Inchworm

Jenny and Ted discuss Agitation 3.2.

Episode Notes:

• Putting this chapter through its pacing
• Sharing Wildbow’s thoughts on writing early Worm
• Worm’s medium can break both genres and writer’s block
• Taylor’s gangdar
• The heroes are allies of capitalism
• Brian porn
• We're excited for how Wildbow writes fights, especially when there are skill mismatches
• Brian just wants to teach (people to fight)!
• Alec, you're the dork
• Jenny's willing to lose at least two of the Undersiders at this point
• Everyone thinks the boss thing is weird! It's not just us!
• What if Lisa's just really good at seeing the future and is pretending she can't?
• Taylor's cognitive dissonance mirrors our own
• What if Taylor's dad is at the bank and it all gets very angsty??
• Names!

Links:

• https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-3-agitation/3-02/
• https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Agitation 3.1.

Episode Notes:

• Crabs? Crabs???
• Taylor's quitting school… and Jenny’s opinion on that was a huge surprise to Ted
• General Sophia’s victory
• The Undersiders are so good at gang recruitment. Better than the ABB!
• Brockton Bay is a real mess. Taylor should revitalize it as a seafood hub
• Taylor's out there wooing Brian with her punctuality
• We're so into this crush and all of Taylor's decisions which will definitely not come crashing down around her ears
• We probably like Brian. Mostly
• Wildbow is good at writing teen characters with teen-type flaws
• What Taylor sees as ugliness
• Are worms and crabs bugs? WHO CAN SAY
• Predictions about Danny and the bullies, and cape names

Links:

• https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-3-agitation/3-01/
• https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Insinuation 2.x.

Episode Notes:

• The interlude formula is character work mixed with exposition
• Why doesn’t Superman have bugs all over his face?
• Practice makes her appear perfect
• Think of the Brockton Bay Public Works budget, Glory Girl!!
• Glory Girl is a loaded gun with a hair trigger… but at least she’s crushing Nazi bones!
• Ted coins the phrase “cow down”
• Does the girl make the aura or the aura make the girl?
• Is it worse to compare Victoria to Donald Trump or to Emma?
• Victoria asks for a favor Amy can’t refuse
• A strong counterexample to the gendered powers theory
• Victoria watched too much 24
• New Wave, new theories
• Finally, extensive details about crime and crime lords in Brockton Bay
• We're already seeing the ripple effects of Taylor's actions
• Okay, maybe Armsmaster had a point
• What would we do with the burden of Amy's power?
• Does Amy first do no harm?
• The dicks-destroyed-to-arcs ratio is surprisingly high
• Does Amy want to be good or just better than her sister?
• Victoria as deconstruction/reconstruction
• Jenny can't stop thinking about Emma
• We're hoping Taylor has to face off against the New Wave, but we're not liking her chances
• Who would win in a fight: Glory Girl or Lung?

Links:

• https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-2-insinuation/2-x-interlude/
• https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Insinuation 2.9.

Episode Notes:

• A narratively advisable detente
• Maybe Rachel is only 67% likely to betray you
• Is violence good sometimes?
• Taylor’s power also involves training
• What’s behind Brian’s smile?
• Regent and Lisa explain his power
• Bug’s relationship to pills
• Danny could be an asset to Taylor
• The insinuation is going both ways, Taylor!!!
• A second gun has entered the chat
• This arc, Taylor is a lying liar who lies
• The reasons people lie about powers
• It’s been… checks notes… 17 hours since chapter 3??? And she’s won two fights???
• Taking a step back, these first two arcs are totally copacetic
• Briefly, some factors that might go into whether Wildbow wants to revisit Worm
• Predictions that include a boss-hero conspiracy!!
• Next interlude: Grace Lands?
• The name game

Links:

• https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-2-insinuation/2-09/
• https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Insinuation 2.8.

Episode Notes:

• Wildbow calls our bluff on a scary cliffhanger
• Taylor has hidden depths of protagging
• Is Rachel just Mean Rachel from Animorphs, with a totally different sense of style?
• Rachel's sibling rivalry feelings are justified
• We're so satisfied at seeing Taylor take her finger off the off-switch of her power
• Taylor seems to be better at tactics than strategy
• Positive echoes of Brandon Sanderson and Naomi Novik
• Taylor finally gets her boy fight
• Brian: manipulative schemer or kind of okay?
• The Undersiders' dysfunction has excellent pacing
• Can't catch bug girl off guard with some measly darkness!
• To Taylor, Rachel is always Bitch
• These are Very Good Dogs (and Rachel is a very good dog trainer)
• We predict: a missing body part and a heist

Links:

• https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-2-insinuation/2-08/
• https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Insinuation 2.7.

Episode Notes:

• The loft feels like (narrative) home
• Brian’s conscientiousness
• Is Lisa’s power finding “known unknowns”?
• Being undercover when dealing with Lisa
• Quick poll: would you recognize a TiVo?
• Supervillainy as a teen job
• The undersides are pretty non-hierarchical?
• Puppet theory
• Taylor gets the friend group she is so desperate to have
• Seeing the good in the bad part of town
• Conflicting needs for community and purpose
• Password Corner
• Predictions

Links:

• https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-2-insinuation/2-07/
• https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Insinuation 2.6.

Episode Notes:

• Taylor rushes in
• Bug scouts
• She’s got mail
• Jenny accuses all Lisas and Brians of being old
• What Lisa sees in Taylor
• Smart Alec
• Tall Brian
• The Undersiders’ ethos is disarming but their boss is intriguing
• Other teams and capes
• Is Taylor funny?
• This is an easy choice for Taylor
• Dick Corner 2 (ft. Consequences)
• Friends-casting the Undersiders
• Predictions and names

Links:

• https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-2-insinuation/2-06/
• https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Insinuation 2.5.

Episode Notes:

• Smashing a button that says “JENNY WAS RIGHT”
• A Tale of Two Taylors
• Theories about red jacket lady and Arcadia High
• We love Tattletale’s tattle-tude
• Who’s the leader of the teen villain crew?
• Extensive predictions about how the “insinuation” will play out
• How Taylor’s intellect supports her emotional needs
• Names

Links:

• https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-2-insinuation/2-05/
• https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Insinuation 2.4.

Episode Notes:

• Power ranking the trio of bullies
• Why is Emma the worst, and is it because she has a power?
• The wily narrative and how it made us grieve Taylor's mom
• Rethinking Danny’s anger
• The G in Mr. G stands for Gutless
• Taylor's analytical mind
• The gender dynamics of battle
• The cape in “escape”
• Predictions

Links:

• https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-2-insinuation/2-04/
• https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

Jenny and Ted discuss Insinuation 2.3.

Episode Notes:

• Taylor’s power is acting up again
• Calculating bug density
• Teenagers are so trapped
• Mr Gladly’s hollow offer
• Taking credit from Taylor
• Greg Corner (ft. Sparky)
• Madison sucks at everything including bullying
• How have capes influenced society?
• Predictions

Links:

• https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-2-insinuation/2-03/
• https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow