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Northwestward

 Northwestward
type
TVTItem
 Northwestward
label
Northwestward
 Northwestward
page
Northwestward
 Northwestward
comment
The 61st story in the Black Widowers case files, Isaac Asimov wrote it for The Further Adventures of Batman (1989), an Anthology for Batman stories.Trumbull is host tonight, and his guest is Bruce Wayne, the inspiration behind the character of Batman. Though Very Loosely Based on a True Story, Mr Wayne is an accomplished criminologist, collector of Batman memorabilia, and faithfully assisted by his butler, Cecil Pennyworth (Alfred’s nephew). While Rubin is grilling him, a mystery naturally reveals itself. The mystery is why Cecil told Mr Wayne he was going northwestward when he had arrived at the house in New York, rather than North Dakota.The story has been reprinted several times; Alfred Hitchcocks Mystery Magazine (April 1990), Tales Of The Batman (1995), Magic (1996), and The Return of the Black Widowers (2003).
 Northwestward
fetched
2023-10-12T15:45:10Z
 Northwestward
parsed
2023-10-12T15:45:10Z
 Northwestward
processingComment
Dropped link to Batman1966: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Northwestward
processingComment
Dropped link to Batman: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Northwestward
processingComment
Dropped link to Nibelungenlied: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Northwestward
processingComment
Dropped link to PrinceValiant: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Northwestward
processingComment
Dropped link to Superman: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Northwestward
processingComment
Dropped link to TheEpicOfGilgamesh: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Northwestward
processingComment
Dropped link to TheShahnameh: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Northwestward
processingComment
Dropped link to TheTrojanCycle: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Northwestward
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Northwestward / int_18d15922
type
Title Drop
 Northwestward / int_18d15922
comment
Title Drop: When Mr Wayne restates his butler's intentions, he refers to the northwestward direction. Cecil, however, had said "northwest", as in the airline company.
 Northwestward / int_18d15922
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_18d15922
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_18d15922
 Northwestward / int_1c445e86
type
Poor Communication Kills
 Northwestward / int_1c445e86
comment
Poor Communication Kills: Mr Wayne's mystery comes from his butler (as a servant) being well-mannered enough not to question why his master suddenly flew across the country for no explained reason, and Mr Wayne not asking for clarification when his butler failed to explain why he seemed to lie about his destination. Fortunately, Henry is present to clarify matters.
 Northwestward / int_1c445e86
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_1c445e86
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_1c445e86
 Northwestward / int_1e1afc1b
type
Framing Device
 Northwestward / int_1e1afc1b
comment
Framing Device: As in all Black Widowers stories, the Fancy Dinner and grilling provide a location and characters to hear about the mystery second-hand, allowing the deductions by Henry the waiter to be more impressive.
 Northwestward / int_1e1afc1b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_1e1afc1b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_1e1afc1b
 Northwestward / int_5d7cfc66
type
The Jeeves
 Northwestward / int_5d7cfc66
comment
The Jeeves: Henry is as unobtrusive as ever, deftly serving baked Alaska and solving the mystery for Mr Wayne. Cecil Pennyworth is the butler to Mr Wayne, and nephew of Alfred Pennyworth. His elliptical manner of mentioning his flight plan causes the mystery of the plot.
 Northwestward / int_5d7cfc66
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_5d7cfc66
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_5d7cfc66
 Northwestward / int_5f76977a
type
Fake Crossover
 Northwestward / int_5f76977a
comment
Fake Crossover: With Batman!
 Northwestward / int_5f76977a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_5f76977a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_5f76977a
 Northwestward / int_640a7996
type
Fancy Dinner
 Northwestward / int_640a7996
comment
Fancy Dinner: The Black Widowers club meets every month at the Milano, a fancy restaurant in New York City. Tonight, they’re served crableg cocktails, veal marengo, baked Alaska, brandy, and coffee.
 Northwestward / int_640a7996
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_640a7996
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1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_640a7996
 Northwestward / int_959a9947
type
Phone-In Detective
 Northwestward / int_959a9947
comment
Phone-In Detective: The only information that the Black Widowers have is what Mr Wayne is able to convey about the mystery. This is quite enough for Henry to solve the problem.
 Northwestward / int_959a9947
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_959a9947
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_959a9947
 Northwestward / int_9ebca7d9
type
Mr. Smith
 Northwestward / int_9ebca7d9
comment
Mr. Smith: Mr Wayne reveals that he has a house in North Dakota, northwest of the convention in Minneapolis, where the people who care for the place in his absence know him as a 'Mr Smith'.
 Northwestward / int_9ebca7d9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_9ebca7d9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_9ebca7d9
 Northwestward / int_9fda81a7
type
The Summation
 Northwestward / int_9fda81a7
comment
The Summation: Just before Henry goes into his summation of why Cecil Pennyworth didn’t explain his failure to to go North Dakota, he asks Mr Wayne for the Exact Words used by Mr Pennyworth. From there, he’s able to explain how a servant couldn’t question their master and why Cecil wouldn’t imagine why they’d need to apologize for worrying Mr Wayne.
 Northwestward / int_9fda81a7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_9fda81a7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_9fda81a7
 Northwestward / int_a164f37d
type
Fair-Play Whodunnit
 Northwestward / int_a164f37d
comment
Fairplay Whodunnit: The clues are all presented during the grilling, and The Summation doesn’t start until the diners turn to Henry for advice. The only missing clue is that there used to be a popular airline company named Northwest Airlines.
 Northwestward / int_a164f37d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_a164f37d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_a164f37d
 Northwestward / int_a1d753b6
type
Featureless Plane of Disembodied Dialogue
 Northwestward / int_a1d753b6
comment
Featureless Plane of Disembodied Dialogue: Despite including a fair bit of activity by the characters and describing their food and drink, the Milano is left relatively bereft of description.
 Northwestward / int_a1d753b6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_a1d753b6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_a1d753b6
 Northwestward / int_a6c69bd
type
MacGuffin
 Northwestward / int_a6c69bd
comment
MacGuffin: Mr Pennyworth is carrying the most valuable part of Mr Wayne’s Batman memorabilia in a single suitcase. Although he doesn’t lose it, he does have a couple of close calls.
 Northwestward / int_a6c69bd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_a6c69bd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_a6c69bd
 Northwestward / int_b2e94341
type
Based on a Great Big Lie
 Northwestward / int_b2e94341
comment
Based on a Great Big Lie: This story’s premise contains a Bruce Wayne who was an actual person assisting the police by solving crimes, creating the basis of the comicbook character from Batman. That is only true within the fictional world of the Black Widowers.
 Northwestward / int_b2e94341
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_b2e94341
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_b2e94341
 Northwestward / int_c75df49a
type
Shout-Out
 Northwestward / int_c75df49a
comment
Shout-Out: Dinner conversation, before the grilling, is focused around heroes: The Batman (1966) television series is mentioned, although only Julie Newmar is named. Mr Wayne claims to be the inspiration behind the story of Batman. Prince Valiant of Prince Valiant. Odysseus and gods of The Trojan Cycle, are discussed, with The Iliad and Homer mentioned by name. The titular character of Superman. Siegfried of Nibelungenlied. The titular character of The Epic of Gilgamesh. Conan, from Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian stories. Hercules and Achillies from Classical Mythology. Rustum of The Shahnameh.
 Northwestward / int_c75df49a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_c75df49a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_c75df49a
 Northwestward / int_c9eb478e
type
Satchel Switcheroo
 Northwestward / int_c9eb478e
comment
Satchel Switcheroo: We are informed of several offscreen attempts at robbery, as one or more people may have tried to steal/swap the suitcase containing Mr Wayne's emerald Batman ring.
 Northwestward / int_c9eb478e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_c9eb478e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_c9eb478e
 Northwestward / int_d2112212
type
Proto-Superhero
 Northwestward / int_d2112212
comment
Proto-Superhero: Discussed Trope during the dinner. The as-yet unnamed guest argues that the hero Superman is an insult to the supernormal powers of previous heroes. He compares Hercules to Superman, and says there’s too much of an imbalance of power. Nothing can be exciting or suspenseful with Superman’s powers.
 Northwestward / int_d2112212
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_d2112212
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_d2112212
 Northwestward / int_d5522f3a
type
Non-Powered Costumed Hero
 Northwestward / int_d5522f3a
comment
Non-Powered Costumed Hero: Invoked Trope, because Mr Wayne, tonight’s dinner guest, claims that the character Batman (of Batman) is "restricted to entirely human abilities" because of his insistence.
 Northwestward / int_d5522f3a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_d5522f3a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_d5522f3a
 Northwestward / int_deea2fb5
type
Idle Rich
 Northwestward / int_deea2fb5
comment
Idle Rich: Mr Wayne is retired, and describes himself as "very well off". Multiple houses are mentioned, as well as multiple servants and a museum of Batman memorabilia.
 Northwestward / int_deea2fb5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_deea2fb5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_deea2fb5
 Northwestward / int_e2c5711f
type
Fan Convention
 Northwestward / int_e2c5711f
comment
Fan Convention: Mr Wayne isn’t feeling well enough to attend as a guest for a convention in Minneapolis, so he sends his trusty butler Mr Pennyworth, instead.
 Northwestward / int_e2c5711f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_e2c5711f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_e2c5711f
 Northwestward / int_e4b69188
type
Very Loosely Based on a True Story
 Northwestward / int_e4b69188
comment
Very Loosely Based on a True Story: In-Universe, Bruce Wayne claims the comics and the television series are exaggerated versions of real events and people he encountered.
 Northwestward / int_e4b69188
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_e4b69188
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_e4b69188
 Northwestward / int_e9e35e8f
type
Exact Words
 Northwestward / int_e9e35e8f
comment
Exact Words: Henry requests clarification on if Mr Pennyworth said "northwest" or "northwestward" because one means a particular direction and the other has several possible meanings.
 Northwestward / int_e9e35e8f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_e9e35e8f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_e9e35e8f
 Northwestward / int_name
type
ItemName
 Northwestward / int_name
comment
 Northwestward / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Northwestward / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Northwestward / int_name
 Northwestward / int_name
itemName
Northwestward

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Northwestward
hasFeature
American Literature (# to D) / int_11f35fc3
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Based on a Great Big Lie / int_11f35fc3
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Fake Crossover / int_11f35fc3
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Fan Convention / int_11f35fc3
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Fancy Dinner / int_11f35fc3
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Idle Rich / int_11f35fc3
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Non-Powered Costumed Hero / int_11f35fc3
 Northwestward
hasFeature
Satchel Switcheroo / int_11f35fc3