Page Notes
Episode published on Saturday 13th of January, 2007.
Resident Evil 4 introduced a new character to the series, who became a cult fan-favourite and has not been seen since RE4: The Merchant.
He's a bit of an oddity. He's quite clearly a ganado - his eyes are all bloodshot and yellow, they glow red in the dark and yet he is not hostile to the player in any way, shape or form. Well, apart from his prices, but when you've got the franchise monopoly on armaments in the local area you can afford to charge what you want, even if what you're charging is a currency not being used any more (pesos).
It is debated on whether there is one or multiple merchants, since he seemingly can appear in an area before the player, even if the area is only through the next door. I like to believe that there's only the one merchant, and he's savvy enough to climb over the chest-high walls and have a key to unlock all of those invisible walls surrounding the town's limits (an invisible one).
The other quirk to the Merchant is how he speaks in gruff English. I swear that it's cockney, but it's probably just me. As far as I'm concerned, the Merchant is from the same mould as Bert from Mary Poppins - a bit of a wheeler-dealer, earning a penny whenever he can.
"Gawd bless ya, Mary Poppins! What're ya buyin'?"
I bloody love Mary Poppins. I still can't believe that Dick Van Dyke played the old grumpy bank manager as well as Bert.
Tagged:
The Captain,
Location - Spain,
Max Valerion,
The Merchant
Comments
Transcript
Title - 31: "Occupant Sin 4"
Subtitle - xii. "Chim chim cher-oo"
(The Captain introduces the strange coated man to Pain. The man has opened his coat and is displaying many pouches, all containing his wares.)
Captain: I think he's a merchant, boss.
Pain: Let me deal with this, Captain.
(The Captain lights a fresh cigarette, having dropped his last one when the Merchant surprised him.)
Captain: Yes of course, because your approach to the language barrier worked so well last time.
Pain: Shush. Ahem. (Turning to the Merchant and pointing at him.) DO YOU SPEAKEY ENGLISH?
Merchant: Oi do speak it, stranger.
Pain: Apparently so, with a worryingly cockney accent, too. That coat, you're not a trainspotter or some sort of flasher, are you?
Merchant: (eagerly) No, but oi've swept a few chimneys in my time!
(Pain imagines the Merchant dancing in that scene on the rooftop in Mary Poppins, with all the dancing chimney sweeps. He's even wearing a flat cap on top of his coat's hood, and seems to be enjoying the musical number. The thought disturbs Pain.)
Merchant (in Pain's thought): Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
(Pain taps his fisted right hand into his palm threateningly, while glaring at the Merchant, who is now wearing a straw boater and is holding a cane in his hands.)
Pain: If you don't sing I won't break your legs.
Merchant: It's a deal.
Episode tagline: Dick Van Dyke is to cockney accents what KFC is to chicken.
