Carla is coming across as a submissive (NB I didn’t say “as submissive”) with masochistic tendencies. Carla may enjoy being degraded, or she just knows Malaya is at her most attentive when verbally degrading and wants her to give her that full attention while doing what makes Malaya happy.
Going to be interesting finding out.
Krys Brynhildr
Its seeming a bit more likely that when Carla was talking to Sal about “She’s not sneering at anyone from a wall? I mean I’m into that but…” that maybe she meant that she’s into being sneered at from a wall?
Well, she also really enjoys making people sing her praises and doesn’t seem to like people who actively hate her very existence and the whole “Shoves is Not Loves” thing as well…
So it seems like Carla is…complicated. That said its possible that certain sorts of being talked down to might be her “thing”, though it also is seeming like she’s partially just wants to be the focus of Malaya’s attention as well.
We’ll probably get more insight as we go along though…and yeah I can’t really dispute either of your suggestions either, but it seemed worth noting previous potential clues, or things that definitely were at least beyond the range of degradation that she enjoys for historical purposes.
thejeff
Yeah, this is all kind of weird. A previously unseen side of Carla, I guess?
I don’t really think either the kink (if that’s what it is) or the attraction to Malaya (if that’s what it is) were really set up before this sequence.
GoblinScribe
You kidding? Her being into Malaya has been set up ever since Carla found out Malaya was moving in. Remember how psyched she was? She actually went to Ruth specifically to have someone to squee about it to.
This is also the first time Carla’s had a crush, so it’s logically the first time we’d see how she expresses her crushes (in this case, being needy to the point of accepting any sort of attention—I’m not sure I buy the “masochist” reading yet).
thejeff
I guess. That seemed more like “Cool one of my other friends” (and “alliance against Mary”), but it could have been. I guess it’s more that she never showed any hint or really any real interest in Malaya beyond the necessary as part of their little gang of four.
Joyfulldreams
Being into degradation and stuff like that is not even close to being somehow contradictory towards not interpreting bullying and harassment as flattering. And it’s a very simple difference. One is solicited and another is not.
In fact, it actually makes quite a BIT of sense for a person who does not like unwanted aggressive behavior to enjoy consensual aggression and degradation. Because you get to do this thing with the trust that the person degrading you doesn’t actually wish you any harm, cares about your well-being, and will stop the second you don’t want it anymore. In one situation, you have no power, and in the latter situation, you do. It’s fun. It’s a fantasy. That is how kink works, lmao.
A little skeevy and weird for Carla to be at it when Malaya has literally no idea what’s going on, but like, jokes?
Zaxares
Yeah, as someone who is actually in the kink scene, I actually have a friend who did something very similar. When she was in college, she was sexually assaulted by a guy she knew. After she recovered, she started getting into BDSM as a way of actually confronting her fears (and finding out she enjoyed it). It was a kind of “I’m here in this situation again, but this time, it’s because I WANT to be, and because I know I have the power to stop it if I really want to. The choice is back in MY hands.”
Brains, let alone sexual preferences, are complicated things. 😉
I’d say that Carla may possibly get off on “humiliation/degradation”. While those fall under the “masochist” umbrella in the kink community, it’s entirely possible for someone to be into degradation but NOT actual physical pain (which is what most people think of when you mention masochism).
Shoves is not loves unless it’s within the context of an established relationship in which all parties have consented to such behaviour. So what Carla is doing here is still kind of gross.
GoblinScribe
While it could be counted as flirting in this case, I really don’t think Carla is necessarily expressing a kink here. I’m pretty sure she just wants to be a part of Malaya’s conversations and enjoys Malaya’s generally hostile attitude towards people.
For a moment I thought that would be a link to the strip where Danny sees Walky for the first time and freaks out because he looks like Sal (which, if memory serves, has since been stated to retroactively be an example of Danny’s Walkyverse bisexuality, seeing as he had dated Sal for some time before seeing Walky).
BBCC
See also: Her calling sex ‘gross things’ and also note the times on tumblr or the slip shine post where Willis has said Carla would not be into anything that goes on on slip shine, be they pin ups or porn.
I feel like Carla has some very unhealthy fixation with Malaya here. I don’t know if it’s just of the “any attention is good attention” variety or if she’s specifically drawn to the abuse. If it’s the former, I simply cannot fathom why. If it’s the latter, well… at least Malaya’s good at it.
That’s when she said she was Pretending
Like she knew the plan…
But then I knew she was Pretending
–Pretending to understand!
Pretending…–Eric Clapton in his Phil Collins phase
Probably for the same reason Sal expected her request for a “truce” to go over well that one night they fought. This is kinda a clever role reversal, actually. Now Malaya is trying to be nice, and Sal’s the one not buying it.
BBCC
Honestly, that ‘truce’ was about as transparent as saran wrap. Malaya actually seems to think she’d be taken on good faith here.
Jothki
I give it about an 80% chance that if Sal had given her an answer here, Malaya would have found some way to twist it into a criticism of Sal. She might not have actually intended to do it, but she’d reflexively do it anyway.
They need to fight or get over themselves.
Or more to the point, I want them to fight or get over themselves.
Hopefully, the next strip will show some progress in that area.
Can’t tell – is Marcie saying “not friendly” or “be more friendly”? It’s a bit tough because she’s not smiling while doing the “friendly” gesture it looks like.
150 thoughts on “Pretendin’”
Durandal_1707
Meanwhile, back at the ranch…
DailyBrad
Carla’s kink is equal parts troubling and sorta cute?
Doctor_Who
Those two adjectives can be combined in different proportions to describe basically the entire cast.
Stu
So… is Carla basically a masochist, or what?
Stellar
Carla is coming across as a submissive (NB I didn’t say “as submissive”) with masochistic tendencies. Carla may enjoy being degraded, or she just knows Malaya is at her most attentive when verbally degrading and wants her to give her that full attention while doing what makes Malaya happy.
Going to be interesting finding out.
Krys Brynhildr
Its seeming a bit more likely that when Carla was talking to Sal about “She’s not sneering at anyone from a wall? I mean I’m into that but…” that maybe she meant that she’s into being sneered at from a wall?
Well, she also really enjoys making people sing her praises and doesn’t seem to like people who actively hate her very existence and the whole “Shoves is Not Loves” thing as well…
So it seems like Carla is…complicated. That said its possible that certain sorts of being talked down to might be her “thing”, though it also is seeming like she’s partially just wants to be the focus of Malaya’s attention as well.
We’ll probably get more insight as we go along though…and yeah I can’t really dispute either of your suggestions either, but it seemed worth noting previous potential clues, or things that definitely were at least beyond the range of degradation that she enjoys for historical purposes.
thejeff
Yeah, this is all kind of weird. A previously unseen side of Carla, I guess?
I don’t really think either the kink (if that’s what it is) or the attraction to Malaya (if that’s what it is) were really set up before this sequence.
GoblinScribe
You kidding? Her being into Malaya has been set up ever since Carla found out Malaya was moving in. Remember how psyched she was? She actually went to Ruth specifically to have someone to squee about it to.
This is also the first time Carla’s had a crush, so it’s logically the first time we’d see how she expresses her crushes (in this case, being needy to the point of accepting any sort of attention—I’m not sure I buy the “masochist” reading yet).
thejeff
I guess. That seemed more like “Cool one of my other friends” (and “alliance against Mary”), but it could have been. I guess it’s more that she never showed any hint or really any real interest in Malaya beyond the necessary as part of their little gang of four.
Joyfulldreams
Being into degradation and stuff like that is not even close to being somehow contradictory towards not interpreting bullying and harassment as flattering. And it’s a very simple difference. One is solicited and another is not.
In fact, it actually makes quite a BIT of sense for a person who does not like unwanted aggressive behavior to enjoy consensual aggression and degradation. Because you get to do this thing with the trust that the person degrading you doesn’t actually wish you any harm, cares about your well-being, and will stop the second you don’t want it anymore. In one situation, you have no power, and in the latter situation, you do. It’s fun. It’s a fantasy. That is how kink works, lmao.
A little skeevy and weird for Carla to be at it when Malaya has literally no idea what’s going on, but like, jokes?
Zaxares
Yeah, as someone who is actually in the kink scene, I actually have a friend who did something very similar. When she was in college, she was sexually assaulted by a guy she knew. After she recovered, she started getting into BDSM as a way of actually confronting her fears (and finding out she enjoyed it). It was a kind of “I’m here in this situation again, but this time, it’s because I WANT to be, and because I know I have the power to stop it if I really want to. The choice is back in MY hands.”
Brains, let alone sexual preferences, are complicated things. 😉
Pablo360
It’s like immersion therapy but kinkier.
Zaxares
I’d say that Carla may possibly get off on “humiliation/degradation”. While those fall under the “masochist” umbrella in the kink community, it’s entirely possible for someone to be into degradation but NOT actual physical pain (which is what most people think of when you mention masochism).
foamy
It’s kinda weird though, this is the same lady who had a big rant directed at Ruth & Billie about how ‘shoves is not love’.
Emily
Shoves is not loves unless it’s within the context of an established relationship in which all parties have consented to such behaviour. So what Carla is doing here is still kind of gross.
GoblinScribe
While it could be counted as flirting in this case, I really don’t think Carla is necessarily expressing a kink here. I’m pretty sure she just wants to be a part of Malaya’s conversations and enjoys Malaya’s generally hostile attitude towards people.
Jago
I think she just wants attention from Malaya because she likes her.
Boots
Carla is into some interesting stuff
jeffepp
Carla just wants to get into a big, dirty, sex pile with all of them.
King Daniel
Carla’s asexual, so no.
laladoria
When was that said?
Haven
Don’t remember if it’s come up in DoA, but the rule is that sexuality is constant across universes and UC was asexual homoromantic in the Walkyverse.
laladoria
I remember her being those things in Shortpacked! but didn’t know they carried over as a rule, thanks for the info!
King Daniel
The rule also works in the reverse direction, so (for example) Walkyverse-Danny is canonically bisexual as well, though it never really came up there.
Amazi-Stool
It was (retro-activeley) arranged.
King Daniel
For a moment I thought that would be a link to the strip where Danny sees Walky for the first time and freaks out because he looks like Sal (which, if memory serves, has since been stated to retroactively be an example of Danny’s Walkyverse bisexuality, seeing as he had dated Sal for some time before seeing Walky).
BBCC
See also: Her calling sex ‘gross things’ and also note the times on tumblr or the slip shine post where Willis has said Carla would not be into anything that goes on on slip shine, be they pin ups or porn.
LeslieBean4Shizzle
Well really, who wouldn’t?
Gen
Amen!
Reltzik
Cuddle-pile. …. and maybe smoochy-pile.
BBCC
If Carla is anything like UC, kissing is also ‘gross stuff’.
timemonkey
But she also adopted it pretty quickly.
Opus the Poet
Site must be busted, comment count was zero.
And Sal needs to take the stick outta her butt, right after Malaya takes out hers.
Doctor_Who
Then they can have a stick fight!
King Daniel
Using the sticks that were in their butts? That sounds like a…crappy idea.
Shade
It would be a real shit show yes.
Stellar
Funnily enough, this is the first time a sticky shit show has sounded even remotely appealing
Screwball
Ah, do enjoy reading the comments on here, there’s more funny crap both in the comic & the conversations than you can poke a stick at…
David DeLaney
Leads right into the old joke –
“What’s brown and sticky? … … a stick!”
–Dave, please tip yer waitress, it might be Becky
adjudicus
Judging by their dispoosition, I’d say that outcome wood be very likely
Nono
Roller Derby Girls: Tall vs Short edition
BlackScarabZ
Nice to see that some things don’t change, regardless of the universe.
SpeckleSnowflake
Carla’s just an aggressive Tsundere
newllend(henryvolt)
Starved for attention much ?
Dandi_Andi
I feel like Carla has some very unhealthy fixation with Malaya here. I don’t know if it’s just of the “any attention is good attention” variety or if she’s specifically drawn to the abuse. If it’s the former, I simply cannot fathom why. If it’s the latter, well… at least Malaya’s good at it.
Shiro
Huh. Think Carla’s up to something?
Agemegos
Is she mocking Marcie?
leadsynth
Carla’s pretty much always up to something
Passchendaele
noooo Carla, don’t you know, these are the breakup stairs.
Tacos
But the Breakup Stairs are powerless if there’s no relationship to break up first.
No Name
There’s Marcie and Sal’s…
threePwny
DON’T YOU EVEN JOKE ABOUT IT
BBCC
Different kind of relationship and I don’t think they’re going to talk just yet. I think Marcie’s going to talk to Malaya and get shot down first.
Passchendaele
yeah but, it’s probably also a bad idea to *start* a relationship there
Stephen Bierce
That’s when she said she was Pretending
Like she knew the plan…
But then I knew she was Pretending
–Pretending to understand!
Pretending…–Eric Clapton in his Phil Collins phase
Keulen
Malaya, maybe if you weren’t a jerk to her almost every time you see each other, Sal might not react that way to you.
BBCC
Yeah, Sal’s hardly innocent but when you argue as much as those two, I’m not sure why Malaya expect to be taken in good faith.
GoblinScribe
Probably for the same reason Sal expected her request for a “truce” to go over well that one night they fought. This is kinda a clever role reversal, actually. Now Malaya is trying to be nice, and Sal’s the one not buying it.
BBCC
Honestly, that ‘truce’ was about as transparent as saran wrap. Malaya actually seems to think she’d be taken on good faith here.
Jothki
I give it about an 80% chance that if Sal had given her an answer here, Malaya would have found some way to twist it into a criticism of Sal. She might not have actually intended to do it, but she’d reflexively do it anyway.
BBCC
That sounds like an unfortunate likelihood.
BBCC
Damn, Carla might be even more into Malaya than Marcie.
Speaking of her, Marcie’s told Malaya to be nicer twice now. Maybe hearing Sal sing the other night had an impact.
PB
I squeaked.
Reltzik
…….
I don’t think Carla really DOES subtle.
cbwroses
They need to fight or get over themselves.
Or more to the point, I want them to fight or get over themselves.
Hopefully, the next strip will show some progress in that area.
m-m
Marcy’s saying “calm down,” right? (I cant tell what direction her palms are facing.)
BigDogLittleCat
I think her palms are facing in- last panel looks like her left thumb is out.
m-m
Good call! That would be “friendly” then…
Needfuldoer
Is she reiterating “be nice” from earlier? Maybe she’s not set on completely disowning Sal.
jmsr
Can’t tell – is Marcie saying “not friendly” or “be more friendly”? It’s a bit tough because she’s not smiling while doing the “friendly” gesture it looks like.
m-m
IIRC “Not friendly” is a 2-part sign. 1st you put your right thumb under your chin and then you make the “friendly” sign.
I think it’s just friendly.
BigDogLittleCat