Cohen sent this message to his disciples shortly after the attack on Yakko.
Kyle Fitzpatrick, Martin Finnegan, Silas Cobb, and Hector Rodriguez,
There comes a time when the artist must look back at his accomplishments and acknowledge the ones that were failures.
You may recollect my insistence that failure is never an option. Try and try again?
But today I was reminded of an irrefutable truth: some investments result in bountiful wealth, and others amount to nothing but fucking wasted time and money.
Few can survive the crushing disappointment that comes when your investments amount to nothing. But the artist must prevail. Just as I did against the tasteless masses of New York, so I shall now.
For you see, it was my dream that my disciples would take up my mantle when I become dust. Through the five of you, my name and teachings would live on, forever. But I am here to inform you all that dream is now dead.
Much of it is due to my own frailty. It pains me to admit, but even I am not immune to poor judgment. Perhaps I was so enraptured by the aesthetic, that I failed to notice that it was lacking beneath the surface. But glass diamonds shatter next to a true diamond in the rough.
Yet, I kept my faith in the potential you four shared. I would test you, and no matter if you shined like galaxies or burned like a moth to the flame, I was your captive audience.
Never a disappointment to be found... UNTIL NOW!
DID I NOT WARN YOU THAT YOU HAD ONLY ONE CHANCE FOR FORGIVENESS?
AND INSTEAD YOU COME RUNNING TO ME CLAIMING YOU WERE UNABLE TO STOP THE VAGRANTS FROM...
DO YOU THINK I'M A FUCKING IDIOT!?
All of you wanted to pin the blame on my wayward little Bird, hmm?
How shamefully juvenile. Yes, my little Songbird knew better than to leave the sanctuary of his prison, but the Master can only blame himself for not properly clipping the birdie's wings. But lamentations won't restore my sweet little Bird.
So I will settle for flaying the cats.