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Yes.

15 (5%)

No, it's not the same.

14 (4.7%)

No, it's even worse.

25 (8.4%)

No, it means Dora's history.

30 (10.1%)

No, because it's going to end different.

19 (6.4%)

No, because there's emergency bourbon.

17 (5.7%)

UBMEOD!

34 (11.4%)

Oh heck, who am I kidding?

4 (1.3%)

(sniff) No, I've just got (sniff) allergies...

31 (10.4%)

This thread is gonna hit 40 pages by tomorrow, isn't it?

109 (36.6%)

Total Members Voted: 237

[Penquin47]

But... but... what about Mieville/Pintsize?  They won't be living together any more!  How can they form a meaningful relationship now?  

[kaitco]

Oh wow...

I honestly never thought Jeph would have the guts to do this. I almost want to cry because, for me at least, it feels like they have been together for years and now it is just over!

And, what makes it worse is that Faye is just coming out of her shell and being less "crazy" about her boyfriends, so now there is going to be even more drama surrounding the whole gang. Marten is going to be pining for Dora who just broke up with him and then pining for Faye since he missed his chance with her, Dora is going to be horrible to Faye because she has been jealous and wary of her this whole time and Angus is going to be worried that Faye secretly wants to be with Marten now that he is free (or possibly even Sven, now that he so obviously wants her back). Gaaaaah! Everything is ruined forever! Purple elephants!

[Strike Reyhi]

my only reaction is, five bucks she'd be yelling at marten accusing him of still having feelings for faye if he had broke it off in the same way.

[KOODustin]

I totally punched the air in joy when I read this.  Do not get me wrong, other fans, I love this comic, I love the characters.  They're all really well written.  But I really do not like Dora as a person.  She's very well made, but she's exactly the kind of person I cannot stand, at least in a relationship setting.  I liked her as their friend, but never as Marten's girlfriend.  I feel bad for Marten, but I think it's actually better for him in the long run.  And yes.  I am aware I'm talking about these fictitious characters like they're real people.

[Wing alpha]

I am full of glee and  sorrow for  Marten

No, Im not a  Marten whatever , shipping, I just think  he let himself  get  stomped so much, and  there is a line between consideration, and   doormat,  one which I have been, and is not pleasant, this I believe is for the best.  the world is what you shape it to be at any rate.

so yeah , gleeee, and sorrow. -now I know what my  sister  felt when  ex fiance and I broke everything up

also PSYDUCK

edit Holy crap :
Warning - while you were typing 20 new replies have been posted. You may wish to review your post

[Lost Coastlines]

I've never, EVER been a Dora-hater.

Until now.

Lady, if he wasn't happy with you he wouldn't be trying to patch things up, and he certainly wouldn't be tearing up now that you've dumped him. It's great that Dora admits what the problem is, but rather than let them work on it together, she'd rather lose the one guy who's NEVER been an asshole to her. Way to go. Bitch.

Man, I saw this coming, but I really didn't think it would make me this mad. Marten's stricken look in the last two panels is just agonizing. For the first time I seriously want to slap Dora.

Huh.

Still rings a bit to me of Dora saying, "Deep down, I'm still afraid you'll hurt me, so I've got to do this to protect myself."

I hope that Marten lets this happen, but also really encourages her to look into getting some help for starting to get over this rut she seems to be spinning in.

I have to disagree.  It sounded to me like she was admitting it was all in her head.  That nothing he had said or done caused it, but on the flip side, nothing he could say or do could change it.  I think she was admitting fault and was breaking up with him because she thought it was the best thing to do given the crappy options.  I don't HATE Dora, but I don't like her, either.  I wouldn't normally be prone to giving her the benefit of the doubt.

[peterh]

Lady, if he wasn't happy with you he wouldn't be trying to patch things up, and he certainly wouldn't be tearing up now that you've dumped him. It's great that Dora admits what the problem is, but rather than let them work on it together, she'd rather lose the one guy who's NEVER been an asshole to her. Way to go. Bitch.

Man, I saw this coming, but I really didn't think it would make me this mad. Marten's stricken look in the last two panels is just agonizing. For the first time I seriously want to slap Dora.

You've got a VERY good point there.

[helloandgoodbye]

I just realized that this is going to be hard on Faye.  While she and Angus are in the "lovey-dovey" phase, she's also gonna have to put up with Marten and Dora's angsty depressed shizz that comes from ending a relationship.

  

[Shadic]

I'm not sure if I need to wield the dick broom or not.

Okay, now Sven is going to rebound-fuck Marten. WATCH AND SEE.  

[Mojo]

An interesting choice of perspective on the last of Dora's dialogue.  It's as though WE are Dora, looking through her eyes, saying those lines.

[Dr. ROFLPWN]

....This is painful to watch. Jesus. Oh my God. But it's also...It works.

Beautiful work, Jeph.

Okay, now Sven is going to rebound-fuck Marten. WATCH AND SEE.  

PLEASE BE RIGHT  

[Delator]

Man, I saw this coming, but I really didn't think it would make me this mad. Marten's stricken look in the last two panels is just agonizing. For the first time I seriously want to slap Dora.

Ditto.

Also, Dora is wearing Sven's hoodie. 

[Irenfrea]

OH FUCK YEA.

[iduguphergrave]

Honestly I think Martin has abandonment issues when it comes to girlfriends. Remember what he went through with his last one? All the crap he put up with in HOPES of being with Faye?

He has security issues, and it seems like he really will put up with just about any shit in order to not be alone. That's not healthy. Dora might be doing him a favor by forcing him to realize this (Hopefully) and really evaluate what sort of relationship he wants out of life.

I might agree with you if there were any actual proof. He had genuine feelings for Vicky (the girl he moved there for), and if he just needed to be in a relationship i'd expect him to have had a string of short-lived unsuccessful ones before he met Faye, for whom he also had real feelings for. If he had abandonment issues concerning relationships, he would have made a move on Faye and not waited for her to open up to him.

There may have not been an initial spark for Marten when his relationship with Dora began, but a lot of time has passed between then and now, and I think you could say that she made him love her. So in her own words, yeah, maybe she should have waited a little longer to pounce on him after The Talk, and maybe she should have thought a little harder about her issues before suggesting they live together.

*sigh* I'm just mad because this is really going to hurt Marten and he doesn't deserve this bullshit.



14 replies while typing this. Damn.

[helloandgoodbye]

....This is painful to watch. Jesus. Oh my God. But it's also...It works.

Beautiful work, Jeph.

Okay, now Sven is going to rebound-fuck Marten. WATCH AND SEE.  

PLEASE BE RIGHT  

  I AM THIRDING THIS.  AS LONG AS DORA DOESN'T FIND OUT, THEN IT'S AWWWRIGHT.

[Torlek]

Ugh, there's sense in her words but at the same time, the last time I was in Marten's current situation I heard, and still hear, "I'm scared and don't want to change so I'm going to hurt us now before you can hurt me." Sometimes it's worth fighting against this kind of talk, sometimes it's not. But like I said in my first post, it's trust. She can't/won't trust him. If it's actually over at this point, it's OVER. There's no going back from this.

Also, this thread's really about to go to hell in a handbasket. Knights, grasp your brooms and mount your fowl. I have 50 pages by Friday. Do I hear 60?

Warning - while you were typing 8 new replies have been posted. You may wish to review your post.

[Shadic]

Okay, now Sven is going to rebound-fuck Marten. WATCH AND SEE.  

PLEASE BE RIGHT  

A friend of mine suggested that Dora and Sven go to a bar and pick up the same chick accidentally.

Sibling Double-Team vs. Svarten Rebound.
Round 1 FIGHT

[Moxie]

I've never, EVER been a Dora-hater.

Until now.

Lady, if he wasn't happy with you he wouldn't be trying to patch things up, and he certainly wouldn't be tearing up now that you've dumped him. It's great that Dora admits what the problem is, but rather than let them work on it together, she'd rather lose the one guy who's NEVER been an asshole to her. Way to go. Bitch.

Man, I saw this coming, but I really didn't think it would make me this mad. Marten's stricken look in the last two panels is just agonizing. For the first time I seriously want to slap Dora.

Huh.

Still rings a bit to me of Dora saying, "Deep down, I'm still afraid you'll hurt me, so I've got to do this to protect myself."

I hope that Marten lets this happen, but also really encourages her to look into getting some help for starting to get over this rut she seems to be spinning in.

I have to disagree.  It sounded to me like she was admitting it was all in her head.  That nothing he had said or done caused it, but on the flip side, nothing he could say or do could change it.  I think she was admitting fault and was breaking up with him because she thought it was the best thing to do given the crappy options.  I don't HATE Dora, but I don't like her, either.  I wouldn't normally be prone to giving her the benefit of the doubt.

I'm not sure how my quote coincided with this? I certainly wasn't trying to spin any Dora hate. Just saying, from my perspective, Dora is just afraid of being hurt, so she is preventing that option from happening. Maybe she also realizes this is all in her head, and maybe she also realizes that, right now, she and Marten maybe can't have a good, healthy relationship and she's giving him the option to step away, but I'm not one hundred percent sure she has made those realizations.

Also, I'm changing my mind. I hope Marten stands up to this, at least a little bit. Judging by his expression, he's clearly been blindsided by this, and clearly wasn't expecting this. I hope he at least questions Dora a bit on this and doesn't totally blindly accept it. If nothing else, he should totally explain one more time to Dora that he is in love with her, not Faye, and that he's really sorry that she cannot accept that and that he hopes that one day, after getting therapy and working on her issues, she may be able to be with someone and trust that person when he or she tells Dora that he or she loves her.

[Wiregeek]

So, they're breaking up - but at least it's not over the goddamn porn.

Works for me!

I wonder, though: if Marten waits a few months, and then tries to get Dora back, might that convince her that Marten really does want HER, and that it's not about settling?

That would probably work, assuming that Dora hasn't done something to make herself unavailable in the meantime (move, date someone else, suicide, what have you).

I think it would be a horrible idea, but it would probably work.

@Mme. Muppet - booyah to you-yah!

[mllerustad]

It's great that Dora admits what the problem is, but rather than let them work on it together, she'd rather lose the one guy who's NEVER been an asshole to her.

The time limit may vary depending on the issue and the relationship, but at some point, you/your SO run out of time to fix the shit in your/their head that's making the relationship not work.

I would have rather had Marten enforce that time limit, but I'll accept Dora acknowledging that reality and making her problems not Marten's anymore.

It wouldn't exactly be kind to put a perfectly kind, decent dude through bitter hell just *waiting* for her to get better, would it? (Faye asked Marten not to wait for her, either, and that was entirely correct.) Given Dora's lack of progress over the multiple fights, all coming back to the same root cause, it would be unrealistic to expect anything else if Dora and Marten stayed together.

And Dora is perfectly capable of having a future awesome relationship, once she gets her issues in order. Not even in QC-verse is Marten the only nice guy on the planet. And these people are in the 20s for Christ's sakes. They've all got time.

[Delator]

Prediction...*grabs UBMEOD*

This breakup will push Marten over some sort of metaphorical edge. He'll slowly morph into the type of asshole Dora used to date.

There will come a time, in the not-too-distant future, when we're going to wish we had the old spineless Marten.

Warning - while you were typing 5 new replies have been posted. You may wish to review your post.

 

...we went from 15 to 22 pages in 24 hours. Given developments, I'm guessing 40+ pages by weeks end.

[akronnick]

....This is painful to watch. Jesus. Oh my God. But it's also...It works.

Beautiful work, Jeph.

Okay, now Sven is going to rebound-fuck Marten. WATCH AND SEE.  

PLEASE BE RIGHT  

  I AM THIRDING THIS.  AS LONG AS DORA DOESN'T FIND OUT, THEN IT'S AWWWRIGHT.

[melly21]

I'm not sure if I need to wield the dick broom or not.

Okay, now Sven is going to rebound-fuck Marten. WATCH AND SEE.  

I would pay Jeph in booze and women for the rest of his life if he drew that! Or made it into a animation.

I feel bummed for Marty but I feel hopeful for him, and for Dora, whilst on any given day I can hate or lover her as a person, I really, really, love her as a character and I hope to all that is good that she can make some progress and that she isn't written out of the strip, because I personally think the comic needs her and the cast need her, even if she is a major bitch at times.

I really want to know if Faye will hear that Dora dumped Marten mainly over her concerns about being Marten's rebound because Faye wasn't available? I hope so. I think it could be a major turning point in Faye and Dora's, as well as Faye and Marten's friendships.


Of course! Ha haWarning - while you were typing 11 new replies have been posted. You may wish to review your post.

[Kugai]

The sound you just heard was my jaw hitting the floor

HOLY SHIT!!!!

[Moxie]

There may have not been an initial spark for Marten when his relationship with Dora began, but a lot of time has passed between then and now, and I think you could say that she made him love her. So in her own words, yeah, maybe she should have waited a little longer to pounce on him after The Talk, and maybe she should have thought a little harder about her issues before suggesting they live together.

So maybe it should be pointed out to Dora that she sort of tried to fastforward this relationship through all the major things that "are supposed" to happen in serious, long term relationships, without really laying the foundation for what helps keep said relationships solid during storms like this?

[jordinyc]

http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/KxtPRF6NG7I/1.jpg[/img]]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxtPRF6NG7I


     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     ."... you don't even know how to say goodbye..."

[DannyOcean_]

 

that is all

[Y]

Well probably be page 50 by friday, unless friday is a 'filler' to keep us waiting, like pintsize downloading his porn.

Now Marten is single again the guessing can start.

Faye? What about Angus? If their relationship is new, they are usually in the stage were they are too into eachother, unless there were doubts to Begin with.

Hanners? There hasn't been anything to suggest that in the latest 1000+ strips, it was only an issue when they met (on her previous meds. Yes, there has been what Hanners called flirting, but it was uncalled for. Hanner won't get into anything physical with Marten, unless her dad invents a body sized condom.

Cosette? Marten won't do it for Steve. Actually only Steve worries about this.

Marigold? It's possible,...

Sarah? Has been eaten by an allasaurus according to Dora. Or shackled into cod's basement...

Tai? Might hit on Dora now.

Pen, Pizza girl, Raven: not likely

Oh yes Warning - while you were typing 29 new replies have been posted. You may wish to review your post.

[Streetwise]

I, for one, Feel the need to yell at Dora right now:

"You IDIOT! Why the hell did you string him along for so long if you were just gonna let him down in the end?! The damn boy will be afraid of girls for the rest of his life now! THE WORLD HAS PLENTY OF CUTE, SKINNY HOMOSEXUAL MEN AS IT IS! WE DON'T NEED HIM TO JOIN THEM!"

followed by 3 punches on the arm, and then RUNNING FOR MY LIFE.



(as seen in # 511)

Edit: also, now that I'm there, I'll be reading from 511 on for the rest of the night, thanks for the addicting comic.

Maybe Martin should try and re-start things with Jenny from #514, he's got a thing going, I just KNOW it!

[KOODustin]

It's gonna be a WHILE before we see Marten in another relationship, I think.  Sexual or otherwise.

[Lost Coastlines]

I'm not sure how my quote coincided with this? I certainly wasn't trying to spin any Dora hate. Just saying, from my perspective, Dora is just afraid of being hurt, so she is preventing that option from happening. Maybe she also realizes this is all in her head, and maybe she also realizes that, right now, she and Marten maybe can't have a good, healthy relationship and she's giving him the option to step away, but I'm not one hundred percent sure she has made those realizations.

Also, I'm changing my mind. I hope Marten stands up to this, at least a little bit. Judging by his expression, he's clearly been blindsided by this, and clearly wasn't expecting this. I hope he at least questions Dora a bit on this and doesn't totally blindly accept it. If nothing else, he should totally explain one more time to Dora that he is in love with her, not Faye, and that he's really sorry that she cannot accept that and that he hopes that one day, after getting therapy and working on her issues, she may be able to be with someone and trust that person when he or she tells Dora that he or she loves her.

I probably should have replied separately.  Sorry about that.  What I was trying to get at was that I think the rational side of Dora's brain know that Marten has never hurt her and likely never would.  But she can't suppress the irrational fears.  So, I don't see her preventing some future painful scenario so much as acknowledging that her unfounded insecurities that she can't force away are making them both unhappy.  

[Irenfrea]

I realize that I must have been dating Dora on my last long-termed relationship. I mean, after the first couple of serious confrontations she thought that it was easier to end everything right there even when she knew she was contributing to the problem. I was like "Ok, so you aren't trying to fix this up? Well I agree with you then".

Honestly I don't think that Dora had really been really loving Marten all this time. If a relationship has no value for her to stand for it and work things out, it's because she's not really all that interested for Marten. I mean, they may have been great friends if she hadn't thrown herself to him that night.

Warning - while you were typing over9000 new replies have been posted. You may wish to review your post.

 

[iduguphergrave]

There may have not been an initial spark for Marten when his relationship with Dora began, but a lot of time has passed between then and now, and I think you could say that she made him love her. So in her own words, yeah, maybe she should have waited a little longer to pounce on him after The Talk, and maybe she should have thought a little harder about her issues before suggesting they live together.

So maybe it should be pointed out to Dora that she sort of tried to fastforward this relationship through all the major things that "are supposed" to happen in serious, long term relationships, without really laying the foundation for what helps keep said relationships solid during storms like this?

Yes. And I think maybe a certain curvy brunette is just the person to point that out to her. But then again once Faye finds out about this I'm sure she'll have a lot to say to Dora. With her death glare. And fists. And the broadsword.

[S.S. Marimir]

Welp. It finally happened.  After two years of reading this webcomic I finally registered for this forum.

First off... I am a Fayeten shipper.  I like the idea of those two being together, because I like the idea of a relationship between best friends. I can see them as an OTP being the overall plot of the comic, but if they do get together it would have to be a last strip, hold hands and walk into the sunset kind of thing.
However...I liked Dorten. They legitimately seemed happy together, and after the crap Marten had been through he deserved someone who made him happy.  Yes they had issues, but every relationship has problems, fights about things that from the outside appear to make no sense.  I realized that though I might not personally want to be in a relationship with someone like Dora, I AM NOT MARTEN, and I can't decide whether or not she is right for him.  I saw the breakup coming, but I hoped it wouldn't.  Every couple fights, and sometimes over incredibly stupid things. Most of the time they make up, but, as we all know, sometimes a little disagreement can end years of couplehood.  I had hoped that they would work this out, but, as of now, it appears that Jeph has decided to take it a different way. I am glad, because if everything worked out how I wanted this life would be boring, indeed.  I don't understand the Dora-hate on these forums, but I know better than to attack it.  I will merely say that sometimes relationships look different from the outside than they do to the people in them.  

[Moxie]

I'm not sure how my quote coincided with this? I certainly wasn't trying to spin any Dora hate. Just saying, from my perspective, Dora is just afraid of being hurt, so she is preventing that option from happening. Maybe she also realizes this is all in her head, and maybe she also realizes that, right now, she and Marten maybe can't have a good, healthy relationship and she's giving him the option to step away, but I'm not one hundred percent sure she has made those realizations.

Also, I'm changing my mind. I hope Marten stands up to this, at least a little bit. Judging by his expression, he's clearly been blindsided by this, and clearly wasn't expecting this. I hope he at least questions Dora a bit on this and doesn't totally blindly accept it. If nothing else, he should totally explain one more time to Dora that he is in love with her, not Faye, and that he's really sorry that she cannot accept that and that he hopes that one day, after getting therapy and working on her issues, she may be able to be with someone and trust that person when he or she tells Dora that he or she loves her.

I probably should have replied separately.  Sorry about that.  What I was trying to get at was that I think the rational side of Dora's brain know that Marten has never hurt her and likely never would.  But she can't suppress the irrational fears.  So, I don't see her preventing some future painful scenario so much as acknowledging that her unfounded insecurities that she can't force away are making them both unhappy.

Ahh, I see what you're saying now. Thank you for clearing that up for me!

You know, I think it really is very likely it's a mixture of both of our theories...

[ChibiSoma]

DaaaaaaaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA -- *pauses, takes a deep breathe* --haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahaha...

Now it just has to STAY this way!

Not a \o/ or similar emote strong enough to punctuate this with.

[KOODustin]

Y'know, the only concern I have is how Faye will suffer working with Dora now that all this has happened.  There's bound to be some awkwardness or even latent hostility.  Things just sort of hit their stride at the COD, and now this drama pops up.  Interested to see where we go from here, though.

And no, warning.  I do not wish to review my post.  I don't DO two takes.  Amateurs like YOU do two takes.

[Dr. ROFLPWN]

....This is painful to watch. Jesus. Oh my God. But it's also...It works.

Beautiful work, Jeph.

Okay, now Sven is going to rebound-fuck Marten. WATCH AND SEE.  

PLEASE BE RIGHT  

  I AM THIRDING THIS.  AS LONG AS DORA DOESN'T FIND OUT, THEN IT'S AWWWRIGHT.

Come now, akronnick, you know you want to see them make beautiful music together  

Also, in hilarious coincidences, as I loaded up this comic, my fianceé loads up the test-realm for World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, with appropriately apocalyptic choir-and-orchestra intro music and a huge fucking dragon standing on a burning town. I was like "oh wow, what an appropriate metaphor for what just happened in this comic."

Also, Moxie? In actual seriousness? I agree with you completely on that this is at least partly Dora just still being afraid he's going to hurt her. But she's said the words, to quote Ash from Army of Darkness, so now...Well. Shit will be interesting. Because fuck yeah Jeph.

[Moxie]

There may have not been an initial spark for Marten when his relationship with Dora began, but a lot of time has passed between then and now, and I think you could say that she made him love her. So in her own words, yeah, maybe she should have waited a little longer to pounce on him after The Talk, and maybe she should have thought a little harder about her issues before suggesting they live together.

So maybe it should be pointed out to Dora that she sort of tried to fastforward this relationship through all the major things that "are supposed" to happen in serious, long term relationships, without really laying the foundation for what helps keep said relationships solid during storms like this?

Yes. And I think maybe a certain curvy brunette is just the person to point that out to her. But then again once Faye finds out about this I'm sure she'll have a lot to say to Dora. With her death glare. And fists. And the broadsword.

I dunno though. Given that she is blaming this (sort of, in an indirect sort of way) on Faye, I'm not sure Faye is the one to point it out. Sven still is probably a better option, given his influence on her insecurities. I still think that Hanners would be a good person for Dora to talk to as well. As much as Dora likes to pride herself on her "relationship experience", I think Hanners can give really good, rational advice that Dora might need (though whether she would accept it from Hanners is a different side to the story.)


Edit to Dr. ROFLPWN (whose name cracks me up every time I get to type it):
Very true. And it will be verrry interesting indeeed.

[kaitco]

There may have not been an initial spark for Marten when his relationship with Dora began, but a lot of time has passed between then and now, and I think you could say that she made him love her. So in her own words, yeah, maybe she should have waited a little longer to pounce on him after The Talk, and maybe she should have thought a little harder about her issues before suggesting they live together.

*sigh* I'm just mad because this is really going to hurt Marten and he doesn't deserve this bullshit.

I totally agree with you on their living together too soon. I think that is what really doomed this relationship (if it really is over; a part of me hopes that come tomorrow Marten stands up for his relationship and they don't just end it). If they at least had some time apart throughout the day to reflect, meditate, whatever, they could have got through this without it needing to end in a break up. Aside from living together, Dora and Marten have the same set of friends and are almost always together. Once the cohabitation period begins, it signals that the relationship has been bumped up to the next level and their relationship was not ready to be brought to another level.

What would have been truly beautiful is if they had worked out all the Dora-can't-help-but-think-about-how-she-pounced-on-Marten-since-it-was-a-crappy-thing-to-do issues and then the result of that led to them living together. That is a sign that the relationship has triumphed over a grand hurdle and is ready for something more.

I really do hope that Marten shakes this off and tries to make this work regardless of Dora's insecurities. Otherwise, the awkwardness surrounding him, Dora and Faye will be impossibly dramatic going forward.

Honestly I don't think that Dora had really been really loving Marten all this time. If a relationship has no value for her to stand for it and work things out, it's because she's not really all that interested for Marten. I mean, they may have been great friends if she hadn't thrown herself to him that night.

Since this was one of the 17 new replies that had been posted while I was typing, I wanted to comment.

I am not sure I ever considered this about Dora. From the first time we "met" her ages ago, she has had her eye on Marten, but the pounce following The Talk made it seem like she wanted him simply because he was that forbidden fruit that she thought would make everything in her life sweeter. She actually may not have ever loved him, only infatuated and once that infatuation faded, she had to come to terms with the impulsive and crappy decision she made.

[Lost Coastlines]

Ahh, I see what you're saying now. Thank you for clearing that up for me!

You know, I think it really is very likely it's a mixture of both of our theories...

You're probably right.  Like I said, I don't like Dora.  But I want to, so I may be seeing more progress than is actually there.

[enigma3d]

I've never, EVER been a Dora-hater.

Until now.

Lady, if he wasn't happy with you he wouldn't be trying to patch things up, and he certainly wouldn't be tearing up now that you've dumped him. It's great that Dora admits what the problem is, but rather than let them work on it together, she'd rather lose the one guy who's NEVER been an asshole to her. Way to go. Bitch.

Man, I saw this coming, but I really didn't think it would make me this mad. Marten's stricken look in the last two panels is just agonizing. For the first time I seriously want to slap Dora.

She knows that. It doesn't make a difference, its an irrational fear. That's why she broke off the relationship, she found out she can't control it.

All this Dora hate is really unjustified, guys. I'd say it would be way more of a dick move to continue jerking him around and making him feel like crap over problems her issues have caused.

I probably should have replied separately.  Sorry about that.  What I was trying to get at was that I think the rational side of Dora's brain know that Marten has never hurt her and likely never would.  But she can't suppress the irrational fears.  So, I don't see her preventing some future painful scenario so much as acknowledging that her unfounded insecurities that she can't force away are making them both unhappy.  

This puts what I'm trying to say far better than I can.

[hannahsaurusrex]

Where. Is. My. Goddamn. DORA-BACKSTORY?!?!?!?

[JackFaerie]

Lady, if he wasn't happy with you he wouldn't be trying to patch things up, and he certainly wouldn't be tearing up now that you've dumped him. It's great that Dora admits what the problem is, but rather than let them work on it together, she'd rather lose the one guy who's NEVER been an asshole to her. Way to go. Bitch.

Man, I saw this coming, but I really didn't think it would make me this mad. Marten's stricken look in the last two panels is just agonizing. For the first time I seriously want to slap Dora.

Seriously? This? This is where you call her a bitch? Dora just did a very good thing here. She looked at their relationship calmly, realized it wasn't working, hasn't worked in some time, and in general doesn't seem to be able to work in the future, and has decided that it's better to get out now while they haven't messed each other up more.

Marten is being... a spineless idiot with a devotion complex, as someone else put it. He shouldn't be all doe-eyed stricken, he should realize Dora is right. Hell, he's the one who's been shown to be the more dissatisfied one in the relationship! Dora has been shown to be quite head over heels for him, but jealous and insecure (with all that at least partly stemming from just how much into him she was).  He's the one who's been shown having doubts about their relationship and their ultimate compatibility for ages now. So he's clinging to it... why? Dora isn't being a bitch, she's doing him a favor, because apparently he has no balls and can't bring himself to end a relationship that obviously isn't working and isn't healthy and doesn't make him happy the way a working relationship should. I have no respect for people who stay in shitty relationships because they can't bring themselves to deal with being single.

[akronnick]

Where. Is. My. Goddamn. DORA-BACKSTORY?!?!?!?

I know, Right!

[ChibiSoma]

The only downside to this is you know it won't fucking stick. Things'll be in dramabomb land for awhile, Faye will tit-punch Dora, drag her to the shrink, and make her get her head worked out.

Then everything will go back to how it was.

That's how things go in this comic.

[bicostp]

As much as Dora likes to pride herself on her "relationship experience"

What relationship experience?

She served as a doormat for a grab bag of alpha-goths, then when she finally gets together with a guy who actually gives a shit about her she throws that away because she refuses to deal with the root cause of her insecurities, instead opting to treat the symptoms and repress until they pop up again.

Stick a fork in this relationship. It's done. Moving on...

[iduguphergrave]

I dunno though. Given that she is blaming this (sort of, in an indirect sort of way) on Faye, I'm not sure Faye is the one to point it out. Sven still is probably a better option, given his influence on her insecurities. I still think that Hanners would be a good person for Dora to talk to as well. As much as Dora likes to pride herself on her "relationship experience", I think Hanners can give really good, rational advice that Dora might need (though whether she would accept it from Hanners is a different side to the story.)

Faye was the source of angst for the underpants fight too, but her tongue-lashing of Dora is what caused her to see reason. I don't see Faye holding back talking to Dora about this just because it turns out she's got a part in it; it will just increase her disdain for Dora.

Having said that, I'm not at all against a good talk between her and Sven. And I'd also be happy with some Hanners-intervention.

[Moxie]

Ahh, I see what you're saying now. Thank you for clearing that up for me!
You know, I think it really is very likely it's a mixture of both of our theories...

You're probably right.  Like I said, I don't like Dora.  But I want to, so I may be seeing more progress than is actually there.

Dora isn't really my favorite character either, but I think it sucks for her that she has the issues she's got, and I really do hope she gets to work though them. I don't think she's made much conscious progress, though I could see some realizations starting to happen.

[IlGreven]

Maybe one of these days, Dora will let him get a word in edgewise...

...but by the time she does, he'll probably just say "fuck it".