I do not know if that was discussed here or elsewhere, but one thing that really puzzled me for a long time is a varying efficiency, with which Jägermonsters recognize (or, sometimes, fail to recognize) Agatha as a Heterodyne by smell:
- When Agatha first encounters Jägers, a Jäger sergeant is close ✣ to Agatha, but does not notice anything unusual about her.
- Another Jäger has to smell Agatha really close ✣ to tell that she "schmells goot", but he did not seem to think she might be a Heterodyne.
- Later, onboard Castle Wulfenbach General Khrizhan suspected ✣ Agatha is a Heterodyne almost at once (although only after he smelled his own hand after he touched Agatha's shoulder). General Zog knew Agatha is one of the family as soon as he smelt her clothink ✣ (without seeing her once).
- Minsk thinks that Agatha smellz nice ✣ , but does not make any conclusions. Andrë seems not to notice anything at all ✣ .
- Dimo, Oggie and Maxim sniffed out ✣ Agatha from a long way off, and her command voice seems to remove all doubts ✣ .
- On the other hand, Jenka was very close ✣ to Agatha, but utterly failed to feel anything ✣ .
- Dot voice und dot schmell ✣ really made Vole wonder if Agatha is a Heterodyne.
So why are some Jägers able to recognize Agatha's smell right away, while others feel the "goot schmell", but fail to associate the smell with the Heterodynes, and some are just utterly clueless?
A simple explanation is that the "wild" Jägers haff become sharper and dose guys vit de Baron gone soft ✣ . But then why has Jenka not noticed the smell?
And sure, the Generals were closest to the Heterodynes and would know their smell best. But I thought that the smell recognition (and most importantly, reaction to it) was pre-built in the Jägers by their masters, so I would expect all Jägers to be equally good at it.
Perhaps you have ideas? -- Muzzafar 13:36, 2 July 2009 (UTC)
- In addition to your simple explanation, it's also true that sharpness of senses varies from person to person. The Jäger brew may increase these differences, just as it increases the difference in physical appearance from one Jäger to the next... the Wulfenbach Jägers we see tend to have a similar appearance, though. I am thinking that da Boyz were, despite their humility (vis-à-vis other Jägers) and goofiness (“Ken if I vants to be!”), among the elite... “Jäger” means “hunter”, and these guys are undertaking the most important (if believed doomed) hunt on behalf of the entire Kin, so they're surely “Jägers' Jägers.” (Dimo is probably also one of the most intelligent, Maxim the most passionate, and Oggie the most courageous of the Jägerkin, although there may be other similar teams.) They were chosen, in part, for their ability to sense a Heterodyne by smell.
- Jenka was clearly not chosen for her sense of smell, but probably for her ability to travel quickly and her ability to manage the “hounds” (beagles?). There are other theories about Jenka's uniqueness which I will prudently not discuss at this time.
- ⚙Zarchne 15:12, 2 July 2009 (UTC)
- Two points:
- Different Jägers have had different amounts of interaction with Heterodynes. Some may have not had enough experience to connect the smell with Heterodynes, and others might know that Heterodynes smell like that but don't know the smell is unique to Heterodynes.
- Some Jägers many notice the smell, but don't mention it. (Or even if they mention it, the mention might happen "off page" — the plot is only able to move at it's current breakneck speed because we don't hear everything said by every character ever introduced.) For example. the sergeant in your first example may be focused on his task so he can get back to helping secure the city, and isn't the type to gossip about smells.
- Argadi 16:30, 2 July 2009 (UTC)
- Zink ov apel pize! Hyu know dey smells goot effen if hyu dunt know apel pie eggzists. Altgorl 20:15, 6 July 2009 (UTC)
- I think this is the best explanation yet. Also, we think apple pie smells good the very first time we smell it, not because we know that it's apple pie. It's built in. My own theory on that first Jager is that he probably noticed she smelled good, but didn't automatically think "Heterodyne" because he wasn't expecting to find one. She was just a cute (but annoying) girl who happened to smell nize. — m (talk) 19:04, 7 July 2009 (UTC)
- I can think of another point here - it could be the scent is associated with the Heterodyne spark. The more she used it the more she was noticed by the Jägers. That first general didn't notice her scent because she hadn't built anything with the spark active yet. She met Da Boyz after she'd been sparking hard traveling with Master Payne. ("restoring" the Silverodeon and building the Battle Circus) Jenka being the only clear exception I can think of to that rule, however her pages show enough theories about the why of that. SolarSystem 04:25, January 15, 2012 (UTC)
Onboard Castle Wulfenbach, Agathat bathed often, & likely used the scented soaps, body oils & perfumes often found in fancy schmancy places. So the Jaegergenerals couldn;n't decide.
With the Circus, Agatha traveled under primitive conditions, engaged in hard labor, rigourous combat training/excercise, & had few opportunities to bathe. And there is no hot water to be had in mountain streams.
So she was less...fragrent...when she met the Wild Jaegers.
If she stinks, she smells goot.
How very Jaeger.--170.141.56.4 14:53, 9 July 2009 (UTC)
- It depends on how you want to define 'stink', doesn't it? Some cultures think that covering up one's personal scent (pheromones) with a lot of artificial junk is declassé. Some fictional extrapolations of... let's call them Furry cultures or races (not fursuits) with extra-sensitive scent abilities would even see perfumes like that as deceptive - as masks. A good slosh and scrub to get the dirt off while not removing one's personal scent isn't necessarily dirty, either.
- You're also underestimating a little the ability of a well-practiced camp to be able to set up and boil water when needed. They'd have to for safe drinking supplies on occasion, for one. And they're Sparky, too. -- Corgi 20:09, 9 July 2009 (UTC)