Thinking how there is a whole new generation of tma listeners who haven’t made the connection between the way Jonah Magnus acted in Jon’s birthday party in episode 161 and A Guest For Mr. Spider
Episode 81:
‘KNOCK KNOCK’
‘WHO IS IT, MR. SPIDER?’
‘IT’S MR. BLUEBOTTLE’,
‘AND HE’S BROUGHT YOU A CAKE’.
‘MR. SPIDER DOESN’T LIKE IT’.
Episode 161:
JONAH MAGNUS (AS ELIAS): Knock knock.
TIM: Double boss!
SASHA: Elias?
MAGNUS: I’m not too late for cake, am I?
ARCHIVIST: There’s a cake?
TIM: How did y– Martin! That was a secret!
MARTIN: (high) I didn’t say anything!
MAGNUS: He didn’t have to. Nothing escapes my notice, and I like to keep an eye out for this sort of thing.
…
MAGNUS: Anyways. Somebody mentioned cake.
TIM: Uh, yeah. You did.
MAGNUS: (inhale of mock surprise) Yes, I did, didn’t I.
Goddd while I’m at it lets not forget that all of the tape recorders Jon was listening to in 161 and 162 (that incidentally came in with the ‘Hello Jon’ statement) all mention at some point fire and burning down the archives, whether on purpose or by accident-
Episode 161, birthday recording:
ARCHIVIST: Alright, yes – thank you. I do hope you’re not planning to light those candles.
TIM: (who, me?) Oh, goodness. [HE SHAKES A BOX OF MATCHES.] A source of ignition? In the Archives? [SASHA LAUGHS.] Uh-oh.
ARCHIVIST: Tim.
TIM: (overlapping) Mmm. Oh. Whoops! (strikes a match) Sorry. My hand slipped. [THE FLAME CRACKLES AND BURNS INTO BEING.] And again –[A SLIGHT CRACKLE AS HE LIGHTS A CANDLE.] And again –[THE SAME CRACKLE.] And a couple more times – here, I’m so clumsy today; that is a lot of fire.
[THE CANDLES CONTINUE TO CRACKLE IN THE BACKGROUND.]
ARCHIVIST: I’m really not comfortable –
SASHA: So blow them out, then.
Same episode, Gertrude recording:
GERTRUDE: (overlapping) Do you know the gas main, a little way out in the tunnel?
LEITNER: I do.
GERTRUDE: I need you to move it.
LEITNER: (hem-and-haw) Iiiii, ummmm. That’s. I mean it’s not just earth; there’s pipework, and all sorts of –
GERTRUDE: Find a way. I need it to be directly under the Institute, or at least closer.
…
LEITNER: …Right. What are you going to do?
GERTRUDE: Paper burns well.
[SHE HOLDS UP A CONTAINER OF LIQUID – IT SLOSHES.]
GERTRUDE: Petrol burns better.
[IT SLOSHES AGAIN. LEITNER LAUGHS.]
LEITNER: I always forget your pyromaniac streak.
Epsiode 162, Gertrude and Gerry:
GERTRUDE: Heh. You can probably burn it in the back courtyard, if you’re careful.
GERRY: (okay, okay) Yeah, will do.
GERTRUDE: And for goodness’ sake, make sure no one sees you. The last thing we need is a letter to Elias about book burnings.
GERRY: Look, if you have somewhere better to burn these books, then –
GERTRUDE: (overlapping, jokingly over-the-top) Of course, Gerard! I just happened not to mention the network of sinister tunnels that snake beneath the Archive where I keep all my darkest secrets.
…
GERRY: You, uh – need anything else burning?
GERTRUDE: (a bit of a laugh to it) No, no. Not right now. I think I’m alright, thank you for the offer.
Same episode, Tim and Sasha:
TIM: Well, tell you what. If you get eaten alive by improperly filed statements, me and Martin will avenge you.
SASHA: (tch) Well, aren’t you sweet.
TIM: I mean it! We’ll burn this place to the ground, it’ll be all like (mock yelling) SASHA! SAASHAAAAA!
The Web really isn’t pulling any punches in hinting Jon it’s behind everything and what he needs to do. Those tapes were carefully chosen indeed