3 details you missed in 'Watchmen' Episode 3
Plus our four favorite memes about that Doctor Manhattan dildo.
HBO’s Watchmen keeps getting better, and Episode 3, which aired Sunday, was no exception. “She Was Killed by Space Junk” introduced a thrilling new character — Laurie Blake — and packed in references to favorite classic Watchmen characters.
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Here are three details you might have missed in Watchmen Episode 3 that explain how the original graphic novel characters influenced the alt-history world of the HBO series. I’m Jake and this is Multiverse, your newsletter guide to the world of geek pop culture. Let’s dive in…
But first, answer this question: Who’s your favorite member of the Watchmen superhero team? Take our Twitter poll Or email me your answer directly at jacob@inverse.com.
3. Rorschach’s influence
Rorschach famously died at the end of the Watchmen graphic novel, but he’s clearly had an influence on the world he left behind. After all, the Seventh Cavalry all wear his masks as they kill police and carry out white supremacist terrorism across Oklahoma. But that’s just the beginning.
Early in Episode 3, at an FBI briefing attended by Laurie, a page in Rorschach’s journal shows up in a slideshow about the Seventh Cavalry. Everyone seems shocked, as if even mentioning Rorschach is taboo. What you might not have noticed, though, is that the journal pages briefly shown on-screen matchup with the original comic. What does it all mean? Here’s what you need to know.
It wasn’t the only Rorschach reference. Later, as Laurie is finishing her joke that weaves through the entire episode, she casually quotes her former coworker in crime fighting: “Roll on snare drum. Curtains. Good joke.” Clearly, Laurie has read Rorschach’s journal, even if that puts her in some unpleasant company.
2. The Ozymandias plot line, a misdirection?
We’ve been assuming that the bizarre scenes featuring Jeremy Irons as an exiled super-genius who we’re pretty sure is Adrian Veidt (aka Ozymandias) take place at the same time as the rest of the story. But what if we’re wrong?
One Reddit sleuth noticed something interesting about those purple and yellow birthday cakes Veidt’s assistants kept giving him. The number of candles on the cakes keeps going up, from one in Episode 1, to two in Episode 2, to three in Episode 3. Could it be that each time we see Jeremy Irons, another year has passed?
This passage of time would explain why his story feels so disjointed and confusing. But more importantly, it could be setting up viewers for a revelation at the end of Watchmen. Here’s what you need to know.
1. Laurie Blake, explained
Ok, so this one is obvious if you were paying attention at all, but just in case, let’s make things clear. Laurie Blake is Silk Spectre from the Watchmen comics, which means she’s also the daughter of the original Silk Spectre (Sally Jupiter), and her father was the Comedian (Edward Blake).
In the years since the events of the Watchmen graphic novel, Laurie has abandoned her role as a superhero and transformed into an FBI agent who hunts down any remaining vigilantes. Her biggest influence is her father, which she makes clear in that ongoing joke that weaves throughout the episode. The Comedian is the “bricklayer” and she’s the bricklayer’s daughter who throws the brick that kills God.
Is that just a bizarre punchline to a joke that’s not very funny? Or could it be foreshadowing the death of another god-like figure in the Watchmen universe? We’ll have to wait and find out, but there’s no question that Laurie Blake is the most interesting character on Watchmen right now.
Who watches the Mandalorian?
Last week, I asked you to predict the true identity of the Mandalorian on Disney’s new Star Wars live-action show. Unsurprisingly, the most popular guess was that he’s a new character, which won with 53 percent of the vote. But a good portion seem to think he’s actually Supreme Leader Snoke, and a few think he could be a renegade Jango Fett clone. Check out the full results.
Multiverse meme of the week
Look, we can’t talk about the latest episode of Watchmen without talking about the giant blue dildo in the room. Near the end of Episode 3, Laurie returns to her hotel room and pulls out a giant sex toy meant to resemble her former boyfriend, Doctor Manhattan. It’s an incredible moment that’s inspired some great memes. Here’s a few of my favorites:
- “The Gang Drops a Giant Alien Squid on Manhattan” (original joke, for context)
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And don’t forget to tell me who your favorite original Watchmen hero is, either on Twitter or via email at jacob@inverse.com.
This is a recreation of Inverse’s twice-weekly newsletter, Multiverse. Sign up for free.
