Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT

WCDT strips 4306-4310 (13-17 July 2020)

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Scarlet Manuka:
Remember that it seems to be only relatively recently that human-size bodies have become widespread amongst AIs, so the bodies available secondhand may be almost entirely the older AnthroPC styles - it's possible the market for humanoid chassis is being significantly driven by older AIs upgrading from those.

As Tyr pointed out, May really needs a humanoid chassis to keep her job, although to be fair it's not exactly a job she loves - but we've seen before that she has very limited options there. Losing her job because she's forced to downgrade to a small chassis might be an interesting place to take the plot (or at any rate an extra way to beat us over the head with the idea that May's situation is unfair); I could easily see her having to accept a small chassis until she saves up enough money for a larger one, but then being unable to earn money, and nobody in authority being willing to accept any responsibility for the situation or to do anything about it.

Of course we also know that Jeph doesn't like being really mean to his characters and there are signs that he is looking to take it in a happier direction, so it'll be interesting to see how it all plays out. Personally, after reading today's strip I noticed the donation link as I was heading to the forum, and a part of me wanted to donate money so that May could have a better body. I don't think it quite works like that though :D

-- Edit

Hey, I was just browsing randomly and it turns out the comic has already explored a different solution...

oddtail:
Here's some disjointed thoughts that hopefully make sense.

I have a problem with the phrase "acting out of character". It's not that it's not useful - a badly written character can do something that seems stupid within the context of the character's personality. But I think this criticism is used too often - in real life, people don't act the same way, all the time. In stressful or unusual situations, people change their behaviour.

It can be used to great effect in fiction. If someone acts drastically "out of character", it shows they are strongly affected by whatever is happening (this actually has its own page on TV Tropes, which I will not link because I don't want to steal hours off the time of anyone who clicks the link ;) ).

Today's strip does this pretty damn well. Being this helpless and scared and acting like it is not something typical for May. In other circumstances, she's more likely to cover up her fear or uncertainty with more swearing. Which is why it hits harder that she can't or won't in this particular case.

Guess it has to do with the sense of disconnect of not being able to use her normal voice.

Potato Farmer:
On the subject of May getting a second-hand chassis from somewhere, I kind of want to give Roko the benefit of the doubt that she didn't overlook that possibility. If there's such a thing as second-hand chasses which are available for convicts it's probably an obscure organization which is hard to find, if it exists at all.

BenRG:
I just need to add at this point that May has never more desperately needed a hug before today. The only other time she's been this vulnerable was when she asked Dale to let her watch the stars with him at the end of her time as his AR virtual assistant.

the silent firefly:
i don't know if i can handle Sad May Face. that last panel is the hardest the comic has ever tugged my heartstrings.

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