Difference between revisions of "556: Alternative Energy Revolution"

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| title    = Alternative Energy Revolution
 
| title    = Alternative Energy Revolution
 
| image    = alternative_energy_revolution.jpg
 
| image    = alternative_energy_revolution.jpg
| imagesize =
 
 
| titletext = The moment their arms spun freely in our air, they were doomed -- for Man has earned his right to hold this planet against all comers, by virtue of occasionally producing someone totally batshit insane.
 
| titletext = The moment their arms spun freely in our air, they were doomed -- for Man has earned his right to hold this planet against all comers, by virtue of occasionally producing someone totally batshit insane.
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
 +
[[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are looking at modern "{{w|windmills}}" (known as {{w|wind turbines}}) harnessing wind energy into electrical energy. They comment that there's something creepy about the windmills. They allude to the book ''{{w|The War of the Worlds}}'' by {{w|H. G. Wells}} (The Jeff Wayne Musical version of {{w|Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds|The War of the Worlds}} has paintings of the martian tripods somewhat like these turbines) and also to "The Tripods" from {{w|John Christopher|John Christopher's}} {{w|The Tripods|tripods trilogy}} a children's series of books about aliens who ride in walking tripods.
  
Megan and cueball are looking at modern windmills harnessing wind energy into electrical energy. They comment that there's something creepy about the windmills.They allude to the "War of the Worlds" - most likely a reference to the Jeff Wayne rock version of {{w|Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds|War of the Worlds}}, which has paintings of the martian tripods somewhat like these windmills, and also "The Tripods" from John Christopher's {{w|The Tripods|tripods trilogy}} a children's series of books about aliens who ride in walking tripods.
+
Suddenly the windmills' pylons split into three legs, becoming the tripods suggested.
  
Suddenly the windmills pylons split into three legs, becoming the tripods suggested.
+
They exclaim that {{w|Al Gore}} has doomed us all. He is a former Vice President of the United States, known for his environmental activism and promotion of green energy sources, relevant because wind turbines like the ones here are one of the alternative energy sources he supports.
  
In the final frame, the 16th century literary figure {{w|Don Quixote}} arrives (Randall's depiction seems to be inspired by {{w|Don Quixote (Picasso)|the drawing}} by {{w|Pablo Picasso}}. In the original story, Don Quixote is a wandering knight of questionable sanity who fights windmills, which he believes to be giants. Hence, he is the appropriate person to deal with this threat. Also, he is "batshit insane."
+
In the final frame, the 17th century literary figure {{w|Don Quixote}} arrives ([[Randall|Randall's]] depiction seems to be inspired by {{w|Don Quixote (Picasso)|the drawing}} by {{w|Pablo Picasso}}). In the original story, Don Quixote is a wandering knight of questionable sanity who fights windmills, which he believes to be giants. Hence, he is the appropriate person to deal with this threat.
  
The title text is a reference to the {{w|H. G. Wells}} radio play/movie {{w|The War of the Worlds}}. "But there are no bacteria in Mars...when I watched them they were irrevocably doomed ... By the toll of a billion deaths man has bought his birthright of the earth, and it is his against all comers"
+
The title is a joke on the phrase "Alternative Energy Revolution," which normally refers to replacing of harmful power sources with eco-friendly options. However, in this case, the Alternative Energy sources are literally rising up in a revolution against humanity.
  
The windmills also look like the fictional plants {{w|Triffid}}s from {{w|John Wyndham}}'s book "{{w|The Day of the Triffids}}" or the 1962 {{w|The Day of the Triffids (film)|film version}}.
+
The title text is another reference to The War of the Worlds: "But there are no bacteria in Mars... when I watched them they were irrevocably doomed... By the toll of a billion deaths man has bought his birthright of the earth, and it is his against all comers."
  
There is a fan-created [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRuqPKcxMZY animation of this comic.]
+
Of course this time we are only saved because we - in spite of having evolved - still produce somewhat insane members of our species.
 +
 
 +
Wind turbines also appear in later comics. In [[1119: Undoing]] Randall still seems to dislike them. And in [[1378: Turbine]] the Turbine is also alive and talks with [[Megan]].
 +
 
 +
This is one of the five comics linked at the bottom part of the xkcd.com website.
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
 
:[A field of windmills is silhouetted against dusk sky.]
 
:[A field of windmills is silhouetted against dusk sky.]
  
:[Man and woman are standing and sitting on the ground overlooking the windmills.]
+
:[Cueball and Megan are standing and sitting on the ground overlooking the windmills.]
:Man: I'm all for green energy, but those turbines creep me out. They remind me of War of the Worlds, or the Tripod books.
+
:Cueball: I'm all for green energy, but those turbines creep me out. They remind me of War of the Worlds, or the Tripod books.
  
:Woman: They -are- unnerving.
+
:Megan: They -are- unnerving.
:Man: I can't shake the feeling that at any moment they'll—
+
:Cueball: I can't shake the feeling that at any moment they'll—
:<<RUMBLE>>
+
:''RUMBLE''
  
 
:[A leg begins to split off one windmill.]
 
:[A leg begins to split off one windmill.]
:<<crack>>
+
:''crack''
  
 
:[The leg separates from the body of the windmill.]
 
:[The leg separates from the body of the windmill.]
  
 
:[The new leg lands on the ground.]
 
:[The new leg lands on the ground.]
:<<BOOM>>
+
:''BOOM''
  
 
:[Another leg begins to split off the other side of the windmill's body.]
 
:[Another leg begins to split off the other side of the windmill's body.]
:<<crack>>
+
:''crack''
  
 
:[The new leg hits the ground, forming a tripod base.]
 
:[The new leg hits the ground, forming a tripod base.]
:<<BOOM>>
+
:''BOOM''
  
 
:[Smoke rises from destroyed buildings as the windmills rampage across the field.]
 
:[Smoke rises from destroyed buildings as the windmills rampage across the field.]
  
:[Man and woman are now standing.]
+
:[Cueball and Megan are now standing.]
:Woman: Oh no.
+
:Megan: Oh no.
:Man: Al Gore, you've doomed us all.
+
:Cueball: Al Gore, you've doomed us all.
:Woman: It's coming this way!
+
:Megan: It's coming this way!
:Man: Run!
+
:Cueball: Run!
  
 
:[One of the enormous tripod windmill feet lands right behind the running couple, sending debris flying.]
 
:[One of the enormous tripod windmill feet lands right behind the running couple, sending debris flying.]
:<<BOOM>>
+
:''BOOM''
  
:[Man and woman run.]
+
:[Cueball and Megan run.]
:Woman: What now?
+
:Megan: What now?
:Man: Someone has to stop them.
+
:Cueball: Someone has to stop them.
:Woman: But who could--
+
:Megan: But who could-
 
:Voice from next panel: Stand aside!
 
:Voice from next panel: Stand aside!
  
:[Don Quixote sits mounted at the top of a hill, lance at the ready.]
+
:[{{w|Don Quixote}} sits mounted at the top of a hill, lance at the ready.]
 +
 
 +
==Trivia==
 +
There is a [https://youtu.be/kRuqPKcxMZY fan made animated version of this comic].
  
{{comic discussion}}  
+
{{comic discussion}}
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
 
[[Category:Comics with color]]
 
[[Category:Comics with color]]
 
[[Category:Windmills]]
 
[[Category:Windmills]]
 +
[[Category:Footer comics]]

Revision as of 01:38, 6 April 2015

Alternative Energy Revolution
The moment their arms spun freely in our air, they were doomed -- for Man has earned his right to hold this planet against all comers, by virtue of occasionally producing someone totally batshit insane.
Title text: The moment their arms spun freely in our air, they were doomed -- for Man has earned his right to hold this planet against all comers, by virtue of occasionally producing someone totally batshit insane.

Explanation

Megan and Cueball are looking at modern "windmills" (known as wind turbines) harnessing wind energy into electrical energy. They comment that there's something creepy about the windmills. They allude to the book The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells (The Jeff Wayne Musical version of The War of the Worlds has paintings of the martian tripods somewhat like these turbines) and also to "The Tripods" from John Christopher's tripods trilogy a children's series of books about aliens who ride in walking tripods.

Suddenly the windmills' pylons split into three legs, becoming the tripods suggested.

They exclaim that Al Gore has doomed us all. He is a former Vice President of the United States, known for his environmental activism and promotion of green energy sources, relevant because wind turbines like the ones here are one of the alternative energy sources he supports.

In the final frame, the 17th century literary figure Don Quixote arrives (Randall's depiction seems to be inspired by the drawing by Pablo Picasso). In the original story, Don Quixote is a wandering knight of questionable sanity who fights windmills, which he believes to be giants. Hence, he is the appropriate person to deal with this threat.

The title is a joke on the phrase "Alternative Energy Revolution," which normally refers to replacing of harmful power sources with eco-friendly options. However, in this case, the Alternative Energy sources are literally rising up in a revolution against humanity.

The title text is another reference to The War of the Worlds: "But there are no bacteria in Mars... when I watched them they were irrevocably doomed... By the toll of a billion deaths man has bought his birthright of the earth, and it is his against all comers."

Of course this time we are only saved because we - in spite of having evolved - still produce somewhat insane members of our species.

Wind turbines also appear in later comics. In 1119: Undoing Randall still seems to dislike them. And in 1378: Turbine the Turbine is also alive and talks with Megan.

This is one of the five comics linked at the bottom part of the xkcd.com website.

Transcript

[A field of windmills is silhouetted against dusk sky.]
[Cueball and Megan are standing and sitting on the ground overlooking the windmills.]
Cueball: I'm all for green energy, but those turbines creep me out. They remind me of War of the Worlds, or the Tripod books.
Megan: They -are- unnerving.
Cueball: I can't shake the feeling that at any moment they'll—
RUMBLE
[A leg begins to split off one windmill.]
crack
[The leg separates from the body of the windmill.]
[The new leg lands on the ground.]
BOOM
[Another leg begins to split off the other side of the windmill's body.]
crack
[The new leg hits the ground, forming a tripod base.]
BOOM
[Smoke rises from destroyed buildings as the windmills rampage across the field.]
[Cueball and Megan are now standing.]
Megan: Oh no.
Cueball: Al Gore, you've doomed us all.
Megan: It's coming this way!
Cueball: Run!
[One of the enormous tripod windmill feet lands right behind the running couple, sending debris flying.]
BOOM
[Cueball and Megan run.]
Megan: What now?
Cueball: Someone has to stop them.
Megan: But who could-
Voice from next panel: Stand aside!
[[[wikipedia:Don Quixote|Don Quixote]] sits mounted at the top of a hill, lance at the ready.]

Trivia

There is a fan made animated version of this comic.


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Discussion

There is a fan-created animation of this comic. -- Bpothier (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

Define: Fan. I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait (talk) 18:02, 30 January 2015 (UTC)
This is hilarious. 108.162.216.16 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

Well he couldn't do any worse than Tom Cruise. I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait (talk) 18:02, 30 January 2015 (UTC)