The new Nibbler topic that just got posted and locked reminded me of a theory that occured to me a while back. It's based on the following dialogue from eveyone's favorite conspiracy source, The Why of Fry:
*fast forwards through DVD* *pauses for Leela towel scene* *continues fast-forwarding* Fry:Mightiness? Are you off your nut? I just got kidnapped by a bunch of guinea pigs!
*Nibblonians chattering*
Ken: Does he not know? *Looks accusingly at Nibbler*
Nibbler: He does not know. *shifty glance*
Fiona: *Surprised* He knows not?
Nibbler: Knows not does he.
Nibblonian3: Nought, he know--
Ken: *exasperated* Enough!
Ken: Fry, it is my duty to inform you blah blah blah...
Abbot & Costello -esque dialogue joke? Or something more?
This conversation, looking at both the dialogue and Ken & Nibbler's expressions, seems to indicate to me that Nibbler was
supposed to tell Fry about his status as the mighty one beforehand.* Obviously, he wasn't to come out with the whole truth, since the Nibblonians were relying on him not knowing what manipulative bastards they were (see Act 2 of the above episode.) Nonetheless, I postulate that he was witholding information from Fry against orders.
There are two questions that arise from this:
The first, and slightly less obvious of the two, is when was Nibbler supposed to clue Fry in? During the ride to Planet Eternium? Right after TDTESS? When they met in Season 1? Hell, maybe he was even supposed to introduce himself on New Year's Eve 1999, but he didn't and the whole "trying to hide Nibbler's interference there" was the Nibblonians as a group covering his ass.
The second question is the one most natural to humans: why? Why would Nibbler go against what was expected/ordered of him? Why wouldn't he reveal himself to Fry and inform him of his mightiness? There are several possibilities:
1. Nibbler knows Fry too well. He realizes that Fry might very well go nuts with his own sense of importance until Leela slapped some sense into him.
2. Nibbler doesn't trust Fry. I'm assuming Nibbler is still supposed to stay hidden from the general populace of Earth, and he thinks Fry will expose him to prove his own importance (see above) or just out of stupidity.
3. Nibbler enjoys being a lapdog too much. Let's face it, if Fry new, there is no way Leela wouldn't find out. Not even sitcom dramatic irony can keep that kind of secret. Hell, Fry probably wouldn't let him get away with being pampered so badly if he was aware of his intelligence.
4. Something more sinister. It is otherwise personally advantageous to Nibbler to act in utter secrecy. For what purpose, I do not know.
I'm back, but I'll wait for discussion anyway...if anyone even pays attention to this. Also, a couple notes:
-For the uninformed, the male Nibblonian leader apparently goes by Ken, and the female Fiona. I don't know why, so don't ask.
(Personally, I think Teral or JBERGES or somebody just made it up.)-Sitcom Dramatic Irony is ™, ©, and ® 2004 by Tongue Luck.
*Alternate theory: Ken & Co. expected Fry to figure it out from the events of TDTESS. However, a) they know he's a moron, b) this doesn't explain how they expected Fry to recognize them as smarter than guinea pigs, and c) this implies Nibbler didn't report the whole truth about that incident anyway. Also, my theory's more fun.