LogFAQs > #973012434

Honorable Mention: Pirate
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Are. We3. Good?

Yes. I suppose I haven't made it any secret that We3 was one of my personal favorite comic mini-series, scribed by Bloodfruit's good friend Grant Morrison. The inherent sweetness of all three characters, these Lost Boys-akin children-turned-WMDs really tugs at my heartstrings, and has actually been one of the few comics that made me cry. The most interesting aspect of We3 has been integrating them into the larger DCU narrative. Originally, the story was told in its own isolated universe as part of the much-missed Vertigo imprint. Of course, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to introduce this trio of beloved pets to the campaign, and I think Pirate's debut in the smaller-stakes locale of West Virginia made for a perfect showcase of We3. I'm fascinated by how their minds work - somewhere between animal and human lie We3, a group in perpetual state of discovery, but suffering constantly from the burden of having been manipulated, altered and put through unending, lingering pain. Yet, still, somehow, they are loyal and honest creatures that do not begrudge anyone around them for their lots in life. No - instead, they've found a family and become inextricably tethered to them. The upshot is one of the few bright moments of optimism in an otherwise bleak campaign.

The story of Pirate - and by extension, the story of We3 - is one of pain and endurance, and innocence triumphing over the will of man. Pirate is, in some ways, the perfect antidote to the idea of Anti-Life. Having survived experiments that left him far more machine than animal, it is that animal heart that still beats strongly within a husk of metal. It is that animal heart which endears him in the people around him. And, truth be told, it is that animal heart that finds companionship in the animal heart beating within Cheetah. Pirate, I think, also serves as a great foil to several party members. When you think about it, Data 7's origin is a lot like Pirate's - I think, as we explore things, the branching paths of both of those characters really helps define them, when put next to one another. Furthermore, someone like Saoirse, with a passion in biology, plays well off the unique nature of Pirate. I'd like to see more characters interact with him, certainly, because there is this weakness in every party member worth exploiting, and that's compassion. I think Pirate plays into that compassion because he is sweet and innocent and undeserving of what happened to him - and none of that matters one iota to the Wall, who sees Pirate as an asset in the war against Darkseid. As Waller remains unflinchingly focused on protecting the world, characters like Pirate could easily become the casualties in the war, and that is certainly the weakness in Waller, exploited perfectly by a sweet, innocent little rabbit.

Now that the core of We3 has reunited, I think there are few spots in the campaign as bright and wholesome as this found family unit reuniting at the heart of the last scrap of forest unvarnished by the Eclipsed, Equated, OMAC or the Society. Pirate. Loves! Family.

A mention I thought for sure would be drafted but wasn't - and ended up in the Honorable Mention category - falls next.