I dunno. I wouldn’t rule out her going back to the stuff at least one more time, just to solve the problem in front of her right now.
But the Cadbury stuff was just one symptom. As she proved Friday, she certainly doesn’t need Cadbury eggs to impulsively, unthinkingly threaten Leslie’s emotional health.
Robin IS human. She learns from her mistakes… Mostly. The reason she had it the second time is because that’s how she got into congress, she didn’t expect the sex tape.
Upon realizing just what she would do when doped up on cadbury cereal I have SERIOUS doubts she will have it again.
I think you forget there are men in this cast. I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop and we suddenly cut to Ethan and Drew. If done correctly, starting in such a way that we think it is Leslie and robin resuming sexy time and BAM we find out who the pitches and who catches!
and for that matter… destructively? she fucked up… once in your relationship! yes she did little things here and there, but nothing major prior to cadburry cereal blackout #2. she became convinced her life was being held back and struck out into the world to get her rocks off. and she grew from it, she changed the world for the better because of it. its called experience leslie… sometimes you have to destroy to build anew. disruptive? yes! cruel? hell yes!
but you’re turning your back on the woman who now cares for you more than she ever did! and more to the point you’re punishing her for something she did under the influence. this behavior? its not new. she has always led you by you junk and you were happy to follow. sorry I like this couple but I am getting very frustrated with leslie over this shit.
Also, from my perspective Robin isn’t really liable for her actions. She clearly has no memory of everything after eating the cereal, and from a partner’s standpoint, a partner who cheated but not only has no memory of doing so but was under the effects of some pretty strong… well, intoxicants, I guess, but I still consider drunk people liable for their behavior because they chose to keep drinking past the first drink- alcoholics not withstanding. Robin just hoped sugar could help, took a bite… and then it was later.
exactly, and leslie knows this effect firsthand, robin got her to get all their jobs back by licking her neck, I have to assume the saliva alone conferred a massive sugar rush lol. leslie commented after she came down she was glad to find she wasn’t a member of congress afterwards. Robin’s body chemisty seems to process sugar as some combination of crack alcohol and speed. the only negative effect being her complete memory loss, she becomes a different person, more confident and decisive. if that effect is somewhat transferred from bodily fluids no wonder the sex and making out is so good…
You know, I have trouble processing sugar too, for entirely different reasons, but if I keep EATING heaps of sugar I know what I’m in for, and every consequence of that action is my own fault. No matter how much fun it is at the time.
*Aside*
Hmm… I wonder if Robin can even GET the diabeetus, if she processes the sugar so differently…
So if someone got buzzed off their first drink, and broke the law while buzzed they’re not liable? (and don’t say this doesn’t happen. I get buzzed, then drunk so quickly, it’s why I don’t drink)
Intent isn’t as important as making the choice to take a mind-altering substance, knowing it will affect the choice making process, especially when they know they react dramatically to the substance. Robin choose to put herself in that state of mind–sure she meant well–but she choose to give up self-control of herself. I don’t see how that makes her not liable when she knew what she was doing.
I think that that’s actually why this breakup was so drawn out – as I’ve said before, they’ve been acting more like a couple who were fighting than exes for the past few months. Leslie always doubted that Robin could be held responsible for her actions while under the influence, so she couldn’t quite bring herself to cut those emotional ties.
But Robin is not sugared up now. She just took control of Leslie’s life in a way that disregarded Leslie as a capable person, hurting Leslie deeply, while completely sober. She was calculating about it, and this is the Robin that Leslie really needs to be away from. Not “hyperactive lets the sugar run away with her what will she do next” Robin, but “no one else better even look at her lesbian because Robin knows best” Robin.
You guys, whether or not Robin’s liable for what happened (and she is, in my mind), the point is that she DOES make impulsive decisions that DO jeopardise the well-being of the people around her, and whether she’s blameable for it or not is secondary to the fact that Leslie has a right to say, this isn’t good for me.
If that logic doesn’t make sense, think about someone who has been brain-damaged in an accident and suddenly becomes vicious and abusive. Their partner may love them dearly and recognise that the behaviour is due entirely to the injury and it’s not their fault, but that doesn’t change that they are totally justified in not being romantic partners anymore. Fault isn’t really what’s relevant – what’s relevant is that the relationship itself isn’t healthy anymore and when people are being hurt, and there doesn’t seem to be much prospect of the hurtful behaviour changing, they SHOULD leave.
She was destructive like right fucking now. Did you not notice how Robin impulsively disregarded Leslie’s will and hurt her like two seconds ago? Sweet Jesus man, this isn’t just about a lone incident here. You’re familiar with the concept of the final nail in the coffin right?
I love how getting dumped so your ex can fuck someone else is something Leslie should just get over. Leslie’s actually been pretty nice not to bring that up.
But yeah. Um. Even if it’s the main fuck-up, it’s still a dealbreaker. Even if the person is under the influence. Being “under the influence” is not a get out of jail free card, people get in trouble with the law for breaking it, even if they are ‘under the influence’.
How is Leslie suppose to know that Robin won’t dump her again the second she sees something else she wants and Leslie is in the way. She knows that Robin uninhibited will do this. Leslie can’t trust Robin–which is what she says here.
What the heck is wrong with you? Are you intentionally missing things, or did you not read the breakup?
Leslie dumped Robin, not the other way around. You don’t get to say it proves how horrible your ex is that they shag someone after you two are no longer an item. The idea is horrible, and harkens back to the days when a man could leave his wife and sleep around, but a wife whose ex-husband was alive was expected to be celibate.
And you can’t even make the argumetn her “desire” to fuck a guy was a surprise, given how their initial tiem together, pre-romantic relationship, went.
Your arguments make no sense in the context of the reality of the comic.
Personal insult? I asked a question. Heck, the last time I asked that at a webcomic, the person HADN”T read the storyline in question and was just making mad assumptions. And I’ve seen way too much of the “Yea that’s what the comic showed, but not what really happened” type argument (fjording Anti-Roy Miko apologist brigade…) to be able to call it anything but that. So if either of those were taken as an insult, I’m sorry. They weren’t intended as such (at least not as personal ones, I might’ve insulted the concept of willfully misremembering there. Certainly not the friendliest wording…)
Why does everyone keep saying that Robin isn’t responsible for her actions?
She knows what sugar does to her. She becomes wildly unpredictable, capable of great things in a short period of time, and loses whatever internal compass she has that tells her right from wrong.
Just because she’s shortsighted doesn’t mean she is not culpable for her actions, unless we’re going to say Robin is mentally incapable of making decision for herself, for which I honestly think there is a solid case.
And even still, Leslie is entirely within her rights for deciding that she doesn’t want to take the chance, no matter how much they care for each other, of getting hurt like that again.
If she’s incapable of making such decisions, then every Robin-centered arc is pretty pointless to my mind, just watching a lost soul wander the asylum.
Robin’s responsibility is complicated. On the one hand, her first exposure to Cadbury cereal didn’t make her lose her moral compass as far as she knew, and she was certainly surprised to discover what it brought out in her the second time. On the other hand, what it brought out in her was HER– the dark side she tried to joke away, which she might have dealt with more healthily if she’d confronted it while sober.
to be perfectly honest I’m not sure the drunk or stoned is an approriate thing to call her under the effect of Cadbury cereal. It’s more like she’s borderline insane.
Except that’s not what sugar does to her. Robin OD’s on sugar all the time. It gives her super powers, and probably has something to do with her normal personality. She’d only had Cadbury cereal once before, and on that occasion the results were actually pretty cool. Based on that experience, it would be reasonable to deduct that Cadbury cereal makes Robin black out and do amazing things — and that’s pretty much it. She had no real reason to expect that she’d do anything terrible.
Robin’s always been impulsive, and the sex tape incident finally forced Leslie to face how unpleasant it can be to date someone like that. It’s super depressing, but I could never hate Robin for it. She screws up a lot, sure, but the Cadbury incident is far from the worst thing she’s done. I really don’t think she had any reason to expect it’d turn out that way. In fact, what she did just now, seducing Leslie to get her away from another girl, is about a million times worse … is just didn’t blow up as badly, thank goodness.
I dunno if it’s possible for them to work through this, but I really wish it would happen. ;_;
Having seen Robin at her worst on Friday, we turn around to see her at something close to her best today. Sure, she gets mad, but she’s allowed if the point she’s making is the ways she’s shown Leslie devotion. And once again, any hint Leslie gave of actually getting angry with Robin dissipates almost immediately.
Leslie’s stated the problem quite clearly, succinctly and correctly. Robin is definitely listening. There’s still love on both sides– and a passion that many couples would envy.
If only the problem Leslie had stated didn’t seem to be completely IMPOSSIBLE to solve. How could Robin become dependable, without losing the Robinness that draws Leslie in to begin with?
But Robin’s faced the seemingly impossible before, even without hyperintelligence.
How could Robin become dependable, without losing the Robinness that draws Leslie in to begin with?
Again, I want the Superman III solution–a contrivance that splits the character into thesis and antithesis models, who must duke it out in a construction site till one or the other cries “Uncle!”
Robin throws all the nukes into space, Sidney Yus makes an evil Nuclear Robin, Nuke Robin scratches regular Robin with electric Lee Press-On Nails, but Regular RObin saves herself with alien crystals, and then they fight and can breathe in space where there is gravity.
We also got Anti-head alien, who did a little better. Still ended rather badly, but it took a while and at that point all sorts of people were ending pretty badly anyway.
Meh, Superman III has nothing on Scott Pilgrim, movie or comic versions.
Comic version: Scott and Nega Scott realize they’re the same and merge (thus Scott accepts the bad things he did in order to learn from them).
Movie version: Scott and Nega Scott realize the same thing as in the comic and agree to hang out over coffee later.
“I have to take her back… inside myself. I can’t survive without her. I don’t WANT to take her back! She’s like an ANIMAL, a thoughtless, brutal animal… yet it’s me… ME…”
Maybe Malaya’s view of Robin will change, or maybe Malaya will say, “Hey! RObin stopped me from getting what I want! I’ll fix her!” and then turn up the “messing with Leslie” meter.
Calling that a “reference” doesn’t do what you said justice. Flagg is a rapist and a murderer, so you’re basically wishing one of those two things on Leslie with your “joke.” HA HA, SO FUNNY :/
Wow, a rare moment when both Robin and Leslie are right. I can’t really blame Leslie for any of this.
Nor can I blame Robin for what she did just now. It was impulsive, yes, but it was also driven by love(Whether or not she realizes it). She still ares deeply for Leslie.
I think this will be a catalyst for however their relationship ends up. Leslie needed to say this to Robin, and Robin needed to hear it. I hope they do end up together, but only if it’d be healthy for both of them. If Robin is incapable of being a good lover to Leslie, then they need to go their separate ways.
Definite “Glass half empty or half full type scenario”. Where some would blame neither party I blame both. It’s not as if there’s a shortage of blame to be thrown about. There’s plenty to go around. This entire relationship is like a freaking blame and fault factory. Has been since day one.
I actually couldn’t have put it better myself. Robin really needed to hear it. I mean yeah she did technically save Leslie from Malaya who was just going to toy with her, but Robin has a habit of letting her impulsive nature hurt everybody around her, more often than not Leslie. I think that happened even back in Walky’s story prior to this.
Leslie has some things to fix, too. Like say, how she chooses to react to things and let things affect her. Reactions are always in our own power, after all. She’s not finding better ways to react, so yes, she’s going to keep getting hurt. We can only be hurt for as long as we continue to let it happen.
That’s some bull right there dude. “My lover betrayed me for sexual reasons… I’ll just decide not to be hurt by this.” Seriously? If your point is that she should cease caring about Robin and thus be emotionally invulnerable to her actions, that’s dumb too. You can’t (realistically) choose who you care about, people are not robots.
To clarify: “things” in this case, is specifically referring to Robin’s impulsive nature. Leslie can either choose to react to it, accept that it’s “just how Robin is”, or, the third route, one that might actually benefit them both – help her find more constructive things to do with those rare, non-beneficent impulses. “things” in general was referring to the simple fact that it is actually something of a mistake to take how other people are as a personal insult of some sort. What people say and do during the course of a day is simply an extension of that person’s world-view. Real maturity comes from realizing this, making allowances for people to be people, and doing one’s level best to not be the latest breaking news story as a result of these people being people. XP
Also: “My lover betrayed me for sexual reasons… I’ll just decide not to be hurt by this.” That hole in your face. Your pie hole. SHUT IT. I never said anything of the sort. I said, she’s only going to continue to be hurt by it, for as long as she -chooses- it. As in, to actively decide for herself, “why do I need to keep clinging to this feeling? it’s not doing me any good.” I was also saying, instead of that feeling of “fear”, which she herself has copped to in today’s installment, she could perhaps give a little sigh, say “that’s Robin…”, and see if she needs to help pick up the mess/administer bandages/look at the possibility of posting bail/scold harshly/laugh as necessary.
Leslie just admitted to basically taking it -personally- every time Robin does something “impulsive.” When Robin is impulsive it is -never- aimed at someone. She’s not that strategic, during those moments. So for Leslie to take them personally(the last Cadbury cereal bender, being overlooked for the moment) is her trying to take personal responsibility for Robin’s actions. And then the question arises, “Why?” She didn’t give birth to Robin. She didn’t sign some sort of form, saying she’s her keeper and will be charged for damages done by Robin.
So it then boils down to – Leslie, while not meaning to, is attempting to -control- Robin, during those moments. That’s when it stops being good, for either of them. Robin is simply being who she is, and Leslie is attempting to quash that, even though she knows that’s part of why she’s with her. Robin has the issue of sometimes forgetting to take Leslie’s feelings into account, which has come back to bite her in the ass, here. She hasn’t tried to change her, though, nor has she (that we’ve seen) done anything but try to accept Les’s wishes.
…in fact, as screwed-up as Robin is, Leslie’s got even more stuff she needs to deal with before she’s hit that emotionally healthy place she’s looking for.
Robin’s not a scorpion, her nature is changeable from moment to moment. Yes, generally she will be energetic and perhaps a little insensitive, but specific wrongdoings cannot and should not be chalked up to her “nature.”
Oh and stop being so aggressive with people on here. You don’t get to tell people to shut their pie holes and so on like I’ve seen you carrying on. Feel free to argue with my points and think me a dingbat, but when you start instructing others on how to be, you come off as a total toolbox.
Oh Leslie. Is this really what’s getting to you? That you’re no longer in that naive stage of the relationship where you think your partner can do no wrong?
Hrm…Leslie’s concerns are valid in several ways. Robin’s a woman of extremes, to say the least, and while selfish whims, as she put it, can be a a forgivable flaw in some people, with Robin, given her ability and her potential to find expansive resources, they can prove more than a little catastrophic. And with someone like Leslie, who appears to be rather easily pulled along by people like Robin, something like that can be very dangerous, as much of the past couple of Robin arcs have shown.
That said, Leslie isn’t the kind of person Robin is either. She needs someone who will work with her to control her urges and whims. Keep that spirit that makes her so endearing (to some, at least) but help her develop some form of self-control. As much as I love to see these two together, unless something gives with at least one of them, it’s just not something that’s going to happen…
And dammit, I’ve already written this much. Despite the pointlessness of it, post it I shall!
Leslie’s saying what Robin needs to hear. While Robin did what she did for at least some of the right reasons, the fact that she can’t properly explain those reasons is telling. While I support Roslie (Lesbin?) all the way, I think, in the long run, walking away for a bit and clearing their heads is probably the best thing for each of them mentally and relationship-wise. Robin needs time to grow a little more, and Leslie needs some room to breathe. Given enough time, hopefully they’ll be able to come back with a stronger, more honest, and more trusting relationship.
Man, who knew a comic about toy collecting and batman jokes could get us so riled up?
I’m zeroing in on that part ’cause I got nothing else to add. (Except that in regard to deep emotions getting stirred up by toys and whatnot, we are talking about the cartoonist whose name gets cursed when other webcomics pull a particularly distressing dramatic twist.)
Just remembered I had a dream last night where Robin’s reaction to Malaya hitting on Leslie was to abduct Fuckface, kill him, and turn him into a Filipino dish. I need to get a life.
When someone is a weenus they are ‘all elbows’ and something of a judgmental frowny oaf trying to maintain an illusion of control over everything with crossed arms and supposedly much deserved rejection due to feigned disapproval and not very convincing displays of self control.
It’s kind of creepy that Robin just dropped into full-on abusive there. I hate people who think emotional abuse is okay just because the abuser provides food and shelter to their kept lover.
Good thing the creepiness is lessened a bit by the fact that Leslie is not an 18-year-old runaway. Also, Leslie owns the house, so she can’t be tossed out on the street. There are actually people who would argue that the above scenario is no big deal.
Err… I appear to have altered the meaning of my post to imply that Willis was okay with Robin’s behavior. That’s not what I meant. I was just justifying my tangent.
Abusive? Really? They’re arguing and Robin is making a point. A fairly valid one, that she’s shown her love for Leslie in a variety of emotional and material ways. One speech-bubble is hardly emotional abuse. If she pulled this shit all the time, yeah, but once in an argument is just her running her mouth.
Whether her attitude is appropriate for the argument is another matter. She’s just screwed up; apology might have been more useful than biggin yourself up, Robin…
To be fair…. wasn’t Leslie a bit mentally abusive when this relationship started? I mean, after reading the other guy’s reply I realized something. As manipulative as leslie’s calling robin, she was the one who said “we cannot live with/know each other without fucking.” She forced the relationship on Robin to begin with because of her own selfish whims so she’s not quite as in the clear as people might think.
It really puts a different spin on the break up too, since as stated, leslie broke them up so that robin could be free to be sure where she wanted to be. Now that Robin’s come back, she’s made a good point… but robin has as well. In fact, the fact things lasted as long as they did before the shoe was passed suggests one thing.
Robin cares more for Leslie then vice versa. She was willing to work around Leslie’s relatively destructive (Not on the same scale, but they’re there) whims…. but the minute hers hit leslie, Leslie’s going ‘nonono, this is too much.’
Like I said earlier there’s really more than enough blame to go around here. I love both these characters, but damned if this relationship hasn’t been the sum of a thousand and one terrible terrible choices. I don’t think either party has ceased to be wrong even momentarily since Robin first lured Lez into her attempt to make Ethan jealous.
There are acceptable ways to express that and there are unacceptable ways. There are easily five ways in which Robin has tread into unacceptable territory right now.
Shouting, bringing back past favors in a manner that implies debt, belittling of the other party’s worth and value, physical intimidation, using one’s role in a relationship to imply dependency and need. Just what I can name off the top of my head.
As a whole Robin really did step dangerously close to abuse here. I’m not gonna say it is or isn’t. I’m hardly the authority on the issue. I’m just gonna say that if this looks like an acceptable way to interact with a loved one to you then I’d strongly disagree.
We need a backstory something from robins past that will cause leslie to know about robins past involvement with semme because at this point leslie dosent know about robins genetic alterations and if we go by example mike and amber’s relationship has done better with her knowledge of mikes past involvement with semme.
I get the feeling that Robin is far from a steel trap when it comes to ‘secrets’. She’s energetic beyond believe, a motor mouth, impulsive, and has inappropriate outburst tendencies. To say the least, ‘I was turned into a boy while working with a secret organization that fought aliens’ kinda seems like something she would mention post relations just to hit that AWKWARD jab.
I hate the idea that you just give up on someone that easily. If you really love someone, you stick with them no matter who they are, and they stick with you no matter who you are. You swallow your fears about their impulsiveness, and you WAIT for them to change and grow. Things take time.
Philosophies like this are why people can’t stay married in white-people cultures now-a-days. It’s never about ‘you’, always about what ‘I’ can handle.
Just saying, because reading this a second time it made me kinda pissy. Sometimes love hurts and you have to grow a pair (of balls, boobs, whatever) and stick it out. Running away is never a solution.
Love hurts when you’re horny.
Story of my life.
You say that is if there is any time it doesn’t hurt.
It doesn’t hurt when you’re unconscious.
You mean, when you dream?
Yes. Yes it does.
Um, Les, I think it’s pretty clear Robin will NEVER eat Cadbury cereal again. Ever.
Soooo, if you don’t mind just getting back in the bed-*Brick’d*
I dunno. I wouldn’t rule out her going back to the stuff at least one more time, just to solve the problem in front of her right now.
But the Cadbury stuff was just one symptom. As she proved Friday, she certainly doesn’t need Cadbury eggs to impulsively, unthinkingly threaten Leslie’s emotional health.
Robin IS human. She learns from her mistakes… Mostly. The reason she had it the second time is because that’s how she got into congress, she didn’t expect the sex tape.
Upon realizing just what she would do when doped up on cadbury cereal I have SERIOUS doubts she will have it again.
very, very bittersweet
Mostly just bitter, methinks.
Ugh. Dark.
the REAL reason she can’t: otherwise this comic would never have clothes again
I’m okay with this.
Yeah, but would Maggie approve of her husband always drawing naked ladies?
I think you forget there are men in this cast. I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop and we suddenly cut to Ethan and Drew. If done correctly, starting in such a way that we think it is Leslie and robin resuming sexy time and BAM we find out who the pitches and who catches!
I thought the mini-con discussion already told us that at least some of the time, Ethan catches
“Powerlinx!”
her impulsive nature is what attracts you leslie, at least with robin you know what you’re getting…
Except she’s really not. Sure, nine times out of ten, Robin’s insanity is benign, but that one time always winds up being a gunshot to the face.
Emotionally, I mean.
I’m not one to normally say stuff like this, but why does it seem “Tushie” would’ve been a better title.
GAH! Why am I even saying this!
I try to not pick titles that are words in the punchline, so as not to telegraph it.
Only by destroying your heart can you truly know how to truly love someone. Hahahaha!
and for that matter… destructively? she fucked up… once in your relationship! yes she did little things here and there, but nothing major prior to cadburry cereal blackout #2. she became convinced her life was being held back and struck out into the world to get her rocks off. and she grew from it, she changed the world for the better because of it. its called experience leslie… sometimes you have to destroy to build anew. disruptive? yes! cruel? hell yes!
but you’re turning your back on the woman who now cares for you more than she ever did! and more to the point you’re punishing her for something she did under the influence. this behavior? its not new. she has always led you by you junk and you were happy to follow. sorry I like this couple but I am getting very frustrated with leslie over this shit.
Also, from my perspective Robin isn’t really liable for her actions. She clearly has no memory of everything after eating the cereal, and from a partner’s standpoint, a partner who cheated but not only has no memory of doing so but was under the effects of some pretty strong… well, intoxicants, I guess, but I still consider drunk people liable for their behavior because they chose to keep drinking past the first drink- alcoholics not withstanding. Robin just hoped sugar could help, took a bite… and then it was later.
exactly, and leslie knows this effect firsthand, robin got her to get all their jobs back by licking her neck, I have to assume the saliva alone conferred a massive sugar rush lol. leslie commented after she came down she was glad to find she wasn’t a member of congress afterwards. Robin’s body chemisty seems to process sugar as some combination of crack alcohol and speed. the only negative effect being her complete memory loss, she becomes a different person, more confident and decisive. if that effect is somewhat transferred from bodily fluids no wonder the sex and making out is so good…
Unfortunately, that “more confident, decisive” person is the one that decided on the course of action that broke Leslie’s heart.
You know, I have trouble processing sugar too, for entirely different reasons, but if I keep EATING heaps of sugar I know what I’m in for, and every consequence of that action is my own fault. No matter how much fun it is at the time.
*Aside*
Hmm… I wonder if Robin can even GET the diabeetus, if she processes the sugar so differently…
I like to picture Robin eating Cadbury cereal as Fry drinking all three hundred cups of coffee at once.
So if someone got buzzed off their first drink, and broke the law while buzzed they’re not liable? (and don’t say this doesn’t happen. I get buzzed, then drunk so quickly, it’s why I don’t drink)
Intent isn’t as important as making the choice to take a mind-altering substance, knowing it will affect the choice making process, especially when they know they react dramatically to the substance. Robin choose to put herself in that state of mind–sure she meant well–but she choose to give up self-control of herself. I don’t see how that makes her not liable when she knew what she was doing.
I think that that’s actually why this breakup was so drawn out – as I’ve said before, they’ve been acting more like a couple who were fighting than exes for the past few months. Leslie always doubted that Robin could be held responsible for her actions while under the influence, so she couldn’t quite bring herself to cut those emotional ties.
But Robin is not sugared up now. She just took control of Leslie’s life in a way that disregarded Leslie as a capable person, hurting Leslie deeply, while completely sober. She was calculating about it, and this is the Robin that Leslie really needs to be away from. Not “hyperactive lets the sugar run away with her what will she do next” Robin, but “no one else better even look at her lesbian because Robin knows best” Robin.
You guys, whether or not Robin’s liable for what happened (and she is, in my mind), the point is that she DOES make impulsive decisions that DO jeopardise the well-being of the people around her, and whether she’s blameable for it or not is secondary to the fact that Leslie has a right to say, this isn’t good for me.
If that logic doesn’t make sense, think about someone who has been brain-damaged in an accident and suddenly becomes vicious and abusive. Their partner may love them dearly and recognise that the behaviour is due entirely to the injury and it’s not their fault, but that doesn’t change that they are totally justified in not being romantic partners anymore. Fault isn’t really what’s relevant – what’s relevant is that the relationship itself isn’t healthy anymore and when people are being hurt, and there doesn’t seem to be much prospect of the hurtful behaviour changing, they SHOULD leave.
She was destructive like right fucking now. Did you not notice how Robin impulsively disregarded Leslie’s will and hurt her like two seconds ago? Sweet Jesus man, this isn’t just about a lone incident here. You’re familiar with the concept of the final nail in the coffin right?
I love how getting dumped so your ex can fuck someone else is something Leslie should just get over. Leslie’s actually been pretty nice not to bring that up.
But yeah. Um. Even if it’s the main fuck-up, it’s still a dealbreaker. Even if the person is under the influence. Being “under the influence” is not a get out of jail free card, people get in trouble with the law for breaking it, even if they are ‘under the influence’.
How is Leslie suppose to know that Robin won’t dump her again the second she sees something else she wants and Leslie is in the way. She knows that Robin uninhibited will do this. Leslie can’t trust Robin–which is what she says here.
…
What the heck is wrong with you? Are you intentionally missing things, or did you not read the breakup?
Leslie dumped Robin, not the other way around. You don’t get to say it proves how horrible your ex is that they shag someone after you two are no longer an item. The idea is horrible, and harkens back to the days when a man could leave his wife and sleep around, but a wife whose ex-husband was alive was expected to be celibate.
And you can’t even make the argumetn her “desire” to fuck a guy was a surprise, given how their initial tiem together, pre-romantic relationship, went.
Your arguments make no sense in the context of the reality of the comic.
Okay, I misrembered.
But given the personal insult, I’m not going to argue back. Even if I goofed up, that is out of line.
Personal insult? I asked a question. Heck, the last time I asked that at a webcomic, the person HADN”T read the storyline in question and was just making mad assumptions. And I’ve seen way too much of the “Yea that’s what the comic showed, but not what really happened” type argument (fjording Anti-Roy Miko apologist brigade…) to be able to call it anything but that. So if either of those were taken as an insult, I’m sorry. They weren’t intended as such (at least not as personal ones, I might’ve insulted the concept of willfully misremembering there. Certainly not the friendliest wording…)
What the heck is wrong with you is generally not a nice thing to say. But you know, not a big deal. Apology accepted.
…I think it’s officially over.
This had better not be the end!
This is the End, My Friend.
Why does everyone keep saying that Robin isn’t responsible for her actions?
She knows what sugar does to her. She becomes wildly unpredictable, capable of great things in a short period of time, and loses whatever internal compass she has that tells her right from wrong.
Just because she’s shortsighted doesn’t mean she is not culpable for her actions, unless we’re going to say Robin is mentally incapable of making decision for herself, for which I honestly think there is a solid case.
And even still, Leslie is entirely within her rights for deciding that she doesn’t want to take the chance, no matter how much they care for each other, of getting hurt like that again.
If she’s incapable of making such decisions, then every Robin-centered arc is pretty pointless to my mind, just watching a lost soul wander the asylum.
Robin’s responsibility is complicated. On the one hand, her first exposure to Cadbury cereal didn’t make her lose her moral compass as far as she knew, and she was certainly surprised to discover what it brought out in her the second time. On the other hand, what it brought out in her was HER– the dark side she tried to joke away, which she might have dealt with more healthily if she’d confronted it while sober.
to be perfectly honest I’m not sure the drunk or stoned is an approriate thing to call her under the effect of Cadbury cereal. It’s more like she’s borderline insane.
You’re suggesting that the excuse keeping Robin and Leslie from being meant to be is a bad one? Blasphemy!
Except that’s not what sugar does to her. Robin OD’s on sugar all the time. It gives her super powers, and probably has something to do with her normal personality. She’d only had Cadbury cereal once before, and on that occasion the results were actually pretty cool. Based on that experience, it would be reasonable to deduct that Cadbury cereal makes Robin black out and do amazing things — and that’s pretty much it. She had no real reason to expect that she’d do anything terrible.
Robin’s always been impulsive, and the sex tape incident finally forced Leslie to face how unpleasant it can be to date someone like that. It’s super depressing, but I could never hate Robin for it. She screws up a lot, sure, but the Cadbury incident is far from the worst thing she’s done. I really don’t think she had any reason to expect it’d turn out that way. In fact, what she did just now, seducing Leslie to get her away from another girl, is about a million times worse … is just didn’t blow up as badly, thank goodness.
I dunno if it’s possible for them to work through this, but I really wish it would happen. ;_;
Having seen Robin at her worst on Friday, we turn around to see her at something close to her best today. Sure, she gets mad, but she’s allowed if the point she’s making is the ways she’s shown Leslie devotion. And once again, any hint Leslie gave of actually getting angry with Robin dissipates almost immediately.
Leslie’s stated the problem quite clearly, succinctly and correctly. Robin is definitely listening. There’s still love on both sides– and a passion that many couples would envy.
If only the problem Leslie had stated didn’t seem to be completely IMPOSSIBLE to solve. How could Robin become dependable, without losing the Robinness that draws Leslie in to begin with?
But Robin’s faced the seemingly impossible before, even without hyperintelligence.
How could Robin become dependable, without losing the Robinness that draws Leslie in to begin with?
Again, I want the Superman III solution–a contrivance that splits the character into thesis and antithesis models, who must duke it out in a construction site till one or the other cries “Uncle!”
I want the Superman IV solution.
Robin throws all the nukes into space, Sidney Yus makes an evil Nuclear Robin, Nuke Robin scratches regular Robin with electric Lee Press-On Nails, but Regular RObin saves herself with alien crystals, and then they fight and can breathe in space where there is gravity.
Oooh, can they get Destroy the Great Wall of China Vision and Rebuild the Destroyed Great Wall of China Vision?
“Robin…can breathe in space…”
whoa. robin is batman?! i thought robin was ROBIN? you just blew my mind.
Of course Robin is Batman. Don’t you remember what happened when the drama tag got pulled?
You do realize that the last time Willis did something like what you’re suggesting, the antithesis was shot to death?
Also, this strip already has an Anti-Robin of sorts: Malaya.
We also got Anti-head alien, who did a little better. Still ended rather badly, but it took a while and at that point all sorts of people were ending pretty badly anyway.
Meh, Superman III has nothing on Scott Pilgrim, movie or comic versions.
Comic version: Scott and Nega Scott realize they’re the same and merge (thus Scott accepts the bad things he did in order to learn from them).
Movie version: Scott and Nega Scott realize the same thing as in the comic and agree to hang out over coffee later.
“I have to take her back… inside myself. I can’t survive without her. I don’t WANT to take her back! She’s like an ANIMAL, a thoughtless, brutal animal… yet it’s me… ME…”
So, here’s the question. Will Leslie remain single, give herself time to heal, and then assess herself and what she really needs in a relationship?
Or will Leslie immediately rebound with Malaya and likely end up in another self-destructive relationship?
Will Malaya’s view of Leslie change since she saw Leslie run off with Robin just cos she wore some dang ‘Star Treky’ costume?
Maybe Malaya’s view of Robin will change, or maybe Malaya will say, “Hey! RObin stopped me from getting what I want! I’ll fix her!” and then turn up the “messing with Leslie” meter.
I think Malaya’s a red herring. Leslie’s gonna rebound with someone entirely unexpected.
Somehow this will result in Robin and Malaya becoming buddies. I don’t know how, but Malaya just has “Foil” written all over her.
Did leslie more or less just told Robin to kiss her ass goodbye?
Also, a THIRD OPTION:
And now Leslie will run away to be with her one true love, Randall Flagg.
I haven’t read much King, but I know enough about Flagg for him to give me the heeby jeebies. Why? Just why?
It’s a very specific and somewhat clunky The Stand reference.
It’s a clunky and unfunny reference. Seriously – wishing -Flagg- on sweet Leslie? Dude. How wrong can ya get? =\
Calling that a “reference” doesn’t do what you said justice. Flagg is a rapist and a murderer, so you’re basically wishing one of those two things on Leslie with your “joke.” HA HA, SO FUNNY :/
You said Randall Flagg, I saw Colonel Flagg from M*A*S*H.
I think the idea of that made me briefly lose contact with reality.
Those too are about at the same level of sanity at least.
i saw the USS Flagg from gi joe
I saw, uhh, a flag.
Pretty sure Leslie’s not into ‘pole’…
Quickly, Robin! To the Be–oh, wait. Sorry, I already did that joke last week.
Wow, a rare moment when both Robin and Leslie are right. I can’t really blame Leslie for any of this.
Nor can I blame Robin for what she did just now. It was impulsive, yes, but it was also driven by love(Whether or not she realizes it). She still ares deeply for Leslie.
I think this will be a catalyst for however their relationship ends up. Leslie needed to say this to Robin, and Robin needed to hear it. I hope they do end up together, but only if it’d be healthy for both of them. If Robin is incapable of being a good lover to Leslie, then they need to go their separate ways.
Definite “Glass half empty or half full type scenario”. Where some would blame neither party I blame both. It’s not as if there’s a shortage of blame to be thrown about. There’s plenty to go around. This entire relationship is like a freaking blame and fault factory. Has been since day one.
I actually couldn’t have put it better myself. Robin really needed to hear it. I mean yeah she did technically save Leslie from Malaya who was just going to toy with her, but Robin has a habit of letting her impulsive nature hurt everybody around her, more often than not Leslie. I think that happened even back in Walky’s story prior to this.
This pretty much sums up my reaction exactly — now I don’t have to write my own post. Woot!
Robin.
Robin.
Look at yourself.
Look at you in panel five.
That shit right there.
That’s what you gotta fix.
Leslie has some things to fix, too. Like say, how she chooses to react to things and let things affect her. Reactions are always in our own power, after all. She’s not finding better ways to react, so yes, she’s going to keep getting hurt. We can only be hurt for as long as we continue to let it happen.
That’s some bull right there dude. “My lover betrayed me for sexual reasons… I’ll just decide not to be hurt by this.” Seriously? If your point is that she should cease caring about Robin and thus be emotionally invulnerable to her actions, that’s dumb too. You can’t (realistically) choose who you care about, people are not robots.
To clarify: “things” in this case, is specifically referring to Robin’s impulsive nature. Leslie can either choose to react to it, accept that it’s “just how Robin is”, or, the third route, one that might actually benefit them both – help her find more constructive things to do with those rare, non-beneficent impulses. “things” in general was referring to the simple fact that it is actually something of a mistake to take how other people are as a personal insult of some sort. What people say and do during the course of a day is simply an extension of that person’s world-view. Real maturity comes from realizing this, making allowances for people to be people, and doing one’s level best to not be the latest breaking news story as a result of these people being people. XP
Also: “My lover betrayed me for sexual reasons… I’ll just decide not to be hurt by this.” That hole in your face. Your pie hole. SHUT IT. I never said anything of the sort. I said, she’s only going to continue to be hurt by it, for as long as she -chooses- it. As in, to actively decide for herself, “why do I need to keep clinging to this feeling? it’s not doing me any good.” I was also saying, instead of that feeling of “fear”, which she herself has copped to in today’s installment, she could perhaps give a little sigh, say “that’s Robin…”, and see if she needs to help pick up the mess/administer bandages/look at the possibility of posting bail/scold harshly/laugh as necessary.
Leslie just admitted to basically taking it -personally- every time Robin does something “impulsive.” When Robin is impulsive it is -never- aimed at someone. She’s not that strategic, during those moments. So for Leslie to take them personally(the last Cadbury cereal bender, being overlooked for the moment) is her trying to take personal responsibility for Robin’s actions. And then the question arises, “Why?” She didn’t give birth to Robin. She didn’t sign some sort of form, saying she’s her keeper and will be charged for damages done by Robin.
So it then boils down to – Leslie, while not meaning to, is attempting to -control- Robin, during those moments. That’s when it stops being good, for either of them. Robin is simply being who she is, and Leslie is attempting to quash that, even though she knows that’s part of why she’s with her. Robin has the issue of sometimes forgetting to take Leslie’s feelings into account, which has come back to bite her in the ass, here. She hasn’t tried to change her, though, nor has she (that we’ve seen) done anything but try to accept Les’s wishes.
…in fact, as screwed-up as Robin is, Leslie’s got even more stuff she needs to deal with before she’s hit that emotionally healthy place she’s looking for.
Robin’s not a scorpion, her nature is changeable from moment to moment. Yes, generally she will be energetic and perhaps a little insensitive, but specific wrongdoings cannot and should not be chalked up to her “nature.”
Oh and stop being so aggressive with people on here. You don’t get to tell people to shut their pie holes and so on like I’ve seen you carrying on. Feel free to argue with my points and think me a dingbat, but when you start instructing others on how to be, you come off as a total toolbox.
Man this is some good-ass writing here in your web comic about transformers toys, Dave Willis.
…I really need to stop doing that.
Oh Leslie. Is this really what’s getting to you? That you’re no longer in that naive stage of the relationship where you think your partner can do no wrong?
tobad i like them
Nothing sucks more then a fight/breakup after sex..or makeup sex…
how the hell did i read that as “lightsaber breakup”?
Maybe you got a mild form of Dyslexia perhaps.
Hrm…Leslie’s concerns are valid in several ways. Robin’s a woman of extremes, to say the least, and while selfish whims, as she put it, can be a a forgivable flaw in some people, with Robin, given her ability and her potential to find expansive resources, they can prove more than a little catastrophic. And with someone like Leslie, who appears to be rather easily pulled along by people like Robin, something like that can be very dangerous, as much of the past couple of Robin arcs have shown.
That said, Leslie isn’t the kind of person Robin is either. She needs someone who will work with her to control her urges and whims. Keep that spirit that makes her so endearing (to some, at least) but help her develop some form of self-control. As much as I love to see these two together, unless something gives with at least one of them, it’s just not something that’s going to happen…
And dammit, I’ve already written this much. Despite the pointlessness of it, post it I shall!
And then Robin starts playing Surfin Bird.
Leslie’s saying what Robin needs to hear. While Robin did what she did for at least some of the right reasons, the fact that she can’t properly explain those reasons is telling. While I support Roslie (Lesbin?) all the way, I think, in the long run, walking away for a bit and clearing their heads is probably the best thing for each of them mentally and relationship-wise. Robin needs time to grow a little more, and Leslie needs some room to breathe. Given enough time, hopefully they’ll be able to come back with a stronger, more honest, and more trusting relationship.
Man, who knew a comic about toy collecting and batman jokes could get us so riled up?
Lesbin. Definitely Lesbin.
I’m zeroing in on that part ’cause I got nothing else to add. (Except that in regard to deep emotions getting stirred up by toys and whatnot, we are talking about the cartoonist whose name gets cursed when other webcomics pull a particularly distressing dramatic twist.)
Just remembered I had a dream last night where Robin’s reaction to Malaya hitting on Leslie was to abduct Fuckface, kill him, and turn him into a Filipino dish. I need to get a life.
Dammit Dora!
Wait, wrong comic, nvm.
XD
You mean XKCD?
No I think Dora is from QC or am I missing the point here?
Unlike some web comic artists, Mr. Willis can write dramatic story while remembering that daily strips are supposed to be comedic.
Of COURSE this would be the page I would catch up on… Fml. =P
Leslie kind of comes off as a wet hen/weenus here.
Weenus BTW is the skin covering the elbows.
When someone is a weenus they are ‘all elbows’ and something of a judgmental frowny oaf trying to maintain an illusion of control over everything with crossed arms and supposedly much deserved rejection due to feigned disapproval and not very convincing displays of self control.
Awwww….view of sad tushie is sad…
I am Leslie Beandius,
Seen in skins,
Look on my tush, DeSantos,
And despair!
It’s a pity there’s no such thing as “Wally Wood’s 22 Panels That Always Hide Boobs,” though you’re doing a fine job without it.
Fuck it, just have Robin jump in the sack with Malaya. Mike can tape it and Amber can direct, call it Hate Fuck the motion picture.
It’s kind of creepy that Robin just dropped into full-on abusive there. I hate people who think emotional abuse is okay just because the abuser provides food and shelter to their kept lover.
Good thing the creepiness is lessened a bit by the fact that Leslie is not an 18-year-old runaway. Also, Leslie owns the house, so she can’t be tossed out on the street. There are actually people who would argue that the above scenario is no big deal.
Err… I appear to have altered the meaning of my post to imply that Willis was okay with Robin’s behavior. That’s not what I meant. I was just justifying my tangent.
Abusive? Really? They’re arguing and Robin is making a point. A fairly valid one, that she’s shown her love for Leslie in a variety of emotional and material ways. One speech-bubble is hardly emotional abuse. If she pulled this shit all the time, yeah, but once in an argument is just her running her mouth.
Whether her attitude is appropriate for the argument is another matter. She’s just screwed up; apology might have been more useful than biggin yourself up, Robin…
To be fair…. wasn’t Leslie a bit mentally abusive when this relationship started? I mean, after reading the other guy’s reply I realized something. As manipulative as leslie’s calling robin, she was the one who said “we cannot live with/know each other without fucking.” She forced the relationship on Robin to begin with because of her own selfish whims so she’s not quite as in the clear as people might think.
It really puts a different spin on the break up too, since as stated, leslie broke them up so that robin could be free to be sure where she wanted to be. Now that Robin’s come back, she’s made a good point… but robin has as well. In fact, the fact things lasted as long as they did before the shoe was passed suggests one thing.
Robin cares more for Leslie then vice versa. She was willing to work around Leslie’s relatively destructive (Not on the same scale, but they’re there) whims…. but the minute hers hit leslie, Leslie’s going ‘nonono, this is too much.’
Like I said earlier there’s really more than enough blame to go around here. I love both these characters, but damned if this relationship hasn’t been the sum of a thousand and one terrible terrible choices. I don’t think either party has ceased to be wrong even momentarily since Robin first lured Lez into her attempt to make Ethan jealous.
I think the only fair thing to do would be to blame this whole mess on Faz.
There is wisdom in this. Truly sage of you.
Nah, she definitely abusive. Yelling in Leslie’s face like that is not okay. It’s not acceptable just because they’re both women.
Robin is getting angry in regards to Leslie insulting her feelings. You have a right to do that IMO
There are acceptable ways to express that and there are unacceptable ways. There are easily five ways in which Robin has tread into unacceptable territory right now.
Shouting, bringing back past favors in a manner that implies debt, belittling of the other party’s worth and value, physical intimidation, using one’s role in a relationship to imply dependency and need. Just what I can name off the top of my head.
As a whole Robin really did step dangerously close to abuse here. I’m not gonna say it is or isn’t. I’m hardly the authority on the issue. I’m just gonna say that if this looks like an acceptable way to interact with a loved one to you then I’d strongly disagree.
Thank you for recognizing it and calling it for what it is.
David, you really should draw more naked chicks.
If you can’t find a way to fit them into the story, just draw them and mail them to me.
We need a backstory something from robins past that will cause leslie to know about robins past involvement with semme because at this point leslie dosent know about robins genetic alterations and if we go by example mike and amber’s relationship has done better with her knowledge of mikes past involvement with semme.
Leslie knows.
I would have a hard time imagining there to be secrets in this relationship. Good to hear that from you.
I get the feeling that Robin is far from a steel trap when it comes to ‘secrets’. She’s energetic beyond believe, a motor mouth, impulsive, and has inappropriate outburst tendencies. To say the least, ‘I was turned into a boy while working with a secret organization that fought aliens’ kinda seems like something she would mention post relations just to hit that AWKWARD jab.
Leslie is a sci-fi geek yet she’s turning down the chance to live a sci-fi life.
For some reason the next scene needs a gratuitous usage of super speed.
…wait, Leslie doesn’t know THAT part of Robin’s past
Aww that’s soo sad. T-T
I hate the idea that you just give up on someone that easily. If you really love someone, you stick with them no matter who they are, and they stick with you no matter who you are. You swallow your fears about their impulsiveness, and you WAIT for them to change and grow. Things take time.
Philosophies like this are why people can’t stay married in white-people cultures now-a-days. It’s never about ‘you’, always about what ‘I’ can handle.
Just saying, because reading this a second time it made me kinda pissy. Sometimes love hurts and you have to grow a pair (of balls, boobs, whatever) and stick it out. Running away is never a solution.