Despite this, she still felt sorry for the Mann family, offering her condolences to both Dora and Barbie on the day of Wanda's funeral. She also told Barbie that she was welcome back at the diner anytime for a good meal.
Sunday, May 5, 2024
Jenny-Sue - The Sandman
Dora - The Sandman
Meeting Barbie at the local diner, Dora drove her to the funeral, offering her hospitality and support during the difficult time.
Later she drove Barbie to the bus station, before returning to the wake.
Joan-Ellen Mann - The Sandman
Joan-Ellen took an immediate dislike to Barbie at Wanda's funeral, refusing to allow her to attend the wake at the family home.
Zeke Mann - The Sandman
Refusing to acknowledge Wanda as the woman she was, he pushed for her to be buried under her dead name, doubling down on preserving the memory of the child they'd always wanted, rather than the child they had.
Edwin Paine - The Sandman
Born in the UK in 1901, Edwin Paine (D. 1914) was a former student at St Hilarion's School for Boys. While there, he was one of the many pupils picked on and bullied by Barrow, Skinner, and Cheeseman, three older, snobbish pupils who victimised those younger than them out of a perverse sense of pleasure and control. However, this bullying descended into outright brutishness after the three hectors, driven by their passion for the occult, kidnapped and sacrificed Paine in a failed attempt to summon the Devil to Earth.
Blamed for not being a suitable candidate, they shoved his body in a trunk to disguise the ritual, where it remained in the attic, slowly rotting away for the next seventy-five years. This fact disturbed Paine's ghost, who was horrified and outraged that not a single person had checked the attic or noticed the poor job that his three assailants had made at covering their tracks.
With the headmaster chalking up his demise as a "disappearance," Death of the Endless reached out to the recently departed spirit, guiding him on to Hell.
After he was released from Hell, thanks to Lucifer retiring from his role as ruler of the fiery abyss, Edwin's ghost returned to the attic. He assumed, wrongly, that he was destined to be forever bound to the place of his murder, tethered by his unburied bones until the day Death would return for him. However, this was not the case, and both himself and the ghost of Charles Rowland left St. Hilarion’s to make a fresh start with their second chance at an afterlife.
The Spirit of Charles Rowland - The Sandman
Not wishing to sit around and remain in St. Hilarion's School for Boys waiting for Death, he persuaded Paine to join him on his exploration of the world. The pair left hand in hand, excited to see what their new life held for them.
Charles Rowland's Father - The Sandman
In 1989, he left for Kuwait, paying for his son to attend St. Hilarion's School for Boys as a border. While there, he was reportedly taken hostage by terrorists, leading to Charles remaining behind at St. Hilarion's over the Winter holiday of 1990.
Reflecting on his relationship with his father, Charles believed that he never wanted to be a parent in the first place and would be relieved to learn that his son was dead.
Charles Rowland's Mother - The Sandman
The Threshold - The Sandman: Season One
Desire's gallery and personal chambers are at its centre, located in the exposed and beating heart of the effigy.
Kai'ckul - The Sandman: Season One
.png)
In response to all the pain and ruin their union wrought, Nada took her own life, much to Kai'ckul's great distress. However, his grief turned to rage after she refused to stay with him in the Dreaming as his queen and, in a callous, petty act, banished her to Hell. There she would remain, a prisoner of Lucifer Morningstar, until Kai'ckul could end her torment by showing her forgiveness for his slighted pride.
Yet, even after ten thousand years, he could not bring himself to do this, even after witnessing the severe mistreatment she endured at the hands of the fallen angel and their demonic forces.
The Spirit of Nada - The Sandman: Season One
In 2021, when the Lord of Dreams travelled to Hell in search of his Helm, the demon Squatterbloat led him past Nada's cell on the way to Lucifer's Palace in Dis, taking pleasure in their pained reunion. Hopeful that he had forgiven her, she tearfully begged her lover to end her torment, questioning if he still felt any love for her after all that time. Despite his feelings towards her, he spurned Nada's pleas, leaving her to her fate.
Nada's parting message of hope helped Dream survive his battle with Lucifer in The Oldest Game, using the concept to best the destruction of everything at the hands of Morningstar's final gambit, Anti-Life; "the Beast of Judgment and the Darkness at the end of everything."
Nada - The Sandman: Season One
The ruler of The First People, a tribe in ancient Africa, Nada met and fell in love with Dream, whom she referred to as Kai'ckul. However, their love broke the laws of The Endless, leading to disaster and her death. Realizing that she was doomed to an eternity of pain and suffering if she continued their relationship, she refused his offer to be his partner and remain beside him in the Dreaming, now that she had no body to return to in the Waking World.
For this, the prideful Dream King cast her soul down to Hell, where she would remain a prisoner for the next ten thousand years. Despite her torment, she never gave up hoping that Kai'ckul would one day return for her.
An unwitting pawn in Desire's millennia-long game against Dream, the Endless mused that Nada was a mistake, miscalculating the heartless manner in which their brother would punish his spurned lover by banishing her to Hell; slighted by this rejection and the wounding of his pride.
Todd - The Sandman: Season One
While working as a cashier at Klein's Express 24-hour mini-mart and gas station, Todd often listened to music and doodled on a pad of paper during slow periods when no customers needed assistance.
Late one evening, while on duty, Rosemary urgently pleaded with him to call the police and help her escape from John Dee, whom she was currently driving to Mayhew out of fear for her life. Initially sceptical, thinking it might be a distasteful joke, Todd soon agreed to make the call after witnessing Rosemary's genuine terror.
When Dee, the escaped convict, attempted to forcibly remove Rosemary from the shop, Todd pulled a gun on him, demanding that they wait quietly for the police to arrive. Ignoring warnings, he tried to shoot Dee as he advanced on the unfortunate teller, only to be violently torn apart by the magic of Dee's Amulet of Protection.
Lady Johanna Constantine - The Sandman: Season One
Confronting them with mercenaries during one of their centennial meetings, she was subdued by Dream's sand, forcing her to relive her past regrets.
Years later, Johanna was reunited with Dream, who entrusted her with a task of great importance. She reportedly carried out her duty successfully, earning favour from the King of Dreams.
In the 21st century, her ancestor, Johanna Constantine II, met Dream after escaping his one-hundred-year-long imprisonment in the basement of Fawny Rig, helping him recover his lost pouch of sand.
Louise Baldwin - The Sandman: Season One
.png)
Since then, she has been working as a sex worker on the streets of London, where she earned the cruel nicknames 'Luscious Lou' and 'The Hospital' due to her reputation for putting people in them and spending time there herself, mainly due to inebriation and sexually transmitted infections.
After failing to seduce Morpheus outside the White Horse pub, Hob Gadling gives Louise money to buy herself a drink.
Dream's intimate knowledge of Louise's past traumas, as well as a similar encounter with Lady Johanna Constantine 100 years earlier, finally alerted Gadling to the possibility that he was dealing with someone far more powerful than a mere immortal like himself.
Billy - The Sandman: Companion
The granddaughter of Maisie Hill, Billy was a young trans woman living in New York City awaiting gender-affirming care and gender reassignment surgery.
She was murdered by the collector known as The Connoisseur, a vile serial killer who targets those who are trans, non-binary and intersex.
Despair - The Sandman: Season One
She is the twin sister of Desire, and they shared a close bond. Together, often with the assistance of their youngest sister, Delirium, they manipulated human emotions for their amusement, treating these manipulations as mere diversions.
While Despair did not harbor the same intense animosity towards Dream as her siblings, she supported their schemes against him. She agreed with Desire's view that Morpheus was arrogant and considered his realm superior. Consequently, she did not intervene when her brother was imprisoned for a hundred years by Roderick and Alex Burgess, nor did she stop him from pursuing the Dream Vortex, Rose Walker, whom she referred to as "the woman who will be Dream's undoing."
Despite supporting this latest scheme, she was skeptical about its success, noting that their previous attempts had all resulted in failure and animosity.
Carl - The Sandman: Season One
.png)
He continued to care for the apartment when she went to Cape Kennedy, Florida, in search of her younger brother, Jed. During this time, Carl met The Corinthian, the patron nightmare of murder and bloodshed, who was hunting down Rose. The two quickly hit it off, leading to a sexual encounter. However, before The Corinthian could kill Carl and take his eyes, he was spared by the news that a copycat killer was causing havoc at a local diner.
When Rose returned from Florida, Carl started dating her former landlord, Hal, who had accompanied her.
Bernard Munroe - The Sandman: Season One
The son of Bette Munroe, Bernard Munroe (bn. 2000) was born and raised in Buffalo, Mayhew. He lived with his mother when he was not away studying at college.
Unbeknownst to Bette, he was in a sexual relationship with her colleague and crush, Marsh Janowski.
"Monty" - Dead Boy Detectives: Season One
After the Dead Boy Detectives and Crystal Palace rescue Becky Aspen from Esther Finch, the spiteful witch seeks revenge on the trio by summoning a plant elemental from another dimension to destroy them. Realizing that this process would take time, she devises a simultaneous plan to infiltrate the agency and gather valuable information that she can use against them. To execute this scheme, she turns to Monty, her pet familiar, violently killing the crow and resurrecting him as a young teenager using dark magic.
Viewing Monty's newfound youth and good looks as the perfect weapon, Esther dispatches him on his mission, closely monitoring his actions to ensure compliance.
Setting a trap for Edwin Payne and Niko Sasaki outside the library, Monty is momentarily taken aback by the ghost's striking appearance. However, he quickly regains focus and ingratiates himself with the duo. He fabricates a story about waking up from a coma and gaining the ability to see ghosts, then engages them in conversation about astrology, sparking palpable romantic chemistry between the two boys.
The more time they spent together, the more Monty began falling for Edwin, complicating Esther's plan. These feelings came to a head when he kissed the ghost, only to learn that Paine did not feel the same way.
Hurt by the revelation, he returned to his mistress to mend his wounded pride. Capitalising on his heartbreak, she moved to the next phase of her plan; to feed them to a plant elemental. Using him as bait, Finch tasked him with leading them on a wild goose chase into the middle of the woods.
Confronting Edwin about his feelings, the ghost apologised for the rejection, telling him that while he was not in love with him, he considered him a good friend. Before he could respond, they were interrupted by the Cat King, who took great pleasure in telling his crush the truth. Unable to defend himself, he stormed himself.
Frustrated by the plan's rapid unravelling, Monty confronts Esther, expressing his desire to no longer be a pawn in her schemes. In response, she ruthlessly kills him, tearing away his flesh and reverting him to his crow form.
Monty - Dead Boy Detectives: Season One
The pet familiar of Esther Finch, Monty, was a crow she kept locked in a cage in her kitchen.
After The Dead Boy Detectives and Crystal Palace rescued Becky Aspen, Esther decided to exact her revenge by killing Monty. Using his corpse and restoration magic, she transformed him into a human teen capable of seeing ghosts, intending to use him as bait to gain the agency's trust and gather intel against them.
Once his cover was blown, Esther angrily killed the teen, reverting him back to his crow form. Although she welcomed him back, she did not forgive him for his failure or his attempts to betray her out of love for Edwin Payne.
After confirming that Edwin had returned from Hell, Monty returned to Esther, who was ready to begin her newest scheme.
Realizing that Esther harboured no affection for him and saw him merely as a pet, Monty helped Charles Rowland escape his chains, enabling him to assist Crystal and Niko in defeating his mistress. With Finch gone, he was free to start a new life, safe from her torment.
Crystal Palace - Doom Patrol: Season Three
Attacked by a demon named David, the fiend spent a harrowing year possessing her body, compelling her to commit horrifying acts. This torment would have continued indefinitely if not for the intervention of the two ghosts, Edwin Payne and Charles Rowland, who used their vast knowledge of the occult to exorcise David from her. But the fiend had a final cruel trick - as he was banished, he erased all memories of her parents. Devastated, Crystal joined forces with the ghosts to hunt down David and reclaim her stolen memories. This experience left a deep impact on her psyche, and she refused to act as a conduit for spirits, fearing she would lose control of her body again.
As of 2021, Crystal joined Edwin & Charles' Dead Boy Detective Agency and formed a close-knit family unit with her new friends and teammates, often taking part in playful banter and the occasional squabble. As the only living member, Crystal served as the link between the boys and their clients, relaying information and using any rewards to provide for her needs. Despite their overprotective tendencies, which she sometimes found patronising, she knew they cared for her safety. Although she was the youngest, she was, on the surface, the most mature one in the group, frequently apologising for her friends' immature behaviour.
During a case in an abandoned London warehouse in 2021, they agreed to accompany Danny the Ambulance, an old friend of Rowland's, to Ohio for an emergency mission. At the Caulder Mansion in Covington, she was surprised when Dorothy Spinner and Larry Trainer could see Charles and Edwin. She agreed to help them find their deceased friends, using Larry as a conduit to speak to Rita Farr. She also provided a universal safe-word banishing spell for the mansion's congregation of sex ghosts.
When they discovered the whereabouts of the deceased members of Niles Caulder's band, Crystal prepared to leave. But moved by Trainer and Spinner's pleas, she persuaded the boys to stay and help. She supplied Larry with a prop to comfort him in the Afterlife and knocked him out with a shovel, separating his soul from his body. She stayed behind with Dorothy to ensure nothing untoward happened while the boys were away.
Trying to hide her concern for her friends, Crystal immersed herself in a game on her phone, pausing now and then, to speak with Dorothy. They shared stories about her past experiences with Edwin and Charles. Each shared memory seemed to bring them closer, and Crystal found herself feeling better the more she opened up to Dorothy. Sensing Dorothy's grief over the recent loss of her father, Crystal offered words of comfort and reassurance, promising that they would do all they could to help bring her friends back.
Seeing Dorothy as a kindred spirit, she extended an invitation for Spinner to join the DBA once the mission was over. This was an offer which Dorothy happily and readily accepted.
David - Doom Patrol: Season Three
A demon capable of human possession, David took control of the young medium Crystal Palace, for over a year, causing her to commit terrible acts. With a tight grasp over her, it required the combined efforts of Edwin Payne and Charles Rowland, the Dead Boy Detectives, to remove him from her body.
However, he did not leave quietly, stealing all Crystal's memories of her parents and leaving her unsure of where she came from. This led to Palace joining the boys as the third member of the agency, vowing to hunt down David and recover her lost memories.
Azazel - The Sandman: Season One
Demanding an audience with Lucifer, he came before the fallen archangel to discuss his plans for conquest, promising that his army would follow the monarch without question. Pushing for an answer, his ambition is sated by Lucifer’s promise to take his proposal into consideration.
While Mazikeen and Lucifer were warry of the Lord, finding him difficult to trust, the sovereign of Hell could not deny that he made a compelling argument.
The Cat King - Dead Boy Detectives: Season One
The cat king of Port Townsend, Thomas is a mysterious and powerful shapeshifting trickster who protects the cats of his town. He does not take kindly to those who hurt his subjects and punishes them accordingly.
While he was not immortal, he is hundreds of years old, able to be resurrected nine times should he be mortally wounded.
After Edwin Payne used a binding spell on a cat, interrogating them for intel on Esther Finch, he ordered for the young ghost and his allies to be brought to him.
Deeply offended by Edwin’s audacity - to use magic on one of his feline subjects – he whisks him away to discuss the offence privately. Despite Edwin's attempts to explain himself, the Cat King is fascinated by him. Wanting to know more about him, he imposes his punishment, placing a caging spell bracelet on Edwin's arm. This spell would prevent Edwin from leaving Port Townsend until he can make the Cat King happy.
Initially proposing a physical relationship, which Edwin vehemently opposes, the Cat King later offers Edwin an alternative: to count every cat in Port Townsend. This task is the condition for the bracelet's removal. With the audience at an end, he sends Payne back to his friends. He tasked two of his most loyal followers to keep tabs on his muse.
During their investigation into recent suicides at the Point No Point Lighthouse, Edwin is attacked by a cat, who scratches him on the leg. Recognising him as Thomas, he follows him to a secluded part of the beach, irritated by his painful and tiresome bids for attention.
Giving him an update on his cat hunt, the Cat King scoffs that the ghost wasn't close to the real figure. However, he admires Edwin's eagerness to complete the task, telling him that no matter the outcome, he was getting what he wanted, more time with him.
Changing the topic, Thomas proposes that they discuss his alternate suggestion, musing that he could take any form to make Edwin feel more comfortable, transforming into Monty and Charles. This only angers Edwin, who threatens to return to the investigation if he isn't going to remove the bracelet.
Intrigued by his dedication to mysteries and helping strangers, he uses his magic to learn more about Edwin, forcing the young ghost to admit that the real reason he formed the Dead Boy Detectives; that he's doing as much good as he can so that eventually if he goes back to Hell, he can make his case for leniency. Moved by this vulnerability, he reassures Edwin that he never has to pretend with him, as he likes him for who he is. He goes on to reassure him that he needn't feel ashamed about his desire to help others since all people's actions are inherently selfish, even when being altruistic. Parting ways, he tells Edwin that he was way off on his count of cats and to be more vigilant.
Unbeknownst to Edwin, The Cat King observes him kissing Monty, recognising the latter to be Esther Finch's crow familiar in human form. Deciding what to do with this information, he would tell Edwin the next day, hoping that his help would be rewarded with affection. However, the furious ghost dismissed them both, angrily snapping that Thomas meant nothing to him other than a prison, he could not escape from.
After escaping an alternate dimension, Esther angrily confronts the Cat King for ruining her plans and revealing the truth about Monty. However, he has little care for her quest for vengeance as he is too busy mourning Edwin, who has been dragged to Hell. Growing increasingly impatient with the witch, he ordered her to leave, not realising that his words had sparked a new plan of revenge against the Dead Boys. Still wishing to make him suffer, she beats him to death with her cane. While his death was temporary, coming back in a new form, it cost him his third life. Esther warned him from further interference, promising that she would see to it that he is permanently dead, no matter how long it takes.
When Edwin and Charles are kidnapped by Finch, Niko and Crystal attempt to enlist him in their rescue party. However, he is unwilling to endanger himself, as he is not powerful enough to fight the witch. However, after some persuasion, he is willing to at least help provide enough background information on Esther that the two could use to fight her. He also suggested that they get some black salt, a known weapon against witches.
The Cat King appeared before Edwin one final time in an alleyway, where he gave him a flower, telling the ghost that it was for Niko, to honour her bravery and sacrifice in the fight. While Edwin declines his offer of a hug, he does thank him for helping his friends. He goes on to explain that the two are a lot alike; using similar methods to distract them from their loneliness. However, unlike Thomas, he is content, knowing that he has Charles and Crystal in his life. Edwin kisses him on the cheek, before beginning to walk away. As a final parting squabble, they playfully argue about the number of cats in Port Townsend, with him stating there are 146. But Edwin remarks that he forgot to include himself, making him smile. Thomas calls after him, saying that the ghost would miss him, much to Edwin's amusement.
Despair - Dead Boy Detectives: Season One
When Edwin Payne stumbled upon the Gray Realm, she took an instant shine on the young ghost, seeing him as a potential agent that she could use to cause others to feel regret, shame, and hopelessness. Sending him back to Hell to confront his killer, Despair told Payne that she would call for him when he was needed.
David's Host I - Dead Boy Detectives: Season One
Waking up in the American town of Port Townsend, he was scared and confused with no memories of any of the events up to and including his time under the fiend’s influence.
The Faerie King, Finale - Transcripts
Heather After: Oh, you know. There had to be some benefits to being the grandkid of a narcissistic wizard with delusions of grandeur.
Queen Nuala: See! You're not so tough after all! You creepy, nasty, awful, lying, sneaky, dishonest, power-hungry, untrustworthy, lurking, lying liars-- I could have been what I wanted to be. I could have been a good queen. But I trusted the wrong people.
Titania: It...it was all my fault. This civil war. I had grown so used to being obeyed, it made me cruel, I crushed those around me whom I should have uplifted.
Auberon: This isn't the end of Faerie. We can rebuild, my love.
Titania: Can we? Even in Faerie, such destruction cannot be fixed overnight. It takes time.
Queen Nuala: If you think you can just put things back the way they were, think again. I wasn't the only one who hated you. People may think I was a bad queen, but they thought you were terrible.
Heather After: Has it occurred to anybody that maybe monarchy itself is the problem? Like maybe this is a chance to organize yourselves differently?
Auberon: The sorceress would have us give the gnomes and harpies a vote!
Titania: How very droll!
Jophiel: You'll find no converts to anarchy here.
Heather After: I'm just trying to help!
Jophiel: Have you seen these people? They're beyond help. I'm worried about Ruin. Something's wrong.
Heather After: If the counsellors don't have him, who does?
Jophiel: No idea. I have a feeling he's not in Faerie anymore.
Heather After: You mean we lost him?!
Jophiel: You lost him. I'm the one who tried to keep you both from getting killed.
Heather After: We have to get out of here--
Auberon: What about your promise?
Heather After: I just trapped your mortal enemy in an unbreakable circle! I've more than fulfilled my promise! Anything else is stuff you need to work out amongst your damn selves!
----------------------------------------------------------------
New Jersey, Not Long After
Ruin: Todd!
Todd: Huh?! Ruin? Where did you come from?
Ruin: The Dreaming, where else?
Todd: Weren't you guys supposed to be fighting elves or something? Where's Heather?
Ruin: That's the thing. You've got to use that Faerie seed Heather gave you--bring them back now. She and Jophiel are in danger.
Todd: Danger? How? Why? What happened over there?
Ruin: We messed up. We were completely unprepared for how bad it had gotten in Faerie. And then I-- I--
Todd: What's wrong with you?
Ruin: I...hurt somebody. They were a bad person, but I hurt them, and I was so angry that I didn't care. And now I wonder if they were right. Brute and Glob. Matthew. All of them. Maybe I am evil. Maybe I can't be anything but evil, no matter how hard I try. What if this is all I have to give? What if all I have to offer the boy I saw is bad dreams?
Todd: I think you seem like a nice guy if it's any consolation.
Ruin: It's not enough. I can't be what I want. I can only be what I am. It's hopeless.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Ben: Useless. Why do I keep trying? Huh? ... Azar! What are you doing here at this hour?
Azar: I need a favour, Ben. I left my work locker keys at a patient's house.
Ben: You went to a patient's house? Why?
Azar: It was complicated okay? Can you come with me? A lot of weird shit happened last time I was there. I'd feel better with some support.
Ben: Sure, sure. Just let me grab my coat.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Jophiel: How do you know Todd will know when to get us out of here?
Heather After: I know because I cast synchronicity on him before we left!
Jophiel: You what?!
Heather After: I know, I know, you're not supposed to mess with cause and effect too much, or else you'll screw up the timeline. I--I did something else too.
Jophiel: Oh God, what now?
Heather After: You're gonna kill me, but if you can't put your finger on the scales in the name of love, what is the point --- I cast the same thing on Ruin. I just couldn't bear the idea of him never finding the man he loved. Sometimes you have to give destiny a little push, you know?
Jophiel: Can I tell you something?
Heather After: What?
Jophiel: So did I.
Heather After: What?!
----------------------------------------------------------------
Todd: Did I do this right?
Ruin: Dream knew.
Todd: I don't think I did this right.
Ruin: He knew I can't really love. He was trying to spare my feelings.
Todd: I just sort of threw the acorn thingy at the floor... Could you get that? I need to concentrate.
Ruin: I don't think I've ever seen you concentrate. And you don't have to do all that stuff with your hands! The seed does all the work for you! They're probably tumbling between worlds right---now...
----------------------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile
Heather After: I thought you said you hated Ruin! That he was the thing standing in the way of you getting back into heaven!
Jophiel: He was! But love is something sacred! So many people are never happy. I'm supposed to even the odds just a little in favour of happiness. That's my job. And if doing my job means I'll never get back home, then so be it.
Heather After: Huh?!
Jophiel: The choir. I can hear it. My siblings... calling me... I passed the test. I thought Ruin destroyed my chance of ever returning home. But he was the test itself.
Heather After: Wait! Stop! Will I ever see you again?!
Jophiel: I'm always there, Heather. Even when you can't see me. That's how it works. Farewell Heather After. Keep an eye on Ruin. You must have the courage to defend what you have brought forth. And watch your head.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Azar: And you guys just let the nightmare thing hang out in your house?
Todd: Sure. He's a good guy once you get past the snakes and the goo. I--
Heather After: Todd?
Todd: Heather! Oh my God! We were so worried! Did you fix the Faerie stuff?
Heather After: Sort of yeah. Have you seen Ruin? Has he been through here recently?
Todd: Well, it's weird you should ask...
Azar: I had to swing by to pick up my keys. I brought a friend with me. Ruin opened the door, and then it was like---
Todd: Like--
Azar: --- Like they knew each other somehow. Like love at first sight.
Heather After: You mean I missed it?! Where are they now?
Todd: Ruin took him to the Dreaming. To be alone.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Ben: It can't be. I'm making you up.
Ruin: Then don't stop. ...What am I saying. I shouldn't have brought you here. This is a mistake. A selfish one. You don't want anything to do with me. I'm something vile and evil. I've been trying to fight it, but--I see now what I really am.
Ben: I don't believe you. You're not evil. Not even close.
Ruin: You can't possibly know that. Look what happened when I was in your dream--I terrified you. I can remember your face. I turned you from the path you were meant to take.
Ben: I don't remember that part. I remember how frightened you were. I remember wanting to call out to you, to try to help, but then you were gone. It wasn't fear that made me leave the seminary. It was realizing. I wanted you more than I wanted that life. Don't leave again. Please.
Ruin: I'll try.
Dream: Ruin. I must speak with you.
Ruin: What do you want?
Dream: Don't make me say it in front of the boy.
Ruin: I haven't done anything wrong. We had an agreement.
Dream: Which has had unforeseen consequences. Allowing you to search for this boy has altered the fate of my own realm, and of Faerie, and of many mortal lives as well. I do not blame you for what has occurred, Ruin. For a creature without a heart, you have managed to follow yours most admirably. But that does not change the facts.
Ruin: I won't give him up.
Dream: I'm afraid you must. He must return to his own world, and you to yours.
Ben: Ruin? What's happening? What--
Ruin: No! Stop! Hnnggh!
----------------------------------------------------------------
Heather After: And then, they made me their queen.
Azar: Wait, really?
Heather After: No, not really. I tried to convince them to give up monarchy altogether. But-- huh?! --- Ruin?! Where are we going?
Todd: ... I hate it when he does that.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Heather After: Are you gonna tell me what's going on? Where are you taking me?
Ruin: Anywhere. Away.
Heather After: Okay, but why am I being kidnapped?
Ruin: Because you're the best wizard I've ever met. You have to help us. There must be a way to hide from him.
Heather After: Who?
Ruin: Dream, of course.
Heather After: So, the big guy has reneged on your deal. Interesting. I see the plot has thickened. And you're him, huh? The one so beautiful that a dream traded a chance to be with you for his own death? What's your name?
Ben: Benedict. Ben. Ruin's told me all about you.
Heather After: Nothing good, I hope. Okay, friends and neighbours. Stand back. This is liable to get messy.
Dream: You dare run from me? I who have been so patient, so merciful...
Heather After: That's close enough, Dream King. You made Ruin a promise.
Dream: Your loyalty to your friends is admirable, but this is absurd. You cannot possibly hope to best me.
Heather After: You have no idea what I--
Ben: Wait. Stop. I don't understand all of this, but I do know Ruin deserves another chance. He's convinced he's something dangerous and evil, that he's turned me from my path. But I made my own choices. I decided to leave that path before I even knew he was real. That's on me, not him.
Dream: You're very brave. And you're right. Ruin is not evil. He never was.
Ruin: I'm not?
Dream: No. You are a dream. You are terrifying, but in your terror lies a lesson--one from which the dreamer learns when they awake. They wake from you glad to be alive. You are not evil. You are necessary.
Heather After: Then why separate them? If Ruin hasn't really hurt anybody, why keep them apart?
Dream: Because there is no realm in which they can coexist without causing chaos. I will not go to war with the Unseelie or the Heavenly Host on Ruin's behalf.
Heather After: I just saw Jophiel get raptured or something for taking Ruin's side. You know what big-G God is like... They adore paradoxes. Heaven is going to be fine.
Dream: Nevertheless, the risk is too great. I know better than anyone what follows when a dream falls in love with a mortal being. Now get out of the way, or I will remove you myself.
Heather After: Sorry. Can’t.
Dream: What?
Heather After: I give you a coin I made from a stone. I give you a song I stole from the dirt. I give you a knife from under the hills.
Dream: What is this? How did you–
Heather After: And a feather I plucked from an angel’s wing. That last bit’s not an idle threat, either. I picked up this baby that last time Jophiel did his terrifying biblical thing.
Dream: How did you get that spell?
Heather After: My great-grandmother was more than just Burgess’s side piece. She was listening, and I listened to her. So here’s how it’s going to go: You’re going to let Ruin and Ben stay together, and I’ll never say the final stanzas of that spell.
Dream: You are making a mistake for which there is no forgiveness. Ruin will still be mortal. And your family and mine will once again be at war. It didn’t end well for you the last time.
Heather After: I’ll take that chance.
Dream: True love is rarely the happy ending of any story, Heather After. It’s tempting to believe, but the evidence of the centuries suggests otherwise.
Heather After: True. But that doesn’t mean we have permission to give up. In the end, this is all we have. Hope that this time, we’ve found something real. Something lasting. We have to protect it, come what may. Because this is what dreams are made of.
Win or Lose - Transcripts
Part One:
Red Hood: (I.M) Politicians talk a big game about “cleaning up Gotham.” But the people who need the most help are usually the ones everyone ignores. Gotham gave up on this neighbourhood a long time ago, making it the perfect target for scum like Black Mask to move in. Gotham doesn’t want to fight for its people? That’s fine. I got plenty of fight in me.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Red Hood: I don’t want you – I want Black Mask. But I’ll go through you to get to him if I have to. You don’t need both kneecaps, do you? Asking for a friend.
"Thespis": No, please! I’ll tell you everything!
Red Hood: (I.M) Finally a lead on Black Mask’s location. If this intel is good, I’ll finally have him.
Turner Hayes: Let go of me!
Red Hood: (I.M) Always more trouble in the Bowery.
----------------------------------------------------------------
David Franco: You should know better than to cross through our territory.
Red Hood: Funny. I was gonna say the same … You okay?
Turner Hayes: I had that!
Red Hood: Most people just say “thank you,” ya know?
Turner Hayes: Oh yeah? You gonna be here next time they try to jump me? Or my family? My friends? People like you have no idea what it’s like. You just save us when it’s convenient and forget about us when it’s not.
Red Hood: That anger you’re feeling? I’ve felt it, too. I was born three blocks from here. Never thought anyone was coming to save me either. I can tell you can take care of yourself. But if you ever get into a mess too big to get yourself out of, press that button and I’ll be there. Promise.
Turner Hayes: Yeah. We’ll see about that.
Oracle: *Over Radio* That can’t have been easy to hear. You okay?
Red Hood: Stop listening in on my conversations.
Oracle: *Over Radio* Hood. You okay?
Red Hood: I don’t know. He’s right to be mad. Hell, I’m mad. Batman’s vision of Gotham has always been flawed. Probably because he’s spent so much time above the city rather than in it. I’ve tried not to be like that. To show these people I’m one of them. That I’m here for them. But maybe I ended up like Batman anyway – too focused on the big fish to remember to look out for the little guy.
Oracle: *Over Radio* There’s no instruction manual for this life, Hood. There are just the choices we make. And sometimes choosing one thing means losing something else. You saved that boy tonight. And I know what he said hurts, but going after people like Black Mask is important. You’ve worked hard for this one and you deserve a win.
Red Hood: Then why does it feel like I just lost.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Part Two:
Red Hood: (I.M) Weeks of casework and half a dozen near misses, and I’ve got him. Black Mask, out in the open. There’ll be no escape this time.
Narrator: Roman Sionis, a.k.a, Black Mask. Gotham crime lord.
Red Hood: (I.M) An alert? A distress signal from the beacon I gave that kid. He’s in trouble. If I leave now, I can get there. But Black Mask will get away. Again.
Red Hood: Oracle! Sending you the coordinates for Black Mask. Make sure someone gets him.
Oracle: *Over Radio* Hood, you're right on top of him! Why aren't you--?
Red Hood: Something came up. Choices, remember? Well, this is my choice.
Oracle: *Over Radio* All right. I’ll do what I can. Good luck, Hood.
Red Hood: Thanks. Over and out.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Richard Sionis: Come out, come out wherever you are!
*Gunshots. Groaning of Sionis and Franco as they lie on the floor wounded but alive from the non-lethal rounds*
Turner Hayes: Huh?
Red Hood: You okay? Did they hurt you?
Turner Hayes: You … you actually came.
Red Hood: I keep my promises.
Turner Hayes: Thank you.
------------------------------------------------
Red Hood: Oracle? How'd it go?
Oracle: *Over Radio* We arrived too late to get Black Mask. Got a few of his lieutenants, though. It’s still a major blow to his operation. Sorry, we let you down, Hood. Did you get to the kid?
Red Hood: I did. And I’d do it all over again if I had to. We’ll get Black Mask another day. Maybe… maybe we can work together on it this time.
Oracle: *Over Radio* I’d like that. You’re a good man, Jason. I hope you know that.
Red Hood: Thanks, Oracle. That means a lot.
The Choices We Make - Transcripts
Part One:
Red Robin: Maintain your positions, everyone. If my intel is good, our target should be on the move. Remember, no one moves until I give the signal... What was that?! Report.
Spoiler: *Over Radio* Robin's blown cover. He's going after the target. I'm moving in to provide support.
Red Robin: Dammit. This wasn't supposed to go like this.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Red Robin: What was that back there? We had a plan, Damien.
Robin: I saw an opportunity to apprehend the leader of the trafficking ring. So I took it. You're welcome.
Red Robin: We didn't need to capture him. We needed to scare him. There was so much more we needed to learn about his operation.
Robin: I did my job, Drake. Do not blame me if you cannot do yours.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Tim Drake: I know Damian and I don't have the best relationship. But if we can't work together in the field, then we have a real problem. He's always questioning my plans and trying to undermine me. It just feels like he's constantly trying to prove he's better than me.
Stephanie Brown: You and Damien got off to a pretty rough start, right?
Tim Drake: We did. And if I'm being honest, I think I'm still holding on to old resentments. Batman needs a Robin. I chose to step in and fill that role after Jason was murdered. Maybe someone else could have done it better. I don't know. But I loved being Robin, with my whole heart. It meant everything to me. Damien's existence was a surprise to everyone. His arrival changed a lot of things around here. Especially for me. One day I was Robin and I had everything. The next … I had nothing. I've tried to move past all that. I want to move past all that. Damien and I have both changed a lot over the years. I don't want to keep fighting the same battles over and over again.
Stephanie Brown: I know this family isn't exactly known for talking things out. But I think you should reach out to Damien and tell him exactly that. Can't hurt to try right?
Tim Drake: With the number of knives Damien carries, it could definitely hurt.
Stephanie Brown: You could take him.
Tim Drake: But maybe you're right. Maybe it's time to talk things out.
Stephanie Brown: Atta boy
----------------------------------------------------------------
Part Two:
Robin: Hello?
Red Robin: Thanks for coming, Damian.
Robin: The theatrics are a bit much Drake, even for you.
Red Robin: I wanted to talk, just the two of us. This is a clean safe house. No bugs or cameras.
Robin: Why? What do you want to talk about?
Red Robin: I don't want to be enemies with you anymore. I just want to get along.
Robin: You consider us enemies?
Red Robin: Maybe not enemies, but it feels like every time we go on a mission together, you're constantly challenging me. I want to find a way for us to work together.
Robin: Is this about your op the other night? You should be thanking me for salvaging it.
Red Robin: You didn't salvage it! You completely ignored the objective. And it's not just this one time. It's every time and always with me. Look, I get it. You and I have a history of not getting along. I don't want to speak for you, but I know I've been holding on to some old resentments. But I don't want to keep doing that. So just tell me how we can move past this.
Robin: Tttt ... I thought you were supposed to be an amazing detective, Drake. Why don't you just figure it out?
Red Robin: At least I'm trying to fix this.
Robin: Of course, you are. The incredible Timothy Drake who can do no wrong. Who always knows exactly what to do. Who always has a perfect plan and perfect timing.
Red Robin: Are you … are you jealous of me?
Robin: And why would I not be? I can do everything you do, yet all I hear is how great you are. From father, from Grayson. Even Pennyworth.
Red Robin: But I don't understand. If you're going to be jealous of someone surely Dick would …
Robin: Grayson is great. Of course, he is. But he and Todd … they had nothing when father took them in. Brown was trying to regain her family's honour. Me? I was born a weapon. But you … you chose to be a hero. You did not have to. You could have been anything, but you chose this instead. Becoming Robin after you left me with an impossible legacy. How am I ever supposed to live up to it?
Red Robin: Damien … You know it's funny. One of my biggest insecurities has always been that Bruce chose every Robin except for me. Sometimes I feel like everything I ever did as a Robin was driven by the desire to prove that I was worthy. But I've realized that how we got here doesn't matter. It's the choices we make now that do. Every time you go out as Robin, you choose to be a hero. Same as me. Same as any of us. Take it from someone who spent a long time trying to live up to the legacy of the other Robins. You don't have to be the better version of them. You just have to be the best version of yourself. You don't have anything to be jealous of Damien. This family values you for your unique skills. I know I do.
Robin: I … thank you. And I am sorry for how I treated you. I should not have taken out my emotions on you. You were more than worthy of being Robin, Drake. Do not doubt that.
Red Robin: So are we good?
Robin: I suppose I can manage a truce.
Red Robin: I'd like that.
Robin: Me too.
What I Want - Transcripts
Part One
Robin: Mad Hatter cannot have gone far, he is in here somewhere. ... Split up?
Orphan: You go left. Be careful.
Robin: It is Hatter. Relax. He will be in cuffs in no time.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Orphan: (IM) My gut has saved me more times than I can count. And right now... ...my gut is telling me that something isn't right. He's up to something. If I act fast, maybe I can stop it ... His eyes! Wait!
Mad Hatter: I heard a little rumour, though I think it can't be true. They say there's not a single man alive who can touch you. But now here's the fun part; I'll even give a clue: Only fools need fists in order to subdue! Somehow you strayed and lost your way, and now there'll be no time to play, no time for joy, no time for friends-- --not even time to make amends.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Robin: Orphan! What are you doing? Get up!
Mad Hatter: Ah, ah, ah-- --my hypnosis tech is king here, my dear. Oh, the whispers I've heard about her, they've made my mind whirl. The whispers of the weapon who thought it was a girl. A weapon whose every breath ... screams death. And now the final thing that needs to be said... Off with his head!
Robin: He is using you! Snap out of it! OOOF!
Mad Hatter: Does it make you feel sickly that her mind fell so quickly? Imagine my delight --- all those stories calling her the perfect little weapon were right!
Robin: You are not a weapon! You are so much more than that. You are family. You are my family. Wake up!
----------------------------------------------------------------
Part Two
Robin: Wake up!
====================================
Orphan: (IM) My father trained me to obey. No one ever asked what I wanted. Because weapons don't want things.
David Cain: Take it. Take the blade. *Cass looks from the blade to her victim* Stop holding back. *her hand trembles. She closes her eyes. Seeing her refrain, David snaps forward killing their wounded target* You hesitated, never do that again. Don't make me repeat myself. You are a weapon. Weapons don't think. They just kill. *he turns his back on the corpse and begins walking away* Come.
====================================
Orphan: (IM) Then she came along. Barbara. And they followed; Steph, Tim, Dick. They gave me something I'd never had before: A choice. Even now, even facing a battle he can't win--facing me-- --Damian doesn't see the weapon Tetch has made me. He sees the person. He sees me. A weapon doesn't want things, but I do. A weapon doesn't choose things, but I do. The voice in my head tells me to surrender. But I choose to fight. The voice in my head tells me to hate. But I choose hope. The voice in my head tells me to kill. But I choose life!
Mad Hatter: (IH) Surrender. To me. Surrender to me. Surrender. Hate. Hate. Hate. Kill for me!!!
Orphan: (IM) I ... choose ... life...
----------------------------------------------------------------
Robin: Welcome back.
Mad Hatter: What? No! Kill the brat! I want you to swat him like a gnat!
Orphan: ... No.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Orphan: Sorry.
Robin: You have nothing to apologize for. Besides, I could have beaten you. ... I could have.
Orphan: Sure.
Robin: Proud of you.
Orphan: Thanks. I'm proud of me, too.
Wonderful - Transcripts
Bruce Wayne: Thanks for coming all the way to Gotham.
Diana Prince: Of course! This mission is important, and I want to make certain our covers are airtight.
Narration: Diana Prince. A.K.A. Wonder Woman. Need we say more?
Bruce Wayne: Have you given any thought to--
Alfred: Mrrow?
Diana Prince: Who's this fine fellow?
Bruce Wayne: Alfred the cat. He's Damian's.
Diana Prince: Just as handsome as your namesake.
Bruce Wayne: I'll tell Alfred you said so. As for our covers, I was thinking-- *barking from the atrium*
Diana Prince: You have dogs?
Bruce Wayne: Let's go meet them.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Diana Prince: Hello, darlings! Aren't you just the best boys?
Bruce Wayne: This is Ace and Titus. They are very good boys. Well, that's most of Damian's menagerie. Should we get back to--?
Diana Prince: Most?
Bruce Wayne: There's just the Bat-Cow. But we don't need to... Alright. A quick trip to the barn.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Diana Prince: Perfection. Sublime perfection. That's what you are, my dear.
Damian Wayne: I could not agree more.
Bruce Wayne: Damian. Excellent. Do you mind taking charge here? Diana and I need to get back to work.
Damian Wayne: She should at least meet Goliath.
Diana Prince: Goliath?
Damian Wayne: My dragon bat.
Narration: Goliath: Damian's dragon bat.
Diana Prince: Huh? ... Oooh ... Will he come say hi?
Damian Wayne: Go say hello, Goliath.
Diana Prince: Eeeeee!!!!
Damian Wayne: Sorry, father. Was there something you were asking me?
Bruce Wayne: It's fine. We can afford to take a short break.
Jim Harper I - Young Justice
The civilian identity of Guardian, Jim Harper, was a celebrated hero in America during the First World War. He was survived by his great-grandson Roy Harper, who would follow in his footsteps and become a costumed hero, Arsenal (nee Speedy).
A genetic clone of Harper's, created by Project Cadmus and The Light, would go on to take the name James 'Jim' Harper, believing he was also the great-grandson of the original Jim. He took up the mantle of Guardian II to honour his "ancestor."
Guardian I - Young Justice
The alter-ego of Jim Harper, Guardian was a hero operating during the late 1930s/40s, the Golden Age of Heroes.
When Project Cadmus used the DNA of his great-grandson to create several clones of the hero, one of them was named Jim Harper. Believing he was also the great-grandson of his namesake, he took up the mantle of the second Guardian, honouring the "family" legacy.
Kit Freeman - Young Justice
One of Billy Batson's best friends, Kit Freeman (bn. 2000) went to high school together. He also got on well with Freddy Freeman and Mary Bromfield.
Shelby Kahn - Dead Boy Detectives: Season One
A former student at North Port Townsend, Shelby Eileen Kahn was on track to compete for America in the Olympics in track events, with scholarships and sponsors supporting her endeavours. Her dedication to her pursuit greatly annoyed her boyfriend, Brad, who said her diet and training schedule made her boring, leading the jock to spike her with GHB to make her "loosen up."
After failing her drug test, Shelby's life spiralled, with every one of her support networks disappearing. Brad dumped her, calling her boring and forced her to leave the school.
As Brad was the school's golden boy he very quickly destroyed her reputation, telling everyone that she was a "psycho-stalker ex" who could not see him be happy with his new girlfriend, Maren.
Broken and alone, she took her own life, which she later regretted.
Edwin Payne would call upon her Spirit during their case to investigate Brad and his best friend Hunter's death. Her testimony would corroborate the stories that the two jocks were vile thugs who enjoyed breaking people for the fun of it, without any remorse or compassion for those they hurt.
The Spirit of Shelby Kahn - Dead Boy Detectives: Season One
Revived by Edwin Payne, Shelby was reluctant at first to talk about her ex-boyfriend Brad, whose abusive and destructive behaviour led to her eventually taking her own life. The trauma she had experienced at his hand continued to deeply affect her in death, giving her spirit the ability to fly and emit a super-sonic cry, like the banshees of Irish folklore whenever she felt intense emotions of anger, pain and vulnerability.
Revealing everything she knew about the case, which was nothing more than revealing the true character of Brad and Hunter, she concluded that while she did not have any part in their deaths, she could not help but feel relieved in the knowledge that they would not be able to harm anyone else.
Ritchie - Dead Boy Detectives: Season One
Known also as "Twitchie Ritchie", Ritchie was a porn-obsessed student at North Port Townsend who worked on the school's yearbooks. He was constantly bullied by the Dragons, Brad and Hunter, who had got him hooked on Adderall and cannabis cut with an additional substance. They humiliated and mocked him, making him do degrading things for his fix. He came to loathe them and, when they were accidentally killed by Brad's girlfriend Maren, was more than happy to help dispose of their bodies. Wishing to keep Maren safe, Ritchie agreed to be the fall guy should their deaths be deemed suspicious, believing that she was yet another victim of the pair.
For a while, the deaths were treated as accidents and he returned to his work. However, once Crystal Palace and the Dead Boy Detectives began investigating their deaths, things began to unravel. Sticking the original plan, he would act as the prime suspect, making deliberately incriminating and homophobic slurs about the pair to throw them off Maren's trail. His interrogation would lead the trio to investigate the suicide of Shelby Kahn, discovering their client's cruel and criminal behaviour.
Realising that they were in trouble, Ritchie called Maren to warn her, with the latter planning to silence Crystal.
Ritchie was arrested after Maren turned herself in to police custody, unable to go through with the lie any longer and not willing to take an innocent life.
Maren - Dead Boy Detectives: Season One
A student at North Port Townsend, Maren was the girlfriend of Brad and one of his many, many victims.
After he shared sexually explicit photos of her with Hunter, photos that were meant to be just for him, she tried to take their phones so she could delete the pictures before he sent them to the rest of the American Football team. Figuring it would be impossible to do it while they were conscious, she spiked his and Hunter's beer with nail polish to knock them out. However, they ended up dying in her bedroom.
Terrified and desperate, she called another one of Brad and Hunter's victims, Ritchie, to help her dispose of their bodies. Dragging them out to the Dragon's Den, they made it look like they had died from alcohol poisoning.
Guilt-ridden over the ordeal, Maren went on with her life, where she pretended to be his distraught girlfriend. In an agreement with Ritchie, should it be necessary, she would point suspicion towards him, as he had a motive to kill the pair. Though this was not necessary and their deaths were ruled as accidental.
However, this act would be uncovered by Crystal Palace and the Dead Boy Detectives, who were investigating the murder of The Two Dead Dragons for the spirits of both Brad and Hunter.
After she failed to kill Crystal, she tearfully apologised to her would-be victim and turned herself in to the police, telling them everything.
The Dragon - Dead Boy Detectives: Season One
A student and official school mascot for the North Port Townsend Dragons, he helped point Crystal Palace in the direction of a key suspect in the Case of the Two Dead Dragons, "Twitchy Ritchie."
While he wished to remain anonymous and discreet, he stood out like a sore thumb, dressed as - as Edwin would describe him - "a fuzzy lizard."
Charles Rowland's Mother - Dead Boy Detectives: Season One
The mother of Charles Rowland, she and her son were often beaten and abused by her husband.
After her son died in 1990, they would remain together in their marriage. Charles' spirit would check in on her once a week to see if she was alright, and to his relief, his father seemed to have stopped his violence.
Charles Rowland's Father - Dead Boy Detectives: Season One
Charles Rowland's father was a violent and abusive man who would often destroy personal objects when he was angry. If that didn't work, he would beat his wife and son. Charles always tried his best to please his father, but nothing he did was ever good enough.
After Charles passed away in 1990, his spirit would check in on both his mother and father to ensure that he wasn't hurting her. Because he was unable to properly process the pain and trauma that his dad had inflicted on him, Charles had intense anger which he concealed behind his cheerful and upbeat demeanor. He refused to discuss it with Edwin. During the Devlin Case, his trauma caused him to get temporarily stuck in a Stone Tape Loop when he attempted to disarm Brandon Devlin, only to be cut down with an axe.
With the support of Crystal Palace, Niko Sasaki, and Edwin Payne, Charles began to speak more about his abuse, which helped him make peace and accept that he was never the problem in the relationship with his father.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)