I officially introduced Rory, right? Well, if it wasn’t clear before, he’s the guy who actually got the tiny upstairs apartment Lance and Eskimo first went to look at in Jeria’s house. He was at the holiday party, talking D&D with Krys. He’s probably the character in L&E most closely based on a real person (including Chefelf).
The salute depicted in the four-panel sequence in the upper right is an actual multi-part salute frequently performed by the real-life Rory and myself circa 1999-2002. The steps are:
1. Sideways salute. We were given to understand that this is a sign of disrespect given to soldiers being dishonorably discharged. This piece of information is vital to understanding the rest of the salute (although it is unclear why and how we are both dishonorably discharging each other).
2. Tear the stripes (or other signifiers of rank) off the other person’s sleeve.
3. Throw the stripes down, spit on them, and grind them beneath your boot.
4. Walk away five paces.
5. Turn back, giving a look of disgust.
6. Walk a further five paces.
7. Turn and run toward each other, joyfully screaming.
The best part about sharing an elaborate unison choreographed sequence with a friend is that it amazes and confuses bystanders. Lance is pretty unfazed here, but (1) he’s undoubtedly seen the salute at every stage of development, and (2) he is unfazed by most things.
Sorry about the dashiness of the art in this strip; I’m still flailing to catch up.
ESKIMO: Rory, my man!
(multi-step greeting which starts with Eskimo and Rory saluting each other sideways, and ends with them running toward each other, screaming “EEEEEE!”)
LANCE: Your salute is complicated.
ESKIMO: So, Rory, where are you off to?
RORY: Pokemon League Championships. Everybody thinks Charizard is so great, but I say evolutions are a liability. Charmander is a weakling and a fool. Your solid basics are the way to go.* Electabuzz, Magmar, a couple of pluspowers, and I’ve got this tourney sewn up, you watch.
*Exceptions: Blastoise and Wigglytuff, the most badass stage one ever!
ESKIMO: Fare thee well, righteous champion!
RORY: Thanks! (walks off)
ESKIMO: I hope Jeria lets us have his apartment while he’s away.
LANCE: I don’t. Pokemon smell funny.
I guesstimate that he was going to a pokemon CARD competition, as the PlusPower is not found in-game in any of the electronic versions, and the rest of what Rory said couldn’t have meant anything in that context.
Look, if you need a full-time Pokemon referencing expert, you know where to find me. *leaps onto segway and powers away*
Comment by PlasmaDavid — May 20, 2008 @ 5:27 am
Unfortunately for me, Lance’s ignorance about pokemon cards is not indicative of the author’s.
Comment by Laura — May 20, 2008 @ 6:59 am
There’s no shame in being a pokemon master. No, the shame doesn’t come until people start lording their own library of USEFUL, RELEVANT, BACHELORS DEGREE facts over you… :(
Comment by PlasmaDavid — May 20, 2008 @ 10:48 am
I can’t think of a single fact that meets those criteria.
Comment by Laura — May 20, 2008 @ 10:49 am
EXACTLY!
Comment by PlasmaDavid — May 20, 2008 @ 6:34 pm
Fact: I am awesome. COLLEGE’D!
Comment by Dave — May 21, 2008 @ 10:15 am