._. What? No, I don’t mean the 8th president of the United States, Martin Van Buren, thank you very much.
I’m talking about Poptropica’s upcoming character for Survival, Van Buren, his household, and a prediction as to what may be coming up in this island.
Okay, let’s start by looking at some Daily Pops…
There are a few more Daily Pops, but these are the major ones. From these, I can determine the following:
Van Buren seems to be a big game hunter who just so happened to take residence in the same woods that you and your blimp crashed on. He seems to be pretty talented at his sport. He’s even rich to have a cook with him and own a nice log cabin and all.
However, I have the strangest comparison that’ll not give this character a good name:
Van Buren kinda reminds me of General Zaroff.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: Who the heck is General Zaroff? Well, he was a rich and essentric Cossack hunter who took up residence on the island another hunter named Rainsford ended up washing up on in the 1924 short story, “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell. Zaroff has a bulky servant named Ivan as well. Zaroff shows Rainsford his achievements in the hunting buisness, but lends him on with a dark secret: he had grown bored of hunting ordinary animals and decided to go bigger, to hunt the most dangerous game that comes to his island, and the only animal that can reason: humans.
He offers Rainsford to join him in his hunting, but he refuses. Zaroff tells him of the game he plays with whoever comes to this island, where the victims have to go around and gather supplies, and most importantly, not get killed by Zaroff, Ivan, or his hounds. Rainsford, desperate to get out of this island, makes a deal with Zaroff: He will be the next person to take part in Zaroff’s game for three days. If he wins, Zaroff lets him go, and if he dies… well, he dies. If you want to read it, here’s the full story.
I noticed that both Zaroff and Van Buren have a stocky-looking servant- Van Buren with that chef and Zaroff with Ivan. They’re both well-accomplished hunters. Although I doubt Van Buren would follow Zaroff’s man-hunting ways since this is a kid’s game, it doesn’t stop him from having the ability to be villainous in another way… (although I have no idea why the heck the stand-in looks like a corpse in the “Hot Stove” Daily Pop).
We know well of the binoculars that spied on us at the end of Crash Landing. We know well that the Distress Signal’s description warns to “beware of who might be listening”. Well, no matter what Van Buren’s goal is, I have a feeling it won’t be good. Besides, sleeping with a dagger underneath your pillow sounds rather uncomfortable.
BT out…
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Cool! So far I’m really liking Survival. I just like the overall mood of the island. 🙂
The cut scene at the end of distress signal was kind of cool. Our characters were all “yay, we’ve been rescued! But umm… Who r u????”
That’s kind of creepy… but cool at the same time
.-.
Is it weird that when I was reading this post I also compared Van Buren to General Zaroff before I reached that part. We took that story this year actually but like in october of 2013
I also read the short story for school- last school year actually.
Hey brave tomato! I read the book, but to me, it was a bit… Ummmmmmmmm…. Not time period recognise-y. For example, it seemed like the second day by the time the story had ended. ☺
I read it a couple years ago; it was kind of long for a “short” story, heh. c: Great post, BT! 😀 The next installments of Survival should be interesting…
I thought that as well!!! The Most Dangerous Game is my favorite short story!
So cool! 😀
Wow! Great post BT!
Can’t wait to try out this island! ~Tikal
Whoa. 😮
Awesome!
I thought you were talking about the 8th president when I read the title XD
These are some very interesting Daily Pops. :3
The chef looks creepy
Anyway nice discovery BT!
The chef is all like: Have some soup, Honey
I understood your General Zaroff reference, hence making me feel cool
Hey, BT, you were able to make it to the end of this post without a pun! 😎
we hardly know him, he could be an ax murderer
Oh gosh, reading episode 4’s desc. and this theory, I AM FREAKED OUT!
According to google translate, the latin on the crest translates to “Strength tests dates.” when each word is put in separately and “Possesses the power to attempt.” when together. Both sound villainous to me.
I doubt that they are the same island but has anyone been wondering about the Unmasked Daily Pop that appeared a little while ago and what that island might be like? It just seems interesting to me.
I was reading “The Most Dangerous Game” for my English class and I also noticed the similarities that’s why I searched this up.