Baron Klaus Wulfenbach/Mad

''Ed. note: Apologies for any editing of other people's comments here -- I just wanted to include the thoughts that were originally in the main article. Please re-edit, if necessary.'' --mnenyver 17:47, 3 July 2008 (UTC)

Forum topics related to Klaus Wulfenbach

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Character Analysis
TV Tropes aptly lists him among other classic examples of the [ Anti-Villain], an uncommon role in fiction best summed up as "a villain with noble goals". While he is feared for his ruthless methods, and he can be extremely dangerous when provoked, his motives are political stability and his love for his son, Gilgamesh. It is his personality and his willingness to commit morally questionable acts in the pursuit of his goals that causes him to conflict with the protagonists. However, his nobler qualities, along with his extremely dry sense of humor and cloistered romantic nature, have earned him a loyal cadre among the fans of Girl Genius.

His role in telling Agatha's story is vital because his history provides not only the framing, but the continuity between her parents' generation and her own. Without the Baron's background, there is little context for naïve, small-town Agatha's current struggles and the state of her world. He also contributes a "Scylla or Charybdis" dramatic conflict for Agatha to resolve. (I.e., some of his actions must be opposed, but eliminating him would make things worse.)

In Heterodyne shows within the Girl Genius universe, Klaus is usually portrayed as cowardly or traitorous and functions as the much-abused comic relief. He has also been subject to rumors that he was really The Other or that he fled Europe after being rejected by Lucrezia. The real Baron Wulfenbach seems to tolerate these portrayals, making no attempt to censor them. This comic role is occassionally echoed within the series itself, such as with his foiling by Othar, paranoia about female Sparks , or manhandling by Bang. To paraphrase the actor who played him in Master Payne's Circus, he's comic because he tries to maintain his dignity. However, it is his stoic dignity, which highlights the more tragic elements of his character, that makes him so compelling and memorable.

One of the tropes that fits him during his time with the Heterodyne Boys was that of [ The Lancer]. -- pointed out by Zarchne

Klaus's Spark: He is a kind of meta-spark, which makes sense if he were in fact built up out of multiple sparks. -- Zarchne

Location of Wulfenbach Lands
On the western edge of the Transylvanian Plateau -- Corgi

The Wulfenbachs themselves could be of the Transylvanian ethnic group called "Saxons", Germans hired in the 1100s as mercenaries to guard borders and as miners to improve the local economy, who settled and flourished in their new lands. -- Corgi

Outside World
The Baron has his own fan club, the Klaus Defence League (KDL). He has also established consular missions to several gaslamp/steampunk lands in the otherdimensional realm called "Second Life". -- Corgi

Quote: "Oh, dear me. Your icon distills the reason I'm in love with Klaus..." -- Corgi, quoting Kaja Foglio.