Mama Quiet 2016-05-25

[Catawampus]

Still no sign of Daddy Atsali. Given how quickly these assassin-types appeared right after that phone call, it's obvious that they were tipped off that Leucoisa was up to mischief. He might be facing his own troubles elsewhere if these masked minion guys are at all competent (not that they seem to be) and went after all targets simultaneously. Let's hope that it wasn't Atsali's father who did the tipping off, though, or this could get even worse than we're anticipating by having each parent on a different side of the fight and some sort of mutually assured destruction happening.

[GlytchMeister]

Still no sign of Daddy Atsali. Given how quickly these assassin-types appeared right after that phone call, it's obvious that they were tipped off that Leucoisa was up to mischief. He might be facing his own troubles elsewhere if these masked minion guys are at all competent (not that they seem to be) and went after all targets simultaneously. Let's hope that it wasn't Atsali's father who did the tipping off, though, or this could get even worse than we're anticipating by having each parent on a different side of the fight and some sort of mutually assured destruction happening.

Given Paul's penchant for gut-punchers, that seems like an entirely valid theory.

[Dave]

Still no sign of Daddy Atsali. Given how quickly these assassin-types appeared right after that phone call, it's obvious that they were tipped off that Leucoisa was up to mischief.

If that was he who was on the other end of the phone call (and was thus at a distance which required a phone call) I wouldn't expect him to arrive in time to save the day, unless he has access to a teleporter. Even at "screw the Masquerade, I'm going to fly" speeds, getting from wherever he is, to home, is likely to take at least several minutes.

My guess is that Leucoisa may have have pulled a "Number Six" - she resigned (possibly "at work") and then returned home. Her comment "I did the right thing" (as opposed to "I'm going to do the right thing") implies to me that whatever mischief she might intent, is something that she's already done (at least in part). The fact that she told Atsali to get into the secure safe room (rather than arranging for her to be somewhere else entirely) suggests that Leucoisa knew the consequences were closing in quite rapidly.

It's apparent that she was not surprised to find assassins at the door.

The baddies may have followed her home, or been dispatched by The Powers That Be in response to her having given notice.

[Catawampus]

Given Paul's penchant for gut-punchers, that seems like an entirely valid theory.

Or we could find out that they faked being dead and went into hiding. Then Katherine and Leucoisa can wrestle for custody rights. Yep.

[Dave]

Had to wonder, though.

If Atsali's parents were, in fact, instrumental in the creation of Castela, does that mean that they are...

[TazManiac]

One hard copy of 'the Shogun', unabridged, large type, has been dispatched to the Pun jar, on your behalf...

[jwhouk]

http://wapsisquare.com/comic/afternoon-tea/

It's funny, but it was this comic that I used as the bridge from Atsali's younger years to where she ended up in the orphanage:

When Atsali was a little girl, she would take a kite out in the field by her home and send it soaring in the air – pretending it was her personal pet dragon that she controlled and taught to fly.

Her imagination expanded with every book she read – one week, it was a pirate ship, as she wore a newspaper hat with her pull-along boat; the next it would be her dragging along a spider through the air as she went running off through the fields.

One day, she was sitting down to tea with a bullfrog, pretending it was a scene from The Wind In The Willows. She was happily sipping on her mug, discussing things with Mr. Toad, when the shadow of a wing appeared over her head…

---

Atsali banished the thought of that day – the day that she learned she had lost her parents.

She bit her lip as she looked out the window of the orphanage, her wings outspread.

A little girl, with rose colored hair, thorns coming from the sides of her head, and stalks for eyes, appeared in the doorway.

"Atsali, there you are! I lost you at the Library. Where did you go?"

"Nowhere!" Atsali looked down, away from the little girl. "I didn't go anywhere, okay?"

[lake_wrangler]

http://wapsisquare.com/comic/reluctant-adventure-buddy/
http://wapsisquare.com/comic/afternoon-tea/
http://wapsisquare.com/comic/little-ats ... he-dragon/

Not entirely certain... no distant shots of woodlands... but it's a fairly good bet this wasn't an urban environment. Maybe suburban... some suburbs still have wooded streams, and green fields or parks big enough to run in... but it could be out in the countryside just as easily.

I can't help but wonder, though: is it mere artistic difference, from those to now, or is the fact that she has all her teeth in those three, versus having but a few in today's strip mean that there is a gap in time between those?

[jwhouk]

I am thinking that the "Li'l Atsali" fillers were prior to this story.

[Typeminer]

Pure osmium, coated in osmium/steel alloy, coated in titanium or a steel/titanium alloy for structural integrity. Full jacket, with extra-thick structural layer at the tip. Tapered tip. Extra long length of the slug itself.

Osmium is the densest metal I could think of, and the extra long slug would give it more punch. The steel would hopefully keep it from disintegrating too fast, allowing for high penetration and low deformation.

I think osmium is the densest metal that's not radioactive, maybe even denser than natural uranium.

[TheOtherOne]

So they're assassins and not guards? In that case they deserve whatever they get. Guards are usually just poor guys (and a few gals) who are doing their job trying to keep everyone safe. But assassins are just hired killers. Still, it would seem these guys have been trained by rent-a-cop. Totally ineffective. No organization whatsoever. No blitzkrieg attack, firing in unison. Just spread out, making it easier for her to knock them off, one after another. Each would have been in the others line of fire even. Really stupid. One assumes, however she, being a paranormal, has faster reflexes and greater forward speed. But it begs the question, did those who sent them not know she was a para? If they did, why did they not send other paras instead of easy prey humans? Did they want it to go bad? Is that part of the plan? An excuse to use even greater force they were not initially granted?
"Well, look at what she did! Killed them all. She's clearly a murderous para who thinks nothing of killing humans. We need to level the place."

Last panel is cute. She is blissfully unaware of the proceedings, even the bullets. It would be funny for someone in the room with her were it not for the context. Now, what she said just macabre. I tend to agree with those who said the bullets came up through the floor. That fits the previous panel. Also, I doubt anyone was close enough to the door to get off good shots at it.

As I mentioned yesterday, these guys just keep coming out of the woodwork and typical for this sort of "action sequence". So I think I was right in that speculation. Paul is following the usual formula here. Not to mention that she is in a really short miniskirt. It's also formula that when a female is the one doing the killing, she be dressed in a sexy manner. No pants suit. The fan boys love that. Especially if there is a chance of a panty shot. At least Paul has not gone there.

Once this battle is over, does she go for the lab to get plant girl and destroy it? I initially thought this was the lab building and she was heading for the experiment room, massacring a plethora of guards along the way.. Not so sure now. If it's in another building, will she fly to get there faster? I'll go on record and say she does. Of course, she may not make it that far and expire after making sure no one will be left to kill Atsali. Dad will have to finish. Heck that may have been his part all along. She protects Atsali and he goes directly for the little weed.

[chicgeek]

A short skirt also means freedom of movement. Easier to do those roundhouse kicks in a skirt rather than jeans.
Castela is quite a bit younger than Atsali, but I'm sure there was a lot of work leading up to her development. If Blackthorns are sentient, maybe who/whatever she's derived from was being experimented on/taken apart/tortured in that lab. Or maybe there were unsuccessful experiments before Castila's creation. Probably were, rather than them getting it right on the first try. Did they live, were they destroyed as failures?
Or, there's a way this could be about Castela herself. Don't most plants start as seeds? Perhaps Castela spent a long time incubating, for lack of a better word, in a type of seed form.
Wheee, what ifing again!
Buckling my seat belt for the ride.

[Sgt. Howard]

The Atsali I see 'wooking a book' is considerably younger than the one yelling 'it's a dragon'- at least to my eye. Regarding the approach of the badasses on Mama- amateurish. Completely amateurish. Not at all how I would do it... but then, that was my training, wasn't it? If Paul is somewhat ignorant of how such things work, it is forgivable- not many people really do. If you think 'Follywood' has ever given you an accurate portrayal, well, think again. If he is showing them wrong-footed for a reason, that has not yet come into play... for that matter, we are not yet certain that Momma's gonna buy the farm in this episode.
OTOH, Paul in the past has represented a variety of back ops pretty much as they might unwind- I'm guessing he has a source he relies on for this sort of thing like any good writer would.

In short... we shall see...

[TazManiac]

I think we are given to believe Atsali and her Mom are 'at home', complete with well understood Panic Room and comfy chair to read books in.

If we are to take for granted that Mom is a Siren then her dressing in a short skirt would be both comfortable and non-guilt inducing.

Besides, as far as we know, Sirens are like VW Beatles and require Air Cooling...

[FreeFlier]

The Atsali I see 'wooking a book' is considerably younger than the one yelling 'it's a dragon'- at least to my eye. Regarding the approach of the badasses on Mama- amateurish. Completely amateurish. Not at all how I would do it... but then, that was my training, wasn't it? If Paul is somewhat ignorant of how such things work, it is forgivable- not many people really do. If you think 'Follywood' has ever given you an accurate portrayal, well, think again. If he is showing them wrong-footed for a reason, that has not yet come into play... for that matter, we are not yet certain that Momma's gonna buy the farm in this episode.
OTOH, Paul in the past has represented a variety of back ops pretty much as they might unwind- I'm guessing he has a source he relies on for this sort of thing like any good writer would.

In short... we shall see...

Leucoisa may have caught the villains off guard while they were still setting up.

And Follywood has gotten the portrayal right sometimes . . . usually by accident, or because one of the actors had "seen the elephant", which is downright rare these days.

--FreeFlier

[TheOtherOne]

The Atsali I see 'wooking a book' is considerably younger than the one yelling 'it's a dragon'- at least to my eye. Regarding the approach of the badasses on Mama- amateurish. Completely amateurish. Not at all how I would do it... but then, that was my training, wasn't it? If Paul is somewhat ignorant of how such things work, it is forgivable- not many people really do. If you think 'Follywood' has ever given you an accurate portrayal, well, think again. If he is showing them wrong-footed for a reason, that has not yet come into play... for that matter, we are not yet certain that Momma's gonna buy the farm in this episode.
OTOH, Paul in the past has represented a variety of back ops pretty much as they might unwind- I'm guessing he has a source he relies on for this sort of thing like any good writer would.

In short... we shall see...

Well, it's my contention they are shown like that to up the body count. It really has nothing to do with training. It's pure staging for action fan enjoyment. The more bodies the better seems to be the way of things. Has been for decades. Mass slaughter is the standard in both movies and manga/graphic novels/comics. Especially in the past two or three decades or so. Killing an entire SWAT team, for example, seems to be the in thing for the last few years. I've seen 3 or 4 movies and an on-line comics with that particular event. I'm sure there are many oters. Even with children. Saw one short in which two entire little league teams were killed, coaches and all. And not in a bus crash. On the field.

[AnotherFairportfan]

I am thinking that the "Li'l Atsali" fillers were prior to this story.

No. She's drawn more like a five-year-old than a three-year old, as she is here.

[AnotherFairportfan]

And Follywood has gotten the portrayal right sometimes . . . usually by accident, or because one of the actors had "seen the elephant", which is downright rare these days.

--FreeFlier

Christopher Lee asked Peter Jackson "Have you ever heard a man stabbed?"

Jackson said no.

"I have."

[FreeFlier]

And Follywood has gotten the portrayal right sometimes . . . usually by accident, or because one of the actors had "seen the elephant", which is downright rare these days.

--FreeFlier

Christopher Lee asked Peter Jackson "Have you ever heard a man stabbed?"

Jackson said no.

"I have."

The one I remember was an M16 jamming while filming . . . and the actor applied immediate action without hesitating.

When questioned, he said this was easy . . . nobody was shooting at him.

--FreeFlier

[Alkarii]

Yeah, movies rarely portray or convey that sense of "OH F**K!" that happens in a situation. I've heard that a lot of "pros" had been scared in firefights, but didn't realize it until after the danger had passed. All the training that they go through is intended to make actions like reloading or clearing a jam second nature. Same goes for CQC/CQB, and generally anything combat related.

Also, you're supposed to clean and maintain any and all weapons intended for combat or self defense to reduce the risk of jamming.

Case in point, the last time I fired my handgun, I hadn't lubricated the chamber in a while. Like, months. The rest was oiled, but I never bothered with the chamber. Because of this, powder residue built up, and rounds would not fully insert into the chamber, and it was a pain in the ass to pull the slide back.

So now, every time I've gone to the mountain since, I've oiled my gun.