2019/09/11 - Dealing With The Debil

[GameCobra]

Whyyyyy did you go to Keene, King? Whyyyyyyy? D:

Marion is now going to be staying lon~ GAH!

[tomindex]

i have so many theories as to where he's gonna take it.
he could go "the veil" route i.e. marions tf is based on a wave of changed people which doubles every year, making it necessary to exponentially grow the ecp to foster the worlds population over time.

he could go devils advocate and make the animals act as metaphor for privelage

he could do a plain jane and it turns out no one actually knows and marions just sort of stuck but it's cause of some sort of rift in the past cosmos games but there's new players.

he could make it all a dream (or was it?) and have it be sort of a revalation or vision to marion so he could "just see what it was like"

I mean, if we're going with my favorite warped theory marion will probably start doing black magic in the woods and become a major player in the game.

but of course it would be more nuanced if someone else was the cause of this, it's not often we think of certain factors for the cause of things. maybe a certain someone whom marion knew changed him out of either situational anger or they've always resented marion and they did something they now either regret or don't regret depending on how much empathy they really have. It could be a high schooler, or another animal marion kicked when he was younger, or recently, or maybe marion was a savant and he was turned because in this reality the ecp was the best option to learn what he needed to learn and after all was said and done he could change back. sort of like a transfer student.

Maybe marion himself secretly did it and he's just acting really hard because his larp skills: are 1000 percent bro. like he reallllly knows how to larp. maybe he was larping as a squirrel so hard: that he just convinced everyone that he was an actual god-dang squirrel. that would be the funniest route actually.

[Sir Chestnut]

Whyyyyy did you go to Keene, King? Whyyyyyyy? D:

I think Fox and King might be the only two left who don't know the extent of how nuts Keene is. Although it appears they will soon find out.

Yeah, and King will avoid going to Kitsune until he must.

This actually isn't the jump I expected. I though we'd have Marion's parents involved now. I suspect that could be as soon as next strip.

Looking at the comic again... where are they? I thought this was Keene meeting them in the police station breakroom, but that looks like a candle on the table. Is that Keenes kitchen?

I was wondering that too.

- They could have dropped Marion back home on their way to Keene already. I doubt this though since I just don't see Marion's reunion with his parents being jumped over.

- Marion is waiting in the squad with Fido and a detective.

- Marion is waiting at the police station with Fido for his parents to come pick him up.

- Marion is taking a nap somewhere.

[dr_eirik]

Whyyyyy did you go to Keene, King? Whyyyyyyy? D:

Marion is now going to be staying lon~ GAH!

Weirdly, I think King has gotten too focused on the "Let's help Marion adapt" and has moved past "Figure out what happened."

Since King only knows that a Celestial can do this, maybe hes thinking that only they can undo it, so they'll reveal themselves at their ow time.

He may be right, but he is definitely skipping a step.

I was wondering that too.

- They could have dropped Marion back home on their way to Keene already. I doubt this though since I just don't see Marion's reunion with his parents being jumped over.

- Marion is waiting in the squad with Fido and a detective.

- Marion is waiting at the police station with Fido for his parents to come pick him up.

- Marion is taking a nap somewhere.

It occurs to me that Maripn, Lois and Fido might be heading back to the Ward house to inform his parents that Good News! We found Marion!! Even better, your food and clothing budget is going to be so much lower...

[GameCobra]

The funny thing I'm thinking, though, is I figured they would keep the whole "Was once human" idea hidden since they don't know how it happened, but it doesn't feel as farfetched that that they might want to do this to expose this possible dilemma in life as much as possible that humans become animans/petsto figure out how many people have this problem. Unless Rick is planning on showing us that this is a natural occurrence in the Housepets universe. =P

[Vanice]

I never questioned it before but....what's holding up Keene's shades?

[SeanWolf]

Re-reading the third panel again and I got the oddest theory now: What if Keene, due to learning that Marion was once a human, is going to find a way to change EVERY human into an animal, hence equal rights all around?

[HormChaoui]

My initial thought is of course "uh oh, he wants to turn other humans into animals," given that he is one of the few mortals who knows about the coins. But this also might be implying that Keene will actively work against Marion becoming human again. Keene's got his representative whom humans can sympathize with, he won't want to lose that. If they ever get to the point where they figure out a way to reverse the curse (like the countercurse that Thomas failed to use) and turn Marion back, I think Keene will be trying to undermine it.

[SeanWolf]

My initial thought is of course "uh oh, he wants to turn other humans into animals," given that he is one of the few mortals who knows about the coins. But this also might be implying that Keene will actively work against Marion becoming human again. Keene's got his representative whom humans can sympathize with, he won't want to lose that. If they ever get to the point where they figure out a way to reverse the curse (like the countercurse that Thomas failed to use) and turn Marion back, I think Keene will be trying to undermine it.

THAT would be interesting! It would show that even though Keene is trying to fight for animals, there is still this 'greedy-evil' side to him.

[dr_eirik]

Re-reading the third panel again and I got the oddest theory now: What if Keene, due to learning that Marion was once a human, is going to find a way to change EVERY human into an animal, hence equal rights all around?

Still not outside the realm of possibility, but I don't think Keene would think like that. I still think that it's far more likely that he's realizing that it's what he's been looking for all along: A legal precedent. That's what he wanted with his attempt to marry Sabrina to Jata, and what he was looking for when he was almost killed by Orwell Johnson.

If he can get the world to acknowledge that Marion was, indeed, once human, and Marion gets his rights restored, then it might just open the floodgates.

i have so many theories as to where he's gonna take it.
he could go "the veil" route i.e. marions tf is based on a wave of changed people which doubles every year, making it necessary to exponentially grow the ecp to foster the worlds population over time.

That would be the Paradise stories, started by JonBuck ages ago and has been dormant for a while. There's a pretty large difference there, if only because the transformed people in that setting (who are turning into anthros) and masked by a "veil" that hides their true identity. But the idea of the number of transformed people doubling yearly is spot on. Starts in Chicago in the early 1980's with one person. I used to write stories in that setting.

https://www.shifti.org/wiki/Category:Paradise

My initial thought is of course "uh oh, he wants to turn other humans into animals," given that he is one of the few mortals who knows about the coins. But this also might be implying that Keene will actively work against Marion becoming human again. Keene's got his representative whom humans can sympathize with, he won't want to lose that. If they ever get to the point where they figure out a way to reverse the curse (like the countercurse that Thomas failed to use) and turn Marion back, I think Keene will be trying to undermine it.

That thought crossed my mind last night, and it actually makes sense. I could easily see Keene finding, say, notes on a counter curse in his fathers papers that he actively hides or destroys. Thing is, I can't see him being able to completely follow though. He would risk Marion finding out and the blowback from that. Also, I suspect Breele would be his almost literal "Angel on the shoulder" to stop him there. I hope.

[fenrirblack]

Re-reading the third panel again and I got the oddest theory now: What if Keene, due to learning that Marion was once a human, is going to find a way to change EVERY human into an animal, hence equal rights all around?

That possibility has already been discussed in great lengths and the consequences that follow.

My initial thought is of course "uh oh, he wants to turn other humans into animals," given that he is one of the few mortals who knows about the coins. But this also might be implying that Keene will actively work against Marion becoming human again. Keene's got his representative whom humans can sympathize with, he won't want to lose that. If they ever get to the point where they figure out a way to reverse the curse (like the countercurse that Thomas failed to use) and turn Marion back, I think Keene will be trying to undermine it.

I don't think Keene would be that corrupt. If anything if Marion wasn't the poster child of the ECP anymore for whatever reason, Keene would find someone more willing to take his place. A human who wants to be an animal and loves the spotlight. Marion has already said that he doesn't want to be apart of the ECP and I'm wondering if those feelings are going to change once he learns that it is his best chance at regaining normalcy.

Whyyyyy did you go to Keene, King? Whyyyyyyy? D:

Marion is now going to be staying lon~ GAH!

Weirdly, I think King has gotten too focused on the "Let's help Marion adapt" and has moved past "Figure out what happened."

Since King only knows that a Celestial can do this, maybe hes thinking that only they can undo it, so they'll reveal themselves at their ow time.

He may be right, but he is definitely skipping a step.

I agree that King is jumping the gun but in his defense aside from Kitsune there is no way he would know where to begin to find way to change Marion back especially if Marion himself doesn't know how the change occurred. It does make more sense to find a way to get Marion A. back home and B. a way to reestablish his human rights and get him settled and C. get him his high school diploma.

I was wondering that too.

- They could have dropped Marion back home on their way to Keene already. I doubt this though since I just don't see Marion's reunion with his parents being jumped over.

- Marion is waiting in the squad with Fido and a detective.

- Marion is waiting at the police station with Fido for his parents to come pick him up.

- Marion is taking a nap somewhere.

It occurs to me that Maripn, Lois and Fido might be heading back to the Ward house to inform his parents that Good News! We found Marion!! Even better, your food and clothing budget is going to be so much lower...

My guess is that the next strip is going to be a awkward heart to heart with Marion's parents and get that over with. Getting them on board with this new reality is the next logical step. No matter what comes of the ECP, Marion needs a place to stay and his parents need to know what happened to him. Fido is missing from this chat with Keene so he must be the one babysitting Marion. The only other possibility is that Fido took Marion and Lois to see Tarot and Sabrina as a kind of dual approach to the situation which explains why King isn't concerned with changing Marion back because Fido is charged with that.

[Sir Chestnut]

I don't think Keene would be that corrupt. If anything if Marion wasn't the poster child of the ECP anymore for whatever reason, Keene would find someone more willing to take his place. A human who wants to be an animal and loves the spotlight. Marion has already said that he doesn't want to be apart of the ECP and I'm wondering if those feelings are going to change once he learns that it is his best chance at regaining normalcy.

As has been mentioned, Marion is still a minor for the moment and his parents might have plans that are at odds with what Marion wants to do. I wouldn't be surprised in Keene has a meeting with Marion's parents and brings along King and possibly Miles to discuss the program. Although Miles seems less likely, he's probably the most well known ECP member in addition to being a parent and a teacher so his presence would make sense.

The only other possibility is that Fido took Marion and Lois to see Tarot and Sabrina as a kind of dual approach to the situation which explains why King isn't concerned with changing Marion back because Fido is charged with that.

That makes sense. I really don't see Fido walking out of this arc just yet.

[NHWestoN]

Wonder how having Breel in the mix is going to change the plots … not to mention our officers may have some say in whatever not-entirely-legal-intentions may be incubating in Keene's fevered brain.

[dr_eirik]

I don't think Keene would be that corrupt. If anything if Marion wasn't the poster child of the ECP anymore for whatever reason, Keene would find someone more willing to take his place. A human who wants to be an animal and loves the spotlight. Marion has already said that he doesn't want to be apart of the ECP and I'm wondering if those feelings are going to change once he learns that it is his best chance at regaining normalcy.

Marion had no idea what the ECP was at the time, and unless it was explained off panel, still doesn't.



Once it's explained as the most likely way that he can be looked at as more than just an animal, then he might (perhaps reluctantly) be on board.

My guess is that the next strip is going to be a awkward heart to heart with Marion's parents and get that over with. Getting them on board with this new reality is the next logical step. No matter what comes of the ECP, Marion needs a place to stay and his parents need to know what happened to him. Fido is missing from this chat with Keene so he must be the one babysitting Marion. The only other possibility is that Fido took Marion and Lois to see Tarot and Sabrina as a kind of dual approach to the situation which explains why King isn't concerned with changing Marion back because Fido is charged with that.

I think these are really the only realistic options at this point. It seems like taking Marion to Sabrina and Tarot now should be happening while this discussion is going on with Keene. It won't happen, but the idea that they might have an instant solution should at least be checked. If it works, then they figure out how to explain Marions 24 hours missing. If it doesn't, it's time to start shopping at the Babylon Garden Home Depot for pet doors.

[NHWestoN]

It is interesting - and typical - that all the problem solvers are consulting an ever-expanding ring of other "problem-solvers" with barely the slightest regard to including the person with the problem and the particular solution he's seeking.

[Cesco]

Why talk about this story to Keene instead of Sabrina and Tarot? They should be more helpful than him... Well, seems you've given him an interesting idea. Looks like traces of the old ominous Keene, who was always seeking for affairs, are back. Yeah, Steward could also be a little helpful about his transforming case, but probably it's still unknown to the others, even to Keene...

[fenrirblack]

I don't think Keene would be that corrupt. If anything if Marion wasn't the poster child of the ECP anymore for whatever reason, Keene would find someone more willing to take his place. A human who wants to be an animal and loves the spotlight. Marion has already said that he doesn't want to be apart of the ECP and I'm wondering if those feelings are going to change once he learns that it is his best chance at regaining normalcy.

Marion had no idea what the ECP was at the time, and unless it was explained off panel, still doesn't.


Once it's explained as the most likely way that he can be looked at as more than just an animal, then he might (perhaps reluctantly) be on board.

He may have not have gotten the full introduction into the ways of the ECP but he understood the gist of it. Things might be different now that Keene knows Marion's background so they're not dealing with a feral but even still it would be interesting to have Marion be reluctant to join especially if it means being exploited. The thing is though, he doesn't need it. Like I said before, he's not like King. His parents could easily take care of him. Marion could easily be the match that lights the fuse but after his work it done, tossed away having served his usefulness. He'll still have a role in the story and the comic but not as the "face" of the ECP like Keene is thinking.

[dr_eirik]

He may have not have gotten the full introduction into the ways of the ECP but he understood the gist of it. Things might be different now that Keene knows Marion's background so they're not dealing with a feral but even still it would be interesting to have Marion be reluctant to join especially if it means being exploited. The thing is though, he doesn't need it. Like I said before, he's not like King. His parents could easily take care of him. Marion could easily be the match that lights the fuse but after his work it done, tossed away having served his usefulness. He'll still have a role in the story and the comic but not as the "face" of the ECP like Keene is thinking.

One thing that's a bit of a handicap in predicting this stuff is that we don't really have an exact meter for what rights animals have in the HPU. Presumably, pets have a bit more rights and responsibilities than ferals. We know that animals have worked in various industries for many years (I recall Grape lamenting a wolf actor that cut his tail off to play a werewolf in the early days of Hollywood)

So, assuming for the moment that Marion turns down Keenes offer and his parents take him back in and believe him. What, then, is his future? He can apparently work and go to school in some fashion. From what Joel said when he was arrested, animals don't enjoy legal rights, so could Marion be taken by animal control if a neighbor accuses him of stealing? Could he be relocated or even put down without due process?

[Argent]

So, a coin or a bagful of coins turns you pretty much immediately (subject to the rule of funny, since Thomas could fill a bag and throw it out without getting changed...).

But a little sliver carved off the edge of a coin?

Maybe that takes a while to trigger the change.

[Amazee Dayzee]

I'm thinking that Keene needs his formerly angel boyfriend he's living with to come and shake some sense into him.

[dr_eirik]

I'm thinking that Keene needs his formerly angel boyfriend he's living with to come and shake some sense into him.

I suspect that Breel will need to reign him in at some point, but it's nice to think that maybe, just maybe, he actually learned something with his trip to Pandemonium.

If we see him throwing himself into a carefully controlled media and legal campaign that doesn't exploit Marion and his circumstances but focuses like a laser on the goal at hand, then he learned something and Breel isn't needed except as moral support.

If the next page shows the street filled with satellite trucks and a giant lighted sign saying "This way to the mysterious transformed squirrel!", then Breel should start looking into the equipment in use by the baseball industry for giving clues...

[Amazee Dayzee]

Even if Keene changed just a tad it would be a victory but it wouldn't help out with Marion. Though since Lana is head of the ECP, I wonder why they didn't go to her.

[Ash Greytree]

Marion's going to be joining the ECP, I have no doubt about that. I still think that people are reading too far into what Keene is going to want out of Marion joining the ECP and Marion in general. Rather than being the "face" of the program, Keene may simply want a former human close at hand to figure out how he changed into an animal and also how to change him back in order to put other plans into motion in the future. The "thing" could be a plan to eventually collaborate with Lana to create the "Mile in Our Paws" program that I theorized about last night. I simply can't see Keene convincing Lana to go public with the fact that magic exists and it can turn humans into animals at this point in time, especially when they currently have no way to prove that.

In regards to Marion and his parents, I'm not sure exactly what's going to happen with them. My guess is that they could still be kept in the dark and instead Mrs. McGillicuddy becomes Marion's temporary owner. Like... Marion's mom, Julia, doesn't even have her name in the tags when her full name was stated, but Mrs. M is tagged; that's gotta mean something.

Though since Lana is head of the ECP, I wonder why they didn't go to her.

They probably went to Keene because he lives right close by in the neighborhood now with Breel.

[trekkie]

I like the Mrs. McG angle. We know she is an animal lover, and she was Marion’s babysitter so she might be a good choice if his parents are resistant to believe Marion is a squirrel. As for Keene, I’m hoping his intentions are honorable, and he does, with Lana’s help perhaps, try and help out Marion,

[dr_eirik]

I like the Mrs. McG angle. We know she is an animal lover, and she was Marion’s babysitter so she might be a good choice if his parents are resistant to believe Marion is a squirrel. As for Keene, I’m hoping his intentions are honorable, and he does, with Lana’s help perhaps, try and help out Marion,

Hard to say, since it seems the next logical choice if Marions parents reject him would be to go with Lois. I wonder a little if Rick created Mrs. McG for the occasional one-off gag or smaller arc with the ferals in the future. Hey, maybe we find out that she was a therapist in her past.

Unless, of course, we discover that she is really a Celestial.... OK, no. I don't believe that.

[trekkie]

Maybe. but Lois is going away to college, presumably, and I don't think most colleges take pet squirrels. Of course this is all assuming that Marion's parents either reject him or don't believe the squirrel is Marion. I'm hoping that he gets to go home, myself, our squirrel has been through a lot.

[Silly Zealot]

…in all seriousness, this seems concerning.

We are all doomed. We are completely, utterly doomed.

[Frank]

in panel #4 here, WE SEE THE PENNY DROP!

Kene must never find out about the existence of that penny!

wait, that would mean less hijinks

Kene absolutely must find out about the existence of that penny!

[Silly Zealot]

I wonder if Keene is gonna get Thomas and Steward involved in this too.
He knows they used to be human and he probably knows where they are, too.
Ah, yes. Im preparing for disaster here.

I like where you’re going with this Keene, but you know people are going to try to ruin it. Probably add some clause how animals only get rights if they used to be human. Never mind how impossible proving that would be, some people are dumb enough to try it.

Shhhhhh!
Just let him dream the Human Corruption factor doesn't exist for a bit.
Sometimes we all need to dream a bit.

That would be the Paradise stories, started by JonBuck ages ago and has been dormant for a while. There's a pretty large difference there, if only because the transformed people in that setting (who are turning into anthros) and masked by a "veil" that hides their true identity. But the idea of the number of transformed people doubling yearly is spot on. Starts in Chicago in the early 1980's with one person. I used to write stories in that setting.

https://www.shifti.org/wiki/Category:Paradise

Hissss! Keep that nasty man away from us, precious! Some of his stories are not for young of mind nor the young of age!
It withers our sanity away, precious! It withers iiiiiit!

[fenrirblack]

New Insane theory time: What if...when the portal to Pandemonium was open or the fact that the dino-demon has been released, it unleashed this wave of magic/chaotic energy that is causing random changes to occur in the world, warping reality so to speak. Reality is becoming undone and random changes are happening without anyone purposely causing it. The mere fact that that demon is loose is creating ripples in reality itself and sending magic waves that are affecting random people are random intervals. Example: Lois and marion are talking to his parents, they don't believe this story, and one second later "POOF" Lois is sitting on the couch as a lion.

I wonder if Keene is gonna get Thomas and Steward involved in this too.
He knows they used to be human and he probably knows where they are, too.
Ah, yes. Im preparing for disaster here.

Steward yes, whether or not Keene seeks him out is the question or will Steward come to him.
Thomas no. I doubt Keene would want anything to do with him ever again even for something like this.

Though since Lana is head of the ECP, I wonder why they didn't go to her.

They probably went to Keene because he lives right close by in the neighborhood now with Breel.

I honestly wonder how much either of them pay attention to Keene's shenanigans or that announcement that he was stepping down as the head of the ECP. Plus it's four am so they're not thinking clearly, Keene does live closer, and he would be easier to talk to about magic whatnot. The thing to remember is that we are dealing with something unusual than the normal ECP stuff. When Gale joined it made sense to not involve Keene but this is a whole different animal, literally. They might need a seperate program just for therians. Something to offer them housing, food, water, keep them out of sight....wait a minute.

[Amazee Dayzee]

Beginning to sound a lot like it has some unfortunate implications doesn't it?

[NHWestoN]

Where's Mr. London? I'm beginning to think Marion needs a good lawyer to guard his privacy … !

Oh... Right... The operative adjectives is "GOOD" lawyer. sigh. Maybe Daisy has a law degree (Snoopy claimed he did, right?).

[Amazee Dayzee]

Even if she is smart, can we consider her a good lawyer? Lawyers can be smart but not good at their jobs.

[trekkie]

Didn’t Keene have a high powered lawyer in on if the arcs? He might use that one for important stuff and Mr. London for relatively minor things.

[dr_eirik]

Didn’t Keene have a high powered lawyer in on if the arcs? He might use that one for important stuff and Mr. London for relatively minor things.

Yeah, when he flashed back to the courthouse when he was in Heaven, the lawyer was tagged as "High Powered Attorney" or something like that. Mr. London seems to be who they call for smaller, less vital tasks.

For that matter, he might be more specifically the Wolves lawyer. I can't recall him appearing for a legal action that didn't involve them. Or maybe he's with the ECP.

[CunningFox]

Let's not forget his friend from The Hague. Keene's got connections.

[NHWestoN]

The Dutch connection, no less....

[fenrirblack]

One thing I never pointed out is how good it is to have the dynamic duo back together. It just dawned on me that King and Fox are back together again. Solving magical crimes like the good old days. It's been Fox and Mungo these last few years while King has been off being a Dad. Now its like a reboot of a crime drama. Coming this fall, FOX and KING. The last time they did anything together was when Bill drove King and Bailey to the mall before heading to the station for his and Fox's shift.

[dr_eirik]

One thing I never pointed out is how good it is to have the dynamic duo back together. It just dawned on me that King and Fox are back together again. Solving magical crimes like the good old days. It's been Fox and Mungo these last few years while King has been off being a Dad. Now its like a reboot of a crime drama. Coming this fall, FOX and KING. The last time they did anything together was when Bill drove King and Bailey to the mall before heading to the station for his and Fox's shift.

It is the blessing and the curse of Housepets. There is a massive cast, so any story is going to shift others aside. I mean, I've always felt Grape and Peanut were the main characters and we haven't seen them at all in months.

[Champion Wallace]

The thing about Keene taking advantage of the fact Marion was formerly human is interesting because this isn't Keene's first opportunity. There are Thomas and Steward. Keene may have not cherished the idea of working with them as humans, but now he can essentially blackmail them. It seems this situation was specific enough to give Keene inspiration when the previous transformations didn't.

I do wonder if he has video of Stewards transformation. I mean, Keene could just go on the morning news and throw Marion out there, but hes going to need some kind of proof. Or if we may soon discover where Thomas has been all this time.

Another scary thought: Keene perhaps has video from his office of King turning back to Joel and back to King. He tosses that to the media without warning King...

The problem with that approach is it's like trying to prove a close encounter of the second kind. Even if it was real and you had proof, people would say it was faked.

Maybe Keene will try to take Jessica's whole household inside the ECP programm so that Marion gets also inside as some sort of loophole, which would also include Steward.
Also it could be worse, Marion could be the new pet of the wolve family, which could be...a bit problematic.
What is to see is if there will be some conflict with Lana.

Why not have Marion live in his house?

Okay, now things are getting interesting. My guess is that Keene is going to have Marion go through the ECP, and if Marion succeeds he’ll be happy to have some semblance of a life and structure back while they figure out how to restore him to human, and he can possibly become an advocate during that time for the ECP to strengthen enrollment numbers, sort of like what Steward is doing but less aggressive. And if/when Marion gets changed back, he could stay an advocate for the ECP and his voice as a human would amplify that advocacy.

Let’s hope that “thing” isn’t some sort of scheme to put Marion up on some huge pedestal as a poster-squirrel celebrity for the program.

If it matter's, this isn't what Marion wants.

‪Ok so... going with Keene was easier and more logical than going to Kitsune’s statue? Unless King got rid of it (which would be very understandable).‬
‪Also I have this feeling that this all fits perfectly in Stewards plan, whatever it might be‬

This. THIS THIS THIS. Steward tried to kill Keene. Keene fired Steward and Steward got turned into a badger. I'm not sure how MUCH Steward was involved in turning Marion into a squirrel, but I feel like he's involved to some extent. He doesn't like the ECP and he doesn't like Keene. He also knows that Keene is dangerously driven to getting animal rights passed.

Maybe he's trying to manipulate Keene in order to discredit the ECP once and for all?

Steward didn't try to kill Keene, he just left left him at the zoo. He may be many things, but he's not a murderer.

I never questioned it before but....what's holding up Keene's shades?

His cheek ruffs.

Re-reading the third panel again and I got the oddest theory now: What if Keene, due to learning that Marion was once a human, is going to find a way to change EVERY human into an animal, hence equal rights all around?

Keene wouldn't do that because he don't want to be a monster (unless he had a change of heart).

Didn’t Keene have a high powered lawyer in on if the arcs? He might use that one for important stuff and Mr. London for relatively minor things.

Yeah, when he flashed back to the courthouse when he was in Heaven, the lawyer was tagged as "High Powered Attorney" or something like that. Mr. London seems to be who they call for smaller, less vital tasks.

For that matter, he might be more specifically the Wolves lawyer. I can't recall him appearing for a legal action that didn't involve them. Or maybe he's with the ECP.

High-Powered Lawyer