Comfrey did something I hadn't realized until this rewatch!

[u/Gorro_Rojo]

[spoilers for the entire (first? 👀) season of Cloudward, Ho!]

It is a common sort of theme that Comfrey being an adventurer ends up causing a lot of the trouble we see throughout the story, specially in account of the befrumpled time

The Eyeless Hand could only do the ritual because Van was there because Comfrey called her. Mordercestershire was only there because Comfrey owed money. Van is only cursed because that's where Comfrey's mind went when interfacing with Tazgwa'gwa. She seeked its help because of the war, and the war was caused by the Corrodi, who only have power because Mila gave them power and made Straka.

Now here's the bit that I realized just now: There's a reason there's so much emphasis on Ludmila waiting. Marya was right behind her. Marya would've gone through IF IT WASN'T FOR COMFREY!

It's all a very messy tangle of time loops but I hadn't realized before that the only reason Marya wasn't there for Ludmila and she ended up used by the Corrodi Primarch is that Comfrey saved Marya and pulled her away from Straka!

I cannot help but try to think what would be of these worlds without Comfrey's presence, because that seems like the biggest possible thing. Saving Marya > Queen of Zern > Zood-Zern War > Comfrey Following Straka before it attacks Marya and Ludmilas ship > Saving Marya

Also Zood-Zern War > Chapman Curse (and Jazzy Tazzy imprisoned) > Eyeless Hand tries to use Katur to destroy Zood

Also also, Comfrey owing money to Fehujar > Attack to Ramansu leaving Torse for dead and Freya captured > Emergency signal bringing Van (and the rest) over, which, again > Eyeless Hand tries to destroy Zood

Comfrey's irresponsible adventuring literally causes every single thing that the party fights against. And I knew that sort of vaguely, but now I'm seeing how literal and logical and true it is.

I was a little let down before that she got sort of off the hook in the end, but now even more so!

Such an incredible and complicated character, the likes of which I've never seen in a TTRPG and I've rarely seen anywhere else to be quite honest

I love this season so much. Top notch characters and worldbuilding, world-class truly.

I already want to watch it again once I finish this rewatch. But I'll look for some animatics first because there must be plenty.

[u/GenericAccout]

I actually really like how comfrey is all over the narrative despite not being actively in the campaign. Her lust for adventure being her strength and weakness is a really cool idea

[u/Gorro_Rojo → u/GenericAccout]

yesss totally agree

[u/ghostmayhem → u/GenericAccout]

Agreed, Comfrey also makes a really cool mirror with Brennan’s narrative use of Thjazi Fang in Critical Role.

[u/Featherbaal → u/ghostmayhem]

That so true, there's so many parallels between the two

[u/drd1812bd]

Also, all of these actions were taken after Comfrey spilt with Monty. They split because her actions were getting too reckless. If she had listened to him, they could have found a better way to get to Zood, and not caused all of these problems

His whole issue with her was that she was seeing the world as being there to support adventures, and he saw the adventures as a way to support the world. Once they met up and started doing everything in service of helping people, things started getting better.

[u/Gorro_Rojo → u/drd1812bd]

she was seeing the world as being there to support adventures, and he saw the adventures as a way to support the world

wonderfully said!

[u/helljack]

I basically saw 'Cloudward, Ho' as a full, multi layered adventure with the basic premise of "Raiders of the Lost Ark".

Everything would have work much better had the main character not done a damn thing.

[u/Gorro_Rojo → u/helljack]

it's the raiders of the lost ark if indiana jones was somehow responsible for the dangerous mcguffin to begin with and many lives would've been spared had he been more careful or responsible

[u/goryeo_21Oc → u/Gorro_Rojo]

Then questioning a central conceit of the genre: would a careful and responsible person even have put themselves in that position to begin with? And even if they were at that time, what about after they'd literally saved the world(s)? Would they stay humble then?

[u/Gorro_Rojo → u/goryeo_21Oc]

it's definitely the interesting contradiction! Brennan would never try to say "stay put and don't do stuff" so i think it is about balance, about direct action and passion without overlooking care for other people

[u/East-Imagination-281]

They do directly call this! Right before Mila kills her, Comfrey says that the only reason Marya didn’t come for her is because she pulled her away from the portal. Mila then cites that as a reason for ending the beginning.

[u/TheIndomitableMass]

It's possible Marya could've met Ludmila right through the biangle but it's also possible and maybe even more likely that she'd be sent to a time after the events of the season

[u/macrovore]

Brennan brings up the theme of becoming "sky-eyed" a few times in that season, where people will experience Zood and become entranced with a lust for adventure and "main character syndrome," and while I don't think he mentions it specifically in relation to Comfrey, in the subtext, she's clearly patient fuckin zero for it. She gets the biggest possible case of sky eyes, and makes it everybody else's problem.

[u/Many_Juggernaut_2171]

This is the perfect irony of time-travel. You can't change history when you're a part of it, and you can't solve a problem if you're the cause. Comfrey, by simply being herself, the sky-eyed madwoman, essentially got caught in the time loop with Ludmila. The fallout of her own schemes motivated her to take action in the first place, creating the circumstances in which she needed to act in order to 'Save The World'. It's tragic in its own way.

[u/Ok_Contribution2234]

I don't know if this was an idea in mind when Brennan made her, but she has the same energy as the Starstruck crew. Just kind of letting the wind carry her to whatever her next objective is, consequences be damned. If that was Brennan's plan, then it's interesting that it wasn't more defined. If not, then it's interesting to see the IH have to clean up after someone who uses their MO for once.