5
« on: March 02, 2006, 01:05:30 am »
Well, after lurking for some time, I'm finally brought to register by this:
I like the strip and all, but usn't this "the food is for the army" a complete retcon? '
Let's go to the tapes.
February 6: Roast Beef says "Two armies typically arise and their pawns are sent to the front. It's rumored that the army leaders only fight on days one and three and traditionally feast on turkeys and brandy on day two." Later in the same strip he gets to the "weakest lay waste to the weakest, and so on in kind."
The implication here is clearly that on Day 2 the army leaders sit around and feast while their army is off fighting on their behalf.
It also implies that, umm, Roast Beef doesn't clearly know what happens - it's only *rumored* that this is what happens. It seems unlikely he'd know any more details
February 24: [that is, er, last Friday]: Roast Beef says "Now that you've kicked the ass of the only other army leader it looks like you're dining alone tomorrow."
The sense here is clearly the same - Ray will be sitting around by himself eating turkey on Day 2.
I have to say that this is a grave miscarriage of continuity!</ridiculous pedantry>
The names of previous fight champions are indeed awesome, though. I'm a big fan of Lord Brannigan - do we think that he's an actual Lord, or that this is a nom de guerre?
I also feel that a) Ray's facial expression in Panel 5 shows clearly that his principal motive here is that he wants to eat the turkey; and b) Beef is clearly impressed that Ray has somehow stumbled onto his father's strategy.
