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24

Tipping Point, p21

May 31, 2024 by Tim


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Saixak
Saixak
6 months ago

The little wave from the robot is just great. He’s my favorite non-sentient robot now.

Giggity Goo
Giggity Goo
6 months ago
Reply to  Saixak

“Wait… Am I Sprocket or Dipshit?”

The Legacy
The Legacy
6 months ago
Reply to  Giggity Goo

Dipshit is probably the broken one. 😅

JozMk.II
JozMk.II
6 months ago

Ruh roy, Skynet radar is pinging

nb_gamer
nb_gamer
6 months ago
Reply to  JozMk.II

Nah because they didn’t kill them at the first moment

Kef
Kef
6 months ago

To be fair, throughout all these pages I have been expecting some sort of interruption at any moment (Lucas arriving and misunderstanding the situation, another hero showing up thinking it’s an altercation, etc.), and with that, all the character development from this long-awaited reunion over the past couple of years would be lost. Instead, the characters have been able to talk, and we have been able to see how they evolve and how they face a conflict where there is no side with absolute reason. Zeke and Scott have shown that they can feel empathy for each other despite what… Read more »

Shona-SoF
Shona-SoF
6 months ago
Reply to  Kef

I think Lucas is going to show up, having been quietly watching the situation from above.

JozMk.II
JozMk.II
6 months ago

Ruh roh, Skynet radar is pinging

RblDiver
RblDiver
6 months ago

Now, which one is it cheerfully waving at Ethan, Sprocket or Dipshit? My money’s on the latter. I also think Zeek’s underestimating them; they may not be to his level, but they’re not full puppets if they can wave (unless some hidden subroutine in Zeek’s mind is making them wave).

ears
ears
6 months ago
Reply to  RblDiver

They are puppets. It’s basically Zeke who’s waving.

Stephen
Stephen
6 months ago
Reply to  ears

Or it could simply be they’re “mostly” puppets. Zeke doesn’t controls their every movement in a fight so they probably have at least some learning capability in that field at least We know they can obey orders without Zeke being present They could also still be A.I. but on a far more limited or different scale than Zeke. Things like “Self preservation” or “Not obeying orders” or even “Has any motivation to do anything when not explicitly ordered to do so” might not be part of their thinking….yet Wonder if they have the capability to learn or evolve mentally? Zeke… Read more »

Eldest Gruff
Eldest Gruff
6 months ago
Reply to  ears

Fozzie and Kermit are puppets. Doesn’t mean that they’re not distinct. Doesn’t mean that they don’t have their own personalities. It all depends on what the puppeteer puts in them.

My money’s on wavey here being Dipshit. Seems like what Zeke would call someone who went out of their way to say hi to the humans, as opposed to Sprocket, who just went ahead with their job.

GeorgeV
GeorgeV
6 months ago
Reply to  Eldest Gruff

Interesting, I’m on the opposite theory; I’d say Dipshit is the fool that couldn’t even subdue a surprised half-paralyzed Scott and is now hanging half-disabled for their failure..

Eldest Gruff
Eldest Gruff
6 months ago
Reply to  GeorgeV

If Zeke named them on the fly, then yeah, I’d agree. If they already had names and personalities, then I think it’s the other way around.

I think back to when Zeke had the full conversation with the Switch. Zeke values having another voice to bounce their ideas off of and to not feel alone. When they said “Pretending these two aren’t just puppets” – they’re talking specifically about Zeke talking to themself.

Nik
Nik
6 months ago
Reply to  RblDiver

I interpreted it more as:

“Whoa, hold on there. We are not puppets.”

Jace
Jace
6 months ago
Reply to  RblDiver

They kind of remind me of the Moron Twins from the movie Splash!

“We’re not twins.”

LameSuperpower
LameSuperpower
6 months ago

Apparently, it’s time to build Embla.

The Legacy
The Legacy
6 months ago
Reply to  LameSuperpower

Now there’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.

Be interesting to see her in this universe!

Arcatus
Arcatus
6 months ago

Backback mystery solved!

austindorf
austindorf
6 months ago

oh great, the last time (in another universe) they built a companion for Zeke (embla) it went SO GOOD..

P2Mc28
P2Mc28
6 months ago
Reply to  austindorf

ZK gets the Master to build Embla; Embla turns on Master, tells ZK to kill Master to prove loyalty, ZK pauses, Embla takes over everything and ZK turns to Ethan (and perhaps even begrudgingly Scott) for help preventing the thing that Scott was afraid of?

Too obvious probably?

ouRKaoS
ouRKaoS
6 months ago
Reply to  P2Mc28

My idea is Zeke creates Embla as a companion, Embla has a “just because you created me doesn’t mean you own me” complex, leaves & starts commiting crimes. Ethan thinks it’s Zeke and wants to stop them, runs into Zeke trying to stop Embla as well & duning the misunderstanding fight between them Embla takes them both out. Queue temporary alliance due to bigger threat.

The Legacy
The Legacy
6 months ago
Reply to  austindorf

Just like a certain alien superweapon the Helldivers are about to use on the behalf of Super Earth! Nothing can possibly go wrong!

Last edited 6 months ago by The Legacy
Drakin
Drakin
6 months ago

In this situation I would hope Ethan could be content to let Zeke go with the offer that, while Ethan won’t be a hiding place for him from legal authorities, if he ever wants to return and just talk the door is open. Zeke just needs to message ahead of time so Lucas doesn’t attack on sight in panick.

Martin
Martin
6 months ago

I’m again reading and seeing sadness in the facial / eye expression of Zeke. I’m a bit puzzled why Tim still kept the color of the eyes red. Sure, Zeke is also still angry, but when Zeke realized that Scott had decided to stand down, I would have expected a color change then (or on the next page)…

Quilla
Quilla
6 months ago
Reply to  Martin

I feel like, while there’s sadness, it’s underpinned by a deep anger. Zeke was created to be a tool, to hurt people, to be used, feared, and hated. They are alone by design, not through any accident or misfortune. If I was them, anger would be my overriding emotion too Not to mention that if they allow their sadness to become preeminent it could cause them to seek companionship from humans again, and they’ve already said they consider that a vulnerability so it’s safer in many ways for them to allow their anger to be their driving force. At least… Read more »

The Legacy
The Legacy
6 months ago
Reply to  Martin

I think it’s less to do with anger than it is ready status. When they first met, his eyes were red, and they slowly became yellower and eventually toward blue. I’m thinking it’s along the lines of combat programming, and red means red alert, so to speak. Even though he has been talked out of the fight, he knows that he is still potentially in danger, so his guard would still fully be up, even if he’s willing to step away. Much like the droids he keeps with them. Another possibility is simply the fact that it’s night time, so… Read more »

GUNnibal
GUNnibal
6 months ago

…I assume ZK didn’t exactly BUY those new circuit boards, right? What about them Kantian principles of not having your pants stolen?
https://cad-comic.com/comic/recipient-p6/

Gonfrask
Gonfrask
6 months ago

Slowly, but keep going.

Robert 'CockRoach' Archer
Robert 'CockRoach' Archer
6 months ago

I’m very curious to see how the recap talk goes between Ethan and everyone

Boof
Boof
6 months ago

Well, I hope Scott didn’t hear that.

You are only as alone as your predilections demand you be. They should exchange gamertags or something so they can game together.

The Legacy
The Legacy
6 months ago
Reply to  Boof

Maybe, but wouldn’t Zeke get banned for running bots (himself)? 😅

Annatar
Annatar
6 months ago

Well, i was wrong, it should be terminated at any coast by any means necessary.
Ultron on the loose and potentially extinction “grey goo” event

Nightdagger
Nightdagger
6 months ago

I’ll be real here, I fully expected this arc to end with Zeke going “Well, I didn’t kill your friend, but I gotta get the rage out somehow so what the hell, you respawn!” and killing Ethan, only for Scott to spill the beans that Ethan might not have his powers anymore and Zeke to freak the heck out that he might have killed the one human who actually accepted him.

But I actually prefer this resolution more anyway.

Nightdagger
Nightdagger
6 months ago
Reply to  Nightdagger

They…caught myself right as I clicked “post” and there’s no way to edit after the fact unfortunately.

Mor
Mor
6 months ago

Ok, I’m officially renaming ALTAS an P-body on my next playthough on Portal 2 to Sprocket and Dipshit. 😀

Kaitensatsuma
Kaitensatsuma
6 months ago

Ah, we’ve entered the Dr. Frankenstein scenario

HappySalesman
HappySalesman
6 months ago

Does anyone else read Zeke in his voice from the handful of animated cartoons Tim did forever ago?