Yeah, a lot of people have left us in 2016, but Carrie Fisher hits me hard. Princess Leia was a role model without equal to me when I was growing up--she was classy, strong, and courageous without giving up one iota of what made her feminine. She was one of the reasons why I got into reading and watching science fiction, and her loss grieves me personally.
May she have a safe journey to a galaxy far, far away.
For these guys, the morticians will probably add More damage to their faces (free of charge), before they're put on display. Hopefully, the one with no pants and no head will be displayed as-is, with his head beside him on a platter.
They don't deserve to go to the recycling vats, where parts of them would eventually return to society. Their bodies should be dumped in the Wastes, where they'll end up as Murderturd turds.
Six bioforms in praetorian armor (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon and eta)
One bioform in Roman army armor (zeta)
One bioform already deceased (so they couldn't go "urrrk")
It might have been the file clerk bioform (who seems nice, so probably not) ...
Leaving only the recreational scolder currently receiving the unwelcome attentions of the (recently dead) sergeant. Ergo, by process of elimination, Marcus popped the head off the working girl. (Get it? "Process of elimination"? ^_^) She says she verbally abuses people for money, so Marcus' banter could reasonably be construed as a harsh evaluation of that as a lifestyle ...
... Okay, so probably not. ^_^ Hey, lacking fingers and toes of her own, obviously Sophie has trouble counting past 'five'. (CentComm did warn that she was a bit simple.) There were obviously seven praetorians, if you count the one hiding inside the working girl. ^_^
the one with his pants down around his ankles is the one that is being talked to before his slow and unpleasant removal from the realm of consciousness and imminent death
So ... if the sergeant is the one Marcus is speaking to, what was his target id? It's also interesting that we don't get a target status update from Sophie in the last panel, supporting the contention that the sergeant was 'down' before ever Marcus lays hands on him. (Which would seem to make the decapitation a little gratuitous.)
I remember trying to make sure I had the right number of targets. Even nagged Cent to try to find out how many actual human figures were in the scene, since I was counting the shots that Marcus made; he clearly fires both of his guns in three panels (six), then fires one gun in one panel (seven), and finishes by squeezing the sergeant's head off like a dandelion in one panel (eight). Clearly, I fucked up the count anyway, and will need to make dialogue changes.
(Sofie doesn't give a status update in the last panel because it's taking a while for the sergeant to die.)
Just because we are all still having fun puzzling this out, it appears to me that shots delta and zeta are actually both targeting the New Roman Army rapist. At least there doesn't seem to be anyone else in that corner that isn't previously accounted for (excluding the file clerk).
EDIT: If I were angling for a No-Prize, I might suggest that the New Roman soldier might actually have had his adaptive shielding partially in place (since he was threatening the file clerk, but not yet raping her, and because he presumably has minimally better training than the Praetorians), meaning it took two shots to be sure to finish him off quickly (the second shot being the head shot we see as zeta). But I would also suggest (since it has been pointed out that 'down' is not the same as 'dead') that Sophie might want to report the sergeant as 'disabled' after his spine is severed. ^_^
And that was a good way to deal with him. Not only a rapist, but one that encouraged such activities in their troops. He deserved about as bad an end as could be arranged (the classic is hamstring and breaking the arms of the rapist. Then leaving clubs and knives around for the victims to get creative with).
perhaps.. but I dont have that kind of time... and I am not interested in letting him live to become a threat... its not that I dont trust the civilians to take care of the problem.. but if you want a job done right....
im guessing that the first 4 panels all happened at the same time... cuz if you take the talking bubbles separately thats bout 4 sec... you are not that slow..
in real time they heard 1 shot, but this was slowed for every BODY to react ..
Kind of my thought too, BlueSanta. Marcus may have merely made sure the Blueboy couldn't respond before getting crushed out of hand (or at least offhand).
They wouldn't know any different until the Major slows down enough for them to get a clear look at him.
Keep in mind, he's cyborg'ed to just about the maximum possible extent, has just amped his speed to max, is getting off seven shots in about the time it takes to blink twice, and to imply even more impossible speed, he just 'appeared' out of nowhere when his stealth field came down.
That's kind of my point, @Dragonrider. Marcus and Noctis are (IMHO) equally likely to throw their underwear at a gladiator for fun -- i.e., not very damn likely. ^_^ However, they are both logical, ruthless and professional enough to realize that, if in a very disadvantageous position, it would be less desirable to face a gladiator while nearly naked and completely unarmed than it would be to face said gladiator _completely_ naked and armed with a short, smelly garrote. Or possibly a bit of cloth chaff that could be thrown to provide a momentary distraction while maneuvering for a better position.
No way will he throw his underwear. When guys find a comfortable pair of underwear, we wear them till they fall apart. (If we really like 'em, we might take 'em off once a week to wash them) ;)
Do we think that the naked chick, out of a sense of gratitude, will offer to verbally abuse Major Ramesy for free, rather than charging him standard rates? ^_^
Maybe the speech wasn't for Blueboy, Morituri. There were two other people there... and possibly a camera with recording capability. Even without it, the story will get out and grow. Some of the bad guys MIGHT think about the path they are following and choose differently.
I am sure the "extra" shot was a wounding one to the sarge. Marcus had to be careful not to injure the victim, with her in such close proximity. Energy weapons can conduct through the people they hit, into those they contact. So shot type and placement was probably well calculated before hand.
Except why then would Sophie use two different target designators for the same person? As opposed to (for example) ">>> Target Delta Disabled <<<" ... ">>> Target Delta Down <<<"
I don't believe the Praetorian Sergeant gets shot at all -- Marcus appears to rely on his hand attack to take care of him. Marcus also appears to be extremely fast at holstering his left-hand weapon. ^_^
Pack the rapists and ship them off to HELL! That was a harsh way to deal with that Blueboy, but deserved.
Mortuaries, however, are a relatively recent invention. The earliest I can reliably place death cults is about -10K, so you're probably right.
They don't deserve to go to the recycling vats, where parts of them would eventually return to society. Their bodies should be dumped in the Wastes, where they'll end up as Murderturd turds.
Six bioforms in praetorian armor (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon and eta)
One bioform in Roman army armor (zeta)
One bioform already deceased (so they couldn't go "urrrk")
It might have been the file clerk bioform (who seems nice, so probably not) ...
Leaving only the recreational scolder currently receiving the unwelcome attentions of the (recently dead) sergeant. Ergo, by process of elimination, Marcus popped the head off the working girl. (Get it? "Process of elimination"? ^_^) She says she verbally abuses people for money, so Marcus' banter could reasonably be construed as a harsh evaluation of that as a lifestyle ...
... Okay, so probably not. ^_^ Hey, lacking fingers and toes of her own, obviously Sophie has trouble counting past 'five'. (CentComm did warn that she was a bit simple.) There were obviously seven praetorians, if you count the one hiding inside the working girl. ^_^
(Sofie doesn't give a status update in the last panel because it's taking a while for the sergeant to die.)
EDIT: If I were angling for a No-Prize, I might suggest that the New Roman soldier might actually have had his adaptive shielding partially in place (since he was threatening the file clerk, but not yet raping her, and because he presumably has minimally better training than the Praetorians), meaning it took two shots to be sure to finish him off quickly (the second shot being the head shot we see as zeta). But I would also suggest (since it has been pointed out that 'down' is not the same as 'dead') that Sophie might want to report the sergeant as 'disabled' after his spine is severed. ^_^
and yes.. crushed his windpipe.. severed carotid artery and crushed and severed spine and spinal cord
as im sure you can guess... I dont take kindly to rapist...
And that was a good way to deal with him. Not only a rapist, but one that encouraged such activities in their troops. He deserved about as bad an end as could be arranged (the classic is hamstring and breaking the arms of the rapist. Then leaving clubs and knives around for the victims to get creative with).
in real time they heard 1 shot, but this was slowed for every BODY to react ..
Do it again by more feeling and mayhem!!!!!
Seeing Marcus in his hi-tech armor is probably close enough to trigger that fear. Especially since she has no idea New Troy is visiting right now.
Keep in mind, he's cyborg'ed to just about the maximum possible extent, has just amped his speed to max, is getting off seven shots in about the time it takes to blink twice, and to imply even more impossible speed, he just 'appeared' out of nowhere when his stealth field came down.
And Marcus as a Cassian ?
I wonder, will he be throwing his underwear at the gladiators too ? :D
I don't believe the Praetorian Sergeant gets shot at all -- Marcus appears to rely on his hand attack to take care of him. Marcus also appears to be extremely fast at holstering his left-hand weapon. ^_^