Belkar doesn't see the truth about himself?

[Red Lantern]

I caught something that may give an insight into belkar. He ended 881 saying all he was good at was hurting people.

And mr. Scruffy was right behind him.

Wow, looking at how he's treated mr. scruffy makes you wonder if belkar has some sort of blind spot regarding himself. I mean, he's fed the scruffster, protected him, healed him when he was hurt, etc.

And he thinks all he's good at is hurting people?

Maybe belkar acts the way he does because he just doesn't realize he can and does do more than hurt people. I really think belkar just doesn't realize he can be good and always thinks of himself as bad.

[KillianHawkeye]

Belkar didn't say that hurting people was the only thing he ever does, he said it was the only thing he was good at.

[MesiDoomstalker]

I humbly disagree. I personally read those last two panels with him having a bit of a sigh. Resigned acceptance. I want to say it was "passive aggressive" but that isn't quite right. What I'm trying to say is he said it because thats what he thinks they think. Regardless if its true or not, it seems Belkar is not happy about this fact (its a fact to him). He seems to have accepted that he is the one who's mean and just hurts everybody.

In essence, I believe he is secretly glad for his character development. Some deeply buried desire to be accepted that wasn't fulfilled and he's trying to fufil it now, in the only way he knows how.

[Red Lantern]

You know I have seen belakr do good for some people, even if it was in a strange way, like when he taught that guy to stand up for himself after being betrayed by haley's old friend. I mean, yeah, it was awful but he may have made a real positive change for that guy's life.

[JackRackham]

Yeah, there was a touch of irony to his statement, resignation, maybe a dash of resentment.

[Obscure Blade]

It came across to me as at least an acknowledgement that just being good at hurting people is a limitation. Not an expression of guilt - he is Belkar after all - but it was him admitting that just being good at hurting things is a weakness. And Belkar doesn't like weakness.

[Math_Mage]

I take it not as Belkar realizing that hurting things is what he does well (he's known that forever), but beginning to question whether that's really how he wants to live his life. Which is a much more significant change.

[The_Tentacle]

Until now, we never saw Belkar have anything of a background or character development. He was completely one-dimensional.

But now, he is achieving character development as well as taking another look at himself. That bit at the end of the comic was him being resigned to who he was. He just doesn't realize that he can be more. I predict that at the time of his death, Mr. Scruffy and other events will have tipped him into CN, or maybe even TN.

Who knows? Maybe he'll even put a point into Wisdom next time he levels up?

[Copperdragon]

No CN for him. That just seems to be wishful thinking from your part.

But can he be more than a clichéd rampaging murderer? Yes.

[Diadem]

I'm pretty certain Belkar won't die CE. Heck the way he's acting at this moment, he already is CN or TN. That's not enough to flip alignment, given his past, but if he keeps this up for a while longer he will definitely become CN or TN.

[Bulldog Psion]

He was speaking with bitter sarcasm about how the others perceive him, and they're too dense to catch on.

[Copperdragon]

He was speaking with bitter sarcasm about how the others perceive him, and they're too dense to catch on.

... but it's not like he cannot blame himself for that...

[Once a Fool]

... but it's not like he cannot blame himself for that...

Quite so. I read the line as a bitter acceptance of the reputation he had built for himself.

[Joe the Rat]

I caught something that may give an insight into belkar. He ended 881 saying all he was good at was hurting people.

And mr. Scruffy was right behind him.

Wow, looking at how he's treated mr. scruffy makes you wonder if belkar has some sort of blind spot regarding himself. I mean, he's fed the scruffster, protected him, healed him when he was hurt, etc.

And he thinks all he's good at is hurting people?One small detail:
Mr. Scruffy is a cat, not a person.
You can be good with animals, and still be a right bastard to the people around you.

Not to say that there isn't character growth and empathy happening - and he's quite aware of it (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0807.html).

[Rack]

I never use the alignment system so I couldn't say what alignment he'll end up as, but I'd be willing to bet his last ever action will be unambiguously Lawful Good.

I doubt that means anything in alignment terms but from a storytelling standpoint I'd expect it to be pretty powerful.

[scurv]

I do not think he would be neutral ever. I think if he did make an alignment change he might go fully to good. Personal opinion but he is to much a creature of action and in his own way passion to fit in an apathetic neutral. And I doubt he has the balance for it anyway.

[veti]

Belkar is being defensive. He's been forced to show that he's actually a decent team player - that he likes his teammates and wants them to succeed, even at personal risk to himself. He senses that he's this >< close to someone, probably Elan, starting to like, or possibly admire, him.

And that's the one thing he doesn't want, at all, ever. Precisely why not - well, we can speculate about that - but he's always avoided getting too close, emotionally, to anyone. When he decides not to kill Crystal, when he decides to stick with Haley and Celia, when he does anything for the good of the team - he makes sure to do it where they can't see him. To their faces (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0520.html), he carefully cultivates the image of the ruthless opportunist only out for himself.

And that's what his last remark to Elan is: Belkar keeping up his image. He knows he's a horrible little psychopath, but one of his redeeming features is: unlike Xykon or Redcloak, he doesn't want his evil to infect others. Belkar likes Elan just the way he is, and the last thing he wants is for Elan to start trying to be more like Belkar.

[Bulldog Psion]

... but it's not like he cannot blame himself for that...

Exactly, but that doesn't change the fact that's how he said it.

[coineineagh]

there's a lot of discussion about what belkar is and isnt aware of in his surroundings. over the years, belkar has made jokes and insults which turn out to be incredibly insightful. they are all written by the same author after all. i go by the assumption that belkar is fully aware of events and opinions about him, but he may not know where his character development is leading him to.
if an alignment shift occurs at this time, he'd likely become NE. in some small way, he cares about the continued existence of his own little community, so he conforms to the laws of society, and has just produced another ace of intelligence to keep the gang together.

[Jay R]

Of course he doesn't see the truth about himself.For you see, I theorize that the halfling does not possess a true sentient brain, like you or I, but rather a simple lump of nerve tissue that functions as a primitive "proto-brain" that can only process two emotional reactions to people: Hate or Lust. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0335.html)

[Domino Quartz]

Of course he doesn't see the truth about himself.For you see, I theorize that the halfling does not possess a true sentient brain, like you or I, but rather a simple lump of nerve tissue that functions as a primitive "proto-brain" that can only process two emotional reactions to people: Hate or Lust. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0335.html)

Vaarsuvius saying something doesn't necessarily make it so.

[F.Harr]

I caught something that may give an insight into belkar. He ended 881 saying all he was good at was hurting people.

And mr. Scruffy was right behind him.

Wow, looking at how he's treated mr. scruffy makes you wonder if belkar has some sort of blind spot regarding himself. I mean, he's fed the scruffster, protected him, healed him when he was hurt, etc.

And he thinks all he's good at is hurting people?

Maybe belkar acts the way he does because he just doesn't realize he can and does do more than hurt people. I really think belkar just doesn't realize he can be good and always thinks of himself as bad.


I'd say that's possible.

[Reaver]

I think Belkar is experiencing true character development as a result of faking it. It's kind of similar to an old catholic joke, where a bishop goes up to the pope and confesses that he's never believed in what he's preaching. the pope replies, "fake it till you make it."

If you pretend to be something long enough, odds are good you will find yourself becoming that thing. It's the reason why undercover cops often find themselves going native.

Off topic, anyone know how to change profile pics? I can't figure it out.