# Hobbes: Real when nobody is around or just imagined to real by Calvin?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hobbes-real-when-nobody-is-around-or-just-imagined-to-real-by-calvin/680927
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [February 9, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hobbes-real-when-nobody-is-around-or-just-imagined-to-real-by-calvin/680927 "2014-02-09T21:51:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 6
### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hobbes-real-when-nobody-is-around-or-just-imagined-to-real-by-calvin/680927/101 "2014-02-12T19:53:13Z")
> [@mr.jp](#):
>
> Calvin sneakily scrambled the cookies into his pockets at some point during the interaction. I think that is the joke of the strip, that even though he appears nice to Susie for once (and is), he still took the cookies.
That’s how I read it and why I thought the ending was funny. Even after being relieved to get Hobbes back and being genuinely grateful to Susie, he still snitched the cookies.
That rascally Calvin…
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2014, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hobbes-real-when-nobody-is-around-or-just-imagined-to-real-by-calvin/680927/102 "2014-02-18T20:02:48Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> She makes up the rules to _everything_ as She goes along.
Untrue; Athena is too neat for that. She’s made up the rules long since, but has not yet revealed all of them to us.
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### Author:  [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2014, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hobbes-real-when-nobody-is-around-or-just-imagined-to-real-by-calvin/680927/103 "2014-02-18T22:46:57Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
>
> Untrue; Athena is too neat for that. She’s made up the rules long since, but has not yet revealed all of them to us.
So, you’re saying she’s playing Athenaball with us?
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2014, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hobbes-real-when-nobody-is-around-or-just-imagined-to-real-by-calvin/680927/104 "2014-02-18T22:52:10Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#):
>
> So, you’re saying she’s playing Athenaball with us?
🙂
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### Author:  [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2014, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hobbes-real-when-nobody-is-around-or-just-imagined-to-real-by-calvin/680927/105 "2014-02-19T04:48:58Z")
When Calvin is not around, Hobbes is just a stuffed toy. But when Calvin,\* and only Calvin\*, is around, Hobbes becomes a real Tiger; he is \*never \*a product of Calvin’s imagination.
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2014, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hobbes-real-when-nobody-is-around-or-just-imagined-to-real-by-calvin/680927/106 "2014-02-19T17:29:28Z")
[nm
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2014, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hobbes-real-when-nobody-is-around-or-just-imagined-to-real-by-calvin/680927/107 "2014-02-19T18:41:57Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#):
>
> So, you’re saying she’s playing Athenaball with us?
With _you_. 😉
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### Author:  [@Slade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slade)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2014, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hobbes-real-when-nobody-is-around-or-just-imagined-to-real-by-calvin/680927/108 "2014-02-20T13:34:28Z")
Shortly after reading this thread, I was watching Sky’s Moone Boy series.
This has Chris O’Dowd as a young Irish boy’s imaginary friend. Like Hobbes, he sometimes provides the kid with wise counsel and sometimes just helps him get into trouble. O’Dowd’s character is invisible to everyone but the kid himself, and the series as a whole has a very whimsical tone.
He hasn’t donned a tiger suit yet, but wouldn’t it be a nice little tribute to C&H if he did?
More details here: [Sky Watch - Watch the latest Sky TV shows | Sky.com](http://www.sky.com/tv/show/moone-boy)
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### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hobbes-real-when-nobody-is-around-or-just-imagined-to-real-by-calvin/680927/109 "2014-02-27T20:59:48Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> Example, [Hobbes on imaginary numbers](http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2009/02/18#.UvuvGvbY28k).
I especially like Calvin’s expression in the third panel.
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### Author:  [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2014, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hobbes-real-when-nobody-is-around-or-just-imagined-to-real-by-calvin/680927/110 "2014-03-02T11:35:49Z")
According to [this comic](http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2014/03/02?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+uclick%2Fcalvinandhobbes+%28Calvin+and+Hobbes+-+GoComics.com%29&utm_content=FeedBurner#.UxMW5YV5HTJ), Hobbes isn’t real in front of cameras, either.
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### Author:  [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2014, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hobbes-real-when-nobody-is-around-or-just-imagined-to-real-by-calvin/680927/111 "2014-03-09T02:30:46Z")
I would say that he’s only real to Calvin, not to anyone else – but that Calvin’s version of reality is as legitimate as anyone else’s.
Moreover, I’d add that he’s always real to Calvin, whether anyone else is there or not. I don’t think there’s any ambiguity about this point. Calvin never sees Hobbes as a stuffed toy, even when other characters are present. The illustration is to remind the audience of how the other characters perceive Hobbes.
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### Author:  [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2014, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hobbes-real-when-nobody-is-around-or-just-imagined-to-real-by-calvin/680927/112 "2014-03-09T03:22:28Z")
> [@SpazCat](#):
>
> According to [this comic](http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2014/03/02?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+uclick%2Fcalvinandhobbes+%28Calvin+and+Hobbes+-+GoComics.com%29&utm_content=FeedBurner#.UxMW5YV5HTJ), Hobbes isn’t real in front of cameras, either.
Same with [this one](http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1987/03/15#.UxvdxV5RF10).
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2014, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hobbes-real-when-nobody-is-around-or-just-imagined-to-real-by-calvin/680927/113 "2014-03-09T03:56:16Z")
> [@tim314](#):
>
> Moreover, I’d add that he’s always real to Calvin, whether anyone else is there or not. I don’t think there’s any ambiguity about this point. Calvin never sees Hobbes as a stuffed toy, even when other characters are present. The illustration is to remind the audience of how the other characters perceive Hobbes.
Yes, Calvin threatens the bully with Hobbes in his stuffed state.
Like Calvin, I thought to visit school bullies in jail as kindness, but I am going to banks, asking them for loans. :dubious:
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