Given the partial-reveal in Flash #22, I am now fairly confident that Dr. Manhattan IS, in fact, responsible for the Rebirth fiasco, and we aren't being misled...
*That being said, this thread is intended to discuss Manhattan's motives and such -- WHY would he even bother affecting mainstream continuity like this..?
Lets starts with what we know Manhattan did to the DCU...
Per Wally: after the culmination of Flashpoint, when reality was being remade anew and was at its most vulnerable/malleable, Manhattan interjected and 'stole' 10 years from continuity: http://i.imgur.com/UrtEpJV.jpg
Why would he do this? Why steal one specific decade from the DCU???
In the original Watchmen series, Manhattan stated that he cannot directly alter the future. What can happen does happen -- everything is preordained: (please log in to view the image)
In fact, Manhattan stated that even he falls under the proverbial 'blanket' of predestination: http://i.imgur.com/VDARV3v.jpg
Manhattan: "Why does my perception of time distress you? [...] Everything is preordained. Even my responses [...] We're all puppets, Laurie. I'm just a puppet who can see the strings."
Though as we saw in Before Watchmen, even this temporal 'limitation' of his didn't stop Manhattan from experimenting on the universal structure nonetheless. He originally started small, mind you -- changing very minor things in order to affect a certain outcome he favored... Extremely subtle changes(albeit with relatively large ramifications): http://i.imgur.com/FIg8TGH.jpg http://i.imgur.com/2820v2I.jpg
Manhattan: "It's all a matter of perspective. And perspectives can be changed with the slightest nudge [...] And a new Quantum Universe of events and potentials is created in an instant [...] Born in the split between what might have been, and what now is."
By the end of the mini, however, Manhattan had graduated into intentonally creating and destroying entire universeS: http://i.imgur.com/iH2WmR4.jpg
Manhattan: "I tell him about accidentally becoming a Quantum Observer capable of creating universes with even the most casual act [...] I tell him about destroying the very alternate universes I created."
**Phil had a great theory regarding the deeper meaning of that Epilogue, btw:
So what do you guys think? Is this just another one of Manhattan's 'experiments' to try and break the mold of predestination(so to speak), or is there something deeper behind his machinations?
Discuss...
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Last edited by Galan007 on May 22nd, 2017 at 08:15 PM
Dr. Manhattan might have changed the DC Universe into a blank state which was New 52 due how unrealistic it looked when he made it and tried to made the DC Universe later into something dark and edgy like Watchman Universe to see how would Superman and co deal with it.
Sounds simple, But that's what seems to be so far.
Is it also possible that Dr. Manhattan is the one who made the "Flaw" within Primal Monitor as well?
I suppose that comes down to whether you think Manhattan originally created the entire DCU-proper, or if he is simply manipulating what is already there...
__________________
"I am tired of Earth. These people.
I am tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives."
Everything after the first two scans is post Watchmen?
Then it's a total retcon on how his powers work. If the only real difference between us and Dr. M. is that he experiences every single moment of his timeline simultaniously, then it should absolutely be impossible for him to alter something, because according to his model of existance everything is already predestined to happen. Only he can see it all at once, while we experience it from moment to moment.
__________________ What CDTM believes;
Never let anyone else define you. Don't be a jerk just to be a jerk, but if you are expressing your true inner feelings and beliefs, or at least trying to express that inner child, and everyone gets pissed off about it, never NEVER apologize for it. Let them think what they want, let them define you in their narrow little minds while they suppress every last piece of them just to keep a friend that never liked them for themselves in the first place.
^ Or perhaps the changes he made are how things were ALWAYS going to happen. That would still align with the concept of predestination, after all. /shrug
I mean, we know for a fact the concept of predestination still applies to Manhattan on *some* level, as that text was explicitly placed on his recent partial-reveal page for a reason...
__________________
"I am tired of Earth. These people.
I am tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives."
There are SO many unanswered questions right now. *Why* did Manhattan steal 10 years from the DCU? *Who* is Mr. Oz, and *why* is he running around the multiverse 'collecting' various characters as to remove them from play? *Are* Manhattan and Oz even working together, or are they actually engaged in some sort of cosmic warfare that has yet to be revealed? etc. etc. etc.
Really hoping Johns brings all of this together seamlessly/cohesively. It certainly has the potential to be an absolutely fantastic event, IF it continues to be handled right...
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__________________
"I am tired of Earth. These people.
I am tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives."
Last edited by Galan007 on May 24th, 2017 at 01:00 AM
I'd wager the interaction between Mr. Oz and Luthor(which will inevitably culminate with Oz revealing his identity) will be nothing less than epic.
As of now, I'm thinking he will be revealed as the obvious choice: none other than Ozymandias/Adrian Veidt himself. As mentioned above: not only is there NO reason for DC to make him anyone else at this point, but Adrian would also make the most canonical sense given the other key player in this event(ie. Dr. Manhattan -- of whom Ozy is intimately familiar with)... If he doesn't end up being Adrian, however, then he's Alex Luthor Jr.
...Frankly, I'm hoping for the former. Johns using Luthor Jr. as the 'big bad' in yet another one of his major events would border on ridiculous -- he shouldn't be Johns' proverbial 'calling card', imo.
__________________
"I am tired of Earth. These people.
I am tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives."
Last edited by Galan007 on May 24th, 2017 at 03:15 AM
Regardless of what happens, this event has certainly rekindled my interest in DC... I don't always like Johns, but the guy can undeniably write a damn good(and wholly thought provoking) large-scale event.
In the words of Dr. Manhattan: "I cannot wait to see what this new box reveals."
..........(please log in to view the image)
__________________
"I am tired of Earth. These people.
I am tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives."
Last edited by Galan007 on May 24th, 2017 at 03:44 AM
No idea if this theory has already been put out, but I'm going to say it here, just so ya'll can marvel at my brilliance if it turns out to be true.
Firstly, I declare that that this event is somehow linked to the Death of Superman arc. Why? Well, just look at the timing. Doomsday Clock comes out in November, 2017. The first issue of DoS, which was coincidentally titled 'Doomsday' came out in November, 1992, making this the 25th anniversary of what is arguably Superman's most important arc. DC would be insane not to capitalise on such an event.
Now, if we consider Phil's interpretation of how Dr. Manhattan relates to Superman, the idea of him taking Doomsday's place as Superman's ultimate foe makes perfect sense. He's a new challenge, one more appropriate for the modern man of steel. He's not a mindless monster. He's cold and logical, with a justifiable motive for all his wrongdoings. Superman cannot defeat him through a simple slugfest. His victory would have to be moral, intellectual. Something that challenges him in his entirety.
...Of course, knowing comics, this will all end with Superman knocking Manhattan the f*ck out, but still, my point stands.
Your theory is also substantiated by the fact that Superman's death at the hands of Doomsday has been referenced quite a bit since Rebirth, in various retellings and whatnot.
His death also represented the winning 'piece' on Mxy's board game, for what it's worth:
Hmm, makes sense. If the board game scene represented Myx winning that particular round, perhaps this event will culminate in the ending/beginning of another chapter in Superman/DC's life. After all, they have been stressing how inextricably linked Superman and the universe are for quite some time now.
Interesting thought. I'd probably lean towards 'no' -- although we know Manhattan IS 'Godlike' in the sense that he can create/destroy full-fledged universes and such, so I wouldn't count-out that theory entirely.
__________________
"I am tired of Earth. These people.
I am tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives."
Picked up the first issue of DOOMSDAY CLOCK just now.
It just seems like one of those books ppl are going to be talking about, and i'm going to wish i'd read/end up reading after the fact, so i'm just gonna go ahead and do it.
The Johns/Frank combo doesnt hurt either.