History WMG / GoingPostal

[[AC: {{WMG}}s for {{Discworld}}/{{Discworld/Going Postal}} and {{Discworld}}/{{Discworld/Making Money}}. Warning: Potential unmarked spoilers.]]

*** Moist got her attention with his LastWords. "I commend my soul to any god who can find it."

* As for why he'd want someone like Reacher or Moist, he knew stability was assured with his system in place, especially while Vimes or Carrot was around to keep the Watch together, so he saw that the city could need help in order to grow as well as it could. Thus he needed someone savvy enough to keep his system, know how to handle people and know how to get things done. Instead of Vetinari's subtlety he relied on a show biz personality to make the people go along with these ideas, leaving the old fashioned Guild leaders powerless to resist the change.

In more recent books, Vimes has started to show a streak of [[MagnificentBastard Magnificent Bastardry]], which he even remarks on in {{Discworld/Thud}}. Knowing that Vetinari takes a personal interest in his development, it seems quite plausible that this was his intended goal all along. Vimes and Moist represent different elements of what makes his style of government successful. Vimes is focused, has a clear sense of right and wrong, is absolutely incorruptible and has a talent at upsetting established power players, but can be a bit hard-headed. Moist is a born con-man, good at manipulating people and getting them to like him and thinks outside the box all the time, but he's flighty and unreliable unless forced to focus on one task. It's possible that Vetinari either intends to make them compete indirectly to show which one would make a better successor or split up his power between them eventually. Also note how, in his interactions with each of them, he seems to channel the spirit of the other. With Vimes, he's gratuitously obfuscating and manipulative, almost trickster-like, while with Moist, he's a stern authority figure.

* Then again, Angua has since been made up to Captain and even Pessimal is showing competence as a Watch officer - he is now an Inspector - so there are two other potential sucessors as Watch commander if Carrot declines. And in ''Snuff'', Carrot is prepared to take over as ''acting'' Watch commander in the absence of Vimes, so perhaps his oppposition is fading?

* Age may not be relative. The Patrician has had how many death attempts? He is seemingly more unlike himself/unhinged as the series goes on. Sam may only be the Plan B should the Patrician needs a replacement before Moist is ready.

*** Moist got her attention with his FinalWords. "I commend my soul to any god who can find it."

[[WMG:Adora Belle is Anoia, the goddess of things stuck in drawers.]]

* Quite possibly as the secretary to his protege, Moist von Lipwig. Heretofore has already demonstrated an ability to mimic the postion of Drumknott, and an absolutely unflappable adjutant is something Moist will require as Patrician. He will also need an expert commander of the Watch, and for that he will have one Carrot Ironfoundersson. this trooper must disagree with this idea as Carrot wouldn't take the job, to quote men at arms "they shouldn't do it just because corporal Carrot says so. just because corporal Carrot is ... good at being obeyed"

* Quite possibly as the secretary to his protege, Moist von Lipwig. Heretofore has already demonstrated an ability to mimic the postion of Drumknott, and an absolutely unflappable adjutant is something Moist will require as Patrician. He will also need an expert commander of the Watch, and for that he will have one Carrot Ironfoundersson.

In more recent books, Vimes has started to show a streak of [[MagnificentBastard Magnificent Bastardry]], which he even remarks on in ''Discworld/Thud''. Knowing that Vetinari takes a personal interest in his development, it seems quite plausible that this was his intended goal all along. Vimes and Moist represent different elements of what makes his style of government successful. Vimes is focused, has a clear sense of right and wrong, is absolutely incorruptible and has a talent at upsetting established power players, but can be a bit hard-headed. Moist is a born con-man, good at manipulating people and getting them to like him and thinks outside the box all the time, but he's flighty and unreliable unless forced to focus on one task. It's possible that Vetinari either intends to make them compete indirectly to show which one would make a better successor or split up his power between them eventually. Also note how, in his interactions with each of them, he seems to channel the spirit of the other. With Vimes, he's gratuitously obfuscating and manipulative, almost trickster-like, while with Moist, he's a stern authority figure.

In more recent books, Vimes has started to show a streak of [[MagnificentBastard Magnificent Bastardry]], which he even remarks on in [[Discworld/Thud]]. Knowing that Vetinari takes a personal interest in his development, it seems quite plausible that this was his intended goal all along. Vimes and Moist represent different elements of what makes his style of government successful. Vimes is focused, has a clear sense of right and wrong, is absolutely incorruptible and has a talent at upsetting established power players, but can be a bit hard-headed. Moist is a born con-man, good at manipulating people and getting them to like him and thinks outside the box all the time, but he's flighty and unreliable unless forced to focus on one task. It's possible that Vetinari either intends to make them compete indirectly to show which one would make a better successor or split up his power between them eventually. Also note how, in his interactions with each of them, he seems to channel the spirit of the other. With Vimes, he's gratuitously obfuscating and manipulative, almost trickster-like, while with Moist, he's a stern authority figure.

* Also, Adora Bell is obsessed with freeing [[Golem trapped tools]] AND she's the one who finds the key in the hidden draw in Lavish's desk, opens the secret cupboard, AND she's the one who proposes that they leave the contents on the floor. I think this qualifies as yet more FridgeBrilliance on Pratchett's part.

* Also, Adora Bell is obsessed with freeing trapped tools. I think this qualifies as yet more FridgeBrilliance on Pratchett's part.

* Alternatively, Anoia appears in her current form because Moist had Adora Belle in mind when he popularized her worship.

If Vetianri wants something, he takes one thing to mold it into what he wants. He legalized the Thieve's Guild to regulate crime, then he took Vimes and made him forge a powerful new Watch. For now, the city is not only stable, but growing. In order for it to thrive he needs to revitalize the major public services. So he takes Moist and uses him to resurrect the Post Office, which becomes big business in and of itself. He then targets the banks and the tax office that we know of, planning to use Moist to do so. He would have used Reacher too, if he'd have cooperated. He'd have played the two off of each other to create one ideal successor.

Please do not add a WMG markup unless the individual Discworld book pages are added to the main WMG index or another work shares this page.

The Patrician is an Assassins' Guild graduate, he was at least as responsible for Gilt's death as he was for Lord Winder's, and it'd appeal to his sense of symmetry to collect on the Guild contract for that purpose.