John Hunger - TAZ supercut

every single scene that features john (as a human), in order, and nothing else. because i can't get enough of him.
ep 63 art credit: minkidoodles.tumblr.com/post/1...
ep 67 art credit: ayveehearts.tumblr.com/post/1...
ep 68 art credit: sassytail.tumblr.com/post/1637...
ep 69 art credit: galacticjonah-dnd.tumblr.com/...

[@lonesomecowboy76]

Every time I hear the “I told people what they needed to hear” I get chills.

[@coler3077]

41:19

[@hayleymd5315]

The fact that Griffin wanted to make their big bad so relatable with such an amazing character arc and Clint embracing that and making this one of the most touching friendships in the show really speaks to me at how good these boys are at writing

[@BlizzardofDreams]

Hayley MD Perfectly said; he’s so strangely tragic. I really want to know what happened in his world that /everyone together/ became the Hunger

[@capriottimultimedia]

@@BlizzardofDreams Probably something similar to what it takes for another world to find the life of creation.

[@caiterbunch3932]

"To have friendship, Merle, it requires you to... love someone and... be invested in your shared happiness." "That's very kind of you, *_old friend._* I'm *_glad to hear you say that,_* actually."

[@skullptures142]

That made me tear up when I listened through the first time

[@ashnesslinguistics3570]

Character development!

[@Blitzcomo]

You can hear everyone else struggling emotionally when Clint says “I wrap my arms around him!” and I love Merle so much

[@DrFunkman]

Teela Comeau The guy kills him dozens of times and yet Merle’s first instinct is to save him. The whole time they’ve talked, Merle’s been trying to save John from the monster he’s become, and even at the end, when John’s clearly beyond rescuing, he tries to save him without hesitation, knowing he has no magic to protect him and believing God has abandoned him

[@claudiag.9307]

What really gets me is that the last Parlay scene from The Stolen Century was entirely improvised. Sure, Griffin generally put a lot of thought into John's character and this episode and had some idea what to say, but Merle's last question completely caught him by surprise. Both him and Clint just created this chilling and awe-inspiring scene and delivered it with so much emotion, that it's hard to believe it wasn't written and rehearsed. They got sense for dramatic tension too. That's story-telling taken to the next level. Thank you for doing this compilation, John is very close to my heart.

[@skrytetemnoty7590]

It's really amazing how the majority of this show is improvised, and it makes sense because this is a role-playing game, but then there are just moments where you completely forget and it's just.... it's chilling what can happen in those moments.

[@skullknight2024]

That's why I'm glad there's graphic noval of this series and is getting 2nd book,maybe a 3rd book

[@capriottimultimedia]

I am buying every single one of the novels because I need the McElboys to be financially supported enough to justify finishing the series because I NEED to see John

[@tea_n_ink]

Time stamp?

[@cartoonking1789]

@@capriottimultimedia I buy two paper back volumes and two hardcover volumes of each book for a total of four books for myself. Then I buy five copies to give to friends to help insure that they complete the whole story. Hopefully they can do Amnesty too.

[@GippyHappy]

Griffin: oh I gotta think of a voice for this guy Griffin: (literally just his own voice)

[@eldon8712]

I figure even if it's not intentional, it's metaphorical; Like Griffin, John is the focal point of an infinite multitude of characters and beings, just like how Griffin is a DM

[@miskathonic]

I think there's some truth to that, but there are some minute differences that really make an impact.

[@Queer_Nerd_For_Human_Justice]

@@miskathonic Yeah, like the way John chooses his words slowly and methodically with clear stops and spaces between. He's just ever so slightly trim and uncasual.

[@MagnaFae]

A voice is more than just the pitch, accent, and timbre. It’s also the word choice, and while Griffin is very eloquent himself, I can tell he emphasized and incorporated certain words that he doesn’t use in casual conversation.

[@ZeonTwilight]

John, the only world eater that's ever been well written.

[@johnthedork723]

And that’s a fact.

[@8Rincewind]

Was Galactus ever good in the comics? He seems popular and I remember him being good in the Fantastic Four cartoon from the 90s.

[@ATMOSK1234]

@@8Rincewind it varies from comic to comic

[@matthewgallaway3675]

@@ATMOSK1234 that's not a yes

[@chrisspence5757]

*screams in 10 voice lines alduin*

[@gmalamat1393]

its so ironic that despite all john says, that emotions are too small for him, he contradicts himself, he ends up feeling sad

[@aurynvrvilo6683]

"You can apologize to me and tell me you were wrong." Merle with his life in John's hands still shows that he has more power than a reality swallowing entity. Amazing.

[@afreakazoid4813]

oh he's SUCH a good good world-eater boy

[@psychedelllica]

i rEALLY want to like this but i'd ruin it

[@susieboo22]

God, the sheer MENACE Griffin put into "I find that pretty vexing." He did such a fantastic job playing this character.

[@Toffeehammer]

John is a really fascinating villain. I can only imagine what was going through his head right at the end there. He thought he was a part of this grand work to escape the boundaries of existence backed by a billion billion like-minded souls but it turned out in the end he was the only one in that huge gestalt consciousness that really gave a shit about any of that. That "beautiful" creation of his had only ever been a hideous, mindless monster that just wanted to devour everything for no grander reason than...well...hunger.

[@hanko6277]

whaaat hey I loved that interpretation I don't speak English very well so it was hard for me to understand the podcast but I loved your way of listening and reasoning it thanks for your comment it gives me a better vision of what happened in the end, do you know where I could find some podcast Similary? although well I think the drawings made it 100 times more enjoyable

[@eldon8712]

And the sun drops further and further behind the sea, until the final sliver of light is gone. And so is John.

[@Dan-qy6zv]

"There is something I'd like to know." Griffin's mind: OK. Gonna get ready for some tactical chess mind game answer. "Are you my friend?" *Griffin.exe has stopped functioning. Give it a moment to restart*

[@LimakPan]

He never apologized.

[@Hjernespreng]

But he did seem to express regret.

[@belugaval144]

i think there was a moment where he wanted to, but couldnt. so the best he could do was say "i told people what they wanted to hear"

[@spacetearable]

Eh, he's got infinity to come around. I'm not worried.

[@alastorlapid2365]

"I'm glad to hear you say that old friend". It's not an apology, but it is an admission that he was wrong.

[@adrianax1734]

The emotion in Griffin's voice in the end as John passes. Such a good ending for one of the most terrifying and compelling villains I've ever encountered

[@knightboulegard5483]

I was literally crying at Merle’s joy speech.

[@zach5539]

There's an interview where they talk about the motivation from that scene and Clint says it was based off his wife who passed. He said that was how she saw the world. Gets me everytime.

[@knightboulegard5483]

@@zach5539 Oh man, wasn't expecting a reply to a 5 year old comment. Yeah I knew about that, its really sweet.

[@eldon8712]

John: Where am I? Merle: This... is the parley room. John: The parlor room? Merle: Sure, let's go with that.

[@noamratner8058]

Idk why but Griffin gave John a customer service voice

[@carlogalbiati6157]

noam ratner who better to be unsatisfied?

[@lastlife0726]

noam ratner new theory, John is Griffin if he kept his job as GameStop and worked his way up the corporate ladder.

[@KingNanoA]

I mean, he was a public speaker, and they're pretty good at voices that crowds would like to listen to.

[@matthewgallaway3675]

It fits though.

[@jacklarus]

Idk why but FUCK it's a mood.

[@caiterbunch3932]

griffin *really* needed to emphasize that merle was hugging john in that one scene huh

[@Skulexander]

"You got it, buddy"

[@baconfromheck27]

100% my all time favorite line in TAZ. Clint packs so much emotion and power and care into four fucking words it blows me away.

[@n.2706]

I keep thinking back to the crystal kingdom song... "kept from our children, lovers, friends / subject to laws we did not make". It's like it's echoing John's words "There are laws and limitations placed on every living thing that they are never made aware of." I guess both Legion and the Hunger were born from discontentment.

[@Queer_Nerd_For_Human_Justice]

No taxation without representation!!

[@chrismccoy2252]

I'm pretty sure that the legion was like one step away from being the hunger 2.0. If they had torn through the astral plane and into the material plane and destroyed the laws of life and death it would have probably thrown the whole cosmoscope out of order. Wonder if it was intentional.

[@mjgp02]

The supercut we all really needed.

[@nucleartemptations3044]

Why do I love John? Just... why? Why do I want to embrace him and tell him everything's going to be alright? Why do I want to be by his side? Why do I want to comfort this thing that used to be a man?

[@shockofthenew]

perhaps he reminds you of part of yourself who needs those things... the way I see it John's vision is fundamentally devoid of hope, and Merle's philosophy is fundamentally hopeful. A lot of us could do with more of what Merle brings to the world.

[@nucleartemptations3044]

@@shockofthenew that's very true (sorry I can't come up with a better reply than that, I'm feeling a bit under the weather)

[@shockofthenew]

@@nucleartemptations3044 I'm glad it resonated :)

[@Queer_Nerd_For_Human_Justice]

He's a classic edgelord... Low mental health, lashing out. In real life, people like that are still precious loved ones who need support and understanding, so it makes sense we want to look after a villain who's hurting... In real life there are no villains, just bad perspectives adopted by previously innocent people who may become innocent again.

[@darnwaffles7712]

I just realized. I just fucking realized. Ep 68, scene 2, John wants Merle to kill him. He is done with it. He wants that eternal oblivion that he always preached he understood so well. He is slowly becoming consumed by the very ‘salvation’ he devoted his life to.

[@honestly.brandy]

this made me ball my eyes out. i never knew how much a roleplay could capture the meaning of what life is in john, and what matters in merle. when john said "i told people what they need to hear" i got chills. and when merle was explaining his joy and told john to apologize i also did. when john explains meaning and merle explains matter are the two thing we as people need to start balancing out. if we are to much of meaning we will get consumed like john. if we are to much or matter we will be blind to the bad. remember that.

[@frost9681]

So I'm aware that in the scene where John parlays Merle that he's trying to tell him how to defeat the Hunger, but is it just me, or does anyone else get the vibe that John wants Merle to kill him? See to me, the King seemed symbolic of John, and him rushing in was a death sentence for the King. It seemed to represent John parlaying Merle and making himself vulnerable. John mentions that Merle could kill him, and the Hunger gets angry at that. Every hint he drops makes me feel like he wanted Merle to kill him. Maybe he thought it would stop the Hunger, maybe he'd had enough, or maybe he thought the Hunger would torment him for the eternity which he fears so much, but it definitely feels like John wanted Merle to kill him before the Hunger took him.

[@c1k111]

that is exactly the idea screaming in my head during that scene

[@lyrahanson6642]

ithink its kinda cool that travis immediately called him sterling cooper after the agency instead of roger sterling as the individual agent because johns name is literallly john hunger like his name is the agency hes not an individual

[@oojamaflip7192]

Ooo, that's epic

[@Queer_Nerd_For_Human_Justice]

John Hunger and other kinda joke names like that such as Sans Undertale are actually OLLLLLDDDDDDD OLD OLD OLD naming conventions where you're named after where you come from, who you're related to or affiliated with, or what your job or title is. That's where last names like Smith and Hill come from. With Sans Undertale, it's a location name. he's FROM Undertale. With John Hunger, it's his affiliation. There's even a book called Jennifer Government, a dystopia where your last name is whatever company you work for, like Bill Starbucks or Penny Microsoft.

[@katelynh5883]

Look, I love this show with every fibre of my being. But these scenes hit different. Merle hits different. His character is so inexplicably vibrant and when he does take the spotlight it is an absolute GIFT. God bless.

[@belugaval144]

i think john is the most underrated character in the show. he's my personal favorite character, and i feel like i so rarely see people talk about him.

[@dansmart3182]

I wish Mearle would have summoned John at the end.

[@skrytetemnoty7590]

I was literally on the edge of my seat hoping for that to happen.

[@shysenpai3032]

Omg that would have been so freaking hype!!!

[@noodlezz7545]

Oh that would've been so cool

[@zhilemon923]

but then he would be fighting himself

[@belugaval144]

that would have been amazing, but i dont think it was possible. because i think he was destroyed more thoroughly than anything else in existence. john had been destroyed, consumed so completely that there was nothing left to summon.

[@silverwing1587]

12:15 he's after sick gains My favorite part

[@snowv6481]

When the knight took the king...was that John trying to tell Merle to kill him? (Ep68 scene 2)

[@adrianax1734]

That was John showing Merle that, by separating the hunger from the world, the Hunger would be destroyed. (Which thankfully Justin payed attention to and taako told Lucretia to cast the spell around the hunger rather than the plane prime)

[@KingNanoA]

felt like a secret message: The soldiers have taken over. The violent ones have taken command.

[@eli9214]

thanks i would die for him

[@ernestosera7758]

most of the universe would die for him, he's very convincing

[@abbycantrell1369]

"Mildly eloquent pinata" I need to start using that as an insult for people

[@gingerja]

"I think there was probably a time where I had joy. Where I had experienced fleeting happiness, or anger, or fear, but... it's been so long, Merle, I-... I used to spend my days considering the nature of time and existence. Maybe that brought me joy once, but... unlike anybody else who ever thought about those questions, who ever pondered the meaning of it all, I - and you may find this hard to believe - I SOLVED it, Merle. I saw the fullness of time. I pondered eternity, and... was the first person, and ONLY person, to successfully visualize its treacherous arc." He sits back down, across the chessboard, and he says, "You're a man of the cloth, Merle. Certainly you've wondered, too, about what awaits our conscienceness after death, or-..." Then he laughs, and goes, "What am I saying, I've given you a firsthand experience! A few times, in this very room. Perhaps for some people who think about it, there's nothing but... oblivion. The eternal erasure of your consciousness. Or for some, it's eternal life in their god's glorious kingdom, or eternal cycling through all the inhabitants of their world. Any of these options, Merle, any of them, are just... erasure, or contentment, or revival, and all of them are fine as abstract concepts, but-... eternally, Merle. Eternally? You can't possibly conceive the LENGTH of eternity, Merle. I have. It's maddening, and hopeless, but it's a burden we're saddled with from the moment of our creation. It's a finish line that, by its definition, will never arrive. It's stretched forever and ever, it's too ambivalent to even taunt those trapped behind it. It is the cruel price of existence, Merle, and it is too horrible to bear once you've seen it. Existence, Merle? LIFE, Merle? It's... horrible. To exist, to live, it's... horrible."

[@lorendaemon7945]

"This tremendous gift that I got twice!" And Clint got it thrice 😭

[@ashurean]

I only know this story from the "I can't decide" animatic, so I'm actually really interested to hear what the story is actually about now.

[@ericathompson7836]

Hooooo boy you're in for a treat, if you decide to listen to the entirety of it! The podcast takes forever to get to the Hunger, and even longer to get to John, but the lead-up makes everything hit so much harder. The first few arcs of the story have a very different vibe from the rest, but around the Crystal Kingdom arc it really starts to take on a classic epic kind of feeling, and the world-building starts to really take shape.

[@Famously5518]

This Video is just taz balance from john's pov

[@tyffanystorment8498]

i have no idea what this is, who these people are, but im fucking crying. That was so good, so beautiful, omg

[@skrytetemnoty7590]

Please listen to the Adventure Zone. It's so good. Here, start at the beginning: www.maximumfun.org/adventure-zone/ep-1-here-there-be-gerblins-chapter-one

[@giveluminacat10nobles21]

I always was hoping that John could've been saved. I think he could've been. He was so excited to hear about merles life at the end even trying to send a message. I don't think John was a bad person. I think he was misguided, and corrupt. Maybe it was just too late for John in the end though.

[@zacharyheine4177]

I think that at the very end John was saved, in the sense that his soul was redeemed and freed from the hunger.

[@24601st]

his name is Mr. John "The Hunger" Ascendent, excuse you

[@debrarenfro1452]

The whole talk of him and Meryl is just essentially questioning religion if you think about it and I love the perspective it puts on it.

[@dismountpsyduck4258]

Day Dreamer how so?

[@jariusreece1931]

+Dismount Psyduck Well...because it discusses the afterlife and eternity. They discuss reincarnation and the afterlife, the promises at the heart of every religion, and John thinks it's horrible. He's questioning everything religion promises with a man of the cloth. Not just religion but he calls into question oblivion, the nihilism of a staunch nonbeliever. John takes every outcome, every belief, and deems them all horrible.

[@dismountpsyduck4258]

Dante Reece i can see why you guys think that! Thats an interesting way to look at it, i just see it as a life discussion, way to dig deep~

[@shockofthenew]

​@@jariusreece1931 This is an interesting comment. I just wanted to add something your wording sparked in my brain, but please feel free to ignore! As a staunch nonbeliever, I don't find the likelihood of oblivion/non-existence after death to be nihilistic at all. Quite the opposite in fact. Knowing that we very likely only have these brief moments of life to do and experience and contribute everything we can, and there is nothing else, no paradise or reincarnation onto which we can project some promised fulfilment of our disappointments in this life is, in some way, one of the most comforting, motivating and life-affirming parts of an atheist worldview. To me, the idea of eternal existence in any form feels exhausting, consciousness-destroying and unnecessary... longing for it feels... ultimately self-centred and fear-driven. What's important is doing what we can here and now, and accepting that our personal importance is measured solely by our impact on the world, not in bargaining for future rewards and salvation or fearing eternal torture. When we are gone, we are gone. We have done our piece, and the only echo which remains is the impact of the actions and bonds we created here on earth, which is why we should try to make those things as positive as we can.

[@lukeharding4996]

This is an extraordinary cut together, thank you so much for it. I can't help that this is Clint playing Clint cast as Merle... what a guy!

[@doogledog101]

I would literally die for them I don’t care

[@gmalamat1393]

this got me into taz. i watched the animations, saw the music, and was really impressed, but nothing connvinced me that i could watch 60+ hours of people talking to eachother. I thought, as good as the story might be there's no way i can just not get bored without any visual stimuly but..... this changed it. Its one of the best moments in the entire campaign and it really shows. And at first i was confused as to how the fuck they reach a point where space travel and decades worth of deaths.... And then i almost forgot about the endgame. They improved so much from one chapter to another that by chapter 2 i got wrapped into that current storyline and when the hunger was finally mentioned again i had an OH SHIT moment where i remembered its the same story this compilation comes from, and then, when the big reveal finally happened it was just so amazing, my god its been a journey and thank you for getting me into taz

[@ignorancesbliss6149]

oh i LOVE johnny vore man. i love him. i LOVE this man. fucking JOHN KINNIE kfsdjhfkjasdhfkajsdgh

[@ignorancesbliss6149]

john hungry man is the first real serious villain ive ever liked in a story and Oh Boy I Love Him With My Whole Being

[@SebastianMartin]

@@ignorancesbliss6149 you're so fucking valid

[@merlinthegamercat8897]

I still come back to this video, absolutely love John and Merle

[@kuuttituutti]

Thank you so much for this!

[@Troommate]

This is great I could watch this on repeat.

[@jacobharrison2425]

This is genuinely amazing, thank you so much!

[@Troommate]

Some fantastic RP right here :D

[@MarcyStevonshy]

I wanna listen to big emotional moments like this from TAZ but I feel like I’m not allowed to since I haven’t listened to all the moments leading up to this. Is listening to everything beginning to end in order worth the wait?

[@SebastianMartin]

oh, it DEFINITELY is.

[@mossasaur]

GOD YES IT IS DO IT

[@aphorasity9495]

OH GOD YEA

[@s.r.s.362]

DO IT FOR YOUR OWN SAKE

[@caiterbunch3932]

i spoiled myself and i regret it now, after watching the podcast, so like, yeah

[@samuelgiraudo8748]

I keep coming back to this video. It's just such a thought provoking and deeply affecting character arc

[@krzlcve]

this video is my happy contemplative place

[@Cortana-jd9ou]

43:52 this scene... it fits david and jasper so much im sobbing

[@therailroad3921]

Who are David and jasper

[@borthsampson]

I can't stop wondering what would've happened if Merle hadn't stopped seeing him. I mean it seems like the only time he's human or at least close to human is when he's with Merle which makes me think him and Merle's friendship was a strong enough bond to at least pull him away from the hunger for those short moments. I know it would have ended at some point regardless, but I really wish they had found some way to save John :/

[@GatesOfAvalon1]

...The episode 69 art credit just takes me to a porn site?

[@SebastianMartin]

OOF i'm very sorry about that, idk how that person's old url wound up redirecting to porn but i've fixed the link

[@horiziac]

I feel like that's fitting

[@imheretojest2826]

Is it okay that i cried during the beach scene?

[@salty7631]

This character is what I based a backstory character to my DnD campaign's PC on. I only hope it lasts long enough to see him in game.

[@medicalcal]

Bless

[@trex7925]

Help I keep imagining Morgan Freeman as John Hunger send help. edit: Like John looks like Morgan Freeman. Thats what i mean

[@capriottimultimedia]

Can anyone explain what John was trying to convey with the final chess game?

[@claudiag.9307]

[Spoilers for the final episode if TAZ, it's worth listening to] He tried to explain how to defeat the Hunger. It's a cluster of things and people tied together by "bonds", basically a force keeping everything together in the World of TAZ, being misused. By breaking the bonds, all the Hunger's "content" is released and returned to its proper place.

[@capriottimultimedia]

Gotcha, I got confused because I initially thought he was trying to tell Merle to kill him in parlay but that didn't seem to totally fit.

[@couldntthinkofacoolname9608]

1. He wanted Merle to kill him in Parlay. 2. He was telling Merle how to defeat the Hunger, by severing it's bonds.

[@0average_enjoyer044]

john and merle, as characters, are far better than TAZ itself as a piece of fiction. the entirety of 63, john’s suicidal ideations in 68, and his conclusion in 69 are all, individually, magnitudes better than the entirety of graduation, or any of the crappy moments inside of it

[@mossasaur]

::) 👏🏻 good good boys hooooooooooooooooooo boooooooyyyyy

[@jonahsaarela4265]

28:49

[@fishy658]

!!!

[@thehmmyone]

ok so i just kind of stumbled upon an animatic of this and wanted to learn more, but i cant really find anything. can someone explain what taz is?

[@SebastianMartin]

It's a podcast called The Adventure Zone that's basically a comedy d&d campaign

[@thehmmyone]

@@SebastianMartin thanks