Fjord: How Travis Willingham Tackled the Lie of Masculinity

[@PlayYourRole]

This comment once addressed something else, but I wanted to comment on the constant claims that I 'hate masculinity'. I do not. In fact, I view myself as a masculine figure proudly. There is nothing wrong with being a man. Unfortunately, many people take being a man to mean 'never be disrespected, never feel emotions, project false confidence to mask insecurity'.... That is not masculinity. That is cowardice. Fjord, at the beginning of his story, pretended to be Vandrin in order to project masculinity. Over the course of the story, however, he learned to find his own inner confidence and self, at which point his masculinity became not a mask but instead who he truly was. That was what this video was about. Fjord was masculine. Being a man is not wrong. Believing that one must project masculinity or else you are worthless is harmful, and yes... Toxic. People are different, not everyone is the same. Please embrace and celebrate who you are. If that is being a man, I'm so proud of you, truly. But those who desire not to be masculine are not any less than you.

[@KKRDM]

More critical role? Oh no, how "terrible". Guess I'll just have to keep enjoying these awesome videos while I continue to wait for different awesome videos. How sad. 😀

[@Anarch_Bushey]

You did good.

[@DParkerNunya]

sorry to hear that man. people don't like hearing when people talk about their personal flaws

[@kairussell2156]

My subscription recommended this and I instantly added it to my watch list. Toxic versus healthy masculinity is a topic I've been recently getting more interested in because of how it pertains to the Patriarchy and feminism. I look forward to watching this! Please continue to make brave and thought-provoking analyses. 🙂 (The reason I'm not watching right away is because it's 3:40 am and I need to go to bed.)

[@HumanPersonNotOrangutan]

That sounds like the dumbest thing I've ever heard. The unsubscribing thing, I mean. Guess some people get some strong knee-jerk reactions, huh. This is a good vid and you should be proud of it - keep it up, and I hope that you'll earn that number of subscribers tenfold :D

[@evanherynk5863]

When Nott does the spoiler thing and tells Fjord "I'm sorry I always call you weak, but I only do that because I know you're strong enough to take it." Gets me every time.

[@wolvencreator8585]

I've been told that before but it didn't/doesn't help the wounds much 😅😅

[@sardoniclysane]

Yeah nott/veth was so more deep and serious than most people understand. The first hint was her discussion about Caleb. He wasn’t her protector. She was HIS. Her insights about people would carry on. She was their mom. Sure an alcoholic and neurotic mom but still a mom nonetheless.

[@beaug.2326]

@@sardoniclysanea realistic, traumatized mom

[@Motherboard1213]

Don't make me cry now

[@russellscout4957]

A bully's defense: "I was only joking." Or, "It wasn't that bad. They can take it."

[@koseugle]

I love how through his friendship with Caleb and especially Caduceus, Fjord was exposed to such different versions of manhood than the one he grew up with.

[@PlayYourRole]

Ahhh such a good point!

[@mikelundun]

Also the interaction with the full-blood orc telling him to chill out a little was great. I think there was an amazing arc here for Fjord.

[@alexanderwizardjar9540]

@@mikelundun yeah, that one was good too

[@ForeverDegenerate]

And Mollymauk. Molly was a huge inspiration for Fjord and a prime example to Fjord of what he should be doing. Fjord was a man shackled by his past and who his past taught him he should be. Molly was a man who didn't have any memories of his past and, thus, free from it. He didn't want to know his past because he would rather just be himself. Molly was a man that lived without preconceived notions. He lived for the moment. But he lived to make people better than they were just for having known him. That's the kind of Man that Molly was. And through Molly, Fjord realized that was the kind of Man he could be and wanted to be. And Fjord had that realization after Molly's death.

[@EyebrowsGaming]

First Caleb showed Fjord how being haunted by your past and allowing it to consume you could destroy a person, but demonstrated a strength of character in his determination to set things right, regardless of his own trauma and regret. Then as @ForeverDegenerate pointed out, Molly taught Fjord how you can live your life if you don't allow the ghosts of your past to pin you down. In Molly's case, they physically couldn't as he had no recollection. Then finally, Caduceus showed Fjord a different path, that masculinity wasn't about gaining power by any means necessary and exerting it on others. Masculinity can be gentle, nurturing, warm, and wise. Through this trinity of role models, Fjord was given the tools and examples to act upon and change his own situation and his own state of mind.

[@sandrinenoel7329]

Travis masterfully illustrated what Avatar Aang meant when he said: "When we reach our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change."

[@slktool]

Aang is Tyler Durden

[@patriciaf2766]

I honestly never thought of fjords story as being about toxic masculinity. I equated his journey as being more like being in, and then leaving a toxic relationship. Putting all you have into someone and then realizing it was bad for you and ending it, then dealing with the fall out of losing everything you had in that relationship. It could be because I'm one of your female viewers that I have a different take, or it could be because I've left a very toxic relationship before. Either way I think that's the best part of watching things like critical role, everyone can watch it and come away with different takes all based on their own life experience.

[@PlayYourRole]

Honestly, that is a perfectly valid way of picturing it. That's the awesome part about art... A lot of the times, the message is in the eye of the beholder

[@roguishowl3915]

I saw this the same, for me irl I was always wearing a mask with this friend (whom I’m not friends with now) but once I truly saw how toxic his personality was towards me and the friendship, I chose to be myself, I removed my mask and weight was lifted. I look back now and realize how much better I am for it.

[@alexanderwizardjar9540]

Thats a very interesting take, i hadn't really thought about that. Thanks for sharing!

[@seanmurphy3430]

I think there's something to be said about the relationship between those themes - like how Fjord takes forever to really admit to anyone what he's going through, or how Uko'toa and Avantika play to his insecurities about needing to feel powerful and in control.

[@kishibelunatik]

I hate the word toxic masculinity because it means jack shit.

[@malachairasmussen4591]

I adore Fjord. He was the first of the Nien I got attached to and well, being a male I struggled opening up, I related to his struggles. I still struggle to be open around my loved ones, I'm not as bad as I was though. Seeing the growth that Fjord did really touched my heart, seeing he accept the love and care from the other members. Needless to say but this video got me in tears at the end.

[@PlayYourRole]

Travis did a fantastic job showing that struggle in a realistic way. I'll forever be thankful for it

[@malachairasmussen4591]

@@PlayYourRole He really did! I loved the fact that shift in Fjord felt surprisingly natural to me. It didn't happen all at once. Love it.

[@castbet9183]

Same generally I downplay my own emotions cause I believe “I’m not allowed to lose control cause if I do it’s viewed as some kind of taboo for me.”

[@rhylin26]

I also loved how the Mighty Nien supported Fjord during his transition. It’s not easy going from wanting to be the guy who needs no one to accepting support. It was an amazing decision to leave him depowered for so long. If he immediately got his powers back the next episode, the arc would have been wasted. Him being supported and protected while vulnerable, showed him what it truly meant to support and protect others.

[@samuelaraujomedeiros6682]

I didn't watch the entire season. How did they manage this in the story, though? Like, did he just lose all class features or did he start using a modified commoner sheet or something like that?Also, why didn't he leave the mighty nein in the first place, seeing as he was only endangering himself?

[@AlwaysSomeone]

@@samuelaraujomedeiros6682 I think they took away his class features To cover this, the rest of the team gave him some of their magic items. Gloves that shoot fireballs, stuff like that.

[@samuelaraujomedeiros6682]

@@AlwaysSomeone Cool

[@billbill3915]

@@AlwaysSomeone And the dice supported the narrative. His contested strength rolls against the frost wyrm thing (can't remember the name of it) was just a thing of beauty.

[@stingerjohnny9951]

@@billbill3915 It was a Rhemoraz, and yes that is one of my favorite moments with Fjord, playing tug of war with an Alaskan Bull Worm to save his first mate.

[@troikas3353]

My favorite dynamic with Fjord was actually his mentor/found-sibbling relationship with Beau. Two well meaning but lost knuckle heads, both struggling with self acceptance, who found unwavering support in each other. His patience, compassion and empathy towards someone that desperately needed all three but didn't know how to express it, and who struggled as much as he did with the idea of accepting help, was a great example of how just a little effort can go a long way. It also showcased how he just naturally put into practice all the qualities he so revered in Vanderin even if he didn't see it himself. Tossing the sword into the lava was certainly badass, but despite.. or maybe because of.. its mundanity to me the strongest thing Fjord did over campaign 2 was help and support a friend burdened by anger and self-hate finally start to heal.

[@n4l9bx]

Every Fjord-Beau interaction left me a little shaken, honestly. They both tried so hard to make the other see the best possible version of themselves, and they both failed so hard in recognizing the best in themselves. (... That's a horrible sentence. Be better, English, sheesh xD) It was very moving to me how much they were ready and able to fight for each other, in the big ways and the small ways.

[@sparklefulpaladin]

Out of all the characters in the M9, Fjord was the one it took the longest for me to really start to enjoy watching his story and really connecting with his character. On my rewatch, he’s become one of my favorites and I think you did an excellent job at pinpointing why. I especially enjoy the brotherly friendship between Caduceus and Fjord. As always, excellent video and thanks for your content! =)

[@PlayYourRole]

I found myself struggling to figure out what Fjord was all about, which made it really difficult for me to enjoy his character. Once I began to realize that was the point, he quickly became one of my favorites

[@worstghosthunting3466]

You know it’s funny fjord was my favorite from the beginning but it took me a little to get into Cad, but I love them all now

[@xandra7682]

Even as a woman this helped bring perspective of what men go through on daily bases and helped me connect with personal relationships. Travis is an amazing storyteller as per usual!

[@pedropages6111]

The moment he rejected Uko'toa his patron in the lava-pit scene played such a big impact for me personally. Even still thinking back from it, I cried when he became 'free' against his patron. A moment standing up against all the darkness that had him bound, that hurt him and no intention to see him be better. I felt my own journey reflected in that moment, feeding into something that is slowly killing me, to let that go and ask for help meant everything for me to be better for myself.

[@PlayYourRole]

I gotta say, I agree. Seeing a moment of someone facing things down and breaking free was wonderful

[@reson8]

Isn't that the whole point of having a patron though? It's not like this wasn't intended from the outset- Matt and Travis deliberately chose an abusive patron as a story arc, much like Percy in campaign 1. It seems to be a recurring theme of CR that men in power are bad and it annoys me quite a bit (because its sexist).

[@Bowtiedhillbilly]

@@reson8 "A recurring theme of CR that men in power are bad" how much are you squinting to see that? Also, what men are you talking about. Orthax and Uk'Otoa? Those are demons and sea monsters, not really men. Or are you talking about Percy and and Fjord. Because both still become insanely powerful. Percy's story wasn't about how he's wrong because he's powerful/a dude, but because he was motivated by revenge and chose to compromise his humanity to fulfill his selfish desires, and overcoming that. Fjord's story was about breaking free from his own desire for power and coming to trust in his friends. If we're trying to find a recurring theme, the much more obvious one is that "selfish actions lead to dangerous consequences." And there are plenty of selfish women in CR as well: Delilah Briarwood, Raishan, even some player characters like Vex (to a point), Laerryn, or Patia. Forgive me for making an accusation, but it feels to me like this is a pretty disingenuous reading of CR.

[@reson8]

@Bowtiedhillbilly Perhaps we can agree that both are recurring themes. You can't fail to note the misandry though (unless you choose to/agree with it).

[@Bowtiedhillbilly]

@@reson8 I legitimately don't note it, can you give me an example? I'm really trying to think of one.

[@jsmountain]

😭 I love Fjord so much. His lava pit chicken game with Ukatoa happened about a year after I got sober, and the whole "letting go of something that is making your life worse and then accepting help" thing really meant a lot to me.

[@rhylin26]

One of my favorite things about his arc is that he maintained his warlock levels when he started following the wild mother. Travis could have easily justified becoming the same level in a whole new class. However I think it’s more thematic having his past choices matter. It also made him taking paladin levels mean so much more in my opinion.

[@charliescheirmann2926]

I'm fairly certain he wanted to play a Hexblade Paladin, it is a really strong build.

[@ducksinthewild]

The men of the M9 were a breath of fresh air in a world where media has portrait a repeated image of manhood. We have one who had made horrible acts and chose to work towards a goal to maybe fix them, another one who never really had a clue of what it really meant to be a man yet still strive to be the best he could possibly be, and last one who embodied the protective and gentle warmth of what a protector could be. All three of them speak volumes when taking their real life as backgrounds for their motivations. Liam with the loss of family, Taliesin with being surrounded by older people while still being a kid, and Travis with not growing with a father. D&D is such a powerful game.

[@artemiswallace8716]

gods, i hope we get a percy review from you soon. everyone loves percys dark brooding persona and completely forget that for nearly the whole campaign we were watching a man in the midst of a psychotic break and dealing with both his trauma, and the consequences of his actions he committed during his mental breakdown. (especially coming to terms with the fact he knowingly introduced a weapon of war to exandria that would cause millions of deaths even just in his lifetime)

[@PlayYourRole]

I can't say when, but a Percy video will come eventually more than likely! I often times wait for an 'aha' moment that really makes me feel like I know exactly what I'd like to communicate

[@neerGdyahS]

Millions of deaths in his lifetime. I don't know, that's like the population of a whole exandrian continent. When you combine the facts that not everyone gets access to the knowledge of guns, the need to train and supply gunsmiths and acquire black powder, that initially guns were kept in the hands of defensive troops like the Whitestone rifleman, who won't see much actual combat 90% of the time. The actual number of deaths from guns in Percy's lifetime is likely less than 100 thousand, unless there was some major wars that made heavy use of guns.

[@artemiswallace8716]

@@neerGdyahS literally the apex war happened. they talk about it in c3. its why guns are so easily found in basuras. millions might be a bit of an exaggeration though, i agree. its still a lot of deaths on his conscience

[@neerGdyahS]

I don't think those nations were very population dense considering their terrain. But anyway, I wouldn't blame any of those deaths on the weapons used anyway. I doubt the wars are terribly more brutal with guns than without, particularly when fireball can burn alive everyone in an area 40 feet across.

[@artemiswallace8716]

@@neerGdyahS a layman with a rifle can do the same damage a fighter with a greatsword can do from 400ft away. im not just pushing my own ideas either, it what percy thinks and what he's seen with his own eyes. wait till we get to glintshore.

[@coreyjameswood]

Another wonderfully crafted breakdown of an often overlooked but still well loved character! I am excited for more (especially if you decide to delve more into tv/movie characters! Maybe even some of the... Avenging quality?) Your videos are always dadgum inspiring!

[@PlayYourRole]

Thank you so much! I think it's inevitable I move into those of avenging qualities at SOME point. This channel started off at deepdiving TTRPG but it's become more about explaining what makes a good character, TTRPG or otherwise so pretty much anything is on the table!

[@nolanperuski5562]

I love fjord I feel like he doesn’t get that much attention

[@PlayYourRole]

I agree! He had such high moments, but Travis is so good at hyping the other players up that he can often times fade into the background. He is a FANTASTIC player

[@copycrow4486]

That's honestly part of what I found myself enjoying about Fjord. It took me a rewatch to fully notice all that he does. Besides silly jokes, being the joke, and whatnot, he genuinely has some cool moments in the early parts of the campaign. But because the other PC's are more standout-ish, it caused the man who wanted to be something, to fade into the background. That is, until we started delving into all the Avantika stuff and the Revelry. That to me, is where Fjord really began to stand out amongst the other characters.

[@andrewharding5173]

Seeing a DnD character sacrifice their power and abilities for their morals and their own health, mental or otherwise, is such an evocative and impactful story to tell. It’s not one you see often in fiction, especially rpgs, but boy howdy if it isn’t powerful. Love the video, sorry a bunch of reactionaries say a single word in the thumbnail and ragequit like children. You’re videos are always so insightful and amazingly well spoken. I hope you keep up the amazing work and don’t forget to give yourself time to rest and recoup as well!

[@andrewharding5173]

@Lonely ^ yesss this me too!!

[@reson8]

Idk, i think it's quite a common trope to see a strong character lose some abilities in order to overcome something or help someone else out. It's not like it hasn't happened to Travis before either (campaign 1 with Cravenedge) so it just seems like a rehash of old material. Granted i haven't started campaign 2 yet (about 1/2 way through the chroma conclave story) but i don't think my perspective will change.

[@queenannsrevenge100]

Did you say, “Texblade Warlock?” I’d never heard that before, but it’s perfect! 😄

[@PlayYourRole]

Wish I could take credit, I'm not sure who came up with it!

[@DParkerNunya]

​@@PlayYourRole I believe Travis or Sam said it first, but don't quote me on that

[@JohnnySpellsDoesntF]

“Things don’t magically improve because we’ve done that [pushed away something unhealthy to us]. The right decision is not easy to make because it doesn’t immediately lead to improvement. Oftentimes we need to backtrack, get back on our feet, and then begin to make that improvement” Did not expect tears this morning, but my goodness this was powerful

[@Bluntz1289]

Asking for help isn't weakness. Not asking for it can be.

[@bamcki991]

I love how almost every character is a story on it's own with their own hardship. Beau is about abuse, Fjord is about masculinity, Nott is about sacrifice, Caleb is about trauma and Yasha is about forgiveness. But also, Jester and Caduseus' stories is what combinds the mighty nein story in to a story of acceptence and progress.

[@NWolfsson]

That brings a new light on why Travis/Fjord insisted to systematically say "Eldritch Blaest". Did it once, the rest of the group loved it. "I want to be remembered" Fjord jumped on the occasion.

[@analyticsystem4094]

“There is no shame in being weak, there is shame in staying weak” is a quote that I’ve heard before that I think would apply to Fjord’s story

[@chrisnewman2737]

It's not difficult to see some of the parallels with Travis' own life in how he portrayed Fjord. In high school he was torn between playing on the football team and being a stereotypical jock and his love of theater. It's not hard to imagine there were a lot of people around him who had strong opinions about who he should be.

[@StealthMarmot_]

It's a hell of a thing to realize that 6' 4" buff, attractive, charismatic Travis Willingham still found himself struggling with how someone might see him as a man because he also enjoyed the theatre.

[@cryofpaine]

Many of Travis' characters have that theme of anti-toxic masculinity. Honestly I see Chetney as more explicitly a subversion of it. His preoccupation with sex, his "alpha wolf" beliefs, his bragging - all appear to be standard toxic masculinity. But he's also empathetic - like when he learned about Orym's husband. He says anyone can be an "alpha", and that it's more to do with your personal attitude than with how you act towards others.

[@Aloysius_OHare]

Fjord kept M9 going as a gathered group. Defacto group leader which made me love Fjord. His relationship with Beau, helping her become more less aggressive and angry was amazing to watch that progress.

[@sinisterplank3113]

The man Refjorged! Excellent episode. I connected -a lot- with Fjord as a character, having grown up a boy in a high brass military household I was always tonight to be “A Man” by the old definitions. That was never who I wanted to be, and finding that out was a struggle.

[@PlayYourRole]

'Be a man" is not as brave as 'be you'

[@Extremely-GR33N]

Coming from military households, it's easy for us to fall into this self righteous mentality.. Once that image is broken, it's hard for us to rebuild ourselves.

[@ryanduty4237]

Arnold Schwarzenegger has a touching speach on this very subject. Goes to show not every muscle bound guy is emotionally distant.

[@Cyberius]

Fjord's story hits home with me a lot because I was struggling with a lot of the expectations of manliness in my neck of the woods. Watching him grow helped encourage me to be myself and to accept help, part of that being finally getting myself on anti depressants. Now I am no where near the end of my journey of being 100% myself but I am on that journey. That is in part thanks to Matt, Travis and Fjord. That is also why when I have the chance to I have a few Fjord themed tattoos on my list to get (Tusktooth symbol on my arm, Ukatoa eye & sword of fathoms on my side, Wild Mother Symbol Cad gave Fjord & Starrazor on my other side. Another amazing video Jay

[@anna_in_aotearoa3166]

Really glad you've been able to get into a better place mentally & find a definition/ongoing exploration of identity that works better for you! Your comment struck home for me as a great example of the power of art & creativity - even when things are "made up", they can still have big real-world impacts, because of the way they help people question how they see the world. As creatives of any kind that's a big responsibility, I feel...

[@Damalatorian]

The most manly thing to do is to see your strength and when it's not enough and in that moment ask for help..

[@PlayYourRole]

Exactly.

[@MajinDud3]

I have to say I love watching these character breakdown videos( just finished caduceus)of M9 because it was the campaign that introduced me to dnd it is always amazing to go deeper to have a better understanding of the characters

[@PlayYourRole]

I'm so glad you're enjoying them! They are my favorite videos to make

[@randyjenkins8896]

a player who is an actor, playing an actor, who is itself acting like someone else. all this being visible yet never explained in game is something you can only meet in a long-form impro game like dnd because media doesn't know how to show without exposition.

[@mikeperez8]

Seems like many people conflate stoicism with toxic masculinity. There’s a lot of nuance here that needs to be appreciated. It is true that one shouldn’t always bury their emotions & at times express how they feel. However, there are many times when they shouldn’t . Typically during the most very critical times in life. IE, when an important decision needs to be made, or during the final moments of a competitive event, or during battle, fighting fire, rescuing someone, preforming a medical procedure, during a debate, etc., etc, etc.

[@elizabetholivares3275]

Hey. I'm not a man, but I've told anyone who would listen that I saw a lot of myself in Fjord. Some people couldn't understand what I was seeing. So for a stretch of time, I had convinced myself I was projecting my insecurities onto a character. I have never had a struggle with masculinity, but I have known what its like to not know who i'm supposed to be. That's what I saw in him, the inability to view himself as anything other than a provider and protector. The being afraid of being seen as weak or lesser for needing help, and refusing it for that. I still don't know who I am, and the KZbin comment section of a video that was posted months ago is not the place to air my grievances, but Fjord's story of finding himself outside of what he could provide for others had always been something I treasured. At some point in my life I let someone convince me that this wasn't the story that was being told, and I know now that I never needed the validation, but thank you for giving it to me anyway. and thank you for helping me put something I hold very dear to me into words. Seeing what Fjord turned into was the most touching moment of the campaign for me. Thank you for sharing that with me, and helping me share the feelings i had about it with others. Thank you.

[@jaimetheone9150]

Have you ever asked for help? who answered your call? most likely noone, and if someone does, the most likely response you'll get is "man up! you have male privilege," and in the very rare ocacion they help you, they'll lose all their respect for you and will look down on you.

[@morthul5514]

I look at those who judge me for wanting help like the idiots they are

[@jonasvaneetvelt8088]

Excellent deconstruction and refjorging of the character. You're putting into words way better than I can why Fjord's character journey was one of my favourite of this campaign.

[@DT-267K]

'Positive' Masculinity is what it truly means to be comfortable with oneself. It is to be without fear in regards to oneself, and to be unaffected by the judgements of others, while still possessing a healthy grip on self-awareness. Those that embody what it means to be masculine in this regard are unafraid of expressing who they are, be it emotionally or mentally. They will cry and mourn when they experience loss. They will laugh and sing and dance when they experience joy. They will be passionate with their work and hobbies, and with their affections toward others they bring into their lives. They will express who they are freely whenever they so wish, so long as it is deemed appropriate, and ensure it does not come at the superfluous expense or annoyance of others. Those that embody positive masculinity do not respond to those that question their masculinity with threats or violence or a thirst to prove themselves, but with reasoning, wordplay, and self-affirmation of who they truly are in their own eyes, if the former two cannot sway the onlooker and cannot be proven without causing risk of harm. After all, the only opinion that matters is ultimately their own. They should be comfortable in the strengths they know themselves to have. They will take the time to discover flaws in their manners or lifestyle, and they strive to fix them, or at least learn to live with them if they prove impossible to be fixed. They do not start fights, but they can and will end them if talking proves insufficient in halting the unnecessary violence. 'Toxic' Masculinity is defined by the opposite -- an underlying, often unconscious fear of oneself, especially in regards to perceived weaknesses in oneself, or how they believe others to in turn perceive them. They are controlled by that fear, by that insecurity. They thirst to prove themselves wherever they can, whenever they can, especially on the front of expression of physical might over verbal communication or reasoning. They can and will start fights if they believe that it will make them feel more in control of themselves, or at least secure others' views on themselves as resembling the 'proper' definition of manliness. They take the route of a 'military man' over a societal man, becoming irrationally afraid of emotional expression from risk of consequence, preferring to bottle up their emotions and desires as best they can; but the body is but a vessel of limited absorption, not outright nullification. It has a cap, and that cap can burst. When they inevitably fail to suppress these human urges, especially 'negative' ones like anger, sadness, desire, and despair, it comes out in a raw, raging torrent, often oblivious or uncaring to what it runs over and damages, or outright destroys. In their zealousness to purge themselves of perceived weaknesses and gain a better grip over themselves, they instead, and ironically, come to more embody these weaknesses more than they ever could predict, and in turn lose more of their grip on themselves than they ever could fathom.

[@a-shanda-productions]

I really love the relationship Fjord develops with Caduceus, the way he along with Jester encourage him to come out from behind the mask of a person he thinks is worth something.

[@aidynbayon2290]

I'm sorry that you lost subs for this video, and I really hope that you keep covering topics like this despite that. It's important, and appreciated by many.

[@silaskissack1400]

Great video but calling false stoicism masculine and ford pretending to be stoic wasn’t masculine it was immature and I would say he became masculine after he decided to do what was truly right regardless of his own loss.

[@lumoslumos7330]

It's not pressure. It is a thing to strive to. An aspiration. An honor to get a chance to be something stronger, better, then you were a day before. But it takes an effort, yes. A notion, alien to many people of today.

[@Rellyks]

This is a strong video, man. Thank you for doing it, it resonated a lot.

[@CertifiedCoolDude]

Was binging through your videos and this uploaded, what a lovely surprise!!! :)

[@PlayYourRole]

Thank you so much! I hope you've been enjoying!

[@apblolol]

The idea of fjord shaving his tusks and altering his identity to fit a cleaner idea of his self. A father figure who he desperately wants to live up to the memory of. He tries to fit the mold, wear the boots that dont fit. He wasnt honest with others because he wasnt honest with himself. Some of this may be connected to masculinity and the expectations men feel like they need to live up to. But i feel like its more than that, not just masculine but feeling like an "other" in a place where you want to fit in. It was identity and purpose that fjord was searching for, and by the end it looked like he found both

[@brysonwhisenand510]

Thank you for making this video. Fjord has been my favorite character in any of the campaigns and this really woke me up as to why; because I see myself in him, in the struggle to be a “real man” as defined by other people. Your insight and verbalization of his struggle brought me to tears.

[@dallinlowe2627]

I’ve got to say, there’s a line between masculinity and what some people refer to as toxic masculinity. Not accepting help when you need it falls into the latter. There are traditionally masculine things that I think a lot of people have put into the toxic category that aren’t really supposed to be there. Fjord does tackle the toxic side of it while also preserving the ideals of traditional masculinity like protecting others and providing. You don’t protect and provide because others are weak, you do it because they’re important.

[@k.v.7681]

Because people seriously lack the ability to distinguish what is "toxic masculinity", and just bad human reflexes reinforced by a toxic society as a whole. Withdrawing in one's self is a human trait. And a defense mechanism: you can't function in the world if you are an emotional wreck at every instant of your life. The reason men are most often seen as the ones who bury their trauma instead of dealing with it is because they're also denied the support it would require to deal with it (which is true for a lot of women as well in most circles to be fair). Add to that a layer of coining it "toxic masculinity", and you've just told people they're broken. Not the most conducive thing to helping them. It is, in a way, a form of victim blaming, given that they were just told their gender is inherently at fault. Now some would say "sure but men are the ones doing it to each other". To which I would say: no. People do it to one another. Women make up 51% of the human population, give or take a % depending on age group. If women were as supportive on the matter as is claimed, we wouldn't be in that situation (and the same goes in reverse regarding women's issues, in which both men and women share blame). You mention traditional masculinity. Which has always sounded weirdly artificial to me (just as anything coined feminine or masculine). I've known few people as rabidly protective and providing as moms. Many a man has fainted, overwhelmed with feelings, at the birth of his first child. A good take-away from the video: people rarely display who they truly are at their core. Beyond "masculine" and "feminine", people are people. Individuals that should seek personal growth that speaks to them rather than being pressured, by both men and women, to be something they're not.

[@Gladissims]

“Protecting others and providing” is problematic when it, in the eyes of society, is tied to only one side of the gender spectrum, because it justifies and reinforces inequality between men and women. If a woman must depend on a man for protection and financial stability, she becomes dependent on him. Her autonomy is sacrificed in the name of “safety”, which in reality may not even be all that safe (sexual violence most commonly occurs within a household, by a perpetrator the victim knows well). Wanting to protect your loved ones is a natural instinct, and not in itself bad. But constructing it as a purely masculine trait is iffy. Especially when women can and often are every bit as protective as their male counterparts.

[@Parapsychotic89]

This is the first of your videos I've seen and you IMMEDIATELY have my subscription! Looking forward to catching up on so many!

[@mentalrebllion1270]

I love this video! Don’t stop or be discouraged! I look forward to more future videos ☺️

[@unamuseddeathgod5128]

as a local trans woman I've dealt with the pressure of toxic masculinity immensely, and c2 was very important to me in the time leading up to that self discovery. I've always somewhat identified with fjord and didn't understand why, but this video really puts it into perspective, thanks for this

[@PlayYourRole]

I'm cis/het myself, but I too very much identified with Fjord. His expectations for himself due to his surroundings were something I think a LOT of people can relate with... That's what makes these stories so amazing and universal. Stories really are the language of understanding for all groups. I'm so glad that his story was able to help you out during difficult times

[@Mary_Studios]

Just noticed the guitar in the background do you play or someone else in your house? Anyway on topic. Fjord's moment of throwing the sword and the moments leading up to it is one of my favorite moments of campaign two.

[@PlayYourRole]

Sadly I do not, that is my wifes! Some people actually saw it and identified it as a lefty guitar, and began to assume that I was a lefty but this is not the case

[@Kris-wo4pj]

The fun part is the dice rolls actually went along with his arc. When he was pretending every time he tried to show off how "manly" he was usually via strength against the ladies he always got a really low strength roll but when he was powerless and needed to save his first mate/girl he likes best friend life he rolls I think a natural 20 on a strength check even tho I don't think he had increased his strength through ability increases yet so he could finally become a paladin mechanically. Edit: wondering if ya'd do Beau next going from anti social asshole due to childhood truama to still an asshole but with from friends, a family and an important role that helps make a difference in the world. Marisha ray always seems to know how to attack me personally with a character but I feel like it helped me immensely seeing her characters grow.

[@hannahthufvesson]

This is a really great video! I hadn't thought about Fjord in this way before. I really appreciate it!

[@prestongalban5550]

Already watched the vid, here to do battle with the algorithm. Sorry a bunch of people unsubbed

[@dgargoyle]

Jay, your rightfully proud of this vid. And it takes a great man to promote his opponion even when people walk away.

[@kairussell2156]

Beautiful analysis! Fantastic as always. Thank you for exploring such an important topic. 😊

[@sifayun6336]

0:31 "An orphan with no parents..." It's kind of a requirement, isn't it?

[@ForeverWog]

I think this one goes along so well with your video about how Caduceus was just what the Mighty Nein needed. He gave that great quote about how Fjord would be an answer to someome’s prayers and that’s what a champion is. He helped make Fjord a better man, and Travis responded beautifully to his prompting.

[@maegn]

This gave me a whole new perspective on Fjords “Heroic Journey!” Thanks for the video! ♥️

[@autark1s]

Amazing video with a very important message at the end. It's obvious how important this was for you. You got this ♥️

[@toffylikesgames]

Always loved Fjord's character, but that moment of rejection of his patron with the sword absolutely blew my mind. That was such a great, brave act and such a massive character development step.

[@EchoHowlette]

Great video!!!! Love how you are expanding your audience!

[@jestie]

fjord is my absolute favourite CR character - this little video essay nailed what i love so much about him and how amazing of a player travis is. you did a fantastic job and thank you so much for sharing! this made me so happy to watch and someone putting exactly to paper and word what makes fjord such an amazing character

[@BurttheBard]

Fjord is one of my favorite characters in all of fiction. While I was watching C2 and the events unfold, I felt a kinship with Fjord, right from the beginning (I’m a sucker for the leader figure). Then as the campaign and my life went on, I found that I was going on my own journey of self discovery similar to Fjord’s. I put on faces, I tried to be people that I’m not so I could impress other people. I felt like I was holding myself to an impossible standard. Until, that is, I started going to therapy and started venturing out on my own path. It took time, trial, error, the help of others who accept me unconditionally, that I finally became comfortable with the man I’ve become. No, not comfortable. Confident. I always keep moving, but I don’t have some sort of outrageous standard that I try (and fail) to hold myself to. I like me for me. Fjord likes Fjord for himself. Travis, thank you for playing a good man who helped me through my journey of self discovery ⚔️

[@thetalantonx]

I found the story of Fjord's journey moving, and it reminded me of Finally by The Correspondents: "For too long now I've been trying to work out how I can pull myself from this pit I've dug for me alone to fit How I've lied to the friends who stand at my side In not letting them see, the darker parts of me Finally, I've grown back the ability to Stop the demons coming in, face the night alone again I'll never feel the cold again as far as I can know I'm gonna be moving on I'm gonna be moving out I feel I've got the grips of what this game is all about The days have definitely seen me turn from blue to grey to black So convinced that I would never be able to find my own way back I thought I could continue to be carefree I thought my default was preset to happy Suddenly a smile is a face you put on Muscles are moving but meaning has gone Now no more Closing all the doors and willingly wasting away the day No more, I'm feeling so unsure about things that I wanna say I find out that I've got the means to turn it inside out Shedding a layer of skin Clean slate and we fucking breathe again"

[@bradydastrup1025]

I’m a little late to the party but I think that what you said is/has been misinterpreted by a lot of people. I think that what you’re saying, and I reserve the right to be completely wrong about this, is that a being a Man means doing what is necessary to be better. That doesn’t mean simping or being “in touch with your feminine side.”It means learning, growing and applying those change to be the strongest version of you that you can be. That means strong physically, mentally and spiritually. Fjords arc showed this. He stepped up and did what he had to for himself and by proxy, for his friends and companions. Thanks for the video.

[@T-adams]

laura bailey is honestly such a good human being; and an even greater DnD player. being a man in modern society it’s so natural to have barriers on all sides of you. and i feel like even when Travis Willingham is a professional actor it can be hard to break those barriers even when playing DnD. i just respect Laura for helping travis progress this character, and the fact that she could notice the little details / cracks in “fjord”. His personality was just waiting to be discovered like true gold. me being a normal guy, it would’ve been almost impossible to support travis in this way, so it’s amazing for me to see a woman who is willing to bridge the gap.

[@zenhikerjoe844]

Holy shit you brought me to tears this morning. I really loved this scene with Fjord and loved his development. Thanks for the great commentary. Keep up the good work. May we all rest and let ourselves be happy today.

[@jasonhull8075]

Keep up the great work, your community appreciates you.

[@Damalon01]

I disagree that this is about masculinity. I think its a struggle for identity or individuality. One that either gender can experience. Lets not pretend that women dont have role models they try to live up to that can be just as unhealthy for them in other ways. I really hate the term 'Toxic Masculinity', afterall the very thing that is unhealthy for one person can be the perfect answer for another person's struggle...

[@Maxwell-mb7xn]

Right. It's just pandering to feminist culture.

[@TheShepherdFilms]

Man...emotional end...see you tearing up...good vid man...some people definitely need this...love the passion.

[@PlayYourRole]

I'm really glad you enjoyed, I loved making this one

[@karmadollie8063]

I hadn't seen that topic explored before, but instead saw it as a POC embracing their own skin and identity who they are outside of their community.. Filing the tusks was the most blatant internalized racism I have ever seen. Which is not unheard of for biracial individuals who are not raised around their cultures.. I definitely agree with the masculinity thing

[@majorasmask5523]

I find it extremely difficult to accept that Fjord has been fully redeemed. No matter how noble he is, it doesn’t change the fact that two of Ukatoa’s locks have been popped. They can’t change that, and it puts Exandria in _extreme_ danger. His cult might fail many times to break that final lock, but they only need to succeed once.

[@celebkiriedhel]

Thankyou for this - it gave me a lot to think about. I don't normally notice toxic masculinity as a thing named "toxic masculinity", because stoicism (which is what I think toxic masculinity relies on) - is such a problem for many people. But yeah, when I think about it this way - it really makes sense!

[@Romne]

That's great and all but in the real world society still does not reward men for being openly vulnerable. Quite the contrary in fact. What's the number 1 thing, for example, most women say they find attractive? Confidence ..and they do NOT mean confidence to appear openly weak and vulnerable. If you think otherwise you are just kidding yourself.

[@jungtothehuimang]

Who is perpetuating this issue for men, really be honest? Is it women, who very openly wish men WOULD be more emotionally available and emotionally intelligent? Or is it other men who raise their sons to believe that showing any kind of vulnerability is weakness. This is an issue in society pushed largely by other men. That's why stories like this are important, because being vulnerable is good and men should be allowed to do it!!!

[@Trestin13]

Having had a toxic relationship where I was punished for going against what my partner wanted(silence, screaming, other stuff), I felt the exiting the toxic relationship more. However, I completely agree that his patron exhibited what we all are raised with as boys and then men. Rejecting that, making himself vulnerable, led to peace and happiness for him.

[@littleman6950]

It's important to note he had an emotional support network. It's a good character story, just unfortunately not a universally relatable one for a lot of men that want the same happy ending.

[@Trestin13]

@@littleman6950 Having stories like this, community like this, will make that more and more a reality.

[@yaboy804]

One of my favorite moments from campaign 2 is fjord, recently depowered, using nothing but a magic whip and his own strength to stop a burrowing word from escaping with one of his unconscious friends.

[@aubs7630]

So well said, thank you! I loved Fjord's journey in campaign 2. The way he began to try on different roles within the party and eventually stopped taking that leadership role. He was working out with Beau and sharing spiritual moments with the Wild Mother. It's okay for him to explore himself. His friends were there for him, to protect him and support him every step of the way. He had the freedom to learn himself and learn what was healthy for him. And eventually those things he explored became the qualities, the temperament of the man reforged.

[@thedeaderer8791]

As someone who has fought addiction for years and now has years of recovery under my belt that part where u tall about the right decision not making things better right away is so so true but like fjord it turns out to be worth it.

[@Cabbage2combatant]

Every f***ing thing about this video! I was not expecting a pep talk at the end but it is sooo refreshing as a woman to hear this kind of positive reinforcement coming from a man, aimed at men. Well done!

[@mikelundun]

Holy shit! That analogy with his patron blew my mind! Also those dream sequences were chilling!

[@stevendonaldson1216]

The way you attacked this video was amazing. You executed on a great piece of art. Your feeling and orator ability brought me to tears. You have to this with more DND characters and more analysis. Dnd is a great tool to explore the human condition and you put so much heart into it.

[@uhm7293]

Also. If you watch the M9 reunited series, we find out that U’katoa was created by Zehir who was an evil betrayer god. His arc really revolves around all these concepts so well. Fjord wasn’t the most out there character. It’s so well constructed and like you said not-pandering. The combination of not having anyone care for him as a child. Then getting support and care from Vandarin. Losing it and being used again. This time by (I think a demigod?). While Caleb and Beau were “louder” characters with world changing goals that always took up space. Fjord was happy to help and be in the background. And in the retrospective closing episode thing they do, Matt and Travis talk about Fjord. Travis said him and Fjord didn’t think that finding biological parents isn’t really an important thing since there’s more important things. I get the feeling that Fjord May be a little autobiographical for Travis.

[@rhokesh4391]

Leaving one for the algorithm, because this vid needs to be seen by more people! 👍

[@UrbanCohort]

I agree with you in large strokes, but I don't think that Fjord's original outlook was "wrong" - assuming that it was who he actually was (and with the addition of knowing when to ask for help). To put my outlook *extremely* simply (and glossing over a lot of nuance that I lack the vocabulary to articulate): being the right type of "Good Man" for your personality is like finding the right shoe - you might like one brand because you find it comfortable, but another person might find it to chafe or be a little constricting.

[@sevans8784]

Dude why is this making me cry... this was an awesome analysis and perfectly highlights what I loved about Fjord's character arc, but didn't know how to put into words. Travis Willingham is awesome, his character was much needed, and you're awesome for explaining why

[@joeldomenichini5038]

“An orphan with no parents” is a hilarious line.

[@colinmorrison5119]

Watching my dad struggle through his last few years, as his body betrayed him, epitomises this. The toxic masculinity he imbibed all his life didn't allow him to accept help until there was no other choice, and made the experience hellish for everyone. Excellent breakdown. It's a shame you lost some subs because they were the ones who most needed to see this.

[@Zoe-uz9kn]

My father is going through this the exact same thing. I haven’t seen many able to define him so precisely as you just did. And this has skewed my own perception of masculinity for a long time, until things started to fall apart too much to still believe. But others in my family are still trying to excuse his behaviours. It can be sometimes really hard to love someone so hurtful.

[@canadiankazz]

"You. need. me. more than I. need. you. Give it back." gives me chills every time. One of my top Mighty Nein moments, period, and helped cement Fjord as my favourite of them. I really love his character arc through the whole campaign.

[@PackRatGirl]

Really amazing essay! Thank you so much for making it!

[@nanazoghbi5059]

One thing you didn't touch too much on but that further your point is how deeply unsecure fjord was. All his confidence his the myriad of inferiority complexes he had and all his interrelations with the crew revealed how he sensitive he was about those insecurities. He didn't like his heritage, his physical lack of strength his lack of power (crystalized by magic) his prudeness and his abandonment issues. His facade was him trying to become he thought he ought to be but also a mask hiding what he didn't like about himself Amazing video though. Fjord is not often discussed on the mighty nine and that's only due to how masterful everyone's character was in this campaign but he was such an interesting subtle and relatable character

[@toxictaro]

Love the video, keep it up!

[@PlayYourRole]

Will do, thank you so much for the encouragement!

[@guilhermemachado4003]

Amazing story, I'm a DM and a player, and I truly wish that me or one of my players could do just a little bit of that in our campaings. That's what make RPG such a good game, those wonderful stories of self improvement and friendship.

[@rantdmc]

this is really interesting, and a different take on Fjord than i had previously considered. i thought at the beginning of the video that his concern for Beau and Jester eg his desire to help Beau learn social skills showed that he was genuinely caring as well as wearing a variety of masks about his true nature (he had the eldritch invocation Mask of Many Faces from lvl 2, interestingly), but your take made me reconsider. and i totally agree with you about how powerless was without his patron and was not offered another option for several episodes. and he discovers that people care for him still even when he is effectively dead weight in the party. his reward is becoming one with the sea through his Paladin Oath *of the Open Sea) signifying true freedom, after his imprisonment and bargains with Ukotoa

[@TulkOrkan]

Red pill bros say that masculinity is having respect for no one and treating women as objects, but Fjord had respect, he didn't go around as a whore-monger, his most respect was directed especially at women. Travis portrayed Fjord a gentleman very well. He even asks for her hand in marriage at the very end.

[@loganhunter2119]

I mostly saw toxic relationship and finding who you are after you leave it but hey maybe there's more to it

[@lemmers252]

As someone who's literally just coming out of this cycle of thinking, that's made me miserable for the past couple years the worst couple of years of my life so far I can vibe with this, it took time to rebuild to rediscover who I am I tried to be what I thought I should be what I thought people expected of me and it made me so depressed and angry I just wanted to be the man I used to like, the me that was happy with myself, I think I'm on that path again and it is liberating

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

Wonderful video! I loved Fjord's journey. It felt like Travis put a lot of himself into that character 🙂 Also the rant at the end is legit! The culture in the US does a terrible job of teaching boys how to really be men. Vulnerability, growth, tenderness, etc. are all part of being a healthy person.

[@tabris2746]

I remember the whip checks he had to make a suffered stretching damage but he held on regardless

[@voidmystic00]

Fjord is my favorite character from campaign 2. Not just because he multiclassed my 2 favorite classes, but because of his abilities to persevere, adapt, and focus on doing what needed to be done. Fjord was always a good man but he needed the Nein to be a Great Man.