[S.T.O.R.Y. 3/18/02] Wakey Wakey

[Chaos Priest]

http://www.egscomics.com/d/20020318.html

Say what you like about its appearance but you at least have to admit that Grace's mental alarm clock is very good at its job. Sure, she may develop a fear of ever falling asleep again, but she gets up on time!

[The Old Hack]

It is around this stage that the first real plot of EGS gets moving. Also we start to see more of the strength of these characters. Even lacking in physical training, Sarah keeps a cool head in a crisis and manages to get Grace to safety; not much later, we see Elliot reacting to the fact that Sarah was in danger and he wasn't there to protect her.

Also Nanase will be introduced soon.

[Dragonstar]

It is around this stage that the first real plot of EGS gets moving. Also we start to see more of the strength of these characters. Even lacking in physical training, Sarah keeps a cool head in a crisis and manages to get Grace to safety; not much later, we see Elliot reacting to the fact that Sarah was in danger and he wasn't there to protect her.

Also Nanase will be introduced soon.

Damn you and your unmarked spoilers! *shakes fist*


*shifty eyes*

[LadyofNonSequitur]

http://www.egscomics.com/d/20020318.html

Say what you like about its appearance but you at least have to admit that Grace's mental alarm clock is very good at its job. Sure, she may develop a fear of ever falling asleep again, but she gets up on time!

But why does it decide she needs to wake up right then? Or does it only let her sleep a certain amount of time before waking her? Those are the sorts of things people should consider before purchasing and installing nightmare-based alarm clocks.

[ChronosCat]

== Spring, 2006 ==

Chronos: Creepy.

== Oct, 2008 ==

Crystal: Okay, I know the skull-thing represents part of Grace's alien heritage, but anyone know why it looked all evil and skull-like until after Painted Black?

[mdm]

Probably because the Lespuko's true appearance wasn't revealed until Sleepy Time?

[Nightranger]

Crystal: Okay, I know the skull-thing represents part of Grace's alien heritage, but anyone know why it looked all evil and skull-like until after Painted Black?

I'd assume it's just another of those things that Dan wasn't quite sure what it wanted to look like, or his vision of it changed, or whatever. Like Grace's brothers.

[Dragonstar]

I figured it was that in sleepy time, she confronted it and wasn't scared, so it changed.

In fact, part one of her dream it was evil and skull-like, then changed when she confronted it.

[ChronosCat]

I figured it was that in sleepy time, she confronted it and wasn't scared, so it changed.

In fact, part one of her dream it was evil and skull-like, then changed when she confronted it.

Yeah, I was trying to remember when that was and how it went without an archive trawl... The thing is, the set of strips is obviously symbolic, but we aren't told what it means. Did Dan ever actually explain, or is this one of those things we're supposed to individually figure out for ourselves?

[The Old Hack]

Yeah, I was trying to remember when that was and how it went without an archive trawl... The thing is, the set of strips is obviously symbolic, but we aren't told what it means. Did Dan ever actually explain, or is this one of those things we're supposed to individually figure out for ourselves?

I personally rather like not having everything explained. Having some room to speculate and imagine in makes me happy and can keep me occupied for long hours. Mind you, sometimes authors do manage to convey unintended impressions this way. (Analyst: "This image clearly shows that the author is having incestous imaginings of sex with his brother whom he has lifelong wished was actually a girl." Author: "Uh...")

[Darekun]

I personally rather like not having everything explained. Having some room to speculate and imagine in makes me happy and can keep me occupied for long hours.

I hate questions that stay open like that, and they're the reason I've stopped reading EGS twice(for a couple years at a time). I'd rather have them answered in the Extended Universe, or something like that.

That said, I do think Grace's dream is pretty darn clear-cut. She faces her (unconscious) demonization of her lespuko side, but is no longer afraid of it, so it dissolves, leaving the reality of her lespuko side. That she accepts(and, perhaps pun intended, embraces), and then she moves on.

[Raging Mouse]

I figured it was that in sleepy time, she confronted it and wasn't scared, so it changed.

In fact, part one of her dream it was evil and skull-like, then changed when she confronted it.

Yeah, I was trying to remember when that was and how it went without an archive trawl... The thing is, the set of strips is obviously symbolic, but we aren't told what it means. Did Dan ever actually explain, or is this one of those things we're supposed to individually figure out for ourselves?

I have two competing explanations.

One is that the skull is affected by Grace's self-image. She seems to initially regard herself as some kind of monster. This could be originating in her regarding Damien as family, and worsened by the dormant Lespuko in her, which her pacifist side would rail against.

On the other hand, it could be explained away by stylistic changes in Dan's art. It evolved quite strongly between first introducing the alien skull and Grace's dream of reconciliation with her Lespuko side.

[rista-liehna]

Maybe the horns were there, not because Grace was scared, but because the lespuko was?
After all, it held on to its scary form until it figured out that she was hugging it, even though she stopped being afraid before the dream began.

[The Old Hack]

Maybe the horns were there, not because Grace was scared, but because the lespuko was?

Very possible, and I like that idea! After all, what makes many monsters dangerous is the fact that they themselves are also afraid.

[Dragonstar]

Well, her omega form has the two side horns, so it may represent that. However, the center forehead horn cannot be explained thusly. (I like the term thusly . . . I need to use it more often)

[Nightranger]

That said, I do think Grace's dream is pretty darn clear-cut. She faces her (unconscious) demonization of her lespuko side, but is no longer afraid of it, so it dissolves, leaving the reality of her lespuko side. That she accepts(and, perhaps pun intended, embraces), and then she moves on.

Except I think there was something somewhere that indicated that lespuko naturally have horns and claws and what-not (perhaps something Dan posted). I think the dream is more her facing her lespuko side and forcing it dormant again. Remember, Nioi said that it was originally dormant but ceased to be so when Grace flipped during PB. With the power of kindness, or some such, I guess.

My guess is that her lespuko side started to become slightly "less dormant" when Damien slaughtered everyone at the nest. This, combined with her self-loathing of her abilities (also most-likely due to the same event), explains the dreams.