May I just say I think this is my favourite scene in the movie in terms of emotions from Ryan.
Grace has just discovered the Taumeba eats the astrophage, he has the literal cure for Earth's and Erid's problem under the microscope right in front of him, he can save everyone!
And he wants to celebrate this, he's joyously happy, but he can't, because turning to see Rocky still not moving, still dead as far as he's concerned I mean he doesn't know he's going to ever wake up. And he can't celebrate. How can he? He can't save Erid without Rocky telling him where to go, he can't do any of this without Rocky, and he's crying tears of joy and frustration and relief and sadness and fear and loneliness all in one, and it's just an amazing portrayal of emotions.
According to Andy Weir's Eridian biology document, Eridians are better multitaskers than humans will ever be, but the trade off is they're physically incapable of locking in. SO funny to me. Yes this species can build a diorama while simultaneously blitzing through mathematics equations and also partaking in intense gossiping, but they cannot do any of those things for longer than, like, half an hour without going crazy. Species of supercomputers cursed with the TikTok attention span.
Rocky mocks Grace when he says that Rocky is distracting him by starting complex conversations while he's Trying To Do Science. "Human brain have to stop activity just because talking question? Useless! One track mind!"
Then Grace is on hour six of his "trying to recreate skittles" hyperfocus and Rocky is like What The Fuck. Statement.
Yeah human brains can only do a single very consuming task at a time but it can do it for a very long time. The one track in our one track minds spans multiple countries. Persistence predators, babey.
Rocky, once again, being baffled and STRESSED about human biology and the things his human does to keep healthy
i dont think mr "my whole crew died of radiation sickness" likes the fact that his alien and most things on his planet needs it for survival very much xD
previous
Kris confronts the shadow in the chest, and manages to stop it before it steals their body. They then escape and deal with Ramb...but the shadow's words still carry a great weight of worry.
Aaaand heck yes, this comic is done! A tricky one to do considering the angles and lighting involved, but hopefully it all works well enough! Sometimes there's scarier things for Kris to deal with than death! ;)
Not sure when the next comic will happen since I need to start scripting it first, but as always, there will be more in the future!
Alt text for this comic is under the read more:
Page 1
Panel 1 - Mid shot as Kris spins around, and tries to swing their sword at the shadow–
Panel 2 - As they do, the magical fire moves around as well with a soft hiss.
Panel 3 - Wide shot as the fire changes position. In doing so, it also changes the mantleholder’s position, and they shiver out of the way, always behind Kris. Kris’s sword strikes the wall with a useless CLANG!
Panel 4 - High angle shot as the mantleholder moves over Kris, its grinning face now over the ceiling. “Heeheehahaha! Not a moment wasted!” it says. “You’re so eager to fight!”
Panel 5 - Low angle shot as Kris spins around to face the shadow, sword still in hand. “I’m not eager to die is all!” they retort.
Panel 6 - The mantleholder splays across a variety of stone blocks, its silhouette contorting across the angled surfaces. It replies, “Is that so? Death is no danger to you, after all!”
Panel 7 - Kris again tries to strike at the shadow, and again the fire changes direction in order to change the shadow. It slithers out of the way, and Kris’s sword again hits the wall. “Not when *he’s* got your soul gripped tight in his claws!” the mantleholder continues.
Panel 8 - “But I can fix that for you!” it says. “All you need to do is hold still for a moment…” Kris grimaces as they stand between the floating fire, and the shadow dancing across the stones behind them.
Page 2
Panel 1 - Low angle as a huge stone block above Kris shudders with a rumble.
Panel 2 - High angle as Kris hears the noise, and looks up, their face shocked–
Panel 3 - The stone drops from the ceiling and slams into the ground with a loud BOOM!
Panel 4 - Kris stands with their arms spread out, pinned against the wall. Only a narrow gap separates them from where the block fell, and their body shakes.
Panel 5 - Wide shot of the chamber as more come: all around, the stone blocks begin to move in every direction. They slide across the floor and walls, drop from the ceiling, shift left and right. Kris is still pinned between the firelight and wriggling shadow.
Panel 6 - High angle shot as Kris tries to run and keep ahead of the moving blocks. The fire keeps pace with them, floating ahead. “There’s no sense in running, Kris! I see what’s burning in your eyes.”
Panel 7 - Kris’s head wheels around as the mantleholder continues to taunt them from the ceiling: “I know how you *anticipate* the violence you’ll bring to your town?”
Panel 8 - “How *good* it’ll feel when you order those beasts to kill them,” it continues. Kris continues to run down the length of the chamber, the blocks dropping and shifting with ominous rumbles all around them.
Page 3
Panels 1-5 - A spread of panels in a kaleidoscope as Kris tries to fight back against the shadow, all while avoiding the blocks. They still only strike the walls as the mantleholder evades their strikes. Kris is starting to look scared and a little desperate. Still, all around, the blocks move from one side of the chamber to the other.
Through it all, the mantleholder taunts them: “And I know there’s something nagging at the back of your mind…something so horrible, you date not speak it!” It says. “What happens *after* the fire dies out? When they’re all dead by your hands…what if there’s *guilt*? Despair? *Regret*?
Panel 6 - The mantleholder spreads its shadow all across the moving blocks of the chamber. It changes its shape to more resemble Ralsei: horns, fiery fur, and glowing eyes. “What *will* he do to you?” the shadow taunts.
Panel 7 - Kris is distracted as the mantleholder shifts across the whole chamber, still retaining Ralsei’s shape. “I can spare you all of it, Kris!” it says.
Panel 8 - Full shot as Kris suddenly turns to their left. A stone block is hurtling towards them at high speed, rumbling against the floor.
Page 4
Panel 1 - Kris tries to run out of the way as the block rushes towards them in a blur of stone–
Panel 2 - But they don’t quite make it. The block slams into the wall with an echoing BOOM, crushing Kris’s lower left arm between the two.
Panel 3 - Kris throws their head back and screams.
Panel 4 - Wide shot as the block then slides away, revealing what remains of Kris’s arm–
Panel 5 - Kris turns and gapes in shock as what was once their arm is now only a shadow, like the mantleholder.
Panel 6 - Another angle as Kris tries to move, but finds that they’re effectively pinned to the wall, as their arm now just exists as a shadow on the surface of the stone.
Panel 7 - “Heeheehahaha, incredible! What a sensation!” the mantleholder cries. Kris turns back to their right…
Panel 8 - And sees the mantleholder grinning maniacly against the wall. However, its left shadow arm has now been replaced with Kris’s arm, sticking comically out of the wall.
Page 5
Panel 1 - “Existing in three dimensions is such a thrill!” the mantleholder says, waving Kris’s arm and wiggling the fingers with excitement.
Panel 2 - High angle as Kris looks on in horror, eyes wide. “What are you doing to me?!” they yell back.
Panel 3 - Wider shot as Kris and the mantleholder face each other, showing how Kris’s arm has effectively traded places with the shadow. “Just hold still a little longer, Kris! It’ll be painless…you can stay here, free from him!” the mantleholder says. “I’ll take your body back and do *all* the same things you’ll do.”
Panel 4 - The mantleholder holds out Kris’s arm as if in offering, still grinning. “They’ll never know it’s not *really* you!” it says.
Panel 5 - Low angle as Kris looks up: another stone block has shifted position and is hurtling down, ready to crush them.
Panel 6 - Kris runs towards camera, dodging the block as it slams into the ground. However, with their arm flattened, they’re forced to run against the wall. The mantleholder continues to slither around the room, taking Kris’s forearm as it goes.
Page 6
Panel 1 - Kris still tries to fight back, but it’s all the harder as they’re pinned to the wall. They swing their sword around at the shadow again, but miss. The fire still burns ahead of them. “All the revenge your heart desires, without the burden of you actually doing it!” the mantleholder continues.
Panel 2 - Kris swings their sword around again, their expression frightened and desperate. They again miss, and their sword strikes the wall.
Panel 3 - The mantleholder grins down from the angled ceiling, waving Kris’s arm from above. “Doesn’t that sound perfect, Kris?”
Panel 4 - As another block passes by, Kris finally stops to notice something else: the magical flame burning just ahead of them, always keeping the shadow behind them.
Panel 5 - Closeup on Kris as they study the fire, their face illuminated by its glow. Their eyes narrow as they come to an understanding.
Panel 6 - High angle as another block against the wall starts to slide across to the other end of the chamber. Getting an idea, Kris quickly moves so that their shadow arm falls onto the new surface, peeling them away from the wall.
Panel 7 - Wide shot as the stone block moves across the length of the chamber, with Kris running alongside it so that their arm can remain on the block. The mantleholder grins from the ceiling above.
Panel 8 - Kris runs faster as they approach the fire glowing ahead of them, focusing on their target…
Panel 9 - As they run, almost on top of it, they throw their sword to the ground. It lands with a CLANG!
Page 7
Panel 1 - Furious and desperate, Kris charges right at the glowing flame in front of them, but instead of their sword, they grab their cowl in their right hand and hold it upward, ready to yank it over the flame.
Panel 2 - The mantleholder realizes too late Kris’s actual intentions. It yells out “NO–” and reaches Kris’s hand out as if to stop them…
Panel 3 - But Kris doesn’t listen, and once the block is close enough, they yank their cowl hard over the floating fire, snuffing the flames.
Panel 4 - Wide shot as all the moving blocks in the chamber begin to slide to a stop, including the one that Kris is attached to. Without the light, the shadow behind them has vanished. “Whatever you are…DIE!” they shout.
Panel 5 - A last few flickering embers remain on Kris’s cowl, and from that light, the mantleholder’s shadow stretches across Kris’s own body. “So, you reject my offer,” he says, his speech now less steady.
Panel 6-7 - The camera gets closer to Kris’s face as the shadow creeps up, closer, until it’s nearly hugging Kris’s face. He gives Kris his parting words: “Heehee…don’t say I didn’t warn you! At least…you got a little practice at it!”
Panel 8 - Wider shot as Kris is left alone, standing next to the now-still stone block. The fire light has completely gone out, and the mantleholder has vanished, leaving Kris alone in darkness.
Page 8
Panel 1 - Kris pulls their left arm away from the block…it’s whole once again.
Panel 2 - Lower angle shot as Kris looks down at their arm, shaking and breathing heavily. Their arm is back, but the experience has clearly left them disturbed.
Panel 3 - Kris turns their head, and sees an opening appear in the ceiling…it’s their way out of the chamber.
Panel 4 - In a wide angle, Ramb paces back and forth in front of the open chest. He’s clearly waiting for something to finish.
Panel 5 - However, he turns his head suddenly as, in the foreground, Kris’s hand grabs onto the edge of the chest with a clink!
Panel 6 - Kris pulls themself up and out of the chest, gripping their sword in their right hand. Their expression is furious.
Panel 7 - Ramb was clearly not expecting this outcome. Trembling, he holds his arms out and says, “K-Kris! Luv!! You…”
Panel 8 - “Got yourself out of that place, huh?” he finishes nervously. Kris, now fully out of the chest, strides toward him with the sword out and fury in their eyes.
Page 9
Panel 1 - Inset layer of a closeup on Ralsei, as he yells out “KRIS!”
Panel 2 - Wide shot as Ralsei, Susie and Noelle all walk up to Kris and Ramb by the open chest. They’ve finally found where Kris has gone.
Panel 3 - Ramb turns back to Kris, shaking and scrunching himself up with worry. The beasts and demon prince are now directly behind him, and Kris stands ahead of him. “Oh, Kris, I know you’re upset. But…can you blame me?” he asks.
Panel 4 - “A creature like me’s got so few options…your soul’s such a rare opportunity, I-I had to give it a go…” he continues, trying to plead with Kris. Kris still looks furious.
Panel 5 - Closeup on Ralsei as he again tries to work out the situation. “What’s happened?”
Panel 6 - Kris ignores him, and instead just points at the shaking Ramb. Noelle trots up behind the mutilated minion. Kris just speaks her name, and gives her the FIGHT command.
Panel 7 - Closeup on Noelle’s face as icy frost begins to spill from her open mouth…she’s preparing to use her freezing spell.
Page 10
Panel 1 - High angle as Noelle peers down at Ramb, frost and ice still gathering around her. Ramb holds his hands up, shaking, as he stares up at her in horror. “P-please…Kris, please sp–”
Panel 2 - His stuttering plea is cut off. Noelle rears back, and a blast of freezing magic shoots from her mouth.
Panel 3 - The blast hits Ramb, and he is instantly frozen in a chunk of ragged ice with a loud, icy CRAAAAKKK.
Panel 4 - But Noelle is not done. Kris watches, stone faced, as Noelle rears up on her hind legs over the frozen Ramb…
Panel 5 - And then brings her front hooves down on him, smashing him into dozens of frozen chunks.
Panel 6 - Susie walks up and sniffs at the frozen chunks of Ramb, looking a little disappointed. “Aw man, could’ve had a fresh snack…”
Panel 7 - “Eh, no use crying over it. Frozen’s still good,” she concludes, and laps up a piece of ice with a smile.
Panel 8 - In the background, Noelle, Susie and Berdly all help themselves to the remains of the frozen minion, ice crunching between their teeth and beaks. Kris watches them from the foreground, while Ralsei walks up to stand beside them.
Page 11
Panel 1 - Full shot as Kris stands close to the open chest, trembling all over. Ralsei notices, and puts a hand on their shoulder. “You’re shaking. What did he try to do?” he asks.
Panel 2 - Kris turns away from Ralsei, still shaking a bit. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”
Panel 3 - Closeup on Kris and Ralsei - Kris still looks rather worried, while Ralsei has his own concerns about Kris not speaking up. He elects not to bother them about it, though.
Panel 4 - Ralsei turns away as well. “I see. Well, there’s no need to fret over it. You’re safe now!” he says, trying to sound encouraging.
Panel 5 - Kris suddenly turns back around, their eyes wide–
Panel 6 - Against Ralsei’s robes, their lower left arm again looks like it’s turned to shadow.
Panel 7-8 - Extreme closeup as Kris shuts their eyes tight, then opens them again…
Panel 9 - Their arm looks normal as always. Was it a trick of their mind?
Panel 10 - Mid shot as Kris hugs their left arm to their chest, looking disturbed. Ralsei keeps one hand at their back, standing close to them. “You’ll always be safe with me,” he says. The frame cuts off the top half of his head, revealing only a familiar smile.
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