ELI5 — Doomsday Clock character motivations and plot?

[HomoSuperior]

Hoping this thread might help others, like myself, who are struggling to understand this series. IÂ’m familiar with Watchmen and DCU. IÂ’ve been reading and want to like this series but just canÂ’t manage to put the fundamentals together. I suspect the series focus on oblique meta narratives + schedule delays has something to do with my challenge.

That said, hoping someone might ELI5 — What is Manhattan and Voigt’s motivation for coming to the DC? Manhattan seems like an aloof aimless character with too much power. He wanders around reciting random data points and anecdotes. Voigt seems like he is supposed to be a villain but he has no particular objective other than following Manhattan around. What do they want? Are these two simply meant to be destructive forces of nature, like a hurricane and forest fire? Marionette and Mime were interesting but I don’t get their purpose in the big scheme of things?

That said, what is up with the plot? What do the issues dedicated to the old folks home and fictional crime drama explain or represent?

Thanks for your time

[kingaliencracker]

Manhattan traveled to the DC universe following the events of Watchmen because he was fascinated by the universe full of metas like him, and specifically Superman.

Veidt traveled to the DC universe to manipulate Manhattan into saving the Watchmen universe when his role in orchestrating the attacks depicted in Watchmen were revealed via Rorschach's journal, and the world descended into nuclear war.

Marionette and Mime were brought along because Veidt knew Manhattan had saved the former due to her being pregnant, and believed their presence would help entice Manhattan into returning to save the Watchmen Universe.

[HomoSuperior]

Manhattan traveled to the DC universe following the events of Watchmen because he was fascinated by the universe full of metas like him, and specifically Superman.

Veidt traveled to the DC universe to manipulate Manhattan into saving the Watchmen universe when his role in orchestrating the attacks depicted in Watchmen were revealed via Rorschach's journal, and the world descended into nuclear war.

Marionette and Mime were brought along because Veidt knew Manhattan had saved the former due to her being pregnant, and believed their presence would help entice Manhattan into returning to save the Watchmen Universe.

Thanks. I guess Veidt is what I don’t understand. Didn’t he manipulate/cause the events which led to the destruction of the Watchmen universe? In Doomsday Clock 11, he seems similarly intent on manipulating and destroying DCU for the sake of just doing it? I can’t tell if he regrets destroying things or wants to destroy things?

[kingaliencracker]

Thanks. I guess Veidt is what I don’t understand. Didn’t he manipulate/cause the events which led to the destruction of the Watchmen universe? In Doomsday Clock 11, he seems similarly intent on manipulating and destroying DCU for the sake of just doing it? I can’t tell if he regrets destroying things or wants to destroy things?

Veidt caused the alien attack in Watchmen in order to bring Russia and the United States together to avoid nuclear war. But Rorschach's journal in which he detailed Veidt's scheme was revealed 5 or 6 years later, turning Veidt into a pariah and re-escalating tensions between Russia and the United States to the point that the world was destroyed.

Veidt doesn't want to destroy the DCU or the Watchmen universe. He wants to save both, but he also wants to ensure that HE'S the one to save them. He has a very dangerous messiah complex.

[HomoSuperior]

Veidt caused the alien attack in Watchmen in order to bring Russia and the United States together to avoid nuclear war. But Rorschach's journal in which he detailed Veidt's scheme was revealed 5 or 6 years later, turning Veidt into a pariah and re-escalating tensions between Russia and the United States to the point that the world was destroyed.

Veidt doesn't want to destroy the DCU or the Watchmen universe. He wants to save both, but he also wants to ensure that HE'S the one to save them. He has a very dangerous messiah complex.

Thanks again. Any thoughts on what does Manhattan want? He’s been characterized as “despair” vs. Superman’s “hope.” I’m not sure I understand that. Seems like Manhattan’s this aimless force of nature, preoccupied with whatever catches his attention, and prone to being manipulated? In comparison, Veidt seems the worst of the two.

IMO, if this were Of Mice and Men, Veidt would be George to Manhattan’s Lenny. Crap analogy I know... but...

[kingaliencracker]

Thanks again. Any thoughts on what does Manhattan want? He’s been characterized as “despair” vs. Superman’s “hope.” I’m not sure I understand that. Seems like Manhattan’s this aimless force of nature, preoccupied with whatever catches his attention, and prone to being manipulated? In comparison, Veidt seems the worst of the two.

IMO, if this were Of Mice and Men, Veidt would be George to Manhattan’s Lenny. Crap analogy I know... but...

I would compare Veidt and Manhattan to Lex Luthor and Superman. There are far more similarities.

Manhattan is a scientist by nature, so his involvement with the DC universe is more or less a grand experiment to see how much/far he can test the heroes before they break, as the heroes on his world more or less did.

Manhattan is essentially God if God were completely indifferent towards all matters.

[Batgrayson]

Manhattan is also really curious about the future, and maybe scared about his future. He can't see beyond the moment where Superman attacks him, well, he only sees darkness, no matter how into the future he watches.

[Restingvoice]

I would compare Veidt and Manhattan to Lex Luthor and Superman. There are far more similarities.

Manhattan is a scientist by nature, so his involvement with the DC universe is more or less a grand experiment to see how much/far he can test the heroes before they break, as the heroes on his world more or less did.

Manhattan is essentially God if God were completely indifferent towards all matters.

Didn't Manhattan learn about the value of each human being after the talk with... Jennifer... Silk Spectre on Mars? After he realized that every random particle in the universe created something as specific and unique as her?

Also, what happened to her and Nite Owl?

[JonaX]

I think Manhattan sparing Marionette since her child will be adopted by Laurie and Dan does show that Manhattan still had hope and I wonder if that's why he saved the Comedian from his death, to give him a chance of redemption.

Didn't Manhattan learn about the value of each human being after the talk with... Jennifer... Silk Spectre on Mars? After he realized that every random particle in the universe created something as specific and unique as her?

Also, what happened to her and Nite Owl?

Laurie and Dan changed identities at the end of Watchmen. Manhattan mentioned that Ozymandias wanted Laurie to come with him but she refused but that lead him to Mime and Marionette.