I love seeing the arc he’s taken to get here! In the beginning he took things very literally and when he asked for clarification he was mocked and pushed away, which is what led to him wanting to walk into the literal ocean. Then he found something to focus on and decided to completely shut off the questioning part of his mind even though it’s kind of part of what makes him functional. Chloe understands the literal way he thinks and adjusts her vocabulary for him but doesn’t offer definitions because he hasn’t been prompted, which is completely fair and she was being very supportive of him in doing that! Later, Pepper scolding him for not asking questions when he met Ares was a fumble in terms of being nice in that moment, yes, but he got to hear something he didn’t know before laid out clearly. “I don’t understand things the same way you do It’s not that I lack curiosity I just don’t know what people mean ever and then they get mad at me.” It’s in Pepper’s nature to question so once it turns from him asking big scary questions or ones Achilles doesn’t have an answer for to him asking simple questions about Achilles’ vocabulary, it makes questioning feel safer with him. So Achilles hazards a question back & actually receives a clear answer, and he does it all night, and every time Pepper tries to use a turn of phrase he catches himself and explains what he meant by it (what Chloe was doing but with more stated purpose behind it so it’s not “This person gets how my brain works” it’s “This person doesn’t get it but is trying to help me understand anyway”). All of that makes it way less scary, and here we see the same person who made him feel unwelcome around her for taking things literally and not understanding an insult stop and turn back after saying “I’m not gonna lay this out for you” just because he expressed he genuinely didn’t get it and she knew he wasn’t just being obtuse about it. That’s so SICK :mars-shout:
As it turns out, Mars isn’t great at reading people either.
To note, the fact that Mars and Chloe play by acting rude and insulting each other is something Clair is actually aware of. She made Mars to do just that. Clair just doesn’t participate cause it’s no fun for her.
Mars, confidently bragging about how she’s been eating chess pieces to cheat. :mors:
Clair, who has been replacing Mars’ pieces to keep the game going. :clair-what:
I think part of the point is that she doesn’t read people. When she was first created the idea was “someone who runs smoothly with the version of Chloe that is here right now and hates being asked deep questions or told to do things that matter” so the choice was “She just doesn’t even try if she’s not prompted to not bc she doesn’t care but because the way she cares is not pushing too hard”
We see the opposite in Clair and ofc in Pepper who is Clair coded but less “Pearl Steven Universe” about it and can adapt but who has the desire to understand so deep within him that he starts to get deeply frustrated when he continually has to adapt :pepper-scruffy:
Interestingly Achilles had no real desire to say “what do you mean” or “can you explain that to me” or dig deeper into anyone’s feelings until Pepper told him he should, and even now it’s less “let me get in your business” and more “wow that’s an odd thing you’re doing can you make it make sense to me please?” & I imagine if hit with a “No” he’d just be like “Oh! Ok :)” :achilles-cutesy:
Achilles did have that desire before. He told Pepper he didn’t ask Ares cause people just tend to not answer his questions. Achilles got tired of getting no answers so he stopped asking.
One of my favorite little things in comics is when the author makes it so that the further a character is in the background, the more chibi/low-detailed they become. Comparing the first and second panels of this comic is a perfect example of that.
ALSO LOOK AT ACHILLES IN THE FIRST PANEL. “but i already did lo-” WELL LOOK AGAIN.
love how much mars relishes going out to play with chloe. love the idyllic free innocence that “playing” implies. I miss it
also a good example of like, clair probably shouldn’t get involved. if she lets mars just go out and try and play it might be a good catalyst for them working shit out. I don’t really know what would be gained from mars leaving chloe alone about it. I mean, chloe WANTS mars to know she’s mad, that’s kinda why you slam the door on someone.
also as others have said, yes it is very cute how mars explains it for achilles. kiggies
Yeah true, chances are Mars is the most equipped to handle Chloe blowing up at her if Mars takes the “rude-bitch-off” a bit too far, which is odd to say given our residents at Halo Head. 😆 And *then* she can back off for real if it gets too much.
I like how mars is so used to Chloe and her calling eachother bitchs and dumb fucks that mars is unable to recognize that Chloe is genuinely upset with her, because to her that’s just how their friendship is. It’s what makes her the perfect companion in the beginning. Like when they first met Achilles the reason they didn’t like him was cause his cheerful attitude and ability to take everything literally was cramping their style. When mars first met him she called him a nerd and wanted him to call her one back. She wasn’t being a jerk thats just genuinely her way of being friendly. Idk if that makes sense.
1 ohhhh ym y god sjes shes so. ohmm y GODDDD :mars-shout:
2. i really appreciate everyone starting to slowly take a extra second to explain things to achilles. its really sweet
winner of the world’s cutest wet cat contest
She pauses and responds to explain because Achilles asked.
Fucking GAY.
I love that throughout the comic, not only is he learning from everyone around him, but also everyone around him is learning about the way he works.
seeing him try to use phrases people explain to him. seeing others pause and explain things to him. its all so cute!!
I love seeing the arc he’s taken to get here! In the beginning he took things very literally and when he asked for clarification he was mocked and pushed away, which is what led to him wanting to walk into the literal ocean. Then he found something to focus on and decided to completely shut off the questioning part of his mind even though it’s kind of part of what makes him functional. Chloe understands the literal way he thinks and adjusts her vocabulary for him but doesn’t offer definitions because he hasn’t been prompted, which is completely fair and she was being very supportive of him in doing that! Later, Pepper scolding him for not asking questions when he met Ares was a fumble in terms of being nice in that moment, yes, but he got to hear something he didn’t know before laid out clearly. “I don’t understand things the same way you do It’s not that I lack curiosity I just don’t know what people mean ever and then they get mad at me.” It’s in Pepper’s nature to question so once it turns from him asking big scary questions or ones Achilles doesn’t have an answer for to him asking simple questions about Achilles’ vocabulary, it makes questioning feel safer with him. So Achilles hazards a question back & actually receives a clear answer, and he does it all night, and every time Pepper tries to use a turn of phrase he catches himself and explains what he meant by it (what Chloe was doing but with more stated purpose behind it so it’s not “This person gets how my brain works” it’s “This person doesn’t get it but is trying to help me understand anyway”). All of that makes it way less scary, and here we see the same person who made him feel unwelcome around her for taking things literally and not understanding an insult stop and turn back after saying “I’m not gonna lay this out for you” just because he expressed he genuinely didn’t get it and she knew he wasn’t just being obtuse about it. That’s so SICK :mars-shout:
I have autism you can probably tell :mars-shout::mars-shout::mars-shout:
As it turns out, Mars isn’t great at reading people either.
To note, the fact that Mars and Chloe play by acting rude and insulting each other is something Clair is actually aware of. She made Mars to do just that. Clair just doesn’t participate cause it’s no fun for her.
love this actually. clair not only has to put up with being insulted but she’s probably also like, I KNOW
Mars, confidently bragging about how she’s been eating chess pieces to cheat. :mors:
Clair, who has been replacing Mars’ pieces to keep the game going. :clair-what:
Does she know eating her own pieces is counterintuitive (she does not)
I think part of the point is that she doesn’t read people. When she was first created the idea was “someone who runs smoothly with the version of Chloe that is here right now and hates being asked deep questions or told to do things that matter” so the choice was “She just doesn’t even try if she’s not prompted to not bc she doesn’t care but because the way she cares is not pushing too hard”
We see the opposite in Clair and ofc in Pepper who is Clair coded but less “Pearl Steven Universe” about it and can adapt but who has the desire to understand so deep within him that he starts to get deeply frustrated when he continually has to adapt :pepper-scruffy:
Interestingly Achilles had no real desire to say “what do you mean” or “can you explain that to me” or dig deeper into anyone’s feelings until Pepper told him he should, and even now it’s less “let me get in your business” and more “wow that’s an odd thing you’re doing can you make it make sense to me please?” & I imagine if hit with a “No” he’d just be like “Oh! Ok :)” :achilles-cutesy:
Actually he might follow up with “Oh! Why not?” And get ppl annoyed but it’s less damaging than making guesses abt the answer
Achilles did have that desire before. He told Pepper he didn’t ask Ares cause people just tend to not answer his questions. Achilles got tired of getting no answers so he stopped asking.
I mean, it would be a good time for Mars and Chloe to talk things out, so go out, Mars!
ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod
I
I
I
me likey
that Mars
me
holy
my
godness
goddess
gracious
She explained it to him! :achilles-rose:
wet mars wednesday 👏
characters stopping and explaining something to Achilles is such a nice sight to see
I can’t wait for Peachy to make an incomprehensible explanation
One of my favorite little things in comics is when the author makes it so that the further a character is in the background, the more chibi/low-detailed they become. Comparing the first and second panels of this comic is a perfect example of that.
ALSO LOOK AT ACHILLES IN THE FIRST PANEL. “but i already did lo-” WELL LOOK AGAIN.
chefs kiss :achilles-cutesy:
My friends and I call this “low poly renderings” of characters ahaha!!
This can only end poorly, good luck Mars, you’ll need it. .w.
The way achilles’ speech bubble can be interpreted as what clair is thinking but sarcastically :clair-cute:
library over a sinkhole :chloe-happy:
she’s not too far off!
anyhow im SO ready to see the queen of passive aggressive vs the goddess of war! *butters popcorn*
Unstoppable force meets and unmovable object
*AND SHE* (mars) *FUCKIN DOES IT A GAIN BABEY*
Achilles is going to call Chloe a dumb fucking bitch isn’t he
I hope so.
soggy mars :hearts:
love how much mars relishes going out to play with chloe. love the idyllic free innocence that “playing” implies. I miss it
also a good example of like, clair probably shouldn’t get involved. if she lets mars just go out and try and play it might be a good catalyst for them working shit out. I don’t really know what would be gained from mars leaving chloe alone about it. I mean, chloe WANTS mars to know she’s mad, that’s kinda why you slam the door on someone.
also as others have said, yes it is very cute how mars explains it for achilles. kiggies
Yeah true, chances are Mars is the most equipped to handle Chloe blowing up at her if Mars takes the “rude-bitch-off” a bit too far, which is odd to say given our residents at Halo Head. 😆 And *then* she can back off for real if it gets too much.
I really want to say to Mars “you mean “Chloe and I”” and stare at her like this :clair-cute: and see what she does
I like how mars is so used to Chloe and her calling eachother bitchs and dumb fucks that mars is unable to recognize that Chloe is genuinely upset with her, because to her that’s just how their friendship is. It’s what makes her the perfect companion in the beginning. Like when they first met Achilles the reason they didn’t like him was cause his cheerful attitude and ability to take everything literally was cramping their style. When mars first met him she called him a nerd and wanted him to call her one back. She wasn’t being a jerk thats just genuinely her way of being friendly. Idk if that makes sense.
She’s so handsome wtf
1 ohhhh ym y god sjes shes so. ohmm y GODDDD :mars-shout:
2. i really appreciate everyone starting to slowly take a extra second to explain things to achilles. its really sweet
cool.
I wonder if Mars is gonna end up telling Chloe about Pepper and Achilles’ secretive schemes if she and Chloe end up getting into an argument soon…
Have y’all noticed how in the latest pages the characters section is either inconplete or gone :achilles-onedge:
i have in fact noticed but am too afraid to mention it :clair-what2:
This strip contains no characters, it’s all a trick of the light
That first panel might be one of my top 3 favorite mars moments, lmao