Jenny and Ted discuss Agitation 3.3.

Episode Notes:

• Poor Undersiders, thinking they matter to their boss
• We're so entertained by Lisa
• Lisa's power works like Minesweeper. Trust us, that makes sense.
• We're pretty sure Lisa can't read minds or tell the future! Taylor might be safe!
• Jenny can't resist more theories about Emma
• Could Taylor have just escaped her bullies by joining the Wards? In writing these notes, Ted realizes it would be bad OpSec to transfer her and it might not have worked like we suggest in the episode!
• By heist movie rules, this job is going to go super well
• The Wards have SUCH cool powers
• Could Taylor control someone's gut microbiome?
• Would you want people to know it if you could shoot them with emotion beams? Why or why not? Discuss.
• Shadowstalker and a potential path forward for Taylor

Links:

• https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-3-agitation/3-03/
• https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow

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