![[0119] The Departure](http://www.sandraandwoo.com/comics/2009-12-10-[0119]-the-departure.png "[0119] The Departure")
The current story arc started with this strip: Two Pieces of Cake.
Jele(na) is Larisa’s mother. Larisa prefers to call her by her given name rather than with “Mom.”.
I had to search some time before finally coming up with a satanic cult that actually believes in the devil and is not just an assembly of misguided atheists/agnostics. However, I found this on their website:
What is the BOS perspective on sacrifice of animals and children?
The BOS does not condone animal or human sacrifice, [...]
LAME.
I also found no evidence that the members of the Brotherhood actually engage in orgies. Geez, what’s the point of becoming a satanist when you can’t even attend orgies?
- Sandra: I’m going over to Larisa’s for a few hours.
- Richard: With our tool box?
- Sandra: Yeah, she’s recently started sculpting and needs some more tools to complete her first work.
- Jelena: Where are you going this time, young lady?
- Larisa: That’s your choice, Jele: Either I’ll visit a black mass of the Brotherhood of Satan which are said to culminate in drug-fueled orgies of sex and violence…
- Larisa: … Or I’ll meet Sandra and Cloud to explore an abandoned factory.
- Jelena: The latter.
- Larisa: As you wish.
- Ye Thuza: How could you forget the rope?! I’m very disappointed in you! You mustn’t ever enter a dungeon without proper equipment!
- Cloud: Sorry, mom, won’t happen again…
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…eh, enough with the analysis: The last frame ist just hilarious
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(Calling it right now, if cloud has a cousin who is the equivalent of Sephiroth, i’m going to reward myself with a cookie.)
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Interesting explanation.
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Haha, amazingly different family structures. =P
gamerjoel135 says: Calling it right now, if cloud has a cousin who is the equivalent of Sephiroth, i’m going to reward myself with a cookie.
I guess you have to do without the cookie. Nothing like that is planned at the moment.
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LOL Larisa totally has her mom wrapped around her finger. Manipulative! Jelina: you always have a choice.
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Wish she’d show us the first choice, could be interesting to turn around the arc that way
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Don’t forget the lock picks!
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I get the feeling clouds mom has played a Zelda game once or twice, with the dispensing of the dungeon exploring advice.
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“Lamp oil, rope, bombs?”
or even,
“It is dangerous to go alone… take this”
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3…2…1… AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Awesome.
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The rope reference is that it is often said that the first rule for adventuring is bring plenty of rope. I actually witness a gaming session once in which a player character fell into a pit and no one had any rope. They had to resort to dropping boulders in until they had a pile their friend could climb out on. Of course there were a lot of potentially dangerous rolls to make, nt to mention the amount of time consumed.
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As for the satanists, the kind that actually expect to summon Satan and gain supernatural aid are actually christians who’ve changed sides. Most people who call themselves satanists are just using the concept of Satan as a metaphor for going beyond the bounds of “what society allows you to think”.
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Oh boi. Clouds mom is awesome XD
I can almost imagine what happens before:
“Oh, you’re going on an adventure? that’s great! Here have some potions and at leat an ether.”
Best part is that Cloud seems to be cofused about that ^^
But one thing about what Larissa said is a little weird (and I don’t mean what she actually said, that’s weird anyway…)
How could her mother know that the brotherhood doesn’t meet at the aboned factory?
That’s the first thing that came to my mind…
@Mort “You want it? It’s your’s my friend, as long as you have enough rupes”
(I’d spend more time for this comment but I must go to work now >_>’ )
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Ah rope your many uses.
Getting into dungeons, getting out of dungeons. Climbing walls and repeling down them. Tying up enemies and friends.
I actually included a belt in my scout uniform while I was still active in it. It was about 50 feet of 250 lbs rope that I had braided so that I could easily draw it out.
I only needed it once. when matt fell off a cliff. Clumsy oaf.
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I really like the art and ideas in this one, but I’m not real happy about Sandra turning out to be such a casual liar or Larisa such a manipulative little brat. I really liked them as people, now I’m not as sure.
Swifteye says: Wow. What a massive breach of authority by calling her mom by her first name. I officially do not like her.
Considering that I’m doing the same since, well, ever, and that I have a very good relationship to my mom, you’re awfully quick in making conclusions from just a single observation.
Apart from that, Larisa obviously does not have much respect for authority of any kind. Her parents are no exception, but that does not mean that she does not love them. Those are two different concepts.
Iron Ed says: I really like the art and ideas in this one, but I’m not real happy about Sandra turning out to be such a casual liar or Larisa such a manipulative little brat. I really liked them as people, now I’m not as sure.
Wouldn’t it be bad writing if all the main characters would behave like little saints all the time?
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Most kids that age are very complex in terms of personality, especially children with problems. And before any of you say something, remember that Sandra lost her mom, Larisa has diabetes (and any type of long-term/permanent illness does have an impact on the mind, especially a child’s) and Cloud has VG-obsessed parents.
Sandra’s dad and Larisa’s parents may have tried to shelter their kids for a while (I’ve got only now-/-You are ill you can’t get out), so one’s learned to lie and the other to manipulate. Right or wrong it may be, it’s still a defense mechanism.
…Of course, that’s just my humble opinion.
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Ganz toll! Hervorragend!
Gute und sinnvolle Ausrüstung ist seeeeeeeeehr wichtig bei sowas!
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It’s nice to see how they all handle it…
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Hmmm, in the US, on college campuses, there are “Vampire Cults” whereby one or two males amass a harem of several females to have “safe sex” Usually in the accompaniment of alcohol, and maybe drugs, depending on their resources.
I’ve heard of people being on a first name basis with their parents, but I’ve never seen it in action. The last person that told me that this was good and normal was a sexist bigot, so it colors my perspective a bit on the topic.
So Larissa has no respect for Jelena, but still loves her… interesting…
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I think it gives us insight into the parents as well… the children’s behaviour can be something of a consequence of how they’re raised
Mr North, as a single parent, may have been a bit overprotective… so Sandy has to tell some white lies in order to go out and have some fun with her friends (maybe not realising the true danger, as she gets protected from things that are both dangerous and relatively safe). She may well go to Larisa’s _first_ so it’s not entirely untrue?
Besides, kids tend to do that all the time anyway. She’s arguably still the most normal of the trio, talking Racoon “pet” or otherwise. And if you were to put her in context with, say, Calvin, or even Lucy Van Pelt, well… you’d probably Sandra as your daughter wouldn’t you?
Larisa’s mother (stepmother? that can lead to first name terms…) has obviously learnt long ago not to tempt fate by picking the “bad” option and seeing if she’ll go through with it. Lari is very much her father’s daughter instead… a stereotyped lunatic russian
and a possibly conflicted upbringing has given her a rather loose grasp on morals and near-zero respect for any kind of authority, even parental.
Whereas the Strifes… um, sorry, Thuzas (?) are just videogame and movie nuts who have sort of lost grip on reality. Poor Cloud, it’s a wonder he can function in society as well as he does… (As previously noted in-strip… FF7 has been out long enough now that fans of it on release are old enough to have children in upper grades of elementary school who were born quite a while after that point. And hardcore gamers can go a bit… odd. I should know, my brother is one. His poor children… the first born son will be lucky not to be called “Chief” (and hence, with the junior male honorific being “Master”…)
So having his inventory forcibly built up with useful ITEMs such as ropes, herbs, antidotes and ethers before heading out on a quest, and maybe a small Epee, piece of Materia or pair of Gauntlets is probably a normal saturday evening for him.
I too second the notion that, even if it’s not planned, you eventually won’t be able to resist inserting a black-clad cousin with long white hair…
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I love these kids, like a modern “Goonies” group!
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You know, I like it better when people leave comments like “That was so funny!” or “I don’t get the joke… someone explain!” When the comments start turning into a debate over morals and politics… it just ruins the comic for me =/ People need to relax every once in a while and just enjoy the strip.
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Cloud should take only duct tape, a book of matches, and a Swiss army knife. Then he can imitate MacGyver.
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>>Iron Ed says: I really like the art and ideas in this one, but I’m not real happy about Sandra turning out to be such a casual liar or Larisa such a manipulative little brat. I really liked them as people, now I’m not as sure.
>>Novil: Wouldn’t it be bad writing if all the main characters would behave like little saints all the time?
Yes, very true! I don’t expect saints. It’s just that Sandra was so casual about it. Larisa wasn’t quite the shock as Sandra was, but still…
I suspect it all came as such a shock to my mind’s view of these kids that it bothered me.
I still really like the comic overall, and hey, it’s your comic to do with as you will and I do accept that, but you also provided this forum to comment with so…
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Man, Larisa is free spirited. I wish I was half as independent as she is.
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p.s. I kinda wonder what was going on with such a major reaction from Larisa’s mom in the 2nd panel too. Larisa hadn’t even said or done anything yet! (…as far as I know.
)
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@tahrey: Cloud’s surname is Williams (says so on the cast page)
@novil: still missing a minor character mentioned on the cast page. Will little Yuna make her first appearance anytime soon (probably not during the actual story arc)?
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I think in Sandra´s case you have to consider her grandpa´s phone pranks and her dad´s actions to Woo´s previous owners and how he planned the Joker prank with Cloud. I think he definitely knows something´s up and I guess he´ll call the other parents as soon as Sandra is out of the door…
And Larisa did tell her mom the truth. That´s much better than openly faking respect and then sneaking out the door. (As I said above, Richard brought his fate on himself by setting a bad example)
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Oh gosh, i agree with Cloud’s mother so much that I died myself out laughing XD
Great strip, guys!
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Gerardo Tejada says: Who are Larissa Real parents?
For a start, you have seen her mother in this strip.
Tbolt says: Hmmm, in the US, on college campuses, there are “Vampire Cults” whereby one or two males amass a harem of several females to have “safe sex” Usually in the accompaniment of alcohol, and maybe drugs, depending on their resources.
[citation needed]
Tbolt says: I’ve heard of people being on a first name basis with their parents, but I’ve never seen it in action. The last person that told me that this was good and normal was a sexist bigot, so it colors my perspective a bit on the topic.
I do not know anyone besides me who’s doing it and several other people found it strange, too, so it’s most likely not normal
.
tahrey says: Larisa’s mother (stepmother? that can lead to first name terms…)
Mother.
tahrey says: @novil: still missing a minor character mentioned on the cast page. Will little Yuna make her first appearance anytime soon (probably not during the actual story arc)?
I wanted to introduce her earlier, but so far it didn’t play out.
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I’m a wiccan and find alot of people confuse it to satanism i’m glad you showed black mass as a satanist ritual not a wicca ritual
(you didn’t really point it out but it did mean alot to me)
the comic is great and i look forward to seeing more also like how clean it is compared to other web comics
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Some very interesting comments here. My brother and I always called our parents by their first names – by their choice. I have one friend who thinks this is “wrong”, though she hasn’t given any actual reason. No one else has expressed an opinion. I am quite sure that this had no negative effect on our relationship, and it certainly didn’t interfere with their authority as parents.
Also, from my recollections, I find all the kids’ actions well within normal behavior for their ages. They’re starting to find ways to establish independent identities, no longer dependent on their parents. This conflict produces all sorts of behavior that is part childish and part adult. Nothing that indicates any real problem, just a conflict not yet resolved.
Any family can be made to look dysfunctional if you just pick which moments to show. These families and quite different, but all quite normal. And it must be so, because I said so!
=)
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Cloud’s mom reminded me of one time I was stocking up for a crawl, I remembered everything, rope, grappling hook, spikes, small shovel, ten foot pole, everything, except…, torches. I was a human, and I forgot the #$%#$^ torches. I never heard the end of that.
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I think it’s nice that Larisa ditched the coven meeting to hang with her friends at the abandoned factory. But then her mother seems so upset that she’s skipping church! I know my parents used to get upset when I skipped HA HA, ’cause you know it’s important to the family….
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Haha! Cloud’s mom is awesome. XD
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I wish my mom was like Cloud’s mom XD
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About the first name thing… Sure why not? Scout (I think that’s her name) in “To Kill a Mockingbird” (Awesome book, pretty darn good movie too!) did it. So alls good.
It seems, in my opinion, to be a somewhat silly thing to pass judgment on. And I pass judgment on a lot of things. It’s a hobby. Responsible for genocide… judge that. Shot someone at the convenience store… judge that. Embezzled millions… judge that. Sets fire to things regardless of consequences… I might just judge that too. Calls parents by first name… er… Nah.
And I think it just further fills Larissa’s character, a quirk that fits very well.
And no, I don’t expect people to care what my opinions/judgments are… but that doesn’t stop me from having or making (or saying) them.
Have a good night/day everyone.
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The scary part being, my mom would probably react like cloud’s. XD
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I’m enjoying this story arc, and the character development. . .its hilarious to see the different ways the three interact with thier parents.
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This comic(& comments) makes me realize I have a character that calls his step-dad by his first name, and I haven’t shown that. It’s just one of those things that fits into the rule “Writers should always know more about their characters than they will ever show in their works.”
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“And just where are your phoenix downs?”
“Mom they don’t exist!”
“That’s no excuse! And just where are your elixirs?”
“Mom those are just Red Bulls.”
“And don’t forget your ribbons.”
“I don’t want to wear a ribbon mom.”
“Shush! You want to get poisoned or turned to stone?”
“No mom…”
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Larisa’s scene is priceless. As is Cloud’s mother. Ha! Escape rope in a dungeon. Keep having fun, yo.
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Cloud’s mom makes a good point. Dungeon crawlers as far back as Samwise Gamgee knew that you needed rope whenever you went on an adventure. I haven’t gotten any yet due to money issues, but that’s one thing I’m going to try to take with me everywhere.
I love the well-roundedness of the characters. Larisa may not show her mom the most respect, but at least she offers an out. With the way her mom yelled at her, I’m not sure she isn’t blameless in this. Of course, her mom probably expects her to go get into trouble. Also, it wasn’t even her idea. It was Sandra’s.
Seriously, this is one of my favorite comics.
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I’m just noting that Sandra the ‘good’ kid, is the only one who lied to her parental figure.
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@ willow
its called irony
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When Clouds mother mentioned the rop, I suddenly thought of the Bondoock Saints scene
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Willow: I always figured Cloud was the “Good Kid”, after all he seems to fit the “One Sane Man” role, both in his circle of friends and his own family.
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I like how people are complaining about how Larissa calls her mom by her first name, but aren’t objecting to her threatening to do drugs and have sex with cultists.
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I don’t think anybody -reallly believes the sex and drugs part.
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No, of course not. But still
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Novil says:
Tbolt says: Hmmm, in the US, on college campuses, there are “Vampire Cults” whereby one or two males amass a harem of several females to have “safe sex” Usually in the accompaniment of alcohol, and maybe drugs, depending on their resources.
[citation needed]
The original story I saw was on the news, I’m trying to find a link directly to reuters, but this particular incident got nationwide notirety because they went far to overboard in their practices:
http://www.gothicsubculture.com/vamp-clan.php
I believe the story I saw was on America’s Most Wanted, or a similar crime show.
I didn’t say these cults were popular, this was just a suggestion that they existed. There’s a lot of stuff that goes on at college campuses that most people would prefer never saw the light of day again! =^^=
In the book To Kill a Mockingbird the main characters were on a first name basis with their parents. I actually enjoyed that story. =^^= (Just could have done without the teacher leading us through it… =^^; )
@ Tbolt: Thanks. 13 years since the publishing of the article is a long time, though.
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agaaaiin???
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Every time I see your stuff…you always amaze me with both qaulity writing and quality art. You guys are top-notch, Oliver, Powree.