Warning, per usual: Possible spoilers, go out and buy the damn comic, it will make your silly little life much better.
"Waiting for a flash of enlightment in all this blood and thunder."
"Away down alley, heard woman scream, first bubbling note of city's evening chorus. Approached disturbance. Attempted rape/mugging/both. Cleared throat. The man turned and there was something rewarding in his eyes. Sometimes, the night is generous to me."
"For my own part, regret nothing. Have lived life, free from compromise… and step into the shadow now without complaint."
"Heard joke once: Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Says life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain. Doctor says 'Treatment is simple. Great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go and see him. That should pick you up.' Man bursts into tears. Says 'But Doctor... I am Pagliacci.'"
"I shall go and tell the indestructible man that someone plans to murder him."
"Paid last respects quietly, without fuss. Edward Morgan Blake. Born 1924, forty-five years a Comedian, died 1985, buried in the rain. Is that what happens to us? A life of conflict with no time for friends… so that when it's done, only our enemies leave roses."
"There is good and there is evil, and evil must be punished. Even in the face of Armageddon I shall not compromise in this."
"On Friday night, a Comedian died in New York. Someone threw him out of a window and when he hit the sidewalk his head was driven up into his stomach. Nobody cares. Nobody cares but me."
"This city is dying of rabies. Is the best I can do to wipe random flecks of foam from its lips?"
"Beneath me, this awful city, it screams like an abattoir full of retarded children. New York. Somebody knows why. Down there... somebody knows. The dusk reeks of fornication and bad consciences. I believe I shall take my exercise."
"No, I don't mind being the smartest man in the world. I just wish it wasn't this one."
"I did the right thing, didn't I? It all worked out in the end."
"'In the end'? Nothing ends, Adrian. Nothing EVER ends."
"This world's smartest man means no more to me than does its smartest termite."
"Rorschach...? Rorschach, wait! Where are you going? This is too big to be hard-assed about! We have to compromise!"
"No. Not even in the face of Armageddon. NEVER COMPROMISE."
"Don't worry. Won't insult legendary underworld solidarity by suggesting you surrender name without torture."
"You lousy little Bastard! I'll tear your goddamned heart out! You're dead, you unnerstand? Dead! We got a jail full of guys out here who hate your guts. What in hell do you got?"
[Grabbing his arms] "Your hands. My Perspective."
"Give me smallest finger on man's hand. I'll produce information. Computer unnecessary."
"I looked at the Rorschach blot. I tried to pretend it looked like a spreading tree, shadows pooled beneath it, but it didn’t. It looked more like a dead cat I once found, the fat, glistening grubs writhing blindly, squirming over each other, frantically tunneling away from the light. But even that is avoiding the real horror. The horror is this: In the end, it is simply a picture of empty meaningless blackness. We are alone. There is nothing else."
"There. Did what had to be done. Can leave now."
"Stood in firelight, sweltering. Bloodstain on chest like map of violent new continent. Felt cleansed. Felt dark planet turn under my feet and knew what cats know that makes them scream like babies in night.
Looked at sky through smoke heavy with human fat and God was not there. The cold, suffocating dark goes on forever and we are alone. Live our lives, lacking anything better to do. Devise reason later. Born from oblivion; bear children, hell-bound as ourselves, go into oblivion. There is nothing else.
Existence is random. Has no pattern save what we imagine after staring at it for too long. No meaning save what we choose to impose. This rudderless world is not shaped by vague metaphysical forces. It is not God who kills the children. Not fate that butchers them or destiny that feeds them to the dogs. It’s us. Only us. Streets stank of fire. The void breathed hard on my heart, turning its illusions to ice, shattering them. Was reborn then, free to scrawl own design on this morally blank world. Was Rorschach. Does that answer your Questions, Doctor?"
"It was Kovacs who said 'Mother' then, muffled under latex. It was Kovacs who closed his eyes. It was Rorschach who opened them again."
"Hey, you remember that guy? The one who pretended to be a supervillain so he could get beaten up?"
"Oh, You mean Captain Carnage. Ha ha ha! He was one for the books."
"You're telling me! I remember, I caught him coming out of this jeweller's. I didn't know what his racket was. I start hitting him and I think 'Jeez! He's breathing funny! Does he have asthma?'"
"Ha Ha Ha. He tried that with me, only I'd heard about him, so I just walked away. He follows me down the street… broad daylight, right? He's saying 'PUNISH me!' I'm saying 'No! Get lost!'"
"Ha Ha Ha. What ever happened to him?"
"Well, he pulled it on Rorschach, and Rorschach dropped him down an elevator shaft."
"You keep calling me Walter. I don't like you."
"Hello, Rorsach. How are you today?"
"In prison. Yourself?"
"Maybe this was a political killing?"
"Maybe. Or maybe someone's picking off costumed heroes."
"Um. Don't you think that's maybe a little paranoid?"
"That's what they're saying about me now? That I'm paranoid?"
"A live body and a dead body contain the same number of particles. Structurally, there's no discernible difference. Life and death are unquantifiable abstracts. Why should I be concerned?"
"Ruh. Ror. Ror. Rorschach! Har Har How are ya doin', fella?"
"I'm fine, Happy Harry. Yourself?"
"Fine! I'm fuh, I'm fine! And I'm, and I'm, and I'm glad you're fine too! And uh, and uh... Oh God. Please don't kill anybody."
"Used to come here often, back when we were partners."
"Oh. Uh, yeah... yeah, those were great times, Rorschach. Great times. Whatever happened to them?"
"You quit."
"As they dragged him away, Kovacs spoke to the other inmates. He said 'None of you understand. I'm not locked up in here with you. YOU'RE locked up in here with ME'."
"Waiting for a flash of enlightment in all this blood and thunder."
"Away down alley, heard woman scream, first bubbling note of city's evening chorus. Approached disturbance. Attempted rape/mugging/both. Cleared throat. The man turned and there was something rewarding in his eyes. Sometimes, the night is generous to me."
"For my own part, regret nothing. Have lived life, free from compromise… and step into the shadow now without complaint."
"Heard joke once: Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Says life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain. Doctor says 'Treatment is simple. Great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go and see him. That should pick you up.' Man bursts into tears. Says 'But Doctor... I am Pagliacci.'"
"I shall go and tell the indestructible man that someone plans to murder him."
"Paid last respects quietly, without fuss. Edward Morgan Blake. Born 1924, forty-five years a Comedian, died 1985, buried in the rain. Is that what happens to us? A life of conflict with no time for friends… so that when it's done, only our enemies leave roses."
"There is good and there is evil, and evil must be punished. Even in the face of Armageddon I shall not compromise in this."
"On Friday night, a Comedian died in New York. Someone threw him out of a window and when he hit the sidewalk his head was driven up into his stomach. Nobody cares. Nobody cares but me."
"This city is dying of rabies. Is the best I can do to wipe random flecks of foam from its lips?"
"Beneath me, this awful city, it screams like an abattoir full of retarded children. New York. Somebody knows why. Down there... somebody knows. The dusk reeks of fornication and bad consciences. I believe I shall take my exercise."
"No, I don't mind being the smartest man in the world. I just wish it wasn't this one."
"I did the right thing, didn't I? It all worked out in the end."
"'In the end'? Nothing ends, Adrian. Nothing EVER ends."
"This world's smartest man means no more to me than does its smartest termite."
"Rorschach...? Rorschach, wait! Where are you going? This is too big to be hard-assed about! We have to compromise!"
"No. Not even in the face of Armageddon. NEVER COMPROMISE."
"Don't worry. Won't insult legendary underworld solidarity by suggesting you surrender name without torture."
"You lousy little Bastard! I'll tear your goddamned heart out! You're dead, you unnerstand? Dead! We got a jail full of guys out here who hate your guts. What in hell do you got?"
[Grabbing his arms] "Your hands. My Perspective."
"Give me smallest finger on man's hand. I'll produce information. Computer unnecessary."
"I looked at the Rorschach blot. I tried to pretend it looked like a spreading tree, shadows pooled beneath it, but it didn’t. It looked more like a dead cat I once found, the fat, glistening grubs writhing blindly, squirming over each other, frantically tunneling away from the light. But even that is avoiding the real horror. The horror is this: In the end, it is simply a picture of empty meaningless blackness. We are alone. There is nothing else."
"There. Did what had to be done. Can leave now."
"Stood in firelight, sweltering. Bloodstain on chest like map of violent new continent. Felt cleansed. Felt dark planet turn under my feet and knew what cats know that makes them scream like babies in night.
Looked at sky through smoke heavy with human fat and God was not there. The cold, suffocating dark goes on forever and we are alone. Live our lives, lacking anything better to do. Devise reason later. Born from oblivion; bear children, hell-bound as ourselves, go into oblivion. There is nothing else.
Existence is random. Has no pattern save what we imagine after staring at it for too long. No meaning save what we choose to impose. This rudderless world is not shaped by vague metaphysical forces. It is not God who kills the children. Not fate that butchers them or destiny that feeds them to the dogs. It’s us. Only us. Streets stank of fire. The void breathed hard on my heart, turning its illusions to ice, shattering them. Was reborn then, free to scrawl own design on this morally blank world. Was Rorschach. Does that answer your Questions, Doctor?"
"It was Kovacs who said 'Mother' then, muffled under latex. It was Kovacs who closed his eyes. It was Rorschach who opened them again."
"Hey, you remember that guy? The one who pretended to be a supervillain so he could get beaten up?"
"Oh, You mean Captain Carnage. Ha ha ha! He was one for the books."
"You're telling me! I remember, I caught him coming out of this jeweller's. I didn't know what his racket was. I start hitting him and I think 'Jeez! He's breathing funny! Does he have asthma?'"
"Ha Ha Ha. He tried that with me, only I'd heard about him, so I just walked away. He follows me down the street… broad daylight, right? He's saying 'PUNISH me!' I'm saying 'No! Get lost!'"
"Ha Ha Ha. What ever happened to him?"
"Well, he pulled it on Rorschach, and Rorschach dropped him down an elevator shaft."
"You keep calling me Walter. I don't like you."
"Hello, Rorsach. How are you today?"
"In prison. Yourself?"
"Maybe this was a political killing?"
"Maybe. Or maybe someone's picking off costumed heroes."
"Um. Don't you think that's maybe a little paranoid?"
"That's what they're saying about me now? That I'm paranoid?"
"A live body and a dead body contain the same number of particles. Structurally, there's no discernible difference. Life and death are unquantifiable abstracts. Why should I be concerned?"
"Ruh. Ror. Ror. Rorschach! Har Har How are ya doin', fella?"
"I'm fine, Happy Harry. Yourself?"
"Fine! I'm fuh, I'm fine! And I'm, and I'm, and I'm glad you're fine too! And uh, and uh... Oh God. Please don't kill anybody."
"Used to come here often, back when we were partners."
"Oh. Uh, yeah... yeah, those were great times, Rorschach. Great times. Whatever happened to them?"
"You quit."
"As they dragged him away, Kovacs spoke to the other inmates. He said 'None of you understand. I'm not locked up in here with you. YOU'RE locked up in here with ME'."
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