In fairness to Sal, Walky’s always been the favorite child without having to try, and he’s been doing his damnedest to hide that he’s HAD a problem to start with.
Sure… but not sure what that has to do with Sal slut-shaming people.
Of course, I will also admit that (somewhat like Roz) this is a rather hot-button issue for me. Between her actions here and in It’s Walky, I kinda actively dislike Sal. See also the situation with Marcie.
Oh yeah one of Sal’s major charachter flaws is, in a way, kind of the same as Ambers- she’s totally a superhero; and butts into other people’s business because she sees herself as competent to deal with it (offering to rough up Ruth for Billie way back when is the main example I can think of). It’s a bad behavior that comes from a good place, and she definitely doesn’t like it when other people do it (Amazi-Girl, Jason); but Sal stands up for those she thinks needs standing up for and tries to right perceived wrongs. It just doesn’t always work in a world with shades of grey
I think it’s because Walky was going “Oh woe is me” regarding Dorothy, and then did a complete 180 – she wasn’t slut-shaming Amber, she was berating her brother for moving on that quickly and, in her eyes, that callously.
Even with context it’s pretty stupid. It would be convenient if we could justify our actions by just defining certain places or times where normal morality and decency doesn’t apply, but that’s not how that stuff works.
I really don’t see why Morality had to be invoked for two consenting adults smooching. Both are single to boot, so it’s even less anybody else’s business than usual in this strip.
It is their business. But that makes the argument “it doesn’t count on garbage roof” even more stupid. Walky does think it’s wrong, he does feel guilty and he rationalizes it in an incredibly stupid way.
If you want to rebound, go for it. But don’t make up stupid excuses like garbage roof. Be honest with yourself about what you are doing.
I think it was less slut-shaming and more shaming Walky for moving on that quickly and saying it didn’t mean anything because it was garbage roof. Once Walky explained WHY he likes Amber, Sal backed off. Slut shaming would imply that she shames people for liking sex, which she doesn’t. She’s never shown shaming Roz for being in a porn tape, for example.
No grappling hook this time. Also, doesn’t Amazi-girl usually make the dramatic exits (and entrances) rather than Amber? (Infiltrating the math building is an exception I think.)
*facepalms* Walky no. If you ARE truly interested in Amber, then think of her as her own person. Don’t compare her to Dorathy and certainly don’t call her a “Thicc” Dorathy. Appreciate her for who and what she is not what/who she isn’t.
And wouldn’t the world be a much more peaceful place if people stopped thinking about Morality(!) when two (or more) consenting adults are sexually interested in each other and follow up on it and instead applied ethics to the things they do in everyday life (e.g. not judge other people’s relationship choices).
There a difference between “hey, this is not a good move” and “you are WRONG!”
You’re really hung up on my use of the word “morality”. I don’t think that word means what you think it means. “Ethics” and “morality” are two words for the same thing. One comes from Greek, the other from Latin.
Anyway, I wasn’t talking about the Walky-Amber smooching, I was talking about what the poster that I replied to was talking about, i.e. calling Amber “thicc Dorothy”
Right. IMO, morality is something that comes from outside of yourself, from a church, some other power that wants to tell people what to do and what not to do by instilling guilt in them.
Ethics come from within, that has to do with acting according to your own inner conviction and knowing acts have consequences.
And whenever I see or hear people moralizing about and judging other people’s relationship choices, I wonder why they have such a need to police other people’s most private feelings. There is an incredible amount of contradictory expectations on how when and with whom people should or shouldn’t have relationships, and it shouldn’t be anybody’s business when how and with whom people are attracted, have sex or relationships, as long as all parties involved are adults that consented to it and had a real option of not consenting.
Because you can hurt people with sex and relationship choices, just like with choices in any relationship. Just that sex and romance tend to cut deeper and can be more painful.
So yes, ethics or morality apply. We talk about the moral implications of all sorts of acts here in this comic, I don’t see why relationships should be immune. And yes, there are contradictory expectations, like with everything else.
As for morality and ethics, I think you’ve got them almost backwards, though as Kabo says they’re often interchangeable. When they’re not, morality is generally the internal and ethics the external. A business for example might have a code of ethics its employees are expected to follow.
Where I think your version comes from is that many do learn their morals from their religion. It has to come from somewhere, even if it’s just the examples of parents and other role models. For many, their church is that place.
Picked the same college, played the same sports in high school, fell for the same guys, both have strong nerd interests, both have a deep commitment to justice and a desire to protect their loved ones… yup, no commonalities beyond the completely superficial there whatsoever.
Strong nerd interests is not a commonality that’s an incredibly broad field that has no unifying characteristics, Amber isn’t committed to justice she’s committed to subjecting acceptable victims to violence to make herself feel powerful if she gave a damn about justice she wouldn’t have changed Walky’s completely deserved grades, desire to protect ones loved ones is like a defining trait of decent humans in general.
Also, they didn’t play the same sports – although they played similar ones. Amber did track and field and Dorothy ran cross country. And honestly, Amber and Billie have more similar body shapes than Amber and Dorothy do. Amber and Dorothy look similar enough for the gag toward but it’s really not super accurate if you look at them in detail.
But yeah, very, very different people. Driven, ambitious over-achiever with supportive upbringing. Smart, abused kid with serious anger issues. Even the nerd interests seem completely different – mostly cartoons vs gaming.
Amber gets turned on by guys who dig My Little Pony, so still a strong link there.
And I never said that they weren’t different people, I said that the argument that they have no non-superficial commonalities is bullshit. HUGE difference between those two ideas.
Joke or not, I agree with William. Between him calling her ‘Thicc Dorothy’ and a weirdo, it doesn’t feel like he respects Amber very much. He enjoys the attention, and how she makes him feel better, and that’s good and all? But combined with “She’s thicc”, the way he’s licking his lip, and how he just wants someone who won’t ‘move on’ from him… I dunno, I’m just skeeved out.
Eh, he went from feeling like garbage to having somebody who looks like his ex make moves on him to her suddenly bolting because of his sister
I can’t really say Walky is out of line as he’s probably mentally ALL over the place right now. If he acts like this after he’s had an hour or two to let his brain process everything that happened within a couple minutes, THEN I’m going to be worried
As it is, I can’t really be skeeved out as I think ANYBODY would act weird as fuck after that much happens that fast
The weirdo was part of him understanding her. He’s comparing her to himself. He’s saying that she’s a weirdo – and so is he. Also, since Amber herself identifies as a weirdo, again, that is more about understanding Amber as a person.
I’m sure with some guidance the next time he see’s her he’ll approach her with more etiquette now that they’re in a possible romantic stage…. wait a minute, Walky with etiquette? What the fuck am I talking about.
Lets all remember that Walky has no filter. Never has, probably never will, and shaming him for voicing thoughts that someone else would have had but not mentioned isn’t really productive. What he needs are friends and partners who understand that.
I don’t blame him for not having one now, at this stage of life, but the notion that everyone should just accept and excuse and accommodate such behavior indefinitely/for the rest of his life is…
“no, no, you don’t need to learn tact or make any effort towards personal growth; we’ll just carry you so you can remain a child in an adult body, forever.”
Or as a rebound from someone who he did think was too good for him and who did leave him. Maybe more someone he won’t have to try and improve himself for. They can be garbage together.
Kind of an echo of Billie and Ruth’s initial pact, now that I think of it.
Okay but that still means he thinks Amber is garbage so like hardly the best basis of a relationship. Like Billie and Ruth’s pact was fucking incredibly unhealthy.
I would point out that literally everything else Walky said indicated that Walky is interested in Amber as a person and a friend. Sometimes a last panel punchline is just a punchline.
No! In this situation since Walky moved in after Danny he’s technically a…….well actually I can’t think of anything related to Walky and Danny’s last name (Wilcox) that doesn’t sound racist or dirty. It needs workshopping.
You know, considering the history of Danny and Walky as characters, you an Inahc aren’t actually far off – both were created as author avatars oh so long ago.
Though there names might be lost,
Their lives about to end,
Those that loved them best and were with them till the end,
Will let the S.S. Garbage scow rise again!
Funnily enough, I actually have zero interest in Amber/Walky long-term. Instead, I think they both need a friend – possibly with benefits – who can understand and accept them as they are. Neither has ever had that, so while I totes think they should fuck like badgers, I also think they should not actually date but rather simply develop into best friends who had sex that one time (or maybe a couple times, depending) when both of them really needed it.
I’m not against dating, as for messing around well looks like if you guys want that Slipshine so badly everyone here alongside Walky is going to haft to wait and earn it now that his connection to Sal is out in the open.
I agree with lesliebean I don’t mind a small fling but not sure I see it long term. I’m still hoping Joyce and walky will happen eventually but appreciate we’re a while off that currently!
It would be nice if someone could be interested in Amber who hasn’t dated Dorothy. Isn’t she going to realise the pattern soon and feel unhappy about it?
As for walky moving on fast and people saying it’s fine… it’s a difficult one. Technically yes he is single but if I was Dorothy I’d feel a little upset he hadn’t given the relationship much of a mourning period, it does make it seem like it didn’t mean much to him. Whilst I know it isn’t that simple if it was me I’d be thinking ‘but I thought you loved me? How can you kiss someone else while you still love me?’. It makes them saying they loved you in the first place feel like it didn’t mean all that much and that can make you feel sad even if it is in the past
Verbally questioning his judgment is hardly “sticking it to him”… what’s the consequence? Knowing his delinquent, rebellious sister thinks he made a bad decision? I mean, does her general frustration with him partially motivate her vocalized disgust? Maybe. But does Walky set the bar way too low for himself? Idk about your opinion, but I think yes, between garbage roof and stained shirts pre-Dorothy, he totally does.
This whole Dorothy/Amber/Walky love whatever cause it’s not a triangle thing is gonna blow up in someone’s face one way or the other. There are a lot of conflicting opinions on this, but chances are someone’s getting hurt in the end.
Maybe not Amber..or not just Amber. Walky seems very invested after one kiss and some texting. If Amber cuts it off he’ll end up hurt. Dorothy’s probably not over Walky so she’ll end up hurt, maybe even worse because Amber is her friend which is another little wrinkle in this. Walky’s also clearly not over Dorothy either. So possibly, probably all three involved. I’d say Danny too, but as has been established, he has a hat and ukulele. He’s invincible.
Which is related with her having serious issues and not doing anything about it. There’s counseling on the campus and her father no longer decides what she should or shouldn’t do. It is her decision to not go to therapy and deal with her issues in a healthier way than running around in a costume.
A lot of my commentary yesterday is still relevant, I guess, with the only addition that Walky fiercely defending Dorothy’s replacement (since is wording is “she’s like another dorothy!” is selling amber really short, since that’s the second time someone reduced her to such) is still uniquely scummy.
Wonder what Sal was gonna talk to amaze-girl about?
Tangent: How’s walky going to feel about his sister pushing away his “second chance”? I sort of doubt Amber can handle being in a relationship with Walky when the source of her PTSD and literal division of her mind is his sister. That’ll definitely screw up their tenuous relationship at best. How will Sal feel when the last of her family has abandoned her, after thinking he finally understood how she’d been treated all this time?
I also think it’s fair to compare and contrast data points from multiple humans to determine desirable traits to pursue in potential romantic or platonic partners; although most people would be… gently put, more tactful. Walky is hidden depths with Heavey emphasis on hidden; but they’re there. That said, said depths could also totally coexist with problematic things and given the 24 hour emotional reset period he’s had access to; they probably do. It’s not a black-and-white issue and nobody’s really got a strong moral position here per se
Joe was the first to point out how similar they are way back at the beginning of the series when he saw her and realised something was going on betwen her and Danny. People comparing Amber to Dorothy has been a thing for ever now. Maybe we should treat it more like the running gag it is.
It’s not unreasonable to think that though it’s a running gag now, it could turn much more serious later.
After all, this is twice now Amber’s been involved with someone Dorothy dumped, days within them breaking up. I really wouldn’t be surprised if the trend continues or if one day, Amber’s self-conscious about being a replacement Dorothy.
@Jaime (re yesterday) Thank you for explaining about the cats. You appear to be as strong a cat lover as my late wife. She sensitised me to cat issues. I appreciate your detailed explanation.
Unlikely, I suspect. If this had happened earlier in the strip, sure, but with the broken relationship between Amber and Amazi-Girl, I doubt she’d go back relying on her to handle Sal.
That’s not. That’s not a good sign that Sal and Walky had this conversation. Didn’t Danny and Joe have it EARLY ON IN THE STRIP? How is that last panel not forboding?
Amber is cute, fair. Dorothy is cute, fair. But Amber being reduced to “Corthy” (Curvy Dorothy) is not good. It happening again is not a good sign.
I FEEL FOR YOU WALKY BUT THIS ISN’T A GOOD SIGN.
And really, I am more worried about DID, abuse/trauma survivor, reduced to Porth (plump dorothy) A M B E R. THIS IS NOT GOOD. SHE IS NOT JUST A REBOUND THOUGH, MAN. I GET YOU BUT NOOooooooooooo.
Aw man this, she STABBED a dude recently. This will not be the adorable trash ship that was advertised. It will be a burning mess. The powder keg is already, as soon as Sal walked in it started to spark. THIS IS NOT GOOD, MAN. NOT A GOOD SIGN.
Yeah no the minute the kiss happened before the grades or Sal reveals this was doomed. Frankly I’m just kinda relieved it blew this fast as opposed to much, much later and maybe being much, much worse.
“Frankly I’m just kinda relieved it blew this fast as opposed–”
A point well made, but… I wish I was that optimistic. I am reading the other comic after I post this… but man Dorothy was still hitting up Walky for more!
You think it ends her? That this doesn’t get. Messier? I. Wish I could believe that. I think this maaaaay have impacts way down the line if it this DID nip it down in the bud. I just can imagine it not. There’s to much stuff that happened before up to this, that this ball will roll and smack someone in the face. I can FEEL it. I’m SURE.
Irrelevant for this conversation, for Amber being valid foremost, and cute second, would be true in either case of “plump” cause. And they wouldn’t have to mutually exclusive.
I KNOW how she can move, but I really and her fitness level will ONLY matter if fisty cuffs?
They had only broken up a day or so ago so even if Dorothy isn’t the Jealous type there’s no way she’d be over it so easily. But even so how upset are you allowed to be with someone who gutted a homicidal serial rapist to save your life and someone who you started a few month or so long relationship that you were only partly serouse about do to a constant time limit that you insisted would run out and then dumped like as promised when it did.
I can’t say I don’t see her feeling a bit down about the idea of him being with someone else so soon since I now have no doubt that she was falling for him twords the end. I can see her trying to convince herself to put it out of her head but it will be hard for her….Like really hard for her.
@Kris….as in me? I hope I’m the Kris you’re talking to……anyway
It kinda depends. Dorothy was offering to bang Walky again just to make him feel better even though that was played more for comedy. That was still today in comic time….I think. So I’m assuming she’s still pretty invested.
And it’s not just somebody else. Amber is an established friend with Dorothy. Unless it’s that confusing Amazi-Girl disassociation. I have to put my hands up for that cause I don’t know. I’m pretty sure they’re friends. And a friend immediately moving in on your ex is at least kind of rude.
These are all just factors of course. Maybe no one will care?! This is college after all.
One thing I DO know for sure is……Walky needs to stop smooching Thicc Dorothy’s and open up a fucking textbook! Half of the problems giving him a “bad time” are caused by his own immaturity! Getting hammered with your former TA doesn’t count as studying.
I won’t lie there’s a lot of truth here, especially since as far as I’m concerned Dorothy And Amber are definitely friends, Amazi-girl is a associate and a role model to Dorothy, but Amber is the friend that saved her life. But Also maybe it would sting a lot less for her to know he’s with someone she can trust for the time being.
But your right about one thing they both have issues right now they should be spending their time resolving not making more to add on top of.
I agree that the Garbage room is awesome, to add to your comment on my thread. I think, in other circumstances, it could even be a healthy outlet for both of them.
But my stress, comes, from things you guys mention here.
Even if Dorothy WAS Cool with it. That this didn’t trigger her stress even more, that she doesn’t think about how Amber has dated TWO guys that left her, or about how Amaze girl fits in… she COULD think that walky sees her not only as a replacement, but as a Distraction.
It doesn’t matter who’s emotions she puts first, hers, Amber, or Walky’s… it’s going to way on her mind when there’s to much going on! That’s WHY I’m stressed. Even if Walky and Amber really COULD be something, this is what both the garbage roof (or boning for Dorothy) was. A temporary fix, that has blow back on top of their current stress.
I Stand by my stressed statement. I haven’t seen the next strip yet so I am not sure, but for now it’s true. I miss having the money for the early strips :/
Actually, Dorothy would at least try to be happy he found someone else as she ended things with him and she wants him to be in a good place. And also might be so exhausted that the feeling of no longer being responsible for him in any way might outweigh the jealousy that will undoubtedly well up and make her feel like a horrible person.
… So if Walky and/or Sal go after her, who do we think they’ll find? And is there any hope of one of them piecing things together soon?
Can Ethan provide Sudden Convenient Exposition Time? Can he, Dina, and Danny join the twins in forming the League of People Concerned For Amber’s Mental Well-Being? (I’m still not certain Sal will ever really be friends with Amber or AG, but who knows at this point. Certainly it’ll explain a lot to Sal that she deserves to know, and I think even people who dislike Amber should be concerned about her right now. If only out of self-preservation.)
Also while the easy guess is AG wresting control while Amber’s in shock, Amber revealing she changed the grades for Walky without his consent to drive him away is an option.
Never doubt the ability for shit to get more fucked even faster. DAMN YOU, WILLIS!
Feels like your over thinking this. I wont lie the unaddressed PTSD issues are a problem and it looks like there’s going to be a lot of things to unpack and resolve with this Amber & Walky Dynamic starting with Amber’s past baggage with Sal, but I think that’s what’s going to make the bond between the two.
As clearly psychologically and emotionally vulnerable as Amber is at times that she doesn’t show out in public it’s not like she’s fragile mental patient that can barely function in society without a heap dose of meds despite if it feels like that’s how some people might see her. Though I won’t argue Amber needs a lot of things such as relief and support but a lover would most likely fit in the “want” category for her.
Though Walky could give her more support, but it’s going to haft to be at somewhere else besides Garbage roof.
Honestly I’m not so sure either Walkerton will accept the knowledge that Amber stabbed Sal right off the bat, especially without knowing the Blaine and ‘no she literally dissociates’ factors that she’s in no shape to explain. That’s one of the things I’m most worried about. (The other biggest one being AG. Putting aside the alter situation, she was engaging in really risky behavior even by vigilante standards before, and now she’s probably running on the bare minimum sleep. That is just an objectively bad idea.)
I worry about Amber because things just seem to be getting worse and worse for her. She can course-correct, but she needs some informed and competent support on that front. She’s working currently with no tools to really deal with anything – AG is no longer a helpful outlet but something she exists in opposition to, her self-loathing’s only gotten worse and she’s compartmentalizing it as Amber and avoiding any blame on AG*, and the more she hates herself, the more she seems willing to embrace excessive violence. Remember, ‘I am not Amazi-Girl’ came right after Rachel’s ‘redemption is a myth’ speech. Hard not to see a connection there, and it could become a feedback loop since she hates that tendency towards violence most of all. Everything she has she developed herself, and they’re clearly not working anymore.
* Remember, all stalking of Sal was as AG, and she came into play in broad daylight civilian mode to freak out at Danny, before taking out her aggression the rest of the day. After the rally, her language changes and she starts foisting it on Amber.
And I totally think it is possible Walky and Amber could come out of this dating, and even working out long term. But Walky needs to sort through his feelings about the breakup before another serious relationship looks viable, and Amber is clearly and immediately in Bad Shape. Also the grades thing. The grades thing is a problem that needs to be rectified before anyone notices and they can pretend it never happened, with Walky fully informed. College Academic Integrity policies are serious business, even if they change things back they could still get expelled or VERY heavily disciplined for even attempting it. (By which I mean Walky with his connections may get off with an automatic flunk of the class and demerits, but I see no universe where IU doesn’t expel Amber. Minimal resources to fight it, and the college knows she was responsible for the stabbing. PR nightmare they can’t afford on top of all the others, and that assumes Ryan’s parents aren’t suing the university as well.)
Well if the root of all this aggression is that it Stims from her hating herself then what first needs to be addressed is that they need to know what part about herself she hates or a better question what part about her does she hate the most? Also if the vigilante stuff isn’t working then she needs to find another outlet and honestly I don’t know a better none violent outlet to address the issues about your self worth than just venting your suppressed issues to someone who can lend an ear and is willing to help find a solution and that seemed to have been pretty effective up to this point.
But really it seems though her aggression issues only really started with Sal much like her AG persona started. Though her AG persona came from the feeling of helplessness from not being able to help a friend when they were held captive something she never really got over until recently when she manage to do what she couldn’t before without her AG persona so now it seems like there isn’t a need for it anymore. But the problem of her rage and self worth is still there and since that Started with a violent incounter with Sal it should end with a peaceful incounter with Sal.
Since Walky seems to be the most likely person to get that to happen right now then he could try to help her much like she tried to “help” with his grades to return the favor. Also since violent aggression seems to be something Sal has wrestled with in the past then maybe these two siblings could help with that on top of Sal settling some loose ends with her own past. But before we get to any of that Amber needs to do one thing for herself when the time is right, she needs to open up about it to someone.
As for Walky’s grades I can only imagine the administration asking one question to those two if they were actaully caught despite Amber being pretty Thoreau with covering their tracks. “So you went through all this trouble of hacking into the Mainframe and changing your grade all so you couldn’t give yourself a C? Would have thought you would want to go a little higher than that.”
I’m pretty sure the apparent disappearance of Amazi-girl has a lot more to do with Amber getting worse, not some getting over anything or a lack of need. She seems to be more horrified by what she did to Ryan than feeling she redeemed not being able to protect Ethan.
And while she did tell Amazi-Girl she was no longer necessary, that was in the context of “There’s no salvaging me. You lost. I’m irredeemable. I am garbage.” Not in any good sense.
Besides, Amazi-Girl is still running around at night doing her thing while Amber sleeps.
I do agree that some kind of resolution with Sal will be necessary to Amber finding any kind of peace. Maybe they can team up against Blaine. 🙂
They’ll have questions. It’s still a flat You Do Not Do This, Ever, because you don’t cheat and you don’t hack the school systems. A C is still passing. If it’s ‘keep him off probation,’ it could be higher in context of his other grades, but either way changing it low would be understood as keeping it under the radar but off probation. The integrity board will not like it, period. And changing his grades pre-midterms while his knowledge of the course material hasn’t improved and neither has his flee instinct towards the class pretty much guarantees it would need changing again later if that’s Amber’s goal.
I agree Amber needs to open up. Unfortunately she couldn’t do so to Danny under better circumstances, so I’m not sure she’ll be able to now. Revisiting those memories is just that hard for her.
She tried to kill the rapist, put her father in hospital and broke into rooms at various occasions, stealing stuff (and not giving everything of it back). Not to mention various occasions where she used force against people without it being self-defense
She’s not exactly functional. She’s pretty broken. The whole thing is barely hold together by the ag-codex, which seems to slowly break apart now.
I’ll give you some of that, but Ryan and Blaine are perfectly fine by me.
I’m also pretty sure she didn’t really try to kill Ryan, despite what she said. If she had, he’d have been dead. She must have stopped herself, there wasn’t anyone else there.
My issues with her beat downs on Blaine and Ryan are solely that she hates herself worse after them, for which I feel bad for Amber and hope she doesn’t repeat things any time soon.
She still feels good about the Toedad rescue, right? Great, that was still good.
Forgot that entirely. Crap. At least that appears to be ‘this experience was terrifying and being a passenger in my body while the driver does something dangerous is terrifying’ rather than ‘I am a monster’, but there’s clearly still the ‘AG doesn’t give up and that saved Becky where I would have lost the car’ undercurrent that feeds into ‘Amber is useless’. (Also, I can only imagine how terrifying it is to not know what your body’s doing while you’re unconscious knowing it can go that dangerous. Someone give Amber a nice new MP Dinobot or something.)
Never said they were bad for each other, it’s just hard not to admit their relationship didn’t start on the best of standards. Still worked out though.
Because it isn’t exactly great to use a person as a way to avoid feeling bad and processing your own emotions? Because if you’ve just broken up with someone and care about them, taking time to give both of you time to recover is considered the respectable thing to do? Because this is the exact kind of thing Billie would suggest doing because she is the Queen of Bad Coping Mechanisms to avoid introspection and growth?
As someone who is usually very particular as to what qualifies thicc, I was about to screech in horror at someone using it wrong. Then I thought it over, and I figured, “Yeah, no. Amber qualifies as thicc.”
But focusing on what’s actually important, I’m now worried that Walky is gonna go after her, only for things to go horrifically wrong.
I like Sal’s face in the 2nd last panel. I think she’s just realised that he’s lonely and hurting and he’s more complex than just her goofy idiot brother. I hope they sit and have a chat here.
Panel 3: WHERE ARE THE NUKES!!
This has the lighting of a dramatic rooftop scene. Well, it is a rooftop, but like, an empty rooftop that is super dangerous to be on top of. Dramatic rooftop.
After the last two strips and the commentary above, I regret thinking this was a good ship. I was going to make a joke about the alt-text, but now I just feel uncomfortable, considering all the shit that Amber’s been through.
(And on that note) I can’t remember: does Walky know that Amber stabbed Ryan?
When she revealed her identity, that was the only association he had of Amber at the time.
Actually, good question here based off the replies: how much does Walky know about the holdup? Obviously that it happened, but what details? Given the Walkertons, I don’t think we can even take as a given that he saw her after but pre-boarding school. Does he actually know Sal got stabbed as a result of it?
Well, there’s a decent chance she would have been in custody anyway. If she’s not coming home, jail or hospital, how’s a kid to tell?
I can’t really imagine he wouldn’t have seen her, but then I can’t really imagine they would have kept her in boarding school or somewhere for 5 years without even coming home for holidays and vacations, so I don’t know.
Exactly the conundrum. Like, Sal didn’t even come home this last summer (probably by choice, but still.) The family dynamics here are so wrecked she might not have come home, and he might not have visited her. Their parents could have barred him from visiting for all we know. (Though I think it’s much more likely he said he didn’t want to go and they didn’t push.)
Walky said on the in-character twitters that he hasn’t seen her since they sent her to boarding school, he said early on that he hasn’t spoken to her much since she left, plus a comment from Willis said they didn’t talk in years before this semester.
It sounds to me like they shipped her off and he might have made little efforts to contact her at first (probably when his parents were already talking to her) and then it dropped off completely for a while.
When you break up with someone and still care about them and their feelings, it is considered good form to give both of you time to recover from it, especially if you plan to still be friends.
Even if he didn’t care about Dorothy’s feelings any more though and didn’t plan to be friends with her any more – using another person as an outlet instead of processing your feelings is a crummy thing to do to the person you are rebounding with. They’re not an emotional processor who can do your emotional labour for you or a free therapist to vent to.
Well, you are bringing a number of preconceptions along with your reasoning.
A) if you are hurt in the process of a breakup, this will make it impossible to be friends
B) this somehow assumes it’s possible to break up without hurt on both sides
C) you expect that Dorothy will be hurt by him making out with Amber, which is something we cannot know
D) You expect that Amber will be hurt by making out with Walky which is something we cannot know and where she decided to take the risk.
E) his aim is having Amber deal with his feelings and that’s something he hasn’t given any indication of wanting.
Amber and Walky talked about their darker sides with each other. The sides they usually don’t show to other people. They became closer over this. And getting physically intimate after all that might or might not be a good idea, but the scene you are painting just isn’t happening.
I don’t see the first two preconceptions there at all. It’s because of the hurt and your desire to stay friends that you should try to minimize it. It may remain possible, but it will be harder the more they get hurt and the more that’s directly a result of you doing something, not just the breakup.
From what i saw with friends in recent years, the longer they kept something in a zombie state (staying in the relationship even though the spark was dead) the worse the breakup was.
If you cannot accept that starting a relationship means that you will be hurt some times, you shouldn’t start it. Hurt is inevitable no matter how good the intentions.
There is stuff happening during a breakup, that you might be willing to forgive when you can see the place from which the other person was acting and there may be things you don’t want to forgive. What kind of behavior is forgiven or not depends on the people involved in the relationship, their previous hurts and how much the intention being not to hurt but to help yourself matters.
We don’t know if Walky making out with Amber registers on the “not-forgiveable”-scale for Dorothy. I rather doubt it, but it’s his risk to take.
You cannot spend your time guessing what things will hurt your partner or your ex. People are different, things that are a mayor disaster for one persons self-worth don’t even make a blib on other people’s radar. And some people will tell you “it’s not a problem” and will suffer badly.
So you can only do what you think is right and accept the consequences. As always in life. Doing anything is taking a risk. Always.
Of course you can spend your time guessing what things will hurt your partner or your ex. Or your friends, for that matter.
Figuring out what will hurt people you care about and not doing that is a fairly basic rule of being a decent human being.
Sure, everyone is different and you’ll screw up and hurt people by mistake. Generally as you get to know someone, you’ll have a pretty good idea what kinds of things will bother them.
This is way too sad. Poor Amber is apparently destined to forever be the poor man’s Dorothy. Danny dated her as basically a Dorothy substitute and now walky is doing the same. No one really sees her as her own person.
That said, ironically the only person (Mike and Ethan excluded) who doesn’t treat her like a Dorothy clone is Sal. She’s also the only one who holds her accountable for her actions. I don’t think Sal’s a jerk for it, but rather the only one indirectly looking out for Amber.
Which is pretty much nonsense, because other than some physical resemblance, she’s nothing like Dorothy.
And Danny dated Amazi-Girl, who’s even less like Dorothy. So, as a Dorothy substitute in the “after Dorothy broke up with me” sense, but not in any other way. Danny never even hinted at it, though Joe made the connection.
Sal’s barely interacted with Amber and certainly hasn’t “held her accountable” for anything. She’s done so with Amazi-Girl, but no one treats Amazi-Girl like a Dorothy clone, so that doesn’t really make sense.
Dina doesn’t. Joyce doesn’t.
Eh, I wouldn’t read too much into this as Walky -seeing- her as a thic Dorothy. Really this is showing us the difference between Walky and Danny when it came to Amber.
Danny tried to deny it was a possibility.
Walky openly admits it may be a possibility.
In fact, when you think about it… Danny spent a lot of time denying things when he was with Amber. Walky’s entire interaction with Amber has been talking to her about things he does not feel comfortable talking to anyone else about.
Damn, this strip hit closer to home than I expected. I know exactly the thought process Walky is having in panel 4. It’s almost word for word what went through my mind after I broke up with the girl whom I still consider my greatest love; it’s eerie.
In Sal’s defense she didn’t know Amber would flee the scene over an interrupted kiss. It wasn’t her words that blue screened Amber, it was her presence and being Walky’s twin.
And poor Amber. Ethan on prom night. Danny seemingly betrays AG and now Walky triggers her during smooches. No wonder she lives on fan fic.
Amber is absolutely not a shorter, rounder Dorothy.
I’m old enough to remember stereotypes about women based on their hair color; redhead jokes, “Gentlemen prefer blondes” and “brunettes” were supposedly smart, etc. It was great for Madison Avenue, but doesn’t comport with reality. Two women who superficially resemble each other may be nothing alike.
This is also true of men, who go into business by putting a standard charcoal suit. There can be any character defect at all hiding behind that cookie-cutter exterior.
I actually hate that none of us stopped to realize something realistically simple. Everyone here including me are on what would happen when those two started dating but there’s a issue-
One make out session does not equal automatic relationship, Hell one date doesn’t even mean your official. How the hell did we forget the basics of how relationshipstrong work.
As noted above, I don’t actually think they should date (or will). I just think they should hook up once. One night stands get a lot of flak, but they can be really helpful to one’s self esteem (for both men and women, so long as everything is consensual and informed). Considering that both Walky and Amber believe they are garbage, it is very possible that a night together could help dissuade them both of this notion and help their overall mental health.
That can happen and it can be great — but even if everyone is informed and consents, no one can guarantee a one night stand to feel less garbage will work either in the short term or long term. Sex, bodies, emotions are complicated. It’s just as likely to crash the next morning, or crash in the weeks after (which can sometimes lead into unhealthy risky coping mechanisms and self harm cycles of chasing the sex to for the less garbage to crash)
That’s probably why one night stands get such flak – when they work well, it’s fantastic, when it doesn’t, the effects can be awful.
I like this. I want Sal and Walky to have more moments like this. Where they let their guards down around each other and are actual siblings to each other.
Cuz, like if Walky were to open up to Sal, Sal could hook him up with a dude who could help him get a handle on his math. If Sal were to open up to Walky (and Walky mature a bit), Walky could start standing up for her with their parents a bit more, help her to not feel so alone in the family.
And, frankly, after an emotionally abusive upbringing, you kind of do have to rebuild your relationship with your siblings from the ground up. Was gonna say “from scratch” but it’s harder than building a friendship from scratch because of all the history and the baggage you have from your parents playing you off against each other (my parents totally did) and the inevitable resentment the scapegoat will have for the golden child (which to be clear, is neither the fault of the scapegoat nor the golden child but the fault of the abusive parents) as well as the subconscious sense of superiority the golden child has over the scapegoat (my sib, who was our golden child growing up, once explained to me – someone with a graduate degree in chemistry – what a 1M solution is, as if I didn’t know it. Because she was brought up to believe I was stupid, and so she assumes I need things explained to me even if evidence, like a graduate degree in chemistry, contradicts it).
Are Walky and Danny always seeking women with glasses? Anyway, Walky is kind of right that Sal shamed her directly, but it seems he just wants a “feel good” relationship right now instead of something serious.
Nah, he explicitly mentions it being a relationship he can allow himself to be invested in at the outset. Dorothy was all about setting boundaries (and then breaking them, dammit, Dot), but with Amber he’s free.
I think Dorothy initially trying to set boundaries isn’t what Walky’s referring to so much as the pedestal he has her on. He probably would have been afraid of her outgrowing him even if she’d had more free time and never tried to keep things casual in the first place
He and Amber bonded by commiserating about their insecurities, so he doesn’t have that same fear with her
OK, clearly Walky and Amber have a pretty unhealthy relationship at the moment, but I still say Sal is completely in the wrong for guilting him from moving on. Him and Dorothy have broken up, cleanly (twice now!). Their relationship lasted a few months, they’re both 18, and Sal is treating it like his wife of 40 years just died.
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#ThiccDorothy
Thicc like a Double Stuf Oreo.
thicc like a tube sock full of cottage cheese
thicc like a Dorothy full of muscles
Yep.
Sweet merciful Neptune.
If this comment chain continues, I think I’m gonna be thicc.
#ThiccGonBeGud
EXTRA THICC
MAXIMUM HONESTY
WITH CHEESE. ALSO FRIES.
Add gravy, and you have an approximation to poutine.
Honest?
Yes, honest. But the cake is a lie.
IT”S GARBAGE ROOF. ALWAYS HONEST.
Oh good – Walky stood his ground. Good for you Walky!
Hm. I hope Amber is okay.
And Sal respected him for both it and his obvious issues he’s wrestling with right now.
**nods**
Eventually, anyway. Sal’s last panel in yesterday’s strip really upset me, so I am glad to see that she’s pulled her head outta her butt.
In fairness to Sal, Walky’s always been the favorite child without having to try, and he’s been doing his damnedest to hide that he’s HAD a problem to start with.
Sure… but not sure what that has to do with Sal slut-shaming people.
Of course, I will also admit that (somewhat like Roz) this is a rather hot-button issue for me. Between her actions here and in It’s Walky, I kinda actively dislike Sal. See also the situation with Marcie.
Oh yeah one of Sal’s major charachter flaws is, in a way, kind of the same as Ambers- she’s totally a superhero; and butts into other people’s business because she sees herself as competent to deal with it (offering to rough up Ruth for Billie way back when is the main example I can think of). It’s a bad behavior that comes from a good place, and she definitely doesn’t like it when other people do it (Amazi-Girl, Jason); but Sal stands up for those she thinks needs standing up for and tries to right perceived wrongs. It just doesn’t always work in a world with shades of grey
I think it’s because Walky was going “Oh woe is me” regarding Dorothy, and then did a complete 180 – she wasn’t slut-shaming Amber, she was berating her brother for moving on that quickly and, in her eyes, that callously.
And without context she doesn’t have, “this is garbage rood, nothing up here means anything” is… not a pleasant sentiment.
Even with context it’s pretty stupid. It would be convenient if we could justify our actions by just defining certain places or times where normal morality and decency doesn’t apply, but that’s not how that stuff works.
I really don’t see why Morality had to be invoked for two consenting adults smooching. Both are single to boot, so it’s even less anybody else’s business than usual in this strip.
It is their business. But that makes the argument “it doesn’t count on garbage roof” even more stupid. Walky does think it’s wrong, he does feel guilty and he rationalizes it in an incredibly stupid way.
If you want to rebound, go for it. But don’t make up stupid excuses like garbage roof. Be honest with yourself about what you are doing.
@CJ That wasn’t my point. My point is it’s a bad justification, supposing that there’s something that needs to be justified.
I think it was less slut-shaming and more shaming Walky for moving on that quickly and saying it didn’t mean anything because it was garbage roof. Once Walky explained WHY he likes Amber, Sal backed off. Slut shaming would imply that she shames people for liking sex, which she doesn’t. She’s never shown shaming Roz for being in a porn tape, for example.
I don’t think Sal even knows who Roz is, let alone been in a situation to talk about her.
I was kinda expecting her to escape down the side of the building, not through a *door*.
No grappling hook this time. Also, doesn’t Amazi-girl usually make the dramatic exits (and entrances) rather than Amber? (Infiltrating the math building is an exception I think.)
*Sigh* I can no longer read “stand your ground” without thinking of Florida. Stupid, stupid Florida.
It’ll be underwater in a few decades. And deservedly so.
I hope that Walky, with their “okay to be garbage” creed, is _finally_ someone that Amber will tell _why_ she’s freaked out by Sal.
I laughed so hard the pain of the last few strips just spiraled into nowhere
I have never related to this dumpster fire we call a boy more than right now.
Walky speaks for us all.
*facepalms* Walky no. If you ARE truly interested in Amber, then think of her as her own person. Don’t compare her to Dorathy and certainly don’t call her a “Thicc” Dorathy. Appreciate her for who and what she is not what/who she isn’t.
It’s a joke yo
But wouldn’t this comic be so much better if all the characters were morally perfect beings who never did anything wrong or bad?
And wouldn’t the world be a much more peaceful place if people stopped thinking about Morality(!) when two (or more) consenting adults are sexually interested in each other and follow up on it and instead applied ethics to the things they do in everyday life (e.g. not judge other people’s relationship choices).
There a difference between “hey, this is not a good move” and “you are WRONG!”
You’re really hung up on my use of the word “morality”. I don’t think that word means what you think it means. “Ethics” and “morality” are two words for the same thing. One comes from Greek, the other from Latin.
Anyway, I wasn’t talking about the Walky-Amber smooching, I was talking about what the poster that I replied to was talking about, i.e. calling Amber “thicc Dorothy”
Right. IMO, morality is something that comes from outside of yourself, from a church, some other power that wants to tell people what to do and what not to do by instilling guilt in them.
Ethics come from within, that has to do with acting according to your own inner conviction and knowing acts have consequences.
And whenever I see or hear people moralizing about and judging other people’s relationship choices, I wonder why they have such a need to police other people’s most private feelings. There is an incredible amount of contradictory expectations on how when and with whom people should or shouldn’t have relationships, and it shouldn’t be anybody’s business when how and with whom people are attracted, have sex or relationships, as long as all parties involved are adults that consented to it and had a real option of not consenting.
Because you can hurt people with sex and relationship choices, just like with choices in any relationship. Just that sex and romance tend to cut deeper and can be more painful.
So yes, ethics or morality apply. We talk about the moral implications of all sorts of acts here in this comic, I don’t see why relationships should be immune. And yes, there are contradictory expectations, like with everything else.
As for morality and ethics, I think you’ve got them almost backwards, though as Kabo says they’re often interchangeable. When they’re not, morality is generally the internal and ethics the external. A business for example might have a code of ethics its employees are expected to follow.
Where I think your version comes from is that many do learn their morals from their religion. It has to come from somewhere, even if it’s just the examples of parents and other role models. For many, their church is that place.
tbf. she is a thicc dorothy.
You know except for the part where they’re completely different people with basically no commonalities whatsoever beyond the completely superficial.
Picked the same college, played the same sports in high school, fell for the same guys, both have strong nerd interests, both have a deep commitment to justice and a desire to protect their loved ones… yup, no commonalities beyond the completely superficial there whatsoever.
Strong nerd interests is not a commonality that’s an incredibly broad field that has no unifying characteristics, Amber isn’t committed to justice she’s committed to subjecting acceptable victims to violence to make herself feel powerful if she gave a damn about justice she wouldn’t have changed Walky’s completely deserved grades, desire to protect ones loved ones is like a defining trait of decent humans in general.
Also, they didn’t play the same sports – although they played similar ones. Amber did track and field and Dorothy ran cross country. And honestly, Amber and Billie have more similar body shapes than Amber and Dorothy do. Amber and Dorothy look similar enough for the gag toward but it’s really not super accurate if you look at them in detail.
I think it’s the hair, mostly. 🙂
But yeah, very, very different people. Driven, ambitious over-achiever with supportive upbringing. Smart, abused kid with serious anger issues. Even the nerd interests seem completely different – mostly cartoons vs gaming.
Amber gets turned on by guys who dig My Little Pony, so still a strong link there.
And I never said that they weren’t different people, I said that the argument that they have no non-superficial commonalities is bullshit. HUGE difference between those two ideas.
‘strong nerd interests’
Dorothy’s watched two whole damn cartoons. That doesn’t mean she’s a nerd.
Dorothy edits the wiki for at least one of those, and study-obsessed government official-wannabe is a TOTALLY nerd thing.
Joke or not, I agree with William. Between him calling her ‘Thicc Dorothy’ and a weirdo, it doesn’t feel like he respects Amber very much. He enjoys the attention, and how she makes him feel better, and that’s good and all? But combined with “She’s thicc”, the way he’s licking his lip, and how he just wants someone who won’t ‘move on’ from him… I dunno, I’m just skeeved out.
Eh, he went from feeling like garbage to having somebody who looks like his ex make moves on him to her suddenly bolting because of his sister
I can’t really say Walky is out of line as he’s probably mentally ALL over the place right now. If he acts like this after he’s had an hour or two to let his brain process everything that happened within a couple minutes, THEN I’m going to be worried
As it is, I can’t really be skeeved out as I think ANYBODY would act weird as fuck after that much happens that fast
The weirdo was part of him understanding her. He’s comparing her to himself. He’s saying that she’s a weirdo – and so is he. Also, since Amber herself identifies as a weirdo, again, that is more about understanding Amber as a person.
I’m sure with some guidance the next time he see’s her he’ll approach her with more etiquette now that they’re in a possible romantic stage…. wait a minute, Walky with etiquette? What the fuck am I talking about.
Lets all remember that Walky has no filter. Never has, probably never will, and shaming him for voicing thoughts that someone else would have had but not mentioned isn’t really productive. What he needs are friends and partners who understand that.
… or he could work on developing one.
I don’t blame him for not having one now, at this stage of life, but the notion that everyone should just accept and excuse and accommodate such behavior indefinitely/for the rest of his life is…
“no, no, you don’t need to learn tact or make any effort towards personal growth; we’ll just carry you so you can remain a child in an adult body, forever.”
All a filter does is protect pansies from the truth
It’s not other people’s jobs to be infinitely patient and understanding because a manchild refuses to grow up.
It really feels like he’s latching on to Amber because he doesn’t think she’s too good for him and thus won’t be able to find something better.
Or as a rebound from someone who he did think was too good for him and who did leave him. Maybe more someone he won’t have to try and improve himself for. They can be garbage together.
Kind of an echo of Billie and Ruth’s initial pact, now that I think of it.
Okay but that still means he thinks Amber is garbage so like hardly the best basis of a relationship. Like Billie and Ruth’s pact was fucking incredibly unhealthy.
Amber is the best garbage.
I don’t think it necessarily does. Or only because he thinks he’s garbage.
Didn’t mean it was healthy, just that it wasn’t intended as “she won’t leave me for something better”.
I would point out that literally everything else Walky said indicated that Walky is interested in Amber as a person and a friend. Sometimes a last panel punchline is just a punchline.
This.
I’ve begun to get the impression that you take this comic more seriously than Willis does.
So not serious enough or too Serouse? I don’t know how to read into this.
Maybe Dorothy is thin Amber! #thinamber
would that make danny… a white walker(ton)? 😀
No! In this situation since Walky moved in after Danny he’s technically a…….well actually I can’t think of anything related to Walky and Danny’s last name (Wilcox) that doesn’t sound racist or dirty. It needs workshopping.
Walky is a beigecox.
Generically beige, even.
You know, considering the history of Danny and Walky as characters, you an Inahc aren’t actually far off – both were created as author avatars oh so long ago.
It’s a.. nice day to… staaart again!
Whoa
It’s a.. nice day for a… White Walky!
OOOOOOOOH
Like Elastigirl
OMG I didn’t know Amber was Elastigirl too! I knew there was a reason for her thiccness!
There was a lab accident.
*zaps himself trying to repair the circuits of the sound system*
Finds massive boom box from the late 80s and a whole mess of D batteries. Presses play. LL Cool J “Round the way girl” plays on the cassette deck.
*Listens to Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” on his headphones, just so he can parody it under his breath*
THE SHIP IS STILL ALIVE! ………………..sorta…….
I ACCEPT THIS VERSION OF THE SHIP. IT SHALL SAIL SOMEHOW.
Bring it back into the drydock!
“Those who loved her best, and were with her till the end
Will make the SS Garbage Skowl rise again!”
Though there names might be lost,
Their lives about to end,
Those that loved them best and were with them till the end,
Will let the S.S. Garbage scow rise again!
Yeah, it’s like leaking out of several holes.
Large, stabby holes.
Stabbies may rule.
Funnily enough, I actually have zero interest in Amber/Walky long-term. Instead, I think they both need a friend – possibly with benefits – who can understand and accept them as they are. Neither has ever had that, so while I totes think they should fuck like badgers, I also think they should not actually date but rather simply develop into best friends who had sex that one time (or maybe a couple times, depending) when both of them really needed it.
I’m not against dating, as for messing around well looks like if you guys want that Slipshine so badly everyone here alongside Walky is going to haft to wait and earn it now that his connection to Sal is out in the open.
Onward to glory! ONWARD TO FANART! may we seek shelter there until our ship is at last armed with canon
Not exactly what I’m getting but fuck it go for it.
I agree with lesliebean I don’t mind a small fling but not sure I see it long term. I’m still hoping Joyce and walky will happen eventually but appreciate we’re a while off that currently!
It would be nice if someone could be interested in Amber who hasn’t dated Dorothy. Isn’t she going to realise the pattern soon and feel unhappy about it?
As for walky moving on fast and people saying it’s fine… it’s a difficult one. Technically yes he is single but if I was Dorothy I’d feel a little upset he hadn’t given the relationship much of a mourning period, it does make it seem like it didn’t mean much to him. Whilst I know it isn’t that simple if it was me I’d be thinking ‘but I thought you loved me? How can you kiss someone else while you still love me?’. It makes them saying they loved you in the first place feel like it didn’t mean all that much and that can make you feel sad even if it is in the past
The ship hasn’t sunk yet, despite Willis blowing holes in it.
It’s sinking… but that’s whaat submarines are for!
So: how long will it take before Sal and Amber have an actual conversation?
Comic time, or books?
Comic time: Heat death of the universe
RL time: Heat death of the next universe
Amazi-Girl and Sal? Soonish maybe.
Amber and Sal? Wouldn’t hold my breath on it.
In comic time or our time?
Our time… I’m really looking forward too the moment when Sal realises she ‘encountered’ Amber before.
A month, give or take, is my guess.
Man Sal is just awful
well we were all thinking it
walky…….. pls………………
my dorothy…. she’s very thicc….
Some much for confronting the Amber/Sal issue. Well at least Amber knows now, this is a good start to a new love interest right?
I prefer Thicc Dorothy over Thin Amber, physically speaking.
Amber thicc, yeah yeah yeah
She’s not smol, no no no
walky, stop talking
Hell yeah Walky! Ironic that the only place he feels confident enough to tell Sal off (minus that one time) is on a roof where he thinks he’s garbage
Sal really does have awesome hair.
…. sooooo many ways to interpret Panel 5 Sal here.
I’m not sure Sal is being completely honest about her motives here. Wouldn’t she love a chance to stick it to her favored sibling?
Verbally questioning his judgment is hardly “sticking it to him”… what’s the consequence? Knowing his delinquent, rebellious sister thinks he made a bad decision? I mean, does her general frustration with him partially motivate her vocalized disgust? Maybe. But does Walky set the bar way too low for himself? Idk about your opinion, but I think yes, between garbage roof and stained shirts pre-Dorothy, he totally does.
This whole Dorothy/Amber/Walky love whatever cause it’s not a triangle thing is gonna blow up in someone’s face one way or the other. There are a lot of conflicting opinions on this, but chances are someone’s getting hurt in the end.
It’s already blown up in Amber’s face once, but there are so many opportunities for it to blow up in her face again. And others too, but mostly Amber.
If one thing is constant in this comic, it’s Amber’s suffering.
Maybe not Amber..or not just Amber. Walky seems very invested after one kiss and some texting. If Amber cuts it off he’ll end up hurt. Dorothy’s probably not over Walky so she’ll end up hurt, maybe even worse because Amber is her friend which is another little wrinkle in this. Walky’s also clearly not over Dorothy either. So possibly, probably all three involved. I’d say Danny too, but as has been established, he has a hat and ukulele. He’s invincible.
There’s a lot of comics between now and whenever this could possibly be considered wrapped up, so I’m sure there will be plenty of pain to go around.
Which is related with her having serious issues and not doing anything about it. There’s counseling on the campus and her father no longer decides what she should or shouldn’t do. It is her decision to not go to therapy and deal with her issues in a healthier way than running around in a costume.
Tetrahedron – Kris’ gravatar is in there, somewhere, too. She’s being repressed, hard, but she’s still in there.
Yikes Walky. Go sal for taking it in stride.
A lot of my commentary yesterday is still relevant, I guess, with the only addition that Walky fiercely defending Dorothy’s replacement (since is wording is “she’s like another dorothy!” is selling amber really short, since that’s the second time someone reduced her to such) is still uniquely scummy.
Wonder what Sal was gonna talk to amaze-girl about?
Tangent: How’s walky going to feel about his sister pushing away his “second chance”? I sort of doubt Amber can handle being in a relationship with Walky when the source of her PTSD and literal division of her mind is his sister. That’ll definitely screw up their tenuous relationship at best. How will Sal feel when the last of her family has abandoned her, after thinking he finally understood how she’d been treated all this time?
What another complicated layer to this mess.
Pretty selective reading to push the Dorothy comparison all on Walky when it’s actually Sal that says it first.
Walky’s affection for Amber seems real enough, given that he’s genuinely and willingly talking about feelings.
I also think it’s fair to compare and contrast data points from multiple humans to determine desirable traits to pursue in potential romantic or platonic partners; although most people would be… gently put, more tactful. Walky is hidden depths with Heavey emphasis on hidden; but they’re there. That said, said depths could also totally coexist with problematic things and given the 24 hour emotional reset period he’s had access to; they probably do. It’s not a black-and-white issue and nobody’s really got a strong moral position here per se
Joe was the first to point out how similar they are way back at the beginning of the series when he saw her and realised something was going on betwen her and Danny. People comparing Amber to Dorothy has been a thing for ever now. Maybe we should treat it more like the running gag it is.
It’s not unreasonable to think that though it’s a running gag now, it could turn much more serious later.
After all, this is twice now Amber’s been involved with someone Dorothy dumped, days within them breaking up. I really wouldn’t be surprised if the trend continues or if one day, Amber’s self-conscious about being a replacement Dorothy.
@Jaime (re yesterday) Thank you for explaining about the cats. You appear to be as strong a cat lover as my late wife. She sensitised me to cat issues. I appreciate your detailed explanation.
Some people think Walky is a jerk for moving on so quickly or what he’s said in his own defense.
Some people think Sal is a jerk for butting in and being judgemental.
We can all agree that Amber has gotten the worst of it.
Though it’s not clear that Amber registered any of the conversation past “That’s Sal, my twin sister”.
More on topic: while amber may indeed have run away, it seems quite plausible that Amazi-girl will appear
shortlysoon.And Walky will be confused as hell.
Unlikely, I suspect. If this had happened earlier in the strip, sure, but with the broken relationship between Amber and Amazi-Girl, I doubt she’d go back relying on her to handle Sal.
I wonder if amazi-girl will try to force her way out :/
Possible, but I’ve been assuming Amazi-Girl isn’t any more aware of what Amber’s up to than Amber is what she’s been doing.
That’s not. That’s not a good sign that Sal and Walky had this conversation. Didn’t Danny and Joe have it EARLY ON IN THE STRIP? How is that last panel not forboding?
Amber is cute, fair. Dorothy is cute, fair. But Amber being reduced to “Corthy” (Curvy Dorothy) is not good. It happening again is not a good sign.
I FEEL FOR YOU WALKY BUT THIS ISN’T A GOOD SIGN.
And really, I am more worried about DID, abuse/trauma survivor, reduced to Porth (plump dorothy) A M B E R. THIS IS NOT GOOD. SHE IS NOT JUST A REBOUND THOUGH, MAN. I GET YOU BUT NOOooooooooooo.
Aw man this, she STABBED a dude recently. This will not be the adorable trash ship that was advertised. It will be a burning mess. The powder keg is already, as soon as Sal walked in it started to spark. THIS IS NOT GOOD, MAN. NOT A GOOD SIGN.
I’m stressed
Yeah no the minute the kiss happened before the grades or Sal reveals this was doomed. Frankly I’m just kinda relieved it blew this fast as opposed to much, much later and maybe being much, much worse.
“Frankly I’m just kinda relieved it blew this fast as opposed–”
A point well made, but… I wish I was that optimistic. I am reading the other comic after I post this… but man Dorothy was still hitting up Walky for more!
You think it ends her? That this doesn’t get. Messier? I. Wish I could believe that. I think this maaaaay have impacts way down the line if it this DID nip it down in the bud. I just can imagine it not. There’s to much stuff that happened before up to this, that this ball will roll and smack someone in the face. I can FEEL it. I’m SURE.
You have to remember that most of that plump is muscles.
Irrelevant for this conversation, for Amber being valid foremost, and cute second, would be true in either case of “plump” cause. And they wouldn’t have to mutually exclusive.
I KNOW how she can move, but I really and her fitness level will ONLY matter if fisty cuffs?
Garbage Roof rules son!
They had only broken up a day or so ago so even if Dorothy isn’t the Jealous type there’s no way she’d be over it so easily. But even so how upset are you allowed to be with someone who gutted a homicidal serial rapist to save your life and someone who you started a few month or so long relationship that you were only partly serouse about do to a constant time limit that you insisted would run out and then dumped like as promised when it did.
I can’t say I don’t see her feeling a bit down about the idea of him being with someone else so soon since I now have no doubt that she was falling for him twords the end. I can see her trying to convince herself to put it out of her head but it will be hard for her….Like really hard for her.
@kris
@Kris….as in me? I hope I’m the Kris you’re talking to……anyway
It kinda depends. Dorothy was offering to bang Walky again just to make him feel better even though that was played more for comedy. That was still today in comic time….I think. So I’m assuming she’s still pretty invested.
And it’s not just somebody else. Amber is an established friend with Dorothy. Unless it’s that confusing Amazi-Girl disassociation. I have to put my hands up for that cause I don’t know. I’m pretty sure they’re friends. And a friend immediately moving in on your ex is at least kind of rude.
These are all just factors of course. Maybe no one will care?! This is college after all.
One thing I DO know for sure is……Walky needs to stop smooching Thicc Dorothy’s and open up a fucking textbook! Half of the problems giving him a “bad time” are caused by his own immaturity! Getting hammered with your former TA doesn’t count as studying.
I won’t lie there’s a lot of truth here, especially since as far as I’m concerned Dorothy And Amber are definitely friends, Amazi-girl is a associate and a role model to Dorothy, but Amber is the friend that saved her life. But Also maybe it would sting a lot less for her to know he’s with someone she can trust for the time being.
But your right about one thing they both have issues right now they should be spending their time resolving not making more to add on top of.
I agree that the Garbage room is awesome, to add to your comment on my thread. I think, in other circumstances, it could even be a healthy outlet for both of them.
But my stress, comes, from things you guys mention here.
Even if Dorothy WAS Cool with it. That this didn’t trigger her stress even more, that she doesn’t think about how Amber has dated TWO guys that left her, or about how Amaze girl fits in… she COULD think that walky sees her not only as a replacement, but as a Distraction.
It doesn’t matter who’s emotions she puts first, hers, Amber, or Walky’s… it’s going to way on her mind when there’s to much going on! That’s WHY I’m stressed. Even if Walky and Amber really COULD be something, this is what both the garbage roof (or boning for Dorothy) was. A temporary fix, that has blow back on top of their current stress.
I Stand by my stressed statement. I haven’t seen the next strip yet so I am not sure, but for now it’s true. I miss having the money for the early strips :/
No, getting hammered with your former TA counts as reaction to getting dumped. As does this.
Yeah, he needs to figure out the studying thing, but getting dumped sure doesn’t make that easier.
Actually, Dorothy would at least try to be happy he found someone else as she ended things with him and she wants him to be in a good place. And also might be so exhausted that the feeling of no longer being responsible for him in any way might outweigh the jealousy that will undoubtedly well up and make her feel like a horrible person.
I’m sure she’d try. She’s not the kind of person who’d try to punish him for it or tear her down or anything, but it’s still going to be painful.
Sal’s getting a tad judgy about Walky. He could be up to a lot worse after the breakup, ya know?
…So? The fact he could be doing something worse doesn’t change the fact that he is using Amber as a coping device right now.
… So if Walky and/or Sal go after her, who do we think they’ll find? And is there any hope of one of them piecing things together soon?
Can Ethan provide Sudden Convenient Exposition Time? Can he, Dina, and Danny join the twins in forming the League of People Concerned For Amber’s Mental Well-Being? (I’m still not certain Sal will ever really be friends with Amber or AG, but who knows at this point. Certainly it’ll explain a lot to Sal that she deserves to know, and I think even people who dislike Amber should be concerned about her right now. If only out of self-preservation.)
Also while the easy guess is AG wresting control while Amber’s in shock, Amber revealing she changed the grades for Walky without his consent to drive him away is an option.
Never doubt the ability for shit to get more fucked even faster. DAMN YOU, WILLIS!
Feels like your over thinking this. I wont lie the unaddressed PTSD issues are a problem and it looks like there’s going to be a lot of things to unpack and resolve with this Amber & Walky Dynamic starting with Amber’s past baggage with Sal, but I think that’s what’s going to make the bond between the two.
As clearly psychologically and emotionally vulnerable as Amber is at times that she doesn’t show out in public it’s not like she’s fragile mental patient that can barely function in society without a heap dose of meds despite if it feels like that’s how some people might see her. Though I won’t argue Amber needs a lot of things such as relief and support but a lover would most likely fit in the “want” category for her.
Though Walky could give her more support, but it’s going to haft to be at somewhere else besides Garbage roof.
Honestly I’m not so sure either Walkerton will accept the knowledge that Amber stabbed Sal right off the bat, especially without knowing the Blaine and ‘no she literally dissociates’ factors that she’s in no shape to explain. That’s one of the things I’m most worried about. (The other biggest one being AG. Putting aside the alter situation, she was engaging in really risky behavior even by vigilante standards before, and now she’s probably running on the bare minimum sleep. That is just an objectively bad idea.)
I worry about Amber because things just seem to be getting worse and worse for her. She can course-correct, but she needs some informed and competent support on that front. She’s working currently with no tools to really deal with anything – AG is no longer a helpful outlet but something she exists in opposition to, her self-loathing’s only gotten worse and she’s compartmentalizing it as Amber and avoiding any blame on AG*, and the more she hates herself, the more she seems willing to embrace excessive violence. Remember, ‘I am not Amazi-Girl’ came right after Rachel’s ‘redemption is a myth’ speech. Hard not to see a connection there, and it could become a feedback loop since she hates that tendency towards violence most of all. Everything she has she developed herself, and they’re clearly not working anymore.
* Remember, all stalking of Sal was as AG, and she came into play in broad daylight civilian mode to freak out at Danny, before taking out her aggression the rest of the day. After the rally, her language changes and she starts foisting it on Amber.
And I totally think it is possible Walky and Amber could come out of this dating, and even working out long term. But Walky needs to sort through his feelings about the breakup before another serious relationship looks viable, and Amber is clearly and immediately in Bad Shape. Also the grades thing. The grades thing is a problem that needs to be rectified before anyone notices and they can pretend it never happened, with Walky fully informed. College Academic Integrity policies are serious business, even if they change things back they could still get expelled or VERY heavily disciplined for even attempting it. (By which I mean Walky with his connections may get off with an automatic flunk of the class and demerits, but I see no universe where IU doesn’t expel Amber. Minimal resources to fight it, and the college knows she was responsible for the stabbing. PR nightmare they can’t afford on top of all the others, and that assumes Ryan’s parents aren’t suing the university as well.)
Well if the root of all this aggression is that it Stims from her hating herself then what first needs to be addressed is that they need to know what part about herself she hates or a better question what part about her does she hate the most? Also if the vigilante stuff isn’t working then she needs to find another outlet and honestly I don’t know a better none violent outlet to address the issues about your self worth than just venting your suppressed issues to someone who can lend an ear and is willing to help find a solution and that seemed to have been pretty effective up to this point.
But really it seems though her aggression issues only really started with Sal much like her AG persona started. Though her AG persona came from the feeling of helplessness from not being able to help a friend when they were held captive something she never really got over until recently when she manage to do what she couldn’t before without her AG persona so now it seems like there isn’t a need for it anymore. But the problem of her rage and self worth is still there and since that Started with a violent incounter with Sal it should end with a peaceful incounter with Sal.
Since Walky seems to be the most likely person to get that to happen right now then he could try to help her much like she tried to “help” with his grades to return the favor. Also since violent aggression seems to be something Sal has wrestled with in the past then maybe these two siblings could help with that on top of Sal settling some loose ends with her own past. But before we get to any of that Amber needs to do one thing for herself when the time is right, she needs to open up about it to someone.
As for Walky’s grades I can only imagine the administration asking one question to those two if they were actaully caught despite Amber being pretty Thoreau with covering their tracks. “So you went through all this trouble of hacking into the Mainframe and changing your grade all so you couldn’t give yourself a C? Would have thought you would want to go a little higher than that.”
I’m pretty sure the apparent disappearance of Amazi-girl has a lot more to do with Amber getting worse, not some getting over anything or a lack of need. She seems to be more horrified by what she did to Ryan than feeling she redeemed not being able to protect Ethan.
And while she did tell Amazi-Girl she was no longer necessary, that was in the context of “There’s no salvaging me. You lost. I’m irredeemable. I am garbage.” Not in any good sense.
Besides, Amazi-Girl is still running around at night doing her thing while Amber sleeps.
I do agree that some kind of resolution with Sal will be necessary to Amber finding any kind of peace. Maybe they can team up against Blaine. 🙂
They’ll have questions. It’s still a flat You Do Not Do This, Ever, because you don’t cheat and you don’t hack the school systems. A C is still passing. If it’s ‘keep him off probation,’ it could be higher in context of his other grades, but either way changing it low would be understood as keeping it under the radar but off probation. The integrity board will not like it, period. And changing his grades pre-midterms while his knowledge of the course material hasn’t improved and neither has his flee instinct towards the class pretty much guarantees it would need changing again later if that’s Amber’s goal.
I agree Amber needs to open up. Unfortunately she couldn’t do so to Danny under better circumstances, so I’m not sure she’ll be able to now. Revisiting those memories is just that hard for her.
She tried to kill the rapist, put her father in hospital and broke into rooms at various occasions, stealing stuff (and not giving everything of it back). Not to mention various occasions where she used force against people without it being self-defense
She’s not exactly functional. She’s pretty broken. The whole thing is barely hold together by the ag-codex, which seems to slowly break apart now.
I’ll give you some of that, but Ryan and Blaine are perfectly fine by me.
I’m also pretty sure she didn’t really try to kill Ryan, despite what she said. If she had, he’d have been dead. She must have stopped herself, there wasn’t anyone else there.
My issues with her beat downs on Blaine and Ryan are solely that she hates herself worse after them, for which I feel bad for Amber and hope she doesn’t repeat things any time soon.
She still feels good about the Toedad rescue, right? Great, that was still good.
I thought she didn’t feel great about that one…
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-6/02-that-perfect-girl/brunt/
Forgot that entirely. Crap. At least that appears to be ‘this experience was terrifying and being a passenger in my body while the driver does something dangerous is terrifying’ rather than ‘I am a monster’, but there’s clearly still the ‘AG doesn’t give up and that saved Becky where I would have lost the car’ undercurrent that feeds into ‘Amber is useless’. (Also, I can only imagine how terrifying it is to not know what your body’s doing while you’re unconscious knowing it can go that dangerous. Someone give Amber a nice new MP Dinobot or something.)
Good thing Amber got out of there before it got ugly.
Why shame? Amber and Walky both know why they’re up on the roof. They’re probably better for each other than Billie and Ruth.
😓……Yeah, Yeah no doubt about that. There’s a lot less alcoholic and suicidal Tendencies here.
Not sure of that. I don’t think Billie and Ruth are actually bad for each other, though they’re both in really bad places.
Amber’s not in a great place herself and reinforcing it with the whole “we can be garbage” thing isn’t really going to help.
Never said they were bad for each other, it’s just hard not to admit their relationship didn’t start on the best of standards. Still worked out though.
Because it isn’t exactly great to use a person as a way to avoid feeling bad and processing your own emotions? Because if you’ve just broken up with someone and care about them, taking time to give both of you time to recover is considered the respectable thing to do? Because this is the exact kind of thing Billie would suggest doing because she is the Queen of Bad Coping Mechanisms to avoid introspection and growth?
OTOH, Amber made the move on him, knowing full well his situation, so if she’s being used, she’s basically in on it.
As someone who is usually very particular as to what qualifies thicc, I was about to screech in horror at someone using it wrong. Then I thought it over, and I figured, “Yeah, no. Amber qualifies as thicc.”
But focusing on what’s actually important, I’m now worried that Walky is gonna go after her, only for things to go horrifically wrong.
I like Sal’s face in the 2nd last panel. I think she’s just realised that he’s lonely and hurting and he’s more complex than just her goofy idiot brother. I hope they sit and have a chat here.
Panel 3: WHERE ARE THE NUKES!!
This has the lighting of a dramatic rooftop scene. Well, it is a rooftop, but like, an empty rooftop that is super dangerous to be on top of. Dramatic rooftop.
After the last two strips and the commentary above, I regret thinking this was a good ship. I was going to make a joke about the alt-text, but now I just feel uncomfortable, considering all the shit that Amber’s been through.
(And on that note) I can’t remember: does Walky know that Amber stabbed Ryan?
Yeah but I don’t think he’d be broken up about it, he is unaware about her stabbing his sister though. That’s going to be a hard one to tackle.
It still IS a good ship. It’s just that the seas are gonna be rough
When she revealed her identity, that was the only association he had of Amber at the time.
Actually, good question here based off the replies: how much does Walky know about the holdup? Obviously that it happened, but what details? Given the Walkertons, I don’t think we can even take as a given that he saw her after but pre-boarding school. Does he actually know Sal got stabbed as a result of it?
Well a massive wound going through your hand would he hard to hide. Hed at least have to know she went to the hospital
Well, there’s a decent chance she would have been in custody anyway. If she’s not coming home, jail or hospital, how’s a kid to tell?
I can’t really imagine he wouldn’t have seen her, but then I can’t really imagine they would have kept her in boarding school or somewhere for 5 years without even coming home for holidays and vacations, so I don’t know.
Exactly the conundrum. Like, Sal didn’t even come home this last summer (probably by choice, but still.) The family dynamics here are so wrecked she might not have come home, and he might not have visited her. Their parents could have barred him from visiting for all we know. (Though I think it’s much more likely he said he didn’t want to go and they didn’t push.)
Walky said on the in-character twitters that he hasn’t seen her since they sent her to boarding school, he said early on that he hasn’t spoken to her much since she left, plus a comment from Willis said they didn’t talk in years before this semester.
It sounds to me like they shipped her off and he might have made little efforts to contact her at first (probably when his parents were already talking to her) and then it dropped off completely for a while.
Oh, Walky, you have no idea just how Sal’s going to keep you from dating Amber for the time being.
Of course, neither does Sal for that matter.
I think Amber is going to need a bit to process this. And then I don’t know where we go,
Back to Mike probably.
I don’t know why I read this that way, but I assumed you meant Amber/Mike would happen. And I’m??
I think they just meant that the comic itself is going to go back to see whatever Mike is doing or possibly a Mike flashback.
i feel like amber needs to date someone that DIDNT just break up w dorothy
Did her relationship with Ethan go that much better?
Dorothy was secretly ethans first girl
Also, Amber probably needs to date someone whose immediate family members don’t set off red panels in her brain.
No, I still don’t get why he should be ashamed.
When you break up with someone and still care about them and their feelings, it is considered good form to give both of you time to recover from it, especially if you plan to still be friends.
Even if he didn’t care about Dorothy’s feelings any more though and didn’t plan to be friends with her any more – using another person as an outlet instead of processing your feelings is a crummy thing to do to the person you are rebounding with. They’re not an emotional processor who can do your emotional labour for you or a free therapist to vent to.
Well, you are bringing a number of preconceptions along with your reasoning.
A) if you are hurt in the process of a breakup, this will make it impossible to be friends
B) this somehow assumes it’s possible to break up without hurt on both sides
C) you expect that Dorothy will be hurt by him making out with Amber, which is something we cannot know
D) You expect that Amber will be hurt by making out with Walky which is something we cannot know and where she decided to take the risk.
E) his aim is having Amber deal with his feelings and that’s something he hasn’t given any indication of wanting.
Amber and Walky talked about their darker sides with each other. The sides they usually don’t show to other people. They became closer over this. And getting physically intimate after all that might or might not be a good idea, but the scene you are painting just isn’t happening.
I don’t see the first two preconceptions there at all. It’s because of the hurt and your desire to stay friends that you should try to minimize it. It may remain possible, but it will be harder the more they get hurt and the more that’s directly a result of you doing something, not just the breakup.
Its absolutely possible to break up without hurt on both sides, though that requires the spark of the relationship to have long since faded out
From what i saw with friends in recent years, the longer they kept something in a zombie state (staying in the relationship even though the spark was dead) the worse the breakup was.
If you cannot accept that starting a relationship means that you will be hurt some times, you shouldn’t start it. Hurt is inevitable no matter how good the intentions.
There is stuff happening during a breakup, that you might be willing to forgive when you can see the place from which the other person was acting and there may be things you don’t want to forgive. What kind of behavior is forgiven or not depends on the people involved in the relationship, their previous hurts and how much the intention being not to hurt but to help yourself matters.
We don’t know if Walky making out with Amber registers on the “not-forgiveable”-scale for Dorothy. I rather doubt it, but it’s his risk to take.
You cannot spend your time guessing what things will hurt your partner or your ex. People are different, things that are a mayor disaster for one persons self-worth don’t even make a blib on other people’s radar. And some people will tell you “it’s not a problem” and will suffer badly.
So you can only do what you think is right and accept the consequences. As always in life. Doing anything is taking a risk. Always.
Of course you can spend your time guessing what things will hurt your partner or your ex. Or your friends, for that matter.
Figuring out what will hurt people you care about and not doing that is a fairly basic rule of being a decent human being.
Sure, everyone is different and you’ll screw up and hurt people by mistake. Generally as you get to know someone, you’ll have a pretty good idea what kinds of things will bother them.
THICC DOROTHY
Shorter, rounder and stabbier
Cue Amazi-Girl coming on the roof in 3, 2, 1…
Amazi-Girl’s already on the roof talking to Walky.
So, how is the extra c pronounced in ‘thicc’? Is it just pronounced like a k, or is there something extra to it, like a ‘chh’ sound?
Also, since no-one has said it yet, EXTRA THICC!
THICC = The hottest irresistibly coolest chick.
I don’t think that was shame, Walky. It was probably terror.
Extra Thicc!
Okay I didn’t think Walky was being sleazy before but now I do.
Loving how the lighting puts a yellow bar across Sal’s chest.
Ah, the old days…
This is way too sad. Poor Amber is apparently destined to forever be the poor man’s Dorothy. Danny dated her as basically a Dorothy substitute and now walky is doing the same. No one really sees her as her own person.
That said, ironically the only person (Mike and Ethan excluded) who doesn’t treat her like a Dorothy clone is Sal. She’s also the only one who holds her accountable for her actions. I don’t think Sal’s a jerk for it, but rather the only one indirectly looking out for Amber.
ugh, it’s hard to explain. I hope I made sense.
Which is pretty much nonsense, because other than some physical resemblance, she’s nothing like Dorothy.
And Danny dated Amazi-Girl, who’s even less like Dorothy. So, as a Dorothy substitute in the “after Dorothy broke up with me” sense, but not in any other way. Danny never even hinted at it, though Joe made the connection.
Sal’s barely interacted with Amber and certainly hasn’t “held her accountable” for anything. She’s done so with Amazi-Girl, but no one treats Amazi-Girl like a Dorothy clone, so that doesn’t really make sense.
Dina doesn’t. Joyce doesn’t.
Eh, I wouldn’t read too much into this as Walky -seeing- her as a thic Dorothy. Really this is showing us the difference between Walky and Danny when it came to Amber.
Danny tried to deny it was a possibility.
Walky openly admits it may be a possibility.
In fact, when you think about it… Danny spent a lot of time denying things when he was with Amber. Walky’s entire interaction with Amber has been talking to her about things he does not feel comfortable talking to anyone else about.
Damn, this strip hit closer to home than I expected. I know exactly the thought process Walky is having in panel 4. It’s almost word for word what went through my mind after I broke up with the girl whom I still consider my greatest love; it’s eerie.
In Sal’s defense she didn’t know Amber would flee the scene over an interrupted kiss. It wasn’t her words that blue screened Amber, it was her presence and being Walky’s twin.
And poor Amber. Ethan on prom night. Danny seemingly betrays AG and now Walky triggers her during smooches. No wonder she lives on fan fic.
Oh fuck I hope not. Shit, I hope the opposite happens, and every time Amber sees Sal she sees Walky.
It’s gonna be the way you said DAMMIT.
Amber is absolutely not a shorter, rounder Dorothy.
I’m old enough to remember stereotypes about women based on their hair color; redhead jokes, “Gentlemen prefer blondes” and “brunettes” were supposedly smart, etc. It was great for Madison Avenue, but doesn’t comport with reality. Two women who superficially resemble each other may be nothing alike.
This is also true of men, who go into business by putting a standard charcoal suit. There can be any character defect at all hiding behind that cookie-cutter exterior.
Insert gif of Marge Simpson saying, “It’s true, but he shouldn’t say it”.
I actually hate that none of us stopped to realize something realistically simple. Everyone here including me are on what would happen when those two started dating but there’s a issue-
One make out session does not equal automatic relationship, Hell one date doesn’t even mean your official. How the hell did we forget the basics of how relationshipstrong work.
It’s called Shipping. It’s all about seeing romance where there is very little and clamping down on it like the jaws of life.
Look at what we’ve all become.
As noted above, I don’t actually think they should date (or will). I just think they should hook up once. One night stands get a lot of flak, but they can be really helpful to one’s self esteem (for both men and women, so long as everything is consensual and informed). Considering that both Walky and Amber believe they are garbage, it is very possible that a night together could help dissuade them both of this notion and help their overall mental health.
That can happen and it can be great — but even if everyone is informed and consents, no one can guarantee a one night stand to feel less garbage will work either in the short term or long term. Sex, bodies, emotions are complicated. It’s just as likely to crash the next morning, or crash in the weeks after (which can sometimes lead into unhealthy risky coping mechanisms and self harm cycles of chasing the sex to for the less garbage to crash)
That’s probably why one night stands get such flak – when they work well, it’s fantastic, when it doesn’t, the effects can be awful.
Eh, I did try to say that making out one time didn’t mean anything about Walky moving on from Dorothy to Amber. Time will tell on that front.
I like this. I want Sal and Walky to have more moments like this. Where they let their guards down around each other and are actual siblings to each other.
Cuz, like if Walky were to open up to Sal, Sal could hook him up with a dude who could help him get a handle on his math. If Sal were to open up to Walky (and Walky mature a bit), Walky could start standing up for her with their parents a bit more, help her to not feel so alone in the family.
And, frankly, after an emotionally abusive upbringing, you kind of do have to rebuild your relationship with your siblings from the ground up. Was gonna say “from scratch” but it’s harder than building a friendship from scratch because of all the history and the baggage you have from your parents playing you off against each other (my parents totally did) and the inevitable resentment the scapegoat will have for the golden child (which to be clear, is neither the fault of the scapegoat nor the golden child but the fault of the abusive parents) as well as the subconscious sense of superiority the golden child has over the scapegoat (my sib, who was our golden child growing up, once explained to me – someone with a graduate degree in chemistry – what a 1M solution is, as if I didn’t know it. Because she was brought up to believe I was stupid, and so she assumes I need things explained to me even if evidence, like a graduate degree in chemistry, contradicts it).
hey, now you’re just getting into the territory where a lot of cartoon characters just sort of look alike given a typical art style…
Are Walky and Danny always seeking women with glasses? Anyway, Walky is kind of right that Sal shamed her directly, but it seems he just wants a “feel good” relationship right now instead of something serious.
Nah, he explicitly mentions it being a relationship he can allow himself to be invested in at the outset. Dorothy was all about setting boundaries (and then breaking them, dammit, Dot), but with Amber he’s free.
I think Dorothy initially trying to set boundaries isn’t what Walky’s referring to so much as the pedestal he has her on. He probably would have been afraid of her outgrowing him even if she’d had more free time and never tried to keep things casual in the first place
He and Amber bonded by commiserating about their insecurities, so he doesn’t have that same fear with her
OK, clearly Walky and Amber have a pretty unhealthy relationship at the moment, but I still say Sal is completely in the wrong for guilting him from moving on. Him and Dorothy have broken up, cleanly (twice now!). Their relationship lasted a few months, they’re both 18, and Sal is treating it like his wife of 40 years just died.
We are ALL Walky on this glorious day!
This boy licked his lips and said Thicc Dorothy, I’M SCREAMING
sorry not sorry:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMRxuJi8vOw