Pub 4 – The Cross Hands
Another pub that could be up for double interpretation.
The first would be that The Cross Hands is the first pub where we see our heroes actually work together as a team. Up until this point they have mostly been feeling sorry for Gary as the placate to his childish adventure, but when their backs against the wall they cross hands (if you will) to fight off the Robots That Aren’t Actually Robots (the pub sign backs up this argument).
However, the more likely scenario is that the name refers to the Robot’s method of attack – stretching their hands out to grab the victim’s faces in order to get their DNA. You could say that their “hands” are very “cross”.
No?
Pub 5 – The Good Companions
After their initial fight with the Robots, the boys decide that the only course of action is to carry on The Golden Mile so as not to arouse suspicion that they know what is going on. To do this, they walk down the street as best friends to the sounds of The Doors, heading towards the next pub.In said pub, they all walk to the bar together, sink their pints together, finish each others sentences and stumble back out the way they came.
Just like all Good Companions do.
The pub signs also feels a lot like our heroes to right? The four sad fools following the one happy fool?
Pub 6 – The Trusty Servant
Look – another double interpretation pub!
As the boys arrive to the pub, Oliver (who back in 1990 dropped out at this point), heads off to the toiler while Gary tries to get information from The Reverend Green, a local weed dealer who they used to by drugs from back in the day. During the conversation, they semi-discuss the Robot’s intentions and how they are not slaves. However during this conversation, the Reverend gets a phone call which seems to spell out his doom. Has he now become a Trusty Servant?
It is important to note that his is where Oliver gets assimilated (for lack of a better term) and is replaced with a robot version of himself. Which could subtly suggest that in fact O-Man is the Trusty Servant that the pub is referring to, and not the Reverend.
Pub 7 – The Two Headed Dog
Quite an easy on this one.
During their time in this pub, they run into Sam again who is out with the Twins – who later reveal themselves to be the robots and therefore The Two Headed Dog.Seems a bit harsh to call them dogs though…
All happy with that one?
Pub 8 – The Mermaid
One of the more subtle pub names to work out.
The Mermaid is a nightclub in Newton Haven where the boys encounter a school themed disco, Steven learns more about how the Robots get their DNA and – more importantly – Gary, Pete and Andy get trapped by the infamous Marmalade Sandwich: two blondes and a redhead. These women, who haven’t changed since 1990 apparently, start to dance, kiss and lick our heroes with an almost hypnotic quality – not unlike the siren’s call that Mermaids used to trap pirates.
The Marmalade Sandwich are also on the pub sign too.
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Originally published August 23, 2014. Updated August 28, 2019.
