Except for his passive-aggressive ignoring of his ex’s attempts to contact him, Todd has acted reasonably with just about every other character in the comic. Definitely a good guy without being a pushover.
After breaking up with my ex, I didn’t even see her for a month straight, a feat when she lived directly below me in the apartment complex. She eventually broke the streak by walking into my apartment, then stepping back and knocking when I ordered her to.
It’s not passive aggressive to avoid an ex. People break up and that means they’re no longer a combined unit unless they agree to stay friends and break up amicably. This wasn’t an amicable breakup between Andi and Todd so he has no reason to contact her.
I think No contact is a viable way to deal with a toxic ex. Andi lied to Todd about the fate of their child. She put his daughter up for adoption WITHOUT HIS CONSENT, and told him the child died. Then, eight years later she’s pressuring him to “try again” to have another baby while fighting his ideas of adopting. All this while knowing that he himself is adopted.
This doesn’t mean that Todd is passive-aggressive, it means that he is the polar opposite of passive-aggressive. He is DONE.
I am very forgiving, up to a point. Beyond that point, it takes years for me to cool off and at least a mediocum of remorse in the other person. That point for me is either deliberate persistent cruelty or outright lies (which I associate with cruelty). There are perhaps 7 people who have reached this zone with me, ever.
Todd has his point. He’s entitled to protect himself from emotional harm.
People will hate this ending, but tactically it’s sound. By showing a bit of mercy it can gain favor. While I would have liked him a little spooked and scared some more, Todd chooses a path that may smooth things over later. Kind of an Androcles Lion solution. The people you help now may save your life later.
Not to mention it sets a generally good example for Selkie.
She’s obviously tickled periwinkle about their victory, but now she can see her dad choosing to make peace when it can be done.
Y’all believe what you will. But unless I have completely misread the Trunchbulls, the message they received (maybe not today, but surely within a week or less of mentally rewriting what happened) is that Todd was TOO SCARED of them to take it any further.
It could go that way, no doubt about it. Or it might in a week turn into “they had us over a barrel and they relented. Let’s not risk their wrath again or next time they might not be so merciful.” It goes both ways in real life depending on the person.
Well for starters, Professor, you could apologize to Selkie for accusing her of making all this up, and claiming she was biologically incapable of telling the truth about your son, dumbass!
Mine, too. That doesn’t mean it isn’t the closest his high and mightiness is going to get. Someone like Mr. Trunchbull absolutely hates admitting someone else was right.
Was working at a casino and we all got called into this huge meeting on one of my days off. Figured I got paid for just sitting and drinking whatever they provided no problem.
One of the vestigial executives decided to prove his worth and announced his latest greatest method of making the company money and he wanted all our inputs.
A hot dog stand in the middle of the gambling floor. Yes, because that makes total sense. Everyone that was chosen to speak was kissing up to him, telling him what a wonderful idea it was without going into specifics. He get’s to me, and I dissect the idea, pointing out all the flaws, but being as polite as I could. He screams at me in front of the entire workforce. And started swearing at me. I just get up and walk out on him.
Six months after it opens, the stand closes down for every reason I sited. One of the other executives comes and talks to me apologizing for the way I was treated but informing me that the same executive was still very upset with me. I guess for being smarter than him despite not having a business degree. That was the closest anyone got him to admit he was wrong.
There’s always a Mr Trunchbull out there. They’re always convinced they’re right and it eats them up when they aren’t. They never apologize because that means lowering themselves. You should take a win as a win from them.
I’ll put it this way if I ever did something wrong and I had a choice between a short visit in juvy and my mother I’d be skipping merrily towards the bus that will take me there.
Pity’s appropriate, when someone – anyone – has had their world destroyed.
From his interactions in this last scene, Truck clearly wants to be the kid his dad envisioned when thinking about him.
And he isn’t.
I’m sure Tom would prefer to go to class to. I’m actualy happy there were no charges, going to juvi is the LEAST Tom needs now. To much possible bad influence and peer pressure/long term problems, that could push him to the wrong path for good. He is still in elementary, so I hope he gets better, it would be better for everyone honestly.
Actually fixing the problem. This is just the first step (although admittedly a big one) of a long road. Behavioral problems cannot be fixed easily, especially since the parents are teaching some of the wrong lessons by example.
Indeed. He himself was, just short of entering the principal’s office, behaving just like his son towards Todd; yelling and pointing fingers and not accepting any chance he might be wrong. He’s not doing that now, but that doesn’t mean he’d be able to do the right thing and actually help fix things.
I think the “high road”, as you call it, for Todd, would be to not just be content his daughter is safe, but to work Professor Trunchypoo over until he will cease ALL of his bullying behavior, at least towards school employees, fellow parents and his son´s co-students.
Leaving things be now would be like telling Truck that beating little girls was a bad thing, but not saying a word about beating little boys, because he´s “been through enough already” and surely he will understand on his own… because, no, he won´t.
And thus Todd is nominated for the Best Dad Ever Award.
Except for his passive-aggressive ignoring of his ex’s attempts to contact him, Todd has acted reasonably with just about every other character in the comic. Definitely a good guy without being a pushover.
There’s probably a very good reason why he refuses to talk to her. I doubt he’s avoiding her because of something minor.
He’s avoiding her because she flat out lied about aborting their child and instead put the kid up for adoption.
Correction: she lied about having had a stillbirth, not an abortion. You don’t get an abortion at 9 months unless there’s a medical emergency.
Either or, still one of the most horrid things anyone could have done, both to their loved ones AND the baby.
Is this flat-out said in the comic?
I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know about that lie, yet.
What’s unreasonable about ignoring a dysfunctional ex’s attempts at contacting you?
Cutting contact with an ex is the best thing one can do really.
After breaking up with my ex, I didn’t even see her for a month straight, a feat when she lived directly below me in the apartment complex. She eventually broke the streak by walking into my apartment, then stepping back and knocking when I ordered her to.
It’s not passive aggressive to avoid an ex. People break up and that means they’re no longer a combined unit unless they agree to stay friends and break up amicably. This wasn’t an amicable breakup between Andi and Todd so he has no reason to contact her.
I think No contact is a viable way to deal with a toxic ex. Andi lied to Todd about the fate of their child. She put his daughter up for adoption WITHOUT HIS CONSENT, and told him the child died. Then, eight years later she’s pressuring him to “try again” to have another baby while fighting his ideas of adopting. All this while knowing that he himself is adopted.
This doesn’t mean that Todd is passive-aggressive, it means that he is the polar opposite of passive-aggressive. He is DONE.
I am very forgiving, up to a point. Beyond that point, it takes years for me to cool off and at least a mediocum of remorse in the other person. That point for me is either deliberate persistent cruelty or outright lies (which I associate with cruelty). There are perhaps 7 people who have reached this zone with me, ever.
Todd has his point. He’s entitled to protect himself from emotional harm.
Hm. Ending this on a peaceful note? Why am I still waiting for the other shoe to drop?
People will hate this ending, but tactically it’s sound. By showing a bit of mercy it can gain favor. While I would have liked him a little spooked and scared some more, Todd chooses a path that may smooth things over later. Kind of an Androcles Lion solution. The people you help now may save your life later.
Not to mention it sets a generally good example for Selkie.
She’s obviously tickled periwinkle about their victory, but now she can see her dad choosing to make peace when it can be done.
Y’all believe what you will. But unless I have completely misread the Trunchbulls, the message they received (maybe not today, but surely within a week or less of mentally rewriting what happened) is that Todd was TOO SCARED of them to take it any further.
It could go that way, no doubt about it. Or it might in a week turn into “they had us over a barrel and they relented. Let’s not risk their wrath again or next time they might not be so merciful.” It goes both ways in real life depending on the person.
We’ll see in the future how it goes.
Keehee. “Tickled periwinkle.”
No need to kick him in the teeth, Selkie. 😛
Oh, come on. This was actually rather tame. Plus, she´s eight… can´t mention that often enough.
PLEASE tell me that Agent Brown has something to do with this “other business”!
“What else is there, now?”
Well for starters, Professor, you could apologize to Selkie for accusing her of making all this up, and claiming she was biologically incapable of telling the truth about your son, dumbass!
Actually, by admitting both Todd and Selkie were right, he kinda did.
If I had kids, and one of them “apologized” like that, they´d be grounded until further notice.
Mine, too. That doesn’t mean it isn’t the closest his high and mightiness is going to get. Someone like Mr. Trunchbull absolutely hates admitting someone else was right.
Was working at a casino and we all got called into this huge meeting on one of my days off. Figured I got paid for just sitting and drinking whatever they provided no problem.
One of the vestigial executives decided to prove his worth and announced his latest greatest method of making the company money and he wanted all our inputs.
A hot dog stand in the middle of the gambling floor. Yes, because that makes total sense. Everyone that was chosen to speak was kissing up to him, telling him what a wonderful idea it was without going into specifics. He get’s to me, and I dissect the idea, pointing out all the flaws, but being as polite as I could. He screams at me in front of the entire workforce. And started swearing at me. I just get up and walk out on him.
Six months after it opens, the stand closes down for every reason I sited. One of the other executives comes and talks to me apologizing for the way I was treated but informing me that the same executive was still very upset with me. I guess for being smarter than him despite not having a business degree. That was the closest anyone got him to admit he was wrong.
There’s always a Mr Trunchbull out there. They’re always convinced they’re right and it eats them up when they aren’t. They never apologize because that means lowering themselves. You should take a win as a win from them.
Is it odd that I actually feel a small drab of pity for Tommy Jr.?
I’ll put it this way if I ever did something wrong and I had a choice between a short visit in juvy and my mother I’d be skipping merrily towards the bus that will take me there.
Pity’s appropriate, when someone – anyone – has had their world destroyed.
From his interactions in this last scene, Truck clearly wants to be the kid his dad envisioned when thinking about him.
And he isn’t.
Doesn’t her school have a police liaison to sort this kind of stuff out?
From what we’ve seen of how the school’s run, do you honestly believe they’d have anything sensible like that?
I’m sure Tom would prefer to go to class to. I’m actualy happy there were no charges, going to juvi is the LEAST Tom needs now. To much possible bad influence and peer pressure/long term problems, that could push him to the wrong path for good. He is still in elementary, so I hope he gets better, it would be better for everyone honestly.
I hope it’s not about that boy’s parents.
Do you mean the little black kid from ages ago?
That would suck if it was :/
That would depend on what has actually turned up, wouldn’t it?
Though since the officer said he’s “investigating claims”, it doesn’t sound likely.
I would guess it’s claims about the principal threatening the other teachers. (Or so I hope, hehh heh heh)
“What else is there, now?”
Actually fixing the problem. This is just the first step (although admittedly a big one) of a long road. Behavioral problems cannot be fixed easily, especially since the parents are teaching some of the wrong lessons by example.
I love how Todd didn’t press any charges. Tommy suffered enough from his dad.:)
This is where Todd takes the high road: “Tom, this was not about winning. This is about you getting the information you need to do the right thing.”
Professor Trunchypoo has yet to do the right thing. So far, he has merely stopped actively doing one of several wrong things.
Indeed. He himself was, just short of entering the principal’s office, behaving just like his son towards Todd; yelling and pointing fingers and not accepting any chance he might be wrong. He’s not doing that now, but that doesn’t mean he’d be able to do the right thing and actually help fix things.
You’re both missing my point: This is about “Todd” taking the high road. If the Prof doesn’t that’s HIS fail.
I think the “high road”, as you call it, for Todd, would be to not just be content his daughter is safe, but to work Professor Trunchypoo over until he will cease ALL of his bullying behavior, at least towards school employees, fellow parents and his son´s co-students.
Leaving things be now would be like telling Truck that beating little girls was a bad thing, but not saying a word about beating little boys, because he´s “been through enough already” and surely he will understand on his own… because, no, he won´t.
Why is *that* the high road? Why is Todd now responsible for turning Trunchbull and his son into a “good” people?
The phrase “taking the high road” is essentially another way of saying “don’t let them drag you down to their level.”
The definition of the high road you’re suggesting is like scaling a mountain.
And this is where Todd says something that gets the professor firmly on his side as an ally for the future.
I love the look on trunchbull’s face in that one panel…. that evil eyebrow XD
What else is there to say? Maybe not too much, but something else to do:
Hmm… maybe just a suggestion to see if you can go help those teachers whose careers you’ve destroyed on your son’s say-so?
I want to just say that it’s awesome that Todd is dressed in a Starfleet uniform.