It’s been so long since I read It’s Walky that this is a mystery to me again. I honestly don’t remember what the deal was with Walky’s mindwipes. I guess that’s a sign that I’m getting old…
Yes, yes, it’s because you’re getting old. That’s exactly it. Now if you would kindly place your forehead against this… old-fashioned telephone receiver?
It’s been ages since I read the archives, but I seem to recall that in a little while he lifts Beef or something revealing that he’s a lot stronger than he should be. Since this is portrayed as surprising, I guess it isn’t known he’s an abductee right now.
But wait, wasn’t Walky faking being a simpleton so that no one would put him in charge of anything? And didn’t he also, when mindwiped for the last time because his mind had supposedly completely lost integrity, retain all his intelligence?
Pretty much. Walky is playing out one of the “Obfuscating Stupidity (cf. TV Tropes)” variants all the way down for a variety of reasons. IIRC he’s their prime research subject on the mind wipe’s long term effects in a case of multiple uses as well (and he and Joyce for the Aliens), which makes all that research a little sketchy at best as well.
Wouldn’t be the first time the appropriateness of your punchline was accidental (remembering the ‘help me bury this’ strip). But it does certainly appear that you knew where it was going from the available evidence.
It’s been so long since I read It’s Walky that this is a mystery to me again. I honestly don’t remember what the deal was with Walky’s mindwipes. I guess that’s a sign that I’m getting old…
Yes, yes, it’s because you’re getting old. That’s exactly it. Now if you would kindly place your forehead against this… old-fashioned telephone receiver?
well, that explains Joyce’s… joyceness
“But you’re boring, and these chips are so yummy.”
Without mindwipes wouldn’t Walky already know he was an abductee? Or would he have been pretending not to be?
It’s been ages since I read the archives, but I seem to recall that in a little while he lifts Beef or something revealing that he’s a lot stronger than he should be. Since this is portrayed as surprising, I guess it isn’t known he’s an abductee right now.
They don’t find out he’s an abductee until Head Alien controls everyone else.
Wait, is this…? Could it be?
Is this FORESHADOWING?!?!?!?
….Naaaah.
Foreshadowing forward…..
But wait, wasn’t Walky faking being a simpleton so that no one would put him in charge of anything? And didn’t he also, when mindwiped for the last time because his mind had supposedly completely lost integrity, retain all his intelligence?
Sssshhhhhh.
All plotholes can be filled by simply assuming Doc is wrong in how it alters a person’s personality.
Less stable doesn’t mean less intelligent
Pretty much. Walky is playing out one of the “Obfuscating Stupidity (cf. TV Tropes)” variants all the way down for a variety of reasons. IIRC he’s their prime research subject on the mind wipe’s long term effects in a case of multiple uses as well (and he and Joyce for the Aliens), which makes all that research a little sketchy at best as well.
Time to point out the spelling error in a really old webcomic: “sporatic” should be “sporadic”.
Well, someone had to do it…
Well, that explains Walky. Poor Fool.
Wouldn’t be the first time the appropriateness of your punchline was accidental (remembering the ‘help me bury this’ strip). But it does certainly appear that you knew where it was going from the available evidence.
Originally posted:
June 19, 1999