Mr.Poe

[Ceara]

I've always felt that Mr. Poe might have been involved with V.F.D. previously, but is now trying to keep himself out of it. Unfortunatley he is failing miserably. I think he might show up again in Book the 12th though after finally seeing the light or whatever.

[Sugary Snicket]

*Insert angelic music.* Maybe Mr. Poe was bad, but now has chosen to be good...... *Music slows to crawl, evil music is put on.* Or maybe he's just an evil orphan-hating jerkwad. *Music begins to skip.* Dazamit! My CDs!

[brenton]

I am sure he is working with olaf, i never knew there was another theory...i only posted mine a few minutes ago, LOL.

[dragonprincess]

I do think that Mr. Poe was working with Count Olaf. I do think that Mr. Poe was giving out where the kids were for money. As of TGG, I do think he having a chance of heart. I think he was trying take the kids in to a real safe location for first time. I also think Poe will die in the 11th book.

[starfireandsakura]

I don't think Mr. Poe is a villian. Like everyone else is saying, I just think he's a gullible fool. His sister (well, not really his sister) is manipluting (sp?) him.

[brenton]

Mr. Poe, is a shady figure, most people are neutral when asked if he is working for Olaf or the Baudelaires. Its no wonder why, on one side, right he doesnt show that he wants the Baudelaire fortune, but on the other hand he never listens to them, and ignores all cries for help, and when Olaf is finally un-masked, he calls the police, in my opinion it doest take one 11 times to work ouy that the police are not going to find such a satanic villain.

EVIDENCE:
1. In TBB The Baudelaires decide to find Mr. Poe at Mulctuary Money Management, to inform Poe of Olaf's treachery, but he simply wont hear a word of it, simply explaining that Olaf is now their legal guardian and can do whatever he wishes with the poor orphans.

2. TEE the children explain to Olaf that Gunther is in-fact Count Olaf in disguise, once again he wont hear a word of this, 'Gunther is a foreigner, how could you mistake him for Olaf?' (Poe says something along the lines of that) , no in my opinion a parent/guardian or executive of orphans affairs, should take everything someone says seriously, but once again Poe has complete disregard for this.

3. I think its in THH that the Baudelaire children are at The Last Chance General Store, that they telegram Poe, according to TUA Poe has all Telegrams ignored, i dont think its a coincidence that he begins ignoring them as soon as the poor Baudelaire children need help.

4. TGG he wierdly knows that the children are going to arrive at the beach, i find this very wierd.



THEORIES


One theory could be that Olaf wants Poe to keep them close, in that i mean that he wants Poe to be the one who chooses where they will be placed, this is how Olaf knows and every time Poe will inform Olaf of the children's location, and Olaf will concoct a plan to once again steal their fortune.

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Poe may want to keep the children close until they become of age, and then when they die, Poe will hand the fortune to olaf, (i meant to say when he murders them).

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Poe may have simple instructions, keep the children in your hands until i get the fortune, refuse to help them when theyre plans against me (Olaf) are failing....



All of this is a complete guess based upon the evidence above, i am at a public place at this point in time, and have not been able to check the facts, i just decided to write this theory!

Cross Posted to: suubeta.proboards30.com

[Dante]

Thanks, brenton.eccles.

1. and 2. are the most convincing of your points, I think. 1. can be explained as Poe simply doing his job, and not wanting to get mixed up in any trouble. But that's still the most convincing point. 2. could be explained as Poe's usual stupidity (if he is stupid, of course, but if he's not, he's the best actor in the series). 3. - he started ignoring telegrams because he believed his sister had told him that it was dangerous for a bank to receive telegrams. The timing could be to do with the Baudelaires' telegram, but it wasn't Mr. Poe, or even his sister, who wanted him to stop receiving telegrams. Geraldine Julienne probably sent him the message telling him not to receive telegrams, and on Esmé's orders. 4. - He was directed to the beach by J.S. Like point 3., I consider this an example of how he's being manipulated by somebody behind the scenes.

Of course, Poe could be a villain, and he could well be an extremely good actor. That'd be quite a twist, although I think I prefer him as a fool.

[brenton]

ffwf said:

Thanks, brenton.eccles.

1. and 2. are the most convincing of your points, I think. 1. can be explained as Poe simply doing his job, and not wanting to get mixed up in any trouble. But that's still the most convincing point. 2. could be explained as Poe's usual stupidity (if he is stupid, of course, but if he's not, he's the best actor in the series). 3. - he started ignoring telegrams because he believed his sister had told him that it was dangerous for a bank to receive telegrams. The timing could be to do with the Baudelaires' telegram, but it wasn't Mr. Poe, or even his sister, who wanted him to stop receiving telegrams. Geraldine Julienne probably sent him the message telling him not to receive telegrams, and on Esmé's orders. 4. - He was directed to the beach by J.S. Like point 3., I consider this an example of how he's being manipulated by somebody behind the scenes.

Of course, Poe could be a villain, and he could well be an extremely good actor. That'd be quite a twist, although I think I prefer him as a fool.

Bolded Text: I was quite aware of that, incase you were trying to point out i had forgotten that.

He could very well be manipulated by other people.

[sydaneetee]

Hey! I have another idea!

...what if Count Olaf is paying Poe to stay out of the way? that way, he isn't telling olaf where the children are but he is not vollunteering to help the children. Poe may also be scared of olaf, so thats why he never really puts effort into finding him.

[Antenora]

I've considered the theory that Olaf's threatening Poe to either give out the location of the children if necessary, or to stay away. And I've also considered, half-jokingly, the idea that Olaf's bribing Poe with (ineffective) cough syrup and cold remedies.

[Brian]

That's very funny!

Anyway, Poe isn't just stupid. We pretty much know that, since he has some connection with V.F.D. (Remember, he was a guest at Baudelaire dinner parties. That's not conclusive evidence, but it seems to point towards some involvement with the organization.) Whether he's a volunteer or villain, I don't think he likes being involved. It's as if as soon as the schism started, he just backed out, not wanting to have anything to do with anybody. But then he was named the executor of the Baudelaires' estate, and couldn't get out of it. He wanted to care for the children, but couldn't face Olaf until it was so blatantly obvious that he couldn't act dumb anymore (i.e., when Sunny bit the peg leg, or when Coach Genghis's running shoes came off to reveal the tattoo). And even then, Poe continues to play it safe, such as in The Reptile Room when he says "a grown man does not get involved in a car chase," and in The Ersatz Elevator when he misdials 911 (?!!) and speaks to a Vietnamese restaurant.

Opinions?

[Dante]

Brian, that theory reminds me of another, older theory which you might remember. To recap, for those who have forgotten or don't know of it, the Unauthorised Autobiography index links Mr. Poe (and others) to "laissez-faire philosophy." That basically means "non-interference with others." Until around the time of TGG, it was a popular theory that there was also a laissez-faire side of the schism, who just turned away from V.F.D. after the schism and didn't want to get involved. People like Justice Strauss were supposed to be on this side of the schism, but Mr. Poe was probably the key member in this theory.

I supported that theory quite strongly, but Mr. Poe's behaviour in TGG changed my mind. After that, I honestly do believe that he really is just very stupid, and has no (or very little) knowledge of V.F.D. He was at the Baudelaire dinner parties. Not conclusive evidence, as you say, and the sort where you can't really persuade another person to change their interpretation of it. I think Mr. Poe was just at those dinner parties as a friend of the Baudelaires (indeed, I don't even think they were V.F.D. dinner parties - just a gathering of friends, although many of them would be volunteers). The relationship between Jacques and Jerome is like pure gold to me as back-up evidence to this interpretation.

[Antenora]

It's important to note that VFDers can have non-VFD friends, like Jacques and Jerome. Hence, Mr Poe wouldn't have to be a volunteer to be invited to a VFD dinner party.

Justice Strass and Olivia could both be laissez-faire VFDers. The former has her name linked to "laissez-faire philosophy" in the index, and the latter, it seems, just tries to help others for money and gifts.

[Brian]

Thanks for the information, Dante and Antenora - I had not been aware of that theory. And perhaps, even though Mr. Poe may still just be stupid, that doesn't take away from there being a neutral, laissez-faire Side. As you said, Antenora, Olvia definitely seems like the prime example for such a grouping. Justice Strauss, on the other hand, I disagree with, but still...

[Grace]

ecc02 said:

3. I think its in THH that the Baudelaire children are at The Last Chance General Store, that they telegram Poe, according to TUA Poe has all Telegrams ignored, i dont think its a coincidence that he begins ignoring them as soon as the poor Baudelaire children need help.

Al Funcoot had someone chop down all the telephone poles on RRR. Maybe Mr. Poe's telegram doesn't work. Does that mean that he's a volunteer or a villain? *is confused*