The Father of Demons
While he shows off his iron will, perfected movement of body, what we see near the end is even more scary. Intelligence, well-honed, makes a man more dangerous than any other. Lord Doctor demonstrates this through his control over the demons.
One such demon he captured and has been studying for some time. In Monstress 23, The demon hangs upside down, suspended in a giant, glass tank. The demon is supposed to be a killer and responsible for countless deaths, yet there it hangs as a nothing more than a puppet.
Maika refuses to let her father keep torturing the creature and breaks it out, but this is where her failed fight attempt comes in. Maika does a beautiful pirouette and changes the engagement into a father/daughter point of bonding/honor. Maika asks for the life of the caged demon as a point of ‘daughter’s prerogative’. Given Lord Doctor’s attempts to keep Maika close, he concedes with the warning that it will attempt to kill her.
Here lays the other scary show of power. As a counter point, he asks for a ‘father’s prerogative’. He wishes to see Zinn, Maika’s demon that once inhabited him. She says no, but with a word he forces Zinn to appear. Zinn of course is furious, but Lord Doctor continues to control Zinn with verbal phrases. The mighty Zinn is powerless.
A Father’s Control in Monstress 23
At times the Lord Doctor seems to be trying to do what is in teh best interests of Maika and those around him, but things always seem to pivot and he exposes the power lust that drives him. He want’s his daughter and control of Zinn once more. No is not an option.
Instead he plays the chilling game of chess with Maika. He does not force her into anything. Instead he delivers his ice cold smile and let’s Maika continue, knowing the mistakes she will make down the road, waiting to capitalize on them. Not only does he let her go, but he sends her off with the coldest of blessings – May you eat well. Control and power are his.
