A Thinker in Space

Note: This is a bit more of a niche post than some others about a radio show called Adventures in Odyssey, which I hope to do a more general review of later on! This post is in response to a significant controversy in the Adventures in Odyssey community revolving around one of the chief protagonists, John Avery Whittaker. If you have not viewed the show, this will likely not mean much to you, but if you have, here are my thoughts on the recent controversial events in the series!

Secondary Note: During this article, I discuss specific episodes. I will also link to the albums the episodes come from on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

There has been a lot of discussion since the Rydell Revelations about Whit’s character, specifically with the escape room incident. And while there is some genuine criticism there, saying that this is completely out of character for Whit shows that as a community we make Whit out as a bit more angelic than he is. I love Whit (and this show), but in relistening with the escape room in mind, this isn’t the only time Whit has done something that should raise an eyebrow or two.

This article contains spoilers for episodes #877: A Sacrificial Escape, and #898-900: The Rydell Revelations, as well as a smattering of episodes from throughout the show’s history.

Before we get into it; it’s important to understand the controversy if you haven’t heard about it yet. Episode #877: A Sacrificial Escape is a very, very good episode about sacrificial love, and features a villain that feels menacing and evil. In this episode, two children are convinced that they are in mortal peril, and it comes down to this – one child must sacrifice their life to save the other. The choice is made in a heart wrenching scene, and then the proverbial curtain falls and both children are revealed to be safe (and never in any true danger in the first place).

The controversy didn’t begin until 12-13 episodes later, during The Rydell Revelations, where we learn that Morrie Rydell (a character who we have met before on multiple occasions, knowing that he has sinister plans for our protagonists), the mastermind behind the escape room, has been under the keen eye of John Avery Whittaker for some time (unbeknownst to the “criminal” genius). Not only that, but we learned that Whit knew about the escape room beforehand and what it would entail, but did nothing to stop it, and therefore allowed two children to think that their lives were in danger, and be experimented on to see if they would be willing to sacrifice their lives for each other.

This choice by Whit has caused a stir in the Odyssey community, from disgruntled posting and conversation all the way to demanding that the writer of the saga be fired and the saga be redacted from Odyssey canon. Obviously, Whit’s choice has struck a chord with the community, resulting in accusations and defenses for and against the show’s portrayal of the character.

The goal of this post is to show that Whit’s choice was to in character. Not to say “Whit did the right thing”. This is a defense of the writers of AIO, and the people who have crafted this storyline, by showcasing other examples of Whit making decisions that have some moral question marks on them throughout the show’s history.

Here are five of most problematic Whit moments, showing that Whit is only human, and that the escape room incident is not as out of left field as it seems.

I actually really like this episode – as an MS teacher, this is something near and dear to my heart: the bullies at school are just kids, and some of them are this way because of external circumstances. I think it presents the issue effectively and allows kids to think about issues from a broader perspective. HOWEVER, this one is on here because never in a million years would this fly in real life. Allowing a kid to live a day in another kid’s body?? Exposing his home life, seeing very personal things (like how his father treats him), without asking the kid’s permission? It is incredibly invasive and definitely illegal.

First of all, what an amazing episode!! One of my all-time favorites. The only difference between this one and most of the others on the list is that the whole point is that Whit is wrong. In others, his actions are defended/justified (sometimes incorrectly), but in this one his actions have consequences. It is an excellent example of Whit doing something he thinks is for the best, but actually creating something incredibly dangerous.

Another one of my all-time favorite episodes, because it is so real, dealing with serious consequences to giving children a taste of unlimited freedom. But this trip in the Room in Consequence probably sent Alex to therapy for a Long Time. There is always a bit of a feeling in the Room of Consequence that the person inside loses their grip on true reality because what they are experiencing is so real. And having experience paralysis from a car accident where he killed his best friend? My kid is NEVER going back to that ice cream parlor.

All of the other things in this list are from solid episodes that I really enjoy. This one… this one bothers me. Every time I listen to it I find it more and more upsetting, and it frustrates me because it is a crucial episode in my favorite arc of all of Odyssey: Novacom and Aftermath. But Whit’s behavior in this episode is inexcusable, and the fact that it is portrayed as okay is the most upsetting part. The whole situation here is simple: Connie and Mitch are obsessed with each other and are neglecting spiritual responsibilities (including church, Bible study, and personal devotions). They make each other idols, and need to learn that this is what is happening and cool it, refocusing. This is a great message, and an important one. But the way it is delivered is unnecessarily twisted. If you’re not familiar with what happens next – Connie learns that Mitch might have to move away, and is in desperate need of consolation from Whit. Instead of being there for her when she needs him the most, Whit actively avoids her, even though he is aware of her distress, missing their weekly breakfast, not coming to work, avoiding her calls, etc. Meanwhile, Connie is falling apart because she is devastated and needs his wisdom and friendship now more than ever. When they finally connect, she discovers that he has been “doing to her what she has been doing to God”, which, while true, goes against everything this show teaches about friendship and mentorship. Making it a point to completely shut someone out to teach them an object lesson when it is clear they are suffering? And then basically saying “this is a you problem”? Nothing about this is healthy, and the fact that Whit is portrayed as justified here is legitimately upsetting. If someone in your life is struggling with sin or idolatry, we should never, ever shut them out if they are seeking counsel and wisdom from us, or if they simply need compassion. This bothers me way, way more than the escape room does, but by the parameters of the list the next one does have to be:

Look, all of this is not to excuse what happened here. It is still probably the most messed up thing Whit has ever done – allowing two kids to think that they were legitimately in mortal danger and forcing them to choose who gets to live. The point is to show that it is not as out of character as it looks. Not only that, but the fact that Whit owns up to it, and apologizes to Emily shows that he knows he did the wrong thing and is not trying to justify it. This wasn’t a character assassination, just a mistake made by someone who is human, trying to teach kids and deal with difficult situations as best as he can, usually making the right choices, but sometimes making wrong ones, and that is okay. He has always been portrayed as human, not as infallible, and I think this is a healthy way to continue to portray him (as long as his mistakes aren’t excused). This remains and excellent show, and I look forward to seeing what else the directors and writers have in store in the future!

Some additional thoughts:

A. I believe #5 and #3 work perfectly fine for the episodes in which they happen, because those lessons succeed in their overall goal – communicating nuanced and important message to children (which is their overall goal). #2 does Not fit this model because Whit is teaching a lesson by being a poor mentor and friend, playing God to show Connie how God feels. This message could have been taught well, and is important, but the way Whit chooses to teach makes him a very poor role model for the listener.

B. The goal of this is not to demonize Whit. In fact, that is the opposite of its goal. The point is to show that Whit’s character is consistently balancing recklessness with wisdom – he has always flown very close to the sun when teaching his lessons, and sometimes he crosses lines. It’s been like that since very early in the show, and it makes him a nuanced character who is a human being with his own struggles. Demonizing him over his actions is not allowing the character to be human, and instead forcing him to fit a perfect-mentor box he never has cleanly fit. It’s one of the reasons Jason’s arc has been so fitting – he has Whit’s recklessness and intelligence, but it took him a long time to gain Whit’s wisdom. That’s why A Touch of Healing is such a good parallel to Mortal Coil – it clearly shows us that Jason is indeed Whit’s son.

C. The Escape Room was messed up, yes. Whether or not Whit fully knew what was going to happen here, he allowed it to occur and that was a mistake. But the fallout of this was handled very well – Emily genuinely loses trust in Whit as a mentor, and he has to earn it back, and ask for forgiveness. It shows humility and an acceptance that he crossed the line, and isn’t that in the end an excellent lesson to teach kids? That even mentors and people you trust can fail you, because only God is infallible, but that relationships can overcome these troubles and obstacles and trust can be re-earned? I think the lessons that have come out of these controversial episodes have been healthy and well-written, and that this shows us some more nuance in Whit’s character that I hope continues to be a part of the story, because he is one of the reasons so many of us keep coming back for more!

What do you think of Whit’s decisions in these episodes? Do you see any as justified? Are there any more examples where Whit steps over the line? Feel free to leave a comment with any thoughts you might have!

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