Transcription

[[Empress Trudy and Todd are standing on top of the Statue of Liberty. A strong wind is blowing their hair and clothing. Todd's left arm is translucent, as if he is beginning to disappear. Empress Trudy is enraged; her eyes are squinting and her teeth are bared. Todd is frowning or concentrating.]]
Empress Trudy: What is _this_? Some sort of _trick_?
Todd: No tricks, Empress. Just cold, hard _facts_.

[[Todd gestures toward the Empress with his translucent left arm.]]
Todd: C.R.U.D.E. has been defeated. Your past self has failed. If she never takes over the world, then the circle is broken. Our destiny, our fates are sealed.

Empress Trudy: What are you babbling about, whelp? There is no fate aside from what we make for ourselves!

[[Empress Trudy shakes her left fist at Todd.]]
Empress Trudy: I went back in time, just as my future self did before me! If this iteration did not work, then I'll go back and _fix_ the problem.

Todd: Not likely. Think about it, Empress... She _failed_ here, so she will _never_ become you, and will _never_ go back and "educate" herself.

[[Todd smiles and, with his still-solid right hand, points toward his head.]]
Todd: You should have read more sci-fi when you were younger. Haven't you ever heard of a _paradox_?