Joe
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 Joe, from Ultima IV | |||||||||
| Species: | human | ||||||||
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This article is about a character from Ultima IV. For other uses, see Joe (disambiguation).
Joe is a name used by three drunken fighters who appear to be in the midst of a binge at Jolly Spirits in Britain during Ultima IV.
Description[edit]
It is not known if all three tavern patrons were actually named "Joe" or if their insistence on using the appellation is some form of bizarre in-joke. Whatever the circumstances, Joe, Joe and Joe would all sing the broken refrain of " Dead Man's Chest" when approached, asking the Stranger to help furnish them with the requisite "bottle of rum." Should the hero agree to purchase drink for them, the party receiving the beverage would confide that "his friend Joe" could help with the stones. Any of the three warriors, if pressed, would go on to explain that the yellow stone of Compassion could be found in the dungeon Despise.[1]
Trivia[edit]
- Refusing to buy any of the Joes a bottle of rum results in them exhorting the Stranger to "Be a Joe!!" implying that the name possibly reflects a certain quality if character rather than being a given name.
- In the document discovered by historians Robert DeMain and Carlotta Stein, which purports to be the Avatar's personal diary, the hero converses with only one Joe at Jolly Spirits, who freely mentions the stone even after the Stranger refuses him rum – the hero feeling he has already had one bottle too many.[2]
- In the C64 version of Ultima IV, a glitch makes the conversation with Joe unavailable.
- In the Nintendo remake of Ultima IV (where most character names were omitted and dialogue was significantly modified), Joe and company can be identified with the lone sober paladin in the same location, who offers the same information about the yellow stone.[3]
- A "Jolly Joe" may also be found in Ultima III Montor East. This character, however, sings only "Ho Ho Ho!" rather than the full refrain of "Dead Man's Chest," and it is unknown if this NPC bears any relation to later Joes.[4]
References[edit]
- ↑ Joe. Underworld Dragon’s Ultima IV transcript. Ultima IV. "job, rum, stone".
- ↑ DeMaria, Rusel et al. "Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar". Ultima: The Avatar Adventures (Ultima IV). Origin Systems, Inc.: 1992. Page 24.
- ↑ Ultima IV transcript by subject § The Eight Stones
- ↑ Jolly Joe. Underworld Dragon’s Ultima III transcript. Ultima III.