Power Hungry Heroines and the Moral Bankruptcy of Hollywood

[@master_samwise]

If this video gets at least 10,000 likes, I will do the One Punch Man Workout for 100 days. You might think I'm kidding. I'm not: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZnUi42umqeChrs

[@arbhall7572]

People arent given Gal Gadot a hard time for the same interviews with Zegler for the most obvoius reason. You see it. We all see it. Rachel. Really loved saying it. Gal did not. Moralize, whine and cry all you want. Thats what we saw and its impossible to ignore.

[@arnowisp6244]

The only Legacy Star Wars Character they can use Properly is Darth Vader. Which makes sense when they are this Obsessed with Power.

[@michellestr8998]

Wrong there have always been stories for women, but they were not adventure type stories.

[@michellestr8998]

And as a woman, I can tell you that No. You wouldn't improve Princess Bride by girl bossing up Buttercup.

[@Eilonwy95]

@@michellestr8998 He specifically said they shouldn’t girl boss up buttercup. Just is nice when characters aren’t completely useless in dire situations. I don’t want or need her to fight with a sword or save the day. But try to help Westly out a little. She should care more about him than that.

[@philkugler2429]

There's 2 main ways to measure someone's character: 1) Who are you when no one is looking? 2) Who are you when no one can stop you?

[@Sly-Moose]

This comment goes so hard

[@creatrixZBD]

also.. Who do you become when you're not getting your way, or what you want? (That one is useful because it's easily observable in everyday Life.)

[@fredjones554]

This is how to measure your own character. Pay attention. It happens so slowly.

[@fredjones554]

​@@creatrixZBDexcellent comment

[@Eilonwy95]

“Perfection and power are overrated. I think you are very wise to choose happiness and love."

[@sillythewanderer4221]

Power certainly is overrated, but perfection certainly is not, as we should all strive for perfection, even if we cannot achieve it.

[@victorialn1317]

Uncle Iroh!

[@Eilonwy95]

@@sillythewanderer4221 I can agree but I think it depends on what we are striving for perfection in. If it’s moral perfection, fantastic. There are other goods such as physical perfection or perfection in some skill, but those are only good to pursue in so long as they do not get in the way of higher goods. The line in the show I’m quoting refers to perfection in physical power, which would hinder the character’s relationships. Relationship is more important than power.

[@Chief_Hiccup]

If this comment doesn't get fave'd by Mastersamwise he's just busy setting his toddlers straight.

[@dredgen0268]

Yet again, Avatar proving it’s the best show basically ever.

[@erikpalumbo2400]

There is no better example than the Justice League animated series. The women characters were just as powerful and impactful as the men characters. They had their own weaknesses they over came, they kicked as much butt, and just well written.

[@Eilonwy95]

Great show!!

[@annguyen.134]

loved the series growing up!

[@Chief_Hiccup]

I had almost forgotten about that series until you brought it up. And I match you one the animated "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes" not to be confused with the failed reboot "Avengers Assemble."

[@MatheusHenrick-uv9gt]

@@Chief_Hiccup We don't talk about Assemble

[@Chief_Hiccup]

@@MatheusHenrick-uv9gt Of course not but people who don't know the difference can easily mistake scenes from one for the other without context.

[@MelonLord44]

New favorite quote: "power doesn't care about your favorite flavor ice cream"

[@johnmcwick1]

What it doesn’t? F***!! Well guess I got to go apologize to those innocent tribes I commuted genocide to.

[@michaelwicklund17]

Chocolate chip

[@Blue-vs6fj]

@@michaelwicklund17 vanilla

[@thatonepossum5766]

@@Blue-vs6fj espresso

[@theenderdestruction2362]

I agree​@@Blue-vs6fj

[@supernerd8067]

I saw online the following criticism: The Acolyte is adopting the philosophy of Voldemort. "There is neither good or evil; only power and those too weak to use it." I know people love to dunk on The Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter nowadays, but this temptation is poignant. We must be like Harry and see through the lies Voldemort is telling him, lest we become just like Tom Riddle - a man scared of death, clinging to power by any means necessary. He was a man who never knew love, as Harry said, and look at where it lead him.

[@conormurphy4328]

An 11 year old Harry knew the dangers of power more than seemingly every writer in Hollywood.

[@Calvinosaur]

Contrast with Dumbledore, who learned at a young age that he was not to be trusted with power, and instead decided to dedicate his life to training others who might wield it safely.

[@xavierchamberlain1964]

Out of curiosity, who is dunking on Harry Potter?

[@supernerd8067]

@xavierchamberlain1964 I was making an over-generalization based on a few people's opinions over the last year.

[@xavierchamberlain1964]

@@supernerd8067 I see. Makes sense. It feels like hating on classic stories has never been more popular.

[@Waaagh40KRed]

“People say, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” My point is that power attracts the corruptible.” -Frank Herbert, Dune(1965)

[@MesoBreakfast]

“We have only to remove who oppose us” is so much more relevant today.

[@CharybdisJaws]

Hollywood, my Lord, is ready to fall.

[@drewhigbee815]

Eren Jeager type shi

[@supernerd8067]

This temptation is real. I bought into it fully for a few years, and I am now paying the consequences. Having someone you like or know is qualified can resolve SOME problems, but not every problem. That is a lie to have us worship man, our party, ourselves, or some other lesser thing as God.

[@ALJ9000]

I’m suddenly feeling Patriotic

[@Pajali]

I think you’ve touched on what makes the “strong female protagonist” feel so stale: she’s usually just the archetypal male protagonist with a splash of Oppressed Girlboss for flavor, and the Standard Model Male Protagonist was already a tired cliche. Media companies can’t imagine anything besides hyper-individualistic greed as a motivation for action, so most protagonists act out of “I am dissatisfied with my situation, so I will go take what I want” or “Somebody took something from me, so I will go get it back and/or get revenge on those who took it from me.” The protagonists are rarely motivated by selfless reasons, and rarely seek out companionship unless it fulfills a specific function in their mission. It’s even rarer for them to use “soft power” or anything other than blunt force and violence to achieve their goals. I find it incredibly cynical and, quite frankly, boring to watch. I suppose that for people who experience society through the lens of cable news and online discourse, that approach might seem “realistic,” but we find plenty of people acting selflessly in real life, in the real world, and I’d rather hear about those people.

[@TheJohn8765]

It's a rewritten trope from the pulp-novels of the mid 1900's. They're cardboard cutouts. Just with a gender swap. It's just terrible writing with an undercurrent of revenge-fantasy.

[@benjaminthibieroz4155]

It works pretty well when the character's journey is to learn that's there's more to the world that selfish pursuits, as well as the limit of strength, becoming a better person in the process. Been done a lot, but case in point is still needed. Issue with modern media? That selfish brutality is portrayed as the right way right from the start and is only validated by the way. It's not just immoral, it kills character developpement.

[@blackhammer5035]

@@TheJohn8765Adjacent to that, it’s also a genre mismatch. Most pulp “heroes” are relatively lacking in virtue or heroism, instead being written to be dramatic and exciting. Conan is a character of intense action, who has simplistic values at best and frequently acts on impulses that can only charitably described as “human.” These characters are fun to read, but should never be confused with role models or examples of virtue. Being a freewheeling barbarian is a fantasy, not a goal. These modern stories take characters of pulp or comic book proportions, but try to paint them as these role models or examples, rather than mere fantasies or symbols.

[@m.a.k.dynasty4504]

​@@blackhammer5035 In no way are characters like Deadpool being portrayed as roll models, pal. The same goes for many other Marvel heroes I'd argue. None of these movies are trying to teach valuable life lessons to carry on for generations. They exist to sell you spectacles and stories, some much better than others.

[@blackhammer5035]

@@m.a.k.dynasty4504 I think you’re on the wrong video.

[@SpitshineSneakers]

I'm so glad you brought up Luke Skywalker in your Power vs Love segment. The contrast between Luke's redemption of his father and Rey just girlbossing her way to victory is the perfect example why the first succeeds and the second fails. The LOTR example I think does a better job about dissecting the dangers of power vs the strength of love within a single story, but Star Wars is a better example of how far Hollywood has fallen in storytelling.

[@Eilonwy95]

Agreed!! Both examples help build his argument perfectly

[@Heydodoakskdkdjf]

I love Prince Phillip and the fairies in Sleeping Beauty because it’s that perfect balance of men and women working together with their unique abilities for the sake of others.

[@Eilonwy95]

Prince Phillip was always one of my favorite Disney princes

[@Jasonwolf1495]

Its simple the way a sword is simple. To the point so to speak. Its not about philip or the fairies its about doing the good thing. There is someone evil harming others and you have the power to stop them so you do. People get mad that princess get swept off their feet by princes who come out of no where, but damnit it someone showed up having just slayed a dragon to save me Id be seriously considering a relationship with them. The only thing that should be old fashioned about it is the instant marriage.

[@Eilonwy95]

@@Jasonwolf1495 I agree except that no matter if they saved me from a dragon, I’m getting to know them quite well before I have any kind of romantic relationship. Phillip is of course great and they already were in love, but it’s just no prudent to go alone with someone you don’t know

[@meredithsmakings3068]

Same. Sleeping Beauty is one of my favorite Disney movies and it still holds up pretty well

[@haleyschreiter9746]

Exactly! Although they did everything within their respective power, neither he nor they could have defeated Maleficent without the other's help.

[@katakesh8566]

Anakin chose power over love and lost both Luke chose love over power and gained so much more

[@8-bitsarda747]

it baffles me that hollywood seems to think that love, whether romantic or platonic, isn't one of the most powerful motivators known to mankind. There's a trope excessively present in anime and manga called, "the power of friendship," where a character's love for their friends gives them the strength to overcome literally anything. Japan seems to understand this, why can't hollywood?

[@m.a.k.dynasty4504]

Because the power of friendship in the context of anime is more or less bs asspull to allow the protagonist to harness power out of nowhere to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Hence why it's a commonly DESPISED trope.

[@8-bitsarda747]

@@m.a.k.dynasty4504 I was not saying it's a perfect trope, or even a good trope. Nor am I saying it's bad. Like pretty much all tropes, whether or not it's good or bad depends on how well it's implemented. The trope in question exists because people are quite often motivated to do extraordinary things for the sake of people they love. The power of friendship is just that, but on every stimulant known to mankind (and maybe a few that aren't known)

[@terrified057t4]

Hollywood's like the Jedi in the prequels, "love = dark side" even though that ain't it.

[@Pajali]

Exactly. The Power of Friendship is used as a joke in “mature” circles (“And then they saved the day with the Power of Friendship, lol”), but nothing gets me more invested than a group of friends/rivals/frenemies going back-to-back against a shared enemy or collaborating to overcome an obstacle. It’s what makes me love sports anime even though I have no interest in real-life sports (or board games or cooking competitions 😂). The “protagonists” who refuse friendship usually end up like Light from Death Note.

[@Pajali]

@@m.a.k.dynasty4504​​⁠I don’t know what anime you’ve watched, but I don’t think it’s unrealistic for a character to get extra motivation by thinking of the people he’s fighting for or for a group of people to be more effective when they work together as a unit. The trope tends to be most prominent at the climax of a fight, but it’s not any more ridiculous than the deus ex machinas that are common with solo protagonists. I’m also not sure why you think it’s commonly “despised” when that’s the entire basis of the first 3 phases of the MCU, and those movies were incredibly popular. It’s fine if you don’t like the trope, but I think you’re making a lot of assumptions about the trope and the audience that aren’t supported by evidence.

[@RenDrawsWarbirds]

This brings to mind a quote from Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: "There is no good or evil. There is only power, and those who are too weak to seek it". A brilliant line from a villain, that should never be applicable to a hero.

[@benjaminthibieroz4155]

"Any power is doomed to fade or temporarily disappear at some point. Good and evil matter then, to decide wether others will lift you up and crush you as you deserves. Whoever values power alone is a fool."

[@bfranciscop]

Hollywood didn't make films 'for men' when it was male dominated. They understood that some groups have marked and predictable preferences. So they made romance, drama and romantic comedies understanding who would like them, and they made action, war and violent movies with full understanding of who would enjoy them. The fact that action movies outshone most other genres at the box office is not an indication of a top-down decision 'made by men' but rather a reflection of who in the population was more willing to pay for movies suiting their tastes.

[@thomaspetrucka9173]

Came here to say this. You can say that it was shaded beneath a male lens, but the smart ones knew their audience. Look at Barbie! It catered to a huge untapped audience of women who played with the dolls and watched the cartoons. But look at the melodramas of the 1930's! It shouldn't be surprising that the breakout "Gone with the Wind" nailed the female audience of the day--and so scraped in so much success.

[@Jamoni1]

Right? Some of these people have apparently never seen The Wizard of Oz, or Gone With the Wind.

[@angelicambyence]

Thank you for this channel and for saying what I have been saying and believing for AGES! I've been wanting female main characters treated with the same care and influence to the plot as male characters since I was a teenager (two decades ago now T_T) and when we finally get our "feminist" movies...they got the "female main character" right, but not the "treated with the same care" part and it's just frustrating at this point. I'm just glad I am not the only person noticing this issue.

[@benjaminthibieroz4155]

I grew up with Ghibli animated movies. They become even more refreshing as I grow older, especially on that subject...

[@DiamondKingStudios]

I’ve been watching them a lot with my family, and I agree. They in Japan are onto something we aren’t.

[@BelMarduksBizarreBazaar]

buttercup didnt need to be more manly, she needed to show us that Wesley found more to value than her looks. Loyalty, empathy, and intellect are all virtues she possessed yet weren't well fleshed out like his bravery.

[@Eilonwy95]

Agreed. I don’t think anyone sane wants buttercup to be more manly. A little bravery, maybe. It also would have been nice to see her other qualities fleshed out as well. Wealth also has arguably more of even those qualities anyway. Maybe not empathy, but certainly intellect as initially loyalty though at least hers grew.

[@terrified057t4]

So being brave is manly? Women should only show loyalty, empathy and intelligence but physically incapable of anything more than walking? Yes I know you only stated that Buttercup shouldn't be "manly" but that's the way it came off as. Master Samwise only wanted Buttercup to be more active without changing her character rather than some trophy for Wesley.

[@BelMarduksBizarreBazaar]

@@terrified057t4 gross misrepresentation

[@ThreadBareHope1234]

I would agree. I don't remember Buttercup being intellectual, but I'll take it. I also agree that a girl shouldn't only be considered strong when she can man up. If it were someone I cared about being attacked by a giant rat, I would've been more aggressive, and I'm not even that masculine. Some of the best girls have fire. To comfort those close to them, or ward off enemies, and to have the drive to act. Like Leia.

[@Eilonwy95]

@@ThreadBareHope1234exactly!! I don’t need buttercup to be great with a sword and defeat the enemies herself. I just would like her to try a little harder to help. I’m no great fighter. I’m 5ft 1 and not incredibly strong, but if a giant rat attacked my loved one, you better believe I’m doing my best to beat the crap out of that thing. Not just stand there.

[@Drdirkjackson]

Fairy Godmothers: "We can't interfere!" Also Fairy Godmothers: "Here's a +5 sword of dragon-slaying."

[@Shamshiro]

Providing the hero with gear is still fair lol

[@mauricesteel4995]

When did the three good fairies said they couldn't interfere? They were actively working against Maleficent from start to finish, they weakened the death curse to make Aurora only asleep, shed their magical powers and lived as mortals for 16 years to protect the princess, escorted Aurora personally back to her home, and Maleficent managed to strike on the few minutes of distraction, they put the entire kingdom to sleep, rescued Philip from Maleficent's Dungeon, armed him with the sword of Truth and the shield of Virtue, defended him with their magic against maleficent's minions, and even aided the killing blow against her. They pretty much carried the entire movie. Note: relevant to the video, Flora decided that foregoing their Fairy powers to protect an infant was a good idea because Maleficent would never imagine they would do such a thing, as Fauna mentioned that Maleficent cannot understand love and the joy of helping others, Maleficent is evil and evil only wants power, she could never understand a genuine act of love.

[@Eilonwy95]

@@mauricesteel4995the fairies are the mvps.

[@EdwardD.Thornton]

This is a great Video. This brings back painful memories which i have been enduring. My relationship of 5 years ended 3 months ago. The love of my life decided to leave me, I really love her so much I can’t stop thinking about her, I’ve tried my very best to get her back in my life, but to no avail, I’m frustrated, I don’t see my life with anyone else. I’ve done my best to get rid of the thoughts of her, but I can’t, I don’t know why I’m saying this here, I really miss her and just can’t stop thinking about her.

[@RoyJ.Tillison-tq5ed]

I am sorry about what you have been through. I have been through something similar and was almost depressed, till I contacted a spiritual counsellor who helped me get my ex back and hence my life back

[@EdwardD.Thornton]

Interesting. Who is this counsellor, and how do I meet the person?

[@RoyJ.Tillison-tq5ed]

Online, you'll find shelly renee white, revered for her expertise as a spiritual counsellor. She has the ability to reunite couples and promote holistic well-being

[@EdwardD.Thornton]

Thanks a lot. I just did. Impressive.

[@TheWickedWizardOfOz1]

Mister Samwise, sir, you may wish to delete these bots

[@mr.rationality5349]

"With great power comes great responsibility"

[@Bahr-im7pn]

"With great responsibility comes great accountability" - Jefferson Davis, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse And thus far, the idiots in Hollywood refuse to take accountability for their mistakes and artistic impotence.

[@matityaloran9157]

I wonder why the comics writers named Miles Morales’s father after a Confederate President. (This isn’t a disagreement, it’s just strange.)

[@casketbase7750]

"My series posits an agreement but reworking of the theme that power corrupts. Rather, we see that power attracts the corruptible." - Frank Herbert, author of Dune

[@TheJohn8765]

I've never really agreed with that, tbh. I've seen many people who stumble into powerful positions and then become drunk on their own power. Being surrounded by yes-men and enablers will quickly ruin many people.

[@markcarpenter6020]

No it always corrupts. The difference is in how much and how fast. It's like radiation exposure. Some tolerate it better than others but it will eventually kill anyone.

[@bowserbreaker2515]

One thing I really like about the HTTYD trilogy is that Astrid is still "strong", but she loves Hiccup, and the trilogy told a beautiful love story. Astrid was not just "I'm tough", which is sadly all her voice actress saw in the character. She never said, "I like how Astrid is strong but still is Hiccup's love interest." It was always, "I like how Astrid isn't just the prize to be won."

[@homeonegreen9]

In the TV show covering between the movies they do a good job expanding Astrid beyond being just tough.

[@bowserbreaker2515]

@@homeonegreen9 That's why I liked her. In both the movies and the shows, she's not a girl boss.

[@zarara116]

yes i totally agree! i love hiccstrid and their relationship, but i also love that astrid is her own character too and not just a love interest. she has both strengths and flaws which are shown in rtte. shes a badass but she has a soft side for hiccup ❤

[@bowserbreaker2515]

@@zarara116 That is why people like her. Nobody likes Captain Marvel.

[@matityaloran9157]

Camicazi in the books (Astrid was based on her) is a cocky master burglar from a misandrist rival tribe who frustrates everyone by actually being as skilled as she thinks she is but even she needs to be rescued by Hiccup in How To Break a Dragon’s Heart and when that happens she’s grateful to him for it

[@travisbishop782]

Hey, Sam. Great video, but i have to disagree about one thing. Superman is not a boring character. He is a good man, just trying to do good in the world. The character has just had some bad writers for him. A great example to watch is Superman vs The Elite.

[@lisaroper421]

I also love several versions of Superman 😊

[@travisbishop782]

@@lisaroper421 Superman is the Goat.

[@thatonepossum5766]

I haven’t gotten to see much Superman stuff, but he’s probably among my favorite DC characters.

[@andrewcai5042]

More of a Batman fan but I agree Superman has so much interesting things going for him but any instance of him being "boring" is the writers fault.

[@flatline8580]

The challenge of Superman is that he is so.... super... and so the good writers have instead focused on his (and our) moral and ethical fights.

[@katielomax2364]

The combined voice over of "the rich and powerful" cut with Jar Jar Binks as a senator killed me XD Also, the trend of recent stories focusing on "the victim deserves to seize power in whatever way they can to be triumphant and we are supposed to sympathize with them regardless of their actions" is an idea that's been bouncing around in my head lately that I haven't been able to articulate, and you nailed it, so thank you!

[@KaraValmeyjar]

I liked this video and made good points. If I had to make a criticism, and I will, it's that I think it should be explicitly clarified that "love" being used in this context is more than just romantic feelings.

[@Eilonwy95]

Yeah I can see that. I do think he shows both a friendship clip from Star Wars and Samwise and his family. He talks often about love for others being more than a feeling and willing their good. I’m guessing he (just like I do) takes that for granted now. But I do agree it’s an important distinction

[@mikehanrahan5559]

Well, you understood what he meant, so it clearly goes without saying.

[@cid_of_krebs]

@@mikehanrahan5559 Even though I agree, in the context of Hollywood, even when love is given value, it's usually romantic love or at best family love. I feel like friendship and companionship isn't given the value it deserved. He did show example of non-romantic love so I'm happy but I can understand why one would want to mention it again

[@kylie5741]

So true, one bible verse comes to mind: "There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." That is the type of story people like - one of self-sacrifice in which the protagonist is willing to have great courage and perseverance, not for their own gain, but for the good of those they love. And paradoxically, living like that will usually bring way more peace and contentment than just living to gain power and wealth for selfish reasons alone. "Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life."

[@ravenvoid3463]

Exactly, nowadays most characters are one sided in this regard. What is there to admire? Someone's ability break their world to their liking? How fast they can Speedrun a romantic relationship? How someone makes a different opinion and makes the others bend? No, we want to see people we can admire, to see the world better than it was and not just a bit more "equal" . We want heroes not just protagonists

[@QuatarTarandir]

Literally my favorite Bible Verse, such a good one

[@Nearnae]

I remember in the Inazuma Eleven anime when Endou Mamoru mastered the 'Fist of Justice' technique. Endou thought by learning the technique he would be able to stop any football shot (yes its a football anime), but this was never its purpose. The purpose of the technique was to continuously evolve, growing stronger and stronger every time it was performed. That's why the technique is also described with 'The ultimate technique has no completion'. Endou derived that this doesn't mean the technique is not completed, but that the ultimate technique was a process, not a state of being. I think this is why uncle Iroh says: 'Pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source.' I think when you see yourself as perfect, you will eventually hit a roadblock because you aren't open to the idea of learning or becoming a better person. This roadblock will make you feel ashamed of yourself, which is why: 'true humility is the only antidote to shame.'

[@rdkirk3834]

There were no noncombatants on the Death Star. They were all wearing military uniforms. The Death Star was like a contemporary aircraft carrier, which typically has a complement of 5,000 sailors, only 75 of whom actually fly airplanes. The other 4,925 are doing work as mundane as cooking, doing laundry, and cleaning toilets...but in war, they are all justly under attack by the enemy. _They are all drawing combat duty pay._ If you are the pilot who takes out an entire aircraft carrier, you nation will award you with a medal, no moral questions asked.

[@josephedmond3723]

Not to mention the fact the Death Star had already destroyed millions of lives on 3 planets before it blew up and would have destroyed more if Luke hadn't blown it up. This idea that destroying it is morally grey is absolutely absurd.

[@rdkirk3834]

@@josephedmond3723 That, too.

[@m.a.k.dynasty4504]

​@@rdkirk3834 The Death Star is not comparable to a contemporary aircraft vehicle in the slightest. It serves more purposes beyond being a toll for destruction which has been expanded upon various times. Your perspective of the Death Stars crew seems to ONLY come from the movies where they only showed the military and commanding force and none of the noncombatants on board.

[@rdkirk3834]

@@m.a.k.dynasty4504 So, inform me. What are the purposes beyond destruction the Death Star served?

[@m.a.k.dynasty4504]

@@rdkirk3834 Well for one, destruction was not even the main intent behind the Death Star which is why in spite of its potential for mass destruction it was rarely ever used for that purpose. The true intention behind it was intimidation, flaunting the Empires technological might, and reassuring the Empires supporters that they were "protected" by the Empire. It is not comparable to some standardized military vessels found in our world. A more generous comparison to those would be that of the Star Destroyers.

[@christinehancock5995]

Pausing for a moment to comment on the Princess Bride. A lot of her character did not make it from the book to the screen, which is a real shame. In the book, Princess Buttercup was the one that got them out of the palace at the end when guards blocked the way. When they tried to stop the party leaving, Buttercup commanded them to let then pass, and when they hesitated, she stood up in her saddle and yelled "I AM THE QUEEN!" Buttercup in the book is mostly the same, but she does have a little autonomy.

[@RichardArpin]

The book was written after the movie, even though it portrays itself as coming first (sort of like how Fargo, the movie, starts by saying it's a true story when it's completely fictional).

[@christinehancock5995]

Normally, I don't care, but I'm easily triggered when it comes to one of my all-time favorite novels. The Princess Bride was published in 1973. The movie was released in 1987.

[@RichardArpin]

@@christinehancock5995 I stand corrected. I guess I didn't pay close enough attention when reading. I thought that 1973 was the original morgenstern version (the narrative frame), and that the date of whatever edition I was reading (90's sometime) was the "abridged" version. But the original book used the narrative frame, and I was mistakenly using the 2nd edition or whatever publishing date incorrectly.

[@christinehancock5995]

@RichardArpin One of my favorite jokes in the book is the editor getting confused and complaining about when exactly this story takes place

[@Schunn]

While I couldn’t agree more with the core messages of this video. I would like to propose two ideas that I think can add to the discussion. 1: Power doesn’t corrupt, it enables. 2: Power doesn’t corrupt, weakness does. Both ideas lay the source of corruption/evil/villainy at the feet of the power seeker, not power itself. An individual’s character flaws were always there before they came into power, attaining power may have caused them to reveal themselves, but it did not create those flaws. Villains use what power they have to do terrible things, great or small, typically for self-serving purposes. Weakness of character is what drives villainy, thus weakness corrupts. Contrastingly, Heroes use what power they have in service of others. Strength of character allows them to resist all manner of temptation that power potentially allows them to indulge in. Any thoughts?

[@matityaloran9157]

Agreed

[@benjaminthibieroz4155]

Totally agree. Nothing twist and corrupt the mind more than weakness, and the frustration that come with it. The idea of power corrupting is merely a comforting excuse : a lot of people think themselves good when in fact they're just harmless. That's totally different, and our culture confusing the two is dangerous. They are a lot of normal people out there that would become terrifying monsters shall they be given the power to do so, which History has largely proven. On a side note, the weight of responsability and stress that come with power can also turn genuinely good people into nefast one, but that's another discussion. Some would say the essence of good is precisely to know when to turn down power.

[@IHamilton9320]

Never heard of The Terminal List before. Sounds like The Punisher for people who wear the shirt like a badge of pride but don’t understand what the character stands for. Great video!

[@obsidian1453]

hey! been around since around 100 subs, back when Obi-Wan first came out. Great to see how far this channels come in such a short time!

[@nikdee8151]

Definitely don't understand why it's being poised to young girls as some sort of binary choice... "be a girl boss OR find a boy and get married. You can't have both." Um, why the heck not? I have Both. And plenty of other successful and happy women do too. Ps, loved the sneaky Gustav Holst piece creeping in at the end.....gorgeous composition!

[@swiftmk5480]

I am a complete feminist, and yet I could not figure out why this type of "power" talk (like how Rachel Zegler put it) wasn't sitting right with me. Thank you for articulating it so well!

[@ShiningFingerStudio]

To me, "power" is vulgar. As he summarizes, power is essentially the ability to enforce your will over things and make changes, and there is something inherintly kind of vulgar about that. Even in the face injustice and evil, where change is not only needed but objectively good, it doesn't change the crudeness that often comes with wielding power and enforcing your will onto others. Power is simply an unfortunate necessity to do good. That's to me why all this talk of, measuring, and obsession over power in modern social activism feels kind of gross and uncomfortable to me

[@shadowjezzter]

For some aspects, wanting some power can be good. Imagine the hero of a story, his village is being attacked by monsters. I would say wanting that power can be good, the power to defend others. But as the hero doesn’t have it yet, they want it. Its the craving of massive amounts of power, mostly over others, that is bad. At least, thats a take i have.

[@matityaloran9157]

I think he said “wanting power for its own sake” was bad

[@shadowjezzter]

@@matityaloran9157 possibly, i should listen again but the whole love thing was more what i was responding to, as wanting some power i dont see as just evil, its dependent on many factors

[@matityaloran9157]

@@shadowjezzter In How To Ride a Dragon’s Storm by Cressida Cowell, the protagonist Hiccup is branded as a slave (though he keeps that a secret) and starts thinking about how poorly slaves are treated in Viking society so he resolves to become king of the Viking Archipelago specifically so he can end slavery. There is a desire for power there and it’s heroic

[@shadowjezzter]

@@matityaloran9157 exactly, the desire for power isn’t inherently evil, its what that desire leads to that is evil. Power in itself isn’t evil, its humans and the greed we have

[@whoisyouranime]

I don't mind strong female characters. And not to sound sexist but boy, the modern ones are terrible because of their activism, making them bitter and angry and have the "I don't need a man or romance and my career comes first" attitude and never got hurt emotionally or physically. It's so unappealing to me. And another thing, there is nothing wrong with giving a female character some romance which Rachel Zegler despises for Snow White. One of my favorite movies, The Mummy with Branden Fraser is a good example of why love can make people stronger. That film is a terrific swash-buckling horror adventure movie and I would never get tired of. It has a manly hero named Rick, a classy dame named Evey, a comedic sidekick, an evil villain all together in this wonderfully constructed story. And there is this amazing romance between Rick and Evey and how their love for each other makes them stronger. Hollywood movies today, especially in action and female-centered films, doesn't want romance. They are afraid to put in their movies, as if it has no place in modern day story-telling. Hell, almost every action movie I've seen doesn't even show people "kissing" as much. I feel like Hollywood today sees romance as a weakness to men and women. Not to me, it doesn't. There is strength in two people loving each other. Hollywood needs to put love and romance back. Oh yeah, and it sucks that villains can't be villains anymore. Hollywood has to make them sympathetic, misunderstood and making people pity them. Why? Can't villains just be bad because they are evil? Why do they make these villain stories where you have to make them look like the good guy? Would you pity the Nazis or Hitler? Of course, you wouldn't. They are horrible human beings and making a story that makes them look like good guys is horrible.

[@devonmarr9872]

Storys are supposed to tell us something and almost all of them do: You are not as bad as you think you are, but you could still be better. Stories often have someone that sees a better future for the protagonist. Not power or financil success but a higher moral plane, understanding, and joy.

[@m.a.k.dynasty4504]

The "moral ambiguity" of Luke Skywalker blowing up the Death Star and killing many none combatants is not a new or post modern concept. That is something that has been touched upon in Star Wars media long before Disney's acquisition of the brand. I'm sure that nobody believes that Luke is in the wrong for what he did, but it certainly isn't a decision that came without tremendous loss and consequences not related to Luke or his journey.

[@rdkirk3834]

There were no noncombatants on the Death Star. There is no indication of any families on the Death Star, and government civilians working for the Empire (if any...we saw no one not in uniform) are not true noncombatants. They were all drawing combat duty pay. The Death Star was more like a contemporary aircraft carrier, which typically has a complement of 5,000 sailors, only 75 of whom actually fly airplanes. The other 4,925 are doing work as mundane as cooking, doing laundry, and cleaning toilets...but in war, they are all justly under attack by the enemy. They are all combatants, all drawing combat duty pay. If you are the pilot who takes out an entire aircraft carrier, you nation will award you with a medal, no moral questions asked.

[@m.a.k.dynasty4504]

​​@@rdkirk3834 You didn't need to see noncombatants in the movies. These sorts of things were expanded upon in extended material. Disney merely barrowed the idea from already existing material.

[@rdkirk3834]

@@m.a.k.dynasty4504 Nobody on a combat vessel is a noncombatant.

[@m.a.k.dynasty4504]

​@@rdkirk3834 Well, the official Star Wars media says otherwise. And why are you equating real life military vessels with a fictional Space Station the size of a moon? A very apples to oranges comparison.

[@rdkirk3834]

@@m.a.k.dynasty4504 The only basis of morality from which you or I or any writers can compare is from real world. The exception would be if the writers created an entire universe background of its own separate morality...but in that case, the destruction of the Death Star has been shown to be perfectly moral. Twice. People got medals for it.

[@henri191]

Avatar : The Last Airbender until today still the best show with female characters, Katara, Toph, Sukki, Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, Princess Yue, Kioshy...

[@marissabulso6439]

😭 Frodo and Sam are both the heroes of the story, not Sam alone. Neither could have gone far without the other. It hurts that people always put them into some manner of hierarchy.

[@Eilonwy95]

Oh for sure. He says “the chief hero of the story” because that is how Tolkien refers to Sam in a lettet

[@marissabulso6439]

@@Eilonwy95 I think that’s why he chose that phrasing, too. And I don’t disagree with him, but I’m not sure even Tolkien himself would like that phrase being used all the time, over and over, even though he wrote it himself in a letter. 🥲 But also, maybe I am just way too sensitive about it… 😂😅😅

[@Eilonwy95]

@@marissabulso6439 Oh I get that. I just think that’s why he chose that phrasing. Not to take away from Frodo at all.

[@dolev_dil]

Wow. I must say that the subjects you present in the video are relevant to more than just Hollywood-they also apply to real life. My country is currently at war with a terrorist organization that one day decided to carry out a massacre against us, breaking into our homes and kidnapping innocent men, women, and children. It's clear to anyone who looks at the situation that we are the good and they are the bad. But because of the moral ambiguity that many people hold, they judge everything through the lens of oppressors and oppressed. And since they believe there is no such thing as "good" or "bad," they claim that our war isn't justified.

[@thestarisalie]

The issue is they cant just make powerful female characters without degrading the male characters. Arnold wasnt stronger in terminator because Sarah Connor was weak.

[@TheJohn8765]

Hollywood seems to believe that men need to be suborned so that women can be strong. It's a revenge fantasy rather than egalitarian.

[@alizackrone2995]

Highly recommend actually reading the Terminal List by Jack Carr, theres a lot of inner monologue and nuance that is lost in the TV adaptation.

[@jacobnugent8159]

Will do

[@jacobyullman5005]

I do think he might not have fully understood the show tbh. Not once did I ever think the show was fully treating the main character's actions as explicitly good or right. The show questions his actions and methods at several turns in the form of various characters. For like half the show we're not even certain if he actually didn't murder his family. That final scene with him killing his friend isn't framed as a good thing, it's framed as sad and regretful, but both of them knew that it was what needed to happen for vengeance to be taken against those responsible. The scene of him torturing the triggerman who killed his family is not presented as a good thing, it's brutal and extreme, it's vengeance. They don't frame Reece's actions as "good" any more than the Punisher does with Frank Castle's actions. Terminal List is not a good guys vs bad guys story, nor is it framed as such. It's a story about a dying man getting vengeance on those that murdered his family.

[@master_samwise]

Good to know!

[@Roukle]

Didn't watch the Barbie movie, but I disagree about the supreme court thing. The Kens wanting one of them on it isn't a male/female thing. As absurd as it is, the Kens and Barbies aren't just male and female, they're distinct political factions. Having the court be all-barbie isn't just stacking the court with women, its giving one political party 100% control of the supreme court.

[@Jasonwolf1495]

Reminds me of the song "Cost of the Crown". Makes frequent association to a queen being like a mother. There are few things so opposite to this trend of selfishness as morherhood.

[@markcarpenter6020]

God I love that song. It perfectly describes the attitude a ruler should have. Seeing herself not as the greatest of the people but as the least. A servant of all

[@matthewkuchinski1769]

I argue that Buttercup's greatest contribution to the Princess Bride story was to call out Prince Humperdinck to his evil face. Without her brutal truth bomb of Humperdinck as a coward who could never have her love or respect, he would never have tried to finish off Wesley, which in turn would have not allowed Indigo and Fezzik to hear his cry and find his location to then bring him to Miracle Max for the cure that would save his life.

[@morleywritesbooks]

if hollywood were astute, they'd take notice of the rise in K-dramas where romance is the highest watched variety. People want stories about love in all forms: romantic, filial, platonic, ect. . It's seldom about a power-struggle, and more often about the burden of power/wealth (usually on the love interest) because the character lacks meaningful connections with others

[@teresaw2028]

"When you have generally removed the idea of objective good and evil, all you have left is what you want and what other people want." I am going to remember because this perfectly incapsulates the biggest flaw not just in modern Hollywood, but in modern society

[@jamestolbert1856]

3:39 he is NOT A BORING CHARACTER MY GOOD MAN!

[@travisbishop782]

Superman is not a boring character, he just has bad writers.

[@AviRox1154]

"It is a remarkable dichotomy. In many ways, Clark is the most human of us all. Then...he shoots fire from the skies, and it is difficult not to think of him as a god. And how fortunate we all are that it does not occur to him." -Batman

[@Taiwan-zt4xl]

@@travisbishop782 You never read Superman.

[@terrified057t4]

@@travisbishop782 It's not even bad writing, it's just mindless fun of a do-gooder doing good.

[@travisbishop782]

@@Taiwan-zt4xl unfortunately, you are right up to a point. I haven't read any of the newer Superman comics in a while. Not since the new 52 era, and those made Clark uncharacteristicly angry.

[@shardinhand1243]

modern writers confuse theyre own ideas of strength... being a bully, with what real strength of character is, its so easy to fall into your oen ego your own desires and sel fimportance, to be greedy and vengful and to put others down to uplift yourself, but none of that is strength, its weakness, strength is the ability to push past your own ego and needs to give somehting for others, its so easy to submit to your own anger but restraint takes real strength, the modern strong waman trope is a bully, a tyrant unworthy of theyre physcal or social power becuase they abuse it. just like the tyrant men of history they hate so much... funny... for all theyre hate of theyre idea of toxic men... they wasted little time in becoming just like them.

[@lefid]

This was an extremely excellent video essay. Well done, sir.

[@Philosopierer]

As Thorin said already: "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."

[@roycehuepers4325]

My favorite line is in Book of Boba Fett "Jabba ruled with fear. I intend to rule with respect " 19:57 The Bane Trilogy was about Darth Bane. He clearly was a villain, and the protagonist. You did sympathize with him but he was clearly evil. And ironically, his apprentice was a strong female character

[@wingsoffreedom3589]

Power doesn't corrupt it enables. As you said power is the ability to enact change therefore if power causes you to be a bully by definition it just means that's what you would do if you could do it. Most people aren't good they are just weak. Power is good because power is agency and agency gives action meaning if you have the power to oppress but don't that is far more meaningful than being too weak to be a threat.

[@maps_x]

I became disabled about a decade ago. Socioeconomically, I've never been a minority. When I got sick I found myself craving power for the first time: The power to keep up with everyone. I don't know what it was about how you framed this essay, but it felt like a therapy session I desperately needed (I'm still sobbing ngl). Maybe because I've always seen life through TV/Movies. Maybe because since I became disabled TV/Movies became a need not a want. But all this time the content I was watching was reinforcing happiness through the selfish pursuit of personal goals and after 10 years I KNOW that route doesn't work. But you made it so simple: focus on others. There was no guarantee of happiness in my able-bodied timeline, I just assumed there was because I see it on my laptop. Woof! That was a lot, but I just wanted to say thanks for the time and thought that went into this vid and pls keep it up!

[@AlexFoobar104]

Like JRR Tolkien famously once said: "Tthe most improper job of any man, even saints (who at any rate were at least unwilling to take it on), is bossing other men. Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity.”

[@otobot45]

9:08 Fun fact: it was originally planned to have the prince be kidnapped by the Queen and then he'd break out to find Snow White. This was scrapped due to difficulty animating the prince and then later used for Prince Philip.

[@Bebop8ubby]

Okay I can't be the only one whose heart didn't melt and how he used the music from Bluey's "Sleepytime" episode, right?

[@topfranluis1]

This is exactly it. I’m tired of people like ItsAGundam or Critical Drinker saying that this is all the women’s fault and generalizing the problem just as the people they complain about are

[@wojak-sensei6424]

Since when? They spare no quarter at their expense in jokes, but both do acknowledge that it's the writers who are the issue, and they happen to mostly be women.

[@topfranluis1]

@@wojak-sensei6424 Dude, Critical Drinker made an entire video throwing a hissy fit about women in videogames becoming more ugly, you have no idea what you’re talking about

[@wojak-sensei6424]

@@topfranluis1 That's because they are. It's a critique on aesthetics, not the presence of women in general. And it's not even critiquing women, it's critiquing artists who depict or present female characters in a bland or unflattering way. How is that against women?

[@topfranluis1]

@@wojak-sensei6424 Uhh… no. They don’t do that. Hell, even if they are, he’s still throwing a massive hissy fit over it just because he can’t Jack off while playing Horizon. He literally says in his video that video games are supposed to be an escape from reality, which apparently means that there should only exist conventionally attractive women in them. Also the Critical Drinker is widely known to be a racist and sexist asshole, so why are we Even having this discussion right now?

[@memecliparchives2254]

​​@@wojak-sensei6424Dude, he at one point lost his mind on the animated Moana. When it had an actual legitimate well written female protagonist. But then again, still better than shamdiversity, who lost his mind Mario cared about gis own brother Luigi more than Peach

[@Pancake_Madness]

Gotta disagree about the Terminal List. He gets diagnosed with a terminal brain condition, and is basically a dead man walking, on top of being disconnected from reality due to the symptoms of his tumor. After his family's death, he's just dragging the perpetrators down with him in an overly elaborate and dramatic suicide. The same could be said for his friend, who outright knew he would find out and helped him anyway after his family was killed. There is nothing good about it aside from him actually somehow "minimizing" collateral damage. The best revenge stories are usually like that, where the protagonists aren't automatically good, just not as bad as the antagonists. Yes the language is intentional. Comparisons between the two make a revenge story better, imo. I am happy you mentioned the series to your audience, even if there's a heavy spoiler in there. C'est la vie.

[@alessandrolamera8857]

There is also the fact that the last section of the story is from the pov of the journalist not his, because he is to far gone.

[@Eilonwy95]

I can see that and I was hoping that is where the show would go. But it did not make that clear at all. I hear the books are much better

[@quintusaquila34]

I got to agree. Yes the show does have a shade of jingoism and "rah rah military" to it. But I thought it did well to show that Reece was a man who wasn't out to "right the wrongs" done to his team and family, rather he was out for vengeance. While in flashbacks he may be portrayed as a pure of heart patriotic good guy, in the present he is seen as a broken man who is dying and is dead set drag his enemies down to hell. He even straight up threatens to kill a guy's family. His compatriots helping him on his last mission even get disturbed and concerned with his tactics and how far he is willing to push things (all except his best friend who is consumed by guilt and is therefore helping Reece enact his revenge by any means necessary). They joined initially because they thought they were helping a man seek justice for his family and his brothers-in-arms, but as the bodies stack higher his team grows ever more reluctant as it becomes clear that the good man they once knew really did die with his family and all that's left is a specter seeking to quench his thirst for blood before his time runs out.

[@KomboAndy]

Azula is basically this concept but actually used in a clever way

[@ridensroom6957]

Great video. I agree. I hate how villains are now seen as sympathetic if they had a bad history. It doesnt matter. It's not who you are (or were). It's what you do that matters. And people like Wanda did terrible things.

[@FrozenRaven-uh3kb]

Alright we getting canceled with this one

[@Eilonwy95]

What makes you say that?

[@FrozenRaven-uh3kb]

@@Eilonwy95hes calling into question the strong independent women character archetype . doing that will earn you the badge of misogynistic or sexist

[@Eilonwy95]

@@FrozenRaven-uh3kb Ah. He’s done that a bit in a different video. Fine so far.

[@liamwacey807]

​@@FrozenRaven-uh3kbI don't think cancel means what you think it means.

[@redcarseat6816]

@@FrozenRaven-uh3kbnotably, he didn’t do so under an incredibly sensationalist thumbnail complaining about “WoKeNeSs” but actually handled the topic in good faith, which is much less “cancellable”

[@RedDragonM1]

No one went after Gal Gadot because...she obviously does NOT care about this movie. She doesn't. She's just doing it for a few bucks.

[@andrewcai5042]

I have a quick random question have you seen Furiosa? I believe it is one of the gold standards of raw modern writing. Anyway the problem of power that it should ideally be given to those who don't care for it but that is contradictory: how would you single out that someone when they usually avoid that very thing? Someone so self sacrificing especially when their tenancy is to trade power for hope? You can't unless by extreme chance. Real role models are a rare commodity to find which is why we should treasure them. Oh and about oppression, I do agree it seems people are becoming more confused on who the "evil enemies" truly are and when you are that confused, how will anything be done? Pretty much as you've said before Theoden opposing Saruman.

[@hariman7727]

Hiroshima and Nagasaki being bombed with nuclear fire killed tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands. The estimated MINIMUM casualties for a land invasion of Japan were 1,000,000 people.

[@memecliparchives2254]

And the US would ran out of Purple Heart medals to give to the soldiers for the potential invasion.

[@catotheyounger2689]

It's a really strange moment we're in. A lot of these "girlboss" type movies are either stale or irritating to watch, and I have to wonder, who are these movies being made for? When people called for more inclusion in movies, I don't think this is what they had in mind. The "girlboss" trope hinders character development for the sake of "empowerment." The reason for inclusion should be beyond surface level; it should present women, people of other races, etc as three dimensional who are as human as anyone else. I wish Disney and the rest of Hollywood could stop using this empty character trope.

[@fukurouyoru5929]

One moment I aways find myself thinking about in Star Wars is the beginning of Luke's final duel with Vader. Goaded with fear and despair, tempted with power and an opportunity to lash out in anger... he fails. He takes up his sword, and strikes down at a defenseless man in a moment of weakness. Only Vader stops him from committing what would have been, in that moment, murder. And the Emperor, knowing this, laughs in victory. Luke ends that fight better than he started it, but even at the end of his story he was never flawless.

[@Eilonwy95]

Oh for sure! Looks struggle is important because it can also help inspire us to,even when we start badly, take a moment and try again to be better.

[@empiricalsmut9419]

It is a blatant lie whenever someone says: "The message of the Barbie movie is that both patriarchy and matriarchy are bad!" The Barbie movie tries to have its cake and eat it too. The Kens start off as oppressed second-class citizens, pining after Barbies because that's how their society is structured. They're particularly ignorant and vapid, and why wouldn't they be? They don't have the opportunities or the social structure that permits them to better themselves. But then, when Ken sees patriarchy at work in the human world, he sees an opportunity to better his situation, and the situation of all the Kens. Yes, it comes at the cost of oppressing the Barbies, but let's be honest, how much can we really blame him? Anyone kept under the thumb of a tyranny is going to dream of overthrowing that tyranny, and subjecting those tyrants to the same treatment. It doesn't make it right, but it makes sense. But the movie then frames this as "uh-oh, the Kens brought patriarchy to the Barbie world, how could they?? All of our favorite girlbosses are being oppressed." So Barbie and her acolytes overthrow the Ken tyranny, and...what do they learn? They give the Kens some scraps of freedom and autonomy to convince them that they got a good deal, but did they? Hell, the narrator literally says "eventually, the Kens have as much power as women do in the human world", or whatever. And yet, aren't we supposed to be disgusted by the amount of "power" that women currently hold, and the manner in which they are treated? This whole plot wants us to laugh at how stupid and silly the Kens are, then get upset that they oppress our beloved Barbies, and finally for us to say "oh look, the Barbies were good all along, because they let the Kens hold onto some scraps of autonomy." It's a snarky little revenge story, where they can chuckle and say "oh those silly little Kens -- sure, they get some power in due time...but only enough to match that of women in the human world. Take that, Kens!"

[@loganhurley4764]

Wrong about Superman, but great video.

[@dpolaristar4634]

I kinda of disagree with the notion that power corrupts, I think most people that power "corrupts" were already of poor character to begin with but simply lacked the potency to spread either their malice or incompetence around, we simply notice the corruption when power gives it more of an outlet. I think saying power corrupts is itself, a bit of cope and a way to pass the buck. Especially if you can rationalize that you are the powerless people. It leads more to a worship of weakness as a virtue.

[@rdkirk3834]

Notice that the most stable national governments erect barriers to absolute power, and everywhere we've seen national leaders with absolute power...it has always corrupted them. "Power corrupts" may not be 100% of the time, but sure proves to be a damned good bet.

[@patbracken]

Power doesn't corrupt - it reveals. Nobody with 2+ brain cells will treat their peers badly because they know their peers can hurt them just as badly. It's when a person becomes immune to consequences (or believes themself to be) that you see their true nature.

[@RandomizedCTRL]

Very underrated comment.

[@matityaloran9157]

In Antigone by Sophocles, Creon says you can never truly know if someone’s a good person unless you see what that person is like when given power

[@tiffanyr9975]

Kind of wild to think of original Snow White as a weakling for loving a prince. She is abused and exploited yet continues to be kind and have hope for the love she wants!

[@themadmallard]

@11:31 Its in my own head, that in the movie's the ring tempted sam not with a garden he could do, but instead tempted sam that if he took the ring he would see the end of frodo's suffering, which is why it almost seemed to work.

[@benjaminstock5334]

A Jewish text called the Midrash says that “He who becomes compassionate to the cruel will ultimately become cruel to the compassionate.” Hollywood is at least halfway there.

[@halycon404]

The point of Superman is not Superman anymore than the point of Batman is Batman. Marvel and DC have a fundamental different philosophy on how to define their heroes. Marvel defines their heroes by internal struggles. DC defines their heroes by external struggles. Superman isn't interesting because he's Superman, he's interesting because of his villains. It's the interaction and power dynamic between Superman and Lex Luther along with the rest of his villains which makes Superman great. Lex's view of the world is diametrically opposed to the existence of Superman, and he's not exactly wrong in his thinking. Superman is everything Lex says he is. So to fight something as powerful as Superman is what sends Lex to the scale and scope of the crimes he commits. Superman is interesting because we have two separate yet equally powerful individuals, all be it in different areas, in moral opposition to each other. Not to mention the moral problem that in a way Superman creates Lex Luther, remember, Lex's moral stance on Superman isn't exactly wrong and an invalid viewpoint. Only the lengths Lex goes to to stand against Superman. In DC it's the villains who shape the heroes. All of the major villains define some aspect of them. To the point we can't even talk about Superman without his villains. Superman cannot exist as he does outside of the threats of his antagonists. DC has just done a HORRIBLE job of putting that dynamic with Superman to film since forever. They do a much better job with Batman. Superman as he exists in the comics could have been a way forward for Hollywood if they wanted the all powerful girl boss with no flaws. Two un-apologetically powerful characters who know exactly who they are in opposition to each other for a real moral reason. That would be interesting, that's why Superman is interesting. It's why Batman is interesting.

[@wretneck]

I still stick to the point made by Nietzsche, as it also leads to a lot of super heroes that there are plenty who are powerful but that it's turning away temptation and pettiness that their power is used to do good for the sake of others. It's not power that corrupts, it's weakness; those who give in to temptations or make their ambitions to destroy others. Power can for sure tempt those who hold it, but it's the corruption of those weakest to dark desire that seek to claim power; a process I've even beared witness in others.

[@Astbaum]

So Terminalist is just The Punisher, but... worse??? I mean things that are critisized in Terminalist are things that The Punisher has, sometimes

[@TheWickedWizardOfOz1]

The greatest "strong female character" - and possibly my favorite character in all of fiction - is Hildegarde von Mariendorf in Legend of the Galactic Heroes. She is not a soldier, or a badass, or even superior to the men around her in any aspect. But she is a woman in a patriarchal society in which women have no place in government or in the military or any position of power, and through her good sense, practicality and moral uprightness becomes the advisor to the *Galactic Emperor,* receives an honorary military rank (making her the only female in the armed forces) and is a major power player in crafting policy both domestic and international. She is *strong* based on the strength of her character, not her sex - the men around her acknowledge this and she is given responsibility to match her strength. The same show also gives us Frederica Greenhill and Jessica Edwards, both of whom are very strong female characters for similar reasons - the strength of the morals and intelligence and compassion is such that they become key figures in the galaxy's history, even though they're not military geniuses like Reinhard von Lohengramm or Yang Wenli or that greatest and most wily of Galactic Heroes: Fritz Joseph Bittenfeld. They're good people who use the strengths they have to change the world around them.

[@homeonegreen9]

Don't forget Katerose von Kreutzer!

[@TheWickedWizardOfOz1]

@@homeonegreen9 Eh, she comes in so late and honestly doesn't get to do that much in comparison to the others. IIRC, she really isn't that much more than "feisty fighter pilot with daddy issues." The sort of thing most writers attempt when they write a strong female character. The thing with Katerose is that she actually overcomes her issues somewhat - as does her father. I would LOVE a masculinity breakdown of the LOGH cast, as I can't think of a richer soil for these analyses. Reinhard and Yang, Mittermeyer and Reuenthal (the finest examination of masculinity in fiction comes in the relationship between those two guys), even Schenkopf and Katerose. Samwise, if you're reading this xD Please consider the 1980s/1990s anime series Legend of the Galactic Heroes. I am certain you'd have a lot of thoughts on it.

[@Izelikestea]

i think hollywood keeps confusing victimhood as a means for seeking power, for victimhood as a means to seek redemption. they are both superficially similar. but the first usually has the villain just...get what they want with no consequences, while the latter does have them reflect on past actions and try to atone for them.

[@rudymcconnohie7511]

Samwise did it again, another masterpiece. Very well said dude!

[@trinstonmichaels7062]

Like the problem with Disney movie Wish as the problem with forgetting the oldest human idea be careful what you wish for. Like how did they forget that.

[@matityaloran9157]

The Fairly OddParents has a feature length musical called School’s Out: The Musical where the main character (Timmy) wants no constraints and the main antagonist wants more constraints but the characters are both portrayed as wrong.

[@markcarpenter6020]

Power is like money. You will never accomplish anything without having a certain level of them. However if you want them just to have them your mindset is wrong. They are tools. A means to an end. They should never be the end itself.

[@barbarabaker1457]

I like Superman actually. Done correctly, he's Captain America with the suit and Peter Parker without it. On my own writing, I didn't do this on purpose, but I ended up showing the danger of how small choices can have long term consequences on your future larger choices. Each generation gains an extra boost of power and trauma, highlighting the concept further. Plus side, people can change under the right circumstances and you can even lose the addiction of power, even if it was a crutch you thought would save you and didn't. Don't know if I'll ever publish but I enjoyed writing it.

[@hariman7727]

Power reveals the character of those who wield it. That was said by the man who wrote "absolute power corrupts absolutely" at a later point in time. For example, George Washington could have been king, but he refused that power and helped set the foundation for a constitutional republic.

[@annguyen.134]

Another great video Master Samwise! Love, empathy, and care for one another should drive a hero forward, not the thirst for power. True heroes stay true to their morals and ideals despite the hardships and challenges they face. That's what makes them heroes. A tragic past shouldn't be used to "justify" a hero's shortcomings while still casting them in a positive light. Power is just a means to an end; love for one another is the true end. We're all tired of seeing shallow, power-seeking characters portrayed as heroes in Hollywood these days! We want well-developed characters with genuine growth and depth!

[@sharzinlalebazri5673]

The Girlboss Code: Peace is a lie, there is only hatred. Through hatred I gain strength. Through strength I gain power. Through power I gain victory. Through victory my chains are broken. The feminism shall free me.

[@AshesandDust323]

Brilliant as usual. When I watched the terminal list, I saw Chris Pratt's character as an anti-hero. It seemed that way in the books as well. I do agree we should not create heroes out of everyone. How would you say Luthen from Andor falls into this categorization? "I am condemned to use the tool of my enemy to defeat them."

[@fredjones554]

Nice take on power

[@ZarineBashire]

While not all movies have strong female characters, a lot of them do. Just because female characters aren't all female James Bond doesn't mean there aren't a LOT of older movies with female heroes and with plenty of agency. Even super old movies made by "the patriarchy" have strong FEMININE characters. We have just been conditioned by modern feminists that if a woman isn't doing 110% of the action that she doesn't have agency.

[@dragunov815]

The pursuit of power is exhausting.

[@kylejenkins7166]

The funny thing about Snow White is that Walt Disney thought fairytales would translate to animation better than live action, while a couple years earlier live action Alice in Wonderland flopped because the live action was so ugly. History repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce, but it should be entertaining as both.

[@matityaloran9157]

The live-action Alice in Wonderland made over a billion dollars at the box office

[@kylejenkins7166]

@@matityaloran9157 I was talking about a live action adaptation of Alice in Wonderland that came out while Walt Disney was still alive that was made prior to his first major film

[@matityaloran9157]

@@kylejenkins7166 Sorry. I misread your original post even though in it you specified that

[@kylejenkins7166]

@@matityaloran9157 It's cool, I could have put the years of the films I was referencing too.

[@loganbeaumont2490]

holy fuck what a banger of a video. really encapsulated all of my disjointed feelings about hollywood and stories over the last 10 years into one cohesive video. thank you master samwise once again

[@trevorpacelli8056]

Okay, let me ask you: Are there ANY modern Hollywood films that you think do give good empowering female leads? I for one can think of plenty.

[@Eilonwy95]

He names a few (well mostly shows, but a movie or two as well) in his “Audiences hate bad writing, not strong women “ video.

[@trevorpacelli8056]

@@Eilonwy95 Like what?

[@Eilonwy95]

@@trevorpacelli8056 Arcane for one. Blue eyed samurai is another he likes. Wonder Woman. I’m trying to think of specific leads, I know there are plenty but I’m blanking on more. He gave examples of a few other great recent women characters like Rita Vertaski, Helly (severance), and Kim Wexler (great character, not sure how empowering she is as she is a bit of a cautionary tale). I personally also love The Help, Fury Road, and Room, but I don’t know his opinions on those.

[@trevorpacelli8056]

@@Eilonwy95 Wonder Woman is a bad movie, though I can't speak for those other examples because I haven't heard of any of them. Fury Road and Room are good examples, but The Help is overrated. Other examples I would include are Everything Everywhere All at Once, Us, Nope, Poor Things, The Shape of Water, Promising Young Woman, La La Land, Encanto, Turning Red, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, and of course, Barbie.

[@Eilonwy95]

@@trevorpacelli8056 Agree to disagree. I enjoyed Wonder Woman and I love The Help. I haven’t watched a good chunk of the movies you mentioned, but I’ll have to check them out.

[@jodieg6318]

In regards to the Strong Female Character, it seems Hollywood has made it into a Not Like Other Girls Trope. In that our leading lady is different from the other people around them (and there better than them) for whatever reason that can labeled (marketed) as "feminist". Thus Galadriel is turned into a vitriol-spitting warrior to show that she is strong, capable, and determined, even though she was already all those things just without the armor and bad attitude and Tolkien's stories are just *not* the place to try and debate moral relativism. The most ironic thing is that as we become more obsessed with the the powerful and powerless, the oppressed and the oppressors, there is an absolute line in the sand drawn between the two with little to no nuance, but at the same time many of the main players of the story are morally ambiguous or at the very least self-serving and thus far more likely to be corrupted by power. There is no room in these kinds of stories to show how the abused can become the abuser (like ATAB The Puppet Master), no room to show the growth of someone from a dark place to the light, no room cast an ring into a volcano to save the world, there is only control and authority and thus there is no hope in these stories, and I can't imagine a more grim fate, even in stories, to be banished to live and be without hope. As Sir Terry Patchett said: "Let there be goblin hordes, let there be terrible environmental threats, let there be giant mutated slugs if you really must, but let there also be hope. It may be a grim, thin hope, an Arthurian sword at sunset, but let us know that we do not live in vain.”

[@hotshot590]

Justifying an “antagonist” with whatever abuse or trauma they endured is a dangerous line of thinking. You could VERY easily justify historical figures like the 2 funny mustache men simply because they endured hardship as children and because their fathers punished them severely.

[@benjaminthibieroz4155]

They don't even write strong female characters. They write their own fantasies of being stronger and better than men in every way. Watching a story where every single men is weak, stupid, evil, or any combination of the three just for flawless female to shine is not inspiring, it's like watching someone playing on cheat mode.

[@dr.medieval1131]

Modern heroes are written with the motivations of villains, because they are written BY villains.

[@shootingstar2550]

To me, hollywood heard women's fight to put women in the spotlight once n awhile and Hollywood said "ugh fine" and created a formula that would sell, but it does not actually represent women in a fair light.

[@KomboAndy]

What frustrates me about Barbie is that they could have created an utopia but chose to to continue the oppression. It's just too cynical and bitter.

[@samaron8970]

I'm conflicted on the main gender point of this, because from a certain perspective, yes, power corrupts and good and evil do not distinguish between gender, Margeret Thatcher passed more sexist laws than many of her contemparies, the ideal is to choose the best people for the job reguardless of any other factor. However, the current system doesn't choose the best people for the job and is designed to keep women out of candidacy for positions they may be best suited for, not to mention it doesn't choose the right people for the job anyway. I can understand why women want and may need more oppertunities for power, however, to teach the youth, reguardless of gender, that power is the most important thing is amoral. Reguarding moral complexity amoungst antagonists, I don't think there is anything wrong with sympathetic antagonists, but neither is there anything wrong with villains, in recent times, hollywood has just swung disproportionately toward the former. I would like to bring up my old favorate example as a good villain: Trilla from Jedi fallen order, she has an insanely tragic backstory that allows you to understand how she became what she is, however, she is also doubtlessly a villain, murderous and sadistic to add to it, she may have been redeamed to a point by the end, in an expertly done way I might add, but she was undeniably a villain despite having depth.

[@rdkirk3834]

From The Expanse: "Just because he's the little guy, it doesn't mean he's a good guy."

[@USAFraimius]

Sex, race, etc should not be given moral weight. A person of any demographic may be quite virtuous or extremely evil. While some segments of society may still be misogynist, others swung the pendulum the opposite direction into unapologetic misandry. Both are wrong. I find it sad that several recent high-government jobs/candidacies were given in no small part due to racial or sexual preference, rather than character and expertise being the critical factors.

[@liamwacey807]

​@@USAFraimiusI don't see an issue with it at all. Do you really think the best person for the job and the next 100 best people for the job are really that different in talent or ability? So why not put the finger on the scale a tiny bit for groups of people who have traditionally been kept out of those positions? The concept of meritocracy is an absolute lie in our society anyway.

[@USAFraimius]

@@liamwacey807 You can disagree, but I think racial discrimination is wrong (even when well-intentioned). Two wrongs don't make a right.

[@vlastelinprislic286]

​@@liamwacey807what a great argument. Hey, let's discriminate based on race, gender and s orientation, because we mean well!