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He may be a brilliant detective, but even Tracy fumbles every now and then.
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* After fleeing from a horse stable that's gone up in flames, Bookie Joe is arrested by the cops.
'''You'd Expect:''' That'd he'd go along quietly or at least make a run for it in any direction...
'''Instead:''' ...any direction except straight through ''the flaming horse stable''!!
'''As a Result:''' He gets his head caught on some harnesses and hopefully chokes into unconsciousness rather than being awake while burning to death.

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* After fleeing from a horse stable that's gone up in flames, Bookie Joe is arrested by the cops.
cops.\\
'''You'd Expect:''' That'd he'd go along quietly or at least make a run for it in any direction...
direction...\\
'''Instead:''' ...any direction except straight through ''the flaming horse stable''!!
stable''!!\\
'''As a Result:''' He gets his head caught on some harnesses and hopefully chokes into unconsciousness rather than being awake while burning to death.
death.\\

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'''And So:''' Arson gets his stove and potatoes, but oh, no, he burns himself on the stove! He wants iodine, but Dick Tracy, back from investigating (and not liking the idea of Arson cooking to begin with) tells Pat to get some mercurochrome out of the first aid kit. Boris ''demands'' iodine, saying he'll pay for it and he's scared of gangrene.\\

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'''And So:''' Arson gets his stove and potatoes, but oh, no, whoops, he burns himself on the stove! He wants iodine, but Dick Tracy, back from investigating (and not liking the idea of Arson cooking to begin with) tells Pat to get some mercurochrome out of the first aid kit. Boris ''demands'' iodine, saying he'll pay for it and he's scared of gangrene.\\


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* After fleeing from a horse stable that's gone up in flames, Bookie Joe is arrested by the cops.
'''You'd Expect:''' That'd he'd go along quietly or at least make a run for it in any direction...
'''Instead:''' ...any direction except straight through ''the flaming horse stable''!!
'''As a Result:''' He gets his head caught on some harnesses and hopefully chokes into unconsciousness rather than being awake while burning to death.
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Clarification.


* As is common in the 30s era, Tess has been kidnapped by the villain of the storyline: Bookie Joe! He actually just wants Tracy to stop taking Axes to his property and will return her if Tracy agrees.\\

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* As is common in the 30s era, Tess has been kidnapped by the villain of the storyline: Bookie Joe! He actually just wants Tracy and his squad to stop taking Axes to wrecking his property gambling properties and will return her if Tracy agrees.\\
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'''You'd Expect:''' "Arson, that's not only against prison rules, but highly suspicious."\\

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'''You'd Expect:''' "Arson, that's "Are you ''kidding'', Chief!? That's not only against prison rules, but highly suspicious."\\
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I suppose I could mention the most important part. I guess.


'''As A Result''': Arson gets his iodine, whittles a raw potato into a replica gun, and when Pat's left behind to hold the fort at the station, Arson uses his "smuggled gun" to hold him up, gets a real gun, and escapes.\\


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'''As A Result''': Arson gets his iodine, whittles a raw potato into a replica gun, darkens it to gunmetal gray/blue with the iodine and when Pat's left behind to hold the fort at the station, Arson uses his "smuggled gun" to hold him up, gets a real gun, and escapes.\\

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'''You'd Expect:''' "Sir, that's not only against prison rules, but highly suspicious."\\

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'''You'd Expect:''' "Sir, "Arson, that's not only against prison rules, but highly suspicious."\\



'''And So:'''Arson gets his stove and potatoes, but oh, no, he burns himself on the stove! He wants iodine, but Dick Tracy, back from investigating (and not liking the idea of Arson cooking to begin with) tells Pat to get some mercurochrome out of the first aid kit. Boris ''demands'' iodine, saying he'll pay for it and he's scared of gangrene.\\

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'''And So:'''Arson So:''' Arson gets his stove and potatoes, but oh, no, he burns himself on the stove! He wants iodine, but Dick Tracy, back from investigating (and not liking the idea of Arson cooking to begin with) tells Pat to get some mercurochrome out of the first aid kit. Boris ''demands'' iodine, saying he'll pay for it and he's scared of gangrene.\\
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* Expert safecracker and attempted murderer Boris Arson has been jailed. Shortly after receiving a letter from his lawyer, he requests to be allowed to cook in his cell, saying he has a bad stomach and can't tolerate prison food. He says he can buy his own food and even have a handy electric stove nearby in the corridor (for some reason) brought into his cell. Chief Brandon says this is against prison rules.\\
'''You'd Expect:''' "Sorry, can't do that. Welcome to '''jail'''!"\\
'''Instead:''' Brandon tells Pat to go out and get Mr. Arson's groceries. Arson requests steak and really, really big baking potatoes.\\
'''You'd Expect:''' "Sir, that's not only against prison rules, but highly suspicious."\\
'''Instead:''' "Here's your groceries, Arson, but watch your step. This is against the rules, after all."\\
'''And So:'''Arson gets his stove and potatoes, but oh, no, he burns himself on the stove! He wants iodine, but Dick Tracy, back from investigating (and not liking the idea of Arson cooking to begin with) tells Pat to get some mercurochrome out of the first aid kit. Boris ''demands'' iodine, saying he'll pay for it and he's scared of gangrene.\\
'''You'd Expect:''' "Arson, at least one of us knows that prison isn't a summer home. Keep your dollar and suck it up."\\
'''Instead:''' "You've got a lot of nerve asking for all this stuff, but here's your iodine."\\
'''As A Result''': Arson gets his iodine, whittles a raw potato into a replica gun, and when Pat's left behind to hold the fort at the station, Arson uses his "smuggled gun" to hold him up, gets a real gun, and escapes.\\

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'''You'd Expect''': ...Which means they have the employers arrested immediately right?\\

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'''You'd Expect''': ...Which means they have the drug-smuggling employers arrested immediately right?\\



'''You'd Expect''': They realize that there's no way Junior was armed, and how absurd it is that Junior would've given Tracy the proof of his employer's guilt if they were working with him.\\
'''Instead''': They lock Junior in a cell, dragging him away from (a conscious) Tracy's bed.\\

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'''You'd Expect''': They Someone (looking at you Chief!) to realize that there's no way Junior was armed, and how absurd it is the inherent illogic in assuming that Junior would've given decided to shoot Tracy the after giving him proof of his employer's guilt if they guilt. Worth noting is that Junior had been living with Tracy at this time, and could potentially have had him killed in his sleep, were working with him.he the assassin that the Chief hypothesizes he is.\\
'''Instead''': They lock make a scene of locking Junior in a cell, after dragging him away from (a conscious) Tracy's bed.bed, stressing both of them out immensely.\\



'''You'd Then Expect:''' He not do anything that might escalate the situation, when Tracy tells him he "can watch out for himself next time".\\
'''Instead:''' He gets oddly angry about this and yells at him to '''GET OUT'''.\\

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'''You'd Then Expect:''' He not do anything that might escalate the situation, when Tracy blithely tells him he "can watch out for himself next time".time" out of anger over the mistreatment of his surrogate son.\\
'''Instead:''' He Brandon gets oddly angry about this and yells at him to '''GET OUT'''.\\



'''You'd Expect:''' The teen keep silent and act like he doesnt recognize her.\\

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'''You'd Expect:''' The teen keep silent and act like he doesnt doesn't recognize her.\\



'''Alternatively:''' Perhaps he just shoot Tess so she can't be a threat to him. He really has no reason not to, having just killed 4 people (to his knowlege).\\

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'''Alternatively:''' Perhaps he just shoot Tess so she can't be a threat to him. He really has no reason not to, having just killed 4 people (to his knowlege).knowledge).\\



* Nilon Hoze, her brother Rod, and her chauffeur are concerned about her Aunt's pen-pal boyfriend Mortimer. Not only will he get all their inheritance, but Rod had him background checked and he's a suave conman.\\

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* [[TragicVillain Nilon Hoze, Hoze]], her brother cousin Rod, and her chauffeur are concerned about her Aunt's pen-pal boyfriend Mortimer. Not only will he get all their inheritance, but Rod had him background checked and he's a suave conman.\\


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* After multiple attempts on Diet Smith's life it becomes clear that he's a massive target for the underworld. He does however, plan to brief the police of different districts on using his new anti-crime camera devices.\\
'''You'd Expect:''' Since everyone on the force knows that Diet is a marked man and his information is invaluable in fighting crime, they take all precautions.\\
'''Instead:''' Chief Brandon lets an imposter in, despite their sketchy credentials.\\
'''As A Result:''' The imposter (Big Frost) gets the information he needs.
** Interestingly, while the above mistake is the one with major ramifications, there is another costly error made in the presentation itself.\\
'''You'd Expect:''' The presentation to explain how to use the cameras and nothing more, as this is the goal of the meeting. A DirtyCop is never out of the question, and Chief Brandon (among others) have encountered such in the past.\\
'''Instead:''' They spell out that the creator of the camera is not in fact Diet Smith, but a teenager by the name of Brilliant. Brilliant lives alone at his apartment incidentally.\\
'''As A Result:''' [[AnyoneCanDie Brilliant is killed by Big Frost]].
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'''Instead:''' Tracy rips a whistle out of the BigBad's mouth and throws it to Shirl, effectively murdering him. This is a plan that takes more time and risk than simply shooting them.\\

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'''Instead:''' Tracy rips a whistle out of the BigBad's mouth and throws it to Shirl, effectively murdering him. This is a plan that takes more time time, risk, and risk moral compromisation than simply shooting them.the vicious dogs.\\
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* Shirl Locke the DirtyCop is impatient about an ongoing bank robbery that she is in on. While her incredibly idiotic decision to show up at the bank in the middle of the robbery can potentially be explained by the revelation that she is actually an escaped mental patient (a revelation that is only learned by the characters present after the story is concluded), the actions of the mentally well people around her cannot.\\

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* Shirl Locke the DirtyCop is impatient about an ongoing bank robbery that she is in on. While her incredibly idiotic decision to show up at the bank in the middle of the robbery can potentially be explained by the revelation that she is actually an escaped mental patient (a revelation that is only learned by the characters present after the story is concluded), the actions of the mentally well people around her cannot.\\

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* ?\\
'''You'd Expect:''' \\
'''Instead:''' \\

* Shirl Locke the Crooked Cop is impatient about an ongoing bank robbery that she is in on. While her incredibly idiotic decision to show up at the bank in the middle of the robbery can potentially be explained by the revelation that she is actually an escaped mental patient (a revelation that is only learned by the characters present after the story is concluded), the actions of the mentally well people around her cannot.\\

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* ?\\
Shirl Locke applies to be a Police officer. Unbeknownst to everyone, she is actually an escaped mental patient.\\
'''You'd Expect:''' This prevent her from being hired in some manner.\\
'''Instead:''' \\

Nah. They do such a bad job of screening her that they don't even find out about that aspect of her recent past.\\
'''As A Result:''' She orchestrates bank robberies for her own amusement and uses her police position to help them. This results in death and stolen money.

* Shirl Locke the Crooked Cop DirtyCop is impatient about an ongoing bank robbery that she is in on. While her incredibly idiotic decision to show up at the bank in the middle of the robbery can potentially be explained by the revelation that she is actually an escaped mental patient (a revelation that is only learned by the characters present after the story is concluded), the actions of the mentally well people around her cannot.\\



'''Instead:''' They decide to wait around for backup to show up and move the dogs (And no, it is never explained what their plan is to protect the arriving team). At best, they are hoping that the presence of a Police car will deter citizens[[note]]While Shirl enters with minimal difficulty, she is currently a Police officer, and her fellow officers may not all be aware of the fact that she is under suspicion.[[/note]]. At worst, this never crossed their minds and they are endangering Civilians through their sheer dumbness.\\
'''As A Result:''' Shirl enters, and is attacked by the Dogs. This could potentially have been anyone that needed to enter the bank.\\

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'''Instead:''' They decide to wait around for backup to show up and move the dogs (And no, it is never explained what their plan is to protect the arriving team). At best, they are hoping that the presence of a Police car will deter citizens[[note]]While Shirl enters with minimal difficulty, she is currently a Police officer, and her fellow officers may not all be aware of the fact that she is under suspicion.[[/note]]. At worst, this never crossed their minds and they are endangering Civilians through their sheer dumbness.\\
(If they have a plan, it is not explained)\\
'''As A Result:''' Shirl enters, and is attacked by the Dogs. This The fact that she is the villain does not negate that this could potentially have been anyone that needed to enter the bank.\\



'''Instead:''' Tracy rips a whistle out of Baskerville's mouth and throws it to Shirl, effectively murdering him. This is a plan that takes more time and risk than simply shooting them.\\

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'''Instead:''' Tracy rips a whistle out of Baskerville's the BigBad's mouth and throws it to Shirl, effectively murdering him. This is a plan that takes more time and risk than simply shooting them.\\
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'''Ye Gods!:''' This is not even justifiable by assuming that Tracy wants to protect his fellow police officer Shirl or anything like that, because he is shown before and after the situation to be aware that Shirl is a CrookedCop and be disgusted by her.\\

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'''Ye Gods!:''' This is not even justifiable by assuming that Tracy wants to protect his fellow police officer Shirl or anything like that, because he is shown before and after the situation to be aware that Shirl is a CrookedCop DirtyCop and be disgusted by her.\\

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Examples TBA

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Examples TBA
* ?\\
'''You'd Expect:''' \\
'''Instead:''' \\

* Shirl Locke the Crooked Cop is impatient about an ongoing bank robbery that she is in on. While her incredibly idiotic decision to show up at the bank in the middle of the robbery can potentially be explained by the revelation that she is actually an escaped mental patient (a revelation that is only learned by the characters present after the story is concluded), the actions of the mentally well people around her cannot.\\
** Baskerville's bank robbery using Dogs is thwarted by the Police, and Tracy manages to get a Whistle in the mouth of each Officer. This is important because the Dogs will attack anyone without one of these special Whistles without exception. Unfortunately they only have enough of these Whistles for the exact # of people in the bank.\\
'''You'd Expect:''' They do something to prevent innocent civilians from entering the bank and being eaten by the dogs.\\
'''Instead:''' They decide to wait around for backup to show up and move the dogs (And no, it is never explained what their plan is to protect the arriving team). At best, they are hoping that the presence of a Police car will deter citizens[[note]]While Shirl enters with minimal difficulty, she is currently a Police officer, and her fellow officers may not all be aware of the fact that she is under suspicion.[[/note]]. At worst, this never crossed their minds and they are endangering Civilians through their sheer dumbness.\\
'''As A Result:''' Shirl enters, and is attacked by the Dogs. This could potentially have been anyone that needed to enter the bank.\\
'''You'd Now Expect:''' The Police take out the dogs with the guns that they have out.\\
'''You'd At Least Expect:''' The Police don't play god with the unarmed people they plan to arrest.\\
'''Instead:''' Tracy rips a whistle out of Baskerville's mouth and throws it to Shirl, effectively murdering him. This is a plan that takes more time and risk than simply shooting them.\\
'''Ye Gods!:''' This is not even justifiable by assuming that Tracy wants to protect his fellow police officer Shirl or anything like that, because he is shown before and after the situation to be aware that Shirl is a CrookedCop and be disgusted by her.\\
'''As A Result:''' Baskerville gets [[HoistByHisOwnPetard torn apart by his own attack dogs]] after losing his protective whistle; all the while, it never occurs to Dick or his crew to ''shoot the damn dogs'' until LONG after the villain is a literal dog's dinner. Tracy is also directly responsible for his death despite the situation having deescalated to the point of Baskerville practically being under arrest by this point.
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* In the original 'Mr. Crime' storyline, we get Newsuit Nan, who has just received a call from her criminal associates about a failed hit. She finds the reason when she discovers a Television Camera in her own apartment. She decides to run to Mr. Crime and warn him to leave. She realizes that he might kill her in a fit of rage though, and shoots his barracuda to remove the possibility of being thrown in there.\\
'''You'd Expect:''' She use her specially created nail polishes to stop him, should he decide to kill her. Said nail polish has been demonstrated inducing Mr Crime into effectively being her slave for a decent period of time.\\
'''Instead:''' She wears gloves for no reason.\\
'''As A Result:''' He kills her in a fit of rage, strangling her at close range whilst she is helpless to resist while her gloves are on.
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'''You'd Expect:''' Even assuming they think the one in Ma's clothes is Ma herself, and somehow know which member of the Famon family isn't coming out... Considering Ma is a fit tough gangster in her own right, just as deadly as her son, you'd expect that they shoot them both before either can escape.\\

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'''You'd Expect:''' Even assuming they think the one in Ma's clothes is Ma herself, and somehow know which member of the Famon family isn't coming out... Considering Ma is a fit tough gangster in her own right, just as deadly as her son, you'd expect that they shoot them both figures before either can escape.\\
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'''You'd Expect:''' Even assuming they think the one in Ma's clothes is Ma herself, and somehow know which member of the Famon family isn't coming out... Considering Ma is a fit tough gangster in her own right, just as deadly as her son, they shoot them both before either can escape.\\

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'''You'd Expect:''' Even assuming they think the one in Ma's clothes is Ma herself, and somehow know which member of the Famon family isn't coming out... Considering Ma is a fit tough gangster in her own right, just as deadly as her son, you'd expect that they shoot them both before either can escape.\\

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%% Formatting for Copy-Past usage
%% * ?\\
%% '''You'd Expect:''' ?\\
%% '''Instead:''' ?\\
%% '''As A Result:''' ?




* It's not been a good day for an unnamed radio operator. Not only has he been kidnapped for an escape vehicle by a hitman named Krome, but now the both of them are stuck in a heavy snow. Luckily he managed to leave a recording behind for the Police, letting them know that Krome kidnapped him. He then talks Krome into calling the police to send for a snow plow to save both their lives and nothing else.\\
'''You'd Expect:''' Since he already let the police figure out that Krome is in the car from his earlier recording, that he just call them for a snow plow and wait for the arrest to happen.\\
'''Instead:''' He tells the Police that Krome is in the car, right in front of Krome.\\
'''As A Result:''' Krome attacks him and escapes the location on foot.



'''You'd Expect:''' He keep silent and act like he doesnt recognize her.\\

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'''You'd Expect:''' He The teen keep silent and act like he doesnt recognize her.\\
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!!Spoilers will be left unmarked, due to the nature of Dick Tracy.




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!!Spoilers will be left unmarked, due to the nature of Dick Tracy.

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!!Spoilers will be left unmarked, due to the nature of Dick Tracy.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/idiotivy.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Well at least he acknowledges it ]]
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* Tracy needs a blood donation, but oh noooo they don't have time to see who shares his blood time so it looks like he's a goner. Pat Patton and Constable Ferret (new character) volunteer to donate their blood.\\

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* Tracy needs a blood donation, but oh noooo they don't have time to see who shares his blood time type so it looks like he's a goner. Pat Patton and Constable Ferret (new character) volunteer to donate their blood.\\
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'''You'd Expect:''' Since Patton knows he is the correct blood type to donate to Tracy (as seen in the "Cut Famon" storyline), they immediately get to work having him donate the blood, and let Constable Ferret (who is shorter and generally has less blood to lose) leave.\\
'''Instead:''' They waste time testing both of them, and call in Ferret despite both being matches.

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'''You'd Expect:''' Since Patton knows he is the correct blood type to donate to Tracy (as seen in the "Cut Famon" storyline), they immediately get to work having him donate the blood, and let Constable Ferret (who is shorter and generally has less blood to lose) leave.blood.\\
'''Instead:''' They waste valuable time testing both of them, and call in Ferret despite both being matches.
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** Giant (the short person operating the "machine") decides he wants no part of this, which is somewhat reasonable considering they just got in a firefight with Dick Tracy and an Octogenarian. He's saved one of the brothers before with his aforementioned ramming stunt and clearly just wants to remove himself from the business.\\

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** Giant (the short person operating the "machine") decides he wants no part of this, which is somewhat reasonable considering they just got in a firefight with Dick Tracy and an Octogenarian. He's He just saved one of the brothers before with his aforementioned ramming stunt Calypso brothers's life and clearly just wants to remove himself from the business.\\

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