Comic for May 5th, 2013

[BadFoMo]

Ghostly Embrace

[JMadoc]

From the way this page is drawn, I can't help but feel this is...

... a trap.

[Siques]

Did the glowing become brighter? I think there is something bad happening...

[EvilNinjadude]

Hang on, going by Occam's Razor, the fact that Laura has to be persuaded implies that she cannot be an Illusion.
Keith is not so twisted as to want to have a wife who cannot accept the fact that she is real, and has to be forced to pretend she is, quite the opposite. Keith would have to be insane, which he isn't. Yet.


This page hasn't taken that into consideration, has it? We must go derper.

[fearpils]

somehow, this can only end bad. for someone. but this page was awesome, if it wasn't for the text. the text was sad. Kinda tormenting to read it.

[unsteddyPhoenix]

I really like this page, even when I hate everything that's happening on it. Damn you Tom and your artistic genius.

Hang on, going by Occam's Razor, the fact that Laura has to be persuaded implies that she cannot be an Illusion.
Keith is not so twisted as to want to have a wife who cannot accept the fact that she is real, and has to be forced to pretend she is, quite the opposite. Keith would have to be insane, which he isn't. Yet.

I am like 95% certain that that is completely intentional on Tom's part. We have to accept that Keith really is that desperate, and therefore crazy. Occams razor would make it an illusion anyway. If the question is "did the illusion spell make an illusion", what's the simplest answer gonna be?

Now what's interesting is the last panel where the illusion referenced it's own spell (desire). That can't be anything BUT ominous. It's now clear that Keith is completely devoted to the (probably) illusion. He's completely lost all his rational. The Keith dying theory is beginning to look more and more viable. :/

[Zylver]

Very emotional page, it is very moving even if this might end up badly. But let that be for the next time... or after that.
Can't wait till the next page and the oncoming events!

[TKSI]

Oh dear...this will not end well...

I love this page and I also like KxL, but yeah, this is definitely a trap...

[AndreRhineDavis]

Yeah, I also noticed Laura's glow is brighter.


Seriously though, this is a really tragic time for Keith. I don't know how Tom will go from here, it's hard to imagine Keith dying due to his centrality to so many of the story arcs (why start the whole ambassador thing just to kill Keith off here? And what of Keith and Natani?), but this is really Keith at his weakest, most emotional, and most vulnerable. Whatever happens, his character is going to undergo a development and "move on" in some manner when this is over.

And yeah, Laura questioning her existence probably reflects Keith's rational mind doubting Laura is real conflicting with his emotional mind desiring it to be so. (Assuming Laura is actually an illusion).

[RedDwarfIV]

Damn. Tom really has it in for Keith.

Until proven wrong, I'm going to be stubborn and say that this is Laura but with influences from the illusion. She glows brighter when Keith wants something from her because that's what the Heart's Desire spell does, so Keith straight out telling Laura that he seriously wants her to stay is empowering the spell and forcing more of the illusion personality onto Laura's.

[Since the illusion and Laura do seem to have distinct personalities - one is what Keith wants her to be (regardless of how creepy the illusion looked,) whilst the other is... well, Laura.]

[EvilNinjadude]

Hang on, going by Occam's Razor, the fact that Laura has to be persuaded implies that she cannot be an Illusion.
Keith is not so twisted as to want to have a wife who cannot accept the fact that she is real, and has to be forced to pretend she is, quite the opposite. Keith would have to be insane, which he isn't. Yet.

I am like 95% certain that that is completely intentional on Tom's part. We have to accept that Keith really is that desperate, and therefore crazy. Occams razor would make it an illusion anyway. If the question is "did the illusion spell make an illusion", what's the simplest answer gonna be?

It's not. The question people started posing was "Did Laura's spirit take over the Illusion". Of course the bloody Illusion spell created an Illusion, I'm not dumb or anything.
(See other arguments in those threads)

Also, Keith can't be crazy yet! uh, why, you ask? Well, because I... don't think... it's time for him to... Never mind, he might be absolutely bonkers after all.


EDIT: Ninja Red knows exactly what I'm talking about.

[unsteddyPhoenix]

Hang on, going by Occam's Razor, the fact that Laura has to be persuaded implies that she cannot be an Illusion.
Keith is not so twisted as to want to have a wife who cannot accept the fact that she is real, and has to be forced to pretend she is, quite the opposite. Keith would have to be insane, which he isn't. Yet.

I am like 95% certain that that is completely intentional on Tom's part. We have to accept that Keith really is that desperate, and therefore crazy. Occams razor would make it an illusion anyway. If the question is "did the illusion spell make an illusion", what's the simplest answer gonna be?

It's not. The question people started posing was "Did Laura's spirit take over the Illusion". Of course the bloody Illusion spell created an Illusion, I'm not dumb or anything.
(See other arguments in those threads)

Ok yes, well, you know what I mean. The simplest answer to that question is still "no", I think.

[Since the illusion and Laura do seem to have distinct personalities - one is what Keith wants her to be (regardless of how creepy the illusion looked,) whilst the other is... well, Laura.]

Since Keith "wants" the illusion to be Laura, and not his ideal woman, I would say the illusion is behaving just how Keith would expect Laura to behave. Keith probably doesn't know Laura well enough to give a really accurate representation of her personality after their time apart but the thing is, we know even less about her. In other words, if their personalities were distinct we sure as hell wouldn't be able to tell.

Although...Laura appeared not as herself exactly, but as a younger version of herself. I guess Keith is just a tiny bit superficial. I wonder if that implication was intentional.

[EvilNinjadude]

Keith probably doesn't know Laura well enough to give a really accurate representation of her personality after their time apart but the thing is, we know even less about her. In other words, if their personalities were distinct we sure as hell wouldn't be able to tell.

Ooooh. My dear boy, I dare say my argument was fallacious. Please forgive me.

Although...Laura appeared not as herself exactly, but as a younger version of herself. I guess Keith is just a tiny bit superficial. I wonder if that implication was intentional.

Heeh. (*smirks*)
Aren't we all kinda idealist when it comes to love? Have you ever read Eragon? (I think the second or third book features a remarkable scene in du Weldenwarden, the context of which is highly appropriate here)


If any of you haven't, ask. Like jokes, I like leaving references without an explanation until people indicate they want to hear it.

[Serizawa]

So my theory correct,The true laura will not be able to make decision.
'How can you be sure im really me'<-----Illusion?
'No amount of imagination will be able to replace you'<----He is controlling the illusion
'One of my friend is able to do something'<--probably trace.
'if thats what you really desire'<---I am expecting keith to be back stab by laura.
the illusion release keith life(magic) to balance the area back.BUT!

Objection! I object my own theory as
there are contradiction,The illusion is able to grasp Keith clothes!Its able to slap keith!its a real physical matter,
souls,magic who dont have a body arent able to do this.

So focus on the last panel,I have a new theory!

Spoiler!

This quote,ITS EPHEMURAL!

Anyone think thats its ephemural? she grant whishes to others people~
Remember what she did to posses Flora?By Manipulating mortal soul(emotion)

[Zylver]

Since Keith "wants" the illusion to be Laura, and not his ideal woman, I would say the illusion is behaving just how Keith would expect Laura to behave. Keith probably doesn't know Laura well enough to give a really accurate representation of her personality after their time apart but the thing is, we know even less about her. In other words, if their personalities were distinct we sure as hell wouldn't be able to tell.

Although...Laura appeared not as herself exactly, but as a younger version of herself. I guess Keith is just a tiny bit superficial. I wonder if that implication was intentional.

That's true, since the last time they've spent together a lot of time was when Keith got exiled and washed ashore on Fox Territory, Laura must be younger, much more innocent than she actually met him on the Islands. Also, Keith had a lot of emotional impact caused by the presence of Laura not long ago, so probably that's why the illusion could have been so indistinguishable from the real Laura.
However, I still think that Laura's ghost somehow got "captured" or "chained" to the illusion spell via magic, but that would be too complicated and that's probably not how it happened.

The illusion is able to grasp Keith clothes!Its able to slap keith!its a real physical matter,
souls,magic who dont have a body arent able to do this.

So focus on the last panel,I have a new theory!
This quote,this tone,this presence,ITS EPHEMURAL!

Anyone think thats its ephemural? she grant whishes to others people~
Remember what she did to posses Flora?By Manipulating mortal soul(emotion)

I can agree with you about Laura begin physically possible, but being that thing Ephemural... I highly doubt that. Just... no.