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The Cat King and the Trickster Archetype

This is actually something I wanted to write about for a while now and I finally found the muse to do it!

In the following, I want to look at the Cat King as a character under the lense of the trickster figure. Many people have written about this before (and way better), but I feel like throwing in my two cents today.

To preface this: I am all for variety in interpretation. Not trying to say mine is the only valid one and you are all perfectly welcome to discuss with me! However, what I will not tolerate is people being nasty to other people because of a character or a ship they don't like. Please be respectful and mindful of others if you want to take part in a discussion. Thank you <3

THE FUNCTION OF THE TRICKSTER

“The black and white world of good and evil is nothing for the betwixt‐and‐between tricksters, for they move in both these spheres, making the world gray.” Valentova, Eva: “The Betwixt-and-Between”, in: Journal of Popular Culture, June 2018, Vol.51(3)

It all starts with a trick. Particularly, a “(b)inding spell. One of my tricks.” (Edwin Payne, episode 1)

In episode 1 we learn two rules about cats: a) their claws can hurt ghosts and b) using magic on them is trouble. This is stated multiple times, adding to the overall statement the show makes about messing with magic always having consequences (“A single lick of cream is never enough – and magic, well, it's the same.” The Cat King, episode 8). When they are ambushed by the cats of Port Townsend, Charles steps up to ask “What exactly did you do, mate?”. It's clear: Edwin fucked up bad.

Firstly, we meet the Cat King in his cat form, awaiting our heroes in the cannery, establishing that he is, above all else, not human but animal. Secondly, he instantly establishes himself as a threat: there is a corpse on the floor, being devoured by cats. It is unclear who that person was or what he did to be thus consumed. A primary theme that follows the cats and thus the Cat King is therefore: Food. Comsumption. The animal, always on the hunt for its next meal. Edwin tricking the cat with a sardine. The Cat King residing in a cannery. Cats feeding on the corpse.

Entering the Kingdom of Cats is entering a kingdom of the animalistic. But it is still a kingdom, hence Edwin's insistence on taking point in deplomacy.

The Cat King transforms in a rush of flame – we are met by a man with cat eyes. Never letting us forget his true nature. He does not care who our heroes are, it is none of his business. What he does care for is how “(u)sing magic on my cats is a total car crash on your part.” Again, reinforcing the information we got in episode one. We are told once more, that Edwin committed the greatest faux-pas.

We are then transported to the Cat King's chambers. Removing Edwin from the safety of his protective friends that champion a physical altercation (later we learn, that the Cat King is in no way a fighter and probably would have not stood a chance even against solely Charles and his bat), and instead putting him off-balance – and keeping him there. Sensing Edwin's weak point, his sexuality, he asks about his “special friendship” with Charles, teases at his propriety (changing his clothes into something more revealing, giving Edwin compliments), comes closer and visibly rattles his composure. And yet he tells us: “This is a safe space. My kingdom is all about want and pleasure.” At this point, we encounter the Cat King's humanity. He is more than an instinct driven animal – he is a creature of wits. Of insight. Of theatrics. Of TRICKERY. His approach to punishment is not in anger – it's delivered with innuendo, with charm, tongue in cheek. Less of a demon claiming a soul, more so Peter Pan sticking out his tongue and blowing raspberries at Captain Hook. A genie twisting your words until your wish becomes corrupted. A fae asking for your name and taking it for themselves. In his presentation and function the Cat King is closer to the animals of fairy tales and fables. He is puss-in-boots tricking a powerful mage to turn into a mouse to be devoured.

“What seems to be at the very core of the trickster's nature is its opposition to borders, restrictions, and boundaries in general; he or she is the “enemy of boundaries” (full quotation by essayist: Kerényi, Karl: “The Trickster” In: Radin, Paul u.a.: The Trickster: A Study in American Indian Mythology, Schocken, 1987) (...). This makes tricksters deeply ambiguous characters because they never stick to one side of a dichotomy, such as good/evil, man/woman, or human/animal. They want to find out what makes the boundary, exploring both sides and blurring the boundary in the process.” Valentova: “The Betwixt-and-Between”

And as a trickster, naturally, he waits for Edwin to pick his own punishment. “I don't see the harm in one little spell.” Thus, a binding spell it is. An eye for an eye. The very classic trope of the trickster letting their victim get a taste of their own medicine. Even going so far as to quoting Edwin's statement back to him. “I don't see the harm in one little spell.” Why shoudl Edwin's freedom be worth more than that of a cat? To the Cat King, there is no difference. Edwin released the cat once he got his information, thus Edwin shall be released upon fullfilling what the Cat King wants: “Look, it comes right off as soon as you make me happy.” Now, here is where things get dicey: He makes an ilicit proposal Edwin shys away from. Quickly changing tactics (covering up his naked chest and stating himself to be “fair and consensual”), the Cat King gives Edwin a task in the same way the Gods gave Hercules twelve tasks to proof himself worthy. Counting cats.

Until episode 4, the Cat King's presence is solely implied by cats running through shots and being counted – he is keeping tabs on Edwin, but also learning about the issues with Esther.

His next meeting with Edwin starts once again with innuendo. “Uptight boys like a bit of rough play.” Keeping up his flamboyant teasing, the Cat King succeeds once more in unbalancing Edwin. In this way he is a catalyst for Edwin's character development, mainly his self-acceptance. Edwin is faced directly with the embodiment of desire, pleasure and want. A human animal, playing with him and forcing out his truth (as shown by the truth spell the Cat King puts on him).

“The transformative abilities, implied in their shape‐shifting skills, are not limited to the trickster's body. (...) Tricksters make the world they live in more like themselves. Or rather, they reveal the world to be, like themselves, ambiguous, polyvalent, changeable, and unpredictable (...).” Valentova: “The Betwixt-and-Between”

This is overall the Cat King's function. He is a foil against which Edwin is realising his inner truth. “You never, ever have to pretend with me.” The scene of his confrontation of the Cat King, who then transforms into Charles after instantly clocking Edwin's attraction to him, is quickly followed by the scene of Edwin gazing at Charles and loosing track of the conversation. The Cat King basically shoved Edwin into that realization head first.

The Cat King's next appearance (episode 6) is him revealing to Edwin Monty's betrayel (and stealing a kiss from Monty, who kissed Edwin, again, eye for an eye). “I always say the quiet parts out loud.” At this point, the Cat King gets truly involved – which he was not supposed to. The cases, the issues with Esther, none of that was his business. But by now, his trickery with Edwin has taken on new form. He finds himself enjoying the game a bit too much. And he decided to act (which soon would be his doom). But oh no … Edwin Payne, famously a man with some tricks of his own up his sleeve, is not playing along. Not like the Cat King wants him to. The trickster is being played at his own game. And he doesn't like it. He's throwing a fit – “I will stop playing nice!” – without any consequences. At the end of the day, his claws are drawn in. (“I already hate myself enough for ever caring about that thin, stuffy little British tease.” The Cat King, episode 8)

In the beginning of episode 7, the Cat King is beaten to death by Esther Finch for getting involved. We learn the depth of his involvement in the very first scene he does not share with Edwin. The very first scene he speaks without trickery: “Edwin has been through more pain than you or I could ever imagine. (…) And when he escapes Hell again, I'll be waiting for him.” He then dies a violent death, screaming and emerging from his own corpse as a black cat – notably unlucky creatures. Dressed in black in irrevocably changed, he realises that he just gave his killer the perfect idea to make Edwin Payne suffer. This was not one of his tricks.

When Crystal and Niko approach the Cat King in episode 8 to help against Esther, he openly states to be “not really equipped to fight Esther”, which tracks with all we have been seeing from him in the past seven episodes. His magic is all about trickery, not harm. He was unable to keep her from killing him or even putting up any semblence of a fight. He does however, offer them all the information they need to know. (Interestingly enough, Esther's story is another of trickery. Lilith makes her immortal but without permanent youth. As the Cat King says: “You always read the fine print.”)

At Edwin's last meeting with the Cat King, he offers him a Lily (famously poisonous to cats) with the words: “My condolences for your brave friend.” His gesture is one of comfort and respect. He tries to rekindle their flirtation but this time, the trickster is the one off balance. Edwin, now actualized and comfortable with his inner truth, looks at the Cat King and, in a reversal of their roles, reveals his truth instead: “You are lonely. You play games. And change outfits. You chase toys to distract yourself from it. You were right. We are a lot alike. We are both lonely.” Only with this truth spoken into the open, the Cat King is offered the small comfort of a kiss on the cheek. We then hear that Edwin has finished his cat based Herculean task – and that the Cat King forgot to count himself. The last illustration of his singularity.

I could go on and further in depth, but in the end, I would argue that, while Edwin's character development was catalysed by the trickster function of the Cat King, this very trickster himself experienced a character shift of his own. A figure of unstable identity and thus untethered from belonging, the game he played with Edwin transformed him from an archetype into a character, who realizes his loneliness and begins to mourn it.

It all started, and ended, with a trick.

#dead boy detectives #dbda #edwin payne #the cat king #catwin #cat king analysis #classic trickster

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