[ Merle is a mature, reasonable grownup person. He's lived hundreds of years and died sixty-odd times. He's made frenemies with the avatar of absolute darkness or whatever.

He sticks his tongue out at Taako. ]

Well, far be it for me to keep you from proving yourself next time. And yeah, I "made those"! I mean, technically only Mookie. But I might as well have made Mavis, too! No takebacks allowed, I was real clear about it when she was born. I think there's official paperwork somewhere? I dunno.

[ Mavis's biological dad probably died or something. It literally doesn't matter what happened to him, Merle doesn't give a singular hoot. ]