## [RT][FF] Scar's Samsara 7: Tiryagyoni. In which mysteries are finally solved.

* Author: u/Sophronius  *The Need to Become Stronger**
* URL: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12593545/7/Scar-s-Samsara
* Score: 28

* Created: 2017-09-06T20:33:40

### Post:

[Link to content](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12593545/7/Scar-s-Samsara)

### Comments:

> **u/Sophronius** [+15]  *The Need to Become Stronger* (19 minutes later)
> 
> This chapter finally resolves some long-running questions, and that can only mean one thing: It’s time for the first Rationalist Predictions awards ceremony! 
> 
> >As soon as I read the end of that chapter, I was immediately struck by the possibility that that's the same stick Scar stole. He had no reason to hold onto it when it wouldn't work for him, and would totally rather just leave it outside wherever Rafiki lived instead of face the awkward conversation. Rafiki just figured it was an extraordinary turn of good luck that he got an identical stick the next day and failed to realise Scar gave it back.
> 
> Alas /u/Flashbunny, Scar answers this one with a decisive negative. You'd freely give up a mystical object of arcane power that you found in someone else’s hut? What kind of RPG munchkin are you???  I’ll give you an honorary mention for realizing that this was an important plot element, however.
> 
> >Well, if all else fails, Scar actually does hold more fighting power than the Pride. His massive horde of hyenas more or less guarantees his physical safety (assuming he can reach it), if not a permanent return to power.
> 
> Ok, this is not an official prediction, but /u/Humerus does earn a point for correctly anticipating that they would head for the Hyenas. Unfortunately he immediately loses that point again for assuming that this would guarantee his physical safety, which it clearly did not!
> 
> >There's no way this is going to end that easily. There will be blood before the day is done.
> 
> Hmmm... Since it’s already evening, shall I count this as meaning “before sunrise”? In that case you could still be correct, /u/ArsPoetica!
> 
> >I would have been surprised if he'd shifted instantly from such an emotionally driven, impulsive, counterproductive act to a calculated one like you describe.
> 
> /u/CeruleanTresses gains one Rationality Point for correctly predicting that Scar would not react rationally to the end of the previous chapter! Woo! Huzah!
> 
> >I notice that Simba says he heard Mufasa tell him it was his fault. If Simba is right about this (As in not lying to help Scar or suffering from delusions.), I think we can conclude that this was done entirely via hallucinogens, as this is something I don't think Rafiki would want to show Simba and it certainly isn't something the actual Mufasa would say. 
> 
> >I'm betting that Rafiki's power is mostly just weird herbalism and hallucinogens. So the afterlife is probably not as described and possibly nonexistent.
> 
> >As for Scar's spiritual attunement, I honestly don't have a clue. As an out of there guess, that's probably some sort of actual magic which may or may not run on some sort of emotional enlightenment(which would explain how Scar lost his).
> 
> Simba did not literally say that Mufasa said it was his fault - that’s just what Simba read into it. Nonetheless, /u/Kosijenac earns one Rationality Point for correctly inferring that hallucinogens are a major source of Rafiki's power. Nice!
> 
> And that’s it for the awards ceremony! Kudos to CeruleanTresses and Kosijenac for making correct predictions, and kudos to everyone else who stuck their necks out as well! Don’t spend your points all in one go now – and remember to rationalize responsibly!

>> **u/Kosijenac** [+3]  (18 hours later)
>> 
>> Hmm, Where does it say that he uses hallucinogens to make himself seem more powerful? As far as I can tell the chapter only mentions that he uses theatrics and rituals to do that. I don't think that I deserve that one. Although, why does my guess that magic comes from enlightenment not get me any points?

>>> **u/Sophronius** [+2]  *The Need to Become Stronger* (19 hours later)
>>> 
>>> I kind of jumbled the explanation there. Basically I gave you one point for both "Rafiki's power is based on hallucinogens" and "magic is based on enlightenment", as Rafiki uses hallucinogens to grant him enlightenment which grants him his power. You would have gotten more points except that you got the details wrong.
>>> 
>>> Of course, there will be more revelations about magic later! So if you want to clarify your guesses for next chapter, you can still earn more points :3

> **u/Kosijenac** [+5]  (18 hours later)
> 
> Somehow, I was expecting that this chapter would be about Scar explaining himself to the lionesses and that it would culminate in some sort of fight scene. Instead this seems to be a setup for the next one. 
> 
> Regarding the spirits, we still don't know anything about the afterlife with any real certainty, even though what Scar says/thinks  indicate he believes in it. I did not expect that the fruit would be the key to gaining real enlightenment, I just thought it was something Rafiki used to make himself seem more powerful.

>> **u/Sophronius** [+2]  *The Need to Become Stronger* (19 hours later)
>> 
>> I don't really like having multiple action scenes in a row, usually. The story is supposed to gradually build up towards a climax, with each payoff followed by more buildup which is then followed by an even greater payoff. So now we have a "lul before the storm" type scene instead. 
>> 
>> Of course, you could also write Worm and follow each climax with an ever bigger climax until you ramp up to infinity. That works too. :p
>> 
>> Regarding the fruit thing: Nobody guessed that! I thought it made a great deal of sense considering that A) It's rooted in African Shamanism, B) Rafiki is constantly shown using it for his visions etc. in the movie and C) it makes narrative sense considering the enlightenment theme, but alas. I guess these things are just much harder to guess when you're in the middle of reading a story than when you're writing it.

>>> **u/Kosijenac** [+1]  (20 hours later)
>>> 
>>> Honestly, I have no knowledge of African shamanism, Rafiki's constant use of it could have other explanations and I don't really see a strong connection between strange herbs/fruit and enlightenment apart from the claims of people on drugs that they have achieved it. 
>>> 
>>> Having searched the story for the word fruit it seems that it's only mentioned in the context of hanging off of Rafiki's staves, there doesn't seem to be a mention of it being the thing he uses.

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