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Skulduggery Pleasant: The End of the World
The End Of The World
Skulduggery Pleasant: The End of the World
Author Derek Landy
Cover Artist Tom Percival
Date Published February 23rd-24th 2012
Date Set In Early 2012
Publisher HarperCollins
No. of pages 128
ISBN 0007458207 (10)

978-0007458202 (13)

Publication Order
Preceded by
Death Bringer
Followed by
Kingdom of the Wicked

The End Of The World is a novella released on the 23rd- 24th February 2012 (depending on the country), although it was originally intended to be released on March 1st for World Book Day. It is set between the events of Death Bringer and Kingdom Of The Wicked. The story is 15,000 words, which is about 90 pages relative to Mortal Coil. The novella included two short stories, as well. Just Another Friday Night featured two of the winning characters from an Australian/New Zealand exclusive create-a-character contest. The winning characters were Hayley Skirmish and Tane Aiavao.[1] This story only appeared in the Australian/New Zealand versions of the book. What Might Have Been, a collection of three deleted scenes rounded of this collection. The End of the World (and Just Another Friday Night) was collected in Armageddon-Outta-Here.

Plot[]

The book starts off with a boy named Ryan looking around a library after having run away from home. Near him he sees a group of four suspicious looking strangers, shortly before he notices a tiny silver circle on a shelf. He picks it up, and it burns him, leaving a mark on his hand. The four strangers come up to revealing themselves as Samuel, Obloquy, Mercy Charient and Vincent Foe, the leader of the gang. They threaten him, demanding that he go with them, but before they can hurt him, Valkyrie Cain shows up to save him. They run through the library, throwing fireballs and dodging energy beams, before getting outside to the relative safety of the Bentley, where Ryan first meets Skulduggery Pleasant. While Ryan freaks out, they drive off. During the drive Valkyrie explains some things about magic and the magical community to Ryan before arriving at an apartment building. She also tells him that Foe and his friends need the imprinted burn on Ryan's hand to activate a Doomsday Machine, a bomb that was originally intended to destroy the Faceless Ones. Vincent Foe and his gang are nihilists who want to destroy the world along with themselves, and they plan to use the Doomsday Machine. Deacon Maybury was a sorcerer who used to belong to Foe's gang, but he betrayed them and stole the key, planning to sell it on.

As Skulduggery, Valkyrie and Ryan search Deacon Maybury's trashed apartment, looking for clues about his murder, a woman named Francine comes to the apartment, looking for Deacon. They inform her of Deacon's murder and ask if she may know anything about it. She says she was very close to Deacon and loved him deeply. Ryan walks her back to her apartment, where Francine leads him straight to Vincent Foe. It is revealed that Francine was just an illusion, and she was really Mercy in disguise. They attempt to kidnap Ryan, but fortunately, Valkyrie and Skulduggery save him, and they escape by jumping out the window.

Skulduggery explains that the only person able to create an illusion of that magnitude is Robert Crasis; a man who did this work during The War against Mevolent. They drive to Crasis' house, and the illusionist explains that Foe threatened his family to force him to disguise Mercy as Francine. Skulduggery asks for a map, and promptly finds the location of the Doomsday Machine.

After Ryan repeatedly delaying them for bathroom breaks, they arrive at a shopping mall and enter a room, planning to stay until all of the shoppers go home. Skulduggery asks Ryan why he doesn't miss his home, and Ryan admits that he was initially planning to run away from home. Skulduggery responds by telling him that he doesn't have a home. Crasis created Ryan and Ryan is merely an illusion, hiding none other than Deacon Maybury, who faked his own death through this whole act. Ryan calls Skulduggery crazy, but Skulduggery insists that this is the truth. Deacon disguised himself, so he could hide from Foe's gang, as an average teenage boy. Ryan eventually gives in, realising it makes sense, and he sits away from the others, weeping at the loss of his life's meaning. Valkyrie goes to comfort him, telling him that by dismantling the Doomsday Machine he would make Deacon mad and he could be his own person, separate from Deacon.

They eventually find the activation panel, but just then, Foe's gang arrives. Skulduggery attempts to stall by bluffing that there were Sanctuary agents surrounding the building. It doesn't work and a fight breaks out. Skulduggery defeats Mercy and the vampire Samuel, Valkyrie takes down the Sensitive Obloquy. Foe flees the scene when Samuel unleashes his true form. However, the vampire is defeated with the help of Ryan's distraction. He dismantles the machine, and, holding to a promise she made earlier, Valkyrie gives him a kiss. But then the illusion fades, and Ryan is replaced with Deacon Maybury. Valkyrie pushes him away in disgust after his continued attempts to kiss her. Skulduggery lets him escape, but only because Ryan was their friend.

Just Another Friday Night[]

Main article: Just Another Friday Night
This section needs expanding. If you have anything to contribute, please edit it.

Just Another Friday Night is a short story, exclusive to the Australian edition of The End of the World. It was re-published in Armageddon-Outta-Here.

Derek Landy announced on his blog that the novella would feature a short story about two of the winning characters in his latest create-a-character contest, exclusive to Australia and New Zealand. One female character from the Australian winner and one male character from the New Zealander winner. The winners were Sparky Braginski in Australia and Josie in New Zealand. Sparky created the character Hayley Skirmish and Josie created the character Tane Aiavao. The contest ended on New Years Eve.[2]

Plot[]

Hayley Skirmish and Tane Aiavao are searching a mansion inside a graveyard with a large hole, where they are awaiting the arrival of the Doherty clan โ€“ all of whom existed as zombies โ€“ and Skulduggery and Valkyrie. After the Doherty clan appear, Hayley asks Tane for 'the amulet' - an item suspected to lift the curse from the clan. After it is revealed that Tane does not actually have the amulet on him, the zombie horde attacks and they attempt to fight back. They become quickly outnumbered before Skulduggery and Valkyrie appear, brandishing a staff. Skulduggery tells them that the curse has been lifted and that the staff is theirs to destroy before tossing it into a hole, containing "assorted things" where the zombies are supposedly trapped or destroyed.

Skulduggery continues to explain that if they do not make it out of the Graveyard by midnight, then they would inherit the curse. A Hound begins chasing them as they run for the exit, but they make it and the Hound vanishes.

What Might Have Been[]

Main article: What Might Have Been

What Might Have Been is a non-canon short story featured in the Australian tour edition of Dark Days and the non-Australian edition of The End of the World. It contains three removed scenes from the original version of Skulduggery Pleasant, selected by Derek Landy. He said that in order to prevent spoilers, he selected scenes from Valkyrie's home life.

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