Chapter Four in Watchmen has a different format than the three previous chapters of the comic. This chapter is told exclusively by Doctor Manhattan on the surface of Mars. The story he tells switches back in forth from the present to various points in his past.
The reason I really like this chapter is because it gives us the real back-story to Dr. Manhattan. It shows us how he met Laurie, it shows us how he gained his powers, and it essentially gives us the life story of Manhattan. It is really interesting to see why Manhattan does what he does. It shows his transition from Jon to Dr. Manhattan. The reader sees the torture endured by all the superheroes, especially Manhattan. Manhattan is shown to grow more and more distant from the world and the people in it. We see that the accident, while making him godlike, has turned him into a God that is detached from the world.
And yet, in a chapter solely dedicated to Dr. Manhattan, we see plot developments in other characters. The Comedian is shown in Vietnam to be cruel, cold and heartless. The quote that really sticks out to me is “He understands perfectly, and he doesn’t care.” This quote from Manhattan really shows the demeanor of Blake. He is in a brutal war, with death and destruction surrounding him, and he just doesn’t care.
The takeaway for the chapter is Manhattan’s transformation. For me, the chapter gives us an insight into Dr. Manhattan’s mindset for the rest of the story.
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