It’s the same situation Wakko is used to. They’re messing something up, bringing chaos front and center, and then wordplay is brought in. Dot and Yakko are trading sentences like blows and Wakko, tongue stuck out in confusion, has no idea where they are in the conversation.
It happens more often then he’d like to admit-he’s quiet because actions speak louder than words, but also because words don’t help him as much as he’d like, and they can get lost in the path between his brain and his mouth.
Just for once, he’d like to be able follow their trains of thought perfectly, and see how each line slices. But he doesn’t.
He sighs, as the bit ends, and heads over to the couch to sit down, playing with a paddle ball with one hand and eating a sandwich held in the other.
Yakko notices, because he always does, and heads over.
“Hey, I know you’re having you’re third lunch, but what’s eatin’ ya?” He asks, and Dot is right behind him, confusion and slight annoyance pinching her features. Wakko’s frown deepens-so now his emotions are annoying?
“Guys…do you think I’m stupid?” It comes off a little too nonchalant, there’s a lack of a vulnerability he wanted to impart, because he is nervous. Dot rolls her eyes.
“Of course, but that’s never bothered you before,” She snarks back, and Wakko’s mouth moves before he thinks.
“Figures the brat of the family would have that response, huh Dottie?”
“Hey! Why, I outta-!”
“Hey, Hey, Hey!” Yakko’s voice cuts through the argument that would have become a fight, arms pushing them apart. Dot already has her hammer out, though she lowers it a little as she and Wakko look up to their eldest. Yakko’s arms are crossed over his chest.
“That’s no way to talk to each other. Now, I want apologies from the both of you,” Dot sighs, long suffering, but the hammer is put away.
“Sorry Wakko. You’re not actually stupid.”
“Sorry Dot. You’re not a brat, and I know you hate that name.”
“There, see?” Yakko is smiling, and Dot doesn’t seem to rankled, but Wakko’s bad mood has stuck, and he continues to frown. Yakko notices.
“Now, what’s the matter lil bro? You’re not usually this moody. Someone eat your donuts again?” He and Dot share a look, like they know something Wakko doesn’t, and that only frustrates him more.
“I can’t-you guys are better at talking than me,” He blurts out. “All I do is mess with props!” He waves his hands around for emphasis.
“Now, that’s not true. Yakko and I have verbal sparring matches, but you add in your two cents from time to time,” Now that Dot has seen that this is more than just a bit of whining, she joins in to help.
“Yeah, you don’t talk much, but when you do it’s great! And what’s wrong with props? You’re the best at them,” Yakko adds, and Wakko sighs.
“I’ve heard it’s lazy comedy. No real comedian uses props anymore,” he crosses his arms and mumbles it into his knees. Yakko blinks, confused.
“Since when did you care about ‘real’ comedians? They’re not better than us, we’re the Warner Siblings!” At that, Wakko erupts.
“But no one notices me because I don’t talk!” He shouts, and Yakko looks taken aback. “Dot and you are special, and funny, but I’m just the prop guy-and-and-,” He doesn’t realize he’s getting so worked up until Yakko puts a hand on his shoulder.
“Hey, hey, that’s not true. Like anyone could overlook you-I mean, you’re the wildcard!” He smiles, but Wakko remains resolutely upset. “But this isn’t just that, is it. C’mon, tell me what’s really eatin’ at you,” Wakko turns to look at him, and then stares down at his gloved hands.
“What if…What if people don’t think I’m funny anymore?” He swallows, because the words are hard to get out. “What if they get tired of me-tired of slapstick? I don’t want-I don’t want to be alone.” I don’t want you to leave me.
Because 60 years, even with a few break outs, is a long time to be stuck in one place, and the only reason it was bearable was because Dot and Yakko were there. If Wakko was alone?
He wouldn’t have made it.
He looks up and Yakko, and he doesn’t know that Yakko is thinking about Nicklewise. Doesn’t know that Yakko is thinking about the desperate cry of “You guys think I’m funny, right?!” Doesn’t know that Yakko knows just that type of fear, just that type of terror.
But he knows Yakko couldn’t be anything less than right when he says “Well, even if the world doesn’t think you’re funny, we will.”
Dot chimes in her agreement, and it’s a soft moment, but there’s a lesson not learned yet. That worth and happiness shouldn’t be dependent on the world thinking you are funny; on doing something that makes you worthwhile. The trio doesn’t know it yet-their therapist isn’t exactly helpful, or able to be helpful-and they ought to, but they’re young, and they’ve been through plenty enough to make them think that they’re right in their beliefs.
But that doesn’t matter at the moment, because they have each other, and Wakko is, for the moment, satisfied.
“Good enough for me,” He says, and then “Hey, you guys want to go mess with Ralph?”
A chorus of laughs and chattering agreement ensues, and they’re out the door with 3 identical smiles.