Monday, January 23, 2012

Vicki briefly shows some spine

Nothing happens in the first chapter: just a lot of talking. Mark and Mr. Stein get money and Z tells them about an abandoned boarding school which Vicki decides the YTF could use in order to train more YTF members. That is seriously all that happens. :sigh: I swear I've read phone books that were more gripping.

So the YTF have a little tiff about whether they should go to the school or to the Stahley cabin in Wisconsin. Vicki is in favor of the school because she had a dream about the place and believe Zod wants her there, but Judd doesn't like the idea. Vicki says he only objects because it's not his idea and I sit back and enjoy this moment of them briefly acting like teenagers, but Conrad interrupts it all. Y'see he's worried that he might lose his salvation because he is :gasp: struck by doubts and questions instead of being the perfect little Elsie Dinsmore RTC, but Judd reassures him by reading some verses that basically says that once your name is in God's book of life, you're saved forever. This of course, raises so many questions such as "if once saved, always saved, then why do they still have to read Token Jew's epistles?" But of course, it never occurs to our brave protagonists to ask these questions because it never occurs to Ellanjay to ask them.

Judd decides he wants to talk with Vicki alone. Those of you hoping for a little bow-chicka-wow-wow, well I hate to disappoint you but they remain irritating RTCs. Y'see Vicki thinks that kids need to hear the truth from a flesh-and-blood person but Judd is all "they can get what they need from Token Jew's website." Vicki suggests that the group split up which causes Judd to accuse her of driving a wedge in the group and Vicki briefly demonstrates a spine. Enjoy this fleeting glimpse before the writers squelch her spirit.

"And you're the only one who can have an idea? You want women to remain silent and be good little girls. If God gives me an idea, I'm not gonna keep quiet."


Oh Vicki, how I do love these moments when you manage to break through the straitjacket imposed by the writers. Too bad you can't make the logical leap that if Zod speaks to you then you don't need a hierarchy of men to interpret his will for you, but something tells me that you will be swiftly punished for your insolence.

Judd tries to smooth things over by saying he values her input, which Vicki responds by saying "only if I do what you say" which is true because since Judd is the oldest male in the YTF, according to the great RTC hierarchy, his opinion matters more. Anyway the conversation ends with Vicki going off in search of Charlie and their dog Phoenix.

The other members of the YTF go with her to GC headquarters where Charlie is being held. Judd, Shelly, Lionel, and Mr. Stein are also going to GC headquarters. Something tells me GC headquarters will be easier to get into then Arizona State. Also shouldn't the GC HQ be located in New Babylon because that's where Nicky's regime is located? In other words, I don't think the YTF should be able to travel there by motorcycle and on foot.

6 comments:

Firedrake said...

"I value your input" is just corporate-speak for "shut up, peon, and don't hit me".

Surely the argument over where to go should be about their goals and how to achieve them, rather than dreams and stuff? Or is that just me?

Apocalypse Review said...

Vicki has an awesome :D

I should think the YTF ought to be more goal oriented, if only because they've got only five years or so left to go.

aunursa said...

"Judd reassures him by reading some verses that basically says that once your name is in God's book of life, you're saved forever."

So if you're saved, and then at some point later in your life you decide that you were wrong and Jesus isn't really God -- and then you die -- you're still saved?

Ruby said...

@aunursa--I think that the idea that someone could legitimately change hir mind about God from RTC-ity doesn't occur to LaJenkins.

But there is some stuff in the books about how once you get the Seal of God on your head, God "gives you the strength" to resist getting the Barcode of the Beast, even under torture or threat of death.

To make things even better, if you do choose to take the Barcode, even if you have no idea Nicky is the Antichrist, you are Hellbound forever, no tagbacks.

Apocalypse Review said...

@Ruby: THERE ARE NO TAKE BACKSIES IN MY KINGDOM.

Firedrake said...

As I understand it, someone who leaves RTCism is painted as having not been truly sincere in the first place.

Which means in practice that in spite of all the positive talk RTCs can still worry about whether they are really saved. (Repeat altar calls are a symptom of this.)