Ricken Hale is an inspirational author of five self-help books, and married to Devon Scout-Hale.
History[]
At some time in the past, Ricken met and married Devon Scout-Hale. They were close with Devon's brother Mark, and his wife, Gemma Scout and often socialized together.[3]
Ricken hosted a food-less dinner for his fiends and brother-in-law, Mark Scout. They talked about food as fuel and when Ricken's friends found out Mark was severed, they asked him about that until Ricken redirected the conversation, saying he stood behind Mark even though severance was controversial. After their friends left, Ricken showed Mark to their expected baby's room for him to sleep in. He was making the sheets himself, so the ones for the big bed weren't ready, forcing Mark to sleep on the twin. They were putting all the child's beds in the room at once because a colleague of his said it could wound the child to change their beds as they grew. Having all three there at birth allowed the child to progress through the room at their own pace.[1]
When his fifth book was published, Ricken wrapped a copy of it and drove over to Mark's house to leave it on his porch. He perseverated over how to place it and Devon encouraged him to do it quickly.[4]
As they got closer to the birth, Ricken suggested a birthing retreat as the location for Devon to give birth.[5]
When Devon went into labor, Ricken called Mark several times, despite knowing Mark was at work and wouldn't get the calls. Mark got the call when he got out of work and came to the cabin just in time for Devon to have another contraction. Ricken told Mark to tell a secret, believing it would help the baby be born faster. When Mark hesitated, Ricken said he'd start and told Mark he was hurt that Mark never thanked him for the book. Mark was confused and said that he'd never gotten the book that Ricken and Devon left on his porch. Ricken was upset because it was an advanced copy. When Devon left in search of coffee, Ricken had Mark help him hang kelp. When Devon returned, Ricken was sleeping. She woke him when she cried out in pain and soon after, their baby was born.[6]
When Devon struggled with breastfeeding Eleanor, they started looking for a lactation consultant. Ricken informed Devon when a candidate, Mrs. Selvig, whom Devon recognized as Mark's neighbor, arrived. They were both pleasantly surprised when Mrs. Selvig was able to get Eleanor to stop crying in seconds.[7]
Ricken threw a party so he could read his new book aloud. When Mark arrived, Ricken was upset that Mark hadn't brought his copy of the book to read along, so offered to ask his friend Rebeck if Mark could share her copy.[8]
Ricken started the reading and at the first reflection break, Mark came to him and told him how much the book meant to him. Ricken, not realizing Mark was his innie self, believed Mark was being sarcastic. Ricken continued the reading after the break, but was interrupted by Devon coming in looking for Mrs. Selvig, who had taken Eleanor and disappeared. They searched the house and found Eleanor in another room in her car seat, to everyone's relief.[9]
When the Overtime Contingency was shut off and Mark became his outie self again, Ricken ended the party, telling his guests he'd let them know if he did another reading. Then he, Devon, and Mark talked about what Innie Mark meant by, "She's alive." Ricken felt sure that Mark was talking about Eleanor and Mark agreed, though Devon was less sure. When Seth Milchick came to the door, they talked to him about what had happened. He told them that they wanted Mark to return to work despite that.[10]
Ricken was delighted when Natalie Kalen came to see him and told him the innies at Lumon had a very positive reaction to his book. She wanted him to make a version specifically for innies with verbiage they particularly reacted to. He was excited and eager to do this.[11]
Ricken began adapting his book, but when Devon read what he'd written, she said it sounded like Lumon's words and if he watered down his work to spout their propaganda, he was hurting people just like Lumon was.[12]
Personality[]
Ricken can best be described as "ridiculous." He is a believer in all things "New Age," including that speaking secrets could "clear the air" for a birth, and holds pretentious events such as "Non-Dinner Dinner Parties." Upon failing to "break into the literature world" in his twenties, he decided that it was not he that was lacking, but literature itself — demonstrating a lack of self-awareness and abundance of hubris. At the birthing cabin, he was apparently more concerned about Mark not reading his self-help book than his wife in labor.
Despite this, Ricken is extroverted, caring, and genuinely sincere — or at least attempts to be. He seems to have the best of intentions, but is unable to carry them out. This is reversed in how his book “The You You Are” was objectively and comically terrible, but still communicated universal truths in a way that inspired the innies at Lumon.
Ricken's gregarious exterior also may hide a core of insecurity. After an outwardly pompous and self-absorbed reading of his book at a party (S1E9), Mark finds Ricken chastising himself for sounding "like a sad old hamburger waiter." He frets over his voice shaking and, in a rare moment of self-awareness, asks "Why do I ever open my buffoon mouth?"
Physical Description[]
Ricken is a middle-aged ginger white man with blue eyes. Ricken wears warm colors — often turtlenecks, presumably to demonstrate his “hipsterness.”
Relationships[]
Ricken finds a committed wife in Devon Scout-Hale, despite their apparent differences. He is the father of their daughter, Eleanor Hale, and his love for her is displayed in how he dedicates his reading of “The You You Are” to her in S1:E9.
Ricken’s relationship with his brother-in-law Mark is a bit more complicated. Mark often makes fun of Ricken for his ridiculousness, and Ricken not-so-subtly jabs at Mark, disapproving of Mark’s Severance. This shows itself in how Ricken greets Mark at the Non-Dinner Dinner Party (“There’s our captive!”), calls his decision to Sever controversial “ethically, socially, morally, and scientifically,” and sends him a striped bathrobe reminiscent of a prison uniform. He generally condescends to Mark at said party, leading some fans to speculate that Ricken invited him in order to display his own open-mindedness or use him as a spectacle.
Despite this, Ricken seems to genuinely care what Mark thinks and want his approval. He's overjoyed when Mark S. says his book “opened up the world for me” and uses it as a confidence boost for the reading. He appears to fondly remember the hikes they used to go on and tells Mark he understands why he Severed (to “deal with Gemma’s passing in the way that was best for you”).
Ricken has a large group of similarly eccentric acolytes, including (but not limited to) Balf, Danise, Patton, and Rebeck. They are fellow pretentious hipsters and worship the ground he walks on. After he reads the first chapter of his book “The You You Are” at a party, Rebeck says, “It was transformative. I’m gonna have to change my name again.”
Quotes[]
- Ricken: "Well, we're at the point where, traditionally, I would say something like, ‘Dig in.’ But I must say, I do think that the lack of food has allowed us to already do so on a much deeper level."
"The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design"
- Ricken: "Bullies are nothing but Bull and Lies."
- Ricken: "Purging secrets can create a soul void that speeds the labor."
- Ricken: "Balf. Prepare the neti pot."
- Ricken: "I don't know why my voice shakes like that. I sound like a sad old hamburger waiter prattling on about sauces. 'Hamburger waiter.' What the fuck is that? Jesus, why do I ever open my buffoon mouth?"
Notes and Trivia[]
- He wrote The You You Are: A Spiritual Biography of You and four other self-help books.
- The first 8 chapters as well as a note and follow-up from the author are available on Apple Books for free.
Gallery[]
Promotional[]
Appearances[]
| Season 1 | |||||
| #01 | "Good News About Hell" | #04 | "The You You Are" | #07 | "Defiant Jazz" |
| #02 | "Half Loop" | #05 | "The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design" | #08 | "What's for Dinner?" |
| #03 | "In Perpetuity" | #06 | "Hide and Seek" | #09 | "The We We Are" |
| Season 2 | |||||
| #01 | "Hello, Ms. Cobel" | #05 | "Trojan's Horse" | #09 | "The After Hours" |
| #02 | "Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig" | #06 | "Attila" | #10 | "Cold Harbor" |
| #03 | "Who Is Alive?" | #07 | "Chikhai Bardo" | ||
| #04 | "Woe's Hollow" | #08 | "Sweet Vitriol" | ||
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Good News About Hell, 1x01
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Dr. Ricken Lazlo Hale, PhD. The You You Are. Narrated by Dr. Ricken Lazlo Hale, PhD.
- ↑ Chikhai Bardo, 2x07
- ↑ In Perpetuity, 1x03
- ↑ The You You Are, 1x04
- ↑ The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design, 1x05
- ↑ Hide and Seek, 1x06
- ↑ What's for Dinner?, 1x08
- ↑ The We We Are, 1x09
- ↑ Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig, 2x02
- ↑ Who Is Alive?, 2x03
- ↑ Trojan's Horse, 2x05