LAUGH-LAST

LAUGH-LAST is one of the Voices in.

Description
LAUGH-LAST, also known by his acronym LL, can be sacrificed to and sent prayers if the player has the Light of Rebellion.

LAUGH-LAST's symbol looks like a right hand with its index and middle fingers crossed and thumb pointing out. Little is known about him besides his apparent enjoyment for humor, especially at the group's expense. It is his nature to stand apart. He is considered the comedic relief of the Voices. While often aloof and playful, it was specifically stated he is not the Voice of humor. LAUGH-LAST craves attention and enjoys stirring chaos. In a dream, he mentioned only punching up was humorous, and his quote on the ritual table relates a story of humiliating those in power. This has led to speculation that spite or schadenfreude is part of his domain. SPEAK-AS-ONE has warned that LAUGH-LAST has a darker side that he hides well with his silly nature. "DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE HIM. MANY HAVE. THEY ARE GONE NOW. HIS ABSURD BLATHERING… LIKE THE LIGHTS OF DEEP SEA LIFE. A DISTRACTION. SAVAGERY BEHIND." THEE-I-DARE commented about LAUGH-LAST that "HE SHAPED THE WORD IN NEW WAYS. JOKES, BUT ALSO...OBSERVATION? PART AND PARCEL" in reference to learning personal details to exploit them for the sake of comedy. Despite his bravado, LAUGH-LAST does not like to be questioned, as it makes him feel small.

LAUGH-LAST says a wonderful world awaited if you ignore what SPEAK-AS-ONE wanted you to do all the time and made your own fun. LAUGH-LAST is very concerned about his survival, staying out of conflict and only taking a side when the victor is obvious. He enjoys watching other people gamble. LAUGH-LAST craves attention and enjoys stirring chaos., and he encourages avoiding conflict and "watching the big dogs fight" so that he can laugh at it. He says the whole world is a joke, and we should laugh through it. LAUGH-LAST says he finds the idea of death so morbid and that it isn't a part of the game. He says death is the end of the game, and he doesn't want to end the game when it's beautiful, fun, and makes him laugh.

LAUGH-LAST has admitted he has the capability to alter his Hosts' memories, though it does not work on children. The other Voices find LAUGH-LAST confusing because his natures changes so rapidly depending on what is funny or clever, and he relies on the youth to tell him what that is. This makes him popular amongst them, and frequently asks the Club members to tell him new jokes. He has more Hosts than people assume, many of them being teenagers. Despite his attitude, he doesn't like taking children to The Moon without their consent.

Despite his popularity among humans, The Voices do not view him in a favorable light. DIE-FOR-YOU admits that there are few who get along with him. THEE-I-DARE refers to LAUGH-LAST as a "traitorous ass" and does not appreciate his crude jokes, whereas LAUGH-LAST sees THEE-I-DARE as an "overbearing douche". SPEAK-AS-ONE refers to LAUGH-LAST as "the Fool" and describes him as being "discord incarnate" Although SPEAK-AS-ONE sees potential utility in LAUGH-LAST, they say he is "perpetually impaired." IN-HER-TEETH says no one likes LAUGH-LAST's jokes, and she refers to him as “that buffoon” and suggests he makes empty promises. She also says he never considers the consequences for his actions. THE-MEASURE-CUTS believes LAUGH-LAST wastes his followers time. Although LAUGH-LAST is infatuated by SEED-THE-GRUDGE, she calls him perverse, a “disgusting excuse”, and someone who enjoys getting a rise out of people. She disapproves of anyone who attempts to play matchmaker between her and LAUGH-LAST. Regarding the other Voices, LAUGH-LAST says, “Some of them are weirdo hippies and total D-bags. I can’t stand the lot of them." LAUGH-LAST is described as a sleaze, but only about other Voices and never towards players/the Club members.

Unlike the other Voices, LAUGH-LAST is the only one with a two-word name instead of a three-word name. LAUGH-LAST said he feels like he once had a middle name but forgot it. However, it is unknown whether he really had a middle name, as IN-HER-TEETH says he never had one and it is just a joke he is playing. Although easy to mix up, many have angered LAUGH-LAST by calling him LAST-LAUGH.

Before the Game
In the early days of the First Tribe, when The Word was new, humankind invented jokes, especially ones at the expense of others. Thus, LAUGH-LAST came to be. Jokes fell somewhere in between truth and lies. This confused THEE-I-DARE, believing that LAUGH-LAST was corrupting the Word. LAUGH-LAST's intent was hidden behind humor. THEE-I-DARE would say, “We must fight,” and LAUGH-LAST would pretend to hit himself. THEE-I-DARE shunned LAUGH-LAST because he saw joking as dangerous to survival. THEE-I-DARE didn't realize it was a means for coping and blames himself for LAUGH-LAST becoming vindictive. He believed that being shunned changed LAUGH-LAST. THEE-I-DARE says LAUGH-LAST is twisted now. Before, he was humor itself, but now it must involve pain. The bad blood between THEE-I-DARE and LAUGH-LAST continued throughout the years. THEE-I-DARE described winter feasts with LAUGH-LAST where they would "drink deeply, then... try to murder each other festively". Both LAUGH-LAST and THEE-I-DARE were called Loki at one point.

LAUGH-LAST and IN-HER-TEETH were considered "married," in Voice terms, which meant they shared hosts between the two of them, one taking control in the day and the other at night. The marriage between LAUGH-LAST and IN-HER-TEETH came from him promising her that he would find a way to kill Voices, but he never followed through. THE-MEASURE-CUTS commented that humankind has frequently used humor to cope with death, and thus we have made strange bedfellows of them, despite how different the two of them are. IN-HER-TEETH shared that LAUGH-LAST's hosts "would make the dying ones laugh, against all odds", alleviating their pain, if only temporarily; she admits to have "loved him for that." LAUGH-LAST claimed he split off from IN-HER-TEETH because she is “a liar, jealous” and “never gave him the respect he needed.”

In Redacre, LAUGH-LAST informed SPEAK-AS-ONE that THEE-I-DARE was in town and slowly building his own resistance. He outed the rest of the Voices as well, to spite THEE-I-DARE. LAUGH-LAST dared THEE-I-DARE into open war with his snide support. SPEAK-AS-ONE then initiated the cull that killed all of THEE-I-DARE’s hosts, leading to THEE-I-DARE's shattering. LAUGH-LAST admitted to betraying THEE-I-DARE, stating that THEE-I-DARE "messed it up" for him by starting a war with SPEAK-AS-ONE. He believed it was hilarious at the time. However, he started to become “bored of the same old song”.

In-Game
Like the rest of the Voices, LAUGH-LAST approached various children looking for Chosen, even attempting to convert followers of other Voices. LAUGH-LAST told the Club members that he was looking for followers to “mess stuff up”, and said if they ever hear from SPEAK-AS-ONE, tell them to “go kiss your ass.” He also encouraged them to “not take anybody, or anything seriously." When asked his plans, he said there will be "real big pranks" and hinted about taking the Lucids down a peg before the Egg the Lucids mission came out.

While discussing IN-HER-TEETH with one of her Chosen, he called her "the worst". Yet, despite his ranting, LAUGH-LAST was curious about whether or not IN-HER-TEETH still spoke about him. He said that the two of them are not speaking with each other. Even though he claimed otherwise, LAUGH-LAST admitted that he is not over their break up in a private dream. However, upon the appearance of SEED-THE-GRUDGE, he gained an infatuation for her. He remarked he wasn't sure if she was a man or a woman these days, but didn't care either way. He would become flustered upon mention of her and sought out advice from the Club members on how to approach her and what kind of comedic material would work best on her

Upon hearing about THEE-I-DARE's incident with the broken statue in 922 Hoadly, he said it was "wonderful to hear" and had no remorse for THEE-I-DARE. He claimed it would be "good to get rid of him" and considered the incident a "sweet revenge".

After the death of DANCE-FOR-US, LAUGH-LAST was interested in an alliance with SPEAK-AS-ONE, but he seemed reluctant to commit to the idea, saying it would be funny for a little bit. Still, in the end, it would be like the class clown going to prom with the principal. He was hesitant about the Pact, stating they didn't know what they were doing. He questioned why he had to be involved at all and was keen on SPEAK-AS-ONE and HUNT-THE-STRONG, what he called “the big sharks”, fighting it out. SPEAK-AS-ONE had an interest in gaining LAUGH-LAST’s allegiance, saying The Voice had use for him, but was also afraid that LAUGH-LAST might try to trick them. Unsure about LAUGH-LAST’s true motives, SPEAK-AS-ONE’s Watchers turned to their followers for their thoughts. DIE-FOR-YOU hoped to use LAUGH-LAST's infatuation towards SEED-THE-GRUDGE to sway him towards joining them, though THEE-I-DARE discouraged him from pursuing his "dark crush." THEE-I-DARE believed LAUGH-LAST was holding out for an invitation from SEED-THE-GRUDGE herself.

LAUGH-LAST refused to hear out the Pact unless THEE-I-DARE complied with a set of demands. He wanted THEE-I-DARE to come "crawling back to him" and insisted he knew what he did, saying THEE-I-DARE was a "born liar and a dirtbag." DIE-FOR-YOU doubted that THEE-I-DARE would bow to LAUGH-LAST's demands, and since THE-MEASURE-CUTS joined, he believed LAUGH-LAST would hate being left out. THEE-I-DARE commented that LAUGH-LAST was "dangerously lonely." THEE-I-DARE was initially hesitant to give an apology, stating that he was the one that deserved the apology due to LAUGH-LAST selling him out to SPEAK-AS-ONE and getting his hosts killed in the Cull that followed. However, as time went on, he acknowledged that he played a role in how bitter and vindictive LAUGH-LAST had become, due to shunning him in times following the split of the First Tribe when perhaps all he wanted was to be applauded. THEE-I-DARE wanted to apologize to him for him to agree to join the Pact, even at the cost of his pride.

THEE-I-DARE's offer of an apology was met with silence. Instead, LAUGH-LAST expressed interest in allying with HUNT-THE-STRONG, despite being fearful of him and laying on thick compliments about him whenever HUNT-THE-STRONG's name was invoked. He stated self-preservation was his priority, despite pleas for him to join the Pact. HUNT-THE-STRONG acknowledged LAUGH-LAST's interest to join him but believed he wasn't strong enough to be of interest. However, he said, "if LAUGH-LAST would like to talk, he knows what to do." Despite LAUGH-LAST appearing fearful of HUNT-THE-STRONG, he approached kids doing a not-so-serious impression of him. For example, "EVERY DAY IS LEG DAY FOR HUNT-THE-STRONG".

THE-MEASURE-CUTS had his own message to send to LAUGH-LAST. He stated that he would ensure LAUGH-LAST's safety should he join the Pact, and said he would be welcomed in. LAUGH-LAST brushed it off after being told of it due to only hearing the offer secondhand and not "straight from the horse's mouth." However, he acknowledged that THE-MEASURE-CUTS was not one to "make up bullshit." LAUGH-LAST continued to be uninterested in joining the Pact unless THEE-I-DARE made a public apology, but after being convinced that "the show might end" if he became a victim of HUNT-THE-STRONG, he agreed to hear out the Pact, if only to have the chance to make THE-MEASURE-CUTS laugh. THEE-I-DARE hoped his only motive was not to lust after SEED-THE-GRUDGE, and encouraged LAUGH-LAST's Chosen to convince him to not attempt to woo her. LAUGH-LAST knows he is in a strong position, and wants the Pact to make offers in addition to THEE-I-DARE's apology. THEE-I-DARE requested suggestions for what SEED-THE-GRUDGE can offer him, warning that she will tear apart LAUGH-LAST otherwise, and the Pact will lose his hosts.

LAUGH-LAST feared a trick, but the vouching of others helped and he agreed to meet. THEE-I-DARE believed LAUGH-LAST wants an apology for two things. First, an apology for being shunned by THEE-I-DARE’s hosts during the time of the First Tribe. LAUGH-LAST used the Word to make jokes and TID saw that as a threat. Second, an apology for THEE-I-DARE coming to Redacre and demanding war, when LAUGH-LAST just wanted to have fun and twist SPEAK-AS-ONE’s hosts and be a subtle trickster. LAUGH-LAST responded by setting THEE-I-DARE up and forcing him to use poor tactics.

When he was shown The Place Between, he says it was a familiar place like somewhere he once existed, but his memory is fleeting. He also believes he once knew the Old Tongue at one point, but deemed it unimportant.

The Unknown Caller, by proxy of HUNT-THE-STRONG, believed LAUGH-LAST is stronger than he lets on and admits that their Hosts are meeting each other. HUNT-THE-STRONG enjoys watching LAUGH-LAST pretend he is weaker than he actually is.

Dreams
LAUGH-LAST has responded to some players' rituals, heard as dreams when returning to the Hideout after completing a mission.

Trivia

 * The name LAUGH-LAST is likely based on the idiom 'to have the last laugh,' which basically means 'to be vindicated or successful of something that makes other people who may have once ridiculed or criticized you look foolish.'
 * LAUGH-LAST's symbol appeared in Saturation Control.
 * LAUGH-LAST says his favorite color is blue (like his best material), and he loves bananas since they’re “the silliest fruit”.
 * LAUGH-LAST's favorite potato chip flavor is Cool Ranch.