Tag: watchmen

“None of you seem to understand. I’m not locked in here with you. You’re locked in here with me!”

From: Watchmen

Genre: Comics/Movies (sort of)

Who said it?: Rorschach/Walter Kovacs

The story behind the quote: The quote comes the Alan Moore comic Watchmen, which was later adapted to a feature length film of the same name. Both the comic and the movie takes place in a world on the brink of nuclear war and a group of costumed heroes try to solve the murder The Comedian, a former comrade of theirs. There’s a lot more going on but, if I did try to cram all of the details of the incredibly dense narrative, this would be one long paragraph.

The quote comes from the middle of both the film and the graphic novel. Rorschach (played by Jackie Earle Haley) is captured and eventually unmasked as a disturbed individual named Walter Kovacs. He is interviewed by a psychiatrist where he narrates how Walter Kovacs “died” and Rorschach was “born.” Afterwards, at the prison cafeteria, one of the other inmates tries to kill Kovacs to make a name for himself. Kovacs doesn’t let him and splashes boiling oil over the inmates face. While Kovacs is dragged away by the guards, he delivers the quote.

In the comics, it’s done a little differently. We do see Kovacs pour the boiling oil over the attacker. But the quote is just overheard with the psychiatrist putting the quote in his notes.

Geek wisdom: People will have different perspectives on things. Some of them will believe one thing when the same person in the same situation will believe in another. It’s just the way people see things from their point of view.

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“Not even in the face of Armageddon. Never compromise.”

From: Watchmen

Genre: Comics/Movies (sort of)

Who said it?: Rorschach

The story behind the quote: The quote comes the Alan Moore comic Watchmen, which was later adapted to a feature length film of the same name. Both the comic and the movie takes place in a world on the brink of nuclear war and a group of costumed heroes try to solve the murder The Comedian, a former comrade of theirs. There’s a lot more going on but, if I did try to cram all of the details of the incredibly dense narrative, this would be one long paragraph.

The quote comes from the very end of both the film and the comic. The heroes do discover who is behind the murder of The Comedian. However, the mastermind behind the plot has managed to also find a way for the world’s leaders to band together and, thus, actually have world peace through a truly despicable act, however. Most of the heroes decide to keep quiet to ensure the peace would last. However, one of the heroes, the anti-social Rorschach (played by Jackie Earle Haley) doesn’t want to do it…

Never Compromise Watchmen

 

When the comic was adapted into the 2009 film, the quote did change a bit as the lines are switched but the message is still the same. This time, Rorschach says, “Never compromise. Not even in the face of Armageddon.”

Geek wisdom: A person’s integrity and humanity will never be tested when things are easy. They will only be tried during times of hardship and when we feel we need to compromise. While some people may believe that conceding may be the proper thing to do, there will be people who will be sticking to their guns no matter what. These are the people that may not be able to see the greater good of compromise or these people may be the ones who are the true heroes for standing up for their beliefs even if they are not popular. Ultimately, only history will say which was the right choice.