Saint James Infirmary 174: Awake Now

[jmundt29]

Especially since Zenon was plan A back in the mid-60s issues when Adrian was trying to get Dani to remember how to operate The Watch so she could deprogram the rest of the SJI residents (and significant others).

[GodWilling]

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[jmundt29]

Maybe not.  You never know if Derek the Moron might not have been called in for an emergency and what that might have meant for his victims.

[mns_95125]

Indeed. And if we're still thinking of Zenon and Claudia as the baddies then what a disaster that would have been. And even if we're not, we'd have missed out on a lot of fun with Amy and Laura and Caitlyn.

It occurs to me that we actually have a pretty limited basis for thinking of Claudia as bad.  She's clearly one of the antagonists, but we don't really know her motivations.  It's possible that she wants the watch so that she can free herself and the remainder of the NY harem from Jakob Kuppler's left-over commands.  Were that the case I'd find her a pretty sympathetic character, really.

[jmundt29]

I suppose that's true.  She could be the ultimate Jessica Rabbit:

"I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way."

Most of what we hold against her is her black leather outfit which is a fetching but imposing dominatrix look, and her choice of agents, Derek the Moron has proven himself to be a selfish, ignorant asshole.  However, there is one thing to be aware of that tolls against the heroine read.  She fully enjoys having topless lingeried servants, including Echo and that STUNNING platnium blonde whose name escapes me at the moment.  Her relish for such advantages doesn't square with someone looking to free herself and the NY Harem of Jakob the Liar's commands.  It looks like she genuinely fears him and genuinely wants her freedom, but she wants freedom to enjoy dominance of the New York Harem, not to liberate its members.  Issue 115 for reference.

ETA--I looked it up.  The platinum blonde is Meghan.

[GodWilling]

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[mns_95125]

She fully enjoys having topless lingeried servants, including Echo and that STUNNING platnium blonde whose name escapes me at the moment.  Her relish for such advantages doesn't square with someone looking to free herself and the NY Harem of Jakob the Liar's commands.  It looks like she genuinely fears him and genuinely wants her freedom, but she wants freedom to enjoy dominance of the New York Harem, not to liberate its members.

Playing devil's advocate, here's an alternate interpretation: Perhaps Claudia's authority over the NY harem is, at this point, strictly derivative of Jakob's.  She's in charge only insofar as she can keep the rest of the harem believing that she's acting on Jakob's behalf.  If that's the case, her ability to make obvious changes in harem behavior would be limited -- she might never know when an order would be in conflict with one Jakob gave to another harem member.  For all we know, Jakob told Echo and Meghan to never wear anything but lingerie, and Claudia can't override that.  If that's the case, better to use them to impress Derek the Minion than leave them locked in a closet.  (Come to think of it, Claudia's apparent inability to change out of her dominatrix outfit would be consistent with that.)

The best (perhaps only) way to avoid such standing-order land mines would be to make no changes.  Claudia has to look like the harem dominant... but that doesn't necessarily mean she enjoys it.

[laguna85]

This is going be great and see Jacquelyn get a dinner date. (window 2)
Will PEARL / MIRIAM Stop the dating?
That right there is a restraining order on PEARL / MIRIAM
Very old woman with young man Himm.
A Cougars himm

[jmundt29]

Okay, the part I can answer--The restraining order was filed by Pearl AGAINST Jacqui not the other way around.

We could claim she's stuck, but again I don't get the sense of a poker face during Debriefing 2.  We get a sense of a mask when Derek reports in from inside the Den of Nightmares, but not before.  We'll have to wait for more of an explanation.

[Daphne]

The restraining order was filed by Pearl AGAINST Jacqui not the other way around.

I think it was probably the other way round; Jacqui's line in #85 was: "Most parents get visitation rights.  I took out a restraining order."

[GodWilling]

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[jmundt29]

Jacqui's remark about the order could be read either way, but if she really had an effective RO against Pearl why would Pearl just stroll into Deep Black Vinyl asking to see her.  Not legal.  Additionally, in their conference over coffee to set things up, why would Jacqui as the aggrevied party, the one seeking protection have to modify her supply routes for the comfort of the person who has to abide by the RO.  No, it looks like either Pearl or her father got the restraining order against Jacqui.

[GodWilling]

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[jmundt29]

Yes, to restrain them, not yourself.  The negotiation had Jacqui giving Pearl's residence hall a 100 foot space, staying away from her domicile.  If the restraining order had been against Pearl, she wouldn't have been allowed to just walk into her mother's place of business.

[Daphne]

I admit this is pure speculation, but perhaps Jacqui was exaggerating for comic effect?

Could be.