2019/07/01 - Room Service

Post by **D-Rock** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:05 am

[2019/07/01 - Room Service]
Title Text: get in the robot, Marion

fenrirblack · Post by **fenrirblack** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:06 am

Saturn381 · Post by **Saturn381** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:06 am

I knew it was the badger!

LunarFox · Post by **LunarFox** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:06 am

Oh no...this is gonna get interesting quickly...

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:08 am

Sometimes friends are friendly
and, sometimes, they’re really not.
Good ones leave you gifts;
Bad ones just advance their plot.
The Fox usually works in the shadows
as the dark one sits in the light
but now the crazy one is on your side
and Evil wants you to join their fight.
The peril is close at paw, Marion,
He’s come there with the chance of soul
but, if you fall in with his lies, boy,
it won’t be worth a lump of coal...

LunarFox · Post by **LunarFox** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:09 am

Welsh, how do you write those that quickly? I wish I had that knack for poetry!

SergeiTheFox · Post by **SergeiTheFox** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:11 am

bro please tell me we finna see this squirrel throw down and dab on stew like ronald mcdonald runnin' up on the hamburglar

dr_eirik · Post by **dr_eirik** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:12 am

Sigh, another comic where nothing happens! I mean, we need to see the plot move along...

I love Truck attempting to be helpful. I think if I was forced to live with any of the ferals, it would be him. I dont think he has a mean bone in his body.

Also, Kari has set the theme for their relationship. If Marion is with us for 10 years, even if those two become inseparable, Kari will always talk about eating him.

I guess we may finally getting Anders. Unless this is a real misdirect, then we may finally find out how deep he is in this.

Gbr23 · Post by **Gbr23** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:12 am

D-Rock wrote:
Title Text: get in the robot, Marion

Heheh I got that reference

fenrirblack · Post by **fenrirblack** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:14 am

Steward: Hello Clarice...I mean Marion.

That is a very suspicious paw placement on Steward's part. I don't know if he was responsible for Marion's transformation but this definitely something going on here. HE KNOWS.

Post by **D-Rock** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:15 am

Gbr23 wrote:
D-Rock wrote:
Title Text: get in the robot, Marion

Heheh I got that reference

I don't, care to explain?

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:18 am

"I wear glasses. That should telll you all you need to know"

Nobody · Post by **Nobody** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:19 am

https://www.myinstants.com/instant/dun-dun-dunnn-14952/

D-Rock wrote:
Gbr23 wrote:
D-Rock wrote:
Title Text: get in the robot, Marion

Heheh I got that reference
I don't, care to explain?

"Get in the robot, Shinji."

fenrirblack · Post by **fenrirblack** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:29 am

I've waited so long for this moment. So many theories have led to this moment. So many people said it wouldn't happen so many times.

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:31 am

Nobody wrote:"Get in the robot, Shinji."

Not an explanation, just another reference.

However, from it I was able to track down that it's a reference to the series 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' and appears to refer to a character who really doesn't want to pilot mecha.

Should mention it HAS become a meme which sometimes has a certain word added so any searches for it may not be safe for Work.

fenrirblack wrote:I've waited so long for this moment. So many theories have led to this moment. So many people said it wouldn't happen so many times.

Don't mistake presence for causation. It's still not known if he had anything to do with it. And of course he'd appear sooner or later. He lives there.

Post by **D-Rock** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:36 am

Welsh Halfwit wrote:
Nobody wrote:"Get in the robot, Shinji."
Not an explanation, just another reference.

However, from it I was able to track down that it's a reference to the series 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' and appears to refer to a character who really doesn't want to pilot mecha.

Should mention it HAS become a meme which sometimes has a certain word added so any searches for it may not be safe for Work.

Thank you. Nice when I get a straight answer.

dr_eirik · Post by **dr_eirik** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:37 am

fenrirblack wrote:I've waited so long for this moment. So many theories have led to this moment. So many people said it wouldn't happen so many times.

I think you've been right, this meeting was inevitable once Marion ended up at the treehouse. What it means is still up in the air, since it could be anything from "I'm behind all this and this is why!" to "I overheard you asking about transformation and would like to subscribe to your newsletter. "

Gbr23 · Post by **Gbr23** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:39 am

Welsh Halfwit wrote:
Nobody wrote:"Get in the robot, Shinji."
Not an explanation, just another reference.

However, from it I was able to track down that it's a reference to the series 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' and appears to refer to a character who really doesn't want to pilot mecha.

Yup, but specially because this character's dad has glasses, and sometimes when his dad appears he's drawn all black except for his glasses, that are white. Like Steward in this strip

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:40 am

Gbr23 wrote:
Welsh Halfwit wrote:
Nobody wrote:"Get in the robot, Shinji."
Not an explanation, just another reference.

However, from it I was able to track down that it's a reference to the series 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' and appears to refer to a character who really doesn't want to pilot mecha.
Yup, but specially because this character's dad has glasses, and sometimes when his dad appears he's drawn all black except for his glasses, that are white. Like Steward in this strip

Thanks. I was wondering(!)

fenrirblack · Post by **fenrirblack** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:48 am

I'm sure this is a perfectly innocent visit in the middle of the night with his paw dangerously close to Marion. Steward is totally the type to visit new residents and check to see how they are doing.

Again, even if he wasn't responsible that doesn't mean that he can't use Marion for his own needs. Marion did ask about spontaneous transformation and if Steward happen to be off panel listening in then that would be reason for him to check on Marion to see what he knows. I can see this situation going a few ways.
One being Steward revealing that he was responsible for the transformation but I still think that is unlikely for reasons that have been discussed repeatedly.
The second and more plausible option would be that Steward is going to question Marion and bring up the subject of the coin but the coin was not responsible and Steward never intended to use it on anyone which is sad but likely. As much fun as that would have been, Steward never had much to gain from changing strangers on the street or risking his own exposure.
Or my personal favorite in which Steward discovers Marion was changed and now wants to use Marion for his own devious purposes whether or not he was responsible for the transformation. This could lead anywhere between suing the Milton's to conquering the world. I mean he's spent the last year listening to Pete and Dragon talk crazy so who knows how much he's learned. He already knew about magic and the temples and probably the Game so........

One thing I know for sure is that Steward at least suspects Marion is the same as him and wants to know how and why he was changed.

leinglo · Post by **leinglo** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:56 am

At this point, I think we all know that Steward is going to try and manipulate Marion for his own ends. The big questions now are: How, and to what end? He'll probably pull a "we can figure it out together" routine to win Marion over, but Steward wouldn't have targeted (yes I remain convinced he and the coin are behind Marion's transformation. I will die on this hill) a random human if he seriously thought that would get results for his own predicament. What game is he playing here?

Ash Greytree · Post by **Ash Greytree** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 1:01 am

I mean, first off, let's take a look at his room. It's a single-person room by the looks of it. The bed is also conveniently squirrel-sized. All of that is good for Marion who may need some personal space. The only downsides are that it seems to not have a door, and that the treehouse denizens are content to either annoy him with their misplaced hospitality or try and trick him into going along with some sketchy plans.

Okay, now onto anxiousness and speculation now that Steward is finally here. Is this a comedic fakeout moment, or will we be getting to some real meat of the plot in the next strip? Marion's story has been going on for a bit with no answers or partial answers or forward movement to causes of his transformation, or the plot thickening in general, so I'm leaning toward the latter.

What form will that take, though? Because while the answer to the whodunnit being "Steward with the Coin in Marion's Bedroom" would be the clearest and most direct way and seems the likeliest right now at this very moment, it could also be that Steward is seeking out animals who seem to have had a tough spot of luck in general in order to recruit them for something. Maybe he joined up with the Opener cult as a way to get some recruiting for his own plans done on the sly, and Marion's piqued his interest for one reason or another.

I'm still not convinced that the coin (or a coin) had anything to do with Marion's transformation unless my whole "multiple coins that Steward managed to somehow sneak onto people through various means" theory pans out. Steward managing to sneak into Marion's house and smacking him in the face with the coin while he's sleeping just seems implausible to me. So yeah, I personally think this is going to be a "Hello, my name's Steward. You look like you're in a rough patch. Have you heard of the Opener Of Ways? We can help. Here's my card." situation.

Also one last thing tonight: I've had this kinda depressing thought in my head for a while that if Marion does indeed become permanently squirrelified, it'll be because of some sort of karma due to Marion having done some bad stuff and hurting some people thanks to being misled by Steward. Like, Marion meets Kitsune and asks to be changed back, but Kitsune says "no" because of something Marion did. I honestly don't think it's going to end up like that, mainly because 1) It'd be quite depressing and Marion definitely wouldn't deserve to be permanently transformed for that reason, and 2) Kitsune seems like an understanding kind of celestial and would probably punish Steward instead. But it's something that I've had in my head for quite a bit now and I just needed to put it to paper to get it out.

Champion Wallace · Post by **Champion Wallace** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 1:13 am

Wow, there's a lot of theorizing about what sinister plot Steward has come up with for Marion. Steward is in the same situation as Marion: trapped in a feral body. What's to say they won't work together as partners with equal share in the matter? Steward did not perceive himself to be evil as a human, and being reduced to boarding with Jessica served him up some humble pie (and he wouldn't have needed to help the raccoons "steel" it).

fenrirblack wrote:I've waited so long for this moment. So many theories have led to this moment. So many people said it wouldn't happen so many times.

I can only speak for myself, but I never wrote Marion wasn't going to meet Steward, but that that Marion wasn't guaranteed to meet Steward. This isn't the type of literature where something has to end some way or there are “only two ways this could be”. This was always a possibility, but the point is it wasn't the only possibility. Just because you happened to be correct about the outcome doesn't make you correct saying no other outcomes were possible.

dr_eirik · Post by **dr_eirik** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 1:19 am

Ash Greytree wrote: Also one last thing tonight: I've had this kinda depressing thought in my head for a while that if Marion does indeed become permanently squirrelified, it'll be because of some sort of karma due to Marion having done some bad stuff and hurting some people thanks to being misled by Steward. Like, Marion meets Kitsune and asks to be changed back, but Kitsune says "no" because of something Marion did. I honestly don't think it's going to end up like that, mainly because 1) It'd be quite depressing and Marion definitely wouldn't deserve to be permanently transformed for that reason, and 2) Kitsune seems like an understanding kind of celestial and would probably punish Steward instead. But it's something that I've had in my head for quite a bit now and I just needed to put it to paper to get it out.

There could be the option where his status comes down to a choice. Change back and something bad happens, stay a squirrel and you save people/pets/ferals from a worse fate.

There is also the chance that Kitsune can't change him back. We dont know all the rules he works under, so he may well sympathize but be unable to help.

NHWestoN · Post by **NHWestoN** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 1:35 am

"You will be visited tonight by three spirits...expect the first at - " What was in that pie??

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 1:39 am

fenrirblack wrote:I'm sure this is a perfectly innocent visit in the middle of the night with his paw dangerously close to Marion. Steward is totally the type to visit new residents and check to see how they are doing.

Again, even if he wasn't responsible that doesn't mean that he can't use Marion for his own needs. Marion did ask about spontaneous transformation and if Steward happen to be off panel listening in then that would be reason for him to check on Marion to see what he knows. I can see this situation going a few ways.
One being Steward revealing that he was responsible for the transformation but I still think that is unlikely for reasons that have been discussed repeatedly.
The second and more plausible option would be that Steward is going to question Marion and bring up the subject of the coin but the coin was not responsible and Steward never intended to use it on anyone which is sad but likely. As much fun as that would have been, Steward never had much to gain from changing strangers on the street or risking his own exposure.
Or my personal favorite in which Steward discovers Marion was changed and now wants to use Marion for his own devious purposes whether or not he was responsible for the transformation. This could lead anywhere between suing the Milton's to conquering the world. I mean he's spent the last year listening to Pete and Dragon talk crazy so who knows how much he's learned. He already knew about magic and the temples and probably the Game so........

One thing I know for sure is that Steward at least suspects Marion is the same as him and wants to know how and why he was changed.

Exactly.

Of course, if you look at another minor possibility...

We've been talking of Marion's friends and his Mother. How can we know Steward isn't his father?

(Doubt it but it's another possibility into the hat of plot suppositions!)

IceKitsune · Post by **IceKitsune** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 1:52 am

Whelp now the trouble begins.

Silly Zealot · Post by **Silly Zealot** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 3:12 am

Xane wrote:badgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadger

OF DOOM OF DOOM

It is this kind of comments that makes me wish Xane would comment way more.

LunarFox wrote:Welsh, how do you write those that quickly? I wish I had that knack for poetry!

The guy's got talent!

Welsh Halfwit wrote:We've been talking of Marion's friends and his Mother. How can we know Steward isn't his father?

(Doubt it but it's another possibility into the hat of plot suppositions!)

That would be overly convoluted and contrived.

I wish it to be true.

HundKatzeMaus · Post by **HundKatzeMaus** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 4:02 am

That is a sinister shadow if I ever saw one

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 4:29 am

Y'know, looking at it, the glasses say Steward but the silhouette also resembles Cody.

OrWasIt.EXE · Post by **OrWasIt.EXE** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 4:30 am

D-Rock wrote:[2019/07/01 - Room Service]
Title Text: get in the robot, Marion

Zankoku na tenshi no yō ni
Shōnen yo, shinwa ni nare...

Honestly the most I know about Evangelion though are some of its memes. I barely know what's going on in the thing itself.

Argent · Post by **Argent** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:32 am

STOP BADGERING ME!

Post by **SeanWolf** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:42 am

So it is the Badger...now I wonder what he wants with Marion...

Post by **CyberDragon** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 7:23 am

SeanWolf wrote:So it is the Badger...now I wonder what he wants with Marion...

My guess from the moment I heard Marion's last name was Ward has been that Steward was his father.

Post by **SeanWolf** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:00 am

CyberDragon wrote:
SeanWolf wrote:So it is the Badger...now I wonder what he wants with Marion...
My guess from the moment I heard Marion's last name was Ward has been that Steward was his father.

You sure? Wasn't Stewards' full name Herman Steward?

Post by **CyberDragon** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:05 am

I... don't remember. Do you have the comic where it says that?

Edit: dang, you're right. Maybe after he went missing, Marion's mom switched back to her maiden name? I'm not sure now.

Post by **SeanWolf** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:13 am

CyberDragon wrote:I... don't remember. Do you have the comic where it says that?

Edit: dang, you're right. Maybe after he went missing, Marion's mom switched back to her maiden name? I'm not sure now.

Same time, how do we know Herman Steward is Marion's dad and Husband to Marion's Mom? I went back and read and didn't see anything that could hint towards that.

NHWestoN · Post by **NHWestoN** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:19 am

Well, we know that silhouette ain't Truck, Karishad, or Trinket. Furthermore, if it is Badger, he's either really good at eavesdropping or has some foreknowledge of his shared dilemma with Marion.

Marion's raccoon encounter in the tree house may have been less coincidental than it appears (does Mrs. Magillicuddy have blue nail cod some sinister occult purpose?)

Hmmmm - just a wonderment, friends - are Steward and Marion the only transformational victims in the Gardens or are their others? Just as we've long predicted and anticipated Badger's arrival is the stage now set four weeks from now (come on, you know this arc's gonna be an epic story) for Tarot, Sabrina, and maybe even King ... and Keene and Breel .... and Fox and the K9s .... maybe even Thomas?

Don'tcha just love a good yarn? Tolstoy would have definitely been a Housepets fan!

Post by **CyberDragon** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 9:05 am

SeanWolf wrote:Same time, how do we know Herman Steward is Marion's dad and Husband to Marion's Mom? I went back and read and didn't see anything that could hint towards that.

The clues are of a meta variety. First is Marion's last name is too close to Steward's last name to be coincidence. That was an intentional choice by rick to imply a connection. When the connection is the last name, that implies a familial connection even if it isn't exact.

Next is we only know of one thing that could have changed Marion: the coin. Given the look on Steward's face when he was looking at the coin the last time we saw him, it was clear he was thinking of how to use it. It wouldn't make narrative sense for anything else to have caused the transformation, which means Steward probably used the coin on Marion. The question would be: why?

Steward isn't a psychopath, so it probably wasn't random for the lulz. He knows the coin works, so he wouldn't need to test it. He's not a grand ambitious mastermind, so he's not trying to transform everyone. If he turned Marion, his motive would be personal. So how does he know Marion and why would he do this to a highschooler?

My theory is Steward used to be Marion's father, but he became estranged (possibly due to his job or his thievery and dishonesty) and split. The court gave custody of Marion to his mother (rightfully so). Steward has wanted his son back, and discovered he could get what he wanted using the coin.

Sir Chestnut · Post by **Sir Chestnut** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 10:32 am

I'm kind of wondering if Steward might be a red herring and thinking maybe Joey or a member of his team brought something back from that pile they said they'd come back for. Although Joey probably didn't since he thought the money would just disappear.
How this would relate to Marion I have no idea, but we do know barely anything about Lester or Dallas.