| “ | Mr. Valentine, do you remember when we met earlier today? I told you I was an essential guide, and you said you "needed a guide like a hole in the head"? Well, as a matter of strict fact, you had a hole in the head only a short time before. A bullet hole. | „ |
| ~ Pip explaining to Rocky that the latter is in the afterlife. |
| “ | Heaven? (scoffs) Whatever gave you the idea you were in Heaven, Mr. Valentine? This IS the other place! | „ |
| ~ Pip telling Rocky the truth about his "paradise" after the latter asked to go to hell. |
Pip is the main antagonist of The Twilight Zone episode "A Nice Place To Visit", which aired in 1960. He plays the role of a guide in the afterlife for Henry Francis Valentine (also known as "Rocky") after the latter was killed by the police during one of Valentine's botched robberies.
He was portrayed by the late Sebastian Cabot, who also voiced Sir Ector in The Sword in The Stone.
Biography[]
The origins and history behind Pip are very limited, though there are subtle hints given in the episode. It has been confirmed that Pip is a guide for souls in Hell, and that he's been so for at least a few centuries, possibly much longer than that. The full extent of Pip's abilities and powers are not fully explained, and we only see Pip's interaction with Rocky, and no other souls sent to Hell.
Pip's appearance and personality are both very sophisticated. He wears a bright white tuxedo at all times, and tends to Valentine's wishes in the same manner a loyal butler would. He also has white hair that matches his white suit. It is heavily implied that Pip is not necessarily The Devil himself, but simply one of The Devil's minions.
A Nice Place To Visit[]
After Henry Francis Valentine, a career robber who can never catch a break in life, is killed by police when a pawn shop robbery goes south, he wakes up seemingly unharmed in the same place he was killed. It is here that Pip appears to Rocky, which the latter sticks up the former at gunpoint for money. Pip happily gives him $700, and explains that Rocky can have anything he wants.
Though Rocky takes the money, he is very suspicious of Pip, thinking that there's some sort of ulterior motive to the situation. Pip leads Valentine to an apartment specifically decorated to Valentine's wants. When food is brought into the apartment, Rocky's suspicions arise once more, and fears the food may be poisoned, so he asks Pip to taste test it first. Pip refuses, stating he "hasn't eaten in centuries". This prompts Rocky to shoot Pip, but the bullets phase right through him. Throughout the episode, Rocky calls Pip "fats".
Pip then explains that Rocky was killed by the police, and is residing in the afterlife. Rocky assumes he is in heaven, due to getting everything he wants on command. Rocky also believes Pip is his "guardian angel", in which Pip responds "something like that", as not to give away the fact that Rocky is in Hell. Rocky enjoys his afterlife with gambling and surrounding himself with beautiful women, and wins every single time he gambles.
Confusion falls on Rocky, as he wonders why he would be in Heaven after living his life as a degenerate criminal. Pip takes Rocky to a hall of records, which is many filing cabinets containing Rocky's actions in life. Rocky reads through these documents, and only finds a long list of his sins, and doesn't seem to find any benevolent acts that would land him in Heaven.
A month has gone by, and Rocky begins to tire of having all his wishes instantly fulfilled without the conquest and satisfaction of working for them. Rocky begins to complain to Pip that - though he's very grateful for his afterlife - he missed the unpredictability and conquest of real life. Pip offers the idea of sometimes losing at gambling, but this would be pointless, as Rocky would know it was happening beforehand. Pip offers Rocky a chance to rob a bank, but Rocky dismisses this as well, as the outcome being predetermined would ruin the point of the crime.
Rocky has decided he's had enough of Heaven, and would rather go to the other place. Pip then retorts, "Heaven? Whatever gave you the idea you were in Heaven, Mr. Valentine? This is the other place!" Rocky, horrified at realizing where he truly is, tries to escape the now-locked apartment while Pip laughs malevolently, unable to fully accept that his soul is eternally in Hell.
Personality[]
Despite being a guide in Hell, Pip is very well-spoken, sophisticated, respectful and seemingly benevolent. It is possible that this is all just to perpetuate the facade of not revealing someone is in Hell right away. Throughout the entirety of the episode, Pip not only maintains his calm, respectful nature, but is also perfectly convincing to Rocky as someone who wanted to keep him happy.
He is also a skilled actor, as he keeps the act up when pretending to be confused when Rocky becomes disinterested in his wish-fulfulling setup. It is not until the end of the episode that Pip shows his true colors by revealing that Rocky was never in Heaven, but in Hell. Pip then gives an evil laugh. It can be assumed that this is Pip's true personality; watching others suffer in Hell.
Trivia[]
- The actor had to bleach his hair for the role, giving it its white appearance. It took three months for the actor's hair to revert to its dark color.
Gallery[]
