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“Boozles” is a comics term of art for the little bubbles that indicate intoxication. They are also known as squeans. There’s a short list of similar terms at TV Tropes, but don’t blame me if you get sucked into a TV Tropes fugue.
Now the interesting question here is – Are they orriginating from Ruth or from someone who has walked up behind her. I note that the boozles seem to be originating from stage right.
I’m torn between spending the rest of the evening on a Fuck Truck filk of “Wrecking Ball,” or a Fuck Truck filk of “Bat Out of Hell.” But the scansion is problematic either way, and so I think I will just go to bed.
Going back for a person who was basically encouraging you to wallow in mental illness and drink yourself to death is really, really, really not gonna help things.
That is not what Billie did. As soon as she found out that Ruth couldn’t drink anymore she took steps to push her away because she thinks that she is poison and can’t quit drinking.
I feel for Ruth here, and I’m hoping for a happy resolution here. I want Billie and Ruth to be a non-toxic couple so badly. But in order for that to happen I think Billie has some serious self reflecting to do.
This comment was probably meant to be a joke but still, that’s not how you cue a 3rd person effect especially if it’s that close. If a person is blushing and is right next to someone I don’t it would make visual sense if the blush was still visible even after then person’s not in the shot.
As someone who recently started antidepressants after a terrible breakup helped me realize that I wasn’t just “managing my depression” by pretending to be happy and drinking myself to sleep every other day…Ouch. Right in the feel-nards.
I’ve said (privately) before that alcohol isn’t Billie’s main problem – she’s obviously an alcoholic, but a functional one that can still do her coursework and maintain social relationships. Rather, her main problem is her crippling self-esteem issues and self-destructive tendencies, which her alcoholism may well be symptomatic of.
But this? This is why she can’t keep drinking – it interferes with Ruth’s medication, and if she drinks, it’s reallyhard for Ruth to consistently stay sober. And Ruth is making it pretty clear here that she’s not interested in breaking up if it’s only for her own good, and that’s probably the worst outcome for everyone.
It’s not a particularly healthy relationship or motive to overcome your problems, but… Well, I guess you can’t really expect any different when the defining moment of your relationship was a suicide pact with your girlfriend.
… Is there a better word for that than ‘punchline’? That feels really inappropriate in this case, but I can’t think of another word for it. I don’t just mean the final panel, but also the preceding panels that are all part of the delivery.
That reminds me of an old electronic cookie jar my mom had when I was a kid. It was shaped like a cop, and it opened by tilting the head back. When you opened it, a voice clip would play of a guy saying
Right, the codependency. The codependency between Billie and Ruth. The codependency upon which Billie and Ruth built their relationship. Billie and Ruth’s codependency.
Well… the GOOD news are that she is not doing that well without Billie after all, so they can still be together because they are still both equally awful (and in Billie’s mind, that’s the only way they can be together).
There ARE some bad news as well, but let’s focus on the positives.
Wow, whoever bet seven panels on this turning into a dumpster fire was on a roll. Either that or has a patreon subscription. Ah well, I forfeit the internet betting pot to you.
That’s how I read it. This isn’t alcohol, but rather Ruth actually feeling the toxic nature of their relationship for the first time and misinterpreting that as feeling actual love for the first time.
Ehh… I’m not optimistic at this point. “I would die without you” is not a compliment…. Nor is it the basis for a healthy relationship. These two are making me wish I didn’t know that, though.
The last time Ruth was about, Billie didn’t so much as give her a look in her direction. That would be upsetting. And it’s not strange that it would lead to her spiraling back to her dependency because she keeps feeling bad without her, so ‘better get her back to restablise everything!’ and it’s not helped by the fact she is still getting used to her medication so her bads right now feel very bad.
I’m gonna catch hell for this, I feel, and maybe I deserve some for saying this, but…moments like this remind me why I’m really, really, really uncomfortable with this ship. Because even in the good times, this is lurking in the background. Every stage of their relationship is clouded by this dangerous codependency. First in mutual destruction, then trying to make each other better and get Ruth on the mend (not a bad goal, of course!!! But that ‘bonding by trauma’ still put other issues, like Billee’s pitfalls, on hold), and now this. It always comes back to this dependence on each other to keep on going, even as they enable each other’s spirals. I’m not saying I’d hate it if they became a healthy couple. If that happened, I’d wish them well! But it’s moments that this, popping up with alarming cyclical regularity, that makes me wonder if they genuinely can be healthy together, now or ever.
Nah, that’s absolutely a fair point. The only reason I like Billie x Ruth at all is because it brings out some of Billie’s better qualities as otherwise I can’t stand Billie. They could potentially be healthy together, but they would *both* have to be willing to confront and work on their issues which is why they fell into this pit.
Ruth wasn’t willing to enable Billie and Billie wasn’t willing to commit to confronting the issues she has. And the last strip at least showed Billie has learned alcohol is an absolute no for Ruth’s recovery and is trying not to enable her. Which considering she was the one tempting her only a couple of days ago (in the comic’s time), shows a quick turnaround in behaviour!
Ruth having a relapse isn’t surprising by any means (Billie outright ignoring her and Becky trying to reassure her not to cry? Yeah, being hurt like that tends to be a trigger that leads you to use your bad coping mechanism again), as that tends to be part of the process. This isn’t quite the definition of codependency any more though as neither are willing to enable the other’s spirals any more – the problem is that Billie wants to be enabled still and well, obviously, Ruth is still dependant on Billie’s support as it is part of why she has made this much progress. So they still haven’t fully broken out of their old unhealthy dynamic but it has changed from before. Billie’s eventually going to have to change, but only the great Willis can tell us when and if this relationship will still be viable then.
It’s different, but I’m also not convinced that it’s a change that would stick, or that it’s enough of a change. It feels like the same routine, with slightly different lines. Billee isn’t enabling Ruth this time, they’ve just had a fight, but that’s only brought out Ruth’s destructive nature. Two days ago, it was Billee’s destructive side coming out, and they couldn’t discuss that constructively. And now we’re here. Billee won’t, or wouldn’t before this strip, change, she’s still being hostile-ish toward Ruth for that, and changing FOR Ruth after this would still be a type of dependence, pinning her growth or worth to Ruth, and last time she attached her sobriety to Ruth, it didn’t stick. And Ruth is blatantly pinning her will to live on Billee, which isn’t good for either of them.
I’m not calling either of them trash or horrible. I’m not big on Billee, but I don’t wish her ill, and while I’m uncomfortable with what Ruth is doing, very uncomfortable, she’s clearly having a hard time. That doesn’t entirely excuse what she’s putting on Billee here, but she’s not a bad person for struggling. But even with a change, this is not a “better” point. How Billee responds will determine a lot, and I’m guessing she won’t respond with the same Lesbian Suicide Pact agreement as before, she seems to want Ruth to live too much for that, but their relationship, at this point, is not more functional from either side. Billee still won’t change herself, which puts pressure on Ruth whether Billee thinks so or not, trying to stay sober for Ruth would be a repeat of an old pattern that failed before, and Ruth can’t put her sobriety and will to live on Billee.
Yup, totally fair point. I don’t think they should be together, although it’s been very cute at times. Obviously Ruth has not put her self-destructiveness behind her yet, and Billie hasn’t even really tried. Together, they just enable each other.
I know there’s focus on how bad Billie is for Ruth and that’s fair. But this quite the Yikes (TM) for Billie too. mean she’s basically saying she’ll commit suicide if Billie doesn’t take her back. Given their very recent history on top of it and what happened/almost happened like oh my god.
This perhaps isn’t a new red flag given their pact from when they both still boozed it up but it’s basically being waved in our faces again.
Oh, hey, Ruth is back to being trash again. That’s a nice emotional blackmail you got there. Somewhere, Rachel is suddenly filled with a sense of validation (as a woman in tech, she probably could use it, too).
On the one hand, this relationship should have been torched before it even got off the ground. On the other hand, all that alcohol-soaking means it’s gonna burn REALLY well. No, wait, those are both the same hand, nevermind.
I… don’t think this is blackmail. like, the relationship may have
This is ruth quite literally spilling her guts out. is her stance at all healthy? oh hell no, but then, both of these girls need a very heavy dose of therapy, but Ruth isn’t here saying this too Billie because she knows billie’s buttons and is going too try and guilt her into it
She’s saying it because it’s her actual thoughts – that she’d honestly prefer to die with the relationship than live without it – which, considering we saw Ruth was completly unphazed with her own saftey and continued survival before, and Billie’s like the one person she opened up too and the one time she saw anything ‘good’ in her life… was during a lesbian suicide pact. and yeah, that’s hella unhealthy, but it’s not manipulative or blackmail
She probably doesn’t *intend* it as blackmail, but it kiiinda still functions that way anyways. :/ Given her age and mental state it’s pretty understandable, but it’s still messed up. I still agree with Corey’s “Relapse doesnt make people trash” though.
OTOH, blackmail might be the only way of convincing Billie to start trying. I have conflicting feelings about this.
Yeah, this isn’t blackmail in any intentional sense. This is desperation and despair.
Neither of them are being bad people. They’re just broken.
I’m not even sold on the idea that they’re bad for each other. Just in need of help.
Shes not doing it intentionally, this is part of the ugly side of mental illness and addiction. Its a bad unhealthy thing for both of them and she shouldn’t be doing it but I HATE how easily people will throw people under the bus if they relapse, be it in addiction or mental illness. Recovery isn’t some one and done easy thing, more often than not you’re going to relapse and you’re going to do it a number of times. Should Billy stay? No. Co dependence isnt healthy and the truth is she should put her mental health first, shes not a professional. But Billy is in a spiral herself so we’ll see.
Either way Ruth isn’t trash because her co dependence is winning right now. Billy would be right in distancing herself from the situation but that doesnt make Ruth scum. It makes her sick and in need of more help, which Billy cant and shouldnt be expected to provide. And vice versa because Billy isnt exactly headed for sainthood here either, theyre here for the same reason. To drink.
Recovery isnt about only continuously getting better, its about falling on your face and getting the courage and motivation to get back up and try again no matter how many times you feel like you failed, and unlearning shit that you’ve been using to survive all your life which can take about as long as it took you to learn them. Theres no magic fix that makes you unlearn all your unhealthy and harmful habits in a day, and most times it requires a lot of therapy.
Oh, this is TOTALLY emotional blackmail, in function (even) if not in intention. “If you break up with me, I’ll let myself die.” is the mother of all guilt trips and is straight out of the abuser handbook.
but that’s the issue; Ruth doesn’t want too live – even if she’s not actively suicidal, she’s not in anyway trying to preserve or continue her life; as far as she’s concerned, she has nothing too live for, and while medication may make it possible to fight the depression, it doesn’t mean it’s gone or the feelings it caused just up and vanished
Billie and Ruth may not be the most healthy relationship for either of them, but just snapping it off alltogether – especially when it was the one thing Ruth feels she has – without any resolution is the absolute worst move either can make
Here's an entertaining cite at the bottom of the first page
Josh Gerstein@joshgerstein.bsky.social ⋅ 18h
JUST IN: Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan moves to dismiss federal criminal case against her for allegedly helping immigrant hide from ICE. Her lawyers say she's protected by official acts & judicial immunity and 10th Amendment. Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Where did Hollywood go so wrong? I thought movies were supposed to be an escape from reality, a chance to put your worries aside and not have to think about any underlying ideas or concepts. Well, not anymore.
theonion.com/you-can...
It's not a new argument, of course, but Chesterton dismissed it effectively in 1908.
"You will hear everlastingly... this argument that the rich man cannot be bribed. The fact is, of course, that the rich man is bribed; he has been bribed already. That is why he is a rich man."
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com ⋅ 1d
Hawley dismisses Trump lining his pockets with his memecoin: "Listen, I think nobody believes that Donald Trump can be bought. I mean, what does Donald Trump need more money for?"
wilbur, savvy enough to know he's in a comic strip but still not a great actor, awkwardly lifts a muffin up into frame so that we, the audience, understand that he has a muffin right now, which is very important narratively, but he's not really selling it well as an organic, human action
confirming that the reason there's been no Galaxy Version female characters in Blokees until now is that they felt they needed to make Round Lady Thighs For Ladies
It's #webcomicday? We have a special day???
Well, my name is Pat McHoarney and I draw 69 Mouse-Ear Blvd, a multigenerational story about women who all have sexy legs and probably other features. There was a grandmother, but she wasn't hot and so she died off-panel.
Elizabeth Holmes is in prison for defrauding investors through her blood-testing company, Theranos. Her partner, Billy Evans, is now trying to raise money for a company that describes itself as “the future of diagnostics.” nyti.ms/3FbtZm9
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social ⋅ 18h
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com ⋅ 1d
Pavel
@spavel.bsky.social ⋅ 10d
The New York Times @nytimes.com ⋅ 5d
preternia @preternia.com ⋅ 3d
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I would do anything for love
but I won’t do that
too hard
Ok, HOW ARE YOU SO FAST
also, yeah same
They are replying outside of the concept of time ordinary mortals are saddled with.
You might even say they are…
THE DOCTOR
AKA Mr Benjamin Who.
Where did the boozles come from? I thought they both just got there.
Was Ruth pre-gaming?
I’m thinking maybe a dream?
[Sound Effect From Arthur]
It is insane how clear that sound effect was in my head as soon as I read your comment.
Do you mean the bottles in the background?
They are sitting directly at the bar. Most bars have bottles on display as part of their decor. So I think that’s what we’re seeing
‘Boozles’ is the term for the drunk-bubbles around Ruth’s head in the last panel.
“Boozles” is a comics term of art for the little bubbles that indicate intoxication. They are also known as squeans. There’s a short list of similar terms at TV Tropes, but don’t blame me if you get sucked into a TV Tropes fugue.
“Boozles!” That’s the word I was looking for and couldn’t remember.
Still hate like fuck to see them in this context.
Maybe Jason was lying at Ruth’s request? idk
Now the interesting question here is – Are they orriginating from Ruth or from someone who has walked up behind her. I note that the boozles seem to be originating from stage right.
That was my take. Especially since they’re not there until the final frame and weren’t present in yesterday’s at all.
She was there before Billie but not long before. The alcohol is just starting to kick in.
Awww Ruth but wait is Ruth drunk? Is that what the bubbles mean?
Yeah, alcohol’s lighter than air in the dumbiverse, it comes out of their scalp pores
The only thing that weighs less than alcohol is eyebrows, which can completely ignore gravity at times.
They can also ignore skin, come to think of it.
They can also hover in front of a pair of spectacles if they feel like it.
The relapse was obvious but I’m still sad.
Oh jeez. Oh jeez oh jeez oh jeez. This is not good times. That’s pretty obvious, but I’m saying it anyway.
Boozles may rule.
**falls dramatically to knees**
NOOOOOO!!!
This hit me like a truck out of nowhere.
I see what you did there.
Lots of regrets.
No one gets hit by a truck
Except Khantalas
I already got hit by a truck, so others would not have to.
I’m torn between spending the rest of the evening on a Fuck Truck filk of “Wrecking Ball,” or a Fuck Truck filk of “Bat Out of Hell.” But the scansion is problematic either way, and so I think I will just go to bed.
Were you reincarnated as a blogger?
God damnit, Ruth, you were doing so well.
And then you tried to go back for Billie.
Falling off of the wagon is the end of a relapse, not the beginning.
Ruth’s in the bar because she wasn’t doing well. On paper, sure, but not in her heart of hearts, seemingly.
Going back for a person who was basically encouraging you to wallow in mental illness and drink yourself to death is really, really, really not gonna help things.
That is not what Billie did. As soon as she found out that Ruth couldn’t drink anymore she took steps to push her away because she thinks that she is poison and can’t quit drinking.
It’s what Ruth just did.
So she was antagonizing Ruth for her own good?
*Reads the first word of the comic’s title again*
Oh, yeah.
Pretty much. Remember the origins of the Lesbian Suicide Pact: “We can’t hurt each other. We can be poison together.”
So we got a literal “I can’t live with you and I can’t live without you” type of thing going on…well fuck.
Codependence. A while back, Billie said they both are codependent:
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2016/comic/book-7/01-glower-vacuum/crumple/
I’m sad about this, but I can’t say I’m surprised. It’s what codependent people often do. Going back to someone who is bad company.
I feel for Ruth here, and I’m hoping for a happy resolution here. I want Billie and Ruth to be a non-toxic couple so badly. But in order for that to happen I think Billie has some serious self reflecting to do.
I’m concerned about the intoxication bubbles around Ruth in the last two panels. I hope they’re coming from somebody behind her.
This comment was probably meant to be a joke but still, that’s not how you cue a 3rd person effect especially if it’s that close. If a person is blushing and is right next to someone I don’t it would make visual sense if the blush was still visible even after then person’s not in the shot.
So yeah it hast to be Ruth.
[grasps at straw]Maybe they’re root boozles?
In that case Ruth had better watch her sugar.
I hate this.
In, like, a good way.
As someone who recently started antidepressants after a terrible breakup helped me realize that I wasn’t just “managing my depression” by pretending to be happy and drinking myself to sleep every other day…Ouch. Right in the feel-nards.
Did Ruth just get drunk on love?
Dangit, now I’m worried that love is going to interfere with her medication.
“Drink to me only with thine eyes,
And I will pledge with mine.” — Ben Jonson
“Inebriate of air – am I –
And Debauchee of Dew -” — Emily Dickinson
Ruth is an English major but, alas, she is neither Ben Jonson nor Emily Dickinson.
“Drink to me only with thine eyes,
And I will pledge with mine.”
I wanna singa – ’bout the moona and the June-a and the springa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X60jBqWiZPk
If you like-a me and I like-a you, and we like-a both the same…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq5vt_KUj5o
Love is healthy. This isn’t that. “Evol” maybe.
Love is an emotion induced by things you value. Healthy is not part of the definition. I love sugar, but it’s not healthy for me.
Billie, panel five: “It’s not you, it’s
myour common enemy.”Ruth, you started out strong, but it’s getting weird again fast. I mean, we’ve all been there, but dial it back a couple of notches.
Advanced relationship, do not attempt at home
“Advanced relationship, do not attempt
at home.”FTFY.
god fcuking damn it
Damn, you went right for the “fcuk”. Username is appropriate.
Please tell me Ruth isn’t drinking again. If so, Damn You Willis!
I think we can safely say this is a Damn You Willis moment.
Seconded.
Aw shit. I think Ruth is drunk.
and this looks like it is a dependency or an addiction scenario
or maybe someone new to how love feels
Dammit.
I’ve said (privately) before that alcohol isn’t Billie’s main problem – she’s obviously an alcoholic, but a functional one that can still do her coursework and maintain social relationships. Rather, her main problem is her crippling self-esteem issues and self-destructive tendencies, which her alcoholism may well be symptomatic of.
But this? This is why she can’t keep drinking – it interferes with Ruth’s medication, and if she drinks, it’s reallyhard for Ruth to consistently stay sober. And Ruth is making it pretty clear here that she’s not interested in breaking up if it’s only for her own good, and that’s probably the worst outcome for everyone.
It’s not a particularly healthy relationship or motive to overcome your problems, but… Well, I guess you can’t really expect any different when the defining moment of your relationship was a suicide pact with your girlfriend.
Ruth drank a whole bottle in between the last two panels. It’s the only explanation for the sudden bubbles.
In other news, I reject that explanation and choose to believe those are withdrawal bubbles instead. We’ve seen them before, okay? (http://www.dumbingofage.com/2016/comic/book-6/03-when-god-closes-the-door/charade/) Leave me and my wishful thinking alone!
Actually makes sense…
GOOD GOD IT MAKES SENSE
HOPE EXISTS
Oh. Okay thank god. That’ll make my “totally in denial that Ruth is drunk” plan a lot easier
Awwww… she’s detoxing from Billie. That’s depressing in a whole new way.
Oh right, the codependency.
… Oh crap, the codependency.
Ugh, and that ‘punchline’ is so perfect too!
… Is there a better word for that than ‘punchline’? That feels really inappropriate in this case, but I can’t think of another word for it. I don’t just mean the final panel, but also the preceding panels that are all part of the delivery.
“Line-that-punches-you-in-the-feels?”
Fuckline?
STOP
STOP BEING FUNNY IN THIS SCENE
That reminds me of an old electronic cookie jar my mom had when I was a kid. It was shaped like a cop, and it opened by tilting the head back. When you opened it, a voice clip would play of a guy saying
“STOP.
MOVE AWAY
FROM THE COOKIE JAR.”
(All Cops Are Brownie-lovers)
You mean normal brownies or… “Special” brownies?
Snapper? Like the thing at the end of a whip?
That’s called a cracker.
Payoff?
Right, the codependency. The codependency between Billie and Ruth. The codependency upon which Billie and Ruth built their relationship. Billie and Ruth’s codependency.
[/Kronk]
Well… the GOOD news are that she is not doing that well without Billie after all, so they can still be together because they are still both equally awful (and in Billie’s mind, that’s the only way they can be together).
There ARE some bad news as well, but let’s focus on the positives.
Lesbian Suicide Pact is ON!
That’s so…romantic?
She’s drunk, don’t read too much into it
Are we witnessing the return of the Alcoholics Suicide Death Pact thing, cause that would be a bad thing. A very bad thing…
Wow, whoever bet seven panels on this turning into a dumpster fire was on a roll. Either that or has a patreon subscription. Ah well, I forfeit the internet betting pot to you.
I mean, I meant the panels in the previous strip. And wasn’t actually guessing, but was rather implying that the dumpster fire had already begun.
But hey, I’ll take the betting pot anyway! I can… donate it to charity, or something.
Here you go, friend! *forks it over!*
there’s a whole lot more to living than not wanting to die
That’s quitter talk. You take that back right now.
sorry coach
god damn it
Shit.
Drugs and Medication.
Always a good mix.
…did Ruth just get drunk by talking to Billy?
That’s how I read it. This isn’t alcohol, but rather Ruth actually feeling the toxic nature of their relationship for the first time and misinterpreting that as feeling actual love for the first time.
Oh no, the drunk bubbles. Darn it Ruth.
Let’s be honest; this wouldn’t be close to realistic characterisation if Ruth didn’t respond to severe emotional stress with the occasional relapse.
Maybe this is the start of Billy realising she has to be better because other people (well, Ruth) rely on her? That she is capable of change?
The beginning of a healthy relationship with Ruth and with life?
She knows that she HAS to be better.
She just doesn’t think she CAN be better.
Agreed. If “Live!” is so great Ruth should do it, Billie should do it. She’s not special in her irredeemability.
Ehh… I’m not optimistic at this point. “I would die without you” is not a compliment…. Nor is it the basis for a healthy relationship. These two are making me wish I didn’t know that, though.
Billie is gonna osmose into Ruth and make her eat people’s heads.
Well that lasted long
…damnyouWillis
Yeah, dependence like that can be a bad thing and a destructive thing.
Hopefully Billie takes this seriously.
Hopefully Ruth doesn’t act on ideation.
Compared to that tragic possibility, codependency is fine in my book.
I kinda hope, uh, Jason? leans in with some bartender/adult advice and tells Ruth to snap out of this.
Seems like Ruth has a little bipolar up and down.
The last time Ruth was about, Billie didn’t so much as give her a look in her direction. That would be upsetting. And it’s not strange that it would lead to her spiraling back to her dependency because she keeps feeling bad without her, so ‘better get her back to restablise everything!’ and it’s not helped by the fact she is still getting used to her medication so her bads right now feel very bad.
I’m gonna catch hell for this, I feel, and maybe I deserve some for saying this, but…moments like this remind me why I’m really, really, really uncomfortable with this ship. Because even in the good times, this is lurking in the background. Every stage of their relationship is clouded by this dangerous codependency. First in mutual destruction, then trying to make each other better and get Ruth on the mend (not a bad goal, of course!!! But that ‘bonding by trauma’ still put other issues, like Billee’s pitfalls, on hold), and now this. It always comes back to this dependence on each other to keep on going, even as they enable each other’s spirals. I’m not saying I’d hate it if they became a healthy couple. If that happened, I’d wish them well! But it’s moments that this, popping up with alarming cyclical regularity, that makes me wonder if they genuinely can be healthy together, now or ever.
Nah, that’s absolutely a fair point. The only reason I like Billie x Ruth at all is because it brings out some of Billie’s better qualities as otherwise I can’t stand Billie. They could potentially be healthy together, but they would *both* have to be willing to confront and work on their issues which is why they fell into this pit.
Ruth wasn’t willing to enable Billie and Billie wasn’t willing to commit to confronting the issues she has. And the last strip at least showed Billie has learned alcohol is an absolute no for Ruth’s recovery and is trying not to enable her. Which considering she was the one tempting her only a couple of days ago (in the comic’s time), shows a quick turnaround in behaviour!
Ruth having a relapse isn’t surprising by any means (Billie outright ignoring her and Becky trying to reassure her not to cry? Yeah, being hurt like that tends to be a trigger that leads you to use your bad coping mechanism again), as that tends to be part of the process. This isn’t quite the definition of codependency any more though as neither are willing to enable the other’s spirals any more – the problem is that Billie wants to be enabled still and well, obviously, Ruth is still dependant on Billie’s support as it is part of why she has made this much progress. So they still haven’t fully broken out of their old unhealthy dynamic but it has changed from before. Billie’s eventually going to have to change, but only the great Willis can tell us when and if this relationship will still be viable then.
It’s different, but I’m also not convinced that it’s a change that would stick, or that it’s enough of a change. It feels like the same routine, with slightly different lines. Billee isn’t enabling Ruth this time, they’ve just had a fight, but that’s only brought out Ruth’s destructive nature. Two days ago, it was Billee’s destructive side coming out, and they couldn’t discuss that constructively. And now we’re here. Billee won’t, or wouldn’t before this strip, change, she’s still being hostile-ish toward Ruth for that, and changing FOR Ruth after this would still be a type of dependence, pinning her growth or worth to Ruth, and last time she attached her sobriety to Ruth, it didn’t stick. And Ruth is blatantly pinning her will to live on Billee, which isn’t good for either of them.
I’m not calling either of them trash or horrible. I’m not big on Billee, but I don’t wish her ill, and while I’m uncomfortable with what Ruth is doing, very uncomfortable, she’s clearly having a hard time. That doesn’t entirely excuse what she’s putting on Billee here, but she’s not a bad person for struggling. But even with a change, this is not a “better” point. How Billee responds will determine a lot, and I’m guessing she won’t respond with the same Lesbian Suicide Pact agreement as before, she seems to want Ruth to live too much for that, but their relationship, at this point, is not more functional from either side. Billee still won’t change herself, which puts pressure on Ruth whether Billee thinks so or not, trying to stay sober for Ruth would be a repeat of an old pattern that failed before, and Ruth can’t put her sobriety and will to live on Billee.
Billie’s never tried to stay sober for Ruth. She once pretended to stay sober, but that’s not the same thing.
Even trying would be a huge step.
Yup, totally fair point. I don’t think they should be together, although it’s been very cute at times. Obviously Ruth has not put her self-destructiveness behind her yet, and Billie hasn’t even really tried. Together, they just enable each other.
Noooo, don’t let Ruth get drunk again
I know there’s focus on how bad Billie is for Ruth and that’s fair. But this quite the Yikes (TM) for Billie too. mean she’s basically saying she’ll commit suicide if Billie doesn’t take her back. Given their very recent history on top of it and what happened/almost happened like oh my god.
This perhaps isn’t a new red flag given their pact from when they both still boozed it up but it’s basically being waved in our faces again.
OH NO! Ruth has lost her mind, AGAIN!
INTEGRIVAT DIDNT WORK AND NOW WALY AND JOYCE ARE DEAD AND WITH BROKEN LEGS!
oh no. please, NO.
Oh, hey, Ruth is back to being trash again. That’s a nice emotional blackmail you got there. Somewhere, Rachel is suddenly filled with a sense of validation (as a woman in tech, she probably could use it, too).
On the one hand, this relationship should have been torched before it even got off the ground. On the other hand, all that alcohol-soaking means it’s gonna burn REALLY well. No, wait, those are both the same hand, nevermind.
Relapse doesnt make people trash
Agreed. Emotional blackmail to continue a relationship that was abusive to start with totally is, though.
I… don’t think this is blackmail. like, the relationship may have
This is ruth quite literally spilling her guts out. is her stance at all healthy? oh hell no, but then, both of these girls need a very heavy dose of therapy, but Ruth isn’t here saying this too Billie because she knows billie’s buttons and is going too try and guilt her into it
She’s saying it because it’s her actual thoughts – that she’d honestly prefer to die with the relationship than live without it – which, considering we saw Ruth was completly unphazed with her own saftey and continued survival before, and Billie’s like the one person she opened up too and the one time she saw anything ‘good’ in her life… was during a lesbian suicide pact. and yeah, that’s hella unhealthy, but it’s not manipulative or blackmail
She probably doesn’t *intend* it as blackmail, but it kiiinda still functions that way anyways. :/ Given her age and mental state it’s pretty understandable, but it’s still messed up. I still agree with Corey’s “Relapse doesnt make people trash” though.
OTOH, blackmail might be the only way of convincing Billie to start trying. I have conflicting feelings about this.
Yeah, this isn’t blackmail in any intentional sense. This is desperation and despair.
Neither of them are being bad people. They’re just broken.
I’m not even sold on the idea that they’re bad for each other. Just in need of help.
Shes not doing it intentionally, this is part of the ugly side of mental illness and addiction. Its a bad unhealthy thing for both of them and she shouldn’t be doing it but I HATE how easily people will throw people under the bus if they relapse, be it in addiction or mental illness. Recovery isn’t some one and done easy thing, more often than not you’re going to relapse and you’re going to do it a number of times. Should Billy stay? No. Co dependence isnt healthy and the truth is she should put her mental health first, shes not a professional. But Billy is in a spiral herself so we’ll see.
Either way Ruth isn’t trash because her co dependence is winning right now. Billy would be right in distancing herself from the situation but that doesnt make Ruth scum. It makes her sick and in need of more help, which Billy cant and shouldnt be expected to provide. And vice versa because Billy isnt exactly headed for sainthood here either, theyre here for the same reason. To drink.
Recovery isnt about only continuously getting better, its about falling on your face and getting the courage and motivation to get back up and try again no matter how many times you feel like you failed, and unlearning shit that you’ve been using to survive all your life which can take about as long as it took you to learn them. Theres no magic fix that makes you unlearn all your unhealthy and harmful habits in a day, and most times it requires a lot of therapy.
Oh, this is TOTALLY emotional blackmail, in function (even) if not in intention. “If you break up with me, I’ll let myself die.” is the mother of all guilt trips and is straight out of the abuser handbook.
Ruth needs to live because she wants to live, not to satisfy her addiction to Billie. Billie can’t save her, even if she were willing.
but that’s the issue; Ruth doesn’t want too live – even if she’s not actively suicidal, she’s not in anyway trying to preserve or continue her life; as far as she’s concerned, she has nothing too live for, and while medication may make it possible to fight the depression, it doesn’t mean it’s gone or the feelings it caused just up and vanished
Billie and Ruth may not be the most healthy relationship for either of them, but just snapping it off alltogether – especially when it was the one thing Ruth feels she has – without any resolution is the absolute worst move either can make
She does want to live. We’ve seen that. There was a scene with Billie in the hospital where she broke down – “I don’t want to die”.
The depression just makes it hard for her to reach that most of the time.
Ruth, honey, no
Aw man. Come on, Ruth, don’t do that.
This is exactly how it started last time, with Billie trying to keep Ruth alive.
These two really need to be apart, so each can tackle their problems.
The emotion in Billie’s face in panel 5. Really impressive for a few simple lines.
GODDAMMIT, RUTH! BOTH OF YOU ARE TOXIC TO EACH OTHER! HAVING THIS RELATIONSHIP ISNT WORTH DYING OF ALCOHOL INTOXICATION!
DAMN YOU WILLIS
I don’t even know what the point of *being* is without you.
Guys its fine she is just drunk on love
/s
NO RUTH HONEY PLEASE!!!! Damn it Willis :'(
Billie, Ruth, and Ethan should all transfer.
trainwreck, second verse. begin.
fuck