Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Arc 28: Cockroaches
414 Plays3 months ago
This story isn’t intended for young or sensitive readers. Readers who are on the lookout for trigger warnings are advised to give Worm a pass.
Complete list of potential triggers: here
-----------------------------------
Episode Description:
“Do I need to know, Tattletale?” I asked. “For this? Does it provide any crucial information, for dealing with any of the stuff we’ve got to deal with?”
“Yes,” she said. “But probably not right away.”
“Okay,” I said. “Then I can wait. Let me enjoy some blissful ignorance for just a little while longer, while we make our way out there, try to save the world from itself, if not from The Brockton Bay Book Club.”
Get in contact with us @brocktonbaybc
-----------------------------------
Thank you to the sponsors that fuel our podcast:
This episode of the Brockton Bay Book Club is sponsored by Made Marion. Made Marion creates custom cottagecore and ren faire clothing designed for every body. Whether you’re looking for a lace up bodice, rustic apron and pinafores, or ethereal dresses, you’ll find items customized for every individual’s fit and design. All items are lovingly hand sewn with attention to detail and a touch of whimsy.
Visit Made Marion today and transform your wardrobe with clothing that feels as enchanting as it looks. Find Made Marion on etsy, at themademarion.etsy.com
-----------------------------------
Timestamps:
(00:00) - Introduction
(01:10) - Book Club Begins
Show less
Recommended
Transcript
New Merch Announcement
00:00:00
Speaker
Exciting announcement, we now have Brockton Bay Book Club merch. We've got our Brockton Bay Book Club t-shirt as well as the Brockton Bay's sweatshirt. They look sweet. Hannah designed them and they're amazing. So if you're interested in that, a link will be in the description and shout out to Hannah for all the sweet designs. Thanks so much for your guys' support and go check it out.
Introduction to Worm and Content Warnings
00:00:25
Speaker
Worm is a web serial by J.C. McRae, also known as Wildbo. You can read Worm in its original format by visiting parahumans dot.wordpress dot.com or donate to Wildbo's Patreon at patreon dot.com. slash wildbo This story isn't intended for young or sensitive readers. Readers who are on the lookout for trigger warnings are advised to give Worm a pass. For a complete list, check the description for all of Worm's trigger warnings.
Impending Threat of Sion
00:01:33
Speaker
Good morning, Brockton Bay. Make your way underground because Sion's coming to town. Mmm, boy. Welcome. You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout. I'm telling you why. Emma starts crying. Holy fucking shit. We're gonna die.
00:01:59
Speaker
but yeah where Brought to you by the word squick. Squick. Okay. We do need to talk about squick, actually. We do need to talk about squick. Do we open? Do we just get that out of the way now? We don't know who we are, right? Let's just talk about it. It's fine.
Exploration of Language in Worm
00:02:16
Speaker
ah What does it mean? Squick means a feeling of intense disgust. Is that actually what it means? Or did you look up the definition? I did have to look up the definition.
00:02:29
Speaker
And when was this used? I think I missed the word. It was used twice. It was used twice. Once by Tattletail when talking about sex and having, you know, having an overload during that. And later by, I want to say imp who probably has just been nicking words off of.
00:02:47
Speaker
Right. See, I was watching out. I was doing my, my F me and copacetic counts. So I missed there were some there. I counted for four fuck me and zero copacetics. Once again, these are not copacetic arcs. Nobody is no i moved on to squish. This was a squicker. Yeah. A lot of squeaky. Very squeaky. That is Jacob take now. That's our description. A very square heart. Yep. Thank you. There's also a word.
00:03:17
Speaker
Another word that I saw. um he I believe it is. ah Where do I have it? M-O-U-E. Moo. Oh, yeah. I saw that one too, yeah. I had to look that one up. A pouting expression. Yeah. Anjanu uses it. Yeah, moo. Moo.
00:03:44
Speaker
a pouting expression to convey annoyance or distaste. I did want to give a shout out to the phrase, a junkular area. Yeah, I thought that was good. I enjoyed that immensely.
Discussion on Arc Pacing
00:03:57
Speaker
That's this' just a classic. Really rungle this junkle there. Yeah, very nice. Very good. Yup. Rotted off his junkular area. ah One of our, I think probably one of our favorite moments in the story so far. For sure. that was again That was a good one.
00:04:12
Speaker
So yeah, yeah, good times all around, honestly. Yeah. Ooh, glad we got the vocab out of the way. How did we feel about this arc as a whole? I, I enjoyed it actually. I had a really good time with this arc.
Narrative Structure and Character Moments
00:04:29
Speaker
Yeah, I would agree. I think, um, it's, it's a, it's a step down in terms of pacing from arc 27, but.
00:04:39
Speaker
The conversations that happen in this arc are all fantastic. There's some really cool little moments and the tension is still there throughout everything. So yeah, I liked it a lot. It's definitely a lull in these last few arcs, but it doesn't feel like I'm missing anything. Yeah. Cause I had, I don't know where I put it, um, but somewhere midway through this arc, I was like, is this kind of a bullshit arc?
00:05:08
Speaker
not in terms of quality, just like, like you said, like the tension's still there, but I didn't feel like anything was happening. Um, and I, I did really enjoy all the conversations. Yeah. It definitely felt like a breather in between what happened and what's about to happen. It's, it's kind of how I keep relating the ending of worm, the more I've kind of been rereading it now, especially these final few arcs where,
00:05:37
Speaker
I don't have the full wormnesia, but I'm definitely like, I only remember the big, the big set pieces and all these little stuff that happens in between is pretty fresh again. But it does, it really does feel like ah watching like a, like a classic war film. Like in those war films here, it's always battles are going on, but then there's going to be, there's periods
Character Farewell Analysis
00:05:58
Speaker
in the movie you're watching that just like back at camp, you know, while we're, and this kind of feels like that where,
00:06:05
Speaker
War is raging, but you're still you still have the stuff that's got to go on you know in between the fights. Yeah, for sure. And it and it definitely serves as a really good pre-end fight wrap-up episode as well. I think I talked about this previously, how it felt like Taylor was doing a lot of work to Wildbo and Taylor as a character.
00:06:34
Speaker
They were doing a lot of work to try to tie up loose ends. And it feels like this was definitely one of those arcs to, you know, bringing back lung, bringing back shadow stalker, um, you know, talking with tattletale, talking with the kids and Charlotte and forest again, right? Like this, this whole arc felt like kind of, you know, like saying goodbye to a lot of these characters. Like I don't expect to see Charlotte and forest again, you know, in a way I don't, I um and honestly don't remember if we do or not.
00:07:03
Speaker
Um, so yeah, it's kind of an interesting feeling there too, of just this sort of goodbye tour that they take for a moment.
Taylor's Hospital Reflections
00:07:13
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And I like it, but it makes me sad because it means it's almost over. Yeah. It it was nice to see them again. I liked seeing a lot of them. I didn't, I wasn't feeling it for the, there was a little bit of there that felt like saying goodbye for the sake of like you said, doing a goodbye tour. I was like, Oh, this is,
00:07:33
Speaker
Interesting. Like I didn't need to see Glennon, but I love Kaye, but I didn't need to see them again. Yeah. I didn't need to see them, but I'm glad that I did is kind of how I feel about it. I'm like, I wasn't, I honestly forgot that they even appeared again in the story at all. So this is very much like Jacob said it. This is where we're Mnesia hit the hardest. This is like, yeah, I thought I knew like for sure that, you know, I remember.
00:08:03
Speaker
I remember Chevalier, I remember the Endbringers, and I remember seeing Charlotte and the kids again. I did not remember all the other jumping around and talking to people things. Those were out of nowhere for me. Well, let's ah want to dive into it. We're just going to go. we We don't have a lot of chapters. There there they were long chapters, but and we only have a few of them that we can kind of go chapter at a time, I think.
00:08:33
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. ah Well, chapter one, if if you all remember, at the end of arc 27, Taylor is quite ah ripped in half, if you will, and dying in the water before she gets sucked through a portal. So arc 28 opens with Taylor waking up in the hospital feeling her limbs and realizing that she has limbs again. She has her fingers and uh, legs now, but they feel off. Uh, and she listens in as tattletale argues with Dr. Mother. The world is falling to pieces while Sion travels the multiverse, basically blowing everything up. Um, and the group gets ready to fight back. We're brutal. Okay. I just got to say though, I, the more you read worm in this second read around, I feel like I'm hitting Taylor's narcissism more.
00:09:23
Speaker
Because as she's laying in the hospital, hearing people say, Oh, that was such a bad decision. Why do you do that? Her first thought is, Oh, they're talking about me.
00:09:37
Speaker
and ah that's That's only like half a joke. I do feel like the, this is just a quick writing critique, not for wild boat, but just for the story in general. Taylor comes across as a very narcissistic protagonist, but the issue is she keeps being right. yeah So she she has the right to be narcissistic. yeah I wish it was wrong more, I think is what I'm trying to say. so to I think so too. anyway so um yeah i and I like the sort of pseudo phantom limb thing too, where she's like,
00:10:10
Speaker
Are these my limbs? Did she redo them right? That was my pussy. That is the order of operations. I mean i know, that's crass, but that is she does think that though.
Canary's Reluctance
00:10:27
Speaker
She thinks that for half a second. She's honestly like, she spends more time thinking about the fact that like, oh, I have muscles in my legs that aren't mine, that like weren't built by all of my running endurance over the past. like fuck I did think that was fascinating. That's crazy. like i She spends more time thinking about that than she does about her nethers, okay? No, I know, I know. Her nethers. Her nether region. I mean, like i mean i'd worried to I think we'd all worry a little, but like the fact that she's... Because she's from the very beginning, Taylor's been a runner. And like that's the first thing she thinks of is like, are these my muscles?
00:11:09
Speaker
Yeah, exactly, which they be good running muscles. Oh, just such an every dude's first check is is. I watched enough soccer like doctor. How's my dick?
00:11:26
Speaker
Wow, what a special time to be like, OK, what were we talking about? Uh, we were talking about, uh, checking your junk and, uh, then we found out that, uh, then, then we find out that canaries in the room. Yeah. Canary. Yeah. I, uh, I, I said this a second ago, uh, the, the, the group gets ready to fight back the gang.
Speculation on Gru's Fate
00:11:48
Speaker
Uh, as I, as I'm going to read the little summaries for all this, when I talk about the gang or the group, I'm talking about it's it's tattletale it's Taylor bitch.
00:11:59
Speaker
Imp Canary and then we have like a couple extras that get added in as we will get to them but that's the main that's the main group right here as we know region died a while ago and ah I think it's it is this chapter where they say that ah Gru has left to be alone in the cabin in the woods with um Red hand what's her face? I Sure, whatever cozy with cozy, cozy with cozy in the woods. Basically, they've gone away to die at the end
Teacher's Manipulations
00:12:31
Speaker
of the world. OK, so that's where I had was confused because of the last one. But having gone over this again. Tattletales totally lying, right?
00:12:43
Speaker
That's the vibe I got when we talked about this a little bit last time that like, remember, you guys were reassuring me that on the oil rig grew when a hundred percent gets wiped out. No, no, I didn't say grew to know. Yes. Clock blocker did. No, no clock blocker. We see but we see his ghost. But when we're talking about like, oh, like in her head, Taylor goes, oh, yeah, grew got fried.
00:13:13
Speaker
like grew is fucking gone. I mean, I I mean, I don't know about you, but I did not get that impression. I got the impression of we don't know where he is. OK, Michael, pull I have no recollection of this passing through at all, actually.
00:13:29
Speaker
beyond We might've been talking about that in in in dissecting. No, no, we were talking about it on the last book club. The last time you recorded, Alan? No, not the last time we recorded. We did not record for long enough they for this to be an issue. or the challenge flag My memory is such that I actually vaguely remember what Alan's talking about, but I don't remember any details.
00:13:58
Speaker
I do remember us discussing if grew was alive and, um, saying that it's implied that he's dead. That's what I remember, but we will have to really don't remember discussing. group you what don't remember that the True judges. Let us know in the comments. Fair enough. yeah am Am I crazy and also wrong?
00:14:22
Speaker
That's what we need to know. If you're crazy and wrong. Yes. i mean and We know I'm crazy. We've established that. Right. Okay. On top of all, if we're retrospective, we were getting a bit retrospective about this. This, you know, since we've talked so much about the gosh darn, uh, and bringers post-idolons death, like How in the world did I ever think there's no way I would have missed all of that? Like that, that he, you know, in some way is related to the Unburger's like.
00:15:02
Speaker
I know that I talked about having a tough time, but that must've been the wormnesia hitting real hard that day. Cause there is no way with the amount of blathering they go on about how Eidolon is so connected that I missed that in any of my read-throughs. I must've been high when we recorded that podcast episode. I don't know what was going on in my head. Fair enough.
00:15:27
Speaker
We'll either be wrong or we'll be right. It doesn't matter. The point is, is that I'm sorry. I did not read that as, Hey, uh, yeah, no, he's totally because ah are you basically Alan? You're saying but that that tattletale is, is doing the whole like, Oh yeah, he went to the farm. Yes. Yeah. Really? I.
00:15:46
Speaker
So there's a moment later in one of the chapters, I don't remember which one it is later on in the songs about it. Yeah. Cause imp says something and then tattletale shoots her a glance or vice versa, something like that. Um, we're like, they, they talk about grew in the past tense. Like, Oh, dadada was yada yada. I thought that that had to do with like in reference to Taylor and grew being ex lovers.
00:16:16
Speaker
Because I feel like if he was like dead-so-dead-so, wouldn't Imp be more upset or like lashing out angrily? Like she seems like, like i don't know but she's a downright peach in this arc. I freaking loved Imp in every single one of these chapters. She was funny. She had all this new vocabulary that she's throwing around. Like I thought she was fantastic. I did not get the vibe at all that she was like,
00:16:45
Speaker
using humor as a way to like cover up the fact that she's sad that her brother's dead. I mean, it's always possible. I, I feel like grew comes back, but I don't know why you feel like cause I have intense warm nature for this. I don't remember. It's hitting hard here. So this is where I will say, I will say, um, yeah, I was saying this outside of the podcast, but,
00:17:11
Speaker
I believe arc 27 is when I stayed up all night to like three or four in the morning, reading worm to finish it because I needed to know what happened. So my memory of these next arcs will be vague, which is fun because there's a lot of stuff I don't remember happening. How did you take it commenters? Let us know. Do we think tattletales like comments below or not?
Saint's Betrayal and Criticism
00:17:34
Speaker
Uh, it's interesting. Also a good, uh, despair canary.
00:17:39
Speaker
Disberry, that was funny. um Fantastic. um And it's funny, Hannah, that you talked about the gang. ah Like, this is our gang. Because all I could think during this chapter was, man, the Canary is the one normal person in an always sunny sketch, right? like like The gang the gang ah befriends the Simerk.
00:18:09
Speaker
You know, it just cuts to, uh, you know, uh, Tuesday, 4.30 PM and it's them in the hospital. Hey guys, we're fighting God.
00:18:23
Speaker
she
00:18:28
Speaker
ah you know Pick which character you'd like to represent, which always sunny character in this regard, but the normal person who's been dragged into, into the insanity. Is canary in this case. Yeah, poor canary. I feel so bad for her. Gosh, I'm through it. Did not deserve to be in the birdcage. Did not be to does not deserve to be with these people. Yeah. Hey man, we want to do some, we got to go do some killing. I don't kill. Oh, don't worry. We'll get you there. We'll work our way up to it.
00:18:58
Speaker
it's It was so clear that she was like a scapegoat for so many things because like you got to imagine she was watching the news when Taylor kills Alexandria and still doesn't go to the birdcage. That should have been her Joker moment. Yeah, yeah really her second trigger. Yeah. Well, thank goodness they didn't get TV down there.
00:19:23
Speaker
Yeah, really. Well, didn't they though? Cause they have a television. Oh, okay. Okay. But they don't know what's going on. Cause every time somebody comes down into the bird cage, everybody swamps them with questions. Yeah. find That's true. That's true. I thought for some reason there was a scene of lung reacting to
Narwhal's Introduction and Impact
00:19:42
Speaker
Taylor. No, Sophia reacts. Sophia. That's right. Sophia and Jack are the ones that's right. Yeah. Also, uh, this,
00:19:52
Speaker
This whole lesson ah that I get from you know the moral lesson I'm getting out of all this is it really goes to show that the real villains, and I'm looking at you saint and teacher, you motherfuckers, the real villains are the people that take advantage of people like of you at the worst times. Like, because there's bad guys doing bad things, but then it comes to like a matter of the universe, like the world surviving. And these motherfuckers still go out of their way to be dicks. We're kind of getting in into chapter two if you want to just read the somewhere.
00:20:35
Speaker
I don't mind. ah Chapter two, the group plus Canary questions. Saint, by the way, at this point, the group has been joined. The group has joined with a defiant and a fucking porn lady. Thank you. I was trying. I almost said Pegasus and narwhal to question Saint Cattle Tail picks him apart. Teacher fucks with the portal and escapes with pieces of dragon and Taylor notices something about the end bringers.
00:21:05
Speaker
Let's talk about narwhal. Oh my God. I just like mommy. Wow. Okay. Very hot. Very, very hot. I don't remember her being that hot until I read it again. i do Yeah. huh And can, can she change her horn? Yes.
00:21:30
Speaker
Because it's all like glass ah piece, scale piece things, right? Yes, yes. It's a little force field held scale things. Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep. And they don't move. They just slide in the air wherever she pushes them. And we know this because of her magic their magic bookmarks and her magic bra.
Imp's Humor and Group Dynamics
00:21:51
Speaker
Cool. She has the ultimate athletic bra. yeah No jiggle, no bounce.
00:22:01
Speaker
just wherever she wants it to go. So cool. She uses a force field as a bookmark. It's very cool. Also, big ne a book reader talks about, like she goes with Taylor, like, ah, yes, you know, loved your book recommendation. I'm like, yeah. Oh, I want to know what it was.
00:22:23
Speaker
I want to know so badly what Taylor and Narwhal are reading in their little book books with Narwhal. Oh, oh, definitely. smart I, I, I subscribe to that. It's like you can subscribe to our Patreon or you can get our book recommendations if you want it.
00:22:44
Speaker
We're no narwhal, but yeah we try. It's just smart. If you ask nicely enough, we might even read some smut for you. Oh, that's for our patrons.
Rachel's Surprising Speech
00:22:55
Speaker
yeah If you ask nicely enough, we might write the smut for you. Oh, dear.
00:23:02
Speaker
mom ah They were reading an alternate Earth smut of them. Yes. Oh my God. Oh my God. Do I need to write this now? I feel like I need to write this now. That's a pretty good premise, right? That's ah that's a free one. That's all you. That's good, Jacob. I mean, I'm writing like two other smut books right now, but like I'll put those on hold. I know what the public wants. Yeah. Perfect.
00:23:30
Speaker
then On top of everything else that imp is doing, man, somebody really needed to smack her for her robot sex jokes with defiant right there. Oh my God. They were so good though. Okay. They were so funny. I already, I had to do the meme, but like she's out of line, but she's not wrong. like yeah right like We needed the answers. Yeah. Well, somebody hit her like she shouldn't, this is inappropriate now.
00:24:00
Speaker
But Defiant, I'm going to want a report on my desk by tomorrow morning.
Teacher's Long-Term Plans
00:24:04
Speaker
Also, Hannah, I like that you were you mentioned Imp's new vocabulary, and I liked that the whole time. Taylor is basically thinking to herself like, Imp, have you been Reading?
00:24:18
Speaker
a I love it so much. I feel like Imp has always just kind of been like the annoying little sister vibes who's like crass and like rude with ill time jokes. And it's always just kind of been like a little annoying. This was the arc that I realized that like, I fucking love Imp. Like she's so funny. She had some of the best quips and like all of her little, all of her like, her vocab where it's like, Ooh, that's a $3 word. Good job. And like, I just, Oh my gosh. and Just the whole thing tickled my fancy. I was so here for it. I love that. It just gives tattletale and even bigger headache though. Yeah. Like you would think you would think that AMP upping her, like upping her game would be a pro and instead it's just worse for a tattletale.
00:25:09
Speaker
Just gives her a worse headache. She's like, wait, yeah you. God damn it. How did it make you more annoying, not less educated? My calculations did not predict you'd be this smart. Not ready. Oh, that's fantastic. Then she makes the joke about like, oh no, what if they do an evil dragon, like an evil, a black dragon? And I was like, don't you mean a bad dragon? Oh!
00:25:38
Speaker
No, no, no not not everyone is as horny as we are tonight apparently Michael. in there we go Thank That's what I was looking for. and Oh, it's hilarious. Oh my God. Wow. I love us.
00:25:56
Speaker
Then we berate Saint for a while, which which is true. which we should absolutely yeah I think we should all take time now to say something about Saint. I'd like to take this time um to tell Saint some some choice words.
00:26:14
Speaker
Fuck you. You're a bitch. Uh, what's the, what's the quote? What's Kelly's quote from the office? Uh, I have several questions. First of all, how dare you? one
00:26:30
Speaker
Fucking idiot. Dumbass. I said at the same time with the exact same inflection too. That was fucking hilarious. God damn.
00:26:42
Speaker
I love you. I love you. This is the reason why we're together. God damn. Little did they know that Saint had also asked Teacher for a punishment kink. I feel like Tattletale would have picked up on it. She wouldn't have asked for that, but ah but but Teacher threw it in there for free. you just get to say Yeah, he gives it to everybody. You're going to need this. That's so good. Oh my God.
00:27:08
Speaker
yeah And then ah then Rachel gives possibly the longest talk she's ever talked. I had to literally go back and check who was speaking because I was like, oh, she's still going. Wait, this is actually Rachel. Who is that? It was amazing because I think Taylor says right afterwards, she says something like, oh my gosh, no, she doesn't talk much, but she's listening this entire fucking time. She doesn't get the simple stuff, but she's getting the overall picture. She knows what the fuck is going on. I was like, this is the most
00:27:40
Speaker
like comprehensive she's ever been. And I'm here for it. Like I love it. But also like that felt a little out of character. Well, that's that. OK, so so one of the things we talked about when she left was that Rachel started attending the meetings because she said that's something that Taylor like she thought Taylor now Taylor's gone. She needed to step in and start participating in the meetings to get, you know, a handle on the political situation. Right. So she's been on the leadership meetings with the undersiders and shit. And then she's also gone and, you know, she has her group and we've talked about responsibility was she is the sheriff in town.
Rachel's Development as a Leader
00:28:21
Speaker
Yep. Like she has been sheriffing, you know, which means
00:28:28
Speaker
in a so very small scale, kind of doing a little bit of politicking, like showing up, Hey, what's the dispute? You, I'm throwing you through the portal. Like sometimes it's clear, but I've got to imagine sometimes it's two people fighting and she's got to like figure that out. Yeah. So like she's, she's taken to heart and you know, she started doing that as soon as Taylor left. So it's been two years so proud at the very least sitting in and observing.
00:28:58
Speaker
which will get you far. Yeah. I imagine in my head that the best way for her to do stuff would be to sit in, like sit in there and close her eyes and try to ignore as hard as possible tone and try to get just words. Right. Because she's not stupid. She just needs the closed captions. She just needs the closed captions because all the other information is changing how she's perceiving things.
00:29:27
Speaker
So she can cut out all the irrelevant information and get down to like, what words are they saying? Like yeah starting there. So imagine she's got her arms folded, eyes closed. It kind of looks like she's asleep. And then she opens her eyes and is like, no, this is what we need to do. And then goes back to listening. That was a good moment for her. I felt like it really felt like one of those big character development moments. And I think it was this arc where she talked about Like how the, it was like the first time Taylor met me, she kicked me in the head and then I stopped bothering her. Like, yeah that's just the way we do stuff sometimes, you know? I don't, I don't understand how you don't get this. I love it. I love it so much. Violence is never the answer. I mean, I don't know what works for me.
00:30:17
Speaker
I sure caught on fast. um i Anything else, uh, in, in, uh, chapter two? Well, I mean, I think we should talk a little bit more about teacher. Oh, we should. Yeah. and And the whole dragon situation. Uh, so I, I still don't think I understand teachers powers other than like, okay, just, just, I'll tell you what I think. And you guys tell me if I'm wrong.
Teacher's Power Dependency Mechanism
00:30:42
Speaker
So teacher grant, can grant powers to people.
00:30:47
Speaker
But there's like a certain ah like web of influence that he has over people. And it's like it can wear off because that was the whole thing about Saint. Like, well, maybe Saint is being impacted by teacher. But, you know, it's been he hasn't had contact in so long. And so it's like, well, the you know, the ah ah the hold of influence he has over him, like, has faded. But he can basically, like, ah bestow powers and then keep people in his thrall, like, under his... Like, they they become, like, acolytes to him where he can basically, like, control them. Is that is that right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. You're kind of spot on. So he essentially gives them, like,
00:31:33
Speaker
between a zero and a one power level to people. Okay, which is why Saint is technically a zero tinker? ah No, saint Saint is considered a zero tinker because of his ah access to dragons ah technology. Okay. yeah Technically, he's not powered at the moment.
00:31:55
Speaker
i but he like so so But he gets his boost of, because there's a whole, one of the one of the things that Tattletail says to to Saint is that you're just an addict, that you just want the next hit of power that Saint can give you, and they fight about that for a little bit. but like So Teacher gives him, what, like temporary power that said zero tinker, or like? I didn't think it was temporary. ah Wait, oh, okay, go ahead, yeah.
00:32:25
Speaker
No, no, you go, go for it. I was, I was going to say the way I read it was that it was temporary, intentionally made so by Saint as part of his attempt to try and out smart teacher by being like ah only want small doses, limited run, that kind of thing. Because then he was like in control, what he knew to his followers, right little did you know that he was, you know, two steps behind teacher the whole time. But that was his, he was,
00:32:55
Speaker
like teacher can grant permanent powers, but he specifically was only requesting temporary powers. Not realizing that teacher was making them hooked. yeah Yeah. Yeah. Because the because the more like the the power is permanent, but it starts like it is a, the amount of times you do it increases his influence as well. So that's why he like came to him. Like I need help managing the technology. So we got one boost and then he got more, um, because he needed, you know, more stuff like to deal with the technology. Yeah. It's a nice parallel to Eidolon's need for, uh, drugs from cauldron in a way. Yeah. I think, yeah, but Oh, I am. Oh, sorry. Go go ahead, Nick. I was just going to say, yeah, it is interesting that they rate him as a level zero tinker. Yeah. I guess, I guess it is just that signifier and not everybody and until recently, people didn't know that he was getting teacher hits. So,
00:33:58
Speaker
Yeah. So it seems like, like you guys have said, it's more just like, Oh, he had dragon's tech, which is really dangerous and he knows how to use it, but he's not really a tinker. So, yeah um, just going off of the Wiki, uh, it does decay to ah teachers power decays over time. There's been almost no cases where teachers power lasted more than a few days without a refresher.
00:34:23
Speaker
And the brainwashing wearing off over, yeah, a little bit longer. So teacher just keeps the people that are like under his thrall. He just keeps them close by. Yeah. Is that the idea? I think so. Yeah. Okay. The brainwashing can take longer to wear off. It says weeks to months. Good to know.
00:34:43
Speaker
Yeah. So I think Saint really was like just a classic addict. So this slowly kind of over time and then just literally fell for it like an addict would where he really wasn't under the, like he's, cause he's been away from teacher for awhile at this point. Um, so not under his influence, but still like subtly, desperately needing that hit. Right. Yeah. Yeah. yeah Okay. Cool. Interesting.
Dragon's Autonomy Concerns
00:35:10
Speaker
And,
00:35:11
Speaker
i'm I'm just thinking about Dragon and all of this. is that like what what was So to take Dragon apart and put Dragon back together and basically create a fail-safe so that Dragon cannot go after Teacher, what else is Teacher planning? like What else is the plan here? Because it feels like we had this whole thing of where Saint is taking, you know, dragon offline. And he thinks that he's doing the world a favor because it's like, well, we were up against this big threat and it could have been her. We didn't know, so we took her out of commission. And then Teacher basically steals all of her, steals her and like fucks with her code to make it so that she can never go after him and puts all these sales, uh, uh,
00:36:00
Speaker
they say excuse me there we go Fail safes in order so that she can't even if she tries to over like if he dies and all this other stuff so like Was that his only purpose of like getting hurt like it feels to me like we shouldn't trust a damn thing that dragon does now. Like we should, like with the same idea of like, well, you've been around teacher like, okay, well, we're not going to trust you because you could be under his command. Like we shouldn't be trusting dragon either. Yeah. and So teacher is, and they talk about this a little bit of teachers, is like a big time, like long-term planner, um, you know, which leads to him being kind of,
00:36:45
Speaker
uh, not as powerful as cauldron, but like he has, you know, a bunch of backups and fail safes and it's clearly like prepared himself to be, you know, insulated during some sort of world conflict. And, you know, so he's got all these weird chess moves that he's doing. Nobody knows where they're going or what they're, you know, what they're up to except for him. Um, part of the dragon thing, I also,
00:37:14
Speaker
Uh, only one dragon can exist at a time as part of the coding, uh, that's like set into her things. So when like, even though there can be backups and there clearly are like the one dragon got killed. And then they, I believe they pulled this from a backup that is like.
00:37:37
Speaker
in the satellite, but it's like 30 minutes. This is a cloud dragon. This is a cloud save. So like it did miss whatever the last 30 minutes hour of stuff is, but they, you know, they went into the server basically and grabbed her and but you know potentially messed with all the other server stuff that, you know, backs her up. We don't, you know, we don't know, but they went in and grabbed her and brought her out. So that's the only one that can exist right now and have taken away all of those weird, uh, restrictions. So one of those being, you know, uh, that there only has to be one dragon potentially.
00:38:26
Speaker
ah Yeah. Yeah. Which in my mind, I don't like because if he took away the restrictions, that's like, okay, well what you, you gave us.
00:38:37
Speaker
a dragon. Do you have
Teacher's Cowardly Tactics
00:38:40
Speaker
more? Do you have the dragon? Do you have copies of the dragon? Are there, do you have backups of the like? Yeah, I mean, yeah, that's getting later into, into arc into the interlude and wait, no, yeah yeah that's true. But, um, no, it's teacher. Yeah. Teacher here just escaping into the portal makes absolute sense. It's the absolute kind of,
00:39:04
Speaker
S-holary move we would expect from a- Yellow belly bitch. Yeah, yeah, exactly. He's very much the, uh, I don't know. He's, he's an interesting character. He's definitely one of those who's like, yes, yes, I know the world's ending, but what about my contingencies? Yeah. What if the world doesn't end and then I'm left, left with, you know, half of my resources that just won't do. That just won't do.
00:39:34
Speaker
Oh my gosh. as Teacher is a person I want a sick ah glory girl on. Just have her punt him into a yeah into a dumpster at him. Tattletail, you talk a lot of smack to somebody within slap and range.
00:39:52
Speaker
but ah yeah and And teacher is one of those people where I'm like, teacher? You're talking a whole lot of smack for someone who doesn't have a force field. Well, but if he's surrounded constantly by these fucking bitches, then like, yeah I mean, I imagine that that's just like, it's just like human, human meat shield at this point. It's human meat shields. And because they're all tankers and thinkers, like they probably like 10 of them have different force fields that they can put up or something like that, that they've built. Yeah.
00:40:27
Speaker
Um, cause he can also, yeah I mean, he can control what ability, like what ability they get, um, and manipulate that. So, right you know, he's like, all right, uh, your tinker one and, uh, 10 of you were about saving my life tinkering. So yeah, here's a workshop. Yeah. Yeah. This is kind of pulling from the future, but I did appreciate him. Like, you know, immortality isn't something I'd really considered, but maybe one day I'll put my mind to it.
00:40:54
Speaker
ah I was like, Oh, teacher. I am, I am almost certain teacher is a dumb ass, but he like has enough people that he can fake having good plans with. Like not that, not that I shouldn't say dumb ass. I don't think teacher is as smart as he believes he is and that he just gets away with a lot of shit because yeah nobody knows what the hell he's doing.
00:41:26
Speaker
It's working. That checks. that That passes the vibe check. That is who he is. And maybe that's just because I hate him. I mean, I also hate him. So I hate him and he's stupid. He's dumb. He's penis is small. God damn. He has no fashion.
00:41:49
Speaker
Anyways. Uh, do we want to, do we want to. What'd you say? I said, I bet he two steps during the wop. Oh my God. He's gotten, he's gotten no, he's got no dance skills. no None. Zero. Zero dance skills. I was just thinking of a song I danced to at every wedding. So, okay. So chapter three, The gang plans to fight the Endbringers.
Lung Overseeing Bonesaw
00:42:21
Speaker
Taylor goes and talks to Panacea ah to thank her, and Panacea gives her a gift. Lung joins the group, as does Shadowstalker, and they head off to face the Simerg.
00:42:35
Speaker
um down ta but i found You left Lung in charge of babysitting Bonesaw. yeah i I'm okay with it. I'm very okay with it. Yeah. It's if it works, it works. Cause cause it's not just lung. It's panacea. Cause I feel like lung just backs up panacea. So it's like, yeah. Yeah. Panacea backed up by lung is babysitting. but so Okay. Okay. Hear me out. Cause here's what I thought with this. So.
00:43:10
Speaker
bone saw goes goes, you know, goes full spinal column, stabby stab crawling on the ground towards you. Now with our our weed boy, like he couldn't fight off a wet paper bag. So like, of course he got spiked blast out. There we go. Blasto of course got, you know, spiked and rode around for a while. Yeah. Um, you know, horrifying cause you've got, you know, this monstrous thing chasing after you and it like climbs up your back.
00:43:38
Speaker
She tries to pull that shit on long. He will rip her in half again. Like she's not like the the image in my mind is like went from a horror movie to like a minor inconvenience like like bone saw. I will I will rip your jaw off like get off of me. it's like Like she tries to pull that like crawling on the floor towards him thing and he just like punts her.
00:44:07
Speaker
So I had, I'd see that this chapter, the next one, I can remember what I was, but I had to take a screenshot of this cause it's my favorite line of the entire arc. and Taylor. I nodded at that. Wise words, lung. Well said. Do not talk to me. You rumbled. I it. You rotted my balls off and scooped out my eyes. I have nothing to say to you. I have absolutely nothing to say to you. like You can tell it's taking everything in him to not just
00:44:41
Speaker
That just put her, oh, I love it so much though. Oh my God.
00:44:50
Speaker
I love Lung, I think Lung is fantastic. And so like having him here, it's just ah just peachy keen to have him part of the group. Like what a fun little ragtag team we have going on here with like, we we are are ah our boy of the group, because it's all girls now, our boy of the girl group is Lung, and then occasionally Defiant. And I just love that so much. It's just such a fun dynamic. Like this is this is the show that I want to watch. Like this is the team that I want to, you know, peek in on and see what they're up to because it's just so fun for me. I love it. I love them. You know what I do. I do want that. I want that spin off so bad. It would be so much. Hear me out. It's a bar that starts as like a a a
00:45:38
Speaker
minor supervillain rogue bar cheers style, except eventually the hero who like is always chasing down the minor villains who's like a vigilante shows up and he starts drinking at the bar too. And eventually you have a small cast of heroes and villains, rogues and vigilantes that all hang out at the same bar after they're done for the day. Yeah. Nice. Who's the bartender of that bar?
00:46:05
Speaker
Ooh, some old PRT officer retired, retired. There you go. Cause he like occasionally will like just chip in with words of wisdom and where it like stops the conversation and everyone just like slowly turns and looks at him and he goes, what? I used to be a sniper. And everyone's like, can you believe this guy? Like what the fuck? Genius. Genius Hannah. I love it.
Promotion of Renfaire Clothing
00:46:41
Speaker
This episode of the Brockton Bay Book Club is sponsored by Maid Marion. Maid Marion creates custom cottagecore and Renfaire clothing designed for everybody. Whether you're looking for a lace-up bodice, rustic apron and pinafore, or ethereal dresses, you'll find items customized for every individual's fit and design. All items are lovingly hand sewn with attention to detail and a touch of whimsy.
00:47:08
Speaker
Visit Maid Marion today and transform your wardrobe with clothing that feels as enchanting as it looks. Find Maid Marion on Etsy at themaidmarion.etsy.com
00:47:24
Speaker
I did want to say we have the scene here too with Panacea and Marquis doing their hospital stuff, working together where he's like, yeah I got to, I got to regrow this
Panacea and Marquis' Partnership
00:47:36
Speaker
bonus going to hurt. And she's like, okay, nerves are gone. Do it. Yeah. I wore her for 20 minutes. So cool. What a duo. And then, and then she does a good thing question, Mark. Yeah. The relay bugs.
00:47:55
Speaker
Has she grown as a person, perhaps? It feels like it, but I don't trust it for a second. I would argue that it's less that she's she's grown. Well, okay, yeah, no, grown as a person, yes, but more so like grown into being content with who she is.
00:48:12
Speaker
Because like it feels like when we first meet her, she's very like she's very unsure. She doesn't have a lot of self-confidence. She has a lot of like that feeling of like, well, I don't belong here. So she's trying too hard and she's like pushing the limit of like what she thinks is like good or right. And in the end, she ends up just bungling everything over and over and over again.
00:48:35
Speaker
But like here, you know, she's all tatted up. She's been in the birdcage. She's connected reconnected with her dad and she's like, she's had to like figure shit out in the birdcage. Like, yes, her dad protected her, but like she did have to deal with the reality of who she was and who she is. And like, I feel like she's just so much more.
00:48:54
Speaker
comfortable with herself like she is content in her own skin and I like I love that I think that that like it it adds a lot to like her likability but also to like her acceptance of her surroundings and this like moment where she gives Taylor the relay bugs that not only are relay bugs but relay bugs that have the ability to then breed and like potentially create more is like is not to say like, hey, we're all we're good, or like, hey, I forgive you, but this understanding of like, I know what you're trying to do, and I wanna make it easier for you to do what you're trying to do to save the world. yeah Like I, oh, yes, love it. Also her confronting, to like seeing Taylor and being like, oh, so so you're a big hero now. You get all the attention that I should have gotten.
00:49:51
Speaker
yeah I didn't feel like it was like that. Like it doesn't feel like ah like a she's jealous. It feels like a she recognizes it and is like like maybe sad or upset that it didn't happen for her. But like she's she's accepted it and she's like, yeah, you you you got all of the yeah everything that ah that I ever wanted. And like maybe we settled into our roles as who we are now. And like that's OK. Yeah, here's the feeling I have for I think we're just less whiny. She seems less whiny. I think the comfortability is is on the money. I don't know if that's a good thing or just a different thing um because I don't feel like any of the problems have, it's like somebody who's unstably hating themselves versus they've given up on whether that's a chaotic element and they're just like, oh yeah, I i hate myself.
00:50:50
Speaker
Like it didn't get better. They just resigned to the fact that, Oh, no, no, like that is an assurity that I do not like myself. And I live with that now, but I haven't worked on that. Like, I feel like all the problems that Amy has had are there, but they're like,
00:51:17
Speaker
ah yeah Like we said, like they're part of her now and she has grown around them instead of growing past them. Um, they were in flux before and she was very nervous about those elements of herself. And now she is comfortable with the fact that she is self-pitying and all that jazz. That's the vibe I got.
00:51:47
Speaker
I think I got it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Moving on to chapter three. I feel like that's pretty good. We can go ahead and move on. Uh, chapter four. Oh, I'm sorry. No, we were, we were going to go into chapter three. No, no, no, that was chapter. Nevermind. I'm all over the place. Do you have thoughts for chapter three, Nick? No, I realized I had a thought for chapter two and I feel bad going back to it, but no, no, no, let's go back to it. Let's go back to it. No, it was just the.
00:52:17
Speaker
There was a throat kind of a throwaway line, but Saint was like the whole thing about like, Oh, she's
Eidolon's Role in Creating Endbringers
00:52:22
Speaker
a robot. She's not real. And then Rachel's like, I bet you're the kind of person who thinks dogs don't have feelings that yeah I yeah genuinely thought that was in this chapter for some reason. I'm so sorry to everybody. I have failed and I'll be muted. No, no, no, no, no, no. no i I did notice that. I agree. I thought that that was cause like, he's such an asshole. Like, nah, he gone.
00:52:46
Speaker
All right. No, no, we can move on to chapter four. I got my chapters mixed up. Okay. There's too much happening. Sorry. It is. It is a lot of like conversations that have been here and it's just like, we're going to move from one location to the other. And it's like, well, it doesn't matter whether we were in the hospital or in the dragonfly or standing outside of a cell, but like we had conversations, conversations were had. Um, chapter four.
00:53:11
Speaker
Tattletale reveals that Eidolon made the endbringers. She talks, Taylor relays, and the Simurg listens, and then follows. They set her up against the Angban while Leviathan attacks the elite.
00:53:28
Speaker
Oh, I also forgot ah in there after the the list, the talking and listening, they did try a weird ah power charades, which got so confusing and I don't understand why they did that. ah I'm going to need someone to explain that to me. I remember the power charades working.
00:53:46
Speaker
and not the fact that tattletale talking was actually the thing that worked. Yeah, because i'm like the will they're well, they're like, oh, I don't know if it's working. And like that makes sense of a tattletale's ah tattletails like i I can't read her. like I don't know if if this is having any effect. like Maybe we should try a different tactic. That all makes sense. And then they try it. And then it's like, we forget that they've tried it, nothing happens. And then we're talking again. I think I just like i think i just didn't see the point of us doing that.
00:54:15
Speaker
Other than putting shadow stalker on the nose of, ah of the yeah dragon flyer, the, whatever the ship is called. Which was very funny. from yeah best parts of the The chapter in the arc, honestly. like I thought it was. Well, I think it was just like, they, they recognize that the end bringers are created beings, right? We finally get the payoff of, uh, tattletales little insight into Leviathan, where it's like, they're not human. They never were.
Challenges of Endbringer Communication
00:54:44
Speaker
And so now it's sort of the payoff for that. And we're saying, okay, so they were created by idol on to push his powers to the limit. That was what his passenger wanted was to force him to go to his limit. So that way he could be as powerful as possible. And he created the end bringers unintentionally as a side effect. And that was the point of the whole statement. Like you needed worthy opponents, right? And so I think it's just like.
00:55:13
Speaker
Because Eidolon created them unconsciously, they just have no idea how to deal with them. Like, he didn't control them. He clearly had no control over them. So how do we even communicate to these beings now that seem to have become, you know, quiet, sad, grieving, who who can tell? Yeah, very confusing. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Honestly, I'm on, I'm on, uh, I'm on team shadow stalker here.
00:55:42
Speaker
Just in terms of like response to what's going on. Yeah. You know, very appropriate. Yeah. She's she feels like the only one who has the right idea. The only sane one. Yeah. Are you guys fucking kidding me? Like, no. I do love the guilt trip.
00:56:00
Speaker
the guilt trip that could put on her though. It's like, well, I mean, you don't, you you know, you don't have to go up, but like, you know, other what a weenie. Wait, what is, what is, what is imp collar? Something fancy. No, no. Before I was the cat, she calls her something Mc Mc fancy pants or something or Mc Mc Pussy pants or some something like that.
00:56:18
Speaker
I can't remember. I mean, if you want to bitch out, fine. Let's find out. No, it's she's she calls her a full name. It's like a full name with like a nick sassy pants. are It's mix something pants. I can't remember what it is though. Something with control left control F pants.
00:56:39
Speaker
mick And then the blanket pants. McNancy pants. Sissy McNancy pants. Sissy McNancy pants. What a name. She says, I'm not scared. I'm being sensible. This is lunacy. And for what charades with an end bringer. Uh, it sounds fucking stupid. I've changed my mind. Em says, I'm going, I'm not going to get lumped in with sassy McNancy pants, lumped in with sassy McNancy pants over here and get called a coward. I am not scared. shadowocker
00:57:12
Speaker
And then they all just kind of like move on. I love it because they talk over her for a while. Oh, it's great. I love it. ah sa c Sissy McNancy pants.
00:57:26
Speaker
Sorry, that just really tickled me. So funny. It's a good one. I should write that down, use that. I'm going to be a Sissy McNancy pants.
00:57:39
Speaker
and See, actually, I can't use it because I'm not going to be able to get through without laughing. It's about to say, are you good? Do you need it? No, I'm fine. I do think it is very funny, though. Just Imp, man. Imp has some fantastic lines in this arc. I'm so here for it. ah good i need ah I need more of this Imp. like I kind of wish that like our past interactions with her had been more like this because I think I would have liked her a lot better.
00:58:09
Speaker
But I mean, she has grown. Vocabulary is bigger now.
00:58:17
Speaker
ah Do you want me to, shut shall I move on to the next one or or do you guys want to have more thoughts for this chapter? No, I'm good for twenty I think I think move on is good. OK.
00:58:30
Speaker
Chapter five, the group fixes their craft and then visits the site of elites destruction. The simmer then upgrades Leviathan. Cauldron is concerned and the five armies are hashed out.
00:58:43
Speaker
and well
00:58:46
Speaker
Yeah. Did anyone else get the feeling of like when, you know, when Godzilla fights.
Simurgh vs. Leviathan Battle
00:58:56
Speaker
Uh, the other, is it Mothra, the other big, the other big one? There's many big, other big ones, Hannah. Godzilla pretty exclusively fought on their big funds. I don't know. Godzilla ever fought Mothra without also, well, no, what's the other big one? i still lot mora And then Rodan and there's Gordira. There's, no god one now yeah. it con
00:59:24
Speaker
Kong is the giant gorilla. where kong are goingnna go in gaedra okay this um godzilla jesus described i decision um Okay. Point being point being. you up with what sos clearly Okay. What is i I don't, I did not grow up with Godzilla shit. ah there I just know that there's this clip in whatever more recent-ish movie it was that was very neon, and there's this point where he's like, rips open somebody's jaw and like blasts into the, down the throat. Like... Oh, that would be the first Godzilla movie. Oh, yeah. Sure. 2014. Yeah. Yeah, sure. The Mutos or whatever. 2014 shit. Yeah, the Mutos, yeah.
01:00:03
Speaker
made the whole movie that was one but like the that fight of like giant monster on giant monster action is the vibe that I get when the sim are just straight up sword frickin just Gladius straight through the fucking core and with levi that like very big sister little brother vibes Like I'm gonna fucking wreck you like kinky yeah yeah No, not kinky yeah jes sibling vibes
01:00:39
Speaker
For shame. For shame. Michael, um are you going to press the button? Michael. Michael is always the one pressing the button. It was Jacob. Jacob pressed the button. Damn it. it was Michael has all the buttons. Jacob pressed the button. I don't know, but and but but that that big monster on big monster action. like I loved that. That was so fun. and like I mean, since we've seen them so much as, like, these huge big bads that, like, no one can be, like, no one, no one's gonna, it's just, you know, hold them off for as long as we can until they, you know, leave. But they're, like, fighting each other in this, like, little moment where you're like, what is happening? Like, what is she doing? And then you realize that, like, she's basically unlocked the upgrade, which is so cool. Moments that I feel like I cannot wait to see.
01:01:32
Speaker
actually like visually one day, one day in the far future when this gets turned to an actual show or movie or whatever. It's going to be so good. Like just that moment, because it's like all happening in the tower that's been built by the elite. That's like this garden castle city tower place thing. Just ah the imagery is so good. I just. It gives me big, ah big Sephiroth vibes.
Simurgh's Calculated Actions
01:02:02
Speaker
I don't know what that is. Oh, Sephiroth. So one of the, one of the most famous Sephiroth, he's a final fantasy character. Uh-huh. Uh, one of his most famous moments, he's got a giant, uh, it's not a Katana, but it's that same style of sword. Okay. Um, but basically one of his most famous famous moments is when he drops from the ceiling and kills the main protagonists, like best friend day and love interest in front of him.
01:02:31
Speaker
And he he does this he does this pose where he like drops straight down with the sword straight down. ah And it's it's got big vibes of that, especially because when they're up close to the simmer and they see every movement is intentional in a way yes where she's not like flying with her wings. She's just there.
01:02:57
Speaker
The wings are a feature, right? They're not like necessary to anything she does. And so when Taylor describes her as falling, I imagine her in this like very static pose, just sore down, capal like a meteor smashing into Leviathan's chest. Fantastic. Oh my gosh. I just, I'm watching, like I just watched the scene by the way. I pulled it up on YouTube. Holy shit.
01:03:21
Speaker
And they traumatized a few people back in the day. That is a significant, like, I cried as a child. Like, that is probably, not even that, like, that is a moment that is the first time I cried exposed to a piece of media. Wow. Like, moment in my head. Because she's a playable character, right? So you play as her. She's a fully playable, upgradeable character. Yeah, for a good bit of the game and then she just gets offed.
01:03:49
Speaker
You're like, whoa, no. Oh, there's OK. So i there's apparently there's like two. There's like the old one and then the new remastered one. I came out with a fantasy seven rebirth, whatever. the I'll be honest. The music does it. The music. i've So I've had it muted this whole time so I can hear you guys. so But I've just been watching it and it's I get I get the vibe of what you're saying. though I understand now the reference. Yeah, sure. Yeah, totally.
01:04:15
Speaker
I really liked the way that Wild Bo describes ah the summer flying because she's not flying. She's using her telekinesis to move herself. So like her wings aren't moving. It's yeah it's it's it's like this weird, and i when I'm imagining it, it's almost more like a fly or like a bumblebee, you know, how they're kind of just like ah kind of just like zap around the you know the the room.
01:04:42
Speaker
like how yeah i love it Yeah, i I have always been a big Samark fan just because of the... the ah I think we've talked about it before, but the very like, biblically accurate angel vibes that she gets off. um And just like hey hello all the wings and... Yes! Oh my gosh. So cool. She does... i Is it this chapter or is it the last one? I can't remember. Where she starts building all of her pieces to then go together and she builds like the cannon to take out the armband and like... It's just like all hovering around her. It's so cool. Oh my gosh. when And ah something that's interesting too, and I feel like it's interesting to think about what it says about Eidolon as their creator, is that each of them, I think it's described here or later, each of them sort of represent
01:05:33
Speaker
different like aspects of the world, the self, life, death, her like energy and things like that.
Endbringers and Eidolon's Psyche
01:05:42
Speaker
yeah And of course, all of them, I mean, they're all named after them, so it already evokes that, but most of them are very evocative of, you know, biblical figures, mythical figures and things like that too. And that's partially because again, they're named after them. so But still, it's just kind of an interesting, you know, what does that say about Eidolon? Why were these the things that he created to fight? You know, almost that boyish. Well, these are the biggest monsters that I can dream up. So here they are, you know? Yeah. Very interesting. So cool. Yeah, I love them all. I love the big monsters. We love our death boys and girl. um And girl. And token girl. I think.
01:06:27
Speaker
ah Oh, yeah, yeah. And then then we we see the upgraded Leviathan. Yes, with the Fins. With Nanotech. With Nanotech. Oh, my God. Defiant
Leviathan's Upgrade Surprise
01:06:39
Speaker
is pissed. He's like, damn it. Hey, I love it. I love it so much. Yeah. My, my, my, how the tech tables have turned.
01:06:53
Speaker
It's just so, so fun. We we have fun here. Yeah. Um, and, and then we get to talk about, uh, uh, we have the word squick come up again we do because with, with imp talking about Weaver diddling her brother. yeah What a, what a, what a set of words to use. Yeah. I wrote that down in my notes. Yeah. you Right up there with, um, Canary just not getting it.
01:07:27
Speaker
Oh, poor canary. Yeah, that was funny. I asked if I could join them. Oh, no. On here, I just have a good job, Canary. You useless ace slash lesbian. I didn't know which to insult, but I just meant to insult Canary because like my.
01:07:47
Speaker
How do you know that?
01:07:51
Speaker
like Look, look at. She because her excuse is good, too. She's like, well, look, I don't I've never been on a team before. I don't know how close people get. Like it's more a little rogue. She just wanted to be a singer. And now she's like, she's like having to work in a group. oh I love it. I think it's so fun.
01:08:11
Speaker
I did love the the vibe. Um, I don't know if any of you guys have seen the movie tremors or tremors, two or three specifically, but there's a moment. Why did you see two and three? Because that's the one that we had. Um, we didn't actually have tremors one. I saw like tremors two before tremors one anyways, but there's a moment in there where a character just yells, I didn't know how could I have known? And that's, it's perfect for what what she's going through.
01:08:40
Speaker
Oh my gosh. That's funny. I love it. I asked to come with them. I asked to come with Oh, it's so good. I definitely put the emphasis in the wrong word in that sentence. You know, I didn't say come with them. I said, come with them. Come with them. And now I think about it. I'm such a fool. It's so funny. I love it. I love it. All right. And now we go and see all of our friends.
01:09:10
Speaker
All of the friends. We have so many friends. We're just, you know, we're all friends together.
01:09:19
Speaker
Yeah. Chapter five. Five. Yep. Chapter five. The group fixes their craft and then visits. Six? Did we just do five? Six. We just did four.
01:09:32
Speaker
Oh, no, you're absolutely right. I'm so sorry. I was like, 100% correct. ah yeah that We did just do five. Chapter six, ah Taylor goes to put her affairs in order while the Simerg follows Tattletail. Taylor visits Charlotte and the kids, Glenn and Kaie and Miss Malisha. Simerg sings a lullaby. Sweet, sweet lullaby.
01:10:04
Speaker
Yeah.
Taylor's Goodbyes and Reflections
01:10:06
Speaker
I feel like this is... I think this is the chapter I liked the least out of this arc. I i feel like Taylor's, while I do ah opposite to Alan, enjoy the visit to to Glenn and Kai, I just feel like the whole thing feels a little...
01:10:26
Speaker
unnecessary, like put your affairs in order to like, what do you mean put your affairs in order? You should have put your affairs in order like a month ago. Like what do you mean? yeah the Like now is the time to say goodbye. Yeah. like if it feels a bit late It feels a little late. Yeah. Might might be just a smidge. Just a smidgen. I will say there, there was a moment in this particular chapter that actually pulled me out of my suspension of disbelief.
01:10:57
Speaker
I'm sorry. Why did Taylor kiss Mr. Calle on the cheek? Yeah. Because he's hot. I mean, yeah. No, I get that. I get that. Trust me. Motivation enough. Right. Right. I don't know what's the question then.
01:11:14
Speaker
i guess The end of the world, you know, but Taylor doesn't strike me as the kind of character to do that. It felt very little out of character. I agree. Like I would understand if she like, and it wasn't even said like in a dramatic way. He was like being goofy. Like, Oh, you're gonna, you're gonna thank me for how I helped you. And then she, I would expect her to like walk over and, you know, maybe, I mean, pun you give me or something even sassy isn't her thing just to be like,
01:11:41
Speaker
I didn't expect you to be here but i do really you know like something. here he walks over and Kisses him on the cheek i'm just like what oh weird what. Yeah what yeah anyway that's all i agree it feels weird. but lot Yeah the place but you know end of the world so everybody gets a pass.
01:12:00
Speaker
um everyone gets passed when it's the yes guess I don't know. It just, I think that there were a couple of moments right here where, and I think it what what it probably is, is Wild Bo knows that this is the end. we're We're coming to the end of the story. And this is like our last chance to like have some moments with certain characters that like maybe we haven't seen before. Because ah because I feel like that way with Imp, like we're seeing this like really funny quippy side of Imp that I don't feel like we've seen before. She's she's always felt a little like stupid younger sister crass vibes. And now she's, she's...
01:12:33
Speaker
freaking hilarious. And like, I just want more imp. And so like, maybe this is a chance to have kind of this moment of like, well, this is Taylor like saying goodbye, having the chance to be a little mushy, gushy. And, you know, she kisses him on the cheek, gives him a little peck on the cheek before she leaves, like. Mm hmm.
01:12:56
Speaker
Like, i I guess that's what it is. And it feels off because we haven't seen that up to this point. And I feel like it's just like maybe it's just wild, though, like, well, this is my basically my last chance for us to have these like little happy character moments or like these like funny little quippy moments or whatever before the end is nigh, you know. I mean, I guess so far. Yeah, it feels no it does feel weird, though.
01:13:25
Speaker
No, I don't know. It's, it's maybe it's just a personal thing then, but I get what you're saying though. It's, I would, I, this is one of those things where it's like. It did feel like an excuse, like this arc, or this chapter didn't feel the most necessary, but it did feel like an excuse to pull out a couple more fun characters we haven't seen in a bit, right? Yeah. Like Glenn, Mr. Calle, a farewell to Miss Militia, which I like, Charlotte and Forest and the kids. Forest. We had to get a talk about Uber and LEET of all things. We really did. We did. You know, yeah I mean, we're really coming full circle. Full circle. Oh yeah. We're gonna come in Uber and circus.
01:14:04
Speaker
Yeah, apparently. It didn't work out, but I also get why they were together. Two people that are just really good at doing things. Everything. Yeah.
01:14:16
Speaker
It is did feel for all of my ability and reach quote, Jacob, can you ah yeah for all of my Mass Effect fans? Hello, Mass Effectors. At the very end of the last game, there's this moment for the big fight where you get to go around and talk to all of your crew members in the game, which is really sweet and nice. And it kind of gives a closure, a little conversation to get to have. But when you're playing it, you're are thinking in the back of your head, like,
01:14:42
Speaker
Why the fuck am I taking the time to talk to all these people? The planet is blowing up right now. It's just this halt right before the big fight. It did kind of feel like that a little bit, where it's like, yeah, okay, this is sweet. Oh yeah, nice to see the kids, but you know. um But also work. but zone The world is burning.
01:15:06
Speaker
Very convenient of you, Sion, to go off to Earth Zeta while we all talk and have our moments. Or like Zimlette or whatever it is. Yeah, he'll he'll be making his way back to the Alpha. Now, there is a there isn' an Earth Z. I don't want to insult the name. No, Ziz is what they call Zimmer. Yeah. yes it I remember. Just go through your and Hebrew alphabet. I was going to say they're Hebrew letters, so I know that. um Because they go through a few of them here, right? They talk about a couple of them.
01:15:36
Speaker
Um, yeah, they talk about ones that have been taken over and they're the main one is earth gimel is where the portal has gone through. Right. Right. There's one it mentioned a list that ah we through them. Yeah. No, those are the ones I know are those a lift, bet, and gimel.
01:15:53
Speaker
I like that one wasn't lost to Sion, it was lost to the sleeper, another cape. Yeah, can we talk about that? Because I feel like this is one of those things where like they mentioned things in passing. And I feel like this will probably be a problem in another book.
01:16:08
Speaker
but like At least that's my assumption. ah But like, the that this is just like another big problem cape, much like a kidney or ah fucking what's ah what's his face with who had all of the scary animals, the not animals, the ah creepy people. Yes, thank you, Nilbog. Goblin backwards. ah Sleepers in that category. Okay, cool. Have we talked about sleeper much? Because I don't know. I was one of those moments where it's like, should I know who this is?
01:16:39
Speaker
No, Sleeper is and unless, and Ellen, don't spoil anything if the sleeper is back. From my understanding, Sleeper is Wild Bo's, I think Wild Bo talks about this in a couple like Q and A's or things like that, where Sleeper is basically just part of the world building that exists intentionally as a complete unknown to the reader.
01:17:01
Speaker
so that it's it's more of like a ah there's things out here that you're never going to really understand like kind of like how Tolkien writes about like nameless things underground stuff like that um where there's just elements of the world that we're not meant to know because they're not important to the story but then it reminds you that the world is bigger than just your protagonist's point of view which is kind of cool so yeah okay my interpretation of Sleepers is just this entity beyond knowledge right now. Yeah, but I was yeah ah was thinking about this.
Subtle Hints in Media
01:17:36
Speaker
I'm sorry, Alan, were you about to say something? No, no, to just that that that's that's it. OK, because there this was something I was thinking about the other day of that's like, if if you want to have something in in a movie or in a TV show, you can have it happening in the background or or maybe that's set in passing or like, you know, is on the radio or something like that. And if you're not paying attention or if you don't know, you can totally miss it.
01:18:00
Speaker
And then, you know, on your rewatch or if you are paying attention, like oh, my gosh, there it is. They're, you know, they're dropping hints now. But in a book, if something is dropped, you assume that it's important because it's mentioned at all, because there's so much background noise. You can't just describe all of the background noise. Like the things that are described are probably important. And so the assumption is is that if you're going to mention a character that, you know, has wiped out an entire earth or like a a portal to a safe space is like, well, you can't use that one anymore because the sleeper got it. Like,
01:18:30
Speaker
Well, what's the sleeper? It's like, well, we're not gonna you don't need to know it's like, okay So I need to know for later then because like clearly you mentioned it so it's important so like ah with with stuff like that and probably this is a bonus of warm being so long is it like Wild Bill can drop things like that and we can be like the fuck and be like, well, you'll never know Yeah, yeah i I almost feel like it's a web serial tactic to be like But wait, I want to know what that was. Yeah. You got to know, you know. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. It's a way to keep you hooked in. Right. Right. I mean, it tracks. It makes sense to me. It works. and I'm curious. it's
Mass Effect Comparison
01:19:10
Speaker
ah Jacob, it's funny you mentioned um Mass Effect for your ending. um But I thought of a different property regarding Cauldron just wandering around handing out vials of powers now. Oh, yeah. Yeah.
01:19:24
Speaker
Cause they're like, i yeah Hey, do you, do you want powers? You want to get powers and come fight, you know? Um, and I was racking my brain, like which big incident in DC comics had that basically go down. And so I was, Hannah was there when I was scouring, like I was like, I can't, it's not crisis on infinite earths. Um, you know, but it's what it's, you know, it's not zero hour. It's one of the big ones. I finally found it while we've been recording, uh, consulting the DC.
01:19:54
Speaker
Encyclopedia, um, I find here it's the Magedin war. Uh, when, while the heroes hold off the, you know, the war bringer, uh, Wonder Woman, I think rallies basically the entire planet earth and gives everybody temporary superpowers to go and fight the big threat. Oh yeah. So it is just billions of randos flying in space.
01:20:23
Speaker
a la Superman style, just to come fight. See, I'll let you finish, but, I mean, that just sounds like a ripoff of the end of Emperor's New Crew.
01:20:35
Speaker
Wait, what? That's what I was thinking. The cauldron's handing out all these vials, they're gonna get to one, and we're gonna get, you know, ah I've just been turned into a cow. ah Can I go home? Can I go home?
01:20:53
Speaker
Oh, my God.
Characters Glenn and Kyrie
01:20:56
Speaker
Also, Glenn and Kyrie, I cannot think of two more opposite characters that play the same role in the story. Oh, yeah i yeah. Yeah, I was getting them confused a little bit, actually, because of that. Like, I imagine that they're both like body type. They're both naturally the same. But Kyrie has like kept himself in really good shape and Glenn hasn't. Haircut wise, I kind of imagine that they have the same haircut, but Kaie's is like slicked back or like, you know, done to look really hot. And Glenn's, as we've talked about, is kind of just messy and like pushed to the front and and kind of looks ugly. And yeah, it's just, and then their job is to just ah give Taylor advice.
01:21:51
Speaker
Except one brings donuts and one, uh, just, you know, makes weird decisions, especially clothing wise. I don't condone finger guns when you're that hot.
01:22:13
Speaker
ah All I can think of with that is. ah I'm just referencing stuff tonight, but it just reminded me of Obi-Wan in episode three being like, so uncivilized.
01:22:25
Speaker
and Meanwhile, Kai, I mean, if it works, it works, man. I don't know what to tell you. Yeah. yeah If you had any Riz, Glenn, you would understand. Yeah. That's true. That's true. That scar pulls. It's true. I mean, look.
01:22:45
Speaker
Yes. The answer is yes.
Cauldron's Control of Entities
01:22:49
Speaker
Yes, yes. Cars always pull. Okay, can we also talk about how Cauldron is just giving away control of end bringers? Like for a price? so Selling, yeah, not getting it. Selling, yeah, for a price. Right, yeah. It's like, well, teacher offered us something, so we're going to give him Tohu. Yeah, right. Don't give him the Bionicle. What were you thinking?
01:23:12
Speaker
so Yes. Cauldron, they're, you know, they're, they they're writing this, uh, this whole, yeah, we predict this years ago. We've been preparing ever since. Um, yeah there you at some point, Cauldron, you got to start, you know, showing your work here. Cause yeah, yeah are looking to no you're giving off a very, uh, we're giving, you're giving off panic.
01:23:38
Speaker
Yeah. It's giving panic. it's It's giving panic. Yeah. Just dabbing slowly with the, with the, the hanker chief. No, this is all according to plan tab, dab, dab. All according to it. Yes. Right. Uh, and then as you see on my next slide here, um, our contingency, uh, plan Zeta, um, um, the panic is setting in the panic setting in the panic setting. Uh,
01:24:08
Speaker
Also. Okay. Okay. Okay. The end of this, this chapter, the end of this chapter is what happens when she gets the I'm sorry.
Simurgh's Mind Impact
01:24:19
Speaker
The Simmerg speaking in her own train of thought. Yeah. Yeah. That was cool. Is that what's going on? That's how I read it. I'm going to pull it back up because I need to look at it. It's in her internal monologue. Yeah.
01:24:37
Speaker
Like, she says it's in her voice. like it's Oh, it's in her voice. Yeah. and yeah yeah but it's But it's in her head. Yes. Like, that's how I read it. I read it the same way. Where it was essentially the Simmer speaking isk, you know? And then... Oh, yes. Yeah, cause she out because it's singing. She's like looking out the window and she says, stop. And then she stops.
01:25:07
Speaker
ah singing instantly. And it's like this whole moment of like, wow, the silence is so deafening. Like it makes me wonder how loud it had actually been. And then the, I'm sorry, my voice, but not my words. Oh yeah. No, absolutely. I honestly, I hadn't picked up on that at all.
01:25:23
Speaker
ah And then she doesn't sleep all night because obviously. Okay. Yeah, obviously. What is, what is similar of slow by, by the way, what is she singing?
01:25:36
Speaker
ah It's got to be something. You can't take me apart to go. Hush now my baby. Be still love. Don't cry. Don't cry. The lullaby. yeah Yeah. No, I think of it as um because like her whole thing is that she sings without singing. It's like it's more than just like a ah a like a tune and words. It's like this very kind of haunting. There is a if you've been on TikTok, there's this there was this girl who sang into a fan. And it was very like. I don't know, it was
01:26:15
Speaker
It like, tap it still, still does, like taps into a weird part of my heart. I'm gonna see if I can find it, I'll put it in chat for you guys. But like, it's a very like haunting, not haunting, it's just like really sad all of a sudden. You're like, it's just, I don't know, like, I feel like that would be, hey, I'm it. You guys don't want to talk you about, hold on. TikTok girl singing into a fan. Yeah, girl harmonizing with her fan. Hold on.
01:26:45
Speaker
In the meantime, yeah, it's, i I imagine this is pretty haunting thing. I've seen this other thing come up a few times of a a song that's got a double track, the left ear is singing in English, the right ear is singing in French. oh And it's a very, it's probably very similar sort of this just like disconcerting. Oh, I don't know if I like that or not.
01:27:09
Speaker
Okay. I put it in a general. This is, this is a random video of someone like reacting to it, but just listen to the audio. Okay. Okay. Oh yeah. Very haunting. I like it. Yeah. That is, that is the Simmerg for sure. It's very like siren vibes where it's like yeah i was going to say very haunting. it It kind of has this like weird harmony to it that you like still don't It kind of sounds like, was it the soundtrack for Atlantis that had some, that had some like cool vocals in it? I have to try to think. Maybe so. Yeah. but Yeah. No, I like that. Yeah, it's very good. And to anybody who is listening and can't hear that, look it up yourself. ah Just look up, ah girl harmonizes with her fan on TikTok. Final, final, ah final chapter or any final any final thoughts on chapter six? ah So the final chapter,
01:28:01
Speaker
Yeah, I'm good with so opening into the final chapter. Yeah, so the the interlude is, i was gosh, I hate sometimes the interludes. I'm so confused for so long until I'm not. And then I need to reread the whole fucking chapter again. Okay, so we open with the Simmer as she dreams past and present and is kind of just functioning and things are happening, okay.
01:28:27
Speaker
Then we're with Chevalier and he shoots down on Janu, and quite literally. ah And then we're with Defiant and Dragon being reunited as Teacher Hands Dragon back over. ah Then we're back with Chevalier again as he ah addresses the Protectorate and the the little baby wards that are there all drinking champagne.
01:28:48
Speaker
And then we like zoom the fuck out. And all of this has been from the perspective of the Watcher as Dr. Mother, as she's kind of like looking and watching ah with Doormaker and some of the ah capes that ah Teacher has provided. ah But she gets pulled out because the irregulars, led by Weld, have assaulted Cauldron and have attacked, have chosen this fucking moment.
01:29:18
Speaker
to go, oh, hey, yeah, no, we're gonna fuck you up now. And Weld is like, timing, guys, timing. So, you know, goddamn it, Weld. Oh, Weld. Timing is shit. It does show you just how pessimistic people are about their survival, right? They have no trust that they're gonna survive this. They do not believe they're gonna do it. So they're like, you know what?
01:29:46
Speaker
Let's just fuck up the lady who made us this way yeah as badly as we can. As badly as we possibly can. Yeah. And, and Weld is like, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, I thought we wanted information. We didn't agree with this. I feel like this is Weld's moment of realizing, oh, I've been seeing the best in people. When in fact, I should have been looking for the worst. You're so stupid, Weld.
01:30:10
Speaker
oh Silly boy. Silly, silly boy. but He's such a dumb boy. his His brain is metal. You got metal brain. His brain is metal.
Weld's Mutiny and Chaos
01:30:21
Speaker
Poor little guy. ah He's just, he's like, I think it, I think it's, he's just, they've all been hurt so badly and he's created this safe space for them where it's like, well, we all got fucked over. So like, like, let's be a family together. And then they're all like, actually, no, we want to burn everything to the ground. He's like, well, wait, I thought we were a family. Let's talk through it. Why is this a mutiny all of a sudden? Like what, what happened? You guys.
01:30:48
Speaker
Yeah. I have a feeling this was like they're sitting in their little meetings, you know, their little, the little, uh, group sessions, you know, and they're all making it very obvious that they're going to kill Dr. Mother and weld is like, well, let's use our words. Let's kind of talk through it. It was like just not picking up on the fact that like, this is very much like words. Meanwhile, like cracking knuckles. Yeah. We'll give her a good stern talking to. Yeah. Cause it is that thing. It is that thing in the movies, right? Where the bad guys like, I just want to talk, you know? Yeah. yeah So well, it's like, yeah, yeah. We just want to talk. And all the other people are like, yeah, we just want to talk. And he's like, yeah, yeah, exactly. Pulling out brass knuckles and stuff behind him.
01:31:32
Speaker
ahveta you're Sveta you're really cutting in my skin there. Do you mind? Yeah. It's something I said triggered you. oh oh hu yeah um I did like in that scene, we get a glimpse of ah what the Clairvoyant can do. If you get too close, you guys catch that. Which one? One of the irregulars teleports to Doormaker and Clairvoyant, who isn't called Clairvoyant. He's being he's called by his like, vile number or whatever. um Yeah, two, six, three or something like that. And he he takes out Doormaker and then Clairvoyant touches him.
01:32:11
Speaker
because Clairvoyant grants anyone he touches, like he does a doormaker, like infinite a sight across the multiverse. And so you just just pass out because you can't handle it. It was just a funny little moment. It happened pretty quickly. Yeah, that is funny. Right. Yeah.
01:32:30
Speaker
Yeah. Hitting doormaker seemed like the wrong person. um i'll be odd Oh my Oh my God. Once again, people fucking you up. Yeah. When we just, we need these things. We eat dragon. We need doormaker and these dumb motherfuckers want to be taken out the logistics, like the supplies. We need these. Yeah.
01:32:53
Speaker
I really wanted like a pan back over cut, you know, cut a freeze frame, cut back over to, um, to Dinah and just get our update. Like how the numbers look in Dinah, you know, um, sure yeah, just feel like a little fuck. Oh, that's a, that's a solid 5% success right there now. Yeah. lonely we just know We had a 12% of survival. It's dropped to two. Yeah. Hold on. We're going up. We're going up and we're down.
01:33:22
Speaker
Yep. Oh, there's a, I'm losing it. It's gone. Oh, we're in single digits now. Now they gone. Now they go. Yeah. it It definitely does feel like the worst possible timing, the worst possible timing. I i mean, props so well though, being the guy who's like, I think I can hold them off for a bit. Can you escape? And she's like, yeah, I got this. Yeah. Oh.
01:33:50
Speaker
It's funny, of of all the Wormnesia stuff, i I have a memory of, I think, what's about to happen in the next arc, because I just remember stuff happening at Cauldron.
01:34:03
Speaker
ah Like fighting stuff happening at cauldron with the custodians specifically yeah and like I thought we jumped to that faster than Yes, whatever this whole arc was right, right, right. Yeah, so I'm like I actually Weirdly remember that so I know what's gonna happen next sort of ah But nothing else. I have no idea of how this is gonna end other than than that little tiny bit Yeah, this is this
Tattletale's Experience through Simurgh
01:34:30
Speaker
is fun. Yeah in some fun moments So, so for the whole narrative device for this arc or for that, not for this interlude, correct me if I'm wrong, but somehow tattletale is hitching a ride with Simmergs dreaming to be able to see all of this. Correct.
01:35:00
Speaker
That, no, well, the, the, is giving her dreams of what's happening. ah So yeah, yeah, yeah. Like a read. Um. read the beginning of almost every section and the end. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. It's always like to like, wait, wait, wait, hold on. Stop there. Like, yeah. And it's clearly tattletale talking. i I assumed that was Dr. Mother talking to the person who was sort of in charge of. Yeah. That's what I assumed as well. Cause she says like, I can, I can view everybody now and it doesn't hurt me. I'm not in a coma for a week because I have somebody who can help direct me. Right.
01:35:37
Speaker
That was more the vibe I got. Yeah. Cause there is a conversation throughout this, ah this, uh, chapter where it's like two people and like, it's too much hair. Are you okay? What happened? Nosebleed. Can you hear me? You need to tell the kid to change targets. Aim at somewhere else. so And then like, okay okay. Okay. I don't know. Oh my God. It's amazing. Look at this focus. Do as we were told. Can't see can't moving on, you know,
01:36:03
Speaker
Hey, the nosebleeds stop. There's nothing happening here. Shouldn't we focus on something else? Let them rest. You're right. You're right. There. Yeah. I assumed that it was like them discussing as they're looking. I assumed tattletale for some reason. Um, fair assumption. Yeah. But, but no, you're right. I guess, I guess it's the Simmerg is just the first part. And then Yeah, because Simmerg is at the beginning. That's like the. The just what what she's up to because because they say at the end that like part of this is isn't just like viewing, it's also like being part of the person's. I think I'm remembering that correctly, but it's like you're also getting an insight into like. What they're doing because she knows then at the end that like. She's trying that that ah the Simmerg is trying to hide something.
01:37:02
Speaker
that she's like looked into the future. She's like looked at all the possible options. So she knows that like, no one can see that she's messing with some like candidate. She's making something out of glass, like some glass tube. But like, Dr. Mother notices it and is like, I have to, I have to write this down. I have to, I have to, you know, remember this. And then of course the irregulars are there. Yeah. i'm just Yeah. It's just weird that it shifts.
01:37:28
Speaker
almost perspective midway through that first section. Well, it's like all, yeah it's weird from, uh, what seems to be the Simmer's perspective. Cause we're getting kind of internal reasonings, which these characters wouldn't be able to, uh, witness, but then it gets to the it's too much. Hey, you okay? Yada, yada. And then we move on to stuff that is all.
01:37:57
Speaker
like witnessable Well, Dr. Mother literally says, it's so weird that I could see the Simmerg's thoughts. Yeah, draw conclusions as their thoughts and their brain patterns.
01:38:08
Speaker
Did I just miss that? Where is that? She says, so she says she could spy on everyone. She's talking about screen and scanner, the two that are there to help with scanner. Uh, so screen was a means to absorbing the drawbacks. He took the brunt of the images, allowed doormaker to handle the requests without it taking their attention. She gets by on everyone with scanner. She could read them, draw conclusions as to their thoughts and their brain patterns. That's right. That's right.
01:38:32
Speaker
But didn't, okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. I guess this is just for that. Cause they low, they got scanner on a loan, right? I think both of, are they both on a loan or is it just scanner that's on a loan from teacher? I think it's just scanner. Um, one caveat. Teacher's payment for console had been a partnership in Cauldron as well as protection. Uh, he'd sent some of his students to the doctor in the effort. Um, blah, blah, blah, caveats, but blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
01:38:58
Speaker
I think, I think it's implied that screen and scanner were both sent because screen can absorb the drawbacks and scanner can like get into their heads. Yeah. Cause before it was what door maker, door maker. Cause door maker is the one who can do like looking at there's door maker and there's one more, uh, two six five permanent. Yeah. Door maker has a permanent partner.
01:39:24
Speaker
who can see everything. Yeah, that the partner is 265, the clairvoyant. Okay. Yeah, the clairvoyant, yeah. Nevermind. Yeah, I see that now she was herself again. Okay, okay. Yeah, I guess I just missed miss Dr. Mother.
01:39:41
Speaker
Saying that I think that's an easy thing to miss. Yeah, especially since so these perspective arcs are always really this one's really tricky to follow. Yeah, I don't like changing perspective either. Yeah. i get Well, this one again kind of feels like I want a way to show what's happening with everybody at this moment. Yeah. How can I excuse that?
01:40:04
Speaker
And, and that kind of feels like that almost of like, Oh, dr. Mother can see everything. Cool. Yeah. Yeah. Although the, uh, the, the, ah the being inside of Simmerg's head is, you know, a good inverse to what just happened where like the Simmerg was talking inside Taylor's
Entering Simurgh's Thoughts
01:40:22
Speaker
head, like in her and own internal thoughts or like, I wonder if. Yeah. Yeah. If, if.
01:40:32
Speaker
You could be inside the Simmergs head, like speaking essentially the Simmergs internal monologue, but not realizing that you're doing it. Like not controlling the Simmerg, but like, yeah, just present inside and thinking that it's like all one and the same.
01:40:53
Speaker
I do think we need to address too that the irregulars claim to have beaten both the custodian and Contessa. Yeah. Like we don't, we don't know exactly what the custodian can do, but that seems like a big, like Come on. Yeah. Well, I mean, Contessa, you just got to, you've got to get some sort of power nullifying thing before she can, before she can activate her contingencies. Cause like, if she knows that she's going to fight, let's say hatchet face, then she just picks him off at a distance.
01:41:24
Speaker
But, but if you can get the drop on her and then use like a power nullification thing, yeah then Oh, that's right. Cause they have a manta mantle. Yeah. Yeah. meant Yeah. ho into Which appears to ah produce some sort of spherical aura that I'm guessing negates power with mentality, which is great for case 53s. Cause most of their powers have already like Happened if that right they are They're ah More physically their power so it wouldn't affect it much like tinkers like tinkers don't get power nullified right, right, right, right Yeah, because most of this stuff is their equipment just their ability to build it is nullified with case 53 is it's the Their bodies are their powers like you said. and Yeah. Yeah kind You're not gonna stop Gully from being it enormously strong and huge
01:42:23
Speaker
yeah That doesn't get nullified. Her beating you to death with that giant shovel does not get nullified. I was just going to say, it goes back again. Hatchetface's ego got in the way. The dude could have ruled the world but as like this serial killer. Nobody knows who he is. Nobody can figure him out. He just walks around killing capes, but he had to get yapping. Isn't that always the downfall? You start monologuing?
01:42:52
Speaker
Mm-hmm. they got him on the login. That's right. then, coil sniper, bada-bam. Bada-bing, bada-boom, baby. Well, I mean, do we do we hope Dr. Mother gets out? I feel like she's pretty important even if she is an asshole. I respect, because I don't think she has powers, right? No. No. Yeah, I think that's kind of... Powers being right all the time. Yeah, umrisa I respect that game.
01:43:21
Speaker
The no power the nonpowered game. Yeah. Respect. risk Respect. Did we talk about Chevalier and ingenue yet? Oh, not really. Not really. Not really. kind of Oh, Chevy Mona me. yeah Oh my gosh. That was fun. his a Cannon blade was ready to fire. Oh man. It went off prematurely. It did go off prematurely.
01:43:48
Speaker
I do like that he just took out the doorframe. Yeah. She is so ready to fuck him. He is so tempted, but not having it. um And then you've kind of find out why like she was already into him and then he throws himself in front of a blast for her.
01:44:10
Speaker
Well, he he did it already. This isn't a new thing. This is a like, oh, you did that. Like, yeah, I did. I know that's what I'm saying. Like, yeah like, like she was already hot for him, kind of. And then we get to like that happened during, I assume, like the oil rig fight. And she's like, okay. I wasn't like, you know, you know, we were getting some, some waves, but now we are at high time. High time. No, it was a, you know, it's, it sends,
01:44:41
Speaker
sends a good message to all the white nighters out there, you know? hu Because even if you do, if a girl is into you protecting them from devastating things, like, a you know, Sion, she might be crazy. yeah um she She might be crazy.
01:45:00
Speaker
But i I do love though, she's like, come on, please. And he's like, I'm going to shoot you. And then she's like, no, you won't. down oh get Sorry, Michael, I peeked there, but you know, the needed. Oh my God. Yeah. Get the behind me wench. What's that mean? a Chevalier, you ah come with me, Chevalier. We can be so great to get there. And then, uh, dummy Narwhal showed up.
01:45:30
Speaker
Tell me Narwhal. With the handcuffs. I forgot.
01:45:38
Speaker
I'll be back. I'll be back. about Okay, but also two other things. One funny one funny and then something else with Chevalier. um First, i I wrote down for the interlude the phrase. Yeah, they're talking about like, oh, couldn't we have done this like protectorate meeting on a nice landscape? and They're like, nah, hospital's fine. And yeah somebody's like, Tecton, I bet you would like a nice landscape, huh? It just goes dim peaks. Dim peaks, that's so good. They said, what is it? Geography porn? Yeah, something like that. Yeah, geography porn for the landscape detecting ability person. Yeah. Dim peaks. Dim peaks. Once again.
01:46:25
Speaker
Oh, texas and can we hearre you're such a great, you're so fun. When the sun rises and hits the edge of those peaks just right, I edge. We gotta go for that. that big speed taped Be cape, have geographical sensing abilities. yeah See a good sunrise over the mountain peaks.
01:46:48
Speaker
peak. No. He's triggering. See, all we're, all we're, all we're doing, you know, we're just expanding the things that superheroes have sex with. We know that, well, has sex with a tractor. That is confirmed. And now, you know, Tekton just likes to find a nice crevice between two hills and go to town. Oh, oh, Nick, Nick, this is my hole. This is my hole. It was made for me.
01:47:14
Speaker
I understand that reference.
Chevalier's Struggle and Weapon Crafting
01:47:16
Speaker
i' so god I've got to just say though, as a visual for that for yeah big meeting that the ah Protectorate all have, um Chevalier comes right from the hospital. They make a point of saying that he dragged his IV thing through the portal. So like, yeah is he just hospital gowning it on top of a roof? like past For sure. For sure.
01:47:41
Speaker
i he better be or i'll be be better be oh yeah no i the other I think the other key thing to mention here is that he does decide he needs Anjunu, because... Which I guess Anjunu maybe has something similar to teacher, right? Where it can raise up and increase your powers. But the reason why is because he has pieces of all of the in-bringers. He's gonna use it to make a weapon. And I'm just like, ugh. My anime. I can only get so hard.
01:48:20
Speaker
what end bringers once were broken are now reforged. I mean, this is just like the ultimate fantasy game anime nerd moment where like you have a chance to take the body of a boss you just beat and turn it into a weapon. Have you guys seen it? Monster on a world. It's what, Kaiju number eight? Kaiju number eight. It's Kaiju number eight. Dark Souls does it. Dark Souls does it.
01:48:47
Speaker
Yep. If you're good enough in Dark Souls like me, you can cut off the tails of every dragon and take their tails as well. All right. Nobody likes a bragger. I even cut off the tail of the invisible dragon in the painted world. Oh, thank you now. Wow. Where's the mute button? God damn it, son of a bitch. Triggering.
01:49:11
Speaker
Michael, Michael, just cut all that out.
01:49:16
Speaker
Anyways, um, but yeah, I, that's one of those moments I completely forgot about. And I'm just like, Oh my God. Yes. Please give me the giant anime boom blade. Yeah, please. Yeah. but The big boom, boom blade. Yeah. be You've seen the buster sword. How about you bust in this sword? No, I'm sorry. I barely know her sword. No.
01:49:41
Speaker
Uh, gosh, it's not a cannon blade. It's a, it's, it's the old boom Stabby. It's the N is the and bring Gucci.
01:49:53
Speaker
Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I hate it so much. Wow. The Knussy Blade. No. The Cannon Bussy. No.
01:50:07
Speaker
Oh, my God. Kinky. No. ah ah yeah oh
01:50:20
Speaker
Oh, I'm dying over here. Wow. Oh, boy. Oh, man. Oh, boy. like Oh, boy. Oh, my God. Oh,
01:50:46
Speaker
I do like the image of Chevalier just standing in a hospital gown against Sion holding Behemoth's leg.
01:50:53
Speaker
yeah can't wait for his animatedated yeah Better get busy, Fortune, or get busy dying. Oh, yeah. ah Well, I think that about wraps it up. I feel like we did real good. I don't think we should be going. Favorite capes, favorite powers. favorite powers.
01:51:16
Speaker
Not much here. Yeah. Not many new powers. Um, I, I still like, uh, I still like the idea of the young bond. I think it's a really cool concept for a superhero group. Of course. Um, the idea of having, wait, did you say, of course, yeah I mean, what else to expect? I just think the idea of,
01:51:42
Speaker
They are pretty sure. Group share powers. We know what you the what ideas you like. Stop. The ideology of the power, you know? yes What kind of power, Nick? The communist one. No! Listen, I just want...
01:52:02
Speaker
weaponized, I like weaponized communism is what we have here. It's like, no, no, comrade. This is not your power. This is our power. i love it But as an idea, if it weren't the young bonds, you know, methodology of torturing people until they're brainwashed, um, it'd be cool. It'd be kind of neat to be like, Hey, we're a team and we all can share powers. Yeah. I think that's kind of cool. Yeah, it was cool. I do agree.
01:52:29
Speaker
i'll give ah I'll give a shout out, I already shouted him out, but the clairvoyant, I just love the idea of him overloading people he touches with infinite vision across the multiverse and people just not being able to handle it.
01:52:44
Speaker
Deep cut, but I think if you've ever seen Bravest Warriors, there's a horse that can see all of eternity. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Yes. That's what I think of. Look it up, Bravest Warriors horse. I see. Yes. It's so good. I see eternity. It's amazing. It's pretty great. Yeah. I really like a teacher.
01:53:10
Speaker
The powers are crazy. Like, I want to see like a chess match showdown between like coil teacher, a cord. Uh, yes. So all the, all the crazy thinkers, faultline who doesn't have a power for thinking, but still beats them. The number man. Yeah. Yeah. um ma'am yeah adam in in there Always a classic.
01:53:36
Speaker
Uh, yeah, i I don't have a good new power that I was really ah enamored by. Um, there was a lot of returning old powers that were enjoyable to see. Right. Um, you know, like Leviathan's new, you know, nano, thorn yeah so fins yeah simmer in general.
01:53:59
Speaker
Um, but shout out to an, uh, a new, but old, uh, would, of course, I'm just going to go back to, to, to Narwhal. I was going to say Narwhal as well. The, the mundane uses of the forest fields. Really cool. Really cool. Yeah. I just love the bookmark. It's just so, so good. So good. It it did the the fact that she's reading a book.
01:54:28
Speaker
yeah Just makes her hotter the job yeah ah Horn makes you horny It's true. Yeah, sure you're not wrong She changed out horns too. Yeah, that was they say like a more like now It's like a more crescent moon almost like a hook which you know, I was saying getting hooked on reading right there Talk about a reading rainbow oh me got Me hot for words Yeah. Yeah. I still want a, I still want a, a Narwhal book club, please. Narwhal book recs. If you please.
01:55:08
Speaker
um I was going to also say Narwhal, but since down at narwwellle I I know, you know, we've we've already seen it before, but it's nice to see Lung back. It's nice to have him back on the force. He's just, I mean, he hasn't even used anything yet and it's already, you know, nice to have him back as like that heavy hitter. And yeah, I just, I like him. So I'm a fan.
01:55:32
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. I, as a side note, I feel like there was a bit of a question about his powers actually about whether or not he's even going to try to use them. Yeah, I don't know. It feels like he, like he just hasn't. Like, I think Taylor makes a comment about it at one point, which like, Oh, he did this and he didn't even use any of his power. Yeah. I mean, ah let him fight, you know? Exactly. All right. Well, does that bring us to the end?
01:56:01
Speaker
I think it does. guess so Is this one of our shorter episodes? It felt like it went by fast. We'll let the viewers decide. We've been recording for over two hours. so We are about half an hour away from our regular length get a star short like
01:56:21
Speaker
It's going to be a 10 second TikTok that just says, this arc, good. yeah narwwa higher yeah Yeah. Perfect. Love it. All right. Bring us home. ja Yeah. All right. Well, yeah. Thanks everyone. Uh, this was a lot of fun. Good arc. Little, little bit of a breather before.
01:56:49
Speaker
Well, I was going to say before shit hits the fan, but shit's already hit the fan. Uh, we just get a little breather before. Yeah. Before the fan speeds up, I guess. Before the fan hits the shit. Before the fan explodes? Yeah. Shit hits the fan. We wait now for a fan to hit shit again. Yes. Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
01:57:10
Speaker
But as always, we really appreciate everyone listening and we love reading all the comments on YouTube and Reddit and Discord for our patrons. If you want to engage with us on a more personal level, ask us questions, interact, share memes, ideas, funny stories, see bonus content that is not available to everybody, head on over to our Patreon. We'd love to welcome you into our little community that we're building. A lot of fun. We're having a good time over there.
01:57:39
Speaker
All are welcome. Please stop by. And next time on the Brockton Bay Book Club, we'll be in arc 29. Well, before that, stick around. Alan and I had to talk about arc 28 on dissecting worm. And then we'll be in arc 29, the deep breath before the plunge right now, as Gandalf would wisely say. Thanks again for listening, everybody. And Michael.