Ricky

*"Raise the curtain! Bring up the lights! The Neighborhood is coming to town!"*- **Ricky**, Meeting **Gordon** for the first time

Ricky the sock puppet is the Deuteragonist of My Friendly Neighborhood. He is a purple sock puppet with pinkish-red patches on his body, and a tuft of red hair at the top of his head. Throughout the story, Ricky pops out from random areas to dissuade **Gordon** from disconnecting **The antenna**, going so far as to call him a bully and compare him to a G.I., which causes Gordon to shoot at him.

## History

Sometime before the events of the game, My Friendly Neighborhood was created by **Al Gerzwald**, and broadcast on public access television as "Ricky and Friends". After initial success, the city's broadcasting company picked up the show and changed it to My Friendly Neighborhood, with Ricky being featured as the main puppet character. Unfortunately, the show's popularity dwindled, and was eventually shut down. Some time after the shutdown, Ricky and the other puppets became curious about what other TV shows had that they didn't, and turned on one of the old TV sets. Unfortunately, the cruelty that the puppets saw on the TV influenced them and twisted their minds, causing the violence they display towards Gordon.

## Game events

Gordon first encounters Ricky when he enters the lobby of the main MFN building. He rings a small assistance bell, which causes a small theatre with red curtains to rise out of the desk, which Ricky pops out of, and begins what seems like a rehearsed introductory speech. Gordon tries to get his attention twice, and gets Ricky's attention when he says he's here to disconnect the antenna. Ricky tells Gordon that the antenna does not need disconnecting, and begins to offer Gordon snacks (presumably) when he coughs up a keycard that unlocks the stage. After this, he retreats back into the wooden theatre, leaving the keycard with Gordon.

The next time we encounter Ricky is in what appears to be a dressing room. Ricky comes out of a pipe and tells us he has snacks in the lobby, and asks Gordon his name, after which Gordon enquires about the **Stenographer**, which Ricky then tries to take from him, unsuccessfully. He then warns Gordon of **Pearl**, before having a coughing fit and disappearing back into the pipes.

We then encounter Ricky in the basement, where he says he doesn't know how to get out of the basement, and once again attempts to dissuade Gordon from going to the roof and disconnecting the antenna. He then asks Gordon how he feels about blunt-force head trauma, then explains how **Ray**, a monstrous janitor puppet who resides in the basement, can be violent towards people, and accidentally reveals there is an elevator down here, before making an excuse of having to go wash his hair.

We next encounter Ricky in the maze, where he makes excuses for his fellow puppets saying he knows they made "a few mistakes", and begins to try to anger Gordon into giving up, first calling Gordon a bully, then comparing him to a detective, and then a G.I., which angers Gordon, causing Gordon to shoot at Ricky, making him retreat back into his hidey-hole.

Afterwards, Ricky seems to give up, and leaves Gordon alone for the rest of the game, until Gordon has made his way up to the antenna to manually disconnect it. He appears from a pipe side of the antenna, and pleads with Gordon not to disconnect the antenna, making an impassioned speech about how no one knows how to be friendly, and that their show was cancelled because it makes people uncomfortable. Gordon then disconnects the antenna, and is struck by lightning, causing him to fall into an abandoned stage, with Ricky yelling out his name in shock and fear. Ricky calls him and admits to the fact that the puppets have become twisted because of the cruelty and horror the puppets saw once there was no one around to stop them watching TV. Ricky gives Gordon instructions on how to escape, and then hangs up

Once Gordon escapes, Ricky congratulates him on his escape, and asks Gordon if he will help run the studio, at which point the player will activate one of three **endings** by choosing yes or no, and depending whether or not the player has taken the time to assist the other main characters of the show. Ricky will say that he's glad Gordon is helping the studio and establishes a time to meet up at the studio before disappearing again.

## Gallery

Ricky in the beginning of the game, in the lobby.concept art that features an early rendition of RickyRicky in Vincent Van Gogh's self poitrait (in game)Ricky in Vincent Van Gogh's self poitraitRicky in non-specific(?) cubism art (in-game)Ricky in Nighthawks featuring George, Lilliana, and Norman (in game)Ricky in Nighthawks featuring George, Lilliana, and NormanRicky in Flaming June (in-game)Ricky in Flaming JuneRicky featured in the poster for Puppet Pirate's coveRicky featured in the poster for Puppet Space QuestRicky featured in the poster for A Puppet Winter Song