That’s as good an explanation as any. We know Sarnothi have abilities we’d call “magic” for lack of a better term. She’s only eight (she is still eight, right?) but it seems like she should be manifesting some trace of that by now.
Yes, she is. Adopted in late summer, this is Christmas of the same year, her birthday is in May. Eight and a half (are kids still picky about that all-important “half”?)
This is my guess as well. In an earlier strip Sai Fen asked Pohl if Selkie awakened yet implying she is at the age where she could, while the invisible sarnothi agent wasn’t surprised to see resonance readings from Selkie’s home (actually caused by her bow but he didn’t know that).
Would also fit the narative. Asuming Selkie was going to stay with humans who have no idea about sarnothi keeping her magic supressed might indeed be a necesary evil to protect her and others, luckily the Pohls are there to explain and guide or teach her now so the supressor is no longer necesary.
He’s very clear that he’s only witholding it until he knows what it is he’s witholding. He’s not sure and Selkie panicking over something he doesn’t even know is a real concern is only going to hurt her emotional development.
Todd almost certainly caught exactly the same subtext from Pohl’s request in the previous strip, and as Selkie’s parent it’s rightly his call to make, on recommendation of Selkie’s practicing physician of record.
Except this is still bad. Subtext isn’t always easy to catch up on. And Pohl needs to tell Todd blatantly what he thinks it might be because it would get things cleared up easier.
This feels strange to me, but I find myself agreeing with LadyObvious, if Pohl is genuinely concerned he needs to be more clear to Todd. If he’s right his waffling simply extends the risk to Selkie especially if its as serious as he thinks. And if its not, why the strong insistence on examining the bow OMG RIGHT NOW.
It depends on how worried he is. Doctors regularly wait for results of tests to come back before they alarm the patient if they aren’t in risk of immediate harm. Selkie has had the bow on for all her life up to now. Another few days isn’t likely to be the catalyst that ruins her development.
There is also the issue of parental wishes, namely the mother. She provided this to Selkie to keep her safe and they do have to take that into consideration somewhat. Though Todd and Pohl as her doctor do have the right to counter that if they determine it is not in her best interest.
In all honesty the subtext of this decision is very good writing because its simple on the surface but very nuanced.
In which case repeatedly insisting that he be allowed to not only examine it but KEEP it despite knowing that Selkie has been told that she’s supposed to keep it close to protect herself doesn’t really seem like a smart way not to alarm the patient, no?
err no, that’s a projection, an emitter is like a radio signal being sent out. I used to work in electronics, we made sensors that were air-dropped and took readings, then later someone would come by with a tracker and pick up all the devices to get the info off of them. They had emitter beacons that shout “I’m over here!”. Could be dangerous if you are trying to hide to be wearing something that’s shouting “over here, this way!”
I’m being hopeful that it’s either for Selkie’s mom to find her and help her. Or for her friends to help Selkie if she can’t. Just an added measure to protect her from bad things.
yeah, I’m imagining it’s so her mom can find her, but anyone one with sensitive enough equipment or psychic senses could possibly pick it up. It all depends on how powerful the emitter is.
Funny anecdote, some of the stuff I used to work on I can’t talk about, but one of the clients we made sensors for was a group looking for proof of Sasquatch/Bigfoot. Not all crytophiles are flakes, these ones were using high-tech equipment to try and get actual proof.
I just checked with Google. Many widely-different disciplines, from semiconductors to drip irrigation, use “emitter” as a technical term. Yes, the emitter beacons you’re familiar with are emitting a “come find me” signal, but that’s because they’re beacons and that’s what beacons do.
Emitters, in general, are called that because they are emitting something — which could be anything from water to electrons to … well, yes, holograms could be said to be emitted, too. There’s nothing in the word itself that requires the emission to travel for any particular distance.
Here, Pohl is using the word in the context of Sarnothi technology. Sai Fen must know exactly what he means or he’d have explained more, but we don’t — and can’t, until we get more information.
Maybe Selkie has magic and her hairbow is repressing it so Sarnoth won’t find her. (Yes, I do read Girl Genius, why do you ask?)
That’s as good an explanation as any. We know Sarnothi have abilities we’d call “magic” for lack of a better term. She’s only eight (she is still eight, right?) but it seems like she should be manifesting some trace of that by now.
Yes, she is. Adopted in late summer, this is Christmas of the same year, her birthday is in May. Eight and a half (are kids still picky about that all-important “half”?)
Very!
This is my guess as well. In an earlier strip Sai Fen asked Pohl if Selkie awakened yet implying she is at the age where she could, while the invisible sarnothi agent wasn’t surprised to see resonance readings from Selkie’s home (actually caused by her bow but he didn’t know that).
Would also fit the narative. Asuming Selkie was going to stay with humans who have no idea about sarnothi keeping her magic supressed might indeed be a necesary evil to protect her and others, luckily the Pohls are there to explain and guide or teach her now so the supressor is no longer necesary.
I’d like to look at that page if it is possible for you to find the link.
Sorry not gonna look for that. Think it was before she actually met the Todd’s though, so sometime around when Selkie got sick.
While the thing with the agent was after evil principal got fired.
Actually it wasn’t Sai Fen, it was Secret Agent Then in this strip here: https://selkiecomic.com/comic/selkie578/
Ahh, nice.
Is that the only reference to awakening we had so far then? I feel like they were more but I could be wrong.
…I want that. I want that so much…
Yay for Selkie and Girl Genius! 😀
Wow, you hit the nail on the head. Well done!
Emitter? Pohl. This is withholding information. That’s bad.
He’s very clear that he’s only witholding it until he knows what it is he’s witholding. He’s not sure and Selkie panicking over something he doesn’t even know is a real concern is only going to hurt her emotional development.
Todd almost certainly caught exactly the same subtext from Pohl’s request in the previous strip, and as Selkie’s parent it’s rightly his call to make, on recommendation of Selkie’s practicing physician of record.
Except this is still bad. Subtext isn’t always easy to catch up on. And Pohl needs to tell Todd blatantly what he thinks it might be because it would get things cleared up easier.
This feels strange to me, but I find myself agreeing with LadyObvious, if Pohl is genuinely concerned he needs to be more clear to Todd. If he’s right his waffling simply extends the risk to Selkie especially if its as serious as he thinks. And if its not, why the strong insistence on examining the bow OMG RIGHT NOW.
It depends on how worried he is. Doctors regularly wait for results of tests to come back before they alarm the patient if they aren’t in risk of immediate harm. Selkie has had the bow on for all her life up to now. Another few days isn’t likely to be the catalyst that ruins her development.
There is also the issue of parental wishes, namely the mother. She provided this to Selkie to keep her safe and they do have to take that into consideration somewhat. Though Todd and Pohl as her doctor do have the right to counter that if they determine it is not in her best interest.
In all honesty the subtext of this decision is very good writing because its simple on the surface but very nuanced.
In which case repeatedly insisting that he be allowed to not only examine it but KEEP it despite knowing that Selkie has been told that she’s supposed to keep it close to protect herself doesn’t really seem like a smart way not to alarm the patient, no?
Also seems strange. Because he is actively trying to be their friend yet he can’t tell them that the item is of what kind of importance.
I don’t think “emitter” is new information, if that’s what you meant — I bet he’s just referring to how it emits the video of Plo Quar.
Not really? Seemed like news to me. And probably going to be for Todd. Because I doubt he thought it was one.
They already know it’s an emitter, that’s what it does – emit a hologram. :p
Pohl’s suspicion has to be something else.
err no, that’s a projection, an emitter is like a radio signal being sent out. I used to work in electronics, we made sensors that were air-dropped and took readings, then later someone would come by with a tracker and pick up all the devices to get the info off of them. They had emitter beacons that shout “I’m over here!”. Could be dangerous if you are trying to hide to be wearing something that’s shouting “over here, this way!”
I’m being hopeful that it’s either for Selkie’s mom to find her and help her. Or for her friends to help Selkie if she can’t. Just an added measure to protect her from bad things.
yeah, I’m imagining it’s so her mom can find her, but anyone one with sensitive enough equipment or psychic senses could possibly pick it up. It all depends on how powerful the emitter is.
Funny anecdote, some of the stuff I used to work on I can’t talk about, but one of the clients we made sensors for was a group looking for proof of Sasquatch/Bigfoot. Not all crytophiles are flakes, these ones were using high-tech equipment to try and get actual proof.
I just checked with Google. Many widely-different disciplines, from semiconductors to drip irrigation, use “emitter” as a technical term. Yes, the emitter beacons you’re familiar with are emitting a “come find me” signal, but that’s because they’re beacons and that’s what beacons do.
Emitters, in general, are called that because they are emitting something — which could be anything from water to electrons to … well, yes, holograms could be said to be emitted, too. There’s nothing in the word itself that requires the emission to travel for any particular distance.
Here, Pohl is using the word in the context of Sarnothi technology. Sai Fen must know exactly what he means or he’d have explained more, but we don’t — and can’t, until we get more information.
ah politeness: keeping people from informing themselves since .. i dunno, it’s rude to ask
Poor Tod. It IS very weird being a grown adult, asking “where do babies come from” questions.