hehe sup dave!! :p

Yes. Yes to all of this. I agree with all of it. From Davesprite being the exception to the doomed Dave clause to the doomed timelines not lasting very long. Furthermore, yes to how it's a physical representation of his choices. SEE: simplified nutshell version of things.

No, I totally get this. The older my Dave gets the less inclined he is to go for a strife? I mean, he'll do it -- the first thing he did when he saw Dirk was make him chase him all over the place -- but there isn't as hair-triggery a response? I think it has to do with how much time has passed without Bro; the hero-worship starts to fade, and he starts to form his own ideas. Not that Bro is any less important (if anything, he's more important now?) but more that he's growing into his own.

It might just be me who plays him like that, I don't know.

Anyway, it makes sense. I swear to god, him just fucking going for it will get him killed one day.... Oh wait...

Because. Doomed timelines. Also Davesprite. Also Dave. Also just Homestuck in general?