Rorschach/Walter Kovacs Rorschach's journal, October 12th 1985. Dog carcass in alley this morning, tire tread on burst stomach. This city's afraid of me. I've seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood. And when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up around their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout "Save us!"... and I'll whisper "No." Now the whole world stands on the brink staring down into bloody hell. All those liberals, and intellectuals, and smooth-talkers; and all of a sudden nobody can think of anything to say. Beneath me, this awful city, it screams like an abattoir full of **** children. And the night reeks of fornication and bad consciences.
Rorschach/Walter Kovacs Rorschach's journal, October 13th 1985. 8:30pm. Meeting with Dreiberg left bad taste in mouth; a flabby failure sits whimpering in his basement. Why are so few of us left active, healthy, and without personality disorders? The First Nite Owl runs an autorepair shop. The first Silk Spectre is a bloated, aging whore dying in a California rest resort. Dollar Bill got his cape stuck on a revolving door where he got gunned down. Silhouette... murdered, a victim of her own indecent lifestyle. Mothman is in an asylum in Maine. Even Adrian Veidt. Possible homosexual? Must investigate further. Only two names remain on my list. Both share private quarters at Rockefeller Military Research Center. I shall go to them. I shall go tell the indestructible man that someone plans to murder him.
Rorschach/Walter Kovacs Edward Blake, The Comedian, born 1918, buried in the rain. Murdered. Is that what happens to us? No time for friends? Only our enemies leave roses. Violent lives ending violently. Blake understood. Humans are savage in nature. No matter how much you try to dress it up, to disguise it. Blake saw society's true face. Chose to be a parody of it, a joke. I heard a joke once. Man goes to doctor, says he's depressed. Life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world. Doctor says "Treatment is simple. The great clown, Pagliacci, is in town. Go see him. That should pick you up". Man bursts into tears. "But doctor", he says, "I am Pagliacci." Good joke. Everybody laugh. Roll on snare drum. Curtains.
Rorschach An ordinary burglar, kill the Comedian? Ridiculous.
I heard he'd been working for the government since '77, knocking over Marxist republics in South America. Maybe it was a political killing or something?
Rorschach Maybe. Maybe someone's picking off costumed heroes.
You don't think that's a little paranoid?
Rorschach That what they say about me now? Paranoid?
Look, I don't like what you're implying. And I like being followed even less.
Rorschach Maybe I was keeping an eye on you. In case someone's gunning for masks.
You were never that sentimental.
Rorschach Attack on one is an attack on all of us.
What do you suggest we do about it?
Rorschach Retribution.
Rorschach Says Tricky Dick.
You know, for a guy who calls himself "The Comedian", I can never tell when you're joking.
"Watchmen". That's the real joke. It didn't work fifteen years ago, it sure as hell ain't gonna work now just 'cause you wanna keep playing Cowboys and Indians.
Maybe we should agree on "no drinking at meetings"? [Comedian snorts] Look, Rorschach and I have made real headway on the gang problem by working together.
Rorschach With a group this size, it seems like a publicity stunt. [pointedly] Not in it for the ink.
We can do so much more. We can save this world. [the Comedian scoffs; Ozymandias looks at him pointedly] With the right leadership.
And that'd be you, right, Ozzy? I mean, hell, you're the smartest man on the planet.
It doesn't take a genius to see the world has problems.
Yeah, but it takes a room full of morons to think they're small enough for you to handle. You people, you hear Moloch's back in town, you get your panties all in a bunch... You think catching him matters?
Rorschach [steps forward, angrily]
Justice matters! [Nite Owl stops him]
[laughs]
Justice? Justice is coming for all of us, no matter what the **** we do. You know, mankind's been trying to kill each other off since the beginning of time; now, we finally have the power to finish the job. Ain't nothing gonna matter once those nukes start flying, we'll all be dust. [sets light to a display of the United States] And Ozymandias here will be the smartest man on the cinder. [walks away, laughing]
Rorschach We need to squeeze people.
[sarcastic]
Sure. Why don't we just pick names out of a phone book?
Rorschach You've forgot how we do things, Daniel. You've gone too soft. Too trusting. Especially with women.
Okay, no, listen: I've had it with that! God, who do you think you are, Rorschach?! You live off people while insulting them, and nobody complains because they think you're a goddamn lunatic! [uncomfortable beat. Rorschach approaches Dan, who sighs] I'm sorry. I... I shouldn't have said that, man.
Rorschach Daniel... You are a good friend. [extends his hand and Dan takes it.] I know...it can be...difficult with me sometimes...
[Dan notices Rorschach is still grasping his hand and pulls it off with the other]
Forget it. It's okay, man. Let's do it your way.
[Rorschach enters Doctor Manhattan's lab] [continuing his work unfazed]
Good evening, Rorschach.
Rorschach Doctor Manhattan. You know why I'm here.
Yes... [powers up device] but you're going to leave disappointed.
Rorschach! [enters room] You shouldn't be here, you're a wanted man.
Rorschach Nice to see you too, Silk Spectre.
I have a real name I've been using a couple years now. Try it.
Rorschach Whatever you say... Laurie.
The Comedian is dead. Rorschach wants me to look into my future; see if the killer is ever publicly identified.
Rorschach Already warned Dreiberg. Came to warn you too.
Even if I wanted to help, my future is blocked by some kind of temporal interference. I cannot see it clearly.
Interference? Caused by what?
In all likelihood... nuclear holocaust. If the United States and Soviet Union engage in all-out war, the resulting blast wave would produce a sudden burst of tachyons, particles which travel backwards through what you perceive as time, therefore obscuring my vision of the present. I must return to my work. [turns away]
Rorschach Wait a minute. What if that's why someone wants us out of the way? So we can't do anything to stop it?
Rorschach Took a lot of effort to get in here to see you. I'm not leaving... [Doctor Manhattan transports him back outside] ...till I've had my say. Hurm.
Of course, my moral safeguards gave me pause at the necessary sacrifice. A few key regions around the globe... New York, Los Angeles, Moscow, Hong Kong. Disintegrated in an instant. Fifteen million people killed... by Dr. Manhattan himself. The world's punishment for flirting with World War III.
A fact no one outside this room ever has to know. The energy breakthrough I was working on just came to fruition. All these years, Jon was helping me replicate his power, unaware of how I planned to use it. You see, the Comedian was right. Humanity's savage nature will inevitably lead to global annihilation. So in order to save this planet, I had to trick it with the greatest practical joke in human history. Killing millions, to save billions. A necessary crime.
Rorschach You know we can't let you do that.
"Do that", Rorschach? I'm not a comic-book villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my masterstroke to you if there were even the slightest possibility you could affect the outcome? I triggered it thirty-five minutes ago.
[Nixon finishes his speech on Veidt's TVs]
Do you see? It's your super powers retreating from war. I've saved the Earth from hell. We both have. This is as much your victory as it is mine. Now we can return. Do what we were meant to.
Rorschach We were meant to exact justice! Everyone's gonna know what you've done...
Will they? By exposing me, you would sacrifice the peace so many died for today.
...He's right. Exposing Adrian would only doom the world to nuclear destruction again.
On Mars, you taught me the value of life. If we hope to preserve it here, we must remain silent.
Rorschach Keep your own secrets...
[The others look as Rorschach leaves, then Jon and Adrian make eye contact]
Don't even think about it. [goes after Rorschach] Rorschach! Wait!
Rorschach [turns]
Never compromise. Not even in the face of Armageddon. That's always been the difference between us, Daniel. [leaves the building]
I've made myself feel every death... see every innocent face I've murdered to save humanity. [turns to Jon] You understand, don't you?
Without condoning... or condemning. I understand.
Rorschach [Outside of Karnak; Dr. Manhattan confronts Rorschach before he can leave]
Out of my way. People have to be told!
You know I can't let you do that.
Rorschach Suddenly, you discover humanity. Convenient. [takes off mask] If you had cared from the start, none of this would have happened.
I can change almost anything. But I can't change human nature.
Rorschach Of course you must protect Veidt's new utopia. What's one more body amongst the foundations? [pause] Well, what are you waiting for? Do it. [Manhattan hesitates] DO IT!
[Dr. Manhattan raises his hand and kills Rorschach] [horrified]
NO!!!
