Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: The Faraway Paladin: The Lord of Rust Mountain
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Covnam
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Enjoying the season so far.
Thane is an odd choice of title for Ru. When they first started describing it, it sounded like a squire, but then they used thane, so I just thought I wasn't familiar with that use of the word. Looking it up it seems like William would be more appropriate if anyone was going to be called that though and nothing really fit it's regular use. I couldn't find anything by searching for the Japanese word it sounds like they're using, but I guess I'm not hearing it clearly. |
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minamikaze
Posts: 254 |
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I think that this is the Japanese word they are using: じゅうしゃ【従者】 - an attendant; a follower 従者 【じゅうしゃ; じゅしゃ】 (n) attendant; valet; servant; follower I sort of agree that translating it as squire might be better than thane. Last edited by minamikaze on Sun Oct 29, 2023 8:19 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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NeverConvex
 Subscriber Posts: 2537 |
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Show's still a bit slow and sort of thin on characterization for me, and the production quality is only decent, but overall it feels like it has improved significantly this season.
Hm, yeah -- thane does seem a weird choice. In the show it sounds like they're saying "jxyushi" or "jixyuushi" (apparently the latter, based on what follows here), to me; I think it is 従士, based on the entry for Ru/ルゥ/ヴィンダールヴ in the JP wiki page. Something like "junior warrior", Kanji by Kanji, which makes sense; there's no Jisho entry for the full word by itself, but there is another JP wiki page, and if I'm reading it correctly (which I may not be), I think says it literally can be understood to mean thane ("thegn") (it also seems to say something like "'Thegn', in old English, means 'retainer', indicating a regular member serving a person of high status", here: 「セイン」は古英語で「使用人」を意味し、高位の人物に仕える成員を指す). From the ENG wiki page, this first, underlined part seems to kind of fit with Ru's role in the show: "The term thane was also used in early medieval Scandinavia for a class of retainers, and thane was a title given to local royal officials in medieval eastern Scotland, equivalent in rank to the child of an earl." EDIT: also, I considered 従者 as well, like minamikaze said; it would fit the context really well, and almost sounds like what's in the show. But, I do not hear them saying "shixya" (者), and do hear them pretty clearly saying "shi" (士). That plus the JP wiki listing 従士 (and that wiki in turn directly talking about thanes) makes me pretty sure that's what they're saying. |
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minamikaze
Posts: 254 |
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Actually, I think you are right. In checking again, they are saying 従士。 I had settled on 従者 because it was the closest word I could find: 従士 isn't in the Japanese/English Dictionaries I typically use, but I did find it in a Japanese only dictionary. じゅう‐し【従士】 の解説 １ 供をする武士。供の侍。供侍 (ともざむらい) 。 ２ 古代ゲルマンの主従制度で、有力者に付き従って奉仕する自由民。 The first definition, is "An accompanying warrior. An accompanying Samurai." The second one is: In the Medieval German system of master and servants, a free person who served a person of importance. I just checked another online dictionary and they actually translate it as "Thane". I'm guessing that's where the translator got it from. 従士 Definition 従士 - thane《英史》（アングロサクソン時代の）〔可算〕 I still think squire (2nd definition) would make more sense then thane though. |
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WatcherZer
Posts: 307 |
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Thane (which is the equivalent of a kings retainer who is a military commander) is the same rank as a Baron (below an Earl and above a Reeve (Castellan/Steward) or Housekarl (Bodyguard/knight)
traditionally associated with Dwarfs as a title because of their Scottish influence in most settings, e.g. Warhammer. I think he's been named Thane as he's the leader of his community and he's intending to make him the governor of the reclaimed Rust Mountain though he's already Dwarfen nobility and possibly distantly related to the Dwarfen royal family. |
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KefkaesqueXIII
Posts: 131 |
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IIRC, the English translation of the LN actually does use "squire" as the title for Ru's position in service to Will.
Unable to quickly double-check at the moment though as I have the audiobook instead of a physical copy. |
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Dumas1
Posts: 85 |
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Gotta say, my first thought when we learned the history of the Rust Mountains and heard it'd been ruined by a monster of miasma and fire was, "Are we doing The Hobbit?" Because I'm pretty sure Bee has more than enough sense not to go sneaking into a dragon's den for an interview. Anyway, I'm dropping this series if someone finds a magic ring hoarded by a half-mad creature trapped in a cave.
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Gisan Otaku
Posts: 99 |
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As far as the use of the title of "thane" versus "squire", a few of us have also been having this discussion on the Series Discussion forum. When I read the web novel, Google Translate said "squire" which made sense to me. My Merriam-Webster app says for thane "1. a free retainer of an Anglo-Saxon lord" It does use an example of a baron holding lands and performing military service to a king. The other definition is the one Shakespeare used in his Scottish play of "a Scottish feudal lord". As was hinted at in this forum, maybe William plans to have Ru take his rightful place and rule the dwarves under his lordship.
Dumas1, I had the same feeling when I was reading the web novel. I kept wondering if J.R.R. Tolkien's estate was going to sue for copyright infringement. |
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WatcherZer
Posts: 307 |
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Squire is an interesting one, in English it either means a commoner who has lands property (as in a Country Squire or Gentleman) or a noble in service to a Knight on the path to becoming a Knight themselves (usually a child who is low in the pecking order or a recognised bastard and so wont inherit and thus needs to earn their own fortune through tournament duelling or plunder/reward for distinction in war). As William isnt a noble but a Paladin (knight) in service to the Prince that could be applied, though arguably in being given the forest to govern economically and militarily he's earned himself at least a barony if not a position as a Marcher Lord (or Marquess in French).
The old English adage is A Heir and a Spare you keep your first son close to inherit (and teach them estate management), you send your second son to the church to receive a scholarly education and gain political influence (and out of danger) and the third son you send to war as they are unnecessary and could challenge the others for succession but could earn enough money to found their own dynasty. |
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Antipathy
Posts: 23 |
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@Grant Jones
I kinda have to take issue about this part of your review "Later, Will and Ru head into the dungeon together. There was some nice practicality, namely the multiple light sources element. However, I do question the wisdom of going in on their own without any support, supplies, etc.". The issue is that they are not entering a dungeon, it is the part under the burial mound that would house more important people and normally smaller in size, in this case fairly small because the graveyard above it only consists of the hill above it. That is why they wouldn't need food, back-up, or ect. . . They even say in the show that it is the entrance to the interior of the mound. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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I remember liking the first season, but being fairly indifferent to the whole thing. Like, if they made more, great, I'd watch, but if they didn't, that's ok too. There's a whole lot of plot I've totally forgotten, so a rewatch might be in order anyway.
But for whatever reason, I'm really liking this season a lot, and it's one of the glut of series I'm following that I most look forward to. The grown-up, confident Will is so much more interesting than the child learning the ropes, though I get that having that in-depth backstory for him wasn't wasted time. I guess it's just nice to see the innocent kid grow up into someone still good and kind and wise and not hardened by experience or gone bad or whatever edgy twist an author wants to sell me. I dunno, I just enjoy spending the time with him now, where I was merely watching his story unfold last season. Does that make any sense? oO |
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jdnation
Posts: 2120 |
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This show certainly has a slower pace. I liked it during the first season. But at times it does sometimes drag this season, though this hydra episode suddenly ramped things up.
I think it may depend on the story direction and content. For example, another show airing, Frieren, also has it's share of slower episodes, but they are always far more interesting, even the most recent one with the Elf cleric. There are interesting themes and conversations about faith and life and death. Also there is plenty of mystery surrounding Frieren as a character and the hero's party that we are always learning about. Faraway Paladin lacks that kind of thing. For one, it's easy to forget it's originally an Isekai, though I'm grateful that it's not playing out like a typical one. But we already know everything there is to know about Will as we've watched him since birth, so there is little mystery to him. But there has also not been much interesting about the cast in his fellowship either. His parents, alongside Gus, were the most interesting characters, but the former are gone and it's not as if we're learning much more about Gus. Typically there's a romantic interest thrown in, and while it's nice to eschew that trope to try something different with just the boys, there's been nothing else that compelling to replace it. Maybe there's something between that cleric blonde girl and the Aragon/Strider-looking dude. Naturally, the world itself, as well as the other gods have a lot of mystery, and it looks like we're finally exploring that. Like we're at the stage where Frodo is finally off on an epic journey to Mordor. |
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FilthyCasual
Posts: 2379 |
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Will's consistent active choice to be kind is immensely refreshing and by far the best part of his character.
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Dumas1
Posts: 85 |
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Everyone constantly warning Will that he'll die fighting Valacirya is making me think Stagnate will offer to make him undead when that happens. Unless he picks up a new party member, ancient dwarf weapon, or develops some new power so he's not quite "as he is now" when he fights the dragon.
On the Middle Earth inspirations shining through, I want to say that Meneldor's "A star shines on our meeting" line is almost exactly what Frodo said to Gildor when they meet in the Shire. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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Call me shallow, but I just can't get over Menel's poofy pants. From the waist up he's a fine specimen of an elf, but when the camera backs up and shows his whole body, he looks like he lost a bet. Tsundere have little enough dignity as it is, always the butt of jokes, but that outfit robs him of even that. 'Tis a pity.
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