"Even in the distorted state his mind is in, he's sensitive to the feelings of others," Shrike observes. Hypervigilance, of course, not that Sparrow has any reason to think of the term. Does it even exist, in that nothing-goes-wrong world. "I'm sure he can tell you're bullshitting, and that would only worry him more. After all, with all the objectionable parts of us sanded away, what's left is a boy who once wanted to be a hero."

It's more somber, almost melancholy of a thing to say. A younger him wouldn't have admitted to it. Perhaps that's why Shrike can't simply dismiss Sparrow as being wrong the way some of the others in this place have. The thing about that idealized world is that it has to have just enough truth to sell itself.

"What happened to that spirit of rebellion of yours, Joker? You're not the kind of person who just takes something like this lying down."