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Doctor & Ticket Taker: Two Sides of the Same Coin (Doctor’s Gluttony & Jester’s Manipulation)

I also talk about the significance of colors in the troupe. These theories tie into Grieving Father Theory and a Jester discussion post I made. I recommend reading these analyses before moving further with this one. This is a long read.

I’ve made several posts in the past highlighting how often Ticket Taker and Doctor appear side by side whenever the full troupe is shown. This is going to be a master-post on my thoughts.

Compared to the others (even Pierrot and Harlequin) TT and Doctor are placed next to each other more frequently than any other pairing, aside from two modern instances.

I theorize that TT and Doctor were once close, but after Columbina’s death, they became separated and gradually grew apart (possibly to the point of actively avoiding one another now).

I believe Ticket Taker and Doctor are relevant to each other’s lore, and that their relationship plays an important role in the narrative, even if it hasn’t been outwardly revealed yet.

They mirror each other in many ways.

I also believe that Jester may have influenced their separation as a calculated power move.

Their Parallels:

First, let’s look at their similarities. Doctor and Ticket Taker both have distinct personas and outfits that set them apart from the rest of the troupe. They’re the only two who don’t wear bells on their clothing and don’t lean into traditional clown-like accessories, instead sticking to gimmicks that feel uniquely theirs. They’re also the two oldest members, both more introverted, and generally considered the “weakest” overall (at least on their own).

TT and Doctor are considered to be the “least popular” in the troupe, that’s heavily suggested when they mention their tents. (“You wanted to run off, didn’t you? It’s fine, no one really likes visiting the Doctor,” (Notice how “Doctor” is capitalized. He’s referring to himself.) “My tent doesn’t usually attract that many curious souls, especially ones who seem so eager to run away”). Their tents aren’t as popular compared to Pierrot, Harlequin, and Jester’s so they’re often out of the spotlight.

Here’s the only interaction we see between them so far, during their imprisonment. Note that this is the only time we see dialogue from Doctor in the retellings. And it’s emotional mirroring with Ticket Taker.

Here are some examples of their contrasts (some will be discussed more in depth):

-height/size/build (Compared to TT, Doctor is taller, weighs more, and appears to be bulkier/broader).

-‘stability levels’ (TT is assumed to be more “stable” than Doctor).

-how they approach guests in their tents (Doctor is more hands on/messy. TT is more psychological/cleaner; I also connect this by how they idly place their arms. Doctor crosses his arms/has them in front and TT folds his arms behind his back, away from those he’s approaching. Keep in mind that TT dislikes messiness).

-activity in the circus (TT is active in the circus’ organization, while Doctor seems to keep more to himself in his tent).

-gloves (clean/dirtied)

-favorite kinds of music (classical/musicals vs. metal)

We can also look at the (fan-predicted) inspos from Commedia dell’arte. As them being Dottore and Pantalone. These characters are “double acts,” which are contrasts that perform as a “single act.” Performing as one.

Now let’s talk “stability”

We as a fandom have come to the assumption that TT is “stable,” while Neko himself has confirmed in a q&a that Doctor is “unstable.”

Taken from two different q&as:

I also want to generally talk about the vagueness on TT’s personality and characteristics, even in the q&a. The word usage and phrasing makes me feel like we have to read between the lines.

Let’s keep in mind that TT’s specialties are in illusions. So phrases like “he gives off” or “seems” could suggest that we need to be careful with our assumptions about him. What Neko definitively tells us in that answer is that “he’s extremely responsible and dedicated to his work and the kind of person you never hear raise his voice.” The other two pieces he includes are vague (in my opinion) and we have to come to our own conclusion on whether it is what it seems.

Based on this description of TT, he seems to be stable and have things ‘under control,’ or at least appears to be.

For Doctor, Neko puts extra emphasis on the word “seems,” when talking about his “laid-back” front. Then he follows it with a confirmation that he is instead unstable. This weight is a bit more clear.

I’ve come to find that Neko is deliberate and careful with how he phrases things. He does the same with how he has the characters speak and answer our questions as well.

Going back to the dynamic:

TT, next to Jester, helps with the circus’ maintenance. TT is detail-oriented and structure is greatly important to him. Instability goes against structure.

Here are two ways of looking at their relationship depending on Doctor’s “stability levels” before and after Columbina’s death:

If Doctor’s instability existed before Columbina’s death, then pairing him with TT as his “rock” to keep him in check could make sense (they’re a duality).

TT and Doctor seem calm, so even if Doctor didn’t exhibit unstable tendencies before Columbina’s devourment, a connection between them would still make sense. They share plenty of similarities aside from that. And if Doctor did show these qualities, TT, being as controlled as he is, may have taught him how to manage his own tendencies or took on a role to “keep him in check.”

I personally believe that Doctor was once “calm and stable.” But when he got a taste of cannibalism, his unstable nature was triggered.

What if Columbina’s death was a catalyst to his instability? Specifically from him devouring a part of her, a fellow monster?

Perhaps Columbina’s devourment awakened something in Doctor. A latent bloodlust that had always been there, unleashing after cannibalism. Or, perhaps the event amplified an already existing volatility.

Let’s also take note of another observation:

When we look at the frame of all of them eating Columbina, Ticket Taker seemed to have eaten the least amount, compared to the rest of the troupe, based on the blood on his mouth. He restrained himself, only taking what was necessary. Whereas Doctor seemed to have devoured the most out of her. Not only do we see the blood and viscera on his beak, but we also see it on his abdomen and chest. It was overkill.

Perhaps when he got a taste of her flesh, his bloodlust overtook him, causing him to lose control and be gluttonous. Yes, it could also have been due to his size but let’s take a closer look at the details.

Throughout the retelling of Columbina’s story, Doctor is depicted with cyan eyes—we don’t see them turn red until he eats Columbina. It’s only during and after this act that his eyes finally change color. The monster’s eyes had changed. Notably, in the update, Doctor’s eyes are deliberately altered, much like the change to TT’s cravat pin. This suggests that teardrops are symbolically significant to TT, while the color red holds particular significance for Doctor.

More frame analyses:

After looking at this frame, I noticed how Pierrot and Harlequin both have their eyes glowing, but TT and Doctor each only have one eye of their eyes open.

I mention this because, once again, they are standing beside each other, and the specific eyes that glow complement one another. TT’s left eye is glowing, while Doctor’s right eye is glowing. Together, they form a complete pair of eyes—two halves of a single set.

Are they possibly incomplete without the other? They form what the others (P, H, J) already possess. Together they’re whole.

Here’s some symbolism of the eyes that I’ve gathered:

Left eye symbolism: Emotionality, chaos

Right eye symbolism: Logic, order

Perhaps during the aftermath of Columbina, their roles were switched (likely in the grieving process). It was in that moment where TT was the one who was unstable and Doctor was the logical/more detached one.

I’ve attempted to connect why exactly these two drifted apart. I’ve come up with two ideas:

1. TT became disgusted with Doctor’s gluttony/instability while devouring Columbina and it caused him to drift away. If we consider the possibility that Ticket Taker shared a strong parental bond with Columbina, then witnessing his dearest friend—his “other half”—consume most of his surrogate “daughter” would be enough to not only overwhelm him with revulsion, but would add an extra layer of grief and agony.

2. Another theory I have (which can also go hand in hand with Doctor’s gluttony) is Jester’s manipulation of the troupe, particularly TT, ultimately causing them to break off.

Jester’s Manipulation:

Before moving further, I’d like to discuss how I interpreted the events of Columbina’s death. I also want to thank my dear moot @flysoji for their own contributions to this analysis.

Many people use Harlequin as the scapegoat, but let’s remember who’s truly in charge and “pulling the strings,” so to speak. I keep thinking about how in the recount in TT’s tent, Jester apologized to Harlequin. He did this after Harlequin took the first bite of her. Then, afterwards, “Columbina” told us:

“No. No he wasn’t.”

Jester couldn’t move in his cage, so he couldn’t have done the strike himself. Also remember how he said that he was going to feed Pierrot. Assuming that Jester has hypnotism abilities and how he wasn’t able to commit the strike himself, he had Harlequin do it. Other than Pierrot (who was severely injured), Harlequin was physically the closest to him. Keep in mind that Jester understands Harlequin the best; he likely knows how he ticks and what his weaknesses are. These things come in handy when you’re trying to manipulate or hypnotize someone, especially when they’re vulnerable or at their breaking point.

Let’s look at the previous screenshot again. Notice how the troupe has two pairs, with Jester being in the middle. Pierrot and Harlequin; Ticket Taker and Doctor. These characters are parallels of one another or close to each other in some way…then you have Jester. Jester is often seen as his own entity. The one in charge. The one above the rest.

But it’s lonely at the top, right?

[Even in Jester’s performance, TT and Doctor’s reps are next to each other, in front of a full moon. Full moons symbolize duality.]

Also, if Jester was able to manipulate Harlequin when he was vulnerable, he would also be able to manipulate Ticket Taker during his “breaking point” (when he was experiencing his extensive grief). And besides, how easy is it to manipulate a grieving person? Someone that’s in a state of emotional turmoil?

Before the events of Columbina, Pierrot and Harlequin’s friendship was already broken. One of the duos was split, leaving only one. What if Jester was envious of the strength TT and Doctor had with each other? Their bond? What if he recognized that their combined intellect and strategy was enough to outmatch his? Jester may have saw the incident as an opportunity to break the second bond of the circus. keeping Doctor and TT weak on their own whilst “making a friend.” That way he wouldn’t have to worry about any potential threat. Not only would this put TT at his side, but it would further alienate Doctor.

At present, Jester and Ticket Taker seem to be close friends, as do Doctor and Harlequin. However, Jester and Ticket Taker’s dynamic appears to involve a power imbalance, whereas Doctor and Harlequin’s relationship resembles a genuine friendship. These connections create two new duos in the troupe, leaving Pierrot as the one on his own.

Harlequin and Doctor may have formed an unspoken bond through their shared instability following the events surrounding Columbina. Both unintentionally “lost control” during her death—Harlequin through Jester’s manipulation in the “first strike,” and Doctor through his gluttony.

[Doctor’s opinions/interactions involving Harlequin (and Jester in the AMAs)]

TT and Doctor’s outfits:

If colors are significant and Jester is the leader, it likely suggests that he devised the designs of the troupe’s clothes, along with the fools.

The fools are defined by her color, possibly insinuating that Jester saw Columbina as nothing more than a pawn, a piece in his game—a game built on control. The fools are also used and inevitably killed (thank you @goredotweb for pointing this out!) The troupe’s starvation could have been the final, cruel tactic to break them completely and place him above them all.

If Columbina’s colors are pink, then TT being blue is a good match. They’re gendered colors, but they are complimentary.

Considering that blue is also the color of melancholy, Ticket Taker is defined by his grief. This is also shown by the tears on his mask resembling those that he shed during her devourment, and his cravat pin/symbol being a teardrop. His mask and symbol are both split into halves. For his pin, half is deep blue (deep sadness) and the other is white. This split likely references how TT is no longer whole. Whether this means that his grief is what’s torn him from being whole, or if it’s because he’s no longer with Doctor. Or both. It could also be a reference to the color split with his eyes.

As for Doctor, his outfit is predominantly red and black, likely symbolizing the bloodlust he developed following her death. He also appears to be the predominent outlier within the troupe (a plague doctor isn’t what one typically expects to see in a circus, after all) and he tends to keep to himself. In this sense, black represents him well, reflecting how he often remains to the side or “in the shadows.” This is further emphasized by how difficult it is to fully see him inside his tent or even the inside of his tent in general. His mask, too, is black. In contrast to Ticket Taker’s split black-and-white mask.

UPDATE: Also the difference between their gloves. TT’s are white—clean and pristine; while Doctor’s are red and always bloodied/dirty.

Mirroring w TT & Doctor’s color palettes:

This is where I bring out the color wheel.

Excluding the yellow accents on their outfits (which are assumed to represent Pierrot’s mark) TT’s primary colors are dark blue and teal, while Doctor’s, aside from black, are red and cyan.

Blue and red sit on opposite sides of the color wheel, and this depiction effectively captures the contrast between their characters. At the same time, their similarities are also reflected in their designs, with teal being a darker shade of cyan.

Not only does the color wheel effectively capture the dynamics of the troupe’s relationships, but in the frame above, they are also arranged in a sequence that mirrors the wheel itself.

Yellow (Pierrot) is next to Green (Harlequin) who is opposite from Purple (Jester). [There’s a theory that Jester takes a fondness for Pierrot because of his potential for brutality].

Harlequin and Ticket Taker stand side by side (their tents are also positioned together). The nature of their connection remains unclear (I figured it might be one of resentment if TT suspects Harlequin of outright initiating Columbina’s death. In contrast, Harlequin sits opposite Doctor, possibly highlighting the friendship previously discussed.

TT is next to Jester. Obvious connection. Jester is in between Doctor and TT. We can interpret this as him being a barrier to their closeness. Deliberately keeping them apart.

Jester is beside Doctor (Jester, along with Harlequin, are the ones who visit Doctor the most).

And TT and Doctor are opposite from each other (as mirrors of one another).

UPDATE: Purple is also a mix between Blue and Red

BONUS:

My lovely mutual @flysoji and I came up with the prediction that we/MC are orange on the color wheel.

We are next to Pierrot, who is infatuated with us and VERY expressive with it. We are opposite to Harlequin, who is attempting to “take us from him.” TT is across from us (likely staring at us from afar/keeping his eyes on us). And we’re next to Doctor (who might also be obsessed with us, but not as intensely as Pierrot, at least outwardly).

Final frame:

Now let’s look at the second (only other) instance where TT and Doctor aren’t together within the troupe.

This final screen at the end of Day 2 wraps the present dynamic well. Ticket Taker is beside Jester and is the furthest one from Doctor. And Harlequin is the closest to Doctor.

In this frame, Ticket Taker and Doctor are the furthest away from each other. No longer together.

Whether it was Jester orchestrating their falling out or simply TT’s disgust at Doctor’s gluttony, some form of separation between them clearly exists. The only times we don’t see TT and Doctor together is in the present.

All in all, what I can confidently ascertain is that TT and Doctor had something close, whether it be a strong friendship or a camaraderie.

We have consistently seen them together, suggesting that their bond is significant to the narrative. They’re incomplete alone. They may be the most “overlooked” or “pushed aside” but they do so together. Or, they did.

Here’s a continuation post!

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