Over the Garden Wall is one of the most beautifully crafted cartoons of the modern era. This haunting, whimsical miniseries follows brothers Wirt and Greg as they journey through a magical forest called the Unknown Along the way, they encounter all sorts of delightful and strange characters But one of the most iconic and memorable is a talking turkey simply named Turkey. Let’s take a deeper look at this unique character.
Turkey’s Key Characteristics
Turkey displays several defining traits over the course of the series:
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Gruff, cantankerous personality. Turkey always seems annoyed or angry. He makes sarcastic comments and insults the other characters.
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Nervous energy Turkey often seems anxious and jittery. His movements are quick and erratic He has a tendency to panic in stressful situations.
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Questionable intelligence. Turkey often misunderstands situations completely. He fails to pick up on social cues and communicates oddly.
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Defensive stubbornness. If challenged Turkey digs in his heels. He refuses to admit fault or back down even if proven wrong.
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Hidden wisdom. Though he acts dense, Turkey occasionally shows surprising insight. He dispenses nuggets of wisdom in unexpected moments.
The combination of Turkey’s quirky traits makes him an incredibly distinct, memorable character. Though initially grating, he grows on viewers over the course of the series.
Turkey’s Backstory
Turkey’s backstory is left purposefully vague. A few clues are provided about his origins:
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He was a tea kettle that was somehow transformed into a living turkey. It’s unclear how or why this happened.
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He claims to have been a church minister at some point. Turkey seems to have had an eventful life before Wirt and Greg met him.
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He apparently made some “questionable life choices” in the past. Turkey hints at a dark history but never reveals specifics.
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He has an adversarial relationship with the Beast who rules the Unknown. Their history together is murky but fraught.
The lack of a definitive backstory adds to Turkey’s mystique. It gives viewers plenty of room to imagine where he came from and how he became the strange creature he is now.
Turkey’s Relationships with Other Characters
Turkey has a distinct dynamic with each of the main characters:
Wirt – He considers Wirt uptight and abrasive. The two argue constantly, aggravated by each other’s personalities. But they develop an almost brotherly bond over time.
Greg – Greg is amused by Turkey’s eccentricities. They have a warm, affectionate relationship. Greg nicknames him “Mr. Turkey” and frequently hugs him.
Beatrice – Beatrice acts dismissive and cold toward Turkey. She calls him moronic and bullies him frequently. Turkey takes pleasure in taunting her in return.
The Beast – Turkey has a visceral hatred of the Beast. He refers to the Beast as “foul creature” and becomes fearful when he’s near. Their adversarial history is murky.
Jason Funderburker (the frog) – He is one of the few characters Turkey never insults, for unknown reasons. Turkey seems to have a soft spot for Jason Funderburker.
Turkey’s Symbolic Significance
Like many elements in Over the Garden Wall, Turkey is ripe with symbolic meaning:
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He represents the stubbornness of human nature. Turkey clings obstinately to his worldview, refusing to consider other perspectives.
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He embodies neurotic anxiety. Turkey’s constant fretting and worrying mirrors the inner turmoil many people face.
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He signifies the loneliness of being an outsider. Turkey’s abrasiveness likely conceals a sad loneliness.
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He shows the possibility of redemption. Despite Turkey’s flaws, he ultimately chooses right over wrong.
Turkey acts as a flawed mirror for viewers. Different aspects of his personality reflect back both the virtues and flaws of human nature.
Turkey’s Heroic Sacrifice
In a pivotal moment near the end of the series, Turkey makes a heroic sacrifice to save Wirt and Greg. When the boys are trapped in a massive hole, Turkey and Beatrice work together to pull them out using a rope.
However, the Beast arrives and tries to stop them. In an astoundingly selfless moment, Turkey lets go of the rope and attacks the Beast head-on. This delaying tactic allows Wirt and Greg to finally escape.
This act shows enormous growth for the character. Turkey overcomes his many flaws and puts others before himself, paying the ultimate price. It’s one of the most heroic, unexpected moments in the series.
The Enduring Popularity of Turkey
For such a short-lived character, Turkey has developed a remarkably loyal, passionate fanbase. People continue to make fanart depicting Turkey long after the series ended. He’s inspired lively discussions analyzing the meaning behind his character.
There are several factors that contribute to Turkey’s enduring popularity:
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His hilarious angry outbursts and insults that fans love to quote.
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The mystery surrounding his origins and backstory.
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The surprisingly profound moments when his wisdom shows through.
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His poignant sacrificial end that gave the character purpose.
For all these reasons and more, Turkey resonated deeply with viewers. He became far more than just comic relief and left an indelible mark on the show’s legacy.
Over the Garden Wall was a beautifully crafted, evocative series containing many whimsical characters. But Turkey stood out as one of the most iconic and memorable of them all. His complexity, contradictions, and ultimate heroism made him an integral part of what made the show so special. Turkey exemplified how even the strangest characters can touch our hearts and speak profound truth about the human experience.
C’est justement à ça que l’application sert.
Also, why was there a turkey slouched over the table in this house? That wasn’t really explained, and it’s kind of creepy.
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*If it wasn’t clear, spoilers for Over the Garden Wall.*
We know very little about Wirt’s dad. We only know that Wirt’s mom got married again and had Greg with someone else. Wirt also doesn’t get along well with his stepdad. It could be that Wirt’s mom divorced her husband, but it’s also possible that he passed away. Wirt’s thoughts on life and death would have changed a lot if he did, which would have affected his choices and feelings while he was in the unknown. (I should clarify that I view the Unknown as some sort of purgatory/grey area between life and death. People who live in the Unknown are not ready to move on to the next stage of the afterlife, whatever it may be. But let’s go one step further with this idea: what if Wirt’s dad is one of the ghosts we meet in the Unknown?
For this to be true, we have to believe that some people’s personalities and looks change a little when they go into the unknown. I don’t think this is an unreasonable assumption. Take Miss Langtree, for example. I doubt that when she was alive she had a fixation on teaching animals the alphabet. It seems like your perception of reality changes when you’re a resident of the Unknown for long enough. I don’t think the residents of the Unknown know that they are dead (or something close to it). It’s also likely that they look different, because if they didn’t, Wirt would have known his dad right away if he saw him.
Let’s go back Miss Langtree. In the event that she didn’t really run an animal school while she was alive, I believe that the school represents a problem she did have while she was alive. Something like, “She spent her whole life trying to help children but couldn’t connect with them to help,” which must have been very painful for her. But I don’t want to talk about Langtree. I just wanted to show that someone’s struggles in the unknown could be a reflection of the problems they didn’t solve before they died.
My theory is that The Woodsman is actually Wirt’s dad, and his problems with his daughter are meant to show how he feels about dying and leaving Wirt.
I think Wirt’s dad died suddenly. If that’s the case, he would have left behind his wife and young son. He knew that Wirt would have a hard time for years after his death because of how badly he felt about his death. Wirt’s dad felt guilty and scared to leave his son alone. He went to the Unknown because he isn’t ready to let go of his life. He feels guilty about his own death and like he should have done more for his son than he did.
His conflict is represented in the unknown through the Woodsman’s daughter. Even though the Woodsman never sees his daughter, he works nonstop to take care of her and keep her lantern lit so that her spirit can live on. This is Wirt’s dad (subconsciously) attempting to make up for the damage he thinks that he caused Wirt. When OTGW reaches its conclusion, both Wirt and the Woodsman reach a sort of peace. The Woodsman realizes that he can’t keep working hard for his daughter. This is supposed to be Wirt’s dad realizing that he can’t keep thinking about what his death did to Wirt and what he could have done for Wirt if he hadn’t died. Finally at peace with himself, the Woodsman, aka Wirt’s dad, is able to move on from the Unknown.
Is this theory a stretch? Oh, it’s a huge stretch. I think anything is possible, though, because Over the Garden Wall leaves so much open at the end. Also, Wirt’s dad’s death would have affected his choices in the Unknown, even if the Woodsman is just the Woodsman. I think it’s an interesting idea to think and theorize about.
*If it wasn’t clear, spoilers for Over the Garden Wall.*
We know very little about Wirt’s dad. We only know that Wirt’s mom got married again and had Greg with someone else. Wirt also doesn’t get along well with his stepdad. It could be that Wirt’s mom divorced her husband, but it’s also possible that he passed away. Wirt’s thoughts on life and death would have changed a lot if he did, which would have affected his choices and feelings while he was in the unknown. (I should clarify that I view the Unknown as some sort of purgatory/grey area between life and death. People who live in the Unknown are not ready to move on to the next stage of the afterlife, whatever it may be. But let’s go one step further with this idea: what if Wirt’s dad is one of the ghosts we meet in the Unknown?
For this to be true, we have to believe that some people’s personalities and looks change a little when they go into the unknown. I don’t think this is an unreasonable assumption. Take Miss Langtree, for example. I doubt that when she was alive she had a fixation on teaching animals the alphabet. It seems like your perception of reality changes when you’re a resident of the Unknown for long enough. I don’t think the residents of the Unknown know that they are dead (or something close to it). It’s also likely that they look different, because if they didn’t, Wirt would have known his dad right away if he saw him.
Let’s go back Miss Langtree. In the event that she didn’t really run an animal school while she was alive, I believe that the school represents a problem she did have while she was alive. Something like, “She spent her whole life trying to help children but couldn’t connect with them to help,” which must have been very painful for her. But I don’t want to talk about Langtree. I just wanted to show that someone’s struggles in the unknown could be a reflection of the problems they didn’t solve before they died.
My theory is that The Woodsman is actually Wirt’s dad, and his problems with his daughter are meant to show how he feels about dying and leaving Wirt.
I think Wirt’s dad died suddenly. If that’s the case, he would have left behind his wife and young son. He knew that Wirt would have a hard time for years after his death because of how badly he felt about his death. Wirt’s dad felt guilty and scared to leave his son alone. He went to the Unknown because he isn’t ready to let go of his life. He feels guilty about his own death and like he should have done more for his son than he did.
His conflict is represented in the unknown through the Woodsman’s daughter. Even though the Woodsman never sees his daughter, he works nonstop to take care of her and keep her lantern lit so that her spirit can live on. This is Wirt’s dad (subconsciously) attempting to make up for the damage he thinks that he caused Wirt. When OTGW reaches its conclusion, both Wirt and the Woodsman reach a sort of peace. The Woodsman realizes that he can’t keep working hard for his daughter. This is supposed to be Wirt’s dad realizing that he can’t keep thinking about what his death did to Wirt and what he could have done for Wirt if he hadn’t died. Finally at peace with himself, the Woodsman, aka Wirt’s dad, is able to move on from the Unknown.
Is this theory a stretch? Oh, it’s a huge stretch. I think anything is possible, though, because Over the Garden Wall leaves so much open at the end. Also, Wirt’s dad’s death would have affected his choices in the Unknown, even if the Woodsman is just the Woodsman. I think it’s an interesting idea to think and theorize about.
Anonyme asked:
so how do you rate the ship pinescone?
There are things I really like about Pinescone. (For anyone who doesn’t know, that’s Dipper from Gravity Falls and Wirt from Over the Garden Wall. They get along great with each other, and even though they both worry about everything all the time, I can see them calming each other down when they start to freak out, which is so cute. They would do all kinds of fun things together, and I would definitely watch a show with them on it. I don’t personally ship Pinescone, but I like to imagine the two being really good friends.
the otgw shitpost of shitposts.
I WASN;T FU CKING READY
I literally did a slow clap alone in my room. I couldn’t NOT reblog this.
Over The Garden Wall – Turkey
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