The Goblin Hypothesis

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  • Опубліковано 5 лют 2025

КОМЕНТАРІ • 6 тис.

  • @ZenGenEXQ
    @ZenGenEXQ 5 місяців тому +1600

    World of Warcraft goblins are one of my favorite depictions of goblins. They were enslaved by trolls and forced to mine ore. But the ore they were mining had magic properties that expanded their minds and made them smarter and basically transformed their society into an industrial age. They are still wild little creatures but now they can build bombs and zeppelins, I love it.

    • @Maxcharm22
      @Maxcharm22 5 місяців тому +118

      Time is money, friend!

    • @CrizzyEyes
      @CrizzyEyes 5 місяців тому +29

      Just don't compare them to the CEO.

    • @cooki3th1ef
      @cooki3th1ef 5 місяців тому +24

      @@Maxcharm22quickly QUICKLY

    • @Mazed927
      @Mazed927 4 місяці тому +11

      I like the Guild Wars 2 goblins as well.
      Not the Asura. They're short and funny eared, but too clean and too intellectual.
      No, I mean the Sylvari. You might say they're more like elves, but considering their earthy closeness to nature and appreciation for the messier aspects of it, their tendency to come in shades of green and other earth tones (being literal plant people), their unsophisticated and somewhat childlike social outlook, and (decade-old spoiler warning) the fact that they were spawned into existence in part by an evil entity and intended to serve as minions, you got yourselves some fine goblin folk. A little taller, but then again, aren't most of us?

    • @haphazodus
      @haphazodus 4 місяці тому +56

      My Favourite thing about Wow Goblins is their engineering. Comparing it to the gnomish engineers.
      Gnomes will have an idea and build a machine to do said task.
      Goblins will build a machine and whatever that machine does when they turn it on is what it was always meant to do.
      Gnomes force their engineering to be exactly something, sometimes to their great frustration.
      Goblins will abandon what they want to what they have and are more or less happy with any result.

  • @HiddenDragon555
    @HiddenDragon555 5 місяців тому +9133

    A goblin can be friendly, but a goblin should always be at least a little gross

    • @WretchedRedoran
      @WretchedRedoran 5 місяців тому

      Ugly elves, after all

    • @NoisqueVoaProduction
      @NoisqueVoaProduction 5 місяців тому +388

      In Harry Potter, Dobby is considered an Elf, but I think he would fit better in the Good Goblin archetype.

    • @NoisqueVoaProduction
      @NoisqueVoaProduction 5 місяців тому +90

      Harry Potter franchise also has a very different depiction of a dwarf in my opinion, looks like a small elf because of the ears.
      If you were to give me 2 pictures with Dobby and a dwarf and asked to name the creatures, I would never guess correctly.

    • @bbutler3230
      @bbutler3230 5 місяців тому +151

      I find that goblins don't have to be evil, but they do have to be nasty.

    • @NekoNinja13
      @NekoNinja13 5 місяців тому +54

      would you say that the typical person is atleast "a little gross"

  • @PossumReviews
    @PossumReviews 5 місяців тому +2446

    The word "goblin" was originally an umbrella term for any sort of magical humanoid creature- similar to "fairy" or "gnome"- up until George MacDonald wrote _The Princess and the Goblin_ (1872). In that novel, the terms "goblin", "gnome", and "kobold" were used interchangeably for a race of ugly and malicious little people who lived underground. This was the inspiration for the goblins/orcs of Tolkien's writings which solidified the modern conception of goblins we have today.

    • @soggycracker5934
      @soggycracker5934 5 місяців тому

      I just love that people today try to make it racist/antisemetic. Yeah. The creature that exists in the lore of many societies around the world, usually PRE-EXISTING contect with jews... It's just a perfect representation of the self/vicarious victimisation.

    • @lrobin-is8dg
      @lrobin-is8dg 5 місяців тому +56

      Thank you for that fact PossumReviews

    • @bencekrepuska1735
      @bencekrepuska1735 5 місяців тому +47

      But one question remains... Why the goblin turned on the stove?

    • @WaitingToBeAGhost
      @WaitingToBeAGhost 5 місяців тому +4

      What are you doing here?

    • @8itesize
      @8itesize 5 місяців тому +62

      Don't forget about Beowulf also being the first european writing to include "orcs" and "elves" being counterparts, which also heavily inspired Goblins and the Orcs of Tolkien and today.

  • @piewar3076
    @piewar3076 4 місяці тому +597

    I feel like goblins live in the same area of my mind as pirates.

    • @BestFootFoward
      @BestFootFoward 4 місяці тому +39

      Perfect way to look at them (mostly because people don't realize the hell of traveling by ship)

    • @khdo12346
      @khdo12346 3 місяці тому +30

      So you would say you have Mind Goblin?

    • @Kokorocodon
      @Kokorocodon 3 місяці тому +11

      @@khdo12346 What's a mind goblin?

    • @vlonghi3066
      @vlonghi3066 3 місяці тому +6

      @@Kokorocodon ...

    • @Kokorocodon
      @Kokorocodon 3 місяці тому +4

      @@vlonghi3066 😐 what is it, bro?

  • @JonoSSD
    @JonoSSD 5 місяців тому +5780

    _"Do you think you could beat a goblin in a fight?"_
    How big of a goblin are we talking? lol

    • @mr.outlaw231
      @mr.outlaw231 5 місяців тому +575

      A goblin-sized goblin.

    • @tiberiusdawn2042
      @tiberiusdawn2042 5 місяців тому +150

      The goblin slayer tier

    • @alexandertiberius1098
      @alexandertiberius1098 5 місяців тому +115

      Can I use guns? Because then the answer is the same as the bear thing.

    • @NÜCKO526
      @NÜCKO526 5 місяців тому +34

      Dror Ragzlin, known far and wide... for... uh... great glory!

    • @EduardoRodriguez-tu8nf
      @EduardoRodriguez-tu8nf 5 місяців тому +34

      @@alexandertiberius1098no guns, fight like a real man Lol.

  • @dennis_duran
    @dennis_duran 5 місяців тому +740

    You had me at “a collective mental portrait of the contemporary goblin”

    • @Bf26fge
      @Bf26fge 8 днів тому

      Yeah. I foresee a video "deconstructing the goblin" next lol

  • @justusb.plorer8773
    @justusb.plorer8773 5 місяців тому +1454

    Me before the video: "All right, he's officially lost it."
    Me after the video: "Tell me more, enlightened one."

    • @nick3xtremegaming212
      @nick3xtremegaming212 4 місяці тому +6

      Fr.

    • @TDenterpriser
      @TDenterpriser 4 місяці тому +8

      You say that now but just wait to you have your top war chief betray you in shadow of war lol

    • @luciusrex
      @luciusrex 4 місяці тому +2

      fr? i thought this wasted 20min of my life i cant get back, he didnt even answer the question he posed, why are goblins so enduring. so no, just bc of fancy video clips? what a low bar for enlightenment.

    • @justusb.plorer8773
      @justusb.plorer8773 4 місяці тому +4

      @@luciusrex Know any good party tricks?

    • @choboibigly6565
      @choboibigly6565 4 місяці тому +12

      @@luciusrex He did? They're so enduring because they represent a grosser and less inhibited part of the human experience. How did you miss this?

  • @juliopalacios7379
    @juliopalacios7379 3 місяці тому +111

    The concept of going goblin mode was embodied by the philosopher Diogenes since ancient times. The freedom, power and sincerity of having nothing to lose and nothing really to gain. He was homeless, disgusting, hilarious and ingenious and is said to have dissed Alexander the Great to his face only to have him reply with “If I weren’t Alexander the Great I would like to be Diogenes. Very interesting story if you’re into this concept.

    • @jonispatented
      @jonispatented 29 днів тому +12

      And then, Diogenes dissed him again, saying, "If I were not Diogenes, I would also like to be Diogenes."

  • @justsomejerseydevilwithint4606
    @justsomejerseydevilwithint4606 5 місяців тому +6236

    0:04 One goblin? Absolutely. Goblins in their usual numbers? Probably not...

    • @tomasztomaszewski7467
      @tomasztomaszewski7467 5 місяців тому +473

      Studies show that 80% of americans think they could beat a goblin in a fight

    • @marioxzzz
      @marioxzzz 5 місяців тому +172

      Goblin Slayer flashbacks.....

    • @hypermaeonyx4969
      @hypermaeonyx4969 5 місяців тому +166

      Pray to whatever god you know that they are not of the Goblin Slayer variety.

    • @Ryanowning
      @Ryanowning 5 місяців тому +102

      As a reminder that nobody needs, the "typical numbers" for Goblins is Yes.

    • @collinoswald2916
      @collinoswald2916 5 місяців тому +127

      Came here to say this. One goblin isn't the monster, in the way that one cyclops or minotaur might be the monster in other stories. In stories about goblins, the monster is *many goblins*. Like a flock of birds, it's a singular from a plural.

  • @Shovelchicken
    @Shovelchicken 5 місяців тому +2493

    I always got the impression that goblins were supposed to represent unruly children, or maybe even children with no parents to teach them how to behave.
    A lot of their stereotypical behaviors are very similar to things kids do. Pranks, getting all muddy and gross from playing outside, jibbering and jabbering as they continue to develop their language skills, the occasional streak of cruelty... being small...
    Maybe peoples fascination with goblins is a yearning to be able to go back to that childhood wildness, to be able to run around getting into mischief without consequence.

    • @hamishfox
      @hamishfox 5 місяців тому +217

      Yes, absolutely agree. I was thinking this the whole video. Goblins are just monster children.

    • @jakecorvus1451
      @jakecorvus1451 5 місяців тому +69

      Yeah, I was thinking this too. Dirty, destructive, messy...

    • @the-tum-tum-tree
      @the-tum-tum-tree 5 місяців тому +154

      In Swedish folklore. it's was believed that particularly unruly or misbehaving children could end up as Duane’s ( the Swedish version of a goblin)

    • @wadespencer3623
      @wadespencer3623 5 місяців тому +53

      That's actually KIND of the idea I went for for my own goblins when I wrote stuff. Goblins are seen as childish to others, with a generally freespirited, silly, impulsive vibe. In the society they live in, they're actually all technically property of the government and uses as agents directly under the empire, acting as tax collectors (which includes picking up more goblins, because they leave their children with humans, wrapped up in a massive amount of illusion that makes whoever picks them up think that they are a normal child long enough for the goblin to start growing up faster than a normal human and be useful way earlier, at which point most people just shrug their shoulders and pretend that the goblin is a normal kid) and "advisors" to local governors who of course are reporting back to the emperor.
      This was probably self-indulgent but I thought it was fun.

    • @SwyndolVA
      @SwyndolVA 5 місяців тому +41

      For me, Goblins have always been a “What if I genuinely didn’t give a shit about society’s rules, and lived without shame, truly free of any and every rule or attempt to control or suppress me” sort of escape/power fantasy. I relate to them because I generally follow the rules, I feel ashamed to act too ‘weird’ in public (In front of friends and family though I am a goblin among other goblins ofcourse). The Goblin represents the other voice, not the devil on the shoulder per se, but where one voice says to just walk away from a stressful person, the other voice asks “Wouldn’t it be funny if we could pull some kind of cruel prank on them just to make them upset like they made you upset?” And, like the un-goblin and rational adult I am, I Agree, it would be funny, but it would also be wrong and I have happier things to put my energy towards. It’s not an evil or inhuman voice, but it’s a more chaotic and sometimes darker and uglier, sometimes selfish version of my self, but it’s still one side of the whole me. And as much as I often disagree with my inner goblin and deny it’s impulses, I embrace him when I laugh and play and joke and prank my loved ones, and show them my shiny rocks and trinkets, and I let him make me feel happy and free until it’s time to not be a goblin anymore, which thankfully not very often as I now prioritize living and loving life rather than working and being miserable.

  • @AZALI00013
    @AZALI00013 5 місяців тому +1107

    raccoons and goblins have a good amount in common
    if raccoons just had like opposable thumbs I feel like humanity would be in trouble

    • @iivin4233
      @iivin4233 5 місяців тому +149

      Crows are the true goblins. They adopted a new appearance to throw us off their trail. I think a racoon would make a fair trade. I think a crow would sell me a car with rusted out frame.

    • @Brianna-eo8nu
      @Brianna-eo8nu 5 місяців тому +74

      I was just thinking about how in an anthro animal setting, Raccoons fill a similar niche to Goblins.
      Raccoons aren’t as strong or powerful as bigger creatures like lions or bears, but can pose a serious threat in numbers. Despite being mischievous and known for thievery, they aren’t as cunning as other animals associated with the trickster archetype like foxes, coyotes or cats. And they are generally associated with gross things like garbage and living near dirty places like cities. Yet despite these flaws, or maybe because of them, they are seen as endearing and relatable on a primal level.

    • @somedude2454
      @somedude2454 5 місяців тому +3

      azali moment

    • @MrAppyCow
      @MrAppyCow 5 місяців тому +1

      Hit that bell and subscribe

    • @NekoNinja13
      @NekoNinja13 5 місяців тому +36

      @@iivin4233 maybe a crow that had a problem with you would do that, but a crow would never betray someone it has a pleasant relation with

  • @rafindeed
    @rafindeed 3 місяці тому +10

    There are 3 things that make me fall in love for a character: wacky, chaotic and cunning traits. Goblins are exactly like this and i love how warhammer made them subspecies of orks. They work greatly together. They are cunning but brutal, brutal but cunning.

  • @kevinmorgan2968
    @kevinmorgan2968 5 місяців тому +2824

    Of course Quinn would kick the goblin. I’ve watched the man’s videos for years, and even though he has a sensitive and developed mind, there are very few people who have more ‘stomp the surprise goblin’ energy.

    • @generaljedi8691
      @generaljedi8691 5 місяців тому +110

      Got 10 seconds into the video and had to stop when I hear Quinn's Ideas say He'd kick the shit out of a goblin XD

    • @I.Simmonds
      @I.Simmonds 5 місяців тому +39

      Yeah, Quinn great sci Fi book reviewer

    • @irishalchemy
      @irishalchemy 5 місяців тому +12

      I used to love his stuff back when I was really into ASOIAF, it's great to see he's still a quality creator!

    • @thesteelsquid863
      @thesteelsquid863 5 місяців тому +16

      Goblin vs goblin stompers

    • @arcticpossi_schw1siantuntija42
      @arcticpossi_schw1siantuntija42 5 місяців тому +12

      He's also the goblinest goblin among youtubers

  • @pipolwes000
    @pipolwes000 5 місяців тому +2252

    No, orcs do not have a tipping culture, but they're very keen on making sure their boss compensates them fairly for their labor.

    • @jtyranus
      @jtyranus 5 місяців тому +201

      The orc wars began with a labor dispute.

    • @DrFranklynAnderson
      @DrFranklynAnderson 5 місяців тому +152

      I’m more impressed that there are orc bakers. _Someone_ had to make that bread that the Uruks have been eating…

    • @swedneck
      @swedneck 5 місяців тому +107

      i now desire a fantasy setting where orc honour drives them to be turbosocialists and spearhead unions and revolutions the world over, much to the chagrin of all the powerful people in the world, leading to their oppression.
      with a key plot point being that they've managed to organize and defend enough to pull an orsinium, and the world's rulers are absolutely shitting themselves in fear

    • @gottagofastest
      @gottagofastest 5 місяців тому

      Even orcs know its cucked to not unionize

    • @enter1323
      @enter1323 5 місяців тому +47

      @@swedneck Play arcanum, the orcs are common as workers in factories but they dont have the same rights as humans, dwarves or gnomes. A half-orc revolutionary figure, Donn Throgg, is fighting for their rights in the game.

  • @AphidKirby
    @AphidKirby 5 місяців тому +543

    "Goblins represent the human nature we repress" is a spectacular conjecture! Great video!

    • @fang4223
      @fang4223 5 місяців тому +23

      as they said, a lot of fantasy creatures were born of some form of innate fear.

  • @cerberusXII
    @cerberusXII 3 місяці тому +16

    2:20 even censored it feels wrong to hear Tale Foundry swear

  • @F41nt13
    @F41nt13 5 місяців тому +467

    Goblins are weak alone but strong in numbers. Goblins are not good or evil, but chaotic. Goblins are the social pressure from your friends to do something stupid. If one of your friend asks "hey, do you wanna steal that traffic sign?" You say no. When a group of friends pressure you, then dance around said stollen sign, it's goblin mode. Goblins are our insanity let lose by our companions

    • @owlobsidian6965
      @owlobsidian6965 4 місяці тому

      But stealing (and tampering with a traffic sign could lead to an accident and harm) is unlawful, immoral, thus evil. I don't really agree with making chaos distinct from evil. Goblins are evil. They are typically depicted as greedy, selfish, violent, conniving, and deceitful. Those are not positive attributes.

    • @prosamis
      @prosamis 3 місяці тому +17

      By this definition, even Saint Augustine went goblin mode in his youth

    • @tyleralan1470
      @tyleralan1470 2 місяці тому

      Goblins in mind are in my mind thefty lillte shits

    • @baofleurence7650
      @baofleurence7650 2 місяці тому +11

      Goblin together strong

  • @anagatto66
    @anagatto66 5 місяців тому +168

    “If I was friends with a goblin for a really long time and I was like ‘could you help me move this weekend’ and he was like: ‘yeah I’ll be there I promise’, I would like to think that I could trust him”. is one hell of a sentence

    • @Independentfellow
      @Independentfellow Місяць тому

      The only thing I would trust a goblin to do is to rob my stuff and eat my toes.

    • @petrus9067
      @petrus9067 9 днів тому

      I think he would also be delighted to trash and mess around or build some trinket out of your old parafernalia

    • @bogusbutt
      @bogusbutt 9 днів тому

      I like to think a goblin would be glad to help for a low fee of couple beers, like many people.

  • @ShatteredAutomaton
    @ShatteredAutomaton 5 місяців тому +746

    As a DM and long time goblin lover i feel that there is only a couple situations you'll see one goblin alone.
    1: that lone goblin is bait and there are at least 10 more waiting in the bushes.
    2: that lone goblin is Styx, in which case you will actually never see him.

    • @Alpharius216
      @Alpharius216 5 місяців тому +37

      finally someone else who knows of styx, but yes prepare to die from any direction

    • @hawawah8671
      @hawawah8671 5 місяців тому +54

      I treat goblins like baboons. No I will not explain.

    • @Aloysius2113
      @Aloysius2113 5 місяців тому +25

      unless i am playing as Styx and *everyone* seems to see and instantly kill me,

    • @BetaSolution
      @BetaSolution 5 місяців тому +18

      I have a third: The goblin was the sole survivor of their cave being raided by the Goblin Slayer and is currently actively putting as much distance between itself and the slayer.

    • @jasonblalock4429
      @jasonblalock4429 5 місяців тому +8

      Or 4 - Jim C. Hines' "Goblin Quest" series about a Goblin who becomes a Hero largely against his will, although it does start off as a variant on #3.

  • @GrunkleStan1908
    @GrunkleStan1908 3 місяці тому +16

    In German the Uruk-hai say „Speiseplan“ which - unlike „menu“ - is more like the order in which different chow is served like it would probably be in a stationary „Orc HQ“ if you will. That‘s why this scene doesn‘t feel like they‘re talking about restaurants in German. Mildly interesting I like to think

    • @CliffSedge-nu5fv
      @CliffSedge-nu5fv 18 днів тому +3

      I feel that "menu" is just the simplest English translation of an orc word (Black Speech) that means "available food."

    • @Wooper160atThePond
      @Wooper160atThePond 5 днів тому

      I'm an English speaker but I always thought of the line in the same way. Not a restaurant menu but "Food Available for Today" list for a military

  • @scruffles3838
    @scruffles3838 5 місяців тому +293

    Not only did he source all the clips, he also sourced all the bgm.
    What a absolute fuckin legend

  • @LemonadeGoddess
    @LemonadeGoddess 5 місяців тому +2550

    Time to go full goblin mode

  • @inquisitorinluzifera3406
    @inquisitorinluzifera3406 5 місяців тому +331

    "That is not a goblin- that's David Bowey" cracked me up for some reason :,D

    • @ikept_the_jethryk2421
      @ikept_the_jethryk2421 5 місяців тому +31

      I always assumed that David Bowie was an elf or fairy that just fell into the Goblin King role through some moral failure, and was too vain to give it up

    • @ethanharvey
      @ethanharvey 5 місяців тому +26

      I always thought he'd been stolen as a kid, like Sarah's brother. Like that's just how goblins get their royalty. They're just smart enough to know they're not smart enough to rule, so they kidnap their future royalty from elsewhere.

    • @ZeroNumerous
      @ZeroNumerous 5 місяців тому +18

      @@ikept_the_jethryk2421 IIRC that's what's explained in the novelization. He's the Goblin King due to being one of the fae. His job is Goblin King, his race is fae.

    • @deltatea3192
      @deltatea3192 4 місяці тому

      There's a difference between David Bowey and a goblin? :D

    • @kazzfuchsia1073
      @kazzfuchsia1073 3 місяці тому +1

      I love how it’s not the actual character name Jareth but David Bowie.

  • @pucknorris3473
    @pucknorris3473 3 місяці тому +5

    I’m not even kidding. I had no idea this was a thing.
    But when my kids are running around in just a pull up and socks, I have been calling that goblin mode…

  • @femoman
    @femoman 5 місяців тому +336

    It is fascinating how goblins have gone from wily, funny little wannabe tricksters to feral horde monsters, right back to funny little wannabe tricksters, but sometimes in an almost friendly kind of way. Like how an archetypal DnD party member now is the 'adopted goblin mascot'.

  • @ate_my_wheaties
    @ate_my_wheaties 5 місяців тому +539

    As someone who was homeless for a while, I have a certain fondness for goblins, and I think I’d be predisposed to gain their trust and friendship. I slept outside in the dark and scary places others avoided, I ate the things others threw away. Hell, I thrived on the trash society produces. I carried everything I own in a backpack and was ecstatic on the few occasions I found a safe, hidden place to stow my possessions. I spent much of my time in cities down on the ground, making grating music and heckling the common folk, who mostly saw me as some kind of dirty little rascal. I thoroughly enjoyed trespassing abandoned places. I mean, the list goes on.
    I feel more connected to goblins than any other fantasy creature, I think. A goblin wouldn’t scare me, it would excite me. I’d ask what they’re up to, if they need anything, and if I was feeling particularly intrepid, I just might end up an accomplice in their next scheme (granted no one gets harmed).

    • @jazermano
      @jazermano 5 місяців тому +42

      That story really clicks... I think I get it a bit more now. Thanks for... having your life, I suppose.

    • @daniboy2619
      @daniboy2619 5 місяців тому +25

      The Hobo Hypothesis

    • @carnivorn
      @carnivorn 5 місяців тому +21

      the best and most gobliny of schemes are the ones that are nefarious, mischievous, and entirely harmless!
      been there as well, and goblins are a perennial favorite

    • @marsh346
      @marsh346 5 місяців тому +3

      you are not him. whomever you think yourself to be, you are not the guy.

    • @Star-pl1xs
      @Star-pl1xs 5 місяців тому +7

      @@marsh346 huh

  • @ccjesper
    @ccjesper 5 місяців тому +178

    I think if you couldn't reliably beat an angry dog in a fight you can't consider yourself goblin-proof

    • @joeljoshyjoeljoshy7823
      @joeljoshyjoeljoshy7823 5 місяців тому +8

      More like a little brother or sister

    • @Delfigamer1
      @Delfigamer1 5 місяців тому +21

      Is the dog a hand-held or a giant bulldog?

    • @Oinker-Sploinker
      @Oinker-Sploinker 5 місяців тому +18

      A goblin is pretty much a baboon, an animal that can and will mess you up fr, I doubt the average joe can beat one
      (I know they aren’t real and they can be weaker than a fly or stronger than Godzilla depending on who’s writing them but shhh)

    • @CliffSedge-nu5fv
      @CliffSedge-nu5fv 18 днів тому

      With a weapon, I could probably take down one. Two or more goblins, especially if they were armed? I don't like my chances.

  • @KingOfMilfgaard
    @KingOfMilfgaard 4 місяці тому +3

    9:10 I LOVE hearing Quinns response, really engaged with the question haha "Is my friend- a sorcerer?"

  • @PaleoPalico
    @PaleoPalico 5 місяців тому +790

    I have been obsessed with goblins to an unnecesary degree recently, perfect timing

    • @ivanoflavender9523
      @ivanoflavender9523 5 місяців тому +16

      Goblin time

    • @toastedsock
      @toastedsock 5 місяців тому +1

      Goblin deez nuts

    • @zenheadset7209
      @zenheadset7209 5 місяців тому +10

      there’s a necessary degree of goblin fixation?

    • @snakesan7724
      @snakesan7724 5 місяців тому +5

      DUDE ME TOO

    • @caesiumtable-baron7314
      @caesiumtable-baron7314 5 місяців тому +3

      I've had a fixation on the term "ghoul," but it can be close, in a way. Perhaps a bit more pale, and lanky, or so.

  • @selthafour6948
    @selthafour6948 5 місяців тому +515

    If a goblin hops out of my friends pocket and steals my ear, i would scream, lay down, and then cry. Thank you for coming to my ted-talk.

    • @dangerousdays2052
      @dangerousdays2052 5 місяців тому +22

      I would wonder why I'm having a lame psychotic break, instead of a cool one where my hands become infinite porkchops.

    • @malum9478
      @malum9478 5 місяців тому +15

      i'd just simply not let it steal my ear im built different

    • @El_Goblin
      @El_Goblin 5 місяців тому +10

      ​@@malum9478 I'm gonna take both your ears

    • @Desimere
      @Desimere 5 місяців тому +1

      ​@@malum9478 Are you a birb?

  • @andrewg6598
    @andrewg6598 5 місяців тому +119

    This is what UA-cam means to me. Questions, investigations, knowledge sharing. You had me at “After Man” and I’m so glad to hear you’ve gotten a bigger audience.

    • @SirAwesomeVille
      @SirAwesomeVille 5 місяців тому +2

      This man has turned excessive, obsessive, overthinking into cohesive entertainment. I respect it.

  • @SeraphimKnight
    @SeraphimKnight 2 місяці тому +2

    Kid: Haha silly goblins!
    Teen: I want to kick the shit out of goblins
    Adult: Maybe I was a goblin all along...

  • @Unisaur64
    @Unisaur64 5 місяців тому +145

    The last 50 seconds is just all the unused goblin clips that didn't make it into the video, and I really appreciate that.

  • @Samanimates292
    @Samanimates292 5 місяців тому +471

    17:51 “What one needs is to nap, scratch oneself, and eat 200 pretzels.” that is my favorite line of curious archive, EVER. close to “Behold, a featherless biped!” After showing a meercat

  • @Zarkonem
    @Zarkonem 5 місяців тому +725

    I played a goblin in a D&D campaign. His name was Gloggo. Gloggo was fun. In a previous game, i played a paladin and he got a "goblin crown" that allowed him to give commands all of the goblins and orcs he came across that they magically had to abide by no matter what. He made all the goblins and orcs be compelled to have to help other humanoid races and have to earn their "shinies". We played the next game in the same setting and Gloggo was one such goblin. Gloggo was a rogue and he was simple. He helped people as was his command from the goblin king by joining adventuring groups and doing "the poke poke". That is to say, he was a murder hobo that helped adventurers kill things. He was chaotic, silly and didn't remember anyone's names because they were a means to an end for him.
    Then one day he got a new magical sword. Unbeknownst to Gloggo, this was a luck blade and he said at some point, frustrated at how dumb he was, "Me wish me was smart like you guys." The luck blade granted him his wish and his voice dropped several octaves as reality kicked him in the pants like a football player doing a field goal. He all of a sudden knew things he had never considered. His name was a mockery, the previous adventuring group named him "Gloggo" as a portmanteau of goblin and doggo, because they treated him like their pet dog. He was mortified at how stupid he was and how demeaning his life had been and the realization of how everything actually worked made him loathe himself. He spiraled into a deep depression and desired to become a human some how so that maybe his life would have some sort of worth, that for once in his miserable existence, he would be desirable and not just someones little green tool. He ended up not achieving this goal in the long run. He had acquired a vast amount of wealth and a magical inter-dimensional mansion that would conjure anything you like. By his previous goblin standards, where the goblin with the most shinies was the best goblin, he was the greatest goblin in all of history. And yet none of this made him happy. At the end of the campaign, he retreated into his mansion that could conjure anything he wanted and disappeared from reality.

  • @OddcessiveNooBurrito
    @OddcessiveNooBurrito 18 днів тому

    The little scream at 11:30 was so candid, and totally unexpected 😂 loved it!

  • @nomad8690
    @nomad8690 5 місяців тому +1010

    "Do you think you can beat a goblin in a fight?"
    "If they were to attack in a hoarde, they might give me a little trouble. But would I Iose? Nah I'd win."

    • @jtyranus
      @jtyranus 5 місяців тому +94

      Domain expansion: goblin lair.

    • @sephikong8323
      @sephikong8323 5 місяців тому +62

      Throughout Faerun and Tamriel, I alone am the Goblin Slayer

    • @SecludedDaoist
      @SecludedDaoist 5 місяців тому +14

      I haven't had to use my goblin fighting technique since the Henin era

    •  5 місяців тому +14

      Well, my only weakness... I'm weak!

    • @yujiandou4658
      @yujiandou4658 5 місяців тому +13

      “You did great Goblin Slayer. I will never forget you for as long as I live.” ~ Gobluna

  • @ivanoflavender9523
    @ivanoflavender9523 5 місяців тому +332

    Love how you break down concepts like dragons, aliens, goblins, and all kinds of fictional life into examinations of biology and humanity

    • @freelancerthe2561
      @freelancerthe2561 5 місяців тому +6

      All fiction humans know are of human creation.

  • @cosmicfrogwizard
    @cosmicfrogwizard 5 місяців тому +125

    Goblins are like fantasy coyotes. Tricksters that you could probably take one on one but are not something you’d want to be surrounded by.

    • @ressljs
      @ressljs 4 місяці тому +8

      Goblins have the whole country of Zimbabwe gripped in fear. Even the police have fled from the terror brought on by goblins. So they must be worse than coyotes.

    • @brain_snakes
      @brain_snakes 4 місяці тому +4

      Also like a proper trickster, they can sometimes be benevolent, but don't count on it. And always maintain some healthy respect for how thoroughly one can fuck up your life if it wants to, even if you could kick it to death in a straight up fight (killing it would probably curse you anyways).

    • @yeseima-niboro664
      @yeseima-niboro664 4 місяці тому +3

      This must be exactly what human beings are to most other animals

  • @impulse99-uj5zx
    @impulse99-uj5zx 3 місяці тому +2

    after watching this video i can no longer create a mental picture of a goblin

  • @theterminator546
    @theterminator546 5 місяців тому +159

    "The Goblin Hypothesis" is an amazing band name

    • @ashuraomega1000
      @ashuraomega1000 5 місяців тому +11

      Sounds like a conspiracy theory you'd hear on a random documentary surrounding cryptids

    • @Joseph_Crawley
      @Joseph_Crawley 5 місяців тому +8

      Nekrogoblikon was taken

    • @Frognungun
      @Frognungun 5 місяців тому

      Sounds too much like the jewish question.

    • @VikingKong.
      @VikingKong. 5 місяців тому

      @Frognungun total gobbo death

    • @Frognungun
      @Frognungun 5 місяців тому

      @@VikingKong. ?

  • @CODENAMEDERPY
    @CODENAMEDERPY 5 місяців тому +351

    Tale Foundry cursing is something I never thought I'd experience.

    • @greenhydra10
      @greenhydra10 5 місяців тому +20

      It's definitely... an interesting feeling.

    • @ShadowReignhart
      @ShadowReignhart 5 місяців тому +25

      Now I want to hear him curse as TaleBot...

    • @IWearShoes31
      @IWearShoes31 5 місяців тому +25

      That was one is gonna stick with me lol just watched one of his videos and hearing him talking not in character and swearing was interesting

    • @himynameis3664
      @himynameis3664 5 місяців тому +4

      😂​@@greenhydra10

  • @SetsunaKai5
    @SetsunaKai5 5 місяців тому +238

    "I am goblin slayer" - Goblin Slayer

    • @WhiteCaneV1
      @WhiteCaneV1 5 місяців тому +1

      noice!

    • @poppers7317
      @poppers7317 5 місяців тому +4

      Are you a goblin?

    • @BradChadley
      @BradChadley 5 місяців тому +26

      I like that Goblin Slayer subverts the whole "cannon fodder" video of goblins. They're genuinely scary in that show

    • @realGBx64
      @realGBx64 5 місяців тому +3

      I prefer the Goblin’s Layer!

    • @poppers7317
      @poppers7317 5 місяців тому +3

      @@realGBx64 is that like Interspecies Reviewers?

  • @GyroZeppeli14
    @GyroZeppeli14 4 місяці тому +1

    I’m so glad that you included a clip from the 70’s hobbit film. It’s one of my favorite movies of all time, and it’s the reason I started getting into Tolkien’s work, and books as a whole.
    Also this reminded me of that “goblins are real” video by dunkey.

  • @DuskyLore
    @DuskyLore 5 місяців тому +64

    I've always had an appreciation for things deemed "lesser", "inferior", or otherwise unpopular. Goblins are certainly no exception. I like to look at them and think, "How could I help a creature like a goblin reach their full potential? What's the pinnacle of their intellect and resourcefulness?" It's why I played goblins in Battle for Middle Earth 2, and it's why I went full Imp build in WoW Classic for my warlock, just to name a couple examples. I also just like the grungy, imperfect, cozy vibe I get when I see their average places of dwelling. Caves, crevices, ruins, makeshift huts and shanties, I love them all. Especially if they're in swamps or desolate landscapes. I also like the idea of fortifying dilapidated places and making them as strong and livable as possible whilst retaining their rundown aesthetic and appearance.

    • @Snord01
      @Snord01 5 місяців тому +7

      Heck yeah! we vouch for the underdog! the free and unruly!

  • @4stringjoe2
    @4stringjoe2 5 місяців тому +389

    I love early MTG's depiction of Goblins. Just crazy little arsonists who will gladly blow themselves up to cause chaos...

    • @dragong33k
      @dragong33k 5 місяців тому +11

      that's me

    • @justinjacobs1501
      @justinjacobs1501 5 місяців тому +14

      This is how I play goblins in dnd. Fire and explosives all the way.

    • @Carlos-bz5oo
      @Carlos-bz5oo 5 місяців тому +7

      What about the more complex cultures like Lorwynn's boggarts?

    • @DefinatelyNotAI
      @DefinatelyNotAI 5 місяців тому +10

      That's Sauruman's handiwork. Mixing Orcs and Floridians.

    • @SlimyPancake
      @SlimyPancake 5 місяців тому +8

      "We are goblinkind, heirs to the mountain empires of chieftains past. Rest is death to us, and arson is our call to war"

  • @clash_king1025
    @clash_king1025 5 місяців тому +533

    To me, the main thing that separates goblins from other generic monsters is that they are a lot more humanized in terms of behavior and their usage of items.
    Compared to something like a Kobold or even a pixie I would say goblins tend to be more human like

    • @hypermaeonyx4969
      @hypermaeonyx4969 5 місяців тому +29

      @@clash_king1025 Goblin Slayer is a fine example of this, *unfortunately* 💀

    • @SpitfiretheCat16
      @SpitfiretheCat16 5 місяців тому +71

      Goblins are basically just monkeys wearing the skins of frogs.

    • @SergioLeonardoCornejo
      @SergioLeonardoCornejo 5 місяців тому +10

      Kobold waifus have an objection to your statement. Especially Polt.

    • @imnimbusy2885
      @imnimbusy2885 5 місяців тому +4

      And, also, they are real.

    • @SergioLeonardoCornejo
      @SergioLeonardoCornejo 5 місяців тому +38

      @@hypermaeonyx4969 you misunderstood Goblin Slayer if you think it portrayed goblins as similar to us. That or you really don't like humans. Which, unfortunately, makes you either self loathing or a threat to society.

  • @GrandGoblin
    @GrandGoblin 2 місяці тому +18

    On Twitter I am apart of the "Goblins are REAL" community. Within is a quiet civil war on whether Goblins are vile pests to be exterminated or capable of coexisting.

  • @electroeel148
    @electroeel148 5 місяців тому +129

    "Can you beat a goblin in a fight"
    "What kind of goblin are we talking here, a lone wanderer or a scout for a larger tribe. What are the total number of goblin footprints you have seen outside the village. Do you know if the tribe has a shaman present, if so they may have a hob or two. Are we unfortunate enough that a Goblin lord is leading this group of goblins."

    • @_Sinduss
      @_Sinduss 5 місяців тому +14

      "no fire, water or poison"

    • @kristian1545
      @kristian1545 5 місяців тому +13

      If I'm reading this right, you shouød also ask
      "Is it covered in red paint?"

    • @holgeradler707
      @holgeradler707 5 місяців тому +4

      ​@@_Sinduss its funny when elves try to be human in slaying goblins😅

    • @Ookami_is_a_wolf
      @Ookami_is_a_wolf 5 місяців тому +5

      Don't forget: "What weapons do we have?"

    • @_Sinduss
      @_Sinduss 5 місяців тому +2

      @@Ookami_is_a_wolf only a munchkin uses a magic sword against goblins.

  • @kingofdefense
    @kingofdefense 5 місяців тому +282

    I feel like the word "menu" was used more as a replacement of the word "diet" by that orc. I do think a soldier who has only ever eaten rations would not meaningfully distinguish between a prescriptive and a descriptive list of food options.

    • @petrfedor1851
      @petrfedor1851 5 місяців тому +11

      Czech translation use word "jídelníček" which could be used for both menu and diet.

    • @ZonamaPrime
      @ZonamaPrime 5 місяців тому +25

      I know this is the biggest LOTR meme issue over literally nothing. The Orcs weren't speaking English, they weren't even speaking Westron. It's just a translation.

    • @dopedagoth1789
      @dopedagoth1789 5 місяців тому +11

      Goblins, orcs, uruk hai, they all have cultures and societies
      Its not a far stretch that they know what a menu is
      If they wouldnt have it themselves theyre intelligent enough to understand the concept at least
      Theyre not all soldiers, they also have actual jobs, you just see most of them as soldiers in the film, but Mordor and Isengard especially are very industrialised societies that needs workers to function
      Theyre not just hordes of warriors, they create goods, conduct in trade and diplomacy
      I think the idea of a goblin real estate agent in mordor is incredibly funny, though unlikely

    • @andrewmalinowski6673
      @andrewmalinowski6673 5 місяців тому +3

      ​@@dopedagoth1789This makes me think of the song "Where there's a Whip, There's a Way" from the Rankin-Bass animated version of "The Return of the King" in which two lines are; "we don't want to go to war today, but the lord of the lash says nay, nay, nay" and "we are the slaves of the Dark Lord's war" that prove they're more than just workers or warriors. In the video the soldiers describe themselves as 'orcs' and there's a scene when the Orcs come to a section of road and are stopped by Men, both stating they have a battalion to move across the other's road

    • @dopedagoth1789
      @dopedagoth1789 5 місяців тому +1

      @@andrewmalinowski6673 man, ive had this movie on my phone for years, watching it whenever id have to wait without internet
      i never gave that song a second thought
      but as youve said this now i realise theres allot more to it than just movie flair

  • @rythmiccoma2809
    @rythmiccoma2809 5 місяців тому +229

    "We are goblinkind. Heirs to the mountain empires of chieftains past. Rest is death to us, and arson is our call to war." - Goblin Chieftan, Magic The Gathering

    • @PengusKhan
      @PengusKhan 5 місяців тому +24

      Hup, two three four
      Dunno how to count no more!

    • @marsphoenix1359
      @marsphoenix1359 5 місяців тому +22

      @@PengusKhan Ah the duality of MTG Goblins; moments of insightful introspective philosophy mixed with wild mad stupidity.

    • @nothing4mepls973
      @nothing4mepls973 5 місяців тому +5

      "It's time for the Smash Smash song!" - Also Goblin Chieftain, somehow. Huge flavor text downgrade, shameful WOTC

    • @jacrabit8983
      @jacrabit8983 5 місяців тому +1

      @@marsphoenix1359just like humans!

    • @BCWasbrough
      @BCWasbrough 5 місяців тому +1

      "The goblins are in charge of maintenance? Why not just set it on fire now and call it a day?"
      -Whip Tongue, viashino technician

  • @z3iro383
    @z3iro383 19 днів тому +3

    "Goblins are real" - Videogamedunkey

    • @77777i-r
      @77777i-r 15 днів тому

      I just feel like goblins are real right now

  • @MO0NG00N
    @MO0NG00N 5 місяців тому +150

    It’s legitimately so validating to hear that the “Meats back on the menu boys!” line blew someone else’s mind as a kid like it did for me

    • @EmelieWaldken
      @EmelieWaldken 5 місяців тому +17

      It humanized them. It showed they have a everyday life, problems, desires, they can be tired and want something more - even if it's just meat in their bellies.

    • @HermitTcrab
      @HermitTcrab 5 місяців тому +10

      It was so out of place in the LOTR world, and I loved it! 😂

    • @brain_snakes
      @brain_snakes 4 місяці тому +7

      @@HermitTcrab I really like the aesthetic of goblins, living in a medieval high fantasy world, have an anachronistically early 1900s blue collar working man demeanor and way of speaking.

    • @taleladar
      @taleladar 4 місяці тому +1

      @@EmelieWaldken Not so sure if blatant cannibalism is humanizing.... 🤣

    • @kiranreilly4916
      @kiranreilly4916 4 місяці тому

      @@taleladar Why not? Humans cannibalize each other in real life.

  • @Diphyidae
    @Diphyidae 5 місяців тому +133

    I'm a huge fan of the goblincore aesthetic. Mosses, lichens, frogs and mushrooms have a really unique beauty and are almost rare where finding them feels like succeeding in a treasure hunt. To me, goblincore is like a return to nature and natural curiosity, when we stop caring about societal expectations and return to caring about the small interesting things in nature and embrace our inner crow-brain where we collect things that are shiny. Goblincore is returning to those childhood moments, when you are first exploring the natural world, you think snakeskins or animal bones are the epitome of cool, and excitement is just finding the perfect stick to use as a sword.

    • @TheGrippler09
      @TheGrippler09 5 місяців тому +6

      And listening to Nekrogoblikon

    • @wadespencer3623
      @wadespencer3623 5 місяців тому +3

      I live in Oregon, so if I got to the right spot, mosses, lichens, and mushrooms are a given. Which is a bonus to me, places where moss grows on the ground feel like fae territory in general.

    • @andrewmalinowski6673
      @andrewmalinowski6673 5 місяців тому +2

      The idea of a "crow brain" seems less likely as they could be picky about what "shiny" thing they want to take. Otherwise I see the point of seeking to return to a more "mentally primitive" mindset of just looking for something pretty, disgusting, or cool because it catches your eye.
      I've always leaned more towards the idea of seeking beauty in the unconventional because it's not always what you expect, growing up with Disney films like "Beauty and the Beast" makes seeing beauty in the "ugly" almost interesting and brings up ideas of what a random moss or pebble could be used for

    • @eeurr1306
      @eeurr1306 5 місяців тому +1

      @@TheGrippler09 And I thought I was the only one laughing my ass of at this comment

    • @EmmsReality
      @EmmsReality 5 місяців тому

      Like cottage core but more gay and queer?

  • @ishill85
    @ishill85 5 місяців тому +233

    one i think you should have considered; goblins=children. they're small, can be gross and tricksy, but are definitely not a threat except in large numbers when they become a force for madness and chaos.

    • @hoppybirdy6967
      @hoppybirdy6967 5 місяців тому +58

      This would also validate the catharsis hypothesis as it would run along the same lines as "embracing one's inner child" except specifically not in a "I'm cute and just want to live an innocent life free from pain and worry" way or a "I want to be loved" way, but rather in a, "when I was 5, I ate dirt and was an absolute menace who only barely survived to adulthood because my caregivers managed to save me from the worst effects of my mischief against my will" kind of way. It also validates the love and wonder for little things and natural beings which are shunned by the adult human world for being "gross" or "pests", as little kids tend to give less of a crap about property damage and also tend to view living beings as rather sentient and therefore important. Also children themselves are often regarded as gross and improper and have often been sent the message that they are "better seen and not heard." Going "goblin mode" very much rebels against this treatment of children and asserts that children (or at least adults rediscovering their inner children) should get to explore these parts of themselves.

    • @TunekSunevi
      @TunekSunevi 5 місяців тому +4

      @@hoppybirdy6967 Yeah, aren't we all overgrown children?

    • @dopedagoth1789
      @dopedagoth1789 5 місяців тому +3

      So are orcs then teens or grumpy adults?

    • @President_Starscream
      @President_Starscream 5 місяців тому +1

      In my head I equate children to goblins and often refer to them as such.

    • @Kodaiva
      @Kodaiva 5 місяців тому +6

      they would also fight like a child
      to surprise attack you would be second nature

  • @ryantannar5301
    @ryantannar5301 3 місяці тому +2

    It may not be the most accurate to tradition, but the depiction of goblins in Warhammer (fantasy but also the gretchin in 40k are just scifi goblins) will forever be my favorite.

  • @Mickwithanumber
    @Mickwithanumber 5 місяців тому +163

    I think you overlooked a few things with this one. I think one reason a diminutive creature can be scary is scale of numbers. A goblin, mouse, or bird wouldn't really be frightening on its own, but when you look at the Moria scene, the movie the birds, or a plague tale, when an unthreatening creature hits a swarm of mass larger than ones self, a certain sense of severe threat manifests.

    • @dopedagoth1789
      @dopedagoth1789 5 місяців тому +11

      Idk man, a little green critter with a shank talking like hes from the london suburbs rummaging trough your trash in the middle of the night
      Im freaking out

    • @AtheistIII
      @AtheistIII 5 місяців тому

      @@dopedagoth1789 then you should stay away from London

    • @Mickwithanumber
      @Mickwithanumber 5 місяців тому

      ​@dopedagoth1789 my knife would be a sword to it.

    • @dopedagoth1789
      @dopedagoth1789 5 місяців тому +8

      ​@@Mickwithanumber great, he shanks you, now he has a sword!

  • @AkuTenshiiZero
    @AkuTenshiiZero 5 місяців тому +76

    I never thought much of goblins, until I decided to play a goblin paladin in D&D. I wanted to play a character who struggled against his greedy, cowardly nature to become a hero. He turned out to be one of my most beloved characters. Ever since then, I've developed a fondness for goblins both good and evil, and an interest in the folklore behind them.

    • @pietrayday9915
      @pietrayday9915 5 місяців тому +22

      I think Tolkien would approve: he struggled with himself on whether orcs/goblins were truly irredeemably evil - in his Christian philosophy, everyone in real life has the free will to choose to struggle against the worst parts of their nature to do better, and after writing about his goblins as the clear villains of his stories given to all sorts of human weaknesses - petty spite, cruelty, laziness, greed, ambition, cowardice, and all the rest - Tolkien began to wonder about whether, in a more perfect Middle Earth, the goblins wouldn't have chosen, when the could, to be better.
      It seems that Tolkien concluded that goblins very well could have had all the same potential to be as good and noble as any man, dwarf, or halfling, but for the intervention and temptation to evil by the likes of Sauron, by appealing to all the worst in goblins. There in goblins, but for the grace of God, goes anyone else in Middle Earth!
      The goblins would represent a tragic figure, then: they could have been simple farmers and fishermen and craftsmen and miners and all the rest of the things that the ordinary folk of Middle Earth would do on any good day when left alone in peace, but instead, Sauron tempts them, torments them, and leads them into misery and evil.
      You can see the barest of hints of this in Gollum, for example,who seems to have started his life as a creature much like a hobbit, until he came upon the ring and was corrupted by it... Frodo nearly succumbed to the same temptation, King Theoden seems to have meant well but was bitter and angry over his own personal tragedies, and eventually led into corruption by Grima Wormtongue... one can infer that the Dwarf and Elf kings were led into corruption by the rings that Sauron forged for them, and the Nazgul are the men who were corrupted by the rings Sauron had made for them.
      And then there's the underrated (but definitely imperfect!) 1970s animated version of the Return of the King, where Frodo and Sam encounter a band of orcs on the road into Mordor, and have to disguise themselves as orcs to avoid capture: in this adaptation, we see the orcs as rather pitiful creatures who don't want to go to war, but were forced to as Sauron's slaves, and feel that have no other choice but to do the evil things that Sauron commands. They're petty, vicious, and dangerous, but at the same time, it's hard not to sympathize with them: they don't WANT to be the story's villains, but have no other choice.... And it might be easy to miss at first, but Frodo and Sam, exhausted and beaten down by their struggle with the One Ring and trapped with the Orc slaves, very nearly end up being marched off to war right along with the orcs, saved only by some quick thinking from Sam!
      ua-cam.com/video/YdXQJS3Yv0Y/v-deo.html
      I don't remember how much of that was in the book - I think at least the song is, and am mostly sure the rest is too! But, that's a big theme later on in the "Scouring of the Shire" scene from the books (which unfortunately couldn't be included in the films): by the time Frodo and Sam make it home to the Shire, they find that Sauron's agents and armies have already discovered and invaded the Shire, and the Hobbits were nearly beaten down into slavery to Sauron like the Orcs, and Frodo's last challenge before the end of the story is to help drive the remnants of Sauron's forces out of the Shire and lead the hobbits back to freedom and peace.
      I think Tolkien died before he ever got to write in full the story of what happened to the goblins after Sauron was defeated - there are, I think, hints that the goblins "faded away" in time, but Tolkien never elaborated on this. One would like to think that maybe a few of those goblins, free to make better choices, redeemed themselves and learned not just to live in peace with the other peoples of Middle Earth, but also find the strength and courage and nobility to become heroes in their own right... no longer Sauron's orcs, but the best of goblin folk. (Tolkien suggested that before they were orcs, these goblins may have been creatures much like the elves, butsadly twisted and tempted and tortured into the monsters we know through centuries under Sauron's influence, but graceful and noble before their fall!)
      Anyway, I think the goblin paladin story sounds great: I've always imagined fantasy goblins as creatures who might find a heroic story a little more difficult to live up to than,say, elves might, but something that exceptional goblins could achieve through strong will, courage, and a little support and help from friends. Overcoming challenges like those that face Tolkien's orcs/goblins is the stuff that a heroic story is made from!

    • @PunMasterSupreme
      @PunMasterSupreme 5 місяців тому +1

      That is an awesome character premise that I might have to use myself, lol

  • @cyprienramis1304
    @cyprienramis1304 5 місяців тому +85

    It's not the Jackson films that decided that goblins would be the weaker ones, in the hobbit it's said that Orcs is the name for the tallest members of the goblin race.

    • @s.johnson7298
      @s.johnson7298 4 місяці тому

      Aren't orcs corrupted elves?

    • @cyprienramis1304
      @cyprienramis1304 4 місяці тому +2

      @@s.johnson7298 Uruks are corrupted elves, and amongst them orcs are the big ones and goblins the weak ones basically, but they're the same race.

    • @samueldimmock694
      @samueldimmock694 3 місяці тому

      No, it said that the word 'orc' is an elvish word, and in The Hobbit is usually translated as goblin (or hobgoblin for the larger varieties). But the point about goblins being the weaker ones still stands.

  • @llamatronian101
    @llamatronian101 7 днів тому +1

    Goblins do not have a tipping culture. Just sometimes mugging diners for extra cash

  • @mildlycornfield
    @mildlycornfield 5 місяців тому +45

    Goblins can be whatever goblins want, I think, but they've gotta at least consider eating a worm if it looks appetising enough

  • @louiesloops
    @louiesloops 5 місяців тому +98

    OMG!! MY CROCHETED GOBLINS IN A CURIOUS ARCHIVE VIDEO!!?!? MY DREAMS COME TRUE!! Truly honored. 14:22 for reference. SO COOL!

  • @tepig2828
    @tepig2828 5 місяців тому +28

    I think part of the appeal of goblins is that the fall under the “ugly-cute” umbrella. They may seem ugly at first, but you can’t help but find it a little charming.

  • @moominmasha9071
    @moominmasha9071 Місяць тому

    THIS IS SO GOOD, thank you for making this video!
    I am an illustrator and recently I have been drawing a lot of goblins and started working on the book of goblin.
    As a fellow goblin researcher this has been so nice to see that I'm not alone

  • @nickorr7345
    @nickorr7345 5 місяців тому +40

    It’s interesting how you can make a link between returning to monkey and goblin mode, one is a way to quietly reject the pressures of society and return to a more simple and enjoyable time and the other is an almost aggressive and observable show that someone is done with their responsibilities and burdens unfairly placed on them while still retaining the sentience of being a person.

  • @greedtheron8362
    @greedtheron8362 5 місяців тому +62

    I've seen a lot of conversations like this in relation to the rise of Goblin(and Orc) Rule 34 art. A lot of people point to warcraft being one of the first series to have playable, and less ugly, goblins to eventually go down that rabbit hole.

    • @t84t748748t6
      @t84t748748t6 5 місяців тому

      rule 34 happens whit everything and goblins being represent as only male and using other females to reproduce speaks to a kink and i am probably reading te wrong kind of stuf but i come across a lot of where female goblins are hot smal woman ore just hot green woman's as hobgoblins

  • @DerpsWithWolves
    @DerpsWithWolves 5 місяців тому +128

    I have a favorite goblin I made for D&D. His name is Spag.
    First, you will hear the jingle-jangle, for Spag carries a bag of loot (trash) that's about twice as big as he is. It's more of a walking tent than a backpack. But, if you don't startle him with loud noises, he's also very keen to trade! The problem being that Spag doesn't really understand the concept of money, or 'value' as the other races might call it, and he already has some coins so he's not interested in getting any more. Why would he? He already has a few of each.
    But Spag would LOVE to trade your +3 adamantine sword for this really cool rock he found in the river! He has all kinds of random little unique items! Though, most likely, it'll be a very shiny spoon, or maybe a button from your own coat you didn't notice was missing.
    It also doesn't help that he has no concept of items being 'enchanted', or magic at all, for as far as Spag is concerned, some swords just light on fire, or do other inexplicable things, but it's just as strange when they don't, so he simply shrugs "It just does that" and moves on.
    Sometimes, if the party finds themselves deep in a dungeon, lost and bereft of healing items... They can hear the jingle-jangle in the distance, as Spag gracelessly falls down a flight of stairs... And they know that, at least, like... a half-empty healing potion might be something they can trade for? But only if they have something unique to offer for it. Like the pommel from their sword, a wine cork that tastes kind of funny, or a REALLY cool stick. I'm talking the kind of stick that you need to show the boys, because you knew they'd appreciate it.
    Because, to Spag... All things have value... If he thinks they're neat.
    Or food.
    You can easily bribe him with food.
    (I have not told the party that, and they somehow haven't figured it out yet, even when he has like 6 cooking pots. Are they even paying attention? Half the stuff he's tried to sell them is random cooking utensils!)

    • @-Cupcake
      @-Cupcake 5 місяців тому +12

      i have a goblin DnD character named Tweak and she is pretty much exactly like Spag >w<
      perhaps with the exception that she is an Artificer and makes useful stuff out of the stuff she picks up.
      that also makes her an expert on magic items... not that she wouldn't pick up a random rock if it looks neat or makes nice clacking nosies.
      i love a good chaotic goblin character... enough that i have made 3D models and animations of a few of them.

    • @DerpsWithWolves
      @DerpsWithWolves 5 місяців тому +2

      @@-Cupcake Sounds like different multiverse versions of the same goblin lol

    • @zephyrna6249
      @zephyrna6249 5 місяців тому +14

      In my DnD game one of the players is a Goblin paladin named Shitwip the Inquisitive, who is viciously devouted to his religious order, despite his order never even aproving him. And has no actual understanding of who his God is or what his religions tennants are. And with an Inteligence of 7 he will come up with the most idiotic, backwards logic to justify whatever terrible thing he is doing while fervently proclaiming that it's the moraly right thing to do.

    • @AnonYmous-bb7tl
      @AnonYmous-bb7tl 5 місяців тому +6

      In true goblin fashion, I am stealing Spag to use in my own campaign

    • @DerpsWithWolves
      @DerpsWithWolves 5 місяців тому +3

      @@AnonYmous-bb7tl Spag is pleased.

  • @JerichoRedux
    @JerichoRedux 2 місяці тому

    the orc menu line tangent is absolutely how world building happens for me. There's this idea of "giant sheep-moth mounts" and i start thinking "what is the wool like?" "what do they do with the wool?" "do they use saddles?" "who makes the saddles?" "how do you take care of them?" "when, how, and why were they domesticated?" and so much more. I just had to say that tangent was so relatable!

  • @SadBlueGirl
    @SadBlueGirl 5 місяців тому +88

    “Uh Tomar what would you do if you were walking with a friend in the uh middle of the night and uh a goblin came out of his pocket and stole your ear what would you do Tomar?”

    • @toddhoward1498
      @toddhoward1498 5 місяців тому +25

      "Uhhh, I'd be upset I guess"

    • @gamebird9354
      @gamebird9354 5 місяців тому

      Has the same energy as "Tomar, if uh, if I put you in a meat grinder..."

  • @konnykaze7965
    @konnykaze7965 5 місяців тому +156

    Don't forget the "S" in Goblin Slayer or you'll end up in a very different rabbit hole.

    • @alexandertiberius1098
      @alexandertiberius1098 5 місяців тому +51

      Or a goblin hole.

    • @mid-boss6461
      @mid-boss6461 5 місяців тому +21

      Instructions unclear. Peeled a goblin out of existence.

    • @LovesickJo
      @LovesickJo 5 місяців тому +23

      Assessment incorrect, both holes lead to the same cave.

    • @Micsma
      @Micsma 5 місяців тому +1

      Just layers upon laters of goblins, stacked one upon the other... It's goblins all the way down.

    • @Micsma
      @Micsma 5 місяців тому +1

      ​@@alexandertiberius1098yes, several. Why?

  • @diurtydantv8061
    @diurtydantv8061 5 місяців тому +40

    I am not a gnelf, I am not a gnoblin. I'm a Gnome, and you've been Gnomed!

    • @Stothehighest
      @Stothehighest 5 місяців тому

      I hate that I read gnome and gnomed differently

    • @Kuhmuhnistische_Partei
      @Kuhmuhnistische_Partei 5 місяців тому

      Fun Fact: In LotR, "Gnome" was the original name for the Ñoldor, which are elves. The name comes from the ancient Greek word gnṓmē which means as much as "intelligence" or "reason".

  • @maxwell8758
    @maxwell8758 25 днів тому

    Honestly I love how much you love goblins and just hearing you talk about them fires me up

  • @thehurricane6767
    @thehurricane6767 5 місяців тому +20

    I was half expecting this video to end with a "Goblin deez nuts" joke

  • @jesusojeda7850
    @jesusojeda7850 5 місяців тому +27

    It's all fun and games until he researches goblins in anime/manga.

    • @magnolia1253
      @magnolia1253 5 місяців тому +1

      Re:monster is a great example of this

    • @NareshSinghOctagon
      @NareshSinghOctagon 5 місяців тому

      Truly,the ones place where go ham extreme on either making them true monsters or house guests for delinquent students and former delinquent mother.
      Goddamn that comic needs to be updated already.

  • @Trrip000
    @Trrip000 5 місяців тому +62

    11:30 has me dying😂😂"Ah"

    • @JokingThief
      @JokingThief 5 місяців тому

      Oh good it's not just me

    • @Basilisk-147
      @Basilisk-147 5 місяців тому +1

      11:14 is brilliant too

    • @wyrmworks6991
      @wyrmworks6991 5 місяців тому

      Came here to comment this

  • @pernielsen7510
    @pernielsen7510 4 місяці тому +2

    This video really piqued my curiosity - great job man! While watching this video it occurred to me what goblins are. Just look at the characteristics:
    - they are gross
    - have zero impulse control
    - try to trick you for their own gain
    - they are weak
    - they are stupid
    - and yet we admire them, for they are being their most authentic self.
    Add all that up and what do you get? A human child. Goblins are like children.
    I believe that is also why we do not fear them as much as other monsters, because fear comes from uncertainty - but we know children's nature, so they are more annoying than scary.
    That's my take. Just wanna say great video again, good job man.

  • @CDBURN
    @CDBURN 5 місяців тому +17

    Back when I was a teen, a friend of mine once referred to Goblins as his "spirit animal", and would often channel his goblin-ness through his discontent with work, authority, etc.
    Now many years later, I think where he must be in life, knowing that the world has in many ways opened its eyes to his mystic values.

  • @dionettaeon
    @dionettaeon 5 місяців тому +33

    Now that you've got me thinking about it, goblins have been kind of like the personified rats or locusts of mythology. Individually or a small handful, they're more so a pest than a serious threat, but encounter a large swarm of them and you've got a potential crisis. Of course, they're also the archetypal underlings of more dangerous villains, often a labor class and/or expendable army.
    This is the first time I've heard the term "goblin mode", but I do like the idea that they've become their own symbol for embracing imperfection and not having to be "pretty" all the time.

  • @BellBOYd128
    @BellBOYd128 5 місяців тому +30

    “I used to joke that he had been exiled for being too smart. Now I know why he never laughed.”
    That’s my favorite Goblin relevant quote. When I first read that, and I saw the shockingly somber art, and that there was a Goblin story which differed from “step three: find another cousin,” “the goblins, because it was shiny,” or “hup two three four don’t know how to count no more…” I was honestly awestruck with just a smidge of tears.
    To me Goblins are not green, even though they are in fact green. To me, Goblins are RED “We are goblin kind, heirs to the mountain empires of chieftains past. Rest is death to us, and arson is our call to war.”

    • @ReaGool09
      @ReaGool09 3 місяці тому +2

      I didn't recognize the quotes, but when you said goblins are red, I immediately thought of mtg! One of my dad's favorite (standard) decks was a red goblin deck

    • @skynyrdjesus
      @skynyrdjesus 2 місяці тому +1

      Whoever wrote "Time for the smash smash song" should get a splinter in their thumb every time they touch a pencil.

  • @artdonovandesign
    @artdonovandesign Місяць тому

    This episode scratched an itch that I didn't know...itched.
    Great and unique work!

  • @Gilarabrym
    @Gilarabrym 5 місяців тому +74

    Goblin Slayer: "Go on..." *Continues to write down notes*

    • @bethaapple2102
      @bethaapple2102 5 місяців тому +15

      Blasphemous that I need scroll down to find this comment

    • @snomcultist189
      @snomcultist189 5 місяців тому +4

      Goblin slayer when he meets slayer goblin

  • @varietywiarrior
    @varietywiarrior 5 місяців тому +61

    So... Where do the goblin shortstacks fit in this theory?

    • @hypno5690
      @hypno5690 4 місяці тому

      Porn addiction fits in to the hedonistic aspect of being a gross little mean weirdo

    • @scriminamp
      @scriminamp 3 місяці тому +14

      I know where I fit

    • @WaffsRadio
      @WaffsRadio Місяць тому

      Real???

  • @todo9633
    @todo9633 5 місяців тому +30

    I think the answer as to why they're so prevalent in fiction can be as simple as "because they make for entertaining plot points", kinda like dragons.

  • @Nexowl
    @Nexowl 2 місяці тому +2

    10:59 Your voice matched perfectly to the goblins mouth for the first half.

  • @President_Starscream
    @President_Starscream 5 місяців тому +29

    Pirate: Yarrrr, that little green bastard stole my skin.
    Goblin: Who's got your skin now, you dirty pirate?

  • @BlueSunDeluxe
    @BlueSunDeluxe 5 місяців тому +277

    You forgot one major modern interpretation of goblin: Shortstacks.

    • @DrMFoster7
      @DrMFoster7 5 місяців тому +77

      I feel like that one got skipped over on purpose.

    • @FunkMcLovin
      @FunkMcLovin 5 місяців тому +54

      get off the stage

    • @evagineer9165
      @evagineer9165 5 місяців тому +27

      GET OUT.

    • @PratzStrike
      @PratzStrike 5 місяців тому

      I wasn't gonna say anything but there's something special about a hyped up goblin girl.

    • @cleeiii357
      @cleeiii357 5 місяців тому +18

      YES

  • @Holammer
    @Holammer 5 місяців тому +20

    A 20m video about Goblins with no mention of the new goblin hotness? The *thick* short stack kind.

  • @RealCodreX
    @RealCodreX 4 місяці тому +1

    Fun fact:
    The classic image of orcs and goblins that we all love so dearly are an invention of Warhammer.

  • @kidtruck9157
    @kidtruck9157 5 місяців тому +13

    Goblin slayer gave me an intense fear of the goblin. Primarily their numbers and tactics.

  • @Gamer4672
    @Gamer4672 5 місяців тому +74

    "The only good goblins are the ones who never come out of their holes"-Goblin Slayer

    • @megashutdown1019
      @megashutdown1019 5 місяців тому +1

      When he was talking about new kinder goblins, he defo wasn't describing the Beard Trimmer's preferred prey XD

    • @voxnihili8328
      @voxnihili8328 5 місяців тому +1

      You clearly never read the Wandering Inn haha

    • @atpsoldat6108
      @atpsoldat6108 5 місяців тому

      The difference between a Goblin Lord from GS and a Goblin Lord from Wandering Inn might as well be night and day. Also, Reiss did nothing wrong!

  • @sunniedunbar6889
    @sunniedunbar6889 5 місяців тому +23

    “The Goblin Corps” by Ari Marmell did a fun job flipping tropes while sticking to the perceived nature you'd expect.

  • @Myzelfa
    @Myzelfa 4 місяці тому +1

    On the topic of goblin social complexity, one of the things that fascinated me most about Breath of the Wild was how much of a complete culture the bokoblins and their ilk had. You could follow them around for ages and get a pretty good idea of how they live their lives.

  • @jacobhand5874
    @jacobhand5874 5 місяців тому +43

    Bro left out the short stack goblin mommies

    • @JB-84
      @JB-84 5 місяців тому +2

      Vaush drooling

    • @yosefyonin6824
      @yosefyonin6824 5 місяців тому

      because he is not a motherless perv?

    • @mojavefry2617
      @mojavefry2617 5 місяців тому +9

      @@JB-84 Shortstacks ain’t lolis, ye barmy or something? Shortstacks are actually developed for their height and, most importantly, are actually adults.

    • @JB-84
      @JB-84 5 місяців тому +3

      it's all sicko to me, I know nothing of the finer tastes and discernment in imaginary anthropomorphic pornography. I'm more a fan of boring vanilla, but to each their own. I only know the term short-stack because of the vaush livestream debacle, being a hater of his proclivities.

    • @jacobhand5874
      @jacobhand5874 5 місяців тому

      @@JB-84 short shapely women are depraved?

  • @MonsterZero96
    @MonsterZero96 5 місяців тому +10

    14:57
    "An orc disobeys orders, the lead Urukai beheads him and says-
    This is how you get doctor squatch 40% off"

  • @LegendOfMoriad
    @LegendOfMoriad 5 місяців тому +35

    Will watch the video later, but love the oldschool Goblins from the animated version of The Hobbit

  • @The1FishFry
    @The1FishFry 3 місяці тому +11

    15:23 if you tip below 20% they feed you to the wargs

  • @Dezturbed
    @Dezturbed 5 місяців тому +21

    They appear to be a reference to the ever present, even if small, negative events and situations that occur throughout our daily lives. Simultaneously easily conquered and never ending.
    Unlike every other mythological creature who tends to represent a single issue or tragedy, Goblins are a reference to more generalised "small bad events" which makes them more unique in their form and function by comparison.

    • @Dezturbed
      @Dezturbed 5 місяців тому +5

      Due to them being a reference to smaller issues we end up with a more friendly relationship with them because we need to be tolerant of the miscellaneous negativity and bad situations that occur in life in order to be able to enjoy life for what it is.

    • @ImSimmin
      @ImSimmin 5 місяців тому +2

      i enjoyed the recent dr who episode about goblins because it followed this logic
      when a single major bad thing happens you blame something big like a dragon or a demon, but when youve been dealing with a series of unfortunate events, you may be being followed by goblins.

  • @Dylan-uf7uf
    @Dylan-uf7uf 5 місяців тому +20

    I have been using the terms "Goblin Mode" and "Monkey Mode" interchangeably for years.
    I think it says a lot more about Goblins than any physical descriptions

    • @pointyorb
      @pointyorb 5 місяців тому

      Maybe monkeys are the closest we have to real-life goblins

  • @_sea_pea_9500
    @_sea_pea_9500 5 місяців тому +6

    I’ve been drawing goblins since 2017 and it’s been cool seeing more people getting into the lil critters I’ve been fixated on drawing for so long. Cool vid man!

  • @mousermind
    @mousermind 13 днів тому +1

    I asked my brother this question, about the ear and the pocket, and he responded with: "Die. I would die from bloodloss." xD