Inchworm

Jenny and Ted discuss Colony 15.8.Episode Notes:We're enjoying this thing where Taylor's gotten herself into another impossible scenarioWhat was Trickster's plan, here?A second Dinah! Whee!!Jenny wants Coil to come sailing through the doorWe have to assume the mayor WANTS to save the cityThe wrinkles of an inherently Protectorate-aligned mayorCapes really are hiding everywhereDid Coil set them up...Coil master plan theory craftingTaylor's poorly conceived succession planCoil's power always makes you wonderTaylor's just a terrible manipulatorTaylor's sense of cape feudalism has overwhelmed her understanding of villainyAlso she might be undervaluing her own lifeTaylor's living inside a trolley problemRationalizations to not back downA player who hates to loseTurns out the Travelers look way better against the background of the Slaughterhouse NineThe future of Taylor's swarm clonesTaylor's better at multitasking with her bugs than with herselfWe're already picturing these scenes in the Worm comicClassic Skitter understatementLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2012/11/10/colony-15-8/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Colony 15.z.Episode Notes:Coil is the Doctor’s very special boyCauldron appears to be… benevolently unethical?They’re really trying to solve the world’s problems, but they’re also making a few of their ownCampaign staffer Rebecca sighs with relief that her beeper is on silent when President-elect Griffin sees Behemoth and pages AlexandriaCan we label Alexandria and co. heroes or villains or monsters?How many Siberians can you countenance to save the world?Doctor who?Victoria chose deathIs Doormaker Cauldron’s “pet”?Can we really believe the Doctor is being truthful with Alexandria?Ooh, a real psychic?Ugh, packing to move between Earths would be so annoyingThe role Rebecca constructed for herself, by herselfThe existential horror of a slow, nearly inevitable deathDoes Alexandria stop being a hero when she stops seeing herself as truly invulnerable? Or does she just become more human?The Lightness Of Being AlexandriaAre all of the powers actually finite, and it’s the strongest capes who are being affected first?How old is Alexandria and for how long?Every parent is Alexandria to their kids (except Rebecca’s mom, here)Alexandria is genuine about putting life above all things and comfortable with the idea that it makes her a heroHey if your plan is so good then why does Brockton Bay suck so bad?The doctor was the mother after all!It’s fitting that we have a skeptical teen to save us from the Deep State DaddiesThis isn’t Kim Stanley Robinson’s ParahumansCome on, Ted, do you really trust normal people with this kind of thing?We take a brief detour into Wordpress metadataOn the other hand, what could justify being so careless with the people they dose?Maybe access to powers commands a high price merely for leverageWhy doesn’t Alexandria simply prevent all trauma that could lead to villainy?Scrat’s Endbringer powersetWhy did Behemoth first show up in Iran?Can Alexandria and Jenny optimize Scion?Parallels to TaylorRebecca never got to play againShe should know as well as anyone that life is painThe Doctor, like Tattletale, always knew it was gonna be Plan BFor all the Doctor says she’s letting Rebecca choose, she seems very willing to put her thumb on the scales as much as she canHer Dark Suit MaterialsWhere’s my Hero / Eidolon Chicago origin story fic?Non-Reagan era politicsRebecca is using her time better than ClarkSpeculation on some of the mysteriesDetails and metaphorScraps of Manton’s backstorySure, set Victoria free, Amy! It’s just a few alterations to her body and memories. You’ll fit right in here at Cauldron.And look, the whole Case 53 thing is just really really despicable!So what did we learn about where the story is going? (Warning, Animorphs end of series spoilers!)Links:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2012/11/08/interlude-15-bonus-3/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss the Worm comics announcement.Linkshttps://parahumans.wordpress.com/2026/10/27/worm-is-getting-a-2027-comic-adaptation-with-idw-publishing/https://gizmodo.com/groundbreaking-web-serial-worm-is-becoming-a-comic-book-exclusive-2000830772

Jenny and Ted discuss Colony 15.7.Episode Notes:Such good procedural stuff in this oneBug perception: the secret to pain toleranceWe want the parahuman medical proceduralMore bug innovationsThe limits of multitaskingMore Skitter philosophy wheeeeParian's maturity might be lending some much-needed perspective hereA questionable hatredDoes crime pay, Skitter?We've found the violence inherent in the systemIf Taylor's gonna be a benevolent dictator, she should be a better oneProtectorate pipe dreamsTaylor's still creating rationalizations for why she should get to live the life she wantsCape paternalismShould the leader also be the army?Taylor is a scary person inside a non-scary person inside of a scary personThis whole novel could just be a Freaks and Geeks remakeThe danger of becoming one of the kidsIt's tough to be a benevolent dictatorBryce is not one of his generation's more promising mindsReally sucks to be a person without powers in a world of capesAt least Taylor's sense of superiority is based on something??Great power, great responsibility...Links:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/colony-15-7/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Colony 15.6.Episode Notes:They’re being unfair to Taylor!!!!Taylor was Taylor’s own worst enemy in this conversationWould it have been better if Sophia had come up?Flechette hearing about what Armsmaster did: huge, if trueWhy can’t Taylor have ALL the allies?What do y’all think of Jenny’s new ship?Who’s afraid of Lisa Wilbourn?Parian stands on her morals (dramatically!!!)(How old is Taylor now?)How To Make Friends And Influence People (By Spending Two Hundred Thousand Dollars)Can Taylor deal a better hand to Sabah than the one she was dealt herself?Taylor and Lily both want hero to mean somethingThe fantasy of evidence that can change mindsWas Lily upset by Taylor’s accusation or Sabah’s shout?Lily’s gonna find that armbandDefining the relationshipThe minions won’t stealThis offer is way more Skitter than UndersidersTaylor doesn’t know Victoria’s fateThe Fanary ArcOdds and ends and predictionsLinks:https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2012/11/03/colony-15-6/https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow