Tricky, exhausting, and it sounds like Sarah doesn’t have a great relationship with either of them. I’m worried even Hank – who I trust will generally handle this well – is going to have at least one moment where Joyce feels the need to soothe his worries at least a little, because this is such an alarmingly weird, terrible situation any reasonable parent (and quite a few unreasonable ones, I’m sure) would freak out a bit even when they’re trying to be supportive to the person who needs it and freak out with the less affected. Now, given Hank, I’m pretty sure he’d realize that and flip it back to her because her feelings are more important than his on the matter… But I’m not sure I could say the same thing about, oh I dunno, Linda, and the Clintons are complete unknowns. Even without that, it guarantees having an awkward conversation twice.
(Stacy and the Warners are a slightly different matter, since they’re pretty much all in the direct circle of impact – Stacy a bit less than Amber or the Warners, but still, HOLY FUCK HER EX KIDNAPPED THEIR DAUGHTER AND HER BEST FRIEND, AFTER PUTTING THE OTHER BEST FRIEND IN A COMA. Hits a bit differently than ‘that guy I tolerated for my daughter and her best friend’s sake died after trying to kidnap them again.’ The Siegals’ reaction is probably also some variation on ‘sweet fuck, we knew he was bad but this is a new level’ but their kid isn’t in a coma and thankfully, neither of them has ever had sex with Blaine O’Malley!)
(… That we know of, but like, to our knowledge Blaine is straight and Naomi is WAY too headstrong for him to target.)
Not disagreeing with you on any point, but I’d like to point out that Christians who want to force religion on others kidnapping a Jewish child might strike a bit of a nerve, depending on how much Naomi and Saul pay attention to and identify with the history of Christian persecution of Jews.
Obviously a forced conversion of an actual Jewish child wasn’t Ross’s actual goal when he grabbed Ethan, but it’s still the sort of thing which might (or might not) resonate with the Siegals.
thejeff
There might also be a bit of resonance in a different direction, since Naomi at least has been less than supportive about Ethan being gay. Maybe she’ll see just a little of herself in Ross and be repulsed by that.
Probably not.
Buli-Buli
Even odds, She decides it’s all Ethan’s fault for being out of the closet. Cause why else would a group of reactionary conservatives target him and his friends?
Azhrei Vep
It’s also not Ethan’s first experience being taken by an armed stranger, which … I’m not sure how that would affect his parents reaction, but it probably will. Reasonably, it should make them more solicitous of his feelings, but, well… I don’t know what to expect.
BBCC
They eventually got over it in the Walkyverse, maybe there’s hope for them here too.
NotPiffany
They’ve probably met Blaine before, so I think they’ll end up blaming him rather than Ross or Ethan. If Carol’s church decides to make trouble, though, I could see them bringing that up. Loudly.
Something tells me it’s not gonna be a wave for Joyce. Like it might be one small wave of comfort and then a shark jumps out the water and asks if Becky being gay was worth her father dying.
I have a feeling it will be super close to those exact words…. it might also end up with a divorce since the father isnt nearly as bad as her mother is.
Oh man. I can’t decide what’s better/worse* — Carol judging Becky sideways in conversation with Joyce or doing it to Becky’s face in EARSHOT of Joyce
OH OH OH — maybe Joyce is comforted by her family, realizes that Becky doesn’t have that anymore, asks her parents if she can come visit with them as well, and Carol drops something about this “all being her fault anyway”.
(*better and worse are interchangeable, because lbr, none of us would be reading this comic if we weren’t fully on board with being made sad.)
The sad part is the whole scheme really had nothing to do with Becky ultimately. She was actually just bait. So any point Carol could try to make toward that would be objectively false.
To Becky’s face would be worse. Joyce would be horrified that her mother thought that, but saying it to Becky would infuriate her. Becky must be protected.
I think Joyce has figured out quite well that at least half her family is not safe for Becky.
SuperZero
Joyce might injure her hand again if that happens.
Khyrin
or rip into Carol with a “No, you God. Damned. FUCKING harridan.The kidnapping was all about another girl. Becky was tertiary to O’Malley’s plot. A piece of bait he used to gather Mister MacIntyre as a pawn. Mister MacIntyre was killed when he was no longer convenient. His blood is on YOUR hands because YOU bailed him out. YOU allowed him to be there.”
If she says all that, Sal will let her ride the motorcycle.
NotPiffany
If she says all that, Sal will teach her how to drive her own motorcycle and possibly loan Joyce hers for the driving test.
Regalli
Even half, of the family she’s in contact with. (Slightly more if we count John’s wife but she’s offscreen.) Jocelyne helped Becky break into her home and get necessary documentation, while Hank helped her with (IIRC) setting up a bank account and was otherwise helpful getting them back on campus and supportive of Becky.
Jordan’s the tiebreaker and continues to be a complete unknown. Maybe he does drag. Or sex work. Maybe he’s gay. (I suspect not trans because we have no indication Jocelyne’s in contact there, though that’s not evidence in itself.) Maybe he converted to Roman Catholicism, or Mormonism. Hell, maybe he converted to Islam or Judaism. (Or Messianic Judaism, which is really just Christians appropriating but the Browns aren’t gonna see it that way.) Maybe he’s a diehard furry. All of these are equally likely possibilities, and since we don’t know anything about Jordan, we have no idea how supportive he’ll be if and when he finds out about the Becky situation.
not someone else
I suspect Jordan might be the “internet pornlord” section of self-insert.
adam Black
Joyce was already unmasked as the Dindong bandit.
You cant take it from her
Khyrin
now, now, there’s conceptual space for both of them.
Jordan can be the Internet Pornlord, and Joyce can be the Hardcopy Pornlord. And then they can collaborate when Jordan handles the online distribution of the spicy Julia Grey books, and Joyce does the dead-tree anthologies of Jordan’s works.
This is without counting that while they (or the mom at least) hate on Becky being gay, they have a transgender person (Jocelyn) right in their own family. Which to a lot of these die hard religious types is even worse than a gay kid.
I got offered pot in college, but they never pressured me when I declined. Of course that might be partly due to the fact they couldn’t breath because they were laughing so hard after I smelled the stuff and couldn’t stop sneezing…
Also let’s just calm down on the whole “Super villain” label. Like that’s an insult to real super villains. Blaine was a crazy dad with a mask fetish. He didn’t even succeed in his first ever evil plan and was beaten very easily. Then he ran away and got beaten again.
112 thoughts on “Separated”
Ana Chronistic
“STOP BEING PREDICTABLY WHOLESOME”
Kensou
It’s too late! The sentiment is out there!
Hornet
Predictable wholesomeness is predictable. You probably should’a seen it coming.
(Still adorable, though.)
clif
She did, but it was already too late .
Reltzik
“… so I should be randomly and unexpectedly wholesome instead?”
BBCC
Yeaaaahhhh, talking about that must be tricky.
But all the adorable sister bonding is too cute <3
Kyrik Michalowski
Indeed it is. If only Sarah wasn’t such a tsundere. 😛
zelgato
Accurate picture
Regalli
Tricky, exhausting, and it sounds like Sarah doesn’t have a great relationship with either of them. I’m worried even Hank – who I trust will generally handle this well – is going to have at least one moment where Joyce feels the need to soothe his worries at least a little, because this is such an alarmingly weird, terrible situation any reasonable parent (and quite a few unreasonable ones, I’m sure) would freak out a bit even when they’re trying to be supportive to the person who needs it and freak out with the less affected. Now, given Hank, I’m pretty sure he’d realize that and flip it back to her because her feelings are more important than his on the matter… But I’m not sure I could say the same thing about, oh I dunno, Linda, and the Clintons are complete unknowns. Even without that, it guarantees having an awkward conversation twice.
(Stacy and the Warners are a slightly different matter, since they’re pretty much all in the direct circle of impact – Stacy a bit less than Amber or the Warners, but still, HOLY FUCK HER EX KIDNAPPED THEIR DAUGHTER AND HER BEST FRIEND, AFTER PUTTING THE OTHER BEST FRIEND IN A COMA. Hits a bit differently than ‘that guy I tolerated for my daughter and her best friend’s sake died after trying to kidnap them again.’ The Siegals’ reaction is probably also some variation on ‘sweet fuck, we knew he was bad but this is a new level’ but their kid isn’t in a coma and thankfully, neither of them has ever had sex with Blaine O’Malley!)
(… That we know of, but like, to our knowledge Blaine is straight and Naomi is WAY too headstrong for him to target.)
Reltzik
Not disagreeing with you on any point, but I’d like to point out that Christians who want to force religion on others kidnapping a Jewish child might strike a bit of a nerve, depending on how much Naomi and Saul pay attention to and identify with the history of Christian persecution of Jews.
Obviously a forced conversion of an actual Jewish child wasn’t Ross’s actual goal when he grabbed Ethan, but it’s still the sort of thing which might (or might not) resonate with the Siegals.
thejeff
There might also be a bit of resonance in a different direction, since Naomi at least has been less than supportive about Ethan being gay. Maybe she’ll see just a little of herself in Ross and be repulsed by that.
Probably not.
Buli-Buli
Even odds, She decides it’s all Ethan’s fault for being out of the closet. Cause why else would a group of reactionary conservatives target him and his friends?
Azhrei Vep
It’s also not Ethan’s first experience being taken by an armed stranger, which … I’m not sure how that would affect his parents reaction, but it probably will. Reasonably, it should make them more solicitous of his feelings, but, well… I don’t know what to expect.
BBCC
They eventually got over it in the Walkyverse, maybe there’s hope for them here too.
NotPiffany
They’ve probably met Blaine before, so I think they’ll end up blaming him rather than Ross or Ethan. If Carol’s church decides to make trouble, though, I could see them bringing that up. Loudly.
Reed
damn you found familial bonds!!
Chris
She just told you not to say it.
Slartibeast Button, BIA
“I asked you not to tell me that.”
Deanatay
“…WHILE I was telling you that!”
Tirachokko
hahahahahahathesishiphassailed
long live the siship
OtterBoy1
It’s beautiful
Tirachokko
yes, b.c it is the only ship that is both functional and matters
Deanatay
*Starship Joece orbits by overhead*
Hornet
Priorities.
Doctor_Who
I mean, Sarah got to hit people with a bat yesterday, that makes up for a lot of things.
It’s like, even if I sleep badly and have a rough day at work, if there’s sushi for dinner then that day is a B+ regardless.
Hitting people with a bat is Sarah’s sushi.
Nono
What if Sarah doesn’t like sushi?
Leorale
Then she can hit it with a bat.
Azhrei Vep
Or would she enjoy hitting it that much more?
zelgato
She can toss them at the person. and hit them and the sushi with one homerun swing.
NinjaNick
Sisters!
Sirksome
Something tells me it’s not gonna be a wave for Joyce. Like it might be one small wave of comfort and then a shark jumps out the water and asks if Becky being gay was worth her father dying.
Swithchris
I have a feeling it will be super close to those exact words…. it might also end up with a divorce since the father isnt nearly as bad as her mother is.
Jezi
Oh man. I can’t decide what’s better/worse* — Carol judging Becky sideways in conversation with Joyce or doing it to Becky’s face in EARSHOT of Joyce
OH OH OH — maybe Joyce is comforted by her family, realizes that Becky doesn’t have that anymore, asks her parents if she can come visit with them as well, and Carol drops something about this “all being her fault anyway”.
(*better and worse are interchangeable, because lbr, none of us would be reading this comic if we weren’t fully on board with being made sad.)
Sirksome
The sad part is the whole scheme really had nothing to do with Becky ultimately. She was actually just bait. So any point Carol could try to make toward that would be objectively false.
thejeff
Sort of. Ross was all about kidnapping Becky.
BigDogLittleCat
To Becky’s face would be worse. Joyce would be horrified that her mother thought that, but saying it to Becky would infuriate her. Becky must be protected.
I think Joyce has figured out quite well that at least half her family is not safe for Becky.
SuperZero
Joyce might injure her hand again if that happens.
Khyrin
or rip into Carol with a “No, you God. Damned. FUCKING harridan.The kidnapping was all about another girl. Becky was tertiary to O’Malley’s plot. A piece of bait he used to gather Mister MacIntyre as a pawn. Mister MacIntyre was killed when he was no longer convenient. His blood is on YOUR hands because YOU bailed him out. YOU allowed him to be there.”
elebenty
If she says all that, Sal will let her ride the motorcycle.
NotPiffany
If she says all that, Sal will teach her how to drive her own motorcycle and possibly loan Joyce hers for the driving test.
Regalli
Even half, of the family she’s in contact with. (Slightly more if we count John’s wife but she’s offscreen.) Jocelyne helped Becky break into her home and get necessary documentation, while Hank helped her with (IIRC) setting up a bank account and was otherwise helpful getting them back on campus and supportive of Becky.
Jordan’s the tiebreaker and continues to be a complete unknown. Maybe he does drag. Or sex work. Maybe he’s gay. (I suspect not trans because we have no indication Jocelyne’s in contact there, though that’s not evidence in itself.) Maybe he converted to Roman Catholicism, or Mormonism. Hell, maybe he converted to Islam or Judaism. (Or Messianic Judaism, which is really just Christians appropriating but the Browns aren’t gonna see it that way.) Maybe he’s a diehard furry. All of these are equally likely possibilities, and since we don’t know anything about Jordan, we have no idea how supportive he’ll be if and when he finds out about the Becky situation.
not someone else
I suspect Jordan might be the “internet pornlord” section of self-insert.
adam Black
Joyce was already unmasked as the Dindong bandit.
You cant take it from her
Khyrin
now, now, there’s conceptual space for both of them.
Jordan can be the Internet Pornlord, and Joyce can be the Hardcopy Pornlord. And then they can collaborate when Jordan handles the online distribution of the spicy Julia Grey books, and Joyce does the dead-tree anthologies of Jordan’s works.
Thanatos
NSFL- Not safe for Lesbian
Bleuryder
This is without counting that while they (or the mom at least) hate on Becky being gay, they have a transgender person (Jocelyn) right in their own family. Which to a lot of these die hard religious types is even worse than a gay kid.
FacelessDeviant
Homophobe shark du-du-dududu!
Geneseepaws
He said he had no problem dying for Becky, …so yeah, fait accompli.
zelgato
Its reallly all going to end up with Joyce punching her mom
Stephen Bierce
*resists the urge to play “We Are Family”…*
Juanoku
It’s not everyday you get to get kidnapped by an actual masked supervillain
Kyrik Michalowski
Damn these familial bonds I’ve developed for this admittedly annoying but sweet girl.
Now how are Sarah/Joyce going to react when they find out Carol helped get Toe-dead out on bail?
Robbie
Don’t they already know that?
Kyrik Michalowski
I don’t think so? Maybe? I was under the impression she knew her church got him out, but didn’t know if Carol was involved.
Mra
I think Joyce suspected it after Carol called her on Hank’s phone.
Robbie
Went back and looked. they know https://www.dumbingofage.com/2020/comic/book-10/02-to-remind-you-of-my-love/approved-2/
Robbie
Though it would be easy to forget since the biggest drama in that strip for me personally was Joyce’s toenail
Kyrik Michalowski
Ah, well that clears that up. Thanks for finding that.
Also, my mispelling of Toe-dad is on point, if unintentionally so.
mrnoidea
Holy crap, that felt like forever ago, but that was, what, yesterday or the day before in comic time?
Reltzik
I see that Sarah doesn’t want to be related to Carol.
Mr D
Wait does that mean Sarah simply doesn’t want to talk to her parents or doesn’t want to talk to them about the event?
Minim
Yes.
The Coolest Child
To be fair, I don’t see being kidnapped by a masked murderer happening a lot to most college students.
My experience mostly revolved around all-nighters and being pressured to do pot while watching the Office.
Kyrik Michalowski
I wish people would have offered me pot during college.
Keulen
I’m kinda disappointed that I was never offered pot when I was in college.
Geneseepaws
There was some growing outside the cave of our instructor, the year he taught flint-knapping.
mrnoidea
This was me to a T in…September 2016?
Though it wouldn’t have helped that I was also drunk when the guy pressured me.
Axel
the only people who ever put actual pressure on me to smoke weed* or drink were ‘adults,’ ie, my parents’ generation.
(*no one ever tried to push cigarettes on me, ever)
Thanatos
I got offered pot in college, but they never pressured me when I declined. Of course that might be partly due to the fact they couldn’t breath because they were laughing so hard after I smelled the stuff and couldn’t stop sneezing…
Sirksome
Also let’s just calm down on the whole “Super villain” label. Like that’s an insult to real super villains. Blaine was a crazy dad with a mask fetish. He didn’t even succeed in his first ever evil plan and was beaten very easily. Then he ran away and got beaten again.
Mra
He’s a Super-incompetent Villain.
Opus the Poet