#meanwhile ody is like fuck i should have listened to Athena

[mer-acle]

Athena before:

I don't make mistakes.

Athena coming back after ten years of character development:

I've done everything wrong ever in my entire life.

Fandom: I know this, and I love you

[mdhwrites]

Epic: The Musical: The Differences Between "Just Men"

No one in Epic is ever fully in the right. It is a tale of mistakes, of going too far, of lines being crossed and what must be done for the sake of that which we hold dear. Of human emotions crashing against the harshness of reality. But in it, Odysseus is still the hero, still the one we follow and his 'brother' Eurylochus demonstrates clearly why for when they both wail a single line.

"I'm just a man!"

When Odysseus does this in the song who's namesake is this, it is a plea for forgiveness. To hear that he is in grief about what he must do, even as he does it. That is because he is currently having to step up. To be more than a man and make choices that determine more lives than any human being is ever supposed to be beholden to. It is why he is the captain. He is not infallible but the fact that he is willing to take this burden, to take on this suffering for the sake of others, is why he stands tall on the wall, even as his soul is dragged down. It is this same exhaustion, this same desire to be just a man, that makes him try to use wit to make situations he can get out of that don't require him to be more than a man. He makes mistakes but in the moment, he doesn't know, but such is why Athena calls him out for this too. Because to err is to be human, but that is never an excuse Ody makes. Otherwise, he might have had something to say after Scylla. He isn't perfect, you do not want to BE Odysseus, but he is forgivable in how he fucks up.

MEANWHILE

Eurylochus is only desiring it as an excuse. That even as he knows the cruelty he inflicts, even as he has what he is about to do be highlighted as one massive mistake, he doesn't care. He simply wishes to do what he wants, that which keeps him safe while not making him look bad. It's how he would justify his hypocrisy if ever pushed on it. He feels guilty about the windbag but just before then? During "Luck Runs Out" he claims his worries are just because he doesn't want another brother to die, just like Odysseus but if that were true... Why would treasure tempt you?

In every time that Odysseus fucks up, a choice HAS to be made. Kill an infant in unjust combat or let all of Greece die? Let your brothers die with only your silent thoughts to keep them alive or make sure that their story may spread with honor? Admit fault and bring shame and guilt upon you all or use the humanity of your people to reach an understanding, even if that's not what was asked of you? They are mistakes, they play into his tragic flaw of hubris, but something had to be done. Because as Eurylochus even says: You want all the power, you take all the blame. For that is the burden of leadership.

Eurylochus though never has to act. In fact, much of the time he does nothing. And when he does nothing, nothing goes wrong because he is willing to listen to those who know better. Those who are thinking bigger than themselves. He runs from anything that might harm him and then pretends that each triumph is his own to take. His cowardice does him right ONCE during "Puppeteer" but even then, it goes too far in wanting to let men die. Because he will ALWAYS let men die if it guarantees his own safety.

This is why Odysseus, even in a musical who is so critical of him, is still the hero, albeit a classic greek hero still. After all, if your wisdom only ever advocates for yourself, why should anyone listen to it? That makes you a monster, not 'just a man'. See you next tale.

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I do have my brother to thank for getting me into the musical. Specifically, he made sure I listened to Ruthlessness properly once and when I heard, "Die," it could not leave. Helps that not only is the writing in the whole thing incredible, the songs are just BOPS! Seriously, cannot recommend checking it out for yourself enough if you haven't.

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