Comics Collection Melissa N. Collection [2024-12-24] [Melissa N.]

[misseva88]

There's a new

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. It looks like we'll find out what the big scare was that messed with Elenas memory this chapter.

 

[Elaine.]

There's a new

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. It looks like we'll find out what the big scare was that messed with Elenas memory this chapter.

Not from the latest update we wont.

 

[MyraTSF]

There's a new

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. It looks like we'll find out what the big scare was that messed with Elenas memory this chapter.

Maybe the hairdryer reacted badly with the mobile phone so close and Andrew was electrocuted into Elena

 

[misseva88]

Not from the latest update we wont.

The chapter isn't over yet.

 

[Alicia Mae]

I’ve always liked this “Nikos is just super horny and amoral, but not comic book villain level evil” theory.

I wonder what Elena is about to tell Nikos that makes him sign on as a real husband. I’ll bet she says some devastating things about her relationship with Marina. Maybe that they were never really in love. While that’s likely not true I could see Andrew leaning into that story to keep himself and Nikos invested.

 

[Elaine.]

I’ve always liked this “Nikos is just super horny and amoral, but not comic book villain level evil” theory.

I wonder what Elena is about to tell Nikos that makes him sign on as a real husband. I’ll bet she says some devastating things about her relationship with Marina. Maybe that they were never really in love. While that’s likely not true I could see Andrew leaning into that story to keep himself and Nikos invested.

I will say this for Melissa she knows how to keep people waiting for answers. I cant really fault her artwork either.

 

[rebirth095]

So there's been a long-running mystery about why Nikos is acting like Elena is really his wife even in private. He should know that Elena is actually his nephew-in-law who is married to his niece, so why is he always kissing her, and then later, having sex with her? One theory is that he's evil and has been gaslighting/brainwashing her because he wants a sex slave (and he chose his niece's husband for some reason, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense unless Marina is also evil).

But we also know that Andrew/Elena has had several gaps in her memory. Basically any time she gets drunk and/or is drugged by Joanna. I had theorized quite a while ago that maybe Nikos is innocent, and the reason he's acting like he's in love with Elena is because Elena seduced him during one of these memory gaps and then forgot about it. So now Nikos believes that Elena wants a relationship with him, and he is happy to oblige.

One big hole in this theory has always been how an innocent Nikos could betray his niece like this and just steal her husband. Well based on this latest update, combined with what Aphrodite said about Andrew and Marina's marriage being unhappy, now I'm thinking that in addition to seducing Nikos, Elena may have told him that Andrew's marriage to Marina was a sham, or something along those lines. Or maybe just that Andrew isn't happy with Marina, or that she mistreats him. Who knows. But whatever it is perhaps made Nikos believe that engaging in a romantic relationship with Elena wouldn't be betraying Marina, or at the very least lessened the guilt he felt about it enough so that his lust took over.

So I'm really not convinced by the idea that Nikos could be "innocent", chief amongst them of him kissing and proposing to Elena since literally the first night. But I also have to accept my "sliding scale of reliability" regarding story rewrites. So I'm not gonna fixate on that.

Instead, what I think is more interesting is that apparently over the brief conversation, both Nikos and Marina are pissed at Elena/Andrew. Based on what little we're told, sounds like Andrew threw Marina and their marriage under the bus.

Taking the simplest explanation: Nikos believed Andrew's lie. Marina has confronted Nikos, discovered the lie, and informed him that Elena is just acting. Nikos is upset that it isn't real. Marina is rightfully pissed that Andrew lied.

I think the part that still bugs me is that I totally get being mad at Andrew here. But I don't understand why Marina isn't just as upset at Nikos. Maybe it was in the off screen, but I'd consider it a pretty big betrayal for my uncle to sleep with my partner. If my partner lied about stuff, there's a certain degree I understand they were duped. But considering Marina is actual family (that as far as we know, Nikos has no beef with), I just can't fathom Nikos siding with Andrew over her. Just feels really fucked up.

 

[rebirth095]

I will say this for Melissa she knows how to keep people waiting for answers.

I dunno, I'm getting some traumatic flashback to filler arcs in long runners like Naruto or One Piece. I kinda understand showing us a flashback to make it clear that it isn't a lie, but I feel like there's ways to be more succinct about it without having kinda unnatural dialogue to preserve the mystery. Stuff like:



Just doesn't sound very natural. I wouldn't mind it if we'd ease up on the mystery box preservation a bit. The flashbacks can then be a bit tighter. Whatever Elena told Nikos, we can then flashback to see the context behind what was said specifically.

I'm hoping we actually see what she says next part. I think I'll be pulling my hair out if the majority of next part is the flashback of Elena entering a room where Nikos is waiting, and she dances around the topic before the part ends with another partial statement.

 

[misseva88]

Maybe the hairdryer reacted badly with the mobile phone so close and Andrew was electrocuted into Elena

Whatever happens, Elena will forget what's going to happen in the salon. We also know whatever will happen is the reason for Elena to forget the earrings code. So I disagree with this being filler, it's been planned for a while to reveal.
I also disagree with Elaine as this being redundant for using the same pictures as earlier in the story, as from that we know exactly where in the timeline this event is placed. Whatever will happen to her, it's very relevant to the story. We'll find if someone else is the reason for the memory loss or if she somehow blocks her own memory.

 

[Stevedore100]

So there's been a long-running mystery about why Nikos is acting like Elena is really his wife even in private. He should know that Elena is actually his nephew-in-law who is married to his niece, so why is he always kissing her, and then later, having sex with her? One theory is that he's evil and has been gaslighting/brainwashing her because he wants a sex slave (and he chose his niece's husband for some reason, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense unless Marina is also evil).

But we also know that Andrew/Elena has had several gaps in her memory. Basically any time she gets drunk and/or is drugged by Joanna. I had theorized quite a while ago that maybe Nikos is innocent, and the reason he's acting like he's in love with Elena is because Elena seduced him during one of these memory gaps and then forgot about it. So now Nikos believes that Elena wants a relationship with him, and he is happy to oblige.

One big hole in this theory has always been how an innocent Nikos could betray his niece like this and just steal her husband. Well based on this latest update, combined with what Aphrodite said about Andrew and Marina's marriage being unhappy, now I'm thinking that in addition to seducing Nikos, Elena may have told him that Andrew's marriage to Marina was a sham, or something along those lines. Or maybe just that Andrew isn't happy with Marina, or that she mistreats him. Who knows. But whatever it is perhaps made Nikos believe that engaging in a romantic relationship with Elena wouldn't be betraying Marina, or at the very least lessened the guilt he felt about it enough so that his lust took over.

I think this part strongly implies Elena told Nikos some bad stuff about Andrew's marriage to Marina - Nikos storms off in a huff and tells Elena she needs to talk to Marina first, before talking to him. Marina then goes off about marriage issues. You get the feeling that Marina is surprised by whatever Elena told Ninos, that she doesn't agree/ is unaware of whatever issues Elena told Nikos.
So this would seem to give Nikos some justification for boinking Elena, depending on how far Elena went in painting a bad picture of their marriage. It is also kind of implies Nikos is not the one having the surgeries done, as he wouldn't be quite so into "I'm a happily married guy" until after Elena is out of the hospital.

Given the talk about happy marriages and Toska's insistence on a good family man, maybe Toska footed the bill for the surgery. Supposedly he can't see well, but that would seem to be a sly ruse by a crafty businessman, he sees that Elena is really a guy, but he observes the good chemistry between the pair, and wants to do business with Nikos. And he does have money.

 

[Thalantyr]

Maybe the hairdryer reacted badly with the mobile phone so close and Andrew was electrocuted into Elena

This sounds like the plot of a raunchy 80s movie with an Oingo Boingo soundtrack.

So I'm really not convinced by the idea that Nikos could be "innocent", chief amongst them of him kissing and proposing to Elena since literally the first night. But I also have to accept my "sliding scale of reliability" regarding story rewrites. So I'm not gonna fixate on that.

Technically not the first night, it was after 3 days of seeing Andrew dressed as Elena and practicing walking in heels, if that makes any difference. But yeah this is definitely a weak point of the "Nikos is innocent" theory, but in my mind it might be something like Giuseppe was the love of Nikos' life, and he's been obsessed with him for years. Seeing Andrew dressed like that caused the memories to come flooding back and he just couldn't help himself. He's probably expecting Andrew to interpret the kiss/proposal as a joke, but Nikos is getting a secret thrill from it.

Taking the simplest explanation: Nikos believed Andrew's lie. Marina has confronted Nikos, discovered the lie, and informed him that Elena is just acting. Nikos is upset that it isn't real. Marina is rightfully pissed that Andrew lied.

This seems like the most likely explanation to me.

I think the part that still bugs me is that I totally get being mad at Andrew here. But I don't understand why Marina isn't just as upset at Nikos. Maybe it was in the off screen, but I'd consider it a pretty big betrayal for my uncle to sleep with my partner. If my partner lied about stuff, there's a certain degree I understand they were duped. But considering Marina is actual family (that as far as we know, Nikos has no beef with), I just can't fathom Nikos siding with Andrew over her. Just feels really fucked up.

I think this latest update finally confirms that Marina is upset with Nikos:


This is the first time we've seen Marina and Nikos together since the pool party, and I imagine that at the pool party, Marina was avoiding confronting Nikos until she confirmed with Andrew that the two of them are having an affair. Now that she knows, she's pissed at Nikos too.

But considering Marina is actual family (that as far as we know, Nikos has no beef with), I just can't fathom Nikos siding with Andrew over her. Just feels really fucked up.

The best explanation I can think of for this is that Andrew told Nikos that their marriage is a sham, or that he was forced into it. Something to that effect. Maybe even that Marina has moved on with James. Something that makes Nikos think that she won't feel so betrayed. Or he's just a horny asshole.

Given the talk about happy marriages and Toska's insistence on a good family man, maybe Toska footed the bill for the surgery. Supposedly he can't see well, but that would seem to be a sly ruse by a crafty businessman, he sees that Elena is really a guy, but he observes the good chemistry between the pair, and wants to do business with Nikos. And he does have money.

I can't see this happening, given his supposed extreme homophobia.

 

[Samantha Emberlyn]

Or he's just a horny asshole.

Hahaha..
I wouldn't be surprised if Nikos ends up just that.

I can't see this happening, given his supposed extreme homophobia.

Exactly, didn't he put Seferi behind the bars after founding out that he was in relationship with a man.

 

[Stevedore100]

This sounds like the plot of a raunchy 80s movie with an Oingo Boingo soundtrack.


Technically not the first night, it was after 3 days of seeing Andrew dressed as Elena and practicing walking in heels, if that makes any difference. But yeah this is definitely a weak point of the "Nikos is innocent" theory, but in my mind it might be something like Giuseppe was the love of Nikos' life, and he's been obsessed with him for years. Seeing Andrew dressed like that caused the memories to come flooding back and he just couldn't help himself. He's probably expecting Andrew to interpret the kiss/proposal as a joke, but Nikos is getting a secret thrill from it.


This seems like the most likely explanation to me.


I think this latest update finally confirms that Marina is upset with Nikos:
View attachment 4179291

This is the first time we've seen Marina and Nikos together since the pool party, and I imagine that at the pool party, Marina was avoiding confronting Nikos until she confirmed with Andrew that the two of them are having an affair. Now that she knows, she's pissed at Nikos too.


The best explanation I can think of for this is that Andrew told Nikos that their marriage is a sham, or that he was forced into it. Something to that effect. Maybe even that Marina has moved on with James. Something that makes Nikos think that she won't feel so betrayed. Or he's just a horny asshole.


I can't see this happening, given his supposed extreme homophobia.

Yes. It's apparent Marina provided a very different story to Nikos than Elena did and both Nikos and Marina are pissed at Elena. Now, did Elena actually tell the truth to Nikos, or did she make up a story? Based on his dream sequences of guilt, I'm guessing he told Nikos the truth, but Marina wasn't aware of that truth whatever it is.

As to Toska, he might also see this as blackmail material as he supposedly did with Seferi - " my business partner is married to his niece's ex husband and he has been stealing from me" (James is now supposedly working in the hotel's business office, a Toska confederate?)

I mean I was right when I said Marina was meeting with James and not Nikos in this part, wasn't I?

 

[Oled65cxpua]

So it took Melissa over a week to release images from a bunch of reused scenes? It's absurd how much Melissa is able to abuse subscribers and get away with it.

And look at how lazy even the editing is. The background is in the same exact position regardless of the scene view.

 

[Thalantyr]

Yes. It's apparent Marina provided a very different story to Nikos than Elena did and both Nikos and Marina are pissed at Elena. Now, did Elena actually tell the truth to Nikos, or did she make up a story? Based on his dream sequences of guilt, I'm guessing he told Nikos the truth, but Marina wasn't aware of that truth whatever it is.

It also depends on whose truth: Andrew's, or the character Elena's. I think we're coming up on the exact moment when the method acting switch gets flipped on in Andrew's brain and Elena takes over and this is what triggered the memory loss that wiped out everything from the doctor consultation up to the night of the dinner party. Nikos also described Elena giving them "quite a scare" at around this time.

 

[misseva88]

It also depends on whose truth: Andrew's, or the character Elena's. I think we're coming up on the exact moment when the method acting switch gets flipped on in Andrew's brain and Elena takes over and this is what triggered the memory loss that wiped out everything from the doctor consultation up to the night of the dinner party. Nikos also described Elena giving them "quite a scare" at around this time.

Do you think it will be a mental switch inside of his mind, or could it be (someone like) Joanna popping up once more to drug him into a behavioural change? Drugs could (and have) affect Elenas memory too.

Whichever it is, what will happen after Elena leaves the salon will be responsible for a change in both her and Nikos' behaviour.

 

[Thalantyr]

Do you think it will be a mental switch inside of his mind, or could it be (someone like) Joanna popping up once more to drug him into a behavioural change? Drugs could (and have) affect Elenas memory too.

Whichever it is, what will happen after Elena leaves the salon will be responsible for a change in both her and Nikos' behaviour.

Well I suppose anything is possible. But so far, as far as I can tell, Joanna's drugs have only caused memory loss during the period when Andrew was actually under the influence and maybe for a little bit leading up to that. Sort of like how rohypnol works in real life. Whatever happened at the salon (or afterward) caused him to lose an entire month. Andrew also thinks the amnesia was induced by a "trauma", which was discussed in his inner-monologue expository info-dump that happened after he slept with Nikos for the first time:


He also describes it as "scary". I imagine discovering his new and very real vagina probably qualifies as both scary and traumatic. Could also explain why he avoided testing to see if it was real for so long.

One other question I have is why does the character of Angeliki exist in the story? Helping Elena get dressed for the dinner party, doing her hair and makeup at the salon... this seems like a role that could easily be filled by Sofia and/or Eva, so why isn't it? Why bring in a whole separate character? Surely she must have some hidden agenda separate from Eva and Sofia, right? Or is there some reason why Eva and Sofia had to be absent during these moments?

 

[misseva88]

Well I suppose anything is possible. But so far, as far as I can tell, Joanna's drugs have only caused memory loss during the period when Andrew was actually under the influence and maybe for a little bit leading up to that. Sort of like how rohypnol works in real life. Whatever happened at the salon (or afterward) caused him to lose an entire month. Andrew also thinks the amnesia was induced by a "trauma", which was discussed in his inner-monologue expository info-dump that happened after he slept with Nikos for the first time:
View attachment 4179904

He also describes it as "scary". I imagine discovering his new and very real vagina probably qualifies as both scary and traumatic. Could also explain why he avoided testing to see if it was real for so long.

One other question I have is why does the character of Angeliki exist in the story? Helping Elena get dressed for the dinner party, doing her hair and makeup at the salon... this seems like a role that could easily be filled by Sofia and/or Eva, so why isn't it? Why bring in a whole separate character? Surely she must have some hidden agenda separate from Eva/Sofia, right?

Elena also forgot events in the hospital, things we later learn in her dream. When she wakes up the day after returning from the salon (p483) she's in in this latest update she was just in "the doctor's office a minute ago". So she's been awake a few times in the hospital. P727 is the first time she wakes up in the hospital and ends up forgetting after that big scare. The big scare after the salon visit happens a day before she explores her vagina on p518 and that doesn't appear to give her a trauma. So I'm not sure that exact same exploration would have been such a traumatic event one day and not the literal day after.

This trauma directly resulted in Elena automatically think and speak Greek without second thought. She also forgot her native English language. So it's a big event in the story. It's arguably the main change in her.

As for Angeliki, she was also in the salon when Eva and Sophia transformed Andrew into Elena (p546). She's an employee of Elena's "daughter" (p547). Singular, which is an interesting thing to remember for the two daughters. But why it's her helping Elena after she leaves the hospital and not Eva or Sophia? They're preoccupied elsewhere.
My guess is because they're the bridge between Marina and Andrew and this way Elena is isolated and easier manipulated. Which is what ends up happening.

EDIT: We could also embrace a bit of the cuckoo and wonder if Angeliki even exists. Go to page 568 and in the mirror we see Nikos, holding his flowers for Elena. It's just him in the mirror. On the next page we see Angeliki right next to him. Those flowers change hands, so it's difficult to establish on which side of Nikos Angeliki is supposed to be, but she should be in the empty space we can see in the mirror.

 

[Elaine.]

Whatever happens, Elena will forget what's going to happen in the salon. We also know whatever will happen is the reason for Elena to forget the earrings code. So I disagree with this being filler, it's been planned for a while to reveal.
I also disagree with Elaine as this being redundant for using the same pictures as earlier in the story, as from that we know exactly where in the timeline this event is placed. Whatever will happen to her, it's very relevant to the story. We'll find if someone else is the reason for the memory loss or if she somehow blocks her own memory.

you are entitled to disagree - the point I was trying to make is the Melissa reused 6 pages that were used two chapters ago and it could have been possible to use one page with some new conversation or some other detail or just use one or two pages

 

[Stevedore100]

Elena also forgot events in the hospital, things we later learn in her dream. When she wakes up the day after returning from the salon (p483) she's in in this latest update she was just in "the doctor's office a minute ago". So she's been awake a few times in the hospital. P727 is the first time she wakes up in the hospital and ends up forgetting after that big scare. The big scare after the salon visit happens a day before she explores her vagina on p518 and that doesn't appear to give her a trauma. So I'm not sure that exact same exploration would have been such a traumatic event one day and not the literal day after.

This trauma directly resulted in Elena automatically think and speak Greek without second thought. She also forgot her native English language. So it's a big event in the story. It's arguably the main change in her.

As for Angeliki, she was also in the salon when Eva and Sophia transformed Andrew into Elena (p546). She's an employee of Elena's "daughter" (p547). Singular, which is an interesting thing to remember for the two daughters. But why it's her helping Elena after she leaves the hospital and not Eva or Sophia? They're preoccupied elsewhere.
My guess is because they're the bridge between Marina and Andrew and this way Elena is isolated and easier manipulated. Which is what ends up happening.

EDIT: We could also embrace a bit of the cuckoo and wonder if Angeliki even exists. Go to page 568 and in the mirror we see Nikos, holding his flowers for Elena. It's just him in the mirror. On the next page we see Angeliki right next to him. Those flowers change hands, so it's difficult to establish on which side of Nikos Angeliki is supposed to be, but she should be in the empty space we can see in the mirror.

If there is some big plot against the family, Angeliki could be part of it - it has been very specifically noted that the daughters were not at the salon at this time, whatever Elena says to Nikos and whatever trauma occurs there. Coincidence or opportunity?
I also get the feeling Joel was tied in with Joanna - at that first dinner, it's Joel who begs Elena to drink as Andrew is having a hard time doing his devoted wife bit, and then Elena is off to the bathroom and Joanna just happens to pop up and can now provide the drugs to mix with the alcohol.