Made something for my favorite moment in Comet In Moominland! At this point in the story the gang has already faced all kinds of crazy, progressively more life threatening situations as they try to reach home before the Comet hits the earth, and throughout it all Snufkin has remained the most calm, carefree, and rational. He’s usually responsible for the quick thinking to get them out of each situation and also for keeping everyone’s spirits up with his wacky stories!!
But then they reach where the sea should have been only to find that it’s been dried up completely. Seeing the ocean just gone after everything turns out to be Snufkin’s breaking point. He loves the sea and everything it represents to him (freedom, adventure, peace, wonder, basically his life philosophy personified). and while he was able to weather everything else the Comet threw at them, he can’t seem to bare this. He surprises everyone when he bursts into tears.
The group’s moral support character/field guide falling apart super highlights exactly how dire the situation/threat of the Comet has become, and how not one soul will be left unaffected by its impact. I love Tove Jansson.
snufkin broke them out of an orphanage and electrocuted the park keeper taking care of them because he would forbid the kids (or “woodies”) from leaving their sandbox and put really strict rules on them like no whistling or walking on grass (which snufkin hates because he’s an anarchist and thinks the forest is for everyone to enjoy). unfortunately he doesn’t know anything about kids because he grew up completely alone in the wild and thought the orphans would scatter into the woods afterwards
instead they followed him and now he’s a single dad
he actually ends up being pretty nice to them despite saying he doesn’t like children
Moominvalley (2019) placed great emphasis on Snufkin’s fear of being replaced and/or forgotten. We’re so used to seeing Moomin’s side of the story, where he wishes Snufkin didn’t leave, misses him when he’s gone, and has nightmares of him getting hurt, or never coming back. Snufkin always promises he’ll be back, but what if one day, that’s not enough for Moomin?
During the second episode we see Snufkin declaring he isn’t ready to return to Moominvalley yet. He meets Ti-ti-uu who tirelessly asks Snufkin about Moomin, and if he’s going back to see him. This irritates Snufkin greatly. He lashes out saying that he’ll go whenever he wants, or maybe he won’t go at all. Ti-ti-uu sadly mutters that, that would make Moomin sad. Snufkin remains frustrated.
This is the part of the episode that revolves around Snufkin’s need for solitude. He needs to have time to himself. Being free and able to come and go as he pleases is in his nature. It would be his greatest loss to have that taken away from him. Snufkin leaves Moominvalley for the winter to be alone and heal. A long winter of solitude makes returning in spring an irreplaceable treasure to him.
When Moomin asks to come with him, he refuses right away. He just needs Moomin to understand he needs to be alone. He promises that when Moomin wakes up in spring, he’ll come back.
But in the second episode of Moominvalley, Snufkin is late. He knows Moomin is waiting for him. After his exchange with Ti-ti-uu, Snufkin has a nightmare where he returns to Moominvalley. Hedgehog tells him he shouldn’t bother to return, since no one remembers him anymore. Snufkin climbs up to knock on Moomin’s window and calls his name, but Moomin doesn’t notice him. Moomin is with Ti-ti-uu. Snufkin falls down from the window.
This part of the episode is so cherish-able, because it tells us that Snufkin has worries and fears as well. What if one day, Moomin gets tired of waiting for Snufkin? Is it selfish for Snufkin to leave Moomin waiting for him, and expect him to be there whenever he comes back? Moomin has many other friends, and he could easily find a new best friend if he wanted.
Snufkin’s friendship with Moomin, and his need for solitude are in a conflict with each other. What if there was a day, where he’d need to choose one or the other?
When he wakes up, Snufkin decided it’s time to return to Moominvalley to see Moomin. He realizes that he misses Moomin. But he’s happy about it. It must bring him joy to feel longing. When you miss someone, getting to see them again is a joy worth treasuring.
Anyway, thanks Moominvalley for this characterization!
i love how snufkin seems so chill most of the time when he’s with the moomins but when alone given even the slightest opportunity he’ll enthusiastically start creating chaos
snufkin with the moomins: a caring, gentle soul with a mischievous streak who loves to wander and sit by the river smoking weed and fishing with his best friend and gives sage advice sometimes inbetween banging out funky tunes on his little harmonica
snufkin as soon as he’s alone and has no restraining influence to stop him:
snufkin, tearing down the restriction signs and fences around the parks and woods and electrocuting cops:
