Of Hats, Rats, and Mechanical Doohickey is a fanfic based on The Boxtrolls. The fanfic takes place before the events of the movie, showing how Archibald Snatcher's obbession with the white hats slowly corrupted him.
You can find the fanfic here
Of Hats, Rats, and Mechanical Doohickey provides examples of:
- Aborted Arc: Snatcher's love for Trubshaw. Earlier in the story, Archibald develops feelings for him, which is why he gets jealous of him Trubshaw getting a girlfriend. This plotline is dropped and, aside from some mentions of Snatcher's heart no longer beating fast, is never brought up again. Justified, given Snatcher's descent into villainy.
- Bitter Sweet Ending: Trubshaw is rescued and reunites with Eggs, while the boxtrolls are slowly accepted by all the citizens of cheesebridge. However, Trubshaw has to deal with the fact that his childhood friend turned into a remorseless scociopath bent on going to extreme means to join the high ranks in cheesebridge. Not to mention, Archibald died a monster, despite once being an innocent person whose obsessions with the white hats destroyed him. Despite this, Trubshaw is happy to see Eggs and Winnie become friends and hopes their friendship will last for a lifetime.
- Doomed by Canon: Snatcher and Trubshaw's friendship is pretty much this, given the fanfics prequel status. Anyone whose seen the movie, will know ahead of time that their friendship will fall apart, due to Archibald taking him prisoner as part of his plan to get his white hat. Likewise, anyone whose seen the movie, knows Snatcher will eventually be Killed Off for Real.
- There's also Archibald's parents, who both pass away before the events of the movie take place.
- Foregone Conclusion: Snatcher's friendship with Trubshaw is something the readers know won't last, due to Archibald turning evil. Not to mention Snatcher's ultimate fate in the movie clues in the readers his plan to obtain a white hat will fail.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Snatcher's father keeps on feeding his son big dreams about the white hats. How they'll make him somebody with lots of power and finally give him and their family respect. Not only does this lead Archibald to obsessing over white hats his entire life. But It drives him to go to extreme means to get one.
- Trubshaw ends up shouting at Snatcher that he'll never get a white hat, due to them seeing Snatcher as not worth their time. This causes Archibald to kidnap Trubshaw and begin his plan to kill every boxtroll in Cheesebridge.
- All of Cheesbridge could count. Their treatment of Snatcher is what causes him to try and kill all the boxtrolls.
- Used to Be a Sweet Kid: Archibald Snatcher was this during his childhood. He was a sweet boy who only wanted to fit in Cheesebridge. Doing anything to become a White Hat and finally be respected for all the hard work he and his family had done for the town. His desperation for admiration is what changes him into the sociopath that attempts to murder every Boxtroll for a White Hat.
