After two weeks of scattering like so many tiny squids, the third episode of HBOs Watchmen, She Was Killed By Space Junk, offers the shows most overt references yet to the graphic novel its based on. We caught up at last with Laurie Jupiter, aka Silk Spectre, aka (played by Jean Smart), a key Watchmen original whos since dedicated herself to rounding up the next generation of wannabe superheroes as part of the Anti-Vigilante Task Force. We also got confirmationnot that we needed it, exactlythat Jeremy Irons eccentric country squire is the missing Adrian Veidt, who even slipped into his old Ozymandias armor for good measure. And while we didnt actually see either of Lauries ex-lovers, Nite Owl and Dr. Manhattan, the episode made clear that shes still carrying a lot of baggage there, at least some of which is packed with an . It may not be the 1980s anymore, as Lauries FBI boss reminds us. But this week, we got our most revealing glimpses yet of how the events of that decade continue to loom like a pissed-off Martian exile over the world of the show.
Amid all those big reunions, it would be easy to overlook the episodes other major character introduction. Agent Dale Petey, played by Dustin Ingram, makes his debut relatively quietly, reluctantly drafted by Laurie to accompany her to Tulsa on her investigation into the murder of Don Johnsons . But Petey soon surprises her. More than just some low-level IT drone whos handy with a slide projector, Petey also boasts a Ph.D. in history. And he seems to have a deep understanding of her history, specifically. He wrote his graduate thesis on the epochal Police Strike of 1977, he says, that epochal moment that led to the outlawing of costumed crime fighters in the first place. Hes also well versed in everything that happened afterward, which formed the narrative of the
So far, Agent Peteys role on screen has been relatively minor, but off screen, hes already been an important part of the show. Even before the premiere, has been publishing a collection of PDFs under the banner , comprising various memos, newspaper clippings, and other documents culled from the series universe. These kinds of ancillary rabbit holes have become fairly common in todays pop cultureparticularly in the wake of Lost, co-created by Watchmen showrunner Damon Lindelof, which spread its myriad mysteries across to keep fans actively engaged between episodes. , devising a viral campaign for his scripted Alien prequel that would fill in some of the blanks in the mythology, and he seems to have adopted a similar approach here. But Peteypedia also has roots in Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons original comics, which appended various documentsletters, interviews, and most notably, excerpts from Hollis Masons autobiography, Under The Hoodto flesh out much of the backstory. Weve similarly learned a lot from Peteypedia already.
Thanks to Agent Peteys files, we know that, in the wake of Ozymandias dropping an enormous alien squid on Manhattan, the world went into a technophobic panic, shunning all electronic devices and even radio broadcasts for fear they would open the door to another transdimensional invasion. (The suspected carcinogenic effects of Dr. Manhattan-created electronics was another factor.) , its only now that computersand the newfangled invention known as El-Mailare being cautiously allowed back into the workplace. This would also explain why no one on Watchmen uses the Internet or cell phones.
Documents pertaining to , filed against the State of Oklahoma on behalf of the survivors of the Tulsa massacre of 1921 (and co-authored by O.J. attorney Johnnie Cochran), also add some context to the shows oft-referenced which were doled out by President Robert Redford to those whose ancestors suffered racial injustice. Likewise, a gallery sheet for a retrospective screening of gives us some more insightnot only into the faux-film about real-life U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves that was seen in the series premiere, but also the overarching themes of race, morality, and mythology that Watchmen means to explore. (According to some theories, they might even provide a hint as to .) In a memo drafted by Petey himself, we also hear his thoughts on the way show-within-a-show American Hero Story exploits some of those same themes, with against the TV series sensationalistic hyper-pop narrative that plays recklessly with history, proceeds from an overtly left-wing point of view, and risks alienating the fringe constituencies who regard costumed adventurers with problematic reverence.
The Peteypedia documents are enlightening, and often just plain amusing. We learn that Elvis faked his death and once staged a surprise show back in the late 90s; that Dr. Oz has been placed in charge of Americas collective colon as the Surgeon General; that . (Okay, that last one isnt so surprising.) But more importantly, they also fill in some significant gaps. A newspaper clipping headlined fills us in on a lot of whats transpired since the book, including the role that Veidt played in financing the blue wave of progressive politics that led to Redfords presidency and the deeply polarized world of the show. We also find out how Veidts personal fortunes and philanthropic endeavors stumbled amid the mass rejection of technology, how he sold off his companies to Trieu Industries (which is also referenced in the third episode), and, finally, how he disappeared in 2012, eventually spurring the government to abandon its search.
tells us more about what happened directly after the comic ended. Rorschachs journal, whose last page detailed how Veidt had faked his Dimensional Incursion Event, did indeed end up in the pages of The New Frontiersman, galvanizing the misfit reactionaries of the to wage their terroristic war against the liberal establishment. Petey also fills us in on the fate of Dan Dreiberg, aka Nite Owl, who was arrested alongside Laurie in 1995 for resuming their old ways. (Petey adds that Laurie eventually adopted the name The Comedienne after her late father, The Comedian/Edward Blake). As alluded to in this weeks episode, Dreiberg remains in custody, while Laurie was apparently conscripted into the FBI, forced to help clean up some of the mess shed created by inspiring a new generation of vigilante copycats.
In short, Agent Petey seems to be a veritable fount of useful knowledgeand forceful opinionin the Watchmen world. Hes a character whos as steeped as anyone weve met so far in its fictional history, and hes equally fervent about the threats would-be heroes still pose to society. From what weve seen, in both his memos and the show, Petey seems content to remain a helpful bureaucrat in this mission so far: In recommending that the FBI continue investigating Veidts disappearance, even if its just a ruse to avoid riling the Seventh Kavalry members who want him brought to justice, Petey volunteers to take on the responsibility of continuing to write lengthy memos no one will ever read to demonstrate said diligence. Peteys own donning of a mask in this episode is played off as a jokefirst as a rookie mistake, then as a kind of erotic cosplay. He seems more than content to continue watching the Watchmen.
But in making Agent Petey such a central character off-screen, long before hes even introduced, the show seems to be telegraphing that hes more important than he first appears, beyond just being a reliable source of exposition dumps. Could Peteys anti-vigilante passion eventually turn into something more aggressive? Could the flash of cold resentment he shows to Laurie (Please dont treat me like Im some kind of fan, Petey snaps, his jaw visibly clenching) foreshadow some even more sinister campaign toward her and her ilk? Or is this a case of Petey doth protest too much, and could his stolen night of motel sex with Laurie lead to Petey donning the mask for realremaking himself in the mold of the people hes dedicated so much of his life to studying and, lets face it, probably envying at least a little? Were only three episodes in, so obviously, time will tell. But in the meantime, it might be a good idea to keep an eye on Petey, along with a bookmark.