I Knew I Was Forgetting Something.

I knew I was forgetting something.

Yes. Tommy trading his discs in for L'Manburg's independence was selfless and it established a great character moment. Tommy was willing to give up his most valuable possession for L'Manburg's independence, which is one of the most selfless things he's done on the SMP. He even tried to solve it by duelling Dream and lost his second life to it.

But it really feels like his character regressed into pre-L'Manburg (the first time) and it makes me sad. Because I can see that happening if I'm honest. He's spent too much time being selfless that he lost control when he got the chance to be selfish, he lost control.

I'm not hating on Tommy's character. I love it, in fact. But I don't like that people won't acknowledge that he is, at least, somewhat selfish.

Okay, just about everyone is all like 'Tommy isn't selfish' or 'Ranboo is my KING for sticking up for Tommy', but like... He kinda is??

Before anyone jumps to the hate wagon, I will fully admit that his actions during the Manburg vs Pogtopia war were completely selfless. As such, he has a right to be selfish. But not when it harms, not just himself, but his friends and allies and people he is helping to watch over. Not only that, but he was also incredibly selfish during the L'Manburg vs Dream SMP war (mostly).

For those who missed it or haven't caught up (somehow), Tommy, Tubbo, Fundy, Ranboo and Quackity met up with Dream to create a new treaty, yesterday. And what does Tommy do as soon as it's signed? He breaks it. He tries to use Spirit (Dream's horse's leather) to control Dream and have him tear down the walls of obsidian he built around L'Manburg after Tommy and Ranboo griefed George's house.

Now, I get that Tommy wanted to help, but he should have known better. The last time Spirit was brought up was during the Railway Squirmish wherein Dream /kill'd to troll Tommy and Tubbo but they ended up taking his armour and trying to use it to control Dream. Instead, Dream offered to trade Spirit for his armour, which Tommy, after initial refusal, accepted. Tommy wanted his discs for the loot, but Dream refused, stating that he could always grind to get it all back and that the discs weren't a fair trade, but Spirit was.

Spirit, in Dream's eyes, was only worthy enough to gain back Dream's netherite armour. Not his sword, not the discs, and not L'Manburg's independence.

And Tommy tried using this measly bit of leather, something Dream offered up for armour, to make Dream give them freedom. After the treaty was already signed.

Arguing that Tommy is just a kid, while reasonable, just doesn't work in this case, as awful as it is. He is sixteen and should absolutely know better. And this is Tommy after fighting in two wars and about three mini-wars. Tommy isn't an idiot and he's matured quickly, some and I would say too quickly, for his age. He's tried this manipulation game with Dream a few times already, and they all failed - backfired even. He hasn't won a single war against Dream wherein Dream didn't surrender because Schlatt, the big bad, was dying anyway. He already angered Dream and only made it worse.

Everyone is all 'poor Tommy. Tommy isn't selfish', but he is. The first huge war, the L'Manburgian War of Independence, really only started because he refused to see where he went wrong and because he wanted his discs back. I agree that Dream is definitely a villain and was downright cruel in his treatment towards L'Manburg (like, for God's sake, they only wanted independence) but you are lying if you say that Tommy was innocent. He was a tyrant.

I have no qualms about Tommy's character during Wilbur's corruption arc and the war against Manburg. I do agree with Techno that Tommy was a tyrant, as was Wilbur, but I was never against Tommy's character or his actions. Schlatt was a corrupt dictator and Tommy wanted L'Manburg back.

However, even though he is the vice-president of a country/nation that has just got back on its feet - that is just recovering - Tommy tried to abandon his post to get his discs back.

Yes. He has every right to be selfish after being selfless for God knows how long. But not now. Not to this extent.

Tommy was selfish. No question about it. That doesn't mean I hate him. I love his character, in fact. It's written amazingly with the joint effort of WilburSoot and Dream, currently only Dream. But people need to stop defending a character when their flaws are pointed out.

Tubbo, who Tommy had used the most and who never got a chance to be selfish, is right. Tubbo has every right to call Tommy selfish after everything that has happened. Tubbo has been used over and over again, by Schlatt and by Tommy, even if the latter didn't realise it. Tubbo has every damned right to call Tommy selfish, and I stand by that.

Also, these boys don't talk to each other any more. People are blaming George for sleeping through every fucking event, but if these guys talked to each other, then a lot of the plot would be resolved a lot swifter.

But plot and angst, am I right??