An Open Wound Letter

An Open Wound Letter

While we are the closest we’ve been to excited for the better part of a decade, the upcoming Metalocalypse finale movie feels … bittersweet.

Many of you in the fandom are aware of a person who went by Holkie, an absolute pillar in the community for as long as there has been a Metalocalypse community online. She ran a ‘Dethklok Minute’ news page across a couple of social media platforms, as well as running several fanwork spaces, her digital footprints are a testament to her love for the series (as well as those responsible for making it). Nobody would be happier about this movie than Holkie.

(Acknowledgement for her hard work. She was more than just a fan.)

Except … Holkie can’t be here. She passed away in early December of last year. To say that it’s unfair would be a profound understatement. It’s downright cruel, if we’re being honest.

Whether it was intentional or not, one of our most enduring takeaways from Metalocalypse was that the family you choose can be just as important, if not more important, than the family you’re born into. This was something Holkie certainly took to heart, and the fandom was certainly one of her most important family units. She could always make time for you, and she wanted to make sure that everyone felt welcome and included, no matter what. Her enthusiasm was palpable, her fervor contagious, and her absence is being felt now more than ever.

Since Holkie can’t be here to see this, what if … now, WHAT IF … she could be … There … instead? In the movie, we mean. A crazy wish, a pipe dream even.

But what if…

Holkie had an original character, Klokateer #1195 (aka “Janet”). Wouldn’t it be something if she could appear in the film? Just in the background! Nothing fancy! A blink and you’ll miss it moment detectable only by those who know what to look for. A way of immortalizing her, and her dedication. A tribute to how she worked tirelessly behind the scenes, for each and every single one of us.

(Art by Animama)

We realize that’s a big, big ask. And entitled. In reality, a simple “In Memory of …” during the end credits would be more than enough. Still, we felt compelled to put the idea out there into the universe.Holkie is absolutely worth it. If the Powers That Be see this and agree? That would be great. The trick is getting the right pair of eyes on this post.

We don’t want to start any petitions, or spam campaigns, or anything like that. We’ve been sitting on this for more than a week because we were trying to think of the best way to get the word out. We spoke to her closest friends to see if this would be something that she’d want, and the consensus was she’d love it but would hate to bother anyone.

So rule number one is DON’T BE A BOTHER.

We’re not trying to nag or guilt anyone into doing anything. The fact of the matter is Holkie had friends in high places, and many of them might not even be aware that she’s passed away. If anyone wanted to tweet a simple “Hey, have you seen this?” to Brendon or some of the Titmouse crew with a link to this post, that’d be pretty cool. Remember to be respectful and polite, above all else. If you wanted to just reblog this or link to it from other social media to boost awareness, that’d be pretty sweet too.

Thank you all for listening.

-TFMH