The Seer
Reptile Researcher
Hoping that they were telling the truth.
Posts: 48
Likes: 7
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Post by The Seer on Aug 29, 2018 14:33:51 GMT -5
I believe that Arthur Poe, Vice President of Orphan Affairs at Mulctuary Money Management, is a former (or still active) VFD agent.
I would love to discuss this with 667.
If this has already been discussed, please inform me of this.
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Post by Uncle Algernon on Aug 30, 2018 4:46:53 GMT -5
…what makes you think that?
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The Seer
Reptile Researcher
Hoping that they were telling the truth.
Posts: 48
Likes: 7
|
Post by The Seer on Aug 30, 2018 6:42:32 GMT -5
Allow me to delay a moment while I retrieve to exact quotes. I apologise. It won't take long.
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Post by Foxy on Aug 30, 2018 8:14:57 GMT -5
I used to think Mr. Poe was the leader of V.F.D. and only pretending to be a bumbling banker. I thought the dinner parties the Baudelaire parents had were actually V.F.D. meetings, and Mr. Poe was invited because he was in charge of the meetings. I thought he was the mediator between the two sides of the schism. After TPP, I became pretty convinced he is just a bumbling banker.
But I would listen to evidence of the contrary.
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The Seer
Reptile Researcher
Hoping that they were telling the truth.
Posts: 48
Likes: 7
|
Post by The Seer on Aug 30, 2018 9:04:13 GMT -5
One of the biggest pieces of evidence that Poe had former involvement with VFD is that in "The End", Olaf referenced him, mentioning that he had a stage name, like Olaf once did and even Lemony. (See Austere Academy, Netflix.) Also, Snicket may have been throwing us a clue by giving him a name of a famous writer, like many of the VFD members. He could be evil but in deep cover, which would explain him not recognising Olaf until it would be impossible not to. It is also possible that Poe's first favourite candy when he was a child may be important, but I doubt that. I think Poe is, at the very least, far more than he appears to be.
PostScript- I apologize for the informal citations.
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Post by lemonmeringue on Aug 31, 2018 18:14:39 GMT -5
I don't know. I am pretty sure that there is more to Mr. Poe than what we see - hence his stagename, which doesn't suit what we know of his personality, and the fact that the Baudelaires chose him to manage their fortune.
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Post by Dante on Sept 1, 2018 10:22:53 GMT -5
The stage name is rather a random detail which doesn't fit with anything at all, and I'm not inclined to take it awfully seriously; I think I may have once accounted for this in a work of fanfiction by suggesting it was actually the father of the Mr. Poe we know, who brought up his son in the same business.
It's also possible that the Baudelaires wanted the executor of their estate to specifically be a V.F.D. outsider, and therefore theoretically impartial. It's equally conceivable that he's a really skilled banker; he is promoted twice during the course of the series, after all.
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Post by Grace on Sept 5, 2018 12:05:45 GMT -5
What was that bit from the TBBRE that revealed Mr. Poe was hiding something in his top hat?
I want him to be sinister so badly, but he's probably just hapless.. though arguably still evil because of neglect. I absolutely adore K. Todd Freeman, but he's awfully lovable as Mr. Poe.
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Post by Dante on Sept 5, 2018 14:51:08 GMT -5
You can read the full BBRE notes here, but the relevant excerpt is as follows: Ultimately, it's ambiguous as to whether or not Mr. Poe really had something hidden under his hat. Snicket may have corrected the draft after determining that he did not, for instance. Please see also Mr. Snicket's note to page 134. |
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Post by Foxy on Sept 6, 2018 6:55:22 GMT -5
I always guessed he was hiding the sugar bowl inside his top hat.
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Post by Marlowe on Jul 10, 2020 14:02:47 GMT -5
The stage name is rather a random detail which doesn't fit with anything at all, and I'm not inclined to take it awfully seriously; I think I may have once accounted for this in a work of fanfiction by suggesting it was actually the father of the Mr. Poe we know, who brought up his son in the same business. Apologies for the bump, but I'd rather like to read this fanfic of yours. |
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Jul 10, 2020 14:14:07 GMT -5
Taking advantage of the moment, I want to record that I believe that Poe is not a member of VFD. I mean, when the character was created, VFD didn't even exist in Daniel Handler's mind. But more than that. In TE (I think, I'm sorry if I made a mistake) it is evident that the Baudelaires' parents did not want them to enter VFD, because they always answered that the noise outside was the wind, and not "nothing". They may have died accidentally, but they didn't want their children in VFD. They did their own training, so to speak, so that their children could solve their problems without VFD. Thus, the parents' friendship with Poe was shared with the children. But the parents' friendship with VFD members was not shared with the children. With that in mind, I think the answer to whoever was arriving at their home on the day of the fire can be given as "any VFD member", but probably a VFD member on the fire extinguishing side, as Beatrice and Bertrand did not want to the children had a friendship with anyone from VFD, even those who belonged to the fire extinguishing side.
After all, Lemony Snicket has been to the Baudelaires' house (since Lemony knows the table) and the three children have never seen him. (despite having heard the word Snicket at some point). I deduce that whenever Snicket or another VFD member came to their home, the Baudelaire parents would make them go out alone.
So I deduce that TDD guests were not VFD members, unless they were in disguise and the parents did not know it. (Even Madame Dlustro could attend dinners if she was disguised).
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Post by Uncle Algernon on Jul 10, 2020 20:49:48 GMT -5
After all, Lemony Snicket has been to the Baudelaires' house (since Lemony knows the table) and the three children have never seen him. (despite having heard the word Snicket at some point). I deduce that whenever Snicket or another VFD member came to their home, the Baudelaire parents would make them go out alone. Actually, evidence in TDD suggests that Lemony would instead skillfully disguise himself as a piece of spongecake. |
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Post by Dante on Jul 15, 2020 3:04:32 GMT -5
The stage name is rather a random detail which doesn't fit with anything at all, and I'm not inclined to take it awfully seriously; I think I may have once accounted for this in a work of fanfiction by suggesting it was actually the father of the Mr. Poe we know, who brought up his son in the same business. Apologies for the bump, but I'd rather like to read this fanfic of yours. I dug it up; it's Memories of a Castaway, in this collection of my fanfiction. All very old now; but looking back, I was on fire in those days. Free time and no responsibilities, eh? |
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