PERFECT REPLACEMENT III
@maxlieweek2026 - BACKSTAGE/SHOW
yap: combination of a few ideas. the centered point is maxwell's worsening health during pre-constant time, and how some things in the canon imply that using the codex wasn't psychological damage only (1) and related to that is charlie's worry for this man's idiocy and stubbornness of not taking a break. a workaholic? shadowaholic? (2) and i like to imagine at some point of insistent nagging from charlie he did take a step back only to appear on the show but as his (shadow) clone. the audience loves it, of course, but also using the codex during that time does the opposite of healing--which charlie wanted--and shatters him further.
also that one halloween comic with maxwell making a shadowy charlie. yeah. well, yeah. (3*)

















