124: Zero Brains

Explanation
The original strip had Zero looking inside his rifle to ensure it wasn't loaded. In this edit, it is indeed loaded, and Zero accidentally shoots himself, to Sarge's horror. As the author makes clear, this strip is not meant to be humorous. Rather, it serves to educate the reader on an all-too-serious issue.

The author writes:
Never, ever, ever handle your firearm the way Zero is here. Never point a gun at anything or anyone you wouldn't be okay with being shot. Too many people have fallen victim to such careless handling.

Maybe this is too serious an edit: dark with no humor. But it is a message that bears repeating... even if the rifle may not.

Original Beetle Bailey strip: 2016-08-23.

Transcript
{Zero is carelessly handing his rifle with Sarge in back of him. The business end pokes Sarge, and he drops a sheet of paper in fear.} SFX: POKE Sarge: Zero! Watch it with that rifle! Zero: Sorry, Sarge, but it's not loaded. Sarge: Are you sure? {Zero decides to check the second-worst possible way, ranking right behind not only putting the end of the barrel up to his eye, as here, but also intentionally pulling the trigger.} Zero: I can't see anything! {This turns out to be prophetic, as the gun discharges.} SFX: BLAM! Sarge: Zero!!! {Blood issues forth from the back of Zero's head.}