| SPOILER WARNING! This article contains spoilers from Five Nights at Freddy's: Secret of the Mimic |
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TigerDad is the family ship between Edwin Murray and David Sean Murray from the Five Nights at Freddy's fandom.
Canon[]
Secret of the Mimic[]
David was born to Edwin - owner of Murray's Costume Manor - and his wife Fiona. Edwin's problem, however, was that he was utterly absorbed into his work at MCM, so much so that he neglected David to the point of missing his first two birthdays. This left Fiona to raise David, but even this wouldn't last as she would die before David's third birthday at the annual carnival Fall Fest. Edwin now faced a tragic dilemma: he had to try to raise his son alone while still trying to keep MCM operational. To help in this, Edwin created Mimic1: an animatronic with a learning AI that could help raise David. David was initially put off by Mimic1's creepy appearance, but Edwin assured his son that one of it's features is that it could fit into any of MCM's costumes and flawlessly play that character.
Edwin was pleased by the results with Mimic1 taking care of David, especially after it began flawlessly replicating Fiona. Feeling Mimic1 can handle things, Edwin returned to throwing himself into his work at the expense of time with David. This thinking, however, would lead to more tragedy as - just before his fifth birthday - David died to an on-site accident. Edwin was left despondent at losing his son until Mimic1 - now fully believing itself to be Fiona - began urging him to replicate it to bring David back. While initially hesitant about doing so, Edwin agreed by copying Mimic1's programming, modifying it, and installing the new Mimic2 into the frame. It worked as Mimic2 began to act like David, but it became too much for Edwin - who denounced Mimic2 being David - before viciously beating it, although it would get payback before long.
Tales from the Pizzaplex[]
David was born to Edwin and his wife Fiona, who tragically died in childbirth. Edwin ended up forced to raise his new son by himself, which wasn't easy thanks to also running his company Murray Co and making new inventions for sale. To try and help this, Edwin moved himself and his son out of the mansion they previously had with Fiona and into the main factory thanks to some modifications. It helped and Edwin was able to get a little more time with David ranging from playing catch in the nearby gravel lot, teaching David the makes of cars driving by, and getting ice cream at a nearby parlor. Edwin also used his engineering knowledge to make things for David such as a slide for him to go down and a bed modelled after David's favorite tiger plushie. Even with all of that, Edwin still had to split time between being with David and keeping his company afloat. Additionally, while David has been safe since moving into the factory, he was cognizant of the fact that his son was getting more adventurous and that could lead to an accident.
Edwin was soon inspired to make a robot that could help raise David, and he was inspired further upon remembering the bed he made and how it mimicked something David loved. This led to Edwin's creation of the Mimic: a robot with an advanced learning AI that can mimic whatever it saw. David was initially scared of his dad's creation but Edwin assured him that it was going to help take care of him. David took to the Mimic welland it gave Edwin the confidence that he's in safe hands. David, however, still spent time with his dad and even once asked him for another copy of his tiger plushie since the Mimic began copying how he held it. Given Murray Co was still in the negative economically, Edwin couldn't fulfil his son's wish just then. However, he was shocked upon seeing David and the Mimic making a new plushie in response. Seeing that the Mimic was now responding instead of just copying, Edwin grew even more confident about the Mimic's ability to raise David.
Things would come crashing down one morning when Edwin realized David was missing. Looking around, he horrifically learned that David wandered outside and was chasing a ball into the street. Edwin tried to chase after his son but was too late to stop a van from approaching - and running David over. Edwin was devastated at the loss of his son and it left him feeling lost about where to go. Making things worse for him is that the Mimic was still there and reminding him of David through all the behaviors it learned. Edwin finally snaps at these reminders of David and viciously beats the Mimic before running away.
Fanon[]
TigerDad is a fairly recent ship in the Five Nights at Freddy's fandom. Introduced in The Mimic story from Tales from the Pizzaplex books, the story made it quite apparent to fans that Edwin was trying his best to raise his son and how he used his ingenuity to do so. As such, it was quite tragic seeing Edwin lose his son how he did. The tragedy was especially apparent when it became clear the fallout of David's death and Edwin's reaction is what led to the Mimic being the threat seen in later stories and the RUIN DLC of Security Breach. Back when discussion of the Tales stories being game canon or not was prevalent, many thought this ship could be a book counterpart of the relationship between Henry Emily and his daughter, being another inventor father who loses his child suddenly.
The release of Secret of the Mimic might've introduced the ship to the larger fandom, but it also soured it's perception. The game showed the magnitude of neglect that Edwin accidentally had towards his son when he was alive. The fact it also showed how Mimic2 reacted to Edwin beating it for copying David - which it was designed to do, anyway - also hurt this ship's popularity. On the other hand, the game also showed just how much David meant Edwin, especially after his death. As for the beating, fans of the ship tend to remind detractors that the Tales story still applies and it was likely a similar trauma that caused it.
Fandom[]
- FAN FICTION
- David & Edwin tag on AO3
