Weewoos, a History: Told Through the Caption Contest

     We all know that Weewoos are very cute, small, fluffy, and make wonderful newspaper mascots, but have you considered that they are also very funny?

     To exhibit the Weewoo through a slightly more humorous lens, I present you with this article for the 950th issue of the Neopian Times. This collection was selected to offer unique insights into this rare species, and the mischief that they get up to, that you won’t find in any other publications. Weewoos are known to be quite camera shy and the images below capture candid moments, starting from when they were first noticed around Neopia, up to the present day!

     Hold on to your berets! It’s going to be a wild ride through the time capsule.

     Caption Contest 272: The Weewoos ARR-ive!

     https://www.neopets.com/games/caption/caption_archive.phtml?place=272

     A historic first appearance: Caption Contest 272, featuring an unpainted Weewoo. This marks the Weewoo’s first appearance in the Caption Contest, but also its only appearance in her unpainted form. Shortly after this Contest, the White Weewoo began to cement her position as the unofficial mascot of the Neopian Times, and the species was only represented in that iconic colour from that day forward. It’s easy to forget that the Weewoo was originally a Pirate petpet, given that we now think of her in a much more bookish, and slightly less wet, context, but here the Weewoo is true to its origins, somewhere on Krawk Island.

     Caption Contest 346: No Paint, no Gain

     https://www.neopets.com/games/caption/caption_archive.phtml?place=346

     We skip forward a year to observe the Weewoo’s rising popularity in Neopia. The White Weewoo was the new face of the Neopian Times and everybody adored everything about them! The mascot quickly won the hearts of the fanbase and began to set off new fashion trends. Pets and petpet alike wanted to imitate the White Weewoo look, and paint brushes soared to a record high 250% inflation at the time.

     Some say that to this day, the pictured Weewoo’s feet are still stuck to the Chomby’s head. But do not worry, the paint is Rainbow Pool-certified organic.

     Caption Contest 401: A Grey-t Loss

     https://www.neopets.com/games/caption/caption_archive.phtml?place=401

     Not every chapter in the Weewoo’s history was painted with rainbows and sunshine. In Y6, the Neopian Times printing press suffered the loss of an entire issue of the newspaper due to a tree collapsing on the roof during a record-setting storm. The work simply could not be recovered and readers across Neopia were greatly disappointed that week. No one was more disappointed than the Weewoo shown in the monochromatic backdrop of Caption Contest 401. Thereafter, the Weewoo made a solemn promise to keep a more watchful piratey weather eye on the Neopian Times building.

     Caption Contest 419: A T-riiip Down Memory Lane

     https://www.neopets.com/games/caption/caption_archive.phtml?place=419

     The Issue 950 that you’re reading today may be printed on high-gloss, sustainably-sourced paper that you can’t even tell is recycled, but back in the day of Caption Contest 419, the Neopian Times was in its much earlier stages. With those earlier stages came flimsy paper and pixelated photos printed in ink that came in a choice of eight colours and rubbed off on your paws whenever you were in a reading mood. Weewoos were not considered to be strong petpets, but such paper was not always durable enough to withstand both the wayward beak and a winter gale during post delivery. Thankfully, the newspaper material today is made of sturdier material.

     Caption Contest 479: Winter Brrr-eak

     https://www.neopets.com/games/caption/caption_archive.phtml?place=479

     It was a record cold day up on Terror Mountain, and the Weewoo in Caption Contest 479 had grand aspirations. He did not want to be a mere cute mascot, existing only to make sassy remarks when his owner remembered him and used the “talk to my petpet” feature. He wished to be more than merely a decorative feature on a pet’s lookup. He certainly had no desire to be Turmaculus fodder. No. Instead, this Weewoo went above and beyond. He wanted to cosplay as Hannah of Ice Caves fame. And you know what? He did! Don’t let your dreams be dreams.

     All seasoned Neopian Times writers know that wherever your imagination takes you, be it an ambitious twelve-part series or impossible stories set on Neopia’s highest peaks, there the White Weewoo can also go.

     Caption Contest 597: Lab Partners

     https://www.neopets.com/games/caption/caption_archive.phtml?place=597

     The White Weewoo in Caption Contest 597 was very lucky to be a Weewoo. The Petpet Lab Ray was all the rage in Y7. Of course, nobody would zap a petpet that cost 165 dubloons to purchase from Little Nippers, but the poor Snarhook was not so fortunate. He only cost four dubloons, so forward into the forbidding Ray he went!

     The Weewoo was not sure whether he should try to help his friend, but he certainly didn’t want to be accidentally zapped instead. Ray energy would frazzle his plumage. “Good luck!” he called out to offer feeble moral support. “I hope it only changes your name!”

     “Thanks,” Dragona’s Socks replied sullenly, as a strange odour filled the air. Suffice to say, the Weewoo survived another day to feature in other Caption Contests.

     Caption Contest 963: On Pop of the World

     https://www.neopets.com/games/caption/caption_archive.phtml?place=963

     Caption Contest 963 captured a moment so whimsical, one wondered if it could be an illustration for a lighthearted story in the Neopian Times. After all, in what other universe would a bubble be buoyant enough to support an Elephante?

     My best interpretation was that the scene was depicted within the White Weewoo’s dreams. She dreamt of meadows, bubbles, simpler times, and carefree, weightless days. One can hope that she took to the skies in her imagination, and certainly, she joyfully managed to pop a few bubbles. Neopia fondly remembers this as a particularly wonderful time to be a Weewoo.

     Caption Contest 1263: They’re Alley-ways Watching

     https://www.neopets.com/games/caption/caption_archive.phtml?place=1263

     We conclude our journey through the history of funny Weewoos by returning to her pirate roots. Caption Contest 1263 in Y14 was the last known appearance of the Weewoo in this jocular contest. Her appearance was a small but important one. This dock at Krawk Island was a known rendezvous point for the local thieves and their petpet companions. Weewoos made excellent lookouts, as they were innocent-looking and ever beady-eyed. They could drop unappetizing projectiles on law enforcement in a pinch… Not that our lovely cute Weewoo would do such a thing.

     Coincidentally with this particular issue of the Neopian Times, it has been roughly nine and a half years since the Weewoo’s last appearance in a Caption Contest. Surely the next chapter of this chronicle cannot be far on the horizon?

     * * *

     From smugglers’ docks to the Lab Ray, to hanging out with Hannah and happy fields of grass, the endearing Weewoo has touched every corner of this fun little world we call Neopia. Their impact is timeless: even as art styles changed, as Faerieland plummeted from the sky, as new villains surfaced and new heroes arose to defeat them, the Weewoos remained a steadfast source of inspiration for storytellers of all ages. We have only caught a glimpse of their most comical antics, but if you keep a keen eye out for stray feathers and a haunting song at dusk, we believe you’ll find that Weewoos and the delight that they inspire are all around us.

     Happy 950th Edition!