Shit, what a way to end 2010. Everything's been top notch (art/story/characters) this arc, and this is a hell of a way to end it. Thanks for all the work you put into Octopus Pie.
Oh Eve. This is why Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is just a movie. I know what it's like to just want to forget someone because you feel like it'd be easier.
Thank you for another amazing year, Meredith. I hope you and everyone else who happens on this little comment has a wonderful holiday season.
But Marigold didn't know that the cookie was supposed to make her forget; there's no way it could have been a placebo. It was just a cookie to her.
What seems more likely is that the cookie was for Hanna's sake, to make her feel like she was helping a friend or to make her feel less guilty about setting Mari up with someone who just ended up hurting her, because as she said she felt that Mari needed to be "protected" from the pain of the break-up, and given that she felt it was her responsibility to do so that suggests she's had some deep-seated guilt gnawing at her for a while.
I think Marigold is a lot more mature than Hanna gives her credit for. Maybe Eve realized that, or maybe she decided that using magic voodoo cookies to make your friends forget one another is a bad thing, morally speaking. :3
Then again, I could be over-analyzing. It's all up for interpretation. 😀
Max
Well the cookie is a placebo, no doubt, but most likely, as you said, it's for Hanna.
It's like the "easy way out"
Why apologize to Marigold and stay out of her romantic life, when she can use a weird cookie and pretend that after feeding it to her, Mari will forget everything? Also gives her a nice "alibi" to keep on meddling on Marigold's (and everyone else's) life
And since Marigold doesn't know that the cookie is supposed to make her forget, she will never confront Hanna about it either.
You never really know if eve forgot a relationship at this point. She could have forgotten Park instead of Will … it could have the effect of forgetting your first or most recent relationship. On top of that it might have a different effect on someone who knows what they are going to do.
Poor Marigold nothing. Forgetting everything that has happened to her would be awful, even if that means remembering emotional pain suffered through break-ups.
Sometimes I wonder if having a way to forget things that happened would make me the person I am now. I guess it's not worth trying to forget if it'll hopefully make me stronger in the end, for better or worse.
Beautiful ending to this arc, Miss Gran. May the holidays treat you well.
[A quick note, I am studying to be an animator in San Jose State University, and you are such an inspiration.]
Meredith: I hav to tell you, you are AMAZING, I hope everything goes great for you next year, that you bring us your fans more awesome octopus pie. And that everythig you want to do gets done! In advance I'll say Merry Christmas And HAppy New Year!!! I hope I see you next year @ Comic-ConSD
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH Cliff hanger! I'm really lovin' this story, the art is great and I think this is the perfect strip to be the last one for the year. Really looking forward to the next strip!
I tried to think of a way that Hanna was really knew this and was somehow some kind of tricksy mastermind throughout the whole thing, but my brain is too shot right now and I just confused myself in the process, so I'm just gonna go with her genuinely believing the biscuit story.
Eve eating the cookie* (of Lethe) is a rich Muppets-as-directed-by-Frank Capra moment. But, as with all the great moments it somehow doesn't break away from the overall balance of joy and melancholy in OP's ability to relate the painful and baneful, the cupid and the stupid, the plain and the insane things that can happen in literature while connecting underground (like Con-Edison lines) to life.
It's a wonderful comic – Merry Christmas, Meredith.
PS loved the Sliding Doors reference.
*We call them 'scones' in Toronto when they're that shape. The scone of oblivion?
Yes. I don't know how you do it, but OP manages to be the least predictable, most relatable, and bizarrely realistic comic I have ever read. And my absolute favorite web-comic of all time.
You know people aren't going to stop hating Marigold even after this. As for me, I love the everything about this but can't help think about what happens when friends don't trust each other enough for it to work out.
this is hands down the most beautifully told story of its kind on the web. i've read it through twice & each update has such substance and lovely weight. thank you so much for putting in the hours & sharing.
100 thoughts on “#426 – stand clear of the closing doors”
Courtney
Did she want to forget Park or Will?! Oh my goodness.
mrscriblam
probably both
SweetScoundrel
Definately Will considering the context.
Coronimo
Yessss, thank you! Happy New Year and have a great holiday!
VegetaGirl
Poor Eve…. life never came easy for her.
Dont worry, not everything in your life will be so sad
The Count
Shit, what a way to end 2010. Everything's been top notch (art/story/characters) this arc, and this is a hell of a way to end it. Thanks for all the work you put into Octopus Pie.
Toaster O' Veng
Oh my god, why would she eat that?
Cri
Oh Eve. This is why Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is just a movie. I know what it's like to just want to forget someone because you feel like it'd be easier.
Thank you for another amazing year, Meredith. I hope you and everyone else who happens on this little comment has a wonderful holiday season.
Cri
D'oh, I meant that to be it's own comment. I call party foul on myself.
dragonair
The whole point was that it didn't work. It was like a placebo for Marigold but Eve – well, Eve doesn't really want to forget.
It's been a WONDERFUL YEAR. You rarely miss an update; your pages are always beautiful; and you're an amazing story teller. 🙂 <3
Woo
But Marigold didn't know that the cookie was supposed to make her forget; there's no way it could have been a placebo. It was just a cookie to her.
What seems more likely is that the cookie was for Hanna's sake, to make her feel like she was helping a friend or to make her feel less guilty about setting Mari up with someone who just ended up hurting her, because as she said she felt that Mari needed to be "protected" from the pain of the break-up, and given that she felt it was her responsibility to do so that suggests she's had some deep-seated guilt gnawing at her for a while.
I think Marigold is a lot more mature than Hanna gives her credit for. Maybe Eve realized that, or maybe she decided that using magic voodoo cookies to make your friends forget one another is a bad thing, morally speaking. :3
Then again, I could be over-analyzing. It's all up for interpretation. 😀
Max
Well the cookie is a placebo, no doubt, but most likely, as you said, it's for Hanna.
It's like the "easy way out"
Why apologize to Marigold and stay out of her romantic life, when she can use a weird cookie and pretend that after feeding it to her, Mari will forget everything? Also gives her a nice "alibi" to keep on meddling on Marigold's (and everyone else's) life
And since Marigold doesn't know that the cookie is supposed to make her forget, she will never confront Hanna about it either.
AsinineAxioms
Oh man. Poor Marigold… She never forgot a thing.
kewangji
you have to remember to learn!
Nell Felix
I don't think any of them forgot anything. I mean, the fact that Eve said Hanna is so full of shit, is because the cookie probably doesn't work.
bob
You never really know if eve forgot a relationship at this point. She could have forgotten Park instead of Will … it could have the effect of forgetting your first or most recent relationship. On top of that it might have a different effect on someone who knows what they are going to do.
Anna
And technically, Eve was never in a relationship with Will! She just kissed him.
Sela
And fucked him. They are FWBO.
norm
Congrats on your move, and thanks for a great year of comics. And Hanna being full of it … should come as no surprise! 😉
Sela
Wow, that's really powerful. And sad!
And I am so shocked, that's all I got.
defcise
Wow… I second the lat comment… powerful.
This strip is so much more than a comic
Meeka
Eve, you're such a badass.
rango
Thanks for a great year of comics, I can't wait to see what 2011 brings.
someone
I love how you manage to thwart all our guessing. Every comic is a surprise, and you're kind of amazing, Meredith.
akep
Pssssssst… A Manhattan-bound J train would say "Broad St" on the side. Or Chambers on the weekend. All the same, thanks for another swell year of fun!
meredith
it does say Chambers st, it's just wrtten very small.
akep
I just now saw that. I was reading it as one of the electronic displays. I retract my misinterpretation.
Andrew
Poor Marigold nothing. Forgetting everything that has happened to her would be awful, even if that means remembering emotional pain suffered through break-ups.
Beautifully ended arc, Gran.
lil
I want to give Eve the biggest hug right now. Merry Christmas indeed.
dani
I wanna it more. Poor Eve, pooor Marigold, Poor Will. I wanna eat the cookie =p
Jasmine
Sometimes I wonder if having a way to forget things that happened would make me the person I am now. I guess it's not worth trying to forget if it'll hopefully make me stronger in the end, for better or worse.
Beautiful ending to this arc, Miss Gran. May the holidays treat you well.
[A quick note, I am studying to be an animator in San Jose State University, and you are such an inspiration.]
jakob
wow 🙂 so that makes marigold seem all the stronger now – and eve a little weaker… nice way to go out – had a good laugh thanks to hanna too 😀
merry christmas to everyone and thank you meridith for your great great comic! please please carry on – you are one of the best out there
Martin
I don't know why, yet, but this made me a bit sad. 😐
David
Best comic on the internet.
Jax
Eve in panel 9 broke my cold Christmas heart.
In the best possible way.
Hailstones
EVE LOOKS SO CUTE HERE!
Rowen Morland
O Eve.
Gethsemabu
Meredith: I hav to tell you, you are AMAZING, I hope everything goes great for you next year, that you bring us your fans more awesome octopus pie. And that everythig you want to do gets done! In advance I'll say Merry Christmas And HAppy New Year!!! I hope I see you next year @ Comic-ConSD
Gethsemani
*LOL I misspelled my name 😛
Amstrad
Oh man… this comic.
Chlo
This comic is so ridiculously good. I hope you enjoy the rest of the year Meredith!
Krimson
So… many… emotions… Dammit, Mer, I hate how good you are at doing this!
(Also: Merry Christmas Eve / Merry Christmas, Eve? Oh, how excellent! And tragic!)
SecretlyASuperhero
that's what i was gonna say!! (the christmas, Eve part :P)
MaVieFolle
I thought Hanna only made one burnout cookie, if Eve ate it what did she give Marigold……..
Awesome comic Meredith!!! I'm looking forward to the wonderful stories and art we are sure to see next year!!
Zusa
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH Cliff hanger! I'm really lovin' this story, the art is great and I think this is the perfect strip to be the last one for the year. Really looking forward to the next strip!
AlmostLiterally
Beaton face alert in panel five.
I tried to think of a way that Hanna was really knew this and was somehow some kind of tricksy mastermind throughout the whole thing, but my brain is too shot right now and I just confused myself in the process, so I'm just gonna go with her genuinely believing the biscuit story.
PersonalGenius
You're right. That's a total fat pony face. :3
ChrisM
Very nice storytelling.
You're missing a rainy xmas in PDX area, but your move was a good idea.
PersonalGenius
Fantastic. Thanks for a great year, Meredith. <3
kevin
The cookie is a lie. A delicious, buttery, indulgent lie!
steve
PERFECT! Thank you for making my year, Meredith.
Peter N. Trinh
Have you been waiting to do that alt-tag pun all year? Because it's great.
meredith
hehe
Bryy
I literally just got that. Doy. Eve Ning.
Jarrad
Merry Christmas, Eve.
CLR
Last panel: second-best line of the entire arc (second only to Marigold's "I made you a Hanukkah present […]".)
CLR
Also, now I know what the NYC equivalent of Berlin's "Zurückbleiben, bitte" ist 😀 Thanks!
AlmostLiterally
Also, love Eve's biscuit-holding technique in panel six.
damien walder
Eve eating the cookie* (of Lethe) is a rich Muppets-as-directed-by-Frank Capra moment. But, as with all the great moments it somehow doesn't break away from the overall balance of joy and melancholy in OP's ability to relate the painful and baneful, the cupid and the stupid, the plain and the insane things that can happen in literature while connecting underground (like Con-Edison lines) to life.
It's a wonderful comic – Merry Christmas, Meredith.
PS loved the Sliding Doors reference.
*We call them 'scones' in Toronto when they're that shape. The scone of oblivion?
MrJM
Well played, Ms. Gran.
Well played.
— MrJM
mike r baker
Best punchline? Or best punchline EVER?
Sebastian
Yes. I don't know how you do it, but OP manages to be the least predictable, most relatable, and bizarrely realistic comic I have ever read. And my absolute favorite web-comic of all time.
For me, 2010 is now complete. Thank you.
nothings
i'm seconding all that shit
Sebastian
Word
Jennifer
Hearts to you, Meredith! Thank you for continuing to provide such a great comic to us all. I am rooting for Eve in 2011! 🙂
Macks
i take the J every day! glad to see it's now a hallowed landmark filled to the brim with eve ning's self-inflicted sorrow!
that and hobo shit.
Matt
That top right panel has some serious German expressionist cinematography camera angle mojo going on.
Justim
THE ALCHEMIST LIED!!!!!!!!!!!
Dex
well duh 😛 if they didnt, shit would be made out of gold… literally
Grey
You know people aren't going to stop hating Marigold even after this. As for me, I love the everything about this but can't help think about what happens when friends don't trust each other enough for it to work out.
bromba
Why no cute Hanukka-clava in these panels? It'd be so cozy in present European winter 🙁
ari yana
this is hands down the most beautifully told story of its kind on the web. i've read it through twice & each update has such substance and lovely weight. thank you so much for putting in the hours & sharing.
Damn ants!
Thanks for making this year so full of joy, Meredith. <3