Inchworm

Jenny and Ted discuss Plague 12.5.Episode Notes:Skitter does her best yetLoved ones can provide collateral aidThe chapter avoids a simple moral lesson about Danny’s fateWhat Taylor’s missing about what makes her effectiveTo slash Jack, or not to slash?WWCD?Wait Colin and Coil are one letter away from each other omgHave we ever seen them in the same room at the same timeWait yup we did and Colin ate pavement lolMore importantly, how dumb do you have to be to try it?Is Taylor insecure about whether she has a killer instinct? Will she have regrets?Can Taylor multitask the story?Well, she’s made great use of her first two minions alreadyAs Colin becomes more cyborg, Taylor becomes more arthrorg. Anthrarth? Ok we can workshop itTaylor thinks back to all the times she saw “Rachel will remember that” cross her screenCoil reminds Taylor to be usefulStay with an injured loved one? Our protagonist would never!The parent child role reversalTaylor’s finally forced to look at Danny, but he can’t see her until she’s leavingShould she stay or should she go now? Lisa and Danny weigh inHow Taylor feels (or doesn’t) when she reaches DannyPredictionsLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2012/07/10/plague-12-5/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Plague 12.4.Episode Notes:Jenny hates the Nine and Ted loves the chapterWe stop trying to make “Undlers” happenShout-out to biomechanimagical for the new team name!How deep into the bench of Worm characters do you have to go to find a certified Tumblr Sexyman?The “deal” gambit will unite our herovillains if not all of Brockton BayTaylor and Jenny are sus-Bitch-ousLisa will live to sass another dayTed does a close reading on how quickly Taylor can rationalize her emotionsTaylor gives up controlLisa and Taylor push each other around in the best wayMaybe Taylor’s bugs will be enough to avoid the thing where there’s no way she runs six miles in thirty minutesThe title drops and we talk a lot about worms and the controlling thereofOk for this segment just imagine if our logo didn’t have eyesWe don’t exactly feel bad for Cherish but wow, what an ordealDo Cherish and Taylor’s villain gang initiations only vary by extremeness?These tests effectively show us how the Nine, and especially Jack, operateWe consider how Cherish’s situation might be different from the average recruit’sThe Nine are incredibly acceptable targetsJack isn’t optimizing for power, but he did have Bonesaw cook up an artificial brain to punk CherishDon’t bring up that study about how spoilers don’t ruin stories in front of Jack if you value your facePowers work as a metaphor for narrative, tooJenny bonesees right through BonesawDon’t bet on AmyFaced with the Nine, some people would just choose deathAlec’s knack for chatting up villainsSiberian-based tinker-techOdds and ends and predictionsLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2012/07/07/plague-12-4/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Plague 12.3.Episode Notes:We loved hanging out with the TravelersJenny's off-by-two errorWe're pessimistic about BitchThe Slaughterhouse Nine are winning at shogiTaylor and her hold-out secret identityWe're so invested in Noelle now (unfortunately...)Ted would've been friends with Trickster in high schoolOops the Travelers are the AnimorphsThe Undlers are so good at planning. Sucks that it doesn't matter!Who's going to take part in the evil hunger games?Imagining a Regent vs. Bitch fightKind of fun to know ahead of time this is a fight they'd loseTed apologizes to BrianPotential fallout from the Dinah revelationRegent the lancerTheories about Taylor's listening earsPowers are short-sighted in how they protect you from themselvesThe Travelers' noodle incidentLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2012/07/03/plague-12-3/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Plague 12.2.Episode Notes:There’s a special frustration when someone gets in our protagonist’s wayA bright clear red line for Taylor: no bugs on naked people, ewHookwolf knows his audience (dumdums)What’s changed since Somer’s Rock? A lot of turnover and little institutional memoryIs Coil’s alternate timeline on the island with us right now?Taylor’s big no-mentSave the girl; don’t save the worldTaylor could get used to thisWell, actually, she’s just saying no to a bully!They’re all hypocritesOk while I’m editing this episode I just keep thinking more about the game of mafia analogy. It really works for the social dynamics in this scene.The heroes aren’t super invested in villain dramaIs Coil right about Jack being the top priority?Other capes and teen momentsDanny and Annette, huge nerds, unlike this teenage girlWould the Slaughterhouse Nine have tried to recruit Arc 1 Taylor?PredictionsLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2012/06/30/plague-12-2/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Plague 12.1.Episode Notes:The Slaughterhouse Nine are just waiting for everyone to mass against themTaylor needs to catch up with our level of information alreadyThe possibility of heroes crashing the villain meetingLet's do arc 5 again against the Slaughterhouse NineTaylor the Tailor: we love to see itTaylor's a good person to give your resources toGrue's thinking too small. And feeling too small, maybeTaylor and the challenge of middle managementIs loyalty to Skitter transferable to Coil?The dual problems of sustainability and presentationTaylor's continued failure to realize how terrifying she isMaybe a less Skitter Skitter would be more effectiveUrgency is not Taylor's friendWe want fly necklace merchTaylor's sense of triage and sense of heroism are in conflictBugs are basically AIThreats don't hurt anyone if you don't mean them, right?Where's the Taylor-Sundancer-Dragon team-up of our dreamsSuperhuman multitaskingBrian, your gender essentialism is showingThe minions are settling inTaylor vs. the antivaxxersTaylor's strengths and weaknesses as a leader: unfortunately, she has bothThe challenges of being a civil servantThe tectonic shifts of Taylor's moralityLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-12-plague/12-01/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.h.Episode Notes:Jenny didn’t see it coming but Ted brought receiptsLook, I know you weren’t asking, but the incest math checks outAmy got her “resenting an unwanted burden” from her mom I guessIntrusive romantic feelings are deeply tragicJenny and Ted do what Assault and Battery simply refuse to doAmy’s fantasies and fatalismThe category of “healing” never really coheredBonesaw kicks Amy across a series of red lines and Amy’s like “guess it’s purge rules for me now YOLO”Reading between the lines, Amy’s just making excusesTed makes a pretty bad analogy to Canary but give him a second he explains it betterAmy’s power is so dangerous to herself and others that the Protectorate really fucked up by not getting to her before BonesawVictoria, sowing: Just use your fucking power on brains already! Victoria, reaping: Well this fucking sucks, I love you, what the fuckSo… would you really handle it any better than Victoria, listeners?Ted speculates that this was really triggering for VictoriaCalling back to the “bus kiss”At least we met a more functional lesbian first“Evil” feelings don’t make you evil, and isn’t everybody kind of fucked up anyway?Amy craves novelty and lacks empathy… but for pretty okay reasons!!!What Amy can learn from Bonesaw: the power of a growth mindsetIs Amy’s power a threat to her sense of self in an existential way?Bonesaw pushes Amy down the slippery slope and it all feels so easyIs Amy gettable? Nah, but partly because she doesn’t believe in herselfMorality and fellowship seem completely alien to BonesawWait, how old exactly was Bonesaw when she triggered?You can be a good scientist without being a good personBonesaw would not approve of this podcast’s explicit ratingAre the powers parasites? Tools? Agents?If the who and what of powers are accidents, is there a why?Bonesaw scoops Faultline’s thesis projectYeah, of course all of the bio-manipulators will have major issues!Ted reveals his pro-Bonesaw bias and Jenny pitches the best Worm adaptation yetDid Carol leave that letter for Amy to find?Parenting is necessarily coerciveTed celebrates a well-constructed tragic plotAmy’s not learning very good lessons from her no good terrible very bad dayThinking back to Victoria in Dennis’ chapterIs Panacea a rogue?We might be harder on Mark if Carol wasn’t right there in comparisonTed’s worst dateFates worse than deathBonesaw reminds us that the hero / villain arms race is ongoingHatchet Face is Michael MyersJenny looks in the mirrorMaybe part of Amy’s curse is that her power is too easy to useThe arachnid systemAs much as Amy needs a therapist you can’t lead with that, VictoriaPredictionsLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-h/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.g.Episode Notes:Jenny ALMOST got this one rightContent warming for murder set up as suicide??Cherish is in a tangleSome very strong symbolismThrill-seeking is a family traitWe're not happy about these thralls, RegentWe're happy about his friends, thoughCherish is powerful, but it's a Wildbow power, so she has to work for itPlaying with point of viewCherish's damage is that no one will like her without her powerS9 social dynamicsWe decode some epithetsJenny's hoping the S9 get taken down a few pegsRIP soldier from the start of the chapterWhen the interludes are good, they're good like this one isParallels to Glory Girl and to SkitterThere's a reason Cherish and Regent both go for fearOur book two theme of a traumatized cityWhat kind of consent did Regent's thralls give?Heartbreaker failed on opticsA potential Regent tell?Amy's secretLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-g/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.f.Episode Notes:This one’s got TWO unseen monsters!It’s not too late to save Dinah, but it doesn’t seem like anyone’s close to doing soWhy did Sundancer become a villain?The Travelers’ ties bind them from helping and from hurtingThe temptation of communityThe eventual Marissa and Taylor team-upJenny theorizes that Ballistic and Genesis were here the whole timeDoes Noelle need a quantity of food (very large) or a quality of food (human flesh)?Whatever’s going on with her, it’s monstrousThe perils of not dyingDinah’s power can make threats against her more credible, but also lets her strategically deploy “good behavior”Dinah’s thoughts on “candy”The compulsion behind sorting through futuresIs it catastrophizing if you’re living through a catastrophe?But Noelle’s holding it together, right, Trickster?Coil sucks but at least he’ll never risk sacrificing Dinah#Trickle #NosterWhat in a (Traveler) name?Monster movie tropesHow did Dinah really feel about Sundancer’s apology?Leah was a plant!Coil likes addictsThe imagery of Dinah’s power is greatThe future is countablePredictionsLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-f/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.e.Episode Notes:Will the threat of the Slaughterhouse Nine bridge the gulf in Empire Eighty-Eight?Hookwolf has too many “friends” to be recruitedShatterbird: great at picks, bad at pitchesTed does a British accentBut does he even care about the lore as much as Shatterbird does?We’re doing the evil Hunger Games!Possibly the Slaughterhouse Nine's only viable recruit thus far?Shatterbird has the best aesthetic Was Shatterbird playing possum?Fascism and aestheticsHe's just not that interestingAnd also he's completely delusionalShatterbird pulls from the Tattletale playbookHow about those other S9 capes?Hookwolf's attached to his minions, but mostly egotisticallyWhite supremacy vs. cape supremacyHookwolf and Metal Gear SolidThe Chosen need to read the evil overlord listTed promises that we’ll know what the Z in Z-Space stands for by the end of WormWhy is Shatterbird a canister cape?Powers and limitsNazi languagePredictionsLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-e/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.d.Episode Notes:The most romantic chapter in WormButterflies in the machineThe nature of Colin’s egoWhat difference does it make that Colin has this connection to Dragon?How real love can be selfishCould love hold Colin back from something he sees as the greater good?If Mannequin thought Dragon would keep Colin alive, why doesn’t he try harder to isolate Colin from her?Colin isn’t gettable, and especially not after choosing death over recruitmentThe only reason these interludes happen is because the Slaughterhouse Nine are all drama queensIf we’re both single at age 30, let’s dedicate ourselves to the greater goodColin’s like, you should have been Man-no-kin!His superhero complexMannequin’s body as a metaphor for griefA case study in how a hero can fall (and possibly, on how the Simurgh works)An eyepatch for an eyepatchHe didn’t know it but he already wanted to be a cyborgWhat if the Endbringers are meant to be culling the capes or hindering humanity?Noting different reactions to different offensive wordsBrate?Predictions, rankings, and merchandizingLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-d-arc-11-infestation/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.c.Episode Notes:We speculate on Wildbow loreVery different interludes, each with a Slaughterhouse Nine member to placateParallels with TheoWhy did Labyrinth lie to Burnscar?Burnscar's guilt and Labyrinth's internalized ableismTwo different takes on depressionA correlation between strength of power and disability?A possible explanation for the Slaughterhouse Nine and the EndbringersIs it the flaw at our core that gives us our powers?How bad is Mimi?Burnscar has a great vibe but weak justificationsSlaughterhouse Nine: kind of a cool found family, if you ignore most things about themLabyrinth as a foil for TaylorWe're so happy for Elle and her new found familyThe sadness and wisdom of only getting one brief moment with each of our side charactersThe inherent variability of who beats whoThe importance of battlefield controlElle’s power is kind of like being a writerLabyrinth has built the back roomsElle and Noelle…coincidence??Elle’s power is driving her back into her traumaShamrock: not just lucky!Oh, to be able to Voltron powersJenny turns the page to interlude 11dLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-c/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.b.Episode Notes:Jenny spools out “two years” of red stringIf this encounter didn’t trigger Theo, what (if anything) would?Aster is notable even if you aren’t all Purity about itWill the story even last another two years?How fixed are the futures Dinah sees?Whimsy is central to who Jack Slash isHe sees Theo’s story potentialJenny sees what we all see in Jack’s vibeThe metaphor behind Jack’s powerTed gets pedantic over finding keystonesJack is another emotional vampireSo… how intentional was Jack about provoking Theo?Maybe this encounter with Jack is more different from Theo dealing with his parental figures in degree and not in kindJenny comes up with names for AU Ward!TaylorTheo finds courage in spite of his insecurity, in a way that Ted sees as very genderedWhat Oni Lee can tell us about powersJenny can’t even bring herself to predict that her blorbos will team upWhat’s Jack whistling?What we’re expecting from more Slaughterhouse Nine interludesLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-b/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.a.Episode Notes:A very distressing chapterThe conflicting temptation of the Slaughterhouse NineBitch isn't good at this territory thingThere's a huge communication problem hereAlso an insecurity problemTaylor reaching out to Bitch was both more heroic and more cruel than she knewIt's Bitch's guilt, not Taylor's, that puts her in danger nowBitch isn't a killer, but she is a villainShould Bitch be allowed around people?It matters that Bitch isn't a masterA dog vs. a wolfSome gorgeous writingWe all need more than the thing we're best atThis offer isn't destiny, it's a temptationTaylor through Bitch's eyesBitch needs humans she's free to be dirty aroundWe had so many feelings about this chapterThe metaphor of the howlOkay but wolves are cool (and trainable! sort of!)The many meanings of RolloA mundane example of institutional failureThe recruitment!Siberian has incredible aura, and Bitch is immuneThe mystery of the Siberian's powerThe Siberian's motherly presenceEye gouging: a recurring motif!Different ways of being alphaBitch isn't a master. She's a parent.Also, she needs a parentLayers (both endbringer and dog)Racist and ableist languageSurprising emotional clarityA howl that doesn't reach anyoneSiberian and the othering of humanityWhat does it mean if Bitch's power likes wolves?Give Bitch a direwolfWho would Jenny recruit to the Slaughterhouse Nine?Links:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-a/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.8.Episode Notes:If you’re the main character you should never feel this optimisticJenny pitches Ward as an AU sidequel We struggle to come up with a gender neutral term for henchmenSierra’s a liability and Taylor’s hang-ups about Thomas don’t do her any favorsSmugbug stocks are risingSierra and Charlotte are synthesizing their views of Skitter/Taylor as one beingOh my god they’re teenagers, she’s thinkingSound off listeners! Are people who think they can guess people's ages full of it?Taylor’s had worseNow that she’s in charge, is Taylor doing better?Now Brian remembers how he actually feels about his sisterIt’s Brian’s turn to flailWe gotta know about the territoriesWe (hope we) won’t miss the MerchantsThe stakes of the story will totally eclipse any concerns about Skitter’s secret identityWhat if everyone eventually loses their powers?Lots of dramatic irony in the parallels to what Taylor’s been throughTaylor just listen to the words coming out of your mouth hahahahaInterlude predictionsLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-08-arc-11-infestation/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.7.Episode Notes:Faultline's crew is so competent *fans self*One of the best inside Taylor vs. outside Taylor moments of all timeCharlotte's unique positionTaylor's tenuous relationship to her civilian identityTaylor wants all other villains to like herWhat's the purpose of the Nemesis program?Oh, this is where Coil got his powersHow do these powers in a can work, and how can they go wrong?It's an information battleThe Merchants are pretty pathetic, and this “party” didn’t helpWe love Shamrock’s aura farmingBut we also love Faultline and LabyrinthWhat was with the temple, though?Taylor's making bold moves with TrainwreckMaybe she shouldn't hold out for universal approvalThe ways in which having a territory is great for herBryce is a convenient projection screenScrub. Is. Terrifying.Taylor's antihero momentReal vs. projected pathosTaylor's absorbed more of Sophia's worldview than she knowsThe superhero tendency to help the people right in front of youSome nice Mushy body horrorIs Weymouth Mall a giant temple forever now?The longevity of Taylor's and Labyrinth's powersLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-07/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.6.Episode Notes:Hot take: what if the cosmic entities are actually small?Many theories on timing, who triggers, mappings between entities and capes, piercing the veil, etc.The implications of the new rule that trigger events must incapacitate nearby capesCan we trust Skidmark’s advice to Scrub about using the Turn-Me-Into-A-Monster Energy Drink?Did someone hire Faultline’s Crew?Oh, and what about Noelle?What percentage of partiers are hard-core Merchants?The Master/Shaker stealth advantageThe horror and potential of ScrubSpotting some humanity among the MerchantsLisa gives Taylor the reinsTed reluctantly relates to SkidmarkBits and bobs and predictionsLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-06/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.5.Episode Notes:This episode is about saving people!Even a single new cape could change everythingThe Protectorate should really be doing more to stop the MerchantsHow many people actually know trigger events are a thing?Taylor and Lisa are gonna have to stop this power transferWhat do we owe to each other?Taylor's displaying a very emotional approach to moralityCoil's found Taylor's fundamental needTaylor's conscience is her tripwireTaylor needs to rescue the Dinahs of the world because no one rescued herTaylor sees predators and victims just like SophiaThe many takes on saving peopleHow much does a victim have to be innocent to appeal to Taylor?Taylor finds charisma off-puttingBryce may be an unreliable narratorThe true horror: choresGirls rule, boys droolTaylor's relatable cynicismThe Merchants' unrelatable brutalityThe Merchants are a thesis statementMaybe raves just take getting used toWe're basically in an '80s urban decay fantasy action movieThe slap echoes so loudly through this chapterBad people wear heavy makeupThe Merchants might be our next big badHumanity vs. entropyTrainwreck is probably a spyLisa has a soft spot for Taylor's heroismLisa likes following other people's visionsAlso Lisa just really likes having a friendTurns out SmugBug is driving this narrativeA little Emma crumbThe Undersiders are the last people who thanked TaylorA pro-gay power fantasyIs Jaw gay?The mundanity of the horror in this chapter makes it more horrifyingWhat would Taylor do with superpowers in a can?Links:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-05/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.4.Episode Notes:Odds are good that Taylor can’t simply walk away from what she’s about to seeTattletown seems great, too!Tattletale hasn’t announced herself yet, but why should she?Ted tries to tease out the balance of power between Coil and each Undersider based on this situationLisa’s lair’s layersInstinctive secrecy as an adolescent traitLike you wouldn’t push the pain button for more power?Is Lisa setting her and Taylor up for a power boost?Lisa is also a pantser“Brian said WHAT?”Adult Soldier Squad: Ringleader, So What, What’s His Name Mean, and The Short OneSkitter doesn’t like pretending to be TaylorLisa’s cheery dispositionThis whole thing smacks of genderLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-04/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.3.Episode Notes:Skitter in this chapter is iconicThe appeal of character competenceAction without suspense, yumTaylor's kind of like Bakuda, but it's fine!What if this is all a metaphor for Taylor harnessing the humans to take down the Endbringers?We love everything about bugs with fireThe tea is a metaphorDid these particular Merchants deserve this?Skitter isn't into her own competenceAnother unserious kidnappingWill Sierra be a security threat?Sierra's view of SkitterSlaylor vs. FlailorWe're very concerned about the mold situation in Brockton BaySierra's a great example of a competent person without superpowersPeople talk to you differently when you're a supervillainSometimes you need a hero, and sometimes you need a SkitterSkitter's an imperfect fit for the social role of supervillainLiteral found familyTaylor's very prosocial in her villainyTaylor might be the best Undersider at this territory thingLisa as the silent partner in this Dinah thingBryce is gonna be a problemAughties momentsIntroducing Herman DrivesTaylor loves finding a use for peopleLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-03/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.2.Episode Notes:Prediction: this woman’s brother is problematicIf only Taylor could see how cool (and scary!) she actually isTaylor plays against her weaknesses to great effectSkitter needs a higher rating!Weirdly, Taylor has found her supervillain callingThe people of the Boardwalk are… into it?Battery lends Taylor legitimacy and keeps her from going fully brutalJenny doesn’t let Ted get away with being unfair to TaylorAn urban legend is bornWait, what methods are the others using to claim their territory?The one extremely cute and precious move deployed by SkitterWe review Skitterland’s inaugural charterPredictions!Links:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-02/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Infestation 11.1.Episode Notes:This chapter really hooked usJenny isn't fooled by dreams!Jenny's giving up hope of a secret, non-terrible planThe many layers of Taylor's daddy issuesDanny is the best and should have more power(s)Taylor's so good at terror, and at compartmentalizationWhy does Coil really want to split the Undersiders up?The narrative draw of a Scooby gangJenny doesn't want this to be the dynamic for all of book two of WormTaylor needs a new plan because she's really bad at sucking up to peopleOops Taylor might be projecting onto DinahAnd we might be projecting onto TaylorNot a lot of sympathy for the Merchants hereWe're in Deadwood nowSupervillains do such good work in this bookJenny realizes that Taylor has even more tunnel vision about Dinah than she thoughtWe identify Taylor's true comboverRevisiting Taylor in the mirrorShatterbird is coming for our vision, probablyNo ethical consumption under CoilTaylor is not a happy supervillainTaylor used to like her character and not her looks. Now...Their estrangement is clearly worse for Danny than for TaylorThemes of entrapment and violation: they're everywhere!Villainizing the villainsWe don't want to go to SkitterlandLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-11/arc-11-infestation-stories-arcs-11/11-01/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Parasite 10.x (bonus).Episode Notes:A crack ship is born mid-summaryWe count the ways we love DragonThe way she is written clearly shows that Dragon is a full personDragon’s romantic prospectsWe trust Dragon with power more than anyone we’ve met so far but leaders with good personalities do not necessarily create good legaciesWas Richter a Bad Dad or just your average God?Is Dragon’s unfairly limited “body” the very thing that makes us see her as a person?Dragon the teenagerWe start into “should Dragon-like AI have rights” discourse but then steer ourselves back to Worm proper Dragon’s techno-optimism and Ted’s need for speed limitsTo be clear, all glory to God Empress DragonTo show off her rapid intelligence, Dragon quickly skimmed all of Worm so far and basically only missed CoilIs Dragon the reasonable hero friend Taylor deserves?A digression about rooting against a Taylor glow-up in any adaptationWe were sorta surprised at how much we felt for Colin in captivityColin owns some of his flaws, but not the Skitter-related onesHow Dragon’s gender identity affects the way we view her and her relationshipsWait, is the Birdcage younger than Dragon?The status quo seems to be shifting quite dramatically every few yearsThe female victim as a horror trope (i.e. Ted poorly glosses Men, Women, and Chain Saws (1992))It’s tea time in Philosophy BlockTed ships itA few more morsels from the BirdcageTaylor sees Dinah as a MacGuffinWhy don’t the Endbringers hang out with each other???Oh no are there children in the BirdcageDragon sees Colin through Kid Win colored classesWe gotta let Dragon be bad to really believe she’s goodLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/%c2%ad-arc-10-parasite/10-x-bonus-interlude/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Parasite 10.x.Episode Notes:Sophia won Jenny over, but only at the bitter endWhat a fake-outRegent's emotional numbnessTed grapples with hate in the face of tragic circumstancesWhat if Taylor finds out about this?There's a compelling human impulse behind wanting to use Regent’s power  Regent’s missing pieceHe likes what he’s doing, but he’s not doing it for himselfWhere's Regent's self-described conscience in all this?We don’t learn what it’s like to be Regent aloneParallels between Regent's power and Bitch'sA pocketful of heroin at all timesWildbow does such a good job of preserving ambiguity about Regent's character hereWhat would it take for Regent to become "a good"?Regent as a foil for TaylorWe as readers are basically using Regent's power all the timeWe check our assumptions about Sophia’s momSophia's weak spot is being looked down uponThe mystery of Stephen invites sympathyJenny still thinks Sophia deserved some of these consequencesEmma is not impressed with Regent’s actingSadly we don't think Emma and Sophia are in loveWe do what we always do: analyze the textsRegent knows one of Taylor’s secrets after this chapter, but Sophia doesn’tRegent fumbles to have Sophia express emotion… could that be role-play? Confession?Does Regent not have emotions, or does he just not understand them?Regent: theater kid at heart?Regent feels strongly about Brockton Bay, if nothing elseRegent doesn't build relationships, and he's severing Sophia'sThe question of Regent's queernessRegent, like Coil, has a stakes problemEthical applications of Regent's powerRead Seek y'allWill Jenny finally get the Dragon interlude she’s been craving?Links:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/%c2%ad-arc-10-parasite/10-x-interlude/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Parasite 10.6.Episode Notes:We forgot about Dauntless again RIP :(Jenny brings down the hammer on Taylor’s foolishnessIs Taylor taking the same kind of deal Kayden did?Ted tries to shore up Jenny’s secret takedown theoryThe real problem with Taylor’s request is that she’s no threat to CoilWhy save the world when you can save one girl?Maybe this is night eight of Coil trying crazier and crazier schemes to get his hands on this dataIf Jack brings the end, he’s gonna need some EndbringersWe get another set of story-defining stakes laid out hereInterpreting Taylor’s apparent foolishness psychologically vs. narrativelyAt podcast speed you might drown in narrative tensionDo we only cut Taylor slack to the extent that she’s narratively dominating?Look, at least Regent isn’t controlling Shadow Stalker, Vista, AND Kid WinIs it fucked up or does it just look fucked up?Would you rather experience one Regent-sized bad day or one hundred Sophia-sized bad days?Bad things will certainly happen if Sophia doesn’t just slink awayTaylor dominates Bitch: heartless or “the heart”?Good or bad, this seems pretty easy for TaylorThe Undersiders have no real opposition left in Brockton BayShatterbird, uh, controls spiders?Violence is stickyAnd a coping mechanismTed defends Rachel’s betrayalWhat Taylor says may be obscured by how she says itHow do the rest of the Undersiders see Skitter?Coil gets his Dr. Claw onPredictions for the next two interludesLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/%c2%ad-arc-10-parasite/10-6/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Parasite 10.5.Episode Notes:Jenny loves DragonDragon's designs on SkitterWhat if Taylor gets Dragon on side?Dragon's got her priorities straightAlso she's prepared!...but her suits are creepyWe're so impressed by Taylor's innovations, and also Wildbow'sHeroes have to pull their punchesWe're not pleased with BitchTaylor did say she deserved it...What was Bitch's plan, though?We loved the gift shop fightNothing's taking down WeldNew cape names! At last!Links:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/%c2%ad-arc-10-parasite/10-5/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Parasite 10.4.Episode Notes:Don’t overthink the mystery of EpeiosPutting the Imp in impactHere comes the (new?) Protectorate!Jenny keeps leaving the villain part out of “hero-villains”Taylor’s gonna win, but maybe someone else will get capturedTTRPG problem solvingGun talkImp can make you forget her actions and not just her mere presenceIf Lisa can kinda remember Imp, can she kinda remember other stuff she forgot?Dragon isn’t self-righteous and we love thatDating, surveillance, and other topicsLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/%c2%ad-arc-10-parasite/10-4/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Parasite 10.3.Episode Notes:Jenny has a new theory BUT HOW CAN WE BE SUREThe sibling dynamic explains a lotWhat a metaphor for a neglected kidA major change in motivation for BrianFamily powers are at it againDoes Imp's power work on Brian?Buffy comparisons (so many spoilers)Flechette's moment to shineWhich Worm characters would we date?We're so happy for Kid WinBut we're wincing for VistaTaylor once again leveling up her bug usageThis is a pretty brutal way to do it, thoughGlimpses of Taylor's life without the UndersidersThe problem of WeldWe kinda see Bitch's pointMore of Taylor's utilitarianism in battleThis is horrifying and fitting payback for SophiaWorm is good at taking tropes to their logical conclusionMore Animorphs comparisons!Was this really the only way to get the data from the Wards headquarters?This fight might have been Plan A, actuallyA questionable plan, even before Dragon showed upFuture anti-Imp measuresNew Madison theoriesLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/%c2%ad-arc-10-parasite/10-3/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Parasite 10.2.Episode Notes:Where was Imp?Putting the Weld in Well DoneWe know the Wards better than TaylorWhat on earth are the Undersiders trying to do?Hopefully Imp is just a phaseTed doesn’t think Shadow Stalker could pull this offThe PRT officer who bent the rules is gonna get cannedJudgy teen Taylor is back, and might not want to look too closely in the mirror right nowShe’d be a fool to trust CoilHow can you be so pessimistic about beating Coil and so optimistic about influencing him?Has Taylor lost herself since her big moment in Arc 8, or did she cut the reader out of her next insinuation plot?Seeing Dinah in the mirrorMaybe Taylor is succumbing to nostalgiaShe just CAN’T settle for CoilTaylor brings herself low to get back with her ex-friendsWe like that Alec picks TaylorBrian craves control and Aisha is here I guessBitch’s beatdown comedyNew season, new team dynamicShould the Undersiders trust this much in the power of friendship? Of course!!!Links:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/%c2%ad-arc-10-parasite/10-2/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Parasite 10.1.Episode Notes:Regent the YeerkTalking through how his power worksWhat’s their plan for Sophia, both short and long term?Arc 9 has made it harder for us to root for Taylor vs. the (non-Sophia) WardsWhatever she’s all in on, it’s not CoilJenny could see Taylor setting any number of goals at this pointWell, does she deserve it? The narrative tempts us to say yes or not think about it too hardDoes Regent’s power doom him to villainy?Guessing at what’s in Regent’s head right nowGenre tropes help cover up the horrorUndersiders personnel changesSecret Grue feelings about TaylorTaylor spends a lot of time thinking about RachelJenny predicted Imp's annoyingness correctlyGrue's dependency on CoilWhy doesn't this version of the U.S. have endbringer FEMA?We're so happy to be back in Taylor's headBroken windows isn't a thing for TaylorThe worms of Brockton Bay are thematically ascendantWe're starting season two of the Worm TV showProcedural stuff continues to be satisfyingWhat's eating Brian?Links:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/%c2%ad-arc-10-parasite/10-1/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Sentinel 9.6.Episode Notes:We have feelings about AngelicaSeeing Skitter from the outside!Unclear in what way Skitter is a member of the Undersiders right nowWhat's with Imp?We contemplate degrees of premeditationSophia: a means to an end?Could the Undersiders be turning on Coil?We feel so distant from Taylor. We need answers!!Murder attempts galoreSophia just gave Taylor carte blancheDid Piggot cover up a murder?Do the Undersiders know about Sophia the bully?The many ironies of SophiaWe try to get into Taylor's shoes hereTaylor was so impressive in this fightBut she can't do it aloneBitch's training strategiesGrue's power vs. Sophia'sSophia's rage levels are highThe desire for power and freedom as an ongoing Worm themeThe mental limitations on powersEmma the enigmaEmma and Sophia's friendship, the other enigmaJenny discards some theoriesWhat has Sophia been through if she thinks the Wards are sheltered?Aegis the sartorial Ward??We remember that Sophia is a teenagerWe conjecture wildly about her trigger eventDoing what’s necessaryPredictionsLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-9-sentinel-interludes/9-6/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Sentinel 9.5.Episode Notes:Sophia isn’t worth all this troubleVista, in particular, has no way to reach herBut we don’t want her to, because seeing her get under Sophia’s skin was SO SATISFYINGAre there hidden costs to abiding Shadow Stalker?How superpowers sharpen and distort our understanding of why “bad apples” are protectedMaybe Vista could leverage her strong rating if she had the mind toHess’ The Art of BullyingWho, if anyone, does Sophia love? You’ll definitely guess Jenny’s answerSophia’s just BSing but we do consider the horrors of Gallant’s powerWeld steps upGotta say, Weld’s PSA about crying will be great PRLess of a death wish and more of a death acknowledgementThe symbolic power of Vista’s scarThis thirteen year old cape is giving us a lot of Animorphs feelingsSuch a nice win for the Wards to find out Chariot's a spy. Too bad their knowledge won't help them!Taylor's anti-hero bias is going to hold her backWe have the cutest scene in Worm so farVista's power, politeness, and past: a mysterious triumvirateVista's power as a metaphor--but for what?Who has seniority, Vista or Shadow Stalker?Turns out praise is a better motivator for Kid Win than hating himself wasA Pact Easter eggVista and intrusive thoughtsVista's take on death might be realistic but isn't healthyThe pain of being forced into a role you've outgrown or didn't choosePiggot's personality vs. tactical choicesA new theory about Weld's viceWhat if evil DragonLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-9-sentinel-interludes/9-5/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Sentinel 9.4.Episode Notes:Kid Win has no nameTed makes a formal apologyOne of the objectively best things that happens in all of WormThe problems in Brockton Bay are stacking upKid Win: really smart, actuallySo why does he not think so?And how much is it Armsmaster's fault?Maybe he just needs a gimmickSlaughterhouse Nine origin theoriesMaybe Kid Win is just a victim of the hero narrativesKid Win also lacks connectionsLike Taylor, he’s planning to reinvent himself… eventuallyEven if he was the weakest Ward he would still have plenty to contribute and be worthy of our esteem!We came away with different impressions of how risky what Trickster did to Vista wasTheories about who is steering the ChariotUhhhhhhhhh don’t you need a warrant for that, Kid Win?Why are we having a Wards interlude anyway?What’s in a (not being called by your) name?“Compact”Hard lightLily fits in and Weld becomes a better managerA new ship nameThe people of the BayKid Win makes a decision he doesn’t regretPredictions!Links:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-9-sentinel-interludes/9-4/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Sentinel 9.3.Episode Notes:Jenny's very good at predicting Wards (so far)Clockblocker: not a bad guy, pretty much!Clockblocker would have loved those training exercisesWe review some murder candidates and posit some new onesThe Wards maybe should've thought before they foughtBut it's a very cops and robbers fightTrickster is a star!What is becoming of New Wave?Glory Girl using her pushy side for goodThe questionable benefits of proximity to PanaceaWe love Vista. Such Vista fans hereRIP to the old DennisSometimes all you do need is a good fight, actuallyThe emotional power of a crush on someone way too old for youWhat a classic professor. So professorial.Ted wants Jenny to write her Parahumans 103 finalThe seeding hypothesis supports the trio hypothesisIs the genetics explanation really off the table?We want to see Scion through Tattletale's eyesPowers vs. privilegeIntelligent cape design? By someone other than WIldbow?Some powers do cause problems, thoughThis seems like a difficult topic to be scientific aboutA new interpretation of Brian's trigger eventClockblocker is not a theoretician, but he's wrongSome alternate history, as a treatIt's hard to do normal stuff when the world is falling apartClockblocker has the worst possible power for this moment in his lifeCan it be a slur if it applies to only one person?Maybe Taylor and Clockblocker would be friends, if she hadn't put bugs under his eyelidsWe don't care about Gallant the way the characters doThe hero narrative is useful in so many waysLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-9-sentinel-interludes/9-3/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Sentinel 9.2.Episode Notes:We don’t even need gaydar for this oneGirl friends or girlfriends?Scratching the surface of Lily’s need for connection to see what’s underneathSophia’s not putting up much of a frontWe establish a motif about D&D alignmentsThe parkour here is top notchThe city challenges outsiders in many waysSophia sees power more clearly but also feels more insecure about itWhether Sophia “breaks” from a need to participate in what’s going on around herBut does Sophia like spending time with Emma and Madison?It is fun to watch Shadow Stalker in action thoughTeam Brutalize This Guy With The Trash Can Lid vs. Team Don’tThere’s no good outlet for the people of Brockton BayThe PRT doesn’t have a signal beacon for delivering aid, so we think Lily’s using her power of discretion pretty wellAt least she’s a pretty sadist???Ted gets into how “breaking” works despite not really knowing how It worksWe ship itLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-9-sentinel-interludes/9-2/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Sentinel 9.1.Episode Notes:Weld doesn't have the trauma to relate to these WardsClassic new manager problemsPiggot and a sink or swim philosophyWeld is a character from a different genre of superhero storyThe Wards are going through itThe question of hope for Brockton BayHow does Coil feel about the Merchants?Piggot's sympathy for the people of Brockton Bay and good policies around white supremacyPiggot might just have a bad personalityIf only the Wards had done those trainings soonerJenny attempts to describe what the categories meanBut why aren't these categories SCIENTIFIC siiiighChanger vs. shifter vs. shaperHave they stopped underestimating Taylor...They certainly haven't stopped underestimating CoilWhat would happen if Taylor showed up at Piggot's door and told her about Coil?Soft-launching SlugBugWeld the smart jockSuperpowers as a race metaphorMaybe Weld's just into ASMRTurns out the cops and robbers thing is actually a deliberate strategyThe Protectorate is all about DEIThe stigma around capes has been shaping Taylor's story, tooWe want the Director Armstrong storyA Shadow Stalker interlude??Links:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-9-sentinel-interludes/9-1/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss listener questions, again.Episode Notes:A flawless introThe shoes have droppedHow Worm has infected JennyRachel disambiguationJenny picks favorite moments, characters, and predictionsNew theories from Jenny, with an assist from our friend DaveThe unexpected relevance of MadisonOur most anticipated interludes (in order!)Jenny faces several dilemmas when she is isekai’d into the start of WormCorrecting the record on “one of the bad days”Revisiting “Worm”Expectations for the rest of the storyComparing Taylor and BuffyHow it all endsMayorlor theoryWhen does Coil fall?Shipping corner!Jenny picks some cosplays and almost gets cancelledHarbinger, Sundial, Katamari, Black Hole, and SingularityAnimorphs corner!Can Taylor control a Yeerk? And other such questionsWhat other podcast-worthy properties can we think of?The superpower that every listener shares!!!!Links:https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Extermination 8.x.Episode Notes:Merry Inchmas! It’s the first Noelle chapterCoil hasn’t won yet but realistically who’s gonna stop him?Details of horrible vices left as an exercise for the readerAre Coil’s timelines basically a guilt-free personal Westworld?Do absolute power fantasies corrupt absolutely fantastically?And yet, Coil is unhappyWhile writing these notes, Ted realizes that if he had Coil’s power he wouldn’t mind exercising at all omggggg jealousCoil wins the Stanley CupLike with his collection of useful people, Coil has made himself desperate… for controlThe horrors of Noelle and Creep are also left to our imaginationsWe have a lot of questions but not many answers about NoelleThe way Dinah's odds change just underscores how chaotic the world can beSome Undersiders speculationCoil learns that he took a bad risk overnightCoil’s people are his possessionsTattletale’s blind spot re: Coil’s characterCoil’s (potential) blind spot re: Taylor’s possible desperationThe potential torments of her future are not left to Dinah’s imaginationTed isn’t buying Mr. Pitter’s backstoryCoil is the evil next door on a couple of levelsJenny predicts Coil will win, only to lose laterAnnouncement! Inchworm will return with a mailbag episode on 1/6/26Links:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-8-extermination/8-x-interlude/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Extermination 8.8.Episode Notes:The end of Book One of WormThe power of “I can do better than that”The mystery of what Taylor will do nextCan Taylor get Dragon’s number from Armsmaster?Envisioning Taylor’s CrewBug-based humanitarianismThe distancing effect of a small time skipIs it time for Taylor to make amends with Danny?Arc 8 shows how Wildbow is an excellent Game MasterTaylor’s meta-textual luckThe more Coil controls, the better his power getsWhat if a normal person had Coil’s power?Re-tracing Coil’s effects on the story so farLisa was taking on so much risk with Taylor, and we’re wondering whyRating Lisa on a scale from 1 (Bestie) to 10 (Mastermind) is toughJenny’s head canon for Lisa’s smile destroys TedFriends vs. moralsTaylor’s comb-overThis conversation forces Taylor to face realityLisa is really listening to TaylorTaylor’s choice feels clearly derived from her character, even if the narrative is opaqueTed thinks Endbringer funerals could work like college graduationsThose who are left off the memorialWhat does Coil know about Skitter?The end of Act One of Worm: The MusicalTaylor, alone and guilty and conflictedVoltron capesLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-8-extermination/8-8/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Extermination 8.7.Episode Notes:This revelation to the Undersiders had to happen, actuallyWhy did Tattletale go along with the lie?We think better of some of these heroes than TaylorLegend is someone who cares about opticsTurns out Armsmaster is a shameless hypocrite with a lot of reasons to hate TaylorJenny is still rooting for the Amy / Taylor friendshipThe meaning behind the hero and villain labelsArmsmaster as a foil for TaylorThere's a reason Miss Militia and Legend believe Tattletale's story -- and a reason the Undersiders believe Tattletale'sArmsmaster's downfall made this chapter so much more palatable than it would've beenThe arm is a metaphorThe power of teen sassWorm is dark and gritty and still gives us the occasional escapist fantasyThe potential for a future Undersiders reconciliationHard to see where the story goes from hereEach cape’s personality matters a lotWhere are our post-battle pamphlets?Jenny still feels like they should be better at this Endbringer thingYou’re not paranoid if they’re really out to get youJenny's dreams of Taylor outing Shadow StalkerThe challenge of reclaiming straying heroesWe're glad they see the value in Taylor and the UndersidersJenny distrusts Taylor's Emma theories. Fortunately she has her ownTaylor is back to her Arc 1 self (she’s been through a lot!)The power of friendship (only takes her so far)Hero and villain as social rolesLisa is the best improv artistChoices that are false choicesLook, everybody should read Worm!Links:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-8-extermination/8-7/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Extermination 8.6.Episode Notes:Oops, Taylor and Jenny both forgot about protecting secret identitiesOdds are good that Sophia doesn’t know Taylor is SkitterReviewing what we remember about Sophia’s two identities in light of this knowledgeIf anyone other than Taylor knew that Shadow Stalker had caused Skitter’s trigger event, wouldn’t it be a huge deal?Taylor’s reason for not joining the Wards is also a very real and relatable existential horrorThe Protectorate probably have non-threatening reasons to debrief SkitterAmy pulls the rug out from under the heroes hereWhen you push Taylor’s buttons this hard, this is how she respondsUnlike Lisa, Amy doesn’t get anything but thrills from these mind gamesOperation Roach KeyMaybe Taylor’s power is SPECIALWhat earns you a bigger rating from the PRT?We go back to bug school (and monster school)Whether Amy qualifies as “decent” or not, she’s sure creepy!Amy’s afraid of being bad, which is why she can’t pass up on the ethical hall pass of tormenting SkitterTaylor’s genuine apology is dismissedThe legal landscape around Endbringer fightsTaylor’s biggest mistake this chapter is main character syndromeIs Taylor right to be paranoid, given the specific heroes she’s worried about?Taylor alone, againReframing Taylor’s behavior as rational with iffy priorsPredictions (and other odds and ends)Links:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-8-extermination/8-6/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Extermination 8.5.Episode Notes:One of Jenny's least favorite moments of anything ever!We're outraged by the medical establishment and also the PRTMaybe Taylor should have known better than to, uh, be a villainTaylor got here through a tragedy of circumstancesMaybe she should've just joined the Wards, thoughPanacea predictionsScion is so Jesus-codedTheories about Taylor's power-upWas Leviathan trying to target Coil?Unfair that Leviathan's attention is focused on destruction at so many different scalesThe halberd is a beautiful propThe triumph of the bug peoplePassing a persuasion checkThe New Wave family sagaHow come Scion can't kill the Endbringers?We want an interlude from Scion's human contactDoes Scion actually hate humans, or what?Effective anticlimaxThe best revenge is being better than Mr. GladlyTaylor's relationship to preserving her own lifeTaylor's not the main character in other people's livesFeelings about Bitch the hero and her connection to TaylorThe Undersiders might have made it through this fight okay? The dogs definitely didn't thoughWe want Armsmaster and Flechette to collaborateWe were sold on bringing all these random capes to the fightWhere's the tinker army in this fight?Strider's death has some concerning implicationsThis arc is really creating a desire for the extermination of the EndbringersThis story is about capes, but sometimes we have to remember the civiliansLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-8-extermination/8-5/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Extermination 8.4.Episode Notes:We got just as caught up in the drama of Armsmaster vs. Leviathan as TaylorWhy cars are just the roofs of the streetTaylor’s clever thinking earns her the front-row seatTaylor Hebert’s Bug ReconA glimmer of cooperationHow will a life debt change the Armsmaster and Skitter dynamic going forward?If this Armsmaster guy would shut up we might actually like himBeing bigheaded and being really talented are basically the same thing for ColinWe think he’d be even better if he worked with a team, or just TattletaleJenny finally gets to know “what the story’s about”Parahumans TrinitarianismScion may the be starkest example of the coordination and communication problem the capes are havingHow some of Jenny’s big questions deserve answers beyond “suspend your disbelief”, and how Coil’s power could be one of those answersYou gotta monologue your big hero momentDid Aegis have Endbringer biology?Is Leviathan tapped into the armbands? (No, definitely not)Was Leviathan actually worried for a second?Wildbow’s narrative power moveTaylor’s doppelganger techPredictions and namesLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-8-extermination/8-4/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Extermination 8.3.Episode Notes:Welp, it sure was a down chapterNot to be all Taylor about it but why is this the best the heroes can do?What does Taylor think she's going to be able to do?"So... we good now, Clockblocker?"The action is out of scale with our hero. What does that mean for the narrative going forward?Some of the losses are starting to hurtCompartmentalization keeps her goingThis battle feels like a waste of powersReluctantly handing it to ArmsmasterJenny's new theory connecting the source of powers to the EndbringersWhat's this Leviathan guy thinking?Somebody give Faultline the Manton effect override cheatcode already!Mourning Shielder and Dauntless and the suffering of childrenBastion juuuuust missed the "dying a hero" windowRuthless Taylor expands her inventory and does medicineThe heroes should take some cues from Taylor's utilitarianismThis chapter is a microcosm of Taylor's growth across the first seven arcsSome good procedural detailsThis was a really well-handled action sequenceLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-8-extermination/8-3/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Extermination 8.x (bonus).Episode Notes:The Tattletale interlude was great but we are counting the chapters until 2 Tattle 2 TaleFic idea: Tiny Tim triggers with his initials-sake’s powerThe headcanon that makes Tattletale Ted’s favorite“Dying” in your own chapter is very GRRMStories have plot armor until they demonstrate that they don’tIt’s very Tattletale to have a whole dang interlude without letting us all the way inBeing Tattletale is a constant performanceWho was LiSa and what happened to her that she wishes she could have seen coming?Lisa’s power as a LucasArts adventure game narrator or a conversation with an LLMJust because she makes it look easy doesn’t mean she’s not working hardLiving with (and doing bits with) her powerThe Undersiders have become greater than the sum of their partsOver-interpreting Bitch’s perceived motivationsUnpacking “sociopath” and “damage”Since I am 23% fucked up, I expect you must be precisely that fucked up too!The “under” in Undersider stands for “under duress”What does Lisa really think about Coil and Dinah? And what does Jenny think about Coil’s power?Jenny will not hear any critique of Lisa’s methods when it comes to destroying TashaTed finally gets Lisa-pilled about how badly the heroes are doing in Brockton Bay: Good riddance, Boardwalk private security!Finally, Taylor is seen by an interlude character, and boy is she SEEN!Lisa, like, loves Taylor. Or at least won’t let herself hold a grudgeLisa’s safe focus on performance gets her companionship, and Taylor’s risky focus on authenticity gets her intimacyLisa tightly controls how she dispenses her informationEndbringer: OriginsCome on, Dragon, just mass produce these mechs already!What difference can the less useful capes really make here?Jenny doubles down on her original Regent theoryFORTY. CAPE. NAMES. /diesLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-8-extermination/8-x-bonus-interlude/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Extermination 8.2.Episode Notes:Jenny wants it to be even weirderThe story demands Taylor do something big but what could it possibly be?smol bean Leviathan theoryIt remains great that the Undersiders are underdogsHow does Legend actually feel about the bad guys?How do normal people actually feel about the good guys?Listen out for the spoiler warning if you haven’t read Watchmen!Re-examining cops and robbersWhy does Armsmaster even bother asking about Bitch?Ted’s poker face cracksThe armbands!!!!Why can’t Strider simply teleport Leviathan into the ocean ad nauseam?The habitats and migratory patterns of the EndbringersNewlostlandBrockton Bay is down but Jenny doesn’t think it’s gonna be outWhere the mountain meets the seaWhen do we get the Endbringer hero shooter? Ted hasn’t really played anything since TF2, so does anything out there scratch the itch?Ted gushes about the writing and Leviathan’s bodIs this guy a dinosaur, an experiment, an alien, or an ever-popping water balloon?Jenny puts together a super group to stop Leviathan in 8.4Speculation on deaths and interlude charactersLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-8-extermination/8-2/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Extermination 8.1.Episode Notes:Jenny's dying of suspenseA parahuman response, but no military?We're meeting some pretty intense capes. Amazing that they're not gonna be enoughThis is gonna be bad...but fast, apparentlyWe get why the heroes are here. Unclear about the villainsAlso unclear why the Endbringer is here, actuallyJenny has sea monster theoriesTaylor's such a fangirlBut sadly she's part of a one-person fan club right nowThis chapter is basically the lunchroom scene in Mean GirlsLet's get Taylor back in with the Undersiders soon, mmkay?Some very teenage cynicismTaylor finding herself a bit of an unfortunate celebrityHow are all these villains and heroes going to organize themselves?Some people's motives for being in this fight may be less than pureDeath predictionsWe do a brief survey of the capesThere's an awkward child soldier angle hereLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-8-extermination/8-1/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Buzz 7.x.Episode Notes:How Hannah sees ColinJenny isn’t attending this pity partyWhy does Armsmaster even want a management role if he knows he’s bad at it?If she gets the chance, will Hannah be ready to lead the heroes of Brockton Bay?Miss Militia is much more authentically patriotic than she first seemsDoes Hannah’s advancement reflect meritocracy or instrumentalization?The vision: Jenny connects a few ideas with red string and Ted asks for a vibe checkHannah keeps her own counselConnections to Kurdish history and arc 7Hannah has accepted some inevitable casualtiesThe triggering momentWhat Hannah lost to her powerPTSD and/or the immigrant experienceMeritocracy and management againTed delights in tinker data scienceArmsmaster WISHES he couldn’t sleepCome on Ted, why hate on Kid Win when Armsmaster is right there?The Endbringer seems like a natural disaster. Is it also a cape?Uh oh, they target plot!!!!Ted counts the ways this is an excellent chapterHer power isn’t meant for solving big picture problemsPredictions and namesLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-7-buzz/7-x-interlude-arc-7-buzz/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Buzz 7.12.Episode Notes:Not what Jenny expected!Taylor's not just demanding the other Undersiders agree with her. She's demanding that they agree with her without stopping to think or talk about it“They still seem like they could be good people,” we liedNot fight an Endbringer? Have you MET Taylor?Do any of the Undersiders really know Taylor, after all?The power of labelsTaylor does better with moral compromises when she has a sense of purposeTaylor's headspace here is emotional rather than strategicThe Undersiders probably feel really betrayed right nowOkay, but Alec is being heinousTaylor might be reading too much into Bitch's responseThe Panacea problem and effective altruismBrian could have higher standards for himselfTaylor's been on a real rollercoaster this arc. Too bad it crashed!What if...WIldbow is the endbringer??Tattletale tries to justify the term “serious kidnapping”Oops Jenny was wrong about the oddsWhy does Lisa show up at the end, and what are they communicating to each other?Jenny tries to meta her way into Tattletale's characterPurpose as a temptationTaylor's lack of reflection on how she almost sided with this guyJenny speculates on existential horrorWe can't believe the Undersiders also want to fightThe Endbringer as an easy outLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-7-buzz/7-12/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Buzz 7.11.Episode Notes:Jenny ALMOST knows what the story is aboutThe cost of working with CoilComing Soon: Insinuation 2.0Never tell me the odds (after telling me the odds in front of someone who hates all this)How Taylor can get the other Undersiders to go along with her presumed planDinah’s power and how her situation landed for JennyCoil as a perverse parentWe count the ways this is anathema to TaylorTaylor’s narrative forceJust how cautious is Coil?Are the Undersiders in too deep?The urgency of saving DinahCoil’s a control freak and a show-offCoil’s power helps people who are more creative and resourcefulUh oh, does this mean they’re going to start losing all the time?Even before showing them Dinah, Coil’s non-apology should have the Undersiders worriedThe problem of managing other capesThe Undersiders came into this chapter unitedSkipping that week made the arc better paced and the chapter more excitingCan we just assume E88 stopped destroying the city when Purity did?Taylor’s grand purpose: turning other wormsBrockton Bay continues to be a vivid characterThe Undersiders remind us that they are teensThe effective emotional tension at the end of the chapterPredicting who kicks off next chapter’s conversationLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-7-buzz/7-11/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Buzz 7.10.Episode Notes:Does Lisa’s gambit put her at odds with Coil or not?Taylor didn’t read Purity’s interlude, but Lisa got the gist of it from her powerThe potential for rifts in Empire Eighty-EightDoesn’t Coil care about his investment in this team? Or was some of this his idea?Purity wants to be seen as reasonableThis flight Purity and Tattletale took together must have been a feast for Tattletale's powerTattletale gets to be the robber she wants to see in the worldSeems like things are about to wind down?A lot can happen in the next six days re: Coil and E88Night is so scary powerful it’s good she has that major limitationWe don't know what's up with Fog but we don't like itTaylor puts herself on the front line even when the bugs aren't involvedThe Undersiders all do so well… if only Grue hadn’t been falling apart!Okay but what if you were a medic interacting with SkitterThis might be the first time Lisa's tried to kill someoneLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-7-buzz/7-10/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow