Girl Genius

The combination of Violetta's family and cutthroat campus politics does not sound like a comfortable combination. Vi may have her work cut out for her guarding Agatha. Oh where is His Feline Majesty and the Bear Army when she really needs them?

Attacking Castle Wulfenbach, probably.

-laughter- The party is now essential research. Good job, Vi.

I'm not sure whether this information means the professor might be in danger from his family or, given the long history between the Sturmvariouses and the Mongfish, whether he might be the answer to how Lu was time travelling in the first place.

He seems to have the Parisian complexion, not the Valois, so I'm wondering how much he really has to worry about the Sturmvarious.

But I am pretty excited to see even a flashback of a family member on the Grandmother generation.

It's been suggested the dark skin is not genetic, but caused somehow by living in Paris.

And I didn't notice at first, but the Master's symbol is on the doorknob in the flashback.

edited 5th Sep '15 12:44:35 AM by Geoduck

Is nobody going to put up the link? I mean, seriously?

Has no one else highlighted that he took his office but the keys are still missing? Does this mean he left the door permanently open after picking its lock, or that he always enters/leaves through the window?

Congrats, Drusus: didn't think it was possible, but your standing with Agatha took a dive with that action of yours...

Who isn't Violetta related to somehow?

It's a big family.

The Tan: We know two people who studied in Paris and aren't dark-skinned, nor did they look dark-skinned in the flashbacks. If there is a really potent sun lamp in Paris, it was installed recently.

Zardeliv: Assuming that Klaus doesn't really want the bubble lifted, there is another candidate who could have reason to eliminate time mechanic researchers. I am still wondering what happened to Boris. He would have been loyal to a Wulfenbach and was the de facto administrator of the empire, so he would have been very valuable to Gil.

I assume that someone would have mentioned if he had died or resigned. From this I think it is possible that he was tasked with slowing down Lu and in extension Agatha, which could involve eliminating time mechanics.

Of course, the Stormking conspiracy has no interest in getting Klaus out either. An inexperienced Baron is likely easier to deal with than Mr. Don't-make-me-come-over-there. So they could be the culprit too.

I could see Gil kidnapping time mechanics, but not killing them. He'd find them too useful to his research to kill them.

True, I hadn't parsed that.

edited 5th Sep '15 8:15:42 AM by Lightningnettle

I could see Boris killing time mechanics, if he works independent of Gil to keep Klaus and if possible Mechanicsburg in stasis.

Something puzzling: These are sparks of a high order. They can construct remote controlled drone bodies, tinker with the structure of time itself, but apparently the concept of post-its escapes them.

edited 5th Sep '15 9:38:58 AM by blauregen

A post-it just isn't that dramatic.

Besides, can you imagine the pictures the students would get up to if they had multi-colored post-it notes?

Maybe the keys in question aren't the main office door keys, but the ones to cupboards, closets, safes, the kind of places where interesting things are stored. Although I question the wisdom of poking around a Spark's skeletons.

I'm also vaguely remembering a story I read once where the room a door opened onto depended on which key you used. Or maybe it was a game...

I like how Vi slips up to Agatha and gives her that intel very quietly. Smart girl. She deserves that pretty dress. With lots of hidden pockets.

Yeah. Why would a Spark would use a post-it note when they've got a perfectly good dagger-implanting gun just sitting around?

It's hard to see Boris as a covert agent, but clearly the Foglios have set him up for something: his disappearing act has just been so complete and unremarked on.

This arc definitely seems dedicated in part to fleshing out Violetta and Tarvek's family tree and their various machinations. I wonder if every arc is going to introduce/feature a new branch of the family.

Hidden pockets, hidden holsters, brass knuckles and ninja stars sewn into the hems and linings . . .

Well, she is a Smoke Knight after all!

edited 5th Sep '15 10:22:04 AM by AnotherBear

Different keys opening a thing differently: the fake Moody's trunk in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

It's the hidden bandolier/garterbelt set of vials and lockpicks I'd worry about, myself.

edited 5th Sep '15 11:41:06 AM by Euodiachloris

I vaguely remember that Blue Excorcist had keys that opened to different places too, but I'm not completely sure.

I always thought that you could hide a lot of equipment in a bustle. Not to mention the underskirts. And of course she is a woman, which puts her one secret compartment ahead of male kind, if she wants to take it to extremes.

Long hair is a good place, too.

Do not underestimate Boris. He nearly talked the generals into sitting this one out.

edited 6th Sep '15 10:17:56 AM by blauregen

It's not his intellect or bravery that I question, but more that he kind of stands out in a crowd.

But still, yes, it pretty much has be that he's off doing something sneaky somewhere.