Open Questions

Signature traits of the Girl Genius storyline are its unresolved questions, maddening mysteries, and often unpredictable plot twists, which inevitably become subjects of discussion among the fans.

Questions left open by the story, both major and minor, are listed below, with relevant links. Later revealed answers are shown in italics. See also the Fan Theories forum for some possible answers. Thanks go to all those who are contributing to this list. Keep 'em coming!

Warning: Spoilers ahead! New readers may wish to get current with the story before going further.

On Agatha specifically
Has anybody else noticed that Agatha has almost no feelings/understanding of sex? She has feelings she just has the ability to push it to the side when need be.


 * Why does she smell good to Jägers? Answer: She's a Heterodyne.
 * Why do Heterodynes smell good to Jägers? Because they are their masters/creators?
 * Heterodynes rarely have girls. Was Agatha's gender random or somehow ?
 * Where, when and how was Agatha conceived? Was it by wholly natural means?
 * Where was Agatha born? Who was present besides Lucrezia Heterodyne? Typically, important people are born with other important people around to bear witness to their birth.
 * Did Lucrezia know she was pregnant before the night of the attack? Did Bill know? What about others?
 * Was Lucrezia pregnant before the night of the attack?
 * Did Bill Heterodyne sleep with the enemy?
 * How much time after the attack before Agatha reentered the castle?
 * She tells Vrin she is eighteen in Sturmhalten. The various words of god put the story almost twenty years after the attack. The baron refers to the attack on the castle as nineteen years ago. Whose account is true? Whose is reliable. Whose is irrefutably true?


 * What's with the apparent ("electric anomaly") Agatha sees at the start of her adventures? Who is the figure speaking to?
 * How will Agatha reverse the effects of Lucrezia's mind-altering device? Will we see a possessed Agatha again?
 * Agatha's backup recording reach  on Gil's flyer. What happened to it? When will it be discovered? Will the upcoming  resolve this or render it ? Do we see the clank again ?

On Agatha's Locket

 * (Discussion: Agatha's Locket)
 * Did it really kill Omar von Zinzer? (An alternate theory is that he was a revenant and she accidentally ordered him to die. Though when Lady Vrin was ordered to die by Lucrezia controlled Agatha, it seemed to be rather immediate. -- This, however, is probably because she literally told them to "die slowly like the miserable rats you are!")
 * Originally, Agatha's locket had the effect of preventing Agatha's spark from breaking through. How did it do this?
 * After Moloch smashed the locket, it seemed to break the effect. Now that it has been returned to Agatha, it has the ability to suppress Lucrezia's possession of her. Did Klaus ? Is its apparently state the same as its original state? Did Klaus have  what it did?
 * How exactly did it shut down The Other?

On Unfinished History, The Other, and Lucrezia

 * Who was responsible for the near-destruction of Castle Heterodyne, how did it happen, and what were they trying to accomplish?
 * What were the of Klaus Barry's ?
 * What terrible thing did Barry and Beetle Klaus had done, but Klaus insisted didn't make sense? What did Klaus learn from Beetle's notes? Partly 
 * Was Lucrezia really a villain all along or is there more to her story?
 * What transpired between Von Pinn and Lucrezia to make the former so angry? And what are Von Pinn's regarding Agatha? Answers  and 
 * What was Lucrezia working on at Sturmhalten? Partially answered (in this, this , and this by Lucrezia/Agatha): she was at the very least rebuilding the Summoning Engine.
 * What are the Geisterdamen going to do Hive Engine? (May be a part of the Lucrezia Mind-Imprint Machine. It is known that it was taken apart and moved by Lucrezia and the Geisterdamen.) Where and when with the Other resume her attacks on the world?
 * Dupree claims she for the burned out town where she witnessed the time window. If not, then who or what was? Is it significant?
 * At what point in the future is the time travel device being Agatha and Gil? Why is future Gil  a Geisterdame? Why are they looking for von Zinzer's gunboat crew? Von Zinzer is wearing a Heterodyne Trilobite; perhaps he will continue to serve Agatha after their current escapades in Castle Heterodyne?

On Castle Heterodyne

 * Why does the unrepaired castle that "the Heterodyne must enter alone"? Somewhat .
 * Why is the kitchen the only room in which no one has been killed?
 * We now know there are at least two intelligences controlling different parts of the Castle. Is Zola correct in saying that there could be as many as twelve? (Discussion: Multiple AIs?)
 * What does the Castle remember? What could it tell us about the night of the attack? Or Lucrezia? Or Bill and Barry's reasons for ? Does it know anything else that could help? What will Agatha find inside?
 * did Silas get the Heterodyne mech unit? Is there an armory full of them somewhere in Castle Heterodyne?
 * Sanaa mentioned that someone once got out of the castle. Who was it?

Jäger Qvestionz

 * What sort of was Jenka causing? Who has she been reporting to?
 * What plans do the Jägergenerals have now that Agatha has revealed her identity? What have they been doing since we last saw them? Do they know Punch and Judy are (presumably still) aboard the Castle Wulfenbach?
 * Why was Vole kicked out of the Jägertroth? Why would he want to kill Agatha?
 * (See also Discussion: Milvistle and Jenka.)
 * What, precisely, is the significance of the Hat to the Jägerkin? How did this significance arise?
 * Did Ognian become a papa before or after he was Jägerized? Is there such a thing as being only part Jäger? (Discussion: Jäger Offspring) Answered in an interview.
 * Did Ognian become a papa before or after he was Jägerized? Is there such a thing as being only part Jäger? (Discussion: Jäger Offspring) Answered in an interview.

On Klaus specifically

 * What happened to Klaus's brothers?
 * How old is Klaus? If Klaus is made up of Himself and his two brothers, how old does that make him? Do you count the oldest brother or take the average of their ages? Of course it would be interesting to know when the combination happened.
 * Is there a simple reason why every woman with the spark that Klaus has known kill him? (Other than the fact that his personality just seems to invite that sort of reaction, that is. :P)
 * Does this imply that his wife was not a spark?
 * Or does it imply she tried to kill him? If so why?
 * What use was Klaus to make of a Heterodyne body with a non-Heterodyne brain?
 * We saw Klaus with a special Spark-infecting wasp. What became of that? What would a wasp weasel think about Klaus now? The weasels found  in Castle Wulfenbach not long before Klaus was infected; have the weasels moved to testing people elsewhere?
 * Who the airship the Baron was on as he was being rushed to the hospital? Was it just another random assassination attempt? Or was it simply ?
 * Barry came back and seems to have  not to trust Klaus...why? Given that Klaus thinks, what was he supposed to have done?

On Skifander, Gil, Zeetha, and Klaus
Gil is not a nice person for Agatha to hang around with. Gil is at least knowledgeable of his fathers dissecting sparks. He might be a participant. Gil is also quite willing and able to use violence on any number of people. Not just the 'invading army' but Wulfenbach guards at the castle.
 * Who is Klaus' wife? ("I my wife in years.")
 * What is Skifandrian society like? Is it as matriarchal as many suspect? What sort of status does it assign males?
 * Who is Chump, anyway? answered.
 * When and where did Klaus learn Skiff? Answered.
 * Why does Klaus think that Zeetha may intend to ? And what did they say to each other in that before the circus ?
 * What are Gil's ? Why hasn't Klaus shared any of this information with Gil yet?
 * What does Zeetha think is the connection, Skifander, now that she's  to Gil?
 * What happened between Gil and Othar in Paris?
 * What is the basis behind the comment? Answered: It's pretty .
 * We know Higgs, but what specifically happened to the Magnificent Hat?

On Higgs

 * What is Higgs?
 * Why is he so unstoppable?
 * What treatment did he receive at Mamma Gkika's ?
 * If any?
 * Who are his folks?
 * Is he the son (or possibly father) of Old Man Death?
 * Is he some kind of kin to the Elder Von Mekkan?
 * A Jäger prototype?

Storm King Issues

 * Who will be the "new Storm King"?
 * Zola Tarvek Sturmvoraus are of the expressed opinion that Tarvek Sturmvoraus should be the next Storm King.
 * A divergent school of thought proposes a certain schmott guy who can.
 * According to Gils claim about it could begin to sprout storm kings descendants like weed. Gil has a more powerful position to hold and rule the Europe as the barons son then as somebody else.


 * Will the other muses be found and restored as promised?
 * What are their respective functions?
 * Are there other van Rijn creations still in existence?

On Tarvek, The Council, and the Knights of Jove
Tarvek is a REALLY bad person. He knew or participated in turning every man, women and child in Sturmhalten into revants as well as the killing numerous 'pretty girls'. He has been collaberating to restore the Other Or take over from the Other who was the greatest mass killer in Europa history. When he was beating Zola in the library, he revealed that he still retains this goal. The deal is probably off as Lucrezia seemed to be getting rid of the witnesses.
 * Is Tarvek the patron behind the recent bit of culture in Vienna? Is there a reason that the actors look so much like him, Agatha, and Gil or is it just a bit of artistic foreshadowing?
 * How does the Storm King opera end? What was the true version of those events? How does it all relate to what's taking place now?
 * Was Tarvek's humming ( and ) just ordinary music or Heterodyne humming? If so, how was Tarvek able to produce it? Was it from ordinary memory, an innate ability, recorded and replayed, or mechanically produced? (Discussion: Tarvek's humming)
 * What sort of did he make with Lucrezia while she was still in control of Agatha? Do they still have a deal after she  in the back?
 * Tarvek's last known location was Sturmhalten, unconscious and severely wounded. Where is he now? Did Wulfenbach troops take him in or did he somehow manage to meet up with his allies? !
 * Does Tarvek have other goals in addition to ruling Europa? How does he plan to accomplish this? Who is he working with?
 * Who are the Council that Oublenmach and Strinbeck (and Zola and Tiktoffen) report to? Mostly : they are either the heads of the Knights of Jove, or are separate and have authority over them. Are they allied with the Fifty Families?
 * Are the Knights of Jove who attacked Mechanicsburg, and who were defeated by Gil, the same Order that Tarvek's father Aaronev led? How are the Knights of Jove related to the Council? Mostly 
 * What was the Mongfish family's the Order and/or the Council? Who is the heir to the Storm King that they  would be born?

On Zola

 * What is her real last name? Zola Anya Talinka Venia Zeblinkya Malfeazium, as.
 * Who are Zola's parents? Demonica (Mongfish) Malfeazium.
 * Who raised her?
 * Her family?
 * Loremistress Milvistle?
 * Knights of Jove?


 * What's her version of what she and Gil Paris?
 * What is her grip on Gilgamesh Woflenbach? Why does he come running whenever Zola screams for help?
 * Is this just the authors having fun and milking laughs out of the story or is there something more sinister at work?
 * Is Zola one of he good guys or one of the bad guys?
 * Currently seems to be pretty well in the "bad guy" camp.
 * So bad she is a danger to other bad guys?
 * Bad guys in this universe? Of course she's a threat to every other bad guy; even the ones who are, putatively, on her side.
 * How far back does her involvement with the Knights of Jove go?
 * What did she learn from Milvistle?
 * Who taught it to her?
 * Why did the Order pick Zola?
 * Did the Order simply order Zola from the Mongfish family breeding units?
 * Did the Order have Zola built to their order?
 * What is Zola trying to achieve?
 * A Zola centered universe?
 * Something else also?

Internal Chronology Questions

 * Did the events inspiring "Race to the West Pole" happen just before Lucrezia became Bill's fiancé?
 * What is Agatha's birth date?
 * What is Klaus Barry's birth date?
 * Gil?
 * Zeetha?
 * Tarvek?
 * Zola?
 * On what date did Lucrezia last update the Beacon server?

Background
In the cast list Bill and Barrys entry "Today, close to twenty years later, ..." appears. Yet in the comic itself Klaus refers to the explosion in the castle as happening nineteen years ago. The latter implies plus or minus half a year. Both AFAICT are referring to the same incident. From the other clues we have been given the castle incident happened during harvest time and Agatha was born in the Winter or early spring. She is eighteen as the action of the story begins. The story takes place in the late winter and early spring of whatever year its in.

Questions
So this leave open some questions of sequence and timing?
 * Did the other war last three years?
 * Did it end roughly eighteen years before the story begins?
 * Did it start before the castle incident?
 * Did it start just after the castle blew up?
 * Was Lucrezia pregnant with Agatha at the time of the castle incident?
 * If so, how many months pregnant.
 * If not, when during the battle did Bill spend the night with Lucrezia.
 * At whose instigation? Under what circumstances?
 * Which of the details of the Great Pumpkin Conjecture are correct or close?

Miscellany

 * How did DuPree start working for the Baron?
 * This might have to do with DuPree's that she was hoping for word from the Baron on (which she didn't get). Just what was/is this problem?
 * Who destroyed her base, airships, and crew?
 * What does the Heterodyne Device (Atlas Controller, Mary's bedside lamp) really do? (Discussion: The Heterodyne Device)
 * What is the nature of Moxana's abilities and what are her goals?
 * At the beginning of Volume VII, a young lady named Arella is telling Carson about the latest rumors. Who is she? Answered here She's Vanamonde's mother, presumably Carson's deceased son's widow.
 * What is the given name of Agatha's new assistant-to-be?
 * What is the correct spelling of "von Mekkhan/Mekkahn/Mekken"?
 * Was it Zeetha who destroyed Bang's fleet? Will they have a cool fight over it?

Missing Persons (collected)

 * What happened to Bill Heterodyne?
 * What happened to the original version of Lucrezia?
 * Why did Barry leave? Where is he now?
 * Where are Clank!Lucrezia and the Geisterdamen at this point?
 * Where are Theo, Sleipnir, Z, Zulenna, etc.?
 * Will Master Payne and the Circus figure into the story again?
 * Will The Unstoppable Higgs make a reappearance? Answered: 
 * Is the Loremistress Milvistle really dead?
 * Is Lady Vrin really dead or does she have still a role to play?
 * Where is Dingbot Prime? Answered: Gil him; so  Agatha?!  Deuce Dingbot
 * What happened to the recreated body of Madame Olga?
 * Does anything remain of the other Muses?
 * Is there more to Barry's High Priestess than just a common trope?
 * When Othar Tryggvassen, Gentleman Adventurer shows up, what will his intentions be? Answered: ! He is being forced to rescue the baron's son .


 * When will the Jägergenerals return and what will they do? (Update: They, but what they will do is still unknown.)
 * When will Punch and Judy reappear? Does Gil finish to repair/revive them?
 * Will Queen Albia of England ever ?
 * Does Wooster have England regarding Agatha yet?
 * When will the Knights of the Round Table show up in the story?
 * What happened to Professor Tiktoffen? After his, he vanished!  Is he up to something? Or was he just really scared of spiders?