No, Pan does not have legitimate points. Things are always complicated. There have been existential threats since before Rome poisoned the grounds of Carthage. And if Unity could understand that feeding a sentient swamp rather than killing it is the right thing, a mind reader should have been able to understand that shooting without verifying was evil.
Good and evil are not absolute, they are subjective and relative, but they can be argued and analyzed. Panoptica denied she has a responsibility to do so, so screw her and her Sith, er, super heroes.
I know I’m being silly, but I’m kinda annoyed at Shanneon and Jeff for making AG-I bad guys.
They’ve been forshadowinvg it off and on for a REALLY long time though. Pan threatened to squish Nick’s brain when he said he was a helicopter, not a human, remember? And she was clearly biased against nonhumans from the start of the mission. They were bad news the second they showed up.
Actually, I don’t remember that. Up until recently she was coming across to me as what TV Tropes would call a “Reasonable Authority Figure”. I either did not read that one or else missed that part of it while I was reading. (Which is a bit disturbing when you remember how short these cartoons are. ^_^; ).
I’m inclined to agree. Nick left AG-I for a reason. And while they considered Red Knight’s behavior in “Catch Me If You Can” beyond the pale, they didn’t seem worried about those caught in the crossfire. Their idea of ethics seems to be competency devoid of gauchery.
For what it’s worth, part of me share’s Thenardyr’s frustration with their villainy. The “seemingly heroic authority figures are actually a trigger-happy bunch of authoritarians” is hackneyed and overdone. With some notable exceptions (e.g.”Watchmen”) it tends to be a vehicle for an author to add a specious appearance of depth.
Panoptica’s name is itself a foreshadowing. The Panopticon is defined as a prison so constructed that the inspector can see each of the prisoners at all times, without being seen.
As well she should. She is no mere “cute dog.” She is a genetically engineered superdog fully trained in the arts of war, as well as a highly accomplished bureaucrat. (She also happens to be supercute, no doubt leading many to underestimate her.)
…says the pseudonymous internet commenter, to a bunch of other pseudonymous internet commenters whom they treat as their peers.
I guess that makes this fan community the equivalent of the Legion of Doom? A bunch of villains getting together discussing their nefarious interests in anonymity, hiding their identities even from each other! The horror!
Yes, Nick was well-shut of these AG-I jerks. Clearly he saw them for what they were. Hopefully their glitchy computer was in error when it showed “TARGET DESTROYED.”
Nick’s an advanced military aircraft, he definitely has countermeasures – and he was forewarned. They probably “destroyed” cloud of chaff he released as a decoy, while he dove away.
Even if Nick doesn’t have any decoy chaff, he could have dumped Shelby’s car as a decoy. Also, didn’t Nera hack into AG-I’s network? She could have generated that “Target Destroyed” message.
Hm… you know, if it wasn’t for the lack of military lingo, Pan would strike me as a dead ringer for Violet Bee Mark 1 behavior-wise. I wonder if she might just be another drone for Mr. Green somehow?
So. This isn’t directly related to today’s comic, but it just struck me now and I had to write it down while it’s fresh in my mind:
Jonah, a character who is known to exist in many different realities, has apparently been shot down by a group that may in fact be controlled by Anasigma. Nick, the other character who may have been shot down, might possibly have a backup of his mind stored somewhere, I don’t remember if it’s been stated in the comic, but it seems like it could happen.
Anasigma is an evil organization that regularly threatens people with “extirpation”.
“Local extinction or extirpation is the condition of a species (or other taxon) that ceases to exist in the chosen geographical area of study, though it still exists elsewhere” (from wikipedia).
So the way I see it, if the two characters most likely to exist elsewhere have in fact ceased to exist in this area, this means that after all these years, somebody has finally been extirpated.
Um, and hi! I’ve been reading Shaenon’s comics since the first roleplaying storyline in Narbonic, but this is my first comment.
She has just taken command of a privately-owned military-grade naval vessel by unlawful means. She may not be rightfully in charge, but as of this moment, she is effectively in charge. And yes, evil.
Sorry; what I meant was that she isn’t in charge because she’s just doing whatever the supercomputer tells her to do. We don’t know what’s motivating whoever gives those orders, and I don’t know if she does either.
But is she following the computer’s orders? Or is she dictating them?
She’s driven by a very vague “existential threats to the human race” that no one fully comprehends, so she’s acting on impulse. Acting — ironically, for her — without thinking.
And if she is, in fact, only following orders, it’s very possible — likely, even — that the person giving those orders is one of the very threats she thinks she’s fighting. Actually, even if she’s the one dictating the orders, she is still — whether knowing or unknowing — one of the threats.
Huh, I just noticed – Shelby fits the Bald Black Leader Guy image pretty well. He’s apparently not in command here, though that could change pretty soon.
Acknowledging that others have the same fundamental rights you do does not threaten your existence, only your privilege. Panoptica’s credibility went out the window a long time ago, but now she’s lost any sympathy I had for her.
It’s one short step to kicking puppies!
(at which point we bring out the pitchforks)
Tell it, Shelby! Handsome is as handsome does, and the same goes for ugly.
So you’ve got the good, the bad, and the ugly, then.
I have to admit that Panoptica (Should we call her Pan for short?) does have a legitimate point! ^_^
No, Pan does not have legitimate points. Things are always complicated. There have been existential threats since before Rome poisoned the grounds of Carthage. And if Unity could understand that feeding a sentient swamp rather than killing it is the right thing, a mind reader should have been able to understand that shooting without verifying was evil.
Good and evil are not absolute, they are subjective and relative, but they can be argued and analyzed. Panoptica denied she has a responsibility to do so, so screw her and her Sith, er, super heroes.
I know I’m being silly, but I’m kinda annoyed at Shanneon and Jeff for making AG-I bad guys.
Oh, you meant that Sweetheart was asking for it, didn’t you? 🙂
Yes, I did. 🙂
They’ve been forshadowinvg it off and on for a REALLY long time though. Pan threatened to squish Nick’s brain when he said he was a helicopter, not a human, remember? And she was clearly biased against nonhumans from the start of the mission. They were bad news the second they showed up.
Actually, I don’t remember that. Up until recently she was coming across to me as what TV Tropes would call a “Reasonable Authority Figure”. I either did not read that one or else missed that part of it while I was reading. (Which is a bit disturbing when you remember how short these cartoons are. ^_^; ).
I’m inclined to agree. Nick left AG-I for a reason. And while they considered Red Knight’s behavior in “Catch Me If You Can” beyond the pale, they didn’t seem worried about those caught in the crossfire. Their idea of ethics seems to be competency devoid of gauchery.
For what it’s worth, part of me share’s Thenardyr’s frustration with their villainy. The “seemingly heroic authority figures are actually a trigger-happy bunch of authoritarians” is hackneyed and overdone. With some notable exceptions (e.g.”Watchmen”) it tends to be a vehicle for an author to add a specious appearance of depth.
That said, another part of me is fine, because Skin Horse is a comedy and I have a higher opinion of Jeff and Shaenon than I do of the average author.
Panoptica’s name is itself a foreshadowing. The Panopticon is defined as a prison so constructed that the inspector can see each of the prisoners at all times, without being seen.
Hell, this is the SECOND time shr threatened to kill Nick. Maybe she just doesn’t likr him.
…….uuuugh forgive my typos this phone is glitchy af >< I need a new one
i know that feeling. Not currently an issue for me, but in the past…
Why do I feel that Sweetheart would take offense at Shelby’s descriptor?
As well she should. She is no mere “cute dog.” She is a genetically engineered superdog fully trained in the arts of war, as well as a highly accomplished bureaucrat. (She also happens to be supercute, no doubt leading many to underestimate her.)
Being cute is just one more arrow in her quiver.
As Jenny Hops points out, while it would be fine for another dog to call Sweetheart “cute”, coming from another species it’s not okay.
Any person willing to b3at up a dog is a villain in MY book.
Anyone who needs a secret identity is a villain in mine.
…says the pseudonymous internet commenter, to a bunch of other pseudonymous internet commenters whom they treat as their peers.
I guess that makes this fan community the equivalent of the Legion of Doom? A bunch of villains getting together discussing their nefarious interests in anonymity, hiding their identities even from each other! The horror!
No, that’s just a sentient BRGR Kitchen + Bar branch using the internet after hours. It thinks the rest of us are using our real names. (I am!)
Yes, Nick was well-shut of these AG-I jerks. Clearly he saw them for what they were. Hopefully their glitchy computer was in error when it showed “TARGET DESTROYED.”
Nick’s an advanced military aircraft, he definitely has countermeasures – and he was forewarned. They probably “destroyed” cloud of chaff he released as a decoy, while he dove away.
Even if Nick doesn’t have any decoy chaff, he could have dumped Shelby’s car as a decoy. Also, didn’t Nera hack into AG-I’s network? She could have generated that “Target Destroyed” message.
Hm… you know, if it wasn’t for the lack of military lingo, Pan would strike me as a dead ringer for Violet Bee Mark 1 behavior-wise. I wonder if she might just be another drone for Mr. Green somehow?
Well, they have had evil cute animals around in the past. (It’s a ways before the beginning of this, but…remember Sir Pounce?)
So. This isn’t directly related to today’s comic, but it just struck me now and I had to write it down while it’s fresh in my mind:
Jonah, a character who is known to exist in many different realities, has apparently been shot down by a group that may in fact be controlled by Anasigma. Nick, the other character who may have been shot down, might possibly have a backup of his mind stored somewhere, I don’t remember if it’s been stated in the comic, but it seems like it could happen.
Anasigma is an evil organization that regularly threatens people with “extirpation”.
“Local extinction or extirpation is the condition of a species (or other taxon) that ceases to exist in the chosen geographical area of study, though it still exists elsewhere” (from wikipedia).
So the way I see it, if the two characters most likely to exist elsewhere have in fact ceased to exist in this area, this means that after all these years, somebody has finally been extirpated.
Um, and hi! I’ve been reading Shaenon’s comics since the first roleplaying storyline in Narbonic, but this is my first comment.
There’s one critical flaw in your theory: a lack of walnuts.
Oh, crap! I knew I’d forgotten something but I didn’t have time to re-read the whole comic carefully to double-check.
Somehow I doubt it…you never know, but somehow I doubt it.
Welcome to the commentariat!
General rule, if someone says they’re beyond good and evil, they’re evil.
If someone refers to good or evil when proposing a specific course of action, they’re evil.
Kate isn’t proposing to do anything here, however, because she’s not in charge.
She has just taken command of a privately-owned military-grade naval vessel by unlawful means. She may not be rightfully in charge, but as of this moment, she is effectively in charge. And yes, evil.
Sorry; what I meant was that she isn’t in charge because she’s just doing whatever the supercomputer tells her to do. We don’t know what’s motivating whoever gives those orders, and I don’t know if she does either.
But is she following the computer’s orders? Or is she dictating them?
She’s driven by a very vague “existential threats to the human race” that no one fully comprehends, so she’s acting on impulse. Acting — ironically, for her — without thinking.
And if she is, in fact, only following orders, it’s very possible — likely, even — that the person giving those orders is one of the very threats she thinks she’s fighting. Actually, even if she’s the one dictating the orders, she is still — whether knowing or unknowing — one of the threats.
Huh, I just noticed – Shelby fits the Bald Black Leader Guy image pretty well. He’s apparently not in command here, though that could change pretty soon.
To paraphrase a comic I once read: ‘first, we were the good guys. Then we were a necessary evil. Then the ‘necessary’ got put into parentheses.’
Acknowledging that others have the same fundamental rights you do does not threaten your existence, only your privilege. Panoptica’s credibility went out the window a long time ago, but now she’s lost any sympathy I had for her.
So were you Pan. So were you.