Tim the Enchanter
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Tim the Enchanter is a fictional character from Monty Python's 1975 movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail played by John Cleese. In the play Spamalot based on the movie, the part was originally played by Hank Azaria. Tim is a strange reclusive wizard or conjurer who wears ram horns on his skullcap and has a penchant for fire-based magic. Tim's overall presence is commanding, and observers of his magic often applaud after a display. He speaks with a Scottish accent.
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[edit] Tim's name
His name derives from the following dialogue between him and King Arthur:
- Arthur: What manner of man are you that can summon up fire without flint or tinder?
- Tim: I... am an enchanter.
- Arthur: By what name are you known?
- Tim: There are those who call me... 'Tim'...?
- Arthur: ...greetings, Tim the Enchanter.
According to one account, the original script included a much more impressive name for the enchanter, which Cleese shortened to "Tim" on camera because he simply forgot the line.[citation needed] The UK release of the DVD includes a commentary which suggests that this may not be the case—the actors discuss how they thought that "Tim" was intended as a most unlikely and un-menacing name for such a powerful wizard.
In an interview with Shaun Micallef in 2007, John Cleese claimed that "we chose 'Tim' to annoy Tim Brooke-Taylor".[1]
[edit] Tim's appearance in Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Tim is met by King Arthur and his knights in scene 20, where he stands on a mountain conjuring fireballs; when they ask him about the Holy Grail, he leads them to the Cave of Caerbannog. As he engages in dialogue with Arthur and his knights, Tim needlessly conjures up flames and fireballs in between responses (and fires what appears to be a sort of rocket at a tree). His warnings about the cave's guardian, the Rabbit of Caerbannog, are ignored, though, leading to the death of Bors, Gawain, and Ector, before the rabbit is killed with the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch.
Tim also appears earlier in the film in a scene restored in the 2001 re-release. His role in this scene is limited to joining several characters (before he is formally introduced) in shouting at the Character "Dingo" to "get on with it!".
[edit] Appearances in popular culture
- One of the cheat codes of the RPG computer game Betrayal in Antara by Sierra Entertainment is "some call me Tim". The cheat kills all opponents in a fight instantly.
- In the computer game Heroes of Might and Magic III, one of the cheat codes is NWCtim. (All the cheat codes are NWC followed by a Monty Python and the Holy Grail reference.)
- In the trading card game Magic: The Gathering the Prodigal Sorcerer card is often affectionately called "Tim",[2] due to the fact that one of the early versions of the card art depicted a figure with a hat very similar to that of Tim's, and because of his ability to damage any target (as Tim the Enchanter summons fiery explosions anywhere). Recently, the nickname has broadened in definition, becoming a term for any card with the same ability as Prodigal Sorcerer. In the Planar Chaos set, in which many famous cards were shifted into different colours, a red version called Prodigal Pyromancer was released - and quickly earned the nickname "Tom".
- In the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game expansion, Through the Dark Portal, there is a card called "Tim," who has the same cost, stats, and ability as Prodigal Sorcerer. The flavor text for the card contains the quote "There are some who call me... Tim."
- In the online game Kingdom of Loathing there are two pieces of equipment that are referred to as Tim's hat and staff.
- According to Thomas Erdelyi in the liner notes of All for Nothing, the Replacements album Tim was named for the wizard.
- In the World of Warcraft expansion, The Burning Crusade, there is an NPC named "Timothy the Specialist," who, when the player interacts with him, notes that "There are some who call me Tim....".
- In the online game "Runescape", The Farseer Helm; one of the best helmets for magical use, resembles Tim's hat.
- In the online comic strip "Bob and George", Tim was quoted by Bob when he used his fire attacks on Megaman and Bass to knock them off a tower.[3]
- Musician Les Claypool wears a similar hat during some live performances.
- Major League Baseball pitcher Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants has been nicknamed "The Enchanter" by Internet fans.
- In the episode of Futurama "Crimes of the Hot", a character resembling Tim appears when Al Gore mentions his book Harry Potter and the Balance of Earth, which details the threats of global warming and dark wizards' to which Tim mutters, 'Oh sure, blame the wizards!' (which may, in itself, be a reference to an episode of The Simpsons where guest-star Lucy Lawless explains away Xena plot inconsistencies by saying 'a wizard did it'). The reward for solving global warming will be moon sapphires, to which the character replies, "With those I could open the gates of Garesh."
- In the fourth edition of the Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide, there is a suggestion on Page 14 to maintain consistent naming conventions, because, "Travok and Kairon don't want to visit Gumdrop Island or talk to the enchanter Tim."
- In the online game Kingdom of Loathing, there is a ram's horn hat known as "Enchantlers." The item description says wearing the hat makes it easier for enchanters to blow things up.
[edit] References
- ^ "Shaun Micallef interviews John Cleese". 2007-11-03. http://www.theage.com.au/multimedia/spamalot/John_Cleese.mp3.
- ^ Theslin Wanders-Through-Bramble (1994-10-05). "Magic; The Gathering: Jargon, Helpful Phrases to help the beginning MTG player". http://www.io.com/~ksethre/theslin/jargon.txt. "Nicknames: [...] Prodigal Sorcerer: Tim (Also, Prodigal Nuisance)"
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