O. Beetle Beetle, typically known as simply Beetle, is mentioned to be three years older than his best friend Septimus Heap. He worked as the Inspections Clerk, in the Manuscriptorium, inspecting the Ice Tunnels under the Castle and later he works and lives as a transcription scribe at Larry's Dead Languages. He becomes a very young Chief Hermetic Scribe, and possibly the first in many years to be Picked without traces of Darke affecting the Pick. This is also remarkable as Beetle was never officially a scribe in the Manuscriptorium, nor was he in service when Picked, though he had proved his passion for the Manuscriptorium and the knowledge and history it holds several times.
Beetle is often finds himself as a second choice when Extra-Ordinary Apprentice Septimus is not around, but being fairly humble and level-headed, this only darkens his happiness in doing important things slightly. He learns a good deal of history and factual knowledge while working at the Manuscriptorium, some things which he may not have been meant to know, and others which he doesn't speak of. Marcia Overstrand , Extra-Ordinary Wizard (who quite likes Beetle, after his help in a difficult situation in Flyte ) mentions that he always seems to know much more than she ever expects him to. Beetle knows basic Magyk, but has very little power and seldom uses it as makes him uncomfortable.
Rather than being an annoying know-it-all, Beetle is instead loyal and a great help to his friends, keeping a cool head in tough situations, using quick thinking and logic. He has quite an optimistic outlook and a generally cheerful, and relaxed but puposeful attitude. As the series moves on, he becomes more and more involved in the plot. Beetle is quite a likeable character, and it is hinted in several situations during Queste , Syren , and Darke that he has romantic feelings for Jenna Heap.
Biography
Early Life
Beetle was raised in the apartment directly below the Heap family's. His father, Beetle, died before he even saw his son. It is said that Beetle was named when his mother moaned "Oh, Beetle, Beetle!" when the Registration of Names asked for her son's name. Taking his mother's lament as her child's name, the registration recorded his name as "O. Beetle Beetle".
His fondest and oldest memory is his mother banging on the ceiling and yelling at the Heaps to be quiet. Since Beetle's mother did not approve of the Heaps, her son was not permitted to associate with them. Despite this, Beetle became good friends with Septimus Heap when he returned to the Castle.
Being a very intelligent and mature boy, Beetle was the youngest person ever to pass the Manuscriptorium's Entrance Exams.
Magyk
Angie stated on her Ask Angie blog on the 31st October 2012 that in Magyk Beetle has to remove a Grula-Grula.
Flyte
- "Excuse me, your grandad's a tree!?"
Beetle makes his debut in Flyte as the clerk in the Castle Manuscriptorium, and Septimus' best friend. He makes an entrance as he and Septimus help with a rowdy spell at the Manuscriptorium. Septimus and Beetle then have FizzFroot while Septimus explains the situation to Beetle. Closer to the end of the book, Beetle escorts Septimus to the Wizard's Tower through the Ice Tunnels, of which he is very familiar with from his Manuscriptorium job, as he is the Inspection Clerk who checks up on the Ice Tunnels. Beetle goes up to the ExtraOrdinary Wizard's rooms with Septimus and Jenna, helping Marcia and the others stop the Placement (rebuilding and bringing to life of bones by use of Darke, in this case usining DomDaniel's skeleton) and witnessing the defeat of DomDaniel. He watches Septimus and Jenna accompanying Spit Fyre on the dragon's FirstFlyte.
Physik
- "Not Toffees"
Beetle's debuting line of dialogue in Physik is not exactly dialogue, but a squeak out of nervousness. In this book, it is revealed that Beetle is quite fond and very much in awe of Jenna. Beetle assists Jenna by giving her a toffee tin full of charms for dragon navigation, which has gathered from the Manuscriptorium. Shortly after Jenna and Wolf Boy leave, Beetle contracts the Sicknesse from Queen Etheldredda's Aie-Aie. At the end of the book, Beetle becomes the first victim of the Sicknesse to be saved by Septimus's cure. As he is unconscious for much of the plot, he sees very little action.
Queste
- "oh pigs, pigs pigs pigs"
Beetle has one of the main roles. He meets Marcellus Pye in his home, and sees the map from Nicko Heap and Snorri Snorrelssen before it is accidentally destroyed by water. He helps Jenna to gather and carry the delicate pieces and takes the map to the Manuscriptorium specialist, Ephaniah Grebe, but the specialist is unable to repair it as one very key piece is missing. After the disappointing meeting with the specialist, Jillie Dijnn, Cheif Hermetic Scribe (one of the three most powerful position in the Castle:the others being Queen and Extra-Ordinary Wizard) finds him leading Jenna out and fires him. Her reasoning is several counts of lateness, sharing of small Manuscriptorium secrets and UnSealing an Ice Tunnel, all of which happened while he was helping Septimus and/or Jenna with one of their important issues. Nonetheless, he blames only himself and also Jillie Djinn's strangeness, although he is heartbroken after losing his source of pride. Beetle assists Septimus in removing Jenna from the Wendron Witches' camp when she is kidnapped. He meets Heap brothers Jo-Jo, twins Edd and Erik, and Sam in their camp in the Forest. Beetle also goes along to the House of Foryx, and is left behind along with Nicko, Snorri, and Jenna to wait for Septimus and his dragon to return for them, as there were so many people the Spit Fyre could not possibly bring them all home in one trip.
Syren
Beetle in Darke.
- "Wotcha, Sep!"
Beetle again takes on a main role. He is reintroduced with Princess Jenna, Nicko Heap, Snorri Snorrelssen, and Ullr at the Trading Post, where Septimus finds them aboard Milo Banda's ship, the Cerys. There, he aquires a blue and gold admirals jacket, which very much suits him and he grows quite attached to it. He convinces Jenna to accompany them on the ship, and later rides with Jenna and Septimus on Spit Fyre. When Spit Fyre is hurt in a storm and the group is forces to crash land in the Isles of Syren, he finds himself in a nearly-deserted place with Jenna, to his delight, as he still harbours feelings for her in his quiet and thoughtful way. He and Jenna were the first of the party to see the light from the nearby lighthouse taken down and moved to The Pinnacle near "their" island. Beetle goes with Septimus first to assist on board the besieged Cerys, and then to find and and ReSeal the Ice Tunnels to the castle. (Before he goes, he gives Jenna his beloved Admiral's jacket, just in case.) Unfortunately, in the tunnels, the cold proves too much for him and he and Sep make a quick exit to avoid freezing. Beetle celebrates on the beach around the campfire with Jenna and Septimus after their victory over Tertius Fume 's diabolical plan against the Castle. Later, after the party realizes that Jim Knee can defeat the warrior jinn easily, he helps to locate the last jinnee. He returns to the Castle at the end of the book.
Darke
- "Wotcha, Foxo!"
Once again, Beetle takes a lead role. Of course, Beetle can't refuse when Jenna Heap asks him to investigate the palace attic; she thinks that there might be something evil up there. He buys them each sandwiches for lunch at a local cafe and he and realizes that Jenna might have a Darke Domaine in her attic. He aquires a SafeCharm from Foxy , who runs in to the sandwich place to give him one after hearing about the situation. Beetle investigates the attic, and is lured into what is indeed a Darke Domaine found to be caused by the growing power and stupidity of Merrin Meredith . After a narrow escape with the help of the charm, he runs to find Jenna (who immediately hugs him out of appreciation for his safey, much to Beetle's delight and the public's enjoyment) and tell her what he found. When Jenna is caught by a group of witches and Beetle has lost her completely, he runs to the Wizard Tower to tell Marcia. Marcia quickly decides to evacuate the Palace and contain the Darkeness within, using Beetle's help. To his slight annoyance, Beetle knows that he is only of such importance because Septimus was unavailable. The Darke escapes the Palace, quickly growing to engulf the entire Castle. Beetle has Marcia Seal him into the Hermetic Chamber to guard the Manuscriptorium's old Magyk and history, risking his life (6 Chief Hermetic Scribes had done so, only 3 had survived) as the current Chief Hermetic was muddled by Merrin's Darke and perhaps not entirely sane. After the Great UnDoing of the Darke Domain, he was found still alive in the Chamber, having barely survived as the Charms meant to help him had been tossed out by Merrin (who had taken control over Jillie Djinn and been messing up the Manuscriptorium for weeks). After Jillie Djinn's death at the end of the Darke Domaine, Foxy put Beetle's pen in the picking jar without telling him and Beetle became the Chief Hermetic Scribe much to his surprise and pride, suiting his growing confidence.
Characteristics
Physical attributes
Beetle is depicted as a boy with black hair and eyes who is three years older than Septimus Heap. He tends to wear a navy blue and gold admiral's jacket and a scarf. He has non-Magykal eyes and listening face. The Cheif Hermetic Scribe's robes of dark blue and gold match him very well when he wears them, although he still puts the beloved admiral's jacket on underneath.
Personality growth
Beetle grows from a very humble but intelligent boy into a more confident and proud young man, always having been brave but growing more so. Beetle is quite loyal, having helped his best friends and accompanied them on their antics and rescues, sometimes begrudgingly. He always looks out for them, particularly Jenna, who he is hinted to have special affections for. Beetle does not usually find himself in a leadership position but he is very proud when he is, and as he grow older he becomes more of a leader and less of a follower, standing tall in his admiral's jacket and later his Cheif Hermetic Scribe's robes. He begins as very much in awe around powerful figures like Princess Jenna and Extra-Ordinary Wizard Marcia, and acts shy, but later he grows more at ease with them and becomes friends with them. Beetle is a hard worker, but not uptight, he does work which he is quite proud to be doing. He grows more strong-willed with time, but is never one to create an argument or burst out in anger.
Abilities and interests
Beetle has an affinity for navigating the Ice Tunnels, and works as a scribe at the Manuscriptorium. He is very mature and intelligent for his age, having been the youngest person to complete the Manuscriptorium's Entrance Exam. He almost always has something helpful to say or banging around in his pockets, and has a passion for learning, which fuels his love for the Manuscriptorium even when he is fired from his job there. Working for Larry's Dead Languages, he also learns quite a bit of history, gossip, and languages including Latin which he finds interesting, even though it is probably useful. He loves racing through the Ice Tunnels on his sled and enjoying a good FizzFroot drink with Septimus afterward.
Possessions
- Timepiece: Found in manuscriptorium and repaired by Ephaniah Grebe.
- Admiral's Jacket: Bought by Milo Banda and given to Beetle.
- Scribe's Pen: Green, given to Foxy after Beetle loses his job, put into the Picking Pot, which leads to Beetle's becoming of the CHS.
- Ice Tunnel Sled: Not technically Beetle's but the Manuscriptorium's, used when Beetle goes on inspections of the ice tunnels, incuding racing and experimenting with stunts and tricks.
- Cheif Hermetic Scribe Robes: Worn only by Chief Hermetic Scribes.