#is part of those people. he doesnt even reflect. his immediate reaction is hatred. in fact every time arthur is saved by magic bc it happens

[venomgender]

merthur shippers are so bold because by admitting you ship merthur you admit you dont know how to analyze media at all

[xaoh-f-goon]

Denouements: A Spotter’s Guide

In this essay I shall be attempting to identify the distinguishing features of the Denouement siblings, and then theorising on what this means for their character and scene-to-scene motivation. Being just one person I will have biases and projections, so please do say if something doesn’t feel right. Also, a lot of what I will try to describe won’t be visible in screenshots, only in motion, so I encourage watching clips to help understand my angle.

I am taking as a starting point, which will be revised if it doesn’t bear out, the theory that the brothers embody their name: Frank is frank, and Ernest is earnest. Both words mean truthful, but in different ways. Frankness comes via bluntness, factual, to the point, brusque. It implies serious and businesslike, efficient, rooted in reality. Earnestness comes via (positive) emotional intensity, sincerity, enthusiasm and being willing to please. It implies personal conviction, being trustworthy, friendliness and passion for the subject at hand.

Both men are keeping up a controlled facade in order to catalogue and manipulate the hotel occupants, and I believe the word definitions characterise their respective approach to this. Remember, Frank is the fireFighter, ErneSt is the fireStarter. Let’s trust Kit Snicket’s words (and netflix’s intentions) and do some close observation. Here is a screenshot from when we know who is who.

So, the characterisation I am driving at here is that Frank is being impenetrable, relying on saying exactly the right thing, analysing the response and passing judgement to keep safe. Ernest is being quickly ingratiating, performing as a warm presence that you are more likely to trust, especially in the face of his brother’s apparent rudeness. Plus, Kit calls him out as an active liar (’Do not trust him, no matter what he says’) rather than Frank’s passive status as a person the Baudelaires need to behave right to gain access to.

This Denouement is secretly observing before making himself known. He is blunt with his sentences and his impassive face gives no indication of what he wants to hear in return. His rattling speed of speech implies efficiency. I am presuming he is Frank. 

He introduces himself in a position of power, having startled them. He wields his authority by assuming his orders are being followed, leaving sharply without checking to see if the kids are following. He speaks in a low flat monotone manner. He uses an air of disdain to keep himself distant and above those he is talking to, and his default position is to look down at you with narrowed eyes. These are things we have learnt about Frank. 

This Denouement lets the kids know he is coming, calling out to them softly and clearly. He is smiling and welcoming. His quick speed of speech implies enthusiasm. He sounds relieved to see them, thus initially giving the impression of power to the Baudelaires. His open manner invites openness in return. He is the only one to ask outright for vital information. I am presuming this is Ernest. 

He talks calmly and clearly, and emphasises important words that he wants the kids to pick up on and react to. He looks and sounds appropriately curious, worried, and pleading when he asks for information, hoping for an automatic sympathetic response or at least to evoke some sort of tell. When he gets an answer he doesn’t like, he signals being disappointed and hurt. However he still seems very distant from what he’s saying, and his expressions are switched between quickly and grandly, like a performer. It feels disingenuous and too symmetrical. His default position is looking up at you with an expression of concern. These are things we have learnt about Ernest. 

Now there is Dewey. He does not have the facade of his brothers. He alone has natural asymmetrical expressions that lend him a twinkle in the eye, as if about to wink, and an actual air of confidentiality. Incidentally, ‘dewy’ as a word doesn’t only mean moist, but also naive, innocent, unwary etc, implying a lack of artifice. He talks quietly and furtively, conveying information quickly because There’s Not Much Time.

So we have our potential players. Now lets prove the theory.

Who does Violet meet?

He remains impassive, does not speak until asked and considers his answer, he seems tired, aloof and critical as if he knows that he knows best. He speaks in a low voice and only in factual information. And, he is very blunt, for example saying very clearly that Not Doing This Would Be Suspicious and saying the name VFD out loud. He’s Frank.

Who does Klaus meet?

That’s Ernest.

Therefore Sunny...

There’s nothing to suggest this isn’t Dewey.

We have a Confirmed Ernest appearance, and he does superficially appear deadpan and stern, possibly throwing doubt on the definitions. However, he is no longer trying to be ingratiating, he is acting villainous and threatening and theatrical. Which is very much in line with what we presume to know of him.

In Part 2, we have a Confirmed Frank appearance, which I have documented here. I think you’ll agree Frank’s manner is perfectly in line with previous conclusions - the mask-like lack of reaction, the disdain in his comment to Poe, the looking-down-from-above posture, the unmoving mouth. Yet there is emotion in his eyes for the first time, staring hatred towards Olaf (and being rough with him) outside of his safe businessman persona. I think some of that is directed towards the Baudelaires too, as he approaches his gaze is fixed on them like a laser. But that could also be an unspoken question for them, or high emotions in general.

[Edit] Further analysis and other possibilities discussed here.

Supposing all of the above is correct, here’s how I see the courtroom scene.

Frank on the left, having had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

Ernest on the right, holding a tense but pretty unreadable expression of attentiveness.

Ernest is the one to let Olaf out of the closet. That’s his same thug stance and poise type from when he’s facing down Larry. It’s Ernest’s way of making himself look big - Frank’s way is to appear a superior authority. ....also, there’s the rope thing.

At the submission of the harpoon gun and mention of Dewey’s killing, Frank looks down and is visibly processing. Watch his mouth. Ernest remains an entirely emotionless mask and bows his head at the appropriate time.

Then the Baudelaires make their statement.

Ernest is showing a textbook expression of wonder and compassion, and immediately joins in when the clapping starts...

...and Frank is exasperated. He hates it. It’s fair to say he knows his brother and very clearly doesn’t believe a metaphorical word of it. And I don’t either. Because we’ve seen Dewey happy. We’ve seen Max Greenfield play genuinely happy. And this perfectly even grin does not reach his eyes in the slightest. There is no twinkle. And to my eye Frank’s reaction backs me up on that. 

Here, Count Olaf is listing shooting Dewey Denouement as one of the Baudelaire’s crimes. What Ernest is doing is visibly blinking back tears. I do not know whether they are real or fake or both. I do not know what Frank is thinking. It’s something, but I don’t know what it is.

Until finally, we end up here.

Why would the brothers appear to swap roles, Ernest supporting them and Frank condemning them? Here’s what I think.

Both brothers are feeling the loss of Dewey equally deeply. 

Frank has come to blame the Baudelaires, perhaps not directly but at least in the sense of them bringing their situation and causing unpredictability in the perfectly ordered hotel. Certainly in this moment, he blames them from an emotional standpoint and is incensed enough to argue with the kids almost on principle. Or, perhaps, he does in fact truly blame them. They weren’t very good at their job, they were indiscreet and didn’t know any codes, perhaps that made him suspicious of them and was already unsure about working with them before Dewey died. It certainly didn’t seem like the kids ever convinced him of anything, and it’s reliably reported in all the news that the Baudelaires are definitely there when firefighters die.

Ernest, while running on almost an autopilot of acting how he is expected to be seen, has come to blame Count Olaf. He knows first-hand that Olaf’s thirst for violence, specifically for the people in this hotel, is very real and dangerous. After all, he did just boil a man with him. Ernest may not care about the Baudelaires, but he very likely doesnt care for this nonsense of a court proceeding either, and wants eyes on Olaf as soon as possible. Or, perhaps, he does in fact truly believe them. Maybe Dewey’s death sent him reflecting on the probably unbelievable and definitely tragic series of events that got the triplets to where they are now. Maybe he is feeling the futility and wants even just a small revenge or point scored. Olaf was right, there is arguably a lot more truth on the firestarting side and Ernest knows, he knows with a certainty his brother cannot have, that the Baudelaires didn’t murder anyone.