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The Praeses have finally shown their hand

11 (23.9%)

Sedna has 'Powered Up'

2 (4.3%)

Super Gavia has come!!!

12 (26.1%)

Pate has decided to keep Alice alive

5 (10.9%)

Angry Ardent - not to be trifled with

2 (4.3%)

Parentl Intervention

4 (8.7%)

APlot Twist commences

4 (8.7%)

Spathe Ham with Spathe Pizza, Waffles and Spathe Coffee

2 (4.3%)

Purple Monkey Space Mechanic

2 (4.3%)

Spacebutts!!!!

2 (4.3%)

Total Members Voted: 26

[Kugai]

The Voice of Reason?


Or The Praeses?

[brasca]

I want to say Praeses, but the great revelation seems to be delayed each month.

[Kugai]

Poll added - forgot to do it first time  through

[Welu]

Dang, that's a gorey panel. The eyes are intense.

[brasca]

Although I don't think Gavia is that much more powerful than she was at the time she arrive on Earth it would be ironic if she saved Alice.

[Verteiron]

Now I wonder if this is what he did to Ellie.  At least it would be quick for her.

I bet not. Alice, though apparently not as powerful as Church, is still potentially dangerous to him and could, at a minimum, escape if he lets go of her. With that in mind, he appears to be dispatching and/or disabling her with only a minimum of cruelty.

Ellie, on the other hand, never presented the slightest threat to him... so he could have taken his time. Every nail. Every bone. Every internal organ, moving from least to most essential with the sort of delicacy and attention to detail possessed by only the best surgeons and most persistent torturers. I'm sure the face-ripping/brain-crushing was saved for last, otherwise she wouldn't be able to see and hear and feel what he was doing to her, and that would not have been any... fun.

Poor Ellie.

[Neko_Ali]

Pate did say that Ellie's suffering was brief, so I doubt he took his time about that. Not to mention, he killed her in the time it took the others to get there. While I have no doubt he's capable of extended torture, there wasn't the time for it. Given that the immortals can punch hard enough to shatter large areas of concrete, a backhand or two was probably more than sufficient to crush Ellie.

[Indicible]

The picture in which Church burrows his fingers into Alice's face looks to me like it was inspired by Eren grabbing Annie's face in Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyoujin).
Am I the only one seeing this?

[brasca]

Now I wonder if this is what he did to Ellie.  At least it would be quick for her.

I bet not. Alice, though apparently not as powerful as Church, is still potentially dangerous to him and could, at a minimum, escape if he lets go of her. With that in mind, he appears to be dispatching and/or disabling her with only a minimum of cruelty.

Ellie, on the other hand, never presented the slightest threat to him... so he could have taken his time. Every nail. Every bone. Every internal organ, moving from least to most essential with the sort of delicacy and attention to detail possessed by only the best surgeons and most persistent torturers. I'm sure the face-ripping/brain-crushing was saved for last, otherwise she wouldn't be able to see and hear and feel what he was doing to her, and that would not have been any... fun.

Poor Ellie.

It would've been quick for all the reasons Neko_Ali stated and in that instance this was about killing an attacker.  With Alice it's personal.  She buried him alive in lava for a long time and that's just what we know.  Others have theorized that he was standing down so if she did that to him then I imagine he also feels a sense of betrayal. 

The picture in which Church burrows his fingers into Alice's face looks to me like it was inspired by Eren grabbing Annie's face in Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyoujin).
Am I the only one seeing this?

No, but it does remind me of Casino when Nicky Santoro was torturing a guy by sticking his head in a vice to find out who he was working for.  Of course with his hand over her mouth Alice can't very well tell him much of anything. 

[blt]

The picture in which Church burrows his fingers into Alice's face looks to me like it was inspired by Eren grabbing Annie's face in Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyoujin).
Am I the only one seeing this?

I feel you.

(click to show/hide)

Or maybe that's just what a squished face looks like.

[one8_2zeros]

Others have theorized that he was standing down so if she did that to him then I imagine he also feels a sense of betrayal. 

I've seen people suggest this, but in the first flashback scene, Church is bleeding under his hand. That seems to indicate there was a fight. Maybe it wasn't a fight with Alice, but he's definitely been bested in battle by someone.

(ps - Hi. Longtime lurker finally pulled into the discussion)

[sitnspin]

Welcome new person

[Kugai]

Then too there may be the factor that, while powerful enough in herself at this point Alice is, she may mot be as powerful as she once was prior to The Blink.

For instance, what happened to her Warhammer  did The Blink 'Depower' Alice and other Supersoldiers of her class?

[Is it cold in here?]

She said she would inflict unacceptable casualties on an invasion force, which means she could, which means she still has world-changing power.

[pwhodges]

And yet Church appears to be more powerful. 

Or alternatively Alice, to defeat him, would have to unleash forces which would cause such a level of collateral damage that it would have unacceptable effects on those around that she is trying to protect.

[Neko_Ali]

It's possible that since the Blink she no longer has access to technological assistance. Like the warhammer and rock-liquefying orbital strikes. So far we've only really seen evidence of incredible strength and toughness and the ability to summon armor around her. She did threaten Sedna with entombment, but she it may have been a bluff to calm her down. Without the immortal's external assistance, it could be that Church is the physically stronger. He's certainly much faster.

[brasca]

Then too there may be the factor that, while powerful enough in herself at this point Alice is, she may mot be as powerful as she once was prior to The Blink.

For instance, what happened to her Warhammer  did The Blink 'Depower' Alice and other Supersoldiers of her class?

Perhaps, but if the Blink diminished her powers then why not Church?  Alice knew as soon as she saw him again that she and Sedna were no match for him, but if the Blink reduced their abilities then Church would be similarly affected. 

And yet Church appears to be more powerful. 

Or alternatively Alice, to defeat him, would have to unleash forces which would cause such a level of collateral damage that it would have unacceptable effects on those around that she is trying to protect.

That's a possibility too because even though the archaeophiles weren't under the same protection as her town she probably wanted to avoid unnecessary casualties, however, now that they are in space she could've struck Church in such a direction that he would fly far enough away from the habitat and certainly Earth for her to discard all restraint in fighting him.  After that first punch she's on the defensive until he finally smashes her helmet which seems to confirm that she was never a match for him anywhere. 

It's possible that since the Blink she no longer has access to technological assistance. Like the warhammer and rock-liquefying orbital strikes. So far we've only really seen evidence of incredible strength and toughness and the ability to summon armor around her. She did threaten Sedna with entombment, but she it may have been a bluff to calm her down. Without the immortal's external assistance, it could be that Church is the physically stronger. He's certainly much faster.

That seems to be the most likely explanation.  Without external assistance and weaponry Alice never would've won that battle and knew it as soon as she saw Church. 

The bulging eyes in the 5th panel received the most notice, but I'm concerned something else might have popped considering all the red droplets flying outward and pinkish hue on the bark Alice's head is being crushed against.  She'll probably survive this, but I fear she might suffer some kind of brain damage.  If the praeses finally intervene the timing couldn't be better.  If Church is an unthinking brute then they may have countermeasures to subdue him.  Alice would normally outsmart such methods, but if she's knocked out after this fight they won't have a problem capturing her too.  Sedna with the help or Ardent and Gavia may be the only people that can ultimately thwart whatever they have planned. 

[cesium133]

Then too there may be the factor that, while powerful enough in herself at this point Alice is, she may mot be as powerful as she once was prior to The Blink.

For instance, what happened to her Warhammer  did The Blink 'Depower' Alice and other Supersoldiers of her class?

Perhaps, but if the Blink diminished her powers then why not Church?  Alice knew as soon as she saw him again that she and Sedna were no match for him, but if the Blink reduced their abilities then Church would be similarly affected. 

Unless he wasn't affected because he was locked in magma at the time.

[Kugai]

I tend to agree with  brasca on this one cesiium.  I think her not having access to  external elements such as the Orbital Strikes and her Warhammer ar an indication that. while strong and somewhat invulnerable  she, and possibly Sedna, are, they also require access to 'External Measure' in order to deal  with individuals such as Church.  Facilities that she no longer has access to since The Blink which has somewhat 'Depowered' her and Sedna.

Hmmmm I  wonder if that is part of the  reason Sedna was so  openly hostile to Alice when we met her.

[KevxD]

In the last panel there appears to be a forcefield around Church and Alice, possibly from Gavia. May indicate her intervention.

[brasca]

Then too there may be the factor that, while powerful enough in herself at this point Alice is, she may mot be as powerful as she once was prior to The Blink.

For instance, what happened to her Warhammer  did The Blink 'Depower' Alice and other Supersoldiers of her class?

Perhaps, but if the Blink diminished her powers then why not Church?  Alice knew as soon as she saw him again that she and Sedna were no match for him, but if the Blink reduced their abilities then Church would be similarly affected. 

Unless he wasn't affected because he was locked in magma at the time.

It's a possibility seeing as how everything on the immediate surface of the Earth seemed to be affected by the Blink, but anything below it like a bunker filled with ancient spaceships was not.  Perhaps Alice figured this out in 5000 years and knew Church who she was evenly matched before was now superior to her because he was presumably underground at the time of the Blink, but until it's revealed that the immortals were affected I'm sticking with my theory. 

[jwhouk]

I just noticed between the two strips that Church apparently punched Alice through the wall of the Praeses "root" in the background of the April 9 comic.

That voice is coming from inside the habitat.

[brasca]

Previously Church was trapped in magma, but perhaps the Praeses with their tree technology will smother him in sap that will harden into amber.

[Method of Madness]

Always spacebutts.

[BenRG]

New Comic
Interesting. I know that you're fast, Church. The question is: Are you fast enough?

FWIW, I'm thinking that poor Gavia may end up exiled from the habitat on the grounds that her experience groundside has left her 'irreversibly contaminated'.

[OldGoat]

That answers the "Who said that?" question.

Pate did say that Ellie's suffering was brief, so I doubt he took his time about that. Not to mention, he killed her in the time it took the others to get there. While I have no doubt he's capable of extended torture, there wasn't the time for it. Given that the immortals can punch hard enough to shatter large areas of concrete, a backhand or two was probably more than sufficient to crush Ellie.

Between Alice's face and Sedna's shoulder, it looks like grip-&-crush is Church's preferred way of maiming and killing.  Anything else he does is just to get his victim to where he can grab on.

[LKR1009]

Now I REALLY want to know what Pate has on Church. Church doesn't really need Pate to get his revenge; rather only, presumably, to ensure his continued survival.

None of us are really prepared for a scenario in which Church shrugs off Pate's survival and goes back to pummeling Alice.

[ThePerilsOfDan]

new sudden respect for Gavia

I think I like her after all

[Nighthawk700]

An out of phase blade through the heart...  DANG!!!!!! 

[brasca]

That's my nanotech wielding spitfire! 

Gutsy move because even though she could kill Pate before Church could react there is no guarantee that he cares at this point now that he can get his revenge.  At this range she could kill Pate and Church could either finish off Alice or kill Gavia once she's done and resume pummeling Alice, but he stopped.  And the look on his face indicates anger that he is being compelled to do what Gavia wants and not indifference. 

[jheartney]

My impression is that the blade through Pate's heart will change phase as a kind of kill switch - if anything happens to Gavia, the blade kills Pate automatically. In which case it won't matter how fast Church is.

WRT Church and Pate, I'd assumed it was Pate who freed Church from the lava (Pate has lots of teams digging pre-Blink stuff up). Perhaps Church feels he owes Pate for that. Or perhaps Pate used some other bit of unearthed tech to get Church's loyalty; or perhaps they are tied together, like Glorificus and Ben, so that if Pate dies so does Church.

[WareWolf]

My impression is that the blade through Pate's heart will change phase as a kind of kill switch - if anything happens to Gavia, the blade kills Pate automatically. In which case it won't matter how fast Church is.

This was my thought as well...she's maintaining the blade in the "out of phase" state. She dies, it goes back to being a hunk of metal bisecting Pate's heart.

[Neko_Ali]

Well, I called it on them threatening Pate to get Church to stand down. I thought it would be Sedna though. And it seems a pretty well thought out threat as well. Church might be fast, but I don't think he can move faster than Gavia's thought.

[Method of Madness]

I like this Gavia. I also like to think she's more powerful than anyone else thanks to Ardent now.

[Kugai]

Glowy eyes pissed off upgraded Gavia

Not to be trifled with I think

[brasca]

Glowy eyes pissed off upgraded Gavia

Not to be trifled with I think

Speaking of eyes I noticed that Church's eyes are both red now.  It was difficult to tell last week, but both are definitely red and I'm not sure why.  Previously when Ellie assaulted him only the left eye went red while the right remained blue.  I'm not sure if it's an indication of how furious he is, but it's a noticeable difference. 

And am I the only one that thinks this looks like Negasonic Teenage Warhead picking a fight with Darkseid?  Fortunately, she's holding the equivalent of the anti-life equation hostage. 

[KevxD]

In the last panel there appears to be a forcefield around Church and Alice, possibly from Gavia. May indicate her intervention.

Called it.

[brasca]

Perhaps the Praeses are in the dark about all that's been going on and they've been manipulated by the AI faction which has been in hiding since the Blink.  Perhaps they interfered with the teleportation process and implanted Ardent's upgrade ability while cutting off his and later Gavia's ability to communicate with the Praeses.  This may be the next big twist, but we probably won't find out until Alice recovers enough to ask questions.

I hope Gavia and the others have something more than this short term plan.  If Church attacks Gavia then Pate dies, but I imagine this takes some concentration and if she slips then they'll lose their leverage.  She has some wonderous powers, but how long can she keep this up?

[brasca]

Strip is up!

Don't know why, but Pate controls Church since he's actually standing down.  Hope Alice isn't brain damaged.

[sitnspin]

I'm thinking Alice's killer instinct is kicking in. We already know she enjoys fighting. Her control that's kept that instinct in check might be gone.

[brasca]

I'm thinking Alice's killer instinct is kicking in. We already know she enjoys fighting. Her control that's kept that instinct in check might be gone.

I hope not.  Church may have stood down, but that doesn't change the fact that punching him is like punching a wall or Deadpool punching Collossus.

[TheEvilDog]

Church looks like he's about to throw a tantrum because his fun got ruined...Which is both oddly hilarious and utterly terrifying.

I'm thinking Alice's killer instinct is kicking in. We already know she enjoys fighting. Her control that's kept that instinct in check might be gone.

Indeed, if what we have seen previously is any indication, its that Church and Alice both have a brutal history and I think I Alice is about to let that history rip. My guess, we're about to see round two of this particular fight.

[BenRG]

Yeah, I agree. Church has knocked Alice's 'sanity' switch to 'no' and it's anyone's guess as to whether it can be turned back on again.

[brasca]

Maybe it tickles to pop your eyeball back into your skull.

[OldGoat]

So there were "nanomachine capsules" that Ardent, Gavia, and Sedna recognized as such aboard the vessel but Alice and Church apparently did not.  That suggests they were standard issue on a Valkyrie and were upgraded along with the rest of the vessel by Ardent's mojo.

How much more powerful has Gavia become?  It makes sense for her to employ an attack against Pate, something she knows will work, than to try her untested new abilities directly against Church.  Also, can she put the nanos to work repairing Alice, who pummeled the puddin' out of her upon their first meeting?  If she does, it'll show than an immense trust had developed.

[brasca]

Perhaps that's why Alice is laughing.  Maybe there is some rule that whoever saves an immortal becomes their master.  That would explain Church answering to Pate.  I doubt Alice would be all that pleased with such an outcome.

[jheartney]

The laughter isn't mysterious (to me anyway). Church was all set to kill Alice, getting revenge for sealing him in magma for so long. Now all he can do is fume.

I don't see why Alice would have lost control; she's badly injured, and in pain, but despite that she's taking the opportunity to laugh in Church's face.

[TheEvilDog]

I don't see why Alice would have lost control; she's badly injured, and in pain, but despite that she's taking the opportunity to laugh in Church's face.

The thing is, look at how Alice is laughing, how Jeph has portrayed it. The jagged look of it, the halted nature of it. That's not a "Har har, you're Pate's bitch" kind of a laugh. That's a straight up evil laugh or even sanity slippage.

Alice has lost it, precisely because she's been badly injured. She's a weapon and she's been broken and that's manifesting in that scary looking laughter.

[brasca]

Or she really really really doesn't want to be Gavia's servant.  She's certainly had the greatest reversal of fortune if she can now control 2 immortals.

[pwhodges]

But Alice is still the title character - that will count for something in the end.