Fisheyes Alabaster Backstory - A Request to TTG

Hayden

I'm currently listening to the developer commentary of each episode of Tales of Monkey Island on the DVD, and I'm up to the third episode. In the video, it is mentioned by Sean Vanaman (at least I think it was Sean - I get the voices mixed up) that there was a 'giant backstory' written for Fisheyes Alabaster (the guy in the portrait - see below) that was cut from the game by Joe Pinney. It was then suggested that they "post it somewhere in the DVD", but, evidently, it never was posted.


Fisheyes himself!... actually, a portrait of him.

So, anyway, after revealing this backstory, there was naturally going to be at least one Monkey Island fan that was going to eventually follow this up, and that fan is... well, me. So, seeing as how the backstory was never put on the DVD as a 'goodie', I was wondering if it could be posted somewhere on the TTG website, if possible. At the risk of sounding like a MI fanboy (oh, too late?), I personally love to hear the backstory to Fisheyes Alabaster. But I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one who'd be appreciative - I'm just one of a whole load of fans who're eager to get our claws on any scrap of MI-related info or bonus content. You know how we are. Thanks.

Update: We have it guys, thanks to Sean Vanaman! See post #7 in this thread.

adventureaddict

Oh yeaaaah.. I remember thinking I should try and found out what this 'backstory' is when watching the commentary. I guess I forgot. I'm sure theres others like me who'd love to hear of it who haven't spoke up yet.

jeeno0142

I'm interested also. I want to know anything extra that people are willing to talk about (and maybe not so willing).

Spadge

YESSS!!! Fisheyes is one of my favorite characters that never appeared in a Videogame. And that portrait is something I'd love to have on my wall one day! The more I learn abouth this mythical figure, the better.

Debbie82

I thought I had gotten the bit of the backstory from Bugeye when he said:

"Fisheyes was the first to see the honor in mutineering. He was a professional lookout for many years, until the strain ruptured his optic nerves. It ruined his face, but expanded his mind. He never worked another day in his life. We soldier on in his memory."

Wasn't that a bit of a story in Fisheyes?

Hayden

I'm glad to see that there are others, like me, who would like to see it; people who want to know as much about the MI world/canon as possible.

Also, another reason to see this backstory is to have something to expand his currently dismal MIwiki page .

Debbie82 wrote: »

I thought I had gotten the bit of the backstory from Bugeye when he said:

"Fisheyes was the first to see the honor in mutineering. He was a professional lookout for many years, until the strain ruptured his optic nerves. It ruined his face, but expanded his mind. He never worked another day in his life. We soldier on in his memory."

Wasn't that a bit of a story in Fisheyes?

Yes, but it's not exactly a 'giant backstory' as Vanaman(?) suggests, is it? Though, it is something, at least.

seanvanaman

TTG Forums EXCLUSIVE! The Fisheyes Alabaster Backstory!

I sent this to the guy putting the DVD together but I guess it never made it in. Alas, for you fine forum goers and Tales of Monkey Island uber-enthusiasts, I share with you the original UNEDITED Fisheyes Alabaster backstory.

Dialog Choice with Bugeye in the belly of the Manatee: Tell me about Fisheyes Alabaster.

GUYBRUSH: Fisheyes Alabaster, renowned philosopher or spooky old man who lived at the end of the lane?

BUGEYE: You have no idea what you're talking about.

GUYBRUSH: Enlighten me.

BUGEYE: Fisheyes Alabaster began life as I did, full of ambition and with a taste for adventure. It wasn't until he joined the crew of Orville the Red did he learn the folly of such naivete.

GUYBRUSH: That guys with colors for last names are battier than the east-Indian cricket team?

BUGEYE: No. That being at the whims of another man is the fastest way to death and despair.

GUYBRUSH: Ah, of course.

BUGEYE: He paid a much higher price than any of us ever will for that lesson. Orville, a renowned but ego-maniacal explorer, was after the fabled maíz de la vida, deep in the jungles of Malaria Island and their ship was attacked by pirates in Cholera Cove.

GUYBRUSH: If I had a piece of eight for every time something bad happened to me in Cholera Cove...

BUGEYE: Orville hid in his quarters while his crew was decimated by the ambush.

BUGEYE: Fisheyes was manning a six pounder when it exploded, the shock rupturing his ocular nerves. His eyes rolled to the side of his head and that's where they were to stay for the rest of his life.

GUYBRUSH: But think of the peripheral vision...

BUGEYE: His disfigurement cost him everything – his wife, his dog and his potential monocle modeling career. But instead of giving up, he shared his experience with foolhardy adventurers who would have become victims without his teachings.
“Never join the crew of an explorer! He’ll feed ya to the fishes for some chintzy dinner service!” he said. He was the first to find the honor in mutineering, and we soldier on in his memory.

~ Follow Up Question ~

GUYBRUSH: What happened to Fisheyes Alabaster, again?

BUGEYE: Fisheyes was manning a six pounder when it exploded, the shock rupturing his ocular nerves. His eyes rolled to the side of his head and that's where they were to stay for the rest of his life.

GUYBRUSH: And he went on to develop a kinship with geckos? Eating flies and living in the forest, happily ever after?

BUGEYE: No.

Spadge

Man, that's hilarious! Shame it didn't make it to the final game.

apenpaap

Thanks, that's awesome.

Hayden

That is great! Thank you so much, Sean!

I too would have liked to have seen it in the game. What was Joe Pinney thinking ? No, I understand cuts have to be made sometimes.

Ashton

They should have cut a few of Murry's lines instead and included that, it's an awesome story!

Laserschwert

Was that dialogue actually recorded? Or was it cut before that could happen?

Hayden

I finally just thought about the names properly, Malaria Island? Cholera Cove? What sort of mood were you in when you wrote this ?

Also, out of curiosity, where did you get the name 'maíz de la vida' from? Nevermind, I found out. For anyone wondering, it means 'corn life' in Spanish.

Spadge

Hayden wrote: »

I finally just thought about the names properly, Malaria Island? Cholera Cove? What sort of mood were you in when you wrote this ?

Also, out of curiosity, where did you get the name 'maíz de la vida' from? Nevermind, I found out. For anyone wondering, it means 'corn life' in Spanish.

My bet is it's part of the Pestilence Archipelago along with Scabb Island and Scurvy Atoll.:D

Hayden

Spadge wrote: »

My bet is it's part of the Pestilence Archipelago along with Scabb Island and Scurvy Atoll.:D

Haha! That should be included in one of the future MI games .

By the way, now that you mention Scabb Isalnd, Malaria Island doesn't seem so bad. But I'm still going laugh at Cholera Cove .

zhebrica

That's hilarious, thanks for posting it Sean!

jeeno0142

That really was great. I wish it hadn't been cut, but I suppose it must be a hard choice choosing which bits to cut and which to keep.

Tilan

Hayden wrote: »

Also, out of curiosity, where did you get the name 'maíz de la vida' from? Nevermind, I found out. For anyone wondering, it means 'corn life' in Spanish.

I think it's rather "life corn" or "corn of life".

doodo!

Greatest thread everz!!! We love you fisheyes!!!

Hayden

Tilan wrote: »

I think it's rather "life corn" or "corn of life".

Ah, okay, thanks. I was quoting from Google Translate - which I probably shouldn't do. The resulting piece of translated text usually doesn't make much sense.