Relief – Chapter 8, Act 3, Strip 37

Well, as you can see, this episode is mostly about violence, or preparations for violence. And about wish fulfillment. Which isn’t an ideal combination, from an ethical viewpoint…but…well, you can always look at it from some other viewpoint, and then it’ll be okay, right?

Anyway, Biff gets to fulfill his long-held dream of being a goggle boy. Digimon is rather notorious for causing kids to develop unrealistic expectations regarding the number of occasions appropriate for wearing goggles…and it can leave a deep yearning. For Biff, that yearning ends today. And the case he builds for it isn’t even unreasonably stretched – goggles aren’t the only possible solution, but they do make logical sense in context. And, let’s face it, in anime they wouldn’t even required to.

While the twins get to fulfill their dream of getting to play baseball for Seidou. They never before really revealed having held this dream, but I think it’s perfectly plausible. They do like uniforms, after all. And they probably wouldn’t mind the all-male environment and the communal bathroom nearly as much as other people might. So, yeah…they get to get their cosplay on, and can feel well prepared for violence as well, with those metal bats.

And, finally, the Queen gets to fulfill her long-held dream…to get to hit things with brass knuckles. Which is a dream that’s universally held by all queens, in fact. All those stifling court protocols, the countless boring and pointless occasions where you have to smile and wave, everyone expecting you to be an avatar of politeness and kindness…it does get to you, over time. Carrying some brass knuckles in your purse is inconspicuous, and yet provides a level of psychological relief, even if you never use them. And in a desperate situation like this one, where nothing really matters anymore, they can provide super-extra-special-relief as you finally get to use them…

More on Thursday.