#an spoilers

[professoruber]

Thoughts and speculation regarding Meridian before Birds of Prey (2023-) #5 drops!

Spoilers for Birds of Prey (2023-)

Please also keep in mind I am a novice when it comes to comics and their lore. I am also tired and writing this in my iPad, so please let me know if I am misremembering or overlooked any details.

Maps Mizoguchi! Or rather, Meridian! A very surprising addition to the latest Birds of Prey series. As someone who is a fan of Gotham Academy, even sometime before I started really becoming interested in comics like I have been recently, this definitely caught my attention and has led me to following this series in interest.

However… currently I have a number of thoughts of Meridian which I would like to get off my chest now before #5 releases and either gives us more questions or (hopefully) more answers.

I suppose my big question thus far is… why Maps in particular? Especially given the fact that her constant departures due to the apparent limitations of her time travel tech means she subsequently has limited ‘screen time’ to justify her involvement. Why was it a time travelling future Maps who kicked off events and not anything else?

I like Maps, but I still have begin to find her role somewhat odd; perhaps in large part due to a simple question it raises….

Is Meridian Maps’ destined future hero persona (instead of Robin)?

Maps wants to be Robin, it’s been a thing since Gotham Academy, and it’s a goal which has been given both some focus and some credit via both the main Batman run and also the non-canon Batman Black and White.

The goal of becoming Robin is one which she was shown to be still determined towards even after experiencing the dangers which would come with the job.

So with this in mind, it seems kinda odd how they’ve also introduced the Meridian persona for Maps. While I do like the name well enough, the fact that it’s a geography term being a neat nod to her nickname, I can’t also help but notice that Meridian… doesn’t really seem to display any of the typical Robin or Bat-related skillsets?

She teleports around and shoots people with lighting, and I’m pretty sure that’s about it. She doesn’t appear to be notably tactical, nor does she display any martial arts (she just points her fist and shoots), which is honestly a tad disappointing. Maybe that’s just me, but I guess it just feels a bit odd.

Cresting such advanced technology also wasn’t exactly something I’d expect from Maps; but tbh she would’ve had plenty of time to learn science as she grew up so… hm.

Does this mean Maps is not going to become Meridian? Maybe?

Possibilities

A very interesting observation and suggest by @transpanda-1 was that Meridian was not in fact Maps Mizoguchi, but rather Katherine Karlo (the blonde girl picture with Maps in the comic snippet a little higher up); the daughter of Clayface. This is based both on uncharacteristic behaviour from Maps herself as well as her departure being described as looking like she is “made of dirt”, a very specific and odd way of describing what would otherwise be assumed by readers to be her disappearing in a flurry of static or energy.

Of course; any oddities, as well as any differences in the behaviours and skillsets of Maps vs Meridian, could be easily justified by the fact Meridian apparently comes from a post apocalyptic future, plus the general effects of aging.

But even still, I do really like this theory and think it makes a decent amount of sense. Especially given the whole “dirt” descriptor.

Katherine Karlo has displayed the ability to be at multiple places at once in the past, seemingly controlling multiple bodies with the same consciousness. She has also impersonated Maps in the past.

However, Katherine appears to be inspired by Annie, a character from BTAS who iirc was a ‘daughter’ Clayface who was created when part of him got separated from his main body and so developed a distinctive identity seperate from the main consciousness. I don’t think Katherine’s backstory has been delved into (correct me if I’m wrong) but I assume it was something similar. Therefore, if she is Meridian then perhaps the reason Meridian keeps disappearing is because maintaining control of a part of her so far away takes a significant amount of effort? Or maybe it is a time travelling Katherine instead?

Hard to say for sure. And also probably doesn’t exactly explain the lighting powers. But tbh I kinda would also kind of prefer this?

Would give Maps more of an opening/hope to still become Robin one day.

Motivations and Answers

This is the final bit of this rather long-ish post which may or may not get totally disproved by #5 tomorrow. But I’ve gotten this far so might as well cap off my thoughts.

If I remember correctly; Meridian is the reason for the general secrecy of this mission, not only from Diana and the other Amazons, but also from Barbara. I feel that big secrets from close allies, especially given Babs’ importance to the Birds of Prey, require big reasons. But from what I can recall we have yet to get any actual look into her reasons… or how she convinced Dinah for that matter (it’s not as if Maps Mizoguchi is some close confidant of hers, I doubt they’ve met before this).

If Meridian is a time traveler then perhaps she’s already attempted this mission via other methods which have failed, hence the reason for specific exclusions this time around?

Or maybe this is an evil future/alternate self kind of deal. I don’t think Meridian has acted overly suspicious apart from this secrecy but it’s still possible. At the very least, she may not have been entirely upfront with all her plans/motive/knowledge.

For all we know, maybe Barbara is involved and pulling the strings for whatever reason? Maybe not, but still.

I guess the reason I’m thinking on this is I feel excluding Barbara and causing a “hero vs hero” conflict seems like the kinds of things which require a very good reason for. And Dinah presumably found said reasoning quite convincing since she went along with it.

If Meridian isn’t from the future, then that just adds further mystery since it means for some reason Katherine Karlo (or someone pulling her strings) has posed as a future version of Maps to direct the Birds of Prey in a mission to rescue Sin. Why all this deception would be needed is another question (assuming she’s not from the future, anyway).

Conclusions

Let’s start wrapping things up. Despite my confusion/semi-complaints, I’ve generally enjoyed Birds of Prey so far and am looking forward to seeing how the story continues. I also am a fan of Maps and am curious at what kind of role she will have as this fort continues, and I also hope she gets her overall dream of becoming Robin one day.

Maps would make an awesome Robin.

For now I guess we shall see whether #5 provides any answers, and if it does then we’ll see if my random speculation and thoughts were off the mark or not,

#birds of prey 2023 #Birds of prey #dinah lance #dinah drake #black canary #Meridian #maps mizoguchi #mia mizoguchi #gotham academy #bat #an spoilers #birds of prey spoilers #Katherine karlo #clayface #thoughts and analysis #professoruber thoughts #bruce wayne #diana prince #diana of themyscira #wonder woman #themyscira #amazons #dc comics

[qrowpilled]

hate when you find a character whose so infuriatingly Your Type that its embarrassing like yeahg no one is gonna be surprised when i announce this is my new Guy Of The Month

#shush jesse #this post abt astarion #hes just so painfully on brand for me #i know so little about him though is the thing but i still feel insane #but i cant play the game and i dont want to watch anyone play it and i dont want spoilers #so like.....secondhand blorbo right now

[dochkavurdalaka]

chilchuck going "sorry leave me outta this one. i cant fight" but then hitting literally every precise shot with an arrow or projectile he ever made in the story INCLUDING PIERCING A RED DRAGONS EYE BY THROWING A KNIFE WHILE LEAPING AWAY my bro is a rogue with dex 20 and wants no one to know biggest liar in history

#dungeon meshi #dungeon meshi spoilers #chilchuck #chilchuck tims #rip my man chilchuck you wouldve loved gurps vital hits

[aquilaofarkham]

every autistic person watching this episode of dungeon meshi:

#aquila talks #dungeon meshi #delicious in dungeon #dunmeshi #dungeon meshi spoilers #laios touden #SERIOUSLY THO I WAS WORRIED THEY WEREN'T GONNA ADAPT THIS SCENE BUT THEY DID AND IM SO HAPPY

[suiheisen]

those!!! are!!! his!!!! tits!!! be gentle 👉👈

#i love how the series finds new and exciting ways to objectify him every chapter #dunmeshi is just one long wet fever dream… #laois touden #senshi of izganda #dungeon meshi #delicious in dungeon #anime #manga #dungeon meshi spoilers #spoilers #also as the server said: #congrats on the top surgery babe <3333 #ryoko kui said: #trans rights #\m/

[ponydora]

The catgirl hasn't even shown up yet and she's all over my dash; but this awesome young orc woman is being overlooked?

#dungeon meshi #delicious in dungeon #spoiler #episode 13 #Leed #orc #cute

[brennan-lee-mother]

Diversity win! Ancestral curse recognises non-biological parenthood!

#what more can I say #fantasy high junior year spoilers #fantasy high junior year #fhjy #fantasy high #dimension 20 #fh #mera speaks #d20 #fig faeth #figeroth faeth #gilear faeth #10k #20k #30k

[astraskylark]

Kabru thinks he's playing 5D chess but Laios and Falin are cooking and eating the pieces

#dungeon meshi #dungeon meshi spoilers #come on now kabru

[risariba]

A little study

#dungeon meshi #dungeon meshi spoilers #laois touden #falin touden #marcille donato #senshi dungeon meshi #chillchuck #izutsumi

[surprisearson]

Favorite bit of adventurers bible lore is that Marcille was a researcher developing new healing magic before she joined the party but then learned all the offensive spells we see her use in a single day. Insane behavior. Imagine knowing the top med student in the country and one day she drops out of her cancer research program and perfects the art of making pipe bombs in 24 hours.

#the party canonically doesnt care but it would be funny to see other characters reactions #shes a genius shes insane she stopped her magical studies to hang out with her childhood crush #marcille donato #dungeon meshi #dunmeshi #dungeon meshi spoilers

[nousanti]

The Will of This Heart 🖤

#farcille #dungeon meshi #falin touden #marcille donato #dungeon meshi spoilers #dungeon meshi fanart #delicious in dungeon #marcille dungeon meshi #falin dungeon meshi #falin thorden #falin x marcille #dunmeshi #dunmesh spoilers

[kolos013]

Aspencore

EDIT:

The amount of people in the notes going "yeah sure it may not be the answer for you but it absolutely is for me," is honestly concerning. It's very much like that one "I'm sorry your hubris was your doom but I'm built better" post that lives rent free in my head. These guidelines are there for a reason ya'll. (Also I'm not removing the wierd caption.)

#time to orbit: unknown #ttou spoiler #ttou

[tuherrus]

the yuri of all time

#dunmeshi #dungeon meshi #delicious in dungeon #farcille #marcille donato #falin touden #dungeon meshi spoilers #delicious in dungeon spoilers #dunmeshi spoilers

[r0semultiverse]

Like music to my ears

#shoutout to everyone leaving toxic relationships in light of a movie #about Barbie of all things! #no movie spoilers in the notes please; I haven’t gone to see it yet with my partner #this post is mine now! OP sucked! #mine #OP #barbie movie #barbie #barbie 2023

[sabertoothwalrus]

lets hear it for the lesbians woo

#dungeon meshi #delicious in dungeon #dungeon meshi spoilers #farcille #marcille donato #falin touden #laios touden #yaad #my art #comic

[seashellronan]

the thing that gets me about about barbie is that barbie land wasn’t even purposefully a matriarchy, barbie land came about because of the way little girls were playing with their barbies, it wasn’t created by mattel it was created by the people using the toys, so the fact that the barbies ignored the ken’s and had girls night every night wasn’t because they had some bias against him, it was just an accurate depiction of how kids play with barbies. I had some ken dolls as a child and they were essential to the plot in the sense that of course my barbie has a boyfriend because that represented the world i saw around me, but also he didn’t have any purpose in my dream world because i was only interested in what the girls were doing because they represented me and how i wanted to be, I wanted girls night every night I wanted the girls to be president and austronauts and not because of some inherent feminist idea but because I was a girl and I wasn’t thinking about boys, ken was an accessory. this movie wasn’t made to change the world but it showed a different perspective than what we usually see which I thought was fun. Men don’t have to be the centre of all our stories and its not even because we hate them, sometimes we’re just not thinking about them

#idk #it was so fun and camp and silly #and nostalgic #barbie #barbie spoilers