i think a lot of aizen's actions, pre hogyoku, might be filed as him contributing to his goal of becoming soul king and the one on top but i think they are subconsciously still centered around his loneliness and wanting an equal to fill that gap.
his actions, even as early as ever, were to take interest in kisuke and observe him presumably because of his intellect being one that can rival aizen's. even in tbtp: yeah his hollowification was for the hogyoku experiments, but it can also serve another cause subconsciously ( he was setting up this confrontation w kisuke) even then, even before this if he really considered kisuke a threat he could have taken him out completely, killed him but instead he let kisuke escape to exile for a hundred years and bide his time because aizen himself was waiting for someone to stop him. him trying to narrow their location and the visoreds was basically a chess game between the two. again, relating to aizen not wanting to be alone and an equal. his subconscious desires ruling over him again without any notice.
aizen never really fully took the time to understand these desires lurking beneath, which is why he distances himself from his true self when combining with the hogyoku (but that's another thing...)
even then, seeing isshin and masaki get married (hollow, shinigami, human, quincy mix) he didn't stop it nor put an end to that not only because it would be an interesting experiment, but also because the result could be something or someone powerful enough to stop him, to be his equal. and that is also why, in his own twisted way, he trains ichigo to become stronger through obstacles.
aizen also tells gin that he knows he was going to be betrayed by him and that he allowed it to happen is not only because he wanted to evolve and become a god but also because he wanted to see if gin can do it, succeed, be an equal and someone to stop him, if anyone can anyway. he allows it.
the same thing with the espada. he even tells harribel about how they're all so inferior to him. i wonder if that was said in disapointment, a bit, because they did not even come close to being his equal.
The door of the garret had just flown open to reveal three men in blue overalls and wearing black paper masks. The first was thin and had a long iron-tipped cudgel; the second, who was a kind of colossus, was carrying a butcher’s poleaxe for slaughtering cattle, which he held by the middle of the handle with the axe-head down. The third, a man with thick-set shoulders, not as thin as the first, not as massive as the second, was clutching in his fist an enormous key stolen from the door of some prison.
It appeared that the arrival of these men was what Jondrette had been waiting for.
Noooo my answers :((( - Marius probably
‘Where’s Montparnasse, then?’
‘The leading man stopped to chat with your daughter.’
😒
Monsieur Leblanc was very pale. He was looking at everything around him in that wretched place like a man who realizes full well his predicament, and his head, turning to all the faces surrounding him one by one, moved on his neck with an attentive and wondering slowness, but there was nothing in his manner resembling fear. He had improvised for himself a defence wall out of the table, and the man who only a moment ago had seemed just a kindly old gent had suddenly turned into some sort of athlete, laying his robust fist on the back of his chair in a gesture that was fearsome and unexpected.
So resolute and so brave in the face of such danger, this old man seemed to be one of those people who are courageous in the same way as they are kind – easily and simply. The father of a woman we love is never a stranger to us. Marius felt proud of this man he did not know.
I know I just mentioned Marius, but I immediately forgot about him and then got confused for a second when it started talking about "the father of a woman we love". Then I saw Marius' name and I went Ah. Right.
+1 point to Val theory. Suddenly strong and agile? Sounds like him.
Three of the bare-armed men . . . had helped themselves from the pile of old iron, one, to a pair of heavy shears, another, to a crowbar, the third, to a hammer, and had without uttering a word taken up a position barring the door. . . .
Marius decided that within a few seconds it would be time to intervene, and he raised his right hand towards the ceiling in the direction of the corridor, ready to fire his pistol.
Oh good he remembers what he's here for
Jondrette turned back to Monsieur Leblanc and repeated his question, accompanying it with that terrible, low suppressed laugh of his, ‘So you don’t recognize me?’
Monsieur Leblanc looked him straight in the face, and replied, ‘No.’
lol. lmbo even.
. . . in this attitude of wild beast about to bite he cried, ‘My name isn’t Fabantou, my name isn’t Jondrette, my name is Thénardier. I’m the innkeeper at Montfermeil! Do you hear? Thénardier! Now do you recognize me?’
YEAHHHHHH THEORY CONFIRMED HAHAHA I NAILED IT
An almost imperceptible flush passed across Monsieur Leblanc’s brow, and with not a tremor in his voice, without raising it he replied with his customary serenity, ‘No more than before.’
+1 point to Val theory. Always cool as a cucumber under these types of circumstances.
Marius did not hear this reply. Anyone who had seen him at that moment in that darkness would have seen that he was aghast, stupefied, thunderstruck. At that moment when Jondrette said, ‘My name is Thénardier’, Marius had trembled in every limb and collapsed against the wall as if he felt the cold blade of a sword run through his heart.
OH NO I FORGOT HE WAS LOOKING FOR THIS GUY BECAUSE HE (supposedly) SAVED HIS DAD
Is he going to have a mental breakdown over the fact that the man who saved his father is actually a terrible criminal
Now is not the time, Marius
Then his right arm, ready to fire the signal, had slowly dropped, and when Jondrette repeated ‘Do you hear? Thénardier?’ Marius’s wilting fingers had almost let the pistol fall. By revealing who he was, Jondrette had left Monsieur Leblanc unmoved, but he had thrown Marius into turmoil.
Now is not the time, Marius
That name he had worn on his heart, written in his father’s will! He bore it in the depths of his mind, in the depths of his memory, in that sacred injunction: ‘A man by the name of Thénardier saved my life. If my son ever meets him, he will do the best he can for him.’ That name, remember, was one that his soul held in veneration, that in his filial devotion was associated with his father’s name. What! This was Thénardier, this was the innkeeper of Montfermeil he had for so long sought in vain! He had found him at last and – how could this be? – his father’s saviour was a villain! That man, to whom Marius had a burning desire to dedicate himself, was a monster! The man to whom Colonel Pontmercy owed his deliverance was engaged in a crime whose precise nature Marius did not yet clearly apprehend but which looked like murder! And God Almighty! – who was his victim! What a twist of fate! What a bitter irony!
Welp, them's the breaks. Aim your pistol at the sky, Marius, there are more important things at stake than your mental breakdown
At last he was going repay this man for saving his father’s life amid a hail of grapeshot on the heroic battlefield of Waterloo – and he was going to repay him with the scaffold!
Wait
He had sworn to himself that if ever he found this Thénardier he would approach him only by throwing himself at his feet. And now he had actually found him, but he was delivering him to the executioner! His father had said to him, ‘Help Thénardier!’ And he was responding to that adored and sainted voice by destroying Thénardier!
Now hold on a moment
Georges was a good man, I don't think he'd condone the actions taking place here, I think he'd probably change his instructions if he knew
Marius-
Treating his father, in his tomb, to the spectacle of the execution on Place St-Jacques of the man who at the risk of his own life had wrested him from death. Executed because of his son, because of this same Marius to whom he had commended that man! And what a mockery for so long to have worn on his breast his father’s last wishes, written in his own hand, and then, appallingly, to have done exactly the opposite!
Marius, are we sure he'd even get executed-
But on the other hand, to be witness to an ambush and not prevent it!
IS THAT EVEN ON THE TABLE??
MARIUS YOU CANNOT SERIOUSLY HAVE THAT OPTION ON THE TABLE
Everything depended on him. He held in his hand the fate of these unwitting individuals playing out their parts beneath his gaze. If he fired his pistol Monsieur Leblanc was saved and Thénardier doomed. If he did not fire it Monsieur Leblanc would be sacrificed and – who knows? – Thénardier would escape. Be the undoing of one, or the downfall of the other! Remorse, either way. What should he do? What should he choose?
TO SAVE THE INNOCENT MAN YOU ABSOLUTE BAFOON YOU BOOBY YOU NINNY YOU IDIOT WITH A HEAD FULL OF PILLOW FLUFF
It seemed to him that he could hear ‘his Ursule’ on the one hand, beseeching him for her father’s sake, and the colonel on the other commending Thénardier to him.
You spent so long learning about your father and yet
And yet you seriously think he'd want you to spare a criminal at risk of an innocent life
Boy you don't know your father at all what did you even go around talking to all the people who knew him for????
‘Ah!’ he cried. ‘At last I’ve found you, monsieur the philanthropist! Monsieur the threadbare millionaire! Monsieur who gives away dolls! Old fool! Ah! you don’t recognize me! No, it wasn’t you who came to Montfermeil, to my inn, eight years ago, on Christmas night of 1823! It wasn’t you who carried away from my house Fantine’s child, Alouette! . . . You don’t recognize me? Well, I recognize you! I recognized you straight away, the minute you poked your nose in here. And now you’re about to find out it isn’t all roses, going into people’s houses like that, on the grounds that they’re inns, dressed all shabby, looking that much of a pauper anyone would’ve given you a sou, deceiving people, acting bountiful, taking away their livelihood, threatening them in the woods. And you don’t get away with it just because later, when people are ruined, you bring them a coat that’s too big and two miserable hospital blankets, you old scoundrel, you child-stealer!’
SO IT IS (almost definitely) COSETTE WITH HIM!!!
+1 point to Val theory, though there's still a chance for her to be retrieved by someone else… Heavily doubt it though…
I was licking your boots this morning but I’ll be sinking my teeth into you this evening!”’
Gotta hand it to Thénardier, he can do a good monologue sometimes
Monsieur Leblanc did not interrupt him, but when he paused said, ‘I don’t know what you mean. You’re mistaken. I’m a very poor man and anything but a millionaire. I don’t know you. You’re getting me mixed up with someone else.’
‘Ah!’ growled Thénardier. ‘What humbug! You’re sticking to that story! You’re floundering, old man! Ah! You don’t remember! You can’t see who I am!’
‘Forgive me, monsieur,’ said Monsieur Leblanc in a polite tone of voice that was strangely powerful at such a moment, ‘I see that you’re a villain!’
HAHA
Who has not noticed that hateful individuals have their own sensitivity, that monsters are ticklish! At this word ‘villain’ the Thénardier woman sprang from the bed, Thénardier grabbed his chair as if he was going to smash it to pieces.
‘You stay where you are!’ he shouted to his wife. And turning to Monsieur Leblanc he went on, ‘Villain! Yes, I know that’s what you call us, you rich folk! Well, it’s true my business went bust, I’m in hiding, I’ve no food, I’ve no money, I’m a villain! I’ve not eaten for three days, I’m a villain!
Yes… Yes it's you being hungry and poor that makes you a villain, yes that's definitely why he called you that. It has nothing to do with the group of men with their weapons and the very obvious trap laid and threats you have made. He only said that because you're poor.
And you come into our dens, yes, our dens, and call us villains! But we shall eat you, poor things! We’ll devour you!
Nothing villainous about that statement, nope
Then, addressing Monsieur Leblanc with renewed frenzy, ‘And this too I’ll have you know, monsieur the philanthropist! I’m not some shady customer! I’m not some nameless individual who comes along and abducts children from people’s houses! I’m a French veteran, I should have been decorated! I was at Waterloo, I was! And in the battle I saved a general called Comte somebody-or-other. He told me his name but his damned voice was so weak I didn’t hear. All I heard was “merci”. I’d sooner have had his name than his thanks. It would have helped me to find him again. This picture you see here, it was painted by David in Brussels. You know what it represents? It represents me. David wanted to immortalize that feat of valour. I have that general on my back, and I’m carrying him through the grapeshot. That’s the story! And he never did a thing for me, that general, he was no better than the others! But all the same I saved his life at the risk of my own, and I have pockets full of documents to prove it! I was a soldier at Waterloo, for God’s sake! And now I’ve been good enough to tell you all that, let’s get on with it, I want cash, I want a great deal of cash, I want enormous quantities of cash, or I’ll kill you, God damn it!’
Hey Marius look he insulted your dad, maybe you should forget about helping that guy (but of all the times to bring up the Waterloo thing, ugh)
Marius had regained some control over his feelings of anguish and was listening. The last possibility of any remaining uncertainty had just vanished. This was, for sure, the Thénardier of the will. Marius shuddered at this accusation of ingratitude directed against his father and which he was so perniciously about to justify. It worsened his predicament.
Okay worsened it in what direction though
Since he had stopped blocking Marius’s field of vision, Marius could now observe this object, and in the daub he actually recognized a battle, a smoky background and a man carrying another man. This was the Thénardier and Pontmercy composition, the saviour sergeant and the colonel saved. Marius felt as if drunk. This picture in some way brought his father back to life, it was no longer the signboard of the tavern at Montfermeil, it was a resurrection, in which a tomb opened and a ghost arose from it. Marius heard his heart pounding at his temples, he had the cannon of Waterloo in his ears, his bleeding father indistinctly depicted on that sinister panel scared him, and it seemed to him this shapeless figure was staring at him.
He's a total goner isn't he
Very well, I'll do it myself
In the midst of this silence a throaty voice delivered this ominous gibe from the corridor, ‘If there’s heavy work needs doing, I’m your man!’
It was the man with the poleaxe, who was looking forward to some fun.
Why is that so character select screen dialogue
‘Why’ve you taken your mask off?’ Thénardier shouted angrily.
‘For a laugh,’ replied the man.
HAHA well it made me laugh
While rebuking the man with the poleaxe, he turned his back on Monsieur Leblanc.
Monsieur Leblanc seized this moment. He kicked the chair over, shoved the table back, then, before Thénardier had time to turn round, with amazing agility and in one bound he was at the window. To open it, to clamber on to the sill and climb over it, took a second. He was half out when six strong hands grabbed hold of him and forcibly dragged him back into the den.
MAN SO CLOSE
+1 Val theory though with that agility (am I reading into everything now? Perhaps)
One of the ‘sweeps’ . . . whom Marius recognized in spite of the grime as Panchaud, alias Printanier, alias Bigrenaille, raised above Monsieur Leblanc’s head some kind of bludgeon consisting of an iron bar with a leaden knob at either end.
Marius could not hold out against this spectacle. ‘Father,’ he thought, ‘forgive me!’ And his finger sought the trigger of his pistol.
FINALLY
The shot was about to go off when Thénardier’s voice shouted, ‘Don’t harm him!’
You've gotta be fricking kidding me if you don't try to harm him the booby next door won't ever fire his gosh darn gun and if he doesn't fire his gosh darn gun I am going to tear my ears off
And unwittingly, his first achievement was to stop the pistol going off and to paralyse Marius, for whom all urgency disappeared and who, faced with this new development, saw no harm in further delay. Who could tell? Something might turn up that would deliver him from the horrible alternatives of either letting Ursule’s father perish or sealing the doom of the colonel’s saviour.
Shaking him shaking him shaking him shaking him
Dang you get em Leblanc (+1 for Val theor-)
Aww, they got him back...
Thus, overpowering some and overpowered by the others, crushing those below, smothered by those on top, vainly trying to shake off all the constraints piled on top of him, Monsieur Leblanc disappeared beneath the heinous band of ruffians like a wild boar beneath a howling pack of mastiffs and bloodhounds.
Not a pack of wolves? Lol
They succeeded in throwing him back on the bed nearest the window, and kept him at bay there. The Thénardier woman had not let go of his hair.
‘You keep out of this,’ said Thénardier. ‘You’ll tear your shawl.’
The Thénardier woman obeyed, as the she-wolf obeys the male, with a growl.
…
I spoke too soon
Monsieur Leblanc seemed to have given up resisting. He was searched. He had nothing on him except a leather purse containing six francs, and his handkerchief. Thénardier put the handkerchief into his own pocket.
Huh
‘Tie him to the foot of the bed,’ he said.
And noticing the old man who had been left sprawled across the room by the punch from Monsieur Leblanc and was not stirring, he asked, ‘Is Boulatruelle dead?’
‘No,’ replied Bigrenaille, ‘he’s drunk.’
‘Sweep him into a corner,’ said Thénardier.
Two of the sweeps shoved the inebriate with their feet over to the heap of old iron.
‘Babet,’ Thénardier said quietly to the man with the cudgel, ‘why did you bring so many. They weren’t needed.’
‘What can you do?’ replied the man with the cudgel. ‘They all wanted to be in on it. It’s a bad time. There’s nothing doing.’
Incredibly funny stuff actually
"Sweep him into a corner" and "I didn't plan to bring this many guys but there's nothing else to do and they all wanted to come :( "
‘Monsieur, you shouldn’t have tried to jump out of the window. You might have broken your leg. Now, if you don’t mind, we’re going to have a quiet chat. First of all, I have to tell you something I’ve noticed, which is that we’ve not yet heard so much as a peep out of you.’
Thénardier was right. True as it was, though, this detail had in his agitation escaped Marius. Monsieur Leblanc had uttered no more than a few words, without raising his voice. Even in his struggle with the six blackguards by the window he had maintained the most profound and peculiar silence.
Thénardier went on, ‘My God! You might have cried thief and I wouldn’t have thought it improper! Or murder! People do on occasion – and I wouldn’t have taken it amiss. It’s perfectly normal to create a bit of a rumpus when you find yourself with individuals that don’t inspire enough trust. If you had, no one would have stopped you. You wouldn’t even have been gagged. And I’ll tell you why. This room’s very out of the way. That’s the only thing in its favour but it has got that. It’s like a cellar. You might let a bomb off inside it, and at the nearest guard-house it’d sound like the snoring of a drunk. Here a cannon would make a pop and thunder a whisper. It’s a handy place to live. But anyhow, you didn’t cry out, and so much the better, I congratulate you on that, and I’ll tell you what conclusion I draw. My dear monsieur, when you cry out, who comes? The police. And after the police? Justice. Well! You didn’t cry out. That’s because you’re no keener than we are to have the police and justice turn up. That’s because – I’ve long suspected it – you’ve an interest in hiding something. We ourselves have the same interest. So we can come to an understanding.’
Where's my popcorn
Also +1 Val theory- now I'm definitely reading into things. Making stuff up. Last I saw him he said "come arrest me as you please". But maybe something changed. Look, listen to me, I want it to be him. It would be so very tasty of a plot if it was. Imagine when Javert arrives. Well, if Marius ever actually fires his gun. But imagine. Presumably, if this is Val, Javert still has it out for him. Another assumption, I'll admit, but wouldn't it make for a good story?
Except, darn, wait a second. If Marius believes this, he'll go, "well then, what's the problem with letting Thénardier get away with it? This man must be a crook too!" And excuse his conscience like that.
But whoever he might be, trussed up, surrounded by thugs, half buried, as it were, in a hole that every moment deepened beneath him inch by inch, in the face of Thénardier’s fury as in the face of his suaveness, this man remained impassive. And Marius could not helping admiring, at such a time as this, that magnificently melancholy countenance.
This was obviously a person incapable of being scared and with no notion of what it was to feel panic-stricken. He was one of those men who in desperate circumstances overcome their bewilderment. No matter how dire his predicament, no matter how inescapable his doom, there was nothing here of the drowning man’s anguish, with those ghastly eyes, open underwater.
+1 V-
(Also not the reaction I expected from Marius, but alright. A better one, to be sure.)
Thénardier stood up in a matter-of-fact way, went to the fireplace, moved aside the screen, which he rested against the nearby pallet, and thus exposed the brazier full of glowing embers in which the prisoner could plainly see the white-hot chisel, spangled here and there with little flecks of scarlet.
Uh oh
‘We can come to an understanding. Let’s settle this amicably. I was wrong to lose my temper just now, I don’t know what I was thinking of, I went much too far, I was talking wildly. For example, because you’re a millionaire I told you I was demanding money, a lot of money, a huge amount of money. That would be unreasonable. Good God, for all that you’re rich, you have your expenses, who hasn’t? I don’t want to ruin you, after all I’m no bloodsucker! I’m not one of those people who, because they’re in a stronger position, take advantage of it to be ridiculous. Listen, I’ll take a cut and make a sacrifice on my side. All I want is two hundred thousand francs.’
I gotta admit, I enjoy his dialogue. He makes for an entertaining, interesting villain. Even if I wanna remove him from this plane sometimes for how he treats his family.
Thénardier went on, ‘As you see, I take my wine with a fair amount of water. I don’t know what your fortune stands at but I do know that money’s no object to you, and a charitable man like yourself can well afford to give two hundred thousand francs to a family man down on his luck. You too are surely reasonable, you don’t imagine I’d go to all this trouble and organize this evening, a well planned operation as all these gentlemen will agree, to end up asking you for enough to go and drink red at fifteen sous a glass and eat veal at Desnoyers’s. Two hundred thousand francs, that’s what it’s worth. Once that little trifle is out of your pocket, I assure you, that’ll be that, and you need have no fear anyone will lay a finger on you. You’ll say: “But I haven’t got two hundred thousand francs on me.” Oh! I’m not unrealistic. I’m not expecting that. I ask only one thing of you. Be good enough to write down what I am about to dictate to you.’
Here Thénardier paused, then lingering on his words and casting a smile towards the brazier, he added, ‘I warn you, I won’t accept that you don’t know how to write.’
What did I say about torture
I don't remember if it was here or discord but STILL
Okay this isn't really a torturing interrogation like I'd mentioned but a threat of physical pain is still happening
The prisoner finally spoke. ‘How do you expect me to write? I’m tied up.’
‘That’s true,’ said Thénardier, ‘you’re right, forgive me.’ And turning to Bigrenaille, ‘Untie the gentleman’s right arm.’
Bold. Brave. Bhoping he takes advantage of freedom.
‘Bear in mind, monsieur, that you’re in our power, at our mercy, that no human strength can get you out of this
You don't know. You don't know what Val is capable of (I slip further into potential delusion. Am I no better than Marius?)
Thénardier began to dictate. ‘“My daughter—”’
The prisoner shuddered and looked up at Thénardier.
B( he wants to keep her out of this…
‘Put “My dear daughter”,’ said Thénardier.
Monsieur Leblanc obeyed.
Thénardier continued, ‘“Come immediately—”’ He interrupted himself. ‘You use tu when you address her, don’t you?’
‘Who?’ asked Monsieur Leblanc.
LOL
‘Damn it!’ cried Thénardier. ‘The child, Alouette.’
Monsieur Leblanc replied without showing the slightest emotion, ‘I don’t know what you mean.’
‘Just carry on,’ said Thénardier, and he went on dictating, ‘“Come immediately. I need you urgently. The person who delivers this note is instructed to bring you to me. I’m depending on you. Come without any misgiving.”’
Monsieur Leblanc had written all of this down.
Thénardier reconsidered. ‘Cross out “Come without any misgiving”. That might suggest everything was not quite straightforward and that there might be room for misgivings.’
Man he's so funny sometimes
‘Now,’ said Thénardier, ‘sign it. What’s your name?’
The prisoner laid down the pen and asked, ‘Who’s this letter for?’
‘You know full well,’ replied Thénardier. ‘For the child. I just told you so.’
Play dumb x100
He went on, ‘Sign. What’s your name?’
‘Urbain Fabre,’ said the prisoner.
Thénardier, with a cat-like movement, stuck his hand in his pocket and drew out the handkerchief that had been taken from Monsieur Leblanc. He held it up to the candlelight, looking for the initials on it.
‘UF. That’s right. Urbain Fabre. Well, sign it UF.’
I was hoping he'd pick a fake name as a sign, but if it's just initials… darn it. Too clever.
That done, Thénardier said, ‘Write the address. “Mademoiselle Fabre”, at your house. I know you live not very far from here, somewhere near StJacques-du-Haut-Pas, because that’s where you go to mass every day, but I don’t know what street it is. I see that you understand your situation. As you haven’t lied about your name, you won’t lie about your address. Write it yourself.’
The prisoner remained thoughtful for a moment, then he took up the pen and wrote, ‘Mademoiselle Fabre, care of Monsieur Urbain Fabre, Rue St-Dominique-d’Enfer, number 17’.
Here's to hoping Marius doesn't have hawk eyes and can't see the address written 🙄 he doesn't need that info. I hope he didn't even give a real address. Also maybe Fabre isn't the real surname, so it won't work after all...
And off goes wife and polearm guy to deliver the letter and, in return, the girl
Which, by the way, Marius, you have put at risk by not firing the gun before they left to get her
Marius waited, with everything adding to his anxiety. The mystery was more impenetrable than ever. Who was this ‘child’ that Thénardier had called Alouette? Was she his ‘Ursule’? The prisoner had seemed unresponsive to that word ‘Alouette’, and had replied as naturally as could be, ‘I don’t know what you mean.’ On the other hand, the two letters UF were explained: they stood for Urbain Fabre, and Ursule was no longer called Ursule. It was this that Marius saw most clearly. Some sort of ghastly fascination kept him nailed to the spot, where he was able to observe this whole scene from a commanding viewpoint. There he stood, almost incapable of thought or movement, as though overwhelmed by such dreadful things seen at close hand. He waited, hoping for something to happen, no matter what, unable to collect his wits and not knowing what to do.
When is he ever capable of thought
‘In any case,’ he said, ‘if she is Alouette, I’m sure to find out, for the Thénardier woman is going to bring her here. Then there are no two ways about it, I shall lay down my life if necessary, but I shall save her! Nothing will stop me!’
(head in hands with the deepest sigh)
Right… be her white knight… of course…
Thénardier went on: ‘Be patient, my wife will be back shortly. I think Alouette is in fact your daughter and it seems to me quite right you should keep her. Now pay attention. My wife’s going to fetch her with your letter. I told my wife to dress up, as you saw, so that your young lady would go along with her without any fuss. They’ll both get into the carriage with my colleague behind. Somewhere beyond the gate there’s a gig with two very good horses harnessed to it. Your young lady will be taken there. She’ll get out of the carriage. My colleague will get into the gig with her, and my wife’ll come back here to tell us it’s done. As for the young lady, no harm will come to her. The gig will take her somewhere safe and just as soon as you’ve given me the small sum of two hundred thousand francs she’ll be returned to you. If you have me arrested, my colleague will take care of Alouette. There you have it.’
It's almost like making stupid choices leads to bad consequences, Marius. The girl won't even be here for you to save, idiot
Frightful images went through Marius’s mind. What! That young girl they were abducting was not going to be brought back? One of those monsters was going to carry her off into the dark? Where to? And what if it was her? – and it was all too clear that it was! Marius felt his heart stop beating. What was he to do? Fire the pistol? Put all these wretches in the hands of the law? But that dreadful man with the poleaxe would still be completely beyond reach with the young girl, and Marius thought about those words of Thénardier’s, suspecting their deadly meaning: ‘If you have me arrested, my colleague will take care of Alouette.’
I wish he would learn from this, but alas
I have not any hope
And no sooner had he spoken than the Thénardier woman rushed into the room, red-faced, breathless, panting, eyes ablaze, and slapping her huge hands on both thighs simultaneously she cried out, ‘False address!’
YEAHHHHH HAHAHA I WAS HOPING HE MIGHT DO THAT
Choked, she paused, then continued, ‘Monsieur Thénardier! That gaffer’s been stringing you along! You’re too good, you see! If it’d been me I’d’ve carved his face up to begin with! And if he’d fought back I’d have roasted him alive! He’d have had to talk, and tell us where the girl is and where he keeps his hoard!
TORTURE INTERROGATION
But wow dang no mercy with this lady
Finally he said to the prisoner in a measured and particularly ferocious tone of voice, ‘A false address? What did you expect to gain by that?’
‘Time!’ cried the prisoner in a ringing voice.
And in the same instant he shook off his bonds. They had been cut. The prisoner was now tied to the bed by only one leg.
+10 TO VAL THEORY I BELIEVE IN IT I BELIEVE IN HIM WHO ELSE COULD DO SUCH A THING
Though uh. One leg. A whole bed. I hope he didn't skip leg day.
Before the seven men had time to gather their wits and throw themselves at him, he leaned over to the hearth, reached out his hand to the brazier, then straightened up again. And now Thénardier, the Thénardier woman and the ruffians, huddled in shock at the far end of the hovel, stared at him dumbfounded as he stood there, almost free, and striking a fearsome attitude with the red-hot chisel raised above his head, casting a sinister glow.
Hand back in the popcorn bowl
The subsequent judicial investigation into the ambush at the Gorbeau tenement recorded that a ten-centime coin, cut and worked in a special way, was found in the garret when the police raided it. This ten-centime coin was one of those marvels of ingenuity produced in the shadows, and for the shadows, by patience learned in the prison hulks – marvels that are nothing less than instruments of escape. . . . The poor wretch who aspires to free himself contrives, sometimes without any tools, with just a pocketknife or any old blade, to saw a coin into two thin discs, to hollow out these discs without damaging the impressions stamped on the coin, and to work a thread into the rim of the coin so that the discs can be put back together again. To be screwed and unscrewed at will. The thing is a box. In this box he hides a watch-spring, and this watch-spring, adeptly handled, cuts heavy shackles and iron bars. . . . They also found a tiny blue-steel saw that could be hidden inside the coin.
In prison hulks, you say? 👁️👁️ +20 again, why not
Nevertheless the prisoner spoke out. ‘You’re miserable wretches, but my life isn’t that much worth protecting. As for thinking that you’ll make me talk, that you’ll make me write what I don’t want to write, that you’ll make me say what I don’t want to say …’ He rolled up his left sleeve: ‘Look!’
At the same time he stretched out his arm and laid on his bare flesh the glowing chisel that he held by the wooden handle in his right hand.
…
(looks at camera)
(looks at book)
…
(gestures in a "are you reading what I'm reading?" type of way)
…
????????
The sizzle of burning flesh could be heard and the smell that belongs to torture chambers spread through the hovel. Marius reeled, horror-stricken, the villains themselves shuddered, the strange old man’s features barely contracted; and while the red-hot iron sank into the steaming wound, impassive and almost sublime he fixed on Thénardier his splendid gaze bearing no hatred, in which suffering dissolved into serene majesty.
You. You were so cool, freeing yourself and grabbing the iron, like who needs Marius, you can save yourself, and ???
You use it for this??? Is this roll for intimidation??? Is this part of the plan????
‘Wretches!’ he said. ‘Have no more fear of me than I have of you!’
And drawing the chisel away from the wound he hurled it through the window, which had been left open. The horrible glowing implement disappeared, spinning into the darkness and falling to the ground far off, where it was quenched by the snow.
The prisoner said, ‘Do what you will with me.’
???????????????
Val or not, I think THIS guy needs a doctor, what the HECK
‘There’s only one thing left to do.’
‘Finish him off.’
‘That’s right.’
It was the husband and wife conferring. Thénardier slowly walked over to the table, opened the drawer and took out the knife.
Well? Well? This is more of a threat than an iron knob or whatever poised to strike him in the head!! Marius, go on!!! Go on now!!!!
Marius worried the handle of his pistol. In an agony of indecision! For the last hour there had been two voices in his conscience, one telling him to respect his father’s will, the other calling on him to rescue the prisoner. These two conflicting voices kept up an uninterrupted battle that was torture to him. Right up until then he had been vaguely hoping to find some way of reconciling these two duties, but no possible solution had emerged. However, the danger was now urgent, there was no more time to delay, a few paces from the prisoner was Thénardier, considering, knife in hand.
I'm so sick of this guy. Fellas, I'm so sick of this guy. Please. Are you for real. What. What. I am. I don't even. I don't evne know. Take a good look down the barrel of the gun, Marius, a really good long last final look. Please. Where's Bahorel, he could fix all of this. Any of the Amis could, I'm sure of it. Skies above, stars in heaven, take me back to them. I miss them.
Marius looked round in panic, the automatic last resort of despair. Suddenly he gave a start.
At his feet, on the table, a beam of bright light cast by the full moon illuminated and seemed to point out to him a sheet of paper, on which he read the following line, written in big letters by the older Thénardier girl that very morning: ‘THE BASHERS ARE HERE.’
An idea flashed into Marius’s mind. This was what he was looking for, the solution to the dreadful problem that was torturing him: how to spare the assassin and save the victim. He knelt down on the chest of drawers, reached out his arm, grabbed the sheet of paper, quietly detached a chunk of plaster from the partition wall, wrapped the paper round it, and threw them both together through the hole in the wall into the middle of the den.
The… The hole is that big???
‘How did that get in here?’ asked Thénardier.
‘Honestly!’ said the woman. ‘How do you think it got in? It came in through the window, of course.’
‘I saw it come in,’ said Bigrenaille.
Thénardier rapidly unfolded the paper and held it up to the candle. ‘It’s Éponine’s handwriting. Damn it!’
He signalled to his wife, who hurried over; he showed her the line written on the sheet of paper, then added in a lowered voice, ‘Quick! The ladder! Leave the bacon in the mousetrap and let’s get out of here!’
‘Without cutting the man’s throat?’ asked the Thénardier woman.
‘We haven’t time.’
I'm relieved Leblanc will go unharmed (well, save for the harm he inflicted upon himself, the freak), but like. I'm kind of mad that it worked out for Marius. When is that blockhead going to actually have to make a real decision with real consequences and learn a thing that sticks.
As soon as the ladder was fixed in place, Thénardier cried, ‘Come on, wife!’ And he rushed to the window.
But just as he was about to climb through it Bigrenaille seized him roughly by the collar. ‘Not so fast, old man! After us!’
‘After us!’ yelled the villains.
‘You’re behaving like children,’ said Thénardier, ‘we’re wasting time. We’ve got the law at our heels.’
‘Well,’ said one of the villains, ‘let’s draw lots for who goes first.’
HAHAHA they're so cartoonish I love it
Not enough time to slit his throats, but let's draw lots, fellas!
Seriously though, the villains are outshining Marius by far. Hugo why are your villains more entertaining than one of your main characters.
‘Are you mad!’ Thénardier exclaimed. ‘Are you crazy! What a bunch of idiots! You want to waste time, do you? Draw lots? By choosing the wet finger? Or the short straw! By writing down our names! And putting them in a hat!’
‘Would you like my hat?’ a voice called out from the doorway.
Everyone turned round.
It was Javert. He had his hat in his hand and was holding it out to them with a smile.
BY THE STARS IT'S THE MAN
AND WHAT AN ENTRANCE HE HAS MADE 👏👏👏👏 10/10 FOR STYLE AND WIT AND A SMILE TO BOOT
In a post you called Vil a Gary Stu, but also said you didn't consider Malleus a Gary Stu. This to me is absolute nonsense, I can see where you're coming from. With Vil's writing being all over the place, and his good looks. However this does not make him a Gary Stu.
I assume in your other post the rules for Gary Stu are basically good looking, can do anything by himself, no flaws, or real problems with the character, loved by all, and is basically immortal. Please correct me if I'm wrong on any of these things.
As a Vil fan though, Vil does not fit all of these, he only fits some. He is shown multiple times making contracts with Azul (Azul's ceremonial robe card, the second camping event), which shows he can't get out if situations himself and he needs people. If not those though, look at Book 6, he couldn't have gotten out of Styx himself and he couldn't even un-old himself when he was old! Like this dude really thought his career was over.
Which leads me to his next point, his character has a lot of flaws, he's a very insecure man, which often leads him to jealousy and has him seek validation from others (Vil's labwear card, Rook's labwear card, Book 5, and possibly other cards that I'm not remembering).
Also not everyone is charmed by Vil. Take Epel for example, or even the freshmen who participated in the VDC. Arguably you could also put Leona on the list of people who don't like Vil. So while there are a lot of people who like Vil in the game, there are also people in the game who don't like him.
Also Vil is not an immortal being, and he's about as protected by the plot as all the other characters are. When he was overblotted he didn't have an unbeatable overblot like SOME PEOPLE *Cough cough* Malleus *Cough cough*, Vil is not a fae and has all the weaknesses a human has.
So in my opinion, Vil is not a Gary Stu, and neither is Malleus. Also I'm sorry for not giving much context on him being insecure and jealous, so here's the run down of you want it.
Vil's labwear card: Rook says "You're getting a little fat." And Vil was like "There's no way, everyone and their mother would have told me that by now." And Rook is like "Well, I can literally notice all the small details, and you're getting a little fat." Vil then decides to go on a diet where he doesn't eat any sweets. He runs into Trey, and Trey offers him some cake. Vil is like "No, Rook said I was getting fat, I can't eat cake." And after some talking with Vil, Trey convinces him to eat some cake. The End.
Rook's labwear card: Basically Rook is following Leona around, and starts spying on him from outside of a window instead of making a potion. Vil's like "Oh I get it, so you love him over me?" And Rook's like "No, I love everything. Besides I joined the science club just so I could produce your photos." Basically having to reassure Vil that he does still care for him. The End.
Book 5: Neige's social media, and asking siri if he's still hot. The End.
Omg I forgot to give context for the contract thing...here's a basic rundown.
Azul Ceremonial Robes: Vil and Azul have a contract where Azul gives Vil skin care products with a secret ingredient in it. The End.
The Second camping event: Vil, Azul, and someone else (I cannot for the life of me remember who the other person was), was trying to defeat the second monster who wasn't the gym teacher, and Azul said "Well if you want me to help you guys, we need to make deals. Vil I want your recipe for the smoothies you make, so I can sell them at the lounge for like a week." And Vil accepted. The End. (You know Azul did not sell that for only a week though).
Perhaps "Gary Stu" will end up being a misnomer, because my qualifications for that title are pretty different.
A lengthy explanation below.
A simple pet peeve of mine is that Vil's writing displays the most blatant character favoritism in this game. When viewed through the lens of, "Vil is simply not allowed to fail," I apply the Gary Stu title to him because he's essentially a perfect person.
While not everyone admires Vil, all of his detractors are painted as having invalid criticisms. Epel, Ace, and Deuce, just don't like Vil's strict regimen. While what Vil does is not painted in a kind light they are seen as immature and in the wrong because he's just using "tough love" to help them become better versions of themselves. They all end up changing their tunes and respecting Vil in the end. Leona also doesn't like Vil and refers to him as a nag, but that complaint is also invalidated when Leona admits that Vil is good at what he does--such as when he invites him to compete in the Bead Brawl tournament in Leona's hometown event. Anyone who dislikes Vil past that is a "hater" who isn't worth listening to (not a comment on the fandom or meta, strictly speaking in game here).
Vil is never "bad" at anything. He's naturally beautiful and magically gifted, but prides himself on how his looks are not magically altered and that he doesn't use spells on the products he uses. He's physically fit enough to get regular compliments from Jack--the quintessential jock. He throws around the Savanaclaw students and Floyd during Beanfest, and only loses to Rook (who survived an altercation between MALLEUS AND LEONA the previous year) because he ran out of ammo to counter with and essentially lost on his own terms. He never once has a problem cooking during his Culinary Crucible event and impresses the ghost chef with how good he is at "tempering" chocolate even though he's never done it before (Vil doesn't even get chocolate stains on his chef's coat). Vil also impresses Idia with his skill at videogames that he doesn't habitually play in book 6, something Riddle and Leona get laughed at over. While someone might say that Vil had to work to get to where he is now, there's a lot more telling than showing in that regard. Even in his flashback when he is remembering the kids who were going to attack him when he was young, Vil says that he wasn't concerned because he had trained in boxing and fencing so it didn't matter that Jack stepped in to help chase them off. We NEVER see Vil actually struggling where it matters. Oh yeah, and he's also good with kids and his hoards of fans.
As for his flaws; they are all treated as normal character traits as opposed to actual flaws. Have we ever noticed that Vil is the only character who doesn't ever get treated like a joke? While every other character gets quirks and eccentricities that can be exploited for comedy, Vil is always played as straightforward and reasonable. Riddle is a stickler for the rules and easily gets mad. Leona is lazy and hates vegetables. Azul is greedy and physically inept. Kalim is naive and easily manipulated. Idia is a shut in extreme gamer nerd, and Malleus is socially awkward and eccentric about invitations and gargoyles. All of these things are made out to be weaknesses of their characters. They get the characters into trouble, are exploited by other characters or are treated as the butt of some joke. But Vil? I can count on ONE finger the number of times one of Vil's so called flaws was used this way--During the Sunset Savana event when Leona uses Vil's vanity against him to lure him into participating in the Bead Brawl scheme by promising him exclusive access to the legendary hot springs in Leona's hometown. Other than that, Vil is always treated as a down to earth, reasonable person just trying (and succeeding) to make the most of what he has in life and living as his best self. . .What part of that is flawed? He's painfully normalized and understandable.
I'll refer back to your examples specifically, anon:
When Vil asks if Azul can provide him with a more top of the line toner, he's not particularly desperate or distressed. He's just testing to see if Azul can deliver on his promises and maybe get a better product out of it.
Vil being willing to ask others for help or "take one for the team" in Camp Vargas is a good example of him not being some sort of overpowered one man army who never needs help. But that does not a Gary Stu make. Vil being humble in this instance is not reflective of any kind of flaw, just that he knows when he's out of his league and that's a fairly normal and good thing.
Vil being insecure and doubting Rooks loyalty is. . .fine? I guess. It's Rook's vignette so it's hard to say how insecure Vil was actually feeling at the time when he's been around Rook for a couple of years now and should be familiar with this behavior. (As an aside I kind of took it like a conversation they might have had on multiple occasions already because they're just that normal with each other at this point. . .)
Being self-conscious would be a fine and standard way to make Vil into a less perfect character, but even when he does get concerned about incidentally gaining weight (which only Rook noticed) he is still level-headed and willing to sacrifice a rigid emergency diet because Trey of all people convinced him that the cake would be fine. If he was really that insecure he'd be stepping on a scale compulsively every day to stop this from ever happening. But no. He's reasonable.
The only time Vil's vanity and insecurity are actually a detriment to him is in the main story (Book 5) when he is obligated to overblot and share some of the negative traits of the villain he's based off of (the Evil Queen from Snow White). His jealousy lasts for the duration of the book and then disappears in the next part. He just had a bad day and now he's better. His grudge against Neige doesn't even stand the test of time because he makes it a point of explaining that he knows Neige has his own struggles so the guys shouldn't be too harsh on him. PICK A LANE! DO YOU HATE HIM OR NOT!? If Vil was actually jealous to the point of attempted murder than he shouldn't be sticking his neck out for the competition and grudgingly agreeing with the results of the SDC.
By all accounts some of the things you listed SHOULD be able to make Vil into a deeper character, but the game itself doesn't commit to any of them. He SHOULD be vain. He SHOULD be concerned about growing old. He SHOULD be insecure about how people perceive him, and he SHOULD be incredibly flawed and consistently disliked to an important degree, but he's just not.
In summary: I call Vil Schoenheit a Gary Stu because he can't be consistently characterized to ever be in the wrong or be on the receiving end of a joke. He's set up to never fail at anything and doesn't struggle in ways that the players can actually see. He has character traits that could be flaws, but the rest of his writing balances them out to the point where they are basically meaningless. As I said, he is "essentially a perfect person," and this makes him awfully boring and underwhelming. If any of Vil's characteristics were more exaggerated to the point where they ACTUALLY caused problems (and furthermore weren't skewed though a lens of unrealistic reasonability) or he was showed to have ACTUAL WEAKNESSES, then this conversation wouldn't be happening.
I hope this was informative and didn't come across as too combative.
. . .
But you did ask for it.
Thank you for your take.
Also thank you for citing your sources on the points you made in your entry. I can't explain enough how much I appreciate when people tell me exactly what they are talking about. It makes it a lot easier to look back on those moments with a fresh pair of eyes and check to see if I missed something.
(Conks out before I can have an aneurism. [But I could have said SO MUCH MORE.])
(Also I would never make immortality an objective qualifier for being a Gary Stu. That seems a little silly to me but it didn't fit in with the rest of the essay.)
Bonus Round: Vil should have more moments like when he gets mad that someone almost hit him in the face with a snowball during the second new year's event. Or having his international fame play against him like in the first Halloween event. Give this man a stalker (who isn't ROOK for frack'sake) who's actually causing him problems. Give him an in-game hatedom that is super toxic and he tries to ignore but it feeds his insecurity about his popularity and how he compares to Neige. Have him actually worry about Rook's loyalty. Have his manager harass him or give him industry related problems. Have him going to school under a pseudonym. GIVE HIM PROBLEMS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!
i wonder a little bit, what do aziraphale and crowley really think about humans? with the amount of stupid decisions that had a giant negative impact on us, all those mistakes and flaws that they have seen, do they perceive us a bit like we do?
we think that we can create great things and achieve amazing ones, but at the same time we know and accept our flaws AND at the same time we (well that one is questionable but yk) are aware of our mistakes and know how cruel humanity can be
but they've seen every stage of humanity, including creating it itself. but at the same time they've lived among us for thousands of years and their literal jobs was to know, understand and observe more, to the point they're so human it hurts
but they don't see themselves as humans (ofc they don't), and naturally do differently than themselves. in my opinion, as much as they love the human creations, they surely are not that interested in individual people (imagine living with humans for that long, you would just constantly see someone out of your life, getting attached all the time wouldn't make that much sense (and that grew them even closer))
so summarising, i think that whatever they feel about us, they think more of a whole group, humanity as a whole, kind of way but maybe being aware that those individualistic features and lives are what's building it? and ofc as i said before, they are glad for all these inventions and this giant variety of things that wouldn't exist if not humans
do they think that idk we're stupid or silly or whatever pls share your opinion (as im always saying im not good at those analysis, this topic was just really taking the whole space in my head)
Perhaps it's just another manifestation of my overthinking, but it seems to me that the three paths in Long John's Bush might have been written as a metaphor for Emily's life. Each path seemed to be somehow linked to a person who was important to Emily.
The paths were named by Emily and her friends, because: "The To-day Road is by the brook and we call it that because it is lovely now. The Yesterday Road is out in the stumps where Lofty John cut some trees down and we call it that because it used to be lovely. The To-morrow Road is just a tiny path in the maple clearing and we call it that because it is going to be lovely some day, when the maples grow bigger." (Emily of New Moon).
TO-MORROW'S ROAD (EMILY'S AMBITIONS AND DREAMS. TEDDY KENT):
The metaphor of Tomorrow Road was most clearly outlined. On the one hand, of course, it symbolized Emily's passion for writing and her ascent to the Alpine Path of glory and fame. As for the character with whom Tomorrow Road was most closely associated, it was Teddy Kent.
First of all, To-morrow Road never changed its name, even though by the time Emily reached her early teenage years, the maples grew big. In Emily Climbs, Tomorrow Road became the place of Teddy and Emily's meetings, where they shared their dreams and hopes for the future: "Then Teddy came for me and we walked together up the field and through the To-morrow Road. It is really a To-day Road now, for the trees along it are above our heads, but we still call it the To-morrow Road—partly out of habit and partly because we talk so much on it of our to-morrows and what we hope to do in them. Somehow, Teddy is the only person I like to talk to about my to-morrows and my ambitions. There is no one else." (Emily Climbs).
To-morrow Road was a place that marked the milestones for both Teddy and Emily (Teddy especially). Here he told Emily that his mother decided to allow him to attend Shrewsbury High School; here he told her that he had received an art scholarship and was going to the college in Montreal. Here he proposed. Here she was waiting for him with Dean's letter.
It seemed to me that Teddy and Emily's relationship was all about the future. Thorough Emily Climbs they seemed to think that they couldn't be each other's "today", because they both had their own separate dreams ("to-morrows") to conquer before they would be free to set on their rainbow quest together. (Side note: Montgomery skillfully mentioned that To-morrow Road was in fact - already To-day Road).
By the end of Emily Climbs, as their romance started to blossom, Emily's initial reaction was fear. Early on, she realised that she served a jealous goddess. We didn't get a glimpse into Teddy's feelings, but it was obvious from the start how ambitious and passionate he had been for his art. Perhaps it was something more than just a fear of Emily's refusal that drove him to silence when he had meant to ask her to wait for him? The scene itself happened on To-morrow Road (another symbol that it wasn't their time yet, perhaps?). During this scene, they both experienced a clash of two extremely strong passions: on the one hand, the desire to improve their art and fulfill their ambitions and dreams, and on the other - an awakening love. Teddy, before leaving for Montreal told Emily that there were two things in life that he had wanted "tremendously", but never told her that having her as his wife was one of these things.
I wonder if Juliet and Douglas Starr's tragic story might have forced Teddy's silence. Douglas Starr had once been young and ambitious too, but wouldn't have been accepted by Murrays because of his poverty. The result of this love was tragic; Juliet's elopement broke her family's heart and both she and Douglas died early, leaving Emily all alone. Perhaps Teddy felt that he might have been tolerated as Emily's friend, but not as her suitor. Since he seemed to doubt in his own success (especially since his chosen profession rarely resulted in a fortune), he might have been more likely to keep silent.
One quote of this scene between Teddy and Emily has always intrigued me:
"We walked along the To-morrow Road—[...]—until we reached the fence of the pond-pasture and stood there under the grey-green gloom of the firs. I felt suddenly very happy and in those few minutes part of me planted a garden and laid out beautiful closets and bought a dozen solid silver teaspoons and arranged my attic and hemstitched a double damask table-cloth—and the other part of me just waited." (Emily Climbs).
Because... was it possible that she had seen herself from the future? This was the exact spot where Teddy reconciled with Emily by the end of Emily's Quest. Where he had finally confessed his love [1]. But, most importantly, this was also a spot of the very last scene of the trilogy: Emily, waiting for Teddy to tell him that Dean had gave them a Disappointed House as a wedding gift [2]. There was a certain symbolism in Teddy coming to her - the exact opposite of To-morrow Road's scene that took place in Emily's Climbs, where it was Emily who went away, leaving him alone: "Teddy was looking at the dim gold of Blair Water and scowling. Again I had a feeling that night air was not good for me. I shivered, said a few polite commonplaces, and left him there scowling." (Emily Climbs).
In a way, their story came into full circle. They both achieved success and overcame their own biggest faults (pride, insecurities, selfishness, vanity). Unlike their seventeen year old selves, they got to know what loneliness meant - they found out that their ambitions were not enough to fulfill their heart's desires.
By the end of trilogy, Emily and Teddy still had their own "Alpine Paths" to climb, but from this time, they would have each other's help and support. They also had the dreams of future they share: of home, fireplace, toast and bacon and marmalade.
YESTERDAY ROAD. THE PAST AND FAMILY TRADITIONS. LOST DREAMS. JULIET MURRAY, DOUGLAS STARR, DEAN PRIEST.
Yesterday Road symbolized the past, for it used to be lovely once. Perhaps it might have been a place where Douglas and Juliet used to meet (their own "To-day Road"). For each member of the Murray family, Yesterday Road might have had a different meaning. For Elizabeth, it could have symbolized either her youth, either a period when Juliet was a child; for Laura - her former love for Dr. Burnley; for Jimmy - his lost potential; for Juliet - her childhood, family, first love.
For Emily, Yesterday Road symbolized family traditions (the chapter in which Cousin Jimmy told her family stories was titled "The Book Of Yesterday") as well as her parents' love story. All that shaped her as a woman and a writer, but also nearly became an obstacle to fulfilling her dreams. Due to Juliet's elopement, Aunt Elizabeth almost kept Emily from receiving an education. The whole family tried to marry Emily off to cousin Andrew, so that Juliet's story wouldn't repeat itself. During Emily's later years, Yesterday Road might have symbolized Emily's lost hopes and dreams.
The person who directly referred to Yesterday Road was Dean Priest: "I shall carry pictures of you wherever I go, Star," Dean was saying [...] "pacing up and down in this old garden—wandering in the Yesterday Road—looking out to sea." (Emily's Quest).
In the second part of the trilogy, Dean Priest directly admitted that he was aware that Emily's future would not be his future: 'I hate to hear of your to-morrows—they cannot be my tomorrows.' (Emily Climbs).
During the year that he and Emily had been engaged, Emily rarely thought about the future, and felt anxious about it: "Always to be afraid of to-morrow? Content—even happy with to-day—but always afraid of tomorrow. Was this to be her life? And why that fear of to-morrow?" (Emily's Quest). In the rare moments that Emily thought of her future, she saw Teddy, instead of Dean in those visions. "She saw herself there in the future—flitting through the little rooms—laughing under the firs—sitting hand in hand with Teddy at the fireplace—Emily came to herself with a shock. With Dean, of course, with Dean. A mere trick of the memory." (Emily's Quest).
Perhaps Emily didn't understand what Dean subconsciously realized: that he would never be able to fulfill Emily's future: "to let myself dream something that couldn't come true—that I knew ought not to come true—" (Emily's Quest). During the year they spent together, he allowed himself to dream, but was left with nothing more than memories and ashes. And so, for Dean a Yesterday Road symbolized the one golden year of his engagement; the only glimpse into real happiness he had ever had. Emily became his yesterday. It is interesting how he worded his letter, containing his wedding gift: "And some day I will come to see you in it. I claim my old corner in your house of friendship now and then." (Emily's Quest). Again, he doesn't refer to her future, but her past ("my old corner").
Today's Road symbolized Emily's happy childhood and her friendships. It is the one path that never seems to be stained with bitterness or regrets. As for a character that simply screams "TODAY" - it is obviously Ilse Burnley, who never seemed to care about the past or think of the future:
"As far as Ilse was concerned it seemed as if no quarrel had ever taken place. “Why, that was yesterday,” she said in amazement, when Emily, rather distantly, referred to it. Yesterday and to-day were two entirely different things in Ilse’s philosophy." (Emily of New Moon).
"Ilse was growing, too, blossoming out into strange beauty and brilliance, knowing no law but her own pleasure, recognizing no authority but her own whim." (Emily of New Moon).
"Ilse had always been a merry, irresponsible creature." (Emily's Quest). "All her life she had done exactly as she wanted to do whenever the whim took her. No sense of responsibility whatever." (Emily's Quest).
Besides, Ilse seemed to be the contant "today" of Emily's childhood and youth. She couldn't be Emily's "to-morrow", though, for both girls would have to carve their own separate futures, build their own homes in which the other one would be a cherished guest: "we'll visit each other, you and I—and compare our children—call your first girl Ilse, won't you, friend of my heart—" (Emily's Quest). Emily didn't seem to mind visiting the house Ilse was going to build with her imaginary husband; but she did mind being a guest at Teddy's house, few years later when Ilse repeats her invitation: "When Teddy and I come back and set up house in Montreal you must spend every winter with us, darling. New Moon is a dear place in summer, but in winter you must be absolutely buried alive." Emily made no promises. She did not see herself as a guest in Teddy's home." (Emily's Quest).
That's perhaps the difference: Ilse would be a vital part of Emily's future and vice versa, but it would be their husbands who'd be a part of their to-morrows. Even when Ilse got married to Perry and the three friends reunited, Emily's life wasn't complete. Perhaps it couldn't be, because Ilse - dear as she was - couldn't fill a certain longing in Emily's heart and soul - the voice that needed Teddy's love and presence.
Headcanons for the Long John's paths:
Juliet and Douglas used to walk through Yesterday Road. He asked her to marry him there. Before she eloped, Juliet had a good cry there. She was thinking of her half-sibling and her father - she loved them fiercely, despite everything.
Teddy and Emily said their wedding vows in Long John's Bush, under the firs where they used to meet and where they reunited. (Both Aunts were absolutely mortified by this idea). Or, if it wasn't an official ceremony, at least they had repeated the vows there. (Let's be real, Emily would definitely repeat her vows after the ceremony, changing "Frederick" into "Teddy").
The future generations liked playing on To-day Road.
The names of the paths were never changed, even if the paths themselves did.
The children of four friends invented their own names for the paths, though.
The quotes [1]-[3]:
[1] "Suddenly I heard Teddy's signal whistle in the old orchard. [...] We walked along the To-morrow Road—it has grown so beautiful that one wonders if any to-morrow can make it more beautiful—until we reached the fence of the pond-pasture and stood there under the grey-green gloom of the firs. [...] I'm going to work hard—I'm going to get everything possible out of those two years,' Teddy said at last,[...] '"And when I come back—' he repeated—stopped again. "'Yes?' I said. I don't deny to this my journal that I said it a trifle expectantly. "'I'll make the name of Frederick Kent mean something in Canada!' said Teddy." (Emily Climbs).
[2] "It came clearly and suddenly on the air of a June evening. An old, old call—two higher notes and one long and soft and low. [...] It came again. And Emily knew that Teddy was there, waiting for her in Lofty John's bush—calling to her across the years. She went down slowly—out—across the garden. Of course Teddy was there—under the firs. [..] He put out his hands and drew her to him, with no conventional greeting." (Emily's Quest).
[3] "How very—dear—of Dean. And I am so glad—he is not hurt any longer." She was standing where the To-morrow Road opened out on the Blair Water valley. Behind her she heard Teddy's eager footsteps coming to her." (Emily's Quest).
