Line #60 CallBack/TheOrderOfTheStick


1	''WebComic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', as a LongRunner, has indulged in many, ''many'' call backs and {{Continuity Nod}}s.
2
3	* Double one from the prequel book ''[[Recap/TheOrderOfTheStickStartOfDarkness Start of Darkness]]'', when we see [[spoiler:Redcloak's family visiting the Monster in the Darkness. Redcloak's youngest nephew has a [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0389.html Julio Scoundrél]] toy, and the [=MitD=] has a [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0474.html plush dragon]].]]
4	* One of the longest Call Backs in the whole comic: in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0025.html #25]], Elan assumes that since the less armor you wear, the less able enemies are to see you, if you're naked, you must be invisible. Thanks to this, he can first streak through Azure city New Year Party [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0302.html (#302)]] unseen, without causing a scandal. Later in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0665.html #665]], Roy is resurrected and is completely naked -- Elan exclaims, "You're invisible!" Elan calls back to it '''''again''''' in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1190.html #1190]], in which he says that he would have gone ahead with an invisible Haley and V, but it's too cold to be naked.
5	-->'''Jones:''' [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0032.html Oh, and Blondie: try to keep your clothes on. Kids play this game.]]
6	* Belkar and Miko enter Shojo's throne room via SuperWindowJump. 150-odd strips later, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0447.html Xykon comes in through a different window]], and the first one is still boarded up.
7	* [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0449.html #449]] to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0277.html #277]]. "Only the honor of a paladin is unbreakable."
8	* [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0486.html #486]] to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0039.html #39]] and [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0456.html #456]].
9	-->'''High Priest:''' Wait a minute, I had a 22!
10	* In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0535.html #535]] villains from a [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0229.html filler arc]] make a cameo.
11	* In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html #3,]] Haley mentions how she dislikes the color of her lime green Boots of Speed. These Boots are also spoken of in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0573.html #573,]] feature in a flashback in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0608.html #608,]] and in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0675.html #675,]] she has them dyed brown.
12	* [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0580.html #580]] has Bozzok, Crystal and Hank consulting a copy of ''[[Recap/TheOrderOfTheStickOnTheOriginOfPCs On the Origin of PCs]]'' to review Haley quitting the Thieves Guild, with them reacting to Haley's {{Fanservice}} hot tub scene.
13	-->'''Hank:''' ''(to Bozzok)'' Let's see... you threatened to kill her if she left the Guild... she left anyway to become an adventurer... yeah, I think you hit the highlights. Though you did leave out what I consider to be some important context...\
14	'''Crystal:''' [[NoYay Eww! Why would anyone want to watch Starshine take a bath?]]\
15	'''Hank:''' [[EatingTheEyeCandy ...Important]] '''''[[EatingTheEyeCandy sexy]]''''' [[EatingTheEyeCandy context.]]
16	* [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0182.html Black dragons seem to]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0638.html have a taste for elf]].
17	* From [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0683.html #683]] all the way to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0087.html #87]].
18	* Also, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0685.html #685]] to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0171.html #171]]. In both, [[AmbiguousCriminalHistory Belkar]] "knows a guy who knows a guy."
19	* Another extremely long Call Back -- from [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0705.html #705]] all the way back to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0326.html #326]] with hydra-burgers.
20	* [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0714.html #714]] to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0178.html #178]].
21	* [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0747.html "Do you need, like, 200-foot-tall flaming letters or something?"]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0759.html Apparently so.]] Double-example considering [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0750.html what was being used for the fire.]]
22	* [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0723.html When Elan meets his father,]] note the ''Franchise/StarWars'' references. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0760.html When Elan]] [[CallingTheOldManOut calls out the old man]], [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0763.html and also here,]] note the ''Star Wars'' parallels.
23	* From [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0766.html #766]] to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0090.html #90]] ("I've got a 4!") and to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0130.html #130]] with the "elveny boots".
24	* There's one that would be more of a CallForward, since it shows up in a prequel book. In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0216.html this]] comic, Roy makes a throwaway comment about only getting a C- in his Attacks of Opportunity class. In ''[[Recap/TheOrderOfTheStickOnTheOriginOfPCs On the Origin of [=PCs=]]],'' that's the class Roy is studying for when his dad shows up to tell him about the Blood Oath against Xykon.
25	* [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0202.html "Stop oppressing my culture,]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0779.html you enthnocentric bitch!"]]
26	-->'''Belkar:''' [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0895.html Stop suppressing our rupture, you electroresistive niche!]]
27	* From [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0795.html #795]] to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0114.html #114]].
28	* The comic tops itself yet again as of [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0789.html #789]] to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0043.html #43]], with [[spoiler:the return of Zz'dtri.]]
29	* "[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0800.html I may be in error, but I believe the appropriate proclamation is,]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0396.html 'Sneak Attack, bitch.']]"
30	* [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0478.html #478]] has V teaching Elan to create illusions of celestial creatures. In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0805.html #805]], Elan demonstrates what he's learned with an illusionary celestial tree sloth.
31	* A shorter one, but in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0727.html #727]], Roy's hunch back in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0691.html #691]] pays off...
32	* Redcloak's confrontation with Tsukiko in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0830.html #830]] is similar to [[spoiler:Xykon's confrontation with Dorukan in ''[[Recap/TheOrderOfTheStickStartOfDarkness Start of Darkness]]'', with a one character exploiting a seemingly powerful one's weaknesses, giving a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech to them, and then killing them ignominiously.]]
33	* From [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0841.html #841]] all the way back to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0012.html #12]] AND [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0124.html #124]] :
34	-->'''Haley:''' Do you want to go up a level, or down a level?\
35	'''Roy:''' Don't start with that.
36	** The bit gets a lampshade in [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1188.html #1188]] when Elan tells Minrah that that particular WhosOnFirst gag is out of date.
37	* From [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0535.html #535]] to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0226.html #226]] and [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0229.html #229]]. Apparently the inn's employees and the assassins had a good reason to assume that Roy was the King of Nowhere.
38	* From [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0170.html #170]] to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0073.html #73]]. Thor must really like tall tankards of beer.
39	* Another extremely long one: from [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0868.html #868]] (appropriately named "Unleash the Fury") all the way to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0140.html #140]].
40	* In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0890.html #890]], Roy mentions that he's tried to take careful notice of time passing since his resurrection, no doubt as a result of completely losing track of it [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0499.html in the afterlife]].
41	* From 256 back to 127: "[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0256.html I, like, would never be caught dead in a]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0127.html stars-and-planets wizard robe]]."
42	* A pretty dark example in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0881.html #881]]: Belkar's pseudo-RousingSpeech to Roy explaining that [[spoiler:the Order needs to continue on despite Durkon's vampirization because if they just turn back now, [[SenselessSacrifice then he would've died for nothing]]]], is very similar to TheReasonYouSuckSpeech Xykon gave Redcloak in ''[[Recap/TheOrderOfTheStickStartOfDarkness Start of Darkness]]'' where the EvilSorcerer invoked the SunkCostFallacy in order to keep Redcloak on his side [[spoiler:after Redcloak was forced to kill his own brother in Xykon's defense]]. Ultimately, both Xykon and Belkar are arguing using the same logic - "Keep on or we did this for nothing" - but for completely dissimilar goals.
43	* Roy's [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0808.html knowledge of architecture and engineering]] comes in handy [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0895.html again]].
44	-->'''Roy:''' This pillar doesn't look load-bearing to me.
45	* From [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0905.html #905]]:
46	-->'''Elan:''' This is just like the [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0692.html cactus fight]] all over again!
47	* The title of comic #907, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0907.html "Always Hiring"]] is a callback to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0446.html comic #446]], where Xykon says this.
48	* In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0637.html comic #637]], the IFCC are watching V versus the Black Dragon on a plasma HDTV -- specifically, a blood-plasma Hell-Damned Television. In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0914.html comic #914]], the TV gets smashed... and bleeds.
49	* Tarquin [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0917.html refers to Roy's potential replacement in the Order]] as [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0112.html Rob Redblade]].
50	* Seems Belkar and Roy share [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0926.html at least]] [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0234.html one]] [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0251.html thing]] in common after all...
51	* [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0836.html Elan's plan]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0930.html comes to fruition.]]
52	* [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0936.html Elan remembers what happened]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0069.html the first time he met Nale.]]
53	* [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0987.html Wrecan and Veldrina needing the last Teleport Orb]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0677.html reminds Vaarsuvius and Blackwing of that time]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0679.html they squabbled with a wizard over remaining diamond dust.]]
54	-->'''Vaarsuvius:''' I believe I am experiencing what is commonly referred to as ''déjà vu''.\
55	'''Blackwing:''' Darn, I left my sombrero on the ship.
56	* "[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1011.html But as a certain half-orc once said,]] 'Talky man talk too much'"
57	* Both [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0796.html Thog]] and [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0408.html Miko]] tell Roy, mid-fight, to "Stop Talking!"
58	* In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1080.html #1080]], Elan recalls a previous conversation they had about random encounters, which is pretty impressive given [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0145.html how long ago that was]].
59	* [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0084.html Strip #84]], Durkon tells Hilgya how his mother told him what it means to be a dwarf, in a rather tragically humorous way. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1129.html Strip #1129]], we finally get the context. [[spoiler:It's a lot more tragic and far less humorous.]]
60	* In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1140.html #1140]], Durkon reminds Thor of the time, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0007.html over a thousand strips previously]], when his automated prayer system almost gave Elan a colon tumor -- which had already received a CallBack in [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0040.html strip #40]].
61	** Also in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1140.html #1140]], we see a sentient soda drink take revenge on a slice of pizza for a murder that was seen all the way back in [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0301.html #301]].
62	* A subtle one, but [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0444.html #444]] has Durkon happy that Roy had a "good and worthy" death, just like an honorable dwarf; Haley doesn't feel the same way. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1166.html A couple hundred strips later]], the dwarves cheer Kandro dying an honorable death; Haley doesn't feel the same way.
63	* Another call back of over 1100 strips: Haley points out in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1187.html #1187]] that Roy never got any sleep because [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0014.html he couldn't trust anyone]].
64	* Roy [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1196.html about to tell]] Julia that he made his father [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0500.html swear an oath]] to never see any family members is a several hundred strip callback.
65	* In [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0966.html Tinkertown in #966]], Elan and Belkar discuss random merchants who appear right before the end of a quest to sell basic potions. As the Order prepares to leave the ''Mechane'' in [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1201.html #1201]], one such merchant pops up.
66	* In [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1225.html #1225]], Lien and O-Chul continued to try to one up each other as they did in [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1031.html #1031]].
67	* In [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1228.html #1228]], O-Chul recalls his attempts to destroy the Gate in Azure City, which happened all the way back in [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0448.html #448]]. Serini then asks if he can vow someone else never used his sword to destroy a Gate; [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0462.html O-Chul can't promise that either.]]
68	* "[[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1230.html That's His Bad]]": The strip is a ContinuityCavalcade all its own -- Elan states that he has to recall previous events considering it's before the final battle and they don't have much time to reminisce. He recalls the time when [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0004.html he tried to bluff the ogre and Roy told him he hated him]], [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0127.html the time where he tried to become a wizard and V yelled at him]], and the time where [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0124.html Belkar tried to kill/defeat him for free EXP]]. He then comments about how the previously mentioned Order members were kind of mean to him, to which Roy and Belkar apologize for how they treated Elan in the past. V notes [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0128.html they had apologized]] to Elan in the very next strip.
69	* In [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1231.html #1231]], Thor uses the special ringtone he set for [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1148.html Durkon's Commune]].
70	* In [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1232.html #1232]], Thor notes Durkon still seems to never have the right spells prepared, such as using up all four Sending spells by accident in [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0733.html #733]] and not having Control Winds ready in [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0837.html #837]].
71	* In [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1233.html 1233]], Durkon jabs Roy with his tendency to use TalkingIsAFreeAction, and using [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1143.html Thor's comment to Durkon about how the Order]] [[WeDoTheImpossible seems to manage impossible tasks]]:
72	-->'''Roy:''' Though in my defense, it's hard to discuss these things with someone who's charging you with an axe.\
73	'''Durkon:''' Aye, aye, if thar's one thing anyone could say aboot Roy Greenhilt, it's tha he's nev'r manag'd ta fight an' talk at tha same time. \
74	'''Roy:''' No, it's not that. It's just--\
75	'''Durkon:''' [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1005.html 'E never, say, deeply interrogat'd]] [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1006.html a vampire's inner motivations]] [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1009.html while swordfightin' wit' 'im]] [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1010.html on tha floor o' tha Godsmoot.]]
76	* After Elan gets charmed into running into unknown territory in [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1236.html #1236]], Belkar sides with Haley on going after him, citing previous experience.
77	-->'''Belkar:''' [...][[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0867.html Last time one of us ran off into a dungeon by themselves]], [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0868.html it didn't]] [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0872.html turn out]] [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0877.html so]] [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0878.html hot]].
78	-->'''Durkon:''' Och, [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0946.html ain't tha true.]]
79	* Sunny [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1238.html looks exactly]] like the beholder from [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0032.html #32]]. Parody remains protected speech, it seems.
80	** As it turns out, [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1270.html Sunny IS the beholder from #32]].
81	* V [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1248.html reveals they have a Scroll of Passwall]], but anyone paying attention [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1238.html would have known they had one prepared.]]
82	* O-Chul [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1249.html comments]] "Five stars, would be rescued again", the same joke Belkar makes in [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0733.html #733]]: "Dark but clean, I'd give this three stars -- 'Would be incarcerated again.'"
83	* In [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1251.html Bite Sized]]:
84	** When Razor swallows Serini whole, Belkar recalls "[[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0406.html What is it with you paladin chicks and killing weird old people?!?]]"
85	** When Lien states there are no sharks who have acid or fire, O-Chul [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0541.html recalls at least one that did]].
86	* When using Speak with Dead to get information about Girard's Gate out of the corpse of one of its dead defenders, the imprecise, literal nature of the spell results in the corpse telling them that Girard's Rift is between his butt cheeks. Later, [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1278.html Serini comments that]] placing the key to conquering her dungeon on the conqueror's butts means that any divination spells are likely to result in confusing answers.
87	** And one comic before that, in [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1277.html 1277: ETA]], a call way back to the logic of the shell game from [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0428.html 428: It Takes A Thief]]. Serini is impressed Roy even knows what a shell game is, but it provides the backbone for the final deduction by V.

Context CallBack / TheOrderOfTheStick