Odd Hale gets slugged by steeljack

I step into the fight, and land a hit square onto Hale's chest. "An' if they see what they like, whether it's somebody strong or somethin' they know, they're gonna come back for more!"

Hale staggered back.

I swing again, and Gwen brings the truth. "And the truth is, you're not nearly the first one to make something thus full of references. The battle of Helm's Deep is just one extended way of Tolkien saying 'Shakespeare couldn't handle it'!"

Hale blocked with a forearm, and the string on it went slack for a second.

Animal Man stood up, and added his two cents. "There's a line of authors stretching back centuries, all living and creating what they wanted without a care in the world, and they succeeded! So how is it any different from now?"

"I don't- know!" Hale said.

"It ain't!" I conclude, winding my fist back. "That's why we're telling you all this- so you can let it go, snap out of it, and write what everybody wants to see!"

I wind back and hit him clean in the jaw, and the strings shatter to pieces as he flies through the air. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot the Stitcher recoiling like he got hit, too. I smile.

Somehow after all that, Hale gets up in no time flat. He walks over, and tips his hat. "Fine work saving me from that, it was awful havin' to listen to him speak those words with my voice. Now, erm, how are we supposed to do the same with the others?"