TAZ Animatic - Taako's Mongoose Rant

Audio taken from episode 23 of the Adventure Zone
Thank you to the McElroys for such a great podcast! Me finishing this on p much the day the finale comes out was totally unintentional i swear
www.maximumfun.org/shows/adven...
Animatic By Danielle Martin
/ cool-porygon
/ joeywontshutup

[@PoemJunkie]

Taako wanting to be a creature that's immune to poison really makes sense when you consider the chicken fiasco in his backstory.

[@scaredlittlebug]

PoemJunkie oh no :(

[@clarec9121]

Well this comment ripped out my heart.

[@KalaniZimmerman]

I wasn't even thinking about that, holy shit.

[@jonthearchivist_]

HEY UM N O

[@briantimkennedy357]

I headcanon the Bureau of Balance suspected there was a grand relic involved in that incident so they erased all memory of Taako's Cooking show. (Only just started 11th Hour so don't correct me if that turns out not to be the case)

[@lastlife0726]

Should've been titled "Taako gets defensive of his fursona"

[@thanaGogical]

that completely recontextualizes it in a way im not even mad about

[@Monkeydominator]

He picked the mongoose.... because it's impervious to poison............ I cry...........

[@sand__witch]

here's a fun fact for you to think about: he specialised in evocation at the beginning of the podcast, before switching back to transmutation. evocation is mostly damage-causing spells. i know it wasn't intentional, but doesn't it imply there was a period in his life when he thought "i'll only ever hurt people with my magic, might as well do it outright"?

[@Monkeydominator]

@@sand__witch Fun fact to also think about: evocation is Lup's school of magic.

[@sol503]

F U C K

[@fifteefoolish4879]

ahh :'((

[@hoshikuzutime]

what episode does this chickem thing happen in i jus wna understand half of tha comments lmao

[@cartersmith6628]

I never realized it but Taako’s choice of a mongoose is actually perfectly in line with his character. A cute cuddly slender and slick creature that can eff you up if necessary or just if they want too. They don’t have to kill you but they’ll make sure you never pet a mongoose again.

[@shawnaeatscats]

honestly when i was listening to it for the first time, i knew that it fit him, but i didn't know how or why.

[@emilyaw3831]

Not to mention, mongeese are good against *venom* a la Glamour Springs

[@ajbethel6910]

tbf I think justin had thought this out prior just for character development cause he mentioned when he originally sent the message that it was thought out so I think he meant for it to be a xool thing ans then everyone started laughing and he was like wait no

[@mothmanofficaltm8397]

I thought taako would've requested a peacock to be quite frank

[@KISando]

"Not everything has to be a joke, you know." *Merle immediately starts laughing*

[@saharawilcock1463]

Everyone is saying how the mongoose works with his character because of the poison thing and his cooking show (which I believe is part of it), but There is more to it in my opinion. In the first realm he visited, he stayed with a mongoose family and learned their language. He might not remember that he had me them anymore, but he still feels a connection to the mongoose without knowing why. So he made it his mask.

[@DrShak2009]

In character it makes sense, but like, Justin didn't know about that bit until much after the fact, so...

[@pearlyp9898]

@@DrShak2009 Doesn't make it any less valid, does it? I mean, a lot of things weren't fully thought out before they got tied into the story. But that's what's cool about forming a story through DnD like this, especially a non-linear one like Balance! You don't know how it's gonna turn out in the end :>

[@ASquared544]

Our Lord Kraken But during the stolen century (and keep in mind the scene is a little fuzzy in my memory), but I think either Taako specifically said they found a family of mongooses, or maybe Griffin decided that Taako met up with mongooses for that very reason of creating connections

[@zomblesallegoy]

@@ASquared544 It was Justin that decided it was mongooses

[@jamesruttan6224]

The stolen century arc was written by Griffin using the elements from the rest of the story. Taako picked a mongoose mask, so Griffin wrote in Mongoose family. Magnus picked a bear, so Griffin wrote backstory involving a fricken bear. Like it was a clever bit of writing to use flashbacks to tie the story together, certain elements were hard and fast and foreshadowed, others were added based on player actions. It was a way for Griffin to incorporate player ideas to flesh out the story and make it more meaningful for them. Good DM'ing.

[@carlacolumna2046]

I love these small parallels between the lost century arc and the rest of the story. Like how Taako, Barry and Lup befriended a Mongoose clan on the animal planet.

[@whatthefuckismyname9173]

Fuck!

[@aresusadeghgol1357]

Also the poisoned chicken thing

[@pansgirl2829]

And Magnus with the bear mask, referring the Power Bear

[@Nuttynicole11]

my experience with taz is all isolated clips and tumblr posts and animatics and my friend telling me stuff so I never knew the context of this quote and it makes it so much better

[@cr1ng3_king]

Nuttynicole11 you should liste to the podcast man!! It’s on Spotify too and it’s just sooo awesome man!!

[@Nuttynicole11]

@Mia Childers haha no! I actually have no patience for podcasts, I totally zone out. I pretty much know most of the storyline though and I've read both the graphic novels. And I heard a lot of petals to the metal bc my gf was playing it while we were making christmas presents this past year

[@mothmanofficaltm8397]

You definitely need to listen to the podcast, there's a lot of stuff that the animatics miss, and if it seems like too much effort to listen to it, then try the monster factory, which is a series two of the brothers do where they take popular games with character creators and fuck it up.

[@Nuttynicole11]

@@mothmanofficaltm8397 oh believe me I know a lot about the mcelroys through osmosis lol I've seen like the final pam highlights etc. they're v funny I'm just not as deep dive

[@ghostlybumblebees5911]

I love Justin’s voice cracking in taakos voice

[@pbgandie]

I love the animation at "big beefy man beef"

[@notinspectorgadget]

...here.

[@sidereumcantor1525]

The dead air on this show is fantastic

[@k-jeanbell1290]

I am going to memorize his monologue one day

[@raz8752]

It's been a year and 11 months. Have you memorized it yet?

[@icantthinkofanything798]

It's been 2 years and 2 months, have you memorized it yet

[@m0rally_gr3y78]

Its been 3 years, how's the memorizing going?

[@logicaloverdrive8197]

4 years, dude. Did you memorize it yet?

[@wayverleesoulsong]

This is heartbreaking once you know he learned things from a mongoose civility and forgot it

[@888Awesomenes888]

i looooove taako getting up onto the table and what really sealed the deal is when he said fuck he just looked so done i love this XD i love your taako this is amazing

[@ahm4118]

i saw a piece of art showing him in the mask and him giving out the chicken and it just shattered me

[@sand__witch]

if we're thinking about the same one then it straight up just. snapped me in half like a dry twig

[@thetasigma2081]

you can't just say that and then not give directions to find it

[@romake101]

​@@thetasigma2081 I couldn't find that one but i found one that seems similar and is similarly heartbreaking www.pinterest.com/pin/566820303088379548/?lp=true

[@yormpbirdhouse4407]

Taako is a legend.

[@biddodiggo2176]

The new Zelda game, the legend of taako

[@patrickgruner68]

There are better, more powerful moments in TAZ but this might be my favorite from the early arcs.

[@jamesroberts1544]

He was even more multidimensional than he thought.

[@georgemharris1385]

the pause right before the rant starts was a great addition! ^_^ I haven't laughed that hard in a while

[@42000pts4me]

This is adorable and I really extra love how Taako kind of looks like Link in this. Really amplifies the joy

[@marthatitus5341]

I love saying “I may not be the most threatening silhouette” 😂

[@Godless-Heathen]

This is the video that got me into TAZ

[@Tig3rbutts]

I'm incredibly honoured!!! I made this animatic two years ago when I was in the middle of a rough patch, and TAZ and its goofs really kept me going. I'm glad so many people enjoy my silly thing.

[@galerius07]

One of the best moments in all of TAZ.

[@awfulgood8696]

Oh man. I love him crawling up on the table for that last moment. So great. Nice work!

[@drawingabyss]

I can't WAIT to see how they deal with this scene in the graphic novel.

[@Tig3rbutts]

me too!

[@thefreelancequeen]

They did it VERBATIM.

[@kylekyle4169]

I thought it was really nice and fitting that he picked mongoose 🥺🥺 I loved rikki tikki tavi growing up and I thought it was a great choice and this speech just 🥺🥺🥺 sweet baby taako, bless his heart

[@UntrainableWizard]

I... God... damn... LOVE that change in emotion... The slow transition between the explanation and the rant is just... *chefs kiss*

[@fayeburning.108]

GUYS IT"S FORESHADOWING FOR ANIMAL PLANET

[@Numbah12AD]

my only regret is that you didn't make him wear the mask the whole time with that scene. I loved this.

[@clarec9121]

Love your animation of the boys rolling with laughter!

[@PinkApocalypse]

Grizzly bear I get for this-this big beefy. Man. Beef.

[@iantkach6640]

"Big beefy man-beef" is such a good nickname for Magnus.

[@emotionallyunstableandfill2497]

I think my favourite thing ever said by anyone ever is "it's not all abraca-fuck-you or what have you"

[@duke-of-fire]

Very stellar designs! Loved it ✨

[@wiwwymawtin2774]

The only reason I didn't wanna like this video because it was at the sex number before I did

[@tori8956]

Josanna Banana "The sex number" OMFG

[@KaeFrost]

Nice.

[@wiwwymawtin2774]

@Olivia Near bless you

[@isabellea7913]

@Olivia Near it's still the same number it's stayed there for like 3 months

[@bobcat_baker]

It's immune to poison... *Oh boy it's about his backstory*

[@darknitte]

This Taako is very cute

[@Tyler171819]

I remember Rikki Tikki Tavi XD That movie was awesome

[@lucyteixeira3300]

taako's facial expressions in this are✨pure gold✨

[@poeticcinema5857]

Beautiful

[@marshroverv5632]

mongooses are fucking awesome i can't believe no one's read the jungle book story about rikki-tikki-tavi

[@veshengri]

This is one of my favorite scenes.

[@Theragingtiger12]

Fursona confirmed

[@jessehunter362]

lol

[@gormauslander]

"and a black nose" Tig3rbuts: I'm gonna pretend I didn't see that

[@Chirpysemperboy]

I would imagine this is all said ontop of a Soapbox.

[@XJ-0641]

"Im multidimensional" haha ysee about that. You sure are!

[@rosemarycat5]

excellent

[@Dan-qy6zv]

It's not even the fact that it wasn't a joke. It's the fact that it still didn't explain why he chose it. XD

[@lewismartin3430]

spoilers for anyone before the stolen century arc does anyone else think of lup when he says he has a beating heart?

[@FrozenHawkHunter]

Fuck I forgot about that movie. The little guy was a Badass. .

[@inkoven]

Oof

[@vazak11]

XD

[@notinspectorgadget]

*BIG BEEFY MAN BEEF, HERE.*