A theory about Merv
I have a theory about Mervyn Pumpkinhead. I’d say it’s a headcanon but it’s more a theory.
According to the tale of Stingy Jack (the origin of the jack-o-Lantern) we carve Jack-o-lanterns to drive away old Jack and other wandering ghosts. The Jack-o-lantern is a protection ward against supernatural threats from entering your home.
One superstition has it that if you blow out the Jack-o-lantern before midnight on Halloween you invite evil spirits to enter your home for the entire year. It’s only safe to blow it out after midnight.
Another superstition is if you let the Jack-o-lantern burn out naturally you invite good luck for the entire year and have warded your home against evil for the full year. It is especially good luck if it manages to burn until after sunrise.
In The House with a clock in its walls Pumpkin Jack-o-lanterns are used as protection wards all year long.
Jack-o-lanterns, at their heart, are symbols of protection. Now, because we see Mervyn as a Mervyn Turniphead in The Sandman story The Tempest, it’s very clear that his Jack-o-lantern head isn’t just for the aesthetic. In his Turnip form, that is an old school Irish Jack-o-lantern. That is a pre-Halloween decoration (use for any time of year) Protection symbol against supernatural threats.
So even in present day when Mervyn has a modern Pumpkin Jack-o-lantern head, Mervyn is a walking, talking, protection ward against supernatural threats. He’s not just the groundskeeper or janitor. He’s a line of defense.
This does explain why Mervyn stands up to The Furies (The Kindly Ones) the way he does.
And this is also one of the many reasons I, myself, love Jack-o-lanterns. They aren’t just symbols of Halloween. They are kind of comforting in their protective light.
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no idea where this would go, truly just wanted to make the title card
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can somebody please get lucienne a raise. please (yeah they’re playing uno instead of working)
( + i bet on losing dogs.mp3)
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Corinthian recognized Fiddler’s green on pure vibes and vibes alone
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Hi! If you’re still accepting Meowpheus requests, would you consider using the below post as inspiration for Meowpheus in the Dreaming, maybe with Lucienne or Mervyn?
Happy Meowpheus Monday! (Sorry it took so long for me to get to this one 💛✨)
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can you guess what my fav type of char is
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For people who thought Merv was CG, he’s actually mostly practical.
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