EQ Readthrough: Issue 15, The Quest Usurped!

[elf]

Issue 15: The Quest Usurped!
Questions for this issue:

• What does Voll's deception say of how he thinks of the Wolfriders?
• Could or should the other Wolfriders done something other than follow?
• What differences did you notice between these trolls and Greymung's subjects?

Main OQR post with prompt questions
Note: These aren't mandatory questions; they're meta prompts. If you don't care for any of them, or want to tangent from them to some other topic, that's fine too.

Comments

[dancing_serpent]

This was the issue where I stopped liking Lord Voll, when I was reading it for the first time. And now, re-reading it again my feelings are pretty much the same.

This "I know what's best for you and you will see that I am right and will be thankful, regardless of what I've done to you to achieve my goal" attitude makes me furious! I hate it in RL and it's a pet peeve of mine in (fan)fiction, too.

I wrote meta, or rather, ranted about this in my personal journal a while ago, but encountering it here again fans my anger anew.


But still, there are some gorgeous panels in this issue. Page three - Voll's memories of him and Winnowill set before a silhouette of his profile - for example. I loved that one a lot, so much so that I used it in something you could consider EQ fanart, I suppose.

[absque_setentia]

Funny thing, it has been so long since I last read these issues that I was surprised at first to find myself liking Lord Voll, because I remembered him as very disagreeable. Then I read this issue and thought, "Oh, that explains it!"

I do still feel sorry for him, though, but then I have had the fortune not to run into too many people like him yet.

The trick of using the silhouette of a character as a backdrop for a flashback is one I always liked, too. Wendy used it a few more times IIRC and it looks very neat.

[absque_setentia]

I like how Dewshine and Tyldak seem to feel much better about themselves and each other when they agree to just get it over with and then go their separate ways.

The art is gorgeous as usual, but Clearbrook just breaks my heart. I just read the issue for the third time in a week and still I very nearly cried (I sobbed the first time). The entire battle at the end is still very sad and terrifying to me, even after all these years. (Or maybe exactly because, after all these years, I love these characters so dearly)

[arcanetrivia]

The art is gorgeous as usual, but Clearbrook just breaks my heart.

Oooh, yes. Especially the part where she cuts off her braid in grief (and Petalwing's "highthing try make wrapstuff?" in I guess it must be the next issue was icing on that sad sad cake). Also the tender exchange of soul names between Cutter and Skywise.

[absque_setentia]

Especially the part where she cuts off her braid in grief

This has to be my favourite representation of grief in fiction. In the previous issues we have had a few scenes where One-Eye is taking care of her hair, so it makes sense that she would cut it off.

Moments like that between Cutter and Skywise are part of why I love ElfQuest. I shipped those two long before I knew what slash was (though I guess it can't be called slash or even shipping when it's ElfQuest).

[dancing_serpent]

I kind of feel sorry for him, too, but still. I seem to run into people trying to tell/force someone else into things they think "are best for them" all the time, both in RL and in (fan)fiction.

Yes, she does use it several times and I always liked it. But that panel with Lord Voll is one of my favourites.

[dancing_serpent]

Especially the part where she cuts off her braid in grief

This has to be my favourite representation of grief in fiction. In the previous issues we have had a few scenes where One-Eye is taking care of her hair, so it makes sense that she would cut it off.

Same for me - that was a really powerful moment and it broke my heart, too.

Also, I totally agree on Cutter/Skywise here. ♥