2016/05/18 - Too Good For This Sinful World

[Naro Rivers]

Eh, I would agree that, it's a very good solution, but too much pies give you more weight, it's not so healthy.

Well, considering they're in Heaven, I don't think health is an issue.

[Benjamin_Mahir]

Yannow, this arc is turning into all kinds of warm fuzzies, but a stray, mischievous thought did occur to me in the midst of all the heartwarming stuff.

While I rather like Rick's vision of Heaven, the specific virtues and qualities of the place make me really, really want to see what Rick's version of Hell would look like.

Just sayin'. x)

It means that someone else must die, right? Someone who's so bad person that he will be sent in hell after death.

One of my biggest fears about this story arc is that we won't need to see another pet die to see hell. Domestics and ferals get differential treatment when it comes to getting into heaven since the deck is stacked against them in a certain way back on Earth. Keene is rebalancing the deck to be an even playing field again. That could mean, in some cruel twist of fate, Keene could have all future [censored] souls weighed against him when it comes time for judgement. Sure, it would be a loophole to claim such a thing, but as a comedy strip you know Hell has all the lawyers.

Of course, from greatest fear you get greatest hope. If this is all just a spirit journey, with him sneaking into Heaven by unconsciously using his powers as a "thief" of the game, then he might be sent back with just a warning of the consequences of his actions... and he'd push forward and do it anyway because while it might mean he'd never seeing his mother and Breel ever again, it is still the right thing to do. There's a certain... heroic melancholy I find appealing to such a choice. Of course, twist tragedy might be that when he really does die he using the same powers he used to break into heaven to just skip judgement and go straight to hell... though the idea of Keene being a freedom fighter against the power of hell is somewhat appealing in a hardcore grit and determination sort of way.

Of course, writing all that out, I'm left wondering two things. One, will some of my melancholy fears about Pete's past turn out to be predictions of his future when he gets back from being a mortal? Two, what lingering powers does Karishad and Daryl have?

And I'm being serious about that last one. Does Karishad lift? Because if he doesn't yet there's a good gym out there for pets.

[drivernjax]

So if Keene sees his own mother as being the perfect young female weasel, is Keene a little kit because that's what his mother sees him?

I'm still figuring out why Keene is suddenly many years younger, aside from being adorable.

Not to mention that he even talks like a little child would talk as he explains things that happened before he arrived.

[jonas]

Yannow, this arc is turning into all kinds of warm fuzzies, but a stray, mischievous thought did occur to me in the midst of all the heartwarming stuff.

While I rather like Rick's vision of Heaven, the specific virtues and qualities of the place make me really, really want to see what Rick's version of Hell would look like.

Just sayin'. x)

It means that someone else must die, right? Someone who's so bad person that he will be sent in hell after death.

Not necessarily! King didn't have to die to visit Heaven. x)

[Fish Preferred]

One of my biggest fears about this story arc is that we won't need to see another pet die to see hell. Domestics and ferals get differential treatment when it comes to getting into heaven since the deck is stacked against them in a certain way back on Earth.

Why should we conclude that human treatment of non-humans will influence the non-human divine judgement of non-humans?

If this is all just a spirit journey, with him sneaking into Heaven by unconsciously using his powers as a "thief" of the game, then he might be sent back with just a warning of the consequences of his actions... and he'd push forward and do it anyway because while it might mean he'd never seeing his mother and Breel ever again, it is still the right thing to do. There's a certain... heroic melancholy I find appealing to such a choice. Of course, twist tragedy might be that when he really does die he using the same powers he used to break into heaven to just skip judgement and go straight to hell... though the idea of Keene being a freedom fighter against the power of hell is somewhat appealing in a hardcore grit and determination sort of way.

Did he ever demonstrate any powers? Why would that even be one of them? I'm confused ... Was there a whole bunch of exposition that I missed somehow?

[Foreigner]

Yannow, this arc is turning into all kinds of warm fuzzies, but a stray, mischievous thought did occur to me in the midst of all the heartwarming stuff.

While I rather like Rick's vision of Heaven, the specific virtues and qualities of the place make me really, really want to see what Rick's version of Hell would look like.

Just sayin'. x)

It means that someone else must die, right? Someone who's so bad person that he will be sent in hell after death.

Not necessarily! King didn't have to die to visit Heaven. x)

It's true. But he had some special reason for that. And I meant easy way.

[cascadestorm]

Its still all sad thinking he died Gahhh XD

[drivernjax]

Its still all sad thinking he died Gahhh XD

He may not have died. He may just be dreaming.

[Naro Rivers]

Its still all sad thinking he died Gahhh XD

He may not have died. He may just be dreaming.

There's a slight difference between dreaming and visiting in his sleep. If he's not dead, I think it's the latter, since he has never met Cerberus before this arc (on-panel, at least) and most likely wouldn't dream her as she actually is.

[max7345]

So if Keene sees his own mother as being the perfect young female weasel, is Keene a little kit because that's what his mother sees him?

I'm still figuring out why Keene is suddenly many years younger, aside from being adorable.

I honestly think you've got the whole perspective thing backwards; Keene seeing his mother again made him feel like a kit, so he turned into one. It's not how one sees the other, so much as how one sees themselves. So far, we've never really seen Heaven create a being that one desired. Objects, maybe, but never people/animals.

To further prove my point, we have seen some personal transformations before, too, back when King and Fox were doing business up there; King made himself a bit taller. In fact, in that same strip, Cerberus mentions something similar:



So...yeah. Going by Cerberus' explanation, we can safely deduce that Keene is now a kit because that's how he's currently perceiving himself, even if he doesn't entirely realize it. Likewise, his mother is perceiving herself as she appears.

[Benjamin_Mahir]

If this is all just a spirit journey, with him sneaking into Heaven by unconsciously using his powers as a "thief" of the game, then he might be sent back with just a warning of the consequences of his actions... and he'd push forward and do it anyway because while it might mean he'd never seeing his mother and Breel ever again, it is still the right thing to do. There's a certain... heroic melancholy I find appealing to such a choice. Of course, twist tragedy might be that when he really does die he using the same powers he used to break into heaven to just skip judgement and go straight to hell... though the idea of Keene being a freedom fighter against the power of hell is somewhat appealing in a hardcore grit and determination sort of way.

Did he ever demonstrate any powers? Why would that even be one of them? I'm confused ... Was there a whole bunch of exposition that I missed somehow?

Keen actually hasn't demonstrated powers, but others involved had.
At the end of the "Heaven is not enough" arc, Kitsune reassures him Tarot and Sabrina that their powers will remain, just diminished without a demigod backing them.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2014/09/ ... ion-prize/

Back during the Temple Raiders arc, Zach played the role of a healer and cast a light spell.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2012/10/ ... me-gordon/

And then, finally, a few arcs after "Heaven is not enough", Zach once again cast a light spell.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2014/11/ ... gargoyles/

So it's not just the people who were the avatars who kept some degree of powers (Tarot, Sabrina, and Bailey) but people who indirectly were empowered by the demigods during their stay. Keene was a thief during Temple Crashers, Karishad a warrior, and Daryl a ranger/archer. So, in theory, everyone retained some spark of power... except for possibly King, since there was a big deal with him never being empowered. Though since clean up duty was left to Kitsune, anything is possible.

[Chinchilociraptor]

No... something tells me if any of the pets died and went to hell it'd probably be duchess. ln an unrelated thought, wonder how dragon and pete are enjoying their mortal lives so far.

[Adoring Fan]

You know that strip with Keene keeps nagging at me... i KNOW ive seen it somewhere before!


SO i thought about it and thought about it and i realized.... i HAVE seen it before! Keene isn't dead! Hes in the Nexus!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hkk-IYaXlVQ

[Obbl]

Back during the Temple Raiders arc, Zach played the role of a healer and cast a light spell.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2012/10/ ... me-gordon/

And then, finally, a few arcs after "Heaven is not enough", Zach once again cast a light spell.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2014/11/2 ... gargoyles/

Of course, Zach was Pete's prophet, so he has a direct connection to Pete. But then again, Keene was a minion of Pete, so he has a direct connection. But then again, the letter Pete left with the mana for Keene could be taken to mean that the mana is the only bit of Pete's powers that Keene is receiving. So he may not have any residual powers intrinsic to himself.