[S.T.O.R.Y. 1/25/02] To die? Huh, my watch says 8:00...

[Chaos Priest]

http://www.egscomics.com/d/20020125.html

Woah... I just thought of something while looking at this comic. If magic is something that everybody in EGS has the potential for, then what if the hammer was a manifestation of that potential? It could be a kind of unconscious use of an illusion spell that all women have access to because they all can potentially use magic, but the vast majority never get anywhere beyond that one spell, one which most likely don't even think of as such. It's just "something they can do" when around a pervert. This is of course ignoring that hammers no longer appear within the comic, but hey, never let a small thing like that get in the way of crazy speculation.

More on topic to the comic itself, while I like some of the expressions here, I gotta say Sarah's hair just looks weird.

[CooperNRG]

If it's magic, then doesn't that mean all women are inherently "awake," meaning that there would have been no reason for Nanase to be awakened in France?

[The Old Hack]

If it's magic, then doesn't that mean all women are inherently "awake," meaning that there would have been no reason for Nanase to be awakened in France?

Not necessarily. As Susan put it, "He has magic. Well, more magic." This hints that having magic isn't something with on/off stages but rather a sliding scale. Some magic might be so commonplace as to be accessible even to entirely dormant people (such as using the belt or the TF gun) whereas proceeding through 'dreaming' to 'aware' might mean access to more sophisticated and controllable magic, such as Nanase's quite advanced book of spells that in great detail explains how her spells work.

As to the comic itself, it's fun to see how certain fundamental characteristics in EGS are laid out right from the start. The good lines go to both girls and boys, much typically male humour has a tendency to backfire hard and reality may be a rather mutable state. It may not be much at this stage but the potential is there

[Chaos Priest]

If it's magic, then doesn't that mean all women are inherently "awake," meaning that there would have been no reason for Nanase to be awakened in France?

I don't think so. If I'm understanding things correctly then once somebody awakens they are able to intentionally use magic and shape it according to their personality. The hammer is something a lot more basic. If anything it would probably be closer to the illusion techniques that the ASMA students learn, as while it might technically be considered magic the students likely have not awakened, and as pretty much female in EGS can use the hammer it would be even lower on the metaphorical scale of magic then the illusion techniques. I think it would kinda look something like:

^ *more stuff up here*
I
I
I *person has "awakened"*
I *person is "dreaming"*
I
I *ki techniques (such as Tamashii Gekido)*
I *ki illusions (such as Justin's scare tactic)*
I
I
I
I *hammer*

[kyevan]

Which makes you wonder, if we take that as true: are there any male equivalents? Or, maybe, are average females inherently more magical than average males? That actually might make sense, since the average male tends to be slightly stronger physically.

[psirrow]

Or the physical strength could be a magical manifestation of the male's magic whereas the females tend to expend that magical energy on hammers.

Meaning that a woman who doesn't hammer would have the same boost to strength that the man would have.

[mixedintrests]

Or the physical strength could be a magical manifestation of the male's magic whereas the females tend to expend that magical energy on hammers.

Meaning that a woman who doesn't hammer would have the same boost to strength that the man would have.

That would make sense, since we haven't seen Nanase use a hammer (I think?) and she is arguably the strongest member of our cast.

*EDIT*
This would also explain why mSusan could lose an arm wrestling contest to fNanase, since she is the one who uses the hammers the most. Also why Sarah is one of the weaker characters in EGS. Even Elliot has been known to use the hammer, making Tedd and Justin the only other characters that haven't used it besides Nanase. I'm guessing though that because Nanase is a female and she has the power to use the hammer if she were so inclined, the fact that she chooses not to makes her even more physically powerful than the average man.

[psirrow]

I'm guessing though that because Nanase is a female and she has the power to use the hammer if she were so inclined, the fact that she chooses not to makes her even more physically powerful than the average man.

The theory I posited above is that the average man has the same powers as the average woman and their election to not use the hammer results in the same boost to strength that you're proposing Nanase would receive for not using a hammer. Nanase's boost would, thus, be the same boost any male would receive.

Of course, Nanase certainly has more control over magic than the average man or woman. It's reasonable to think Susan does as well.

Of course, if magic can be pent up, use of the hammer would only be a temporary depletion in power unless one were to use it continuously. If use of the hammer were to permanently drain a person, most females who used it would eventually risk death if they used it too often. It seems reasonable to presume that magic is regenerated over time. In such a case, Elliot's use of the hammer would not render him any weaker now than he was prior to using the hammer. If anything, it would be a minor dip in power.

[Chaos Priest]

Or the physical strength could be a magical manifestation of the male's magic whereas the females tend to expend that magical energy on hammers.

Meaning that a woman who doesn't hammer would have the same boost to strength that the man would have.

That would make sense, since we haven't seen Nanase use a hammer (I think?) and she is arguably the strongest member of our cast.

*EDIT*
This would also explain why mSusan could lose an arm wrestling contest to fNanase, since she is the one who uses the hammers the most. Also why Sarah is one of the weaker characters in EGS. Even Elliot has been known to use the hammer, making Tedd and Justin the only other characters that haven't used it besides Nanase. I'm guessing though that because Nanase is a female and she has the power to use the hammer if she were so inclined, the fact that she chooses not to makes her even more physically powerful than the average man.

Or just maybe Nanase won because she is a martial artist who spends a lot of time working out and we don't have any evidence whatsoever that Susan does anything more then necessary to avoid getting fat? I don't think she's the strongest in the ASMA dojo because she doesn't use a hammer. I'm pretty sure it's because she puts in a lot of really hard work. While Dan doesn't really emphasize his character's muscles as much these days, take a look at Nanase's first appearance. She's pretty buff.

Now then, Ellen implies that ki increases strength here, but there isn't anything to suggest that using a hammer would use up a lot of power, especially as anybody can do it, or that their magic/ki/whatever will continue to build up endlessly or can never be replenished. If it is anything like a muscle then Susan and Sarah should be getting some strength from using hammers as they are using it rather then just letting it sit there and do nothing.

[Nightranger]

Am I the only one who almost half expected Sarah to say "Tool Time!" in the last panel?

[Chaos Priest]

Germahn Tools is proud to present, Tedd "the Tool Man" Verres!

Oh man, could you imagine the chaos if Tim Taylor ever got his hands on the TFG? Some things should not be submitted to his modifications. Well, OK, there isn't anything that should be, but somethings would be an especially bad idea, and the TFG one of them.

[kyevan]

Germahn Tools is proud to present, Tedd "the Tool Man" Verres!

Oh man, could you imagine the chaos if Tim Taylor ever got his hands on the TFG? Some things should not be submitted to his modifications. Well, OK, there isn't anything that should be, but somethings would be an especially bad idea, and the TFG one of them.

... Oh my... that would be so awesomely hilariously wrong. Especially if he tried to turn it into The Man'S TFG.

... I have some crossover fanfic to write.

[Nightranger]

Myself, I find imagining Tedd slipping into Tim's manly ways, grunting and all, to be much funnier.

Why do you think he needs a portable free energy device. Obviously there's something that needs "more power, hurrgh-hurgh-urrgh!"
that was supposed to be Tim's grunt in case anyone couldn't interpret it

[kyevan]

Myself, I find imagining Tedd slipping into Tim's manly ways, grunting and all, to be much funnier.

Why do you think he needs a portable free energy device. Obviously there's something that needs "more power, hurrgh-hurgh-urrgh!"
that was supposed to be Tim's grunt in case anyone couldn't interpret it

Hmmm, true. But who wears the flannel?

[ChronosCat]

===Spring, 2006===

Chronos: Okay, I take it back. Along with this strip, the last comic isn't in bad taste at all. In other news, it seems our author is an Anime fan. Where did the hammer come from? From Hammerspace, of course!

Crystal: Ah, Hammerspace. I remember when we first heard that term, we thought that it was some variation on Hyperspace, which ships would use in order to travel by "Hammer"ing.

Chronos: You know, if you remember my memories so well, why even bother coming back in time to interview me?

Crystal: Because it's more fun this way?

Chronos: True.