Seeing a lot of passion in the comments, so I just wanted to throw this in a new pinned comment. People are complicated, and change takes a lot of effort. The fact that George finds homosexuality uncomfortable, but eventually appreciates that his grandson is in love is the kind of step forward that we need in real life. It's not going to happen overnight! It's hard to do a 180, but those small adjustments in attitude are the start!
I think it's good that he's willing to put aside his feelings on it because he knows his grandson is happy, but I have a hard time forgiving the character for it because of what I've seen in real life. That first statement still does damage, and his "changing his mind" feels a little disingenuous to me. He says, “I'll admit, I thought it was... strange... for two men to be together. But you're such a nice young man, and I know you two are in love... I've changed my mind.” He doesn't explicitly say he no longer thinks it's unnatural (what he said to begin with) or that he was wrong, he doesn't apologize, he doesn't say or do anything to meaningfully make up for the initial statement. It feels like he just makes an exception, and that's not that great. It's a good first step, but when it's the only step...it still hurts, y'know? I wish that we either got another dialogue later where he fully apologizes or something like that, or that he just never said anything homophobic at all. Cuz change takes time, but there doesn't seem to be enough time in the game for him to change, if that makes sense.
I think it’s also worth noting that Alex’s overly-done & obnoxious jock persona is 100% only there because of his father & grandfather. While he essentially tells the farmer that his attitude is just a veneer used to mask the insecurity left behind by his father, it can also be assumed that George didn’t help in that department, either. Seeing how he treats his doting wife & views queer relationships, I’d assume he sees any sort of traditionally “feminine” traits in men as equally unnatural & lesser than. This could have reinforced in Alex’s mind that he has to treat women like objects to ogle & act as manly & athletic as he can to be acceptable to the male role models in his life. It isn’t until he meets & gets closer to the farmer that he finally begins to open up to other ways of living & pursuits of happiness. Plus, his father & grandfather are both hateful & look down upon others, so why shouldn’t he? While his father absolutely set up the blueprints for Alex’s persona to develop, George didn’t exactly prevent it from happening or offer real support after the fact.
I don’t hate George. I think he’s bitter and upset, but .. nothing in this town is accessible. All he can do all day is sit at home watching tv. Tv rn doesn’t paint a great view of the world.
Dude doesn’t even have a paved path in front of his house! There’s a thing called the social model of disability which explores systemic barriers, derogatory attitudes, and social exclusion. I wonder how George’s life would be different if his town was more accessible and he didn’t have to exclusively rely on his informal supports (Evelyn and Alex). It’d be cool to see him with a Support Worker at the library, beach, or foraging for leeks in the forest in spring.
The eel recipes are both miners meals and George was a miner. Evelyn might dislike it, because it reminds her of the job that almost killed her husband or because she just hates the taste. But George is sharing recipes that he knows will help you down in those mines.
I mean plus he still likes those meals he doesn't love them but he probably made them a lot back in the day so he very easily could have had the recpies lying around that he sent your way simply cause he isn't using them anymore
I think Evelyn dislikes the meals with eels because she is a vegetarian, similar to how Leah hates meals with fish in them. Evelyn also laments on the lack of a vegetarian option during the SDV Festival.
I work with people with disabilities. As part of the training we are taught that a wheelchair is an extension of someone’s body and we cannot touch it without permission. Even our non-verbal people who cannot physically move their own chair; we need to talk to them and let them know they’re being moved before doing so. I didn’t want the dialogue to be so harsh, but I definitely told Pennie she couldn’t be doing that! I also appreciated that even when sided with, George still apologised to Pennie.
I like George. He’s this bitter old man who has had it rough and was left to his own devices for too long. He’s got a bit of a sweet side that he isn’t fond of showing. The trauma he suffered has made him bitter and angry.
i always wanted to give george the benefit of the doubt. he seems genuinely kinda sweet when you get the hearts up. then i married alex before 10 hearts with george and it was like a punch to the gut. these things brought up about his relationship with evelyn and potentially him being the reason alex' mom "ran off" when she was dying is like the icing on the cake. he has every right to be grumpy, he lost mobility abruptly and early and lives in a small town where almost nothing is accessible to him and he can't even go get the mail without someone trying to "rescue" him. however i can't just ignore how he seems to treat his wife, may have treated his daughter and his reaction to his grandson marrying a man. i should've probably noticed the signs of him being a bad husband beyond just being grumpy, but as i said i wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. it was just the homophobic line that was so in your face i couldn't exactly look past it. i really want to like george, but he makes it really hard.
I'm late to the game here but I'm currently playing stardew and I have found a time George says Evelyn's name! At the egg festival, he says "Evelyn made leek and eggs for breakfast, so I'm in a good mood" but that is literally the only time I've come across him saying her name
I didn't know George makes that homophobic remark and that is quite dissapointing, but as a massive lesbian that always married Maru and eventually becomes besties with George I'd like to think that somehow I help him change in that way hah
5:02 something small i just wanted to add to this part of the video that i found while playing stardew. While there are no snowball fights going on during the Festival of Ice, during winter Pierre mentions wanting to throw snowballs if he wasn't stuck inside, it really is something small but i thought it would be worth mentioning
There are so many comments saying penny moved George, and I had no idea. I had never noticed penny moving George, and thought it was about her getting the mail out for him. That she was insinuating that he couldn't make it to the mailbox. Edit: I went to rewatch the whole event, and I'm shocked. She just straight up shoves him out of the way. Idk how I didn't notice that.
damn, i completely forgot he was homophobic, though as soon as you said it, it dragged up a memory of scrolling through the wiki. also, i don't mind this editing style at all. it still feels like an engaging look at NPCs.
Thanks for the insight on the editing! Still figuring out my balance of time and energy. I think George's bias gets glossed over or buried a lot when people are thinking about NPCs they aren't a fan of. He's not in your face about it, but it's still a surprising slap when you don't expect it and marry Alex.
@@ember9361 Sigh, why do people keep throwing words like ''homophobic'' or any flavour of phobic around like a piece of candy... As a gay man myself I've met plenty of people who didn't warm up to the idea of gay people, but this was mostly because people weren't used to the idea or weren't really exposed to gay people and thus got a skewed image of them. But that doesn't mean they're homophobic. Throwing around a word like that isn't going to make things better. It's useless virtue signalling.
I'll come leave a comment just regarding being an old married couple: On food: Evelyn just hates eel? Nothing wrong with that. Im a great homecook and ive tried everything to get my wife to like salmon or eggplant (some of my favorite foods) and she just wont budge. I now only make them when my wife goes out with her friends or if she is traveling. As for the dialogue portion, not mentioning Evelyn, i feel that doesnt have to be selfish or malicious either: i rarely mention to people about my wife because i see our relationship as a pretty private thing, unless mentioning her is crucial to the story im telling. It doesnt mean i dont appreciate my wife -- i just reserve that for between my wife and i, other people dont need to be involved
George feels humiliated, powerless, and useless. Having to depend on someone else to do basic tasks or go to places you're expected to go makes you slowly resent everyone you depend on and everywhere you have to go. I think part of his resentment towards Evelyn is because she's so nice to him and everyone he interprets all kind acts toward him as pitty and babying him. He reminds me of an older realitive who also lost their mobility late in life and went from the most out going gregarious person you've ever met to a bitter recluse dedicated to driving everyone away. I don't think George is a bad person I think he's in a terrible mental trap. The kind that doesn't end until you succeed in manifesting the reality of everyone hating you so you don't feel bad about your suicide fantasies. I know its a meme video on the internet made months ago about a fictional person in a pixel game where magic plant aliens fight fantasy walmart, but something about calling him a terrible person really irks me. Its like the epitome of kicking a person while there down about 10 seconds before they're were going to kick themselves.
I always lose friendship points with Harvey during their scene because I say that George is in charge of himself. Because he is! You can tell him changing his diet might help him live longer, that it'll make him healthier, but it's up to HIM if that's what he wants! He's allowed to make those decisions about himself and his body. Harvey just never appreciates that I'm right. 🙄
I have a teacher who has the same name and he looks exactly like him except he has a moustache and doesn't have a wheelchair so I always joke to people at school about it forgetting they don't play Stardew.
I think you're grasping here especially with the Evelyn grandpa romance theory. I think George is just your typical grouchy old man a bit set in his ways. If I was crippled before my time I'd be miserable af also
I personally believe that Clara didn't say anything to George because she was afraid that her husband would hurt him. George seems to be the type of person who would get into a fight regardless of his disability.
To be honest, I think George is rude and grumpy bc of his injury, I think that he feels like that he is a failure and he is depressed just bc of the injury he had gone through and that he cant stand waking up everyday, feeling like the most refreshed person, but then he realizes he is paralyzed from waist down and i think this is what got him to be so sad and grumpy.
I would love to see a video on Haley, specifically her character development as you become closer with her. She's my current spouse in my longest game so I'm a little bit biased. She gets a lot of flack but she has the most growth out of all the female marriage candidates in my opinion, especially when you get to 14 hearts and have kids with her. I love her
I'm holding off on the marriage candidates until I feel really confident that I can do them justice from a skill perspective. Haley's time will come! But it might be a second.. :)
George is a cranky crotchety old man. I get it. I don't hate the guy, he's just never really got a handle on what happened to him. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if, the reason Evelyn is as nice as she is to him still, despite him being an ass, is because she knows he used to be better. And ya, maybe he and his daughter didn't have the best relationship. He was probably always a bit of a dick, but he feels to me more like a guy who doesn't know how to handle what happened to him more than someone who is just innately awful. The fact that he's in his position from his own fault just makes it worse.
You know I watch both this and Evelyn video maybe Evelyn was new to the town that’s why they didn’t know each other and George was having a snowball fight with his friends or there was a snowball fight contest or whatever in the past and one hit Evelyn
"George goes off on Penny for helping him with his mail" Okay, no, Penny was in the wrong there. I'm looking at a wheelchair bound future and if someone just came up to me, said "Let me help you with that" and moved my wheelchair without me saying "Ok thank you" first, I'd be fucking pissed. You don't push someone's wheelchair, gently or otherwise, without getting expressly told it's alright to do so first.
I felt bad for george in that scene. George is probably feeling depressed and having to cope with aging, and his inability to walk like he used to. And having Penny just come in and help him without asking just makes him feel even more like a vegetable. I myself had to be in a wheelchair when i was a child due to septic arthritis. And it sucks seeing others be able to be independent on their two feet while you have to rely on others to do basic things for you. While it wasn't very nice of him to snap at her, i really resonated with George in that scene.
Yeah, I hate the options we get in that dialogue. It was nice of Penny to help but she still definitely should have asked before moving him and getting his mail.
Yeah I felt bad about that scene because the options are limited. It was nice to want to help but you can't just assume they want help. George is mean sometimes but he wasn't wrong to feel upset. Would love if the dialog option was updated.
Just a thought - maybe he was sharing these recipes with his new/only friend because they're personal favourites of his and he never eats them at home because his wife hates them?
@@Pixel-Lucas Yeah I really didn't want to take out the time to type out "foods that he clearly enjoys but aren't mechanically listed as his all-time favourite gifts, as they are mechanically listed as "liked" gifts rather than "loved" gifts" and thought that because we had all just watched a video that explained this, "favourites" would be understood and would flow better in the sentence.
To be honest, I was extremely disappointed that the game seemed to frame Penny moving George's wheelchair without his permission as something he should accept or appreciate. There should have been an option to tell Penny how inappropriate that is. I'm blind and walk with a white cane, and I can't tell you how many well meaning people have just "rescued" me by physically grabbing me and trying to drag me across streets (no stop I was waiting for an uber!) or away from escalators (this is my work commute, I do this literally every day!). I have friends who are wheelchair users that had to take the push handles off their chairs to prevent people rescue-abducting them. It's a real issue of autonomy for disabled people and I wish this normally very thoughtful game had considered it.
I've been seeing things similar to this in the comments today, and it's been really good for my personal awareness. Those are things I don't really think of, but with a different frame of mind I can see how that would be very challenging and offensive for George.
There was one time my blind neighbor about to get hit by a car that try to squeezing their way out even if it mean he need to hit people and another car.... I pulled his arm and telling (almost yelling) that he was about to get hit by a car. Still feels bad even now since he was frozen, sweating and sound like he's scared of me more than a car he couldn't see. I don't know what should I do in that situation other than pulling him without asking and my bad for couldn't stay calm, I just think I need to explain situation to them in fastest way. I still feels bad even now.
@@southernsnowman7788 I mean if someone's life is in immediate mortal danger it's probably okay to lay hands on them to save them. That's not really what I wad talking about though, but more the impulse to invade the personal space and autonomy of disabled people to impose assistance on them that they do not necessarily need or want. Like, for example, when people try to "help" me cross the street without asking, that's unnecessary because I'm totally capable of crossing myself, I just make a point of obeying traffic laws and I only cross at certain times when I know it is safe. And in some cases maybe I wasn't even trying to cross the street, maybe I was just waiting on the sidewalk in front of my office for an uber or something. Also a lot of people that mean well and try to "help" me don't know which things are or are not helpful, and don't ask first, and end up making things more rather than less difficult for me. Sometimes people try to lead me by grabbing my cane arm, which is a little bit like putting your hands over someone's eyes.
@@Stairdweller I understand your point. There's many blind people and elderly living around my area so I kind of thinking "respect what they could do" is the best way to live with them. and I also think it's rude to pushing your "self proclaimed good will" to person who never asked for your help. What Penny and those good people in your example did are just very rude. I feels bad since I think it must be really scary to suddenly get abducted by someone. (like someone counting their steps to know where they need to turn. I worried to the point that I hope he could get home safely and not entering wrong house) but since you said it's ok in my case, I feels little bit better now. Thanks
As someone who has healthcare training, you don't just drag someone in a wheelchair out of the way. Especially without asking. Penny was definitely in the wrong, there.
i noticed the homophobia in my first play through of the game because i married alex. i wish that instead of changing his mind when you reach ten hearts with george, it would be when you reach 14 hearts with alex. i think that would be a great way to show that george really does care for alex.
That's a great idea! Tbh I kinda tolerate George being homophobic because it's realistic. He's a bitter old dude from a small town and you just married his grandson, in a town with 0 gay couples before. All he ever does all day is watch TV and we know how media representation is for lgbt. Besides it's quite "in character", since George is always complaining about how things change. The fact that he changes his mind after realizing how happy you make his grandson will always be wholesome to me. But I think 14 hearts event with Alex being George blessing your marriage would be so much greater!
I don't think you should count George going off on Penny for helping. Penny did not ask George if she could move him, or touch his chair. And that is a huge issue for people in wheel chairs. George was 100% right to go off on her.
I understand that but he knows Penny (she’s not a stranger) and she had her heart in the right place. He should have educated her gently that what she did was wrong. But you know, it’s George so I wouldn’t have taken his anger the wrong way.
@@SayHelloToOblivion nah, if someone I knew came up to me while I'm doing something and bodily lifted me away from it to "help" do it for me they'd get an earful. Moving someones wheelchair is the equivalent of pickih someone up to move them. It's a level of disrespect that deserves harsh correction
@@Albinojackrussel For about a month I was in a wheelchair recently after a rough surgery. I did experience my fair share of what George experianced, especially when grocery shopping. And I was kinda pissed at first. But then I realized something, being in both situations kinda helped me understand something. Before I was in my wheelchair, I never would have thought it was a bad thing to just help someone out. I realized that if I got all mad and acted like someone who was just trying to help was a horrible person. Then that person is no longer in the wrong, because I'd escalate it. I remember thinking about that and in the very next aisle I went into, I had an experience just like George. I was trying to grab some cereal off a shelf with my grabber and then a girl about my age came to me and said "Hey, let me get that for you!" She was very polite but pushed me forward a bit. But I decided to, instead of being a dick about it, simply whisper "Thanks! But hey, next time you help someone like me, could you ask before you push us out of the way? We aren't helpless and you could hurt someone like me if they can't move their legs well." She immediately apologised but as she walked off I thought "Now she will know better in the future." I think I had to do that 2 or 3 more times before I could use crutches again, but each time I taught someone a lesson without making them feel scared of ever helping a disabled person again.
@@sethperry5730 while I agree with you for the most part, I feel like sometimes, when you have been in a wheelchair as long as George, it gets exhausting constantly being infantilized. Like sometimes, you are just not in the mood. I have a friend who has been in a wheelchair since she was 3 (she is 28 now) and one thing she always stated is that having everyone view you as incapable is really hard some days. She is usually really polite, but I’ve seen her snap at people who are pushy. And that is what Penny does, she doesn’t state that she is going to help, she just moves George like a piece of furniture and expects him to not just be fine with it, but thankful. And we don’t know what kind of day George was having, if he was already fed up, then I think it is perfectly reasonable for him to snap. George is a person, with all the flaws and reason that comes with it, so his actions can be more complicated than they first appear
i would like to quote my friend on this, regarding george's homphobia: "george's case is extra funny given the complete lack of any in-game reference to heteronormativity or homophobia otherwise, which manages to pivot the tone from "he is stuck in outdated ideas that used to be the norm" to "homophobia is a thing this one old guy just made up"
@@nicolaim4275 that's right, i forgot about that!! but i guess it's a fertility ritual, and that kind of does require a specific pair of male and female. but let's hop into some cultural implications of that!! - is it possible that a culture could, simultaneously, acknowledge & respect same-gender love, yet also place emphasis on the importance of reproduction? i don't think that's all too strange - the fact that the farmer, regardless of gender, can participate and dance with anyone they want, implies that these ritual "rules" are permeable and mostly symbolic. so while the focus of the ritual is, apparently if i am to believe demitrius, fertility, that means that same gender romance is also allowed to partake in it either stardew valley is a post-homophobia setting, or they simply did not have it at any point, but still have some cultural importance placed in reproduction. which is true for a lot of cultures, and heck, even some animals. haha i love using anthropological analysis on viddy games :)
I like George a lot. Not because he’s a good person, or that I like him for his personality. No, I like George because he’s a well written and interesting character that is heavily flawed and horrifyingly real. We often don’t get to see characters that aren’t inherently good to some extent in games like Stardew Valley. George-like characters are usually just grumpy and tired and grow closer to you. And that’s it. But George isn’t just grumpy and tired. He’s angry, and bitter, and genuinely unhappy before he befriends the farmer. Even after he befriends the farmer really. I don’t think George is a bad person, but I don’t think he’s a good one either. He is heavily flawed. Insecure, pained, and ultimately aggressive due to it. Taking his frustrations out on others. I do think that there’s a good chance he was intended to be written as an unhealthy father to his daughter. And I do think that he doesn’t just stop being homophobic when you become closer to him. People don’t change overnight. Growth takes time and change must be purposeful. You can see as he grows that George is willing to change. But we don’t really get to see it in Stardew Valley. My only wish for this flawed man is that we could see more of a change in him as the game progressed. To his relationships with those around him, and his relationship with his own actions.
This is the real reason I like the characters in Stardew Valley. They're just people. The good and ugly are both there, just like real life. Thanks for your thoughts!
I was gonna write this but you worded in a much better way than I could ever do lol. I know not everyone likes the same character but it’s really disheartening when I see people hating on George despite him possibly being one of the most realistic and overshadowed characters. Many, many people aren’t inherently good or bad, they are just frustrated with their lives and don’t have inner peace. That’s not to say they can’t do bad things, but they deserve love and care as much as anyone else.
@@Leapalot I’m sure you would have worded it well! It’s hard to really get out complicated feelings towards people, let alone fictional characters. But! I agree! I’m glad you liked my little rant lmao
I re-watched the cutscene with penny and George with the mailbox, and I think it's a huge misconception as to why he is actually angry. He's mad because penny walked up, said 'let me help you' then proceeded to push him out of the way of his mailbox so that she could do it for him. I think that is the main reason that George blows up, not that she helped him (Heck, the farmer does something similar to no explosion, in fact he opens up after that), it's the fact that she didn't even ask him, she just said she was going to help then pushed him aside so that she could without so much as an 'alright' of approval from him. I mean, think of how debilitating that must feel, how it must feel to be entirely unable to get your own mail outside of your house, only for someone to walk over, move you, and do it for you. I'm not saying Penny is in the wrong, we can see CLEAR intention to help him, I just think that the way she did it could feel almost demeaning to the person she did it to.
I’ve been in a wheelchair before due to herniated discs. I could barely move my back without severe pain, and my legs were numb. I would take that pain 100x again if it meant never have to feel so useless. I needed help getting in the shower, I couldn’t drive myself, I couldn’t reach stuff off of counters that were even just a little bit higher than average. I was in high school at the time and the handicap stalls weren’t even big enough to fit my wheelchair. It’s a humiliating experience, and every time people insist on helping, it’s a reminder that you need help to function in the most basic of ways.
Tbf, with the Penny scene, she did kind of insert herself into the situation. She didn't ask if she could help. She didn't ask if she could move George. She basically shoved him out of the way to help. So I get why George snapped at her.
My brothers in a wheelchair, he can be a brat but I love him, and you have no freakin idea how often people try to fiddle with, push around, and otherwise touch him without explicit permission. It’s *rude.* To say it politely and you have no idea how many people sulkily say *i just wanted to help* after he gets mad or someone else with him gets mad. I just Penny was out of line. It was rude and frankly what George said was a *mild reaction*
I actually find George endearing myself. He is a surprisingly nuanced and realistic character who has a lot of depth. If you spend any time around the old timers you will see parallels immediately. He is a man way past his prime haunted by bittersweet youth, and further troubled by his lack of mobility. You see prideful, and self reliant people are at their most vulnerable when they have to count on others so that attributes to his unpleasant demeanor. This of course glosses over the fact his daughter or in law had committed suicide, and was left with a young boy growing up in a age he really isn't a part of. It reminds me that time waits for no one and the world goes on even if you are not paying attention.
George is actually one of my favorite characters in this game, because his problems feel realistic. PTSD, depression, and anxiety can make you distant, cold, frustrated, and baring the weight thinking that no one close to you understands. My theory for George is actually quite different then here. I don’t think he was emotionally or physically abusive at all. George use to be a very attentive man, but also a workaholic. He was abused growing up by his traditionalist parents and, as a result, already had a hard time expressing himself directly. George would show his affection in other ways. He worked really hard at his job to bring home money for his family, then he’d come home and he’d do work on their house. Evelyn, being a mature adult from a healthier background, understood and appreciated George’s love language. And George was making progress with himself, too. He started a family with the only /woman/ he ever fell in love with. And then, in an instant, not only was his autonomy taken from him, but so was the only way he ever knew how to express himself. He was struggling to adapt and desperately trying to find new ways to be “useful” to his family, but he wasn’t able to accept that he couldn’t do anything the way he use to anymore. Children, unlike Evelyn, are not able to understand what’s happening. He could tell that his daughter didn’t think he cared about her, but he didn’t know how to express himself to tell her otherwise… and often thought to himself that maybe she was better off without him. The dishes he teaches the farmer how to make? Those were his /daughter’s/ favorite dishes. Not his, not his wife’s. His deceased daughter’s. The most special recipes he knows. As for his grandson? Remember when I said Evelyn is the only woman he’s ever loved? George was raised to hate himself and repress himself. He’s a closeted bi man. The reason why the way he responds to Alex marrying a man is different depending on relationship to the player is because the player teaches George something Evelyn struggled to do by herself. The player teaches George that it’s okay to love himself. To come out of the shadows he’s built in his mind and look out into the light. His story, to me, is incredibly important. George is an old man, but just because he’s old doesn’t mean that his story is over. He can change and he can find peace with himself.
This seems to me to hit closer to the mark. It's easy to see someone old school like George feeling ashamed that he's no longer the breadwinner. Solid ideas here.
@@DindellaTheDefender but what clues? I read his dialogue and aside from praising his grandson i dont remember him even complimenting a guy, let alone quietly yearning for one. This is stardew valley there are a lot of bi people on the roster for marriage candidates alone, but i dont think george is one of them, especially because when you marry alex, he voices his objections to it. Sure he backpedals and says he just isnt with the times, but that is just to support his dear grandson.
I see George in a different light. I think he is probably so grumpy because of not only losing his ability to walk, but likely the death of his daughter. Evelyn is a Saint, the death definitely hurt her, but she knows she needs to take care of Alex so she doesn't let the grief control her. Meanwhile George probably thinks he failed for not being able to protect his little girl. The cooking recipes he teaches probably are from before him and Evelyn or perhaps they were favorites of Clara's, or maybe Evelyn just doesn't trust George's cooking so the only two dishes he knows she's weary of. George seems to me like a hurt old man who put up walls to protect himself because he worries if he doesn't he's going to lose them too. That may be why he doesn't mention Evelyn much as well, he might be pushing her away so if she leaves it doesn't hurt as much
For some reason, I always imagined George's voice as a grumpy older man with an Irish-American accent, in the vain of Frank Barone from Everybody Loves Raymond or Red Foreman from That 70s Show. I can just imagine him addressing the town's NPCs as "dumbass".
I know Evelyn is adored (quite rightly) by most players, she's compassionate and takes a genuine interest and concern in those around her. But contextually I think her overly gentle nature is what made, or at least contributed towards, Georges nature now. When he was in that accident he clearly had to give up work which in itself would have likely been something he considered as shameful (time period and all) and not only that but it sounds like he really fell in to depression, which talking to my grandparents and many others of the same gen, I know how hush-hush it had to be kept in those times. Evelyn spent way too long pandering to him, allowing him to wallow and grow further and further from who he had been before. I'm not saying that his behaviour is acceptable but he needed a firm hand which he was never given. Not like "oh just snap outta it" kinda thing, but someone that is a little more forceful in saying "ok today we are going to do this" because the longer someone disconnects due to mental illness the less likely they are to recover. As for the thing with Robin I think he could have handled it better but Robin was in the wrong there. I don't think people realise but taking away autonomy from someone with a physical disability and assuming they need help is incredibly demoralizing and dehumanizing. If in doubt you can say to someone "oh if there's anything I can ever help with let me know" but never just grab someone's wheelchair, or instantly start doing things on their behalf when they haven't expressed a desire for help.
I really, really hate the way George treats Evelyn, and that's part of why I always befriend him. I want her to be happy. You're right, I do have a savior complex!
I always end up befriending George pretty quick because i give him all my leeks i collect spring 1. So its interesting to see how deep his grumpyness goes when you dont As for editing, the vids with more production are fun as it gives more to look at than gameplay footage, though i didnt think this one was boring or anything
Thanks for the insight. I really do appreciate it! I'm still trying to strike that balance between interesting and busy, so that feedback is pretty helpful! As far as George goes... I don't hate him. But I do have a bias against homophobes...
Still gave him fried mushroom even if Harvey not ok with it. I'm whatever with people's political point of view (because I'm going to do whatever I wanted to do anyways. don't really effect me) but George already live long enough. people need reason to live and if it was something I picked up from cave fried in cheap oil, Then I'm more than happy to give him that
I don't really hold it against George. He's old and he was indoctrinated that way. For people his age, I only expect tolerance. For example, living in San Francisco, I believed my parents were supportive of same sex couplings until I asked out of curiosity. They completely kept their opinions to themselves, and thanks to that I didn't grow up homophobic myself. It says a lot that despite George's homophobia, Alex has no angst about it whatsoever. (everything after this is an assumption, I've only married Sebastian and as a female haha). You say George's homophobic line pops up when you marry his grandson. Not only does that mean he keeps it completely zipped while you're still courting Alex or if you marry any other guy, but that line itself is him identifying that he might be the problem, not you ("maybe I'm just old fashioned"). It actually sounded like he might be starting his own journey of acceptance, which is a great thing. And as far as I can tell, he never mentions it again. Sorry for all the text haha. I don't know, he and Evelyn were the only ones I liked until I befriended everyone else. Maybe I just like old people?
@@xmunchyx that's actually good point. There's no way he wouldn't know that player taking exclusive seat watching his grandson wight lifting. He still want to be friend with us
I think that maybe George might feel useless in a way. He couldn't work anymore after the explosion, his only child died and he couldn't stop it. He then had to retake the role of a father for Alex as best as he could; but couldn't do half the things he used too (a line of Evelyn mentions George would fix the leaking roof back when he was healty) and then you have the cutscene with Penny (honestly Penny, wtf?) And the social task from Evelyn
I always liked to interpret George sending you the recipes for two dishes Evelyn hates as him wanting to have them every once in a while, but not wanting to force Evelyn to cook food she can't stand. So maybe he thinks that if he gifts the farmer the recipes, the farmer will let him have some of what they make in return. Of course, that's not an objective look, that's just my interpretation of it. I just have a soft spot in my heart for grumpy old men.
Just another thing when it comes to the Penny and George scene that I haven't noticed pointed out in the comments yet (though I haven't looked through them all): Grabbing a person's mobility aid (in this case, a wheelchair) without their consent is, in a lot of places, considered a form of assault, as those aids are, in a way, an extension of the user's body. Similarly, wheelchair users in particular are often pulled off to other places by strangers without their consent via their own mobility aids, which is essentially kidnapping (whether that's the person's intention or not), and all too often when this happens, the wheelchair user ends up ignored if they try to get the person to stop or get others to intervene, because able-bodied people, well... to put it bluntly, a lot of them think they MUST know the wants and needs of disabled people better than the actual disabled people themselves do, and in bystanders' cases they'll often assume that any disabled person who's yelling for help in a situation like this is just a crazy person who doesn't know what's best for them and that whoever's grabbing them and shoving them around must be their caretaker or something along those lines. Additionally, grabbing a person's wheelchair like that can result in injuries to the wheelchair user or damage to (often expensive and hard to repair or replace) equipment they need to get around. If you've ever seen a wheelchair user whose chair's handles have been covered in spikes or other obtrusive objects, or even ones whose chairs have had their handles removed entirely, this is likely at least part of reason why - To discourage or prevent people from grabbing their chairs. Well-intentioned folks often make assumptions that they need help and jump to do so without asking, causing harm without meaning to, and people with malicious intent can often get away with kidnapping wheelchair users because of those aforementioned ableist biases in bystanders. And, while not relevant to George in particular, that's not even getting into all of the issues surrounding more blatant ableism, like harassment and assault on the basis of trying to prove people are "faking" needing a chair because they can move their legs or feet, or even walk; most people think of wheelchair users as being paralyzed from the waist down and entirely unable to use their legs and feet, but that's not the case all the time - A lot of wheelchair users are ambulatory (i.e., capable of standing and/or walking some of the time), but use their chairs due to other conditions, like heart or joint problems (things I may end up getting a wheelchair for in the future myself, despite being able to walk). I've seen more than a few posts online where people pop off over getting to call out an ambulatory wheelchair user for "faking" after grabbing their chair and pushing it over, and the chair's owner being able to stand after being dumped out of it - And in a lot of cases the replies will be cheering them on, because they perceive the person to be faking and therefore the situation to be somehow justified. It's fucked up. TL;DR - Being disabled is hard. Don't make our lives harder by grabbing us or our mobility aids without our consent, even if you mean well, unless it's very literally a life or death situation.
@@Leapalot Yeah, it's a pretty shitty situation unfortunately. I try not to be a bummer on folks' videos, but the discussion reminded me of the whole ordeal and since it's not something you see discussed much, especially outside of disabled circles, I thought it was worth bringing up. Awareness and all :') Mobility aids like wheelchairs are good things, and a lot of people who use them see them as such, because they're ultimately tools of freedom and accessibility! When I get diagnosed, assuming the treatments we pursue aren't enough, I actually am looking forward to asking about potentially getting a wheelchair, because having one would improve my quality of life significantly! It just sucks that society as a whole doesn't understand that, and doesn't understand how to interact with that equipment and the people who use them.
@@AuraOfANobody It's tough work having to deal with your own life and educate other people when you really shouldn't have to. Hang in there! As far as my channel goes at least, don't ever feel like it's a bummer. I enjoy these kinds of conversations. They just make me feel a little bummed/make me more aware of my undeserved privileges. But that's not a bad thing!
To be fair, George didn't yell at penny for "helping him with his mail" he yelled at her for pushing his wheelchair which you should absolutely never do without permission. He didn't handle the situation well but his anger was actually justified.
I also noticed a bit of woman discrimination (can’t say the word bc RU-vid keeps deleting my comment) from George considering how easily he lost his temper with women or refusing to acknowledge them properly which might explain that behavior rubbing off a little on Alex
That and throw in a bit of how Alex's dad apparently was and it does make sense why Alex is the way he is in the beginning with female farmers (since I'm a guy I always played male farmer so I'm just going by what I've read around from others), luckily though, Alex is able to see past all that eventually
That makes a lot of sense. He clearly doesn't think much of them, and it would pave the way for Alex's smug douchiness towards female farmers. (Though yes, he does get better.)
I don't think he doesn't respect women, he just doesn't respect anyone! He doesn't want to listen to his own doctor, he would rather get farmer's advice! Lol
I've grown up with my great grandma and great grandpa alive. And they really seemed to hate each other. So I actually got the idea that George disliked Evelyn for a long time.
Legit though. I like George. He spends his time feeling sorry for himself and resentful toward the leg-walkers and their freedoms. Totally relatable guy.
I actually ended up marrying Alex 2 days ago and was really happy, but once I spoke to George I was pretty upset about what he said about me and Alex’s wedding- so I don’t think you were being too harsh Though tbh, in the end I ended up being buddies with George, I appreciate his character development
This is the first time I've seen this dialogue with George and honestly if I had married Alex and come across it it would have been really triggering and upsetting. Honestly I feel it does not fit the vibe of Stardew. Those are homophobic words that we already hear all the time in the real world, and to casually pepper them into an otherwise escapist game feels uninformed... Or inconsiderate of how it would impact queer players
@@umayeren9733 well to be fair the whole theme of george is character is to hate change and that the farmer, is the one that maeks him accept change. as everyone in stardew is designed to evolve from being wreckes to bettering themselves after meeting farmer. It's like saying that (i know this isnt comparible, trust me i'm gay as hell too) Shane's cronic alocoholism is too"real" and inconsiderate to how it would impact players who've either had an alcoholic person in their life or were an alcoholic themselves from a escapist game Stardew valley is supposed to offer a array of "people" in a small town you could get to know and change in your own way; more often than not for the better. And honestly that's one of my escapist fantasies as someone who's gay + had family members who were alcoholics and it certainly steered me faraway from shane and george at first but as they changed and showed they cared when i was just honestly, out of obligation, befriending them i realized that I cared for them. As the "people" they were and i was overjoyed when they made a turn around. Even if it's small steps it meant so much for me. it might seem insensitive but honestly it jsut gave me hope for the future
I don't forgive George for being an ass, but I think I understand where he's coming from. He was probably a very independent person before the accident, the hard-working breadwinner type, the kind that probably fixed things around the house himself rather than calling a professional (for better or for worse). Losing his legs took everything George values away from him and now he feels incredibly useless, He doesn't want help, he wants to be able to do things for himself again and people seeing him struggling with something and offering him to help is humiliating to him. The bitterness about it is really all he has left, and he can't help but push that on his family and the community. The thing is, if he learned to accept a little help from time to time that would go a long way toward him being able to help himself. Assert himself with Mayor Lewis, Pierre, Gus and Harvey, figure out what it would take to make those places wheelchair accessible. Maybe work out with his grandson (ask Harvey first, of course). Find things he *can* do while in a wheelchair: he's still got two perfectly good arms and there's a town full of brilliant craftspeople and a doctor that could make whatever he would need to do these things. He just has to get over himself and *ask*.
Correction: Not all women "seek" out abusers, i resent the implication that being a victim of a monster is a choice, or even something they could have possibly seen coming , Sociopaths mimic correct social behavior to achieve their goals,I have loved your content but that was one of the most offensive , nonchalant statements I have ever heard casually tossed out there.
Hi there Lucy. I'm sorry it came off that way. It definitely wasn't my intention to imply that anyone(!) seeks out abusers. I'll have to try to be more deliberate in the future.
@@icuddlecats1 Absolutely. I really try to understand everyone I interact with. That was a painful comment to read, but an important one I think. It's something that will stick with me.
So running with the notion of a Evelyn, George, and Grandpa love triangle; based on the evidence you've presented and the characters' behavior in the game I believe that Evelyn being unfaithful to George with Grandpa fits better. Think of it as a potential future version of Pierre, Caroline, and the Wizard dynamic with Clara being the equivalent for Abigail. That would explain why Evelyn is so proactive in making George feel happy and appreciated. Its to make up for being unfaithful to George with Grandpa. Heck the infidelity could have taken place after George's accident and resulted in the birth of Clara.
As someone who's been hampered somewhat by a combination of injury and illness (enough so to be considered legally disabled) I see a bit of myself in George. He is, undeniably, a jerk, but everyone can be a jerk sometimes. We all have those things that we're not good at handling (In my case, being lied to sets me off like dynamite; I tend to catch people in their own lies when they contradict themselves, and I get confrontational about it) and as someone whose exes didn't care for my best recipes, I'd totally pass them around to people who might appreciate them if I never got to eat them at home anymore. That said, I actually agree with a lot of what you say. People like George and I can make things very stressful for others if we aren't getting along. I, myself, have ended several friendships and romances (and even become estranged from a cousin) over things I personally believe were "irreconcilable," although an outsider looking in would probably just think I'm a bad person. Sadly, it's just a reality that not everyone gets along. Not everyone has to get along. And that's okay. It just sucks that it comes to that point, and that things couldn't be worked out, you know? It just wasn't worth the excessive long-term stress to both parties, and healthier to go different ways. Let me clarify, though: I'm not outwardly uncaring like George is. But I see the potential to become just like him. I'm surrounded by infuriating people (Neighbors partying outside my window at 2 in the morning, for example, or people honking their car horns to get a neighbor's attention for an hour straight while I'm trying to nap off one of my chronic migranes, etc. I have noise reduction headphones since this is so rampant, but they're too big and bulky to SLEEP with, and my ears are so sensitive that earplugs - and also earbuds - make them bleed.) and every day I feel my empathy eroding more and more. At this point, I'm reserving what I have left for the people I care about. But what happens if even that gets worn down? I'll be like George. Big difference is, at least: I realize I'm not well suited to be a parent, from my physical health making it harder for me to play with them and care for them, to my other disabilities causing their own issues. This means I'm electing to not have kids (unless a future partner who'd be a great parent convinces me otherwise and agrees to help me adapt) so at least I won't have to become estranged from my own child. George almost feels like he had a kid "because he had to since it's the old-fashioned thing to do" and not because he had any desire to be a parent and raise a child. And that... is really unfortunate.
That self awareness is a big thing! Try to keep that small spark of empathy, it sounds like it will be difficult! Thanks for stopping by and granting me your insight. This was an informative read!
I feel like the portrayal of Penny's heart event involving George is less of an issue of her character and more of an issue of ConcernedApe's perception. Characters are only as smart as their author, characters are only as "tolerant" or socially aware as their authors. You generally get the vibe from what everyone says about Penny that she's supposed to be the generically nice and kind girl, and in this scene she's doing a """nice""" thing for a character who is notorious for being a massive stick in the mud. Heck if you side with Penny, George even apologizes afterwards, and I don't think it's because he's one to succumb to peer pressure. No, what CA wanted to get across was a scene where the Cinderella girl goes out of her way to do a nice deed that ultimately even warms the heart of the grouchiest man in town. Not saying this justifies what she did nor denounces George's reaction. However there was a clear point being made that she "helped out" the most disabled member in the community, as opposed to, say, Evelyn who is also elderly and probably would've appreciated the gesture right away "right or not". I wouldn't blame you for thinking penny is ableist, but really I personally chalk it up to the writer (who has generally done a fantastic job with the game and I am by no means hating on him)
he had the right to be mad at Penny for moving his wheelchair without permission. wheelchairs are essentially part of your anatomy, that would be like if you were kinda short and instead of someone asking if you need help someone just came up, shoved you out of the way, and was like "aren't i a good person" just. hhhhhhhh
Binging this series and have my tinfoil hat firmly in place. MAYBE George calls marriage between Alex and the farmer unnatural because he knows that Evelyn had the baby with Grandpa, and the farmer and Alex are cousins.
George is the type of man who seems like a grump but deep down has a good heart. Reminds me of my own grandfather. A bit of a grump, even a bit insensitive at times, but deep down, he's a good man.
I will note - and this is coming from the biggest Penny simp imaginable - in her interaction with George at the mailbox, she was definitely in the wrong. My mom has serious difficulty walking, she technically can for short periods, but she uses a mobility scooter almost all of the time. I’ve learned a lot about handicap accessibility and the proper ways to help someone who’s disabled through her. Simply put, it’s okay to offer help to someone who’s struggling, but if they say no, that’s it. Forcing them to let you help them is incredibly demeaning and could possibly lead to injury, especially if you don’t know the extent of their disability or how to help them. Notice how Penny shoves George to the side so she can access the mailbox - that’s a full on shove, not just a slight movement out of the way. That’s seriously dangerous. There’s the argument that “George clearly needed help he’s just a stubborn old man” but that doesn’t change anything. Consent (kinda weird to use that word in a different context than it’s usually used in, hahah) is the most important thing and is absolutely necessary before helping someone in a situation like this. After seeing that scene, I decided to befriend George because I felt really bad about how that scene tried to portray him as in the wrong when he never once was.
So, I've been getting into Stardew Valley again recently, and I love your videos that do a deep dive on the characters. I watched this one recently, and the fact that George never says Evelynn's name really stuck with me. I love details like that, they're so subtle that sometimes even the writers themselves don't realized they're doing it, but they can shed so much light on a character. Except, to my surprise, this one doesn't seem to be true! During my second Egg Festival, I went up to George and he said "Evelynn made eggs and leeks for breakfast, so I'm in a good mood today." So there is at least one instance of him saying her name, and definitely in a positive light!
As a usually kind person who has a disability, the scene with Penny is extremely frustrating to me. Never just grab someone's wheelchair and push them around without asking first, ever. And if they say no, it's a no. This isn't a bad person's reaction, just think about it this way. Maybe for you it was just a single act of "kindness". For the person with the disability, it's several people a day every day just pushing them around and cutting them off without their input "because they're helpless, poor them". TBH it's a bit annoying to me that telling Penny it was rude of her for doing that without asking gets a drop in friendship. But yeah, good video. =D Edit: I saw all the other comments and mine is a bit superfluous. But don't think I think you're bad for this, the game frames Penny as in the right itself, so everyone else assuming it's right is to be expected. We learn something new every day. This is just a point of frustration to me, specially because I don't have an wheelchair but I have dyspraxia and other mental health stuff, so sometimes I do things very slowly and carefully, it's not uncommon for people to lose the patience and take things off my hands and do things for me in my place "Because I'm taking too long". I'm just naturally slower, but I can do the thing.
Thank you! That's a good point that a bunch of people have brought up. It was some good insight for me personally. I'm glad you still liked the video. :)
I'm 100% on George's side with the Penny thing and I hate that the only option to tell her how rude that was results in losing friendship with her, but I also wish George would show more appreciation and affection towards Evelyn especially as you befriend him. I wish you could help other relationships improve in general, it'd be nice to help the whole family situation with Sebastian without having to marry him, I know Haley starts getting along with Emily better and you can even help Pam treat Penny better so maybe in a future update
I love George because he reminds me of my grandpa. Him and Evelyn remind of my grandparents and I get why he acts the way he does. He’s upset, never could talk out what had happened to him, and maybe wasn’t the best person during his recovery. He seems like a grumpy person that would get a long with you when you stood up for yourself or someone else. Like the, “You’ve earn my respect because you can hold your own against me,” trope.
The answer is yes. You *are* being too harsh. I mean hell, when he calls gay marriage unnatural, he *immediately* follows it up with "guess I'm just old fashioned"- admitting he may be looking at it the wrong way rather than doubling down on thinking it's bad. That, and these videos are relying *really heavily* on the Evelyn-loves-grandpa theory, even if you're trying to diverge from them. Hell, when you call George cruel for pelting Eve with a snowball, you literally have it on screen that he went to check if she was okay afterwards.
It's also poisoning the well to open up by pointing out his homophobia. The guy's got a lot going wrong with him, you don't need to resort to cheap tricks like that.
i really like this video ^-^ i personally tolerate george but it was nice to learn more about him and see him as a whole and not tiny facets of him spread through cutscenes, letters or dialogue where it can kind of get lost. George is unfortunately homophobic as well as dealing with internalized ableism and it is tragic that he doesnt really find much happiness in life regardless of his awesome wife and grandson,, unless ofc if the farmer..befriends him? but i think he is an interesting and flawed character, and he does come around at some point, as long as his grandson is happy, he is happy (how happy that is tho, idk) all in all great vid ☺👌🏼
I know you made this video a year ago, and as I scrolled through the comments, I noticed that nobody said anything about George having PTSD. Yeah, George has PTSD. Kent isn't the only one in Pelican Town with PTSD. George suffered a very traumatic experience, which cost him his mobility. It effected how he interacts with others, especially his wife. It takes a lot for friendship level 7 which gets you the Spicy Eel recipe, which gives a Luck +1 and a Speed +1 buff, two things that George probably wishes he had that day in the mine. See, PTSD doesn't just manifest as flashbacks. Some of the symptoms are Irritability, angry outbursts or aggressive behavior; negative thoughts about yourself, other people or the world; memory problems, including not remembering important aspects of the traumatic event (or even other events that happened before the event); difficulty maintaining close relationships, feeling detached from family and friends, lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed, or difficulty experiencing positive emotions. See, PTSD symptoms can vary in intensity over time. You may have more PTSD symptoms when you're stressed in general, or when you come across reminders of what you went through. George displays a lot of the symptoms, including reduced affect (difficulty with affection). He's not a grumpy old jerk to everyone just because he's stuck in a wheelchair. He's a grumpy old jerk to everyone because he has untreated PTSD. So please, folks, friend him, he needs that positive interaction in his life. Signed, someone with PTSD that has been working on it for the last 20 years.
Hello all! I tried to scale back some of my post production additions this time. The last couple videos have felt a little busy to me! Please, please, please let me know whether you think this feels more clean, or if you think it was more fun with lots of stuff on screen all the time! As always, consider subbing if you haven't. I'm trying to reach 10k!
i always tried to befriend him, because most of the time i'll marry alex and like to befriend any friends and family like george, evelyn, and haley. i never saw the homophobic dialogue until my second playthrough romancing alex, and it just really put me off him. like, why of all things did CA decide "let's make the grandfather of the character who's 10 heart event talks about discovering your sexuality homophobic." i totally understand why he's so upset about penny moving his wheelchair though. my partner uses forearm crutches when he doesn't have his prosthetic leg on, and they're basically a part of his body that no one should ever touch without permission.
I think George gives you the Eel recipies, not because he likes them, or that anyone likes them for that, but as a veteran miner, he knows how usefull they are, and that you, the player would like them. He isnt a jerk for giving you Eel's, it is a nice thing he does just for you, and only you. Now in general he is a jerk, but not the Eel thing.
George reminds me of my Dad who got injured at work and became a grump because of it. Losing your ability to walk is one thing but not being able to work and provide for your family is very hard on a lot of men. So I understand stood George. He also has a sweet wife that takes care of him 24/7 just like my momma. So every time I play this game I befriend that whole family. Even Alex because I understand being raised but older people. That family is my family in a lot of ways haha
You know, I think it would make the game interesting if, after a random number of in-game years; Evelyn and George pass away. Each one has this number rolled randomly at the start of the game, so you won't know who will pass first, and it will change how the game progresses from that point. That may be a bit too grim for this game though.
It's already a pretty grim game sometimes... That would be interesting though. I would hope for an option, personally. I tend not to befriend villagers early and it would be sad to feel like there's a timer running.
The only two points I don't agree with are the point about the recipes, and the scene with penny. In the scene with penny, she pushes him out of the way (rather violently for someone like her might i add) and helped without asking if george needed help which is honestly pretty invalidating. Now I know she had goon intentions, but her actions were inappropriate. as for the recipes, people can love each other and absolutely hate a food that the other person loves. I hate almost all seafood while the rest of my family loves it, that doesn't make them bad people when they share their seafood recipes to family friends.
Definitely heard a lot about the scene with Penny and autonomy. I appreciated getting that insight, since I've never found myself in similar situations. As far as the food goes... I mean yeah he's probably not teaching you that so that you give it to Evelyn lol. Someone said it's probably because he knows those are good foods for miners, since he was one. I liked that idea!
maybe goerge gives you the recipes because he knows he isn't too fond of them and his wife has no desire to make them? so maybe he's just simply passing it down in hopes that the player likes it?
George eerily reminds me of my great-grandfather. The whole Malner family even. My great-grandfather too was severely injured due to the accident in the mines, he became a heavy drinker because of that and was abusive to his wife and kids - my grandmother and uncle. Stardew has a lot of topics that's really close to me but this particular household is what blurs the line between fiction and reality, and in some way it's therapeutic. I love this series of yours, it makes me think of the psyche behind each npc from a different perspective and it brings me so much joy. Thank you
Not quite sure why the snowball situation at the festival is confusing. Most snowball fights in real life aren't pre-planned, scheduled sporting events, they just happen. I think it's likely that young George just went to the festival with a bunch of his buddies (perhaps from his mining job). They started clowning around, as youths often do, maybe one of them mouthed off and George threw a snowball at him in response, but then the guy dodged and the snowball accidentally beaned Evelyn in the face. As George didn't mean to hit an uninvolved bystander, he went over to check if she was ok and they started talking. If the mine was abandoned after the accident and his friends moved away because they saw Stardew as a dead end town, this might further explain George's depression and disdain for the festival, as it would remind him of the time he used to go there every year with the people who "left him behind". An association like that would be more painful to him and could thus eclipse the snowball event (which he might also be ashamed of and thus wouldn't hold it as a treasured memory). Like don't get me wrong, George IS very abrasive and probably difficult to be with, but I don't think the guy actively hates his wife and wants to make her miserable. I think he's just emotionally stunted from prolonged, untreated depression and boredom.
ack- i think this is why I (gay guy) am so fond of the narrative that comes from marrying Alex. he's actually a sweet guy who's just kinda been dealt a shitty hand, but who shows his maturity and determination. he shares narrative similarities with george: alex is a jock, is all about physical fitness, and he has set his sights on professional athleticism (the ultimate expression of this theme of mobility). But the same issues George has are still there too, and injuries are super common in contact sports, and i could see Alex possibly growing into someone like george if he had a similar career ending accident. but you know what else is a great expression of physical activity, is good for the community, and gives a much more stable home life? Farming. Idk, it just fits imo. which is why your theory about Alex being the farmer's cousin really really sits wrong with me lol. Alex is my favorite bachelor!! gross!!
As a gnc trans man, I was genuinely shocked to learn that in some playthroughs the player can learn that George is/was previously homophobic. Like, I probably should've seen it coming considering he describes himself as old-fashioned, but at the same time he was the first character I got to 10 hearts with, entirely for the arbitrary reason that he consistently calls my farmer "young man", so when Alex became my fourth spouse in an increasingly crowded home I saw no complaints from him. I do find it very funny that I've made him an unwitting trans ally.
Wait, if Evelyn married to Grandpa and has a child (Farmer's mom/dad). Doesn't that make the farmer and Alex related? We do know that Evelyn is Clara's mother, right? Then isn't this a bit incest?
Stardew Valley players: This is the darkest thing ever, and yet it looks so cutesy on the outside. DDLC players: Wow. I guess our fandom really is dead, huh?
I don't understand why people, especially a lot of old people, decide that they can't ever be in the wrong. And that everyone should bend over backwards for them. George is one of those people. Does he have his excuses? Yes. But you shouldn't take your anger and frustration out on everyone else. It doesn't seem like he doesn't want to move forward, he's outright refusing to make changes for himself or for others.
