Baz Charlton

**BEWARE!**

By Order of the Geographical Oddities Squadron and the Nevermoor Council,
 This Page Has Been Declared to Contain Possible ***Spoilers***.
**Enter At Own Risk**

"*Baz Charlton. Odious man. Avoid him like the pox.*"
―Jupiter's advice to Morrigan[src]**Baz Charlton** is a member of the Wundrous Society and the patron of at least six Wundrous Society members. Baz is a 'Spaghetti Patron,' meaning he enters multiple candidates into the Trials every year hoping one will place (or 'stick' like spaghetti thrown against a wall).

## Biography

### Third Age of the Aristocrats, Year of One

Baz is first introduced at the Wundrous Welcome, where he holds a conversation with Jupiter North and Morrigan Crow. He (correctly) guesses that Morrigan has been smuggled into Nevermoor illegally from the Wintersea Republic.

At the Chase Trial, Morrigan overhears him talking to his candidate Noelle Devereaux about the location of a secret gold target, meaning that he has helped Noelle to cheat.

After the Fright Trial, all eight of Baz's candidates had made it through the first three rounds. Assuming 525 original candidates and 75 at the show trial, the odds of this happening purely by chance are one in six million. We can conclude Baz has a knack that identifies strong candidates or he cheated even more than we saw him cheating.

After the Show Trial, Baz accuses Jupiter of swindling the High Council of Elders to win Morrigan a place in the Society.

### Year of Two

Baz first appears in *Wundersmith* at the inauguration of Unit 919. After finally learning that Morrigan is a Wundersmith, he tries to persuade his candidate Cadence to leave. Unsuccessful, he then tries to convince the Elders that Morrigan is dangerous and should not be allowed into The Wundrous Society.

Later in the novel, Morrigan is suspicious that Baz is the one blackmailing Unit 919, although her suspicion turns out to be wrong.

Baz's final appearance in *Wundersmith* is after Morrigan's conflict with his candidate Heloise Redchurch. He meets with the High Council of Elders, Jupiter North and Hemingway Onstald about Morrigan. He suggests activating her Safeguard Pact, which is perceived as shocking and an overreaction by the others present.

### Year of Three

In *Hollowpox*, Baz's only appearances are in Containment and Distraction meetings. He suggests declaring war on the Second Pocket as a distraction, locking up all Wunimals to deal with the hollowpox epidemic, and jeers at Jupiter for his lack of information on the epidemic. Holliday Wu then emphatically declares her dislike of Baz in front of most of the Wunderous Society.

Later in the novel, Morrigan is suspicious that Baz is the one who leaked her status as a Wundersmith to the press, although her suspicion turns out to be wrong.

## Physical Appearance

Baz has long hair. He is often seen wearing leather trousers and a wrinkled suit jacket.

## Personality and Traits

Baz is a sleazy and selfish man; during the Wundrous Society entrance trials, he helps his candidates to cheat, giving Noelle a vital pointer about the location of a gold target during the Chase Trial. When he is first introduced in *Nevermoor*, he is described by Jupiter as odious, a word choice echoed by Morrigan later in the chapter.

## Relationships

### Enemies

It is implied that Baz is not well-liked by most of The Wundrous Society. He is laughed at and openly insulted during Containment and Distraction meetings.

Baz dislikes Morrigan and Jupiter, attempting to have them thrown out of The Wundrous Society.

### Candidates

Most of Baz's candidates, especially The Charlton Five, revere him and look up to him as a patron. Baz and Heloise met with each other to discuss Morrigan's illegal status and Alfie's disappearance, but Baz does not break the Elders' trust by revealing Morrigan's knack to Heloise.

#### Cadence Blackburn

Cadence dislikes having Baz as a patron due to the way he acts. For his part, even after three years, Baz still has difficulty remembering Cadence.

## Appearances

* *Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow* (First appearance)
* *Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow*
* *Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow*

**Baz Charlton**
Alfie Swann ·
Carl ·
Heloise Redchurch ·
unnamed boy ·
unnamed girl

Anah Kahlo · Archan Tate · Cadence Blackburn · Francis Fitzwilliam · Hawthorne Swift · Lambeth Amara · Mahir Ibrahim · Morrigan Crow · Thaddea Macleod
Sumati Mishra · Arch's Patron · **Baz Charlton** · Hester Fitzwilliam · Nancy Dawson · Lambeth's Patron · Miss Mulryan · Jupiter North · Thaddea's Patron
Miss Cheery

1. ↑ Nevermoor (Novel): *(Chapter 21)* The Show Trial. "She was the eighth candidate Mr. Charlton had presented that day..."
2. ↑ We must be careful when we naïvely multiply probabilities. Baz's candidates might have been brought to Morden Cemetery in groups. And judging from Morrigan and Hawthorne's experience, being in a group was an advantage.