| “ | Wait until the readers of The Daily Punctillo hear about this!!! | „ |
| ~ Geraldine Most Famous Line |
Geraldine Julienne is a reporter and a major antagonist in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Geraldine is a typical reporter; selfish and greedy. She is similar to Rita Skeeter in Harry Potter and J. Jonah Jameson from Spider-Man.
She appears in books 8, 9, and 12 of the series. Although not evil, she is an antagonist in that she writes about the Baudelaires as criminals, and accuses them falsely of murder, and forces the children to go on the run from police for a few months.
Biography[]
Origins[]
Geraldine Julienne's past is unknown. Its implied she had some involvement with V.F.D. in her youth, whether she was a volunteer remains unknown, but she definitely knew of the organization and she wrote a humorous column "Secret Organizations You Should Know About" in the newspaper which exposed V.F.D. forcing them to go on the run for several months.
Hospital[]
The Baudelaires first hear about Geraldine Julienne in the Village of Fowl Devotees when the Council of Elders tell the Media that Count Olaf is dead and Julienne publishes a paper saying he is dead and that it was the Baudelaires who killed him, based on "evidence". The children are arrested by the real, living Count Olaf and thrown in jail, but they break out and escape from the town.
Next, at Heimlich Hospital, the children are separated by Esme Squalor who plans to do a crainoectomy on Violet, have her head decapitated, and blame it on an accident. Thus Klaus and Sunny have to save Violet and they pretend to be Count Olaf's agents and meet the reporter, Geraldine Julienne, and other enemies in the theatre. When the Baudelaires are exposed Geraldine recognizes them as "murderers" and emphasizes that they are the Baudelaires. But Count Olaf sets the hospital on fire before Geraldine can order their arrest and she has to escape the burning hospital.
Carnival[]
Geraldine Julienne escapes the hospital and makes it to the Caligari Carnival, hosted by Olivia Caliban, a treacherous V.F.D. agent, who pretends to be Madame Lulu. But Esme doesn't like Lulu and wants her dead by throwing her to lions at the carnival. Meanwhile, Geraldine Julienne meets Count Olaf and interviews him about the lion idea and when someone points out that it was Olaf who was murdered, Geraldine Julienne lies and says it was Omar, and she should know, having been writing about it.
Olaf burns down the carnival and again Geraldine Julienne runs out, having a frantic conversation with a carnival guest where she says Olaf told her the Baudelaires were responsible for the fire. She eventually makes it back to the city where she publishes an article saying the Baudelaire "murderers" are free once more and heading back to the city to continue their hobby of arson.
Hotel Denouement[]
Violet Baudelaire meets Geraldine Julienne at the roof of the Hotel Denouement, where she is sucking up to Esme Squalor, her biggest hero. When Esme tells Geraldine she is hosting a party Geraldine begs to hear the surprises in the party. Geraldine is about to be told who the secret agent, J.S., is, but then Carmelita Spats interrupts.
Later on, when Dewey Denouement has been murdered, Geraldine Julienne accuses the Baudelaires of the crime (it was Olaf who pushed the gun into their hands). Geraldine Julienne had written an article saying "Baudelaire murderers returned to city to continue hobby of murder and arson" and to warn everyone to report them to the police, making their stay in the hotel doubly difficult (especially as it is full of V.F.D. villains). Geraldine Julienne attends the V.F.D. trail of Count Olaf, and presents articles condemning the Baudelaires as evidence, but none of the evidence is read as Olaf escapes. The hotel is set on fire and destroyed, and it is unknown if Geraldine makes it out or not.
Personality[]
Cold-hearted, immoral and amoral, Geraldine Julienne was an egomaniac and only valued herself. However the main person she cared about other than herself was Esme Squalor, and it is hinted Geraldine may have been bisexual, as her interactions with Esme seem rather flirtatious, made even more so by the fact Esme has glamorised herself by wearing a tiny bikini on the rooftop and this may have led to Geraldine's flirtations. However, it is also hinted Geraldine fancied Esme's boyfriend, Count Olaf, as she is enthralleed by his power and authority and thinks he is a big celebrity figure worth sucking up to. She keeps defending Olaf often from critique, such as when someone says "Hey, I thought Olaf was the man those children killed," and she says he wasn't, and she should know, having put out the lie that Olaf is dead. Geraldine displays a very lustful side at the carnival, sucking up to Olaf and defending him, and a very glamorous, flirtatious side with Esme at the hotel. However, she only truly cares about herself. This is seen when she is panic-stricken and fleeing the burning carnival with a fellow guest, who she is also trying to flirt with as she flees. She seems to be a reporter who would do anything to get a story, including one-night stands and blackmail. At one point, she even locks Mr Poe's sister Eleanora in the newspaper office basement because of Esme's orders, and because of her lust for Esme she was willing to do anything to please her.