The Psychology of Self-Doubt - The Legend of Vox Machina: Pike's Purpose - Therapist Reacts!

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What happens when self-doubt creeps in and stops you from being the best you? Psychotherapist Georgia Dow demonstrates why Pike from "The Legend of Vox Machina" needed to go and find herself and her true purpose.
#Pike #VoxMachina
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[@aleksanderzaremba9695]

I love response of Grog, when Pike tells him that she finally knows who she is. it was sth like "well duh, you're pike my best friend. You could ask me that before we went"

[@scootergsp]

In a way, this reminds me of a line said in on of the recent Muppet movies: "believing in other people is easy; but believing in yourself can be one of the hardest things in the world..."

[@GeorgiaDow]

Muppets

[@wtimmins]

I'm not a religious person, but the conversation between Pike and the Everlight fills me with emotion. Man, such a beautifully written scene.

[@GeorgiaDow]

it is so poignant

[@WaywardVet]

I love how Grog doesn't really grasp any of this but still spits a gem. Pike's "Long dark tea time of the soul" where she's struggling to find who she is, and in typical Grog fashion, just a simple response of "Duh. You're my best friend". My bestie was talking about how she's happy now. All i could come up with was "You were always ok, even when you weren't ok".

[@GeorgiaDow]

yes it was so perfect loving and simple

[@elbruces]

Interestingly enough, that was the Everlight's message for her too.

[@mgormley7530]

I love Pike. Ashley had to be across country filming Blindspot for so much of Campaigns 1 and 2, that her characters missed a lot. But when they were there they were always a highlight. Something worth knowing that hasn't been said in the show, but is supposed to be common knowledge in the show/world of Exandria is that Pike's Goddess Sarenrae is the goddess of forgiveness and second chances. I'm glad Pike was able to give herself some of that

[@suntiger745]

It's shown in the animation, and even more in the livestream campaign - Vox Machina are functional without Pike, but they are not complete without Pike. There are many moments I love with her, in both mediums. The Turn/Destroy Undead moment was awesome in both the animation and the livestream, as was her fight against Sylas and Delilah. It's really the smaller moments that really makes her shine for me though. The way she's a big sister to Grog, the way she cares about people in general, and Vox Machina in particular. You just feel better when she's around. She's equally down for a helping hand or a heal as she is for kicking ass and taking names. To me she's the epitome of 'kindness is not weakness'. The way she deal with Taryon's ignorance and arrogance, as well as her own family are also both touching and very funny. And of course, one of my favorite moments is when she teaches Grog how to read. :)

[@davidprince6877]

Pike took an axe to the chest to pull Grog to safety and was happy to do it. There's a reason Grog always does what she asks. Not as big, but just Pike being a solid friend. When she was curing Keyleth of alcohol poisoning but tried to leave just enough for her to keep her buzz.

[@insomnaholic]

The line that stuck with me the most from the whole series is when Pike admits her truth: "When I'm with my friends, we-we mix it up and we drink and fight and curse and...I love it."

[@nathanhardesty3742]

It's honestly the coolest thing that you cosplay the character you analyze. It's like you're showing us you understand them mentally AND physically!

[@Thundarr100]

Only question is, “What is she going to wear when she does her analysis of Grog?”

[@Crimsonking120]

@@Thundarr100 she did grog. In keyleth custom tho

[@GeorgiaDow]

sorry I did grog right after I did keyleth next time if I do another grog it will be more grog like promise

[@davidparkes7741]

@@GeorgiaDow That's cool, though I feel like I should warn you, most Grog cosplays have nothing on top, lol. Though I think he's dressed up for formal occasions.

[@Thundarr100]

@@Crimsonking120 I think I missed that one. I’ve definitely seen her take on Percy, Vex, Keyleth, Scanlan, and now Pike, but I don’t remember seeing her take on Grog.

[@etrecklefrancois2792]

Pike Astral Projecting at the Sun Tree was one of/if not the most kick ass moment of the series. Truly a jump out of your seat moment for me. Thanks!

[@wtimmins]

It honestly ranks up there with Captain America picking up Mjölnir, for me.

[@anonymousfellow8879]

The only moment that truly rivals it is VA collectively taking out -Dracula- Lord Briarwood as standout moments for individual arcs + development as a group

[@thehappyaipom]

Fantastic analysis aside here: Ashley Johnsons VA as Pike in the show is am absolute highlight to me. I know all of them are fantastic voice actors with vast talent; but I can't help but feel Ashley truly shined in her Voice Acting as Pike. The emotion felt so real and believable, and the amount of personality she puts in each sentence is instantly noticeable as Ashley and Pike

[@damienberry974]

i just realized shes also Ellies VA from the last of us!

[@Alex-sz1ys]

You know who really surprised me was Marisha! I actually thought Keyleth was my favorite voice in the series. As someone who never heard her VO work before I thought she was awesome.

[@thehappyaipom]

@@Alex-sz1ys I liked Marisha a lot. She definately surprised me the most I will say. But I feel like there were a few noticeable lines that felt forced to me, but that may just be me overthinking things

[@spikertaker]

And then came the embodiment of her true self, as Faerne.

[@LAnimeMaster]

@@spikertaker Faerne is a gem. I'm so glad she there on a consistent basis now.

[@brianlewolfhunt]

Pike was always a personal favorite of mine. In a lot of ways, she is the moral center of the group and her very presence made them all better. I love how they took her absence from the group (which in the game was due to her needing to be elsewhere for her job) and turned it into a deeply meaningful journey.

[@GeorgiaDow]

Yes and it was so well played in the show

[@StevenJQuinlan]

I love Pike's journey in season 1. Ashley Johnson put absolutely 100% into her performance and if I never thought of 'sup' as a pre ass kicking one liner, I absolutely love it nonetheless. I wish I had her confidence in herself

[@GeorgiaDow]

yes she really embodied it well

[@patrickmcisaac3142]

She said during the watch along that she wanted to say "hellloooo" in a high pitched awkward way and I would have LOVED that, but still do like what they went with.

[@StevenJQuinlan]

@@patrickmcisaac3142 oh that would have been amazing.

[@MatthewSmith-pv6gd]

It might be too late for you to actually see this, but I wanted to share my favorite aspect of Pike's journey to find the Ever Light. When she finally finds the light and power and as she approaches it, when she gets close enough to see the form this power takes she doesn't see some mysterious, otherworldly being. The form she sees is herself. I can't fully put it to words, but it feels so significant that at the core of the power it's really her.

[@TrueTgirl]

I think one of my favorite moments of Pike's many amazing moments is when she finally owns the warrior she knows she is, the kind of person she loves to be, yet framed as a confession of guilt before her god, and Sarenrae's response is that no, she does not have to choose. She can be anyone in the light as long as she's herself. God I loved that, the assurance that she is enough just as she is and doesn't need to hold herself back to be able to walk in the light.

[@maxmustsleep]

can't wait for the episode about Trinket, the most underrated character!

[@grimm516]

Season 2 hopefully

[@rhokesh4391]

@@grimm516 I wonder if Vex'll get Speak with Animals in the cartoon... ;)

[@ryan76043]

I don’t know. Talking about Trinket’s issues... That might be too dark for KZbin audiences.

[@DieDieNacho]

@@ryan76043 This is sadly ture considering how Vex and Trinket met.. 🥲

[@GeorgiaDow]

i think trinket will happen LOL

[@ladyliza8443]

I think what's interesting about Pike and her spiritual connection is that her connection doesn't start to fade UNTIL people start to doubt her as a holy person. Before that, as far as we the audience know, the connection was fine. She's not your typical high holy priestess, she's a warrior cleric. She internalized that doubt from her being different then the traditional priest, and that made her sever the connection. It's only when the Everlight points out that she can be whoever she is and still be a holy person that the connection is restored. I think this demonstrates that you can be something in your own way. If you're not a stereotypical teacher/scholar/student/priest, it's fine. You don't have to be what everyone expects of you

[@obara7366]

Oof...this one hit hard. I constantly disappoint and fall short of evedy obligation in my life. I will try and do my best to be a Pike. May I find my Everlight. Thank you so much for always educating us on how to live well for ourselves and those around us.

[@khoinguyen5004]

Youre not alone, mate

[@j.bat.8235]

For what it's worth, you're not alone. No one can search on your behalf, but just know that you stand with others.

[@GeorgiaDow]

i hope you find your light and dont let doubt cloud it

[@davidparkes7741]

Amen to that.

[@maxxam4665]

I needed to stop at 3:16 because the discourse around placing our values in items and tokens became so real to me. Writing has always being my life, but sometimes I need to read a passage from Tolkien or other writers to feel "worthy" of writing, as I can write only if I read it. I even stand idle for hours without getting a single word out because of that. Never really understood it was like that until I heard it and I (not) almost broke into tears. Thank you, in some ways. I needed to hear that.

[@obara7366]

Same. I'm rooting for you! 💕💖

[@maxxam4665]

@@obara7366 Thank you! And I root for you!

[@GeorgiaDow]

Rooting for you all

[@ashrannafkhiend9728]

As a writer myself, sometimes it takes days, months, or even years to finish a writing project. Don't get discouraged because you're having a hard time finding words or figuring out where to go. You got this.

[@TriXJester]

1:25 The thing with this analysis is that Pike is a Cleric and when you are a Cleric in D&D you actually are required to have a Holy Symbol to channel your powers through, this is not her placing her belief in a trinket, that is her actual physical connection with her deity being broken. Gods in D&D are much more literal than in real life where they are actually beings that grant powers to those they deem worthy of that power. That's what makes Paladins, Clerics, and Warlocks work, their reliance on a powerful being syphoning them that power. So saying that her belief in something thats "not even real" is not really as applicable to Pike as it might be to real people. 4:55 I actually interpreted that as the Everlight overloading her because of the severed connection that the Goddess actually poured to much power into her, if you notice that during that sequence theres a burst of flames coming from her chest where the Holy Symbol used to sit, and since Everlight is associated with fire and the sun, it seemed to me that Pike had put up a dam and when she connected to the holy energy of the location she was in it broke the dam and overloaded her. 6:25 When I was first watching this episode I was kind of thrown through a loop because the Everlight's speech and how that scene played out actually ended up sounding pretty Quaker. I'm a practicing Quaker and was truly surprised about how much that the whole scene sounded almost exactly like a discussion I had with a Meeting leader as a child. We literally have a song called "Walk in the Light". If you've never looked into the philosophies behind the Society of Friends and felt a connection to what the Everlight said, I'd recommend looking it up.

[@obara7366]

And yes, I would love a scene analysis on Nebula (which I have, hehe). How about the final battle with Vox Machina and Percy's group demon shadow thing. Now that I think about it, it is probably the embodiment of Freud's concept if the shadow.

[@Ryprovis]

wow. thank you. Pike has always been my favorite but now, thanks to your brilliant and lamens-terms breakdown of really subtle personality traits...(you're incredible) I realized she's one my favs cuz I am a lot like her; at war with themselves, afraid of failing, then when you did, it broke you. I'm currently on this journey to 'get my EverLight back.' I love this series. So truly, thank you :) edit: I'm really thankful when you get emotional btw. Cuz I too am so empathetic and can feel and cry so deeply. thank you. omg I love this series you do :)

[@GeorgiaDow]

I hope you find your everlight also and thank you for letting me know about your emotionality and welcoming mine as well

[@Ryprovis]

@@GeorgiaDow thank you so much. This channel has been such a bright spot.

[@Saberwolf71]

I learned a new word today "catastrophizing" thanks to you, I understood the concept, but I never knew of a specific term that went with that way of thinking. I will absolutely keep in in mind. Thanks again. As always your cosplay as part of your analysis was awesome!

[@GeorgiaDow]

Excellent!

[@AlanahAzura]

One of the many many reasons I adore clerics! Pike was one of the inspirations behind my first ever D&D characters as they badass little Monstah captured my heart with her gauntlets! Also I agree that her and Grog’s relationship is so wonderfully pure and adorable 🥹 The bestest buddies ☺️

[@GeorgiaDow]

they are so lovable together

[@lokithecat7225]

Tabletop: Pike murders a helpless, unconscious guard. Sanitized: Pike feels bad about drinking and having fun with friends.

[@GeorgiaDow]

Oh wow yeah that is completely different .... ha thanks

[@madwookie9844]

I would love to hear your thoughts on Iroh and Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender the animated series. They are my 2 favorite characters in fiction, their relationship is so beautiful.

[@deltablaze77]

Extra cool Cosplay! (P.S.- You talk about it in your video on Delilah, but when she is silenced and then breaks the magic spell with nothing but her pure emotional cry...even though she is the bad-guy I can't keep my eyes dry in that moment, that was my favorite scene/moment)

[@GeorgiaDow]

it is such a beautiful moment and I feel for Delilah and that primal scream

[@grimm516]

I love your full pike cosplay 😍, very nice holy symbols ;) As for this video, really good i pike is such a cool character really wish I was a bit more like pike. One of my fav scenes I was so hyped to see from the original stream was her gandalf moment. fun little trivia thing about that moment the only reason it exists is because Ashley johnson was filming blindspot at the time and couldn't join the d&d game most of the time but when she was able to join Matt-(DM) made a joke about Ashley astral projecting in from NYC ( Skyping in) for the game. Anyway that moment is so good and the fight scene following it is so good... Thanks again 😀 for your work

[@GeorgiaDow]

Thank you Grimm for the appreciation and sharing

[@grimm516]

@@GeorgiaDow no worries thank you for your efforts 😊

[@TheDrexxus]

Pike's actual story from the game is very different to what was depicted in the show, as are her reasons for appearing and disappearing randomly. The actual reason Pike's pendant started to break and she began to lose her connection to her goddess was because Pike as a character was becoming evil. Ashley Johnson is good at playing a lovey dovey motherly type, but she also has chaotic and violent tendencies (just like Travis) and just likes to kill people and break things. That is one of the reasons PIke and Grog are so close, they both felt very aggressive and violent a lot of the time. Grog's nickname for her was even "Monsta" because of this. When Ashley created PIke originally, she was a healer and had a healing subclass, but she told the DM she just wasn't enjoying that quite as much and felt trapped in that healing role when she would rather be fighting and beating things up. So as part of Pike's alignment starting to shift because of her brutal ways (i think she murdered someone? I dont remember exactly. Maybe she just showed zero compassion or empathy or something, I really dont recall) Matt allowed her to change her subclass from the healing one to the War Cleric which gave her different abilities that were more focused on combat. In older editions of D&D, if a character like a priest or paladin ever did anything that was a violation of their god's ethos, they could lose their powers and they had to undergo some sort of atonement to ask forgiveness and regain those powers. Thats more or less what Pike did, she kind of redefined her relationship to her goddess and was allowed to embrace those more violent tendencies without punishment as long as she didn't push it too far. And of course her disappearing and reappearing was purely due to Ashely being an actress on Blindspot, much to the lament of all critical role fans worldwide because she had long stints of not being able to play while filming new episodes. Matt gave her the angelic light manifestation thing as a way to explain away why she just showed up randomly in the middle of whitestone to help them and why she snuffed out and disappeared after she wasn't able to play anymore. In the show, they made it seem more like a crisis of her own faith in herself rather than her deity getting mad at her for going against her creed, and made it more about accepting who she is inside to regain her power. But in reality, Ashley just likes killing people hahaha Edit: I found this compilation video of things PIke did and went through, and its very long, but if you just watch the first minute and a half of it, you can see what she did and how she first developed the cracks in her medallion. I haven't watched the entire thing yet so i'm sure more of her story is there, but just the first 1.5 minutes here shows exactly why she was having issues. She slit the throat of a defenseless person. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5LYoZyofd5_acU

[@GeorgiaDow]

thanks so much for sharing the backstory to this makes it so much richer

[@davidprince6877]

Wasn't part of her being gone story wise also her rebuilding a temple in Vasselheim?

[@TheDrexxus]

@@davidprince6877 Yes, rebuilding the temple at Vasselheim was the story element Matt introduced for the sole purpose of justifying her absence in game. It's just like how Matt got Jester and Fjord and Yasha all kidnapped in Campaign 2 because Laura and Travis just had a baby and weren't going to be around for a while and Ashely was, once again, filming Blindspot. XD Matt is good at coming up with in-game excuses for the character's absence.

[@TheDrexxus]

@Tin Watchman It is certainly interesting how they are sort of "rewriting history" in a way. It allows them to cleanup plot points and dialog a bit too because some conversations can be a bit rough since it is all improv, especially conversations with Marisha haha. Marisha's Keyleth in the show is a LOT more likable than she was in the game. I had a hard time enjoying any of Marisha's game characters until she made Laudna. I friggin love Laudna and she plays her SO WELL it is amazing. She is really tapping into something there.

[@TheHighSorcerer]

Personally I think a lot of people(self included) could benefit from having a deity who goes "Alright, I'm gonna set you on fire until you're honest with yourself. Here we go, harsh truth time."

[@Naroru]

I cried too Georgia 🥺❤️ while watching the episode and again while watching this video, thank you! I will really try to own who I am too, it can be so hard 🥺

[@GeorgiaDow]

[@greyscaleadaven]

All of these CR analyses have been great so far! Love the cosplay, it's spot on fr. I know it's a big ask because Campaign 2 isn't animated, nor is it really condensed but I would LOVE to see you cover some of the characters at one point or another. Maybe one day it will be animated like Vox Machina was, but for now unfortunately it isn't. Though with the success of the first season, I wouldn't be surprised if it gets covered eventually. The characters are rife with moral greyness, so I genuinely think it would make for a compelling topic.

[@joshuaharris3039]

If you could, I’d like to go over Vox Machina defeating the Blue Dragon solely for the ending where Vax flicks the coin saying “We got him”.

[@damianstarks3338]

Great cosplay and character analysis as always.

[@GeorgiaDow]

thank you Damian =)

[@damianstarks3338]

@@GeorgiaDow keep these awesome character analysis and cosplay coming.

[@candleinthedark4520]

Pike’s story arc was the highlight of season one for me. During the first and second campaigns Ashley was very in and out because she was acting in Blindspot and while we got some snippets of what her character was doing in the meantime (and the Blindspot writers even snuck in an I’m a gnome cleric line for her when talking about d&d), getting this story just for her to tie everything together was amazing.

[@Disig]

Yes, I've been looking forward to this! I actually have a LOT of issues with self doubt, imposter syndrome and such. Pyke's tale really resonated with me. I'm still working on it but I try to remind myself to not linger on the bad and learn from it instead. It's not that I am a failure, it's just I haven't succeeded yet. And man is it hard. But I'll keep trying.

[@Catpuff818]

Yaaaas Pike! ;u; I love Pike I guess I'm a lot like her because I often realize a lot of my fear a doubt holds me back. I'm working on that and hope to be my own version of badass Pike x3

[@Rayne_Storms]

If you do a compilation one for VM, I'd love for you to look at their found family dynamics and how they support each other.

[@earthlydreamers7565]

Just some interesting background but both for both Sam and Ashley (Scanlan and Pike) this was the first D&D game either of them played. Coincidentally Liam (Vax) invited Ashley to join and when Sam was trying to come up with Scanlan he asked Liam what the most ridiculous/worst character could be, Liam threw out Gnome bard and it sorta snowballed from there. Some more background: The reason Vex and Vax are twins is because Laura (Vex) and Liam have the same birthday.

[@alexdoiron8419]

You have my respect for being willing to try an analysis of this character. That aside, I'm not sure that you quite hit the mark. Pike has a genuine, real, and provable connection to the divine. The 'Everlight' , and her connection to it, is an external source of worth. This is an entity beyond mortal understanding that grants her power and abilities, not because it has to, but because it sees value in her. I don't know what effect that would have on your psyche, but it wouldn't be small. This isn't entirely an internal journey on Pike's part. She is trying to reestablish her connection to the 'Everlight', which is a thinking and intelligent entity with motivations of its own. It is portrayed as passive. That Pike lost her connection because of her own self doubts, but I had the impression that it was also trying to teach her a lesson about herself. Essentially the 'Everlight' was trying to change how Pike thinks, trying to change who she is. Like I said, I don't think you quite hit the mark in your analysis.

[@GeorgiaDow]

Appreciate that and I would say that for most clerics that would be the case but in this case the mother and the everlight both said it was herself which stopped her connection not the other way around. In the show that is in the campaign I am aware it was a different story

[@ashrannafkhiend9728]

Something you missed a bit in this video. When the Briarwoods first fought Vox Machina and they get away, Percy yells at the rest of the party, blaming them. Pike is the only one who doesn't flinch away, likely because she's so consumed in what's happening in her own mind to even notice what's going on around her.

[@GeorgiaDow]

That is a great catch !!

[@mattewald9378]

Thank you so much for this series. It might be cool to explore the dynamic of the emotional moments from the critical role live streams and being able to see how these moments are impacting both the characters in the story as well as the real life players at the table as they experience these things through their characters. I know that would be quite the undertaking though

[@Blue-in2hi]

Thank you for the amazing content! I love your psychological analysis as well as cosplays! Your amazing 💙

[@GeorgiaDow]

Thank you so much!!

[@SebasTian58323]

Man, I'd love to see a video like this for characters from the show Code Geass, but that's a big difference in episode count and characters.

[@estoy1001]

It should be noted that Pike's powers were being amplified by the Everlight Temple- The Everlight added her strength to Pike to make her an avatar of the goddess- which could only be accomplished once Pike's mental block was removed.

[@davidparkes7741]

Woo Pike!! Love that lil Monstah as Grog will say. Besides Tiberius (who I can completely understand if you don't cover him given everything) I think that's Vox Machina done.... Well there's still Trinket but still, lol.

[@suntiger745]

Well, there's Taryon, eventually. Still a ways to go for him though. :)

[@GeorgiaDow]

Trinket may just be a thing =)

[@davidparkes7741]

@@suntiger745 Oh true, how did I forget Tary? My bad. Also, yay! Love that bear.

[@temix3142]

I really appreciate your insights and commentary on Pike and her journey. I love Ashley and enjoyed her character from the original campaign but it took this animated series to really identify with her. It's painful but beautiful journey I connect to deeply.

[@GeorgiaDow]

She does a wonderful job with Pike and I enjoyed her optimism and skills in voice acting. You must carry some of those traits in connecting with her as well

[@storyjumper]

You should do the scene where Percy's demon turns him against the group. That whole process. Probably from Anna to the Briarwood's deaths.

[@moonlight2870]

I think the fact Pike is religious worsen her fears. She didn't feel like she had to be good enough for herself alone, but also good enough for the Everlight.

[@LightingbladeShen]

Dunno if this was said by the cast or by the fans, but Pike is the Moral compass/heart of Vox Machina. SHe's the strongest of them (according to Grog) and a nice sweetheart. But also a lil Monstah!

[@BigDaddyBubChub]

LOVE the mini cosplays you cook up for these vids, such a small but enjoyable detail, keep up the great vids!!!

[@GeorgiaDow]

appreciate you thx

[@maxmustsleep]

Again a fantastic breakdown of her character in the show! I really love how different the characters personalities are and how they interact with each other. also: did you make that necklace yourself or is that a thing you can buy? It does look awesome

[@GeorgiaDow]

I made the necklace myself =) it was fun to do. Thanks

[@scott4092]

Yes! Very good analysis, and there's a lot of stuff I needed to hear. I'm getting in my own way too, on a lot of things. I'm working on it though. What could I do if I believed in myself? What am I really capable of?

[@lordorion5776]

I can't wait until you get too see the Cromaconclave arc I wouldn't be surprised if it encompasses more then one season

[@vmill9208]

I resonate a lot with Pike, and hearing your comments sorta made me cry a little. 🥲

[@KAINSAMA]

You should revisit the Scanlan episode after watching "A bard's lament" :)

[@moogle890]

I just finished binge watching all of these Vox Machina reacts and subscribed. Your insights are always so cool. I know you probably would never have time to watch the dozens of hours of the other campaigns, but i'd love to see you analyze characters like Imogen from Campaign 3

[@GeorgiaDow]

Cool, thanks! and I may we will see

[@dormishaeli]

Thank you for the Failures & fears insight, I needed to hear that. Also, wonderful analysis and cosplay as always! So happy you're covering this showww

[@GeorgiaDow]

Thank you so much!

[@romantheflash]

Great video, and loving all of the cosplays as well. Pike is one of my favorite characters, so enjoyed the insight here.

[@FreelancerLA]

Great breakdown of Pike's arc and character! I hope the cast has gotten the chance to see these videos!

[@GeorgiaDow]

I hope so too! who knows =)

[@obara7366]

Woo! Another G.D. video! I'll comment on the subject matter when I finish watching, but would you please consider reacting to "Kotaro Lives Alone" on Netflix? Its about a 4 year old child who lives alone (while unusual, it can be possible in Japan, and 2-6 year olds run errands often in Japan) and there are hints and bits of information revealed that speak of a past of abuse and neglect. The adults in his apartment building help care for him, and he may do more for them than they will realise.

[@GeorgiaDow]

i will look into it

[@obara7366]

@@GeorgiaDow I know you're very busy so thank you for considering it. Truly!

[@brendanhart517]

I only just realised that you cosplay for like every one of these videos and they were awesome enough without noticing it, the cosplay just adds more, great videos and really fascinating to lok at shows and characters from a different point of view

[@GeorgiaDow]

why thank you that means a lot to me. It takes a bit of time for each so knowing they are appreciated and that it adds to the videos is nice.

[@jcnorn]

I'm running out of ways to express my utter delight and hype for every video you doing of these dorky and nerdy characters

[@GeorgiaDow]

Aww thank you i really appreciate you noticing it and commenting. yes it was a lot of fun to make. I dont think I will do arts videos though I love watching and doing them but who knows hehe.

[@Azriel637]

5:30 One could almost say Pike has ....Passed through fire.

[@herothebard]

I really identify with pike because I often catastrophize and make things out to be worse then they are, I struggle with not being perfect and with believing in myself. How you spoke about resiliency is 100% more helpful then my therapists telling me “your really resilient” like gods as I tired of being resilient, I tired of picking myself up. But when you phrased it that way “failing is a skill. It actually about practicing residency which means getting back up after bad things happen” but then going on to say after that “the first time you fail, you might be filled with self-doubt so much so that you give up on your dreams or might change your entire skill set or even comply start to doubt who you are as a person.” That really hit me that I have struggled a lot and yes learned to be resilient, learned how to put myself back together, but I have never questioned myself or doubted my goals. My struggle has always been with being loved and accepted by other people, because I already know who I am even if I fail I know how to endure. What is heartbreaking for me is never being able to live up to the expectations of other people.

[@AceTaxiaGaming]

The white in your hair reminds me of Pikes original look. Her hair bleached white after a resurrection. It was originally black with purple streaks

[@GeorgiaDow]

Oh wow didnt know that. Thanks

[@stevencavanagh7990]

I love that pike is divided between doing what she thinks her faith demands and been a sinner, and the Everlight is like, 'why not Both, just stop lying to yourself about it'

[@GeorgiaDow]

Hahah yes it is perfect hopefully we can all be kinder to ourselves

[@dangerbeans9639]

I had to watch the entire series just so I could watch these videos. Great content.

[@GeorgiaDow]

hope it was worth it

[@TheDemonicPancake]

In the original show, her holey symbol cracks because she was doing sketchy stuff in the eyes of her deity, and it was a warning that they would take away her powers if she doesn't act in accordance to the deities virtue and morals. She truly wasn't being "good" enough lol I do like how they changed it though. Also her powers 100% need her holey symbol or they don't work either in dnd. So if she lost it she would lose her ability to heal and buff her friends and just be OK at swinging a mace. She would probably leave vm because she isn't strong enough to keep up without her spell casting. They would want to keep her but she would probably die. Again. Later she gets a magic item that makes her stronger but her health is still pretty low as a spellcasting class. I love your breakdown! It's just funny because in the og show, everything you're saying is actually the opposite lol her symbol is the root of her power and she really wasn't being good enough lol

[@bouboulroz]

While the part about placing power into items would be valid in real life, this would be one of the rare cases where the item does carry power. I don't want to go too much into d&d mechanical details but the holy symbol does allow Pike to cast some of her better spells. [EDIT] But that's just a minor nitpick which doesn't take away from the quality of your analysis. I would also add that in the end credits of one of the episodes, Scanlan sing a song about Pike and mention an "unsavory family." Coming from a family with a bad reputation, I think it would make sense for the religious Pike to judge her own indulgence with more severity, as it would make her more "like them" in her mind, further feeding her insecurities.

[@rimurutempest4945]

True, but I think it still applies to Pike, since she placed her faith too much on the Everlight and not on herself, she didn’t even recognize that the problem is not with the artifact, but with her. It literally took her own goddess to point it out to her to realize that her conflict was an intrinsic one, that the problem was a conflict within herself than with the holy symbol itself,

[@bouboulroz]

@@rimurutempest4945 correct, hence my edit. While the object does hold power, the analysis stays true.

[@rimurutempest4945]

@@bouboulroz Gotcha, replied before the edit so I didn’t notice that lol.

[@GeorgiaDow]

fully take that point also =)

[@elbruces]

As a side note, holy symbols are easily replaceable. They're like 5gp on the equipment list.

[@RagnarokAvatar]

All that's left now is Gilmore, Sylas, General Krieg, and Trinket

[@failurextreme7084]

Another really excellent video and the cosplay is adorable.

[@GeorgiaDow]

yay thanks

[@Greenteajohn]

I swear I love your videos so much. The way you deeply analyze every character in such a unique way is so amazing. You deserve way more subscribers. I don't know if you are familiar with the game Little Nightmares, it is a really popular new horror game. Even though the characters don't talk they are soo deep. Little Nightmares 2 specially is really interesting because I feel like one of the characters has an anxious attachmnent style while the other one is avoidant. The community still goes wild looking for theories, and looking it up through the lens of psychology might be really interesting, plus it might get you a lot of views.

[@GeorgiaDow]

Yes I am actually the game is completely awesome and I love the way it is animated =)) maybe I will Last of us 2 is next

[@Greenteajohn]

@@GeorgiaDow Thank you! And ooh the last of us 2 is also amazing! I'm already excited to see that :D

[@Fsudryden]

I would like to say in D&D clerics have to carry a symbol of there god to use there power. So Pike thought the damaged symbol was there reason the power went away.

[@GeorgiaDow]

Yes they do but as the great mother said it will never leave her she was the reason it left ( yes not in Dnd though as you do need it )

[@Finalshadic]

Your dedication to get a fitting outfit every single time is so damn cool, it always blows me away :D

[@GeorgiaDow]

Thanks it is really nice that they are appreciated and enjoyed. I find it a lot of fun so I am happy people like it

[@carrot-love-to-watch-youtube]

Therapist Reacts was the only reason why I started watching the show, because I wanted to watch Georgia's analys videos XDDD

[@GeorgiaDow]

AWW that is so kind of you

[@porkchop4401]

Cant wait to see more seasons of this show.

[@StonedHunter]

What I love about this part in the show is that it gave context and narrative/character weight to what was in reality, Ashley not being able to participate in the original campaign for several weeks due to filming something else at the time. What was once a convenient excuse for why the team's Cleric couldn't go with them to a place where they were obviously going to very much need a Cleric into a deep and personal journey for Pike. It was one of the big things I was hoping for with the show and I was not disappointed at all. Also if you watch the campaign you really get to see just how much Pike is the moral compass of the group. She really is their light. The way the entire party acts when Pike is there and when she isn't is like night and day, and even the players are all really happy whenever Ashley would come back.

[@GeorgiaDow]

That is great they took something which had to happen and made it make the campaign richer

[@JasperAyeee]

Ashley's acting is so moving in this series.

[@GeorgiaDow]

yes she has a wonderful voice and intonation

[@caffeinedelusions]

One of the girls at All Ages of Geek needs to watch this video, because she can't seem to see Pike's arc in anything other than religious terms, and it keeps her from actually seeing the point of the whole thing.

[@jeffhale1189]

I enjoyed the analysis. Thanks for sharing. Blessings on your day!

[@GeorgiaDow]

You are so welcome

[@edrick1976]

I would like all of Vox Machina videos edited together.

[@isaacgleeth3609]

I guess Pike's absence during most of VM's time in Whitestone was a _BLIND SPOT_ in the plan.

[@GeorgiaDow]

Ha I see what you did there.

[@digitaldevil696]

I think that Pike's relationship and interaction with the Everlight is a beautiful metaphor for the relationship between God and people in religion. I know it's a touchy subject, so I'll try my best to not offend someone else's religious feelings and beliefs. I come from the orthodox Christian background, and there always was a strong sentiment of "God will punish you if you'll do something inappropriate", especially from the elder folks. I feel like Pike places her own feeling of inadequacy into her religion too because she kinda shares the similar sentinel/fallacy initially. However, humans/mortals aren't meant to be perfect. Like, the holy texts actively suppose, that humans are not perfect, and people so often translate the imperfection into their inner guilt and then project it into the world as well, actively discouraging those around them from trying and failing. My belief is that no matter how big our failures are, as long as we're trying to struggle on and keep our integrity while doing so (which itself is not an easy task), we should at least give ourselves some credit for the effort.

[@GeorgiaDow]

and the relationship with unconditional love.

[@parker_fyraga5150]

Georgia: “…or carrying a trinket” Me: MY BOI

[@giorgiabarbanera4466]

Hello, I love your videos 💛and I was wondering if maybe you could do some Vis a Vis video tho? This would be so cool, especially hearing what you think of Zulema and her actions. 🥺

[@thebipolargamer3052]

From a psychological point of view these videos are fascinating and entertaining to sit back and go huh that explains a lot-the percy video being my favorite one from a psychological point of view- but there are other points that are more along the lines of well thats just how dnd is played. Like all spellcasters have some focus point to use their magic and for clerics its their holy symbol. For Pike its her medallion to the Everlight. So while its intresting to hear about making objects focal points for attachment and self-worth, from a dnd player standpoint its an arcane focus. But thats not saying that each character doesnt have their own attachments to their focus. They all do so its a blend of both which is also fun to think about and adds to the characters.

[@jamesgrieves2669]

6:05 This section on fear hit home quite a bit. Maybe I need therapy!

[@Xaforn]

It certainly wouldn’t hurt for everyone to give it a shot they say

[@Zubatron82]

Okay but I can't be the only one that would love to see Georgia delve into ATLA content, Zuko, Azula, Aang, Katara all would provide awesome videos I'm sure. Plus the cosplay is strong

[@GeorgiaDow]

I will totally see about it =))

[@Luptonium]

While the story in the show is a bit different, she gets this wild gremlin energy later that I hope gets preserved.

[@johncarter8103]

Can you do Commander Shepard from mass effect love the video

[@lonelyrunner397]

Continuing my advocation for anime characters like: light(death note) alfonsxeduard(fma brotherhood) eren (aot).

[@devonm042690]

The knowledge of our own strengths drives us. The knowledge of our own flaws grounds us. If we acknowledge our strengths but fail to acknowledge our flaws, that drive becomes recklessness or arrogance. If we acknowledge our flaws but fail to acknowledge our strengths, that grounding only serves to hold us back.

[@rimurutempest4945]

Man, your cosplay game is always on point

[@GeorgiaDow]

Thanks !

[@arson55]

So...video about the Percival/Vex dynamic? I do think it interesting that the two people who are most inclined to hold themselves separate seem to be forming a bond themselves.

[@GeorgiaDow]

yes that is coming up. How did you know =)

[@arson55]

@@GeorgiaDow It seemed an interesting topic to cover. And, yay.

[@Thanatos545]

Firstly I love your content!! and secondly I’d love to see you do a video on the characters from umbrella academy

[@GeorgiaDow]

Great suggestion!

[@clownzzz4837]

Thanks for the video.

[@rcschmidt668]

Nice lesson gleaned from character narrative brought on by Ashley leaving to go film The Blindside. True that we all have flaws to deal with.

[@GeorgiaDow]

Thank you for that information RC

[@rael1hp]

Except that the thing that broke was literally Pike's holy symbol. It's the conduit between her and her goddess. Pike is a badass, but her magical power, her ability to heal, her golden blasts, come through her connection to the Everlight, and without the holy symbol she has no magic. The broken holy symbol was way more literal that just her putting her stock into an item. Remember that LoVM started as a D&D game *first,* and that's how the game works. No focus, no powers. A caster being separated from their spellcasting focus (in Pike's case, her holy symbol) means they cannot function as their class dictates.

[@ProfBrunoClemente]

Amazing video, as always

[@quincyconnors9391]

1:50 But what happens if you put your negative aspects into those objects? Like fear, sadness, rage, loneliness, etc? How badly does that affect mental health?