Uniform Stealing Board

tirepanted3 wrote: Tue Dec 02, 2025 2:08 am I like the way this little scene turned out, though it doesn't add too much in the way of clarification beyond confirming Natasha's assumptions at the end of "Circus Tricks."

I think it gave just enough hints to deduce what she did - given that she knew beforehand which reporter to impersonate and how to hack her mail, it's clear she had made her research beforehand.

(Oh my Goodness, Marvel lore... Not gonna fall in THAT rabbit hole... )

Yelena's inner monologue masks her own insecurities - unlike Felicia, who cracks jokes because she's cool and confident, Yelena makes jokes to keep herself from losing her nerve. I'll see if I can't make that more clear in a future chapter...

My opinion? She DESPERATELY needs her personal foil with whom she can interact. That, and I'd say there needs to be moments in which she "slips up" - basically, in which her inner-monologues make it clear she's lying to herself and is trying to pysch herself up. (Earth USB) Mary-Jane has a comparable dynamic. In her inner-thoughts, she slips up from time to time and catches herself; is self-aware (and self-conscious) that Peter, Miles, Gwen or Felicia ARE stronger than her in her inner-monologues; and is painfully aware her "gift" to notice other people's insecurities comes from the fact she's herself incredibly insecure.

rufusluciusivan wrote: Tue Dec 02, 2025 6:11 am(Oh my Goodness, Marvel lore... Not gonna fall in THAT rabbit hole... )

Alas, I've been falling down that rabbit hole myself a lot lately - there are a lot of memorable heroines and villainesses in Marvel Comics who have earned a spot on Earth-USB in future chapters (unluckily for them, of course... )

My opinion? She DESPERATELY needs her personal foil with whom she can interact. That, and I'd say there needs to be moments in which she "slips up" - basically, in which her inner-monologues make it clear she's lying to herself and is trying to pysch herself up. (Earth USB) Mary-Jane has a comparable dynamic. In her inner-thoughts, she slips up from time to time and catches herself; is self-aware (and self-conscious) that Peter, Miles, Gwen or Felicia ARE stronger than her in her inner-monologues; and is painfully aware her "gift" to notice other people's insecurities comes from the fact she's herself incredibly insecure.

Well, not to give too much away, but the next time we see Yelena, she won't be alone... Expect the return of a familiar face.

I don't know if I'll keep using Yelena's inner monologue regardless - as more characters are introduced, it becomes harder to keep a first-person narration. It works here since at this stage in the story, Yelena is operating solo and her actions are largely removed from those of other characters. That won't be the case forever.

tirepanted3 wrote: Tue Dec 02, 2025 12:29 pm
Alas, I've been falling down that rabbit hole myself a lot lately - there are a lot of memorable heroines and villainesses in Marvel Comics who have earned a spot on Earth-USB in future chapters (unluckily for them, of course... )

Unluckily? It is an honor to appear in a USB story. A testimony you're important enough to have your outfit stolen.

Yelena's future partner... I'll be a betting guy. Natasha is a bit too obvious, and it may be too soon... So I'm going to say...

... Jenna. Of course. Good old Carpenter. Aka the only one below Yelena in the totem pole. Good way of having Yelena treasure what she already has. Because sure her life sucks, but not as much as 'Forever Henchwoman' Jenna Duffi's life.

Kidding. I'm like 90% convinced it's Felicia.

rufusluciusivan wrote: Tue Dec 02, 2025 1:02 pm Unluckily? It is an honor to appear in a USB story. A testimony you're important enough to have your outfit stolen.

Ah, well hopefully they'll see it that way...

... Jenna. Of course. Good old Carpenter. Aka the only one below Yelena in the totem pole. Good way of having Yelena treasure what she already has. Because sure her life sucks, but not as much as 'Forever Henchwoman' Jenna Duffi's life.

Kidding. I'm like 90% convinced it's Felicia.

Poor Jenna - a failure in both the DC and Marvel universes. Some people have no luck.

But it's not her... and in fact, it's not Felicia, either. But it is a character returning from earlier in the saga. That's all I'll say for now.