I’ve seen many doors in my journeys throughout Arcadia. Big ones, hidden ones, battered ones. To me they are all the same. I take a look at a door and I see endless possibility. I see a portal to the unknown, a passageway into adventure. I see a path to my next discovery. And for each of those doors that I’ve seen I’ve only had one thought. How do I open it?

When I was locked behind the door in the Red Light District, it was tough. For a while I thought Grimskull and I would live out whatever years he had left in that place, leaving me to starve over and over until eternity. But you can’t keep a good dog down, as the saying goes, and before long that instinct kicked in, and I just had to know: “how do I open it?”.

After that, it was only a matter of time before the door no longer posed a problem. Before I busted the door down and it’s protection was discarded. Before it’s usefulness came to an end, leaving me open to the elements once more.

But maybe I’m a little out of the ordinary. I certainly know many men who do not look at a door and want to open it. Some look at doors and the first thing they ask is “can I lock it?”. For men like that a door is not a portal to the unknown, and doesn’t lead them to new discoveries. Instead it protects them from the dangers that may face them. It allows them sanctuary from those that may harm them. And I understand it. Not everybody has the guts to open each door.

Captain Arcadia doesn’t have those guts.

He proclaims to be a hero, and I have nothing for respect for a man who wants to help those in need – it’s an honourable cause. But his heroism, whilst welcomed, is a front for his own insecurity. Because you see Captain Arcadia is exactly the kind of man that would ask how the door locks. He sees a door as a protection.

As a shield. Like the one he carries with him.

And each time he uses that shield, he locks the door to the danger around him, and wards away those who may hurt him. But for every man who has a shield, Captain, there is a man asking how to bypass it. And whether it’s with these tough old boots, or this here firearm, like every other door I’ve ever faced, I will open this one too, and your shield will be discarded, leaving you open to the elements. Open to me.

You are just another step on the path towards my next destination, Captain, so please don’t take it personally when I bust down your door on the way through.