this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2025
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Source: https://xkcd.com/1521/

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That seems like an awful lot of hassle when all I wanted was a cool sword.

transcript[Megan walks up to a sword in a stone.] [Megan attempts to pull the sword out of the stone.] [A beam of light and music plays as she removes the sword.] [While standing with the swords a voice from the sky speaks in gray shaky letters:] Celestial voice: The Throne of England is yours [Megan takes out her smart phone and searches:] Wikipedia England [Megan reads on her phone.] [Megan, still reading from her phone, starts to replace the sword back into the stone.]

(From explainxkcd.com)

top 27 comments
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[–] ShinkanTrain@lemmy.ml 51 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Hard to remove swords in stones is no basis for a system of government.

[–] ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works 11 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Better than watery tarts throwing them about.

[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 2 points 3 days ago

I dint know. At least someone thought they were worthy then. I think I'd choose that system over the stone if I had to choose one.

[–] irelephant@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 4 days ago (2 children)

My only knowledge about the sword thing is from a movie I saw ages ago, isn't it that only a worthy person can take it, regardless of strength?

[–] rumschlumpel@feddit.org 8 points 4 days ago (3 children)

But who decides what makes a person worthy?

[–] Skua@kbin.earth 22 points 4 days ago (1 children)

In the oldest versions (Robert de Boron's poems, in this case) it was just straight up the guy that God approved of. The line, translated from French by John Conlee and then updated to modern English by me, is:

"Who takes this sword out of this stone should be king by the election of Jesus Christ."

However, the story went through a lot of changes over time. De Boron was the one to introduce the idea of the sword in the stone to the written record, but the tale of Arthur and Excalibur are quite a lot older. Additionally, later versions actually separate out the sword in the stone and Excalibur, with Arthur breaking the sword in the stone in battle and then receiving Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake later

[–] Doc_Crankenstein@slrpnk.net 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Playing Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon. It's a grimdark tale based on Arthurian myth, set ages after Arthur's death, where you are possessed by the spirit of Arthur who wishes to see what has become of his kingdom, yet has no memories as his soul has for some reason been split into pieces. Cannot wait to actually get deeper into the game's lore and see how it uses the mythology.

[–] juliebean@lemmy.zip 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] Doc_Crankenstein@slrpnk.net 8 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Why do we trust the authority and judgment of some random hunk of metal?

[–] smeenz@lemmy.nz 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

A lot of people follow heavy metal.

[–] Doc_Crankenstein@slrpnk.net 3 points 3 days ago

Shit can't argue there. I love heavy metal.

[–] Opisek@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

My mood after a nap

[–] alx@piefed.blahaj.zone 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] irelephant@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 days ago

Unless thor looked like he was 7 then no.
They're weirdly similar though.

[–] Skua@kbin.earth 49 points 4 days ago

Honourary Scottish citizenship for Randall

[–] drolex@sopuli.xyz 27 points 4 days ago

Oi! Got a loicense for that big stabba' mate? Cam on an get yerself bobby'ed

[–] can@sh.itjust.works 20 points 4 days ago (2 children)
[–] Skua@kbin.earth 32 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Yeah, but it only actually shows up about once in every 200 strips. It goes way back to early xkcd https://xkcd.com/159/

[–] can@sh.itjust.works 12 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I could have sworn he was playing Under Pressure

[–] Klear@quokk.au 7 points 4 days ago (1 children)

He was. Read the title text.

[–] can@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 days ago

The one time I don't check

[–] spujb@lemmy.cafe 15 points 4 days ago

this shit is so funny the timing of those last two panels is absolutely golden

[–] Egonallanon@feddit.uk 12 points 4 days ago

Ah England isn't so bad. The people who live there on the other hand...

[–] hungryphrog@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 4 days ago

"Nah fuck this shit, I'll leave it to Chuck"