Yodimus_Prime wrote:
I think one of the unifying principles of all the characters (besides maybe Torg and Riff?) is that they start out on some level or another feeling like they're a "normal" outsider looking in on this madness - even ironically as an alien or talking rabbit or assassin clone - or alternatively that the madness is happening to them not with them, a commonly repeated fallacy within the comic. And one by one every character slooowly (or less slowly) has a reckoning moment where they realize that no, they are not normal. There is no such thing as normal. They each have just as much a capacity to inflict madness upon the world as anyone else in their group, and it's okay to embrace that aspect of themselves, and their responsibility to use it in productive ways. I think that's the key lesson each character needs to learn in their own way.
I like this idea in particular, "it's okay to embrace that aspect of themselves, and their responsibility to use it in productive ways." Some elaborative thoughts: this is a lesson whose acceptance varies by person and across time. I think it's been tempting, especially for Gwynn, to resist it because keeping that, "madness is happening
to them" mindset means it's not her fault. She can blame Riff or Torg for the situation.
In addition, this concept of responsible use initiates a lot of tension, both internal and external, as Riff and Torg in particular take different approaches. I have a sense, and I'm not sure if it holds true throughout the history of the comic, that we have more access to Riff's internal struggles more than we have access to Torg's.
For Torg, we
see his internal struggles first in his often hectic and over the top but
strategic actions or abrupt emotional reactions, and then he tells us after everything has fallen apart/succeeded.
However, for Riff, because he talks less, what he says is more significant and his expressions, when they shift, give us more insight.
Of course, there are always exceptions to these generalizations. What do you all think?
I'm kind of feeling my way into this explanation. What do you think?