Missing Interlude: Difference between revisions
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Yonkerbonk (talk | contribs) Fleshed out Synopsis. Added Issues section. Added trivia. Added references. |
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{{non-canon|source = a retracted chapter}} | |||
{{infobox chapter | {{infobox chapter | ||
| book = [[Scourge]] | | book = [[Scourge]] | ||
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| previous = [[Scourge 19.7]] | | previous = [[Scourge 19.7]] | ||
| next = [[Interlude 19.y]] | | next = [[Interlude 19.y]] | ||
}}The '''Missing Interlude''' was an [[Interlude]] removed by [[Wildbow]]. | }} | ||
The '''Missing Interlude''' was an [[Interlude]] that was removed by [[Wildbow]] due to reader backlash and his own dissatisfaction with the chapter. Technically, it is [[Non-Canon |no longer considered canon]], although some events that occur in it are referenced in other chapters.<ref name="canon">It didn’t make ''sense.'' It’s no longer canon, but I expect the story will continue to hint that the events ''besides'' the introduction of this ill-conceived villain were more or less accurate. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/f-a-q/ Worm FAQ]</ref> | |||
==Synopsis== | ==Synopsis== | ||
[[Witness]] | As [[Coil]]'s base self-destructs, [[Witness]] hides beneath the bulk of [[Echidna]]'s body to protect herself. As she lays on the ground beneath Echidna, immobile due to her heavy mutation, an [[Abhorror]] with the ability to teleport with his darkness appears next to her. He explains that he cannot teleport Witness out, as he has to help Echidna first and foremost. Witness acquiesces, understanding that Echidna is more likely to cause the most damage. Before the Abhorror teleports, however, Witness asks him to teleport [[Shatterbird]] near her, which he does. | ||
While talking is difficult, Witness manages to convince Shatterbird to construct a shield of dirt and sand above the two of them before Echidna teleports away, the rubble above crashing down onto Shatterbird's barrier. The barrier holds, and Shatterbird is about to kill Witness before Witness convinces her to hold off. As they wait under the rubble, Witness begins to pry at Shatterbird's past and her insecurities, wearing her down. As [[Vista]] breaks through the rubble, offering a way out, Witness capitalizes on Shatterbird's weakness, allowing her time to get Vista to start collapsing the concrete slabs above her. Shatterbird screams one last time before the slabs fall onto her, killing her. | |||
Vista asks what Witness is; Witness lies, saying that she was Tattletale and that Echidna had heavily mutated her body. The two of them emerge from the rubble, free at last. Witness is about to try and kill Vista when she realizes that the [[battle against Echidna]] is over. With [[Skitter]]'s bugs around her, she can't kill Vista without drawing attention, so Witness sneaks away from Vista and comes across [[Faultline's Crew]] and what are the beginnings of the [[Irregulars]]. She intuits from this that something big has happened in her absence (the reveal of [[Cauldron]]). | |||
Witness discretely robs a clothing store and draws a [[Case 53]] symbol onto her shoulder. She approaches [[Weld]] and feigns a diminutive stature, claiming to have arrived on Earth Bet a year ago and having come to try to assist with Echidna. Weld and the other Case 53s are sympathetic, but [[Faultline]] is suspicious. Witness manipulates the other Case 53s with a display of crying, preventing Faultline from calling her out without alienating the Irregulars and her own team. As the two teams discuss what to do next, the Irregulars offer Witness a management position on their team. She accepts, planning to lie in wait among the Irregulars, waiting to strike a critical blow and enact her revenge against the world. | |||
==Characters== | ==Characters== | ||
| Line 18: | Line 26: | ||
===[[Slaughterhouse Nine]]=== | ===[[Slaughterhouse Nine]]=== | ||
*[[Shatterbird]] ( | *[[Shatterbird]] (Dies) | ||
===[[Faultline’s Crew]]=== | ===[[Faultline’s Crew]]=== | ||
| Line 30: | Line 38: | ||
=== Others === | === Others === | ||
*[[Echidna]] | *[[Echidna]] | ||
==Issues== | |||
Wildbow and readers took issue with the Missing Interlude for various reasons:<ref>The problems:<br> | |||
*The origin of the character was poorly done. It made sense in-setting, but to readers, it took place over two offscreen moments.<br> | |||
*The introduction of the character was unnecessary. It didn’t serve the story.<br> | |||
*The tone of the story suffered for her introduction. Basically a gut punch at a time when things should have been letting up/winding down.<br> | |||
*The character wasn’t in line with the setting as laid out. Her behavior as compared to other clones was patient. | |||
*The scenario the character was worked into was both forced and unbelievable:her joining the Irregulars, them not questioning the introduction of an amnesiac after anti-Stranger measures were established midway through arc 18, her being immediately given a management position. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/f-a-q/ Worm FAQ]</ref> | |||
*Witness's origins were done poorly and felt shoe-horned. | |||
*The introduction of Witness was unnecessary and didn't serve the story. | |||
*The interlude was a gut punch during a time when the tone of the story should've been giving the reader a break. | |||
*Witness's patient behavior was inconsistent with that of other Echidna clones. | |||
*The events of the interlude were implausible: the Irregulars do not question Witness after the previous implementation of anti-Stranger measures and immediately give her a management position. | |||
==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
*It can still be read in [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MznMFv4_PT1ApGgCf6B2E6CD8lNWTvERisWXUJ45c9w/edit google docs] | *It can still be read in [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MznMFv4_PT1ApGgCf6B2E6CD8lNWTvERisWXUJ45c9w/edit google docs]. It is considered non-canon wherever it pertains to Witness.<ref name="canon"/> | ||
*Wildbow wrote the Missing Interlude during a tumultuous time in his life, causing him to be badly distracted while writing. He posted the interlude with many doubts in his mind, and upon seeing the negative reader response he realized he wasn't happy with it, taking the chapter down.<ref>'''Q4:''' What’s the Missing Interlude? What happened?<br><br>'''A4:''' It’s an interlude I tried to write while badly distracted, after long & busy weeks filled with family events. A crew of 6-10 people were tearing up/replacing my kitchen & bedroom floors; there was no place to write where I’d be close enough to answer questions but far enough away to have some peace. On the best of days, it’s hard to be objective enough to judge if a chapter will be loved or loathed. I’ve braced myself for hate while waiting for a response to some chapters, only to find them my best-received. To top it off, on any day I’m tired, there’s inevitably little details I’m forced to gloss over in the process of getting a chapter up. Research I don’t do, or places where I expect readers to fill in the blanks.<br><br>This interlude, taking place after the Echidna arc, featured a Tattletale clone who’d slipped through the cracks, crossed paths with a buried Shatterbird and Vista, only to escape and join Weld’s new team. I got past the point of no return as far as writing it, I wound up putting it up despite my doubts and braced myself for the response to one or two of those points where I didn’t quite cover all the bases. Except there were more than a few of those iffy moments. The reader response only helped me realize that I wasn’t happy with it, and I ultimately took it down. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/f-a-q/ Worm FAQ]</ref> | |||
{{Reflist}} | {{Reflist}} | ||
Revision as of 06:16, October 14, 2020
| {{#if: |{{{work}}}|Worm}} | |
|---|---|
| Scourge 19.y | |
| Chapter guide | |
| {{#if:Scourge 19.7|Previous Scourge 19.7}} |
{{#if:Interlude 19.y|Next Interlude 19.y}} |
| Chapter List | |
The Missing Interlude was an Interlude that was removed by Wildbow due to reader backlash and his own dissatisfaction with the chapter. Technically, it is no longer considered canon, although some events that occur in it are referenced in other chapters.<ref name="canon">It didn’t make sense. It’s no longer canon, but I expect the story will continue to hint that the events besides the introduction of this ill-conceived villain were more or less accurate. - Worm FAQ</ref>
Synopsis
As Coil's base self-destructs, Witness hides beneath the bulk of Echidna's body to protect herself. As she lays on the ground beneath Echidna, immobile due to her heavy mutation, an Abhorror with the ability to teleport with his darkness appears next to her. He explains that he cannot teleport Witness out, as he has to help Echidna first and foremost. Witness acquiesces, understanding that Echidna is more likely to cause the most damage. Before the Abhorror teleports, however, Witness asks him to teleport Shatterbird near her, which he does.
While talking is difficult, Witness manages to convince Shatterbird to construct a shield of dirt and sand above the two of them before Echidna teleports away, the rubble above crashing down onto Shatterbird's barrier. The barrier holds, and Shatterbird is about to kill Witness before Witness convinces her to hold off. As they wait under the rubble, Witness begins to pry at Shatterbird's past and her insecurities, wearing her down. As Vista breaks through the rubble, offering a way out, Witness capitalizes on Shatterbird's weakness, allowing her time to get Vista to start collapsing the concrete slabs above her. Shatterbird screams one last time before the slabs fall onto her, killing her.
Vista asks what Witness is; Witness lies, saying that she was Tattletale and that Echidna had heavily mutated her body. The two of them emerge from the rubble, free at last. Witness is about to try and kill Vista when she realizes that the battle against Echidna is over. With Skitter's bugs around her, she can't kill Vista without drawing attention, so Witness sneaks away from Vista and comes across Faultline's Crew and what are the beginnings of the Irregulars. She intuits from this that something big has happened in her absence (the reveal of Cauldron).
Witness discretely robs a clothing store and draws a Case 53 symbol onto her shoulder. She approaches Weld and feigns a diminutive stature, claiming to have arrived on Earth Bet a year ago and having come to try to assist with Echidna. Weld and the other Case 53s are sympathetic, but Faultline is suspicious. Witness manipulates the other Case 53s with a display of crying, preventing Faultline from calling her out without alienating the Irregulars and her own team. As the two teams discuss what to do next, the Irregulars offer Witness a management position on their team. She accepts, planning to lie in wait among the Irregulars, waiting to strike a critical blow and enact her revenge against the world.
Characters
The Irregulars (formation)
Slaughterhouse Nine
- Shatterbird (Dies)
Faultline’s Crew
Wards
Others
Issues
Wildbow and readers took issue with the Missing Interlude for various reasons:<ref>The problems:
- The origin of the character was poorly done. It made sense in-setting, but to readers, it took place over two offscreen moments.
- The introduction of the character was unnecessary. It didn’t serve the story.
- The tone of the story suffered for her introduction. Basically a gut punch at a time when things should have been letting up/winding down.
- The character wasn’t in line with the setting as laid out. Her behavior as compared to other clones was patient.
- The scenario the character was worked into was both forced and unbelievable:her joining the Irregulars, them not questioning the introduction of an amnesiac after anti-Stranger measures were established midway through arc 18, her being immediately given a management position. - Worm FAQ</ref>
- Witness's origins were done poorly and felt shoe-horned.
- The introduction of Witness was unnecessary and didn't serve the story.
- The interlude was a gut punch during a time when the tone of the story should've been giving the reader a break.
- Witness's patient behavior was inconsistent with that of other Echidna clones.
- The events of the interlude were implausible: the Irregulars do not question Witness after the previous implementation of anti-Stranger measures and immediately give her a management position.
Trivia
- It can still be read in google docs. It is considered non-canon wherever it pertains to Witness.<ref name="canon"/>
- Wildbow wrote the Missing Interlude during a tumultuous time in his life, causing him to be badly distracted while writing. He posted the interlude with many doubts in his mind, and upon seeing the negative reader response he realized he wasn't happy with it, taking the chapter down.<ref>Q4: What’s the Missing Interlude? What happened?
A4: It’s an interlude I tried to write while badly distracted, after long & busy weeks filled with family events. A crew of 6-10 people were tearing up/replacing my kitchen & bedroom floors; there was no place to write where I’d be close enough to answer questions but far enough away to have some peace. On the best of days, it’s hard to be objective enough to judge if a chapter will be loved or loathed. I’ve braced myself for hate while waiting for a response to some chapters, only to find them my best-received. To top it off, on any day I’m tired, there’s inevitably little details I’m forced to gloss over in the process of getting a chapter up. Research I don’t do, or places where I expect readers to fill in the blanks.
This interlude, taking place after the Echidna arc, featured a Tattletale clone who’d slipped through the cracks, crossed paths with a buried Shatterbird and Vista, only to escape and join Weld’s new team. I got past the point of no return as far as writing it, I wound up putting it up despite my doubts and braced myself for the response to one or two of those points where I didn’t quite cover all the bases. Except there were more than a few of those iffy moments. The reader response only helped me realize that I wasn’t happy with it, and I ultimately took it down. - Worm FAQ</ref>
References
<references/>
| Chapters | 19.1 • 19.2 • 19.3 • 19.x • 19.4 • 19.5 • 19.6 • 19.7 • 19.y • 19.z |
|---|---|
| Battles and Events | The Echidna Event • Skirmish in Boston |