> To say a better C means it is clearly influenced by C

Influenced by the same person who influenced C, at least, but it is nearly a straight up clone of Newsqueak, with a dash of Oberon, combined with a will to be more Zen than Python.

If you follow the bouncing ball of influence through Newsqueak, Limbo, et al. I'm sure you make it to C. But then why stop there? What about B, BCPL, etc.?