I like having the crew dissent on courses of action. Naturally, as the leader, it’s fun to put Roka in the tough spot of having to really wrestle with these kinds of decisions, but it’s also a fine line to tread. Roka needs to occasionally make decisions that aren’t necessarily “right” to fuel some conflict and drama, but as a trustworthy and respectable character, he can’t make a call that’s blatantly “wrong,” lest it tarnish his position as someone worthy of being a leader in the readers’ eyes.
In this case, it was a little difficult making him come to the conclusion that they should leave Sky. But it is part of the job of a runner to just deliver the goods and not care what they are. And he also knows that they are in real danger for having crossed Dhama Tylo and don’t really have much recourse. So in this case, I can buy that he would make this call, albeit regrettably.
Roka, everything you said in the second panel means that the only logical course of action is to go rescue Sky and… eliminate Jayd… before she can report back to her boss.
I agree with someone.
Writing wise it’s good. I mean the whole crew knew Sky was most likely part of the cargo. Now it’s brought up as a reason not to go after them, but the whole crew being trashed by Jayd is what really put the fear in Roka.
Ril’s and Bocce’s points are clear, but what do Cember and Bennesaud have to say?
I think the Candy Bandit loves the challenge.
One thing I do try to hit upon every now and then is that Roka and company are smugglers and not mercenaries/assassins. There is a bit of crossover between smuggler and mercenary (both doing jobs for pay), and while some of the crew do lend fighting prowess, Roka views himself not as a fighter but someone who just flies a ship. So generally speaking, he doesn’t lightly entertain the thought of engaging in direct confrontation and taking lives, if it can be avoided. Of course, in their line of work, sometimes you have to make that tough call…
As for Cember and Bennesaud, I would say they fall much more on the side of Bocce. On the previous page, when Roka first mentions a “next course,” Bennes is the first one to be surprised by that option.
I guess I’ve been reading this comic much more as a (super)hero team book. There has been so much action and the team seemed to be handling the fighting part quite well up until the encounter with Jayd.
It’s not strange that Bennesaud was surprised, the team has managed to do what’s right and pull through.
That’s cool to hear. I sometimes wonder if there’s too much talk and not enough action, but I really do love the character moments (whether for banter or tension) in those talky scenes. So it’s good to hear that you find there to be enough action to think of it as almost superhero-y!
just go get her ….
NO!! She’s outta the book forever! Or for the rest of the series, I’ll cut to her once in a while, sitting in a cell, each time thinking, “any day now…”