Last week I finished revisions on a scene for the final volume that features Jareth and Mizumi’s courtship. Mizumi mentions their affair in volume 2, but it isn’t until the next volume that we really get to see what their relationship was like. I’m not going to spill all the juicy details here, but now that the biggest piece of backstory is out of the way, I would like to talk about origins.
Prequels, even more than sequels, are dangerous ground, as they can, if badly handled, taint everything that comes after chronologically. Darth Vader is the perfect case in point. In the original trilogy, he’s a terrifying figure turned tragic hero. Apparently being turned into an evil cyborg was the best thing that could have happened to the guy, since according to the prequels, before that he was just a dick. The new Star Trek movie got it right, but only after the dreadfully dull Enterprise sucked all the energy out of the original series’ prehistory. C. S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew is the earliest prequel I can think of, and definitely one of the most successful, but even that one has slightly diminished the series thanks to revisionist editing renumbering it from volume 6 to 1.
But back to Labyrinth. In dealing with anything that could be construed as part of Jareth’s “Origin Story,” I definitely wanted to tread lightly. While I’ve imagined many adventures that Jareth might have had before he crossed path with Sarah, I’m of the opinion that his relevance, if not his existence, begins and ends with Sarah. Any back story he has must reinforce that relationship – the needs that brought him into her life, if not into existence.
As I finish tying up the many threads as best I can (with much support from the awesome Joe LeFavre at Henson), I sincerely hope that this story will supplement other fans’ memories and dreams of Jareth and not spoil them. In any case, more is left in mystery than is explained concerning the distant past; like they in the Neverending Story, that is another story and will (hopefully!) be told at another time.
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I’m sure you’re doing a fantastic job, Jake.
Thanks for keeping us fans in mind and handling Labyrinth with such care–because you’re thinking about it, it proves that it’s going to be a smash hit. 
Considering the fantasim of some of the fan fiction writers it might be for the best to keep certain things vague. I’m still eager to see what you’ve got though.
My old theories have satisfying relevance. Sarah’s belief in him sustained him, made him real, just as he wanted. This caused the manifestation of a past. To be real one needs a past, present and future.
I can’t wait to dig into some of the back story. I certainly can’t wait to read vol 4.
BTW, I’m not certain on this, but I think it’s Joe LeFavi at Henson. I literally just met him like 3 weeks ago, I could have sworn it was LeFavi, but I could be wrong. >.<
I can’t wait for the back story either.
I love when you get into the “origins” of who Jareth was and what makes him today. It’s a little risky, I’ll admitt that, but I always find it extremely creative and well worth reading.
Can’t wait to read it!!!!
really am hopeing I’m wrong about my theory
“I don’t suppose Jareth&Mizumi only cared about each other the way
Vicomte de Valmont,Marquise de Merteuil;cared about other”
please tell me I’m wrong >_<" because I feel awful saying that
Who are those people…? O.o *never heard of them*
those were characters from the French epistolary novel Les Liaisons dangereuses; which is what some say
(It is often claimed to be the source of the saying “Revenge is a dish best served cold”)However the expression does not actually occur in the original novel.
thinking that if J&M had that form of caring about each other
the way Vicomte de Valmont&Marquise de Merteuil care about each other.
makes my gut clutch.
Jareth does NOT approve of French epistolary novels. He turns uses them to line the floor of the hatbirds aviary.
Jake Thank you for proveing I’m wrong:’)
I’m sure that there is nothing that could spoil our ideals of Jareth from the movie. I am really looking forward to seeing what could have happened to make Mizumi such a biscuit eating bulldog.
A long time ago, I had the idea that maybe Sarah had created the story as a little girl. Maybe both Mizumi and Jareth are her creations that she modeled to love each other. Then Sarah at some point put herself in Mizumi’s place, therefore breaking the original ties that she herself created. And as that dream became reality, she and her brother were both sucked into it. IDK just an idea…?
OMG! That’s what I was thinking…
I always thought that Jareth and Sarah were connected in such a way that actually began in the “Beyond Time” to a place that Jareth could not go. Essentially, it was my belief that Sarah was initially Jareth’s beginning and he created what she is today…but then, she made him who he was now… erk, confusing, I know…
(A perfect circle, theory…) I always love time travel-type twisted stories or “the chicken or the egg” theory…
I can’t wait to see what you do for volume 4! This sounds wonderful!
I’ll be buying it, for sure!
This is a major crackpot theory
anyone see Hancock yet, that might be a bad example. But
they were built in twos,and that they are drawn to each other over time and great distances.
but you can’t choose who you fall for
only who you what to be with.
this I guess is an even more major crackpot theory but’
I think in there world everybody thought that an M+J is O.K.
&he knew that’s what everybody thought
But maybe he was against the whole idea.
what are the chances that she’ll say. he fell for her because she was
the only one who didn’t fall for him.
but we truly know why he is obssessed with her.
If it was only because she rejected him than it can’t be love because that’s more obsession or a fanatical need to win the game, a conquest. Though Jareth does have a dark side prone to these sort of behaviours I always felt his affection for Sarah was deeper than that.
I’ve got another theory for Enigma Lain theater
what I’m guessing is that she’ll be given a script___&
all I can think of, is a dialogue that says
The beast could only be sent back with
the magic of one voice,one heart, one soul,
but;there is no one,or it involves no one?
I think you’re over complicating it again.
I can’t stop overstimating
just thinking about the fact, that something we never thought of or the expected could happen; driving me crazy,but hey
never underestimate anyone or anything
-universal- or
“When you hear hoof beats, think of horses, not zebras.”
-medicine-
I may overestimate alot,but a bigger mistake is underestimating things
“When you hear hoof beats, think of horses, not zebras.”
Actually when I hear hoofbeats I think of unicorns.
What about fauns, satyrs or demons?
that slang Originates in the advice often given to medical students
an unlikely diagnosis, especially for symptoms probably caused by a common ailment.
I’ve sorta felt you guys were telling me that
Oh, I’m sure Jareth has a soft spot for one French novel. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo if only for the fact that the musical’s original Broadway cast features Terrence Mann (original Rum Tum Tugger from Cats = The poster in Sarah’s bed room). Sorry, it’s the theatre geek in me coming out. And I <3 Terrence Mann.
Anyway, I’m certain Jareth doesn’t mind at least one French literary character. le vampire Lestat. Note the attached picture. That’s Jareth side by side with Lestat from the comic book adaptation of Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles.
Hugo puts Jareth to sleep. He does, however, like the Little Prince. It makes him cry every time. Or maybe I’m just projecting.
The Little Prince? Awwwe.
I don’t know Mandy according to Wiki
It has been translated into more than 180 languages and sold more than 80 million copies making it one of the best selling books ever.
ronin1983, your inability to understand me has reached the point of aggravating. I explain to you demographics over E-mail and you reply with the text of the Wiki page that says exactly what I said but in different wording and you use that to insist I was wrong and now this. It’s really frustrating to be misunderstood so much.
When I said ‘Awwe’ in return to Jake talking about The little Prince it was an ‘Awwe’ of ‘How cute.’ Not ‘Awwe, that can’t be true!” That would be ‘Naw.’ I didn’t say Jake was wrong. I was commenting on the cuteness of the idea.
Anyway, I stand by my Jareth / Lestat comparison.
This time that should be the right link in the attachment.
Well, if Jareth doesn’t approve or see a comparison with Lestat, he *MIGHT* agree with his choice in wardrobe
I am convinced that Lestat and Jareth steal from each other. By the way, check out my shameless Lestat / Jareth music video I’ve attached.
And by steal from each other I mean Lestat borrows his shirt, while Jareth borrows his frock coat. They raid each other’s closets.
wow. major look alike.
Hmm… Oh, wait. On the subject of French novels how does Jareth feel about Erik in Phantom of the Opera or Percy in the Scarlet Pimpernel?
I dunno, Mandy. While Erik has a sordid and violent past, Jareth might just identify with him in the areas of hiding inside of an underground labyrinth and wishing for a love of a woman that at times seems pretty much near impossible. Even though Jareth doesn’t have a physical deformity he obviously has something that holds him back or that he is insecure about to have created the labyrinth around him to keep people out.
On the topic of prequels/sequels, The Phantom of the Opera has both. Susan Kay wrote a pre-quel + the story of Erik while from the time of his borth and a little past Christine’s death if I remember correctly in her book simply titled “Phantom”. It’s been awhile since I’ve read it, but I absolutely love her writing and descriptions of Erik’s life. You definitely can see how Erik was formed into the man he ultimately became. There is also a sequel “The Phantom of Manhattan” which I own but have not begun to read, not being able to bring myself to it. I had heard they were going to actually develop it for the stage or screen but I am unsure of which.
Prequels and sequels can definitely eitehr ruin a story or create rifts in fans who believe in a more purist version of stories. Especially when the stories are things we the reads identify and hold dear.
So far, RtL has exceeded my expectations and I cannot wait for vol. 4!!
Keep up the awesome work Jake!!!
We’re going a little off topic here but Sir Andrew Loyd Webber is doing a Phantom sequel this December, opening in three major cities simultaneously (different casts of course).
Steering this semi-back on topic there’s a funny comic strip on deviant art that’s updated about once a week called Roommates and it has Jareth, Erik (Phantom of the Opera), Javert (Les Miserables), and Nornington (Pirates of the Caribbean) all living together. Sadly though the author’s friend who does the female counter-part series (Girls next door) loathes Return to Labyrinth with an intense hatred and is insistent that the stepmother should be called Karen because fans have called her that in fan fiction for so long and Jake ‘needs’ to respect that. Riiiight and Jake’s supposed let himelf get sued by some fan fiction author because it’s non-Henson canon and he doesn’t have the right to it?
I’m just come out & ask it
will closure be an important part of vol.4?
Yes, Ronin. Closure is perhaps the most important part (depending on what you mean by closure). I hope that the plot threads and themes that have been milling about will come to a satisfying conclusion.
Jake from what I got from reading the manga&from drifting in&out
by that I mean looking at the posts
my Instincts point to that what Jareth wants is somehow closure?
from Sarah?
truth be told being done with this will give closure,
Ronin,
oh, I see what you mean now. As for that kind of closure, I think it’s pretty well established in the manga at this point that it is more Jareth than Sarah who is looking for some sort of closure. What that means, you’ll just have to wait and find out!
Speaking of Origin movies “Dragon Ball Evolution”
ha ha
logically speaking considering the fact that Goku was an alien he probably woudn’t be Asian?
but I would have loved to see him with the monkey tail
Glad to see we’ll actually get to see what happened between Mizumi and Jareth all those years ago. And (hopefully) we’ll finally find out why Jareth dumped her.
I still stick to the idea that (like Candlewic) Mizumi not only knows better than to act the way she does, but COULD act that way if she wanted to. In fact, in another time and place, Mizumi might have been one of the good guys-if Jareth hadn’t broken her heart and then left her incredibly bitter and vengeful as a result.
Am I the only one who likes Mizumi, and feels sorry for her due to Jareth’s harsh treatment of her?
I do not like what she does due to her pain – but I find her very tragic. I wonder if her story will ever be ended, and will it see her happy with love at last?
I can’t wait for the fourth book!
PS: I’m totally new to this manga, just bought the first three books yesterday, though I have seen it in book and movie stores for a long while now.