Friend or Foe

[jacquessnicket]

Ever notice how Mr. Poe is always too slow to catch Olaf?Do you think that he is associated with Olaf, because it really seems like it sometimes. Maybe hes just trying to get his hands on the Baudelaire fortune also?

[Christmas Chief]

I find that rather unlikely. Mr. Poe is written to be a clueless banker, not helpful nor harmful (unless you see not helping as harmful, in which case he is.), and while it's debated whether he has a distant connection with V.F.D., it's never implied that he'd be in anyway allied with Olaf. He's also in charge of the Orphan Affairs, and so the Baudelaire's money. If he'd wanted to steal their fortune, he could and would have by now. As for him being slow to catch Olaf and his various disguises, so are most other characters in the series (the Baudelaire's gaurdians, for example.).

[Dante]

Great answer, Sherry Ann. If Mr. Poe was really working for Olaf, the series would've ended in TRR; with Monty dead there'd have been nobody stopping them.

[thedoctororwell]

There was that interview Daniel Handler did with Michael Cuellar (I can't remember where it's archived - someone should copy that document and put it in Dastardly Documents). He basically said that if Mr Poe wasn't so stupid the series would not have a plot. His answer seems to indicate Mr Poe really is clueless ; it's not an act.
There have been numerous instances in the series where he's shown selfishness and indifference to misery, however, but I suppose he's like the Carnivale spectators or Geraldine Julienne... He doesn't even realize how rotten he is. Every single character of Asoue is an *****, there are just different levels.
There's a suspicious line in TE about him being in a theater troupe in the past, however, and under a stage name at that. Moreover it seems VFD has infiltrated the financial community, which is frequently refered to. I suppose Mr Poe is a bit like Sir : he's had several encounters with VFD in his life, but he's not exactly part of it and doesn't really know what VFD stands for or how important it is. I don't think he ever knew the Baudelaire parents were in it either. He may have known some things but on the whole I don't think it would have changed much if he had shared them with the Baudelaires, his knowledge of VFD lore is allusive at best.

[Hermes]

Dec 23, 2009 7:58:19 GMT -5 thedoctororwell said:

There's a suspicious line in TE about him being in a theater troupe in the past, however, and under a stage name at that.

Some have thought that this must be a different Mr Poe, perhaps our Mr Poe's father, since our Mr Poe only recently became Vice-President in Charge of Orphan Affairs, but Olaf seems here to be talking about something that happened a long way back.

I agree with most of what you say, though. One might add that Mr Poe's sister, Eleanora, probably had some link with VFD at one time, since volunteers worked at the Daily Punctilio while she was editor.

[lemonylove]

Well im not that sure but it does seen like that dosent it but i dont know althogh i hate Count Olaf he is very good at skeaming (cant spell it ) and getting away but although the Baudelaires did hate him when he died they visited his grave like everyday so he must have had some good i cant believe i said that but its true i hope you true v.f.d. members agree but if you are someone on the other side of the schism please dont read this because you are probably one of the most sinister people ever in this upside down world , im sorry you have like no one agreeing with you !!!!! Little Miss Burton !! "He who hesitates is lost " Come on the Irish and Finally Bye !! good theory XxXxx

[tigerseye]

wow, i never thought of that, but i doubt it im not going to rule it out completely, i just think he is completely useless and Olaf is too cunning x

[Tiago James Squalor]

I agree with Sherry ann. Mr. Poe is far too clueless and dim-witted to be in league with Olaf, or even have been in V.F.D.

[Isadora]

I agree that Mr. Poe is extremely stupid lol...