Yes please. Joyce is the distraction! Gotta say, I love how Walky’s approach is humor, and Joyce’s is anger. I imagine some of the other character *are* feeling traumatized right now, but it is nice to know some of them are having resilient reactions.
1) This has caused memory leak across her personas (is that a thing with DID?) and she’s currently processing whatever happened with Mike
2) Lying down has meant she’s gone to sleep
3) She’s regretting the split from Amazigirl
4) She saw somebody else involved and knows her dad’s part of this…
5) Some combination of the above
They tend to be referred to as alters. Memories can leak through though I think. Protector alters often try to hide traumatic memories but they can come out for others if there are enough triggers to my knowledge. Memory tends to be compartmentalised where some are shared and others aren’t but like all biological and mental things, it ain’t going to be perfect so I’m sure leaks for memories can occur.
Amber’s also sleep deprived. Sadly she’s not even part of the conversation because of it.
Dr. T
I don’t know, it looks as though she is busy. Notice how Ethan was positioned in the first panel. He then leans forward, which moved his hands towards Amber’s mouth, which is conveniently placed just off panel. She may be busy chewing Ethan’s bindings loose.
Did this man just watch a bunch of college kids get tossed down a set of stairs onto a hard floor with their hands taped together, one at a time, and then, allowing time for a dramatic pause, ask if everyone’s okay? I dunno, Ross, maybe you should have voiced a protest before they got thrown down, at least?
Maybe? I think he did at least some of the tossing.
I used to be able to toss people (when I was Jacob’s age). It’s a tricky job for one person, especially when you are called on to toss someone Ethan’s size.
Also wondering what exactly “whatever it takes” means, should mean, etc, and how this fits in with the bigger picture of generally being a rule-obiding individual.
It’s possible that Joyce will angrily quote scripture/Church doctrine at him in such a way that he realises he has lost the plot and is looking for it in places the plot would not and could not ever be…
Yeah I see where this is going. Ross is definitely going to break with Blaine. The thing is, is he smart enough to do so in a way that is actually helpful? I kinda doubt it.
Geneseepaws
If toe-Dad has turned his back on Blaine, he’s sooopit. You don’t want a bad guy standing behind you,… at the top of the stairs, where he is getting rid of his troubles.
I think Ross genuinely doesn’t want to cause more damage than he has to. He has a singular goal: get Becky to conversion therapy. That’s obviously a terrible goal, but it’s the only thing he’s after. Going along with Blaine’s plan is just a means to that end for him, and he justifies it the same way Carol does. Remember when he kidnapped Becky at gunpoint? He pointed the rifle at the girls, which is awful, but he didn’t hesitate to drop it as soon as he got what he wanted.
Blaine’s the self-styled criminal mastermind looking to cause as much splash damage as possible. He’s trying to enact some kind of revenge against a daughter he finds disappointing.
(Please don’t take this as a justification for any of Toedad and/or the Blaine’s actions, because it absolutely is not. I’m trying to analyze their motives.)
I appreciate more than words can say that David keeps characters like Ross and Blaine consistent with their own worldview rather than just make them generic horrible people who enjoy doing horrible things. “The cruelty is the point” is only true in very limited contexts, but too many people these days think it’s all they need to know about anyone aligned against them. Humanity is much more complex than that, which makes it more beautiful and far, far more dangerous. Ross will probably never stop believing he’s a good and gentle person. Certainly what happened to Mike wasn’t enough to persuade him.
Needfuldoer
That’s exactly it. Both have their own motivations for perpetrating this scheme, and they’ve been consistent with what we know about them as characters. They haven’t been reduced to stock villains.
Ross is a horribly misguided man whose judgement is clouded by religious extremism. He wants what he thinks is best for his daughter, even though what he thinks is “best” is abhorrent. He has put on shows of force, but hasn’t acted upon them unless he’s faced with opposition to his mission. (Again, not trying to downplay or apologize for his actions.)
Blaine is evil. He wants revenge on Amber for being timid. He’s motivated by personal gain. He’s roped additional victims into the situation (Mike and the basement captives). He doesn’t care how much damage he causes along the way, as long as he gets what he wants.
Which if it were dominant would mean that Becky didn’t have it (Ross being either heterozygous or not Becky’s biological father). So the only danger is to her possible future children, and that if the gene is recessive.
deathjavu
Hence why I said Walky doesn’t quite understand biology
Segnosaur
He may be thinking that the “no neck” condition is something that develops later in life. In that case Becky would still have a neck now but would lose it later (unless, as walky quipped, the gene is recessive)
Walky just doesn’t try to understand sciences. Let’s remember that in all universes Walky perfer fantasy stuff over factual science since he finds reality boring like some delusional manchild.
Madock345
Rude lol
I don’t think I would describe any version of Wally as a delusional man-child
By the comic book time they are old and economically stable enough to consider children, genetically engineering a child from two XX people will be trivial biotech.
Sunny
I think in theory all that’s needed is two egg cells, take the chromosomes from one, put them into the other and induce cell division. I wonder whether it would be more advantageous for two women in a relationship to be pregnant at the same time, or to take turns. I can see pros and cons either way.
Seregiel
Depends how many toilets are in the house and how bad morning sickness gets. Source: was preggo at the same time as a friend. Bathrooms were precious.
Agemegos
It can probably be done with one egg cell and a somatic (body) cell. Such fertilisation has been demonstrated with mice.
By the time this strip gets to the point where Dina and Becky are financially and socially ready for a baby we’ll be three-D printing them, with computer-generated genomes.
If it’s dominant then presumably he developed the no-neck physique as an adult and likely Becky will as well. In reality, such things are most likely controlled be a number of genes.
173 thoughts on “Recessive”
Ana Chronistic
“I can… break these cuffs!”
“you can’t break these cuffs”
“rrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRR“
deathjavu
The ytmnd remix(?) of that is still referenced among my friend group to this day.
Needfuldoer
This one, or the music video?
I’m glad YTMND is getting a nostalgic resurgence. It’s an early-aughts Internet staple, like Newgrounds and phpbb2.
StClair
So we’ve moved from ’90s net.nostalgia to ’00s? Figures.
Wheel in the sky keeps on turning…
Needfuldoer
90s pop culture nostalgia should stick around a while longer. I just miss the early 2000s Internet.
deathjavu
The music video one (https://youtu.be/JQTXawaAKNA). The most common place it came up was the gym…
I miss the gym 🙁
Ana Chronistic
The music video is the one our friend told us about
Hadn’t actually seen it before today ?
K. Ivan Ruppert
Meanwhile, I imagine that Dorothy and Sarah are undoing the tape around each others’ wrists.
Meagan
Yes please. Joyce is the distraction! Gotta say, I love how Walky’s approach is humor, and Joyce’s is anger. I imagine some of the other character *are* feeling traumatized right now, but it is nice to know some of them are having resilient reactions.
Ana Chronistic
I’d imagine Dotty and Amber more, they seemed to have landed better for that
BBCC
Look, it’s early, give her a minute!
Suet
Hulk out, in transcendence.
Walky, that’s no good
Doctor_Who
“It’s devastating. You’re devastated.”
(Currently re-watching that show. May be my fave sitcom of all time.)
Radiance
Ross, ya basic.
Mada
Well now I’m picturing Joyce knocking him down and performing an Atomic Leg Drop.
ian livs
If there’s a moment for a perfect precision F-bomb, Joyce, this is the scene
Schpoonman
Oh, we might get one out of her this arc!
Took her five years to say “damn” only took another five to say “fuck.”
Rose by Any Other Name
Better yet, free us and then imagine we are still here.
clif
Is that what they mean by the power of imagination?
Enkrod
Ross is quite apt at imagining things that are not really there.
Johan
Walkie the fucking hypeman
Doctor_Who
Now picturing Joyce as a pro wrestler and Walky as her manager.
No, scratch that, too general.
Imagining Joyce dressed as the Undertaker and Walky as Paul Bearer.
Shiro
….ahhhh, I see why it was necessary to have Walky whip out a superhero mask now
Well played Willis, well played
(I haven’t been reading the comments, so my apologies if this revelation’s already been had)
Stephen Bierce
Don’t start a fight
And I’m not your captive
Turn me on tonight
–‘Cause I’m Radioactive! Radioactive!
Geneseepaws
Hey Ross,
You don’t know it
Right now, tonight;
But I got’a pocket full of
Kryptonite.
Geneseepaws
Only I kind-a tied up, ATM…..
Nah
He’s so supportive of her rage.
Vangeln
Is Amber trying to hulk out, too? Or trying to not?
Miri
Amber theories:
1) This has caused memory leak across her personas (is that a thing with DID?) and she’s currently processing whatever happened with Mike
2) Lying down has meant she’s gone to sleep
3) She’s regretting the split from Amazigirl
4) She saw somebody else involved and knows her dad’s part of this…
5) Some combination of the above
Needfuldoer
If the right-hand figure from yesterday really is Blaine, maybe her realizing it’s him will knock that nagging thought to the forefront.
Sam
They tend to be referred to as alters. Memories can leak through though I think. Protector alters often try to hide traumatic memories but they can come out for others if there are enough triggers to my knowledge. Memory tends to be compartmentalised where some are shared and others aren’t but like all biological and mental things, it ain’t going to be perfect so I’m sure leaks for memories can occur.
JetstreamGW
Joyce, just get Walky to chew the tape off after they leave.
Sirksome
Don’t underestimate Joyce! She’s the strongest woman here!
SuperZero
Easily top four, at least.
clif
Joyce stronger than Amber? Not so sure. Amber has carried Billie and her extra poundage before.
Sirksome
Amber’s also sleep deprived. Sadly she’s not even part of the conversation because of it.
Dr. T
I don’t know, it looks as though she is busy. Notice how Ethan was positioned in the first panel. He then leans forward, which moved his hands towards Amber’s mouth, which is conveniently placed just off panel. She may be busy chewing Ethan’s bindings loose.
Ivy
Did this man just watch a bunch of college kids get tossed down a set of stairs onto a hard floor with their hands taped together, one at a time, and then, allowing time for a dramatic pause, ask if everyone’s okay? I dunno, Ross, maybe you should have voiced a protest before they got thrown down, at least?
Regalli
It’s easy to show concern once they can’t do anything about it. Or punch you in the face again for showing your face in this town again.
Agemegos
Maybe? I think he did at least some of the tossing.
I used to be able to toss people (when I was Jacob’s age). It’s a tricky job for one person, especially when you are called on to toss someone Ethan’s size.
BigDogLittleCat
A bunch of kidnapped college kids, no less.
If you’re going to be concerned about their well being, ask before they’re kidnapped.
Delicious Taffy
He’s on another planet, mentally, and stupid besides.
Dr. Gonzo
And he has put his faith and trust in a amoral psychopath.
Delicious Taffy
On top of that, he’s trusting Blaine.
Geneseepaws
Who is, conveniently, standing right behind him….
poofdepoof
Here to acknowledge your joke
Chaucer59
I don’t know, kids. I think Ross might be reevaluating his relationship with Blaine about now.
Miri
Also wondering what exactly “whatever it takes” means, should mean, etc, and how this fits in with the bigger picture of generally being a rule-obiding individual.
It’s possible that Joyce will angrily quote scripture/Church doctrine at him in such a way that he realises he has lost the plot and is looking for it in places the plot would not and could not ever be…
Meagan
Yeah I see where this is going. Ross is definitely going to break with Blaine. The thing is, is he smart enough to do so in a way that is actually helpful? I kinda doubt it.
Geneseepaws
If toe-Dad has turned his back on Blaine, he’s sooopit. You don’t want a bad guy standing behind you,… at the top of the stairs, where he is getting rid of his troubles.
Needfuldoer
I think Ross genuinely doesn’t want to cause more damage than he has to. He has a singular goal: get Becky to conversion therapy. That’s obviously a terrible goal, but it’s the only thing he’s after. Going along with Blaine’s plan is just a means to that end for him, and he justifies it the same way Carol does. Remember when he kidnapped Becky at gunpoint? He pointed the rifle at the girls, which is awful, but he didn’t hesitate to drop it as soon as he got what he wanted.
Blaine’s the self-styled criminal mastermind looking to cause as much splash damage as possible. He’s trying to enact some kind of revenge against a daughter he finds disappointing.
(Please don’t take this as a justification for any of Toedad and/or the Blaine’s actions, because it absolutely is not. I’m trying to analyze their motives.)
T Campbell
I appreciate more than words can say that David keeps characters like Ross and Blaine consistent with their own worldview rather than just make them generic horrible people who enjoy doing horrible things. “The cruelty is the point” is only true in very limited contexts, but too many people these days think it’s all they need to know about anyone aligned against them. Humanity is much more complex than that, which makes it more beautiful and far, far more dangerous. Ross will probably never stop believing he’s a good and gentle person. Certainly what happened to Mike wasn’t enough to persuade him.
Needfuldoer
That’s exactly it. Both have their own motivations for perpetrating this scheme, and they’ve been consistent with what we know about them as characters. They haven’t been reduced to stock villains.
Ross is a horribly misguided man whose judgement is clouded by religious extremism. He wants what he thinks is best for his daughter, even though what he thinks is “best” is abhorrent. He has put on shows of force, but hasn’t acted upon them unless he’s faced with opposition to his mission. (Again, not trying to downplay or apologize for his actions.)
Blaine is evil. He wants revenge on Amber for being timid. He’s motivated by personal gain. He’s roped additional victims into the situation (Mike and the basement captives). He doesn’t care how much damage he causes along the way, as long as he gets what he wants.
Agemegos
Why does Walky want Becky to be a carrier of a recessive gene for necklessness?
deathjavu
Cause if it’s dominant, Becky would also have no neck?
…calculus may not be the only subject Walky doesn’t quite understand
Agemegos
He can see that she does have a neck.
Which if it were dominant would mean that Becky didn’t have it (Ross being either heterozygous or not Becky’s biological father). So the only danger is to her possible future children, and that if the gene is recessive.
deathjavu
Hence why I said Walky doesn’t quite understand biology
Segnosaur
He may be thinking that the “no neck” condition is something that develops later in life. In that case Becky would still have a neck now but would lose it later (unless, as walky quipped, the gene is recessive)
abysswatcher1993
Walky just doesn’t try to understand sciences. Let’s remember that in all universes Walky perfer fantasy stuff over factual science since he finds reality boring like some delusional manchild.
Madock345
Rude lol
I don’t think I would describe any version of Wally as a delusional man-child
abysswatcher1993
Maybe if Becky and Dina decide to have artificial insemination, but I don’t know if they want children.
Needfuldoer
They’d need Walkyverse Joe’s super soaker to pull that off.
Slartibeast Button, BIA
By the comic book time they are old and economically stable enough to consider children, genetically engineering a child from two XX people will be trivial biotech.
Sunny
I think in theory all that’s needed is two egg cells, take the chromosomes from one, put them into the other and induce cell division. I wonder whether it would be more advantageous for two women in a relationship to be pregnant at the same time, or to take turns. I can see pros and cons either way.
Seregiel
Depends how many toilets are in the house and how bad morning sickness gets. Source: was preggo at the same time as a friend. Bathrooms were precious.
Agemegos
It can probably be done with one egg cell and a somatic (body) cell. Such fertilisation has been demonstrated with mice.
By the time this strip gets to the point where Dina and Becky are financially and socially ready for a baby we’ll be three-D printing them, with computer-generated genomes.
clif
If it’s dominant then presumably he developed the no-neck physique as an adult and likely Becky will as well. In reality, such things are most likely controlled be a number of genes.
Agemegos
Why is that presumable? I have been neckless since birth.
Lingo
So your choice of avatar is … due to envy?
Agemegos
Absolutely!
I’m not black, either. And I can’t fly.
Meagan