Motif · Book 4, The Gate of the Feral Gods

'Goddamnit, Donut'

Carl's involuntary catchphrase, said at least fifteen times before Odette makes him say it on air. Marks the moments the cat has done exactly what she was going to do.

Segment appearances

• Chapter 1 — Hump Town
• Chapter 2 — The Wasteland through a telescope
• Chapter 6 — City hall
• Chapter 11 — The Vahana
• Chapter 14 — Maggie
• Chapter 22 — Mrs. Ghazi
• Chapter 23 — The winding box explained
• Chapter 29 — Where the Red God Glows
• Chapter 33 — Phase three

Progression

Sand vomited on his shoulder (ch. 1); Elle's sayings and the AI's 'chuckleheads' (ch. 2, ch. 3); 'Turn off your hole, Donut' — 'You need to find a less offensive way to say that' (ch. 6); 'They're toads' (ch. 7); the Chariot named before it exists (ch. 4); Space Jam not making sense (ch. 28); 'Thumbs, Carl! Thumbs!' (ch. 31); 'water breathing, not sand breathing' (ch. 22); a betrayal worse than the danger dingo (ch. 23).