Latest Page Discussions/Comic Update Chitchat

[thorny]

Again: I confused the figure and the ground. The problem wasn't that I didn't see the cheat sheet.

[wavewright62]

I think it's possible that Lalli has been knocked clean out of the space that he knows, and the rules are different here. Maybe possibly hedging my bets conceivably this is a dream that Emil is having that Lalli has access to.  It will be interesting to note if either Emil or the grandmotherly figure can perceive Lalli here.  If they do, neither of them would be likely to freak out, though. Grandma would just take it in stride that there's another one to feed, and Emil would just chalk it up to normal dream weirdness.

[Vafhudr]

Nah, he might be able to speak to Emil just fine, but this is still Emil's dream. So his mother/whoever she is will be speaking to him in Swedish and he will be speaking to her Swedish, but when he will speak to Lalli, Lalli should be able to understand him. At this stage it's like distant words he can't make out. It might be translated once he comes into focus.

[Purple Wyrm]

I think it's possible that Lalli has been knocked clean out of the space that he knows, and the rules are different here. Maybe possibly hedging my bets conceivably this is a dream that Emil is having that Lalli has access to.

I think that seems quite likely. Note that Emil seems to be wearing a more elaborate version of his uniform complete with the tight black undershirt.

On the subject of who "grandma" is, from this (admittedly vague) depiction she doesn't seem to resemble either Mia or Helga from the family tree. Could she be Emil's maternal grandmother?

[Grade E cat]

I read that old lady as wearing an elaborate apron and some kind of maid uniform under it. This, combined with the fact that she's serving food, makes me lean towards some kind of house employee from when Emil's family was still rich.

Also, whatever happens over the next week or two, I'm half-expecting it to get interrupted by a very worried owl.

[thorny]

I strongly suspect that the woman is a servant, not a relative.

In addition to the clothing and the body language, which looks subservient to me: there's only one place set. She's not going to be eating with him, she's just waiting on him. Wouldn't his mother, aunt, grandmother etc.  be sitting down and eating with him?

As she's talking about family relationships, however, she's probably not just a random maid hired last week. She may be the family nanny, or something of the sort.

[Dilandu]

I strongly suspect that the woman is a servant, not a relative.

In addition to the clothing and the body language, which looks subservient to me: there's only one place set. She's not going to be eating with him, she's just waiting on him. Wouldn't his mother, aunt, grandmother etc.  be sitting down and eating with him?

As she's talking about family relationships, however, she's probably not just a random maid hired last week. She may be the family nanny, or something of the sort.

And, Emil probably wouldn't feel himself so lonely and miserable if some relative was with him.

[Vafhudr]

So I am wondering whether this is a memory or a dream space.

[thorny]

As he's now interacting with Lalli, it can't be only memory. I don't see how he'd even recognize Lalli if it's pure memory; he wouldn't have met him yet.

But maybe dream spaces, at least for non-mages, are made at least partly out of memory? Because up to that point it does seem to be a memory, if not of a specific incident (though it might be), then of a sort of thing that did happen in his life. -- having it be at least partly dream might change the tone of that business with the cake, though; it might be a dream exaggeration, not that he routinely actually expected to be presented with a different cake at every meal.

[Dilandu]

As he's now interacting with Lalli, it can't be only memory. I don't see how he'd even recognize Lalli if it's pure memory; he wouldn't have met him yet.

But maybe dream spaces, at least for non-mages, are made at least partly out of memory? Because up to that point it does seem to be a memory, if not of a specific incident (though it might be), then of a sort of thing that did happen in his life. -- having it be at least partly dream might change the tone of that business with the cake, though; it might be a dream exaggeration, not that he routinely actually expected to be presented with a different cake at every meal.

Or this is the effect of location, and something in this old house acted as communication medium between them.

[Vafhudr]

As he's now interacting with Lalli, it can't be only memory. I don't see how he'd even recognize Lalli if it's pure memory; he wouldn't have met him yet.

But maybe dream spaces, at least for non-mages, are made at least partly out of memory? Because up to that point it does seem to be a memory, if not of a specific incident (though it might be), then of a sort of thing that did happen in his life. -- having it be at least partly dream might change the tone of that business with the cake, though; it might be a dream exaggeration, not that he routinely actually expected to be presented with a different cake at every meal.

So I think the cakes are perhaps the biggest tell because we know for a fact that cakes are high luxury. It could speak to the amount of money his family had a time, but it seems excessive. I am also leaning toward this being a sort of caricature of his sentiments.

[urbicande]

As he's now interacting with Lalli, it can't be only memory. I don't see how he'd even recognize Lalli if it's pure memory; he wouldn't have met him yet.

But maybe dream spaces, at least for non-mages, are made at least partly out of memory? Because up to that point it does seem to be a memory, if not of a specific incident (though it might be), then of a sort of thing that did happen in his life. -- having it be at least partly dream might change the tone of that business with the cake, though; it might be a dream exaggeration, not that he routinely actually expected to be presented with a different cake at every meal.

To be fair, we don't know who Emil sees.  WE know it's Lalli, but Emil could be seeing some childhood friend.

[October Sky]

To be fair, we don't know who Emil sees.  WE know it's Lalli, but Emil could be seeing some childhood friend.

Now that would be interesting- perhaps the reason for Emil's reaction is that its supposed to be someone like that and he hasn't realized that its Lalli, rather than that person suddenly looking very different?

[thorny]

But he still appears to be interacting with Lalli, whether or not he knows it's Lalli. So it still wouldn't be pure dream, in our ordinary sense of dream -- at least, supposing that is Lalli, and this isn't entirely a dream of Emil's with no actual involvement on Lalli's part at all; but I think it's unlikely that Minna would have given us a multiple-page buildup of Lalli getting there if it isn't supposed to be anything other than Emil's imagination.

[Dilandu]

To be fair, we don't know who Emil sees.  WE know it's Lalli, but Emil could be seeing some childhood friend.

Hm... so, you suggest that Lalli is currently observing some dream scenario without actually interacting? He just assumed that Emil talked with him because, well, Emil reaction looks pretty much like he is actually talking with Lalli? But actually it's just a coincidence?

Interesting. And possible.