Baelin’s Route review: How a single line of a fisherman carried a great story
A short film produced by New Zealand content creator Viva La Dirt League, Baelin’s Route (2021) had since its launch this month gained over 2 million views in YouTube to date. Based on their iconic series portraying gamer tropes called Epic NPC Man (2016), the film centered on one of the non-player characters (NPC) of Azerim named Baelin, a fisherman who traversed the quaint town of Honeywood in a loop and offered occasional quests. Yet somehow, when Baelin was accidentally recruited by a player in his party, the fisherman who only spoke a single line — Mornin’! Nice day for fishing ain’t it? Hu ha!— strayed from his programmed route and embarked on a rare adventure which carried seemingly heavy themes along the way. What could have made this possible? Warning: spoilers ahead!
Are we living the NPC life? Baelin’s relatable route
For those who were not acquainted with the series which inspired the film, Epic NPC Man usually revolved around the experiences of Greg the Garlic Farmer, one of the NPCs that Baelin frequently met and greeted in his scripted loop in Honeywood. Greg, unlike most NPCs, managed to develop a self-conscious personality as if it was an irreparable glitch, which allowed him to analyze and to criticize not only players, but also his fellow NPCs, Baelin included. Whether or not Greg’s unyielding principles managed to rub on Baelin himself, this film portrayed the fisherman as a potential middle-tier NPC between conscious NPCs such as Greg and NPCs who just could not break away from their programmed routines.
Perhaps part of Baelin’s charm was the portrayal of trying to break from the norm. Despite his best efforts, he could not hope to even change the one line he always said. However, the fact that he was able to deviate from his usual route, and thereafter be of help to his fellow NPCs for once, proved that someone like Baelin had this rising hope not to conform, but to be reformed, regardless of what his environment mandated. In a society which cancelled people and what they do, especially if one challenged the norms, it might be difficult to emerge from the mold as one’s own unique personality. However, Baelin’s Route appeared to be an exposition of what could have been if such a routine-bound person would just make that attempt nonetheless in the midst of the challenges, no less from the system itself. Imagine Baelin’s single liners as similar to what one may normally say on a daily basis. Remember that Baelin was programmed for a game. He, along with other NPCs like Greg, was not supposed to deviate from the script. But he did, and it may help one rethink how he/she led their lives. What may remind one at this juncture would be a phrase from Squidward Tentacles describing a laborer’s life, “In case you’ve forgotten, here’s how things work… We do that for 40 years, and then we die.” Would such a monotonous life even qualify as being alive, or would it likely be better called as experience? Were people in reality living like an eternal NPC, forever trapped in an allegorical cave where they became shadows of themselves? For that matter, would gaming be considered a temporal escape from this routine, or would gaming itself be the loop, when games become too taxing to even be joyful about?
Overpowered fisherman? How Baelin won the day without even trying
For all intents and purposes, it had to be reiterated that Baelin the fisherman was an NPC. This might be merited because there may be some who wondered how Baelin’s narrative of beating humans and orcs were even plausible, armed with no more than a fishing rod. That might well be the most powerful fishing rod in the world. The plot device, unfortunately, collapsed at this juncture because, technically, nobody could beat an NPC that gives quests. Even if they were terminated, they would just respawn. A virtual immortality, if such a term was applicable. This somehow reminded of the episode where a player seemingly overused his Shade Away technique for enjoyment. Then again, this might also be part of the comedic effect Baelin attempted to portray. It was indeed risible for humans and orcs alike to even try vanquishing the fisherman. In relation to this, the special effects used for the film did not disappoint, especially considering it was not meant to be a feature film with a blockbuster budget. There were already instances in Epic NPC Man were the production used such methods, and there was no observable drop in the quality of work for the film.
The introduction of orcs in the world of Azerim, meanwhile, appeared a novel addition to the already rich lore of a game about a game based on a game. This was a demonstration of how the franchise could even expand beyond its current status, and perhaps attempting to cross over other games, as reminiscent of an episode involving the impassable path. There was even a scene where Baelin was commended by the local blacksmith Bodger, who was actually played by the same actor (Rowan Bettjeman). It was not a new trope, but it was still a momentary source of fun when one praises the self.
Saibancho, the verdict
Baelin’s Route, to be fair, was not supposed to have depth of plot to work with, even if one watched prior the series inspiring the film. It was established early on, and also by the end, that Baelin was simply a fisherman who toured Honeywood and had a vocabulary limited to a couple of programmed words. However, the lack of complexity was also part of its beauty as a masterpiece. There was no great learning curve to overcome. There was even no need to be a gamer to appreciate the narrative. For those who observed more the landscapes used for the setting, essentially New Zealand spots, then it may well be a treasure trove showcasing nature’s wonders, and perhaps raise further the potential of adding New Zealand to one’s bucket list when travel restrictions become relaxed.
The conscious choice for Baelin’s Route to be in a short film format, contrary to some who may have wanted it to be a lengthier affair, also helped in carrying the story well without much of a feel that it might be dragging too long. Otherwise, if a feature film would be created for the purpose, other NPCs would probably have to join the fray, Greg and Bodger being potential top of mind inclusions. Of course, there might only be too many characters one full-length film could handle, and Azerim was a setup which already had an interesting roster to choose from. It may also require a quantum leap in plot progression, something more complicated than an NPC straying from his usual loop. This might not be too much of a hurdle if undertaken in the future, however, as Baelin already demonstrated how an established parody could take a serious shift and tackle significant life issues in its own way. Ultimately, if there was any hidden hero in the film, if he would even be considered as one, it may well be the player portrayed by Ben Van Lier. Despite his uninspiring attitude and utter disrespect for the game he was playing in the first place, it was his lack of mindfulness that made Baelin’s Route possible. If other players had his ability to recruit NPCs, one could only imagine how the world of Azerim developed. Perhaps after seeing this film, one would have better appreciation of the key roles NPCs performed for facilitating gameplay in general, and ultimately, for being part of our entertainment all throughout. It would be no easy life when one had been taken for granted, ain’t it? Hu ha!
(Photos from the film courtesy of Viva La Dirt League; image from Sword Art Online to portray character immortality courtesy of A-1 Pictures)
