| Synopsis
| - Chapter I
Hollis Mason starts his book by recalling his decision to write a book by turning to a writer named Denise, who had written forty-two stories but never published them, for advice. Denise told him to start with the saddest thing he could think of to get sympathy, "after that, believe me, it's a walk." Hollis dedicates his book, Under the Hood to Denise.
Hollis's story began when his father brought his family to New York City from his grandfather's farm in Montana. In 1928, Hollis' father worked in Vernon's Auto Repairs off of Seventh Avenue and made enough income to support the family. In hindsight, Hollis realized his father's dedication to his job in repairing cars means to him. Hollis made occasional trips to the auto repair shop with his father and met the employer, Moe Vernon who was a opera buff and has a peculiar sense of humor.
One day in 1933, after Hollis' seventeenth birthday, he was with his father at the repair shop when Joe Vernon received a letter from his wife Beatrice and learned that for two years she has been sleeping with Vernon's senior and trusted mechanic, Fred Motz, and she has withdrew all the money from their joint bank number and left with Motz for Tijuana. Vernon became emotionally devastated, in which he had his gramophone playing "The Ride of the Valkyries" at maximum volume until he emerged wearing his gag breast harness to tell his employees that his wife committed adultery. His staff misinterpreted this gesture and laughed uproariously at what seemed an inspired bit of humor. But eventually everyone realized of their mistake and one of them went to apologized Vernon, who then claimed that he is fine.
After the employees left that night, Vernon committed suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide fumes. Vernon's brother took over his business and later re-employed Fred Motz. Since then, Hollis considered "The Ride of the Valkyries" the saddest thing he could think of due to Vernon's death.
Chapter II
By 1939, at the age of twenty-three, Hollis had taken a job on the New York City police force and tried to examine what could lead him to that career choice, his first notion being his grandfather, who introduce a certain set of moral values and conditions upon Hollis. Throughout his career, Hollis became disgusted with the types of people that he dealt ranging from pimps, pornographers, protection artists, pedophiles, and rapists. Because of this, Hollis upset his parents by loudly wishing he was back in Montana.
In the autumn of the same year, Hollis learned of a news story concerning of an attempted assault and robbery in Queens. A young man and his girlfriend were walking home from a movie theater when they are set upon by a gang of three armed men. They stole the couple of their belongings before beating up the young man while threatening to assault his girlfriend. At this point, a masked figure attacked the criminals with such severity that they required their hospitalization, and that one man lost the use of his legs due to a spinal injury. The witnesses' recounting was confused and contradictory.
A week later, the same masked figure appear again in stopping a stick-up robbery at a supermarket. The robbers surrendered immediately when one of them was brutally beaten by the vigilante. Eyewitnesses described the vigilante as a 'tall man, built like a wrestler, who wore a black hood and cape and also wore a noose around his neck.' The news press dubbed the masked adventurer in their headlines as 'Hooded Justice.' Hollis became fascinated by the Hooded Justice and decided to be 'the second.' He has found his vocation.
- NYPD Detectives Steve Fine and Joe Bourquin investigate the murder of Edward Blake, who was thrown out from his apartment home and fell many stories down to his death. The detectives conclude that Blake's assailant were rather strong to subduing Blake given the latter's large and stronger physique, and the sturdiness of the glass that Blake was thrown out. The detectives decide to cover up the investigation in order to avoid interference from the vigilante Rorschach.
That night, however, Rorschach enters Blake's apartment and search the rooms until finding a compartment containing weapons, a leather costume, and a picture of the Watchmen. Rorschach realizes that Edward Blake was the American government-sponsored costumed adventurer known as the Comedian.
Meanwhile, Dan Dreiberg is visiting Hollis Mason at the latter's home where they discuss about their time as the Nite Owl. After their time is over, Dan returns to his apartment to find his door broken in, and finding Rorschach awaiting him and helping himself to a can of cold beans. Rorschach informs news of the Comedian's death to Dan, who then propose having their discussion in his workshop in the basement, where it serves as storage for Dan's Nite Owl equipment. Rorschach informs him of his investigation into Edward Blake's death. Dan suggest that given Blake's services and history, his murder could have been a political killing in response to his actions in toppling Marxist Republics in South America. But Rorschach propose another theory that someone is attempting to eliminate costumed heroes. Dan is skeptical of his idea, but Rorschach points out that the Comedian had made a lot of enemies for the past forty years.
Rorschach later takes his investigation to a seedy bar called Happy Harry's, where the owner and patrons very fearfully known him well. He talks to Harry in needing information to Blake's death, which Harry honestly doesn't know. When one man named Steve mocks Rorschach, who then start breaking the man's two fingers and again demanding everyone for knowing about Blake's murder while continuing to torturing Steve. But no one knows, so Rorschach releases Steve and leaves.
Rorschach visit Adrian Veidt, a retired hero formerly known as Ozymandias and current billionaire, at his office. Veidt shares the same suggestion that Blake's murder was a political killing, perhaps committed by the Soviets. Rorschach considered it otherwise, as the Soviets never dared to antagonize America because of having their possession of the superhuman operative Dr. Manhattan since 1965, and stick to his masked killer theory. Though Veidt further explains that the Comedian had many political enemies other than the Soviets, claiming that Blake's reputation made him "practically a Nazi." Rorschach defends Blake from Veidt's remark, stating that Blake stood up for his country, never allowed anyone to retire him, and even selling his image - unlike Veidt. The billionaire remains unaffected by Rorschach's words, as he discuss that he chose to retire prior to the passing of the Police Strike and Keene Act.
Rorschach then goes to warn Doctor Manhattan and Laurie Juspeczyk at Rockefeller Military Research Center. The couple were already informed of Blake's murder by their government superiors in which Manhattan recalls the C.I.A. suspects the Libyans were responsible. Manhattan remains unconcerned when Rorschach propose his masked killer theory, explaining that he sees life and death as "unquantifiable abstracts." Laurie is very unsympathetic of Blake, calling him a monster and that he had tried to rape her mother when they were both in the Minutemen. Her statements on Blake ends up in an argument with Rorschach, who defends Blake's behavior. Due to upsetting Laurie, Manhattan teleports Rorschach outside of the facility.
Laurie decide to calling Dan Dreiberg out for dinner at Rafael's. She discuss with Dan about regretting her old life as the second Silk Spectre and her relationship with Jon, which she mentions that the government kept her at Rockefeller is to keep Jon relaxed and happy. Though Laurie and Dan enjoys recalling the story of an old villain that only pretended to be a super-villain to get beaten up, laughing at their times as costumed heroes.
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