Springtime for Hitler is truly the best way to describe what she seems to be doing, it’s like watching two trains heading toward each other but being unable to look away.
I’ve always read it as a play-feud. It’s Becky’s way of dealing with Joyce’s rejection and her own jealousy of being Joyce’s best friend and envy for the aspects of Joyce’s and Dorothy’s friendship that Becky doesn’t get.
Becky’s had a lot of difficult shit to process all at once. All things considered she’s doing a really good job of it!
Heck, it’s kind of funny how Becky and Dorothy are both going for a “I don’t want to be enemies” approach, and Dorothy just doesn’t realize it because she’s so much more straightforward about it and doesn’t have Becky’s perspective. It’s fine, Dotty, you’re both on the same page!
Hmm, Becky I you might be understanding politics better than Dotty is. Using Robin for a short term advantage only to abandon her ass? Definitely seems like a top tier political move to me.
This is exactly what I anticipate. Knowing what Robin’s capable of in the other universe, there’s no way “she’s not gonna win” isn’t a sweet summer child’s naivete.
On the plus side, by the time she gets there she might be MORE progressive than Manley.
Slartibeast Button, BIA
DYW does seem to use the same “What is the worst possible thing I can do to this character?” writing philosophy, same as Lois McMaster Bujold.
I’ve been on reddit a lot lately and I micro-twitched a muscle to upvote this comment before realizing there was no button. Damnit, have to actually interact with words.
Seeing as Dorothy just stated she’s supporting Robin’s opponent, Manley, I doubt she’s going to help Becky beyond advice. It would look really bad on Future Trying-To-Run-For-Office Dorothy if it was found out that she was officially helping two opponents at the same time. Especially if she’s still wishy-washy like she is now. It would be future political suicide.
Heh, classic Becky misdirection in the last panel.
“This is awkward and I know you have mixed feelings about it so… HEY, LISTEN TO ME AS I REFRAME THE FEELINGS OF JEALOUSY YOU ARE ASHAMED OF INTO SOMETHING MUCH MORE ACCEPTABLE. REMEMBER HOW I STUPID I WAS ABOUT BEING IN YOUR SHOES? HAHA, WACKY BECKY, AM I RIGHT!?”
Okay, and *this* I don’t like. I thought Becky was going to work for Robin, because she hoped she could turn her politics around. But now, she admits she doesn’t want her to win and will only pretend to work toward Robin’s success to get money? That’s dishonest and awful…
You always need to have principles. And in this particular case (working for Robin), it’s not really that hard. Just provide three weeks of honest, solid work, right?
Fasuhn
I mean, she’s coming to Dorothy for advice on how politics actually work, so despite her stated lack of belief that Robin could actually win, she does actually appear to be putting in three weeks of honest, solid work. She could have just kept posting dank memes for three weeks and twiddled her thumbs.
Also if she was just planning on scamming Robin outright, she wouldn’t have made Robin promise to uphold her “new values” as one of her three conditions, methinks.
This whole situation is a little sketchy still, don’t get me wrong – and I think both Becky and Robin contribute to that, honestly – I just think there’s room for it not to be downright awful. They’re definitely just using each other out of necessity, but I definitely don’t think they’re making the worst of it.
Jess
I think the question is where the principles go. Does Becky have a moral responsibility to provide solid, honest work to someone whose politics are not only abhorrent to her but downright harmful to her? Or is her responsibility (either primarily or full stop) to her own beliefs and her personal well-being?
Not sure that I agree with the implication that poor people should put their lives second to their or anyone else’s principles. At a certain point almost everything becomes about survival. Becky isn’t there yet — she has a job, friends looking out for her, and a place to crash at the very least — but even the slope down to that point is stressful; you have to make difficult choices to preserve yourself first, because otherwise things will quite probably get even worse and you know it. Bottom line, sometimes you have to relax your moral standards a little bit to help yourself, and honestly? That’s okay. Obviously there are still lines, but if Becky doesn’t give this 100% or even continues to undermine Robin a little, it’s not like it will hurt anyone but Robin. And she, unlike Becky, can take the financial hit.
Kinoko
Yeah, I agree. Becky’s being smart here.
Take it from an artist who works in entertainment (video games). Working for a corporation provides me with the income I need to live an okay life. I try to push for better things for the audience where I have the authority (in my case, better usability). But at the end of the day, the product has to make money or the machine grinds to a halt and my friends and I are all out of a job.
Meanwhile, I can save money to one day fund my passion project (which I expect to fail horribly). 😛
Becky doesn’t have an opportunity to work for the candidate whose platform aligns with her beliefs, but she DOES have the opportunity to shape policy for the competition. It’s good that she’s being realistic that she might not be able to change much, while realizing that she at least has to put in the effort. And she gets an education out of this, which is going to be so much more valuable.
TL;DR, right now Becky is facing probably the most adult-world problem I’ve seen in this comic. I believe in you, Becky!
So she’s the perfect campaign manager for a Republican politician and will accidentally get Robin elected in a hilarious comedy of errors? Yeah, that’s what I was expecting too.
No, she said she thinks Robin CAN’T win. That’s a big difference. She told Dorothy that she plans to give Robin everything she is being “paid” for. She plans to legitimately attempt to raise Robin’s reputation. That’s all Robin asked for. Robin isn’t expecting miracles, she just knows that someone like Becky is her only chance. It’s either take the long shot or accept the loss. And Robin isn’t ready to do that yet.
Robin’s an unreliable, immature asshole who is an uncertain ally at the best of times. Becky has zero reason to trust her once she’s elected. Frankly, if Becky goes to plausibly deniable sabotage, I’d give her a medal.
Robin also got herself into this mess by stalking a woman and refusing to leave her home. If Becky’s getting tuition out of her for mildly good (and audience-specific) PR I say let her.
(‘Representative DeSanto pays college tuition for homeless victim of attempted kidnapping’ might be better general PR, but that won’t go public until after the election if ever and there’s still the diehard homophobes who won’t take it.)
As others have said, she intends to work despite thinking Robin can’t win.
More, I assume she’ll continue along the same lines she’s been going, pulling Robin away from Republican positions and to left Democratic ones. In reality, this would be more effective sabotage than nearly anything else she could do.
In the comic, it might backfire and get her elected, but if it does, she’ll likely complete her shift, since the GOP still won’t want anything to do with her and that’s likely the direction the character is going anyway.
Yes! That detail made me happy. It shows she’s not so caught up in getting good grades that she doesn’t realize what else she needs to do for her long-term goals.
154 thoughts on “Pinata”
Ana Chronistic
Becky playing the long game in fifth-dimensional chess
now we just need to know if Russia is interfering
Needfuldoer
They thought about it, but they saw what Becky did to that closet…
Wraithy2773
Becky’s trying a “Springtime for Hitler” play.
Those never backfire.
Deanatay
It’s springtime
For Lesbians
In Bloomington
abysswatcher1993
Becky and Dina got a Tony award for producing “We are the Identitarians”, with John Barrowman singing comically about muslims invading Europe.
Abbefaria
Springtime for Hitler is truly the best way to describe what she seems to be doing, it’s like watching two trains heading toward each other but being unable to look away.
Doctor_Who
Becky used Bask!
It’s not very effective.
ValdVin
I’m still on the idea that Becky’s thing with Dorothy is a play-feud.
Bagge
I mean, it mostly is.
It’s ALSO a way for Becky to process her rejection.
Schpoonman
I’ve always read it as a play-feud. It’s Becky’s way of dealing with Joyce’s rejection and her own jealousy of being Joyce’s best friend and envy for the aspects of Joyce’s and Dorothy’s friendship that Becky doesn’t get.
ShinyNeen
Becky’s had a lot of difficult shit to process all at once. All things considered she’s doing a really good job of it!
Heck, it’s kind of funny how Becky and Dorothy are both going for a “I don’t want to be enemies” approach, and Dorothy just doesn’t realize it because she’s so much more straightforward about it and doesn’t have Becky’s perspective. It’s fine, Dotty, you’re both on the same page!
Batz
Appropos of nothing, after reading this, in my mind’s eye, I am seeing Joyce dressed as Olive Oyl.
Stephen Bierce
And Walky as Wimpy?
Renshear Blade
he better pay me today…
Doctor_Who
Is Fuckface Eugene the Jeep?
Fogel
What is a magical dog what disappear’s and things?
Kyrik Michalowski
Hmm, Becky I you might be understanding politics better than Dotty is. Using Robin for a short term advantage only to abandon her ass? Definitely seems like a top tier political move to me.
Bagge
Robin would be proud
If it wasn’t her ass on the line
Mr. Random
She has nothing to lose and nothing written down. (As far as we know.)
Bagge
Yesterday it looked like Becky got the enrolment and tuition through official channels already.
Smart move.
NelC
Damn, that must have been like thirty seconds in comic strip-time.
Bagge
That’s about how long you will have Robin’s attention span anyway, so better move fast.
Mr. Random
Enrolled. Tuition is a separate issue.
Undrave
I get the feeling Robin will win and Becky will end up with more political work…
Daisy
This is exactly what I anticipate. Knowing what Robin’s capable of in the other universe, there’s no way “she’s not gonna win” isn’t a sweet summer child’s naivete.
On the plus side, by the time she gets there she might be MORE progressive than Manley.
Slartibeast Button, BIA
DYW does seem to use the same “What is the worst possible thing I can do to this character?” writing philosophy, same as Lois McMaster Bujold.
Meagan
I’ve been on reddit a lot lately and I micro-twitched a muscle to upvote this comment before realizing there was no button. Damnit, have to actually interact with words.
van Ryswyk
And yet I’m hoping that both Becky brings Dotty on board, and shenanigans ensue trying to get decent policy out of Robin
Not debate and learning mind you. I demand shenanigans.
Megz
Seeing as Dorothy just stated she’s supporting Robin’s opponent, Manley, I doubt she’s going to help Becky beyond advice. It would look really bad on Future Trying-To-Run-For-Office Dorothy if it was found out that she was officially helping two opponents at the same time. Especially if she’s still wishy-washy like she is now. It would be future political suicide.
Wraithy2773
Historically? Using a “I hate them but they can’t possibly win” candidate to support your long-term schemes works 90% of the time, roughly speaking.
…the other 10% is Hitler/Mussolini/Trump.
Just sayin’.
Bagge
Heh, classic Becky misdirection in the last panel.
“This is awkward and I know you have mixed feelings about it so… HEY, LISTEN TO ME AS I REFRAME THE FEELINGS OF JEALOUSY YOU ARE ASHAMED OF INTO SOMETHING MUCH MORE ACCEPTABLE. REMEMBER HOW I STUPID I WAS ABOUT BEING IN YOUR SHOES? HAHA, WACKY BECKY, AM I RIGHT!?”
Axel
Ah, you must not have read the comics yesterday. I have been informed that Becky’s faux-rivalry is in fact incredibly sinister and rude.
Axel
*comMENTs dangit
Stephen Bierce
*plays the theme song from The Best of Enemies on the hacked Muzak*
Stephen Bierce
(I was thinking of the old movie with David Niven, not the new one with Taraji P. Henson–but whatever you like.)
Kyrik Michalowski
Also Becky’s determination to have a rivalry with Dotty is adorable and I love it.
Bagge
Becky leaves. Dorothy sighs and slumps down by her desk.
“This day can’t get any worse.”
The door is thrown open. Roz is standing in the doorway.
“WHAT IS THIS ABOUT YOU TRYING TO HELP MY SISTER WIN?”
Piotr W
Actually, my idea for when Becky leaves is for Dorothy to go back to her books, resume making notes in her notepad…
… only for the next panel to reveal the notes as “All work and no play makes Dotty a dull girl”.
Fasuhn
my feelings ;_; That would be so sad.
Lily
Ideal timeline
Piotr W
Okay, and *this* I don’t like. I thought Becky was going to work for Robin, because she hoped she could turn her politics around. But now, she admits she doesn’t want her to win and will only pretend to work toward Robin’s success to get money? That’s dishonest and awful…
Bagge
Becky is too poor to have principles.
Piotr W
You always need to have principles. And in this particular case (working for Robin), it’s not really that hard. Just provide three weeks of honest, solid work, right?
Fasuhn
I mean, she’s coming to Dorothy for advice on how politics actually work, so despite her stated lack of belief that Robin could actually win, she does actually appear to be putting in three weeks of honest, solid work. She could have just kept posting dank memes for three weeks and twiddled her thumbs.
Also if she was just planning on scamming Robin outright, she wouldn’t have made Robin promise to uphold her “new values” as one of her three conditions, methinks.
This whole situation is a little sketchy still, don’t get me wrong – and I think both Becky and Robin contribute to that, honestly – I just think there’s room for it not to be downright awful. They’re definitely just using each other out of necessity, but I definitely don’t think they’re making the worst of it.
Jess
I think the question is where the principles go. Does Becky have a moral responsibility to provide solid, honest work to someone whose politics are not only abhorrent to her but downright harmful to her? Or is her responsibility (either primarily or full stop) to her own beliefs and her personal well-being?
Not sure that I agree with the implication that poor people should put their lives second to their or anyone else’s principles. At a certain point almost everything becomes about survival. Becky isn’t there yet — she has a job, friends looking out for her, and a place to crash at the very least — but even the slope down to that point is stressful; you have to make difficult choices to preserve yourself first, because otherwise things will quite probably get even worse and you know it. Bottom line, sometimes you have to relax your moral standards a little bit to help yourself, and honestly? That’s okay. Obviously there are still lines, but if Becky doesn’t give this 100% or even continues to undermine Robin a little, it’s not like it will hurt anyone but Robin. And she, unlike Becky, can take the financial hit.
Kinoko
Yeah, I agree. Becky’s being smart here.
Take it from an artist who works in entertainment (video games). Working for a corporation provides me with the income I need to live an okay life. I try to push for better things for the audience where I have the authority (in my case, better usability). But at the end of the day, the product has to make money or the machine grinds to a halt and my friends and I are all out of a job.
Meanwhile, I can save money to one day fund my passion project (which I expect to fail horribly). 😛
Becky doesn’t have an opportunity to work for the candidate whose platform aligns with her beliefs, but she DOES have the opportunity to shape policy for the competition. It’s good that she’s being realistic that she might not be able to change much, while realizing that she at least has to put in the effort. And she gets an education out of this, which is going to be so much more valuable.
TL;DR, right now Becky is facing probably the most adult-world problem I’ve seen in this comic. I believe in you, Becky!
J
Man, as a poor person I kind of feel really uncomfortable with that sentence.
not someone else
So she’s the perfect campaign manager for a Republican politician and will accidentally get Robin elected in a hilarious comedy of errors? Yeah, that’s what I was expecting too.
Xccj
That’s kind of what I’m expecting too. But we probably don’t have to worry because the in universe election is years away for us.
Regalli
That, I am worried about.
Terry
No, she said she thinks Robin CAN’T win. That’s a big difference. She told Dorothy that she plans to give Robin everything she is being “paid” for. She plans to legitimately attempt to raise Robin’s reputation. That’s all Robin asked for. Robin isn’t expecting miracles, she just knows that someone like Becky is her only chance. It’s either take the long shot or accept the loss. And Robin isn’t ready to do that yet.
DailyBrad
Yep, this. Becky’s a realist about this, but she is not a shyster.
Derek
be honest: does Robin DESERVE anything other than dishonest and awful? She should get as good as she gives
BBCC
Robin’s an unreliable, immature asshole who is an uncertain ally at the best of times. Becky has zero reason to trust her once she’s elected. Frankly, if Becky goes to plausibly deniable sabotage, I’d give her a medal.
Regalli
Robin also got herself into this mess by stalking a woman and refusing to leave her home. If Becky’s getting tuition out of her for mildly good (and audience-specific) PR I say let her.
(‘Representative DeSanto pays college tuition for homeless victim of attempted kidnapping’ might be better general PR, but that won’t go public until after the election if ever and there’s still the diehard homophobes who won’t take it.)
Eldritch Gentleman
Honestly I took as more of a “Haha I know she can’t win but I’ll do my fair share until she inevitably fails and then I’ll reap my rewards.”
Except with that kind of tempting fate it’s almost guaranteed that Robin will win.
thejeff
As others have said, she intends to work despite thinking Robin can’t win.
More, I assume she’ll continue along the same lines she’s been going, pulling Robin away from Republican positions and to left Democratic ones. In reality, this would be more effective sabotage than nearly anything else she could do.
In the comic, it might backfire and get her elected, but if it does, she’ll likely complete her shift, since the GOP still won’t want anything to do with her and that’s likely the direction the character is going anyway.
Woomy
That’s shady af Becky. And don’t you want another semester of tuition?
LazerWulf
This comic is never going to get to sophomore year, so I doubt it will be necessary.
BBCC
She’s only campaigning this semester.
Fart Captor
It’s not actually clear how to me just how much tuition Robin has agreed to pay for. Maybe only a semester, but hopefully Becky demanded a full ride.
After all, Robin’s last campaign manager’s yearly was probably more than enough to cover all four years
As for the shadiness: Becky deserves tuition, and Robin deserves betrayal, tbqh
BBCC
Becky, you hush, that kind of talk is way too close to ‘what could possibly go wrong’.
Dana
This’ll be fine. What could possibly go wrong?
BBCC
GO TO YOUR ROOM.
JBento
It’s worse than that, it’s EXACTLY the “what has gone wrong” talk.
drs
Note that Dorothy *has* been canvassing; she’s not interning but she’s not just nosing her books.
Fasuhn
Yes! That detail made me happy. It shows she’s not so caught up in getting good grades that she doesn’t realize what else she needs to do for her long-term goals.
foducool
Becky already has politics entirely figured out, that’s amazing XD
mrnoidea
Dorothy:
Becky: FRENEMIES
C.T Phipps
Oh dear, “she can’t win.”
Oh no
Oh no
oh no.