[Looney Tunes SFX]

I think Bandit’s refusal here was the wrong call. Sure, the average ordinary person would probably balk at truth serum as a condition of new employment, just as the average ordinary person would not want to work with someone who had stolen from them. But here as in Syr’Nj’s case on the last page, it seems like we missed an opportunity to let our characters be extraordinary.

“Honest gnomish thief” is how we described Bandit during loud convention pitches for years, as we pointed to her picture on the Volume 1 cover. Wouldn’t it be a more interesting proof of that honesty to have her accept the serum without a second thought? It’s not like she DOES have any lies to tell these guys, and it’d shift Syr’Nj’s opinion of her drastically.

Granted, Bandit does want to keep some secrets, like exactly how she knew about the Peacemaker initiative. It’s not clear from the text whether this sort of truth serum would make her blab all her secrets or just prevent her from lying, though from what Syr’Nj says, I’d lean toward the latter. But there is the fact that Bandit may not trust Syr’Nj’s words at this point. “How do I know this ain’t some slow-actin’ poison that’ll require an an’idote?” But still…

John Maynard Keynes, what do you think?

“I should have drunk more champagne” (attributed).

See, that’s what I’m saying! Keynes should have drunk the thing. Thanks, John!