Author Topic: RIP Brad  (Read 6550 times)

happyman

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RIP Brad
« on: February 18, 2009, 05:20:22 PM »


I just wanted to add a thread here to say goodbye to Brad.  He's been with the strip since the beginning (yeah, that's him in the strip above.  He's had a couple of changes over the years), and is one of the few major(?) characters to have survived this long.  I know he's been phased out more and more over the years, but after my marathon sessions of reading through the archives about two years ago, I can't help but feel sad now.

Rest in Peace.
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maxonennis

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Re: RIP Brad
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2009, 05:46:39 PM »
It was his time. It was his time.
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MooseDrool

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Re: RIP Brad
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2009, 05:55:27 PM »
I haven't seen a body yet...

happyman

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Re: RIP Brad
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2009, 08:28:13 PM »
No body, but Howard has killed off semi-major characters before.  There have been several who have managed to survive apparent death, but there are also those who have not.  Since Brad isn't an AI, he wasn't able to back himself up.  Time travel seems unlikely to be invoked again.  Gate-cloning was impractical in the circumstances.  The only way I could see it work would be if somehow the Lazarus nanites got involved, and that one's been done to death too, and I don't really see it being invoked.

Of course, it could be that it was somebody else who fell to their death.  That also seems unlikely.

Incidentally, I would like to mention that the reason the toughs tend to have closed casket funerals is because their medical science can revive them from almost anything that would allow an open casket one...
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mbarker

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Re: RIP Brad
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2009, 09:30:54 AM »
There's a narrow possibility that the RationMart security camera tracking him as a sneak thief followed him until impact with the condo wall -- and having crashed into the wall and through it, that he actually did fall into a condo medical center. But then, Brad did quit listening to the narrator, so he probably didn't fall into a hospital. This is an object lesson for readers, that one should always listen to the narrator.

And Lota.

Oh, well, he did have noble thoughts.

happyman

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Re: RIP Brad
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2009, 08:54:44 PM »
One difference I've noticed between Schlock Mercenary and other strips (especially syndicated ones) is that there are real, significant changes to the characters, even the main cast.  Unlike most strips, the status quo gets tossed out the window periodically.  The tough's have had half a dozen different ships, and the crew has turned over almost completely a couple of times.  If it sticks (ew!), Brad is just one typical example out of dozens.

On the other hand, there are some things that don't change.  Like Schlock himself.  Despite everything, he's still the character that we've come to know, love and dodge.  The toughs are still mercenaries, even with the periodic cast overhauls.  Even when Tagon was dead, a large part of the feel was the same.

So I guess what I'm saying is that Schlock Mercenary has been somehow balancing between the twin evils of stagnation and derailment.  This is just another example of that careful balance.

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MooseDrool

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Re: RIP Brad
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2009, 10:36:53 PM »


He could have landed on a hospital...(next to the condo mentioned a following strip).



However, this one does seem to verify that he has indeed expired.
I have to admit, it does look like the final farewell to Brad.

mbarker

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Re: RIP Brad
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2009, 04:04:15 AM »
I hesitate to say this, but . . .
Brad's gone to the great condo in the sky. ;)

happyman

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Re: RIP Brad
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2009, 08:44:45 PM »
This seems like something that should be referenced in this thread.

http://www.schlockmercenary.com/comics/schlock20090301a.jpg
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ryos

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Re: RIP Brad
« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2009, 07:42:15 AM »
I've been wondering who would get the axe this time around. Howard always kills at least one of the toughs on every campaign. Under the circumstances I'm surprised Legs pulled through.

He had a good run.
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Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: RIP Brad
« Reply #10 on: March 07, 2009, 08:43:52 AM »
Umm... Am I misinterpreting this?


We see a couple posts up that Brad has been augmented with soldier boosts, but having laz'r'us nannies is a bit more involved than that, right? From what we've seen the nannies do in the past, I'm guessing they can eventually overcome any damage short of vaporization into component atoms.

We were told that Tagon's entire crew were given laz'r'us nannies. We weren't ever told they weren't still there, right? Even though they have no idea about them, except that Schlock may know.

By the way, I finally finished catching up on the story after starting a few months ago. I'm enjoying it quite a lot and am sad I can only read one strip at a time now.
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ryos

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Re: RIP Brad
« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2009, 09:22:34 AM »
Heh, I remember when I finished reading the archives. The pacing seemed absolutely glacial until I readjusted to only reading one a day.

Anyway, I don't remember the strip ever explicitly stating that the nannies were removed, but I do think it's the sensible thing for the UNS to have done. Had they left those nannies in place, they WOULD eventually have been discovered (like, the first time a Tough gets injured), rendering the whole exercise of modifying their memories moot.
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Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: RIP Brad
« Reply #12 on: March 07, 2009, 05:45:59 PM »
If they were just going to remove them, why would they inject them all, give them time to fully embed, install some kind of interface, and then wipe their memories?

No, we have not heard the last of the laz'r'us nannies. It's possible they weren't discovered the first time a tough got injured because the interface that was installed keeps them lying low until a time of Emm's choosing.
All Saiyuki fans should check out Dazzle! Emotionally wrenching action-adventure and quirky humor! (At least read chapter 6 and tell me if you're not hooked.) Volume 10 out now!

happyman

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Re: RIP Brad
« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2009, 06:34:48 PM »
If they were just going to remove them, why would they inject them all, give them time to fully embed, install some kind of interface, and then wipe their memories?

No, we have not heard the last of the laz'r'us nannies. It's possible they weren't discovered the first time a tough got injured because the interface that was installed keeps them lying low until a time of Emm's choosing.

I think it was because the Laz'r'us nannies were necessary in order to perform the memory wipe in the first place.  It's the only technology they had to do it.  It's a new and still top-secret technology.

Even if the nannies were present but inactive in Brad, he's probably still dead.  They can only do so much.
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ryos

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Re: RIP Brad
« Reply #14 on: March 07, 2009, 07:59:38 PM »
What happyman said, although I disagree that Brad could have Laz'r'us nannies and be dead. Remember that they brought Xinchub back after his head had been completely vaporized.
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