loathing! unadulterated loathing!

Pedantic neatfreak bony poindexter
Posted on January 30, 2026 by David M Willis

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Tags: becky, dorothy

218 thoughts on “Pedantic neatfreak bony poindexter”

  1. NGPZ

    this is… either the most or the least healthy thing for Becky rn :0

    1. reddslym

      Hell, for either of them

    2. Alexander Krizak

      Why not both?

      1. Doctor_Who

        Both. Both is good.

        1. clif

          No one expects the Anti-Dorothy

          I mean, I certainly didn’t.

        2. Vanessa

          This looks like a like of fun for them, much better than mutual self-recrimination and Dorothy waiting for an explosion forever. That’s right, Becky, get through it on spite and Bits.

    3. anon

      i’d think dortohy is acting abit more unhealthy but i don’t think she’s gonna sabotage her relationship with joyce even if she antagonizes becky this way

      1. Barf Ninjason

        Looks like I’m late to this party, but she’s not really antagonizing her, she’s leaning into the “sworn archnemesis” role that Becky (for whatever reason) feels more comfortable with pretending Dorothy is. It’s actually a way of saying “nothing’s changed, we’re still friends” – I think.

    4. Geno

      Most people don’t really think in these terms. Dorothy wants some normalcy. Becky does too in a different way. I will never understand why commenters always have this weird puritanism regarding how characters especially teenaged characters should behave. In your story there would be no story.

      1. NGPZ

        wow lotta assumptions being made here 9-9

        i was literally just expressing unsureness of this, RIP good faith

  2. Steamweed

    Dotty, have you snapped? Have you finally gone around the bend?

    1. QueenofSodor

      she’s knitting with only one needle! unraveling fast, it’s true!

      1. flake

        they´re coming to take me away ha ha i’m driving only three wheels these days. but my dear, how about you?

        1. jeffepp

          …And, a large orange drink!

      2. Dr. T

        I LOVE that song!

        1. QueenofSodor

          it’s one of my favorite Queen songs, their work from Innuendo and Made in Heaven is my favorite era from them

    2. Yotomoe

      Yes. If by “finally” you mean 2 weeks ago.

    3. Needfuldoer

      Looks like Dorothy crashout’s back on the menu!

    4. Wizard

      She definitely seems to be taking a level in bongo. Becky meanwhile is actually acting sensible and mature.

      1. Airyu

        I… What? They’re clearly play fighting, Dorothy is playing into Becky’s old bit. Wild of you to say she’s being a bingo for it. Especially with Becky’s laughing smirk at the end. Id love to be friends with these two dorks

    5. Arianod

      Dotty, are you OK? Are you OK?

  3. QueenofSodor

    DOROTHY PLAYING INTO BECKY’S BIT AND BECOMING THE JOKER TO CHEER HER UP IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I’VE EVER SEEN

    1. Steamweed

      “I made you? You made me first.”

      1. Grimey

        “Did we just become best friends?”
        “Yep…Oh.”
        “Yeah. Crap.”
        “Uh…Arch-Nemesis?”
        “ARCH-NEMESIS!”

      2. ReFlex76

        This would make Becky Batman.

        1. NGPZ

          We got AG, we got Night Guy, sure why not a third? XD

        2. Owlmirror

          Wonder Lesbian!

        3. Owlmirror

          Bat-Lesbian?

        4. Jon

          “Bat-Lesbian” is just Kathy Kane. And Becky’s already got the hair for it…

    2. Bobby

      I thought it was incredibly obvious that Dorothy is doing exactly this
      I made the mistake of reading the rest of the comments
      I continue to mourn media literacy and hunker down under your comment for warmth in this cold harsh winter

      1. Doctor_Who

        Some people’s hatred of Joyothy just eats the rest of their brains, huh.

        1. Bobby

          Don’t get me wrong, I’m also a hater, but like. That’s not a reason to turn my entire brain off and make stuff up like dorothy having a mental break, what in the world

        2. Gerald

          I’ve been following since the “It’s Walky!” days and I still do not understand the Joyce Hatred

        3. Leorale

          Eh, I don’t hate the characters, and my brain/media-literacy hasn’t turned off. I checked the comments to see if I was interpreting this comic like other people.
          .
          For me, the uncertainty was that my friends and I don’t like play-fighting, so it doesn’t always come as instantly to me that this is cathartic funtimes for them.
          .
          But, it is cathartic funtimes for them, so that’s all good.

      2. flake

        That’s where i’m leaning too, but i think the frazzled hair leaves the door open for other interpretations IMO. Tho it’s hard to see last panel as anything other than an angry smile

        1. Bobby

          what do you mean, hard? With 0 amount of effort, it feels like her fighting back a smile and its trying to be a frown to play along.

        2. flake

          we appear to be in agreement then, Bobby

      3. Lumino

        Sure, I see what’s being done, my problem is it doesn’t FEEL like Dorothy. Like, have we even seen Dorothy be THIS silly about an actual serious topic?

        It’s jarring.

        1. Doctor_Who

          See, she tried being serious about it, it didn’t work. She’s smart, she tried something different, based on her knowledge of how Becky uses silliness to mask her inner pain.

          Believe it or not, these characters ARE capable of learning. Sometimes. When all other options have been exhausted.

        2. Bobby

          It must be dreary in your world where characters are incapable of growth and flexibility and trying new things outside their comfort zone to cheer up a friend

        3. eh, whatever

          She’s very, very serious about being silly. Very serious.

        4. Darsara

          She is, probably, a little manic, but that’s not anything new to her

      4. zee

        I read it more as she’s so desperate to have Becky be mad at her to alleviate some guilt in a way that she was antagonizing her to get that. But yeah that makes sense

        1. geno

          Becky clearly knows what she’s doing and having fun with it too. Genuinely you live in a miserable world

        2. Leorale

          Why the hostility?

        3. zee

          Bruh I’m literally admitting I misread it, Jesus Christ. I read ts like three minutes after waking up in the morning. Sometimes reading facial expressions and intention is hard without a follow up strip to conclude what was being set up, fuckin sorry ig. You’re fuckin one to call me miserable when you’re coming in this hot for no reason. Damn, jerk.

      5. Skychrono

        I think it’s 100% obvious that’s the intention, sure.
        I still think it’s too much, and too specific, like making fun of someone who just lost their mom with “haha, your mom is dead.” So… it feels like being a jerk.
        Well. I guess Mike had friends. So there’s precedence.

    3. DJTsurugi

      100% this, apparently some people aren’t getting it and that’s fine, what is going on is Dorothy is getting under Becky’s shell and it’s working, Becky knows this, but look at that smile, she likes it too. ~<3

    4. DashWallkick

      I’m so delighted by this. Bringing some familiarity and comfortable remove for Becky that she’s still loved even if they have some distance between them, and this is no exception. It’s so smart.

  4. Yumi

    …Oh yeah, I’m rapidly more and more onboard with the hatesex.

    1. apocryphascribe

      Yeah I think it needs to happen now more than ever.

      1. Gigafreak

        Now, what is the most plausible way to further escalate the trainwreck?

        Maybe if Dina picked that exact moment to show up.

        1. Bill Erak

          Dina and Joyce show up!

  5. IntangibleMatter

    Hate me, damn you! Hate me or else!

    1. IntangibleMatter

      Also am I the only person having trouble reading her expression in the final panel?

      1. Steamweed

        I’m hoping it’s an irritated scowl that’s on the verge of cracking a smile.

        1. Stormtide Leviathan

          I think that’s about right. If it was pure anger without that hint of a smile, I don’t Becky would have responded by saying “arch nemesis”, she would have said something that cuts through the bit.

        2. Bobby

          it’s an attempt at play scowling for the bit but she cant help but smile. I know the next strip confirms it but it’s what I was already saying last night too

  6. Thag Simmons

    I do love a character deciding to play Heel.

  7. mindbleach

    Not the villain arc I predicted, but fuck, I’ll take it.

  8. TheMormegil

    Heee heeeee

    Ha ha ha ha ha ha

    MwahahahahahahahahahahahaahahHaHHahHa

    These two should bang

  9. Bill Erak

    That face could be Becky about to go apeshit or about to laugh her ass off.
    ­
    Amazing that this is Dorothy’s crashout, too.
    ­
    Don’t worry Dotty, it can all be solved with Dina being selfish, or, alternatively, polyamory!
    -“But Sarah said-”
    Sarah is wrong! Polyamory fixes everything!

    1. Nono

      We thought it was going to be Joyce in a poly relationship, but it’s going to be Dorothy!

      Villain!

  10. AshleyMagica

    …I don’t feel qualified to say if Dorothy is doing a good thing here or not.

  11. DarkMelody42

    Dorothy wtf are you doing?

    1. clif

      Is it not obvious?

      1. Rimwalker55

        From the comments, it is not obvious.

  12. Yotomoe

    Helloooooo I’m the Dorothy critic, I hate her so YOU don’t have to!

    1. Yotomoe

      Ok but genuinely, Dorothy’s so annoying. A smarter person would give Becky space now. Or reach out and then pull back. But it’s like Dorothy CAN’T not meddle. She’s always gotta be doing something. It’s basically narcisism in the form of self pity. “Oh I have wronged someone so I need to make an ass out of myself. Oh I kissed someone at a protest now I have to spout worthless platitudes about changing society. You’re not the main character, Dotty. You’re not a leader. You’re so painfully average that you fly bellow nearly everyone’s radar to the point that nobody even recognizes how toxic your behavior is. Because nobody caaaaaaaares, Dorothy. So go off and have your beautiful sapphic marriage with your boring girlfriend and live your boring life instead of adopting a new emergency to prevent every 5 minutes for fear that if you’re left alone with your thoughts for a mere second you’ll realize how unimportant you are. You’re not even interesting enough to be the Bad Guy.

      1. HueSatLight

        She was annoying, but interesting, for a while. In her spiral she seemed like she might figure some stuff out, she even started to (like when she recognized she turned people into projects). Probably a big ol pause button on all that though.

        1. HueSatLight

          edit button’s gone… just wanted to add: Becky being earnest is not something that needs to be fixed.

          … edit button’s back. What Dorothy’s “fixing” is the same thing Joyce was trying to fix with Dina. Her own discomfort. Ironically about the aspect of this that they weren’t to blame for. But they decided to step in it.

      2. Mewzard

        …Given Becky’s expression in the last panel and the complete cartoonish absurdity of Dorothy’s words, I think this is actually Dorothy playing the role of bad guy in a way that Becky can work with in their prior established bit. She doesn’t appear to be particularly mad or offended.

        1. Yotomoe

          That doesn’t really change my opinion on anything I said tbh.

        2. Taffy

          Okay, but what if they did a backflip?

        3. Thing 2

          A Batflip?

      3. CrazyJ

        I think Dorothy is a far more flawed character than she will ever admit, but also I think she’s right here. Dorothy has been walking on egg shells for a long time, not just because when she started dating Joyce. Nearly any other roommate would have told Becky to clean up her crap long ago, and probably would have transferred rooms rather than deal with that and her arch-nemesis BS. Becky also threw away a happy relationship because she couldn’t stand that her best friend who she never dated decided to be with someone else and now that Dorothy gives Becky a little harsh truth for once suddenly that’s enough to make Dorothy a sworn enemy for real. Yeah Dorothy could have said nothing and pretended everything was fine, but I’m also pretty sure that nothing would have changed for the positive even if Dotty feed Becky’s self-pity for the rest of the semester.

      4. Gotthammer

        one hundred emoji 👍

      5. nothri

        So I have extreme doubts that any of this is a good idea on Dorothy’s part. But on the other hand giving that person space can only happen so much when you live in a one room dorm with them. And I’m not sure finding somewhere else to be for an extended period is necessarily any better when the likely assumption that will be made is that you are spending your nights sleeping with the girl said roommate has been pining over.

      6. Anna Grant

        Are you aware that you don’t have to keep reading comics you don’t like anymore?

        1. Yotomoe

          Who said I don’t like the comic anymore?

        2. Big Z

          Don’t’cha know, disliking one member of an ensemble cast or expressing any dissatisfaction with a piece of media means you hate it forever.

      7. Allen Alberti

        THATS what i’m TALKIN’ ABOUT! PREACH IT! (Edit: this is far enough down that it’s confusing who i am replying to, it’s Yotomoe.)

      8. Hat

        I honestly think the absolute best thing for the strip would be if we didn’t see Joyce and Dorothy for a month or two. Just focus on what everyone else is doing.

        Because there’s no winning. Either it’s comedy that feels tone deaf, or it’s melodrama.

        Going off of what you said, there’s nothing that Joyce and Dorothy can DO that would be… enjoyable to read, right now? So maybe they don’t have to do anything.

        1. Astariel

          There are plenty of people who still enjoy reading Joyce and Dorothy.

    2. QueenofSodor

      change the channel

  13. Cholma

    …and BOOM goes the dynamite!

  14. Patrick

    “BONY POINDEXTER” SIGHTING YESSSSSS

  15. DiDi

    I need someone to confirm if Becky’s expression at the end is a reluctant half smile or something more negative. Please.

    1. eskimolos

      It’s definitely reading reluctant half-smile to me, I’m getting serious “this is what I didn’t know that I needed” from Becky’s reaction.

    2. Dara

      That’s totally her starting to actually feel something again. This is good.

    3. Leorale

      It looks positive to me. Like she’s gearing up to play the archnemesis game that she likes. And, now that Dorothy is playing into it, too, Becky will enjoy it even more.

      (Tbh, I don’t understand why this is fun for either of them. I would really not like this game. But that’s ok, they’re the only ones who have to like it.)

    4. Jeff K!

      It’s “Oh, so we’re playing THAT game, are we? I can dig it.”
      It’s Becky showing recognition that Dorothy needs an outlet, and so does she, and this “rivalry” is a comfortable game they’ve been playing since Becky first met Dorothy.

      1. Leorale

        Yeah! This one.

      2. Leorale

        Yeah! This one, what Jeff K said.

    5. Tal

      I very much read it as “I’m still upset about things I can’t fix, at least not right this minute, and I’m mad about a lot of things that I can’t yell at because it would either not help or they’re not things that can be yelled at. I see what you’re doing trying to antagonize me to distract me or make me act more like what you’re used to but honestly I need the distraction and thank you for giving me something petty and ridiculous to be angry about.” Which is a lot to ascribe to a half-smile, I know, but that’s the jist of what *I* think she’s feeling, anyway.

  16. Doopyboop

    Well this is a better Dorothy crash out than storming into a protest about to be busted by the cops I guess.

    1. apocryphascribe

      IMMENSELY better, and with way more room for hijinks!

  17. Dara

    …nature is healing!

  18. apocryphascribe

    PLEASE let this be either 1) cathartic playing into The Bit on Dorothy’s part in the hopes it helps Becky cheer up, or 2) Dorothy refusing to let Becky not be mad at her, resulting in an actual escalation (or denial of escalation, which honestly might be more satisfying!) leading into a crashout on Dorothy’s part

  19. Aura

    I love these messy girls

  20. Grimey

    …Damn you Dorothy this is the sweetest, most bullshit thing you could have done.

    I…I gotta give this one to you.
    …

  21. EpochFlame

    dorothy is the new becky in this rivalship

  22. Fail Earnhardt

    I’m way too autistic to figure out what Dorothy’s going for. Becky was being heartfelt and she went anime villain for some reason.

    1. Jeff K!

      It’s Dorothy leaning into the “rivalry” game that Becky’s been playing with her since they met.
      Dorothy has always brushed it off and smiled and chuckled at Becky saying “You’re the worst”, but at this moment, they both need to feel SOMETHING that isn’t wistful sadness, and playing up the friendly fake fighting is a quick and probably safe way to do that.

      1. Fail Earnhardt

        It’s desperate and lowkey condescending, which means it’s Classic Dorothy

        1. Shade

          Eh, desperate maybe. But its not condescending to try and cheer someone up with something they enjoy or encouraging some sense of normalcy in their relationship as long as the other person is receptive to it.
          I’m going to trust Becky to be the gauge on this because its her relationship.

        2. embe13

          add that these women have to live together for the forseeable future, and dorothy understands that if becky isnt going to be upset with her for getting joyce to fall romantically for her then their (becky and dotty)’s friendship does not need to change and that friendship language is insincere rivalry. so dorothy is saying to becky that her dating joyce does not equal becky no longer having to be her “arch nemisis” routine. she has lived with becky for 4 months now, and that it could be helpful for becky to show her that joyrothy doesnt actually change anythign between the three of them if becky doesnt want it too. something that, if at this moment, i were in her shoes may have difficulty recognizing or accepting.
          —
          i don’t really see where there is condescension is dotties actions, there is care for a friend (who is in a mental health crisis), acceptance of perceived fault in the causing of said crisis and a desire make amends. all thing i was raised to do if i had a hand in a situation such as this.

  23. Morrison

    See Dorothy? I told you.

  24. RassilonTDavros

    Yeah I think I’m just gonna ignore the comments tonight, shit’s probably gonna get ugly

  25. Meep

    This is what I see: This is not Dorothy crashing out. This is her giving Becky someone other than herself to hate. A villain so Becky can be the hero in her story, and not mired in her self-hate.

    Becky’s expression is a smirk. She sees Dorothy’s real game, appreciates what Dotty is trying to do, and decides to play along

  26. BBCC

    RIVALS FOR LIIIIIIIIIFE.

    I think this is exactly what Becky needs right now. Good job friending, Dorothy.

    1. nadamás

      Hey i haven’t see here in a while how it’s going?

      1. BBCC

        Really good! I just have a new job where I can’t stay up late enough to see the comic post on the main site anymore. I am still on Patreon!

  27. Bridge

    Dotty: You wanna know how I got this sweater?

  28. Taffy

    Deliberately unhinged Dorothy is the most interesting Dorothy has ever been. I wanna see her go completely nuts.

    1. nadamás

      I wanna see your mom go completely nuts.

      1. Jon

        Got a nickel?

    2. Adam Black

      Read Walkys wedding

      1. Taffy

        No.

      2. RassilonTDavros

        I mean, that wasn’t exactly Dorothy per se.

  29. Dot

    Dorothy you have been dating for two days let’s pump the breaks on the “future wife” stuff

    1. John Campbell

      Joyce started it.

      1. Slartibeast Button, BIA

        Is it time for making up names for thier children yet?

      2. Dot

        I expect that kind of nonsense out of Joyce, not Dorothy

        1. Shade

          She’s deliberately exaggerating as much as possible to play into Becky’s fictional version, its supposed to be strange for her.

  30. Dave

    So do Joe and Becky need separate cuck chairs or is this more of a sitting on the couch together making MST3K commentary on Joyce and Dorothy’s sexcapades sort of thing

    1. eh, whatever

      rofl

  31. Cameron Stone

    No Dorothy, tell us how you really feel.

  32. Suet

    Three cheers for the longest title so far!

    (i’m not sure, it’s harder to check now with the new layout)

  33. Slartibeast Button, BIA

    Saying nasty things you don’t really mean in order to intentionally get someone to hate you?

    Does that trick ever work?

  34. John Campbell

    Today, in more reasons to hate change, the new site no longer provides numerical results for tag searches, making updating appearance counts on the F-bomb count even more of a pain in the ass than it already was. Also, I can no longer automatically link it to all of my comments.

    1. Jay

      Oh my god they’re dated and cataloged.

  35. Laser

    They will never make me hate you dotty

  36. Elf grrl

    “You can be her best friend, because I’ve levelled up to future fucking wife” – is a crazy thing I never thought I’d hear outta Dorothy. Not sure how I feel about the sting in that

    1. embe13

      its supervillain banter meant to bring becky out of her funk and give her a safe emotional outlet.

    2. Andrusi

      Becky, in contrast, can only hope to be Joyce’s future non-fucking wife.

  37. darkoneko

    hahahawow

  38. elfroyalty

    this is extremely cute and sweet tbh.

  39. noisy

    Can’t tell if Becky is going along with this because it actually makes her feel better, or to try to reassure Dorothy.

  40. Jay

    I love Dorothy so much right here.

    This isn’t the crash-out I wanted but y’know what it’s the one I’ll take.

    Her going full cartoon supervillain is hilarious, I love her so much for this. She wants to be a pariah over all of this to Becky SO bad

  41. ZombieKyrik

    What the fuck is going on? Can anyone enlighten me?

    1. Taffy

      Dorothy’s lost her entire mind and is going to savagely maul Becky with a tape dispenser.

      1. clif

        Dexter has finally achieved mental control over Dorothy in this dimension.

    2. Jay

      Dorothy desperately wants to take fault for Dina and Becky breaking up because she blames herself but Becky doesn’t which pisses Dorothy off cause “HATE ME FOR RUINING YOUR LIFE”

      1. Shade

        I don’t think she’s trying to make Becky actually mad.

    3. Owlmirror

      Dorothy has lived with Becky for months, now, and Becky’s line in the previous strip about burdening Leslie (by talking to her) and making her worse is probably the most naked and disturbing and uncharacteristic self-loathing that Dorothy has ever heard from Becky, or from anyone, really. There’s also Becky’s completely flat affect and solemnity, also uncharacteristic, and suggestive that something bad like deep depression is going on under the surface.
       
      I’m not sure Dorothy’s response here is the best one in this situation, but I guess letting Becky stew in that self-loathing and depression is worse, so she’s trying to draw Becky out of her funk by making her mad rather than sad. Will it work? Dunno. This is not Smarting of Age.
       
      Go President Doris vs Bat-Lesbian? Rah rah? Fight fight fight?

      1. Shade

        I’m not sure where people get the intention is to make her actually mad? Reads more like trying to fall back into their familiar routine to me.

        1. anonymsly

          I’m not sure it worked. I read Becky’s last panel as ‘angry expression with hint of cruel smile’. This time when she ‘plays’ with Dorothy it may actually be fully meant to hurt. And Dorothy has literally asked for it.

        2. Blair

          Panel 5, she intentionally hammers the sore spot. She’s trying to spark some actual fire in Becky, even if it’s in a safe environment that’s mostly kayfabe. The fake rivalry only works if it’s helping Becky let the real feelings out.

        3. Owlmirror

          Well, Dorothy does seem to be trying to evoke play-mad rather than actual real mad. But I suspect that play-mad could turn into real mad, and maybe provoke an honest outburst. Maybe there’ll be some catharsis?
           
          Becky’s feelings are all bottled up. Dorothy is shaking the bottle and taking of the top (phrasing). What will come out?
          (probably tears)

        4. Tan

          She’s trying to provoke a reaction. Maybe Becky plays along and has a little fun doing a familiar and comfortable bit, or maybe Becky genuinely explodes on her in a cathartic release. Maybe both honestly. Either way works.

    4. clif

      @ZombieKyrik – I believe that this is Dorothy showing that she understands Becky well enough to cheer her up. But I am not certain of this, nor am I positive that Becky is trying not to laugh in the last panel. This is one of those rare occasions that if I were a Patron, I would read a strip ahead.

    5. Shakes

      They’re reasserting their friendship via Becky’s “Nemesis” bit.

    6. Andrusi

      Dorothy and Becky are doing whatever would reinforce your preexisting opinions.

  42. Owlmirror

    I am fairly confident that “Pedantic neatfreak bony poindexter” are all terms that Becky has used about Dorothy at one time or another, but this is probably the first time every that they’ve all been chained together like that.

  43. Astariel

    So I’m assuming Dorothy is doing this to try to prod Becky back into some kind of normalcy and not because she has suddenly blown a gasket and gone evil.

  44. Qube

    Dorothy has discovered the power of Heel Heat

  45. Syl

    here’s how dorbeckoycejoedina can still win

  46. Shogo

    The bit would be fine without panel 5. With panel 5 it’s just kind of gross, and instead of Becky playing along with it in a harmless manner I’d rather see her just snap and beat Dorothy’s ass. Lash out. Be as dumb as people claim these kids are when justifying the bad behavior of the characters.

  47. Kyulen

    What the hell is Dorothy doing? While I think Becky and several other characters have plenty of good reasons to be angry and upset with both Dorothy and Joyce and it feels weird to me that they aren’t, it feels even weirder to me seeing Dorothy deliberately trying to make Becky mad at her when she apparently wasn’t before now.

    1. Yumi

      She’s playing Becky’s “archnemesis” game that Becky has previously sublimated her feelings into, trying to allow Becky to express or explore these feelings in a way that offers familiar comfort and doesn’t ultimately threaten their friendship. Also using their relationship as a focus point to pull away from how their relationships with others is impacting them individually and together.

    2. Thing 2

      Making Becky so violent that she will kill Dorothy, thus achieving the punishment that some readers crave for the sin of cheating on Walky after possibly restarting their relationship a few days ago. It’s OK, God will sort it all out…
      (And just in case, jooooke.)

    3. Shade

      She’s not trying to make Becky angry, she’s engaging Becky in her usual routine by playing the role Becky always pretended she was doing.

    4. Blair

      Right now Becky isn’t mad at Dorothy because she’s taking the “blame” for this whole situation onto herself. She can’t be with Joyce because she isn’t good enough. She can’t be with Dina because she isn’t true enough. She shouldn’t have even talked to Leslie because she just pushed her problems onto more people. Dotty’s approach is trying to accomplish two things. First, it’s giving Becky an excuse to be mad at her. Objectively, Dorothy has not wronged Becky in her actions with Joyce, so this gives Becky permission to vent some of her feelings out onto Dorothy anyway instead of keeping them all directed inward. Second, it helps bring their dynamic back to familiar ground which is easier for both of them to navigate. Things aren’t the same now, but it’ll be easier for both of them to move forward with a well-known framework than by blindly and awkwardly trying to feel out what their new relationship is going to be.

      Such is the thinking, at least.

  48. Bryy

    *long sigh*

  49. Thing 2

    Building on what I said yesterday: I LOVE that Becky has now taken off her lurid coat to reveal a muted natural green, and Dorothy rips open her coat to reveal the pink underneath. In the neatest visual reversal to match the comic twist.

  50. Ruby/AGV

    I mean, Becky does like being pushed around by women

  51. Mr.Morningstar

    I genuinelly cannot tell if this is healthy or not.

    1. YourCousinJay

      Was just about to say lol

  52. Arianod

    I’m gonna be honest: I never imagined that a JoycexDorothyxBecky polycule was the endgame Willis was aiming for.

  53. Corey C.

    If President doesn’t work, Dotty should look into becoming a professional wrestler, because that is a major heel speech if I ever saw one. I just don’t know if it generated the heat Dorothy wanted.

    1. Lys

      It’s certainly generating heat in the comment section!

  54. JoeCovenant

    Nahhh.
    This is too easy.

  55. Rimwalker55

    Bold move. Love the callback to their first (awake) meeting. https://www.dumbingofage.com/comic/blbfghlpf/

    1. Rimwalker55

      Dorothy is using what might be called the “comfortable shoes” conflict resolution. Becky’s “new shoes” (i.e. new situation) aren’t yet broken in and it hurts to walk. Dorothy is suggesting Becky wear her old shoes for a while even if they don’t go with the new outfit. Sometimes you just have to find a way to cope.

  56. Yue Ryong

    I’m not gonna lie… I kinda ship it.

  57. Amós Batista

    That’s the most strip I’ve read in entire DoA

  58. Ruth Slambat

    TOXIC YURI??????????? JOYCE/DOROTHY/BECKY(/dina)??????

  59. Jerna

    To the persons who wanted them to be hostile, congratulations. Because now it seems they’re going full JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.

    The next strips will be Dorothy and Becky using Stands to fight, flinging and catching each others’ fists while onlookers are looking at two girls standing really focused.

    1. Rowen Morland

      Dina having listened to Joyce and Joe drops by to make up with Becky only to see her inaccurate dinosaur stand.

  60. Big Z

    Well, I feel like I called this yesterday, although I’m not sure I had this particular form in mind.

  61. Jammy

    And here’s the reminder that nothing hurts as much as or can be as cruel as a joke based in truth. I know what you’re trying to do Dorothy (or at least I can give you the benefit of the doubt), but this is fucked-up. I know that when I’m down, the last thing I need is a kick in the head.
    And they have to live together. Well, I guess Dina and Becky can bond over hiding a body.

  62. Jay

    Ohhh. Ohhhh. Love triangle.

  63. Ornathe

    I think it’s for sure an unexpectedly good play from Dorothy’s side to finally lean into the rivalry bit, now that all the cards are on the table for both of them. The fact that they both like Joyce is not something they neeed to deny anymore, and it might be healthier to let Becky process it by having that outlet where she can express her conflicted feelings towards Dorothy while she’s adjusting to finalizing the concept of Joyce simply not being interested in her in that same way regardless of her sexuality.

    Becky’s admitted to Dorothy in plain terms both before and right here and now that they are actually friends and that it’s a bit, and she clearly has been wanting Dorothy to reciprocate the bit so she doesn’t have to feel bad about riling her up to express her own soft frustration. Now that they’re both feeling a little conflicted but do still care about each other, it’s an outlet like that for both of them, where they can stay friends by indulging the bit instead of walking on eggshells or trying to keep it so polite and harmless that the playfulness between them would end up fizzling out.

    I will admit, though, that other than being probably one of the best and most unexpected ways for Dorothy to turn things around between the two of them, I’m also just personally extremely tickled by seeing Dorothy finding an outlet where she can be a little crazy and unhinged and know that it’ll be reciprocated without anyone being hurt in the process, because they’re finally on equal terms. If she oversteps, Becky will either let her know bluntly or fire back as needed, and they know they can drop the bit and be real with each other when they need to, as they have in the past. Which means Dorothy doesn’t have to overthink things or try to always say the right and nice thing, because Becky has the permission and encouragement to return the shots.

    I think both of them will honestly be better off having this dynamic because the fact that they’ve already acknowledged their made-up reasons for it means they don’t have to second-guess it – they can just drop the bit if they need to be serious, or use the dynamic to express things that they find difficult to talk about without it. And it adds a little levity back into their relationship. Dorothy might be a little extra unhinged now, but once they settle into a mutual and balanced rivalry, I think they’ll figure it out.

    Edit – to add, I also think it’s fun that this acknowledges that Dorothy knows Becky’s reason is “made up” and that that’s okay. The reason is feelings that aren’t necessarily rational, sure, but Dorothy’s essentially telling Becky that she’s allowed to express her feelings even if they aren’t rational, because Dorothy’s guilt about ‘stealing’ Joyce isn’t rational either, yet both of them need the space to express those things to sort them out. Keeping them within the bit makes it possible to Be Garbage Together, as some might phrase it, without it getting between them for real, because they both know they’re still friends underneath the conflicting stuff who don’t actually want to hurt each other.

    1. embe13

      Well said!!!!!!!
      also well put and composed!

      1. Sarah Lea

        Your last (edited to add) paragraph is probably the most clear, most EQ literate read of today’s strip that I’ve seen anywhere (here or on Patreon).
        –
        Excellent analysis!
        –
        I have a dear friend that, sometimes when the little frustrations start to build up, we opt to just have a “get half-drunk and fully unfiltered and just spout all our frustration at each other, even if they’re irrational” session. It’s incredibly cathartic, especially for me (since I’ve masked so badly my whole life, I’ve often forgotten what I’m like beneath the mask).
        –
        Sure, we go into that with more explicitly informed/stated consent than we’re seeing here. But given it’s been Becky pushing this bit for awhile, Dorothy finally reciprocating *for* Becky is likely to be received well and for exactly what you’ve explained.

  64. Hazel

    Awwww~ These two are going to be alright :’)

  65. Sirksome

    I guess I got thoughts cause I’ve never been a fan of the performative rivalry bit. It was very obviously just Becky being a passive aggressive jerk to try and cope with her jealousy of Joyce and Dorothy’s friendship, before they ever started dating. I never saw the “it’s a bit” defense as a good excuse when Dorothy didn’t reciprocate and Becky occasionally dipped into being genuinely mean.

    That all being said I guess this development fixes my issue with the bit. Now Dorothy is actually playing along because there’s real animosity they need to rationalize. I’m still really annoyed this is how they chose to address it as I find Dorothy martyr complex obnoxious but I guess I’ll just have to be salty. Better they both agree they’re assholes than just one.

    Don’t trust arch nemesises? Nemesis? What’s the plural of nemesis?

    1. Adept

      Plural should be nemeses, I think.

      1. Terry Hunt

        Nemeses. Standard (Classical) Greek.

    2. Dot

      Yeah this is kind of the most boring direction to take this conflict.

    3. nadamás

      I don’t remember a single time with the rivalry bit where Becky was genuinely mean to Dorothy.

      1. Sirksome

        Really? I feel like there’s several. She’s said mean things, insulted her, and even pushed Dorothy aside for being too close to Joyce. It’s all a “bit” though so I guess deciding what crosses a line is subjective right? I’d link some examples but I’m not confident how that’s working on the new site yet. It’s not a big deal though. To each their own.

        1. embe13

          having actual friends for whom this has been their means of communication and a huge source of joy for them gives me a diffrent perpective. the guys have been going at it like this for 30+ years at this point. i say this as it feels like there are those who don’t believethis type of friendship is real. like these 2 will ignore win conditions of a board game to specifcally mess with each other, will constantly insult eachother, and give each other the shirt of their back at a moments notice.

  66. Adept

    The expression is hard to read, but Becky seems a little amused in the last frame.

  67. Marcy

    “You wanna know where I got these clothes?” – the Jorothy

    1. Amós Batista

      Okay, reading it again: Dorothy’s showing she’s using Joyce’s clothes was savage.

  68. Vulcanodon

    Maybe she’s playing some kind of four-dimensional chess but Dorothy WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK

  69. Blair

    they call her Dorothy “Hating other people is better than hating yourself but also I’m not allowed to do that” Keener. Just need to make sure this doesn’t somehow end up as Sexy Lesbian Suicide Pact 2: The Squeakquel

  70. Caro

    oh that mouth shape is such a good way to depict ‘trying not to smile’ that’s ADORABLE

  71. Rimwalker55

    Where would Dorothy get these strange ideas about Becky?
    https://www.dumbingofage.com/comic/archnemmy/

  72. Dorjojoe

    What’s cool about the new site is that the mobile functionality is utterly ruined and every comment is literally one letter per line so I have to learn to read vertically if I want to know what anyone is saying.

    1. Dorjojoe

      Also I don’t know how to change my profile pic to one with Dorothy but that’s a me-problem and not a site-problem.

      1. Taffy

        Find a picture of Dorothy (that’s the hard part), go to the Gravatar website, put the Dorothy into the website, and there ya go.

      2. OT3CD

        Cool, thanks. Doesn’t look like it’s working but maybe it just takes time to change.

  73. a/snow/mous/e

    Maybe Dorothy wants Becky to return to normal routines, including acting like Dorothy is her arch-nemesis?

  74. BlackScarabFilmZ

    Aw great, how many drama tags did they pull this time?

  75. Chiaroxoscuro

    This is kinda gay…

    1. Arianod

      …and a little bit Genghis Khan.

  76. PB

    Huh, I can’t search multiple tags with the new layout. Anyone figured that out yet?
    Also this is cute in the worst way possible.

  77. misanthropope

    she pulled him
    she dropped him
    she pulled him
    she dropped him
    now she’s stealing his schtick

  78. Richard Cárdenas Jr

    “Well, I don’t know, Steve. I mean, if you’re not a pirate…then who the hell am I gonna spend all this buried treasure with?”
    “…Ggggaaaaaarrrr…. Peter…!”
    My autistic brain jumped to this scene from Dodgeball when I read this strip!

  79. Stormtide Leviathan

    I need them to hatefuck so bad

  80. Zamperla

    See I see this and go ‘aw. they’re good friends’.

    Also damn I miss the old avatars. I liked getting vibe checked by the character oracle.

  81. Terry Hunt

    Eventually, I hope, everyone will realise that Joyce was never going to be sexually attracted to Becky, because of what is colloquially called “The Kibbutz Effect.”

    The two were brought up in virtually interchangeable households. Joyce, primed to siblingship by having older brothers, subconsciously perceives Becky as her sister. Becky, being an only child, does not mirror this.

    Leslie, given her academic discipline, might have spotted this, except that she is probably blind to the effect – it was likely going on between her and her husband, also brought up as almost-siblings. With one or both of them unable to feel sexual attraction for the other, no wonder their marriage failed without either of them really understanding why. Leslie may even be bisexual, but assuming she can’t be because her first male sexual partner didn’t attract her.

    That’s my head canon, anyway.

    1. Big Z

      As an interesting aside, it’s also been shown that this effect doesn’t seem to be as strong as initially thought, and there needs to be at least some social friction preventing attractions that do develop from being acted upon. It’s generically called the Westermark Effect.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westermarck_effect

  82. Ojiejojie

    I think this is showing that Dorothy would rather Becky be livid and mad than apathetic and depressed.

  83. anon

    i mean i don’t think she needs to but a convo of dorothy and dina would be good too

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