#sq benedict

[nobodysdaydreams]

I have to comment on the subtle way TMBS uses Curtain’s father relationship with SQ to show the contrast between him and Curtain in the books.

I love the books and the tv show, and I think both sets of characters are fantastic. However, in some cases, they are different characters and Curtain is a great example (from a character writing standpoint and also literally, Nathaniel Benedict and his backstory with Nicholas are not in the books). But what really sells it for me is how Curtain treats his son in the few scenes we do see and the few things we know about their relationship. 1) Show Curtain actually adopts SQ. In the books he comes to care about him, but he would never take the step of openly considering him family, even though it would have almost guaranteed book SQ’s loyalty. This version of Curtain does adopt SQ despite his vulnerability trigger. (I won’t get too into my “Curtain/Garrison/Milligan/SQ’s dad were friends that fell apart theory” cause that’s a whole other thing but click here to start that rabbit hole). 2) Show Curtain doesn’t involve SQ in his work. Book Curtain uses SQ as an executive/messenger, puts him in the whisperer and repeatedly wipes his memory to keep him by his side. Show SQ was not an executive or messenger (in fact he has no idea what his dad does) and so far has shown no signs of being brain swept. Even in season 2, when Marlon asks if SQ can come back for the next stage and Curtain says no, we as the audience assume this implies SQ has already been given the “happiness” but what if Curtain’s refusal to bring SQ back was actually him preventing SQ from taking the artificial happiness? (They didn’t get the actor back so I guess we’ll never know).

3) Show Curtain encourages SQ’s artistic talent. I’ve seen a lot of fics where Curtain resents that SQ is artistic and wishes he were “smart”, but if you watch the show, Curtain doesn’t do that. He does art projects with his son, he has rules about him going to the forest to paint but he still lets him go, and when Garrison interrupts Curtain, he doesn’t snap at SQ to do his homework, he suggests his son sketch, an activity he knows SQ enjoys. It would be easy to have a scene of Curtain admonishing SQ for his grades or not appreciating his art, but instead the writers chose to put in scenes showing the opposite.

4) When Reynie gives Curtain a narcoleptic seizure in the season 1 finale, it’s SQ that really sets him off. At first Curtain tries to mock what Reynie says: “I don’t think I’m a bad person either who thinks that?/“ok this is embarrassing”, but once he mentions SQ, Curtain gets visibly uncomfortable like “oh he went there oh no” and goes “okay, that’s enough that’s enough”, and realizes that he is losing this fight.

5) Finally, yes, we do see that Curtain is a bad father to SQ. I’m not denying that. The man deserves to be nailed by a golf cart. But: the main times when we see Curtain being a bad parent have a pattern: they occur when SQ is in danger of discovering who Curtain really is. The first is when he asks to bring Reynie to the forest. Curtain panics, realizing Reynie might be working for Nicholas, and now he’s forming a friendship with his son. Telling SQ that Reynie is using him was cruel and SQ is clearly devastated. SQ shows an awareness that his father speaks to others that way (he sees how his father speaks to Garrison) but might not be used to his father speaking to him that way which is why he takes it so badly. Then there’s when Curtain interrogates SQ, asking if he took a friend to the forest/if Reynie is really his friend, and SQ throws back in his face the “right cause who’d be friends with me” line and openly lies to him. Book Curtain would have at least called him out, or much worse. Show Curtain doesn’t, even though he knows his son is lying. Whether it’s because he’s scared his son is turning against him or because he’s ashamed of what he said to SQ earlier (“how many friends have you had”?) or because he doesn't want his son to be more suspicious, we can only speculate. Finally, SQ confronts Curtain about the antennas after finding Reynie’s letter and refuses to tell his dad about his conversation with Reynie. At this point, Curtain doesn’t know how much his son knows or what he will do. He could brain-sweep him. He could yell and tell SQ to never disrespect him again. Instead, he handles it in kind of a weird way where he admits to being under stress and having clouded judgment (which is a very rare moment of vulnerability and emotional awareness not just from Curtain, but from any abusive parent) and asks his son to please leave, though rather forcefully. Obviously, comparing him to book Curtain puts the bar on the floor and show Curtain was still horrible and should have told the truth, but the other negative alternative ways to handle that situation (Book Curtain’s torture and brain sweeping) would have been so much worse.

One of the most interesting aspects is how Show Curtain compartmentalized his son and his work so much that they became totally separate and how little SQ knows since he’s not working as a messenger or executive. SQ, on his end, has likely seen the way his father treats others, but work stresses out a lot of people, some people are ruthless in their careers but are good parents, he probably wishes his dad was different so he could have friends (because every other kid at the institute has to be controlled by Curtain, or at least is striving to please him at all times, which prevents genuine friendships), but his dad never does those things to him or at least not to that extent. So as long as SQ never talks to his dad about work (in his mind: “because it stresses him out”), his dad will never treat him the way he treats everyone else and since SQ has never know anything else, life seems alright to him. It’s only when Reynie starts pointing out Curtain’s flaws that SQ questions him and starts to see that maybe there’s more going on.

This could also explain SQ’s season 2 absence. SQ was on the boat, he knows how his dad screwed Garrison over. His biological father used to work for his dad. And SQ will never know whether Curtain screwed his biological dad over like he did Garrison, because Curtain will never be vulnerable enough to tell him the truth. Meanwhile, Curtain also realizes that his son is now curious about his work, and keeping his double life and his son would involve going a step beyond lies/gaslighting and doing the things book Curtain did to his SQ and show Curtain so far has been unwilling to do that. So SQ now has a motivation to leave and Curtain has a motivation to let him go: SQ can’t trust his father after what Reynie told him/what he did to Garrison and the only way Curtain can make SQ stay is by forcing him or messing with his free will/memories and so far he has refused to do that, at least that we know of (granted Curtain could have also told SQ the truth and voluntarily changed his ways, but after lying for so long, SQ might have chosen to leave anyway).

Curious to hear people’s thoughts on this, I really hope they work it into the season 3 plot. (Currently pulling for the “sister kidnaps SQ at art college” theory)

Ok rant over.

#Long post as always #Needed room for my full unhinged character analysis #Tempted to write a fic where SQ confronts Curtain and asks if he killed his bio parents... #… and then says “if it’s really so safe and so good then go ahead. Make me happy” and Curtain can’t do it #Might write that as a final chapter in a Curtain/Milligan/Garrison/SQ bio parents friend group fic #the mysterious benedict society #mysterious benedict society #tmbs #mbs #ld curtain #sq benedict #sq pedalian #sq curtain #dr curtain #ledroptha curtain #ledroptha #nathaniel benedict #tmbs disney #mbs disney

[myfairkatiecat]

I have a bunch of WIPs I’ve been PLANNING to post (including a musical AU I’ve been working on for over a month now and still only have two and a half pages of actual written material for? and then like a LOT of notes) but instead I wrote a silly lil’ SQ-joins-the-society fic that isn’t even in character or necessary or even something anyone is just dying to read but I wrote it so here have it!

#the mysterious benedict society #tmbs #tmbs fanfic #nathaniel benedict #nicholas benedict #ld curtain #sq pedalian #rhonda kazembe #constance contraire #sq curtain #sq Benedict #mysterious benedict society #mbs fanfic

[mbspolls]

THE SQ POLL RESULTS!!!! THEY ARE IN!!!!!!

These mostly end up being some variations of the really really long ones, or some combination of Benedict-Pedalian-Curtain. It actually breaks down to:

Benedict-Kazembe-Wetherall-Two-Contraire-Pedalian-Curtain: 1

Benedict-Curtain-Pedalian-Kazembe-Wetherall-Two-Contraire-Muldoon-Garrison-Perumal-Crowe-Washington: 1

Benedict-Curtain-Pedalian: 2 (one person specified the order is alphabetic)

Benedict-Curtain-Pedalian-Kazembe-Wetherall-Two-Contraire-Muldoon-Garrison-Perumal-Crowe-Washington-Jackson-Jillson: 2 (one person specified order changes on a weekly basis, picking names out of a hat to determine the order for the week)

Benedict-Curtain-Pedalian-Kazembe-Wetherall-Two-Contraire-Muldoon-Garrison-Perumal-Crowe-Washington-Jackson-Jillson: 1 (this was not a write in, but a modified answer on the last one, so the graph is off in this respect)

Pedalian-Curtain: 1

Pedalian: 2 (citing book canon)

Curtain: 1

Benedict: 1

Make up a new name for himself: 1 Benedict-Pedalian: 1

Benedict-Curtain: 1

The most popular options were: - Benedict-Curtain-Pedalian-Kazembe-Wetherall-Two-Contraire-Muldoon-Garrison-Perumal-Crowe-Washington-Jackson-Jillson - Pedalian - Benedict-Curtain-Pedalian

6 people said he should have Benedict in his name/his name should be Benedict because Nicholas adopted him, 2 people said that it was Curtain's original last name anyway, and 4 said the sister kidnapped him.

Most second options were variations on Benedict, Curtain, and Pedalian. (The following list is kind of off given some answers contained multiple, and this is both second and thirds. But it gives you an idea.)

Pedalian: 4

Curtain: 2

Benedict: 7

Benedict-Pedalian: 1

Benedict-Curtain-Contraire: 1

Garrison: 1

One of The Long Names: 2 (yes two people wrote that)

Options listed as disliked:

Shepson: 1

Benedict: 1

Washington: 1

Curtain: 1

Any of them with just one last name: 1

Some write in opinions:

idc about order but i don't think he should have curtain in his last name. curtain gets his son priveleges revoked

The order does not matter. S.Q. deserves a lovely large family

(on why choosing a long last name) i want them all to be included <33

(on why choosing a long last name) Everyone loves SQ so they all adopted him, he has a big family now!

(on why choosing a long last name) for the bit :3 also because I think it would make Curtain have an aneurysm but he can't really do anything about it post-redemption arc. and also it would make SQ feel wanted and make him laugh so. I see no possible downside! [government paperwork enters that chat]

(on why choosing a long last name) it's what he deserves

(on why choosing Benedict-Curtain-Pedalian) While I personally would've gone for Benedict-Pedalian (because Nicholas adopts him :)) I think SQ would've wanted Curtain to be included because despite their troubles SQ still cares for Curtain and would want to keep that part of him? Source? My brain.

(on why choosing Benedict-Curtain-Pedalian) The 3 last names make sense, Benedict is his adopted family’s last name, Pedalian is his birth family’s last name, and Curtain is the one he’s gotten used to. I did alphabetical order for the aesthetics.

(on why choosing Pedalian-Curtain) It just seems right

(on why choosing Pedalian) inertia from book canon; admittedly, the sesquepedalian joke doesn't land now that he's a broody teen boi

Who are we kidding, S.Q could rock every single one of the last names.

^ same person said "because Curtain has a lame last name (sorry not sorry Ledroptha" when asked about second options

(on why choosing Curtain) I think Curtain would have made sure SQ's legal name reflected his own, though I also think Curtain-Pedalian would also work because to Curtain it would show that SQ is tied to him, while also reminding him that he was adopted, which seems like something Curtain would do

(on why choosing Benedict) Its the found👏family👏 Except in show canon it is more like legal family but its still found family in my heart because idk they found him in Europe or something

(on why choosing the write-in option: "making up his own name") I think he'd like choosing his own last name :) It could be like the name of a bird or something or Maybe just some passing name he heard and liked. Maybe something silly… Was gonna choose one of the long ones, I enjoy the idea of sq having an egregiously long name. Third choice is Benedict cause I feel like that makes sense

(on options you hate) Washington??? Did sticky adopt him?? I dont understand this one

(NOTE FROM OP: the idea is that Sticky adopts him as a brother, similarly to the joke about Martina forcefully adopting him as a brother. Also, it just felt wrong/kind of mean to include all of the other kids' last names for one reason or another and not his.)

(on why choosing Benedict-Pedalian) his uncle has adopted him but i hc he still wants to keep his last name

For a silly answer I would've chosen All The Last Names, but practically I think Benedict-Curtain is good because he doesn't have to choose between his father and his uncle (I mean I think Curtain is the only one who would like. genuinely care if SQ didn't have his last name, but SQ also doesn't like want to choose between them anyway. I think he'd like going by the hyphenated two last names, he gets to have an attachment to both sides of his family)

Love that we're all generally in agreement here.

11 people said "S.Q. is right but oh well lmao", 1 person said SQ was right, 1 person decided to be chaotic and switch every other instance, one said a variation on the first one for an SQ mullet: serious in the front (S.Q. in fics) and party in the back (SQ on posts). And 1 lonely little guy said "S.Q. is correct ONLY!!"

Pretty much everyone just said they're lazy, in a rush, or extremely sad and small and tired and frail and ohhhhh nooooo. The one chaotic motherfucker literally did just say their reason was "chaos :)" which is iconic. The S.Q. person did not give an explanation.

The majority said "dont care. he is SQ to me" but the second most popular option was just going for Shepard Quaid. Personally, I'm proud of Sugar Qube.

#sq pedalian #sq curtain #sq benedict #im not tagging all those others for now just bc tags are finding #the mysterious benedict society #mbs disney

[crow-in-springtime]

Had this been done yet?

Oh well, now it has

#I wanted to include miss perumal and sq but I had no idea where they would fit 😔 #anyway. gay rights! #mbs #mysterious benedict society #tmbs #the mysterious benedict society #martina crowe #captain phil noland #number two #nicholas benedict #mr benedict #reynie muldoon #ledroptha curtain #mr curtain #rhonda kazembe #milligan wetherall #constance contraire #sticky washington #kate wetherall #jeffers mbs #cannonball #dr garrison #jackson and jillson #ky’s gallery

[magic-swords-art]

mr benedict’s very secret team er, the mysterious benedict society!

some bonus S.Q.’s. gave him a tooth gap for no real reason…it just felt cute and fitting :)

#mysterious benedict society #tmbs #reynie muldoon #kate wetherall #sticky washington #constance contraire #sq pedalian

[mvshortcut]

The Mysterious Benedict Society + dear-ao3 - Part 2 (Prev)

+ Bonus:

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

#the mysterious benedict society #mysterious benedict society #tmbs #constance contraire #sq pedalian #milligan wetherall #ld curtain #kate wetherall #jeffers #jeepers #the greys #reynie muldoon #martina crowe #nicholas benedict

[solreefs]

SQ PEDALIAN AUTISM

#the mysterious benedict society #sq pedalian #that is all. good day. #solreefspeak

[pumpkinthistle]

Milligan and little SQ for @sqenthusiast in the MBS gift exchange: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/mysteriousgiftexchange Thank you so much @acollectionofcuriousreblogs for putting it together, it was a lot of fun and I hope to do it again next year!

#mysterious benedict society #the mysterious benedict society #my art scribbles #mbs fanart #milligan wetherall #S.Q Pedalian #sq pedalian #give sq a better dad 2023

[cptnwynnie]

I am thinking about baby pre-institute SQ... what was his life like.. I need answers.... all I have is doodles

#tmbs #the mysterious benedict society #sq pedalian #my art #fanart #he’s liiike 4 - 6 here #just an absolutely tiny guy

[bi-demon-ium]

#sq curtain #sq pedalian #the mysterious benedict society #mbs disney #mbs #tmbs #s.q. pedalian #s.q. curtain #gert giffer #disneyedit #tvedit #smallscreensource #tvarchive #cinematv #sq #tmbs disney #mysterious benedict society #uh oh boys!!!

[nobodysdaydreams]

One thing that’s been cycling in my brain is the fact that Nicholas’ employees call him “Mr. Benedict” and his daughter (Constance) calls him her “roommate,” but Nathaniel refers to his employees as his friends and his son (SQ) calls him “dad”. I know someone’s (probably?) already brought this up, but the parallels and the irony are too good not to comment on again.

Like, they are both afraid of getting too close to people, but obviously Nicholas can’t stop caring so he uses formal titles to keep the distance and (from his point of view) respect their boundaries, but still shows with his actions that he views them as his family. And then Nathaniel thrives on (or rather depends on) the illusion of closeness/openness, but can never actually be vulnerable in the way that would give him the relationships he claims he has. (Like: SQ doesn’t even know his dad’s real name or at least, he never gives any indication that the does).

#I mean the parallels with the twins are just too good not to comment on #Those that follow my AO3 might be asking themselves wait: #Is that why you had Nathaniel so reluctant to call the SOS his friends… #BUT once he stops acting like a good friend: that’s when he starts getting comfortable with the term? #And the answer to that question is… hm… maybe… #nathaniel benedict #ld curtain #ledroptha curtain #nicholas benedict #constance contraire #sq curtain #sq pedalian #sq benedict #the mysterious benedict society #mysterious benedict society #tmbs #tmbs disney #mbs disney #mbs

[myfairkatiecat]

Oh!! For the Fanfic Sentence Writing Game!

"The chest opened with a loud creak, speaking of years of dust and neglect"

If you want!! I'm excited to see what you'll come up with :>

Thank you for the ask Sophie!! I hope you like what I came up with :)

Fandom: TMBS

The chest opened with a loud creak, speaking of years of dust and neglect. SQ coughed as the dust kicked up, realizing that if this chest had sat here for so long undisturbed, he must be the first person to have entered this room in quite a long time. Peering cautiously in at the contents, SQ saw no clear pattern among the gathered objects: an old pair of mismatched gloves, a small toy ball which seemed in too good condition for its age, suggesting it had rarely ever been used, a small patch of torn plaid fabric that oddly appeared more used than the toy had ever been, an old book with some kind of poorly handwritten title on the front, and an old polaroid photograph depicting two boys who seemed to be slightly younger than he was.

SQ turned the photograph over in his hands, finding writing on the back that read: “Nicholas and Nathaniel Benedict, 10th birthday.” It was the same writing that appeared on the front of the book, which SQ now realized was a journal of sorts. SQ opened up the old and worn pages, too curious to feel guilty, and began to read.

Whoa I didn’t expect myself to love the idea of SQ accidentally stumbling upon his adoptive father’s chest of Old Orphanage Things to Never Be Spoken Of Again until right now. Thanks for the prompt Sophie, I had fun with it! I might have to turn this into a real fic once I finish my many current projects.

If you want to participate in the game, send me an ask with the first line of a fic and I’ll write the next five!

#ask game #the mysterious benedict society #tmbs #tmbs fanfic #sq benedict #sq curtain #the Benedict twins #ld curtain #nathaniel benedict

[sophieswundergarten]

Okay... Going... Going to have coherent thoughts later...

But

Entire MBS Series solely from S.Q. Pedalian's perspective

#I have #Thoughts #And also I am working on a response to your Ask Kaslyn #Just #Too many thing right now #Need to release some of the brain bees #the mysterious benedict society #mbs #sq pedalian

[asexual-juliet]

i’m more than halfway through episode 5 guys what the fuck

#sq pedalian #s.q. pedalian #mbs #the mysterious benedict society #mysterious benedict society

[magic-swords-art]

“You want to do what’s right, and you want to believe that Mr. Curtain is good—but he isn’t, S.Q.! Think about it! What he tells you never feels right, does it?”

“I… well, I don’t…” S.Q. shifted back and forth, clutching at his head.

“We know what it’s like, S.Q.,” Sticky joined in. “Not wanting to be alone, wanting to have a family. We’ve all been there. But you can have that and do what’s right, too. Trust your instincts, S.Q.!”

when a loyal character who’s otherwise a good person but is loyal to the wrong people…ough. hits hard

#TMBS #mysterious benedict society #sq pedalian

[mvshortcut]

Ok everyone tell me in the tags or replies your ideas for mbs post-credit cutscenes. Please I never knew I needed them until now

#I'll go first #SQ at the bottom of a well somewhere #Jackson and Jillson attempting to work retail #Curtain ahem. Encountering Madge while pondering the dance of the celestial orb #Marlon POV waiting outside Curtain's office with the muffled sounds of Stevie Nicks and clapping and shoe squeaks coming from inside #Mr. Benedict going to the farmer's market. that's it. I want to watch him pick out a butternut squash for 3 minutes #the mysterious benedict society #tmbs