Who is "O?"

[B.]

In TUA and TBL there are mentions of "O" and it seems very likely to be Olaf. I agree- this is most likely Olaf.
In the books he is only ever referred to as Count Olaf, Olaf, The boss or any of the fake names he uses in books 2-8.
When people become counts their last name is usually used. Count [insert last name].
So we can assume that Olaf's surname is Olaf. Why then is he referred to as "O" if most volunteers are referred by their first names? There's no doubt it's Olaf, it just seemed a little strange....especially in TBL when Lemony is in code class and refers to Olaf as "O."
So either everyone called Olaf by his last name, he only has one name, or O is not Olaf?
Thoughts?

[Leanora Crowe]

O is almost definitely Olaf. It just fits. My theory is he either only has one name or just decided to use his first name when he declared himself a count. That seems to be his style.

[Dante]

Most V.F.D. documents, including even their private and coded communication, tends to refer to characters by initial only. Look at R. - and Kit was known only as K. for several books. It seems pretty consistent to me for volunteers to generally refer to Olaf as O., even in private correspondence. As for the surname problem, I think it's generally agreed that it probably doesn't matter; Olaf is clearly Olaf's first name.

[Hermes]

The way titles work differs a lot between countries. Sometimes a count is count of a place, but might use his first name informally so as distinguish himself from his father. So he might be Olaf, Count of Katzenellenbogen, but known as Count Olaf - rather as Humfrey, Duke of Gloucester, founder of the Oxford University library, is commonly known as Duke Humfrey.

Another possibility is that in some countries every member of a noble family is a count, but only the head of the family is the Count - so perhaps his brother is the Count of Katzenellenbogen, while he is just Count Olaf of Katzenellenbogen.

[B.]

Oct 19, 2011 14:00:49 GMT -5 Leanora Crowe said:

O is almost definitely Olaf. It just fits. My theory is he either only has one name or just decided to use his first name when he declared himself a count. That seems to be his style.

I agree. And I have no doubts whatsoever that O is Olaf.

[kkunz156]

I also agree, O is DEFINETLY Olaf, even in TUA, he preferred to be called E (Another disguise???)

[B.]

I think we've come to the conclusion that "O" is defiantly Olaf, it just seemed odd that he was a count by his first name.

[Hermes]

I do think there is one exception, though; in TBL where Lemony says 'I keep forgetting to call O "L",' I think O is Olivia, and he is forgetting to call her 'Lulu'.

[Groge]

his name could be Olaf Olaf! (its not like another member of VFD has the same first and second name!)

[The Duchess]

And E who's hiding with him could be Esme.

[Dante]

That seems quite likely, puchicala.

[vfds321s]

Nov 15, 2011 11:19:53 GMT -5 Hermes said:

I do think there is one exception, though; in TBL where Lemony says 'I keep forgetting to call O "L",' I think O is Olivia, and he is forgetting to call her 'Lulu'.

Interesting theory! I don't think Olivia is the O that was in the transcript. Olivia/Madame Lulu would never have refused to leave the VFD meeting that O wasn't invited to as it would contradict her philosophy to always give people what they want. (And the meeting members wanted O out of the meeting.)

[Mr. Dent]

It's that dashing Count Omar fellow.