Why EthosLab is the Minecraft GOAT

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Is this a series now? Did I do this to myself? Let me know in the comments down below.

[@Lordstarscream1500]

Yes make this a series

[@themineguy1234]

the greatest minecraft player is no longer among us. RIP Technoblade

[@JacobMuir9212]

Yeah it’s a series

[@Pooglian]

I think it might just be. I also think a compelling case for your next GOAT candidate is another hermit: Grian. He came into Season 6 as a good creative builder with some SMP experience, and (like most hermits) greatly upped both his game and the others by being surrounded by other players who had other talents. Where Grian stands out, IMO, is his ability to get others to collaborate - both in Hermitcraft and in other projects. This is especially true of the Life series, but also applies to Hermitcraft events, Impossible Minecraft and many other collaborative projects. Grian is a very entertaining creator, but what makes him special is that he seems to be constantly working off camera to set up unique and interesting ways for him and his friends to keep exploring new ways to expand what it means to create engaging Minecraft content. Despite his outward persona as a trickster gremlin, he's always doing things that help his collaborators improve _their_ game. _That_ is something special and unique, and why he deserves consideration as the GOAT.

[@Flo29-k9i]

yes and you are wrong, the best minecraft player is PappasKnivar the greatest 🙏🙏🙏

[@ender0998]

This video was made to threaten BDubs into upping the payment

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Hey, I'm a soldier for hire. I deserve adequate compensation for my services!

[@des4929]

to quote someone when etho joined mcc "hes your favorite minecrafter's favorite minecrafter"

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Evergreen quote- eternally accurate! I genuinely think that's true, because that's just how deep Etho's influence goes.

[@elliott6158]

My favorite minecrafter is dead 😔

[@charger8624]

One of my favorite etho things is how casual his videos are. He doesn’t do fancy thumbnails, he doesn’t over produce videos, you hear so many stories where he is just a good person, and he just generally is a chill force of chaos via anvil. I’m very biased as I did grow up watching etho for the majority of my life.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

I completely agree! The subtle, stripped-down screenshot thumbnails and unhurried delivery of his commentary are a huge part of what makes his style so mellow and widely appreciated. It's something I really appreciate about his signature style as a content creator- glad you concur, too!

[@sgrey9181]

One of the reasons he is the GOAT for me (peep 2:22) is exactly this. I actually think Etho is the last true KZbinr. Not “content creator” but KZbinr.

[@dontthatsoundnice]

An unmentioned point is his continued anonymity. I’m 32, been watching him since 2011, a freshman in college. Now I’m married and a full adult and I still have never seen his face and tbh, don’t ever want to. Great video.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

It's kind of impressive how well he's managed to establish his boundaries and consistently maintain them. Very unusual in the Minecraft space, which only makes it all the more admirable!

[@koji_the_opossum]

considering cleo also referred to etho as bdubs' boyfriend, this video rlly was the logical next step lol (great video, rlly happy bdubs saw ur last one)

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

I mean... were they *wrong* to say that, though? Even just looking at the clips I used in this video, Bdubs immediately started simping for Etho when talking about who he thought the greatest of all time was, and jumped to his defense when Cleo called him washed up. Sort of hard to beat the allegations after bickering like an old married couple over a horse.

[@koji_the_opossum]

@FrostbyteFreeman agreeddddd, can't wait for the next video dissecting the relationship between the greatest builder and greatest redstoner of all time o7 may they never beat the allegations

[@Osmotic]

@@FrostbyteFreeman and now you're gonna start them arguing that the other one is the real GOAT 🤣

[@Hoover13]

I'd love to see a video on how Tango's Decked Out 2 is the greatest Minecraft build of all time

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Funny you should say that, considering the projects I've had planned out for 2025 since I made my comeback with the Bdubs video...

[@OfficialKingz_yt]

Etho is one of the only people who made it into the game Minecraft (techno was on the launcher) In one of the April fools snapshots there was a tnt slab called the “Etho Slab” that would drop an anvil on people when it blew up

[@OfficialKingz_yt]

And he was part of the people that got notch to play UHC “which also got added into the settings of Minecraft” Ultra Hard Core is a setting where you don’t regenerate health by eating

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Some very good points all around here! Thank you for sharing!

[@FlourishPorridge]

A lot of the features in that snapshot were references to mindcrackers and other mcyts, not just the etho slab

[@themineguy1234]

the funniest thing is, etho would say its joel. he is obsessed with him

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

And after the one true GOAT (BDoubleO100) called Etho the greatest? For shame. What a betrayal. I can't believe this.

[@shala6541]

My GOAT is GoodtimeswithScar. Yeah, he's terrible at Redstone, but the man is a Goat in so many different ways. He and Grian made 3rd Life the way it is. He's the reason the Life series is the way it is. He won Secret Life, he's constantly good in Modern PVP, he's the HOTGUY, he's an amazing builder, he's funny, and he brings a smile to everything. Also, he does all of this while being disabled and it doesn't hinder his abilities. He does everything he does with a song in his heart even though he's not the best singer. Also he and Grian have comics based off of Cuteguy and Hotguy, go see the comics, they're so good.

[@ravenflyerdoesstuff6666]

His cat is also in Minecraft…rip Jelly

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

I completely agree! Scar is absolutely a worthy candidate for the GOAT, and in my first video on the concept of there even being a greatest Minecraft player of all time at all, I actually touched on this very same subject- there's more than one way to be great at this game, and they're all completely valid! Will forever be in awe of his terraforming skills and the lore he injects into the world around him. A very Hot Guy, indeed.

[@shala6541]

@ Yeah! Especially since he's stuck in Secret Life. It was originally just part of Martyn (Aka IntheLittleWood)'s Eyes and Ears AU, but then Scar made it cannon in his story so that just makes things weird. Does that mean Scar knows about the Watcher's or the Shadow people he mentions separate from the Watchers? So many questions.

[@rainzel]

at this point, everyone in hermitcraft and/or the life series are contenders for being the minecraft GOAT, which is insane to me

[@zerik_media]

Im there but with grian personally. But I know how the community feels about etho, and it's totally justified. But I vibe with grian, mumbo, and gtws way more. The builds are what I'm most interested in and they make awesome builds. Between buildings, landscape, or making a cool Redstone build that's useless I got mine goats!😊

[@ragingrhino101]

11:09 "if he can't beat you outright he will outwork regardless" Makes me think about what would have happened if him and Technoblade had ever crossed paths. Whilst it would have been Legendary Content, it might be for the best that it didn't - I can easily imagine a world where they both refuse to quit until it's a bit late (think the Potato war on Steroids)

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

I'd like to think they would have both developed an unhealthy interest in MCC:I Fishing which lead to a little healthy competition- Techno because he refuses to lose, Etho because he refuses to let this young whippersnapper think he's "washed."

[@Moe_Posting_Chad]

@@FrostbyteFreeman I'M NOT OLD! ETHO IS MY AGE YOU TAKE THAT BACK!

[@syzikiy4450]

oh yes that was might thought too; what a dream

[@blupblupblup-ny7xr]

My reaction to this part was exactly how I see and would describe Etho❤ I'd like to think that he has stumbled upon Technoblade in one way or another and imagining how their interactions would have been is a dream❤

[@muneeb-khan]

@@FrostbyteFreemanmate no, Etho competes with himself. He enjoys the game and the process. And a little bit of the victory I guess 😅

[@_ForestMan]

What I like about Etho is that he is so humble and speaks calmly. Etho never makes silly clickbait videos and never exaggerates his content.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Same here! The subtle, stripped-down screenshot thumbnails and unhurried delivery of his commentary are a huge part of what makes his style so mellow and widely appreciated.

[@MrInfinity418]

I mean etho himself has said he’s probably the most humble person to play Minecraft. Which is a hilarious joke I think went over peoples head.

[@Firglin]

But how can Etho be the GOAT when he literally lived in Bdubs basement

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

VERY TRUE!!! This is an excellent point that people should be making more often- how careless of me for forgetting it! Thank you for bringing this to my attention!

[@skeletonslayer397]

I'd say that Pearlescentmoon, if not quite yet, absolutely has the potential to be the GOAT of minecraft. She's just dipping her toes into Redstone, but already has a solid grasp on the mechanics, along with her pvp skills shown in the life series (even if a lot of it is just surviving) and I don't think I need to explain her building skills.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Very good points! Pearl's really been rounding out her resume as of late with her redstoning skills, and her building abilities are obviously of historical significance! A worthy contender for GOAT.

[@Osmotic]

Pearls mastery of "combat" is even more impressive when you consider she's contending with inconsistent response times!

[@SnugNap]

Pearl is really good I also think there's a case to be made for tango

[@marcusbenjilake]

Yeah but Tango is moving in the opposite direction. Deep frost citadel and season ten starter steam punk builds are pretty good…

[@PrismaticHue]

Yes. Pearl is an amazing builder. She's come so far so quickly learning redstone. And dare I say she has the stamina of Etho as far as gaming goes. She was the one who played DO2 completely and found all of Tango's secrets. This season she is killing it at Hungry Hermits and she's shined at Ravager Rush.

[@rainzel]

5:12 NOT THE CALL OUT ON HIS SETUP 😭😭😭

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

I am no better, I fear. 😔

[@drewbuckley8139]

My fishing selfie I got with Etho made the video! Literally spit out my drink when I saw it.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Thank you for braving the elements to capture a candid photograph of a wild Etho in his natural element. My sincerest and more genuine apologies for not appropriately crediting your photojournalistic efforts!

[@luciaeliade2224]

5:50 This was my first impression of Etho, too! I started watching Grian in Hermitcraft s7, and seeing this clip suddenly brought back a WAVE of nostalgia for early 2020. This, alongside his first interaction with Grian was such a great way to introduce new audiences to him. I still watch that clip of Etho scaring the socks off of Grian outside the ice shop every once in a while.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Oh, absolutely! Grian getting spooked by Etho's sudden appearance instantly elevated him to the level of a Minecraft cryptid in my mind haha.

[@abj136]

Dunno if he’s the greatest of ALL TIME, but he is definitely the Original Greatest. A decade ago he was top dog, being super technical, super funny, super good at PVP and PVE (superhostile), super likable, and always original. He’s still great today, but there’s no question he was THE OG.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

I think that OG status at least makes him worthy of consideration, though. Take basketball, for instance- Jordan's stats (save for the finals) have mostly been eclipsed by LeBron, but it's only because of Jordan's historical dominance and paradigm-shattering play style that a player like James even exists. In keeping with that analogy, with Etho as M.J. here, I think he's at least worthy of a spot on the GOAT Pantheon.

[@HarryKwastaken]

Why Frostbyte Freeman is the video essay GOAT

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

I don't know about that- there's plenty of much better video essayists out there, after all! Happy to hear you still found some enjoyment in watching mine though :)

[@duvox23]

Oh come on, we ALL know the GOAT of minecraft is Rossbyte Freeman. I mean, how does one come up with such a beautiful name?

[@Barnman1987]

I appreciated your BDubs video and this one is right up there as well. Looks like you have a series in your hand.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

We'll see! Glad this video was at least a somewhat worthy sequel in your eyes!

[@mori_cinis]

I'll make an interesting argument for the next MC GOAT: PearlescentMoon Combat: 5AM Pearl, her recent mastering of the Mace, also re: mechanics just look at her DO2 gameplay and how she expertly manipulates mob AI, not to mention handling the parkour elements Redstone: While more of a recent addition to her repetoire, just look at Dye-duction. Building: Her entire S9 base, the pickle trees, her S10 rustic solarpunk base

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

This is actually a really great take! With her fledgeling redstone skills under her belt, Peal's rapidly racking up a really solid GOAT resume. If this does actually become a series of sorts on my channel, I'd definitely want to gush about how great her building skills are next.

[@themineguy1234]

gem would say those pickle trees suck, because pearl keeps buying her pickles

[@bobdoleeatscake]

​@@FrostbyteFreemanI agree with this commenter, her building skills don't need to be talked about because they stand for themselves, obviously. Her movement, and parkour skills are on display with ravager Rush and cubfan's labyrinth. The fact that she can do these things while reading chat is also worth mentioning. Her ability to learn some advanced redstone in about 9 hours shows her dedication and just brains. PVP skills are definitely strong when she wants to. Most of the time she plays quite passively by choice. As skizzleman said best, "I hate her because she's good at everything". But, I definitely don't hate her for it.

[@A_N1ne]

Etho is the reason why I still watch Mincraft KZbin. Back in 2014/2015 (I think) when Minecraft had one of its lowest points, it just stopped being popular (at least with most of my friend group, and with the people I watched on YT). Most of the Mindcrack members I watched stopped uploading, the last few updates were underwhelming, and a lot of Minecraft KZbinrs stopped playing or slowed down on uploading. For a good few years, the only Minecraft related thing I did was watch Etho's survival LP and the odd HC ep. It wasn't until Hermit Craft Season 7 that I started watching other Minecraft KZbinrs again; I started following Tango after Etho showed off Deckedout 1. With the start of Season 8, I branched out even more, now I regularly watch about a 1/3 of Hermitcraft. This is why, to me, Etho is the GOAT of MC KZbin and maybe even all of KZbin.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Thanks so much for sharing your perspective here! It's cool to see how the branching tree of content creators you've encountered all started with watching Etho- just like how all roads lead to Rome, just about every Minecraft content creator can link one of their major influences back to Etho.

[@reiggae]

i think one of the phenomenal things about etho is actually not just him but the audience he has gained. his strong commitments contradicts the youtube algorithm, like how he still numbers his episodes making it harder for new viewers to want to jump in, and yet he still retains a consistent view count on each of his vids. i swear it reflects back because the etho girls stay posted. especially after his unfortunate hiatus, im so happy that this fan base stuck around to keep his channel alive. the tradeoff is that he doesnt grow as fast as other channels, but watching this video, i really enjoyed seeing what the perspective is like for newer viewers (you will be converted... jk)

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Absolutely! His singular approach and stripped-down style of presentation are things I totally respect about him as a content creator, and I'm glad that appreciation came across in this video here! Thanks for commenting and sharing your perspective!

[@johnsimpson7607]

I started watching him in 2010 and he hasn't changed much at all! Dependable

[@ourpetsarecute3110]

One thing a lot of people leave out is etho’s more recent innovations, the Enderporter Network. While he didn’t invent the Enderporter he was one of the earliest adapters of it, to the point he’d designed an transport system around it before it was actually feasible (chunk loading caused to pearls to trigger early). Although the Enderporter network isn’t common due to its complexity of implementation and material cost, I think the fact he jumped on a then new mechanism and refined it so much is noteworthy.

[@ElementiaYT]

Another excellent video!

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

@@ElementiaYT Thank you kindly! Glad to hear it excelled o7

[@abhyutaichou8322]

I've been waiting for Etho after Bdubs video. Great video!!

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

@@abhyutaichou8322 Thanks kindly! Hopefully this one was worth the wait in that case :D

[@abhyutaichou8322]

​@@FrostbyteFreeman Yeah! I got so excited when I saw the video lol. It was a great video, well done. Subscribed

[@Marihl1354]

First etho exposure was from beefs prank wars with team Canada.

[@St4rvingg]

20:39 “pft, of COURSE not!” Was so freaking funny and sudden I literally laughed so hard

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Glad you found it funny :)

[@Red_In_Gold]

@FrostbyteFreeman I love the analysis on these players! Idk if you’re going to do this more, but Tangotek and Decked out and his crazy games within games makes Tango if not a Goat a master of minecraft mechanics. Would love to see a video about Tango!

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

I've actually had a completely separate idea for a video on Tango, outside of the "greatest" framework (which I worry would get stale faster than people think). That one would take a bit more work than usual, though, so it might be a while. Thanks kindly for the suggestion, though! I have taken it under advisement :)

[@worstedwoolens]

Etho's Wild Life RP was set from the beginning. "Insist you're a tuff guy, actually be spineless and fold at every minor personal conflict" He's been way more interested in flexing his improv muscles in the life series for a few seasons now, I think.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

That's actually a really good way of looking at it! You can't fault him for consistency of character, if nothing else- thank you for the much-needed perspective!

[@itscoleman85]

Etho is the minecraft equivalent to Neil Peart for drumming. A trailblazer, very solid in nearly every aspect of their craft, and a massive inspiration for so many people still to this day

[@kemal6039]

I've watched Etho's LP series 3 times over. And to this day, the last thing I hear before I fall asleep is his voice in his LP world, every single night. I completely agree with everything you said about him. But to me the greatness in Minecraft is not about those three categories; redstone, building, pvp. In my opinion what makes Etho (and also BDubs!) great, is their curiosity, creativity, and ability to make the viewer genuinely wonder about what's going to happen next. In Etho's case, an example for this is his experiments. He shares his ideas and tries to figure stuff out on camera, generally redstone related but still at least to me it gets my brain going, I often find myself saying "hmm, he had that idea but it didn't work out, I wonder if it would work this way." or "I wonder if I can use this contraption/technique in my world to build X". After over a decade of youtubing, he's still true to his channel motto; "Minecraft done technical". And in Bdubs' case, it's kind of the opposite. We don't try to figure stuff out "with him". This "wonder" happens purely inside his head and we get to watch in awe as he pours his vision into reality by simply placing blocks. If I can influence a single minecraft youtuber, I would recommend them to follow this blueprint. You don't have to copy someone to be as great as them, because as I said, both Etho and Bdubs can be great at the same time even thought they have completely different styles and abilities. But the list above, what they have in common, is what I feel that most other minecraft youtubers lack. If you see one "I survived x days on hardcore minecraft", you've basically seen them all. We need more people who aren't afraid to demonstrate their ideas (no matter how silly or genius those may be) and processes they go through while doing what they do. Going back to your criteria of Redstone - Building - PVP aspect. When you said that, I immediately thought of a single person that checks all those boxes, and it's PearlescentMoon! She was so vicious in all life series she's been in, she built wordle in minecraft, and her building skills aren't even debatable. I feel like she is the only candidate for "second best builder" place after Bdubs. Thanks a lot for the awesome video! I believe Pearlo deserves one of these as well, if not for being a "goat" (yet), for being an amazing all-round player.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

This is a very thorough and well-reasoned comment, thank you so much for sharing your perspective! I definitely agree that it's those subjective traits of a content creator's unique perspective and play style that matter most- the quasi-objective criteria I outline here is just a framing device to make the analysis more palatable for those who go in on that sort of thing. I definitely agree that Pearl deserves consideration for all-time great status, too! She's really upped her game as of late, which is saying something.

[@FlourishPorridge]

Awesome video, Freeman! Just one small problem i had with it @16:36 you appear to credit the visionary use of creepers as a musical instrument to Etho when that was almost entirely implimented by Zedaph - if i remember it correctly, that giant hermitcraft music box was the product of a rather assymetric collaboration; Etho installed 100% of the noteblocks, arranging their pitches and timings (likely with the help of the excellent 3rd party program: Minecraft Noteblock Studio and a MIDI arrangent of the original Tchaikovsky produced by someone else) while Zedaph designed and installed 100% of the creeper explosion chambers that were the object of your praise.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

That's a good catch! I was aware that Zedaph installed the creeper boom tubes, and my intention with that section was to point out how that the machine they both devised (hence why I used "they") was so volatile due to the explosive element, meaning they had to noodle around one another to create a well-working and perfectly timed machine with both the components they devised working in conjunction. However, intentions are materially irrelevant in this sort of thing, and watching that section of the video back I definitely see what you mean and understand why it sounds like I was ascribing undue credit to Etho for the sum total of the project. Again, thanks for pointing this out to me! I really appreciated the feedback.

[@UsernameGeneratorWasntUseful]

@@FrostbyteFreeman Perhaps a better example of Etho's noteblock usage is "What is love" which he made for Keralis. Xisumavoid pranked Keralis with a simple version of "What is love" in one of the earlier seasons of Hermitcraft. Because Etho was doing a lot with noteblocks Keralis asked if he could install that song in his base during season 7. Etho split apart the entire song in different tracks which could all repeat as necessary making it much cheaper. Instead of the simple What is love song xisumavoid made years earlier Etho build the song in it's entirety while having to build it in a confined space.

[@BzBuck]

"I don't think Etho's the GOAT but here's why he's the GOAT"

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

@@BzBuck Just because I’m not personally swayed by an argument doesn’t mean I can’t analyze it all the same. That would just be silly.

[@BzBuck]

@ yeah I know I just think it’s funny

[@happyshrieker]

I love how well thought out this was. Great job. Etho is just Etho. Even while fishing he just walks to his own beat.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Absolutely! That's one of the things I respect most about him as a content creator and a man, and it's something I tried to capture here in my analysis! Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@victorpalacios5668]

Man I’ve been watching etho for ages, I really do hope he keeps going and making videos for the foreseeable future and continues to stay out of drama

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

I feel like just by virtue of what a solitary creature he is, it's that much harder for Etho to even be involved in drama in the first place.

[@St4rvingg]

Been waiting for you to post for sooo long, your videos are so entertaining and amazing, and I absolutely lovvveee these videos !

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Thank you very kindly! Sorry it took me so long to upload again- both the Whitepine videos were pretty significant undertakings, and I was wiped out for a while after that. Hopefully it was worth the wait!

[@SSHoska]

Frostbyte Freeman, You were talking about 1st videos. I just wanted to say that, this was the first video I have every watched of yours. I liked your presentation, clear tone and pleasant way of explaining the lore. I am going to watch a few more of your videos. Nice job.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed this video enough to give the channel a shot! :D

[@bradleywilson15]

The fact that you can make the statements you have, and the comments are free of drama, says sooooo much of the Etho/Bdubs (and your) fanbases!

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

I'm very glad people have been so receptive to my analysis here!

[@iamashape7505]

I was expecting just another boring nothing complimentary video, but this was actually some pretty interesting analysis! great vid :)

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Well, I'm flattered you found this video entertaining, at least! Thank you :)

[@Respear]

glazing goes hard 🔥

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Congrats. This was the first comment on this video, and it's another glazing joke- picking right back up where we left off last time, I see. Didn't waste a second, how productive of you! Have a sticker.

[@LolzerzFredilolzerz]

What does glazing mean?

[@uhhmmm-g8c]

@@LolzerzFredilolzerz saying that they're better than they are because their a fan of them, I think

[@uhhmmm-g8c]

who do you think it is?

[@LolzerzFredilolzerz]

@@uhhmmm-g8c so basically they are a hater?

[@nerysshadow3664]

BABE WAKE UP FROSTBYTE FREEMAN POSTED ANOTHER BALLER VIDEO ESSAY (grian is my GOAT because i love his chaos and pranks >:) )

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Glad you thought this video deserved the designation of baller! Grian definitely casts a long shadow on the Minecraft scene, too- between his early building tutorials and his creating the Life series, he's definitely got quite the legacy!

[@jonanderson70]

22:52 very well summarized! Great video!

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Glad you thought that sentence served as a succinct summation of the whole video's thesis! I always try to stick the landing in the conclusion, so I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it.

[@SCVM_BXG]

Absolutely love both Bdubs and Etho but you know there is only one true GOAT Blood for the Blood God!

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Blood for the blood god.

[@tofu_twee]

I like how everyone's sharing their GOATs so for me it HAS to be LDshadowlady. This isnt gonna apply to everyone and I bet I'm a slightly younger demographic here but I still think she stands as one of the greatest of all time!! Her impact on giving way for women and girls to be apart of the minecraft sphere is so important and powerful, but her shorter, quicker editing and cutting down of minecraft videos was hugely impactful (from what i understand). In this unique sense, I think shes one of the GOATS, even if she isn't a redstone expert, or some kind of pvp master. Her influence has been insanely positive on my life and so many others. I love her loads

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

That's a very valid point! I've talked more about how we evaluate the criteria for "greatness" elsewhere, but your perspective on the matter here is definitely an interesting one- I completely agree that the all-time significance of Lizzie's impact on the space shouldn't be overlooked! Very well-articulated comment, thank you for sharing!

[@Oktobot12]

If you haven't already, I really recommend watching her appearance on the Imp & Skizz podcast! They dig a bit more into her history and how she was kind of ahead of everyone else in the way that she edited her videos! It's a great interview!

[@bobdoleeatscake]

Let me start by saying this is a great video. However there's a few important things that were omitted that could further change your goat choice (not saying you should, bdubs is amazing). Etho puts a lot of work in for others to thrive (similar to tangotek). Spends countless hours in a hole in the ground so others can create content. Additionally, his problem solving skills are second to none. For instance I'm HC10 he made what i believe to be the most creative farm in existence and didn't even put it in one of his episodes (i may be wrong about this but i don't think i am) gem needed a way to farm tridents so he created a farm for that. The farm makes use of drwneds desire to attack axolotls, a bubble column to prevent the drowned from hitting the axolotl, and a Target block that detects if a trident was thrown, a minecart will move that drowned to a holding cell. If the drowned doesn't throw a Trident, it is killed.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Very good point! Selflessness and community-oriented creativity is something I think both Bdubs and Etho have in common, what with the former's taking on building projects that inspire others and provide valuable content creation opportunities and the latter constantly offering up resources and farming expertise to aid the rest of the server! No wonder they're such good friends.

[@crystinlewis4613]

Thank you for your video on ethoslab. It shows that personal tastes are different and there are many ways for someone to be great at Minecraft. I like 'goodtimeswithscar ' because he builds his dream's. And he doesn't take himself too seriously.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

I like Scar too! For me, Bdubs and Scar are 1-A and 1-B!

[@cupcakegaming882]

I think the next few should be about Scar and Ivory - all people who I consider fascinating in every aspect. Think about it, they both have a way for storytelling, building, pvp, a little redstone knowledge, and most definitely Impact.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Already had something cooking on Scar's building for a hot minute and I think people are sick of me talking about Ivory's art! Thanks as always for the suggestions, Emily. Very good points all around :)

[@jasonboone4377]

seems like you have to start doing all the hermits now.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

That's certainly the way it's looking!

[@vihreaa9088]

lowkey love video essays about my favorite minecraft youtubers (specifically Bdubs and Etho, never see stuff about them on youtube)

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Thanks kindly! Glad you appreciated my analysis giving them the spotlight :)

[@scrubobsidian]

Frostbyte Freeman? Freeman? Gordon Freeman?

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

You know, back in the day, people used to just call me Frost for short. Nowadays, people call me Freeman or F.F. for some reason. No idea why this started, but I assure you, there is no relation between me and the guy from the game that gave us the assets for Skibidi Toilet.

[@TizonaAmanthia]

I mean, Etho probably the real GOAT but we can't ignore Doc the GOATFather ... and then an honorable mention for Grian.

[@bigkspicy8257]

Now we need "Goodtimeswithscar" is the goat. His story is incredible

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Already had a separate video idea planned for Scar, so I'm glad to hear there's interest in the topic at least!

[@bigkspicy8257]

@FrostbyteFreeman Also, in addition to just demanding more content from you, I really should say, thank you! Your content is inspiring, and makes me want to play the game and hopefully even make my own videos. Seems like you're gunning to be a goat yourself ;p

[@orekiHoutarou5th]

Hey frost, just want to let you know i love your voice , i love your script, i love everything about these essay videos!

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Thank you so much! That's such a seriously kind thing to say, and I really do appreciate it more than you can know! I'm happy to hear that my work resonated so deeply with you :)

[@tydino101]

for me, all the hermit crafters are all the best in of its self individually are amazing at what they do.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Very true! What is Hermitcraft if not a herd of GOAT's?

[@tydino101]

@@FrostbyteFreeman a fortress of inspiration?

[@retu3510]

You were not there. When everyone was making minecraft lets plays in the begining there was an even playing field. But than there was this Etho guy who was just better than everyone else. He was very clever and even made things his peers proclaimed to be impossible (a mob sorter for instance). And still he puts out videos with crazy ideas noone in the tech community thought about. He is an outsider to the tech community and that makes him so valueable. He also has a very deep understanding of games, very much including minecraft.

[@worstedwoolens]

Etho, a man who famously never makes thumbnails or uploads on a regular schedule to placate the algorithm, is also paradoxically the only KZbinr I know who makes almost his entire living on Adsense. From what I can tell he just has absurdly high audience retention figures. Like, we basically had to bully him into finally turning on channel memberships in like 2021, he still has never announced that change publicly, and his only members-only content is a text post that says "Don't read this." 😂

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Thanks for the comment- and the added perspective, too! He definitely is an algorithmic anomaly and a host unto himself, and that's why I respect him so much!

[@TheMrCodith]

I’ve been watching Etho almost as long as I’ve been playing Minecraft, starting back in beta 1.5 in 2011. So many of my builds have been inspired by his. He will always be the Minecraft goat to me. Gotta shout out bdubs too tho. Love them both

[@JacobMuir9212]

I’m a tango type of guy

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Completely understandable and valid take!

[@r.chambers4792]

Your videos are amazing. I am a huge fan of both Bdubs and Etho, but I do think the all around GOAT status truly does belong to Etho.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed my work!

[@vixengypsy]

I wouldn't have known about you if it hadn't been for BDubs! I'm expecting my payment from him, too! Also, I love Etho's work, live to watch his videos. You did a fantastic job breaking down why he is a GOAT.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed both this video and the one on Bdubs- happy to hear you thought my analysis was somewhat salient!

[@afreakinsando]

Jerry Garcia once said something like “don’t try to be the best, be the only one who can do what you do” and I think that there are several Minecraft creators that probably fit that definition of great. Take GoodTimesWothScar for example. No one else could ever be Scar.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Oh, for sure! Scar is completely inimitable- couldn't escape his shadow or talent for unintentional mob farms even if you tried.

[@robertperreira9050]

I agree it's Etho, but my favorite is Docm77. Maybe do a dive on him?

[@legitsalt]

As an ethogirl I'll give this video a thumbs up. Thanks for taking the time to consider my little guy~ :3 Watching this vaguely motivates me to take up a similar project that considers what it is I find so special about Etho's content. Parallel to this, a lexical observation: my sense is that a common use of the phrase "the GOAT" has morphed since its conception. Well, in any case, it's not meant literally. Observing the phrase's use in various contexts (this is outside of Minecraft and before watching this video), my sense is that the term is meant as a form of general strong veneration. "the GOAT" is a commonly used phrase and so using it is an easy way to signal that the speaker deems something worth attention (it is legible shorthand). If, for example, I wanted to express to someone (or to otherwise record) that I think some X figure is the best to ever do it, and I have specific working definitions for "best" and "it," then I think it's maybe unlikely that I would independently come up with "the GOAT" as the lexical medium to express my sentiment. Out of all the possible ways I could describe something, if my intention is to say "I think Etho makes the most interesting Minecraft Lets Play videos owing to the running QOTD segment he does" (or something in this vein), I inherently lose context if I go to say "Etho is the the GOAT." to describe Etho for this set of characteristics. As a result, I think "the GOAT" has a common colloquial usage which is non-literal. In being non-literal, I think someone can say of several people simultaneously that they are all "the GOAT" and not belie a strict semantic/logical structure of language that prohibits speaks in paradox. or something like that Anyways, fun video! (I've been coming back to your bdubs video in my thoughts since whenever it came out, as I find a number of your working definitions and proposed frameworks quite compelling, e.g., bdubs as good at pvp precisely because he isn't [competitively] good at pvp; definition excited to see where you go in the future~!)

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Excellent analysis here, thank you for the comment! I completely agree that the use case for the phrase "GOAt" has shifted away from a literal superlative and towards a more general positive connotation that lacks a literal character. I'm glad that my framing of the issue in both this video and the one on Bdubs resonated with you so deeply! Always a pleasure to get well-written responses like these.

[@EternallyFortold]

No way, is that "frostbyte freeman"?

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Who? The guy that hasn't uploaded since last year? Never heard of him. You sound insane right now.

[@EternallyFortold]

@FrostbyteFreeman no no, not that guy. The one who name dropped My Immortal of all things in the Ivocord Server 💀

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

@@EternallyFortold Hey look, someone misspelled Ebony, the punchline was right there ripe for the taking, I had to dive on it before someone else beat me to the punch. You know how it is.

[@EternallyFortold]

@@FrostbyteFreeman Truer words haven't been spoken since "BTW preps stop flaming ma story ok!"

[@Alice1apple]

my minecraft GOAT is myself because i have fun playing the game :)

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Very fair and completely valid, actually! :)

[@chopstick3555]

Great video!!

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Thank you so much! Very happy to hear you enjoyed it :)

[@Cinnabar39]

Nice video Frosty

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@apblolol]

this reminds me of the Making the case videos from Clayton Crowley, a whole series of who could be the goat of basketball. its an amazing and informative series that gives amazing insight into the world of basketball and even if you dont like basketball itself it sheds a light on how we view greatness.

[@Theworkingtitle7]

You're the Wirtual of Minecraft, Frostbyte

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Not sure if this is meant to be a positive thing or not, but if so, thanks for the compliment!

[@Theworkingtitle7]

@@FrostbyteFreeman He's got over a million subscribers because he's one of the best video essay creators on youtube! You should really check him out. I don't even play that game but watch all of his "History of..." videos. I meant it as a huge compliment.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

@ I'll take your recommendation under consideration, then! Thank you for the kind words- it's clear you respect his work, at the very least, so I'm sure likening my videos to his is high praise! I'm honored.

[@TGo-n-Roscoe]

Next I think you should do Docm77…the goat with his hive mind.

[@samtheman1868]

damn, i might actually watch an etho video now

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Glad this was as good a motivation as any!

[@NA26626]

Etho was the only person I thought of as the goat. I wasn't there for the start of his lets play but I get nostalgia for it every episode, can't really explain it

[@disintegratesintobinary655]

For me, this discussion cannot be had without bringing up Rekrap. He is the very definition of being able to achieve anything through hard work. He slowly became a top 200 speed runner in the most competitive category, became very adapt in the mechanical skills in the game such as being able to tellybridge and being above average in combat. He learnt how to build a red stone calculator, tried to improve his building skills, and farmed 10 million melons in 100 days. To put it simply, it seems he can achieve anything that he puts his mind to, and achieve it at an impressive level. What puts him in goat status for me is his potential, because almost every commonly mentioned goat-candidate seems to have glaring weaknesses that they will probably never overcome.

[@jonstan525]

Crazy that I used to build my version of Etho’s blaze farm for money on SuperEarth in 1.7.10, one of the true pioneers of Redstone mechanics

[@soomi]

I always just kinda thought they come as a set?

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Me too, honestly. Unwise to separate Etho and Bdubs.

[@snighman3131]

Bdouble00 definitely paid him this month

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Just got word that the check should be in the mail. Had to fulfill a contractual obligation- you understand.

[@lucasljs1545]

I only wish Etho would update random vídeos of him doing things. It doesn't need to be actually an episode or have nice planning or edit, just him playing and doing random things.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

I think this wish is much more common than you'd think! His presence has become such a comfort to so many that I think just random ramblings while playing Minecraft would more than satisfy their appetite!

[@datkenherder]

Etho hands down all day every day

[@Lordstarscream1500]

The greatest minecraft player is me lord starscream

[@sn3akysableye]

Mindcrack walked so that hermit craft could marathon sprint and etho has been around since the begining of minecraft time

[@TamChronin]

Much as Grian is my favorite MC content creator because his videos are the most entertaining, I think my GOAT is TangoTek. Tango's got the redstone, the building, the creativity, the entertaining, and the relatability cranked to 11.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Plus, he can math-ificate really really fast in his head, too. Seriously impressive stuff.

[@TamChronin]

@@FrostbyteFreeman Why PvP when you can flee with extra flee? hahaha (I think that's his only weakness, but he just might be around OP PvPers. lol)

[@TheGuy45]

I think i started watching him when he made his musical mushroom farm. I looked back on his videos somewhat recently and saw his episode on the fireworks update I was just a kid who barely knew minecraft when he uploaded that. I was messing around in my first minecraft world with worldedit making brick pyramids. I didn't know about him or minecraft youtube at the time, so it was such a weird blast of nostalgia and realizing that he's been playing this game for longer than i can comprehend Tldr yap yap yap thanks for reading

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Thanks for commenting! I definitely get what you mean- it's surreal just how long Etho has been around and playing Minecraft for.

[@DrMazzle]

I think there's a big difference between being the best at minecraft and being the best minecraft player. being the best at minecraft means being the best at the game while being the best minecraft player means being the best at enjoying the game

[@nattifrutti]

There is no "GOAT", there is only what people like. And there are many really great Minecraft content creators, creating different content from the game that different groups of people like. I think constantly trying to find the "GOAT" is redundant, as all the really great Minecraft creators/players can't be compared. They are all just very good at what they are doing in their own niche within the game. And then there are really great creators who don't even have a big platform yet, but they still have the production value similar to the more famous ones (like Etat, for example - great storytelling and cinematic shots. Super chill dude. Love his videos).

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Yep, that's pretty much exactly what I said to start this video and conclude the last one!

[@andrew-kun7954]

Mannnnn, love your works. Can you make this video on every Hermits. I will be fire 🔥🔥 (Gs and Mumbo for their shenanigans)

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

I worry this format would become grating and people would get sick of it before long, but thank you! I'm very happy you enjoy my stuff!

[@tomasmagath3296]

Sad that his Project Ozone 2 Kappa mode playthrough wasnt mentioned. That series is legendary, too.

[@Osmotic]

Etho is without a doubt your favorite Minecrafter's favorite Minecrafter. And obviously Bdubs is no exception 🤣

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Very true! Bdubs is probably the most vocal of all the Etho Girls in terms of declaring his allegiance, too- which obviously is evidence of his famous sense of humility and selflessness, once again proving that he truly is the greatest!

[@RyanEglitis]

For 21:30, I think he changed to OBS fairly recently, so at least that was updated.

[@soulreapercaptain11]

I'd have to say Grian is a pretty strong GOAT candidate based purely on him creating the Life series. That said, Joel is the minecrafter i enjoy watching the most.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Very valid points all around! Unfortunately, my GOAT and your GOAT are engaged in a horse-based blood feud, so I'm forced to disagree with you out of principle :/

[@R20RBB]

21:05 res0nates t0 me s0 much. It speaks t0 me like this 0ne hit s0ng, The Thick 0f It. "See I believe if I can see it in my heart. Smash thr0ugh the ceiling cause I'm reaching f0r the stars."

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Oh my god you’re back!!! Dude you are my favorite comment cryptid LMAO how’s it hanging??

[@SimplyRemoveIt]

this comment changed my life thank u internet user

[@R20RBB]

@@FrostbyteFreeman I'm in the thick 0f it. Everyb0dy kn0ws.

[@retroelf]

My personal GOAT is PearlescentMoon. Her building style is so uniquely PEARL, along with her absolutely infectious personality puts her at the absolute top. AND now she's getting into redstone! Pushing herself to grow and learn! She is amazing in every way and I'm so glad that she was invited to join Hermitcraft and now has more eyes on her content.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Pearl's been a pretty popular nomination thus far for a potential third entry, which makes me really happy!

[@themanwiththeplan676]

They say that the right hemisphere of the brain is associated with creativity and artistic ability. If Bdubs represents this idea, then Etho's redstone prowess indicates his position on the other side of that brain. Two sides of the same coin, to be less verbose.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Very interesting analogy- no wonder they complement each other so well as a duo! Thanks for the comment!

[@adrianwong6670]

EthosLab: I'M THE GOAT Frostbyte the GOAT: Should we stop him or... Techno the true goat: Let him have his moment

[@cwsmio-trio1267]

Nah man Technoblade will always be the true minecraft goat in my heart

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

Fair and valid! Blood for the blood god.

[@Mellohi_wither]

​@FrostbyteFreeman One of Us! One of Us!

[@seallove]

For me the Minecraft goat will always be a Polish youtuber magdalenamariamonika (first name is Magdalena), even though she isn't exclusively a Minecraft KZbinr. Her channel is a gaming/let's play channel. I've been watching her videos for over 10 years now. She's not a pro at Minecraft, but her personality and charisma along with her passion for gaming are why she's one of my favourite KZbinrs. I have to admit though, keeping up with her daily 2 half-hour videos is impossible for me haha She has a long running Minecraft series like Ethos too. "Minecraft na obcasach" (Minecraft on heels👠👠???) has been running for 13 years and is still going :)

[@radnbad95]

My GOAT is GeminiTay. I started playing minecraft after i watched a gtlive stream minecraft phone, but when you dont know anything about the game, the learning curves is steep. Also my computer was very potato level, so i cant get very far in my solo worlds. It was a very meh game for me. I was watching hermitcraft back then (mostly tango,welsknight and stress) but the game was never interesting enough for me. It wasnt until i watched Gems skyblock series that the minecraft bug really bit me. The way she talks, the way she builds was so inspiring. I WANTED to play. Ive had the game close to 3 years by then but now I want to play. So yeah. Shes my GOAT

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

This is so cool, thanks so much for sharing your story and your perspective here! Gem definitely has quite the way of ordering her builds and structuring the progression of her play to stem from a very naturally developing theme!

[@OksanaSean]

Unconventionality and limitless possibilities… Yes. These 2 phrases absolutely sum up who Etho is and why he is the greatest of all time. Thanks for doing this video. Also, go watch King of Ladders. It’s almost an hour of incredible and relentless ladder clutches by Etho and his buddies.

[@FrostbyteFreeman]

That's why they call him Ladders! Thank *you* for the comment and the kind words, I'm happy you appreciated it for what it was!

[@euturuo]

well, as i didn't see anyone comment, i would say that Mumbo is a great MC GOAT candidate. But as a brazilian, I need to say that our GOAT is Viniccius13, having the longest survival serie here and being an incredible redstoner.