Verifiedly False Deductions, or, First-Read Theories?

[Uncle Algernon]

What are some interesting theories you 667-ers came up with when first reading the books, which were obviously proved false by later developments? I know there was some speculation once that Handler would pull a Snape and that Count Olaf's rivalry with Lemony was in part due to both of them being in love with Beatrice. 

I got inspired to make this thread because I watched the Netflix series with my sister, who hasn't read the books yet. And during TGG, before it's revealed quite what is up with Fernald and Fiona, but there is quite clearly something, she inexplicably came up with the guess that Fiona was Olaf's estranged daughter and that Fernald knew it (I think the emphatic description of the Captain as her step-dad is what made her think we were going to learn about her real dad, but beyond that, I have no idea what the Sugar-Bowl she was thinking). 

Also, I had to drop this idea very very quickly, but when I first learned of the Sinister Duo, I remember that I very briefly entertained the idea that they might have been the Baudelaire parents (with the Man/Bertrand having lost his hair in the fire and grown a beard due to being in hiding in the mountains). 

[Dante]

These aren't my theories, but some of the ideas I remember coming up in 667 while the series was still in publication. The identity of Beatrice was obviously much-discussed; that she was the Baudelaire mother was always the most popular theory, but other people were happy for her to be anyone else, like Mrs. Quagmire, for instance - and for a while there was an idea that Kit Snicket was the Baudelaire mother. One theory was that Violet was actually Beatrice, and that Quigley (or sometimes Klaus) would grow up to be Lemony Snicket; amazingly, an equivalent theory ended up being true for Pseudonymous Bosch's Secret series.

[tk]

I can't really remember any theories that I had back then, it's been so long! But I just wanted to pipe in and say how I sort of envy those who haven't read the books, must be fun watching the Netflix series and just experiencing things unfold for the first time. It's super interesting to read your sister's speculations, Uncle Algernon! (i'm sorry but how do i tag someone lol)

[Hermes]

Jan 7, 2019 9:31:15 GMT -5 tk said:

(i'm sorry but how do i tag someone lol)

Among the icons at the top of a post, quite near the right, there is one that looks like a little person. Click on that and start writing their username.

(As to theories: I had a theory that F and F were half-siblings of the Baudelaires. Their father 'went away' rather than dying; it clearly happened just after Fiona was born, as she appears as a baby in a picture with the captain; and she is just a bit older than Violet. And their real surname is highlighted as a mystery. But then, no. But then, considering Watch Your Mouth...)

EDIT: Two recurring theories that refuse to die are the Fernald-Fiona-Friday theory and the Violet Theory (i.e. she is Lemony's daughter). I think DH has actually taken steps to stop that one, with the telegram in TUA, but it lives on.

[Dante]

Do you mean the telegram in TBL, LS to BB #6? I would agree that it kills the Violet theory stone dead, though as there's no positive evidence in favour anyway then I wouldn't say it even needed killing. Fernald-Fiona-Friday isn't really verified false per se, though it would be rather convoluted if true. Thinking about it, the nature of ASoUE is that there are a lot of theories which are never confirmed false owing to the open-ended nature of the series; conclusively unconfirmed might be nearer to the mark...

Your theory of Fiona and Fernald as half-siblings to the Baudelaires is quite interesting, and it's almost a shame that Klaus and Fiona as love interests clearly demonstrates that it's unintented. Though I did notice that the Netflix series had Klaus compare her to Violet - which is a thing which shouldn't have happened the first time with Isadora and definitely shouldn't have happened a second time on top of that.

[Hermes]

Yes, sorry. TBL.

I think the F-F-F theory in the form we were first led to believe it - which I'm fairly sure is a deliberate tease - is shown to be wrong within the book: but it's always possible to devise more complex forms. Though I find it more satisfying to see the stories as parallel, in any case.

[Foxy]

I thought Mr. Poe was the leader of V.F.D. I don't know why I thought this other than I wanted him to not be a complete idiot, because, as mentioned in another recent thread, all the adults being completely clueless all the time got tiresome.

[Marlowe]

Not a "theory" per se but when I first read the books as a kid I genuinely believed Lemony Snicket was a real person - and was disappointed when he turned out to be the pen name of some heavyset guy from San Francisco. It may have disappointed me more than when I found out Santa Claus didn't exist. 

[TheAsh]

I thought Beatrice survived the fire. (I still think that, but it hasn't been officially confirmed.)

[R.]

Not so much a first-read theory as a reread theory, but for one afternoon I was convinced that Jerome was hypnotised into marrying Esmé by Georgina Orwell. I highly doubt that now.

[Dante]

That's an interesting idea. There's absolutely no evidence for it whatsoever - no evidence that either Jerome or Esmé ever met Dr. Orwell - but it would have been fun if true and would perhaps have deepened the books a little more. But at the same time, there's something easier to grasp at the implication of Esmé just bullying Jerome into marriage.

[R.]

Some of my early theories were just plain weird. I thought that Esmé and Lemony were in cahoots, that there was a secret third side of the schism and that the Medusoid Mycelium turned people evil, and the sugar bowl contained a cure which would undo its effects. Ingestion of the fungus was the reason Sunny burned down the hotel, and Esmé was evil due to contact with the Mycelium during a VFD mission as a child; this was why she wanted the sugar bowl. I was indecisive as to whether she wanted to use the cure or destroy it so there was no way to save her. I also thought that the Great Unknown was a submarine captained by Beatrice.

[Optimism is my Phil-osophy]

Nov 15, 2020 14:54:14 GMT -5 R. said:

I also thought that the Great Unknown was a submarine captained by Beatrice.

Really? I also advocated a similar idea for a long time! You know, the moment the Quaquimires are about to be swallowed or saved by the TGU, one of them shouts "Violet". I have long argued that he said something like "Violet?" why he saw someone like Violet in there. The only difference is that I claimed that Beatrice was controlling a gigantic animal, not the submarine. In fact, I still believe that the people who went to the TGU at TE believed they were heading towards the gigantic animal, because Captain W was shown to be afraid of a question mark-shaped submarine. So, I think he believed that the question-shaped animal was safe.

[R.]

I’m kind of embarrassed about my early theories, especially the Medusoid Mycelium one, so it’s great to hear that someone else thought one of them up.

[TheAsh]

Nov 16, 2020 8:43:40 GMT -5 R. said:

I’m kind of embarrassed about my early theories, especially the Medusoid Mycelium one, so it’s great to hear that someone else thought one of them up.

What's to be embarassed of? It fits quite well in the books.