Is Sam Even Old Enough To Get Married?

[@dancergal1223]

The "fine, I'll just never skateboard again" line is what really skeeved me out about Sam. It's such a manipulative and immature line, even if not intentionally manipulative.

[@Leapalot]

Right? Like he wanted Mayor Lewis to apologize for calling him out. 😬

[@teatime2440]

I have a slight suspicion he’s gotten it from his mom… which is really sad :(

[@via0567]

@@teatime2440 that’s what I was about to say! based off how she acts in the egg cutscene, it doesn’t seem like she’s a very good role model in terms of emotional maturity and healthy communication. I think that also *partially* explains how Sam acts in 10 heart scene, because if he is potentially afraid of how Jodi responds to him breaking an egg, ofc he won’t be enthusiastic to explain to her that he’s in an adult relationship with the farmer. ofc none of these things *justify* some of his immaturity, but they do offer some insight to more of his character

[@MiuXiu]

Yeah it’s super bratty and immature, really puts me off

[@lazuliartz1296]

It's like when you call someone out for making an offensive joke and they go, "guess I'll just never tell another joke again" Such a petty and manipulative statement.

[@liiiiish]

My favorite thing about Sam is that he’s the most understanding/chill out of everyone in town. He understands that Vincent is too young to understand what’s up with their dad and tries his best to protect him. If he catches the farmer going through trash, instead of being disgusted like the rest of the townsfolk he asks you why you’re doing it. After you divorce him his dialogue is more sad and self-protective rather than aggressive and angry. I feel like with a family situation like his he should be more like Seb, but he still has fun, he has a job, he’s a perfectly functional and well-rounded adult. Idk, maybe I’m just biased, I love Sam. I married him on my main save file :’)

[@TheHannaLOL123]

that summed it up perfectly!

[@liiiiish]

@@TheHannaLOL123 thanks, I still adore Sam :D

[@poyayoo]

I married Sam too. My husband is similar to him tbh. so I also have a soft spot for him since I project what I believe hes like through who my husband is LOL

[@liiiiish]

@@poyayoo lmaooo

[@liiiiish]

@@giovanniPOTAGEE the man deserves his pizza!

[@ystacalden]

Given CA has stated that all the bachelors are 20+, Sam definitely feels like the "What's My Age Again?" lyrics to me.

[@SheilaDeBonis]

So wouldn't that be 23, since "no one likes you when you're 23"? Or do I have my Blink-182 lyrics mixed up? Lmao.

[@aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..]

He unironically looks like hes from blink too didnt one of the main guys have spiky dirty blond hair? And he plays guitar the coincidence. Its so strong guys 😤

[@pathetic2399]

He’s just an immature adult. Probably like 20-23 at the oldest

[@gabsy_ferreira]

OMG YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSS

[@TheVoidedRealm]

@@SheilaDeBonis" they only like you when you're 17 when you're 21 your no fun. They take a Polaroid and let you go, say they'll let you know, so come on" Is how I feel about Sam. I think he's old enough to be an adult but was probably used a lot because he looks young and when he said his age he gets rejected

[@seqka711]

I get why, considering years pass and no one ages, but I kind of wish the characters had canon ages. Like Sebastian, Abigail and Sam are all friends, and seemingly around the same age. But Sebastian works full time as a computer programmer and has a younger sister who's also a marriage candidate. Assuming he studied computer programming at college, he could easily be as old as 25 or 26. Abigail is still in college, so she's maybe a bit younger? Like 21 or 22, maybe? And Sam feels like he JUST graduated high school. 18 or 19. I feel like the "younger bachelors" are all supposed to be 29 or under and the "older bachelors" are supposed to be above 30. But I would prefer just having real numbers.

[@Leapalot]

It would be interesting to see what CA had in mind for ages. 🤔

[@AlishN7]

If you marry Sebastian, he quips about how he used to hang out with Sam all the time, but now doesn't... probably because they don't have anything meaningful to talk about anymore. It feels like they were more like friends of convenience? Since the community is so small and the pool of people of roughly the same age is even smaller, and in there finding those you have some shared interest with is basically all friend options you have... it's kind of sad.

[@GlenCocoon]

i think sam is actually as old as sebastian and abigail but a slacker... abigail started classes - sure. her family has significantly more money than sam's family so just starting classes and slacking is an option. he doesn't have money to waste so for now he jobs at the joja markt or the museum until he has figured stuff out. when you marry him he does figure stuff out..he is more the creative type i guess. sebastian didn't necessarily study, some people just start to code as teenagers and then, as adults, are good enough at it to start working BUT I AGREE that he is very childish. i just don't think he is several years younger than sebastian

[@itisyerdad]

There's actually dialogue about Seb is a few years older than Abigail and Sam.

[@FernandoRafaelNogueiraReis]

@@Leapalot IIRC he sees Clint on late 30s.

[@toryistatertot5394]

I think we all forget Sam is the product of a young relationship where the parents weren't fully adult. Just as he's maturing his father goes away to war and leaves a young mother to care for the kids. It's obvious they don't have a lot of money and mom is overprotective and stressed. It makes sense he'd prefer to lie to her (and others) not to stress her. He's protective of his mother and trying to be the father figure without guidance. His preferring to drop the skateboard forever is his first reaction and childish but he seems to realize that by the end of the scene. His desire to be in a band and travel is probably more his desire to be free of the strained family dynamics and odd town and see the world. As for the sneaking into the room...we've seen where hiding in the bushes can get people (Leap and George come to mind).

[@engelberthovel8566]

Yes! I feel that he’s doing his best given the circumstances, his home life is not very healthy. He obviously tries to do the right thing, considering his very sweet relationship with Vincent, and although things like the skateboard scene are kind of rude and immature, I really feel that it’s exaggerated. Yes, he kind of snapped, but I always got the feeling that it was because he damaged the flower beds by accident because he was distracted, and as a result wasn’t prepared for the Mayor to yell at him and kind of snapped as a result of being thrown off. We all have bad moments when we’re having a hard time (and Sam is obviously going through some tough stuff), and if Sam at his worst is just a few sulky or immature comments, I honestly think he’s a pretty good guy considering the circumstances. I don’t think that was his everyday behavior, I think he was just sort of startled and thrown off and reacted worst than normal as a result. I think it’s very unfair for people to call his overall character passive aggressive or rude, because he never acts that way under normal circumstances. In general he’s a very sweet and open person, and unlike characters like Haley, he’s only ever rude when he’s scared or stressed. I find it kind of disturbing to see him called passive aggressive as if he’s some sort of manipulator, considering that 1. the skateboard comment was too openly sulky to really be called passive aggressive, it felt more like him getting upset and shutting people off so they’d leave him alone, and 2. he honestly NEVER does anything else passive aggressive. He’s probably one of the only characters to NOT regularly be passive aggressive. I’m personally fond of him because of how open he is, because I have my own history with a lot of manipulative people and a person who speaks before they think is honestly kind of relieving to me. It really bothers me to see his character criticized so heavily when he’s probably one of the only characters who seems really open and sincere. Don’t get me wrong, most of the characters aren’t bad people, but they’re prone to ulterior motives and longer term negative behavior. Sam meanwhile does all his negative things openly on temporary impulses, and it’s pretty clear to me that really doesn’t mean any harm. He seems to genuinely be trying to be a kind and open person, and his mistakes in this are always very minor and short term.

[@anonymousleapyear5616]

Huh, maybe one of the reasons I like Sam so much is because I relate to him. My dad was in the navy before I was born and after that was away a lot for his job. My mom was often really stressed after my older siblings moved out taking care of me and my little sister with special needs, leading me to step up a bit and become basically a full time nanny/emotional support for my mom a lot of the time. I also relate to his scatter brained and creative mind (I think we may both have undiagnosed ADHD), along with his emotional intelligence and understanding nature. That combined with the fact he’s cute and easy to talk to make him really attractive/relatable to me. P.S. sorry for the minor venting.

[@itsamebi413]

Personally, I find Sam's behaviour in the 4 heart event very relatable. I used to live with a mother who also married too young. She would act exactly like Jodi and get angry because of small and insignificant stuff. Obviously, someone like this wouldn't let their own child learn from their mistakes and mature, but be a source of unnecessary stress instead, so Sam's reactions are not surprising at all. Not living with this kind of parent is the best way to actually grow up.

[@vanyadolly]

Thank you! I like Jodi a lot but she seems to have a problem with giving Sam the space he needs to grow. Having a parent constantly keeping an eye on you and not giving you personal space even in your own bedroom can be really damaging. There's a reason why moving away from home is such a big part of growing up. Part of it is that you don't have your parents looking after you, but for others it's about not constantly being suppressed and stressed out by them.

[@VelkanKiador]

Oh dang, this is actually really good. Hadn't thought of it from that perspective.

[@mentalquorum3116]

I feel like Sam doesn't think things through, and hasn't yet had to become a "real" adult. Jody admits that she has spoiled her children, but the egg thing makes me feel like she started to attempt to correct that and was just doing it poorly (making sam scared to interact with her because he doesn't want to get in trouble). I think that if Sam were to get a big boy job, or move out, or move off to college he could grow up really quickly. But he's outgrown his childhood home

[@Mz.Sari-]

Big boy job lmao

[@beth641]

@@Mz.Sari- i mean, to be fair, he’s the same age as seb who says he could’ve already gone through university by now (but isn’t interested in the corporate rat race) and has a pretty mature job as a freelance programmer. he’s not just sitting around all day and sweeping floors on the weekend for extra cash to… sit around more.

[@ADerpyReality]

Doesn't he work at Jojamart or community centre when fixed up?

[@AndrewChumKaser]

The "interesting segway" bit with mentioning Abigail was likely him hastily changing the subject. It was awkward but intentional, he didn't want to keep dwelling on his dad potentially being in danger.

[@jasperjazzie]

yeah, i imagine it occurred to him there was a possibility kent actually wouldn't come home again and he didn't wanna think about it, which is reasonable

[@coolk657]

In my experience Sam kinda feels like "rebellious early 20something year old" - like he's not a teenager but he doesn't feel fulfilled by his teen years. His friends are a found family of an emo and an alt girl, all of them want something more out of life (and I do think part of his growth is seeing him get it with them) so it just kind of checks out to me. I feel like that's part of why I personally like him, it's relatable in its own way as someone in that range. The 10 heart scene feels a bit abrupt but it kinda has that "hoohoo we're young and doing something bad" vibe. I fully get why others might not see that though. The skateboarding scene is mediocre and the egg scene is pointless though him being like. horrified at dropping an egg is a bit odd. There's a joke about fatherless behavior in there somewhere.

[@coolk657]

I feel like I should followup that like. As a gay person this is a reality for me and a lot of lgbt+ people I know. We miss a lot of "typical experiences" most cishet people tend to have at younger ages. Maybe that's why some of the stuff that reads hard as immature comes off as endearing and sweet to me. It just feels like my life in a way. I didn't get to do fun stuff because being closeted and facing issues for my identity kept me from it until I was old and wise enough to gain these new experiences. Something like that.

[@engelberthovel8566]

@@coolk657 Excellent point! I think it’s worth keeping in mind that not only do all of these interactions have to work regardless of the player’s gender, but also that because of that fact, you can technically argue that every marriage candidate is bisexual but closeted. I feel like Sam should get more of a break, considering that we don’t know enough of what’s going on at home, and for all we know his potentially being bisexual is part of the reason the poor guy keeps getting in trouble. Also, why do people keep using his mom’s potential abusive behavior as a reason why HE is bad?! Even if he might sometimes have negative reactions or behave more rebelliously in response to abuse, it’s still not his fault if his mom is abusive and it doesn’t make him a lesser person at all. That just means he’d become better and healthier if freed from his home situation (similar to what many people say about Sebastian). The negative attitudes toward this guy often show some serious victim blaming.

[@Noctem0wl]

I disagree with the egg scene. It's not pointless. The egg scene is showing us his relationship with Jodi and their behavior. And let me tell you, his reaction reminds me about my exact same reaction when I knew my mother was going to yell at me over the most stupid thing that happened. So yeah, both reactions are exaggerated but it's on purpose. Sam knowing what's going to happen and Jodi getting nervous over an egg.

[@spacecavy]

I remember the egg scene being the moment I decided to firmly cross Sam off my list of potential marriage partners in my first playthrough. I think the character was written to give very young players scenarios that they can relate to, but as an adult it's so creepy. Every scene with Jodi paints him as terrified of his mom and her as a controlling, over-bearing weirdo. Anyone over the age of 10 being scared to tell his mommy he dropped an egg is likely being abused. Same with having to sneak a date into his bedroom. From the perspective of an adult it's so uncomfortable, but I think if I was 12 I'd like Sam more.

[@Leapalot]

Yep. That's the kind of house where the smallest mistakes need to be hidden or lied about. Not a good look...

[@BagelBoi4000]

same with the "where you doing something bad?" line from jodi, like unless the bad thing she thinks he is doing is heroin then probably just give him some space instead of busting into his room?

[@BAVy11037]

This paints Jodi in a bad light for sure, but why Sam?

[@chevvy427]

@@BAVy11037 It makes him seem quite young

[@prcervi]

@@BAVy11037 he either comes across as a barely legal kid or as a guy who needs therapy before he's at a place to be in a healthy relationship

[@viktorias1963]

I liked being married to Sam. I liked how positive he was at being a father and he seems to be happy being a stay at home dad, more so than many others. Because of that I feel like he matured from rebel without a cause to a loving goofy dad and that is a good enough arc for me. Also, I'm a 30+ married women with children, which probably why I value a good dad over following your career dreams (especially when your spouse makes millions with wine)

[@slwrabbits]

That's a really good point!

[@istegal8349]

I‘m 19 and he feels young to me. His 10 heart event makes him feel 16 at most and it’s weird

[@xaniella4859]

same. why does he act 15 lol

[@anonymousonyx7755]

same

[@halien6384]

yeah same. I’m 22 and I still live with my parents too and they’re a little strict. So I kind of get it? Still, having to sneak in thru a window and hide in their bed feels a little juvenile. I always preferred Sebastian. He feels closer to my age. I think sam was made to appeal to teenagers who play the game. Also it feels a bit weird that he’s paired with Penny bc she feels more mature. I always read penny as around 23-24 years old and Sam as around 18.

[@Dell-ol6hb]

@@halien6384 I think Penny is probably attracted a bit to Sam being more immature since Penny has always had to carry her household in place of her mother she's had to mature likely from a very young age so she probably missed out alot on being a kid, so she's probably somewhat envious of Sam being near her age still having that immature child like energy

[@jolenedawn4238]

im 19 too and completely agree. hes way too high school-ish

[@maeliophile]

According to me personally, considering Sam's initial background and family, he is VERY different from all the other characters. While Alex had his grandparents, Sam was left with a young, stressed, over protective mother who became a mother at a very young age. Not to mention his father figure went away to war. Despite all of this, I'm guessing Sam lost a huge part of his childhood whilst caring for Vincent and Jody. The guy didn't have the time to 'grow up' when he was taking care of his brother and mom as a kid! Despite all of this he wants to achieve his dreams and live freely with the M.C on their farm, and that's what warms my heart. He can be immature at times but he's still caring, sensitive, strong, and passionate about his family and all those around him, and that's what makes him awesome (:

[@DoctorRose26]

I ultimately do agree. As a character Sam is one of the most disappointing in the sense that you start to see growth with him through some of his heart events, but once you complete the heart event where his band performs he just stagnates. It would have been really cool if the game hinted that Sam continues to perform shows in areas around Stardew Valley and Zuzu City after this event and into marriage - maybe even showing him performing at the Stardrop Saloon on a Friday night after that heart event. Instead, once you marry him he just gives up on his dream all together and seems to lament about it. Once married, he makes it a point to stare at his guitar and tell you how he doesn't miss it at all. It really comes off as passive aggression - almost telling you that you're the reason he doesn't play anymore, despite him dedicating his first performance to you. As for the heart events with the egg and sneaking you into his room, I'm not so sure those are heart events showing his immaturity, but rather events that establish the parental style of Jodi as being an overbearing/helicopter parent and potentially abusive to a degree. Jodi admits to being unhappy with the life she chose and laments over having a family. It's not a big stretch to conclude that she likely lashes out at him over very small things because she subconsciously views him as a burden. As someone who grew up in an unhappy home and had parents like this, I can sympathize with Sam and see why he would act that way in those two specific scenarios. It's painfully obvious when you are an unwanted child and you do get berated over the smallest of things - whether it's getting C on a quiz, not putting the mustard on the right shelf in the refrigerator, or accidentally knocking over a glass of water. That's kinda how I viewed these scenes. Jodi severely overreacts to the egg being dropped and Sam is too scared to tell her what happened - not to mention the fact that she's literally hiding around the corner in the hallway outside the kitchen when you come over to spend time with him. When Sam brings you into his room and Jodi comes to investigate "a noise" he hides you in his bed and Jodi's first question is "Were you doing something bad?" This one really pushes the overbearing/helicopter parent theory for me. Why would the first thing you ask your son (who is probably in his late 20s/early 30s) be, "Were you doing something bad?" because you heard a noise in his room - which again, Jodi is creepily hanging out just outside of the room Sam is in at the time.

[@tzarvladimir2987]

Honestly completely agree. I recall Leapalot had a question in his survey about whether or not people felt represented by the marriage candidates and I feel like this is just a case where the person Sam is representing does not overlap with Leaplot whatsoever. I also have a helicopter mother and never had a problem with the egg scene because it made perfect sense to me. The farmer doesn't live with Jodi so its better that they take the blame if she's going to throw a fit. I would agree that Sam is bratty in the skateboard scene but I feel like everyone has those moments. I would 100% prefer to deal with Sam having one fit over some of the other characters like Haley, Shane or Alex who are initially incredibly rude, and in my opinion, less mature. At the very least, Jodi's helicopter parenting has taught Sam enough respect for him not to be rude to strangers. As for the 10 heart scene, I think its rational if the farmer is a guy. If Sam is meant to be a early 20 year old guy, maybe he isn't comfortable sharing these feelings with his strict mother yet. However, if the farmer is a girl, the only rational excuse for his behavior is that Jodi imposed some sort of past trauma, which that first line of hers definitely might highlight. Following marriage, Sam could definitely use some work though, as with most characters. Idk if this is base game or SVE but he has dialogue about wanting to learn to code like Sebastian, and that could definitely be an interesting way to develop his character. Altogether, I think Sam appeals to a specific part of the audience who can identify with having helicopter parents. Like every marriage candidate he has his flaws, but maybe they were a bit exaggerated by Leaplot because he couldn't connect with Sam in this regard. Personally as someone who is a younger than 30 player of the game, I identify with Sam and would have answered no to that survey question if he was not in the game.

[@damianvert5225]

Sam and alex are my favorite marriage candidates...and after watching the videos about them I realized why. I agree with you, and because I grew up with an alcoholic mother and a narcissist father I relate to them both, I love playing the guitar, and that's because I love the noisy way of distracting myself from the fights between my parents, where they always ended up blaming me, and also a way to block my own thoughts. In one of my sessions with my therapist I pointed out the fact that I was playing Stardew Valley and she asked me with marriage candidate did I choose, when I answered Shane I could see the "ok I shouldn't be suprised" look in her eyes. That was obviously because I just felt too much like him, so yeah...I agree with you, and in my head I pretend that me and Sam play the electric guitar together singing Green Day songs.

[@yukitomoriyama2119]

Might wanna update this, but Sam in his 14-heart scene after marriage shows that he’s actually doing something and gets a job to write music for a kid’s tv show. Just wanted to correct that part since I felt that was a little unfair to say that he stagnates after marriage

[@TuesdaysArt]

@@yukitomoriyama2119 The four part 14 heart scene is absolutely precious. I love how happy Sam gets over seeing Vincent and Jas dance to a song HE composed.

[@darkteriz8352]

@@damianvert5225 so close for me

[@fandomsmoothie5749]

I feel like people are so used to adults being adults that when an adult is actually childish, they're just... seen as a child. I'm 19, and I don't know if it's simply because I'm one of those nerdy dudes or because I'm (similar to Sam) still living at my mom's, but he seems just like my fellow 19 year old buds. And he feels like me, too! He just reminds me of a late blooming adult with big dreams that didn't have the ability to start on them right away. Young adults are at that weird phase of extreme change where they're supposed to BE an adult, but I'm sure many of us are still holding onto something. I know I am. Rest assured, Sam is young for sure, and, to me personally, fits for a very specific demographic of people. And since I meet that demographic, Sam was my first marriage candidate. Seemed like a nice fit for two dudes who have big goals that live in small towns and got a late start in life.

[@laelaps5246]

Most 25 years old i know still live with their parents and do "childlish" things. I can see Sam easily being 22 or 23. And most people who live with their parents are in a "my house, my rules" relationship with them, even if they are legally adults already.

[@kiera.9318]

it’s nice to have options that are of an ideal reality. it’s nice to have a 20-23 year old that is carefree and not worried because in society nowadays so many people are pressured to grow up and be fully independent at 19. as someone currently struggling with high expectations from their family, it’s nice to live out what i want to be like through sam.

[@engelberthovel8566]

@@laelaps5246 Yes! I mean, everyone knows that people in college are prone to doing some dumb shit, and it’s starting to become common knowledge that people don’t completely finish mental puberty until 25, but for some reason people still seem shocked when a guy in his 20s does something other than be a perfectly mature adult. Give the guy a break, he’s had a hard life and I bet none of you were 100% mature in your 20s.

[@bumbabees]

he reminds me a lot of mae from night in the woods, honestly, 'cause shes in a pretty similar position. shes twenty years old, but she still acts quite a bit like a teenager because shes dealing with a lot of shit and is absolutely terrified of things changing, to the point that she does not let herself grow up and change. im about to turn eighteen and those types of characters make me feel a little less crazy about not wanting/feeling ready to grow up. i feel like a lot of people seem to think growing up is just like "boom youre a teenager/adult now" but in reality, those transitions are really rough and awful for a lot of people. a lot of things can really stunt your growth and make you fearful of getting older.

[@mikek3307]

I think Sam's immaturity really shows how Jodi is not very good with parenting. She probably doesn't see her son as someone who can just take care of himself and because of that Sam doesn't even try to "grow up" while living with her. I can kind of relate to that, since I still learn how to be less dependent on my parents.

[@Leapalot]

She does mention hoping that her son is prepared for life and that she went too easy on him, or something to that effect. Makes a lot of sense!

[@NeuroticChihuahua]

Much agreed, as a 30 something human, I feel Sam is too young (for me as a player). I also feel the egg and skateboarding cutscenes are not great and don't do anything to endear me to Sam as a marriage candidate. Maybe if those two cut scenes were the two first ones it would do more to make it seem like he has more character growth? But that 10 heart scene would still feel icky though haha

[@Player-jh4ko]

That's just a YOU problem then. Sam is a favorable marriage candidate within the fandom to young and old players alike. Sam is old enough in my book and Concerned Ape would never allow you to marry someone "TOO young" in his game. Maybe if Eric made a update that allows you to marry Jaz or Vincent then we'll talk about a character being too young LAMO. 😂😂😂

[@xxProjectJxx]

I agree. As someone in my 30s, Sam reads more like a high schooler or maybe a college freshmen than an adult to me.

[@OscarsClaws]

Shane 😍😍😍😍😍💅💅💅🔥🥵🥵🥵👄👄🥰😫😫😍🔥🤌😘😻😻

[@cantabrumbrum434]

same i have the exact same problem whit abigail and sam they feel to young idk ?

[@NeuroticChihuahua]

@@Player-jh4ko sorry if you misunderstood my comment, but I was speaking for myself that for me, a 30 something year old player, that he feels too young for *me* not that he isn't suitable for others or too young for anyone.

[@StarlightMoss]

As a teen, I personally like Sam. When I looked up on the wiki which option to choose for the egg cutscene and I realized that he only gained friendship when you covered for him, I realized that Jodi is more sketchy than she seems. She doesn’t seem to take very good care of either of the kids and if Vincent overheard worries about the war, then it was probably Jodi confiding in Caroline while he was too close. Sam is trying to be an older brother for Vincent, not a dad. Maybe he keeps some of his childishness around because it’s easier for him to relate to his brother that way. And for the skateboarding scene, he reacts badly when you don’t support him, but I think that’s because he just really needs a friend. Sure he technically has Seb and Penny but Penny spends most of her time watching the kids and Seb has dialogue that implies that he’s friends with Sam… because they’re the same age. Sam’s used to being unwanted but tolerated, and that makes him bitter and so he acts out immaturely sometimes. I like Sam because he’s easy to romance, and because he’s just stunted from growing up in the family he was born with. If he grew up in Zuzu city, if he had more friends, if he had different parents, he would’ve been a very different person. I just can’t fault him for circumstance. He’s very optimistic and tries to live life carefree, which may not be the best coping mechanism, but it’s what he’s chosen and I love him for it.

[@ChuuyaNakaharaIsGorgeous]

YOU DESERVE A TROPHY FOR WRITING ALL THAT, I WOULD BE LAZY 😭✋🏆

[@DaniStrawberry]

Sam is my least favorite marriage candidate. I get why other people like him, but he just seems too young to me!

[@Leapalot]

👀

[@macheathers1861]

Yeah, he is great overall as a person and I would be friends with him irl, but I think the farmer and Sam just have too big of an age gap.

[@lunastar7079]

I personally dislike Alex the most. I always choose a lady farmer, so he always says very rude and even gross things. Like why does he need ask if I have a bikini in summer!?!?

[@mado-wh4jv]

@@lunastar7079 So he can borrow it, of course!

[@z_bennet4208]

honestly at first i chose him because he seemed like a nice warm guy.

[@faimynth6030]

Honestly I think Sam is one of the characters designed for younger players I have played Stardew since I was a kid and Sam was always my go to as a kid while nowadays it's changed to other characters I think one thing about this is Stardew is played by alot of people from different ages and the candidates are designed for all those different people

[@vanyadolly]

And that's really important. I'm glad we have candidates that appeal to different ages and personalities.

[@kiera.9318]

and that’s so important too. they have marriage candidates for all ages, which is why ranking marriage candidates never works. sam is obviously around 20 and harvey could be pushing mid 30s. it’s such a wide range that it’s impossible to rank them, and most videos are very obviously biased (including this one, this guy is not going to feel the same way about sam as a teenage player would).

[@PurplePh0enix]

I’m only 17, so maybe that’s why I chose him… Should I rethink my life’s choices? I hope Sam doesn’t check my KZbin comment section 😂

[@faimynth6030]

@@PurplePh0enix I mean picking sam doesn't necessarily mean you have poor taste or are a kid everyone has different tastes I'm more so pointing out why a (30?) Y/O likely doesn't enjoy him, but if it makes you feel better my partner picked him first choice and they're 18

[@PurplePh0enix]

@@faimynth6030 I totally get what you’re saying. I do notice his immaturities (the first time I played Stardew I went in blind with no one else’s opinions), so if this was irl, I would not choose someone like Sam. And I would also be waiting until I’m like 30 😂.

[@notrealnamenotatall2476]

I feel like Sam's 10-heart scene would actually work better as one of Maru's. Since it's established that she has an overprotective and possibly overbearing father, imagine visiting and her hiding you, and then having to discuss and decide with her if it's the right decision to continue hiding your relationship behind Dimitrius' back or to come out and tell him, at the risk of it possibly changing her and his relationship. Another angle they could've gone for is that Sam has been pointedly coddled by Jodie. Like, what if the egg scene ended in her gently and unintentionally passive-aggressively mentioning that Sam can't cook for himself. Sam later mentioning to the farmer that he can, but somehow he messes up whenever he's in front of his mother, and he doesn't feel like he can speak up for himself. Suddenly Sam's stunted maturity has a darker angle. It might not frame Jodie in the best light, but perhaps she doesn't realize it either and, like with Penny and Pam's somewhat character progression, Jodie realizes what she's doing and starts encouraging Sam to be more independent, which gives him the confidence to begin doing more for himself.

[@kennalikespizza4515]

Sure... wrong footage, Leap. Anyway I actually really love Sam 😬I don't know, he's simple! I was immediately drawn towards him because he's a punk rocker, but I ended up liking how chill and goofy he is. I guess character growth isn't a major thing for me in this game. In my simple farming game that isn't too serious, I love my simple farming game husband that isn't too serious either.

[@Leapalot]

Fair! He's a (simple) goofy little dude. 😅

[@Rikrobat]

I like your interpretation. ☺️

[@engelberthovel8566]

@@Leapalot Honestly all that mattered to me was that he seems sincere and well-intentioned. Yes, he makes mistakes like in the skateboard scene, but those are momentary mistakes that all of us are prone to at times, and I honestly only think he acted that way because he didn’t intend to damage the flowerbed and as a result wasn’t prepared to get in trouble-I think he was just super thrown off. If his only negative moments are when he’s scared or stressed, and the worst he does is act sulky and then go right back to being kind to others like ten minutes later, I just can’t help but consider him a pretty good guy. He’s a lot more sincere and transparent than most of the other characters, and I really feel that despite his mistakes he really believes in being a good person and doing the right thing, the strongest evidence being his kindness to his little brother.

[@frostedskies4949]

While he definitely seems younger than some candidates, I wouldn't say he feels any younger than Sebastian or Abigail. He more-so reads ADHD (possibly untreated/undiagnosed) to me as he talks often about his forgetfulness, certainly has a long term fixation on music (what with the multiple instruments in his room) and seems to have an issue with being perceived as 'bad', something I'm personally interpreting as rejection sensitivity. It'd also expand to Vincent being considered 'imaginative' and having bad grades, they're both simply undiagnosed with ADHD as many small town people tend to be.

[@emilymaybe5405]

my thoughts exactly

[@ShadowSorel]

i think i brought this up on the vince video myself. it's probably not too unlikely that they both have a learning disorder

[@-bbbirdie]

THANK YOU

[@addyshorhnr3544]

If his mom acted anything like normal in the bedroom cut scene I’d say that’s could just be adhd dopamine chasing. Hehe I am doing something bad adrenaline rush is the vibe I got before she came into the room. Plus the fact that adhd tends to amplify feeling and forget positives you get a strong reason that Sam could act like he is getting abused a lot more then Jodi’s emotional abuse.

[@gooniepig2326]

i have rly bad adhd, but my first play through, when i knew absolutely nothing bc i didn't watch anything about the game, i almost instantly realized his signs of adhd. that's one of the main reasons i am so attached to his character. even though he is seen as childish and immature, i can relate to him in a way. in my eyes, i don't see an immature person, i just see someone w unrecognized adhd. (yes he has immature moments, but i that's not something i would use to describe him as a whole, if that makes sense)

[@cacaumassipanoficial6203]

8:09 He does what others normally do, like, all husbands and wives take care of the babies and do their own thing. Sam talks about growing up and taking care of the kids, become a father and stuff, which is a step forward, but one thing that makes me feel weird is how some of his dialogue is pretty carefree, but in some he asks if you're mad or how he don't know how to work on the farm and doesn't know how he can help you, as if he's self-conscious that he's not that mature and doesn't do much, but he can't find the motivation to try to change that, mainly because he's not a farmer or anything and seems to forget things pretty easily. It's a shame he sometimes seems lazy because of it 😅

[@8bitfae]

Helicopter parenting, coddling, could certainly stunt growth that would cause him to feel like he isn't capable. We already know that Jodi regrets parenting and based on how Sam is scared to tell her the truth about the egg, how does she treat her children? Scold a child enough and fill their head with how that sort of mistake should have never happened and how could they, they're not going to tell you the truth. Even if she decided to finally change how she acts and accepts mistakes happen and it's an easy fix, that's going to be burned into his head. Just something I was thinking about while watching the video then reading your comment about him possibly being self-conscious.

[@cacaumassipanoficial6203]

@@8bitfae This is something that can certainly be discussed, in one hand we have Sam's reaction which can be a bit exaggerated for some people, but on the other hand Jodi says she never required her kids to have chores deciding to do everything herself, and i remember that Sam mentions in a dialogue that he noticed how his mother doesn't look happy sometimes, so maybe he was so scared because he doesn't want to make his mother's situation worse? Sam seems to forget things easily and doesn't have much motivation to change his routine, and the fact that his mother hasn't taught him or given him chores only helps in the impression of youth and laziness that people see in him.

[@sleepytoons2155]

@@cacaumassipanoficial6203honestly bc of sam’s forgetfulness, and struggle w motivation I’ve always interpreted him as having adhd but not knowing. Bc I’m the same way. I don’t MEAN to forget things, it just happens. And Sam can focus on things that are important to him, like the farmer, whatever kids u might have w him, his closest loved ones, and his dream. I think he also tends to hyper focus. Like after marriage he gets a job making music for a children’s show, and he focused on working on the song for days and tells the player that he’ll be focusing on that for a couple days. And idk I find him extremely relatable as someone in a creative field and as someone who grew up in a strict, sorta tension filled household where it I dropped something, then I also would have been afraid to say it. And even now I’m approaching 20 and this hasn’t changed. I feel like the criticism of Sam is very strict and heavy handed esp when a lot of it honestly reflects worse on jodi than Sam to me. Bc in my house it doesn’t matter if I’m an adult, what my mom says goes and if she came into my room at night and suspecting something she probably would have reacted like Jodi. I think a good insight as well is Vincent’s dialogue about his mom and vise versa. Jodi literally doesn’t seem to want Vincent to grow up and even Sam acknowledges this. Like how no many years pass, his mom won’t even let him try to go to the maze at the spirit festival or how he wants Vincent to have that childhood innocence but he also feels like his mom is never going to let him grow uo. I feel like that’s very much a reflection of how Sam was raised and I think it’s telling that a lot of this telling dialogue happens after marriage when Sam is thrusted into a new environment. I think rather than belittle him and call him an immature child I think we should look into other factors that could be at play:D

[@firelordwaffle2987]

The “were you doing something…bad? I thought I heard some weird sounds coming from your room” lines really put me off from the entire character (as a marriage candidate) tbh. Much of the dialogue surrounding him and his family really does feel like it implies that Sam is very young.

[@Leapalot]

Makes you wonder if she's caught him doing "something bad" before. 😬

[@BAVy11037]

It puts you off from Sam's character? Why? If anything, it's a weird thing for Jodi to ask. Imagine your parent walking into your room and asks that...

[@and-a-bell]

@@BAVy11037 it's something parents do when their kid is young so it implies that's Sam is younger than the other candidates by a lot. Which can be uncomfortable for adult players

[@vanyadolly]

I think Jodie comes off way worse than Sam does. I mean ffs, give a person some privacy. I'd be mortified too if someone butted into my private time like that. That's not normal at all.

[@addyshorhnr3544]

@@and-a-bell It gives me more a feeling that Jodi still treats him like a child and less he is one.

[@AshenDalia]

Idk, I'm part of the older group of fans and he's always been my favorite. He's just pretty simple and sweet and since I've known some adults that are similar to him, I guess it doesn't bother me? I know he's got some immature moments, but I've also known people in their 20s who are like him so I'm not weirded out by how he acts sometimes. Plus it does feel like he does really care about having a family and taking care of it and does grow over time. Plus I feel like with how especially in the first year he lives with a mom who is frankly stressed very often and a very young brother, I can understand why he hides things or doesn't want to get in trouble. I've had issues at home with dumb shit happening and ending up hiding it because I don't want to cause more trouble, but I guess maybe I relate more to that because I've also had a stressed single parent most of my life and sometimes things can boil over when you hold in your feelings. So like, I don't think Jodi is awful or anything, but I wouldn't be surprised if she had gotten mad over small things just because of her household situation. Idk he's not like complicated or anything, but I guess I more felt like maybe he's trying to hold onto that youth for as long as he can? Since it was beat into me at a young age that when you become an adult you're no longer allowed to enjoy things you did when you were a teenager, but maybe that's just me projecting.

[@shanaj5621]

Sam is a fine character. I imagine the farmer to be in early twenties anyway, so it doesn't seem that weird. I'm not generally trying to play as myself. I make a different farm for each file with a different name, interests, and personality in mind. I married Sam on one of my files. He is sweet, but he does seem young and immature. He is likable though regardless. I'm in my thirties as well, but I don't generally get hung up on the ages since I'm not playing the farmer as myself anyway. I'd say my favorite marriage candidate is Sebastian. My 2nd favorite from the ones I've married is probably Harvey since he is sweet and a doting husband.

[@newcamomile]

I feel like the player having an established career at Joja indicates the farmer is a little older than early 20s.

[@caitbarry9617]

@@newcamomile I mean, Joja is definitely the kind of corporation that would take college graduates on as low/unpaid interns in order to funnel them into the system as working grunts. Therefore the opening scene could be a 20 something realising the job they've fallen into after college is not what they want, but equally it could be, as you say, a 30 something in an established career looking for a career change. I think it's incredible that with such simple but effective storytelling so many different players can interpret this game so differently.

[@bumbabees]

yeah, i do the same. when i first started playing i played as myself, but as time went on i started separating myself from my farmers. and i like it that way. i like making different saves, aiming for a specific character to marry, and make my farmer kind of have a similar vibe to said character. its fun.

[@toransxx]

Im approaching 30s and that's absolutely true. Only person I constantly pick as my partner in this game is Harvey. He has stable job, actual hobbies and interests, he doesn't throw tantrums or in need for Farmer to become their personal therapist. And his 10 hearts scene is perfect relationship growth. Farmer becomes Harvey's strength and courage and Harvey keeps an eye on Farmer that they won't worker themselves to death or hurt in mines.

[@rowan.]

i’ve never even tried to marry harvey, mostly bc of the unusual amount of harvey hate/indifference (yes i’m very easily influenced by others) but now i kinda want to

[@itsanoformethanks6277]

Same but with Elliot. He’s the only other person with a job and his own house

[@toms-zr9mq]

@@rowan. people hate harvey?? that's crazy omg ive never seen that i always heard from people that like him

[@Ombby]

I wouldn't say I HATE Harvey, but I keep forgetting he is even marriageable. Hell, I keep forgetting he exists ^^' He just feels so insanely boring to me, there's nothing that's ever drawn myself to him. Lot of my friends that also play Stardew seem to feel about the same. Even at 8 hearts he only talks about how you need to wash your hands (important, but c'mon Harvey, is that all you ever talk about?) I've heard his heart events are some of the best in the game, which is kind of a shame, as I don't see myself ever romancing him. His boringness just does not seem worth it to me.

[@beth641]

@@itsanoformethanks6277 seb has a job, and while he doesn’t have his own house it’s definitely clear that living in the basement with no windows is something that he wouldn’t choose - but he chose not to go to university because he didn’t like the corporate greed that runs rampant in zuzu city. in my experience he really blossoms when he moves in with you. also frogs. i love seb.

[@AkemiStormBorn]

I suppose Sam's lack of growth and immaturity is why I personally feel like I relate to him. I just like the fact that he's childish. He's okay to me. And I really like him as a spouse because even though it isn't shown much, but he's one of the few candidates who tries to get a job after you marry him. He actively says- "I know you can afford to pay for us, but I still want to contribute." Small victories but I like it anyway! :D

[@holyhot-chocolate]

I’ve oddly been waiting for this. Idk why but I immediately attached to Sam as soon as I saw him. It may have been because of the hair at first, but something about his personality just made me happy. Despite his father being in a war, he’s still relatively happy and outgoing. Being this normal happy guy eventually rubbed off on me and I was just enamored. When I first started, everyone either seemed low-key sad or just lonely. Having Sam NOT be sad or lonely is probably why I’ve stuck with him for so long. Maybe I’m just looking too far into past me for picking the weird haired guy. Or this may just be me finally coming to terms with my bias for skateboarders..

[@lordarthur2165]

Didn't finish the video yet, but I want to say: Sam is the reason I don't like Jodi at all, I always felt icky about her and I understood why after marrying Sam in one of my saves. Jodi keeps treating this adult man as a teenager, I have a mom like that, that treats you like a child no matter if you are already an adult and it's horrible, you don't have any space to grow as a person. It tells me everything that he felt he needed to lie in the egg scene or that he felt the need to hide that the farmer was in his bedroom. I am sorry Jodi enjoyers I cannot.

[@mango8616]

Not only that but in my opinion she just seems somewhat neglectful and self absorbed. The egg scene especially reminded me of my own negligent parent, who was the type to get angry at you for making mistakes, but act nice when it's someone else to keep up their image with guests. Not only that but things like the "spoiled" dialogue bother me, if you're saying that to a complete stranger then I'm gonna wonder what you're saying to your kids. Though that may simply be because things like that were used to manipulate me when I was younger.

[@rocker725227]

Try growing up in a Hispanic household, it sucks.

[@lordarthur2165]

@@rocker725227 I am actually Brazilian and half of my family is hispanic lol I know the feeling very well.

[@lordarthur2165]

@@mango8616 Jodi strikes me as someone who doesn't know what they are doing, she still loves her kids, but her behaviour isn't that good for them and she could improve a lot.

[@mango8616]

@@lordarthur2165 Indeed, she's not completely irredeemable or doing it intentionally as my own paternal figure did, though it's still hard for me to warm up to her considering she never gets any growth as a character. I don't think she's the only character in stardew with that problem either. My original comment came out a bit harsher than I intended lol.

[@cacaumassipanoficial6203]

Have you noticed how a lot of the cutscenes where you can reject or accept the NPC's feelings when you are dating are kind of "suspicious"? Like kissing while lying alone in the same bed, kissing alone in the spa, or in a tent alone in the woods...It's not possible that only I think that, right? 😅

[@Leapalot]

😬

[@madeline569]

I'm less freaked out by the fact that we're alone somewhere, than by the fact that there's not much consent dialogue options sometimes, I recently married Haley and had to restart the day I got the 10 hearts cutscenes, I chose wrong ( and offended her) bc i DIDNT choose leaning in for a kiss without asking first 🙄

[@cacaumassipanoficial6203]

@@madeline569 This too, like, just because I don't want to be in your bed doesn't mean I don't like you anymore Sam 😅

[@mado-wh4jv]

@@madeline569 I don't think you have to ask your boy/girlfriend if you can kiss them everytime you're hang out, at least we know as a fact during Leah 2 heart event, that asking for kisses is creepy in this universe. 🤣

[@BAVy11037]

I think the Elliot one is the worst in this extend. He can literally drop you in the middle of the ocean if he wants to

[@zwrulez185]

I like Sam a lot, because I think he’s a really accurate portrayal of how a kid can turn out in his situation. His parents married young and his mom is clearly dealing with a lot of issues that she’s already bad at hiding, and Sam is actually pretty perceptive, so him wanted to constantly avoid getting in trouble makes sense. His father left him when he was young enough for it to really hurt, but old enough to still remember him all too well, and when his dad does come back, he’s drastically different. So Sam grew up without good parental guidance, but also felt pressure to be the man of the house in place of his dad. So it leads to this immature man-child who actually takes a lot of responsibility when the situation calls for it. An example other than the eight heart scene you mentioned is actually in the cheating scene with all the bachelors - most of them are too depressed to say much, but Sam really takes charge and gets them to rally against you which is definitely justified. Despite being probably younger than all of them, he assumes a kind of leadership position really comfortably and handles the situation quite maturely. Edit: I’m a minor myself, so even though his 10 heart scene was a little too forward for me, it didn’t come off as poorly as I can imagine it might for others. I like marriage candidates that feel like they grow older alongside me, which is why I felt more comfortable with Sam.

[@redbird27]

Sam was the first character that I reached perfection with (and I'm probably one of the only ones) because there was just something about his character that endeared me to him! What I love most about him is his character after marriage. He does grow and mature and care for the farmer, his family, and his children. His three heart event explains it all to me! That's the proof of his good traits. I understand the discomfort towards him, and how his heart events make him seem young and immature and I agree! I know that he's plain and uninteresting compared to the others, but he's still an extremely well written character in my opinion! I'll even go as far to say that he's my favourite marriage candidate and I stand by that. He's just a different type of character for a particular type of player I suppose, but that doesn't mean that he isn't worthy of the same love and appreciation as the other marriage candidates and characters! They all have their pros and cons, and Sam is no different.

[@Rikrobat]

It’s always interesting how some people find the NPCs after marriage to be kind of soulless, while other players find lots of character development and personality from the dialogue. It’s awesome that Sam really speaks to you as a character. :)

[@redbird27]

@@Rikrobat Thanks! And that's true! It's such a diverse game with so many ways to play and ways for things to be interpreted which is my favourite thing about it!

[@tamamichan1431]

that's what i love in this game, you can do multiple things as dating, marrying, and the characters have a diversity of personality traits and appearances, which you can choose to your liking

[@scottdixon2505]

I don't think Sam hiding you in the bed means he's underage. Im sure people who live with their parents would feel awkward about their mom barging in when they've snuck someone over. When I was in college I used to sneak people over so that my roommates didn't know and I was an adult. And there are plenty of adults who skateboard and there are videos on KZbin of adults trespassing on private property with skateboards.

[@a.c.1839]

To be fair, out of context, Jodi's attitude towards him (particularly in the 10 heart cutscene) could also be a hint that she's a bit of a morbidly hyperprotective parent who refuses to stop treating her adult son like a child (I've met a few moms like that irl). The skateboard incident makes it pretty clear that he's hardly a mature man himself though. I think he could either be an older teen (18-19) or a man in his 20s who never really matured mentally (I have also met a few people like that). Either way, not someone I'd feel like marrying lol

[@sunsetstarbunny]

My dad's like that and I'm old enough to buy alcohol. I still live with him because it's really expensive to move out and I have to help watch my disabled brother and other three younger siblings while my dad works. My dad treats me like I'm still a kid and it was a big fight just to let him allow me to get a part-time job and a driver's license. So I think I relate to Sam in having an overbearing parent

[@avAHHHHHH]

sam is my personal favorite marriage candidate but i can’t explain why. i think it might be a personal problem because i also like haley a lot.

[@Leapalot]

Do... you just like blondes? 😁

[@bellsrainee]

SAME LMAO they're the only two i have ever married

[@shiorikampf6373]

I actually really like Sam because I feel like he's really sweet, but I hardly ever actually go for him because I hardcore ship him with Penny. It's so cute to see them standing together on the bridge, and I think that they would work well with one another. Sam would absolutely put Penny first (which doesn't seem to happen for her frequently) and she would believe in him and encourage him to grow and try things he's never done before. Neither of them seem able to become independent anytime soon, so they also have a lot of time to grow as friends and individuals before they could really pursue one another.

[@Rikrobat]

Awwww, that’s an endearing interpretation~

[@JinsanSama]

I never cared much about Sam, so much so, that he is one of the marriage candidates I frequently forget about. When I do get caught up in a heart event with him, I will agree with him for the friendship points, but I also felt like they were super immature for the most parts.

[@olesyazhukova8315]

I honestly really like Sam. He was the first villager I married and I like how fun he can be. His late night "hiding under bed" heart event always makes me giggle. I don't think it's so uncomfortable for the player because at that point you're pretty close friends with him. Sam's marriage heart event is about him making a song for a popular kids tv show. That shows that he's truly into music, is good at it and can even follow people's requests receiving valuable contracts.

[@chaossmith3864]

Agree about the skateboarding but as someone who lives in a small town I've seen it actually happen when someone had to live with their parent(s) while trying to get on their feet. And both being treated and not being treated like an adult at the same time. Heck AITA is randomly full of people in situations where they are trying to work to living on their own and the parent(s) both hold them to adult standards in many ways while not respecting them as adults in many others. Including, and it feels like especially, when it comes to relationships/their SO. (Like has to pay bills but also annoyed they haven't saved up/moved out, curfew, no SO over.) I don't think Sam's mom is definitely that bad, but I do know it can be hard to talk to parents about some things if they don't respect you as an adult and it's not always as simple as just move out. Look at the wage offer for working at Joja. Look at the cost to build Pam/Penny a house. Where would Sam even move to?

[@roggymp3]

exactly!! bc out of all the things you could criticize sam for as a character i always felt that it was unfair to drag him for still living with jodi when his wage is like 5g an hour at jojamart-- like yeah no shit?? there's no available housing either, where tf is he supposed to move? 😭

[@chaossmith3864]

@@roggymp3 No? It sounds like you're agreeing with me I'm so confused.

[@roggymp3]

@@chaossmith3864 oh yeah, i am!! sorry for the weird wording, haha

[@chaossmith3864]

@@roggymp3 It's cool. I guarantee I've done it too. I was just super confused because I was like am I misunderstanding or are they agreeing but saying no. I'm very easily confused sometimes, unfortunately lol

[@roseblazethethirteenth7866]

I've been on a Stardew binge lately and I've noticed when trying to get max hearts with Jodi that she will have occasional diologe in the fall where she says that she “Maybe I've spoiled the boys a bit. They've never had to do any chores. I guess I want them to be able to enjoy their childhood while they still can. Well, Sam's basically a man now, though. I hope he hasn't grow up to be lazy. That won't do. Being a parent isn't very easy.” Considering she didn't get to enjoy her youth she in turn is making sure Sam and Vincent thoroughly enjoy theirs, so maybe its partially her fault that Sam seems so immature? Also I think the part time jobs at joja/the museum are to fund his instruments and sound equipment and not to supplement the household. you ever look up the possible price of whats in Sam's room? A electric guitar can be any where between $200-$400 usd alone. I'm not sure what the game gold-real money equivalent is but there's no way Kent and Jodi are funding several thousands dollars worth of equipment along normal household expenses on a singular military paycheck, maybe as a nice present for his birthday or the Feast of the Winter Star but definitely not outside those two times.

[@megcampbell7213]

idk, for me sam is very much like one of my best friends (who is currently 22). the two of them both skateboard, both play guitar (my friend actually owns lOts of instruments and is self taught with all of them, he plays exceptionally well), and sam seems like he has adhd (which said friend has). also, my friend's dad was formally in the military and was quite strict with him growing up, which at times clashes with his free spirit nature. his dad had previously pushed him to join the military for the benefits and paths it would open up for him, but that wasn't a way of life my friend was interested in. he's started back at college after a hiatus, and when he's not doing work for classes he's working on commissions or playing his guitar and singing really loudly for his roommates and i. he even played the trumpet in the hallway, much to the other resident's chagrin, i'm sure, but gave us a good laugh. ig what i'm trying to get at is that even though his behavior can seem a bit immature or like he's younger than what would be considered "marriage age" i don't think it's very far off from how someone might act, especially in his position. he's a guy who likes to do what he likes and sticks with his hobbies, even if they may not align with what others think he should be doing at his age. plus, he has a little brother at home he's taking care of and he's forced into a fatherly role. i think it's reasonable to cling onto youthful enjoyments to escape or cope with the reality that his dad might not be coming back (though he obviously does return.) idk, i just love sam a lot lol

[@UltimateSpinDash]

One of the other commenters noted how the egg scene would only make sense if Jodi was abusive towards Sam for small things like that. Do we know how long Kent has been gone by the time the farmer arrives? Because if he's been gone for a longer period of time, or had assignments in the past that removed him from the family for longer periods of time, I could see some parentification happening, especially when Vincent was younger and Jodi was still recovering from the pregnancy. This would qualify as abuse without framing Jodi as a bad person, but rather as a single mother with two kids and issues of her own that she is completely alone with. And it would explain why Sam seems so immature at times, or rather why his maturity doesn't seem consistent. Some part of him is trying to recapture the parts of his own childhood that he missed because he had to step up to fill his father's shoes. Also, I think the 10-heart-scene sort of works if the farmer is male, since it may just be a matter of Sam not being ready to come out. And if Jodi is the type of parent who never knocks, having the farmer over for another reason wouldn't help, either.

[@marshmallowlilypads5823]

I married sam when I was 15 irl, I’m 18 now, slowly working on the same file, and honestly everyday recently is an internal battle not to divorce him 😭 it just doesn’t feel right anymore

[@liiiiish]

Aw that’s kinda sad :( is there a different marriage candidate you’d go for if you did divorce him? I’ve seen that he’s on the lesser end of the aggressiveness scale when it comes to you trying to talk to him after divorcing

[@stinky59]

as a 20 year old with adhd actually i kinda don’t like seeing ppl call him too young, like i have to deal with that infantilization irl a lot because certain behaviors i do come off as “childish” but im still a damn adult i just talk loudly and do impulsive shit sometimes! i am not sure if sam is intended to have adhd i doubt the dev was thinking that deeply into it, i think he is probably just meant as a “silly college guy” trope but his behavior feels pretty relatable to me anyways. i think the opinions on him kinda maybe are because of the age of the player? like i can understand not liking him if you’re 30+ but he feels like a good representation of someone in their early 20s whos maybe kinda developmentally stunted but just trying his best. the title makes a fair point about him maybe not being mature enough to get married tho. i have a friend that recently got married at the ripe old age of 21 and i cannot see that shit ending well tbh. just gonna be a waste of time and money for both of them when they inevitably divorce in 3 years or so haha. but marriage is really just a game mechanic in this lol. and i mean college-age marriages do work out rarely sometimes i guess i think he is the one im going to marry because im also a “childish” young adult stuck at home w parents!! :( i went into the game thinking i was going to end up with shane or sebastian but im getting all of them to 10 hearts and so far my actual favorites are sam and emily actually. mostly because i just think they are funny lol

[@Rikrobat]

For me, it’s not really my age that makes me feel less inclined towards Sam’s immaturity, but rather the fact that most of his cutscenes involve my character needing to lie or side with him (even when I think he’s wrong), otherwise he’ll dislike me. I’m seeing people’s interpretations of Jodi as an overbearing parent, and I’m inclined to agree with that-still don’t appreciate Sam expecting me to take blame for what happened and being mad if I don’t. The skateboard issue really bothered me because he was damaging someone’s property; it wasn’t like he accidentally fell and knocked something over or damaged it unintentionally. I don’t think it’s a healthy relationship dynamic if I cannot call someone out on their behaviour without them using the “guess I’ll just never have fun” response to put the guilt back on me. It’s totally great that you vibe with Sam though! All of the characters need someone in their corner~

[@spookberryyoutube]

This!! Until i found this i always thought he's just a 20 yo. goofball and I related to him a lot. It never really acured to me that he is acting as immature as the other comments say tbh? But maybe it's because i'm also a immature 19 yo

[@cacaumassipanoficial6203]

6:12 That's how I feel about a lot of the other characters' 10 hearts scenes, there are always weird situations where you kiss the character and you are completely alone with them, It's pretty convenient isn't it? I mean, come on, the Penny scene takes place at the spa at night while you and she are alone in your bathing suit, clearly something could happen there 😌

[@Player-jh4ko]

If you played any dating sim, or read any romance book, or watch any romance movie or show, you'll know that's a common occurrence in the genre. It's nothing new, it just allows you and your partner to warm up to each other ALONE. I don't think it's a bad thing...

[@Leapalot]

I think having a meet up in the sauna is pretty spicy for Penny! But imagine if you had the same scene in her bedroom of the trailer while Pam is passed out on the couch. One of those is suggestive, one is just awkward lol.

[@cacaumassipanoficial6203]

@@Leapalot I say this based on my person and I don't care if anyone likes it or don't care much, I just wouldn't feel comfortable in the majority of the situations you're put in in the 10 hearts scenes because that's how i am, and then there's the fact that if you "reject" the character's advances they get sad, just because I don't want to be in your bed doesn't mean I don't like you anymore Sam 😅

[@cacaumassipanoficial6203]

@@Player-jh4ko It's not necessarily a bad thing, and I don't judge who likes it, it's just not something I would personally like depending on the case, like, having something special with someone in private is better than in front of other people for sure, as long as it doesn't get weird it would be fine for me even though it's just a game, you know?😅

[@mado-wh4jv]

At least Penny is an adu- wait a minute, wasn't she potentially dating Sam before you arrived?

[@Shadowfate93]

As someone who grew up mormon I definitely relate to having to hide normal adult relationships from my parents

[@annasundholm2090]

Right? Also, i think people tend to forget that jodi is one of the few religious characters in the game who visits the Yoba altar on Sundays. Of course relationships would be more of a taboo subject regardless of age.

[@ratcheez]

I think that Stardew Valley is a game that accommodates a growing player. Like I am a teenager and Sam is by far my favorite LI but he is immature and I understand how an older person wouldn't like him for that reason. But you also have the choice of more mature LIs like Harvey. I think that's why the game is so special. There's something for everyone

[@olapadziak]

He feels 18-21 or something like that. He can seem younger than that to mature players, but I know a lot of people in that age group, I'm 22 btw (and don't get at me with 'i'M liKe 19 AnD i'M mOrE mAtUrE tHaN sAm'). Most people I've met in their late teens, early 20s age group can act immature, hide from their parents etc. Most people don't really grow up until their mid twenties. Again, saying 'most' here, don't start your 'but I -' arguments 😅🤣 My sister is 21, she married Sam cause he's cool and he skateboards and has a band, like it makes sense. There are options for older players, more mature players, who don't vibe with him. 🤷‍♀️

[@thanotosomega]

Counter point on the egg thing, Jodi is depending on the time frame likely aware of Kent being MIA and hiding it from the boys, or dealing with the stress of her husband's PTSD, both of which likely made her stressed as heck and cause her to be more likely to get mad, since she used to be a big softie who spoiled him Sam doesn't know how to cope with her being like this and so defaults to trying to avoid upsetting her,

[@ruckusenjoyer]

i like sam, he's a silly dude. I always interpreted his character as an early 20's guy with adhd and is very passionate about his interests (skateboarding, music), and who has a mother that infantilizes him and doesnt want to let him spread his wings just yet. hes a pretty responsible janitor at jojamart when he needs to be, but i get the feeling that hes up in his own little world most of the time. i like how he pursues a real career involving his interest in his 14 heart event. its nice that he gets the chance to make music again. i just wish we could see him play in his spouse room or something.

[@maeshaun5318]

I'm someone who doesn't view the farmer to be an extension of themselves. I like to make up their backstory and personality when I create them. I admit I did have to make a farmer specifically for Sam when I usually decide who to marry after I start playing. His post marriage dialogue isn't bad, and it suggests he might help his brother out when Jodi gets too controlling.

[@Kipliw]

But he's practically Goku

[@thatperson278]

As a teen, Sam and Abigail (Sebastien too but standing outside his door for hours is grating) felt the most legal candidates for me to marry and I hate Abigail so 🤷‍♂️. I get it's a game at all but it just feels gross to romance adults, fake or not.

[@konradp5915]

I'm surprised no one is picking up on the egg scene as being metaphorical as in 'walking on eggshells'. Even Kent says 'I'm not a big fan of eggs, to tell you the truth'. Sam's family clearly suffers together from untreated trauma disorder. Also of note is trauma disorders are contagious. Kids who grow up with a parent with trauma symptoms are at heavily increased chance of suffering from trauma disorders later on themselves. Dealing with someone with a trauma disorder is often felt like walking on eggshells. Sams whole family is in a tailspin and his immature character is a byproduct of that environment. People also keep mentioning ADHD. I don't buy it. The symptoms of trauma disorder and ADHD have complete overlap.

[@BuckyBarnesAndNoble]

I chose to marry Sam, I never felt that he was too young. I'm 27 and I feel younger than I am. I live at home and my parents still treat me like a teenager. So I can kind of relate to him in that aspect. I guess what drew me to him at first was because he was friendly from the start. I'm also a sucker for musicians hahah, so I really enjoyed the heart event where we get to see him play with Sebastian and Abigail. I also really liked the scene when he talks to his brother about his dad, that made me like him a lot more. He makes a great husband.

[@krisd2518]

I mean, if he's in his early 20s and still living with his parents, it can kind of make sense for him to 'hide' you if he didn't tell his parents about inviting you. Insert 'My house, my rules' that a lot of parents impose onto their adult children even when it comes to things like romance (and seeing as how Jodi got so freaked out about an egg... and how she was all like 'were you doing something... bad?' immediately upon entering Sam's room, it isn't too much of a stretch to think she might have that kind of mindset). I can sort of relate to his childishness in a way, as a 23 year old who never really got to live out their adolescence in the way they wanted myself. Gayness + depression + loss = L + ratio + going through the motions until I moved out and even into my early 20s. I don't know, I guess 20 somethings do seem to be really young when you're in your 30s so it does make sense how some of the younger seeming marriage candidates can make older players a little uncomfortable, even if they are all adults. It's probably why most 30 somethings wouldn't want to date 20 year olds in real life. The age difference comes with a different worldview and different experiences and all that. That being said, there are definitely times where Sam acts like just a petulant teenager. The skateboard scene is a good example of that. Then again I'm a lesbian so I've never pursued any of the male candidates romantically, so I don't really know all of Sam's heart events by... heart.

[@nintendoyoshi6778]

I like Sam as a marriage candidate and he was my first npc I married but also I related to him a bit I saw him as someone who is around mid college but is kind of lost wanting to pursue his dream of music but stuck a bit especially being at home with his parents. It feels like big growth to have him move out and start his life with you and start writing music

[@JR-kj2px]

I think he has one of the most mature reactions when we dump him, but in general he does come across as very young

[@Volksvym]

Sam is the only one who I marriaged, and I like him a lot, but, yeah, he is kinda inmature. But that makes him more adorable to me, maybe bc i'm 15

[@one_smol_duck]

Sam is pretty believable to me as a young adult who hasn't quite matured yet. It's actually Abigail who I just cannot believe is a grown adult. All she does is play video games, complain about out how her parents "don't get her," hang out in weird places, and procrastinate her homework. (Yes, I know that it's canonically college homework. But she doesn't act like any college student I've ever met.) She is 16. You cannot convince me that she is not 16. I legitimately can't date Abigail in this game because it feels illegal. Maru is another character I have a really hard time believing is an adult, more so than Sam. She at least seems to be 19 so that's better than Abby but I hate it because Maru is my favorite bachelorette but I always feel so weird and uncomfortable having to fight off Demetrius like we're high schoolers.

[@doodlebobascending8505]

You know someone's a bad candidate when between them and Lewis, Lewis has the moral high ground.

[@nicaaizawa4171]

As a college student, Sam just acts like any other freshman who is new to the big world.

[@Saora]

Sam is always my go-to in my games. One reason is he seems like one of the few (yes I know there are others) who are genuinely nice to the player from the moment they arrive in the valley without having to give him gifts. So I actually enjoy bringing him gifts each week as opposed to say Hailey or Alex as an example. I do feel like he is geared more towards the teen demographic for the game with his cutscenes. But when you're married to him he is really sweet and caring and his final heart scene shows he wants to try and help contribute rather than be the farmer's trophy spouse.

[@skyekiessling5611]

The 10 hearts scene would have made some sense if Jodi had thrown out or driven away any past relationships he had before or had done something that made him feel that he had to hide those sorts of things. Just one or two lines of dialogue to explain there is no saving that skateboard scene tbh. He is definitely written young same as Abagail or Sebastian but almost to a greater extreme in a way. Especially seeing as the player talks about having a career before moving.

[@sodagirl1092]

What I don't get is how people say Sam acts like he's younger than he really is, but then in the same breath will praise Abigail when she acts even younger and even more immature.

[@Leapalot]

Not me! I'm always ready to dump on Abigail lol.

[@sodagirl1092]

@@Leapalot Same, lmao. I get the appeal, but there are way better spouses out there.

[@chinbiz6644]

Even as a 19 year old, he seems a bit young to me. I think one of those reasons might be because I have gone through a lot of what it seems like he's going through (struggling musician, controlling parents minus the missing dad thing), but a lot of the major events in that chapter of my life happened when I was 16 and 17 and while I do still deal with some of the stuff from that time I've grown a lot in the past few years and I don't act like that at all anymore. Looking at this video, I might go and befriend him though, since I know when I was going through that I desperately needed a friend (and the last thing I needed was a relationship). And I'll cover for him on the egg thing

[@lord_ozymandias]

i’ve never cared much abt sam either way but the discussion of his 10 heart cutscene (which i’ve never seen before) kind of opened my mind when it came to *all* the bachelor’s 10 heart cutscenes. i’m the #1 Elliott 10 heart cutscene defender and hearing people go off abt how creepy it is is probably my least favorite part of interacting with the SDV community by a long shot, but knowing it’s not just him who’s 10 heart cutscene can be read as weird, creepy, nonconsensual etc has kind of opened my eyes in a way. it’s not just Elliott who has one weird moment while romancing him, almost every bachelor has one. and i think that was intentional. none of these people are going to be perfect and make the right decisions all the time, and arguing that a bachelor/ette is unredeemable or undesirable because of one kind of weird moment is ultimately pointless, because then eventually we just won’t be ‘allowed’ to date any of them. tldr if you like sam that’s fine, elliott haters DNI, you’re all hypocrites

[@ThroneViI]

It’s crazy how much you’ve grown as a content creator, Your videos are always insanely great, keep up the good work and good luck💞

[@Leapalot]

Thank you so much Elaine! 😁

[@adrian3747_]

I love how he cares so much about his younger brother but he really does act very immature but not in a bad way. He’s just a happy go lucky kid whose always positive :)

[@gelu_4499]

Maybe sam acts the way he does because of his father, when Kent left for the War, Sam might have felt like he has to "be the man" around the house by helping around the house or being a good role model to Vincent. This burden, however has prevented him from enjoying his teen/teenage years fully. Now that Kent is about to be back (or is back depending on the time in your game), he might have regressed a bit, either due to feeling less restrained or perhaps to be the person his father last knew.

[@onyx6381]

So I know I'm late to this and I'm not a Sam-Stan (Elliot is my go to because I'm into snobs I guess) but the one thing that gets me about everyone's comment on the egg scene is we all assume he's ONLY getting an egg. I'd like to give him a smidgen of credit and assume he was making like, an omelet or something easy and dropped the egg before getting the rest. Lol.

[@Mamaofchaos2]

as someone in my 30s I agree that most of the potential partners seen a little young I went with Harvey because he seems like one of the few characters who actually seems like an adult I think if i’m not mistaken in some of his dialogue he mentions have a midlife crisis. It felt a little weird opting for the other candidates because they seem a bit young.

[@SevenEverywhere]

I'm a year late to this video but I do have my 2 cents to add. As someone who started playing stardew valley when I was around 13 years old, I had a period of time where Sam was my all-time favorite bachelor. (It started with sebastian, then sam, then back to sebastian). While I don't think its morally wrong or anything to like Sam romantically, I have found that as I get older, he's way less attractive to me. 14 Years old was the peak of my love for Sam, because he read as a young adult that I could see myself *actually* Being friends with. But I'm 17 as I am writing this comment and as I got older I lost that attraction to him because he just feels like a slightly bland, and Notably immature guy. I think if some of his heart events were tweaked, namely the skating one and the snack one, he wouldn't feel so "Boyish", Because when he's just hanging out with Sebastian and Abigail it *does* feel like a friendgroup of young adults. But on his own, he does feel a bit immature, if not a bit young. I think he's a fine enough bachelor but unless you are very attached to him it's easy to Outgrow him.

[@myheartismadeofstars]

I will defend Sam's 10 heart scene. If you assume you do more than kiss, then what Jodi is likely talking about is "Sam did you sneak your partner in here when Vincent is sleeping??" Which is completely valid considering the age gap between Sam and Vincent. If Sam is in his early twenties there has to be at least ten years between the two of them, likely more (I see Sam as 22 and Vincent as 7-8, so the age gap is FIFTEEN YEARS) it wouldn't be appropriate for him to sneak the farmer in for some nookie, when his kid brother and parents are trying to sleep (also if Kent is home, he might have heard bumps coming from Sam's room. Honestly it's lucky that it's not KENT who comes in to check on Sam! Likely because I think it is possible to get to 10 hearts in the first year) Not going to say Sam's not immature in general, though. He is! I think this might actually be why the FARMER is interested in Sam (not the player, but an in-universe thing that would attract the farmer) the Farmer has led a pretty boring life and worked a dead end job for an undetermined amount of time. Sam likely makes them feel like a kid again (even if they are the same age)

[@NicolaMayne]

Sam feels VERY young. I once considered marrying him, started working on the relationship, but at 6 hearts I felt like I was committing a crime and abruptly scrapped the whole operation 🤣

[@fnkmibrainsoutnleavemetodie]

Oh god that scene where he drops the egg n spook by his mom, hit me in the soul- don’t make ma mad, especially when she volatile mood 😮‍💨😮‍💨

[@Black-Swan-007]

I'm a 30 something adult and Sam, Sebastian, Abigail and Maru all feel way too young for me. The only thing about Sam's egg event is that he tries to hand you A RAW EGG as a snack. How tf do you eat a RAW EGG as a snack?! Jodi is a nutcase who is obsessed with messes and hates daffodils. It's not entirely Sam's fault that he's immature. Jodi never bothered to teach him how to be an adult. She's infantilized him. All of the younger marriage candidates have been abused in some way. Sam, but his controlling mother. Sebastian by his POS step dad. Abigail by her manipulative mom and absent but "defined gender rolls" dad. And Maru by her over protective POS dad who won't let anyone near her so they don't "soil his special little girl". Seriously, Demetrius gives me the heebee-jeebees.

[@Kipliw]

Well you complain about eating a raw egg while the farmer just casually swallowing a PLATE of of food...along with the plate 👀

[@flappetyflippers]

Ok, ok, hear me out. I personally think the bedroom scene is super sweet because it shows just how much he cares about you, and it feels so real. Maybe thats just me though...

[@ClownCollegeGrad]

I felt that Sam’s cutscenes spoke more to Jodi’s overprotectiveness than Sam’s immatureness like even if he was a teenager and not an adult it’s still kinda weird that his mom got mad at him for dropping an egg and with the cutscene in his room when she comes in she asks if he was doing something bad instead of like “what happened” or “are you okay I heard a noise from your room” also if you’re playing as a guy I can completely understand why he hides you if I didn’t feel I could tell my parent that I dropped an egg without them getting mad I wouldn’t really want to tell them I’m gay and even as a girl I can understand why he might be worried Jodi would interfere with your relationship I’ll give it to you on the skateboard one but still after Lewis explains why he shouldn’t skate on private property he says yes sir and doesn’t argue, still kinda immature but not that bad

[@miumoments]

There’s different ages that play the game of course you feel uncomfortable as you’re a middle aged man, that’s why there’s older and younger marriage candidates to fit different audiences of the game

[@IsomerMashups]

Sam is my favourite _spouse_ because his post-marriage dialog is all really nice.

[@spicyorangechicken]

honestly I like sam. he's as old as everyone else yet doesn't have to share the same overt pessimism of a young adult. I think he has a good heart and treats people around him fair. and maybe not everyone loves his hobbies, but at least he has things he's passionate about. a lot of people his age don't due to putting work above everything else, including me he's refreshing to be around and would be a good person in the real world

[@star-pk4lv]

As a 19y/o player, Sam, Sebastian and Abigail are the most relatable ones, but i will talk only about Sam since ik more about him [spoilers alert!] Sam grew up mostly with only one parent, his mom(+), so he was probably looking out for her since she was alone and he also has a little brother which makes him feel responsible as an older sibling no matter what. In the 3 heart event we can see a little of maturity, when he talks about the way he feels of having responsibility for Vincent. So bc he didn't fulfilled his teenage years by just being a teenager without any worries, made him a not mature young adult that still feels like a teenager, and that kinda explains why he acts the way he does. Also the fact that Jodi spoiled them and didn't let them to do any chores, bc she wanted them to live their childhood/teenage years without any worries, leading him to not being fully able to do basic things as an legal adult. But when he moves in with the farmer is where his actual adulthood and growth starts. Healthy married life with an understanding partner that doesn't put any pressure on him, he helps around in the farm since the farmer makes the money for both of them and he doesn't want to be "useless", [e.g. waters crops, feeds the animals, fixing fences, etc.] (side note: I was surprised on how much he helps although he says he doesn't how much about farming). He's apparently also a great father (I haven't reached that part yet 🥲) even though he didn't had a father figure most of his life but the fact that he helped his mom in "parenting" Vincent, helped him on how to deal with kids. So feeling relatable to him or feeling uncomfortable with his behavior (especially if you are older than him) is valid either way. *(personally I don't feel weird out by his actions bc I'm a kinda bit like him but definitely more mature lol) (+)Jodi being rushed into marriage with Kent in a young age, that shows that she wasn't also fully mature or ready for such a big step (she talks about those things with the farmer). It's obvious that she isn't the perfect parent. Her behavior towards Sam in the 10 heart event, it is weird, but at the same time I can see why she could act like that. My thoughts on her actions on this was: 1. She either thought he was smoking (or something else), 2. or she thought he was doing something se.ual and finds it inappropriate because she probably still sees him a little kid. (but still weird either way) Her stress and fear of handling a household on her own, parenting 2 kids alone, having full responsibility of them, makes her extra protective. Also In the 4 heart event, i was kinda taken back by her reaction (my instant thought was, that she probably thought something serious happened but i still found it off). I choose to lie (that he handed me the egg and i accidentally dropped it), bc i was pretty sure that my choice will have consequences in their relationship so i didn't want to be the reason if they had issues later. These two events shows that she's isn't the perfect parent even though she's tries her best. (obviously that doesn't justify her behavior but i like how deep the explanations of their character goes) okay enough of my yapping, without wanting to come out as a biased but thats how i see it, ofc everything its just theories and i would like to hear other versions too

[@southernsnowman7788]

I was surprised by reference but will you play Persona? As for Sam's character, I think he's good kid from interesting family. His mother is portrait of housewife struggle (far more better than Penny heart events trying to be), His dad suffering trauma and for Vincent, Sam is probably one and only coolest person he had that making Vincent's childhood less depressed. I taking him as someone who trying to be his younger brother's coolest friend, while he also doesn't know the way he should grow up. His mom, his younger brother (and later, his strong dad) were in borderline of their mental limit. one wrong move and one too many stress could cause someone to break like an egg. of course he's scared. imagine Jodi scream "I can't take this anymore!!" and breakdown after one single too much job crushing her. I think the real meaning of beach scene is about Sam trying to bluffing himself to be ok through all the answers he giving to himself and asking you. I'm not doctor or anything but I think Sam and Sebastian are two sides of how extrovert and introvert are dealing with stressful situation. Person I know are shutting down their memories and being forgetful because of that too. that person also trying too hard to feels little achievement on something like their last string to pushing themselves. Maybe because I know someone like Sam, I can't really hate him.

[@Cyanide_Mallika]

For me the only bachelors who are actually eligible for marriage are Harvey(my beloved), Elliott and Leah. All else feel like they'll just be good friends, or like younger siblings because, one they're most probably younger than me (I'm in my late 20s) and two, they feel like they wouldn't be able to handle a mature relationship like marriage and the responsibilities that come with them. Harvey for example had a career and an identity of his own. I don't care about my spouse's money at all but don't wanna marry a man child who had no solid vision or goal in life and provide for him either. Wierd of me to think like this in a game but it is what it is.

[@Leapalot]

I think I get where you're coming from. Partner >>> Dependent is how I view it.

[@Cyanide_Mallika]

@@Leapalot absolutely!! I'm so glad you got it spot on 🙂

[@chunanigans]

Ah a fellow Harvey enjoyer :D Absolutely agree with you! There is just this difference between the ones who live on their own vs still with their family. I consider Haley and Emily also on the "older" side (Emily more so than Haley), and also Shane (who is confirmed to be one of the older bachelors in the secret notes). Overall, I appreciate that CA gave us such a variety of characters - and if the spouse options don't suit you, you can always go for Krobus :D

[@Cyanide_Mallika]

@@chunanigans Completely agree!! And I'm yet to meet korbus so let's see what the hype is all about 🤭

[@biscuits2463]

i dont know why i come back to this video every few months

[@starvingforrock-1398]

The first time I played this game I was about 17, which made Sam seem like a perfect fit. Now that I’m older I do agree that I wouldn’t have married Sam now, I’ve moved on to Emily and the Wizard, but I still feel nostalgic about him just like I do Sebastian 😅 They have their audience for sure

[@reesecordova5106]

So this is a little bit of a weird takeaway, but hear me out. I've personally been in situations concerning immature and manipulative mother figures. While on the outside, they seem kind, humble, and even fun or sweet. However, to their children, they are quite the opposite behind closed doors. Adult children of toxic mothers are often less likely to mature due to their mothers being overly controlling, and lacking to teach them emotional maturity or life skills. These mothers will push and pull by coddling their children, then shame their children for being 'lazy'. They will hold things over their child's head, and say things like "you're lazy, incapable, and you'll never make it on your own." And when this child hears that over and over, they start to believe it. It stunts their capability to really "grow up", and I think I unfortunately see this in Sam's behavior. He freaked out over a broken egg for God's sake, and you only gained hearts if you took the blame. (Implying that if Sam took responsibility, he'd get an earful later about it.) Toxic parents will use just about anything to back their child into a corner, and will refuse to let them go so they have an emotional punching bag to supply off of. I wish that sort of storytelling was reflective in his friend/romance arc. It would be inspiring for me to see this unfold. Sam could realize his mom is toxic, and begin to grow and learn as a person. Your farmer could maybe even stand up to Jodi, and make attempts to rectify the situation.

[@VelkanKiador]

That egg cutscene is my favorite, because I always go with the option "he dropped it on purpose, because he thought it would be funny" xD

[@cpupyroheart5716]

Dude. Sam feels too young to me, and I'm only 18. Dude straight up feels like 15. Its really weird. It makes me really uncomfortable.

[@savdebunnies]

Several of the marriage candidates (Alex, Haley, Sebastian, Abigail) always really felt like they just graduated high school to me. Sam feels like he's a year or so behind them.

[@daydihey3045]

I might be totally not understood here, but sam kind of reminds me of kirishima from boku no hero academia (idk why, they just have similar vibes). and kirishima is my favorite character ever, so I'm a bit biased here but... sam is really outgoing and friendly, he "takes the hit" of the social interaction on himself while Sebastian just socially awkwardly stands there (the whole "extrovert adopting an introvert" thing). he promises vincent that their dad will come back even though he can't be sure, but he still does it to cheer vincent up. he carefully chooses his words, because he cares about vincent. sam plays with him a lot too, and vincent also seems to really admire his older brother (the same can't be said about sebastian and maru, for example). he's very open and carefree, albeit still a bit naive. it's also apparent that he's kind of traumatized because of his father being away, and it really shows. jodi "lost" her husband, so she had to bear all the responsibility of raising the kids alone and cope with it by spoiling her kids. it also seems to me that even though she does her best, she still doesn't fully know what she's doing and how - hence why sam acts a bit weird and immature at times. I think the egg scene was supposed to show that but it ended up being just unnecessarily weird :/ his marriage dialog is pretty much just that - him being a bit immature and kind of lost. I love sam BUT I think that his character would fit better if he wasn't marriageable but rather someone you could just date, y'know what I mean? he's a nice guy, kind and caring, gives off big himbo energy, also he writes music??? which is really cool imo. I really love his little story where he starts making music for kids after you marry him, but I still think that it doesn't have to be locked behind marriage. sam would be a very good boyfriend that could grow and learn with you instead of just jumping head-first into the wedding. it would also fit people that want to play as a really young farmer (19-22 yo maybe?). marriage just seems like it's a bit too much and too early for sam.

[@DemonWithGoldenWings]

So after alllll that. When you have children with Sam he completely gives up making music. It's like he got married to young to you and you ruined his life

[@MsOriginaljester]

I've never even considered characters being young bc they live with their parents :O I've just assumed that were broke millennials living with their parents due to financial means and the reason why the technology was so outdated is because Stardew Valley didn't exactly have a thriving economy at the start of the game and if a town isn't well taken care of, the the people with means to do so will live somewhere where their needs are met :/ As we know, his mother raises her sons on her own while her husband is off to war. What many parents do is have the older siblings care for their younger siblings from time to time, and that's understandable. However, sometimes when a parent has multiple children and an absent parental figure many older siblings are expected to care for their younger siblings as if they were their own while the present parent is dealing with their own issues. The first heart scene we see Sam comforting his little brother on his dad's well-being. Not Jodi. Why did he seek comfort from his older brother, but not his caregiver? This has me thinking he might be a parentified offspring or Jodi might be a hyper-controlling parent. At four hearts, Sam gets us a snack and drops an egg. Jodi starts to overreact and is willing to emotionally blow up at Sam. That's not the hallmark of a mentally/emotionally healthy caregiver and we have to assume that Sam would have told the truth if he had felt safe to do so. Now, if the player chooses to not cover for him, she tells him to clean it up. He replies, "Yes. Ma'am." Jodi's only solution is to clean it up because she knows if she berates/demeans him for dropping one egg, she might be perceived as cruel. At six hearts, We see Sam riding his skateboard in town and does a trick on Haley/Emily's planter. When he's scolded by mayor Lewis, he probably knows what he did was wrong, but he feels the need to defend himself more palpably than others due to Jodi's parenting style. He says, "Fine then I guess I'll never skateboard again." This sounds manipulative because it is. However, we're not born naturally manipulative. we learn to be manipulative due to our environment. Our Parents. That being said, I didn't want to side with Sam on this one because yes, that's private property. I wish the developer gave us the option to suggest he use the large hill that leads from town square to the community center or robin's house to the community center after Lewis walked away. At eight hearts, It seems like the player has given Sam enough confidence to pursue his passions instead of minimizing himself to not walk on eggshells. He openly dedicates the song and performance to the player that helped him along his journey. Jodi is seen there, but not dancing like other sprites. I believe it shows that she's present, but not entirely/overtly supportive. At ten hearts, It is very uncomfortable. There's no denying that. Clearly Sam didn't feel comfortable announcing his relationship to the player to his mother. Perhaps she's a nosey/critical parent? We don't know why. I feel like the developer dropped the ball on this particular heart event. He could have had a more emotional moment...Sam expressing more negative/conflicting feelings. Maybe not necessarily about his mother, but in general and how the player may have helped him achieve his goals/ have courage to put himself out there and perform for the community to judge (i.e. Leah's art show). Now, if the player married Sam. He eventually confides in you that he feels bad that you're the only one working and that he wants to audition for gigs as a guitar players. If you choose to support this endeavor, he reveals that he was hired to play the guitar on a kids show. He is unhappy at first and it's up to the you, his spouse to either encourage him or reply dishearteningly. Then, another cut scene will play where he'll have Jaz and Vincent in the house and he'll turn on the T.V. where his jingle will play for the 3 of you and he'll turn to you, Jaz, and Vincent for Approval. Jaz and Vincent will love it, and the player will choose what they will want to choose. If you talk to him after those cut scenes, and if you have a good relationship with him I guess, he'll confide in you that he doesn't feel the urge like he used to. This can mean one of two things. He gets tired of playing the guitar because his job is to make music, which is fair. Or, he used his guitar as a coping mechanism to a very stressful home life as the only thing in his life he can control with a possibly hyper-controlling parent. Reading into it further, it seems like his job at Joja is just something an older sibling would do to make sure that his family had what they needed. For that matter, why is Jodi still a stay-at-home Mother while her husband is still away? Don't they have food, water, electricity, mortgage bills to pay? You may argue that the house could be paid off what what about the other bills? The problem is, with Sam married to the player, How is Vincent dealing with a father with PTSD and a mother who is ready to blow up at the dropped egg?

[@sagethegreat4680]

I wouldn't take alot of what's in the game too seriously because the game considers you an adult but also let's you collect eggs and do things that only kid villagers get to do . The game isn't exactly consistent. The great thing about games like stardew you play how you want

[@sovietbot6708]

I genuinely thought Sam was a teenager when I first played. It wasn't until later when I found out you could marry him.

[@space_raven5082]

Eggs can be turned into many snacks,, I don't know why people think he's just going to give you a raw egg, I felt like it seemed clear he was going to cook it? /genuine

[@ur._.localneptune]

I feel really bad for this guy, genuinely. Jodi doesn’t seem like a good mother figure, Kentucky left while he was maturing and still needed a dad, and he seems to take care of Vince more than Jodi does.

[@one_smol_duck]

poor sam, growing up without kentucky to guide him in the art of bourbon and horse racing