March 13th, 2018
13 Mar 2018 · page 779 of 1306
Good enough.
Cast: Benjamin Thackerey, Heinrich Wolfe, Lei Feng, Sidney Malik, Verity Cunningham
Comments (68)
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Very flirty, there, Ver.
"Whoops, she seems to have picked the lock on those cuffs! Who would have thought a lock-picking thief would do that?"
I know! It's just so totally out of character! xD
Ben, don't you think it's a little late to care about strict law-abiding when all of your company (you included) let a wanted criminal go, hmm?
Which criminal is that?
Voss, I think.
Yeah, I meant him. :)
I don't say they were wrong doing that, just point out the precedent. :)
I don't think Voss is wanted by the law.
By the end of Green-Eyed Monster, Nicola was more concerned about saving Florrie than arresting anyone, and after Wolfe let Voss go (without Ben or O'Malley knowing he was going to do that) right before she showed up, he told Nicola that Voss gave him information that he needed to tell her. Whatever charges Nicola had in mind for Voss were probably dropped at that point.
Well, even if Voss isn't formally wanted by the law (though I don't really think so), I suppose it doesn't change the situation in moral sense. I mean, it is possible that Fairbairn wasn't wanted by the law because they thought she was dead, but our heroes "arrested" her nevertheless.
Voss is not a wanted criminal in Curtain Call, and whatever moral crimes he committed had been forgiven by Wolfe (not Ben, who you called out here) for first betraying Envy and then providing vital information about what the Deadlies were doing. When they came across Voss in Curtain Call, he wasn't committing any new crime, and was actually steeling himself to fight Envy himself.
Lei is an escaped convict who still has time to serve on her punishment for her crime, who just committed two new crimes before helping our heroes. She wasn't working for Greed or under duress; she was working for herself.
(And Fairbairn most likely has outstanding warrants out for her arrest, especially since Nicola wasn't happy that there wasn't a body found. In fact, Verity handcuffed her for the bounty that's outstanding on her.)
I see the situation in this way. Voss is a criminal. He committed quite a bunch of crimes. He isn't formally acquitted or forgiven for them, and personal attitude of any person (Wolfe or Captain Barber, for that matter) doesn't change Voss' status at all.
No private person or police officer can forgive criminals for crimes committed against others. But a private person, unlike a police officer, can let non-arrested criminal go, what Wolfe did in the ch. 5. (It is right or wrong in moral sense, it is another question.)
I understand the difference between Voss' and Lei's situations, but, in my view of things, there is a parallel between them for Ben to recall. :)
Voss's status is determined by the police. They enforce the law. If they do not put out an warrant for Voss's arrest, then he is not a wanted criminal. He is a person they'll probably keep an eye on, but if they're not going bring charges against him, then he simply a private citizen. Regardless of your own feelings of what Voss did before betraying Envy and trying to come clean, he has been given a clean slate by the authorities. Yes, police can decide not to press charges, which is what Nicola did. And with no bounty on him, Verity can't "arrest" him (they don't have that authority--which is why they're going to let the police pick up McCavity and Lei).
Lei is a convicted criminal who, upon escaping, jumped at a chance to rob a bank, conspiring with McCavity. She didn't attempt to go straight. She didn't like what McCavity threatened to do to Sid, and then was horrified by Greed, but her actions in this story are different from Voss's in this story. As soon as she got her freedom, she committed another crime of her own free will. Voss, for his own part, wanted to take down Envy, which is the opposite of criminal.
Their actions are different. Thus, the result is different.
And you completely missed on my one of main points: At the end of Green-Eyed Monster, Ben did not let Voss go; Wolfe did. And he, like Mal and especially Nicola, wasn't happy that Wolfe did that. You cannot judge Ben for a change of attitude.
"Police can decide not to press charges" -- because she was conveniently distracted by Wolfe and Florrie. I feel like she was in the mood to press charges otherwise...
Well, we certainly read the finale of "Green-Eyed Monster" in very different ways. :) I didn't see there Nicola who "decided not to press charges", only Nicola who realised that she couldn't arrest Voss now and they had more urgent business, so she postponed that point for a while. I strongly believe that if Nicola had met Voss in the time between ch. 5 and ch. 7, she would have arrested him. (I can mistake in that, certainly, but it is my take on the situation.)
And I didn't see Mal and Ben unhappy with Wolfe's decision. In fact, I suspect Mal did know this was going to happen when he and Ben left Wolfe for his talk with Voss. It's harder to say about Ben, but at least we don't hear him saying something against that, nor there neither at his next meeting with Voss.
We both are entitled to our own interpretations, I guess. :)
> Yes, police can decide not to press charges, which is what Nicola did.
Really? One policeperson can decide, by their own will, not to press charges against a man committed a felony? (Nicola knew for sure that Voss was an accomplice to an attempted mass murder.)
I amn't a citizen of Victorian England or nowadays England, for that matter, but this notion seems a little strange to me. I thought, deals like "immunity from prosecution for giving useful information/helping the law" are the matter of lawyers and judges, not of the police.
> And with no bounty on him, Verity can't "arrest" him (they don't have that authority--which is why they're going to let the police pick up McCavity and Lei).
Well, Verity detained Lei in the finale of ch 3 and (it seems) went with her to the policemen. If it isn't an arrest, then something close to that.
God never gave her a chance. Won’t you?
Huh? Lei is gifted with a keen mind and a strong will. What she did with it is her own doing.
Whispers: It's a quotation...
:)
Never heard it. What's the source?
Edward Marshall Hall. He was a lawyer who, in the early 20th century, was known as "the Great Defender". That quote came from his closing argument in the trial of Marie Hermann, who was charged with murdering a 70-ish year old client, which he managed to get reduced to manslaughter.
[https://books.google.ru/boo...](https://books.google.ru/books?id=W9Y6AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA162&lpg=PA162&dq=God+never+gave+her+a+chance.+Won’t+you?&source=bl&ots=azqOADZu0W&sig=vr7WrLjXQrZGePvOrXlNTDcv5Ow&hl=ru&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjW0cHE_-nZAhWGBSwKHc6iBkkQ6AEwAnoECAYQAQ#v=onepage&q=God%20never%20gave%20her%20a%20chance.%20Won’t%20you%3F&f=false "https://books.google.ru/books?id=W9Y6AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA162&lpg=PA162&dq=God+never+gave+her+a+chance.+Won’t+you?&source=bl&ots=azqOADZu0W&sig=vr7WrLjXQrZGePvOrXlNTDcv5Ow&hl=ru&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjW0cHE_-nZAhWGBSwKHc6iBkkQ6AEwAnoECAYQAQ#v=onepage&q=God%20never%20gave%20her%20a%20chance.%20Won’t%20you%3F&f=false")
Also [https://archiveofourown.org...](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3631698 "https://archiveofourown.org/works/3631698")
and watch this for a dramatisation of the original speech
[https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnuf8C7sloY "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnuf8C7sloY")
No Lei Feng in the characters list?
guh, i am bad at tagging these sometimes. fixed!
Seems perfectly in-character though that she'd slip away :P
Hey, there were people calling for blood at the prison, people chopping people up at the cinema, it's a chaotic day. I think some attempted robbery segueing into helping to catch the notorious thiefking could be overlooked... maybe even rewarded! Depending on what the dashing heroes say to the authorities afterwards, of course.
Wait, cinema?
Me-me means the theater where Envy was having its little show. Cinema refers specifically to a movie theater or film theater and Envy was using a stage theater, but that's an understandable mistake to make particularly if English is not Me-me's first language.
I can understand your confusion though. The first true movie in the real world was filmed in 1894 and the current story is set in 1836, so we are a little early for a cinema. Of course, some of the early experiments that led to movies were already underway by 1836. On the other hand, I think that Envy would not have found a cinema nearly as useful as it found the theater.
Once Lei is released, she might have a job with Vee. They share a love of technology and a certain irreverent attitude. It could work! ;)
I was just thinking Vee might suggest a work release program for Lei to the warden.
Lei's smile in the last panel reminds me of Leo Blum's last speech at the trial in Producers (1968).
:)
(Offtop:
I have special memories associated with this movie.
It was broadcast on Soviet television on the night of 18 to 19 August 1991. I remember well how "anima mea levavi" was after it, after Leo's speech when he thanked Max for "all he had done for me". For a cursory glance, Max made him go to the prison... But actually - and essentially - he made him a free man! He gave him an inner freedom, liberated his mind!
:)
And... The next morning the TV news reported that Gorbachev can't work "for health reasons".
It was an attempted coup d'état, the Putch ГКЧП. (That's why I remember the date of the Producers so well. And I remember also the feeling: we just learned to breathe freely, we just tried a first breath of fresh air - and to suffocate again?! Not to be this ever! Never ever!)
A propos, Leo Blum is practically Ben Thackerey :)
"We just learned to breathe dibenzoxazepine, we just tried a first breath of sulfur mustard - and to use gas masks and air conditioning again?! Not to be this ever! Never ever!"
...why, yes - you're not the only one who remembers that everpopular notion. And the ilk of creatures who tend to proselytize it everywhere regardless of truth they always oppose.
Judging by your comment you are a Russian, so let me answer in our language to not bring a flame in the comment section here.
Вы верно заметили насчёт того ОЩУЩЕНИЯ "никогда и ни за что!", которое охватило тогда всех нормальных, политически не стукнутых людей.
Они почувствовали, что у них отнимают только что обретённое право думать и чувствовать не по указке.
Я ни слова не сказала о том, что мне хоть на грамм нравится ныне существующая ситуация в моей стране - она реально тошнотворна!
Но теперь я - и мой сын - имеем право и думать, и говорить - и думаем и говорим - что хотим, не высматривая в каждой компании стукачей! Мы имеем самый широкий доступ ко всемирной информации и можем сами судить и делать выводы, не талдыча: "Не читал, но осуждаю"!
И это я ни за что не променяю на то, что было до 1985 года.
Омерзительные политики приходят и уходят - причём не куда-то, а в ад, по моим убеждениям. А страна остаётся. И менталитет живущих в ней людей понемногу начинает меняться.
Спасибо, что дали мне возможность выразить свою точку зрения.
Разумеется, вы мне что-то ответите. Но я ухожу из дискуссии, чтобы не раздувать флейм.
И призываю всех, присутствующих здесь русскоговорящих и русскочитающих также не продолжать этот разговор.
I beg pardon for having started it and now I'm withdrawing from it.
I fully admit to no knowledge of what is occurring here but whatever it is, I support the notion of not starting an argument about it in here, thanks!
Very classy! I don't speak Russian, but I like what you did in English. Thanks!
Magpie has disappeared? Looks like he can still go invisible. Love Sid's naivete, and Lei's acceptance.
Wait...why can Wolfe see the bird now? I know it’s fully summoned but o thought you still had to be in a circle?
Summoned spirits are normally visible. Malforms aren't, and active summoning circles block visibility.
I wonder if the magpie will look different to Mal when they meet up again. Can he see the difference between malforms that only he can see and full summons that are visible to everyone?
A full summons (I think) would be like a real person. A real person has an aura. A full summons is an aura, which will manifest as brighter, more saturated colors in the vision he has of auras.
"Your Lordship, my client was at the epicenter of at least two Deadly Sins. The record clearly shows that she did not engage in the Wrath-induced riot, and that she acted under duress during the Greed-induced bank robbery -- which she immediately helped foil, at the first opportunity. How many of Her Majesty's subjects have been given amnesty for their actions during the recent unpleasantness? And for deeds much more unfortunate than Miss Feng's?
"This is England, not some benighted foreign land where the law is the whim of capricious despots, and untempered by either mercy or good, British common sense. Must we punish further a woman who resisted temptation and materially assisted in the restoration of the rule of law, 'criminal' or no? If the purpose of incarceration is to punish, then I would argue that Miss Feng has earned clemency for her past crimes by her current actions; if it is to rehabilitate, then I dare to suggest that the rehabilitation, in this one case, succeeded."
Nicely done
On the other hand.... She tried to blow up the Anchor, summoned Pride, nearly killed the Queen and a crowd of her admirers, and she's about to pick the locks on those handcuffs.
Well, every point besides the first and the last ones was accidental, but she tried to kill Harry, intentionally. It's nice to see Verity doesn't hold a grudge for that against her. :)
To be fair, Harry doesn't seem to be too bothered by that if the Q & A is anything to go by.
Verity probably only resents the fact that Lei almost took away the opportunity. On the other hand, Lei did fail to kill Harry, so Vee still has a chance.
They probably balance each other out.
Ah, but she's already been sentenced for those crimes (except for the last one). The question is, does the Crown want to punish further a criminal who acted better than any number of sober citizens during the Widdershins Crisis? ...Actually, the real question is: does the Crown really want to keep such a talented artificer locked up when she's just demonstrated that she's now ready to work well with others? Lei Feng does have a fairly useful skill set, after all.
"I was expecting this case to go on longer"
"Good heavens, do you have any idea how many cases we have to address later on today? We simply do not have the time. To which I say: NEXT"
Do I see the start of a new team?
I wonder if the Magpie went poof in panel 3 because Sid's mood took a sudden nosedive at the reminder that Lei was still a criminal. Maybe it's most active when he's happy (which is quite a lot of the time).
Vee put handcuffs on Ms. Fairbairn earlier as well ( [https://www.widdershinscomi...](https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/december-5th-2017/ "https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/december-5th-2017/") ), so evidently she carries more than one set. Somehow I'm not surprised!
She may be a villain, but she's an impressive villain.
I think I see another opening for Lust here.
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who caught a flirty aspect to Vee's compliment.
The facial expression in panel 5 are just...the best. Absolutely the best. :D
Makes me wonder how many times those two have had similar conversations.
I'm delighted by Lei's opening line, here. in panel 1.
It took me a while, but yes. It could be that she was planning all along to lock him in the safe when she got a chance.
Now kiss.
Vee looks like she might be considering it in panels 4 and 6. I have no idea if Lei would be receptive to it though.
I note that while Ben disapproves of the tone of Vee's comment in panel 4, she does already have the handcuffs out in that panel. So I do not think she was considering letting Lei go.
Ben's glare is great here. "Vee, don't. Just...no."
"Ugh, fine. Still gonna flirt thought."
I'm trying out a new brush :)
<.< I ship it...
Love the expressions on Vee's face!
Well, I know who I'm shipping now! :D
Hello :)
Good news for everyone!
First one - Heylir has posted at AO3 "The kingdom of this world" - her own English version of her fanfic "Земное царство":
English version: [https://archiveofourown.org...](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13973307 "https://archiveofourown.org/works/13973307")
(Original: https://archiveofourown.org... "https://archiveofourown.org/works/11712495)")
And another one - she has posted a new fanfic (in Russian) - "Скрипка" (The Violin) - [https://archiveofourown.org...](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13975107 "https://archiveofourown.org/works/13975107")
Whenever you're talking with a couple of any sort, ask them "how did you two meet?"
9 times out of 10, the story will be interesting.
Why do I mention couples meeting? No reason. ^_^
Do I detect a future Partner for Verity? I think they'd do very nicely for each other if such is the case, Maybe convince Whiddershin's Jail to let her out on Parole? Maybe Please? hopeful Puppy eyes
Impressive...most impressive