#wbw19

Of course, depending on the shot, there are between six and seven ancients, so that’s not much of a dent in the mystery. Granted, as you can see in the clip, there are only seven in the final shot - the implication there being that one was in Pariah’s Keep. The question is, why? Were they a spy or a prisoner? Or perhaps... something worse?

I’d like to introduce you to our next potential Ancient: Fright Knight, the traitor.

Vlad refers to Pariah’s Keep as “home of the Fright Knight, and before that, the Ghost King.” Here he implies that Fright Knight occupied the tower after Pariah was sealed away. Given that Fright Knight himself was eventually sealed away as well, it’s reasonable to assume that he did something awful to warrant it.

It’s worth noting that the Crown of Fire, aside from colour, matches Fright Knight’s aesthetic more than Pariah’s. The legend also shows Fright Knight riding in to present it to Pariah, who does nothing but sit on his throne and wait. This can explain how despite the Ancients taking away the Crown of Fire from Pariah, he is still locked up with it.

It’s also worth noting that Fright Knight and Pariah have very minor struggles for control - when Fright Knight tells the skeletons to act “on my orders” Pariah cuts in, much more forcefully, “on MY orders.” Fright Knight is quick to abandon Pariah for Vlad, and past that, for Dan. 

Fright Knight, for whatever reason, gave Pariah the crown. The other Ancients, for whatever reason, still believed him to be on their side. I don’t have an answer for whether they thought of him a prisoner or a double agent, but they did not consider him a threat. Inevitably, he proved them wrong and was sealed away in a pumpkin.

 For our next two, I’m going to talk about scars

Here’s Pariah, our local tyrant.

Here’s Clockwork, our next Ancient (and a very popular pick for one).

And finally, Nocturne - yes, I know there’s no E at the end of his name. Unfortunately, I do not care. I think it looks so much better with one, so the E stays.

Clockwork is the Master of Time and demonstrates that by constantly shifting ages. It’s not unreasonable for his scar to still be fresh. 

Pariah was locked away. The mark on the eye he still has could still be fresh. But on the eye that matches the other two, as you can see, there’s a faint outline of a scar under the eye patch. It could be a coincidence - or it could be a consequence of turning against the other Ancients.

(it’s worth mentioning here that, obviously, we never see any hint of Fright Knight’s eyes beyond the glowy orbs under his helmet. Who knows what marks or scars he has?)

Now, Nocturne does not have time powers. He was not shoved in a magic box for who knows how long. There is no reason his scar should be fresh.

Clockwork, as he appears in the show, seems to be under contract work with the current judicial, if not full-blown ruling power of the Ghost Zone. If that’s his relationship with the Observants, it could have been the same with Pariah - or maybe it never was. Maybe the Observants pointed their Master of Time at this new ‘Ghost King’ and told Clockwork to get rid of him! Or maybe Pariah and Clockwork were close once, and this was personal. 

And then there’s Nocturne. 

Oh, Nocturne. Why would he be an Ancient? He proclaims himself to be the ghost of sleep - something that is to a blade of grass as the Master of Time is to one of those ancient redwood trees. Nocturne wants to be all-powerful, as he says in Frightmare. Ergo, he wants to become equal in power to Clockwork. He also calls himself the King of Dreams, despite being unable to fight without any dream energy to harvest.

You could say that Nocturne was the true traitor and Fright Knight was in the way - that he helped Pariah, and let Fright Knight take the fall. Or you could say that he wanted to learn from the Ancients who were, as Skulker said, powerful. With Nocturne, there’s a lot of uncertainty - an unfortunate consequence of being a season 3 villain and having most of his episode dedicated to Danny and Sam’s budding romance. Regardless of his intentions, he was the fifth Ancient.

Of course, that still leaves two to reach our final seven. Now, as I mentioned before, Pariah has Nocturne and Clockwork’s scar. He could have been one of them once, and that fact could have been lost to time. But even then, even if we want to consider that, there is still one spot left. Who was the last Ancient?

To that, I say; Fright Knight had to do something particularly awful to be sealed away, and the Frostbite’s people had to be so ecstatic about Danny’s defeat of Pariah for a reason. The last Ancient was a member of the Far Frozen - maybe even the leader before Frostbite.

  Launching myself off the cliffs of Butch Hartman's chin and into the sea of insanity lets make a case for fallen hero Pariah Dark. An idea I see talked about, but never elaborated on. 

    First a foremost, why would Pariah be considered a king and was his name originally Pariah? Pariah is a harsh as fuck name bro. Like your mother naming you scar and calling your brother mufasa levels of harshness. The only thing worse than that is being named abcde. If Pariah was not born with this name, that would mean he would have to earn it from somewhere else. Was he banished? Cast out by other ghost? If so, then why didn’t he return to his birth name after becoming a hero? My theory? He never returned to his birth name because it was no longer his name. 

    For some reason Pariah was cast out of his family or group and left to fend for himself. Maybe he was a normal boy who was a little too headstrong, challenged authority a little too much, and tried to go somewhere he was not ready to be. Maybe he was a prince who tried to overthrow his own father but failed? Maybe he was cast out due to his malevolent ways? Either way, he became a pariah, and that title became him. A myth of an outcast who would rise above it all and become king of a land who once betrayed him. Harden by a world, or a ghost zone where dangers whispered in every corner. A very compelling myth, one that has been heard before. One that was overshadowed by his fall. 

    An outcast who became king, and a king who returned to being an outcast. Trapped in a coffin of forever sleep. 

Regarding halfas staying in one form for too long: I like to think that there are things the human and ghost body need to do that they can’t do when the halfa isn’t in that form. The human body is kept mostly in stasis by the ectoplasm, so there wouldn’t be too many consequences to staying in ghost form for a while (besides really needing to pee). There is a limit for how long you can stay in ghost form before actual harm comes to the human form, but that limit is on the order of tens or hundreds of years. That limit extends greatly when put in a thermos for a long time, because the thermos adds another level of stasis.

When a halfa is in their human form, however, the human form can’t hold the ghost form in stasis. Instead, the ghost form enters sleep mode, turning off everything except nonessential functions and base functions that the human form can call up, like intangibility or invisibility or scary eyes. Because those base functions are there, though, the ghost form can’t be said to be in stasis. It’s just operating at a lower level of power. That’s why the human form experiences ghost hunger, for example.

But ghost hunger only covers the input aspects of the ghost form while in human form. What about the output? Using powers while in human form outputs energy, yes. But what about the output of other molecules and forms of energy that the ghost form doesn’t need, but intakes anyways? How does the ghost form dispose of that waste? In other words, how does the ghost form “pee”?

I like to think that ectoplasm, a form of matter/energy/stuff from a different dimension of dead people and other denizens, is “packaged” as matter and energy that can convert itself freely, usually based on what the core of a ghost wants to do with it. Because of this, ghosts don’t need to expel waste as matter - they can easily do so in the form of energy. That energy often has an electromagnetic component, which is how most humans detect it, and why it’s termed “radiation”; but it also has components that aren’t like energy from our universe. Why should it? It comes from a different dimension with different rules.

And that’s why the human form can’t dispose of the waste energy the ghost form generates. The electromagnetic component alone is dangerous because it could knock molecules out of alignment, causing things like cancer; but the other components are even more dangerous, because the human form is of a world that doesn’t know how to deal with that energy.

Because the human form can’t dispose of the waste, there’s a buildup of waste energy in the ghost form. Going ghost alleviates that buildup - perhaps a reason why the rings are so bright is because the ghost form is unleashing a wave of waste energy. But if a halfa doesn’t go ghost for a while, that waste energy builds and builds until something breaks, and the energy starts leaking out of their core. Think a burst bladder, except it’s the whole ghost form, leaking into the only opening it has. The waste probably plays havoc with a halfa’s ghost form before the burst happens - at the very least, it’s a buildup of energy and matter that the halfa doesn’t need in their body, impeding on the matter and energy that the ghost form does need from doing what the core needs them to do. This would probably result in a slowing down of all functionality in the ghost form, and in the human form trying to do ghost things. The burst is incredibly dangerous, though - it unleashes dangerous energy and matter into the human form, and post-burst, it makes it easier for leaks of ghost energy and waste to happen in the future.

Regarding how ghosts treat the expulsion of waste: I like to think that release of waste energy is treated like farting in the GZ. Everybody does it, and no one really comments on it unless they’re immature or someone unleashed a “loud” (read: more energetic) one. The energy dissipates and is absorbed into surrounding ectoplasm pretty quickly, so it doesn’t really make a huge difference when everyone expels waste at a typically relatively low rate. Everyone glows, so everyone “farts”, and there’s nothing wrong with it.

Clockwork looked unimpressed. “I have a name.”

“That doesn’t matter anymore,” Fright Knight said, “it hasn’t mattered since you turned your back on our king. Stand and face your new master, unless you’d like to spend a few more centuries forgotten in a closet.”

Clockwork gave him a long look before he floated off the ground. He frowned at Vlad, his arms crossed.

“I’ve been told you were created by the Observant Council to monitor time.” Vlad circled Clockwork like a stupid, creepy shark. “Explain that.”

Clockwork didn’t say anything. Vlad whirled around and grabbed Clockwork by his chin, and squeezed his cheeks as he pulled Clockwork closer.

“Don’t forget,” he held up the key, “I hold the power of your core in my hand.” He released Clockwork and went back to circling him. “We can do so much for each other, as long as you do what I say. So make this easier for all of us, Automaton, and just tell me how you work.”

“Clockwork,” Clockwork said. “My name isn’t ‘Automaton.’ It’s Clockwork.”

Vlad scowled for a moment before he lunged forwards and shoved the key into Clockwork’s case. For a second, Clockwork looked shocked, and Vlad whispered something in his ear. Clockwork collapsed, and he didn’t move again.

Vlad snapped his fingers, and Fright Knight came over to help drag Clockwork out of the camera’s view.

After the clip had ended, there had been a moment of silence among the trio. Then Danny had screamed and Sam and Tucker had to convince him that overshadowing the TV would not be a remotely functional way to save Clockwork.

.-.

When Vlad had released Vortex on Amity Park and Danny had to clean up that mess, he’d returned Vortex to the Observants. Not because he wanted to, but because as Tucker had said, if they wanted to help Clockwork they needed to know the enemy territory. Sam and Tucker had covered his suit with a hundred tiny cameras and sent him in. The Observants had welcomed his ‘show of faith in their council’ and been thankful that Danny returned Vortex without them having to lift a finger. He’d taken his time getting to the room the jailer Observant was in, and at the time had been sure he’d gotten a decent map of the place.

Now, he realized he was an idiot.

He was also lost.

The Observatory was one big pretentious maze, and nowhere near as cool as placed named ‘the Observatory’ should be. He hadn’t been caught yet, but he’d also had to turn human and dive through five walls already to avoid Observants in the halls. Even if his map was right originally, he was so far off from it that he might as well burn it for warmth instead. Plus, someone had the bright idea to draw a bunch of eyes on the walls, and that just made Danny paranoid. Every step he took made him hate his stupid plan more.

But for Clockwork’s sake, he kept going.

.-.

It took just under an hour to find the next time in the security footage that Vlad and Fright Knight dragged out Clockwork. Again, they dumped him on the ground, but this time the second Clockwork started to stir Vlad passed the key off to Fright Knight and dropped a metal disk beside him. A domed shield sprung up around Clockwork before he’d even sat up.

“Did you have a nice nap?” Vlad asked, “Perhaps you’ll be willing to be a bit more reasonable now that you’ve rested.”

Clockwork said nothing. He stared at the floor.

“Hm, have you used up all your quips?” Vlad asked, and slowly took a few steps closer to the dome. “How incredibly unfortunate. I was almost hoping you’d make this interesting, but this works just as well.” He glanced at Fright Knight, and on the other side of the screen, Tucker had to hold Danny back from flying into the TV to punch Vlad’s stupid, evil smile right off his face.

“What do you want me to do?” Clockwork sounded so defeated, and Tucker didn’t manage to hold Danny back this time.

They were right; overshadowing the TV did not help.

.-.

An Observant came around the corner.

Danny froze.

The Observant froze.

Danny caught sight of a bright green key in their hand.

“Guards!” The Observant screamed, and Danny coiled his ghostly tail like a spring. The second the Observant looked back at him, he launched himself forwards and switched back to his human form. His hands curled around the key as he passed through the Observant, bending them back, and ripping the key from their shocked fingers with the weight of his entire body. He tucked, rolled, and tried to dive through a wall. The key wouldn’t follow. It wasn’t a real world item.

Uh-oh.

Danny poked his head back into the hallway to see seven furious Observants floating there, glaring at him, and reaching for the key in his hand. 

Danny pointed a finger gun at the nearest one. “Sup?”

“Step out of the wall,” they demanded, and Danny did. “Drop the key.”

Danny switched right back to his ghost form and took a deep breath in. If we was going to be caught anyway, he might as well go out in style. “NO!”

.-.

After they had, er, ‘fixed’ Danny’s attempt to overshadow the TV, Tucker found where they’d left off.

Vlad had smirked, leaning in towards Clockwork like the jerk he was. “Very good! And they say old technology is obsolete. Now, I’ve been told you have time powers?”

Danny expected a sarcastic comment, something along the lines of ‘my name is Clockwork. No, I have space powers.’ Failing that, a glare. All he got was Clockwork giving Fright Knight an anxious glance.

“That’s right,” Clockwork said.

“Can you travel through it?”

Clockwork was silent for a second. “I’ll... need to make a portal - a mirror. It’ll take some time. But yes.”

“Can you take people with you?”

Clockwork glanced at Fright Knight again. “...It’ll take a bit longer. But yes.”

“Good,” Vlad said. He sounded exactly like the smarmy dick they all knew he was. Sam whacked Danny with a pillow when he stood up, ready to fight the TV once again.

On the screen, Vlad continued. “Get started on that then. Don’t try and leave this lab.”

Clockwork’s lip twitched in the faintest trace of annoyance. “I can’t just do it,” he said. His voice was carefully neutral. “I need tools. And a work space.”

“Of course you do,” Vlad said, and stepped away from Clockwork. He turned towards Fright Knight, and Clockwork looked down.

They hadn’t skipped a section of the footage, they’d made sure of that. Besides, Vlad was still in the same pose. It was Fright Knight and Clockwork who had changed positions. Halfway across the lab now, they were both engaged in a vicious tug-of-war over the key. The footage of Vlad whipped around to face them as Fright Knight brought up his knee and smashed it into Clockwork’s case. Glass shattering pierced the poor quality audio, and on the other side of the screen, the trio’s excited whoops turned to terrified screams.

Clockwork was knocked back, into a bench at an angle that looked like it had nearly broken him in half, and he fell to the floor in a lump. But he had the key in his hand. 

Fright Knight bent down as Vlad ran over, spitting Russian curses as he reached their side. Fright Knight’s fingers grazed the key, and Clockwork pulled it under his broken form.

“Y-you,” Clockwork’s voice caught and dragged. Some syllables he struggled with. Others stretched out for far too long, or were distorted to the point they barely sounded like anything but clicking and grinding. Despite the trio’s best effort, they barely managed to translate any of what he said. “N-n-no. This - it’s -it’s mine. Minemineminemine -” Clockwork jerked with a gasp, and the words stopped.

Vlad switched to his ghost form and smacked Fright Knight. “You’ve broken it!”

“It just needs to be rewound,” he kicked a shard, “and that case replaced. If you’re as smart as you say, that should be easy.” He kicked Clockwork aside now, and reached for the key once more.

It was then that perhaps twenty Observants all appeared in Vlad’s lab.

On the footage, Vlad screamed. Danny would have enjoyed his fear, it it wasn’t for the fact that he’d just watched someone he considered a friend being seriously assaulted. None of the trio took any joy from Vlad’s fear as he backed up, hands raised. Fright Knight followed suit. He hadn’t managed to grab the key. That was still on the ground next to the beat, broken, unmoving form of the Master of Time. 

“Observant High Council,” Vlad said, trying to regain all the control over this mess that he’d lost the moment he screamed. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

One Observant grabbed the key. Another two carelessly lifted Clockwork off the floor by his arms. Clockwork’s limp head lulled forwards as they pulled him up.

“Excuse me,” Vlad started, “I believe that’s mine -”

“You are charged with damaging property belonging to the Observant High Council.” Five of them said at once, “What is your plea?”

“Wha- that’s yours?” Vlad tried to regain his composure. He turned to Fright Knight as a furious snarl began to climb up his features. “My apologies. I was unaware. Of course I would have returned it to you if I had been informed -”

“Be silent,” an Observant said, and miraculously, Vlad shut up. “Do not push the blame for your actions onto another. What is your plea?”

“Again, my apologies,” Vlad said. “I have done nothing wrong, I merely wished to understand this strange automaton. If I had known of your ties to it -”

“So you are guilty?” The one holding the key interrupted.

“I have not -” Vlad didn’t get to finish his sentence. The Observants raised their hands, and everyone in the lab disappeared. All that was left was a long, green stain where Clockwork had laid, many shards of broken glass, and a few small gears. After a day of empty footage, an Observant appeared to collect them.

The next time Vlad was seen in his lab was nearly three weeks later. He came through his portal frazzled, furious, and alone.

.-.

The trio didn’t know a lot about Clockwork. Danny knew the most, and from that he knew he couldn’t just show up and say “hey, I know about you potentially being a robot or something? Just wanted to say I’m totally cool with it.” Not only would Clockwork freak out at him, but that wouldn’t solve anything. 

It was difficult to tell how that evolved into ‘let’s rob the ruling power of the Ghost Zone’ but there had been a few common themes. All this had taken place before Danny and Clockwork met, and Clockwork had been repaired by then. He’d had his own, albeit tiny, place. Danny had never seen Clockwork and the Observants together, but from the way Clockwork talked about them he definitely didn’t like them. 

Everyone had been calling Clockwork ‘it,’ like they were just some thing. Vlad had said the Observants created them, and they’d called him ‘their property.’ They hadn’t handled him like they were worried about hurting him worse. Fright Knight had told Clockwork to listen to Vlad unless he wanted to be forgotten in a closet for a few more centuries.

It hadn’t been a decision, really. They’d pooled everything they’d learned together, and the trio knew without a doubt that none of them would be another person who treated Clockwork like garbage. They were going to help him, no matter what.

No matter what.

.-.

Danny dropped to his knees and his human form. Injured Observants had been blasted through the walls that had been caught in his wail, and an alarm blared in the distance. He glanced down at his hands; the key was still clasped tight enough in his left hand that his knuckles had turned white.

He’d gotten caught. They’d know he’d stolen the key. Danny would have a warrant out for his arrest long before he got to Clockwork’s - if he even got out. If they didn’t catch him first. But Danny had the key, and the second he got to the tower it would stay with Clockwork, right where it belonged.

Clockwork had saved his life, and now Danny was going to return the favour. He was going to do this. He was going to get out, get to Clockwork’s, and save his friend. He was going to do it.