[1489] Keep calm...

[sapientcoffee]

Mar 18, 2015 7:52:48 GMT Garbage said:

All I can think to say is, while some are still flipping out over Tony's rules and such, I really don't see why. Yeah, calling out his daughter like that is a dick move, but parents in teaching positions often do that to avoid playing favourites etc, and not one of the rules he's given so far have been crazy evil either. I've gone and go to school in the UK, and these rules aren't all that uncommon to come by, some teachers are just stricter.
However, the rules are more Primary school than High school, the sort you'd find teachers use on younger kids to keep the lil' buggers in order, which reinforces the style change symbolising a childish regression, Tom knows what he's doing with this stuff so I look forward to seeing where it goes!

Because he called out only her, didn't contact her but once after she came to the court, was trying to do who knows what with Bones From Space. Because hurting people when you're growing up is part of growing up, but still doing it as an adult, to (your own) kids is rightfully frowned upon.

[Garbage]

Mar 18, 2015 7:55:03 GMT zimmyzims said:

Mar 18, 2015 7:52:48 GMT Garbage said:

All I can think to say is, while some are still flipping out over Tony's rules and such, I really don't see why. Yeah, calling out his daughter like that is a dick move, but parents in teaching positions often do that to avoid playing favourites etc, and not one of the rules he's given so far have been crazy evil either. I've gone and go to school in the UK, and these rules aren't all that uncommon to come by, some teachers are just stricter.
However, the rules are more Primary school than High school, the sort you'd find teachers use on younger kids to keep the lil' buggers in order, which reinforces the style change symbolising a childish regression, Tom knows what he's doing with this stuff so I look forward to seeing where it goes!

They're not in high school yet, are they?

They are! The story started in High school, year 7 (ages 11-12) is the first year of UK high school, and at the end of their GSCEs in year 11 (ages 15-16) they go to sixthform for their AS levels, and stay there another year for their A levels. Yay school systems?

[zirka]

I went back to check out the art style shift last time Annie went into shock like this, and it is not the same I think. On this infamous page from "Fire Spike" reality starts looking warped, but the art keeps a high level of detail throughout. On today's page page everything gets really abstract and simplified. I am just holding out a last hope that this is a nightmare.

[QuickStar]

After this page I'm expecting a break down...
Not that it will happen but Annie's mental stage at this point is very questionable...

[edzepp]

Well, the rules in and of themselves aren't really problematic at all (Tom's comment on the last page, even if it was slightly facetious, is reasonable enough), but the way he's applying them isn't exactly great.

[QuickStar]

Mar 18, 2015 8:12:47 GMT zirka said:

I went back to check out the art style shift last time Annie went into shock like this, and it is not the same I think. On this infamous page from "Fire Spike" reality starts looking warped, but the art keeps a high level of detail throughout. On today's page page everything gets really abstract and simplified. I am just holding out a last hope that this is a nightmare.

I think the reason behind that is because she was distraught you know upset because she found out she was reason behind her mother's death.
In this page she is shocked, out of place kind of going through a mental break down and feeling like a child.

[edzepp]

Annie may have a bit of this going on right now.

[stef1987]

I really don't think it's a dream sequence :s (unfortunately)

[download]

Mar 18, 2015 7:05:34 GMT arf said:

And yet, a calm reflection.

Quite a few people are very good at the façde but when it does break it breaks hard. It's going to be sad Friday

[philman]

Mar 18, 2015 7:52:48 GMT Garbage said:

All I can think to say is, while some are still flipping out over Tony's rules and such, I really don't see why. Yeah, calling out his daughter like that is a dick move, but parents in teaching positions often do that to avoid playing favourites etc, and not one of the rules he's given so far have been crazy evil either. I've gone and go to school in the UK, and these rules aren't all that uncommon to come by, some teachers are just stricter.
However, the rules are more Primary school than High school, the sort you'd find teachers use on younger kids to keep the lil' buggers in order, which reinforces the style change symbolising a childish regression, Tom knows what he's doing with this stuff so I look forward to seeing where it goes!

If they had a more normal relationship, all that you said would be reasonable. The fact that this is the first time she has seen or heard from him in over 2 years (unless you count a coded message that was really for Donnie), and his first act is to humiliate her in front of her classmates and barely even recognise her as his daughter, is what makes this so much worse than just a parent telling their child off.

[stclair]

Mar 18, 2015 9:05:28 GMT download said:

Mar 18, 2015 7:05:34 GMT arf said:

And yet, a calm reflection.

Quite a few people are very good at the façde but when it does break it breaks hard. It's going to be sad Friday

We've seen Annie wearing, or trying to wear, the mask before. It usually does not end well.

[TBeholder]

The first thought: there are many different sorts of silence. Deathglare array definitely is heated up and at maximum output now. We may find out how oblivious and deadpan Anthony really is.
The second thought: we have heard that George Parley, Senior did officially complete the Eugene Gould Psychic Challenge. We also have seen a big, loud proof of his pratfall running through these corridors. You are so not George Parley, Senior... sir.

Mar 18, 2015 7:01:46 GMT The Anarch said:

This is either a stylistic showing that her mental state is going all crazyfied, or it's an indication that this is indeed, as some folk have put forward, a dream sequence.

My interpretation is "she feels herself an awkward little girl again (see Chapter 1 and on)".

Mar 18, 2015 7:15:59 GMT shadowhunter said:

"The class will sit in silence until you return." - Because she hasn't been humiliated enough. GKC needs to work on its anti-bullying policy. I hope she spends the whole class length in there.

GKC has a fairly good anti-bullying policy. If relatively tame.

Mar 18, 2015 7:52:48 GMT Garbage said:

All I can think to say is, while some are still flipping out over Tony's rules and such, I really don't see why. Yeah, calling out his daughter like that is a dick move, but parents in teaching positions often do that to avoid playing favourites etc, and not one of the rules he's given so far have been crazy evil either. I've gone and go to school in the UK, and these rules aren't all that uncommon to come by, some teachers are just stricter.

Well, of course, but he didn't handle it smooth at all. And that's a bad way to say hello, while everyone there seem to be generally aware of Annie's family situation. And they are likely to be unamused even by the prohibition of cosmetics as such. This rubbed lots of furs the wrong way. And the beasts he rubbed the wrong way happen to be a pack of tungsten-laminated hedgehogs.

Mar 18, 2015 7:52:48 GMT Garbage said:

However, the rules are more Primary school than High school, the sort you'd find teachers use on younger kids to keep the lil' buggers in order

...which in itself is a Classic Blunder that even on a good day high schoolers may feel duty-bound to treat as an act of war. And this doesn't shape to be a good day at all.

[Jelly Jellybean]

Maybe Anthony has already started another attempt to excise the fire-elemental from Annie (the first attempt started with the phone call at the end of Chapter 36).  He may have decided this attempt needed to be in close proximity to Annie, so he returned to the school.  The wonkiness on this page could be a side-effect before she passes out.  And Anthony separated Annie from the rest of the students so they can't interfere like one of them did during the first attempt.

[guyy]

All the other times the art shifted into a really crude style, it was because one of the characters drew it. Actually, that blank expression at the end sorta reminds me of this. More of a mental shutdown than a breakdown, maybe. Heroic BSOD, if you prefer that terminology...

Mainly I just have no idea what to make of all this, but that's probably the whole point of just throwing this at us out of nowhere. The same thing is happening to Annie.

[eightyfour]

Mar 18, 2015 7:18:22 GMT Fishy said:

With some hope, there'll be someone in that bathroom there to yank her back to reality.

Mar 18, 2015 8:12:56 GMT QuickStar said:

After this page I'm expecting a break down...

Am I the only one here who has any confidence in Annie at all? She's been through this kind of thing several times now. At some point she's going to learn to cope. At least big Y certainly thinks so ("strong enough to walk on her own?"). I for one expect the next page to show her returning to class the calmness herself. And when Kat asks her if she's OK she's gonna be all "of course, why wouldn't I!"

Also, crazy Tony defender theory: Anthony realized that his daughter was on the verge of a breakdown, so he made up a reason to send her out of class before it happened, because that would've been way more embarrassing.

[Tony Carver]

I believe I said "sit in silence".

[Gulby]

I'm for the "she's feeling like a little girl all of sudden" interpretation, for the art change. Next page, two options for me :

1) she bursts into tears, until Kat arrives to pat on her back and give a hug, speechless or with a "He's such a jerk!"
2) she returns to class, poker face on, only to find out it's a riot in there. All the students have exploded in rage against their new teacher.

[hypixion]

Mar 18, 2015 10:51:20 GMT Tony Carver said:

I believe I said "sit in silence".

You ruined it by not calling yourself Mr. Carver

[avurai]

Mar 18, 2015 10:10:17 GMT eightyfour said:

Mar 18, 2015 7:18:22 GMT Fishy said:

With some hope, there'll be someone in that bathroom there to yank her back to reality.

Mar 18, 2015 8:12:56 GMT QuickStar said:

After this page I'm expecting a break down...

Am I the only one here who has any confidence in Annie at all? She's been through this kind of thing several times now. At some point she's going to learn to cope. At least big Y certainly thinks so ("strong enough to walk on her own?"). I for one expect the next page to show her returning to class the calmness herself. And when Kat asks her if she's OK she's gonna be all "of course, why wouldn't I!"

Also, crazy Tony defender theory: Anthony realized that his daughter was on the verge of a breakdown, so he made up a reason to send her out of class before it happened, because that would've been way more embarrassing.

Because abuse leaves lasting damage on a person's psyche, especially when it's currently happening. Real people aren't made of rubber. Also, she hasn't been through this before. Her neglectful father has been gone without contact for two entire years then he shows up one day in her classroom, the definition of monotonous normalcy, criticizes her appearance as it directly relates to her deceased mother, flatly states that he be referred to not as her father, then instructs her to leave the classroom and tells her that everyone in the class will sit in perfect silence while she's gone meaning that everybody knows very well just how long she's in there and why.

Her reacting to all of that with "Of course I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" would actually be kind of worse. She'd be substituting her old stoicism defense mechanism for a stepford smile, a happy face with turmoil underneath it, instead of actually dealing with what's happening and how she's feeling.

Also, if we want to give Anthony any hint of credit at all, him referring to Annie's makeup as 'ridiculous' pretty much scraps it entirely. He'd know full well why she wears it, almost immediately, but he obviously doesn't sympathize. That's not an impartial statement, that's a biting word, regardless of how monotone it might sound in our heads when he says it. The ends don't justify the means here. This is abusive behavior of an emotionally manipulative and neglectful individual. Which real people (especially parents) can totally be. It's quite common, actually. And considering what Anthony has been through in his life, his being a neglectful, distant, and manipulative person makes a lot of sense. Why do we have to excuse him for it just because it makes sense, though? Abusive people have plenty of reasons for being abusive, it doesn't mean they aren't abusive. It just means they aren't a boogeyman. If anything, they're much worse because they can always convince you to continue respecting them regardless of what terrible things they do to you. This is Abusive Relationships 101. The abused always finds excuses for their abuser. Always. The hard part is coming to terms with the fact that you shouldn't have to forgive them. Especially when literally every bit of media ever made is constantly telling you to forgive everyone. Sometimes people are toxic and you need to remove them from your life. Sometimes family is amongst the worst offenders. That's how the real world works.

[Tony Carver]

Mar 18, 2015 11:19:45 GMT hypixion said:

Mar 18, 2015 10:51:20 GMT Tony Carver said:

I believe I said "sit in silence".

You ruined it by not calling yourself Mr. Carver

These forums are... new to me... 
I stumbled on them and detected a somewhat less formal tone during my initial perusal.

As they are maintained outside of the Court, I thought it prudent to effect a similar informality, but nonetheless wished to reiterate my verbal directive. For the sake of clarity I have now included my surname, as it seems some of you may have issues with this reduction of decorum.

[arf]

Mar 18, 2015 9:36:59 GMT stclair said:

Mar 18, 2015 9:05:28 GMT download said:

Quite a few people are very good at the façde but when it does break it breaks hard. It's going to be sad Friday

We've seen Annie wearing, or trying to wear, the mask before. It usually does not end well.

It's unlikely, but I am amused by the thought of Flambannie sauntering back to class and informing Sir that she's removed her makeup. All of it.

This page could also be interpreted as Annie discovering she still exists without her cosmetic mask, despite her worst fears (and Tom's artwork)

[brokshi]

Regardless of what you think of Anthony, you have to admit that if this is reality, his words cut Annie deep, and if this is a dream sequence, then even Annie's defense of his actions is only a veil to hide her immense fear of him. Neither really say positive things about the man.

That, and forcing the class to remain silent until she returns is pretty brutal, literally every one of them will have to acknowledge that she came back into the room, if she does at all. Most of them will probably look at her, and with her makeup gone, her mental state crumbling, and her chance of panicking or breaking down rising, the extra judgment of everyone just looking at her as she re-enters won't help much.

[biggerj]

Mar 18, 2015 7:55:03 GMT zimmyzims said:

Mar 18, 2015 7:52:48 GMT Garbage said:

All I can think to say is, while some are still flipping out over Tony's rules and such, I really don't see why. Yeah, calling out his daughter like that is a dick move, but parents in teaching positions often do that to avoid playing favourites etc, and not one of the rules he's given so far have been crazy evil either. I've gone and go to school in the UK, and these rules aren't all that uncommon to come by, some teachers are just stricter.
However, the rules are more Primary school than High school, the sort you'd find teachers use on younger kids to keep the lil' buggers in order, which reinforces the style change symbolising a childish regression, Tom knows what he's doing with this stuff so I look forward to seeing where it goes!

They're not in high school yet, are they?

The Court overs years 7 through 12, which is high school. Anthony, however, seems to be downright Vulcan in his attitudes.

[Lizuka]

First time commenting on here in forever but weird, random thought I just had.

Is this a prequel? It seems like what we're seeing so far maybe could be some kind of odd lead-in to Divine. Never really found out what exactly caused Annie to collapse there.

[brokshi]

Mar 18, 2015 12:04:04 GMT Lizuka said:

First time commenting on here in forever but weird, random thought I just had.

Is this a prequel? It seems like what we're seeing so far maybe could be some kind of odd lead-in to Divine. Never really found out what exactly caused Annie to collapse there.

Divine was in the middle or towards the end of the school year, while this is pretty clearly the start of one (the next year).

[kralex]

Mar 18, 2015 8:18:08 GMT edzepp said:

Annie may have a bit of this going on right now.

The line "My hands felt just like two balloons" from Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb popped up in my mind when I read the page. Under high stress, your own body may start to feel very different than you're used to, like a balloon animal (boy do I know that feel), or in Annie's case, maybe like a small child's crude drawing. Also, seeing her dad again probably takes her back to the days at the hospital when still she saw her dad on a daily basis; now she feels again like she did back then. All in all quite a powerful page, imo.

[vakri]

Mar 18, 2015 10:10:17 GMT eightyfour said:

Mar 18, 2015 7:18:22 GMT Fishy said:

With some hope, there'll be someone in that bathroom there to yank her back to reality.

Mar 18, 2015 8:12:56 GMT QuickStar said:

After this page I'm expecting a break down...

Am I the only one here who has any confidence in Annie at all? She's been through this kind of thing several times now. At some point she's going to learn to cope. At least big Y certainly thinks so ("strong enough to walk on her own?"). I for one expect the next page to show her returning to class the calmness herself. And when Kat asks her if she's OK she's gonna be all "of course, why wouldn't I!"

Also, crazy Tony defender theory: Anthony realized that his daughter was on the verge of a breakdown, so he made up a reason to send her out of class before it happened, because that would've been way more embarrassing.

my thoughts exacly! Both of them! However, this "stay in silence" puts some shade on his good will. But still, he must have his reasons.

Mar 18, 2015 10:04:13 GMT Jelly Jellybean said:

Maybe Anthony has already started another attempt to excise the fire-elemental from Annie (the first attempt started with the phone call at the end of Chapter 36).  He may have decided this attempt needed to be in close proximity to Annie, so he returned to the school.  The wonkiness on this page could be a side-effect before she passes out.  And Anthony separated Annie from the rest of the students so they can't interfere like one of them did during the first attempt.

Honestly, this is a very good theory, what makes it even more terrifying.

Mar 18, 2015 11:45:19 GMT arf said:

Mar 18, 2015 9:36:59 GMT stclair said:

We've seen Annie wearing, or trying to wear, the mask before. It usually does not end well.

It's unlikely, but I am amused by the thought of Flambannie sauntering back to class and informing Sir that she's removed her makeup. All of it.

This page could also be interpreted as Annie discovering she still exists without her cosmetic mask, despite her worst fears (and Tom's artwork)

What, if intended by Tony, makes him look a bit better. Still, just a little bit.

[hnau]

If she breaks down, Anthony might have an excuse to use Court resources to perform an emergency elementalobotomy.

[ctso74]

Mar 18, 2015 7:05:16 GMT Nepycros said:

Do I smell horribly drawn party hat edits in the near future?

I believe this would be time for a "panic hat". I don't know what one would look like, but I imagine its color is a bruisy black and blue.

[kingpocky]

Mar 18, 2015 7:55:03 GMT zimmyzims said:

Mar 18, 2015 7:52:48 GMT Garbage said:

All I can think to say is, while some are still flipping out over Tony's rules and such, I really don't see why. Yeah, calling out his daughter like that is a dick move, but parents in teaching positions often do that to avoid playing favourites etc, and not one of the rules he's given so far have been crazy evil either. I've gone and go to school in the UK, and these rules aren't all that uncommon to come by, some teachers are just stricter.
However, the rules are more Primary school than High school, the sort you'd find teachers use on younger kids to keep the lil' buggers in order, which reinforces the style change symbolising a childish regression, Tom knows what he's doing with this stuff so I look forward to seeing where it goes!

They're not in high school yet, are they?

Yeah, the rules aren't that bad by themself. However, aside from the fact that he's her father who hasn't contacted her in years, he's still being horribly unprofessional about the way he's enforcing them. There is absolutely no reason he needs to call the makeup ridiculous or make the rest of the class wait while Annie washes it off, except to deliberately humiliate her.