Belkar's Metamorphosis

[Graymayre]

Could someone sum the changes that have occured to Belkar due to his revelation? Some of it seems to elude me...

[lonewolf23k]

Essentially, he learned how to fake being a civilized person in order to avoid getting hunted down like the stone-cold killer he really is.

[ThisIsNotDan]

You mean stone-cold SEXY killer. :-)

Basically, though, the changes add up to Belkar being evil in more subtle ways than simply killing people, i.e. corrupting the Cleric of Loki, who wouldn't have killed at all were it not for Belkar's influence. Also, he never seems to complain that everyone else is being "too good" anymore, which helps with the whole "character development" ruse.

[SPoD]

No, no, that's just the surface. You're missing the REAL development.

The real, true, honest character development is on display in panel #10 of OOTS #622. Belkar cares about another living creature: Mr. Scruffy. For the first time in this comic, or possibly his entire life, he looks at another creature and says, "We're friends. We're in this together." For a selfish jerk like Belkar, this is a fundamental change of character we're witnessing.

The "fake character development" bit is just the smokescreen to let Belkar back into the party; the true change is here, in a dark room, where no one else can see it. Whatever happens next to Belkar, it will hinge on this commitment to Mr. Scruffy right now.

[hamishspence]

won't make him non-evil, but it is something of a shift. As Asvage species points out- "evil guys can be loving parents, loyal friends, etc without diminishing their evil"

Which is not to say he wont risk himself for others (he goes against Roy when it comes to rescuing Elan because "he makes me laugh") But thats rather shallower.

[Zeitgeist]

No, no, that's just the surface. You're missing the REAL development.

The real, true, honest character development is on display in panel #10 of OOTS #622. Belkar cares about another living creature: Mr. Scruffy. For the first time in this comic, or possibly his entire life, he looks at another creature and says, "We're friends. We're in this together." For a selfish jerk like Belkar, this is a fundamental change of character we're witnessing.

The "fake character development" bit is just the smokescreen to let Belkar back into the party; the true change is here, in a dark room, where no one else can see it. Whatever happens next to Belkar, it will hinge on this commitment to Mr. Scruffy right now.
This is absolutely true. What he does in private (or with the cat, close enough) is really who he is. There's no reason to put on an act while alone.

Everything he does in public is possibly, and probably, an act. But I know for sure he has, other than becoming an actor, changed a great deal. The recent comic is proof of that.

[[TS] Shadow]

We really haven't seen Belkar interact with Haley or Celia enough to see how well his development will pay off. Hopefully in the future strips will find out.

[SSGW Priest]

No, no, that's just the surface. You're missing the REAL development.

The real, true, honest character development is on display in panel #10 of OOTS #622. Belkar cares about another living creature: Mr. Scruffy. For the first time in this comic, or possibly his entire life, he looks at another creature and says, "We're friends. We're in this together." For a selfish jerk like Belkar, this is a fundamental change of character we're witnessing.

The "fake character development" bit is just the smokescreen to let Belkar back into the party; the true change is here, in a dark room, where no one else can see it. Whatever happens next to Belkar, it will hinge on this commitment to Mr. Scruffy right now.

Also, in OOTS #616, panel 10, Belkar leaves Chrystal saying "Nah. I'm gonna go find my cat." Another example of his concern for Mr Scruffy.

[Assassin89]

Belkar is changing, but he still is CE. Belkar's alignment will change if the Giant states it himself.

[[TS] Shadow]

Or if Belkar states it in a situation where we know he isn't lying. For example, with Mr. Scruffy.

[docstrange]

Great point about Belkar caring for the cat: so, by learning to fake some compassion and growth, he actually grows/ becomes compassionate?

[Optimystik]

Great point about Belkar caring for the cat: so, by learning to fake some compassion and growth, he actually grows/ becomes compassionate?

Precisely. In fact, just realizing he needs to fake growth is an example of actual growth.

[SteveMB]

No, no, that's just the surface. You're missing the REAL development.

The real, true, honest character development is on display in panel #10 of OOTS #622. Belkar cares about another living creature: Mr. Scruffy. For the first time in this comic, or possibly his entire life, he looks at another creature and says, "We're friends. We're in this together." For a selfish jerk like Belkar, this is a fundamental change of character we're witnessing.

True. In the past, he apparently had a liking for Mr. Scruffy (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0379.html), but it seemed to be on the same basis as his liking for a few others (e.g. Elan (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0153.html), Shojo (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0379.html)) -- he found them entertaining. This seems to be something more.

As for fake versus real character development... when you keep doing something for whatever reason, it tends to develop into a habit.

(On the other hand, his treatment of Jenny isn't very nice. On the gripping hand, she doesn't seem to mind, and may even get off on it.)