The End: Official Discussion

[Deleted]

well I was originally just going to post the translation, but then i decided to post the rest.

[PJ]

Yeah. I already did that. Read the thread.

[jman]

I got all that free stuff and 3 pages from the countdown calender! ;D

Being bilangual (English/French), I absolutely LOVED the french Charles Baudelaire quote!!!!!

Kitlaf all the way!!!!!


According to what is said, I think the Baudelaire parents put one of their hybrid apple in the sugar bowl so that those in the outside world (not on the island) would be able to survive the Medusoid Mycelium. They could take the seeds from the apple and grow more anti-mycelium trees, so that no noble people would die from poisoning. Do you guys think that makes sense? Please discuss.

[Phoebonica]

sadoccasion said:

And was anyone else touched when the Baudelaires visited Olaf's grave as well as Kit's?

*raises hand*

[Wizz]

How come it didn't mention Violet going to briny beach for the last time?

[SadOccasion]

Or the FFP, for that matter.

My theory: The giant ? is crewed by the FFP, of which Isadora and Fiona have become members and the others (Duncan, Quiqley, Hector, Fernald, etc.) areb eing held captive. The FFP captured the Baudelaires and the baudelaires mey up with their friends, freed them, escaped to Briny Beach and either donned new identities or re-established contacts with the noble side of V.F.D.

[viperperm]

Was anyone else shocked from the OlafXKit scene? It makes me really think if Beatrice's dad is Dewey afterall, since either way she'd be an orphan. But something tells me that it's just like Beatrice/Lemony/Bertrand. Kit loved Olaf until Olaf turned bad, then Kit got with Dewey.

In The End, we finally found out a couple of things. Like why Lemony started ASoUE in the first place. Because of the journal Beatrice and Bertrand made.

It's pretty much confirmed that ASoUE takes place in Canada now, which makes me very happy. You see, Winnipeg is in Canada. And one of the Islanders says: "I suggest we return to Winnipeg!". I've always thought that ASoUE took place in British Columbia and in Alberta. With Hurricane Herman in TWW, it meant that ASoUE had to take place in either the Eastern or Western Coast of America or Canada. The Hinterlands meant that it has to take place in a place with lots of forest, and Canada takes up a large amount of the world's forests. With the Island, it had to take place somewhere with islands, and TSS showed us that it had to take place in an area with alot of mountains. British Columbia has islands, mountains and forestry.

I think that those two scenes were people guessed obvious answers, and they were wrong. Something tells me that Ishmael and Olaf were speaking in a sort of code. Example:

"There was some argument about his name, actually, as a baby adopted by his orphaned children bore the same name."
"Bertrand," Omeros said.
"No, Olaf said, and frowned yet another time.

See?

What else is there to talk about? Well, Lemony's name was finally mentioned in the book. Every other time, the person speaking would instantly get interupted by something bad.

On subject about the things that came with The End, I got a 'I Survived Lemony Snicket' Pencil, a thing for my shirt, and the 13 Shocking Secrets booklet.

Count Olaf's disguise should have been on the first page... I don't like that fact that he's dressed as regular Olaf when he was really disguised as Kit, however crazy it was. And what's the deal with him dying, anyway? He took a bite out of the apple, so he couldn't of been poisoned. And he was still able to lift up Kit, and he wasn't limping or anything, so he wasn't exactly crucially hurt... I think that Handler took a page out of Romeo and Juliet. That's one of the only ways that Olaf could of died, because of the posioned kiss.

Also, I'm starting to think that Olaf is was crazed cross-dresser. That's the second time he dressed up like a woman now. Even though I'm very happy that he turned fully back into Cartoonlaf before he died. And his remarks about how he was pregnant was hilarious! Oh yes, and another quote which I found very funny.

"Count Olaf," Ishmael said in a booming voice, as soon as his chair arrived. He stared down at the villain scornfully but also carefully, as if memorizing his face.
"Ishmael," Count Olaf said, in his disguised tone.
"Call me Ish," Ishmael said.
"Call me Kit Snicket," Olaf said.

Oh, before I stop typing, does anyone else think that Handler will write a story based on the Question Mark? I think that the final image represents an upcoming novel by Lemony Snicket.

[beatriceblake]

The Baudelaires might have hidden a hybrid apple as a cure for the Medusoid Mycelium in the sugar bowl but the earlier books implied it was some kind of recording device that had recorded Esme saying something incriminating. [That is the strangest sentence I have typed in a while.] Also if the sugar bowl was housing a cure for the Medusoid Mycelium then why was it so sought after? Horseradish is hardly a difficult thing to get hold of.

I found the Kit/ Olaf thing strange. It seems to me it was a plot contrivance so that Olaf would have a reason to help Kit. Might explain why Lemony doesn't like Olaf.

I was thinking about that detail in TBL when Beatrice mentions that some of the Baudelaires' accounts of what happened to them differed wildly from Lemony's version. I assumed Lemony's version would be the incorrect one but maybe the Baudelaires don't tell Beatrice about some of the less honourable stuff they have been involved in.

[SadOccasion]

beatriceblake said:

I was thinking about that detail in TBL when Beatrice mentions that some of the Baudelaires' accounts of what happened to them differed wildly from Lemony's version. I assumed Lemony's version would be the incorrect one but maybe the Baudelaires don't tell Beatrice about some of the less honourable stuff they have been involved in.

Ooh, good thought! That would contribue to the "secrets" theme of the book.

[jothesmo]

i understand.

[Carma]

snicketfires said:

My book came with a goody bag, thanks to my lovely book store (thanks to them, I've recieved promos for every book since TSS). The goodies include: The End Is Near "original home iron-on transfer," four Official Library of Lemony Snicket seal stickers, "I survived Lemony Snicket" pencil, a mad libs-style LS to BB#2 letter, which may or may not go with this "write your own Beatrice letter" contest card.
Anyone else receive goodies?

I got the same as you except a Violet mask instead of stickers.

I finished it last night and I really liked it. The ending was nice and even though I usually don't like vague endings either, it was nice.

[X]

jothesmo said:

2 - at start of chapter 14, in italicized book entry by baud parents, it says something like: "...and the boat B has constructed for us.." well, the baby at the end says beatrice, shes reading off of the boat nameplate. so the B is beatrice (unless B named the boat after the bauds mom, which would disprove that) also, consider TBL. we know that lemony is sending letters to a beatrice, and another beatrice is sending letters to lemony. so, unless TBL takes place after kits baby is born, then there are 3 beatrices, 2 of them dead.

TBL takes place wayy before and way after Kit's baby is born.
and keep in mind that Beatrice Baudeliare (Baudmom) married Bertrand. So there are, as far as we know, 2 beatrices.

1- the Baudmom, who lemony wrote the letters to in TBL and
2- Kit Snickets daughter who need to find Violet Sunny and Klaus again.

So the B that made the boat is Bertrand and he named it after his wife.

[Vacuum Pot]

snicketgirl13 said:

jothesmo said:

2 - at start of chapter 14, in italicized book entry by baud parents, it says something like: "...and the boat B has constructed for us.." well, the baby at the end says beatrice, shes reading off of the boat nameplate. so the B is beatrice (unless B named the boat after the bauds mom, which would disprove that) also, consider TBL. we know that lemony is sending letters to a beatrice, and another beatrice is sending letters to lemony. so, unless TBL takes place after kits baby is born, then there are 3 beatrices, 2 of them dead.

TBL takes place wayy before and way after Kit's baby is born.
and keep in mind that Beatrice Baudeliare (Baudmom) married Bertrand. So there are, as far as we know, 2 beatrices.

1- the Baudmom, who lemony wrote the letters to in TBL and
2- Kit Snickets daughter who need to find Violet Sunny and Klaus again.

So the B that made the boat is Bertrand and he named it after his wife.

Exactly. The Beatrice Letters contains information about things before the series, and after. Apparently, when the boat called Beatrice sank, Beatrice was seperated from the three Baudelaire parents (eheh). I think one of the letters mentions she's ten? Apparently, she hasn't seen them for nine years, and is still looking for her family.

I think, with the final illustration of the Fourteenth Chapter, Snicket is hinting at that the Baudelaires might've been swallowed up by the Great Unknown (also known as the "?").

Looking back, I think Handler worked some great symbolism into his novels. Fire, darkness (as we're reminded in the End of all the dark places and things), death... it's all beautifully done. He especially makes you think, with all of these moral battles that take place...

As it was said in an interview, the series ends with an "ambiguous" note. In conjunction with the Beatrice Letters, I'm beginning to see what really happened...

He's really left most of the clues to us, you see? No need for any extra meterial. It would just confuse things, just like Olaf and Ishmael did, with their interwinding, confounding stories that shroud the true clues in mystery.

[thejoyofthecourt]

viperperm said:

Count Olaf's disguise should have been on the first page... I don't like that fact that he's dressed as regular Olaf when he was really disguised as Kit, however crazy it was. And what's the deal with him dying, anyway? He took a bite out of the apple, so he couldn't of been poisoned. And he was still able to lift up Kit, and he wasn't limping or anything, so he wasn't exactly crucially hurt... I think that Handler took a page out of Romeo and Juliet. That's one of the only ways that Olaf could of died, because of the posioned kiss.

Eh, he was shot through the stomach with a harpoon gun. I'm sure that had something to do with it.

"He took another bite, and another, and then with a horrible groan, the villian rose to his feet, and the children saw that his chest was soaked with blood."

[freeeagle]

Oh my gosh! It was so good! The best book I have ever read! He left just the right amount of questions, and he ended it in such a creative way that no one could have predicted.

Personnally I like Kit and Olaf. Esme and Olaf didn't seem to have a real relationship; all glamour and money and fashion. Kit is just so noble and the contrast between her and Olaf makes it so perfect. It makes you wonder, who was baby Bea's father?

Then, Beatrice Baudelaire, two of them! I love it! I always wanted Beatrice to be their mother!

The question mark is better left as 'The Great Unknown'. Honestly, I didn't think it would turn up again. I don't think anyone survived after leaving the island, and suprisingly, I like it that way. I actually haven't read The Beatrice Letters yet, though.

I also enjoy having a few mysteries to solve. I like to think that the answers are still out there waiting to be found.