As for Sabrina’s adrenaline rush, she’s going to be worn out when this is all over, and coming down off that kind of high could make her next fight (if she wins this one and has to fight again in the same night) all the harder for her to fight, let alone win.

Good catch Roller Derby Fan, I didn’t notice Loretta’s eyes were closed the whole time.

And, go Salazen! (I’ve been thinking about rereading the archives but haven’t gotten around to it.) Thanks for pointing all that stuff out.

-A. mouse

And an optimist you are darkmark! Sabrina for the win is possible, but she’s got to improve her position.

RDF, i didn’t notice til right now that Loretta doesn’t have her eyes open this entire page! I didn’t plan that. Y’know about Jeff, someone mentioned to me that Jeff’s insistence that Sabrina was going to lose was the one thing that Sabrina had going for her, because he’s been picking wrong all night! He does have some funny lines. Vincent has not made an ‘on-screen’ appearance but between you and I, he’s at the event but will be gone before the show is over. He was definitely charmed by Brooke’s features, but I do think he fancies himself as becoming Sabrina’s boyfriend. Time will tell on that one.

Salazen! You got some great ideas for how Sabrina may counter her current predicament. Not far off to assume that Sabrina may try some luchadore counter as she is a high-flyer.
Ah, very nice work checking out some of the past episodes! Gabrielle definitely knows what she’s doing and there isn’t much she hasn’t thought of. I’m not sure if we’ll ever get into this directly in the story, but you are correct that Marina didn’t just bump into Sabrina accidentally. If Sabrina wins this match against Loretta and gets into the TV tournament, it might speak to the mindset of Gabrielle. Excellent points though you’ve brought up and not only is Knox/Finley a good example, but there’s also something similar going on in Total Nonstop Action with Sting, Booker and Nash against AJ, and Somoa Joe.
I’m thrilled you noticed these things! Let me just give a short heads up that Monday’s update will have some more Gabrielle, her thoughts with Sabrina and her intentions with one unsuccessful Upstart girl.

What? Surprised at me saying this? Let’s look back.

Page 7. Chloe De Sade. Look at the anger. Look at her attitude. Look at Gabrielle Rini and her smile, as well as how she pokes at Chloe’s issues with the ‘ten weeks to be exact’ comment.

Now, Page 8. She rubs in how Sabrini is ‘the future’ with her fan reactions and her work ethic and personality. Then, after Chloe leaves, look at the even bigger smile and her assistant’s comment of how it went better than he expected.

Last panel of page 8 Quoting: The mob loves a good story… even if it’s a tragedy.

Looking at Miss Rini again, it makes me wonder whose idea meeting Marina Ortiz was on Page 14. It wasn’t an accident. Marina wouldn’t have been so informed of Sabrina’s scheduled match and who she was so smoothly if it was a pure chance meeting.

I think Gabrielle Rini expects Sabrina to win the tourney, and may even have placed Ortiz to make sure she has a good chance to do so. Why? Because the mob loves a good story and it’s a favorite storyline to have the veteran vs the rookie. Usually the vet is the fan favorite and the rookie is the cocky upstart, like Mike Knox v Finley currently, but it can work with the face rookie and the ‘you don’t belong here’ attitude from a heel vet. How better to fuel the feud than by having Sabrina ‘steal’ the title that -should- be Chloe’s, at least in the mind of the leader of Hell’s Belles?