I think a lot of Fjords actions come across as a bit less dick-ish if viewed through the lens of him growing up without parents. It’s entirely possible that he was a street urchin for much of his youth before taking any job he could get on a boat to get off the streets. When we look at it like that, him giving Kiri a knife would make sense; it’s possible he had to fend for himself at her approximate age. It also explains his slightly cold pragmaticism towards outside characters.

princessamericachavez:

Oh my god. 

You are 100% right. 

Actually, even before the possibility of him being an orphan was presented, I’ve felt most of Fjord’s decision to just make a lot of sense from a survivor perspective.

I get the feeling Fjord is a person who’s just always had to do whatever it took to survive: move around, take odd jobs, break the law, kiss some ass, leave friends behind. Fjord seems to have two main directives: survive and climb. 

I actually feel like this determination and ambition are exactly the potential his patron mentioned. 

Fjord wants to be someone. He wants to be important. When they are going to leave Zadash to avoid the war, for a moment he looks upset and says they’ve just started making a name for themselves there. Fjord wants to thrive, to be known. It’s like he has something to prove to the world, show them that he’s someone. 

However, as I said, I don’t think most of this attitudes come from vanity or selfishness, but from a very determined survivor point of view. 

Fjord is ready to drop the death weight, he avoids getting too attached to the rest of the M9, he’s a wonderful liar, he’s a quick thinker, he’s distrustful, he’s careful with their plans, he’s submissive with authority figures but not above breaking the law, he’s very interested in making money and usually the one to bring payment up when they discuss missions (can’t believe the fandom hasn’t caught up on that)… 

…but all in all, he also seems like a good person to me. Fundamentally. Deep down. He might not go out of his way to help, but if he finds himself in that situation, push comes to shove, he will do what’s right. (Pulling Caleb out of the fire, following Jester when she goes in to rescue Kiri, getting Horris out…). He doesn’t want people to get hurt because of them, and I’m confident he’d back out of a job if it seemed like that’s where it leads (something that will probably end up happening with the Gentleman). 

Fjord is not actively looking to be good, then, but he’s a good person. He’s just someone pragmatic who does his best to survive and who is willing to do whatever it takes to go further in life. Which, yes, is completely in line with someone who grew up in the streets or parentless and had to learn the hard way how to get by and survive. 

(Filing his tusks is an early example of Fjord’s ‘whatever it takes’ approach to survive and do good in life, for example. Going to the academy, searching for Jester, getting a group to travel with… all in line). 

So YES to all this.

TL;DR Fjord is a freaking amazing character and I’m extremely interested in seeing where he goes and where he comes form, but so far nothing he’s done has suggested an evil alignment to me, just a pragmatic, probably neutral or chaotic good person trying to get by in a fucked up world and confusing situation… and I would like to thank Travis for making him such a delightful mystery and tridimentional character to watch.