Lorne Lanning Interview #4 - The relationship between Abe and Sam

[Nate]

Okay, so this is a biggun. One thing I learned from my interview with Lorne is that you can never anticipate when something is going to be a big topic or a short one. I asked him something that has prompted many discussions over the years; which of the many reasons given was the accurate one for why Abe's lips were stitched. The answer then took the following 20 minutes to get through, with many other topics touched on along the way. As a side note, I just want to emphasise how amazing Lorne is that he so readily gave us such personal details of his life.

1. Citizen Siege and Current Projects
2. The Philosophy of the Abe Film
3. The Plot of the Abe Film
4. The Relationship Between Abe and Sam
5. Glukkon History
6. Fangus and Stranger
7. Abe's Moon, Re-releasing the Games, Hair Gel and Other Topics
8. Miscellaneous Other Questions

Part #4 can be found here.

Discussion of part #3 can be found here.

[alf's brother's mate]

Well that was pretty great. I am astonished that lorne would so openly spread stuff like this around.
Thanks very much Nate.

ABM

[Wil]

What struck me as amazing about this part of the interview is that Lorne shows just how creative he is in coming up with the Oddworld universe, stories, and characters, connecting so many different things.

Note that Lorne doesn’t actually address the pre‐existing problem of how Sam could sew baby Abe’s lips together if he is born from an egg in RuptureFarms 1029. The only solution would for her to be held captive in RuptureFarms, but if Abe shuts that down in his Oddysee, it’ll be hard to wait until MO for him to meet her.

As a tribute to this part of the interview, I’ll shortly be publishing an article on Sam on TOE.

[Nate]

Although we did know that Abe was meant to return to Rupturefarms in MO and, if my memory serves me correctly, he was to meet Sam there. Or possibly I linked those two items in my brain to solve that inconsistency.

[Wil]

No, Sam was kept in Vykkers Labs. Munch met her before he escaped. Abe was trying to rescue her when he met Munch.

[Jordan]

Cheers again. I always wondered if Sam had a special relationship with Abe that she didn't share with her other children. I seemed to think Sam was this mad old lady who'd gone in the head. But it looks like she does care for her children. Oh, how I wish we'd seen her in MO.

[Oddsville]

Another great interview yet again; its great to finally hear how Sam is the way she is and why.

[Matriar]

I always knew that Lorne's mom must have been an important inspiration for Oddworld. I mean, there're the moms of sligs, glukkons, and mudokons. All being kinda moody and stuff...

It didn't surprise when Lorne said that they didn't have a close relationship, but it is still really sad...

I love my mom, she's probably the most wonderful family member (and I was never afraid to tell her that in front of the other members). I can imagine it must have been an awfully hard life for Lanning not getting the needed support of loving parents.
I also hate it when people marry because of the money (eventually, it IS always the money).

It's great that Lorne managed to get very far concerning his vision anyway. That takes real strength.

In Munch we reveal that Labor Eggs are how the factories are populated. We didn’t really get into that 100% but the idea is that when you’re a Glukkon and you buy a factory franchise, you say ‘Let’s open a RuptureFarms or a FeeCo Depot,’ you can buy employees as eggs. You launch them into a little daycare centre which basically means that they are born into labour. They’re kept ignorant and know nothing of their heritage and their people, who they really are and what their purpose is beyond servicing someone else’s needs.

Oh MAN, how much I love Oddworld for its showing our world as it is, only with slight changes of character designs and concepts.

If I wouldn't be that hobo-ish when it comes to money, I'd immediately move to California to where they are and try to get a job there.


If gender, age and artistic education wouldn't count... *cough*

[Bullet Magnet]

I understand the Glukkon mind. I see the appeal. I would love to be able to buy and sell employees as eggs.

I would, however, hate myself much more than I already do for the huge ethical implications.

[skillya_glowi]

Thank you very much This was very new and interesting to read, particularly the part that shows how connected the concept of Oddworld is with how Lorne perceives life and the sheer depth of his creations. I never knew there was more than one Mudokon queen, either.
I've always wondered how Abe got his stitches, and I've heard several theories on that matter (including the one that Lorne confirmed), so I'm glad that's cleared up once and for all. And I can kind of see what he's saying by the relationship Sam had with Abe.

[Nate]

Matriar, I think it's a bit unfair to say that Lorne wasn't close to his mother. He describes his mother as a tragic, sympathetic figure; not one he had any particular objection to.

[Wil]

Apart from that bit at the very start where he says ‘Sadly, we weren’t very close.’

[Nate]

Okay, badly worded on my part. I just don't want people to think negatively of Lorne's mother on his behalf.

[Sanssouci]

I think it's quite clear Lorne's mother sold him to an evil corporation before he was even born.

[Fuzzle Guy]

Thankyou Nate. I'm loving the interview so far.

[Zerox]

I understand the Glukkon mind. I see the appeal. I would love to be able to buy and sell employees as eggs.

I would, however, hate myself much more than I already do for the huge ethical implications.

I'm fairly sure you could use the term "Ignorance is bliss" and not worry about your employees. Abe was happy enough until he realised the truth, and if they're happy where they are, what's the problem?

[Mac Sirloin]

This was cool, can't wait for the next.

Particularly Fangus and Stranger.

[crazysteef]

The lack of information about the Oddworld universe has been driving me crazy ever since I first delved into the depths of the Odd! It was nice to hear so much about Abe's back story and why he is the way he is. I too am looking forward to the article on Fangus and Stranger.

[Munch's Master]

Fangus and Stranger is what interests me least, to be honest.


But that was an illuminating and fantastic read. The thing that seems to have been overlooked though, that I find significant, is that it's now official that Sam isn't the ONLY mudokon queen.

[Wil]

Very true, Munches. But this became a possibility when we learn that Skillya isn't the only Slig queen.

[Matriar]

I just don't want people to think negatively of Lorne's mother on his behalf.

Noone's perfect and anyone has weaknesses in their life, that's a normal thing. I wouldn't think of Lorne's mom as a person of pure evil, really!
I've heard of really sick mamas, and Lorne's doesn't sound like one at all.

Sorry if I didn't carefully word what I meant to say... I suck. :[

[Bullet Magnet]

I'm fairly sure you could use the term "Ignorance is bliss" and not worry about your employees.

I don't worry about my employees.

[Alf Shall Rise]

Wow, thanks Nate. You win again.

[OddYouko]

Yay Nate!
This one was really interesting...so are the others but I liked reading this one. But I really hope Abe doesn't take out his stitches.
I can't wait for 5 and 7!
Not really a big Stranger fan.

[abe is now!]

Finally I understood why Abe has sewed lips and why Sam must give her eggs to the Glukkons. But I still don't know why the Glukkons invaded Mudos.

[Nate]

The Glukkons didn't invade Mudos. They were there all along.

Perhaps you're asking why they enslaved the Mudokons. In that case, look at TOL FAQ here.

[abe is now!]

The Glukkons didn't invade Mudos. They were there all along.

Perhaps you're asking why they enslaved the Mudokons. In that case, look at TOL FAQ here.

Thank you Nate!

[toxicity]

Hmm, so when Abe was a baby he cried all of the time? Sounds kinda like:

[Wil]

Or any baby.

[toxicity]

Or any baby.

"What happened when Abe was born was that he used to cry. A lot. In my mind Abe was always more sensitive than the rest. In indigenous cultures, androgyny is more sacred. So I always saw Abe as a more androgynous character, that had a higher sensitivity to the natural world around him because he embodied more the male–female energies that in shamanistic cultures were seen as more spiritual trait. Being born in this factory, he’d cry and cry and cry. He was like the ultimate pain‐in‐the‐ass baby out of many babies. Imagine a factory nursing centre and this little brat won’t stop crying."

nah.