#circus troupe

[abybweisse]

Ch209 (p4), The queen of tragedy

⚠️ Long post ⚠️

You might be wondering where that heading comes from. I'll get to that in a bit....

So, we are back to recent events, where Finny and Doll fight over Snake, each one claiming the other is the enemy. Both parties are involved in deception; he wonders why they helped him but lied the entire time. Out of the circus troupe, he seems to have been closest to Doll, and she never told him the truth about the circus. He also becomes particularly close to Finny, who immediately likes his snakes, but Finny doesn't inform him about the true fates of his circus friends. Then there're our earl and Sebastian, who lead him to believe the circus members are still alive and just on the lamb.

Why would the people closest to him all lie to him?

Then we get a couple scenes before his and Finny's assignment begins.

But this flashback switches from what Snake is recalling... to what a reaper is reviewing. Born March 15 -- the Ides of March -- to an actress named Sarah Kemble. More on her at the end. Death on December 9, 1889, from blood loss.

The expression on this (new to us!) reaper's face makes me wonder what he's thinking. He says "no additional remarks", but I believe he's thinking some additional thoughts.

He must realize there's something odd about Doll, who is holding Snake's body and grieving over him. Doesn't he realize she's a bizarre doll? Has he not taken note of the blood transfusion equipment in the room down the hall? What about all the veins popping up all over her body? Hasn't he been informed about the search for Undertaker and his moving corpses?

Does he not yet have info from Othello regarding Layla/Al? We have to keep in mind that this is all probably happening around the same time that Ronald and William are taking Layla/Al into custody, so this reaper might not be fully informed and so might not know what all signs to look for.

Besides, Ronald is sent to Norfolk ahead of the impending deaths, because there was word a bizarre doll is stationed there. He just has to figure out which person it is. Ronald can't tell who the bizarre doll is just by looking, so he has to wait and see who starts acting like one.

This reaper apparently isn't sent to investigate FOL Orphanage, suggesting HQ didn't have similar intelligence regarding a bizarre doll there. If he's not looking for one, he might not bother to take much notice of Doll's appearance or the medical equipment.

Everything is happening at about the same time:

Mey-Rin and Ran-Mao are heading to their next meeting spot while Polaris makes his report to real Ciel and Undertaker. Heathfield is arrested, and the legal investigation there is still underway.

Ronald and William are dealing with Layla/Al, with the intention of taking her back to HQ for examination. Baldo, Lau, and the others are still planning their getaway; they have not yet escaped the sanatorium.

Othello is probably at HQ, working out the finer details of the transfusion machine he has just recently confiscated from the underground facility at Bath. Beyond that, the dove he sent back to HQ might be the only call for help he's requested to deal with Undertaker.

And this reaper is (as far as I can tell) just responding to the assigned task of collecting souls from Snake, Susan, and the head matron. He really might not be in the loop about Undertaker and his moving corpses... just yet.

This gives an easy setup for him to go about business as usual and leave Doll to her grieving. If he doesn't confront her and just leaves, she can ask Undertaker to turn Snake into a bizarre doll -- even if it's just to be her companion. Undertaker would see old goals of revenge in Snake's cinematic records and could potentially turn him against the Phantomhives, through creation of his "episodes" by cherry-picking the memories and goals that would compel him to seek that revenge again. If that happens, we could get Snake confronting our earl and Sebastian... where Sebastian fulfills the implied threat he makes (to Baldo, about any servant who turns against their master) in ch51.

So, there's that.

Then we have a couple other things to discuss: the current date and Snake's mother.

It's December 9, 1889. This works great with my Mother3 theory, which states the contract should end before our earl is officially 14 years old. December 13, 1889 is the eve of that birthday, and it's also a Friday the 13th. This is highly symbolic because of when his father is born and when his paternal grandmother dies. I'm sure there are absolutely zero coincidences in this.

We will go back a few days (again) for the start of our earl's and Sebastian's assignment in Brighton, then we will catch up to December 9th with them. During this time and soon after, they will receive word about the other three assignments, as word trickles in. Or perhaps they are bombarded with all the reports in quick succession. Then we've got another four days for them to finish not just their own assignment but also their contract. Perhaps their assignment finishes around the same time as the others. If so, they have three or four more days to address whatever they have learned.

Now onto Snake's mother. She's based on a real person, or a combination of a few people in a notable family. My own initial research pulled up a Fanny Kemble, who was a British actress who lived in this time period but was too old to be Snake's mother. She bore a daughter named Sarah (Kemble) Butler, but Sarah wasn't an actress. Fanny was well known as a former actress and an abolitionist -- who separated from her husband (Butler), partly over disagreement about slavery -- and returned to the stage, where she renewed her focus on the works of William Shakespeare... performing public readings of his plays.

Discussing the chapter in Discord, I got word -- from @mjmj2994 -- about a Sarah (Kemble) Siddons who was an actress, though she was from the mid-18th to early 19th century. Her mother was also a Sarah Kemble. Turns out that Sarah Siddons (née and a.k.a. Sarah Kemble) was an aunt to the Fanny Kemble I'd found! Small world, eh? Anyway, Sarah Kemble/Siddons (wiki article here) became known as the "queen of tragedy" for her portrayal of Lady Macbeth and other Shakespearean tragic characters -- including numerous cross-dress performances as Hamlet himself. Even though Yana-san would have to change the timeline to fit our Sarah Kemble, this is most likely the historical reference for her. Here's more information about the Kemble family line and their extensive involvement with the acting industry.

Our Snake comes from an esteemed family of actors, and I suppose we are to assume he's an issue who was so quickly covered up and forgotten that he was perhaps never even named. Who was his true father? And how did he come to have such strong snake-like traits? We might never know.

Now we wait to see if this reaper does anything about Doll. And then onto our earl and Sebastian in Brighton!

#black butler #kuroshitsuji #ch209 #chapter release #chapter review #chapter analysis #snake #doll #reapers #grim reapers #sebastian michaelis #earl phantomhive #our earl #circus troupe #circus members #phantomhive servants #flashbacks #cinematic records #historical figures #sarah kemble #kemble family #famous actresses #famous actors #sarah siddons #shakespeare #feb 19 2024 #part four #part 4 #long posts #long reads

[rjavenuru]

I enjoy the travelling bard vibe immensely but wouldn't it be so beautiful if he could have a band. 😭

#aurelio voltaire #goth #goth aesthetic #goth musician #goth band #klezmer #dark cabaret #circus troupe

[phoenixkaptain]

The comics always have Tim comment on how normal his childhood was, and I just don’t believe them.

Like, the name “Drake” was set up in comics for years beforehand. Tim Drake is a rich kid. His parents did own an entire industry and Tim’s introductory comic tells us flat out that he spends most of the time his parents aren’t home at boarding and private schools. His parents were gone a lot!

Tim Drake is stated to be so normal. This kid can still clearly remember watching Dick’s parents die, he was traumatized and had nightmares about the scene. Especially if you believe Tim’s never taken a picture of Batman before the events of his introduction, Tim is extra strange because why was his first instinct to take pictures of Batman getting beaten up?! Is that normal child behaviour?? Am I the weird one for not knowing where Dick Grayson’s girlfriend lived when I was thirteen?? How on earth is Tim Drake the normal one?

He’s a stilted talker, absolutely terrible at speaking about important things. He is the Robin who called the most alike to Batman more than once, Ra’s al Ghul calls him a detective on Batman’s level, are you REALLY normal if you’re similar to Batman??

Like yeah, sure. Tim didn’t grow up in a circus. Tim didn’t grow up raised on the streets. Tim wasn’t trained from birth to be an assassin.

I would argue that this makes him MORE abnormal! He doesn’t have Dick’s background or flexibility! He doesn’t have either of Jason’s backgrounds nor his grudge. He doesn’t have Batman to live up to for a father. And yet, he still decides to put his life on the line to fight crime! His parents weren’t even dead!! He just decided that “If Batman and Nightwing aren’t going to take care of themselves, I have no choice but to do it for them.” Sure, he tries to get Dick to help Bruce, but he realizes pretty quickly that that isn’t going to work out.

Tim Drake tried to fight Superboy. You know, Superman’s clone? Invulnerable? Boy of steel? Literally only had one weakness that Tim didn’t have on him at the time??

Tim Drake is absolutely not the normal Robin. The comics really, really want me to believe that the kid who grew up in boarding school while his parents were off on business, the kid who took to being a Robin akin to Batman (ie. invisible, unnoticeable, unknown, a myth), the kid who got beat up by Jason Todd and then went “whoa, Jason Todd is back :),” the kid who Ra’s al Ghul is obsessed with, the kid who built his own vehicle; this kid is normal.

Yeah, okay. He’s perfectly normal. His dad being hinted at as being neglectful and literally abusive with how he breaks his kid’s things? Normal. Tim Drake knowing how to photograph the most paranoid man this side of the Rockies? Normal. Tim Drake deciding that it would actually be neat-o to don a suit that another kid died in to fight against people and beings that could and would absolutely kill him in a heartbeat? Completely. Normal.

Okay, DC. Whatever you say…

#the inane ramblings of a madman #dc #batman #robin #red robin #tim drake #long post #it just kind of amuses me #the amount of times time claims to be normal #but the comics also seem to want us to believe he is??? #like red tornado called robin the normal one #tim saying his childhood was normal is glossed right tf over #it’s like the comics really honestly truly believe he is an average kid #which is absolutely bonkers #have you seen this kid??? #he is introduced in a way akin to a villain #he is literally a stalker #he knows not only where dick’s girlfriend lives #but also where dick’s circus troupe was at #he also knew where dick’s apartment was #and furthermore #he broke into dick’s false wall that is actually a safe #but yeah sure #he’s sooo normal #we’ve all been there #13yo and knowing who alfred pennyworth is but by alfred opening the door #all this #in 1989 #the normal one yeah right

[starrysharks]

charlotte and mr. cinnamon's big show! dec 31st! you're all invited!

#zeno's art #wip #ocs #soulstice circus #charlotte cardamona the third #mr. cinnamon #hardly draw lottie but she is genuinely in my top 3 favorite ocs to draw #hardly talk about soulstice circus at all but its a thing that exists believe me #basically: ghosts have a giant talent show every solstice and the winner(s) gets to grant a wish #minty and charlotte are a jester and magician who are trying to bring together a whole talent troupe of ghosts #to help charlotte with her “super special secret wish” #its like super barebones rn but i really want to develop it further #lottie is like my actual daughter i love her shes so cute and her favorite food is pumpkin pie #and she makes mr cinnamon little outfits sometimes even though he eats them AAAAAAARGGG

[betatrolls]

chance i already posted these here but I can't find it if i did so i might be reposting. but whatever

clown collection pt 1

if you're seeing this message check the notes of this post for the other parts

#post #honk honk #gamzee's troupe #<- tag for clown collection related matters #rbing with the second part in a minute because im too lazy to do this on my computer #clowns photographed together are important to eachother btw #clown figures #clown dolls #clowns #clown collection #harlequin doll #harlequin dolls #clown doll #clown #clown figure #clown figurine #jester #circus clown #rodeo clown

[grelleshighheels]

FINNY PROTECTION SQUAD, FINNY GET BEHIND ME ‼️ HE HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG, LEAVE MY SON ALONE ‼️

#idc what doll's got going on the circus troupe wasn't innocent either LEAVE MY PHANTOMFAM BE #LOOK AT HIM IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO MY SON I WILL RIOT #YANA PLEASE...... #SNAKE CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS I CAN EXPLAIN !!! #kuroshitsuji #black butler #kuroshitsuji finny #kuroshitsuji manga

[bassboosted-moon-chao]

it's physically impossible this cracked out ai has ever slept a day in his life since 1995 but also. what if he did. closes his freakass mouth and stops levitating and actually sits still for more than all of two seconds.

#moom makes bullshit #art #digital art #caine tadc #jax tadc #kinger tadc #bubble tadc #zooble tadc #i just think it would be funny if caine fell asleep somehow and the circus troupe immediately assumed he was dead #this is my first time drawing any of them lol. #zooble whacks him with an arm and he snaps awale and zooms at them like a fnaf jumpscare out of anger

[solarrush]

She loves them very much

#lore dev behind the scenes #nooooooo the galaxy isn’t kinda like fire whaaaaa nooooo #fnaf oc #fnaf sb oc #planetarium circus troupe #star cat #fnaf oc star cat

[kugisaaki]

i remember when i went into kuroshitsuji thinking it was a silly little haha show w a demon and his sonboy and then in the first episode some guy ended up in the oven for swindling ciel

#watched the noah’s arc circus and thought haha funny lol circus troupe and then the bone harvesting secret was revealed and i was like Oh! #book of murder and atlantic were fun tho at least!!!!! #but then the manga… #black butler

[littlebittyhollowbugs]

Just a bunch of circus bugs 🎪 (I know that like none of these characters would join the Grimm troupe probably but hey! What if they did!)

God tamer is the animal trainer, Hornet is an acrobat, Hollow and Ghost do a dagger throwing act, and Ogrim as the human uh, bug cannonball!

#hollow knight #I just wanted to draw the characters doing circus acts #Hk God tamer #Hk Hornet #Hk hollow #Hk thk #Hk the pure vessel #Hk PV #Hk ghost #Hk little Ghost #Hk the knight #Hk grimmchild #The Grimm troupe #Hk Grimm #Troupe master Grimm #Hk brumm #Hk Ogrim #The dung defender

[abybweisse]

Ch209, Spoilers part two

⚠️ updated text ⚠️

Then we are back to what just recently happened -- Doll and Finny fighting over who's the enemy and who's the friend.

He's got all these opposing ideas in his head about who killed whom and why... and was it deserved... and why was he offered these chances? Those sorts of thoughts, though I know there's stuff missing in the quick translations by @bitterbutlr , but that's the gist of it.

Even Sebastian pointing out our earl's bad table manners at Lau's place is a fond memory for Snake, at least sort of. It is a time of determination, to not just step aside to his young master's older twin, who has usurped what our earl has gained.

Then the memories turn into cinematic records, as all these flashbacks were just Snake's life flashing before his eyes.

We don't even learn about the mysterious place he thinks he's from. I'm wondering if that information came from some of the snakes and doesn't actually apply to him.

He apparently was human (at least partly), born to a human named Sarah Campbell (or a similar name). She was an actress. This also comes from @bitterbutlr and maybe one other person on Discord.) The NEW! reaper notes nothing worth adding, and then there's the tamping sound of the "COMPLETED" stamp.

What I don't get is why this reaper looks at Doll holding Snake's body and doesn't think there's anything else to note. Ronald once said he couldn't tell who was the bizarre doll -- Ada or Layla -- without checking their records or catching them in the act of behaving like the first bizarre dolls they saw (on the ship). He needed to see Layla attack Baldo before he knew for sure it was her.

So... is this reaper going to leave the scene without confronting Doll? Doll doesn't look normal at this point... but perhaps this reaper just plans to stick to the basics...? William says it's all just a formality anyway, right? 🤔 🤨

If so, that really leaves it open for her to ask Undertaker to make a bizarre doll out of Snake.

He has a lot of memories about what he wanted in life -- mostly to find a family to belong to, where he can live in harmony with them. However, he also has memories where he's specifically and severely angry with "Smile" and "Black" and wants revenge on them. Undertaker could cherry pick the right memories to serve as episodes that make Snake loyal to real Ciel, or at least to Doll. If that happens, we might see Sebastian destroy Snake anyway, just like he warns about in ch51... for any Phantomhive servant who turns against their young master....

#black butler #kuroshitsuji #snake #doll #circus troupe #circus members #noah's ark circus #sebastian michaelis #earl phantomhive #our earl #baron kelvin #phantomhive servants #finny #finnian #mey rin #baldo #bard #bardroy #baldroy #reapers #grim reapers #bizarre dolls #undertaker #ciel phantomhive #ch209 #black butler spoilers #spoilers #kuro spoilers #kuroshitsuji spoilers #feb 16 2024

[fangirl-nadir]

Ok Tumblr,

I just saw Beetlejuice the Musical and it has only deepened my desire to consume media about fucked up little circuses. Think the Grimm Troupe from Hollow Knight, or the circus from Marionetta. Any suggestions? The Night Circus is already on my list!

#beetlejuice #beetlejuice musical #beetlejuice broadway #hollow knight grimm #grimm troupe #marionetta #webtoons #the night circus #book recs #bookblr

[gumballavocadoharry]

Updated list of troupes:

Bionic Harry Adoptive father Harry Single dad nurse Harry Writer Harry Pirate Harry Circus Harry Restaurant owner Harry Librarian Harry Candy store owner Harry Teacher Harry Ice cream parlour Harry Inventor Harry Florist Harry Small house Harry Dentist Harry

Masterlist!!!!

Ask!!!!!!

#harry styles #harry styles imagine #dad!harry #dadrry #single dad harry #harry styles and yn #troupe harry #harry troupe #dentist harry #harry bionic #circus harry #writer harry #adoptive father harry #librarian harry! #pirate harry #restaurant harry #candy store owner harry #teacher harry #inventor harry #florist harry #small house harry #single dad nurse harry #harry ❤️ yn #harry x yn #harry and yn #harry x reader #harry styles fanfictions #harry styles imagines #harry styles blurb #harry styles one shot

[shepherds-of-haven]

Do circus with acrobats etc exist in the SoH universe ?

Well, it's not exactly called the circus, but yes, "troupes" of players (which involve everything from actors, singers, bards, musicians, acrobats, fire-breathers, puppeteers, animal tamers, basically any kind of entertainer or performer) do travel around in their own groups and caravans, visiting different towns and cities seasonally pretty much just like a circus! They're just not like huge affairs with striped tents and ringleaders and things; there are usually a dozen or so players in each troupe, though certain companies can have up to forty! The best ones alternate between performing publicly as well as being sponsored by nobles and aristocrats to visit their courts and entertain them as patrons of the troupe. Hope that makes sense!

#Shepherds of Haven #circus #worldbuilding #players #troupe

[critter-wizard]

GAME WIN !

#the cursed troupe #rook #sloth #six #ruthenium #poptart #mateo #sorry they kinda all have dumb names #illustration #artists on tumblr #oc #ocs #demons #clowns #circus #grimm art

[achairwithapandaonit]

black butler but our ciel’s one of those creepy dolls they have in horror movies and everyone acts like this is normal. except the random guests they have at phantomhive manor, the circus troupe, and real ciel, who is very sure the last time he saw his brother he was a human person

#black butler #kuroshitsuji #joker voice: oh! :D you're a creepy doll i see! that's fun! welcome to our circus troupe!