-2015/)")
Izzy puts it well here ( [https://www.widdershinscomi...](https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/august-12th-2015/ "https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/august-12th-2015/") ) - Luxuria knows “exactly what you want and what you’ll do to get it.”
"Luxuria" (lust) is not just cupidity, lust for another's person, but any intense and irrational longing for something not material. (Greed is the sin of irrational longing for material things.) Thus, lust for power, money, etc. Wolfe's besetting sin is definitely cupidity -- in this case, for women in general and particularly for redheads -- but Vee's besetting sin is a lust for recognition (which shows up as pride as well.)
Thus, although Mal is ace, and therefore (stereotypically) immune to cupidity, he could be vulnerable to any other form of the sin. We just don't know.
Aaaaah okay that makes a lot more sense. Never got any formal education in the "7 Deadlies" beyond Pop Culture and General media and that just focuses on the Sexual aspects of Luxuria. (See: Dragon Age, Full Metal Alchemist Etc,) so things can get horribly muddled. thanks for the Clarification! :D
Luxuria is very good at playing human's emotions against them. Mal may be Ace but he most definitely cares about Wolfe. If Luxuria were to finangle Wolfe into some sort of bad situation as a hostage Mal may have to make a very hard decision.
Where's that definition from? I've heard a lot of definitions for "luxuria" (anything from the old-school "any overindulgence in anything at all" to the strict Catholic "disordered desire for or inordinate pleasure from sex"), but I've never heard that material/immaterial split. It's a nice way to divide Lust and Greed as concepts since the division never is really clear if you expand lust beyond purely sexual desire. Is that a modern reconception?
Also, doesn't cupidity usually mean wanting money, not wanting sex?
The broader definition of Lust is quite old: the usage of "lust for power" is not modern, for instance. I rather thought that the conception of Lust and Greed as being about the kind of object was medieval...but Freshman Philosophy was a long, long time ago, and I could well be wrong.
I misused cupidity, you're right. Perhaps I meant concupiscence?
eg, the Arkenstone (or any real-world example of jewels with such inherent charisma as to appear practically mystical, magical influences or not...)
You probably need to fill Mal in on some of Lust's history, Harry. He wasn't at the family meeting. The Mountain Witch said that she & the Island Witch would arrive eventually ... sooner would be better.
And maybe even a surprise appearance by the Deep Sea Anglerfish Witch!
Da... dagnabbit, Mal.
Murphy's Law Invoked. They're so Doomed.
One would think you'd be getting at least a titch genre savvy by now, O'Malley. Ah well.
Mal and Ben both need a lesson in Not Tempting Fate By Saying Things Like That...
I feel like this whole day has been that for Ben. Mal is apparently about to start on the learning process.
Something else I'm still worried about is Wolfe's remark here ( [https://www.widdershinscomi...](https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/april-4th-2016/ "https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/april-4th-2016/") ) when he was teasing Mal about getting up early - "This cannot be my friend Mal at all, but a fiend in a most clever disguise!"
Really not a good thing to say when you're about to be facing an enemy with shape-shifting powers...
Oh dear, I did think of that. When Lux is defeated, he shows up in the circle as Wolfe. What does Mal do then?
Every time I see Mal being The Witch, I can't help but think of this comic:
[https://endling.deviantart....](https://endling.deviantart.com/art/Teef-243683793 "https://endling.deviantart.com/art/Teef-243683793")
That little critter is totally a buggerup!
It's 'protagonist' in my dialect (Standard American English), not 'protagionist'. Perhaps British English is different?
No, but British (and other) people have been known to mispronounce words they are unfamiliar with. I think this was a joke on Kate's part about Mal's complete lack of familiarity with even the vocabulary of genre awareness.
you're all making some very kind assumptions about my typo, which i appreciate
"I'm not worried about how this sin is going to affect me."
Mal. You can't do anything to it until your friends have survived and beaten it. Wolfe is out there. VERITY is out there. You think those two aren't ripe for Lust to influence?
This is all true except for the fact that Lux itself may not, in fact, be "out there"... and I'm pretty worried about what kind of plans it may be planning. In fact you could say they are already one down, since Wolfe has already fallen for it and given it information. 😟
"At least it isn't raining."
I think that's my cue! :D
[https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdxqBnu3S-8 "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdxqBnu3S-8")
I get you Mal, it's not my sin either. Ace pride~
Mine either!
me too! Ace pride in the house
My friends and my webcomics have been teaching me about some of these terms. "Ace" is shorthand for "asexual", meaning no desire for sexual intimacy (I think). I am curious how this works. Is "aceness" something that has always been present in one's life? How does one know? I take it that plenty of people have said that "you'll find The One someday who will change your mind"? What do you think of that?
I genuinely mean no disrespect, but am trying to understand "the rules" of some of these new (to me) terms and concepts. I gather that they are a normal part of the human experience and have always been present in all human cultures, but expressed differently due to societal norms. Any and all insight you and other Ace persons care to provide will be greatly appreciated.
Yes, asexual ("ace") means, basically, that you don't experience sexual desire. Like anything else, there are variations - some people who identify as ace are only interested in physical intimacy after they've developed a close relationship with their partner, and others want nothing to do with it at all, plus a wide range in between. The Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) has a good summary here: [https://www.asexuality.org/...](https://www.asexuality.org/?q=overview.html "https://www.asexuality.org/?q=overview.html")
Personally, I think I've always been ace, but I didn't recognize it until a few years ago when I came across something about asexuality online and said "Wait a minute, that sounds like me!" I'd dated a little before that, but I was never as into the kissing thing as I thought I should be, and it was a relief to finally understand why. I'm happy to appreciate an attractive face from a distance, but I don't have any interest in seeing a guy with his shirt off (and certainly not his pants).
Cool, thanks!
To be honest, we should really say it is probably different for every person...
Also to be honest, finding "The One" might just turn out to be a really painful experience, because there's no use going forward in a romantic relationship there.
Is "aceness" something that has always been present in one's life?
As far as I can tell, yes. 28 years old now and never seen any point in anything involving sex/romantic relationships.
How does one know?
When I was 19 I had a conversations with a friend who was in one of his phases. He would often find something interesting to him and work it into every conversation. In this case, human sexuality. I got frustrated about being completely unable to talk to him so I pulled up human sexuality on wikipedia and found Asexual there. I then spent 4 days pouring over AVEN. It just felt correct. It wasn't a slow realization, the description just... fit somehow. I spent 4 days confirming.
I take it that plenty of people have said that "you'll find The One someday who will change your mind"?
Honestly, only a few. I'm male, which may matter, I don't know.
What do you think of that?
I find it annoying. I have never dated (I identify as an Aromantic Asexual), never desired any relationship beyond friendship and I honestly don't understand the appeal of going farther than that. So why do you think meeting some random person will change all that?
Thank you for the insight. :-)
Happy to help. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.
Carnal lust may not be your sin, but you shouldn't underestimate Luxuria's flexibility. One can lust for power, for adventure, to wander...
Fun fact - in a campaign I DM, I once got my player's ace character the same way. He was all "Oh I'm totally immune!" and then completely blew his stealth mission by giving in to his Lust for knowledge. Never write Lust off as just carnal, folks.
Don't ya just hate getting the trainee protagonist at the check out line? I know I do....
Having read through all the comments and not seen it, I feel compelled.
ahem
What's the worst that could happen?
Feeling stupid, or just plain sleepy. Where did the tiny chest come from? Didn't greed do something to Harry's pipe?
The chest was a gift from the Mountain Witch. See [https://www.widdershinscomi...](https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/september-28th-2016/ "https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/september-28th-2016/")
Greed went into the other pipe, the one he had originally touched. This is her 'regular' pipe, not the one touched by greed. At least, that is what I think.
Yes, I thought it was a different pipe, and thanks for the reference on the chest. How DO you guys keep track of which panel it was? You are amazing!
That's how -
[https://www.widdershinscomi...](https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn-storyline/curtain-call/ "https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn-storyline/curtain-call/")
Archives :)
Nah, Mal's doing the protagonist thing correctly: contractual genre blindness is a part of the package.
Mal, you saw what happened when Ben was tempting fate earlier, come on!
That moment when you know the other shoe is going to drop...
Oh no.
My prediction:
Inevitably, things follow Ms. Barber's expectations instead of O'Malley's, so Ms. Barber must use the chest to have the time to summon Greed and take advantage of its deal. Perhaps she frees Gluttony as a part of the deal, which explains why Alexa gave her the phone. Or maybe this is way off. Either way, THRILLED to see how this goes down!
Our lil'Mal has learned to draw even circle. Good for you.
What a round circle! Congrats Mal!
Oh, boy. Batten down the hatches, people... this one's gonna be rough.
O'Malley you bloody fool, you said the cursed words