Difference between revisions of "Megan"

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{{Infobox character
 
{{Infobox character
 
| image      = Megan.png‎
 
| image      = Megan.png‎
| caption    = Megan, seen in [[973: MTV Generation]]
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| imagesize  = 150px
| first_appearance = [[15: Just Alerting You]]
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| caption    = Megan
 +
| first_appearance = [[16: Monty Python -- Enough]]
 
}}
 
}}
'''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 often appears with Cueball as a couple.
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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.
  
"Megan" 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|every-man}}. This is less clear than for Cueball as there are several comics, where there are [[:Category:MultipleCueballs|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]].
  
There are very few comics where this happens with Megan-like characters. (Such as in [[173: Movie Seating]], [[139: I Have Owned Two Electric Skateboards]], [[1409: Query]] and in [[1496: Art Project]]) In ''Art Project'' it was debated lively which of the two girls was Megan. Here however, the hair length in the end decided that one of the two megan-like girls was the "real" one, and the short haired version was an unidentified character. Had the latter been alone in another comic, she would for sure have been called Megan.
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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 serious problem for Megan has yet to be found.
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.
 
  
There was at one point a [[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#Merge_Cueball_.26_Rob|community portal discussion]] of what to call Cueball and what to do in case with more than one Cueball. Nothing much came of it, but so far it seems the standard practice is to name the main protagonist (the one with the funniest/defining part) as Cueball and then name the other friend etc. (and note that they also are Cueball-like. If it is impossible to discern them then neither should be called Cueball. The discussion was also about if Cueball's name should be changed to [[Rob]] but that did not get accepted. An example where this is a serious 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.
  
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.
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==Name==
 +
''Explain xkcd'' originally referred to this character as "Cutie" (complementing "Cueball" with a matching first syllable). But then a "Cutie" 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]].  
  
''Explain xkcd'' originally referred to this character as "Cutie" (complementing "Cueball" with a matching first syllable). But then a "Cutie" was given a specific name, Megan, in [[159: Boombox]] and later in for instance [[215: Letting Go]] and [[420: Jealousy]]. 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 [[:Category:Comics featuring Rob|9 times]] a Cueball has been named Rob in total). But as mentioned above this was not to be.  
+
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 8 times]] a Cueball has been named Rob in total). But as mentioned above this was not to be.  
  
In [[1221: Nomenclature]] the character we call Megan is called Mrs. Whatsit in the transcript provided in the comic source.
+
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 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==
 
==History==
Line 25: Line 26:
  
 
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]].
 
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 (later wife).
  
 
==Characteristics==
 
==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.
+
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 deviantly than Danish does.
  
In [[1409: Query]], we learn that she is 30 or younger, that her annual income is less than or equal to $100,000, and that she is afraid of flying. She is not explicitly named "Megan" in this comic though.
+
Megan's age is sometimes given, like in [[1409: Query]], we learn that she is 30 or younger, implying that she was born in 1984, but in [[630: Time Travel]], we learn she was born in 1983 and in [[2178: Expiration Date High Score]], we can calculate that she was born in 1982 or earlier. Since Randall just uses Megan for any woman not too old or young, and since the figure is not explicitly named "Megan" in any of these comics, these are three different characters and we cannot put an age on Megan.
 +
 
 +
== Trivia ==
 +
*Actually the first comics to be released using Megan not number 16, [[16: Monty Python -- Enough]] but [[24: Godel, Escher, Kurt Halsey]] because of the release order on [[LiveJournal]], see details in the trivia for both [[16: Monty Python -- Enough#Trivia|Monty Python -- Enough]] and [[24:_Godel,_Escher,_Kurt_Halsey#Trivia|Godel, Escher, Kurt Halsey]].
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
 
*[[:Category:Comics featuring Megan|Comics featuring Megan]].
 
*[[:Category:Comics featuring Megan|Comics featuring Megan]].
*It was at some point suggested that Megan and Cutie should be un-merged? In releation to a similar suggestion that Cueball and Rob should be merged. But nothing came of the [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#Merge_Cueball_.26_Rob discussion.]
+
*[[Danish]].
 +
*It was at some point suggested that Megan and Cutie should be un-merged? In relation to a similar suggestion that Cueball and Rob should be merged. But nothing came of the [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#Merge_Cueball_.26_Rob discussion.]
  
 
{{navbox-characters}}
 
{{navbox-characters}}
 +
 
[[Category:Characters]]
 
[[Category:Characters]]

Revision as of 08:53, 14 February 2022

Megan

Megan
First appearance 16: Monty Python -- Enough
Appearances 881

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 serious 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

Explain xkcd originally referred to this character as "Cutie" (complementing "Cueball" with a matching first syllable). But then a "Cutie" 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 8 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

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 (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 deviantly 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 1984, but in 630: Time Travel, we learn she was born in 1983 and in 2178: Expiration Date High Score, we can calculate that she was born in 1982 or earlier. Since Randall just uses Megan for any woman not too old or young, and since the figure is not explicitly named "Megan" in any of these comics, these are three different characters and we cannot put an age on Megan.

Trivia

See also

  • Comics featuring Megan.
  • Danish.
  • It was at some point suggested that Megan and Cutie should be un-merged? In relation to a similar suggestion that Cueball and Rob should be merged. But nothing came of the discussion.