Trigun Bookclub: pancake-breakfast: Trigun Maximum Volume 7: Chapter 3-4

Original Tumblr Post: Chapter 3-4

It might be a bit of a stretch for me to finish Volume 7 before the clock hits midnight on Sunday, but hey, I’ll give it a shot.

Stream-of-consciousness thoughts for TriMax Vol. 7, Chapters 3-4 below.

Table of Contents

Chapter 3: King of Loneliness

CW: Body Horror

You know, as much as I want to say this title absolutely, most definitely applies to Vash, it might apply to Wolfwood. Or to Knives. At least Vash and Wolfwood have friends along the way. At least they have each other.
Dude. Conrad opposed the experiments? Maybe I was being too harsh with him in my last notes.
It can be hard to know when to have difficult conversations like this with kids. I’m sure that was only further complicated by them being hyper-intelligent, extra-powerful plant babies. But kids are often better at understanding these things than we think they are.

Well, at least Knives admits he’s putting up a face here. And he’s still young enough that Rem can peel it off. I’m glad he got to cry to her, even for a bit. Even if he rejects her comfort on the very next page and puts the mask right back on.
Now he’s starting to look more like the Knives we know.
Ohhh, now he’s straight up looking like the Knives in Vash’s memories.
They do look pretty happy here, though. I mean, they even fall asleep all next to each other.

Ugh, Baby Knives is not doing well.
He looks too much like Adult Knives here. It’s uncanny.
Face stained with blood and tears and twisted in fear, and then blackness. Great composition.

And there he is, celebrating his victory, the ships raining down around like falling stars.
Vash calls him out, but Knives isn’t anywhere near ready to admit the truth of his statement. Ironically, he’s to scared to admit he’s scared.
“This is not fear. This is anger.” Ohhhhh, man. I could go on about that from my own experience. Let’s just say that a lot of times, those who have spent a lot of time afraid learn to mask it as anger, since anger allows a level of action that fear often does not.
Oooh, she’s got some mandible action going on here. Also, not sure, but I don’t think she’s quite happy about this situation….

Stuff going fwakoom?
Betcha Bagworm Legato is super-jealous of Elandira’s ability to run to Knives’ side right now.
Alright, that looks both very cool and very uncomfortable. Like, physically, it looks like it would at least be awkward, if not painful.

Oh, yeah. Plant girl isn’t happy about this at all. That is not a happy face. But since when has Knives cared about someone else’s happiness compared to his own purposes? It’s… it’s been a long, long time.
He has a double angel arm now? Cool, cool. I’m sure that won’t be a problem or anything….
Yeah, definitely thinking the chapter title is referring to Knives at this point.

This cover picture of Knives is somehow simultaneously slutty and immensely disturbing.
Ha! It’s the rubber band scene! Vash needs this.
Look at that. It’s an old-timey mob, here for an old-timey hangin’.
Awww, I know we’ve just met him, but I feel like Hancock really doesn’t deserve all this.
As if there was any doubt what Vash would do in this situation.
Ok, so… I could be wrong here, but this all feels off. Vash is doing Vash things, but he seems waaaaaay too openly depressed while doing them. It’s like he’s doing them because Wolfwood is standing there expecting him to do them. He’s going through the motions (which, to be fair, is a legitimate tactic to get through depression for some), but his heart isn’t in it.

Yyyyyeah, hearing people scream about his inhumanity is probably not gonna help things.
At… at least he made two friends out of it? At least this time everyone backed down immediately? But Vash doesn’t want people to live in fear of him like that.
Wolfwood playing lookout at the door.
If these guys turn out to be serial rapist baby snatchers or something, I’m going to burn down this whole manga. Vash needs a break. It doesn’t need to be a big one.
Gods, his fake smiles are baaaaad here. He’s not even trying to hide. He’s just smiling ’cause he doesn’t know what else to do.
Not sure how I feel about Vash getting drunk again, even if there’s a spirit of camaraderie in this instance. I feel like Wolfwood, the actual heavy drinker here, feels the same. It’s notable he’s staying dry for this one.

Granny here seems chill. Like she’s seen enough things in her life to no longer have time for anything but kindness, even if the best she can do is the small kindness of booze.
OMG GENUINE WOLFWOOD PEACEFUL SMILE I SHALL TREASURE IT FOREVER

Actually, these seem like good people for Vash to talk to right now. Sure, neither of them leveled a city (probably), but One-Eye at least has a deep understanding of what it is to be haunted by deep regrets.
WHYYYYY is the alcohol called Blades?!?!

But… Vash doesn’t want to be alone. And neither does this guy, for that matter, or he wouldn’t have Handcock around. And Vash… he may be running and sad and hiding… but he’s not alone this time, either.
Ugh, drunk and depressed Vash is in no shape to fight.
Wolfwood might be indulging a bit now, but he knows he’s the designated driver here, and he’s being careful enough to make sure he can keep an eye on Vash.
I like how the tails on Vash’s jacket get longer when Nightow wants them to look particularly dramatic. These are beautiful, but if they were actually that long, he’d be tripping over them as they dragged through the sand.

Also, flashy light is probably Bad.
Guess they’re screwed.
The loss of communication would be really bad. It’s always bad in times of conflict. Quick and reliable (or even semi-reliable) communication can win wars… and here I’m guessing Knives decided to take the upper hand for his first declaration of open conflict.
Yyyyyeeeeeaaaahhhh, Knives, honey, that doesn’t look healthy….
What’s that, Elandira? Were you secretly kinda hoping you’d somehow make it all the way through Knives’ pending genocide?
Man, Vash sure can sober up fast.
There we go. Babygirl does genuinely look better here. Like, he’s still sad, but he’s not lying. He’s genuinely grateful for this.