THEORY
Persistent debates about Archie's history, health, character,
and general sanity are addressed.
Except when he's feeling suicidal, Archie is a pretty nice guy. Yet he seems to suffer more than his fair share of misfortune. Some of these misfortunes are simply part and parcel of being a sidekick (e.g. "Tonto, go to town.") Some are conjecture on the part of the audience. But however murky the background, the results make for some fascinating viewing.
Two of the most frequently conjectured upon misfortunes are Archie's medical history and the nature of his bullying by Mr. Simpson. The following links provide an overview of the salient points of these debates, along with (of course) tuppence from yours truly:
Fits, starvation, suicide, panic attacks: just what ailments is Archie suffering from?
That is, Jack Simpson: the incomparable villain from "The Duel." Did he or didn't he? (WARNING: This page is not for the squeamish.)
And then when Archie has finally put all this misery behind him, what happens? He goes and joins the bleedin' Choir Invisible! Life is not fair ...
Why, oh why, was Our Crumpet toasted in "Retribution"?
Yet to regard Archie as the sum of his misfortunes would be a mistake. Throughout the course of the series, we did get to watch him overcome them, to learn and grow -- a type of "coming-of-age" journey that is normally the exclusive domain of a story's hero. Not a simple sidekick, by any means!
The Meaning of Archie.
(WARNING: This page is rather solemn. An aberration, I promise!)
Well, this section has been a bit of downer, hasn't it?
But don't worry; lighter fare is just ahead ...