Franz Mahar is a character from the third book in the Goosebumps SlappyWorld series, I Am Slappy's Evil Twin. as well as the 2023 Disney+ Goosebumps series. He is the creator of Mr. Wood, and in the television series, the creator of Slappy the Dummy.
History[]
I Am Slappy's Evil Twin[]
In 1920, Mahar created Mr. Wood. He also worked with the magician Kanduu. Before one of his acts, Kanduu brought Mr. Wood to life. During the act, Mr. Wood punched Mahar in the face. Mahar abandoned Mr. Wood and ran away, living the rest of his life creating dummies.
Goosebumps (2023 Series)[]
Mahar is a puppet maker and runs Franz Mahar's Carnival of Wonders. When Kanduu arrives, he uses his magic to change Mahar's struggling carnival into a success, in exchange for a favor. A year later, Mahar’s carnival is a success, and he’s almost completed a wooden circular tower for Kanduu. Mahar finds Kanduu and witnesses the sorcerer casting a spell on another human being using the words "Karru Marri Odonna Loma Molonu Karrano," transforming the man into a dummy. His eyes open, he realizes all of the people in his carnival have become puppets of Kanduu. He asks Kanduu why he did this, to which Kanduu replies it's for a ritual. He tells Mahar he's a maker of puppets, and he can become the puppet master. Franz immediately regrets helping Kanduu.
Mahar finishes the puppet he had been working on before accepting Kanduu’s offer, the dummy that will someday be known as Slappy. On the night of the ritual, he presents Slappy to Kanduu in a storage chest. Kanduu is touched by the dummy, realizing it to be the same one he brought to life one year ago. As the magician has his back turned, Mahar reads a page he tore from Kanduu’s notebook, reciting the same spell the magician recited to turn the carnival people into puppets. Kanduu realizes what he’s doing and turns around, stabbing Mahar, who is able to finish the spell. Black smoke emerges from his body, traveling to Slappy, who comes to life with his soul inside. Kanduu's mortal body then collapses. Before his death, Mahar closes the chest, trapping the dummy inside.
Trivia[]
- In 2022, Stine discredited the events of the prologue to I Am Slappy's Evil Twin, stating that Ephraim Darkwell is the true maker of Slappy and the other dummies. This may mean that Slappy made up these events.
- However, the Disney+ Goosebumps series would revisit the idea of Mahar and Kanduu with Mahar being the creator of Slappy.