Curtain Calls

The Show is coming to an end, its final season a celebration of everything that makes it so much fun to watch. Every character matters - from the ones who have been here since the beginning, to the ones who are new to this final season, and everyone in between. And, because every character matters, every character gets a Curtain Call: their moment in the spotlight before they cease being a part of The Show.

Seeing a beloved character for the last time on a favourite show is a bittersweet moment of reflection. It's a celebration of who the character is, and a kind of sadness that they won't be a part of the viewing experience anymore. This is not a moment of action-packed plot development, as all of that will have already happened. By the time a character's Curtain Call comes, the character has already done what they're going to be able to do. A Curtain Call is a small bit of time when a character can turn to other characters, or directly to the camera, and say or do something which serves as their final send-off. This is not to say a Curtain Call cannot be climactic, just that all of the preparation for it will have been done beforehand.

A Curtain Call may be a bittersweet, final moment before the character exits stage left, but how is one expected to play out?

It's time to cover the practicalities.

Related events before the session:

• As part of character creation, you can indicate roughly which session you want your character's Curtain Call to take place in
• When the game starts, the GMs will tell you the session and exact time that your character's Curtain Call is scheduled for
• At least one day before your final Downtime deadline, you will be emailed a form by the GMs to check details about how you want the Curtain Call to play out

• All characters have a Curtain Call, including PCs and NPCs
• All Curtain Calls take place on the #curtain-calls channel on Discord. By default, you will not have access to type in this channel until it is your turn to have a Curtain Call
• When your Curtain Call timeslot comes up, you will be given Discord permissions to be able to post in the #curtain-calls channel. These permissions will be removed when your timeslot is over
• By default, each Curtain Call is no more than 10 minutes. If you're taking a Curtain Call with other characters, this time may be extended
• Given the limited Curtain Call time, you are encouraged to write up any speeches your character wants to make in advance. You don't have to, but the time allocated for a Curtain Call is fixed, so we encourage you to avoid the stress of typing everything during that period

By the time of a character's Curtain Call, the extended action has already happened. That said, your character's glorious, bittersweet final moment on the show might take a lot of forms. For example:

• A final speech. This could be full of your evil confessions, a time to thank the other characters and showrunners (think: Academy Awards speeches), a speech directed at a specific character, something describing a moment of great joy on the show… The list goes on
• A singular, specific action. This could be a simple gesture, like doing a feat of animated athletic prowess, reflecting quietly, or having a final dance with another character
• A final showdown with one character, for example a final bout of fisticuffs with your nemesis, right before you bow out of the show together
• Unveiling your final creation. For example, this could be revealing the new building you've built, or unveiling your evil machine. Note that this is not the time to do a big, multiphase final part of your grand, evil plan. That should have happened before the Curtain Call

All characters know their Curtain Call time in advance. These times are set such that they don't overlap, in order to give each individual character that final moment in the spotlight. It can be a bittersweet thing to say goodbye but still being on the Show for a bit longer, and this is something that we encourage people to play into.

The only exception to this is if you indicate specific PC/NPC(s) you wish to take your Curtain Call with on the Character Creation Form. The GM team cannot guarantee that we can arrange this, but we will do what we can. Please be aware that, if you have indicated you want to take a Curtain Call with a PC, the player of that character will also need to indicate they want to take a Curtain Call with your character. We will not assign pair Curtain Calls unless both parties are in clear agreement on the Character Creation Form!

Finally, you cannot take a Curtain Call at the same time as another character unless it is agreed before the start of the game. Other characters can be at your Curtain Call, but only one character at a time can take their final bow, unless explicitly agreed otherwise pre-game.

Here are a few (ellipsed) Curtain Call examples.

Some of the hills around Pencilvania are always busy. Today, Winsome Windmill has picked one of the other ones. It overlooks some of the sketchier buildings, their lines unfinished, uncertain. When Winny's blades turn, the lines change, too, skipping frames to imitate movement.

I think… I think it's time for me to find out if the grass really is greener on the other side.

The grass scrunches, offended. Winny clears her throat, flustered.

Or bluer! Or redder. You know you're my favourite green, really. But.

The breeze stops. Winny's blades slow their rotation and stop, too.

But. It's time to find out how many other colours of grass there are. I'll let you know.

The view cuts away from the hill Winny is seated on. When it cuts back, Winny is gone, leaving only a round, windmill base-shaped indent in the grass.

Harold steps onto the stage. They are dressed in their finest finery, tails billowing majestically, lit up from the back by spotlight. When their feet touch the stage, a raucous applause echoes throughout the building. Once it dies down, Harold clears their throat, pulling out the last remaining handkerchiefs. They throw the hankies into the invisible crowd, where they are greedily snatched away.

I did a lot. More than you lot will ever know. Some of everything. No. Most of everything. If not all. You're welcome.

They bow and exit stage left.

Captain Malevolence cackles. Zie is standing next to a large lump, covered by rough burlap.

You fools! You foolish fools! You thought I was a good guy but I was evil all along! And at last my masterful Master Ray is complete!!

Zie pulls the burlap aside. A complex machine is revealed, sputtering steam, wheezing through the gears grinding on every visible surface. A spiral juts outwards from the front.

My success is assured!! You foolish fools should have never thought it was safe to overlook my magnificence!

Zie cackles again, gets something caught in their throat, and splutters for a few seconds.

As I was saying! I will take my leave of you. My victory is already assured!!

Cackle-coughing, they press a button and step away. The Master Ray lights up and begins to hum more intently.

GM OC Note: The Master Ray will go off in one hour unless dealt with.

The inferno rages in the background. Thunk narrows his eyes at his eternal rival, Think.

This is it. Our final battle.

Think grins.

You think you can beat me? We both know better than that.

Thunk spits on the ground. The fire evaporates the liquid in a little wisp of steam.

You were always too busy thinking, Think. I don't know that you'll win. And neither do you. En garde!

Thunk pulls out their trusty rapier.

Think charges, their claws meeting the rapier with sparks.

Thunk parries each scrape and tries to back Think into the inferno.

Think hisses, grabbing the rapier, ignoring the biting cut. She pulls herself forward until they are both nose to nose. In a whisper, she speaks.

You made a good rival. But this is the end.

She slashes with her claws.

Thunk stabs with their rapier, taking advantage of the gap in Think's well thought out defences. He falls to the ground.

Think falls to the ground opposite him. She is wounded, but not fatally.

Thunk, injured, coughs, and speaks.

I think this one's a draw.

Think chuckles, then winces as it exacerbates her wound.

I think you're right. Best of 2000?

She reaches a hand out for Thunk to shake. He does so. Together, they stand, supporting each other as they hobble away from the inferno.

Think chuckles. Next battleground will be mine.

Thunk smiles, perhaps the first time he's smiled in years. That's what you think.

Together, they walk into the distance.

After your character has their Curtain Call, they will never appear on The Show again, but that doesn’t have to mean the end of your involvement in That’s All Folks!. Once your character has had their Curtain Call, you are welcome to join the Crew team either immediately or for the subsequent sessions. This is not obligatory, but if it is of interest, check out the Crewing page for more details.