#pumpkin does things

[gothgalpumpkin]

HalloweenTown

A 5 year connection

Happy spooky season Ghouls and Ghosties! I have another long theory for you involving two of my favorite brain rots; The Nightmare before Christmas (1993) and HalloweenTown (1998). In this theory, which is very much Crack, I'll explain why to me both these Halloween themed towns are the same place with a 5 year window between them changing the course of how the town and the townsfolk are represented. 

Let's begin with our differing Mayors.

The Mayor  

There is a five year difference between the movies, and if they use the same American standard Executive branch with a four year Mayoral run, that could potentially mean that the Two-faced Mayor of TNBC may have been in office as an “elective official” from 1993 to 1997. This would appear as if the Mayor was only recently elected as of the events of the movie, and I believe if that's the very case, that's why he continues to look to Jack for decisions. Could this indecisive, anxiety riddled political figure just be new into his role or has he been in office much longer? At the Very least we can assume Mayor Two-Face has been in office for at least one term, from at best 1993 to 1997. However we also have to look at the possibility that this could be his second term. If so that would mean he's been in the Mayor seat for about 8 years and we can estimate from 1989-1993 before getting reelected. In my theory Mayor Two-Face decided to not run for a third time (assuming he's even allowed) and instead endorsed another up and coming politician and HalloweenTown friendly face, Kalabar. 

Whether Kalabar was endorsed or won the vote fair and square (but let's be honest, he probably didn't) is up for debate. Regardless, we can assume that Kalabar became the Mayor in 1997 at the age of possibly 29-30 before being defeated by the Cromwells a year later. Now, why would I mention his age? Let's put a pin in this and come back later. As of now let's look at how these Mayors affected the overall layout of the towns. 

The Town

When the town is run by Two-Face, or better yet, influenced by Jack's authority, we see how more gothic, monochrome things look, more… grim and scary with sharp edges. It fits who Jack is and what he represented as the face of Halloween. And the residents reflect this, they're downright scary, popping out of staircases and beneath beds — This is Halloween — or importantly, this is *Jack's* Halloween. I think out of respect for who is in charge and keeping them safe from the mortal world the residents will reflect the aesthetic of the one in charge to maintain a happy environment. 

This changes when Kalabar comes into office. 

With Kalabar in office the town is more Spooky, not as scary with a more welcoming, small town in Autumn vibes with a more …human touch. For a town made of Monsters and Magic, there's an unmistakable humanness with the designs of the buildings, the stores, even the townsquare feels different. But why? Why change the town so much? I think it has to do with two of Kalabar’s ultimate obsessions; Power and Gwen Cromwell. 

Gwen Cromwell

So we don't know who the Mayor was before Two-Face Which means we don't know who made the laws before he was elected. You may ask “Why is this relevant?” Well, let's shift over to HalloweenTown (‘98) and let's look at the Cromwell family, specifically Gwen Cromwell. Gwen, a young powerful Witch with a pool of magic at her fingertips, decided to rebel against her mother and went to a Halloween party in the mortal realm. It's here she met her soon to be husband — things we know— but we can assume that with Gwen being 30 years old in the ‘98 film and Marnie about to turn 13… that puts Gwen at 17 (in 1985) when she gave birth to Marnie, possibly 16 when she met her husband, William Piper (who we are going to assume was around the same age)… 

Flash forward to 1998, five years after the events of TNBC, Gwen is 30, Marnie is 13.

All that to mean that while Gwen was a teenager the Mayor in charge was definitely not Two-Face. Why is this important? It makes us wonder who was the one making the strict laws about what is Halloween and what is not. It makes us wonder who has a strong disapproval or distaste for the mortal world that very few people are allowed to cross over. Now, we are definitely going into super crack-crack theory, but please stay with me. I believe the person who was Mayor before Two-Face, before Kalabar was… Oogie Boogie himself. 

I'll even take it a step  further and say that Oogie Boogie is Kalabar’s Father. 

Kalabar and Oogie 

I'm grasping at air with this one, but you've made it this far with me! We don't know much about Kalabar's family besides his son (which I have another theory on…) so who's to say that Oogie isn't his father? I think back to when Kalabar was trying to hide his identity and his scarecrow-cloth mask reminded me of the Oogie's burlap sack suit. Could this possibly be homage to his father? I believe so. But why? Well, let's go back to my thought that Oogie may have been the Mayor before Two-Face, slowly corrupted by Greed and power to overthrow the Royal family for their status and influence, things that Oogie may have felt belonged to him, he is the shadow on the moon at night, filling your dreams to the brim with fright — he's the Oogie Boogie man! The ultimate scare, The bump in the night, why isn't he in charge? For all we know Oogie could have been like the other Townsfolk, happy and having a good time but over time soured with the pressure of running a town that still looked to the Royal family for everything. What if his distaste, maybe even fear, of the mortal world is what made him ban all residents from entering the mortal world — for their protection, naturally. However, this ban wouldn't affect the strongest family in HalloweenTown meaning that the Cromwells and by extension the Skellingtons (we'll come back to this) are allowed to pass through the barriers into the mortal realm. I don't think Oogie knew about the other Holiday world and no one until Jack had walked further enough into the woods to stumble upon the doors. 

Oogie was probably kicked out of Office and with the end of his political career, focused on being the gambling spook we know him as while he Plots revenge. So, where does Kalabar come in? Well, there's a possibility that Oogie was romantically involved with a Witch or Warlock in town and they had Kalabar that way, or, and what I believe is more plausible, Kalabar is a clone of Oogie. We have to ask ourselves is Oogie just millions of bugs under a cloth suit or was he turned into that through years of festering hatred and greed, stitched together in shadows and deceit? We don't know, but what we do know is that this Father-son duo have a few things in common such as their charming personalities, the ability to use magic and their lust for power.  Could Kalabar have strived to become the Mayor to avenge his father and seek his own control over Halloween? Well, yes. But I want to take it a bit further. While Oogie's story is one of greed and hate, I think Kalabar’s story is one of love and hate. He loved Gwen as a teenager but when she fell in love with a human and left for the Mortal realm his already taught distaste for humans only intensified. I also think this is why under Kalabar the town was more “human” so he could prepare them for his takeover, so Gwen, who had chosen humans, could feel more willing to stay if her home reflected the world she chose. 

So far I've linked the town's appearance through Mayoral influence and established the possible connection between the two baddies being father and son. Now let's venture on to what makes this theory of mind even more Crack.

The Cromwells and Skellingtons are related by blood. 

The Royal family 

I'll be the first to admit that HalloweenTown 4 is my least favorite of the movies and feels the least like a HT movie but there are a few elements from that movie that I'll use for this theory to work (in my opinion it's not even Canon without Kimberly Brown so….). We know that Angie's father was Marvin Cromwell, brother to Merlin, but we don't know about her Mother's side of the family and what their name was… perhaps it was Skellington? Perhaps a fleshier, younger Jack Skellington with no magical abilities grew up in the human world admiring his cousin and how strong she was, helped get the other monsters into their new world. I think after some years of ruling over HalloweenTown, establishing their safety, Aggie became weary of the responsibilities and pressures of being a princess, Aggie could have given her title to Jack making him the Pumpkin King. 

The Nightmare Before Christmas and HalloweenTown have always been my favorite comfort movies ever since I was a child and the thought that they could be the same place was something that I've thought about for a while. Of course there's plenty of plot holes and more questions than answers but that's the fun — I want to keep working on this and piecing these worlds together because it's fun! I hope you enjoy my long crackhead ramble and hopefully it makes somewhat sense, I'm far from done with this — I haven't even mentioned all the prequel stuff or the tie-in books that could either expand ideas or crumble this whole thing altogether! 

Hope you beautiful Bats have the Spookiest Halloween!! 

[ikiprian]

Clone’s Best Friend

“Cute dog!” the girl says. “What breed is he?”

“Uh,” blinks Kon. "Are you asking what breed Superdog is?"

“Uh, duh?”

Well. She’ll have to forgive him his stunned expression, ‘cause he doesn’t usually run into other dog walkers on this path. This is, of course, because “path” is used in the loosest sense, the one that connotates direction and not tread ground, and the “walk” bit is entirely inapplicable, with all of them currently flying one thousand feet above sea level.

“Cujo’s a rescue,” she continues, swinging her feet in the sky, “so we don’t know for sure, but my sister thinks part husky, part shar pei. Half-and-half, like me!”

Cujo is also, apparently, half green and half glowing. He wiggles happily in a play-bow. It’s very cute, except for the way he’s the size of a small house.

Krypto’s tough, though. He barks and chases his new friend through cloud cover. Gamely, Cujo flees. They frolic in the chilly condensation, occasionally poking a head out before diving back in, like a fox in a snowdrift.

Neither of them see anything surprising about this. It’s all good fun. And, well. Krypto’s always been a good judge of character.

Kon turns back to the girl and gives her a megawatt smile.

“He’s Kryptonian. Like me. But he looks like a white lab!”

[egophiliac]

Why do you think they put Savannah Claw Rook up to pull??? Is he even going to participate in Book 7???? I am so confused WHY HIM??? WHY NOT IDK, CREWEL? VARGAS? MAYBE TREIN?? WHY HIM.

I’m SO CONFUSED. Is it just for money grabbing or something like that? It doesn’t make any sense.

Also how prepared you are for the probably last update of Book 7?

I mean...it said he's a story card, and all the other story cards have had major roles, so I see no reason to assume he won't as well! (plus any staff cards are probably all going to be events like Crowley was; I would honestly be MORE surprised to see them as story cards.) really though I'm having fun trying to figure out how he's going to tie into things! we're back at Cerberus Ortho levels of "WHAT DOES IT MEEEAAAAN" and it's great. :D

I assume we're going to be doing some more dream-hopping, but I think it would be hilarious if it turned out to be someone else's dream instead of Rook's. who else could possibly be dreaming about him pre-fancification.

(I'm also half afraid that this really is the last part, and half afraid that it isn't. I'm -- I'm not going to believe anything until we get the diadorm rerun pickups, and maybe not even then)

[nburkhardt]

Their first date is during fall.

It’s several months of learning each other, becoming actual friends and dancing around each other. They go through spring together figuring out their new normal, summer brings genuine friendship and fall is beginning to look like the start of love.

Eddie’s the one to ask, being the first to admit feelings and being the brave one between the two of them.

His hands were shaking, felt like he was sweating through all the layers on him. His eyes wide and determined, hopeful. “Go on a date with me? Please?”

Steve’s heart beats fast as he stared at him, a jolt of pure hope and joy went through. “Yeah, yes Ed, I’d like that.”

The date is simple, something easy for them. The both of them don’t need anything extreme, simple is enough.

A pumpkin patch had just opened the week before and Eddie has seen Steve staring at the pumpkins sitting on someone’s front lawn a few days before asking him on the date.

Watching Steve’s eyes light up at the entrance, it makes Eddie’s heart beat faster.

They walk around, holding hands and picking out any pumpkins they both like. Eddie grabs a few small ones while Steve ends up with one big enough to crave, along with a few small ones too. They pass on the corn maze, ride a tractor together with an older couple and their grandchild, listening to the driver give out facts about the farm and pumpkins.

Eventually they end up sitting on a haystack, holding hot chocolate listening to the chatter around them while watching the sunset, not talking just enjoying being next to each other.

Some day in the future, they’ll be here again where Steve’s the brave one and proposes to Eddie.

~

Woah hey, look at that. I was a little high and thought of pumpkins and steddie. And here we are :D Btw we’re ignoring time periods and homophobia and all that okay? Just enjoy the sappiness.

Permanent tag list under the cut

@spectrum-spectre @itsfreakingbats @mysticcrownshipper @artiststarme @thereindeerlady @justforthedead89 @ronniescontinuum @freyaforestafay @littlewildflowerkitten @gregre369 @zerokrox-blog @flustratedcas @carlprocastinator1000 @marvelmwah @solliesolesito @navnae @i-less-than-three-you @grimmfitzz @estrellami-1 @strangersteddierthings

[ricksanchezbignaturals]

too bad im a hair dye gay because if it was its natural color rn i could do a pretty good stan pines circa 1982 just by taking off my glasses and dressing like i usually do

[awakenthebeing]

Fake Peppino a crying of the hugs on pipoe .

Piepoe will provide hugs to any creacher that need some when they're sad!! Even to Fake Peppino, despite her confusion at first.

[maretriarch]

my tiktok algorithm is currently laser targeting me with these videos from a classy childrens boutique store with the most incredible presenter ever whos vibes/outfits are extremely immaculate and like the nice, southern, miranda priestly but for babies

[duck-in-a-spaceship]

Relistening to The Adventure Zone Amnesty and listening to Duck's french onion soup story and like idk fuck dude. It's kind of a cheesy (ha) sentiment of "living for the little things" but like...

Alright bear with me for a moment but I was making some soup the other day. Potato soup, not french onion, and I was on a call with a friend the whole time, for some company while I cooked. And man it took like 2 hours to make this soup that was supposed to take thirty minutes. I didn't have half the stuff for it, I put pumpkin spice in to try and substitute for old bay because we decided that checked out, had to improvise a potato masher, the shallots made me cry. But the point is, I had a really nice night just talking to my friend and making soup.

And it kind of makes you think, what would I give up for more nights like that? What would I turn down? For potato soup? For french onion soup?

Also I forgot their nonna comes in at the end and tells them the best french onion soup she ever had that was very SWEET

[hood-ex]

No you don't understand. Jack Skellington wrapped his bony hands around my heart with these parts of his lament:

Yet year after year, it's the same routine And I grow so weary of the sound of screams And I, Jack, the Pumpkin King Have grown so tired of the same old thing

~.~

Oh, there's an empty place in my bones That calls out for something unknown The fame and praise come year after year Does nothing for these empty tears

[maythedreadwolftakeyou]

making a HUGE to do list for next week and i really had the audacity to put "bake a cake to celebrate Veilguard release" above "mop the floors" and "work on edits for manuscript for publication"

[wizardled]

I love T so sos o much!! Can I ask what inspired his character design? <3

Hi!! I'm glad you liked my son ʕ⁠·⁠ᴥ⁠·⁠ʔ

His design is highly inspired by a character from a child movie that I liked when I was a lil baby human

Movie: Valentina la Película (2008)

This character? is a rag doll that would be burned in a spring festival, but he fell in love with a girl who of course did not love him back.

T is also inspired by Wybie from Coraline (I'm interested in the way he's so skrunklyyyy) (both human Wybie/button-eyes Wybie)

And this isn't exactly referring to his character design, but I was also very inspired by Edward Scissorhands

Edit: I almost forgot about Eddie, from Angels of death,,, yeah, That also influenced me a lot even though I wasn't thinking about him the first time I drew T.

[quins-makeshift-menagerie]

Ooooh we talkin about bread? My personal favorite is this pumpkin chocolate chip bread that my family makes for Thanksgiving every year, it's really tasty, highly recommend *unless you don't like pumpkin, in which case I'll take the whole loaf lol*

*apologies for the huge picture, google images had like, no small pictures lol*

Oh my god that sounds lovely??? Yeah I might try around Thanksgiving, would be a fun treat 👀

[catboyidia]

what “holiday” cafe drinks/desserts i think asgzc would get:

angeal: he feels like a peppermint hot chocolate kind of dude, but add a shit load of espresso because the poor guy absolutely needs gallons of espresso to be able to put up with zack, genesis, and sephiroth on a daily basis (someone help that poor man)

genesis: IN THEORY he would absolutely be an apple cinnamon EVERYTHING kind of guy BUT not from any kind of cafe because he believes none of them can do it right! so he has to make it himself and he has been forbidden by the others to ever be allowed to order it again because it’s never good enough for him and it pisses him off, and every time they go to a new cafe and he orders an apple cinnamon anything he always spends the rest of the day critiquing every single little thing off about it, much to the rest of the guys annoyance because none of them want to hear genesis rant about a decently flavored cafe item just because it wasn’t up to his weird apple freak standards… so instead he is 100% one of THOSE pumpkin spice bitches! like the at the cafe the moment they release it kind of pumpkin spice bitch (but even though he likes it he still doesn’t think it’s as good as it should be and he can absolutely make it better but he doesn’t complain AS much)

sephiroth: every time he goes with the others he just lets them take turns ordering for him because he’s never had most of it before, but he never ends up with any strong opinions on any of the holiday items, and he never particularly loves any of them but he never complains about it or shows any distaste in any of it either, the only indication on how he feels about whatever has been ordered for him is that if it’s something he likes his pupils will dilate like a cats, although some of the more colorful treats tend to catch his eye, and if he had to rank the others orders on which he liked best it would probably go cloud (he likes the less sweet desserts), angeal (he likes the mint cocoa, but he prefers spearmint), genesis (he actually quite like the apple cinnamon but isnt fond of pumpkin spice), and zack (he doesn’t dislike it, but he prefers the others)

zack: he feels like he would get every overly sweet treat they sell and is probably an ultra sweet smores coffee drinker, except angeal has to go behind his back and tell the barista to make it decaf, not wanting to deal with a zack hopped up on tons of sugar AND caffeine, but then genesis goes behind angeal’s back and tells the barista to make it as highly caffeinated as possible

cloud: he would probably mainly just get a few of the less sweet holiday pastries and maybe a gingerbread hot cocoa/coffee if he had to get a drink, but he also lets the others order for him when he goes out with them just because he doesn’t want to cause too much trouble

[neechees]

In my rereads of Memoirs of a Geisha (Id read it first when I was a teenager, before i knew the author had stolen the life story of Mineko Iwasaki) I'd realized just how misogynist the story is. One of the glowing reviews of the book is that the author was praised for writing such an "accurate" and sensitive portrayal of a female character, but then all her relationships with women are portrayed as catty & negative while all her most positive relationships are with men that she looks on fondly, even when theyve been nothing but shitty to her. All the women in her life are either abusive bullies from the start, or good ones that turn sour where they betray her in some way, & her whole sphere of women is just catty & superficial & mean.

& Golden even wrote in negative relationships where in Iwasaki's life (the source that he was stealing from), they were POSITIVE ones for her

[beansnpeets]

God I wish Sprocket didn't eat poop. It's the single worst behaviour a dog can perform imo.

[amberedcorpse]

I wish I had time to sketch halloween costumes for some of these freaks. (but really I just wanna have an excuse to draw Felix in catw0man cosplay)