Okay, Hi everyone! I've been reading FOREVER, but now, I joined to post a theory my friend came up with:

What if the Archmage "seems familliar" because he is the one who killed Richard?

I thought this might actually be plausible, so what do you guys think?

somehow i don't feel that an old man whose only power (yet seen) is to control a boy, can kill the Lord of Darkness....but he could have turned him into the warlock he is

He didn't actually control the boy, the boy was part of him. So it seems he has a splitting and camouflaging power. Others have not been seen yet.

I dont know I think Raynes was onto something, the brow, eye's, nose etc match and the three green crystal's? on the arches head match the 3 green markers on Richards face.. I don't know whether this was a plot device to keep the readers circulating around the obvious to surprise us with something else.. and apart from the fact they are both aligned in powerful magic.. oh cant remember volume 3 but where they back in time again? didnt get that bit

Neato idea. At least it's not another Archmage=Richard theory.

"somehow i don't feel that an old man whose only power (yet seen) is to control a boy, can kill the Lord of Darkness..."
He's old, mysterious and wears a cloak. According to the laws of fantasy literature, he has to be incredibly powerful.

Heh thats true but it only toke a few battle mages to withheld Richard and they where supposedly useless, I cant imagine the true power of the arch mage but I would say it's rival to Richard's... but to control a boy who knows maybes thats a hard thing to do in the magic world even though parents can do that freely

Richard had fun in the dungeon. Maybe he WANTED to go there?

Archmage = Richard's Father

He "thought" he had killed his dad, seeing as his dad is the maker of the "grand scheme".
He needed his son to be the incarnation of evil, what better way to let him kill you?

For one, it explains Richard's unlimited powers
2, it explains why he looked familiar, but Richard couldn't pin an identity on him
3, it explains Richard's old age


How's that for a nutcracker?

Been proposed before.

Me, I don't really consider the AM<->Richard relation to be particularly relevant. I may be wrong of course.

Actually, I had the same feeling during a re-read of the comic... It's only 1 frame and it's a small text you don't really notice.
But afterwards, when the Archmage returns, there is this hint of a 'Grand Scheme' in wich the theory would work out rather nice...

The archamge talls the dragon guy once: well do better this time.

Maybe Richard is a failed attempt at a king for Kethenencia?

Yes, I hate those. The Archmage just doesn't have the same "richard humor", and I don't want to think that he could have been that boring when he was alive.

My goodness...that actually seems plausible! Of course, being plausible does not make it so...

The simplest explanation is often the correct one after all.

ironic, Richard is a serial killer who loves what he does, along with being funny....Archmage is just a boring old man bound to die soon.

OR maybe The mage and Richard we're friends in their child-hood (possible no?) In anyways Richard and The Archmage are to much diffrent to be the same person.

Or Maybe Richard and The Mage we're brothers? The mage was His Teacher?
The only way to find out is to wait...... .....i'm bored of waiting!

thats possible

Hmmm...

I see a few things that could be wrong with the 'Archmage = Richard's best friend and/or Brother theory'. If, indeed, the Archmage was someone that Richard had seen on a regular basis while growing up (and into his adult years, possibly), wouldn't Richard have recognized him? At the very least, seen something that made things 'click' in his mind?

Though that does seem more likely than him being Richard's teacher. Had he been the Master which Richard had his apprenticeship under, Richard would have, at the very least, recognized the Archmage's power, if not the old man himself.

And I shall now go back into 'lurk' mode.

Well Richard Wanted to Say Something but they left

Anyway The Archmage Theory MAy have a LOT of choice's

But I stick To the Theory that The Mage was His teacher and Richard will meet with him again (In a Duel of FATEs! )