Hook-handed man
Encyclopedia
Fernald is a villain from Lemony Snicket
's A Series of Unfortunate Events
. He is known for having two large and sharp hooks where his hands should be. In the movie he was portrayed by British actor Jamie Harris
.
established in The Bad Beginning
.
His first name is Fernald, yet his last name is unknown, though he does state that it differs from that of his stepfather, Captain Widdershins. Before joining with Count Olaf's theatre troupe, he and his sister Fiona lived with Widdershins on his submarine, the Queequeg. However, after growing tired of Widdershins’ constant nautical ejaculations and bossing around, Fernald eventually flees the submarine where it is revealed he took up a life of crime with Count Olaf. It is unknown how or when he lost his hands. Throughout most of the series, he conspires with Count Olaf to steal the Baudelaire fortune. Olaf himself does not refer to Fernald by his proper name; instead, Olaf and Esmé call him "Hooky". One of his aliases is O. Lucafont, an anagram of Count Olaf.
In the second book of the series, The Reptile Room
, he disguises himself as Dr. O. Lucafont and arrives at Dr. Montgomery's house after receiving a call that there had been an accident. In the end when the adult characters finally realize who Count Olaf really is, "Lucafont" claims he will take Olaf to jail. Although Sunny Baudelaire bites Fernald's fake hands off before he can escape unexposed, the two men still flee the scene.
In the sixth book of the series, The Ersatz Elevator
, he disguises himself (with extra-long jacket-sleeves) as the doorkeeper of 667 Dark Avenue. Still maintaining his façade, he bids on (and wins) the statue in which the two Quagmire
siblings are hidden.
In the eleventh book of the series, The Grim Grotto
, he is reunited with his sister Fiona, who, along with their stepfather Captain Widdershins, is working with the Baudelaire children. After Widdershins mysteriously disappears and the Queequeg is damaged, Fiona considers her brother to be her only family member left, and seemingly joins Count Olaf's troupe to stay with him.
Sometime later, though, Fernald and Fiona betray Olaf by stealing his submarine. They meet with their stepfather again (who, in the words of Kit Snicket, "had forgiven the failures of those he had loved") along with Kit and Phil to help repair the Queequeg and aid the Quagmire triplets
and Hector in their self-sustaining air balloon.
However tragedy strikes, and trained eagles popped the hot air balloon, sending them crashing into the Queequeg. Stranded on the wreck, they see the mysterious question mark (an ambiguous shape that the Baudelaires had encountered on the radar screen that scared even Olaf) reappear. Although Kit is terrified of what she referred to as The Great Unknown, the others want to take their chances confronting it. The mysterious shape takes Fernald and the others away, its intentions and results still undescribed.
Count Olaf says in The Penultimate Peril
that "Hooky and Fiona double-crossed me yesterday". This implies that Fernald has left Olaf's troupe. Notably, he is the second-last of Olaf's assistants and conspirators to leave, the last being Esmé Squalor
.
In an interview with author Daniel Handler
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_5020000/newsid_5029000/5029046.stm, the interviewer inquired why, in the last couple of books, the line between the good people and more treacherous ones seemed to have become a bit blurred. Handler responded, "It's sad isn't it? I think the Baudelaires are getting older, and one of the sad facts about getting older is that you've always thought of yourself and people you know as righteous and true and the people you dislike as evil. The older you get the more muddy that water becomes".
Lemony Snicket
Lemony Snicket is the pen name of American novelist Daniel Handler . Snicket is the author of several children's books, serving as the narrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events and appearing as a character within the series. Because of this, the name Lemony Snicket may refer to both a fictional...
's A Series of Unfortunate Events
A Series of Unfortunate Events
A Series of Unfortunate Events is a series of children's novels by Lemony Snicket which follows the turbulent lives of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire after their parents' death in an arsonous house fire...
. He is known for having two large and sharp hooks where his hands should be. In the movie he was portrayed by British actor Jamie Harris
Jamie Harris (actor)
Jamie Harris is an English actor. He is the son of actor Richard Harris and socialite Elizabeth Rees-Williams. His two brothers are actor Jared Harris and director Damian Harris.-Life and career:...
.
Before the series
The Hook-Handed Man is one of Count Olaf's original featured troupe members, and lasted the longest of the original henchmenCount Olaf's associates
Count Olaf's theater troupe is a group of cohorts allied with Count Olaf and his crimes in the children's novel series A Series of Unfortunate Events by American author Lemony Snicket. The members are frequently referred to as Count Olaf's "associates", "assistants", "comrades", "accomplices" or...
established in The Bad Beginning
The Bad Beginning
The Bad Beginning is the first of thirteen novels in American author Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. It was later released in paperback under the name The Bad Beginning; or, Orphans! The novel tells the story of three children, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire, who are orphaned...
.
His first name is Fernald, yet his last name is unknown, though he does state that it differs from that of his stepfather, Captain Widdershins. Before joining with Count Olaf's theatre troupe, he and his sister Fiona lived with Widdershins on his submarine, the Queequeg. However, after growing tired of Widdershins’ constant nautical ejaculations and bossing around, Fernald eventually flees the submarine where it is revealed he took up a life of crime with Count Olaf. It is unknown how or when he lost his hands. Throughout most of the series, he conspires with Count Olaf to steal the Baudelaire fortune. Olaf himself does not refer to Fernald by his proper name; instead, Olaf and Esmé call him "Hooky". One of his aliases is O. Lucafont, an anagram of Count Olaf.
In the series
In several books, he appears in various guises to aid Olaf with his plans; his hooks are always hidden in these attempts.In the second book of the series, The Reptile Room
The Reptile Room
The Reptile Room is a children's novel and the second of A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. It was later released in paperback under the title The Reptile Room; or, Murder! Having just escaped from the greedy and evil Count Olaf in the first book, the Baudelaire children are now...
, he disguises himself as Dr. O. Lucafont and arrives at Dr. Montgomery's house after receiving a call that there had been an accident. In the end when the adult characters finally realize who Count Olaf really is, "Lucafont" claims he will take Olaf to jail. Although Sunny Baudelaire bites Fernald's fake hands off before he can escape unexposed, the two men still flee the scene.
In the sixth book of the series, The Ersatz Elevator
The Ersatz Elevator
The Ersatz Elevator is the sixth novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym of Lemony Snicket. The Baudelaires are sent to live with the wealthy Esmé and Jerome Squalor.-Plot summary:...
, he disguises himself (with extra-long jacket-sleeves) as the doorkeeper of 667 Dark Avenue. Still maintaining his façade, he bids on (and wins) the statue in which the two Quagmire
Quagmire triplets
The Quagmires are a principal family in the children's novel series A Series of Unfortunate Events by American author Lemony Snicket. The unnamed Quagmire parents were members of the secret vigilante organization V.F.D...
siblings are hidden.
In the eleventh book of the series, The Grim Grotto
The Grim Grotto
The Grim Grotto is the eleventh novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.-Plot:The book begins where The Slippery Slope left off, with the Baudelaires traveling on a collapsing toboggan down the Stricken Stream of the Mortmain Mountains, leaving Quigley Quagmire...
, he is reunited with his sister Fiona, who, along with their stepfather Captain Widdershins, is working with the Baudelaire children. After Widdershins mysteriously disappears and the Queequeg is damaged, Fiona considers her brother to be her only family member left, and seemingly joins Count Olaf's troupe to stay with him.
Sometime later, though, Fernald and Fiona betray Olaf by stealing his submarine. They meet with their stepfather again (who, in the words of Kit Snicket, "had forgiven the failures of those he had loved") along with Kit and Phil to help repair the Queequeg and aid the Quagmire triplets
Quagmire triplets
The Quagmires are a principal family in the children's novel series A Series of Unfortunate Events by American author Lemony Snicket. The unnamed Quagmire parents were members of the secret vigilante organization V.F.D...
and Hector in their self-sustaining air balloon.
However tragedy strikes, and trained eagles popped the hot air balloon, sending them crashing into the Queequeg. Stranded on the wreck, they see the mysterious question mark (an ambiguous shape that the Baudelaires had encountered on the radar screen that scared even Olaf) reappear. Although Kit is terrified of what she referred to as The Great Unknown, the others want to take their chances confronting it. The mysterious shape takes Fernald and the others away, its intentions and results still undescribed.
Good or evil?
The Hook-Handed Man has shown remorse and doubt regarding his crimes, and states that there are no such things as good people or bad people, that every person is like "a chef's salad with good parts and bad" arguing that good people often do bad things while bad people may do good things. He has shown love for his sister.Count Olaf says in The Penultimate Peril
The Penultimate Peril
The Penultimate Peril is the twelfth novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.-Plot:The book starts off where The Grim Grotto left off...
that "Hooky and Fiona double-crossed me yesterday". This implies that Fernald has left Olaf's troupe. Notably, he is the second-last of Olaf's assistants and conspirators to leave, the last being Esmé Squalor
Esmé Squalor
Esmé Gigi Geniveve Squalor is the secondary antagonist of the children's novel series A Series of Unfortunate Events by American author Lemony Snicket. She is Count Olaf's girlfriend. Prior to the events of the series she was a professional stage actress and member of V.F.D. Esmé is distinguished...
.
In an interview with author Daniel Handler
Daniel Handler
Daniel Handler is an American author, screenwriter and accordionist. He is best known for his work under the pen name Lemony Snicket.-Personal life:...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_5020000/newsid_5029000/5029046.stm, the interviewer inquired why, in the last couple of books, the line between the good people and more treacherous ones seemed to have become a bit blurred. Handler responded, "It's sad isn't it? I think the Baudelaires are getting older, and one of the sad facts about getting older is that you've always thought of yourself and people you know as righteous and true and the people you dislike as evil. The older you get the more muddy that water becomes".
Appearances
- The Bad BeginningThe Bad BeginningThe Bad Beginning is the first of thirteen novels in American author Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. It was later released in paperback under the name The Bad Beginning; or, Orphans! The novel tells the story of three children, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire, who are orphaned...
- The Reptile RoomThe Reptile RoomThe Reptile Room is a children's novel and the second of A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. It was later released in paperback under the title The Reptile Room; or, Murder! Having just escaped from the greedy and evil Count Olaf in the first book, the Baudelaire children are now...
- The Ersatz ElevatorThe Ersatz ElevatorThe Ersatz Elevator is the sixth novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym of Lemony Snicket. The Baudelaires are sent to live with the wealthy Esmé and Jerome Squalor.-Plot summary:...
- The Hostile HospitalThe Hostile HospitalThe Hostile Hospital is the eighth novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.-Plot and summary:The book begins where the previous one left off, with the three Baudelaire children escaping the Village of Fowl Devotees...
- The Carnivorous Carnival
- The Slippery SlopeThe Slippery SlopeThe Slippery Slope is the tenth installment in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym of Lemony Snicket.-Plot Summary:...
- The Grim GrottoThe Grim GrottoThe Grim Grotto is the eleventh novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.-Plot:The book begins where The Slippery Slope left off, with the Baudelaires traveling on a collapsing toboggan down the Stricken Stream of the Mortmain Mountains, leaving Quigley Quagmire...
See also
- Count Olaf's theater troupe
- Fiona (A Series of Unfortunate Events)