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Post by Dante on Mar 22, 2013 6:04:44 GMT -5
We haven't talked enough about the villain of ?1 - probably the villain of the series. He calls himself Hangfire, or rather, that's what Ellington tells us. He's a master of disguise who has to wear a mask. He can pose as a civilised butler but leaves green goo on doorknobs and beats up women. He's watching everyone, everywhere, but has been hinted to live in a forest of terranean seaweed. He's a criminal mastermind and crime lord but can't set a death trap that works securely and nobody's ever heard of him. He's a brute who feeds and sings to small birds. He can imitate anyone but only does so to send people on wild goose chases. He supposedly kidnapped Ellington's father six months ago, but we only have Ellington's word for a lot of things, and at the same time a telegram was sent from Ellington's hometown inquiring about purchasing the Bombinating Beast. He wants the statue but it's valueless.
Who is he? Is he Ellington's father? Is he a member of V.F.D.? Is he a conman who isn't nearly as dangerous as we've been led to believe? Isn't the composition of "Hangfire" rather similar to "Walleye"? What do you think we'll learn about him in future books?
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Post by Teleram on Mar 22, 2013 18:10:06 GMT -5
Noboy will ever know...
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Post by Hermes on Mar 22, 2013 18:19:22 GMT -5
But somegirl will. (Sorry!)
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Post by Teleram on Mar 22, 2013 18:20:20 GMT -5
somegirl?
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Post by Hermes on Mar 22, 2013 18:29:53 GMT -5
Well, perhaps Moxie, or Ellington. But actually it was a joke. Read what you wrote again.
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Post by penne on Mar 22, 2013 18:51:05 GMT -5
But somegirl will. (Sorry!) Hahahaha Oh, Hermes. I love that you apologized in the end.
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Post by Poe's Coats Host Toast on Mar 22, 2013 20:10:38 GMT -5
Haha, good one, Hermes. Although if nobody'll ever know who he is, that'd be pretty disappointing : /
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Post by Dante on Mar 23, 2013 3:58:47 GMT -5
I think it's reasonably probable that we will find out who Hangfire is. My recent suspicion has been that he may not be nearly as terrifying as we're being asked to believe. ?2 will surely provide more evidence, but I find it suspicious that he told Theodora he'd kill her and then didn't, and set up Sally Murphy's death trap in such a way that it was easy for her to call for help in a way which would be heard from Handkerchief Heights, which Hangfire himself had specifically sent Moxie to over the phone.
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Post by Christmas Chief on Mar 23, 2013 10:36:12 GMT -5
Good observations, Dante. Hangfire is clearly more dynamic when taken from multiple angles. One speculation I've entertained is that he's an ex-volunteer - the first of his kind. Many of his skills overlap those we might expect from V.F.D. training, and he isn't as incompetent as the villains seen in ASOUE. I like that you've pointed out, too, that his trap for Sally Murphy was intentionally non-deadly. This would imply a strategy on the part of the villain: No deaths, yet, but a warning for Lemony and Moxie and anyone else who might try to stand in his way. Ambition has taken over whatever sense of betterment he had in his former days, but of course this only circles to a previous question: Why would anyone want to steal this statue?
What is the "Walleye" connection, though? I'm not sure what to take from that beyond the fact that both are compound words in modern use.
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Post by Dante on Mar 23, 2013 16:57:21 GMT -5
What is the "Walleye" connection, though? I'm not sure what to take from that beyond the fact that both are compound words in modern use. Since it seems reasonably likely, I think, that neither "Hangfire" nor "Walleye" are the true names of the individuals in question, I took it as a possible sign that these were both codenames constructed according to a similar or identical formula or rule, and if that is the case, it suggests that that might be another V.F.D. structure governing Hangfire's modus operandi.
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Post by Ernist on Apr 4, 2013 15:01:28 GMT -5
one thing is certain. It isn't count olaf
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Post by Charlie on Apr 5, 2013 4:51:47 GMT -5
Oh my god, yeah I made the same connection between Walleye and Hangfire. Some OT thoughts about Walleye. It could be a reference to the secret peepholes in the Baudelaire house (unlikely). Maybe the codename of someone named Wally. Or he could be Lemony's aquatic life expert (or was that a woman), a tentative connection I'm only making because a Walleye is a fish. Maybe it's the name of a submarine, or other vessel, which would be fitting for the fish name.
On Hangfire, the green goo I suspect would be from the seaweed. Maybe he is in fact someone being framed by someone else. If you think about it, Theodora only said she was being attacked by someone who said he was Hangfire, and he was masked (if I remember correctly). In this scenario, the evil Hangfire imperonator ties up Ms. Sallis, and the real Hangfire tries to get Moxie and Lemony to catch the impersonator and save Ms. Sallis. The evil Hangfire beats up Theodora. In this case Ellington could be the real Hangfire's daughter, and is trying to save everyone from the fake Hangfire. In this case, perhaps when Hangfire send people on wild goose chases (for example blotted Blvd) he's actually trying to lead them to something (for example, perhaps the inmpersonator was hiding out there, hence the large amount of owls).
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Post by Dante on Apr 5, 2013 5:24:29 GMT -5
That's actually a really compelling theory, Charlie. I think we should definitely be on the lookout in ?2 for seemingly contradictory behaviour on Hangfire's part.
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Post by Tryina Denouement on Apr 5, 2013 12:03:41 GMT -5
Oh my god, yeah I made the same connection between Walleye and Hangfire. Some OT thoughts about Walleye. It could be a reference to the secret peepholes in the Baudelaire house (unlikely). Maybe the codename of someone named Wally. Or he could be Lemony's aquatic life expert (or was that a woman), a tentative connection I'm only making because a Walleye is a fish. Maybe it's the name of a submarine, or other vessel, which would be fitting for the fish name. On Hangfire, the green goo I suspect would be from the seaweed. Maybe he is in fact someone being framed by someone else. If you think about it, Theodora only said she was being attacked by someone who said he was Hangfire, and he was masked (if I remember correctly). In this scenario, the evil Hangfire imperonator ties up Ms. Sallis, and the real Hangfire tries to get Moxie and Lemony to catch the impersonator and save Ms. Sallis. The evil Hangfire beats up Theodora. In this case Ellington could be the real Hangfire's daughter, and is trying to save everyone from the fake Hangfire. In this case, perhaps when Hangfire send people on wild goose chases (for example blotted Blvd) he's actually trying to lead them to something (for example, perhaps the inmpersonator was hiding out there, hence the large amount of owls). Wow, I love that alter ego theory of yours.
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Post by prestorjohn on Apr 6, 2013 12:59:45 GMT -5
I'd like to argue that Hangfire is someone known to VFD. When he entered Lost Arms, he wasn't wearing a mask, yet he donned one when he tied up Theodora. Now, to be fair, you can't walk into a hotel wearing a mask, but I wonder if this doesn't imply he wouldn't be recognized by the man at the counter (whose name escapes me). If so, this would reinforce the idea that he's a member, contact, ex-member, associate, or previously-encountered villain of VFD.
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