There's also the theory that she had a double trigger event and so can't have another. In Interlude 18, Echidna describes Skitter, Grue’s and Eidolon’s 'smells' as very intense, 'a smell that set them apart from the other parahumans in the same way that the other parahumans were set apart from the people who could have powers but didn’t.'

Of those we know Grue's had a second trigger and Eidolon one of the most powerful people alive. He could easily be one of the people we hear about in Interlude 18, people who have two trigger events is quick suction when they first get powers. If this is true, the fact that Skitter was is that list would indicate that she too have two trigger events in quick succession in the locker.

 

We're never really told what that smell is though. It's all an educated guess on our part. And given the theory that she double triggered in the locker, what kind of power did she get? All we've seen so far is that she can control bugs. Her hyper-multitasking may stem from that, but if so its a pretty shitty power IMO.

 

That could be just the 'potential' for a double trigger. Since not everyone necessarily has powers it's a good guess that not everyone with powers can necessarily double trigger. It could also be something related to the way Taylor can use her powers with her main super-power-brain-lobe disabled (we don't really understand Grue's or Eidolon's powers enough to rule out them having something similar).

 

At a guess, she started with the power to sense bugs and then got the power to control them as the second trigger. I think this was foreshadowed a bit by wildbow with the recent comment that her sensing bug power means she's a Thinker in addition to being a Master. But this is really me guessing, here. I could be, and probably am, wrong.

My second guess would be that the double trigger greatly expanded the types of insects she can control. Without it, she might be operating on a much smaller subset of what she can control now.

 

The Birdcage was portrayed a bit differently at the start of the story than it apparently worked with Canary later on.
At the start of the story it's implied that Lung had to do some really bad stuff to be destined to the Birdcage - that not every parahuman who does a crime will go there. They even talked about some three-strikes-law for the Birdcage.

You'd only go to the Birdcage if you jumped the moral event horizon and couldn't be kept in a normal prison.

I'm not sure what the situation is now for the Undersiders. Since sentences add up in the US, they'd probably be in prison for life unless they could cut a deal, but is it enough for the Birdcage?

 

It sounds like it's "cannot be controlled through usual means" + "murder/rape/constant offender." Canary hit the first and basically rape/manslaughter, hence Caged.

 

I don't know if someone mentioned it before, but Regent's stupid sister Cherish is still around somewhere on the bottom of the bay, living in her private hell capsule constructed by Bonesaw and Mannequin. In a later chapter, some city brass mentioned an area near the habour where everyone feels total dispair...

Combined with the "prophecy" that the world will end if Jack leaves the city, and the fact that he needed to leave it alive to order Cherish's months long torture, this rates pretty high on my "potential appocalypse trigger" list.

 

Also, Taylor's dad is currently at the docks right by where Cherish is trapped, "trying to do some problem solving". That can't end well.

 

Spoiler

FUCK. We're going to make an eighth circle of hell, Armsmaster, just for you. You can spend eternity rimming Satan.

 

So I take it you're Saintsant? If so- that comment thread where you donated made me smile.

 

Spoiler

They dun goofed.

Tattletale's gloves are coming off. This is going to get horribly messy.

 

I just can't see why, though?

Spoiler

They were hounding the nine, then they're back in Brockton, just for Skitter? I know she was the leader who ruled the city, but I would think the nine would take higher priority? I guess I'm just so confused.

 

How'd they get there so fast anyway?

 

Spoiler

Even without Tattletale they goofed.

I think this is just some asshole higher up in the Protectorate trying to make it look like they’re doing something good. Get some good PR by taking down a dangerous villain.

The thing is, attacking an unmasked teenage girl who is ostensibly a high school student in front of a bunch of witnesses in the middle of the school isn't going to look good- especially since Skitter has earned a lot of good will with the citizens of Brockton Bay AND the capes- fighting Leviathan, the Nine, Echidna, saving the Protectorate from Coil (Surely Weld and Miss Militia wouldn't keep that to themselves).

 

Spoiler

There was a time skip of around two weeks between the end of Arc 19 and now. With the Siberian dead, it's entirely possible that they've neutralized the threat of the Nine (or at least think they have) to a degree that they can be redeployed.

Yep, that'd be me.

 

Dragon has to follow orders, even if she disagrees with them.

 

Spoiler

I don't think that Taylor has been completely unmasked yet. Dragon will be blocking the view for everyone in the cafeteria and depending on whether or not Dragon & Armsmaster want (or have been ordered) to unmask Taylor, they could still escort her out the way Armsmaster came in through the kitchen.

 

Spoiler

And here I thought we were having Armsmaster's redemption arc. Meh, might still happen on a twist. Was kind of well done creepy to have Taylor go full They Live on all the heroes so casually though. A solid change of pace from the recent "Can't do it to giant monster, can't do it to guys way above her weight class" etc

 

Spoiler

Man that escalated quickly. Anyone else getting the feeling that Dragon really didn't want to have to bring Skitter in, but her programming forced her to? I'll second that it feels weird for Dragon and douche nozzle to be here when the Nine are presumably still at large. I feel like there's something else going on here and Armsmaster is just being his usual vindictive asshole self. I felt like it wasn't 100% clear as to whether Taylor had been exposed in front of everyone or what. There's pretty much zero mention of crowd reaction in a room full of people. So yeah.

I'm also willing to admit I might have maybe possibly screamed at my monitor in frustration at this cliff hanger. God damnit.

 

She pretty much admitted to it. I don't think anyone could force Dragon to do anything, unless her programming overrode her judgement. She said something similar to Canary. Dragon is forced to obey the legitimate authority, no matter how just or tyrranical they might be.

edit: Or someone abused her logic, ala the Dragon-suited mercs; someone like Armsmaster, who was balls deep in Dragon's code. Just saying.