The anatomy of a friend: a discussion thread

[LaBlooGirl]

Originally Posted by evilhopscotch

ok, here we go.


Now, anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE analyzing the everloving CRAP out of shows/movies/whatever, and Foster's is no exception. I have thought extensively about what life must be like for your everyday ordinary friend, and have come up with a slew of questions that I want some opinions on.

Upon reading the forum archives, it seems a few of these questions have come up before, but weren't really gone into detail for.

Here we go!!

1. The big one: How are they created?

This is NEVER explained. The wacky guy in "My so-called wife" hit it right on the head: if they're IMAGINARY friends, why aren't they invisible? (and why are all the invisible friends so RUDE? ) What is so different about the brains and imaginations of the children and teenagers in the Foster's universe that allows the creation of such friends??

2. Can adults create friends?

Most people will automatically say no, it's strictly for children and the occasional teenager. But Harvey was mentioned in one of the episodes. He was CLEARLY the "creation" of a fully grown man. And if adults CAN make friends, would they really love them? Or would they selfishly make friends only for chores and nothing else?

and on that note....

3. Do the Handy friends know what love is?

Does it bother them that they were made just for one purpose? Like Scissors, or Poindexter, or Handy, or the Mop and the Bucket, or Camera from "One wrong Movie"? It's pretty obvious that the kids who made them didn't care for them outside of their usefulness, with the major exception of WILT. His kid adored him, but he's not a "true" Handy friend.

4. What makes a "true" handy/protector/mischief/whatever friend? and what are all the types?

There seem to be some clear, defined classifications of friends, and then there are those that cross over into different categories. For example: take Bendy and Bloo. Both love causing chaos, but Bloo is not a true mischief friend because he has so many other sides to him, as opposed to Bendy.

5. Can friends marry each other/can they marry humans?

This is another big one, and the eternal burden of the Frankie/Wilt shippers. It's hinted that friends can, indeed, marry, but we never see any real examples of any kind of marital relationship with ANYONE in the show, so it's up in the air. It's clear that friends can have crushes on humans, and each other, so the ability to love and be loved in return is there. But is marriage legal for friends?

6. CAN FRIENDS DISAPPEAR?

Possibly the biggest question I have thought about, and the one that intruiges me the most. It became clear that friends do NOT disappear if their child dies, as evidenced in "Imposter's home for make-
em-up pals", but what if the kid forgets about the friend altogether? Would they live on? Possibly. And can friends die? someone once said that you can't kill a good idea, and that's what friends are technically, but they're "human" enough to experience pain and sorrow, so can they die?

7. Do you like cereal?


That should be enough for now. Start debating people!! Share your thoughts and ideas, and questions of your own!!

1.Good question, but seeing as how sometimes I can so vividly imagine something that it almost seems to come to life...well, in the Foster's universe, apparently this can actually happen. Also they seem to appear when great need arises. Mac needed a friend, Wilt's creator needed someone to teach him basketball, Coco was needed by a girl stranded on an island....hence that kind of situation helped the creation along.

2. I like to think that in general no, but if an adult has a very active imagination or an "inner child", they certainly can.

3. I think it's quite possible some Imaginaries receive no love at all, and are simply used for convenience. Not nice to think about, but probably true to some extent.

4. What makes an Imaginary Friend a certain "type", again, depends on what the need of a child is. Go back to question 1's answer. lol

5. Of course they CAN. The question is, would they? When love is strong enough, it knows no bounds....so of course, silly. However it's never really clearly defined in the show whether this goes on or not, and I doubt it ever will.

6. No, if they become true living beings, they don't just disappear. We humans don't disappear when we die, do we? I think they live on, but for how long is anyone's guess.

7. Hell yeah. And I particularly have a weakness for Frosted Flakes. Yummm....

[Cassini90125]

Originally Posted by LaBlooGirl

3. I think it's quite possible some Imaginaries receive no love at all, and are simply used for convenience. Not nice to think about, but probably true to some extent.

Just like in real life.

[pitbulllady]

Originally Posted by Cassini90125

Just like in real life.

Very good, yet sad-point, Cassini. I know from having taught school for 20 years that there are many, many children brought into this world in home environments totally devoid of love. They are sometimes simply by-products of their parents' uncontrolled urges, and other times they are actually conceived for the purpose of financial gain for the parent. I've actually had kids tell me that they KNOW their mother only had them so she could collect a govenment check-what must it be like going through life knowing that is the only reason you were born? The more I think about, the more alike the Imaginary Friends of the Foster's Universe and humans in our world are the same.

On the topic of IF's marrying each other, or humans, though-in "My So-Called Wife", no one so much as batted an eyelash at the notion of Coco and Mr. Herriman being married. Indeed, Herriman thought it would make a much better impression on his host if everyone thought that he had a wife, so there does not appear to be any legal restrictions, or societal ones, against two IF's marrying. The original Imaginary flea couple in "Land of the Flea" were apparently married, and definately were fruitful and multiplied! While the show has never really covered the issue of whether an Imaginary Friend and a human can marry or at least have an intimate relationship, it's never been stated or implied that they can't, either. Mac did not express any shock or disgust when Frankie told him that she and Wilt and gone to the prom, although I have to give credit to this kid for being as bright and open-minded as he is. Mac doesn't seem to be all that concerned about what society or the elusive "THEY" think.

pitbulllady

[Ub3rD4n]

"1. The big one: How are they created?

This is NEVER explained. The wacky guy in "My so-called wife" hit it right on the head: if they're IMAGINARY friends, why aren't they invisible? (and why are all the invisible friends so RUDE? ) What is so different about the brains and imaginations of the children and teenagers in the Foster's universe that allows the creation of such friends??

2. Can adults create friends?

Most people will automatically say no, it's strictly for children and the occasional teenager. But Harvey was mentioned in one of the episodes. He was CLEARLY the "creation" of a fully grown man. And if adults CAN make friends, would they really love them? Or would they selfishly make friends only for chores and nothing else?

and on that note....

3. Do the Handy friends know what love is?

Does it bother them that they were made just for one purpose? Like Scissors, or Poindexter, or Handy, or the Mop and the Bucket, or Camera from "One wrong Movie"? It's pretty obvious that the kids who made them didn't care for them outside of their usefulness, with the major exception of WILT. His kid adored him, but he's not a "true" Handy friend.

4. What makes a "true" handy/protector/mischief/whatever friend? and what are all the types?

There seem to be some clear, defined classifications of friends, and then there are those that cross over into different categories. For example: take Bendy and Bloo. Both love causing chaos, but Bloo is not a true mischief friend because he has so many other sides to him, as opposed to Bendy.

5. Can friends marry each other/can they marry humans?

This is another big one, and the eternal burden of the Frankie/Wilt shippers. It's hinted that friends can, indeed, marry, but we never see any real examples of any kind of marital relationship with ANYONE in the show, so it's up in the air. It's clear that friends can have crushes on humans, and each other, so the ability to love and be loved in return is there. But is marriage legal for friends?

6. CAN FRIENDS DISAPPEAR?

Possibly the biggest question I have thought about, and the one that intruiges me the most. It became clear that friends do NOT disappear if their child dies, as evidenced in "Imposter's home for make-
em-up pals", but what if the kid forgets about the friend altogether? Would they live on? Possibly. And can friends die? someone once said that you can't kill a good idea, and that's what friends are technically, but they're "human" enough to experience pain and sorrow, so can they die?

7. Do you like cereal? "

Aaaaaaall righty then....

I don't think I can answer #1. Except to say that there's something special about kids minds, as opposed to those who have to adjust to the real world, which incidentally is in common with ALL imaginary freinds. Although I always beleived that those who are determined as "kids" are those who are kids at heart.

I think that most handy friends can be perhaps more accurately labelled as "gimmicky" friends, since they are made to be a child's friend AND be able to cut stuff, calculate, etc. I always saw Poindexter as coming from a loving home.

I thnk the types (used for broad categorisation and not finite or discrete) are:
-Regular freinds (made only to be a friend to the creator, nothing else) eg: Duchess, Bowling Paul
-"Handy" friends (made to be a friend and also perform other useful duties) eg: Ivan, Wilt
-Mischevious friends (made to express sides of a person they are unable to do themselves) eg: Bloo, Bendy
-Protector freinds (made to be a friend and also (duh) protect their creator) eg: Eduardo
-Random thoughts (knida unintentional, made up by random thinking) eg: Charlie Chickenleg, just about all of Goo's imaginary friends

I dunno if friends can feel any stronger emotions of that kind than a crush (Beryy, anyone?), what with being intrinsically juvenille (yeah, they are, but that's a rant for another post). But I see no prolems with it. Except marrying humans, that's just wrong.

I don't think IFs just dissappear (thus the fullness of Fosters), but can die. They just don't show it, cause it's a kid's show. Of course, most IFs (Wilt being a notable exception) can withstand unusual amounts of damage with no probs eg: being blown up, falling seven floors onto hard ground, etc.

I'm more of a toast man m'self.

[pitbulllady]

Originally Posted by Ub3rD4n

"1. The big one: How are they created?

This is NEVER explained. The wacky guy in "My so-called wife" hit it right on the head: if they're IMAGINARY friends, why aren't they invisible? (and why are all the invisible friends so RUDE? ) What is so different about the brains and imaginations of the children and teenagers in the Foster's universe that allows the creation of such friends??

2. Can adults create friends?

Most people will automatically say no, it's strictly for children and the occasional teenager. But Harvey was mentioned in one of the episodes. He was CLEARLY the "creation" of a fully grown man. And if adults CAN make friends, would they really love them? Or would they selfishly make friends only for chores and nothing else?

and on that note....

3. Do the Handy friends know what love is?

Does it bother them that they were made just for one purpose? Like Scissors, or Poindexter, or Handy, or the Mop and the Bucket, or Camera from "One wrong Movie"? It's pretty obvious that the kids who made them didn't care for them outside of their usefulness, with the major exception of WILT. His kid adored him, but he's not a "true" Handy friend.

4. What makes a "true" handy/protector/mischief/whatever friend? and what are all the types?

There seem to be some clear, defined classifications of friends, and then there are those that cross over into different categories. For example: take Bendy and Bloo. Both love causing chaos, but Bloo is not a true mischief friend because he has so many other sides to him, as opposed to Bendy.

5. Can friends marry each other/can they marry humans?

This is another big one, and the eternal burden of the Frankie/Wilt shippers. It's hinted that friends can, indeed, marry, but we never see any real examples of any kind of marital relationship with ANYONE in the show, so it's up in the air. It's clear that friends can have crushes on humans, and each other, so the ability to love and be loved in return is there. But is marriage legal for friends?

6. CAN FRIENDS DISAPPEAR?

Possibly the biggest question I have thought about, and the one that intruiges me the most. It became clear that friends do NOT disappear if their child dies, as evidenced in "Imposter's home for make-
em-up pals", but what if the kid forgets about the friend altogether? Would they live on? Possibly. And can friends die? someone once said that you can't kill a good idea, and that's what friends are technically, but they're "human" enough to experience pain and sorrow, so can they die?

7. Do you like cereal? "

Aaaaaaall righty then....

I don't think I can answer #1. Except to say that there's something special about kids minds, as opposed to those who have to adjust to the real world, which incidentally is in common with ALL imaginary freinds. Although I always beleived that those who are determined as "kids" are those who are kids at heart.

I think that most handy friends can be perhaps more accurately labelled as "gimmicky" friends, since they are made to be a child's friend AND be able to cut stuff, calculate, etc. I always saw Poindexter as coming from a loving home.

I thnk the types (used for broad categorisation and not finite or discrete) are:
-Regular freinds (made only to be a friend to the creator, nothing else) eg: Duchess, Bowling Paul
-"Handy" friends (made to be a friend and also perform other useful duties) eg: Ivan, Wilt
-Mischevious friends (made to express sides of a person they are unable to do themselves) eg: Bloo, Bendy
-Protector freinds (made to be a friend and also (duh) protect their creator) eg: Eduardo
-Random thoughts (knida unintentional, made up by random thinking) eg: Charlie Chickenleg, just about all of Goo's imaginary friends

I dunno if friends can feel any stronger emotions of that kind than a crush (Beryy, anyone?), what with being intrinsically juvenille (yeah, they are, but that's a rant for another post). But I see no prolems with it. Except marrying humans, that's just wrong.

I don't think IFs just dissappear (thus the fullness of Fosters), but can die. They just don't show it, cause it's a kid's show. Of course, most IFs (Wilt being a notable exception) can withstand unusual amounts of damage with no probs eg: being blown up, falling seven floors onto hard ground, etc.

I'm more of a toast man m'self.

I guess I'm gonna have to weigh in on this one, so here goes:

1. While it is not explained in WORDS how the Imaginary Friends are created, my own theory is based on a premise from the movie, Starman. In that movie, an alien being, which was no more than a self-aware thought, actually-invisable, having no real body, constructs a body for itself utilizing DNA it finds in a house, extracted from hair on a brush once belonging to now-deceased man. It is plausible that an Imaginary Friend takes on a physical form by either conciously or sub-conciously utilizing DNA in the environment in which it is created, but that physical form can also be subject to manipulation by the power of its creator's will. The DNA is most likely to be human, so that genetically, many Imaginary Friends can indeed be biologically human, in spite of their outward appearance.

2. Even though he was mentioned, "Harvey" is still not part of the "Foster's Universe", so I don't know if other examples of Imaginary Friends from movies, tv shows, etc., can apply. Lauren Faust herself stated plainly that in the Foster's Universe, only children(and a teenager is technically still a child) can create Imaginary Friends. Not all children can, either, hence the need for many to adopt one. Just why this ability suddenly ends when someone reaches the age of 18, isn't explained.

3. I don't know if the "Handy" friends ever feel bad about having been created for menial tasks or not; perhaps they feel it's their "calling". I know that the Food Friends sure aren't happy with THEIR lot! It's likely that due to their physical forms and subsequent limitations, the Handy Friends know that their abilities are rather limited, in the same way I know I will never be a major track champion! That doesn't mean that they weren't ever loved, though, anymore than it means that a multi-talented Friend like Wilt would necessarily have been loved. It's quite likely that many Friends are created to be scapegoats and whipping-boys for angry children.

4. Some Friends do seem to fit a specific type/category, while others don't. In some, their abilities seem to stem from their physical design, while in others, their abilities are more the result of their personalities. Bloo has, more and more, become a mischief-maker rather than a "security blanket". One of the reasons that Bendy has as many fans as he does is that he, in the words of one supporter, "out-Bloo'ed BLOO"!

5. See my previous post mentioning Herriman and Coco in "My So-Called Wife". Apparently, IF's CAN marry each other, and this is acceptable, though how a potential adoption would deal with the situation of two IF's being married is not known. There has been no mention, yay or nay, as to whether they can marry humans.

6. Lauren Faust has also addressed the topic of Imaginary Friends dying by stating that the makers of the show did not wish to include actual character death because it was too negative and too dark and could be disturbing to some younger viewers. HOWEVER, there are many specific references on the show indicating that the Imaginary Friends CAN be killed, and that they believe in a concept of Life After Physical Death, in an immortal soul, in other words.

7. Nope, sorry.

On the topic again of love/desire/relationships, and the ever-controversial topic of IF/human marriage, while many of the IF's ARE very childlike and "innocent", others aren't. One of the reasons I admire Wilt is that he exhibits more maturity than most adult human males I've known. It's the same way with humans; some just never "grow up", and most do retain some "inner child". I disagree that an intimate relationship between a human and an IF is "wrong" by default, especially since it's based largely on the notion of all IF's being "inferior" to humans because they're "different". This is the basis for many laws in the past prohibiting relationships between humans of different races-one is "inferior" because it's "different".

pitbulllady

[KazooBloo]

Friends can most likely disappear when their creators forget about them.