Chapter 2: Page 11
As some readers have picked up on since the comic started, speciesism plays a large role in the overarching story, specifically between the Ermehn and the other races. In the context of the world of Beyond the Western Deep, this can be attributed to their loss against the Canid and the political fallout surrounding it. But like any geopolitical conflict, there are supporters and detractors for the Ermehn. Dakkan and Kenosh’s views could be construed as representing two diametrically-opposed schools of thought on the matter.
The Ermehn, as has been brought up before in the comic, have a certain negative image that has been perpetuated in the southern lands. A lot of this has to do with selective history, which was one of the big themes of the original 2006-07 draft of Beyond the Western Deep. History is written by the victor, as they say, and that concept is something I’ve always found fascinating; that it’s possible to create events, to manufacture truths that could be referenced for millennia to come, and there would be no way to account for that.
Some elements of that still exist in the script today, particularly Kenosh’s insistence that the “truth” of the Ermehn be known. But as is always the case when dealing with history, how do we know what the truth really is? How about fiction? Who is there to fact check in a world without cameras or journalists?
Let’s just say there’s a reason why the Scholars of Gair take their work so seriously.
If I didn’t already love the comic before, this page and the description have seen to it that I do.
A continuity error? In the last panel of the previous page Kenosh is halfway turned to face Dakkan, but here his back is turned in the first panel.
I think they are misunderstood. Because history is written by the victors.
Not quite: History is written by the ones in charge. Even the defeated have their own version of historic events, for example, Hardin speaks to the tribe folk of their destitution and how they’ve been led into barbarism by the canid.
I certainly do believe that, even in the real world, there are parts of history that have been altered, fabricated, embelished, or far, far more commonly, ommited, and that now we find ourselves with the choices of personally going into exaustive field research, blindly believing what we are told by scholars, other people, or textbooks, or a middle ground where we are left forever wondering if what everyone else says about our past is the truth.
Who knows, though? Sometimes people speaks of things they have lived or felt, and even then they might be missinterpreted.
Hah, yes! No historical record is unbiased. The construction of history is fascinating. If you’ve never taken a historiography class, I highly recommend it!
I have to say, I’m a bit surprised by Kenosh’s outlook. My first impression of him was strict, gnarled warrior/diplomat who wouldn’t send any sympathy the Ermehn’s way. Of course, actually being there probably changed his outlook quite a bit; nothing more disillusioning than seeing your country record events very different than you perceived them.
I get the impression that Kenosh is against untruth, misconception and revisionist history in general rather than being for the ermehn per se.
Once again I find myself speculating on Kenosh’s motivations so all this may end up being utter barsy bumfluff. For all I know Kenosh could be a beneficent, pacifistic flowerchild who loves everyone and enjoys nothing more than whiling away sunny afternoons making daisy chains and telling dudes to “mellow out” and that they are “Harshing his vibe”.
…I would draw that right now if only I could.
Hahaha, the grumpiest flowerchild ever. I like that mental image. X)
….stop tempting me.
please do Saraa
If this happens, you and Trees are going down with me.
You are free to draw or not draw as many bodacious otters as you wish.
…dude.
I dunno, I’ll see what happens. Dude.
Yeah, in this case you need to trust the word of people who were actually there. Kenosh sounds like one of those people.
Generation clash, hoorah! It makes sense that Dakkan and Quinlan would be raised with all the biases against the Ermehn and desecration of their history and culture, but someone like Kenosh, who’s seen it firsthand, knows how much propaganda and tripe that is. It’s dehumanization to avoid guilt, which happens in every war.
After all, if they’re less than human (metaphorically) and do awful things, that makes it okay to slaughter them and their families by the thousands and enact near genocide on them without it being bad, right? Right, guys?
While Kenosh is clearly showing some sympathy toward the Ermehn here (or at least empathy for their plight … or guilt over his part in that conflict, perhaps?), it’s constructive to remember that sometimes it’s the ones who witness conflict firsthand who come away with the bitterest enmity toward their foe. Kenosh could have easily, I imagine, tilted in the opposite direction had he directly experienced some manner of Ermehn treachery or brutality, or lost loved ones to them. Yes, those who witness history are often the best source of “the truth” – but then again, maybe sometimes they can be so close to the events that they lose all perspective and remember only how it affected them personally. It looks to me as if the Canid have chosen the second path – perhaps more because it’s convenient to their expansionist philosophy and agenda than through any psychological process – whereas Kenosh has stuck with the first. Good for the otter!
Also, this is the second time in three pages we’ve seen an otter missing the top half of his head. Poor semi-decapitated otters!
And what an epic facepalm in the final panel! Looks a little awkward, though; maybe he shouldn’t have been raising one paw while holding the other to his face at the same time?
Another fine page overall. Keep ’em coming!
As a lutren soldier it is possible that Kenosh was far enough away from the front lines of this “uprising” to remain detached and clearheaded.
As to his gesture: It’s clear to me that the creators have edited out the delicate meadow flower that Kenosh had just picked with the intention of enjoying it’s pleasant bouquet. He is holding it between the thumb and forefinger of his left hand.
Dakkan is constantly embarrassed by Kenosh’s habit to wear flower chain crowns to Lutren Senate meetings, but everyone is too scared to invoke the (pleasantly worded) wrath of the ill-tempered flowerchild lutra to say anything.
Between Quinlan’s “back down, buddy” stance and Kenosh’s tough-guy face-hiding, I’d say Kenosh did things during the war he has serious regrets about.
Aaaaand…. I’m finally up to date on the comic! After months of reviewing, punctuated by periods of inactivity, I’m finally up to speed with the rest of you guys (and girls, of course)! Now I can finally start reviewing it with the rest of you and share in the discussion on a more even plane.
For this first up-to-date comment of mine, I can note that you raise some very good points about the construction of history. It seems that Dakkan has been brought up on the propaganda that has been spread in the years following the great war, while Kenosh knows that a lot of that is lies and exxagerations made to justify the treatment of the Ermehn. Of course, I doubt that that the Ermehn were totally innocent before they lost the war with the Canid, and it’s likely that they did a lot of terrible things. But still, it will be interesting to see whether Kenosh can shed any light on the matter about just what went on during the war… and whether, as Wing brought up, whether he can be counted on to give an objective view of the matter.
Another possibilty some of the others have brought up is that Kenosh might’ve done things during the war that he feels guilt and regret over. Personally, I would love to see that be the case. The most intriguing, and sympathetic, characters in fiction often have dark deeds in their past that haunt them, and given how moral, upstanding and honorable Kenosh seems to be, having done questionable things during the war would be a very nice twist that could serve to deepen him further.
Well, now I’m just as in the dark as the rest of you about what’s coming up. See you next page, where we’ll find out where this conversation is going! If Alex and Rachel don’t decide to pull the rug out from under us again and cut away to another scene, that is…
Ouch.
*gives Kobby a Band-Aid® – otter-sized!*
Band-aids are more gashes, not burns! :P
It’s interesting that the other commenters talk about the difficulty of establishing truth. There’s pretty clear research that shows entire memories can be fabricated so I’d lean heavily towards the Bayesian/quantitative camp where things are more or less probable based on the available facts.
Does anyone know if historians have tried using the Bayesian truth serum technique from Prelec at MIT?
Not sure if this is my 3rd or 4th read-through… so I’m surprised I hadn’t seen this before. Looking at the last panel, with the shape of Kenosh’s head at that angle plus the whole-face-palm posture, I’m now hearing Kenosh voiced by Patrick Stewart.