El Goonish Shive

@24699 My theory on why you'd feel that way is because Elliot would really only try to do so if he felt it was for the greater good, whereas Tedd would probably do it For Science!. Depending on how negative you are on Tedd, you might think he'd do it possibly even to troll someone. In short, to this point, it's much easier to describe altruistic motives to Elliot than to Tedd.

Yeah, I think that might be it. I respect Elliot's motives more than I do Tedd's, because he seems more responsible - Mr. Verres even has a chart on how much Elliot is a stick in the mud - whereas I'm still convinced Tedd's "Give all the people magic!" thing is his version of Nanase's "Tell people all the things all the time!" Both of that family's kids are going through their "I'm smarter than everyone, have figured out the way of the world, and nobody can tell me otherwise!" phase of childhood.

Elliot has a violent streak, but I have an easier time getting behind him if he decides something needs to be punched because, like, he seems open to the possibility he might be wrong. He talks to people about stuff. Tedd and Nanase talk at people about stuff.

edited 21st Feb '17 8:27:01 AM by TobiasDrake

I mean, Elliot is a stick in the mud right up until something makes him decide to be a reckless idiot, generally.

But yeah, he is more open to criticism.

Elliot is not unlike Goku, Except he wouldn't let a murderer walk in hopes of a fair fight later on.

Or even out of a superinflated sense of mercy.

Well, maybe.

I'd personally compare Elliot to Shirou Emiya in many ways, though Shirou's Chronic Hero Syndrome is more extreme to the point of being an outright personality disorder, whereas Elliot at least can be happy for his own sake and enjoy himself.

Comic 2314

I relate most to Elliott here.

I have to resist the urge to make jokes about Tedd acting female right now.

Elliot continues to be best person.

New NP.

Lonely Pandora continues talking to herself for lack of adequate companionship.

"I don't think I have time to explain why the enchantment ended" —links to comic where they explain just that—

I want to buy Pandora a spined porcu-kitty. Or maybe a teddy bear. Something to be a surrogate friend she can have these depressing, one-sided conversations with.

"I'll love you and squeeze you and call you Blake!"

wasn't it spelled Blaike? Because some Reason.

500 years ago, spelling hadn't really been invented yet.

True story.

Comic 2315

Because reasons. Reasons we will never delve. Ever.

"I don't think about that and neither should you" -Rumiko Takahashi on the possibility of Ranma getting pregnant.

The thing is, I get Tedd here. I think many of us probably have at least one sexual kink that would put a major kink in our lives if we entertained it, so we push it aside. Even aside from the whole sex changing thing, you get that "one step away from the edge of the Kinsey scale" that most of us stand in, If It's You, It's Okay, but frankly, you recognize that it would create all sorts of other complications because we live in a world.

Or, y'know, reasons in which we don't need to delve because Shive already gave us the answer years ago.

Honestly, I just think it's sad that Tedd thinks that the complication that he's obviously (to the reader) thinking about are going to disappear if he has to stay male. Well, I suppose if the comic has regularly shown anything, it's that Tedd is not very self-aware at all. For all that Elliot doesn't like to focus his gaze inward, Tedd somehow does it even less. Not sure if it's for similar reasons to Elliot or he just never thinks to.

Opportunity to explore how Tedd is genderfluid instead of merely transgender has been missed. "I pick male 'cause of convenience."

Well, to be fair, I think that's because the "convenience" in this case has more to do with Tedd's sexuality rather than gender identity. Of course, that does lead to questions as to why Tedd is apparently more aware of the question of sexuality in female form, but that's a whole hornet's nest on its own.

It wasn't said in the comic, but I assume one complication is that legally, to the world at large, Tedd is a dude. It's easier for him to stay that way in public and just transform at home than the reverse.

Mhm. 'I don't have to explain to the world at large why I'm suddenly a girl' is one of the complications he's referring to.

edited 24th Feb '17 6:51:13 PM by Gilphon

There's also the simplest issue of the small problem of being female and being attracted to your best friend in the wrong way.

Dan published a post on Tumblr stating that Tedd's blush isn't because Tedd's a girl right now or because "oh jeez he looks pretty hot". However, Tedd might still attribute the blush or the momentary attraction to her female form.

I mean, Tedd used to rationalize his enjoyment of being female by saying it "felt like a vacation" and that "it's sexy to look at" and stuff like that. I think he has a perchant of burying things, or being particularly obtuse when it comes to his subconscious thoughts, and considering he was bullied for looking androgynous I can understand not being totally level with yourself about how you feel. Scars do that sort of thing to people.

I could see this as Tedd having a moment of attraction to Elliot and attributing it to being female, but he's female under his own magic and not through the TF Gun's pheromone/brain chemistry altering effects. So I think Dan is kinda-sorta Word of God-ing Tedd being a bit more open with his sexuality as well as his gender.

With that out of the way, hello! It's been over a year and a half since I last posted here, I gave the thread a glimpse a couple weeks ago. What's new?

edited 24th Feb '17 10:45:38 PM by MrMallard