Hartmann Incident is a VHS Tape recording found within Chapter 3: "Deep Sleep" of Poppy Playtime. The tape can be first obtained in Stella Greyber's room in the Counselor's Office. The tape records a conversation between Stella Greyber and Mr. and Mrs. Hartmann, regarding an adoption for an orphan child named Jeremy. During the tape, a child, most likely Jeremy, stares eerily at the camera.
Location[]
Plot[]
The tape begins with a married couple (Mr. and Mrs. Hartmann) entering the office of Stella Greyber, the Head of Playcare. The three adults have a brief conservation about their positive experience on Elliot's Express- with Stella voicing her own eccentric option - before Mrs. Hartmann reaffirms her and her husband's desire to adopt an orphan named Jeremy. Though she initially responds with enthusiasm, the adoption falls through due to unexpected developments. Mrs. Hartmann anxiously asks for an explanation, but Greyber replies that only the word "testing" is written on her form. Mr. and Mrs. Hartmann express their dismay and outrage at the situation, and the tape ends with Stella Greyber anxiously apologizing.
Transcript[]
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(door creaks open) Stella Greyber: "Oh, Mr. and Mrs. Hartmann?" "Come on in! Please, have a seat!" (footsteps) "How was your ride down?" Mr. Hartmann: "It was... nothing like we were expecting." "Mr. Ludwig's speech was..." "Well, it just confirms for us that you're the orphanage we want to go through." Stella Greyber: "It's a truly magical place." "I felt right at home from the second I entered." "You open the door the first time and you just know, you're never going to leave..." "Kind of like finding a home as a child, and always thinking of it when you want to feel comforted." (clears throat) Stella Greyber: "I understand you want to give Jeremy that home." Mrs. Hartmann: "Yes, and we would like to adopt." Stella Greyber: "Amazing! You'll be perfect for-..." "Oh..." Mrs. Hartmann: "W-what?" Stella Greyber: Well, it appears there's... been some complications." Mrs. Hartmann: "Complications?... W-what kind of complications?" Stella Greyber: "I-I don't know. Uhm... The form, says 'Testing'." Mrs. Hartmann: "What does that mean!?... Tell us, what does that mean!?" Mr. Hartmann: "Ms. Greyber, we deserve a better explanation than that, don't you think!?" Mrs. Hartmann: "You're in charge of all this, how could you not know?!" Mr. Hartmann: "And why are we only finding out about this now?!" Stella Greyber: "I-I don't... I'm sorry." |
Theorizing[]
- Since the scientists used the Game Station to test the orphans' capabilities for their experiment vessels, it's likely that Jeremy was selected as a Bigger Bodies candidate.
- At the time, fans theorized Stella may not have been aware of the Bigger Bodies Initiative, based on her bewilderment during the incident. However, the Orientation Notebook disproved this theory, as the experiments were known by Playcare's senior staff[1], a category which Stella fits into.
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- ↑ Orientation Notebook | Pg. 122 | "I'm not sure which of the counselors know about the experiments. The most senior ones do, I think."