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Unicorn Valley and Pegasus Cove; Emily must save her Little Ponies from the Corpse Witch!

Pyroland (Because it's Emily's interpretation);

TRON-style neon blue-on-eternal night;

Bizarro Northampton with QC characters as avatars of parts of Bubbles' psyche;

A battlefield and a battle Emily must help Bubbles win;

Animé world with Corpse Witch as the Dark Queen;

RL Halifax (Jeph: "The Matrix has your friends, Emily!");

Adventure Time with Bembo and the Wolf Queen!

"Emily Azuma? My name is Alice Grove; welcome to the year 7016AD. Welcome to the future."

A 'straight' virtual datascape like something from The Lawnmower Man;

Other (Please specify in comments).

[Perfectly Reasonable]

This is a tedious task. Which must be done. By somebody else.

That's my interpretation of GreyCreep's attitude.
Notice that no snark is wasted on Emily.

[Carl-E]

This just seems ... too easy so far. 

[Gyrre]

Was anyone else hoping that there'd be diagonal chains across the door to go with the lock?

[jheartney]

This just seems ... too easy so far.

83   EXT ENDOR - RIDGE OVERLOOKING CONTROL BUNKER

HAN SOLO
It's only a few guards. This shouldn't be too much trouble.

[Is it cold in here?]

I am not suggesting that they are not as powerful or capable as they might seem, but only that even if they are that powerful, that they are still (ironically) woefully insecure about it... and such insecurities are, in fact, a weakness... one that may even be exploitable.

Welcome, new person!

Emotional immaturity comes to mind as yet another possible explanation for AC flaunting their power. To the point of law-breaking: as I understand it they've crossed the line into illegal assault.

[BenRG]

I have to agree with those who are saying that the morally-ambiguous pale one seems to have an unspoken issue here. It isn't so much that Emily is the only one with the skill-set to do this. Indeed, this strip makes it clear that the interface could allow anyone to find the door because it has several 'for idiots' options in it to assist navigation.

This leads me to two possible conclusions:

• It is somehow dangerous for an AI of the specific nature of 'Them' to interface with Bubbles' memory and, more specifically, the repressed memories in this manner;
• There is something about what is behind this door that means that this is something that only a biological mind can do.

I'm leaning towards the second option. I'm not even sure anymore if it's really the case that it's something only Emily can do (although her skill-set and mindset means that she has a greater statistical likeliness of success). This is something to do with the interaction of the biological and synthetic mind.

I suspect that this also explains why They're doing this. This is a prototype dry run. It's a test of a proof of concept and this leads me to wonder just for what the full-scale implementation of this technology is meant. The total defeat of all data security throughout the Grid? To what purpose? Maybe so that every AI, whether or not they want it, are connected to Them.

[JimC]

... the interface could allow anyone to find the door...

Well, that is the easy bit. Unlocking it is the potentially hard part. And I wonder if the encryption will be a second stage beyond the lock?

[Mad Cat]

"I solomnely swear that I am up to no good."

[Thrudd]

... the interface could allow anyone to find the door...

Well, that is the easy bit. Unlocking it is the potentially hard part. And I wonder if the encryption will be a second stage beyond the lock?

Well, based on the skate parks security pass code I lay even money on the password being 123456 or something equivalent.

It'll be the red door marked 'Beware of the Leopard'

I was going to say PUMA but it's not a PUMA.   

[osaka]

... the interface could allow anyone to find the door...

Well, that is the easy bit. Unlocking it is the potentially hard part. And I wonder if the encryption will be a second stage beyond the lock?

Well, based on the skate parks security pass code I lay even money on the password being 123456 or something equivalent.

Seemingly random numbers, but it's actually the md5 hash of 123456

[Storel]

This leads me to two possible conclusions:

• It is somehow dangerous for an AI of the specific nature of 'Them' to interface with Bubbles' memory and, more specifically, the repressed memories in this manner;
• There is something about what is behind this door that means that this is something that only a biological mind can do.

I'm leaning towards the second option. I'm not even sure anymore if it's really the case that it's something only Emily can do (although her skill-set and mindset means that she has a greater statistical likeliness of success). This is something to do with the interaction of the biological and synthetic mind.

I disagree; I  think Emily is an essential part of this job. Not just because she has insanely weird programming skills that might help her crack the encryption more easily, although that's certainly a factor. I think her personality is so different, not just from Bubbles but from most other intelligences, that she is perhaps uniquely suited to relive Bubbles's memories without significant trauma to her own mind.

I mean, just look at her attitude toward vomiting. The vast majority of human beings hate vomiting; Emily is like "You should try it, it's a very intense experience!" Not many people are that detached from the emotional aspects of their experiences. So I think she'll relive the memories that traumatized Bubbles and merely consider them another intense experience. In fact, she may be able to help Bubbles view them in a more detached way, so that Bubbles can tolerate having them in her memory again.

[David F]

I wonder if perhaps it's not just that Emily is capable of breaking the encryption with their help... but that *only* Emily is capable of doing so.  She's shown rogue talent before, perhaps they cannot actually break the encryption, but expect that Emily can with the appropriate prodding.  They may hope/believe that doing this favour for Bubbles will teach them how to break AegisMaze QSE encryption generally.

Still, I'm not sure this is the most likely scenario, just a paranoid one.  That they can pick up 'cross-chatter between some of our less puissant elders' suggests they can break the sort of encryption 'less puissant elders' use for cross-chatter easily enough.  Maybe Station doesn't bother to encrypt his email at all?  I guess we'll see...

[markt1964]

Panel 4 reminds me a bit of what owning a Kindle paperwhite has done to my reading habits: I catch myself tapping the newspaper, expecting to get a dictionary entry ... 

Oh, I am so glad that I am not the only one who does this.

[Mr_Rose]

Panel 4 reminds me a bit of what owning a Kindle paperwhite has done to my reading habits: I catch myself tapping the newspaper, expecting to get a dictionary entry ... 

Oh, I am so glad that I am not the only one who does this.

I solved this problem by removing the distressingly analogue newspapers from the equation. Seems to have worked out so far…

[Method of Madness]

That's an interesting dog.

[Tova]

weird dog.

Well, that clears up why Emily is there.

[WareWolf]

weird dog.

Well, that clears up why Emily is there.

That hadn't occurred to me at first, but by God, you may be right.

[Case]

That's an interesting dog.

It seems ... nice?

[Skewbrow]

You may be thinking about this strip from a different universe.

[Storel]

Well, it's clearly not a one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple-people eater, because it's got too many horns and no wings. But it could still definitely be some kind of people eater.

[Kugai]

If he turns out to have the name Fluffy, I'm leaving.


I wonder if he's lonely and wants a Ball to play with?

[Morituri]

Oh.  There it is.  The thing that ate Bubbles' memory. 

Hope that key's got at least one sharp edge to pry him open with.

[Ravenswing]

(gazes upon so much shark jumping, it looks like feeding time at Seaworld)

[SubaruStephen]

That thing seems familiar...

Awwww, so that's what it looks like as a baby.

Pet it before it grows up, Emily 

[WoaLG]

(gazes upon so much shark jumping, it looks like feeding time at Seaworld)

(Gazes on upon people still complaining about shark jumping instead of enjoying the story they're getting for free or finding something else to entertain them.)

And as many others have said before me, QC has always kind of wandered around, that's part of it's charm. More likely than not, when this arc ends we'll be back on the topic of Dora's love life.

[Tova]

(gazes upon so much shark jumping, it looks like feeding time at Seaworld)

It would be so much more interesting for all of us if you described what you disliked about the current storyline.

Edit: snipped out an unnecessary insult. My apologies to forum goers.

[BenRG]

I wouldn't be too scared, Emily. This is Questionable Content; that means that there is about a 50/50 chance that Cyclopticotricornus most wants to have a friend and a better than 67% probability that it is ticklish in a certain spot.

Something about this strip tells me that They, for all their power and intelligence, lack the human quality of imagination. That's probably why they needed Emily to do this for them.

[Is it cold in here?]

Global Moderator Comment

I welcome specific criticisms of the story line and civil responses to them.

[BenRG]

BTW - It's my call that today's strip title gives as a clue where this will probably go; this is going to be like a 'Legend of Zelda' boss fight. The only question to answer is whether Emily will get a sword and shield or whether she's going to need to lull it to sleep using the Ocarina of Virtual Spacetime.

[oeoek]

And the immersive virtual environment representation of breaking the incomprehensibly powerful encryption will tickling the beast's belly until it rolls over and squeals in delight...

'who's a good boy then...'

[Tova]

BTW - It's my call that today's strip title gives as a clue where this will probably go; this is going to be like a 'Legend of Zelda' boss fight. The only question to answer is whether Emily will get a sword and shield or whether she's going to need to lull it to sleep using the Ocarina of Virtual Spacetime.

It would be pretty amusing, actually, if we were treated with a boss fight UI including Emily's health bar, which would gain a new heart when the boss is defeated.

[TinPenguin]

So, to whoever it was arguing there should have been four doors per nybble as an accurate representation of an AI mind, how does this measure up? 

[hakko504]

Is that a green manalishi? Maybe not, it has three prongs...

[brasca]

That thing seems familiar...

Awwww, so that's what it looks like as a baby.

Pet it before it grows up, Emily 

Don't worry.  Emily just has to run around long enough for the animator to die of a heart attack. 

[osaka]

Oh.  There it is.  The thing that ate Bubbles' memory. 

Hope that key's got at least one sharp edge to pry him open with.

If Kingdom Hearts has taught us anything is that comically oversized keys are perfect weapons for fantastic enemies.

And now let's address the elephant cyclop-tricorn-thingamabob in the room. I wonder if that's the encryption or the representation of the memories.

[BenRG]

And now let's address the elephant cyclop-tricorn-thingamabob in the room. I wonder if that's the encryption or the representation of the memories.

I think that it's the 'watchdog' - the encryption's defence algorithm that is designed to stop automated decryption systems from attacking the encryption.


[EDIT - PS]
Sudden mad idea: Faye has to go in after Emily because she can't handle the monster. Faye's her avatar is that of Faye the Barbarian Warrior. Cue an action sequence of Faye chopping the monster up for kibble.

[USS Martenclaire]

And now let's address the elephant cyclop-tricorn-thingamabob in the room. I wonder if that's the encryption or the representation of the memories.

I think that it's the 'watchdog' - the encryption's defence algorithm that is designed to stop automated decryption systems from attacking the encryption.


[EDIT - PS]
Sudden mad idea: Faye has to go in after Emily because she can't handle the monster. Faye's her avatar is that of Faye the Barbarian Warrior. Cue an action sequence of Faye chopping the monster up for kibble.

Would very much like to see Faye The Barbarian Warrior.

[Zebediah]

And then Faye the Barbarian meets Bembo. The eventual sex scene leaves Bubbles with some new memories that she would like to have locked away forever. 

[Thrudd]

Well, it's clearly not a one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple-people eater, because it's got too many horns and no wings. But it could still definitely be some kind of people eater.

Well it does have onre eye and it's saxophone may be in the other corner.
It is most likely very hungry unless there is a nearby airport with a lot of tourists of a specific group. [yes I googled and got very confused but they are out there]

[Tova]

Don't worry.  Emily just has to run around long enough for the animator to die of a heart attack.

I hope that's not her plan, actually.

[Kugai]

So, would Faye The Barbarian be dressed as Xena? 

[Storel]

Well, it's clearly not a one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple-people eater, because it's got too many horns and no wings. But it could still definitely be some kind of people eater.

Well it does have onre eye and it's saxophone may be in the other corner.
It is most likely very hungry unless there is a nearby airport with a lot of tourists of a specific group. [yes I googled and got very confused but they are out there]

There are enough purple people to have tourist groups of them? I did not know that.

[A small perverse otter]

So, do you think that Emily learned enough from bouncing a hammer off the outside of Bubbles' head that she can use one effectively inside Bubbles' head instead?

[War Sparrow]

I wish he wouldn't make his monsters in QC, or Alice Grove, so damn adorable.

If the cute dog monster dies I will be very unhappy.

[cesium133]

New comic.

Aww, Mr. Monster just wanted to play...

[Ravenswing]

It would be so much more interesting for all of us if you described what you disliked about the current storyline.[/quote]

Possibly it would be, but I'm no more of a performing seal than you are, I expect, nor is rudeness the way to go about extracting information.

[Tova]

I suppose there will be no discussion, then. Have it your way.

Comic: So, now what?

[jheartney]

If that's all there is to defeating CW's mighty encryption key, I'm underwhelmed. At the least cyclops-doggie ought to chase Emily around the room a few times like a good Boss opponent.

Maybe CW should have hired Bowser for this. He at least takes a few hits and gets entertainingly furious.

[Perfectly Reasonable]

What? WHY has Emily, our pet polymath, needed to be prompted every single time? Where is the need for her universal pattern connecting ultra savvy? A random meat bag could have done just as well! I am this close to demanding a refund for my unused portion.

[Gyrre]

What? WHY has Emily, our pet polymath, needed to be prompted every single time? Where is the need for her universal pattern connecting ultra savvy? A random meat bag could have done just as well! I am this close to demanding a refund for my unused portion.

If I had to wager, it's one of 3 reasons; 1) the various objects she has are voice-activated by Creepy-Pasty, 2) CP forgot to give a tutorial, 3) Emily may have frozen in terror in panel 2 (here's hoping her pants are still dry).