Iceman wrote:I don't get why Gotoh (and others) is so fixed on Ace being possessed. There is as of yet nothing that really supports that theory.
There's no definite proof, of course, but if you really consider the exact words and actions* of "Ace" in this update you would find out that they don't "fit" his personality AT ALL, but instead they fit both Blair's personality and his "role" (as a guardian of whatever bad is inside Nina) to a T. It's dead certain to me (If I were a gambling man, I would honestly bet a lot on that being the case).
*to reiterate, here are those words and action (in order of importance as clues):
- Ace would NEVER just try to "steal a kiss" like that (he wasn't that confident in himself even with Tia's boost), especially while such a serious situation is going on. Blair on the other hand would both NOT miss such a chance, and he proved how easily distracted by the "sexy" he is just a few pages ago.
- The phrase "now I have to TRACK her down and CLEAN UP YOUR MESS" doesn't fit Ace either. Ace would say "now WE have to FIND her" instead, while from Blair's side it makes sense to say that (including the "tracking" part) because Nina is HIS RESPONSIBILITY (his "mission"). Also, talking to Brooke as if she's just a "meddling kid" (the "clean up your mess" and "you heard me!" parts) fits more to a pissed off Blair than to Ace.
- The same (treating her like a kid) applies to the previous phrase ("this is all your fault"), PLUS the fact that Ace DOESN'T blame Brooke for cutting his lips on Nina, but Blair DOES blame Brooke for distracting him (got him "scrambled"). Ace WAS distracted also by the kissing, but that has nothing to do with the situation so there's no blame to throw around if it's really him talking.
- Moreover, it doesn't fit Ace to use the phrase "you and your LESBIAN kissing", while Blair would say that.
- Finally, the first panel's Ace seems incredibly confused (even more so that it would be expected from just the flash of bright light) and fits with the theory that the disorientation is instead due to Blair finding himself in another body (especially since he probably didn't know that this could happen).
In a strip like EC (where body switching is like taking the bus), I find it far more plausible that we have a case of possession than assuming the writers suddenly forgot how Ace behaves and talks and turned him into a bad-mouthing, false-accusing, pervert instead.