Difference between revisions of "Megan"

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
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{{Infobox character
 
{{Infobox character
 
| image      = Megan.png‎
 
| image      = Megan.png‎
| imagesize  =  
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| imagesize  = 200px
| caption    = Megan, seen in [[Server Problem]]
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| caption    = '
| first_appearance = [[Just Alerting You]]
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| first_appearance = [[24: Godel, Escher, Kurt Halsey]]
 
}}
 
}}
'''Megan''' is a [[stick figure]] character in [[XKCD]]. She is the second-most frequently appearing character after [[Cueball]], and the most frequently appearing female character. She is distinguished by her black shoulder-length hair which generally appears to be parted in the middle in front, and is draped behind what are presumably her (undrawn) ears. Megan frequently appears with Cueball as a couple. Megan is also the name of artist [[Randall Munroe]]'s wife.
 
  
Unlike most other characters, Megan does not necessarily represent the same character from comic to comic, but unlike Cueball, the character has been referred to by name in comics from time to time. She is essentially the female equivalent of Cueball, apparently representing the everywoman to his {{w|everyman}}. Megan does, however, appear to have slightly more specific personality traits in some comics than Cueball. At times, she has very odd habits and is sometimes shown to be very focused and intent on a goal, more like [[Black Hat]].
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<noinclude>:''For a list of comics, see [[:Category:Comics featuring Megan|Comics featuring Megan]].''
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:''For Megan's boyfriend, see [[Cueball]].''</noinclude>
  
Early xkcd comics often feature a Megan-style character who may or may not be Megan. [[Randall Munroe|Randall]] appears not to have standardized his character lineup early in the comic's run, and as a result, early characters sometimes have similar hair to Megan, but some different features, and are difficult to identify as Megan or not.
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'''Megan''' is a [[stick figure]] character in [[xkcd]]. She is the second-most frequently appearing character, after [[Cueball]], and the most frequently appearing female character. She does not necessarily always represent the same character from comic to comic. She is essentially the female equivalent of Cueball, representing the every-woman to his {{w|everyman}}. This is less clear than for Cueball as there are several comics where there are [[:Category:Multiple Cueballs|multiple Cueball-like figures]], any of whom could be called Cueball. There are very few comics where this happens with Megan-like characters, with the few including [[139: I Have Owned Two Electric Skateboards]], [[173: Movie Seating]], [[1409: Query]], [[1496: Art Project]], [[430: Every Damn Morning]], [[2040: Sibling-in-Law]], and in [[1951: Super Bowl Watch Party]].
  
Megan also appears in what-if.xkcd.com.
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Of course, she also appears several times in some of the comics with [[:Category:Large drawings|large drawings]], like [[1110: Click and Drag]]. Often this should be seen as different small comics, where there is just one Megan in each story. In [[1608: Hoverboard]], however, there are two identical Megans at the bottom rear end of the Destroyer, where one is talking to the other. As opposed to with Cueball, an example where this is a problem for Megan has yet to be found.
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Megan does sometimes appear to have slightly specific personality traits; she has quite odd habits and is sometimes shown to be very focused and intent on a goal. However, as explained above this is not a general rule for a given Megan character.
 +
 
 +
==Name==
 +
''Explain xkcd'' originally referred to this character as "Cutie", or "Cute" (complementing "Cueball" with a matching first syllable). But then a "Cutie" (or Cute) was given a specific name, Megan, in [[159: Boombox]] and later in for instance [[215: Letting Go]], [[420: Jealousy]], [[478: The Staple Madness]], and [[654: Nachos]]. The name was also used without displaying a drawing of Megan in [[596: Latitude]] and in the title text of [[627: Tech Support Cheat Sheet]]. The name Cutie was then changed to Megan. If this rule should be followed generally, then Cueball should be re-named Rob after [[276: Fixed Width]] (and the [[:Category:Comics featuring Rob|other 12 times]] a Cueball has been named Rob in total). But as mentioned above this was not to be.
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She can also be drawn under a different name as in [[672: Suggestions]], where a sexy image of her, hair hanging loose over her face, is called Susie. And in [[1221: Nomenclature]] Megan is called Mrs. Whatsit in the transcript provided in the comic source. In [[734: Outbreak]] Cueball and Megan are named Ryan and Laura, but that is a movie, so they could be actors called Cueball and Megan in real life. A character that looked a lot like Megan, but with somewhat longer hair and a much meaner attitude, was distinguished from her as [[Black Hat]]'s girlfriend [[Danish]]. A similar long-haired version of Megan also appeared in [[1730: Starshade]], although without the attitude.
 +
 
 +
==History==
 +
Early comics often feature Megan-style characters who may or may not be identified as Megan. [[Randall]] appears not to have standardized his character lineup early in the comic's run, and as a result, certain early female characters sometimes have similar hair to Megan, but some different features. The name (or even pseudonym) "Megan" may be reference to a lost love of Randall's, given that he wrote a passive-aggressive toast for Megan's wedding in [[420: Jealousy]] about how he was madly still in love with her, put across in a way that would generally ruin the day for everyone involved. We also see this earlier in [[215: Letting Go]]. Several of the [[:Category:Cancer|comics about cancer]] have Megan representing Randall's fiancée and later wife.
 +
 
 +
==Characteristics==
 +
Megan is distinguished by her black shoulder-length hair which generally appears to be parted in the middle in front and is draped behind what are presumably her (undrawn) ears. It is shorter than the character of similar appearance, [[Danish]]. Megan also tends to behave less defiantly than Danish does.
 +
 
 +
Megan's age is sometimes given, like in [[1409: Query]], we learn that she is 30 or younger, implying that she was born in 1983-84, and in [[630: Time Travel]], we learn she was born in 1983 (born after August 14). But in [[2178: Expiration Date High Score]], we can calculate that she was born in 1981-82 which is slightly different.
  
 
{{navbox-characters}}
 
{{navbox-characters}}
 
 
[[Category:Characters]]
 
[[Category:Characters]]
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[[Category:Major characters]]

Latest revision as of 07:24, 20 August 2024

Megan

First appearance 24: Godel, Escher, Kurt Halsey
Appearances 895
For a list of comics, see Comics featuring Megan.
For Megan's boyfriend, see Cueball.

Megan is a stick figure character in xkcd. She is the second-most frequently appearing character, after Cueball, and the most frequently appearing female character. She does not necessarily always represent the same character from comic to comic. She is essentially the female equivalent of Cueball, representing the every-woman to his everyman. This is less clear than for Cueball as there are several comics where there are multiple Cueball-like figures, any of whom could be called Cueball. There are very few comics where this happens with Megan-like characters, with the few including 139: I Have Owned Two Electric Skateboards, 173: Movie Seating, 1409: Query, 1496: Art Project, 430: Every Damn Morning, 2040: Sibling-in-Law, and in 1951: Super Bowl Watch Party.

Of course, she also appears several times in some of the comics with large drawings, like 1110: Click and Drag. Often this should be seen as different small comics, where there is just one Megan in each story. In 1608: Hoverboard, however, there are two identical Megans at the bottom rear end of the Destroyer, where one is talking to the other. As opposed to with Cueball, an example where this is a problem for Megan has yet to be found.

Megan does sometimes appear to have slightly specific personality traits; she has quite odd habits and is sometimes shown to be very focused and intent on a goal. However, as explained above this is not a general rule for a given Megan character.

Name[edit]

Explain xkcd originally referred to this character as "Cutie", or "Cute" (complementing "Cueball" with a matching first syllable). But then a "Cutie" (or Cute) was given a specific name, Megan, in 159: Boombox and later in for instance 215: Letting Go, 420: Jealousy, 478: The Staple Madness, and 654: Nachos. The name was also used without displaying a drawing of Megan in 596: Latitude and in the title text of 627: Tech Support Cheat Sheet. The name Cutie was then changed to Megan. If this rule should be followed generally, then Cueball should be re-named Rob after 276: Fixed Width (and the other 12 times a Cueball has been named Rob in total). But as mentioned above this was not to be.

She can also be drawn under a different name as in 672: Suggestions, where a sexy image of her, hair hanging loose over her face, is called Susie. And in 1221: Nomenclature Megan is called Mrs. Whatsit in the transcript provided in the comic source. In 734: Outbreak Cueball and Megan are named Ryan and Laura, but that is a movie, so they could be actors called Cueball and Megan in real life. A character that looked a lot like Megan, but with somewhat longer hair and a much meaner attitude, was distinguished from her as Black Hat's girlfriend Danish. A similar long-haired version of Megan also appeared in 1730: Starshade, although without the attitude.

History[edit]

Early comics often feature Megan-style characters who may or may not be identified as Megan. Randall appears not to have standardized his character lineup early in the comic's run, and as a result, certain early female characters sometimes have similar hair to Megan, but some different features. The name (or even pseudonym) "Megan" may be reference to a lost love of Randall's, given that he wrote a passive-aggressive toast for Megan's wedding in 420: Jealousy about how he was madly still in love with her, put across in a way that would generally ruin the day for everyone involved. We also see this earlier in 215: Letting Go. Several of the comics about cancer have Megan representing Randall's fiancée and later wife.

Characteristics[edit]

Megan is distinguished by her black shoulder-length hair which generally appears to be parted in the middle in front and is draped behind what are presumably her (undrawn) ears. It is shorter than the character of similar appearance, Danish. Megan also tends to behave less defiantly than Danish does.

Megan's age is sometimes given, like in 1409: Query, we learn that she is 30 or younger, implying that she was born in 1983-84, and in 630: Time Travel, we learn she was born in 1983 (born after August 14). But in 2178: Expiration Date High Score, we can calculate that she was born in 1981-82 which is slightly different.