A Series Of Unfortunate Events: Who is Beatrice?
NETFLIX’s A Series Of Unfortunate Events opens each episode with a dedication to Beatrice, but who is she?
Trailer: Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
After Neil Patrick Harris’ gloomy theme song – fittingly titled Look Away – episode one begins with an onscreen message that reads: “To Beatrice – darling, dearest, dead.”
Each two-part story opens with a similar dedication.
The Reptile Room begins with: “For Beatrice — My love for you shall live forever. You, however, did not.”
The Wide Window continues: “For Beatrice — I would much prefer it if you were alive and well.”
And finally, The Austere Academy is dedicated: “To Beatrice — My love flew like a butterfly, until death swooped down like a bat.”
In episode seven, Lemony Snicket reveals that Beatrice is his former lover.
Lemony Snicket dedicates each of his stories to Beatrice
He mourns: “In my closet, I keep a 200-page book written by the woman I loved, explaining at great length and in specific detail the reason she could not marry me.
“Which if I were to leave out in the open, I would find myself reading over and over. It would be as if my darling Beatrice were bringing me bad news every day and every night of my life.”
But who is the mysterious Beatrice? Look away now, as spoilers follow.
The series follows the Baudelaire orphans as they are pursued by Count Olaf
Lemony’s lost love is none other than Beatrice Baudelaire – Violet, Klaus and Sunny’s mother.
A book released in 2006 called The Beatrice Letters revealed that Lemony first met Beatrice as children.
They both became members of VFD – the secret organisation mentioned throughout the series – and fell in love.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS AND THE LEMONY SNICKET FILM
It is unclear why exactly Beatrice turned down Lemony’s proposal, although it is mentioned that she originally said “yes” before changing her mind.
It could be because Lemony was falsely accused of arson and murder, or because the Daily Punctillo falsely reported his death.
Eventually Beatrice moved on and married Bertrand Baudelaire, the children’s father.
In the final book in the series, The End, it is revealed that there is a second person named Beatrice.
Beatrice is revealed to be the Baudelaire's mother
Kit died during childbirth and asked the Baudelaire children to name her daughter after their mother.
The orphans raised baby Beatrice on the island for a year before deciding to set sail for the main land, but as The Beatrice Letters reveal, they became separated from her during the journey.
Beatrice went on to join VFD and got in contact with her uncle Lemony, asking for his help in tracking down her former guardians and spurring him on to write A Series Of Unfortunate Events.