Yeah seriously.
Like, I already said stuff before about how Ruth is doing this stupid break up thing for all the wrong reasons.
Billie here is just proving that point. At this point, regardless of what came before, they had something healthy and positive. And Ruth is about to blow it up for no good reason.
… unless there’s some unexpected twist. Cause that never happens in this comic.
Originally I disagreed, and thought Billie wasn’t maturing out of the hate-love/self-destructive part of the relationship. But, honestly, this arc makes it seem more healthy and balanced than it has been. So, more likely, Ruth is having immense cognitive dissonance from being abused, and subconsciously self-destructing. Makes me sad, even if it isn’t surprising at this age.
DashWallkick
There’s no way that’s not what’s happening. She is happy and doesn’t think she deserves it and the harder she pushes the more Billie leans in and vice versa so she’s just going to tank the whole thing bc she’s not comfortable trying to be at peace. Poor fucking girl.
StClair
Happiness always ends. Always. So why not just skip ahead to the part where it goes, and avoid all of that dread and anticipation?
StClair
* where it does,
(how did I mistype that? :p )
Anon200
Using that logic, you could justify a healthy person committing suicide, just because they gonna die someday.
Eh. I still think Ruth is allowed to break up with her if she crossed her own lines of moral acceptability and cannot forgive herself for it. Because she clearly still harbors a lot of guilt about the fact she would have let her girlfriend die or even helped her do it. And a foundation filled with guilt can be very shaky.
Taellosse
‘Course she’s “allowed” – but that doesn’t mean that choice is a healthy one, or “the right thing to do.”
The fact is, making major decisions while still trying to achieve psychological equilibrium soon after not only significant trauma but also going on mood-altering medication and entering therapy for the first time isn’t especially wise. Especially if you feel compelled to conceal such decisions from your therapist until after it’s too late to be counseled on them.
Even when the neurochemistry of depression is being chemically corrected, it doesn’t address the patterns of thought and self-image a person suffering the condition will have established. That’s why effective treatment usually includes therapy as well – because it takes work and guidance to retrain one’s brain and build healthier thought patterns – and until that work is done, trusting one’s own emotional instincts remains risky at best.
Joy
What a well-balanced take. I completely agree with you.
Quick Billie tell her your lovely grandpa died and its good to have someone by side at those hard time, oh and give her family heirloom – grandma neckacle and suprise her with tickets to niagara falls with hotelroom with view.
Well, seeing as how she had a “thing” with Alice in highschool, they might be aware or suspect it. If they were ever actually around enough to see the two of them together, that is.
110 thoughts on “Idyllic”
BBCC
Y’know, that’s probably one of the least awkward ‘wanna meet my parents’ talks that I’ve seen. XD
Clif
I’ve had maybe four of those and not an awkward one in the bunch. So I dunno.
BBCC
IRL, yeah, but in fiction? Those are always awkward. 😛
ThunderNight
like, actually sacrifice or?
darkoneko
“Yes.”
Clif
It’s the best offer she’s had all night.
Ana Chronistic
“Sacrifice? I demand REAL FEMURS”
darkoneko
uuuuhm. So much for your idea, Ruth
Rose by Any Other Name
Yeah seriously.
Like, I already said stuff before about how Ruth is doing this stupid break up thing for all the wrong reasons.
Billie here is just proving that point. At this point, regardless of what came before, they had something healthy and positive. And Ruth is about to blow it up for no good reason.
… unless there’s some unexpected twist. Cause that never happens in this comic.
Mr.Morningstar
eeeh
i dunno about healthy tbh. Billie saying they can “act” Idyllic when Ruth wants Idyllic.
They did not have a healthy relationship. Having good moments does not make those toxic co-dependent parts go away
Delavan
Originally I disagreed, and thought Billie wasn’t maturing out of the hate-love/self-destructive part of the relationship. But, honestly, this arc makes it seem more healthy and balanced than it has been. So, more likely, Ruth is having immense cognitive dissonance from being abused, and subconsciously self-destructing. Makes me sad, even if it isn’t surprising at this age.
DashWallkick
There’s no way that’s not what’s happening. She is happy and doesn’t think she deserves it and the harder she pushes the more Billie leans in and vice versa so she’s just going to tank the whole thing bc she’s not comfortable trying to be at peace. Poor fucking girl.
StClair
Happiness always ends. Always. So why not just skip ahead to the part where it goes, and avoid all of that dread and anticipation?
StClair
* where it does,
(how did I mistype that? :p )
Anon200
Using that logic, you could justify a healthy person committing suicide, just because they gonna die someday.
StClair
Yes, exactly.
It’s pretty fucked up!
Sam
Eh. I still think Ruth is allowed to break up with her if she crossed her own lines of moral acceptability and cannot forgive herself for it. Because she clearly still harbors a lot of guilt about the fact she would have let her girlfriend die or even helped her do it. And a foundation filled with guilt can be very shaky.
Taellosse
‘Course she’s “allowed” – but that doesn’t mean that choice is a healthy one, or “the right thing to do.”
The fact is, making major decisions while still trying to achieve psychological equilibrium soon after not only significant trauma but also going on mood-altering medication and entering therapy for the first time isn’t especially wise. Especially if you feel compelled to conceal such decisions from your therapist until after it’s too late to be counseled on them.
Even when the neurochemistry of depression is being chemically corrected, it doesn’t address the patterns of thought and self-image a person suffering the condition will have established. That’s why effective treatment usually includes therapy as well – because it takes work and guidance to retrain one’s brain and build healthier thought patterns – and until that work is done, trusting one’s own emotional instincts remains risky at best.
Joy
What a well-balanced take. I completely agree with you.
crow
Unfortunately, Ruth wrote it in her bullet journal, so she has to do it today
StClair
Ruth’s internal monologue:
“I know what I have to do, but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it.”
RassilonTDavros
That’s… actually very apropos, isn’t it.
Doctor_Who
“And I know what I WANT to do, but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it more than three or four times tonight.”
The Oracle
Three or four ain’t half bad.
Jahu
[golf clap]
foamy
Kill it, if you have to.
Keulen
Fortunately I’m pretty sure that lightsaber she had isn’t real.
Joe Moose
I’m getting serpent vs. Eve vibes here. [evilly tents fingers]
The Wellerman
A dinosaur destroying the oh so holy site!?!?!
HELL YEAH!!!! ??? ?
*plays “Avarice” by David Fenn on hacked muzak*
Cmasta1992
Damn this is so brutal to watch play out. She’s really fell hard for Ruth and is about to be totally blindsided
Dara
I know, it’s like, you know the train crashes and it crashes ugly and… omg, you know Mary is going to give herself credit, don’t you. Don’t you.
No wonder she was smug back in current day. Christ what a monster.
Needfuldoer
She’s been plenty smug this entire time.
Clif
In her defense, it’s hard to be that self-righteous without being smug.
Sirksome
Well now we know the real reason they broke up. No one’s allowed to see Jennifer’s parents.
Doctor_Who
Willis: “Shit, I don’t want to draw new characters, guess these two are having a horrible break-up.”
Jahu
Love the giant DON’T literally hanging over this conversation
Reltzik
Yup. Ruth’s planning to break up with Billie, and everything Billie suggests, Fundie Hell House is saying “DON’T.”
Oh, hey, and the alt-text.
newlland(Henryvolt)
Dumbing of age book 12 : “How’d you like to sacrifice me on this Altar to cursed love?”
The Wellerman
OK that would just be fucking PERFECT ?
newlland(Henryvolt)
?
DailyBrad
This storyline feels like I’ve taken a deep breath and I cannot let it out.
So much anticipation.
Clif
And by anticipation, we mean bittersweet joy and dread.
StClair
“SAY IT!”
Suet
*plays “Sacrifice” by Elton John on the Satan mannequin*
“Don’t” what?
Clif
Just don’t.
Kravis
Sacrifice me… With your tongue!
Clif
The genioglossus, the hyoglossus, the styloglossus, and the palatoglossus become ever more relevant.
milu
Meanwhile i’ll be warming up my damnyouwillus.
LiterallyJustSomeGuy
“I’m not sure *you’ve* met your parents” is an amazing response in this situation, and it hurts a little that it’s so fitting.
michaelinasmeal
I mean usually someone does the stabbing in the relationship, but with lesbians you never know which one.
Nova
Unless they’re in a stone top/pillow princess situation usually it’s both of them as and when they please.
King Daniel
Huh, just realized that Ruth’s triple negative does, in fact, mean that she doesn’t want the Billingsworth parents to come visit after all.
Not every day you see a triple negative.
Francoinblanco
Quick Billie tell her your lovely grandpa died and its good to have someone by side at those hard time, oh and give her family heirloom – grandma neckacle and suprise her with tickets to niagara falls with hotelroom with view.
Passchendaele
ruth no I want to see billie’s parents
Regalli
*Sigh* Someday.
Someday.
But not Halloween.
Passchendaele
it’d be really funny if we almost see billie’s parents in the final doa strip, and then the comic ends
Regalli
“If I asked, I could get at least one of them to visit.”
Ow.
Like we know what’s coming but also that says SO MUCH, once again, about the senior Billingsworths.
Sneakystorms
Huh, the tag is Billie instead of Jennifer in this one
King Daniel
Proof that Billie and Jennifer are different people! Jennifer is Mike, I’m telling you!!!11!!
Clif
You’ve convinced me.
Owlmirror
Yeah, and right after I pointed out that the tags of three strips said “billie” last strip, and they were changed to “jennifer” shortly thereafter.
I think someone has some sort of weird caching thing going on in their brain.
TBH, it happens to me as well.
Amós Batista
Willis have a cache bigger than Amazon and still have to change tags every day in all pages. Jesus bless him.
Agentomega
That triple negative tho
shanunu
Oooooooh. So THAT’S why Jennifer is so upset
C.T. Phipps
I wonder if Billie’s parents know she’s bi.
Bagge
I wonder if Billie’s parents know that she exists
King Daniel
I wonder if Billie’s parents know
Council
I wonder if Billie’s are parents
Needfuldoer
I wonder if Billie’s
Fay
Well, seeing as how she had a “thing” with Alice in highschool, they might be aware or suspect it. If they were ever actually around enough to see the two of them together, that is.