24-01-19 Those carefree urges

[Zellgato]

I'd pretty fine with Gary getting no relationship in the end, and instead just enjoying living alone, with a low stress job, doing what he wants and enjoying life. Peggy is also a good choice for teh most part. but I honestly think they're better 'weekend night" lovers and friends the rest of the week.

[JoybuzzerX]

That sounds like a terrible ending for the comic.

As for the comic itself, I don't get the feeling Peggy is saying monogamy is out of the question. I get the feeling that it's a matter of being more complicated than that. Wanting to find new partners. Wanting to experiment. People can want both at the same time.

There's also fantasy versus reality. She may want to find the one, but that will likely lead to not chasing the fantasy anymore.

[worldshaking00]

It could also be allegory about growing up, settling down: the threat of a potentially blasé secure humdrum lovelife versus the thrill of uncertainty and exploration of one's self. Peggy escaped from her ex's apparently soul crushing and boring love life; she is afraid of a return or staleness creep into their/her love life. But I agree with you in that sexual adventure doesn't have to be sucked out of a love life, just because of monogamy (or a very closed circle of partners with the understanding of boundaries). There's roleplay. There's swinging. There's simply having an open mind and being thoughtful of your lover's needs. Communication, something often lacked in this webcomic, is key.

I also agree that it would be a terrible ending for the comic. Sure, it could happen. But it sure doesn't sound like much of a happy place to me.

Perhaps I am reading too much into Giz's Vol. 10 cover, but Peggy being in Gary's hand reminds me of the proverb "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush" with Peggy being the 'bird' as it were. He seems rather casual on the cover and she appears to be enjoying the ride/being carried along by Gary. He even seems like his posture is better. Taking it a step further, Zii and Didi's 'problems' are on Gary's shoulders. Maybe he will help them out? Yuki, Kiley, and Sonya are all behind him. All three of those ladies are in Gary's past now. And I am sure that Matt's head's placement can be a symbol for something, but I am too tired at the time of writing this post to come up with something wittier than a simple dick joke. Or maybe it is just a way for Giz to get all of those important cast members onto the final cover. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

[Spidrift]

What I’m wondering is what the heck Dillon is doing on that cover.

But anyhow — Gary ending the comic alone doesn’t have to equate to Gary being alone forever. Written right, it could be a “nothing has changed, except that everything has changed” ending. Gary has sexual experience, lots of friends, vastly increased confidence, a taste for coffee, better posture, a good job, and a sexual party trick. Leave him unattached at this point, and he’ll likely be in a working relationship within a year, and probably something long-term within five. Essentially, Gary is already fine; the comic is just fiddling around with the details of his living arrangements. I don’t think it’s the likely ending for the comic, but Gary striding alone but hopefully into an unknown future could actually be kind of cool.

And as for the title drop — maybe it’s just me, but I never feel that these are at all significant in this comic, probably because I got the joke in the title from the first. It’s a comic about a literal “household of three”, albeit in a world of frequent sexual shenanigans that make the resonances of the words significant. When characters say the words “menage a trois” in the script, they’re just talking about a one-off sexual threesome. It’s like a character in Doonesbury addressing the lead character by his surname; it’s the same word as in the title bar, so what?

[meps98]

With SDB coming to a close, Amber is still available for Gary. She was his original Dream Girl and his recent experiences have brought his skill level within range of hers. She could be the best match for him.

[samtheman]

Clever dialogue in the this strip. Make Peggy and Zii as indecisive as possible in order to keep the readers guessing until the very end. But with Giz tweeting "this will be the end of the series as we know it, don't worry, we have plans for the future. You'll see these guys again. We love 'em too much" that probably means the ending is going to be inconclusive.

As for the volume 10 cover reveal, don't look too much into it because "Covers Always Lie". I do wonder why Dillon and Kiley are on the cover though. And it looks like Kiley is checking out Gary's ass.

[Spidrift]

With SDB coming to a close, Amber is still available for Gary. She was his original Dream Girl and his recent experiences have brought his skill level within range of hers. She could be the best match for him.

That ship has sailed. Amber now has Ray.

[lordoffiling]

You know what I’m hoping for?

Gary x Zii x Didi

The answer to the whole thing being right there in the comic of the title since the beginning.

I *think* we might actually be building something like that.

[samtheman]

You know what I’m hoping for?

Gary x Zii x Didi

The answer to the whole thing being right there in the comic of the title since the beginning.

I *think* we might actually be building something like that.

I'm hoping it doesn't end like that but now that I think about it you're probably right. Zii will leave the band to be with Didi while Peggy will leave Gary so she and Gary can have their sexual freedom. Zii will notice that Gary is sad over Peggy leaving him so Zii invites Gary for a "menage a trois" with her and Didi. If that is indeed going to be the "curve ball" that's kinda disappointing to me. Continuing with the baseball analogies I myself want something completely out of left field, not something that readers have been predicting since the comic began. But it seems the creative team is going to play it safe for the ending so most readers will return for the epilogue arc(s) whenever we get those.

[worldshaking00]

Then both Gary and Zii can be in traction trying to satisfy Didi.

My hope is still Peggy x Gary, with some sort of x Didi/Zii thrown in. Maybe like a pinch hitter.

[Spidrift]

The problem with most of these fannish attempts to rearrange the character tiles for the comic’s ending is that the writers have gone all-in on the idea that DiDi needs an emotional connection for a relationship to satisfy her orgasmically; that she gets that with few people; and that both Peggy and Gary have tried and failed.

Now, a long run of strips could show her realising that her idea of “emotional connection” is a bit flaky and fake, and maybe she could just put a bit more work into relating to the generality of human beings. But given what a dumb bunny she is (proof; ten volumes of DiDi making mud look intelligent), it’d take a lot of strips to be convincing. I could believe her transferring her affections to Roxxie slightly more easily — think of Roxxie as a human proxy for the wrestling which is DiDi’s true love — but it’d still be a bit of an asspull.

Which leaves us with DiDi x Zii. But Zii is about to go on the road, and DiDi needs her daily orgasms. So I don’t know what bow the writers can put on this to make a convincing ending.

[worldshaking00]

Kiley managed to get her off with insincerity; she roleplayed affection. Gary truly is a friend of hers, but never got a chance (nor the direction) to actually express his love for her verbally (even if it wasn't there). Peggy and Gary are capable at RP. A stretch, for sure, but maybe enough? We'll have to see.

But I agree that Didi's affection-connection is the clincher, followed by someone(s) that Zii can trust to not spirit Didi away from her.

[JoybuzzerX]

Didi needs the connection, but that's all she really seemed to want from Zii. The orgasm. When Zii got tired from all the work she had to do to please Didi, Didi took that as "Something is wrong with you."

I'm hoping Peggy and Gary at the moment. If they're going to end the comic, as that seems like a relationship that's been built on. I don't feel at this moment that the comic could show Zii loves Gary, to make it make sense that they're together.

Gary into Zii? Sure. I just haven't seen it the other way around. Mild curiosity doesn't count.

Gary and Didi, I'm sure Gary cares about Didi, I just wouldn't say love. Lust for sure.

[Spidrift]

I imagine that Gary’s view of DiDi is now close to “been there, done that”. Okay, not quite that crude, as he’s a nice guy, and he would doubtless still say she’s a friend — but basically, she’s now one of his long list of accidental conquests, and the whole plot point about Gary now is that he wants a deeper and more serious relationship.

He might wish, as a point of masculine pride, that he could have given her an orgasm, but he didn’t seem that bothered by the failure. Let’s face it, the swirly is proven to reduce every other woman to a grinning heap; the fact that it didn’t work for DiDi is her problem, not his.

[worldshaking00]

One more point as to why 'pretend' or roleplay might be the key: kayfabe. We've been beaten up one side and down the other with it. Not that I am trying to say that the only reason to have wrestling enter into Ma3 is the principle of kayfabe. But, it is a way for someone simple like Didi to be able to learn to use it, or to enjoy it/be fooled by it too.

If keeping up appearances is enough to separate lovers (Brandie and Roxie), maybe it can keep them together and/or satisfied from another? Didi has a fairly vivid imagination, what with fantasizing about celebrities. Obviously not quite enough to push her over the edge. Script?

See you tomorrow.