lifespan 2012-09-19

[Boxilar]

I'm beginning to suspect that Nudge has a built in Bulls**t detector as part or her Trickster power set. As was stated yesterday, Monica is trying to justify cutting Phix out of her life. Nudge is calling her on it. From Monica's expression, I think it's pretty clear she knows Phix cares about her, and if she thought M was in danger, or that someone had killed her, Phix's fury would know no bounds.

I think Monica just had a mental image of Phix roaring into the mortal realm to exact vengance.

My bet is M's next words will be along the lines of, "No, wait!"

[Bathorys Daughter]

You know, all this has gotten me to wonder just what is "long-lived" in this context. We know Demons live billions of years, at least, but we have no idea how long sphinxes live. Using the mayfly analogy, and assuming an average human lifespan of 75 years (and an adult mayfly of 1 day), this would mean a creature would have to live well over 2 million years to be comparable. But is that reasonable? No idea. Even Bia has not yet lived anywhere near that long. We know she was just a girl when Lanthis was destroyed, so it's unlikely she is much more than 12,000 years old. OTOH, we don't know how much longer she will normally continue to live. We know the sphinxes have been around far longer than that as a species, and that they were being dispatched to other worlds long before the earth was even noticed. Shelly, of course lived 80,000 years in the time forest, but I think that was a special circumstance of her presence there. All that time may not have even counted against her "normal" sphinxy lifespan.

[scantrontb]

Even Bia has not yet lived anywhere near that long. We know she was just a girl when Lanthis was destroyed, so it's unlikely she is much more than 12,000 years old. OTOH, we don't know how much longer she will normally continue to live. We know the sphinxes have been around far longer than that as a species, and that they were being dispatched to other worlds long before the earth was even noticed. Shelly, of course lived 80,000 years in the time forest, but I think that was a special circumstance of her presence there. All that time may not have even counted against her "normal" sphinxy lifespan.

AH!, but you're forgetting the 80k+ CM Loop effect (56-57 cycles depending on how you count them), those outside the effect lived thru all those years, but those of us mundanes have only lived the last 12k with the last 1600-ish being the ones that looped over and over again.., and while that time allowed Bia to grow up (age-wise, maybe not in maturity though) Phix also has aged as well, enough to make the comment about how she "didn't like her younger self" as she was walking thru her "wall of skulls room" that and her being "low man on the totem pole" also implies she was youngest as well. and since Phix seems to have aged more than Bia it implies that the lifespan of a Sphinx is shorter than that of a Titan because she was "younger" when she took over as the guard sphinx of the Library but has since then matured into the being we know and love today. yet Bia still looks younger than her. ooh! what about Justin? he's around the same age as the gang even though he's even younger than Bia... though that "could be" explained away by his regeneration ability, he's hit his mature form and is now being kept there by it. so he's not too good of an example on second thought...

[Dave]

Nudge, you're in danger of overstating your case. How many people would use the phrase "succumb to folly" in a sentence?

Oh, I think that phrasing is a very effective way for Nudge to be saying "Yes, Monica, I'm being sarcastic here." Nudge's facial expression says it, too.

Nudge is using a very potent bit of situational akido here... turning Monica's argument against her, by pointing out that it ain't just Phix who is long-lived compared to Monica. Nudge is, too... and so are Brandi, and Bud, and Euryale, and (quite possibly) Shelly as well. Monica's argument that Phix would naturally not care about her, would apply to these others as well.

Monica's expression in the second panel makes me think that Nudge's "OK, I'll go along with your argument... now see where it gets us!" rebuttal has struck home. She can't fairly "scoff away" Phix's feelings for her, and still accept her bonds to the other long-lived characters in her life... that would be hypocritical, and I don't think Monica is a hypocrit (and as Euryale pointed out, she's no coward).

She's just scared, uncomfortable, and insecure... and she needs her friends.

[jwhouk]

And that includes our big BBQ-ribs-of-apo lovin' Sphinxy librarian.

[Wdot]

Clearly, Nudge is having too much fun! Look at that sly grin! Monica's a piece of cake compared to Phix.

[kingklash]

Just because Nudge is both designation and function, don't mean you ain't allowed to outright poke someone once in a while.

[Wdot]

Just because Nudge is both designation and function, don't mean you ain't allowed to outright poke someone once in a while.

"Once in a while!?" She could change her name to Poke or Pokey. Of course then she'd alter her fur color to yellow and make her tail all jaggety, which would result in licensing problems and balls, that would just be too much.

[Aleister Crow]

Even Bia has not yet lived anywhere near that long. We know she was just a girl when Lanthis was destroyed, so it's unlikely she is much more than 12,000 years old. OTOH, we don't know how much longer she will normally continue to live. We know the sphinxes have been around far longer than that as a species, and that they were being dispatched to other worlds long before the earth was even noticed. Shelly, of course lived 80,000 years in the time forest, but I think that was a special circumstance of her presence there. All that time may not have even counted against her "normal" sphinxy lifespan.

AH!, but you're forgetting the 80k+ CM Loop effect (56-57 cycles depending on how you count them), those outside the effect lived thru all those years, but those of us mundanes have only lived the last 12k with the last 1600-ish being the ones that looped over and over again.., and while that time allowed Bia to grow up (age-wise, maybe not in maturity though) Phix also has aged as well, enough to make the comment about how she "didn't like her younger self" as she was walking thru her "wall of skulls room" that and her being "low man on the totem pole" also implies she was youngest as well. and since Phix seems to have aged more than Bia it implies that the lifespan of a Sphinx is shorter than that of a Titan because she was "younger" when she took over as the guard sphinx of the Library but has since then matured into the being we know and love today. yet Bia still looks younger than her. ooh! what about Justin? he's around the same age as the gang even though he's even younger than Bia... though that "could be" explained away by his regeneration ability, he's hit his mature form and is now being kept there by it. so he's not too good of an example on second thought...

A thought occurs to me. Justin a.k.a. Epimethius wears glasses. So Hindsight isn't 20/20?

*tosses vintage pince-nez into the pun jar*

Clearly, Nudge is having too much fun! Look at that sly grin! Monica's a piece of cake compared to Phix.

Well, of course. Less running for one's life involved.

[Julie]

You know, all this has gotten me to wonder just what is "long-lived" in this context. Edited for length.Even Bia has not yet lived anywhere near that long. We know she was just a girl when Lanthis was destroyed, so it's unlikely she is much more than 12,000 years old.

AH!, but you're forgetting the 80k+ CM Loop effect (56-57 cycles depending on how you count them), those outside the effect lived thru all those years, but those of us mundanes have only lived the last 12k with the last 1600-ish being the ones that looped over and over again.., and while that time allowed Bia to grow up (age-wise, maybe not in maturity though) Phix also has aged as well, enough to make the comment about how she "didn't like her younger self" as she was walking thru her "wall of skulls room" that and her being "low man on the totem pole" also implies she was youngest as well. and since Phix seems to have aged more than Bia it implies that the lifespan of a Sphinx is shorter than that of a Titan because she was "younger" when she took over as the guard sphinx of the Library but has since then matured into the being we know and love today. yet Bia still looks younger than her. ooh! what about Justin? he's around the same age as the gang even though he's even younger than Bia... though that "could be" explained away by his regeneration ability, he's hit his mature form and is now being kept there by it. so he's not too good of an example on second thought...

Are we forgetting that Bia can change her form and age with the people around her if she chooses? Who says that she was really a child when the chimera made everything go "BOOM!"? Just a thought...

[TheDOCTOR]

Yup, Looks like Nudge is "getting the Band back together".

[Mark N]

Are we forgetting that Bia can change her form and age with the people around her if she chooses? Who says that she was really a child when the chimera made everything go "BOOM!"? Just a thought...

Another way to think about her is how long does it take for an immortal of her species to mature. She could spend 20,000 years as a child and 30,000 as a teenager before becoming an adult and holding her looking that age for the rest of eternity for all we know

[foilgirl82]

Nothing much to add, except that Monica's expression in panel 1 looks remarkably similar to Phix's in panel 2 of "Her Drama" from 8/30/12 (can't figure out how to post links using my phone!) I'm not sure if that expression is guilt, self-pity, or both.

[bmonk]

I see that Nudge, having gotten Phix our of her phixation on her momentary weakness, is now well along in nudging Monica out of her funk of feeling miserable for herself. It's so good to see a master at work--as long as the master is working on others rather than on oneself.

[drops a packet of needles in the pun jar--just in case anyone misses the point.]

[Dave11]

I see that Nudge, having gotten Phix our of her phixation on her momentary weakness, is now well along in nudging Monica out of her funk of feeling miserable for herself. It's so good to see a master at work--as long as the master is working on others rather than on oneself.

[drops a packet of needles in the pun jar--just in case anyone misses the point.]

I think you forgot part of your deposit there...no fair punning in the payment.

[Fairportfan]

Heh. The Hairy Deity would make a great book title.

"Harry, the Deity"?

[Bathorys Daughter]

AH!, but you're forgetting the 80k+ CM Loop effect (56-57 cycles depending on how you count them), those outside the effect lived thru all those years, ...

Indeed I did forget that. Oopsie.

[as363]

@FairportFan

"Harry the Deity"

Only if Clint Eastwood plays Harry - - "You got a problem with that punk - Well do ya ?

[Fairportfan]

@FairportFan

"Harry the Deity"

Only if Clint Eastwood plays Harry - - "You got a problem with that punk - Well do ya ?

Nah - sequel to Harry and the Hendersons.

[Fairportfan]

@FairportFan

"Harry the Deity"

Only if Clint Eastwood plays Harry - - "You got a problem with that punk - Well do ya ?

Nah - sequel to Harry and the Hendersons.