Strong Female Protagonist II

[Onyavar]

Gurwara, hum. Well, we have seen him in Patricks mind, and Patrick revealed to Allison that he has five personalities in there. We have seen the Anima, the Record-Keeper, the Menace and Lord Boy (the machines, drones and the Guardian don't count as a personality). So, obviously Gurwara is the fifth.

Just, how? When Gurwara had the stage, Patrick was off the grid. And eventually, the real prof reappeared with having his mind altered.

Time-travelling Patrick from the far future? Illusionary disguise (possibly of a puppeteered henchman?) Mind-control disguise, pulled off himself? Kaparovsky had two cosmetic operations and was mind-controlled in the time he played Gurwara - until Patrick slipped?

[The_Snark]

Gurwara, hum. Well, we have seen him in Patricks mind, and Patrick revealed to Allison that he has five personalities in there. We have seen the Anima, the Record-Keeper, the Menace and Lord Boy (the machines, drones and the Guardian don't count as a personality). So, obviously Gurwara is the fifth.

Pretty sure the fifth personality is the Patrick in the "Wabbit Season" t-shirt; we don't have an epithet for him, but between the shirt and the fact that he was stuck outside the walls, I figure he represents the things Lord Boy was afraid of - desire for normal human interaction and companionship, among other things.

[137beth]

A lot of things in this arc seemed predictable. However, I have to say that I never would have guessed the mind-controlled-mom thing.

[Ibrinar]

Bah you just don't want to accept the healing miracle of this young saint!

Wonder how this will crash and burn for him enough to delete it from his mind. Will he just figure out he didn't heal her and is just controlling her? Will she do something?

[Vinyadan]

Will she have feelings about having murdered her husband?

[Onyavar]

Will she have feelings about having murdered her husband?

You see her "What have I done" exclamation, right? This was Patricks first foray into mind control, and he screwed up, because he had no idea he could do it.

Either this happened long ago - then Patrick lied to Alison or doctored with his own memories too. Or it happened recently and is the reason for Patricks hobo situation.

[Vinyadan]

That's... a very short statement. And may actually refer to Patrick.

"Let's have cookies, while your father's blood stains my bed, and his corpse is still warm!"

[Lacuna Caster]

Either this happened long ago - then Patrick lied to Alison or doctored with his own memories too. Or it happened recently and is the reason for Patricks hobo situation.

It didn't occur to me this might have happened recently. Huh.

[The_Snark]

It didn't occur to me this might have happened recently. Huh.

Patrick mentions that he's poised to capture Washington, DC next month, so I infer this happened during his time as Menace. Unless there's something he's not telling us.

[Vinyadan]

So, correct me if am wrong: Patrick didn't mind control his mother. He also didn't heal her. He injected a single emotion -- love for him -- into her, and that's all that she is feeling. She still cannot feel anything on her own.

Also, she just told him that she's never missed him.

[The_Snark]

That's what it looks like to me, too. (Although I don't think she's incapable of feeling anything on her own. Just incapable of anything that involves empathy for other people.)

I suspect this scene is the reason we've never seen Patrick talk about or display the ability to alter brains before.

[Nettlekid]

What I'm wondering is if Allison is going to start becoming paranoid that Patrick used his mind-tweak powers on her, as a way of justifying her conflicted attraction to him. Or if Patrick is going to suspect that he did subconsciously because he still wanted to be loved?

[Onyavar]

What I'm wondering is if Allison is going to start becoming paranoid that Patrick used his mind-tweak powers on her, as a way of justifying her conflicted attraction to him. Or if Patrick is going to suspect that he did subconsciously because he still wanted to be loved?

Who wouldn't wonder about that? Allison is eyeing the "current" Patrick quite nervously in that one recent update. I guess she suspects he did something... But then again, he has stopped being (a) menace, so she can assume good faith. He has admitted it before they abserved the scene: He has opted to forget about this ugly scene, and altered his own mind to that effect.

I suspect this scene is the reason we've never seen Patrick talk about or display the ability to alter brains before.

But he did. In Chapter 3(?), on their first drive to Feral's clinic, he told Alice that even though it may seem strange, he was only a mind-reader. That everyone who claimed that they had been under Menace's mind control, actually weren't. So far in the story, we still don't know if Patrick ever manipulated people before or after his Mom.

[Vinyadan]

There was that guy, a tutor I think, who told Ali that he had been mind-controlled by someone, but I can't remember if it was Menace. He then said that he got his freedom back after a superhero put him into a chokehold, and the hero was then so nice as to sign his plaster.

[JeenLeen]

About when this happened or if Patrick lied: It seems that he doesn't remember this happening. He says that when the memory starts up, and it being behind a locked door Lord Boy doesn't even monologue about indicates that Patrick doesn't let himself think about it. I reckon this happened, and then he sealed away his memory of it. He was honest in the sense of being ignorant that he had this power.

There was that guy, a tutor I think, who told Ali that he had been mind-controlled by someone, but I can't remember if it was Menace. He then said that he got his freedom back after a superhero put him into a chokehold, and the hero was then so nice as to sign his plaster.

I forget the name, but it was some random villain never mentioned before or after. Not Menace. Presumably just some dude who eventually was put in jail (or killed.)

[Lethologica]

Patrick only did this some time after becoming Menace, and only locked up the memory some time after that. So it's possible that he used some amount of mind control before as Menace, and forgot about it when he forgot about this.

[JeenLeen]

...random villain never mentioned before or after. Not Menace. Presumably just some dude who eventually was put in jail (or killed.)

Found the link: http://strongfemaleprotagonist.com/issue-5/page-52-3/

[Kantaki]

Hey, look at that.
Patrick manipulated Alison to be his friend again.

Well, maybe not manipulated exactly, it might be genuine.
I just hope it stays at that.
These two as a couple would end horribly for everyone else.

[137beth]

Al: "Okay, now that we've sorted this whole pesky loving thing out, what do you know about Guwara?"

[Shogo]

Well, this whole thing has just been profoundly disturbing. I'm also rather annoyed at that "We all are." line. She really needs to get over herself with that kind of nonsense.

"It's okay if you're a terrible person. Everyone is terrible."

[Kantaki]

Really, Alison?

[Nettlekid]

This feels super gross. This feels like the mind-reader using his psychology tricks to get what he wants by outright saying "I'm using my psychology tricks on you to help you justify giving me what I want." That's gross.

[Kantaki]

This feels super gross. This feels like the mind-reader using his psychology tricks to get what he wants by outright saying "I'm using my psychology tricks on you to help you justify giving me what I want." That's gross.

Eh, I think that's a bit much.
He's just offering her an- incredibly flimsy -excuse.
I don't think he needed much mindreading for that.
Knowing Al as well as he does would be enough for that trick.
Sure, his power might've halped, if only because it created this situation, but I doubt he needed it to „trick” her.

I mean, it is a jerk move, but considering what Pat pulled with Clevin it's unsurprising he doesn't care about torpedoing that relationship.

Mind you, neither of them did right there, but given that Pat is Pat and Al did worry about this hurting Clevin I'm still more annoyed by her jumping at the justification than by him offering it.

Even if he used his power to pick up exactly the right phrase she knows he can do this and shouldn't be that quick to listen.
Especially after learning he can in fact manipulate minds.

[Maryring]

So... yeah. Al is horrible. Pat is horrible. Please let this be a way to write them both out of the story forever so we can focus on Feral perhaps? I mean, that I could enjoy. Feral is actually a decent person.

I guess Clevin was right to feel like he didn't really matter to Al after all though.

[Ibrinar]

Of course he was right, he is a normal person (not just powerless but ordinary) in a super hero comic, he had temporary relationship written all over him.

[Dragonus45]

I’m not convinced they are through just yet. Cheating is serious issue but as long as Alison is open and honest then... welp they are done for.

[Shogo]

Al and Pat have both been horrible for a long time. And stuff like this pushes the unfortunate idea that Pat is never going to face justice for the things he did as Menace. Because what are crimes when the main character has a crush on you and you dangle a conspiracy theory in front of her?

[Maryring]

For Clevin's sake they should be. It'd be one thing if Al just got caught up in the moment but caught herself and pushed back, or immediately showed regret. But this isn't that. This is her acknowledging that this would probably hurt Clevin, and then she goes ahead and kisses the manipulative monster anyhow. His feelings don't matter to her and Patrick is unhealthy to be around. It'd really be best for Clevin to just disappear.

So right now I'm giving it 4:1 chance that it'll turn out that Clevin is secretly a Grand Dragon or something.

[Dragonus45]

So right now I'm giving it 4:1 chance that it'll turn out that Clevin is secretly a Grand Dragon or something.

Yep, they have to find some way to turn this one around in him after all.

[Vinyadan]

"It's just a dream." They are also bleeding to death.