On the subject of the General

Tom the Fanboy · Post by **Tom the Fanboy** » Mon Mar 18, 2002 11:14 pm

We at the #faans chat room developped some very interesting theories and observations about the general. I would like to open this thread to bring these new findings to light. Hopefully silversmoke will be kind enough to post her findings as well.

The General's name has been said as Juliana Espin Maximiliana. The immediate notable part is the Espin that most of her henchpeople seem to share. Perhaps this makes them clones? Perhaps they are all meant to be representations of the different aspects of the General.

My main point that I wish to unveil is related to her first name. Julianna. Julia. What significance is this you ask. I can sum it up in five letters.

GUTRC

Yes that's right, T revealed in a post FOUR PAGES BACK in the forums that her name was Julia.

This in my opinion is the most plausible and direct link from the fans of the present to the General. I do admit that Julia looks nothing like the General but time can change a person in many ways. Especially with intense physical training and rconstructive surgery.

Tom the Fanboy · Post by **Tom the Fanboy** » Mon Mar 18, 2002 11:52 pm

OK, I was hoping to avoid this but since she told me to, here is the basics of silversmoke's findings.

During our think tank chat session in which we discusse all manner of things, some of which I hope WISH posts and I don't simply become the chatroom mouthpiece....... that's Alisin's job.

Anyway, silversmoke thought she'd heard Espin used as the word for spine or thorn, thinking that porcupine was also known as porque-espin. After some seemingly (to the chatter) lightning speed searching she produced information stating that it did in fact mean spine.

The big shocker came next when The General's last name, Maximiliana led to this site.
http://www.succulenta.nl/Clazien/CL02.jpg

To quote:
<silversmoke> maximiliana is a genus of cactus.. espin means needle

There you have it. Ingenious work on the part of silversmoke and T.
Or should I say....In-Genus?

Oh, and in case anyone's been wondering, wwe've deduce that the symbol on the General's shoulder is an hourglass within a gear. Fairly reminiscent of Changeling Realm symbology for those WoD Fae players out there.

Silversmoke · Post by **Silversmoke** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 12:10 am

Thanks tom... i swear that was 90% more cohesive than i would have made it... now wish.. post your findings from the bold word game!.. sig included!

And because i fear the wrath of Tom, i'm gonna post a quote for you all.. ^_^

"Both the mechanical clock and the hourglass found powerful symbolic roles during the Renaissance. The complex mechanical clock with its rotary gears became a metaphor for the heavenly spheres or the wheel of fortune. But the hourglass, whose sands run out, became a metaphor for that running-out-of-the-sands that we all inevitably face. It became, and it remains, a universal symbol of death."

Given the fact that the symbol on the general's sleeve appears to be an hourglass withinb a gear, i can only shiver at the thought of a group who's symbolism is death with the wheel of fortune.

It makes time seem less of a problem.. its the altering of fates i worry about...

i wonder if Julianna has any sisters? Two younger ones perhaps?

Or maybe, The general is the head of the military, and there is a female head of religion, and one of... politics? business?

Who knows.. but with time travel involved there is always the chance that three wome from the future were completely responsible for one of our own myths... note the comment "THIS TIME we are waiting for someone else to invade the earth". I know i'm paraphrasing, but the fact remains, they have invaded the EARTH in the past (future?)... not just some other planet....

Oy.. this is falling apart even as i type, so i'll sign off for now.

____________
Ariana O'Day -- <A HREF="http://silversmoke.net" TARGET=_blank>Silver Smoke Artistry</a>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: silversmoke on 2002-03-19 00:40 ]</font>

Silversmoke · Post by **Silversmoke** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 1:43 am

playing the bold word game before bed.

"Logarithmically, others place Katherine. Katherine's number 8"

does everyone place Kath at number eight? not everyone...

but.. rumy, while talking to rikk..

"Only, only one. Everything"

And Kath
"Out was nice"

ANd here's a fun one, a la Clara.

"Critical twist, NOT LIKE THAT!"

hehehe.. context.. who needs it?

Hysteria · Post by **Hysteria** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 5:46 am

On 2002-03-18 23:14, Tom the Fanboy wrote:
We at the #faans chat room developped some very interesting theories and observations about the general. I would like to open this thread to bring these new findings to light. Hopefully silversmoke will be kind enough to post her findings as well.

The General's name has been said as Juliana Espin Maximiliana. The immediate notable part is the Espin that most of her henchpeople seem to share. Perhaps this makes them clones? Perhaps they are all meant to be representations of the different aspects of the General.

My main point that I wish to unveil is related to her first name. Julianna. Julia. What significance is this you ask. I can sum it up in five letters.

GUTRC

Yes that's right, T revealed in a post FOUR PAGES BACK in the forums that her name was Julia.

This in my opinion is the most plausible and direct link from the fans of the present to the General. I do admit that Julia looks nothing like the General but time can change a person in many ways. Especially with intense physical training and rconstructive surgery.

Okay, HELP! My poor brain cells are dying as we speak. Julia? Who the heck is Julia? I don't recall hearing about her previously, and if I did, I have no idea where she first appeared.

And what is the significance of GUTRC? How does this connect to the General?

*lapses into a gibbering mess*

Nullset · Post by **Nullset** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 7:14 am

This Julia?

Street Fighter [imdb.com] (1994) : "Based on the popular video game, "Street Fighter II". Dictator M. Bison (Julia) holds Allied Nation relief workers for ransom. Colonel William F. Guile (Van Damme) leads his troops into battle against him. Chun-Li, Balrog and E. Honda are a news crew seeking revenge on Sagat (Studi). and his lackey, Vega. Ryu and Ken are two low-rent shysters who get caught in the middle between sides. Zangief and Dee Jay kiss up to Bison, who holds Dr. Dhalsim hostage to create Blanka, a genetic warrior. Cammy and T.Hawk second Guile. (No Fei Long, though)"

Interesting that this should be part of a discussion on slashdot today...

Tom the Fanboy · Post by **Tom the Fanboy** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 9:00 am

No no no.
Julia is what T slipped up and told us the name of the GUTRC was. GUTRC standing for "Girl Under Tree Reading Clarke". Rikk was going to go start a dialog with her when he heard a ruckus about the costume shop and went to help. This is all way back in the first storyline, The Fandom Menace. She also makes an appearance in The Most Dangerous Game at Kath's party. She is (presumably) the one Tim says "Hey, ya legal?" to and then walks out in a huff.

Khavren · Post by **Khavren** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 9:18 am

I knew it! For years I've claimed the general was Julia the Clark girl but they all laughed at me! Long years I was forced to labor in lonely chalets and starbucks on my detailed proofs only to have them flung back at me by derisive frenchmen. Now at last comes my vindication!

Doublespeak · Post by **Doublespeak** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 9:27 am

I am just proud to have been witness to all this.

Want to join the fun? Go to #faans on DALnet today!

On 2002-03-19 09:00, Tom the Fanboy wrote:
She also makes an appearance in The Most Dangerous Game at Kath's party. She is (presumably) the one Tim says "Hey, ya legal?" to and then walks out in a huff.

Hey, now we know the General's motivation too.

Vitriol · Post by **Vitriol** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 9:43 am

GUTRC first shows up here.

She's next seen at the party:
Leftmost person on the sofa
Bottom panel
Top two panels

Can't find anything on her after this, though.

If she has become the General, she's certainly pointier.

How about she's an alternate-future General; if Rikk hadn't been distracted, and had gone over to talk to her, who knows what might have happened.

FrustratedPilot · Post by **FrustratedPilot** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 12:01 pm

She also appears at either the end of "Mad Science" or in one of the later "Human Stories" in a cameo. I'm trying to find it...watch this space.

KingLeon · Post by **KingLeon** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 12:02 pm

Amazing. This just puts more support to the idea that we will one day meet the preteen Rumy once chatted with while Tim spammed...

I wanna meet that guy- uh... kid!

FrustratedPilot · Post by **FrustratedPilot** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 2:23 pm

Found it. Extreme lower left...

http://faans.com/images/evil62.gif

J. · Post by J. » Tue Mar 19, 2002 2:59 pm

Wait, are people actually saying that the Clarke girl could be the General based upon a first name similarity???

I offered a translation of her name a while ago, but Maccabee, as resident Latin expert, never confirmed or denied it... the cactus connection is interesting, but does anyone see any greater significance than a connection to her apparently "prickly" personality (and hairdo, I suppose)?

Wish · Post by **Wish** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 3:06 pm

Right on.. Well. After Tom's earth-shattering find, my little tidbit doesn't seem like much. In the #faans chatroom on DALnet last night, silversmoke was mentioning how she liked to read only the accented word on a page just to see what they said. This is what the bold text of Tuseday's strip told us:

Best Kathie, first recruit. Renounce everyone, you silly. Worthier heroines can mercy.

There you have it. T is urging us to throw off the shackles of dominion! Just for fun, here's what came from last Friday's strip:

'Laundry progress self pass Is tawkin'"

The ticket to the Laundry's Progress is conversing! Who knew?

-Wish
Renounce everyone, you silly!

Vitriol · Post by **Vitriol** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 3:29 pm

Wait, are people actually saying that the Clarke girl could be the General based upon a first name similarity???

To be honest, that's more information than we normally have, and it hasn't stopped us yet:-)

Roscoe · Post by **Roscoe** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 4:08 pm

And of course, Rikk actually died during the inking of Mad Science, so they held a Rikk-alike contest and chose the winner to get made up to look exactly like him. The rest of the cast felt bad, so they've been dropping clues for us to find that Rikk died.

Seriously people. First names I can see. But clues in the bold words?

KingLeon · Post by **KingLeon** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 7:39 pm

I think the date the General just gave just destroyed this idea of that Clarke girl... unless she's traveled through time...

Oh. Frell. She already did.