what's the secret of monkey island

[Geypi]

So guys what do you think it is? It really could be anything. I think Guybrush and his brother Chuckie went to an amusement park named Big Whoop. Then Guybrush ran away and found a ride named Monkey island. Chuckie and Guybrush then started playing there and imagined that they were pirates.

[Iron Curtain]

Only Ron Gilbert knows, and he needs to make a third MI game in order to reveal it.

[nitsujsedohr]

Indeed only one person knows the Secret to Monkey Island.

[StansCoffins]

All will be explained in a few moments.

[DeLuca]

Honestly? I think we all know the Secret of Monkey Island. I think the reason that Gilbert hasn't told anyone and is so tight lipped is because we are taking the title out of context.

If I said "Let me tell you the secret of my magic ring" and I went on to explain that I had a ring that was magic, you would not be wondering about some ADDITIONAL secret about it, the secret is that the ring itself exists and I obtained it.

Likewise: The Secret of Monkey Island is referencing the fact that Monkey Island is a secret island that people cannot get to, and Guybrush must go after this secret island to rescue Elaine. The secret is that the island exists and cannot be reached by conventional means.

Additionally: Tales of Monkey Island as a title is suggesting that the game itself is unravelling the tales it is referring to. The events in game ARE the tales. Not some stories or tales that guybrush could MAYBE discover about the island as a plot element, it is describing the game. So Secret of Monkey Island is describing the game rather than suggesting there is an in-game secret.

Everyone started taking it out of context though and rather than disappoint everyone and say "wow you's all stoopid", Gilbert just decided to keep quiet and let our minds roam free and nuture our obsession with the series.

[nitsujsedohr]

SO, the secret of Monkey Island is the following Voodoo Recipe?

Preheat pot to 450 degrees
Add the following ingredients:

* 1 Cinnamon stick
* 4 Leaves of Mint
* 1 Human Skull (pressed)
* 1 squirt Squid Ink
* 2 pts Monkey Blood
* 1 Live Chicken
* 3 oz. Brimstone
* 1 or more of the following:
pyridoxine hydrochloride,
zinc oxide, yellow 8
mine mononitrate and BHA

Let bubble over low flame until thickened. Serves crew of four.

Of course Guybrush still makes it, even if he does ad-lib the ingredients.

[guitarsareboring]

Honestly? I think we all know the Secret of Monkey Island. I think the reason that Gilbert hasn't told anyone and is so tight lipped is because we are taking the title out of context.

If I said "Let me tell you the secret of my magic ring" and I went on to explain that I had a ring that was magic, you would not be wondering about some ADDITIONAL secret about it, the secret is that the ring itself exists and I obtained it.

Likewise: The Secret of Monkey Island is referencing the fact that Monkey Island is a secret island that people cannot get to, and Guybrush must go after this secret island to rescue Elaine. The secret is that the island exists and cannot be reached by conventional means.

Additionally: Tales of Monkey Island as a title is suggesting that the game itself is unravelling the tales it is referring to. The events in game ARE the tales. Not some stories or tales that guybrush could MAYBE discover about the island as a plot element, it is describing the game. So Secret of Monkey Island is describing the game rather than suggesting there is an in-game secret.

Everyone started taking it out of context though and rather than disappoint everyone and say "wow you's all stoopid", Gilbert just decided to keep quiet and let our minds roam free and nuture our obsession with the series.

^this is what I always assumed the title was referring to

[dzamir]

The secret of Monkey Island is explained on Curse of Monkey Island. If you want to know the secret in the mind of Ron Gilbert, send an email to him and hope for a response... :D

[Dark Byte]

the secret of monkey island is :"42"

[SHODANFreeman]

The secret of Monkey Island is that it was always Ron Gilbert's plan to have a stupid ending to MI2, leave Lucasarts, and laugh maniacally when they made a third game and tried to pick up where his terrible ending left off.

[guitarsareboring]

the secret of monkey island is :"42"

I'd like to see those two universes meet one day...

[Dark Byte]

The real secret of monkey island is actually that it's the island from Lost
Ron Gilbert just got his hands on some early writings of that show and based monkey island off it

[Goza]

The secret is that Guybrush is actually a kid, Lechuck is his brother and Elaine is probably the babysitter or sister or something. It's all a kids game within a game. I beleive even the Tales are implying this with childish games like staring contests and king of the castle battles for control of the Narwhal. Not much of a secret. It's like the Vader thing. We didn't wan't to accept it when Vader said "Luke I am your father", but after Return, It became okay. This will be the secret.

[StansCoffins]

The secret of Monkey Island is explained on Curse of Monkey Island. If you want to know the secret in the mind of Ron Gilbert, send an email to him and hope for a response... :D

I hate the attitude that some fans of Curse have, i.e. "Curse gave us an explanation, so therefore there's no point in debating it!"

While Curse is possibly my favourite game in the series, I absolutely hate the way it ties up every ambiguity from the first two games, making the wonderfully surreal last few hours of LeChuck's Revenge into nothing more than "LeChuck built an unfunny Disneyland parody and used it to curse Guybrush. And Big Whoop is the gates of hell."

Anyone seen the show Life on Mars? The whole series is based around the idea that a man has an accident and wakes up in the 70s, and throughout there is ambiguity as to whether he's in a coma, time travelling or simply mad. The ending is satisfying, partly because it still leaves in a bit ambiguous (unlike the American remake, which explains everything).

It wouldn't have been that difficult to make Curse a bit like that. Keep it unclear as to whether Guybrush is still a kid relapsing back into his fantasy, or whether that was some kind of curse. But no, we have a long chapter of retconning courtesy of LeChuck, and the game takes a nosedive from perfection to embarrassment.

[StoutFiles]

Ron Gilbert has already stated that the secret of Monkey Island has NOT been revealed in any of the MI games so far, and that the true secret would be revealed if he got to work on MI5.

That would then eliminate:

1. The secret is finding the island.
2. The secret is Guybrush is a kid pretending to be a pirate.
3. The secret is an "army of the undead" creator.

[DeLuca]

Frankly I kind of like the Carnival of the Damned, it's really messed up. I think it is genuinely creepy to think that there would be a sadistic audience for that place to exist. Satanists and the like

[Geypi]

Honestly? I think we all know the Secret of Monkey Island. I think the reason that Gilbert hasn't told anyone and is so tight lipped is because we are taking the title out of context.

If I said "Let me tell you the secret of my magic ring" and I went on to explain that I had a ring that was magic, you would not be wondering about some ADDITIONAL secret about it, the secret is that the ring itself exists and I obtained it.

Likewise: The Secret of Monkey Island is referencing the fact that Monkey Island is a secret island that people cannot get to, and Guybrush must go after this secret island to rescue Elaine. The secret is that the island exists and cannot be reached by conventional means.

Additionally: Tales of Monkey Island as a title is suggesting that the game itself is unravelling the tales it is referring to. The events in game ARE the tales. Not some stories or tales that guybrush could MAYBE discover about the island as a plot element, it is describing the game. So Secret of Monkey Island is describing the game rather than suggesting there is an in-game secret.

Everyone started taking it out of context though and rather than disappoint everyone and say "wow you's all stoopid", Gilbert just decided to keep quiet and let our minds roam free and nuture our obsession with the series.
it could be.... but why would a genious game creator create a secret that is so lame and retarded?? There's got to be a secret. There has got to be the secret behind all the MI games. And that's the secret of monkey island. A genious secret exists :D.

[Geypi]

Some say there are portals in the pirate world around the Caribbean; or that the secret is the location of Monkey Island itself; or, finally, because of MI2's ending, that Guybrush is just a young boy who is visiting a theme park. On these suggestions Ron Gilbert once commented, "One is closer than the others--but not much

[Lennie Melvin]

The secret is that the crew is just a bunch of monkeys!

[ChemBro]

I know, what the secret of Donkey Island is. :D

[Guinea]

Today when I played SMI:SE, I heard the voodoo lady say something along the lines of:
"You will learn a terrible truth about our world" or something. I think that's when you talk to her after Elaine is gone.

But in neither SMI nor MI2, I can remember a terrible truth or anything about Guybrush's world... Maybe I'm misinterpreting that line or I am missing something obvious that I forgot in that moment.

[StoutFiles]

it could be.... but why would a genious game creator create a secret that is so lame and retarded?? There's got to be a secret. There has got to be the secret behind all the MI games. And that's the secret of monkey island. A genious secret exists :D.

The most likely answer is that the second game WAS the actual secret of Monkey Island as the series ended with MI2. When MI was reborn 6 years later, they killed the "Guybrush is a kid" secret in favor of "The carnival made Guybrush think he was a kid and he escaped on a bumper car".

Gilbert himself probably doesn't know the secret of Monkey Island right now. He would need to sit down and think of one that would both amaze everyone and be accepted by everyone(unlike The Ultimate Insult).

[Geypi]

The most likely answer is that the second game WAS the actual secret of Monkey Island as the series ended with MI2. When MI was reborn 6 years later, they killed the "Guybrush is a kid" secret in favor of "The carnival made Guybrush think he was a kid and he escaped on a bumper car".

Gilbert himself probably doesn't know the secret of Monkey Island right now. He would need to sit down and think of one that would both amaze everyone and be accepted by everyone(unlike The Ultimate Insult).

well the ultimate insult was so retarded :D... why woud you wait for someone to insult you if you can kill him just like that :D.

[vanjjmmjjels]

Ron Gilbert said that the story was so big they decided to make 3 games out of it, instead of one and the secret would be revealed in the third one. I don't think any of the secrets mentioned before is enough for a 40 hour game. So there is plenty of room for another massive twist in the story like the ending of the 2nd one. The reason why ron gilbert hasn't told the secret yet is as he stated "people like questions more than answers". But I'm convinced there is a secret we haven't found yet, because ron is a nice guy and wouldn't lie to his fans just to keep up the interest in his games.

[Vitoner]

The secret is that Guybrush is gay.

[SANAFABICH]

The secret is that Guybrush is gay.
that's secret to no one, darling

[lecharles]

The secret is that Guybrush is gay.

you wish

[DeLuca]

Guybrush isn't but Winslow...

[Bernus]

Guybrush isn't but Winslow...

or Guybrush actually is Winslow and because his life on Flotsom was so boring waiting on the narwhal for someone who kicks him down, he images to be a mighty pirate - namly guybrush - who actually set him free of his duty to guard the narwhal and releases him of this unforsaken and eternal duty. hows that?!

[Lennie Melvin]

or Guybrush actually is Winslow and because his life on Flotsom was so boring waiting on the narwhal for someone who kicks him down, he images to be a mighty pirate - namly guybrush - who actually set him free of his duty to guard the narwhal and releases him of this unforsaken and eternal duty. hows that?!

hmpfff

[Vitoner]

Jokes apart, I'd really love to torture Ron Gilbert to death to know the real secret. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.
Am I evil?
Yes I am.

[Geypi]

Jokes apart, I'd really love to torture Ron Gilbert to death to know the real secret. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.
Am I evil?
Yes I am.

hahaha i would put a stick in his ass and ask him ,,What is brown and sticky??!!,,... almost nobody knows the anwser is stick :D. Hahaha ok no i couldn' do that... ok wait i could :D.

[vanjjmmjjels]

If you never get the opportunity to make your own version of Monkey Island 3, will we ever learn the real story of what happened to Guybrush, LeChuck, and Elaine?

RG: Yes, oh yes! And it will...blow...you...away.

Is the idea for Monkey Island 3 just in your head or do you have the script lying in a drawer somewhere?

RG: It's mostly in my head, but I did write out the basic story line, which I've probably lost by now. But it's still in my head.

[vanjjmmjjels]

that's interesting, too:

Some fans would like to see MI1 remade with today's graphic and voices. Is that something you think is a good idea or do you feel it should be left as it is, for nostalgic reasons.

RG: Remaking MI1 would be a huge mistake and wouldn't add anything to the game. Having recently played the game again, it's just fine.

[Geypi]

If you never get the opportunity to make your own version of Monkey Island 3, will we ever learn the real story of what happened to Guybrush, LeChuck, and Elaine?

RG: Yes, oh yes! And it will...blow...you...away.

Is the idea for Monkey Island 3 just in your head or do you have the script lying in a drawer somewhere?

RG: It's mostly in my head, but I did write out the basic story line, which I've probably lost by now. But it's still in my head.
Maybe it would help you if i put something in your ass!!(use stick with RG's asshole)
RG:aaaaagh noooo pleaaase.
Now tell me! I will put that thing out if you tell me what is brown and sticky!
RG:aaam shit?
You're talking SHIT! That's the wrong answer now make the game!!!!(use finger with mouth.... use wet finger with RG's ear).
RG: aaaaagh


ok yeah i'm bored :D.

[Gman5852]

I think the secret is the story of Guybrush and Ealine defeating Lechuck in their adventures. The story of the games. You know how in some places call a story that happened long ago a "secret" of that area, so maybe the secret is the story of Guybrush and Lechuck. This is form a guy who has only played tales though.
I also heard in an interview of one of the MI creators in the 2009 edition of the video game world records(monkey island got a full page in dedication with rewards like most debated ending and first game to get a play bassed after, sam and max got the first episodic point n click award) that the secret of monkey island was PI:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

[jortlaban]

The Secret of Monkey Island is the title of the game like stated before, I never thought anything more of it... this is fed by the fact that no other game in the series carry the "secret" title.....

It's just like "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"... the movie has nothing to do with Roger actually being framed (this is just a VERY small part in the story), the title is more of a catchphrase than an actual refference to the entire story.
the exact same can be said for "Three Kings", "Shanghai Noon", "The Black Gauldron", "Ronin" and many many more movies and other stories

[Ash735]

The Secret of Monkey Island is the last scene in the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. ;)

[jortlaban]

The Secret of Monkey Island is the last scene in the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. ;)

basicly... that's the ending of MI2 then.

[Geypi]

The Secret of Monkey Island is the title of the game like stated before, I never thought anything more of it... this is fed by the fact that no other game in the series carry the "secret" title.....

It's just like "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"... the movie has nothing to do with Roger actually being framed (this is just a VERY small part in the story), the title is more of a catchphrase than an actual refference to the entire story.
the exact same can be said for "Three Kings", "Shanghai Noon", "The Black Gauldron", "Ronin" and many many more movies and other stories

If that was true than why did guybrush ask lechuck what the secret is... and if he knew it would he then say to guybrush: It's you a few years back.... nonono it's not that there is a secret connected to the story.

[jortlaban]

If that was true than why did guybrush ask lechuck what the secret is... and if he knew it would he then say to guybrush: It's you a few years back.... nonono it's not that there is a secret connected to the story.

That is what's called a story-tellers JOKE, a Joke I found hilarious by the way... like the stump-joke in SoMI... or did you actually look for Disc 12 and disc 144????

and what ever happened to that attacking BEAR in CoMI
Or that drowned character off the coast of Blood Island???

Or the gorilla from Monkey Island 2.

Who killed the guy selling the "Grim Fandango" pitch???

And why were the voodoo-lady's cousins playing with a voodoo doll of the crypt keeper???

Where did Ol' Pegbiter go to???

Whatever happened to the cook of the bloody lip??? he's nowhere to be found on the island.....

How did you even arive at Scabb with all that cash, and on what did Largo spend it all???

all those things are not relevant or are meant as jokes and are in the same line as the title of the first game.

[a3HeadedMonkey]

Honestly? I think we all know the Secret of Monkey Island. I think the reason that Gilbert hasn't told anyone and is so tight lipped is because we are taking the title out of context.

If I said "Let me tell you the secret of my magic ring" and I went on to explain that I had a ring that was magic, you would not be wondering about some ADDITIONAL secret about it, the secret is that the ring itself exists and I obtained it.

Likewise: The Secret of Monkey Island is referencing the fact that Monkey Island is a secret island that people cannot get to, and Guybrush must go after this secret island to rescue Elaine. The secret is that the island exists and cannot be reached by conventional means.

Additionally: Tales of Monkey Island as a title is suggesting that the game itself is unravelling the tales it is referring to. The events in game ARE the tales. Not some stories or tales that guybrush could MAYBE discover about the island as a plot element, it is describing the game. So Secret of Monkey Island is describing the game rather than suggesting there is an in-game secret.

Everyone started taking it out of context though and rather than disappoint everyone and say "wow you's all stoopid", Gilbert just decided to keep quiet and let our minds roam free and nuture our obsession with the series.

You win the thread! :)

[Bob Page]

The most likely answer is that the second game WAS the actual secret of Monkey Island as the series ended with MI2. When MI was reborn 6 years later, they killed the "Guybrush is a kid" secret in favor of "The carnival made Guybrush think he was a kid and he escaped on a bumper car".


No, if you watched all of the credits in MI2, you see Elaine standing on top of the hole on Dinky Island saying "I wonder why Guybrush is taking so long" at the very end, also you see the head of LeChuck, the kid, flashes when he and Guybrush walks after their parents, sugesting it had to be some dirty tricks in the making..

[StoutFiles]

No, if you watched all of the credits in MI2, you see Elaine standing on top of the hole on Dinky Island saying "I wonder why Guybrush is taking so long" at the very end, also you see the head of LeChuck, the kid, flashes when he and Guybrush walks after their parents, sugesting it had to be some dirty tricks in the making..

That's just one of those silly "The End?" endings which gets people talking...breaking the 4th wall at the end of a movie is a classic ending that is rarely taken seriously.

I believe if Gilbert cared so much about MI and the "proper story", he would have told the CMI team what it was and not let them go entirely off base. If there really was a proper story it's probably ruined by the inclusion of the canon stories of CMI and EMI.

Gilbert ended the story with MI2. He talks a big game about this great secret that needs a final chapter to conclude, but I doubt he has it or he's thinking it up now in the hopes that he will get to work on another MI in the future. It's like with George Lucas and Star Wars, he's said since The Emipre Strikes Back that there are nine movies altogether but he didn't actually start writing the first three till he decided to make them. The final three movies haven't been written yet but if you ask Lucas about them I'm sure he'll say how great they would be when/if he decides to make them and how they'll truly conclude Star Wars.

[Rather Dashing]

That's just one of those silly "The End?" endings which gets people talking...breaking the 4th wall at the end of a movie is a classic ending that is rarely taken seriously.
Seriously, it's like nobody has ever seen The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari before.

[SHODANFreeman]

It's like with George Lucas and Star Wars, he's said since The Emipre Strikes Back that there are nine movies altogether but he didn't actually start writing the first three till he decided to make them. The final three movies haven't been written yet but if you ask Lucas about them I'm sure he'll say how great they would be when/if he decides to make them and how they'll truly conclude Star Wars.

Actually, at some point he decided 6 would be enough, which makes sense because the series was supposed to be entirely about Anakin's rise, fall and redemption.

[StoutFiles]

Actually, at some point he decided 6 would be enough, which makes sense because the series was supposed to be entirely about Anakin's rise, fall and redemption.

There was a terrifying quote by Lucas right before Episode 3 came out that if Episode 3 did extremely well in theaters he would consider more Star Wars movies. I honestly hope for the sake of SW that you're right as the prequels were painful to watch.

[Sir Pantalones]

How did you even arive at Scabb with all that cash, and on what did Largo spend it all???


Ever since MI2, I've been under the impression that Largo's eventual "tolling method" for Guybrush was emptying all of it in the water below by holding Guybrush upside down.
Also, Guybrush is a pirate. They usually loot and plunder.

[Woodsyblue]

The secret of Monkey Island is that it was always Ron Gilbert's plan to have a stupid ending to MI2, leave Lucasarts, and laugh maniacally when they made a third game and tried to pick up where his terrible ending left off.

Too right! Sometimes it really does feel that way.

[onlyamonkey]

Who killed the guy selling the "Grim Fandango" pitch???

Goldtooth did it.

[StansCoffins]

No, if you watched all of the credits in MI2, you see Elaine standing on top of the hole on Dinky Island saying "I wonder why Guybrush is taking so long" at the very end, also you see the head of LeChuck, the kid, flashes when he and Guybrush walks after their parents, sugesting it had to be some dirty tricks in the making..

Ever heard of ambiguity? That's what's so great about the ending, it gets people talking. You're not MEANT to completely understand it. The same applies for the WHOLE of the Dinky Island chapter (or at least as soon as the flashback ends).

[vanjjmmjjels]

Ever heard of ambiguity? That's what's so great about the ending, it gets people talking. You're not MEANT to completely understand it. The same applies for the WHOLE of the Dinky Island chapter (or at least as soon as the flashback ends).

You're all aware of the fact that there was going to be a 3rd game by gilbert which would explain this ambiguity?

[vanjjmmjjels]

Honestly? I think we all know the Secret of Monkey Island. I think the reason that Gilbert hasn't told anyone and is so tight lipped is because we are taking the title out of context.

If I said "Let me tell you the secret of my magic ring" and I went on to explain that I had a ring that was magic, you would not be wondering about some ADDITIONAL secret about it, the secret is that the ring itself exists and I obtained it.

Likewise: The Secret of Monkey Island is referencing the fact that Monkey Island is a secret island that people cannot get to, and Guybrush must go after this secret island to rescue Elaine. The secret is that the island exists and cannot be reached by conventional means.

Additionally: Tales of Monkey Island as a title is suggesting that the game itself is unravelling the tales it is referring to. The events in game ARE the tales. Not some stories or tales that guybrush could MAYBE discover about the island as a plot element, it is describing the game. So Secret of Monkey Island is describing the game rather than suggesting there is an in-game secret.

Everyone started taking it out of context though and rather than disappoint everyone and say "wow you's all stoopid", Gilbert just decided to keep quiet and let our minds roam free and nuture our obsession with the series.

THat's a lame explanation.

[Silverwolfpet]

For once, I actualy have an argument that contradicts your theory, DeLuca! With all due respect, of course...

If it was only a gramatical way of understanding it, Guybrush wouldn't keep asking "What IS the secret of Monkey Island". He did that in CMI and in ToMI. If it really was only something out of context, that can mean only two things:

1. It's NOT out of context, therefore there IS a secret regarding Monkey Island.
OR
2. Guybrush is as "stoopid" as us all
:D

[StansCoffins]

You're all aware of the fact that there was going to be a 3rd game by gilbert which would explain this ambiguity?

We don't know that. Often when a sequel offers to tie things up it just ends up leaving more questions open. The TV show Life On Mars was supposed to give an explanaion, but one spinoff later and people still have no idea what's going on.

[zwollie]

Oh common people, the secret of Monkey Island is bananas!!

[ToddD]

OR that the bird is the word

[doggans]

Honestly? I think we all know the Secret of Monkey Island. I think the reason that Gilbert hasn't told anyone and is so tight lipped is because we are taking the title out of context.

If I said "Let me tell you the secret of my magic ring" and I went on to explain that I had a ring that was magic, you would not be wondering about some ADDITIONAL secret about it, the secret is that the ring itself exists and I obtained it.

Likewise: The Secret of Monkey Island is referencing the fact that Monkey Island is a secret island that people cannot get to, and Guybrush must go after this secret island to rescue Elaine. The secret is that the island exists and cannot be reached by conventional means.

That's what I thought for YEARS, until I saw Gilbert constantly insisting in interviews that there was a secret that hasn't been revealed yet.

Now I think the secret might be "Ron Gilbert enjoys messing with his fans." :P But who knows?

I believe if Gilbert cared so much about MI and the "proper story", he would have told the CMI team what it was and not let them go entirely off base.

I can't find it, but I remember an interview where he said that had he been invited, he would have come in and told the CMI crew his plan for the story. He probably didn't know the game was being developed until it was too late for his ideas to change anything.

[vanjjmmjjels]

I think as a game designer you have the full story figured out before starting even programming anything, so I don't think that gilbert made up the fact that there is a secret after part 2 was finished. Apart from that there are so many details and references in those games which were done in purpose, so I don't think they/he chose "the secret of monkey island" as a title with no further intention.

[Geypi]

That is what's called a story-tellers JOKE, a Joke I found hilarious by the way... like the stump-joke in SoMI... or did you actually look for Disc 12 and disc 144????

and what ever happened to that attacking BEAR in CoMI
Or that drowned character off the coast of Blood Island???

Or the gorilla from Monkey Island 2.

Who killed the guy selling the "Grim Fandango" pitch???

And why were the voodoo-lady's cousins playing with a voodoo doll of the crypt keeper???

Where did Ol' Pegbiter go to???

Whatever happened to the cook of the bloody lip??? he's nowhere to be found on the island.....

How did you even arive at Scabb with all that cash, and on what did Largo spend it all???

all those things are not relevant or are meant as jokes and are in the same line as the title of the first game.

All this things are wierd... impossible... unexplained... maybe because that's just Guybrush's dream where anything can happen... or he is just a little boy playing with his brother and making up a silly story...which again could prove my theory.

[Guinea]

I think it's highly possible that Ron had and still has the idea for "his" 3rd part in his head, and like he said wrote it down once.

A trilogy is a common form of story telling, so yeah, Ron has probably had the full story in mind before making SMI and then said: "That's so large we need to make a trilogy. In the first game, Guybrush becomes a pirate, in the 2nd game he is a pirate and gets close to the secret and in the last game we reveal the secret. And the secret is..."

[vanjjmmjjels]

^agreed

[HappyCoincidence]

This is mostly a rhetorical question (read: keep the answer to yourselves), but what exactly gives everyone the impression that The Secret will be all that good? Personally, I think the best ideas have already been discussed right here.

Now, I think Ron did a fantastic job of creating characters and a world for them to exist in. And the puzzles were pretty great too. But that doesn't show that he is someone who built an immaculate master plan that would make even the gods weep. Maybe he did, but he is human, just like any other writer. They say that all stories have already been written long ago and what we have today are just creative rebuilds and mixes of them (paraphrase). I mean, how many things can it be? Altered reality (dream world) where the bad guy is his brother, gates of hell/army of the undead creator, mysterious island no one can reach, giant...monkey...robot... Anyway, I think whatever it is, your imaginations have clearly been working overtime and whatever Ron had created, I don't know if one person, however creative, can match the imaginations of countless fans constantly twisting their brains. The difference is we don't get a chance to put it together, voice record it and see the final result. That's it.

It's sort of how I feel about Lost. I love it to death and can't wait for the last episode. I'm sure it's going to sneak up on most people and be really appropriate given some of our clues, but I'm sure it's been guessed/topped by some people's brains, constantly pumping out the most insane to the most mundane explanations for six straight years. Now turn that into 19 years, have the kids who enjoyed it originally grow up with these questions and keep in mind that it's very doubtful that it's going to seem super appropriate: I doubt we'd be like "THAT'S what Meathook represents!" or "Of COURSE Rapp Scallion had a Weenie Hut! It makes perfect sense!"

I tend to ramble (can you tell?), but I guess what I'm saying is I'd gladly trade whatever "mind-blowing" Secret there might have been for Curse and Tales, which were spawned out of the ambiguity of the end, any day. Sorry, Escape from Who?

[SHODANFreeman]

This is mostly a rhetorical question (read: keep the answer to yourselves), but what exactly gives everyone the impression that The Secret will be all that good? Personally, I think the best ideas have already been discussed right here.

Now, I think Ron did a fantastic job of creating characters and a world for them to exist in. And the puzzles were pretty great too. But that doesn't show that he is someone who built an immaculate master plan that would make even the gods weep. Maybe he did, but he is human, just like any other writer. They say that all stories have already been written long ago and what we have today are just creative rebuilds and mixes of them (paraphrase). I mean, how many things can it be? Altered reality (dream world) where the bad guy is his brother, gates of hell/army of the undead creator, mysterious island no one can reach, giant...monkey...robot... Anyway, I think whatever it is, your imaginations have clearly been working overtime and whatever Ron had created, I don't know if one person, however creative, can match the imaginations of countless fans constantly twisting their brains. The difference is we don't get a chance to put it together, voice record it and see the final result. That's it.

It's sort of how I feel about Lost. I love it to death and can't wait for the last episode. I'm sure it's going to sneak up on most people and be really appropriate given some of our clues, but I'm sure it's been guessed/topped by some people's brains, constantly pumping out the most insane to the most mundane explanations for six straight years. Now turn that into 19 years, have the kids who enjoyed it originally grow up with these questions and keep in mind that it's very doubtful that it's going to seem super appropriate: I doubt we'd be like "THAT'S what Meathook represents!" or "Of COURSE Rapp Scallion had a Weenie Hut! It makes perfect sense!"

I tend to ramble (can you tell?), but I guess what I'm saying is I'd gladly trade whatever "mind-blowing" Secret there might have been for Curse and Tales, which were spawned out of the ambiguity of the end, any day. Sorry, Escape from Who?

Pale Man Approves.

[nitsujsedohr]

What IS the secret of Monkey Island, the world may never know. I 2nd the "Who really cares?" notion. I do know that this question has come to be a running joke in the series, and all I want is more games. I think they could even end the series without answering that question.

[vanjjmmjjels]

This is mostly a rhetorical question (read: keep the answer to yourselves), but what exactly gives everyone the impression that The Secret will be all that good? Personally, I think the best ideas have already been discussed right here.

Now, I think Ron did a fantastic job of creating characters and a world for them to exist in. And the puzzles were pretty great too. But that doesn't show that he is someone who built an immaculate master plan that would make even the gods weep. Maybe he did, but he is human, just like any other writer. They say that all stories have already been written long ago and what we have today are just creative rebuilds and mixes of them (paraphrase). I mean, how many things can it be? Altered reality (dream world) where the bad guy is his brother, gates of hell/army of the undead creator, mysterious island no one can reach, giant...monkey...robot... Anyway, I think whatever it is, your imaginations have clearly been working overtime and whatever Ron had created, I don't know if one person, however creative, can match the imaginations of countless fans constantly twisting their brains. The difference is we don't get a chance to put it together, voice record it and see the final result. That's it.

It's sort of how I feel about Lost. I love it to death and can't wait for the last episode. I'm sure it's going to sneak up on most people and be really appropriate given some of our clues, but I'm sure it's been guessed/topped by some people's brains, constantly pumping out the most insane to the most mundane explanations for six straight years. Now turn that into 19 years, have the kids who enjoyed it originally grow up with these questions and keep in mind that it's very doubtful that it's going to seem super appropriate: I doubt we'd be like "THAT'S what Meathook represents!" or "Of COURSE Rapp Scallion had a Weenie Hut! It makes perfect sense!"

I tend to ramble (can you tell?), but I guess what I'm saying is I'd gladly trade whatever "mind-blowing" Secret there might have been for Curse and Tales, which were spawned out of the ambiguity of the end, any day. Sorry, Escape from Who?

The secret will...BLOW...YOU...AWAY.

[StoutFiles]

... or he is just a little boy playing with his brother and making up a silly story...which again could prove my theory.

It's not really your theory...or even a theory at all as that WAS the ending to MI2. However, CMI killed it and the only way it would work is if Guybrush decided to "pretend" again.

[Rather Dashing]

This is mostly a rhetorical question (read: keep the answer to yourselves), but what exactly gives everyone the impression that The Secret will be all that good? Personally, I think the best ideas have already been discussed right here.

Now, I think Ron did a fantastic job of creating characters and a world for them to exist in. And the puzzles were pretty great too. But that doesn't show that he is someone who built an immaculate master plan that would make even the gods weep. Maybe he did, but he is human, just like any other writer. They say that all stories have already been written long ago and what we have today are just creative rebuilds and mixes of them (paraphrase). I mean, how many things can it be? Altered reality (dream world) where the bad guy is his brother, gates of hell/army of the undead creator, mysterious island no one can reach, giant...monkey...robot... Anyway, I think whatever it is, your imaginations have clearly been working overtime and whatever Ron had created, I don't know if one person, however creative, can match the imaginations of countless fans constantly twisting their brains. The difference is we don't get a chance to put it together, voice record it and see the final result. That's it.

It's sort of how I feel about Lost. I love it to death and can't wait for the last episode. I'm sure it's going to sneak up on most people and be really appropriate given some of our clues, but I'm sure it's been guessed/topped by some people's brains, constantly pumping out the most insane to the most mundane explanations for six straight years. Now turn that into 19 years, have the kids who enjoyed it originally grow up with these questions and keep in mind that it's very doubtful that it's going to seem super appropriate: I doubt we'd be like "THAT'S what Meathook represents!" or "Of COURSE Rapp Scallion had a Weenie Hut! It makes perfect sense!"

I tend to ramble (can you tell?), but I guess what I'm saying is I'd gladly trade whatever "mind-blowing" Secret there might have been for Curse and Tales, which were spawned out of the ambiguity of the end, any day. Sorry, Escape from Who?
Rather Dashing disapproves.

The secret doesn't have to be an utterly mind-blowing revelation. Especially now, it doesn't have to surprise me. It just has to actually FIT with the ending of Monkey Island 2, rather than saying "Oh, that? Yeah, that doesn't devalue our franchise zombie. You see, it works. Because, um....MAGIC."

[nitsujsedohr]

Rather Dashing disapproves.

The secret doesn't have to be an utterly mind-blowing revelation. Especially now, it doesn't have to surprise me. It just has to actually FIT with the ending of Monkey Island 2, rather than saying "Oh, that? Yeah, that doesn't devalue our franchise zombie. You see, it works. Because, um....MAGIC."

It's not MAGIC it's VOODOO, Come'on Guybrush play along!

[doggans]

It just has to actually FIT with the ending of Monkey Island 2, rather than saying "Oh, that? Yeah, that doesn't devalue our franchise zombie. You see, it works. Because, um....MAGIC."

"Magic" certainly fits with the part of the ending where Elaine implies LeChuck put Guybrush under a spell. You may not like that part of the ending, and you can choose to believe it's also part of Guybrush's imagination, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're right.

[StansCoffins]

"Magic" certainly fits with the part of the ending where Elaine implies LeChuck put Guybrush under a spell. You may not like that part of the ending, and you can choose to believe it's also part of Guybrush's imagination, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're right.

There are so many better ways to do it than "LeChuck literally built a theme park", though. Not to mention that said spell was just tossed aside, meaning the ending had very little significance.

[doggans]

Well, yeah, I don't think "Carnival of the Damned" was necessarily the right direction to take it in...but I also don't think that the specifics of the ending of MI2 would have weighed nearly as heavily in Gilbert's MI3 as a lot of people seem to think. As Tim said in that interview, it was an intentionally anticlimactic joke ending.

[Deny]

i think "the secret of monkey island" is the secret of it...
There is no secret, but nobody knows sso thats the secret :D

[DeLuca]

I think if it was twisted enough LeChuck's theme park can be palatable.

Many people think its just a Disney land parody, which would be gross and boring, but let's give it a darker side like the MI deserves.

So, it could be

1. A lame parody on Disney and the beginning of the over silly factor of the series.

OR

2. LeChuck builds something to bring people from not just the Caribbean but all over the world into his control. With the idea they are about to go enjoy themselves, he is actually making them exposed to the ACTUAL gates of hell themselves! Parents hold their childrens hands as their skin is literally blasted off by hellfire and they are forever slaves to a merciless and demonic zombie pirate captain, doing his terrible doings and unthinkable voodoo rituals.

See? It can be scary if you view it in the right light. Don't think of it as parody, think of it as utterly twisted. Unfortunately I think the EMI people misjudged this and instead went with that it was supposed to be a joke, when I in fact think it is one of the darker elements. Parents witnessing their children turn into skeleton slaves? That's messed up.

[Epic Kiwi]

The Secret of Monkey Island is that Morgan LeFlay is actually the goddess of Monkey Island reborn in human form, and she and Guybrush will have to spend hours making sweet, sweet monkey love as part of the ritual that will save the entire Caribbean. Also LeChuck and Elaine have a group marriage with Sybil Pandemik and Abraham Lincoln's head, and they adopt the 13 Monkeys of Montevideo as their beloved children.

...


Honestly, I don't think I'd mind if they never revealed the secret. It was a bit frustrating at first, but it's really just become the running joke of the series.

[StansCoffins]

2. LeChuck builds something to bring people from not just the Caribbean but all over the world into his control. With the idea they are about to go enjoy themselves, he is actually making them exposed to the ACTUAL gates of hell themselves! Parents hold their childrens hands as their skin is literally blasted off by hellfire and they are forever slaves to a merciless and demonic zombie pirate captain, doing his terrible doings and unthinkable voodoo rituals.

This idea had potential, but I think the way it was executed did just make it seem like a Disneyland parody. Dinghy Dog, Roland Rat, Snow Cones, winning an anchor in a prize rack, "more slaw", animatronics... the whole place just felt like an unfunny dig at theme parks, with only one short cutscene and LeChuck's word letting us know that it was a more twisted place.

Also, I think it would have been better if they'd actually set it up properly. To me it just felt like a tacked on epilogue to Monkey Island 2, having nothing to do with the plot of the rest of the game (Guybrush accidentally curses Elaine, throws a crew of pirates together, and travels to the mysterious, ominous Blood Island to save her. To do so, he must find a ring with a history of love attached to it, and this involves resolving the conflicts which brought the ring about in the first place).

LeChuck doesn't really fit into this story (except as Minnie's ex, but this was brushed over for most of the game), so it's like they got to the end and realised they didn't have a climatic LeChuck fight, so added this stuff about theme parks and decided "Hey, let's try and wrap up LeChuck's Revenge's ending while we're at it". Sorry if I seem like I'm ranting, but this really annoys me, because Curse is my favourite of the series, but it's almost like a 6 stars out of 5 game for the first four chapters, but a 1-2 star game for the last two, which averages out to 5 due to their short length. But it could have been perfect if they'd made a better ending.

Plus kids weren't allowed on the ride anyway! ;)

[nitsujsedohr]

The Secret of Monkey Island is that Morgan LeFlay is actually the goddess of Monkey Island reborn in human form, and she and Guybrush will have to spend hours making sweet, sweet monkey love as part of the ritual that will save the entire Caribbean. Also LeChuck and Elaine have a group marriage with Sybil Pandemik and Abraham Lincoln's head, and they adopt the 13 Monkeys of Montevideo as their beloved children.

Wow, did I mention I can't help but picture in my head everything that I read? What a picture that was...

[Rather Dashing]

Wow, did I mention I can't help but picture in my head everything that I read? What a picture that was...
My theory is that the Secret of Monkey Island is that everyone who goes there is doomed to have a zombie monkey fetus egg grow in their brain. The monkey will then slowly feed off the brain of its host through osmosis until it grows fangs. From the inside, it will chew its way through the grey matter until it gets to the skull, explaining Guybrush's lack of any real wit in Curse. Now, we're takling cartoon logic here, so less to no brain matter just means you're stupider, not dead. Once it's done, the monkey starts scratching through the bone of the chin. Now, this is just a fetus, mind you, and it's even small by fetus standards. But what happens is that it starts growing around the chin, first its hair poking out to form what looks like a weak pirate beard. This can be shaved off, but it'll come back more ferociously in 9-10 years, as zombie monkeys have long gestation periods. Eventually, though, the whole monkey will grow out of the victim's chin, scratching out the wannabe-pirate's eyes and tear off their face, the flesh hanging off the monkey's butt until it eventually falls off, basically being something akin to the umbilical cord in human infants. The zombie monkey will then roam the earth,, throwing wild disco sex parties and running for political office.

[StansCoffins]

My theory is that the Secret of Monkey Island is that everyone who goes there is doomed to have a zombie monkey fetus egg grow in their brain. The monkey will then slowly feed off the brain of its host through osmosis until it grows fangs. From the inside, it will chew its way through the grey matter until it gets to the skull, explaining Guybrush's lack of any real wit in Curse. Now, we're takling cartoon logic here, so less to no brain matter just means you're stupider, not dead. Once it's done, the monkey starts scratching through the bone of the chin. Now, this is just a fetus, mind you, and it's even small by fetus standards. But what happens is that it starts growing around the chin, first its hair poking out to form what looks like a weak pirate beard. This can be shaved off, but it'll come back more ferociously in 9-10 years, as zombie monkeys have long gestation periods. Eventually, though, the whole monkey will grow out of the victim's chin, scratching out the wannabe-pirate's eyes and tear off their face, the flesh hanging off the monkey's butt until it eventually falls off, basically being something akin to the umbilical cord in human infants. The zombie monkey will then roam the earth,, throwing wild disco sex parties and running for political office.

Quick, get this guy a job at Telltale!