And the winner is
“She accuse him of lying to her and refuse to believe him.”
So there’s really only one way for Ethan to fix this, open the window wait for her to step outside them leap out and land face first in front of her. Or kill himself in some other way right in front of her… but not before telling her, “Don’t freak out I’ll be fine”
In a way, its already fixed. Ethan has doubts about the relationship in the past and they clearly have very different views on Super Heroes. She’s essentially given him the out he originally wanted.
I don’t think that this would be a good idea.
We don’t know in which floor he lives. If it is high enough to kill him. But also there are other people on the streets, If he is lucky he kills himself and reveals to all people out their that he is a super hero or if he isn’t lucky he hits someone walking beneath the window.
Well, there is s possibility that she somehow runs into deus-ex-machina-Lucas (either unintentionally or seeking advice/solace) and tells him everything, including ridiculously outrageous lie Ethan said… Which Lucas confirms in his usual calm manner..
Sorry, I actually enjoy watching the different ways people interpret my character’s actions and motivations, and having discussions with them about how I viewed/wrote them if they’re interpreted differently than I intended or I feel perhaps a reader forgot or missed a detail, etc.
if he wants to keep her, he’s got to show her that her dislike is unfounded. but if she truly loves him, she can overlook a ‘dislike’. it’s called compromise and couples do it all the time. It will probably take her getting into a dangerous situation, and he swings in to save the day (or even better), she ends up saving him even though it wouldn’t matter in his case.
Sorry, she’s distrustful, dismissive and hostile. Her instant response is hostility and derision. She’s immature, insecure and irrational. Any long-term relationship is doomed to be abusive and one-sided.
Except he’s lied to her multiple times? After going through some comments I don’t really blame her for responding that way. They nearly broke up because of the superhero thing awhile back because of what he kept doing after he found out she didn’t like them.
That seems pretty obvious, but there are obviously people like Justno who don’t get it. I would argue that Ethan would fall into the camp that lacks the wisdom to see the situation for what it is, so I hope you’ll address it or have Lucas act as the voice of reason.
I thought he could just use his gadgets like grappling hook and get down without killing himself before she makes it.
Kyle
5 years ago
Good, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
Tim
5 years ago
Actually, the way I understand it, the “Idiot in their underwear” part stung a little bit too much to actually want to throw it all “just” to be with her.
I feel like she could have at least waited a second to hear him out. But if she didn’t even want to give him the benefit of the doubt especially when she specifically asked him to be honest and he was. It’s probably better off that things ended the way they did.
There was nothing to hear out, though. The moment she reminded him how she viewed superheroes, Ethan lost his momentary, emotion-fueled courage and shut down.
“The moment she reminded him how she viewed superheroes..” – exactly. Their emotional momentums depicted in absolutely believable (at least for me) and accurate manner and the result is practically inevitable.
Now, how to untangle that knot…
NoWhere: I think the point is that it didn’t matter whether she was willing to “hear him out” even further than she already has. Ethan isn’t going to say anything else. He’s not going to chase after her and try to convince her he wasn’t lying. If he did chase after and actually stay on this point, he probably could convince her to listen. Or at the very least, he’d get to walk away from this knowing for certain that it was a lost cause. Instead, he shut down and stopped trying to tell her the truth. Hence, there was… Read more »
Why would she want to hear him out though? Either he’s lying or he’s a superhero, and those are clearly both deal breakers for her. Hell, it seems like she’d almost prefer to believe he’s a liar than a superhero. Like maybe she lashed out the way she did because she didn’t want to believe he was telling the truth.
I didn’t mean for my reply to sound like I hadn’t read your entire comment. I was just touching on the part of what you said that I wanted to reiterate.
Also, “revealing your identity” has to be pretty damn high on the relationship ladder, like “wait til you’re married” level. At least for the more discerning heroes. I’m sure there are those who reveal it to every person that stays the night and doesn’t find a flimsy excuse to leave 5 am the morning after, but in this case Ethan’s lack of courage probably saved him from revealing it in a relationship that didn’t have strong legs to begin with.
To be fair, she has exactly ZERO reason to believe him at this point. He’s lied. Repeatedly. And with what looks from the outside like no regard for her feelings. It’s easy for us to think she should listen, because we read the comic. We KNOW that he’s telling the truth this time. Without that secret knowledge, she has to make judgments based on what evidence she’s seen. And ALL of that evidence points towards him being dysfunctional, compulsive liar. And quite possibly a sociopath. I think her reaction makes logical sense even before you consider the heightened emotional state… Read more »
Yeah, I’ve been waiting for this to happen. We all knew it would. We all know who Ethan is supposed to be with.
Mindrivet
5 years ago
This went from a discussion of a real issue to pure harassment. No matter what he said she wouldn’t have believed him anyway, it was just a drawn out assault. Hurt or not, you don’t say things like that to people you care about.
Ummm… Which one are you accusing of harassment? The one who repeatedly lied to somebody he loved, or the one that lost her patience after the 7th or 8th such lie?
Understanding is also a large part to any relationship. I think given the context, while she’s not at all a fan of lying, she should absolutely be able to let the particular lie slide…assuming she ever comes around.
Some lies have value. In his case the lie protects not just Ethan but Lucas, and all of his friends and family – including Emily herself. What do you think the Red Ring would do if they knew who Emily was?
She doesn’t know she hurt him, though, just like she couldn’t know her previous comments about heroes were hurting him. She doesn’t know that his lies had a valid foundation. She doesn’t know any of that.
So you have to view this from her perspective : SHE’S being hurt in this moment, the person she’s in a relationship with is lying to her over and over.
Yeah, and the ‘lie’ he said about being a ‘superhero’, it plays with the ‘trying to find reasons to breakup’, knowing she dislikes superheroes. She thinks he’s trying to breakup with her again. He can’t take the relationship seriously enough (from her perspective), and she’s tired of playing the games. I totally understand her walking out.
He wasn’t nasty…but from her perspective he _was_. That said, relationships with a future sort that shit out. And that requires both parties to keep listening.
She thinks he is lying to her again about being a super. It is no wonder she is attacking him when she is believing that he is just using another lie to cover his first lie. Honestly it all began with the first lie, he really should have thought up a better one.
Hunter
5 years ago
Huh… Didn’t expect it to go down quite like that. Obviously the “idiots” comment sealed the deal. I can understand her not believing him at first, but to say what she said… Of course Ethan isn’t going to keep fighting to save their relationship.
I didn’t expected this reaction. I mean after we had the “A Difference Of Opinion” arc in march 2019, I thought she would put two and two together about his reaction back then.
Emotion is a great thought blocker, when you are angry. I can understand why she didn’t put two and two together. Not to mention how he handled THAT conversation.
Dunno, idiots is quite harmless word given what consequences her family had to suffer due supers being careless with their powers. Also it is quite telling that she wished he was telling the truth to her about being a super, which he did, she just couldn’t believe him anymore. I think she might actually be able to accept he is a super as long as he were honest with her. Granted for that to happen Emily would have to be able to trust Ethan first. And I think for that those two are too hurt to deal properly with each… Read more »
I don’t think “idiot” is quite as harmless in this context, though. I mean, Ethan definitely isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, and on more than one occasion this has been brought to his attention (usually in a joking way). But to have the person he’s caring for the most call him that, with that tone, when he’s at his most open and vulnerable… heart wrenching. I hope they can listen to one another and get past this… but either way this is a very well written plot development. And on that note, Tim, I hope that this storyline… Read more »
If he told her from the get go, I don’t think she’d want anything to do with him.
It was doomed either way.
Alex Weinfurtner
5 years ago
I felt like this went about as realistic as most fights do. I’ve been married for 14 years and I’ve had a number of these fights(and been on both sides of the argument). I think while some of the comments might not see the reality of emotional people reacting negatively in an inappropriate way, i feel its incredibly realistic. Well done, as always.
Lauren
5 years ago
Just wanted to add that I’ve really enjoyed this arc – this conversation felt very real. Emily and Ethan are both flawed but we’ve all been there on one side or the other. I’m not the biggest fan of the Analog and D-Pad arc, but actually really enjoying this. 🙂 Thanks Tim!
Theoni
5 years ago
My heart… Poor Ethan…
Scortch
5 years ago
You know, as I was reading this comic today, I kinda realized that Emily has been accusing Ethan of wanting to break up since almost the beginning. But I kind of wonder if it’s her who is looking for that, everytime Ethan has an issue, or brings something up, she accuses him of wanting to break up.
To begin with, Ethan WAS looking for reasons to break up with her, albeit unintentionally. There was an arc that had Ethan and Lucas look into this and it was something regarding not wanting to loose anyone like he did with his sister, or like what Scott did with his partner (too far back for me to confirm which was true, if not if both are the same). However, after that, Ethan tried to be as honest as possible and work at the relationship. Emily still has the early relationship issue of him trying to find reasons to breakup with… Read more »
Oh I don’t disagree with those points at all. But Ethan comes clean with Lucas that he was trying to break up with her, as opposed to Emily, who he tried his best to reassure, even opened up about why supers were so important to him. What I wonder, is has Emily been hurt before that she is kinda touchy on the entire relationship to begin with, and sees everything as Ethan wanting to break up, even if that were true at first?
MSM007
5 years ago
Well, now we can go back to Ethan and Lilah, unless Lucas convinces him to show her he is a Superhero.
Honestly if that’s how she feels, he’s better off without her.
Dan
5 years ago
People in the comments acting like saying you’re a super hero is something anyone would believe, this is the real world equivalent of saying you’re a spy or something.
Plus Ethan’s look and behaviour doesn’t exactly scream “fist of justice” does it.
Kinda, but supers are much more visible. I’d have an easier time believing that someone’s is a super when you see them in the news paper/recorded records/almost daily. Heck you could pull of pictures of them from the news and try to match body features. Or match their signature from their autograph.
While there are spies, A, they aren’t as nearly visible, and B, it’s likely it’s not as “James Bond/cars and gadgets” as you’d think. I get what you’re trying for though.
Superheroes don’t just exist – they are common. They saw one flying on the way home and it barely registered on them except to start a conversation about how Emily thought supers are bad.
If you’ve got a city with lots of super heroes running around, of all different strengths and effectivenesses, some of them sticking to their own neighborhoods/turf, they’re not all going to make headlines or be the center of attention the way “Superman saves Metropolis” does.
Once the novelty wears off, super heroes become a fact of life and a lot of people aren’t going to be paying that close attention unless they’re directly affected.
Yeah but unfortunately, we don’t live in a world of superheroes and they do. So there is a massive difference in the two comparisons. Not to mention, the previous fight they had about super heroes, one normally would put two and two together. So given their situation isn’t isn’t an outlandish statement made from Ethan, especially since he was being 100% honest.
Once she has cooled down, I would expect her to start believing on her own. The persistent attempts to change her mind about superheroes is nearly a dead giveaway. To top that, he drops a claim to be one when she once again insults them even in the context of him also being one.
It should be just a question of how long it takes to get around her own hangups and review the data impartially.
“how long it takes to … review the data impartially.” So… never? People don’t review data impartially later on. They internalize their position as a part of their identity. From then on any facts to the contrary… even well documented and proven facts… are treated as a direct assault on them as a person. So, in the real world, Emily would make “Ethan lied about being a superhero” part of her identity… and any argument to the contrary… even proof to the contrary… will be treated as a personal attack with all the emotional lashing out that involves. The only… Read more »
Mike
5 years ago
Love the comic and this conversation is more real than others would like to admit.
Note-I recommend working on the art for the atmosphere and room. The room looks very clunky and I spent 5 minutes trying to figure out what the 3-D grey shape on the bottom of the panels was until I realized it was a rug.
lol I can only assume you’re kidding about the art part.
RemoteScholar
5 years ago
This last comic actually reminds me of their first date. In that, they were both making assumptions and just running on them without believing what the other person is saying (for anyone who doesn’t remember, go back and look at look at that first date arc, “Fish in the sea”, especially the part w/him talking about his sister). She is basically having that same kind of problem here: not believing him, and (in this case) not listening/letting him finish in this comic’s panel 3. Yes, this particular instance of making that same kind of mistake makes her look like a… Read more »
She believes they’re unprofessional, dangerous vigilantes that should be required to have the same sort of training and regulations as the police and that they cause more collateral damage than they prevent. I believe she’s more lenient to the more official registered ones like that lady Ethan and Lucas ran into one time, but she has a very poor opinion of independents like them.
which really isn’t that bad of an opinion to have… she’s not against supers, she’s against supers who run around not knowing how to best use their powers. After all, think about something as simple as driving. incredibly dangerous, incredibly commonplace, and you are expected to know how to use it before you do. But the comment she made in this comic shows she really just doesn’t like superheroes in general. ethan claims to be a superhero, and her immediate reaction is to call superheroes ‘idiots wearing underwear’. this is coming straight from a generalization that she would have made… Read more »
CharleyB
5 years ago
Now it’s getting irritating because this mimics real life way way way too much… but then the next episode of our sitcom she gets in trouble and he saves her, right? LOL
Brian B Correia
5 years ago
I’m gonna be really bummed out if there isn’t a next step in this relationship. While many of the comments have reacted negatively to Emily I think too many people are having trouble putting themselves on her shoes. We know Ethan’s side of the story we get to be in his head and see his thoughts and we get to KNOW the truth. While I don’t think Emily’s behaviour is positive, neither is Ethan’s. Ethan lied, and then when he had an opportunity to show her the truth he responded to her bitterness with more bitterness. It was right there,… Read more »
Putting myself in Ethan’s shoes, I can sympathize with her…but I still don’t want anything more to do with her. She has rejected me as a superhero _and_ as a person. Understanding doesn’t maker her opinion of me any less hurtful.
I have a feeling like Lucas gonna be the one to help out. He and the roommate of Emily perhaps. Dunno why, but this feels like such an unresolved issue that needs outside help.
I strongly disagree that she got justifiably upset. He lied to her once. Is that reason to be upset? Sure. But she went full on ultimatum on him and demanded he tell her whatever it was he was keeping secret, refusing to even consider when he said he wasn’t ready yet. Is honesty and trust important in a relationship? Absolutely. But so is patience and forgiveness. If you expect a relationship where the other person never screws up, never is dishonest ever, you are never going to have a relationship. And yes, the degree of the lie, and what the… Read more »
David- actually, if we’re counting, he’s lied to her 3-4 times that she knows of before the “I’m a superhero” statement. Way back he lied to her about not looking for reasons the relationship wouldnt work, and then came clean. He lied by saying he was home when she knew he wasn’t. He lied by saying he didn’t hear her because the buzzer was broken. And he *kind* of lied with the Earth’s Orbit comment… I mean obviously Ethan was just being Ethan and that wasn’t an out-and-out lie so much as an attempt to dodge the questions, but it… Read more »
I’ve been where Emily was. Girl said she was going to work which was Taco Bell, so i showed up to get food and found she went home instead. When confronted, was fed a line of BS, so I bolted.
I wonder if this rift ever gets mended. Lilah is who Ethan is truly supposed to be with, right?
Well… yes, but no. In this world, things are just different. There are a lot of similarities to the original story line, such as Ethan and Lucas being best friends and whatnot, but not everyone is exactly in their role relationship-wise with each other. For instance, Zeke is an evil robot who is currently the supervillain of Ethan and Lucas (we know there is a higher power at work, but so far Zeke is the only ID we have) Scott was originally a silent roommate with evil intentions for Microsoft. Now he is an avid partner to Ethan and Lucas,… Read more »
Tumbleweed
5 years ago
Yeah, that went well, apart from the dagger to the heart, everything is fine.
Ryan M
5 years ago
Am I the only one wondering why Ethan has a King Size bed?
Honestly I’ve spent enough of my life sleeping on a twin XL I still feel slightly uncomfortable on a larger bed. Started as being a kid but continued with being a bachelor that even though I have room for a larger one I have no interest in one. I’m sure that will change if I ever get romanticly involved with someone but till then.
That bedroom does suggest a moderate level of affluence – at least slightly more than co-owning a box game store could support. For that to line up, the store would have to be in the middle of a very large city, and the apartment in a distant, quiet suburb.
More likely it’s the 2nd floor of the shop, but I wouldn’t expect it to look quite that nice, nor that spacious particularly if there’s 3 bedrooms.
I can’t recall now if this new verse created went over how Ethan and Lucas got here in the first place (different timelines/universes messes me up), but we don’t know if this is all from his parents dying, their apartment, plus a little money with Lucas, and open up a game shop… then again, probably mistaken, need to reread the last 20 million years I’ve read this comic for
I did touch on that in the story of Ethan and Emily’s first date: Ethan’s parents left him the building where GameHaven is. They used to run a shop there, and Ethan and Lucas used the building to open GameHaven. So they A) don’t pay rent on the building and B) don’t live over the store: they live in a rent controlled converted loft over an abandoned factory (that part hasn’t been mentioned in the comic yet).
Err, yeah. Abandoned is not the correct word. Former.
Bethany Persons
5 years ago
I mean, we all know he’ll end up with Lilah eventually anyway. This was always a doomed relationship.
Nevaeha
5 years ago
Will he pine for the news reporter again now? Has he forgotten about her?
Anon A Mouse
5 years ago
To everyone hating on Emily, need I remind you that Ethan DID lie. And then kept trying to lie. The only reason anyone thinks he should get the benefit of the doubt now is because WE know it isn’t a lie. It’s like he suddenly said “I’m an undercover cop!”. After the lies he already said, anything afterwards becomes far less believable.
I’ve been in situations similar to Ethan’s. Where no matter WHAT I said, my girlfriend at the time would just get even ANGRIER with me. It’s a terribly frustrating situation where no matter how honest, understanding or compromising you are, they’ll twist it around and turn it into something negative before lashing out at you again. It’s borderline abusive. In this situation yes, Ethan DID fuck up, but I don’t believe there was an HONEST attempt to resolve the conflict from Emily’s part. She was mad at him, with good reason, but I don’t think it mattered what Ethan said… Read more »
I’m not sure how much more “honest” she could have been when the conversation started with “Are you lying to me?” and the answer was “Yes, and more lies.”
He did try to tell her it was very difficult to open up about why he wasn’t at home and he does want to tell her it’s just a hard thing to do and asked her to be patient. Zero attempt at being understanding or accomodating him. She set up an ultimatum to basically pressure him into giving her what she wanted. It’s a very normal and human reaction to have, but it’s ultimately bullying someone into getting your way and then calling it quits when they don’t comply.
Sure he lied, and thats reason for her to be mad, but THIS mad? Ultimatum mad? I don’t think so. He lied about being home when he wasn’t. Is it suspicious? Sure. But its not like they had made plans and he bailed, or she wanted to make plans before hand and he lied to get out of it. She literally had no expectation for him to be ANYWHERE in particular that night. Had her prior commitment not ended early (a class? a job? I can’t recall) she would never have known to begin with. He was dumb to lie… Read more »
Shinnizle
5 years ago
God dammit Tim, it’s friday morning, stop making me cry like that!
FortunesFavored
5 years ago
Cue to her walking down the street and seeing a newspaper with the headline “Gamer Heroes Stop Bank Thief” and she is oblivious as she steeps in frustration for ultimate cliche!
Joel
5 years ago
I’ve dealt with exes like that in the past. They’ll be angry at you for some reason, sometimes warranted, sometimes not. And from that point on it literally doensn’t matter what comes out of your mouth, they’ll twist things around so they can STAY angry. Once she got angry at him for lying, there is absolutely nothing Ethan could have done to fix the situation. She made up her mind and no matter what he said, she would lash out at him. This wasn’t an attempt to resolve conflict. And from having lived through similar situations, these SUCK. I’ve always… Read more »
FireballDragon
5 years ago
Well, at least it went better with Emily than it did with Sara. Anyone remember HER?
FITCamaro
5 years ago
Tim not to say you ever have, but I hope whatever you have planned for Ethan, you don’t get swayed by what we readers might like to see happen. I loved the OG Ethan and Lilah dynamic. But if that’s not what you have planned, so be it.
Leon
5 years ago
Actually kinda glad she’s gone…….
Braeden
5 years ago
Ethan’s room is not nearly as messy as I thought it would be… He even makes his bed!
James Rye
5 years ago
I wonder why exactly Ethan is crying here. Is he crying because Emily left him because of his lies or is he crying because she hurt him when calling supers, and with that him, idiots, dangerous idiots on top of that given their previous fight. If it is the former I feel like Lucas or Scott or perhaps even Emily’s roommate will come into the situation to help resolve it. If it is the latter then I am afraid that this was the last time we saw Emily. Kinda a shame, a gamer girl, quite trusting given she stayed with… Read more »
CombatMagi
5 years ago
See I’m conflicted while this is a natural response to being lied to that are in line with her views of supers so I’m kinda happy this is happening, I also want to see this play out more. Don’t get me wrong I don’t dislike Lilah but Emily was an interesting breath of fresh air in this alternate reality that I wanted to see more of. While she probably will show up again it won’t be as frequent and unless is a comic just for her it will be marred by the results of this fight most likely not leading… Read more »
Kaitensatsuma
5 years ago
Having been lied to repeatedly like that all I can say is Ethan got what he fucking wanted and what he deserved.
Apparently six people consider this to be the highest betrayal
Luc
5 years ago
Well… No wonder Ethan was nervous about being honest with her. This is one way to stop the masses from loving Emily as the main love interest haha. She was a bit harsh, especially because she could very easily put two n two together and realize that this is obviously the truth. Of course, she’s super emotional and angry right now so I guess her wits aren’t exactly with her in this moment.
Oh well, this lasted longer than it probably should have haha. On to the next chapter.
Lola The Destroyer
5 years ago
I don’t know how/why, but this made me extremely sad
ReyMonoArdilla
5 years ago
There’s always the chance he saves her when he’s out on patrol some night, but they may just not be right for each other.
Roamer
5 years ago
When you press x to doubt but they told the truth…
I don't know how to register
5 years ago
On the plus side, now he doesn’t have to play Final Fantasy 7 anymore. And he can go after Lilah, which is what he wanted to do in the first place.
Casra
5 years ago
I honestly am hoping the twist is she’s actually a super villian.
It doesn’t make sense given that her dislike is based on something heroes and villains have in common… collateral damage.
Ben
5 years ago
Frankly, I think she showed an insane amount of patience and tolerance with Ethan. Given the information she has to work with, she gave him a lot more opportunity to work this out with her than most people would.
Ethan may not be entirely at fault, but she has no way of knowing any of that. If I only knew the things she knows, and she asked me for advice, I’d have told her to book it and block his number.
Eclari
5 years ago
The tittle of the arc can’t be any more accurate.
Snowman
5 years ago
Only thing I can think of that could possibly prove him right is by…. as bad as this sounds, hoping she gets attacked, die saving her and then respawn nearby.
Dan
5 years ago
I foresee him saving her and her either yelling at or not recognizing him in the future. After he’s moved on.
Mercury
5 years ago
Oh I get it, his heart got demolished. Hnnngggg (so did mine).
Eric
5 years ago
Fingers crossed that some time in the future she sees a picture of Anaolog and D pad and realizes how those two sure seem to have the body types of her Ex and his best friend. They show up in the news from time to time. In fact with how big a fight they had the night before, it wouldn’t be crazy if they showed up in the news that night…
Or is the news cycle mindful about that type of thing?
I also hope that. Team emily to stop the other timeline from changing this one’s shippings.
Erik
5 years ago
While I think this scene is believable and undertand his reasoning to stop insisting. I don’t like this kind of clichê scene… Like “we could sort it out if you heard me for like 5 seconds more, but instead you will just scream to my face and run away to never be seen again or for a convenient time for it to be the best moment for us to see each other” like if she was a victim of a villain and ethan simply is there and she recognizes him. Still everyone knows his most likely true shipping, and I… Read more »
Robert
5 years ago
Hmm. It probably would’ve gone better instead of just blurting out “I’m a super”, he had instead said “OK, you want to know where I was the night you called? I was keeping a 14 yr old from getting himself killed.” and then build on that. But, here we are…
ya… on this point I defenitely agree with what Emily said. ethan -sucks- at lying. and this coming from someone who makes it a life goal NOT to lie. when asked if he was home, all he had to say was “I’m out with Lucas”. To borrow a line I heard elsewhere “the best lies have a kernel of truth” the lies ethan used were always completely made up. I guarantee the only reason more people don’t already know he is a super, is because he doesn’t work for somebody, rather having his own business all with people also with… Read more »
Peter Piers
5 years ago
I foresee a future comic where Emily is saved by Ethan in super-hero guise, and is on the brink of realising that it IS Ethan under the mask, and Ethan just flees.
So speaketh my magic 8-ball, and we all know how reliable they are.
Hmmm, my magic 8-ball says she almost figures it out but doesn’t quite, and may always have the nagging suspicion but will never even allow herself to think about it any more.
If your magic 8-ball turns out to be right and mine turns out to be wrong, I’m returning this dang thing.
24
Damn, that’s one HUGE bed… Me want.
And the winner is
“She accuse him of lying to her and refuse to believe him.”
So there’s really only one way for Ethan to fix this, open the window wait for her to step outside them leap out and land face first in front of her. Or kill himself in some other way right in front of her… but not before telling her, “Don’t freak out I’ll be fine”
In a way, its already fixed. Ethan has doubts about the relationship in the past and they clearly have very different views on Super Heroes. She’s essentially given him the out he originally wanted.
Maybe, but given how he is crying now and even did came out with his secret, I don’t think he wants that originally wanted out anymore.
I don’t think that this would be a good idea.
We don’t know in which floor he lives. If it is high enough to kill him. But also there are other people on the streets, If he is lucky he kills himself and reveals to all people out their that he is a super hero or if he isn’t lucky he hits someone walking beneath the window.
Well, there is s possibility that she somehow runs into deus-ex-machina-Lucas (either unintentionally or seeking advice/solace) and tells him everything, including ridiculously outrageous lie Ethan said… Which Lucas confirms in his usual calm manner..
It stopped being about whether he could prove it or not the moment she reminded him how much she dislikes supers.
Such a well written comic that the author has to explain it multiple times! ???
Justno I think that the comic was written just fine. I also expect that most of the audience gets it just fine.
The explanation is just for a vocal minority.
Sorry, I actually enjoy watching the different ways people interpret my character’s actions and motivations, and having discussions with them about how I viewed/wrote them if they’re interpreted differently than I intended or I feel perhaps a reader forgot or missed a detail, etc.
if he wants to keep her, he’s got to show her that her dislike is unfounded. but if she truly loves him, she can overlook a ‘dislike’. it’s called compromise and couples do it all the time. It will probably take her getting into a dangerous situation, and he swings in to save the day (or even better), she ends up saving him even though it wouldn’t matter in his case.
Sorry, she’s distrustful, dismissive and hostile. Her instant response is hostility and derision. She’s immature, insecure and irrational. Any long-term relationship is doomed to be abusive and one-sided.
I’ve dated her. At least twice. He’s better off.
Except he’s lied to her multiple times? After going through some comments I don’t really blame her for responding that way. They nearly broke up because of the superhero thing awhile back because of what he kept doing after he found out she didn’t like them.
That seems pretty obvious, but there are obviously people like Justno who don’t get it. I would argue that Ethan would fall into the camp that lacks the wisdom to see the situation for what it is, so I hope you’ll address it or have Lucas act as the voice of reason.
I thought he could just use his gadgets like grappling hook and get down without killing himself before she makes it.
Good, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
Actually, the way I understand it, the “Idiot in their underwear” part stung a little bit too much to actually want to throw it all “just” to be with her.
That was my take.
I feel like she could have at least waited a second to hear him out. But if she didn’t even want to give him the benefit of the doubt especially when she specifically asked him to be honest and he was. It’s probably better off that things ended the way they did.
Because we all usually are so patient and understanding in moments of emotional distress, right?
There was nothing to hear out, though. The moment she reminded him how she viewed superheroes, Ethan lost his momentary, emotion-fueled courage and shut down.
“The moment she reminded him how she viewed superheroes..” – exactly. Their emotional momentums depicted in absolutely believable (at least for me) and accurate manner and the result is practically inevitable.
Now, how to untangle that knot…
Tim, we can’t wait 🙂
I feel like only half of what I wrote was read -_-
NoWhere: I think the point is that it didn’t matter whether she was willing to “hear him out” even further than she already has. Ethan isn’t going to say anything else. He’s not going to chase after her and try to convince her he wasn’t lying. If he did chase after and actually stay on this point, he probably could convince her to listen. Or at the very least, he’d get to walk away from this knowing for certain that it was a lost cause. Instead, he shut down and stopped trying to tell her the truth. Hence, there was… Read more »
Why would she want to hear him out though? Either he’s lying or he’s a superhero, and those are clearly both deal breakers for her. Hell, it seems like she’d almost prefer to believe he’s a liar than a superhero. Like maybe she lashed out the way she did because she didn’t want to believe he was telling the truth.
I didn’t mean for my reply to sound like I hadn’t read your entire comment. I was just touching on the part of what you said that I wanted to reiterate.
Also, “revealing your identity” has to be pretty damn high on the relationship ladder, like “wait til you’re married” level. At least for the more discerning heroes. I’m sure there are those who reveal it to every person that stays the night and doesn’t find a flimsy excuse to leave 5 am the morning after, but in this case Ethan’s lack of courage probably saved him from revealing it in a relationship that didn’t have strong legs to begin with.
To be fair, she has exactly ZERO reason to believe him at this point. He’s lied. Repeatedly. And with what looks from the outside like no regard for her feelings. It’s easy for us to think she should listen, because we read the comic. We KNOW that he’s telling the truth this time. Without that secret knowledge, she has to make judgments based on what evidence she’s seen. And ALL of that evidence points towards him being dysfunctional, compulsive liar. And quite possibly a sociopath. I think her reaction makes logical sense even before you consider the heightened emotional state… Read more »
Yeah, I’ve been waiting for this to happen. We all knew it would. We all know who Ethan is supposed to be with.
This went from a discussion of a real issue to pure harassment. No matter what he said she wouldn’t have believed him anyway, it was just a drawn out assault. Hurt or not, you don’t say things like that to people you care about.
Ummm… Which one are you accusing of harassment? The one who repeatedly lied to somebody he loved, or the one that lost her patience after the 7th or 8th such lie?
I’d say Ethan got off light, relatively speaking.
Wow.. Go to hell Emily. =/
Bitch..
Not really. Lying is the worst thing you can possibly do in a relationship. It’s deserved.
Even if he could prove it now, it’s unlikely that she would take him back, simply because of not just because he lied, but how he went about it.
Understanding is also a large part to any relationship. I think given the context, while she’s not at all a fan of lying, she should absolutely be able to let the particular lie slide…assuming she ever comes around.
Some lies have value. In his case the lie protects not just Ethan but Lucas, and all of his friends and family – including Emily herself. What do you think the Red Ring would do if they knew who Emily was?
It is very possible to keep secrets without lying.
If anything it is revealing of her character. I think he is better off without her to be honest. He wasn’t nasty, she went straight for the jugular.
She doesn’t know she hurt him, though, just like she couldn’t know her previous comments about heroes were hurting him. She doesn’t know that his lies had a valid foundation. She doesn’t know any of that.
So you have to view this from her perspective : SHE’S being hurt in this moment, the person she’s in a relationship with is lying to her over and over.
Yeah, and the ‘lie’ he said about being a ‘superhero’, it plays with the ‘trying to find reasons to breakup’, knowing she dislikes superheroes. She thinks he’s trying to breakup with her again. He can’t take the relationship seriously enough (from her perspective), and she’s tired of playing the games. I totally understand her walking out.
He wasn’t nasty…but from her perspective he _was_. That said, relationships with a future sort that shit out. And that requires both parties to keep listening.
She thinks he is lying to her again about being a super. It is no wonder she is attacking him when she is believing that he is just using another lie to cover his first lie. Honestly it all began with the first lie, he really should have thought up a better one.
Huh… Didn’t expect it to go down quite like that. Obviously the “idiots” comment sealed the deal. I can understand her not believing him at first, but to say what she said… Of course Ethan isn’t going to keep fighting to save their relationship.
I didn’t expected this reaction. I mean after we had the “A Difference Of Opinion” arc in march 2019, I thought she would put two and two together about his reaction back then.
Emotion is a great thought blocker, when you are angry. I can understand why she didn’t put two and two together. Not to mention how he handled THAT conversation.
Dunno, idiots is quite harmless word given what consequences her family had to suffer due supers being careless with their powers. Also it is quite telling that she wished he was telling the truth to her about being a super, which he did, she just couldn’t believe him anymore. I think she might actually be able to accept he is a super as long as he were honest with her. Granted for that to happen Emily would have to be able to trust Ethan first. And I think for that those two are too hurt to deal properly with each… Read more »
I don’t think “idiot” is quite as harmless in this context, though. I mean, Ethan definitely isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, and on more than one occasion this has been brought to his attention (usually in a joking way). But to have the person he’s caring for the most call him that, with that tone, when he’s at his most open and vulnerable… heart wrenching. I hope they can listen to one another and get past this… but either way this is a very well written plot development. And on that note, Tim, I hope that this storyline… Read more »
If he told her from the get go, I don’t think she’d want anything to do with him.
It was doomed either way.
I felt like this went about as realistic as most fights do. I’ve been married for 14 years and I’ve had a number of these fights(and been on both sides of the argument). I think while some of the comments might not see the reality of emotional people reacting negatively in an inappropriate way, i feel its incredibly realistic. Well done, as always.
Just wanted to add that I’ve really enjoyed this arc – this conversation felt very real. Emily and Ethan are both flawed but we’ve all been there on one side or the other. I’m not the biggest fan of the Analog and D-Pad arc, but actually really enjoying this. 🙂 Thanks Tim!
My heart… Poor Ethan…
You know, as I was reading this comic today, I kinda realized that Emily has been accusing Ethan of wanting to break up since almost the beginning. But I kind of wonder if it’s her who is looking for that, everytime Ethan has an issue, or brings something up, she accuses him of wanting to break up.
To begin with, Ethan WAS looking for reasons to break up with her, albeit unintentionally. There was an arc that had Ethan and Lucas look into this and it was something regarding not wanting to loose anyone like he did with his sister, or like what Scott did with his partner (too far back for me to confirm which was true, if not if both are the same). However, after that, Ethan tried to be as honest as possible and work at the relationship. Emily still has the early relationship issue of him trying to find reasons to breakup with… Read more »
Oh I don’t disagree with those points at all. But Ethan comes clean with Lucas that he was trying to break up with her, as opposed to Emily, who he tried his best to reassure, even opened up about why supers were so important to him. What I wonder, is has Emily been hurt before that she is kinda touchy on the entire relationship to begin with, and sees everything as Ethan wanting to break up, even if that were true at first?
Well, now we can go back to Ethan and Lilah, unless Lucas convinces him to show her he is a Superhero.
That’s what I’ve been thinking all along.
Honestly if that’s how she feels, he’s better off without her.
People in the comments acting like saying you’re a super hero is something anyone would believe, this is the real world equivalent of saying you’re a spy or something.
Plus Ethan’s look and behaviour doesn’t exactly scream “fist of justice” does it.
Kinda, but supers are much more visible. I’d have an easier time believing that someone’s is a super when you see them in the news paper/recorded records/almost daily. Heck you could pull of pictures of them from the news and try to match body features. Or match their signature from their autograph.
While there are spies, A, they aren’t as nearly visible, and B, it’s likely it’s not as “James Bond/cars and gadgets” as you’d think. I get what you’re trying for though.
Superheroes don’t just exist – they are common. They saw one flying on the way home and it barely registered on them except to start a conversation about how Emily thought supers are bad.
This.
If you’ve got a city with lots of super heroes running around, of all different strengths and effectivenesses, some of them sticking to their own neighborhoods/turf, they’re not all going to make headlines or be the center of attention the way “Superman saves Metropolis” does.
Once the novelty wears off, super heroes become a fact of life and a lot of people aren’t going to be paying that close attention unless they’re directly affected.
or fanboys. like with WWE/Football/movies/etc.
Yeah but unfortunately, we don’t live in a world of superheroes and they do. So there is a massive difference in the two comparisons. Not to mention, the previous fight they had about super heroes, one normally would put two and two together. So given their situation isn’t isn’t an outlandish statement made from Ethan, especially since he was being 100% honest.
Once she has cooled down, I would expect her to start believing on her own. The persistent attempts to change her mind about superheroes is nearly a dead giveaway. To top that, he drops a claim to be one when she once again insults them even in the context of him also being one.
It should be just a question of how long it takes to get around her own hangups and review the data impartially.
“how long it takes to … review the data impartially.” So… never? People don’t review data impartially later on. They internalize their position as a part of their identity. From then on any facts to the contrary… even well documented and proven facts… are treated as a direct assault on them as a person. So, in the real world, Emily would make “Ethan lied about being a superhero” part of her identity… and any argument to the contrary… even proof to the contrary… will be treated as a personal attack with all the emotional lashing out that involves. The only… Read more »
Love the comic and this conversation is more real than others would like to admit.
Note-I recommend working on the art for the atmosphere and room. The room looks very clunky and I spent 5 minutes trying to figure out what the 3-D grey shape on the bottom of the panels was until I realized it was a rug.
lol I can only assume you’re kidding about the art part.
This last comic actually reminds me of their first date. In that, they were both making assumptions and just running on them without believing what the other person is saying (for anyone who doesn’t remember, go back and look at look at that first date arc, “Fish in the sea”, especially the part w/him talking about his sister). She is basically having that same kind of problem here: not believing him, and (in this case) not listening/letting him finish in this comic’s panel 3. Yes, this particular instance of making that same kind of mistake makes her look like a… Read more »
Wait, why doesn’t she like super heroes again?
Sister died as an innocent bystander from a Superhero fight….I believe.
Not died, but suffered an injury.
She believes they’re unprofessional, dangerous vigilantes that should be required to have the same sort of training and regulations as the police and that they cause more collateral damage than they prevent. I believe she’s more lenient to the more official registered ones like that lady Ethan and Lucas ran into one time, but she has a very poor opinion of independents like them.
which really isn’t that bad of an opinion to have… she’s not against supers, she’s against supers who run around not knowing how to best use their powers. After all, think about something as simple as driving. incredibly dangerous, incredibly commonplace, and you are expected to know how to use it before you do. But the comment she made in this comic shows she really just doesn’t like superheroes in general. ethan claims to be a superhero, and her immediate reaction is to call superheroes ‘idiots wearing underwear’. this is coming straight from a generalization that she would have made… Read more »
Now it’s getting irritating because this mimics real life way way way too much… but then the next episode of our sitcom she gets in trouble and he saves her, right? LOL
I’m gonna be really bummed out if there isn’t a next step in this relationship. While many of the comments have reacted negatively to Emily I think too many people are having trouble putting themselves on her shoes. We know Ethan’s side of the story we get to be in his head and see his thoughts and we get to KNOW the truth. While I don’t think Emily’s behaviour is positive, neither is Ethan’s. Ethan lied, and then when he had an opportunity to show her the truth he responded to her bitterness with more bitterness. It was right there,… Read more »
Putting myself in Ethan’s shoes, I can sympathize with her…but I still don’t want anything more to do with her. She has rejected me as a superhero _and_ as a person. Understanding doesn’t maker her opinion of me any less hurtful.
I have a feeling like Lucas gonna be the one to help out. He and the roommate of Emily perhaps. Dunno why, but this feels like such an unresolved issue that needs outside help.
I strongly disagree that she got justifiably upset. He lied to her once. Is that reason to be upset? Sure. But she went full on ultimatum on him and demanded he tell her whatever it was he was keeping secret, refusing to even consider when he said he wasn’t ready yet. Is honesty and trust important in a relationship? Absolutely. But so is patience and forgiveness. If you expect a relationship where the other person never screws up, never is dishonest ever, you are never going to have a relationship. And yes, the degree of the lie, and what the… Read more »
David- actually, if we’re counting, he’s lied to her 3-4 times that she knows of before the “I’m a superhero” statement. Way back he lied to her about not looking for reasons the relationship wouldnt work, and then came clean. He lied by saying he was home when she knew he wasn’t. He lied by saying he didn’t hear her because the buzzer was broken. And he *kind* of lied with the Earth’s Orbit comment… I mean obviously Ethan was just being Ethan and that wasn’t an out-and-out lie so much as an attempt to dodge the questions, but it… Read more »
I’ve been where Emily was. Girl said she was going to work which was Taco Bell, so i showed up to get food and found she went home instead. When confronted, was fed a line of BS, so I bolted.
I wonder if this rift ever gets mended. Lilah is who Ethan is truly supposed to be with, right?
Well… yes, but no. In this world, things are just different. There are a lot of similarities to the original story line, such as Ethan and Lucas being best friends and whatnot, but not everyone is exactly in their role relationship-wise with each other. For instance, Zeke is an evil robot who is currently the supervillain of Ethan and Lucas (we know there is a higher power at work, but so far Zeke is the only ID we have) Scott was originally a silent roommate with evil intentions for Microsoft. Now he is an avid partner to Ethan and Lucas,… Read more »
Yeah, that went well, apart from the dagger to the heart, everything is fine.
Am I the only one wondering why Ethan has a King Size bed?
If you have the space, why WOULDN’T you have one? 😉
I like hammocks. . .
But otherwise a very valid point. =^_^=
Honestly I’ve spent enough of my life sleeping on a twin XL I still feel slightly uncomfortable on a larger bed. Started as being a kid but continued with being a bachelor that even though I have room for a larger one I have no interest in one. I’m sure that will change if I ever get romanticly involved with someone but till then.
That bedroom does suggest a moderate level of affluence – at least slightly more than co-owning a box game store could support. For that to line up, the store would have to be in the middle of a very large city, and the apartment in a distant, quiet suburb.
More likely it’s the 2nd floor of the shop, but I wouldn’t expect it to look quite that nice, nor that spacious particularly if there’s 3 bedrooms.
I can’t recall now if this new verse created went over how Ethan and Lucas got here in the first place (different timelines/universes messes me up), but we don’t know if this is all from his parents dying, their apartment, plus a little money with Lucas, and open up a game shop… then again, probably mistaken, need to reread the last 20 million years I’ve read this comic for
I did touch on that in the story of Ethan and Emily’s first date: Ethan’s parents left him the building where GameHaven is. They used to run a shop there, and Ethan and Lucas used the building to open GameHaven. So they A) don’t pay rent on the building and B) don’t live over the store: they live in a rent controlled converted loft over an abandoned factory (that part hasn’t been mentioned in the comic yet).
Uhm. Rent controlled in an abandoned factory? Maybe unused or former factory?
Err, yeah. Abandoned is not the correct word. Former.
I mean, we all know he’ll end up with Lilah eventually anyway. This was always a doomed relationship.
Will he pine for the news reporter again now? Has he forgotten about her?
To everyone hating on Emily, need I remind you that Ethan DID lie. And then kept trying to lie. The only reason anyone thinks he should get the benefit of the doubt now is because WE know it isn’t a lie. It’s like he suddenly said “I’m an undercover cop!”. After the lies he already said, anything afterwards becomes far less believable.
I’ve been in situations similar to Ethan’s. Where no matter WHAT I said, my girlfriend at the time would just get even ANGRIER with me. It’s a terribly frustrating situation where no matter how honest, understanding or compromising you are, they’ll twist it around and turn it into something negative before lashing out at you again. It’s borderline abusive. In this situation yes, Ethan DID fuck up, but I don’t believe there was an HONEST attempt to resolve the conflict from Emily’s part. She was mad at him, with good reason, but I don’t think it mattered what Ethan said… Read more »
I’m not sure how much more “honest” she could have been when the conversation started with “Are you lying to me?” and the answer was “Yes, and more lies.”
He did try to tell her it was very difficult to open up about why he wasn’t at home and he does want to tell her it’s just a hard thing to do and asked her to be patient. Zero attempt at being understanding or accomodating him. She set up an ultimatum to basically pressure him into giving her what she wanted. It’s a very normal and human reaction to have, but it’s ultimately bullying someone into getting your way and then calling it quits when they don’t comply.
Sure he lied, and thats reason for her to be mad, but THIS mad? Ultimatum mad? I don’t think so. He lied about being home when he wasn’t. Is it suspicious? Sure. But its not like they had made plans and he bailed, or she wanted to make plans before hand and he lied to get out of it. She literally had no expectation for him to be ANYWHERE in particular that night. Had her prior commitment not ended early (a class? a job? I can’t recall) she would never have known to begin with. He was dumb to lie… Read more »
God dammit Tim, it’s friday morning, stop making me cry like that!
Cue to her walking down the street and seeing a newspaper with the headline “Gamer Heroes Stop Bank Thief” and she is oblivious as she steeps in frustration for ultimate cliche!
I’ve dealt with exes like that in the past. They’ll be angry at you for some reason, sometimes warranted, sometimes not. And from that point on it literally doensn’t matter what comes out of your mouth, they’ll twist things around so they can STAY angry. Once she got angry at him for lying, there is absolutely nothing Ethan could have done to fix the situation. She made up her mind and no matter what he said, she would lash out at him. This wasn’t an attempt to resolve conflict. And from having lived through similar situations, these SUCK. I’ve always… Read more »
Well, at least it went better with Emily than it did with Sara. Anyone remember HER?
Tim not to say you ever have, but I hope whatever you have planned for Ethan, you don’t get swayed by what we readers might like to see happen. I loved the OG Ethan and Lilah dynamic. But if that’s not what you have planned, so be it.
Actually kinda glad she’s gone…….
Ethan’s room is not nearly as messy as I thought it would be… He even makes his bed!
I wonder why exactly Ethan is crying here. Is he crying because Emily left him because of his lies or is he crying because she hurt him when calling supers, and with that him, idiots, dangerous idiots on top of that given their previous fight. If it is the former I feel like Lucas or Scott or perhaps even Emily’s roommate will come into the situation to help resolve it. If it is the latter then I am afraid that this was the last time we saw Emily. Kinda a shame, a gamer girl, quite trusting given she stayed with… Read more »
See I’m conflicted while this is a natural response to being lied to that are in line with her views of supers so I’m kinda happy this is happening, I also want to see this play out more. Don’t get me wrong I don’t dislike Lilah but Emily was an interesting breath of fresh air in this alternate reality that I wanted to see more of. While she probably will show up again it won’t be as frequent and unless is a comic just for her it will be marred by the results of this fight most likely not leading… Read more »
Having been lied to repeatedly like that all I can say is Ethan got what he fucking wanted and what he deserved.
So it hit you a little close to home then.
Apparently six people consider this to be the highest betrayal
Well… No wonder Ethan was nervous about being honest with her. This is one way to stop the masses from loving Emily as the main love interest haha. She was a bit harsh, especially because she could very easily put two n two together and realize that this is obviously the truth. Of course, she’s super emotional and angry right now so I guess her wits aren’t exactly with her in this moment.
Oh well, this lasted longer than it probably should have haha. On to the next chapter.
I don’t know how/why, but this made me extremely sad
There’s always the chance he saves her when he’s out on patrol some night, but they may just not be right for each other.
When you press x to doubt but they told the truth…
On the plus side, now he doesn’t have to play Final Fantasy 7 anymore. And he can go after Lilah, which is what he wanted to do in the first place.
I honestly am hoping the twist is she’s actually a super villian.
That is my expectation based on her having such dislike for superheroes
It doesn’t make sense given that her dislike is based on something heroes and villains have in common… collateral damage.
Frankly, I think she showed an insane amount of patience and tolerance with Ethan. Given the information she has to work with, she gave him a lot more opportunity to work this out with her than most people would.
Ethan may not be entirely at fault, but she has no way of knowing any of that. If I only knew the things she knows, and she asked me for advice, I’d have told her to book it and block his number.
The tittle of the arc can’t be any more accurate.
Only thing I can think of that could possibly prove him right is by…. as bad as this sounds, hoping she gets attacked, die saving her and then respawn nearby.
I foresee him saving her and her either yelling at or not recognizing him in the future. After he’s moved on.
Oh I get it, his heart got demolished. Hnnngggg (so did mine).
Fingers crossed that some time in the future she sees a picture of Anaolog and D pad and realizes how those two sure seem to have the body types of her Ex and his best friend. They show up in the news from time to time. In fact with how big a fight they had the night before, it wouldn’t be crazy if they showed up in the news that night…
Or is the news cycle mindful about that type of thing?
I also hope that. Team emily to stop the other timeline from changing this one’s shippings.
While I think this scene is believable and undertand his reasoning to stop insisting. I don’t like this kind of clichê scene… Like “we could sort it out if you heard me for like 5 seconds more, but instead you will just scream to my face and run away to never be seen again or for a convenient time for it to be the best moment for us to see each other” like if she was a victim of a villain and ethan simply is there and she recognizes him. Still everyone knows his most likely true shipping, and I… Read more »
Hmm. It probably would’ve gone better instead of just blurting out “I’m a super”, he had instead said “OK, you want to know where I was the night you called? I was keeping a 14 yr old from getting himself killed.” and then build on that. But, here we are…
ya… on this point I defenitely agree with what Emily said. ethan -sucks- at lying. and this coming from someone who makes it a life goal NOT to lie. when asked if he was home, all he had to say was “I’m out with Lucas”. To borrow a line I heard elsewhere “the best lies have a kernel of truth” the lies ethan used were always completely made up. I guarantee the only reason more people don’t already know he is a super, is because he doesn’t work for somebody, rather having his own business all with people also with… Read more »
I foresee a future comic where Emily is saved by Ethan in super-hero guise, and is on the brink of realising that it IS Ethan under the mask, and Ethan just flees.
So speaketh my magic 8-ball, and we all know how reliable they are.
Or she witnesses him save someone else, and figures it out from there.
Hmmm, my magic 8-ball says she almost figures it out but doesn’t quite, and may always have the nagging suspicion but will never even allow herself to think about it any more.
If your magic 8-ball turns out to be right and mine turns out to be wrong, I’m returning this dang thing.