As vast majority is aways getting apologetical to Joe, I’ll be for Sarah.
She’s not obligated to sorry him. At least not now.
Her point of view is so disperse in history, we didn’t see her watching Joe improving or something. She got all she can, and we don’t know deep in her history.
PS: don’t be worried about Sarah’s threat.
Reading Willis’s DoA Tumblr, you can see that Joyce and Joe will be fine and together in future (you can see it here and here (yes, there was another preview of
Joe and Joyce, but perhaps I’ve seen something nobody should…)
So, if Sarah really has tried to break them up, it will flunk hard.
1: I don’t trust Mr. @damnyouwillis a goddamn inch :D.
2: That said, I do read Sarah’s comment as more grumbly snideness than an actual mission statement. Wouldn’t shock me if she doesn’t do anything but small, petty things at opportune moments to jab at Joe.
Decidedly Orthogonal
Yeah Sarah’s style isn’t to actively undermine. She works with the truth when it’s been revealed to her but not yet to others. Also, she does it when she sees that it actually helps, not just out of spite. This is still on Joe to fuck up or make work.
Me? I see Joe fucking up in a way he thinks is unforgivable, and Sarah having come around on him a bit and helping when she sees what he’s been doing emotionally with Joyce.
All that said. I was *probably* wrong about his previous reaction, but it’s cool that he just stayed around to see what’s up and offer apologies.
I’m not really sure that link shows things are positive for Joyce/Joe (or for Dina/Becky for that matter) … but really, that’s February … so in DoA time it’s what, next week?
PS 2: Before anything: Joe’s not a monster, or something like this.
He’s just a handsome and lucky boy, that deals with sex with much freedom and perversion. And he’s trying to improve himself to fix errors he has made before.
not to blame the parents but I really do want to see joe do a therapy re: his dad’s philandering and joe’s keeping it casual so no one gets hurt avoidance deal
MM
One of these days, I’m going to remember to nominate the head of IU’s mental health services for a Patreon bonus strip.
Yeet
I wouldn’t be surprised if they had some turnover following the whole kidnapping thing
I mean, I don’t think Sarah has done anything wrong here at all. She’s been a bit overly protective of Joyce, but now that Joyce has put her foot down, she’s walking away.
That’s good. It’s not the end of the story. It’s a good development in their friendship. The threat into the air is ominous, but you’re allowed to be privately ominous. It’ll be interesting to see if she actually has any concrete ideas on how to break them up, given that her last idea was “throw Joyce at him”.
Support for this comment. She’s setting her own boundaries while respecting Joyce and getting out of her hair. For now. If she does actually scheme something it’ll be another story, but for now she’s doing alright.
If she believes Joe will inevitably fuck up and break Joyce’s heart, and is preparing herself to catch her with an “I told you so” when it happens, that’s one thing.
If she’s planning to actively sabotage their relationship, that’s crossing a line.
Her motivation isn’t wrong, but last time she schemed to break up a couple, it worked and there was a lot of collateral damage, including Joyce. Impossible to see how she could break up Joe and Joyce without hurting her again. I hope she realizes before its too late.
In Raidah’s defense (a thing I say more often then I would like to) she wasn’t as directly aware of the severity of the breakdown and she’s implied to know things Sarah doesn’t about Dana’s current status and home life
morleuca
But she also didn’t care enough to verify what Sarah was saying. She just unilaterally decided Sarah was overreacting and dismissed it. Because it didn’t fit in with Raidah’s plans so was therefor unimportant. Until Sarah messed that up, for Raidah. Regardless of what Dana’s dealing with outside of school, make no mistake Raidah’s primary issue is that Dana leaving caused Raidah to lose some future marker in Raidahs fantasy power brokerage.
Chubsius
Personally, I no longer trust what Raidah did or didn’t know. After seeing how much she schemes and manipulates, I can’t. For example, if Jennifer started to spiral again, would you believe Raidah if she said she never noticed? Frankly, at this point I’d wonder if she was working an angle, letting things get worse so she can act the savior and get close to some rich parents.
In fact, that’s my new headcannon. Raidah hates Sarah so much because Sarah ruined her own scheme to let Dana really hit rock bottom and then call the Dad. And Sarah didn’t even try to use it for her own gain, the gall…
thejeff
But you have to consider those implications about Dana’s current status in light of Raidah not being able to see through the false front Dana was putting up in public. She was wrong then, do we trust her take on how Dana was doing at home?
“last I checked” is Raidah making the implication, not Willis / the situation. It’s the kind of thing someone might say if they have not actually checked anytime recently, but wanted to give the impression they had.
thejeff
Fair. Since it was at the start of last semester, it was probably over the summer at best anyway.
And we already know Raidah wasn’t a good judge of how Dana was doing, even when they were in contact regularly at school.
HueSatLight
I expect neither of them are currently in touch with Dana.
Yeah that still is disappointing. Like Joe definitely felt like he had better survival instincts than to loudly shout he would bone someone else right in front of Sarah. But we needed a way to Kickstart this plot and give Sarah some justification for her behavior so here we are…
I believe it WAS a joke because this is a comic. I think It was an exaggeration of what, in reality would likely be more like “What? REALLY?” In an excited tone, which implies the same thing in less words and is less funny. It likely wasnt meant to convey that Joe truly is so irredeemable, as he has been shown to be seeking redemption even before dating Joyce.
Joyce, the trick is that you need to get Sarah a little angry. You don’t want her to be nice to Joe (because that ain’t gonna happen), or to give him a chance (because she’ll be watching it all like a hawk which will cause its own issues), but rather just getting her to go “fuck it, fine, you be an idiot yourself, I’m out”.
Sarah’s not big on redemption or second chances. She’s huge on apathy, she fucking loves apathy, appeal to her apathy!
Following on what Ursula said, Joe is also in Sarah’s room. Forcing Sarah to say “fuck it” by leaving where she sleeps and studies is not conducive to apathy.
I do like Sarah, but she really does need to recognize Joyce’s competence and agency in a way she only partially does so far, along with the existing Raidah Problem, not that Joe has been shown to have any real issue with her harshness. (If anything, he likes that about her.)
207 thoughts on “Unlock”
Ana Chronistic
a
sexy, sexysweet, wholesome catastropheNGPZ
YES! ?
Now Joe and Joyce, the couple figuring have some space to themselves, figuring out what to burn in a cathartic experience they will never forget. ?
*plays “Unforgetting” by Devin Church on hacked muzak*
Yotomoe
The best kinda catstrophe
shadowcell
Sarah’s version of forgiveness never made it out of beta
UrsulaDavina
And there were so many stretch goals met on the kickstarter!
Amós Batista
As vast majority is aways getting apologetical to Joe, I’ll be for Sarah.
She’s not obligated to sorry him. At least not now.
Her point of view is so disperse in history, we didn’t see her watching Joe improving or something. She got all she can, and we don’t know deep in her history.
Amós Batista
PS: don’t be worried about Sarah’s threat.
Reading Willis’s DoA Tumblr, you can see that Joyce and Joe will be fine and together in future (you can see it here and here (yes, there was another preview of
Joe and Joyce, but perhaps I’ve seen something nobody should…)
So, if Sarah really has tried to break them up, it will flunk hard.
Wraithy2773
1: I don’t trust Mr. @damnyouwillis a goddamn inch :D.
2: That said, I do read Sarah’s comment as more grumbly snideness than an actual mission statement. Wouldn’t shock me if she doesn’t do anything but small, petty things at opportune moments to jab at Joe.
Decidedly Orthogonal
Yeah Sarah’s style isn’t to actively undermine. She works with the truth when it’s been revealed to her but not yet to others. Also, she does it when she sees that it actually helps, not just out of spite. This is still on Joe to fuck up or make work.
Me? I see Joe fucking up in a way he thinks is unforgivable, and Sarah having come around on him a bit and helping when she sees what he’s been doing emotionally with Joyce.
All that said. I was *probably* wrong about his previous reaction, but it’s cool that he just stayed around to see what’s up and offer apologies.
Dunedon
I’m not really sure that link shows things are positive for Joyce/Joe (or for Dina/Becky for that matter) … but really, that’s February … so in DoA time it’s what, next week?
Amós Batista
There’s another Preview, and they are huging. But it got deleted.
Amós Batista
PS 2: Before anything: Joe’s not a monster, or something like this.
He’s just a handsome and lucky boy, that deals with sex with much freedom and perversion. And he’s trying to improve himself to fix errors he has made before.
clif
Perversion?
Tell us more.
Amós Batista
You’re mocking me, aren’t you?
Yeet
not to blame the parents but I really do want to see joe do a therapy re: his dad’s philandering and joe’s keeping it casual so no one gets hurt avoidance deal
MM
One of these days, I’m going to remember to nominate the head of IU’s mental health services for a Patreon bonus strip.
Yeet
I wouldn’t be surprised if they had some turnover following the whole kidnapping thing
Jamie
I mean, I don’t think Sarah has done anything wrong here at all. She’s been a bit overly protective of Joyce, but now that Joyce has put her foot down, she’s walking away.
That’s good. It’s not the end of the story. It’s a good development in their friendship. The threat into the air is ominous, but you’re allowed to be privately ominous. It’ll be interesting to see if she actually has any concrete ideas on how to break them up, given that her last idea was “throw Joyce at him”.
Steelbright
Support for this comment. She’s setting her own boundaries while respecting Joyce and getting out of her hair. For now. If she does actually scheme something it’ll be another story, but for now she’s doing alright.
Needfuldoer
If she believes Joe will inevitably fuck up and break Joyce’s heart, and is preparing herself to catch her with an “I told you so” when it happens, that’s one thing.
If she’s planning to actively sabotage their relationship, that’s crossing a line.
HueSatLight
Her motivation isn’t wrong, but last time she schemed to break up a couple, it worked and there was a lot of collateral damage, including Joyce. Impossible to see how she could break up Joe and Joyce without hurting her again. I hope she realizes before its too late.
Cmasta1992
And this is why to outside observers Raidah was right
MM
Ironically, Raidah would probably be in support of putting Joyce through a messy breakup.
Angel
well at least sarah is willing to leave and give them privacy rather than hovering above them
Freemage
Pity Raidah herself was not an outside observer, but fully present while she ignored a friend slowly spiraling into despair and addiction.
Thag Simmons
In Raidah’s defense (a thing I say more often then I would like to) she wasn’t as directly aware of the severity of the breakdown and she’s implied to know things Sarah doesn’t about Dana’s current status and home life
morleuca
But she also didn’t care enough to verify what Sarah was saying. She just unilaterally decided Sarah was overreacting and dismissed it. Because it didn’t fit in with Raidah’s plans so was therefor unimportant. Until Sarah messed that up, for Raidah. Regardless of what Dana’s dealing with outside of school, make no mistake Raidah’s primary issue is that Dana leaving caused Raidah to lose some future marker in Raidahs fantasy power brokerage.
Chubsius
Personally, I no longer trust what Raidah did or didn’t know. After seeing how much she schemes and manipulates, I can’t. For example, if Jennifer started to spiral again, would you believe Raidah if she said she never noticed? Frankly, at this point I’d wonder if she was working an angle, letting things get worse so she can act the savior and get close to some rich parents.
In fact, that’s my new headcannon. Raidah hates Sarah so much because Sarah ruined her own scheme to let Dana really hit rock bottom and then call the Dad. And Sarah didn’t even try to use it for her own gain, the gall…
thejeff
But you have to consider those implications about Dana’s current status in light of Raidah not being able to see through the false front Dana was putting up in public. She was wrong then, do we trust her take on how Dana was doing at home?
Mr D
“implied to know” Where?
thejeff
Way back at the start
HueSatLight
“last I checked” is Raidah making the implication, not Willis / the situation. It’s the kind of thing someone might say if they have not actually checked anytime recently, but wanted to give the impression they had.
thejeff
Fair. Since it was at the start of last semester, it was probably over the summer at best anyway.
And we already know Raidah wasn’t a good judge of how Dana was doing, even when they were in contact regularly at school.
HueSatLight
I expect neither of them are currently in touch with Dana.
RassilonTDavros
Either Joe and Joyce are already headed for catastrophe, or Sarah’s going to prove herself right by causing one.
clif
she needs to find a natural ally. Like, I dunno, Dorothy.
Shade
Dorothy already let it go after seeing how they work together.
Reltzik
… I question your use of the either/or framework.
Pergola
It’s sooo last millennium.
Doctor_Who
“I’ll get you, my pretty. And your little horndog too!”
Sorry, watching that movie right now, so it just popped into my head.
System_Anomaly
So it wasn’t a joke. Ugh.
Cmasta1992
Yeah that still is disappointing. Like Joe definitely felt like he had better survival instincts than to loudly shout he would bone someone else right in front of Sarah. But we needed a way to Kickstart this plot and give Sarah some justification for her behavior so here we are…
Amós Batista
I really hated this. If if will be like this, it will be hard to like him or ship him with Joyce…
Anon A Mouse
I believe it WAS a joke because this is a comic. I think It was an exaggeration of what, in reality would likely be more like “What? REALLY?” In an excited tone, which implies the same thing in less words and is less funny. It likely wasnt meant to convey that Joe truly is so irredeemable, as he has been shown to be seeking redemption even before dating Joyce.
thejeff
It might be meant to show that he’s still got a lot of work to do. That his first impulse is still to jump at the chance.
It’s not like we’ve ever seen him turn down sex.
Pergola
A missed chance by DYU.
Wraithy2773
Joyce, the trick is that you need to get Sarah a little angry. You don’t want her to be nice to Joe (because that ain’t gonna happen), or to give him a chance (because she’ll be watching it all like a hawk which will cause its own issues), but rather just getting her to go “fuck it, fine, you be an idiot yourself, I’m out”.
Sarah’s not big on redemption or second chances. She’s huge on apathy, she fucking loves apathy, appeal to her apathy!
UrsulaDavina
Problem is Sarah cares for Joyce alot so while normally apathy would take over in most scenarios this path probably won’t be fruitful.
Jamie
Following on what Ursula said, Joe is also in Sarah’s room. Forcing Sarah to say “fuck it” by leaving where she sleeps and studies is not conducive to apathy.
Bin
I’m sorry
I don’t care.
Sorry you’re a b!tch
WHAT THE H3LL DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME
OH, now you care
Mydnyt
I’m just happy to know thanks to future glimpses that my JoJo ship still sails for at least the next six months
Bryy
That’s, like, three days, though.
Opus the Poet
I foresee a scene where Joyce is weeping, “But I asked for it, I TOLD him to do it!”
Mr. Random
Plotting and Scheming her schemes and plots.
NGPZ
They will figure out what to burn, and experience an explosion of joy they will never forget! :,)
RacingTurtle
This universe’s Sarah when the Soggies rule: “This is Joe’s fault, isn’t it.”
(https://www.shortpacked.com/comic/fault-2)
DailyBrad
This is going to backfire on Sarah hard, isn’t it?
Good, actually.
Bryy
Yeah, she’s about to have an epiphany in the Worst Way Possible.
DailyBrad
I do like Sarah, but she really does need to recognize Joyce’s competence and agency in a way she only partially does so far, along with the existing Raidah Problem, not that Joe has been shown to have any real issue with her harshness. (If anything, he likes that about her.)
Agemegos
Like this: https://www.dumbingofage.com/2019/comic/book-10/01-birthday-pursuit/wanted/
Ty34er
Sarah, you aren’t the mother
Yotomoe
Yeah! Dorothy is the mother!
BBCC
Nope, she’s the older sister and when dealing with ‘used to be a scuzzball’ boyfriends, that can be even worse.
Yotomoe
https://i.imgur.com/e6vWh35.png
Someone told me they liked my Sarah so I drew this.
Blibdoolpoolp
“Don’t talk to me or my little sister ever again.”
RacingTurtle
You draw an excellent Sarah
Jeff K!
You draw an excellent everyone, to be honest!
eh, whatever
Reminds me of my two sisters, actually.
Wereg
Frankly, I just really like your artstyle in general.
Amós Batista
Best ship ever. Nice drawing, you got better each day;
zee
Yay
The way you draw Sarah has the energy of like, the unattainable hot older girl from an early 2000s cartoon
Dday