This is a theory I first started to play around with in the "Fork of Truth" thread. I was trying to keep it on topic but now... It's kind of exploded in my mind and I feel it deserves it's own thread.

First of all, here is the page where Richard speaks about his destiny Issue 6, page 158

Now, we have no idea when these flashes first started. But I want to say here!

Why is that you say? After all, this is just a joking page to introduce our main characters. To set up the contrast: Cale is good and noble and innocent and Richard is everything but. However, turn to page 2 and Richard has no problem grabbing a bystander and having him take the arrows we learn later has no real affect on him. He's a warlock, undead, he's always getting his arms cut off! Arrows aren't much better. But it's funner for Richard to see the helpless victim get killed instead.

But he doesn't kill Cale. He turns him into a pile of ash but only after Richard has completely introduced himself and Cale has called him "Dick." But Richard immediately puts Cale's ashes in a bag and takes him to a tavern to find a healer.

Richard would never do that for anybody else! I don't think Cale was amusing enough at the beggining to even be worth Richard's time. Sure, point out the fact that the blood elf is supposed to be evil then fwoosh the poor deluded bastard, then move on. But if Richard already has some idea that Cale is important... well, it would be worth it to keep him around!

There there's the line on this page that with all those other pieces strikes my funny bone. "My gut tells me we should trust her with this task!" Sure, Richard just saw her kick the butts of a room full of guys but... The fact that Richard is having a "gut feeling" about anything strikes me as odd. He's undead, they don't usually have to listen to their guts... To me, I feel as if Richard had a feeling that Benny was important just like he had with Cale.

Oh and may I point out that Richard is the first to call this band of misfits a team even if it is in reference to skeletons. Still, pretty interesting. Sure, Cale feels loyal to both Richard and Benny for saving his life but that's just part of his personality. We've only ever seen Richard as a selfless person that cares only about himself. Yet he calls them a team. Interesting, me thinks.

Then, on page 11 Richard is already referring to Cale as his "closest and dearest companion." Yes, it's a joke referring to the fact that somebody just tackled a dragon. But they've known each other for, what, a whole of maybe five hours and Richard is already calling them companions? First a team and now companions...

Is it just me or has Richard formed this group, not Cale!?

Another point in the story where it is Richard that keeps forming this group... In some small way, anyways

Anyways, there are so many other facts and figures that probably point to the fact that Richard understands something nobody else does. Because as "clear" as his personality may seem, he has always acted against it. I can't see him following around Cale out of mere boredom. Not after only two pages. Maybe once the Kethencia plot started unraveling Richard might have thought "oooh, fun!" but Benny and Krunch are more exciting to the "I love to kill" part of Richard than Cale is.

Especially since Cale was the one always stopping the killing. It was Benny that kept attracting the bad guys. But Richard wouldn't have met her if it hadn't be for Cale...

Alright, I'm starting to talk myself into circles. What do other people think and feel?

I also want to add a disclaimer that I read all 250 odd some pages in two days and some of the smaller details have been lost on me. Especially since I don't read comics well (I love to read and watch movies but for some reason I get lost in the visual pictures and text and can only focus on so much all at once...). So if any of my facts are off, that would be why. I'm starting to reread it so I can try and pick up on the smaller hints and clues.

Hmm, don't get me wrong, I'm a huge lfg fan but you're aware that everything you pointed out could also be explained by lazy writing, right?!
Also, I don't think the story was really worked out that detailed in that first few pages...

I'm a writer too and one thing you learn when you're writing something is that if there was a mistake page one: make it part of the plot!

Ok, i might be the slowest person ever for mentioning this....

but did anyone else notice that on that page (158) Richard's gem is white? What can that mean?

I don't think Richard really starts working for the good side until this page, until his memories start coming back and he talks of destiny,

until his change of heart, and change of gem.

That's my theory on how long he's known.

Gem goes white cause he uses the extra energy stored within it.

V_V
I'm ashamed to say, I did not understand this topic AT ALL.
What point are you getting at? That Richard knows something the rest of the group doesn't?
Could you do a quick summary for the slower minded please?

*is wearing a crow costume and*

You fool! You've messed with the natural order! CAW! You've doomed us all! CAW!

Why didn't u do an Edgar Allen Poe Refrence? 'Nevermore'

Quick summary:

We know that Richard has been getting flashbacks to when he was human and that he knows he has a destiny.

Events in the first couple of pages (not killing Cale, mentioning killing his own father, etc) lead me to believe that this is when he first starts getting flashbacks. Because he's been doing a good job of showing his personality to be to just kill people when he feels like it, to destroy things and cause mayhem. But he didn't kill Cale and when he turned him into a pile of ash he immediately took him to Benny.... and stuck with them even though he could have killed everybody and been on his way.

Bored doesn't really cut it for me. I'm sure it's true, but it doesn't fit into the personality Richard chooses to show.

So, yeah, he obviously seems to know things the others don't. He obviously knows the archmage is the rabbit, knows what the archmage was trying to plan, that an army would be useful... So how long has he known, how does he know, and for what purpose does he keep it to himself?

You´re a writer? Interesting! What do you write? Is it fantasy or anything similar to that? I really hope it is fantasy!
By the way I think you may be right about your theory! Even though I´ve always looooooooooooooooooved lfg I at first thought the plot was a little bit weak. I mean it´s always been totally hilarious but it seemed there wasn´t much plot! Then when that whole sword of truth, Gamlon and Kethenecia thing started, the plot had started. But it is much more probable that the plot started on page 1. And considering how smart and cool Richard is I think he might have known all along. About both Kethenecia, the bunny and Cale´s destiny and probably a lot of other cool stuff that we don´t yet understand. Yeah, I think Richard is the evil mastermind in between this whole thing. Also, as far as I´ve gathered, we don´t really know how old Richard is. For all we know he may have been alive even at the time of Gamlon, some 3000 years ago or something. Richard may have been manipulating things all along, perhaps he was the one who made the Vulii attack Gamlon in the first place. The Archmage seems to think he is the one pulling the strings, but in reality i think he is just another pawn in Richard´s big game. Also, I totally agree Richard wouldn´t really accompany Cale just because he is fun to mess around with, after all Cale has prevented him from a lot of killing. No, as I have stated before, I am confident that Richard is trying to use Cale for something, perhaps to be able to manipulate him into doing as Richard wishes once Cale has become king, and he probably also wishes to turn Cale evil, then he will be an evil king insteead of a good one. Also, as you stated before, Richard was definitely the one who formed the group.

I'm glad you liked my theory Knightwolf

Though I'm not so certain I like the idea of Richard controlling things. I think he's been aware and knows lots of cool things our other characters (and us the readers) don't know, but I can't really imagine Richard pulling strings. The idea of him being alive around the same time as Gamlon. Could partly explain why the portal he opened up dumped them out in Bertu... where he immediately started killing people. Interesting, no?

I read somewhere that people think a huge battle between Cale and Richard mad be imminent. I also like this theory so you may be partly right about Richard wanting an evil king. I just can't see this evil warlock... manipulating. I'm not sure if that's even in his vernacular, let alone his mental checklist. He's great, powerful, smart and knows things and thus can sometimes act well because of them. But Richard does not really understand how the minds of others work, that's not part of his skill set.

At least I don't think so.

Oh, and I write fantasy mostly. I've also got some scifi stories in my head as well as a comedy story that I planned out years ago then forgot but reanimated when I found LFG.

Yeah, you can never be quite sure about Richard, but no you are probably right, he may not be the evil mastermind behind everything. But he has definitely planned something, I´m sure about that! Also, I´d really like to hear the titles of some of your books, I bet they are good!

I'm not published yet... but if you want to read something of mine here's a work in progress: click

Richard certainly does have plans, why else would he send his army and his father's castle/tomb to Kethencia?

*tries to think of more to say on topic*

Actually, the beginning of Richard's turn from evil guy who stayed with Cale because it amused him is likely page 105. I think the gods answered his prayer there, allowing him to start to remember who he is without his power.

^

That makes.... a lot of sence, wow. +1 experience points.

That is a good theory too... and I might give you that the true flashbacks start coming then.

But page one Richard talks about killing his father. On page 158 he talks about remembering his father and how it changes him.

I think page 105 is just us seeing that it's changing Richard before he tells us.

Plus, again, yes we see that he saved a young boys life page 105 but... um, he saved Cale's life first so if we're using that as a measure of when Richard starts getting flashbacks pages 2/3/4 are still the best place to start looking.

At most, his saving the child might be the catalyst for the gods to answer Richard's prayer instead of simply ignoring it. The prayer, and I don't think anyone will argue that it wasn't a serious prayer, is the most obvious spark.

He 'saved' Cale, because he found Cale entertaining, remember he 'killed' him before he saved him.

I'm not quire sure what you're saying... but I agree that prayer sparked... er... something. But, you know, honestly, I've seen no evidence of "gods" in this comic so far. I think Richard truely meant what he said and he used what power he did have to save the kid which was the reason why the amulet broke "Only a selfless act" Hctib said. Though there was the mention, later on, when he's saving those people from being flooded about "there's another presence inside of you." It's possible saving the child sparked that. Whatever that is.



As I have mentioned earlier... entertaining/bored/amusing doesn't really cut it for me. Richard isn't doing any of the things he thinks it "fun" when he's around Cale. Except for the "accidentally shooting the man with arrows" thing that Richard caused. But it's Benny that really allows chaos and death to ensue, so judging by Richard's personality is should be her that he's more attached to. But yet he seems interested in Cale.

And he didn't kill Cale per se. He fwooshed him into a pile of living, talking, and apparently seeing pile of ashes. We don't get to see the scene of Richard putting those ashes into a bag... but you know he had to do that willingly. So why fwoosh Cale only to take him to find a healer?

Because Richard knows Cale can't die! Otherwise Richard's destiny goes down the toilet and he really will be bored...

That, or Richard finds messing with the epitome of Naive, Cale, amusing.