Idea/Theory: He's rehearsing to talk to his supplier about getting out of the business of dealin' drugs since he doesn't want to get his ass beat over a job when he can make something of himself baking. "Hurt when you said no" = he didn't back up Will when he contacted him over the apartment incident.
Na, that's probably dumb. I can't wait to be proven wrong though!
I wish they could just throw themselves into blissful, mindless happiness 😀
But wait! Mer's characters have an awful case of "the character depths". They have to figure themselves out and deal with their unavoidable, tragic-ish sketchyness. Just like that time when I had to pick between Katerina Ivanovna and Grushenka.
"Read comics!" they said "It will be fun!" they said.
It was Will and Eve. Will still has feelings for Eve, she's trying to dissuade him from acting on the feelings ("You're wrong. It wouldn't be worth it"). I'm guessing her reasons are partly because she doesn't want to be the cause of a breakup between two friends, partly because she doesn't want to be the one responsible for Will changing his life, and maybe partly because Eve doesn't have the highest opinion of herself- a statement like "It wouldn't be worth it," has a lot of layers to it.
I mean, if that were Will and Marigold talking, then it would be Marigold deciding to end things ("there's nothing between us,") which would make her freakout in the story a little less understandable. Or Marigold's trying to change, and Will is trying to dissuade her from changing for his sake? But that doesn't seem to refer to anything we know about either character. Hell, it's after Will leaves that Marigold gets serious about changing.
Because I've been procrastinating from life I made a thing with MS Paint to demonstrate where I think the Cut It dialogue fits in (please don't laugh at the bubbles). https://i.imgur.com/fSoPmtg.jpg
(BTW Meredith I have labeled this with the site/your name but if you want this deleted/taken down I totally understand)
kbot
I think that's perfect, exactly what I thought happened too!
Cri Lauren
This is so on point. I hadn't made the connection before now but I'm convinced.
granulac
nah that\’s cool! 🙂
getsiusmaior
I read the speaker in "Cut It" who says "I don't like the person I am. I haven't for a while. / But I think I can be someone better," as Marigold. Will would then be the one saying "No. There's nothing between us."
I read it that way because much of Marigold's recent development has been about exactly that insecurity about her sense of self, and the dialogue is superimposed on a montage of her past that shows her trying on several different identities (her appearance and style change a lot from picture to picture, culminating in Hanna cutting off her locks and a further change to a businesslady identity in subsequent stories). Insecurity about one's identity is a theme in Will's development, too (just like every major character in the comic), but it seems less emphasized (maybe because he "keeps it all to himself", as Larry says).
Or maybe I just failed to connect the dialogue with the silent scene in "Karaoke" because "Octopus Die" intruded between the two stories with some much-needed comic relief?
Yeah, I think deliberate, if not for the sake of ambiguity then as a sort of juxtaposition: We're reading in the dialogue Will talking about redefining himself for the sake of a potential relationship, and meanwhile in the pictures we're seeing how Marigold has done exactly the same thing throughout all her actual relationships -so the comparison kind of implicitly links the stories together. That's how I interpret it, at least.
It looks like he’s just shaving his neck and under his chin. I do the same; it gives the good scruff up top while still looking put together. Looks more professional and such.
Y'know I find that mock-conversations with myself never become a real conversation with their intended participant… Will, man. You're just pushing air around. Just go and see what happens, let those city-weathered instincts guide you!
Women would surprised how many times men open up and say everything they're feeling when they're rehearsing important conversations. If it goes really well they never have to say anything to anyone at all!
The thing about this strip that gets me is the fact this happened after Will had a hard day, realised how far he was from his semi-significant-other and then came home to an empty house. It's like Eve came in JUST when he was feeling his most vulnerable, resulting in this reaction of feels. Will actually might have kept up a front and just casually responded to Eve if he hadn't been through such a rough day. Meredith is so intentional and real with these characters, it's scary sometimes. O_O;
What I'm surprised about is how Eve's request to 'hang out' wasn't seen as just a simple hang-out but something with romantic intentions attached to it. (At least, from Will's point of view.) When they met after Will broke up with Marigold, Eve and Will shared a hug and a mutual understanding they would always be friends. Will was the one who invited Eve in that time and she said no… so why is the nuance here so different? What changed, Eve?
Seriously, Octopus Pie always gets me to dwell and speculate at real-life depths. Darn it, Meredith!
I don't think that Will's reaction here is due to romantic intentions. But there is history and effects between Will and Eve. The reason they are shipped so hard is because there is always something between them.
Will talks things out with Eve, things that bring about a change in his life. They both do. Those conversations have preceded breakups, dynamic changes in the comic and story flow, and dramatic character evolution. Think of the conversation in his room that preceded his breakup with marigold, think of the conversation that preceded the last arc (Hanna and Marek's breakup). We can also go back even further, look at how the characters evolved after Will and Eve had that conversation meeting on the street (Eve was Santa Claus).
They are catalysts in each other's life, and Will knows he's on the precipice of something. It might be a heavy makeout session, it might be doing one more step in trying to keep life under control. I think that the history they have is fundamental too, it makes it hard, even if his desire isn't fooling around (on any level) he can't but feel nervous about "the implication" and how it might seem (and wonder if it isn't what it actually is).
For me the timing felt like just the sort of overwhelming that that happens all at once in real life. Or, at least, M. has kept the timing from being perfect for so long that it feels random enough, even if it isn't. She's got real life timing down pat. 😛
It would be kinda hilarious if Eve wasn't thinking about anything romantic whatsoever. But more than that, I feel like the place she's in is a comfortable 'it-could-go-anywhere' phase (and that's unusual for her. ) Thus the weird excited-surprise eyes she's making in the previous page, haha. it's a place i recognize. it's a good place to start things (or re-start them?). but maybe Will isn't in a good place to start things?
EVERYTHING IS SO REAL. THIS IS THE REALEST. MY HEART HURTS.
50 thoughts on “#679 – there’s no intellectualizing that”
PleaseInsertPun
Oh, Will, rehearsing conversations never works.
Rowen Morland
It can be good for hearing some of the stupider things out loud ahead of time.
Coco
-vibrates happily about this comic-
Streak
That stubble sure is invincible though…
@monkeytorturer
He wasn't shaving the stubble, just his neck! So as not to be a neckbeard.
TeaLo
Nah, he's just shaving off the unsightly neckbeard. We've ALL been there.
woooow
You know there's no point in shaving, Will. Why keep trying?
Yotomoe
I imagine those hairs on his face were JUST shaved and sprouted back up immediately.
soo
it's happened before:
http://www.octopuspie.com/2010-08-20/385-bzzt/
jimmy
He's shaving the part on his neck. A good rule is to draw a line two fingers forward from your adam's apple and remove everything below that.
foop
fffffFFFFghskgsfkjhf!!!
Phew. For a second I thought this was after the fact and we were watching a brooding Will replaying the conversation in his head.
There's still hope damn it.
MrFiggits
Idea/Theory: He's rehearsing to talk to his supplier about getting out of the business of dealin' drugs since he doesn't want to get his ass beat over a job when he can make something of himself baking. "Hurt when you said no" = he didn't back up Will when he contacted him over the apartment incident.
Na, that's probably dumb. I can't wait to be proven wrong though!
Nno
He's just cleaning up his neckline so he doesn't look like a neckbeard ya'll
Mitya
I wish they could just throw themselves into blissful, mindless happiness 😀
But wait! Mer's characters have an awful case of "the character depths". They have to figure themselves out and deal with their unavoidable, tragic-ish sketchyness. Just like that time when I had to pick between Katerina Ivanovna and Grushenka.
"Read comics!" they said "It will be fun!" they said.
Jen
Ah, the mirror conversations.
kbot
Is.. he talking about this? :'(
http://www.octopuspie.com/2010-11-22/416-cut-it/
@kepod
I think he might be referring to this instead, given the "haha": http://www.octopuspie.com/2010-12-23/425-that-fee…
Liz
I was thinking this: http://www.octopuspie.com/2007-12-12/083-borough-…
lylyplum
I was thinking this: http://www.octopuspie.com/2010-09-29/401-karaoke/
wykstrad
The unheard conversation we see in this comic is superimposed over the photos of Marigold in the comic kbot is linking to.
Also, I just noticed that all the photos of Marigold are carefully cropped to remove her most recent ex-boyfriend. Excellent little detail
kbot
It's like Meredith is some kind of storytelling-comic-wizard or something. 🙂
getsiusmaior
I think this event is more likely: http://www.octopuspie.com/2010-09-29/401-karaoke/
Kate
I think it's both! Well, the dialogue from 'cut it' plus the images from 'karaoke'.
*clicks back and forth between tabs furiously*
getsiusmaior
Is that who the speakers are in "Cut it" (Will & Eve)? I always thought it was Will and Marigold. Deliberately ambiguous?
wykstrad
It was Will and Eve. Will still has feelings for Eve, she's trying to dissuade him from acting on the feelings ("You're wrong. It wouldn't be worth it"). I'm guessing her reasons are partly because she doesn't want to be the cause of a breakup between two friends, partly because she doesn't want to be the one responsible for Will changing his life, and maybe partly because Eve doesn't have the highest opinion of herself- a statement like "It wouldn't be worth it," has a lot of layers to it.
I mean, if that were Will and Marigold talking, then it would be Marigold deciding to end things ("there's nothing between us,") which would make her freakout in the story a little less understandable. Or Marigold's trying to change, and Will is trying to dissuade her from changing for his sake? But that doesn't seem to refer to anything we know about either character. Hell, it's after Will leaves that Marigold gets serious about changing.
Kate
Because I've been procrastinating from life I made a thing with MS Paint to demonstrate where I think the Cut It dialogue fits in (please don't laugh at the bubbles).
https://i.imgur.com/fSoPmtg.jpg
(BTW Meredith I have labeled this with the site/your name but if you want this deleted/taken down I totally understand)
kbot
I think that's perfect, exactly what I thought happened too!
Cri Lauren
This is so on point. I hadn't made the connection before now but I'm convinced.
granulac
nah that\’s cool! 🙂
getsiusmaior
I read the speaker in "Cut It" who says "I don't like the person I am. I haven't for a while. / But I think I can be someone better," as Marigold. Will would then be the one saying "No. There's nothing between us."
I read it that way because much of Marigold's recent development has been about exactly that insecurity about her sense of self, and the dialogue is superimposed on a montage of her past that shows her trying on several different identities (her appearance and style change a lot from picture to picture, culminating in Hanna cutting off her locks and a further change to a businesslady identity in subsequent stories). Insecurity about one's identity is a theme in Will's development, too (just like every major character in the comic), but it seems less emphasized (maybe because he "keeps it all to himself", as Larry says).
Or maybe I just failed to connect the dialogue with the silent scene in "Karaoke" because "Octopus Die" intruded between the two stories with some much-needed comic relief?
Kate
Yeah, I think deliberate, if not for the sake of ambiguity then as a sort of juxtaposition: We're reading in the dialogue Will talking about redefining himself for the sake of a potential relationship, and meanwhile in the pictures we're seeing how Marigold has done exactly the same thing throughout all her actual relationships -so the comparison kind of implicitly links the stories together. That's how I interpret it, at least.
Anyway I'm going to get off the comments now.
Cthulku
It looks like he’s just shaving his neck and under his chin. I do the same; it gives the good scruff up top while still looking put together. Looks more professional and such.
Bey
God bless bearded guys who shave their necks.
Laura E.
Dude, Will. WILL. I know that feeling so hard, bro. UGH. I am experiencing ALL the feels.
Benoit
you got this, older-but-still-indubitably-you will.
Julian
Y'know I find that mock-conversations with myself never become a real conversation with their intended participant… Will, man. You're just pushing air around. Just go and see what happens, let those city-weathered instincts guide you!
Jose
Women would surprised how many times men open up and say everything they're feeling when they're rehearsing important conversations. If it goes really well they never have to say anything to anyone at all!
rose
"ha ha nooo im not looking for an apology!!" (But i for sure totally wouldn't mind it if you wanted to throw out a heart felt one right now)
Philip
I absolutely hate shaving my neck, but having a hairy neck is even worse.
Donnyfightworld
Eve of course, probably just wants to go to the water park or something.
kuplavolkkari
For Will, shaving is just separating the beard from the chest hair.
NemoProprius
What? He shaves under his face only? BLARGH!
Sammy
What things mattered before and don't anymore?
Julia
That bruise.. I mean the physical one!
rufiangel
The thing about this strip that gets me is the fact this happened after Will had a hard day, realised how far he was from his semi-significant-other and then came home to an empty house. It's like Eve came in JUST when he was feeling his most vulnerable, resulting in this reaction of feels. Will actually might have kept up a front and just casually responded to Eve if he hadn't been through such a rough day. Meredith is so intentional and real with these characters, it's scary sometimes. O_O;
What I'm surprised about is how Eve's request to 'hang out' wasn't seen as just a simple hang-out but something with romantic intentions attached to it. (At least, from Will's point of view.) When they met after Will broke up with Marigold, Eve and Will shared a hug and a mutual understanding they would always be friends. Will was the one who invited Eve in that time and she said no… so why is the nuance here so different? What changed, Eve?
Seriously, Octopus Pie always gets me to dwell and speculate at real-life depths. Darn it, Meredith!
Carlos
Eve didn't just appear, Will looked for her.
I don't think that Will's reaction here is due to romantic intentions. But there is history and effects between Will and Eve. The reason they are shipped so hard is because there is always something between them.
Will talks things out with Eve, things that bring about a change in his life. They both do. Those conversations have preceded breakups, dynamic changes in the comic and story flow, and dramatic character evolution. Think of the conversation in his room that preceded his breakup with marigold, think of the conversation that preceded the last arc (Hanna and Marek's breakup). We can also go back even further, look at how the characters evolved after Will and Eve had that conversation meeting on the street (Eve was Santa Claus).
They are catalysts in each other's life, and Will knows he's on the precipice of something. It might be a heavy makeout session, it might be doing one more step in trying to keep life under control. I think that the history they have is fundamental too, it makes it hard, even if his desire isn't fooling around (on any level) he can't but feel nervous about "the implication" and how it might seem (and wonder if it isn't what it actually is).
steelbright
you guys both have such good points :3
For me the timing felt like just the sort of overwhelming that that happens all at once in real life. Or, at least, M. has kept the timing from being perfect for so long that it feels random enough, even if it isn't. She's got real life timing down pat. 😛
It would be kinda hilarious if Eve wasn't thinking about anything romantic whatsoever. But more than that, I feel like the place she's in is a comfortable 'it-could-go-anywhere' phase (and that's unusual for her. ) Thus the weird excited-surprise eyes she's making in the previous page, haha. it's a place i recognize. it's a good place to start things (or re-start them?). but maybe Will isn't in a good place to start things?
EVERYTHING IS SO REAL. THIS IS THE REALEST. MY HEART HURTS.
getsiusmaior
Panel 1 is reminding me a lot of Boulet.
Kate
Agh, just, this!! All of the shirts laid out on the bed, the "I'm just older now" -everything about this comic continues to be 100% spot on.
Mycroft
so weird to think Eve went from this http://www.octopuspie.com/2007-05-18/003-broken-u… to this…