July 25th, 2017
25 Jul 2017 · page 717 of 1306
Trouble coming.
Cast: Benjamin Thackerey, Heinrich Wolfe, Sidney Malik, Verity Cunningham
Comments (49)
Events
ThoughtBubble
14 Nov 2026 – 15 Nov 2026
Harrogate Convention Centre
Manchester Megacon
31 Jul 2027 – 1 Aug 2027
Manchester Central
It's time to face the REAL challenge.
Pride is but a sideshow in comparison....!
Oh, I really, really hoped for the last panel. In a good sense, again. :)
Oh, this is good! I like that Verity's outline color changed just a little bit in her mirror world! Don't do this to Ben, Vee, he's dealt with enough today...
I hope when they - and especially Ben - are in danger, she'll have to fret for Ben?
And will do an effort for him?
But her pride is very strong, and that's why she is a very powerful ermm... nutriment for Pride. I'm afraid Mal and Garry couldn't be able to summon Pride while she is feeding it :(
Someone draw a Verity-granola-bar, stat!
I could see that going one of two ways. One would be that Ben turns around and tries to ward it off with another self deprecating comment, thus causing her to say something in his defense that causes her mirror to shatter ( maybe about how she could never be as (insert one of Ben's good qualities here) as he is or feeling like she can't protect him) or Sidney jumps in to protect him and triggers a similar result.
Really I'd be fine with either.
I rather think about Ben simply shouting: "Vee, help, it is going to kill me!" :) Or, more dramatically, throwing himself at Pride, with the same goal to switch Verity in the mode of "protective cousin" and make her want to leave the mirror. :)
Though it would be better if it comes naturally, I admit.
Ver and Vanity have a history. And, not as opponents.
I mean, as opponents at least once. Who remembers Professor Tauntington and the Dissertation on Tackiness?
"Professor Tauntington and the Dissertation on Tackiness"
Well done on that.
Verity is a better deadly than the "actual" deadly.
Verity and Pride get into an arrogant contest: who wins?
Who cares? WE lose that contest.
I believe I would decline to place a bet.
The only winning move is not to play.
If harnessed, her vanity's energy yield could probably rival a fusion reactor.
How about "I'm depressingly predictable"
Sid: But-! ...But you're already bringing yourself down. Harry is succeeding in her part of the mission - you're failing!
Vee: Shut up! Who cares about that, or her! Besides, if I fail, she fails!
Ben: Oh no, as the recorder of history for this event, I will ensure the record states that everyone involved played their part to the best of their abilities, except for you, who willingly fell victim to the snares of Pride and brought the whole enterprise to grief. Indeed, if we are still able to use the university building after the Cunningham Catastrophe, I think we will refer to your prison as "The Mirror of Shame". We'll inscribe a brass- no, I think a lead plaque would be more appropriate - with that name and an account of your infamy-
Vee: No, no, NO!! punches through glass GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF MY POSTERITY!! lunges at Ben
Ben: - and your lack of self-control.
Vee: stops with her hands around Ben's neck burns with shame and embarrassment
Pride: is scorched into a shadow on the wall by the caustic radiance from Vee's emotions
>:=)>
Alternatively, if they had another team member with them...
Gren: sniffs at frame cocks leg
Vee: No, no, NO!! punches through glass STOP THAT AT ONCE, YOU FILTHY BEAST!
Pride: I am not going anywhere near that!!!
Ben, Sid and Wolfe: retreat towards puddle
Wolfe: ! sticks hand in puddle leaps forward, slaps Pride on beak
Pride: GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!! YOU... I... UUUUGGHHH!!!!!!!!! self-demanifests in revulsion appears at Anchor
Harry: ! Phasmia permissum de loco isto. Habes ibi nulla libertas...
Pride: Hurry up with that!! It got into my nostrils, I can still smell it!!!!
>:=)>
wipes tear That was beautiful.
Right, she's jealous of Sidney for having been chosen as The Partner.
Mm. If she admits that, it might do the trick.
Ha! And when pigs fly, we'll have to go shooting to get bacon.
Well, it might be more easy for her to admit something everyone (including Sid who just said that aloud) got already (despite her denial) than telling something new to them. Or maybe not.
Oh no. Admitting what someone knows is WAY worse than admitting something new. It takes way more humility for "This is true and you are right." than for "Hey this is a thing, by the way."
I love Ben's expression of weary exasperation in panel 3.
And of course that's what Vee's been doing inside her mirror this whole time...
To be fair, that would also explain why Wolfe kept facing with his back to the outside.
[i]Thought[/i] things were going rather too well...
Thought that was going rather too well.
Wolfe: But don't you see? It suits you rather too well. I thought you would recognise a trap...
And he gives her an easy out!
Time for Ben to share something terrible and embarrassing from Verity's past.
Only make it worse.
... and there's our lovely road bump.
But Ms Cunningham, are you sure you want to stand in front of all those mirrors? Those trousers do make your bum look rather big.
Ugh. Vee. I really want to see her fall.
I have a feeling we're going to, very soon; it's just a question of whether she'll bring everyone else down with her.
Ah, Pride...
Are you sure you are playing to your strengths, here? I admit you are wonderfully menacing, but wouldn't you want to compliment them? Drive up the pride in the room.
I think it was a mistake for Sid to be the one telling Verity what she needs to do to get out of the mirror - her knee-jerk reaction is to refuse to do anything to oblige him, especially if it involves making herself look bad. She might have taken it better from Ben (who's known her all his life and is well-acquainted with her flaws) or even Wolfe (whom she doesn't know very well, but who's no threat to her).
I think that Ben did speak first.
Yes, but all he said was "Time to go" - he didn't say anything about how to get out.
One person trying to take down all of the sins would almost certainly fail. Taking on ALL of the major sins is something that must be done by a group, because of how much people vary, and how much some people unwittingly bear certain sins on their back without realizing it.
Verity's pride is what has kept her going, but against Pride itself? It's not such a good weapon.
One feature sometimes attributed to Pride is being able to defeat the other deadlies—for all of them you can get out by saying, "How could I fall to such a thing? I'm better than this! I will not be defeated!" But not for Pride.
So yeah. Verity scores 6/7.
6 of 7 at best. We're not sure how she'll fare against other sins, at least not for sure.
So, Verity, let's run the score card here. You almost blocked Sid's idea to beat Wrath. You feel headlong into Envy's trap. You knocked Wolfe out against Gluttony. You're helping Pride.
Harry even chose Sid over you as a partner.
Can you do anything right?
Well, it isn't her fault that she is surrounded by fools, is it? :) Harry doesn't know what's good for herself, Wolfe put himself in her dart's way, Malik betrayed them to Envy and made it more difficult for her to rescue everyone, that's all.
Oh, and she was going to approve the violin idea, of course, but Benji jumped on her.
Now, about Pride... she has been doing all work for others all the way, she has a right to indulge herself a little. Let others try to do something, at last.
I can't believe Verity got fucking eaten by a sparrow.
African or European? What was its airspeed velocity? Were there any coconuts involved?
And Ben's still an abject failure -- he can't even save Verity from herself!
It is not over till it's over. :))
Speaking more generally, saving someone from themselves is one of the most difficult tasks in the world. :) Wolfe happened to do this, but he is him. :)