Sign Of Weakness 2012-09-05

[Jabberwonky]

The one time I tried playing a theremin, I ended up qualifying for membership in the Portsmouth Sinfonia (and their version of the William Tell Overture might be a good candidate for his week's trickster-chase).

Ooh! I'm so jealous. I've never even been in the room with a theramin, let alone allowed to play with it.
I do have a long-time friend named Theron, but you'd have to play him more like bagpipes. And I'm not blowing into anything on him...

[Dave]

Well said. I think there's another element here, too. Phix, in her own bloody way, was having herself a pity party when Nudge wandered in.

"Monica didn't need to see that."

Phix thinks she's alienated Shelly at this point, and with her senses would have heard Monica's scream and Eyrale comforting her, even while she was neck deep in 'Splody Head's ribcage. She knows Monica is terrified of her now. From her perspective, two people who mean a lot to her now want nothing to do with her, so she was busy building up walls around her heart (Because she could not fill the chasm, sorry, couldn't stop myself) and Nudge is busy tearing them back down, accusing Phix of being everything she WANTS to be very badly right now. Nudge knows Phix isn't the emotionless killing machine she's accusing her of being.

Remember, Nudge saw Phix cry.

Phix is so mad because it hurts so much.

Yup.

I think Phix is very well aware that her actions (and inactions and silences) have led to a really major set of hurts and rifts... and yet, left to herself, she was likely to just sit back quietly in her "librarian" persona, and not take the initiative to address matters and reach out to those she has affected. She woguld just wait for others (Monica and Shelly) to come to her, as she has done over the last umpteen-thousand years of enforced Library duty. And, as y'all have pointed out, she'd be likely to encyst herself emotionally with "well, this is just how sphinxes are" justification and rationalization, and never take real responsibility for her own behavior.

She could lose Monica permanently that way. Possibly Shelly, too.

What Nudge is doing, by hurling all of these over-the-top accusations, is to force Phix completely out of her usual "retreat into an academic shell" pattern. She's making the "retreat, wait, and manipulate" position look as nasty and loathsome as she can, and forcing Phix to feel just how much she would stand to lose by retreating in that way. She's goading Phix into doing something about the situation (even if that something is a very sincere attempt to rip Nudge into tiny shreds). I suspect her goal is to (1) survive, and then (2) push Phix in a direction of "doing something" which actually involves reaching out actively to Shelly and Monica.

It's really harsh medicine, painful for Phix and dangerous for Nudge... but if it's to be done at all, now is probably the right time. In the end, this may have been the only way to keep Phix from spending the next few centuries sulking in a corner and marinating in self-pity, and to get Phix to take active responsibility for mending the rifts and "building bridges" and doing whatever it takes to regain Monica and Shelly's trust.

[jerbic041157]

Feets Don't Fail Me Now!!!!!!!!!!!

[TheDOCTOR]

Am I the only one hearing the Benny Hill music?

Yeah, That works but then I first thought of this
around 4:21. Yeah I know its childish but its basic Chase Music.

[Boxilar]

Looking at the strip, I don't think Nudge is running aimlessly, hoping Phix will run out of mad. The way she tossed insults over her shoulder in the first panel, almost in an aside kind of way, coupled with the look of concentration forward as she delivers the final accusation of the strip tells me she has a plan, and has had one from the moment she walked into the scene of carnage in "By Morning Light". Probably even before that. Tricksters don't take chances when they don't have to.

And Nudge presumably spent the night sitting on the rock talking with Shelly. Wonder what those two might have come up with?

Me thinks the game is afoot. Or ahoof. Or alionpaw. Or awing.

*clink* *Clank* *CLUNK*

[Boxilar]

Am I the only one hearing the Benny Hill music?

Yeah, That works but then I first thought of this
around 4:21. Yeah I know its childish but its basic Chase Music.

This is what I was hearing in my mind's ear,

[Dave]

And Nudge presumably spent the night sitting on the rock talking with Shelly. Wonder what those two might have come up with?

Me thinks the game is afoot. Or ahoof. Or alionpaw. Or awing.

This does feel as if something has been set up... Nudge's barbed accusations seem too well directed to be "off the cuff". She clearly expected to get the reaction she did!

Maybe, get Phix mad, lure her outside of the Library where her "own turf" advantage no longer applies, then confront her?

Possibly, now that Shelly is aware that she is half-Titan, she might have some access to additional strengths or abilities which could enable her to over-awe even a ragingly angry Phix? (seems like a long shot, given how much trouble Shelly has been having just controlling her basic sphinx morphing... but maybe she can up-size more now?)

[Bathorys Daughter]

Yes, it's all very nice to get Phix to see the error of her ways, but is it best for Phix herself? I mean, she still has to deal with all those Apos (and who knows what other threats there are out there). None of them have Phix's pacifist POV about things, nor the benefit of Nudge's shock theraphy. That can be really dangerous for Phix. It's one thing to hold out a facade of civilized behavior for the benefit of the lesser beings like Monica, but quite another to take it to heart. She said any sphinx who doesn't watch their back deserves whatever they get. If she begins believing her pacifist/caring attitude in her heart of hearts she will be showing true weakness to the Apos, not just an apparent weakness that caused whats-her-name to lose her head (among other things). Sphinxes can't afford to have real feelings for others because that becomes an opening for another one to take her out. And they will because she will begin to doubt herself, hesitating at a crucial moment. Self doubt and real, heartfelt out-in-the-open caring is death to a sphinx among sphinxes.

[chibichibi01]

Yes, it's all very nice to get Phix to see the error of her ways, but is it best for Phix herself? I mean, she still has to deal with all those Apos (and who knows what other threats there are out there). None of them have Phix's pacifist POV about things, nor the benefit of Nudge's shock theraphy. That can be really dangerous for Phix. It's one thing to hold out a facade of civilized behavior for the benefit of the lesser beings like Monica, but quite another to take it to heart. She said any sphinx who doesn't watch their back deserves whatever they get. If she begins believing her pacifist/caring attitude in her heart of hearts she will be showing true weakness to the Apos, not just an apparent weakness that caused whats-her-name to lose her head (among other things). Sphinxes can't afford to have real feelings for others because that becomes an opening for another one to take her out. And they will because she will begin to doubt herself, hesitating at a crucial moment. Self doubt and real, heartfelt out-in-the-open caring is death to a sphinx among sphinxes.

That's a thought. Who's to say that one of the Apos wouldn't try to kill M to get at Phix? M is, after all, full of some pretty manipulative demons.

EDIT: Everyone you care for leaves an opening for someone to hurt you

[eee]

I finally had to register, just to say: The Barber of Seville. From "The Rabbit of Seville", with Elmer chasing Bugs relentlessly through the opera house, and constantly getting the worst of it... If Phix winds up in a barber's chair with Nudge standing behind her in smock and with clippers, I will squee...

Also, Nudge is REALLY throwing gasoline on the fire here. I'm sure she knows what she's doing. I just hope she can get it done before Phix reaches her...

[zachariah]

Rah, Rah, Ree,
Flee nudge, flee
Rah, Rah, Ras,
Phix eats your ass.

Nudge has flees?

Only if her feet's don't fail her now!
Mind you if she was fleaing she would be jumping not running.

[sheik]

My vote for the background music.

[Leak]

Am I the only one hearing the Benny Hill music?

I'm pretty sure that's too upbeat for this chase...

My vote goes to this, or this, or this, or this...

[BallBearingMousetrap]

"And everything I'm saying is a lie, isn't it? Now go out there and prove it."

[Dave]

My vote for the background music.

Well, if we're into sharp-edge dancing, how about this one? Phix's claws may qualify...

"And everything I'm saying is a lie, isn't it? Now go out there and prove it."

Exactly!

[Julie]

Wow! I don't check my comics for three days and this is what I come back to?? I kept trying to click the "Next" button even though it was grayed out...desperately wishing there was more. I'm not sure how the rest of you have stayed sane doing this one page at a time.

(Though admittedly imagining this sequence with the Benny Hill theme does make it less stressful )

[Wdot]

I've liked all the suggestions of soundtracks/chase music. Thank you for the interesting choices. I think I prefer 'Yakity Sax,' because like Julie said it reduces the stress! Well here's my choices, some repeats, oh well.

• Yakity Sax
  Eye of The Tiger
  Gonna Fly Now
  Blood On The Risers
  Time For Me To Fly
  Take It On The Run
  Running With The Devil
  Riders On The Storm
  The Running Man theme
  Breakin the Law
  The Ace of Spades
  Wave of Mutilation
  Copperhead Road
  CHARIOTS of FIRE
  The Danger Zone
  Conan the barbarian soundtrack - 1 anvil of crom
  The Flower of Carnage
  Stylo
  Edit The Road Runner theme song as suggested and reminded by NOTDilbert

[Dave]

Wow! ... I'm not sure how the rest of you have stayed sane doing this one page at a time.

Objection, Your Honor. Claim is without basis.

[Mark N]

Yes, it's all very nice to get Phix to see the error of her ways, but is it best for Phix herself? I mean, she still has to deal with all those Apos (and who knows what other threats there are out there). None of them have Phix's pacifist POV about things, nor the benefit of Nudge's shock theraphy. That can be really dangerous for Phix. It's one thing to hold out a facade of civilized behavior for the benefit of the lesser beings like Monica, but quite another to take it to heart. She said any sphinx who doesn't watch their back deserves whatever they get. If she begins believing her pacifist/caring attitude in her heart of hearts she will be showing true weakness to the Apos, not just an apparent weakness that caused whats-her-name to lose her head (among other things). Sphinxes can't afford to have real feelings for others because that becomes an opening for another one to take her out. And they will because she will begin to doubt herself, hesitating at a crucial moment. Self doubt and real, heartfelt out-in-the-open caring is death to a sphinx among sphinxes.

I agree with you on this. but there is one thing that will stop any self interested Sphinx from trying to harm Phix, the fact that her granddaughter is a Titan and very protective of those she loves. But simply, harming Phix would lead to a nasty vendetta on the Apos.

[kingklash]

Anybody suggest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfDqR4fqIWE Powerhouse yet?