ChronosCat

My negative opinion of Magic from Wednesday's comic has diminished.

This brought to mind the following scenario:
A world where everybody has gotten used to magic changing regularly, and the Will of Magic never consults any Seers because the Second Purpose is common knowledge. Then one day when preparing for a new change, the Will of Magic finds a kid who happens to not have heard of the Second Purpose.
The Will of Magic tells the child, "You are to help decide whether the rules of Magic shall be severely changed to keep it hidden, or if minimal changes shall be made to accommodate it's reveal."
The child replies, "Huh? But everybody knows about magic."
The Will of Magic still doesn't get it.

This brought to mind the following scenario:
A world where everybody has gotten used to magic changing regularly, and the Will of Magic never consults any Seers because the Second Purpose is common knowledge. Then one day when preparing for a new change, the Will of Magic finds a kid who happens to not have heard of the Second Purpose.
The Will of Magic tells the child, "You are to help decide whether the rules of Magic shall be severely changed to keep it hidden, or if minimal changes shall be made to accommodate it's reveal."
The child replies, "Huh? But everybody knows about magic."
The Will of Magic still doesn't get it.

I wasn't sure about it but it sounded likely, therefore I was confirming that I know exactly to make sure you know that I knew. Of course, I didn't knew that you don't know if I knew when I was writing the original post.
(This is harder that it looks.)

The amount of magic is stupendous in comparison to a few thousand Immortals casting a big spell, but when spread to seven and a half billion people it gets rather thin.

I can't see Dan going with "Magic as something that will eventually be permanently used up"; if it won't happen for thousands of years or more then there's little point in making it a plot point, and if it's in danger of happening soon either we eventually wind up with EGS without magic, or a search for new sources of magic - and as those sources would likely belong to other intelligent beings who wouldn't want to give them up, it would lead to a major shift in mood for the series.
I was picturing it as a renewable resource. In fact, I was picturing it more like water than energy resources. It flows from place to place (like from one "side" of the world to the other and back), and has a natural cycle to it. Humans and other beings can take from this supply, but after doing so the magic is returned to the pool in a state that requires it to work it's way through the cycle a bit before it's usable again. So the danger isn't a matter of everyone everywhere running out of magic forever, so much as certain places running low on usable magic for a time.

Speculation time!
I'm currently thinking that Tedd and Arthur are going to continue arguing for a time, then Van is going to speak up and say something neither of them would have thought to say which is enough to convince the Will of Magic.
I'm going to further speculate that Magic doesn't really care about the moral and practical arguments Tedd and Arthur are making, and WoM will go with what Van said because Van made it sound more fun/dramatic that way.

I've really enjoyed watching Dan's growing knowledge and depth of understanding about sexuality, gender identity, and how complex everyone can be.  As Dan has learned, so have we, and the world has changed so much in its understanding and acceptance.  I especially love that Dan now incorporates not only all the in-betweens, but the idea that individuals can change and evolve.  Whether you believe that people actually change or believe they learn more about how they've been all along, it's important to show that journey.  Tedd's learning about gender fluidity, Sarah reassessing where she is on the Kinsey scale, Elliot being "gender-meh" now, Susan realizing that doing things with men doesn't appeal to her any more than doing things with women....
Hooray for diversity, and hooray for characters who aren't static.

Liefeld: "What happen?"
Arthur: "Someone set up us the bomb. We get signal."
Liefeld: "What!"
Arthur: "Main screen turn on."
Will of Magic: "How are you gentlemen!"
Will of Magic: "All your base are belong to us."
Will of Magic: "You are on the way to destruction."
Liefeld: "What you say!"
Will of Magic: "You have no chance to survive make your time."
Will of Magic: "HA HA HA..."
 

Then he should look for the disco!  
 
(That's where panic is at...)
 
*crickets*

Speculation time!
I'm currently thinking that Tedd and Arthur are going to continue arguing for a time, then Van is going to speak up and say something neither of them would have thought to say which is enough to convince the Will of Magic.
I'm going to further speculate that Magic doesn't really care about the moral and practical arguments Tedd and Arthur are making, and WoM will go with what Van said because Van made it sound more fun/dramatic that way.

Speculation time!
I'm currently thinking that Tedd and Arthur are going to continue arguing for a time, then Van is going to speak up and say something neither of them would have thought to say which is enough to convince the Will of Magic.
I'm going to further speculate that Magic doesn't really care about the moral and practical arguments Tedd and Arthur are making, and WoM will go with what Van said because Van made it sound more fun/dramatic that way.

Speculation time!
I'm currently thinking that Tedd and Arthur are going to continue arguing for a time, then Van is going to speak up and say something neither of them would have thought to say which is enough to convince the Will of Magic.
I'm going to further speculate that Magic doesn't really care about the moral and practical arguments Tedd and Arthur are making, and WoM will go with what Van said because Van made it sound more fun/dramatic that way.

Arthur's belief that every Seer would keep quiet is laughable.

TOH, you are a wonderful moderator 99% of the time, which is an exceptional proportion, and we are far better off with you than without you. Adding a few helper moderators might reduce the burden on you, give someone to fill in during absences, and give you someone to nudge you on those rare occasions when you do over-react.  I suspect truly replacing you would require several people and would be met with middling success at best.  In other words, we need you, and we appreciate all you do for us!

I can't see Dan going with "Magic as something that will eventually be permanently used up"; if it won't happen for thousands of years or more then there's little point in making it a plot point, and if it's in danger of happening soon either we eventually wind up with EGS without magic, or a search for new sources of magic - and as those sources would likely belong to other intelligent beings who wouldn't want to give them up, it would lead to a major shift in mood for the series.
I was picturing it as a renewable resource. In fact, I was picturing it more like water than energy resources. It flows from place to place (like from one "side" of the world to the other and back), and has a natural cycle to it. Humans and other beings can take from this supply, but after doing so the magic is returned to the pool in a state that requires it to work it's way through the cycle a bit before it's usable again. So the danger isn't a matter of everyone everywhere running out of magic forever, so much as certain places running low on usable magic for a time.

First of all, assuming by "Original Trilogy" you are referring to Star Wars, I think "disastrous" is a bit extreme of a term for the revised versions. Sure, "Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope (Special Edition)" is inferior to the original Star Wars, but it's still a good movie. And in my opinion the Special Edition versions of Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi are just as good as the original versions, just different (though I do object to the way the original versions have been made hard to find; people should be able to choose which version they want to watch).
Secondly, while I'd prefer magic not change much (I like it the way it is, and I'm also hoping to see a modern-day world with magic out in the open), I don't think having a large change would be disastrous for EGS. We'd still have the same characters we've come to know and love, and no doubt the new magic system would allow for a lot of the same content (I can't see Dan abandoning the various transformation elements when he seems to enjoy them as much as the fans). It might be fun seeing the characters learn how to use the new magic system, and with Seers to help it would only be a matter of time before the main cast was using magic again, probably with a magic system that is even better than this one (I don't think Dan would make a major change to the magic system unless he had something really good in mind).
Finally, regarding the possibility of Arthur being evil (and the implication that would be why he's arguing for a big change), I highly doubt it. It's extremely rare for Dan to create a truly evil character (not counting the Aberrations, Damien is really the only one we know enough about to say for sure, though if Voltair isn't I'll be surprised), and even when he does, being evil isn't their motivation, it's just a character trait.
I would like to take this opportunity to mention again my theory that the reason the Will of Magic doesn't want everyone to be able to use it is that there's a limited supply of magic and that with the world population what it is, there simply isn't enough to go around and leave anyone with enough magic to do anything with it.

 

For those of you who thought our cats were bored ...

I hope Van isn't Tedd's brother, or that if he is this fact isn't revealed until after Magic has made it's decision. Tedd needs to be on her A game right now; the last thing she needs is the emotional trauma of learning that the mother she feels abandoned her went on to have another child who she actually stayed with.
I really hope these three aren't the only eligible seers. In addition to the points you made, all of them are Caucasian or part-Caucasian, and unless Dan throws us a major curve-ball none of them are full-time females. If these three are supposed to represent the world, they're seriously lacking in diversity.
Tedd wouldn't want to be one sex permanently, anyway. I doubt she'd even want to stay in male form for the full month; she's always liked to spend a good amount of her free time in female form.
Assuming spells from the old magic system still work in the new system. I still think the old spells will at least need to be modified in order to be used in the new system, if they can be made to work at all.
I figured Diane and Susan still counted since the started as "maybe sisters" and seem to have ended as "sisters in spirit".
And the storyline involving Magus, Sirleck, Elliot, and Ellen  is still building upon the consequences of the first Sister story, so I think that alone would be enough to justify the Sister III title.

I don't think she was turning into formless blob when she was younger. Like, less than two hundreds.
That doesn't sound like something will of magic will bother telling her ...
Also this. Magic can't influence immortal law, AND might be unable to influence immortals themselves, or at least limited in what it can do with them. This will be mostly about mortals, with the higher magic resistance being most likely option.
Because he hopes for INDIRECT influence. Something like magic changing in way which would force immortals to revisit their laws. (Also, he might not act exactly rationally about it.)
And maybe most importantly, Pandora in parental role had no problem with her gender-fluidity. There was whole page about it and look at how big effect it had on Tedd.
And considering EGS doesn't require such high amount of villains and we already have Voltaire and Lord Tedd on list, I don't think the limiting of writing would be that big issue. I still think that making magic opt-in would be too much.
Yes. Magic wants drama, so it's unlikely to generate rules which results in most villains being rule-lawyers.
(Also, I don't think non-magic users watching is what pisses magic so much. It's the fact they will then try to research magic which matter.)
 

Baker, not to be outdone, gets up close and personal ...

Okay, supposing they all go to the local college, who would stay at their parents' places, and who would move out to dorms, apartments, etc.?
I think Nanase would be eager to move out, and would go with dorms if she couldn't afford anything else.
Susan doesn't have any problems with her Mother that we know about, but she does like to be independent, so she'd also probably consider moving out. I doubt she'd settle for a dorm, however, so she'd need a job that would pay enough to afford an apartment or some other housing that didn't leave her sharing her space with a stranger. (Although if she could arrange to share a space with one of her friends that might also work.)
One the one hand Ellen and Elliot are laid back enough they wouldn't mind continuing their current living arrangements. On the other hand it would probably be good for them to have a little more space, and depending on how the finances work it might be less of a burden on their family if they moved out. (Or does the money Mr. Verres arranged to support Ellen put them in a better position than they would be without her? In that case, that would be incentive for her to stick around a while longer.)
Tedd would be torn - on the one thing he has a little bit of friction with his father, and would probably enjoy having a space where he could be himself without worrying what his father would think. On the other hand, he'd have to either recreate or go without his lab, and there's the question of if he would be able to keep the TFG and other alien or government tech if he moved out.
I'm pretty sure Grace would go or stay wherever Tedd went.
Anyone else have any thoughts? 

I think Sirleck is unaffacted because he is in the spirit plane, rather than the physical plane. Dan did make sure to point out that all the Immortals were pulled into the physical plane before casting the spell, so that detail is probably important.

Probably not, given what we saw in the car around the same time.  This is probably the bullet Sirleck felt like he dodged.