You're a Good Person, Robert | Star Master Log: More Lawful Than Chaotic

Star Master Log

Jul 14

START HERE·EPISODE·SWN RULES EXPLAINED

Jeff sits down with Doja, the player behind Robert Ross, to talk through Episode 26: You're a Good Person, Robert. Doja gets into his first steps in the hobby, the moment Robert stops waiting and starts planning at the spaceport, his take on why Robert hates other clones, and what it actually costs Robert to hear Haleyy call him a good person.

[00:00:05] Star Master Jeff: Hey everyone, Star Master Jeff here, and welcome back to the Star Master Log. Today I'm joined by Doja, also goes by Brian, but we already had a Brian, so we call him Doja, and he plays Robert Ross. And in this episode we're talking episode 26, entitled, You're a Good Person, Robert. If you haven't listened to it yet, go do that first, because what follows is a spoiler conversation. You have been warned. Doja, welcome to the Star Master Log. How's it going? Hey, going well. I'm going to bring us right in with a quick question, and I want to know what your introduction to role-playing was.
[00:00:48] Doja: Great question. The first time I actually RPed, I was obnoxious. I was in a, like, friends high school D&D game, and I tried to play a cleric that was just a, like, I got a boost and had, like, a aura healing, but it was based on, I forget, it was like the Book of Vile something, so if I flagellated I got a boost in healing to the party. And instead of, like, making it work and making it like a fun RP experience, I was obnoxious about it and kind of derailed, like, the combat, at least, because I was just, like, doing my own thing. I wouldn't heal. I would, I try to play a character. And it was years later where I, like, my DM that I talked to, I still is one of my good friends. I was like, thank you for putting up with me. Because after that, I realized there's a way to be a character, but also let the people around you shine.
[00:02:19] Star Master Jeff: Right. I think we all kind of go through that in high school. I mean, when you're a kid, you're kind of selfish. Totally. And you're still building that empathy bone. So it's really good that you had that experience, even though, I mean, I've had experiences like that and they were kind of embarrassing, but they now inform me. 30 years later, into being an empathetic supporting person. And it's exactly what you said, in my opinion, it's playing in a way that makes other people shine. And when everyone at the table is doing that, like what we have, it makes everything so much more fun.
[00:02:53] Doja: Yeah, and the occasionally, like, calling out a specific person that's been a little quiet, or just, like, or just being quiet myself, even if I have some stupid funny line, if Haley and Thorne are, like, solving a puzzle or having a moment or doing a thing, me jumping in is only gonna detract from the scene. As much as I want to, like, oh, I have a funny joke. I have to have that, like, moment to myself of, like, you know what? Just let the scene breathe.
[00:03:32] Star Master Jeff: That's interesting, because one of the things I actually wanted to ask you about in this episode was a moment where you did take action. And I do feel like Robert is often contrary to a normal warrior, because he's not a man of action. He's kind of a man of inaction. He's always sort of waiting and observing before moving. But in this particular episode, he is thinking ahead. You're at the spaceport and he's creating his tactical plan of, I'm going to hurl the flashbang, then we can all run in and just shoot everything. And even when you're going in, you're saying, I'm going to go left, they're going to go right, they're going to go center. And it was an interesting flip for Robert because he's often looking to Haley or waiting for other people's input. So really, in that moment, why was Robert taking control in that way? And why wasn't he looking to Haley to make the plan?
[00:04:30] Doja: Honestly, part of it comes down to wanting to give my former commander, Haley, just that commander presence. It also gives an opportunity for her to RP it up, which is something that she excels at, but isn't always as gung-ho to just drop something in. But if you prompt her, she crushes it. So it's a, like, sometimes I like to make sure that it's a lead-in. But at the same time, in this case, there was some elements of, like, oh, Iso just kind of went off and did her thing, and yet she clicked into combat mode. And I feel like Robert is in a similar vein, where he will kind of be a little zany and do whatever. But when it comes down to actual combat, it clicks into a muscle memory of a soldier.
[00:05:41] Star Master Jeff: And you mentioned Iso there, which makes me think about Robert's clone past. And I feel like Robert has a very complicated relationship with his clone self. There's a couple of things that come to the top of mind for me. One, Robert doesn't really believe that he's a clone. He thinks he's the original and other people were cloned off him. Also, his relationship with Iso seems quite harsh. And towards the end of this episode, we also see his relationship with other clones. He seems to hate other clones, and he's very harsh in his treatment of DT7X, the clone they find on that ship. So I wanted to know what your take was on Robert and how he approaches clones and why he thinks of himself as the original.
[00:06:26] Doja: Well, it's a kind of layered question because Robert definitely thinks of himself as the original clone. In so many ways, he has gone through and tried to figure out, is he a clone? Can he trace back the memories that many of the clones see as implanted, or were implanted into them? Can he actually trace those back? Can he find an origin, a mother and father, a beginning? And, at least how I've kind of set it up, that theoretically, yes. The details of that are kind of nebulous at this point and kind of purposely so. But at the same time, he is absolutely convinced that he is the original. Iso being an equally unique clone, I think, is something that Robert respects. But that overall all of the clones, in his mind, are pale imitations of him. And that there's a little bit of self-loathing to that. I mean, he hates them in a way that he might hate himself.
[00:07:50] Star Master Jeff: I think that that also touches on the final scene of this episode, which is Robert and Haley having a pretty serious conversation where Robert is wrestling with his decisions. One point in particular sticks out to me. It's actually the title of this episode. You're a good person, Robert, Haley says. Robert responds, now that's a lie. And he doesn't believe that he's a good person. Why is that?
[00:08:14] Doja: I think that Robert has seen too much. And whether it's as a soldier or even just as a normal everyday person, people think of you in a certain light. And think of me. I mean, I very much try to reflect things that I've experienced. And, like, my son, he sees me as this just, like, near perfect thing. And I know I am so infinitely far from that. You can't even imagine. And it's because of that, that, like, self-reflection of, I don't feel like I'm a good person. And I would say that about Robert and I would say that about myself now on the relative scale. Yeah, I think I'm a better person than a bad person. And that's the thing is, like, at the end of the day, it's there's an inherent, not inherent, but a morality that each person holds themselves to. And, you know, I think in a lot of people, and especially a lot of people that have seen some things, have gone through hard times in their life, they question how good of a person they truly are.
[00:09:44] Star Master Jeff: So Robert is pretty famously the goofiest character. And I think a lot of people cite his goofiness and his random chaos as one of the reasons they love him. But we do get kind of a glimpse behind the curtain every so often and see these conversations or see this darkness that you're talking about and why he might hate himself or see himself reflected in clones of himself and why he hates that. What makes Robert so much of a wild card, while also having these deep undercurrents? And secondary question on top of that, you talked about morality. I'm wondering if Robert himself has a code of ethics that he follows.
[00:10:26] Doja: One of my favorite things about D&D is alignments, because they change over time and they change with the character. But lawful can have, whether you're lawful good, neutral, or evil, you still follow your own code of ethics. And at the end of the day, I have absolutely felt that, as chaotic as Robert is, he is more lawful than chaotic. So, yes, he is absolutely the wild card. And I think more than anything is for the fun and antics of it. Thorne and Felix play, and same with Haley, honestly, they play such good, like, straight-guy characters. I kind of just, like, I have to jab him a little bit. I have to throw the dice, throw a little bit of chaos into it. And, you know, it brings me joy and I hope it brings everybody else joy.
[00:11:34] Star Master Jeff: So I have questions for you. A speed round of questions. Okay. And I'm going to basically rapid fire some questions at you. You have to answer quickly and everything you answer with is going to instantly become canon. Perfect. What does Robert actually think of Iso?
[00:11:52] Doja: So this is actually something that I thought about for quite a while. That the more he opens up to the experience of, like, being around her and realizing that she's not just another cookie-cutter, carbon-copy bullshit clone, that she's good people and that he can kind of stay his prejudice against the other clones. Whereas the bald clone that I smack in the face, hitting in the nuts with a flashbang, that's what I usually feel about clones. Iso feels a little closer to an individual.
[00:12:38] Star Master Jeff: Okay, now I just need one word for each person in the crew, starting with Haley.
[00:12:44] Doja: North Star. Ooh, go on. Linchpin. Felix.
[00:12:50] Star Master Jeff: He's going to hate this. Star-crossed fixer. Oh, that's good. I mean, Haley called him a, I mean, Stephanie called him a dork, I think, when she answered that question. How about Froggy?
[00:13:03] Doja: So I'll say Froggy, pain in my ass. But Felix, I'm still convinced, as much as he might not know it, he might ultimately deny it, he has a deep romantic interest in Voss.
[00:13:25] Star Master Jeff: Oh, yeah. Well, maybe. Well, I don't know. I guess we'll find out. So we know how the end of this session went with that discussion with Haley. But the next session holds a trip to the helium docks to somehow get this ownership module. Putting yourself back into Robert's frame of mind at this moment. What is Robert most afraid of going into that next session?
[00:13:52] Doja: Well, the fact that we're being tracked is infinitely worrying. I still don't take DT7X's explanation that he just happened to be following us. There's gotta be something more going on here. I, as Robert, am worried that our team is about to finally step into the Claymore that kills us.
[00:14:32] Star Master Jeff: Well, thanks for your time, Doja.
[00:14:34] Doja: Thank you, everybody, for sticking with us. It's been a fun journey.
[00:14:39] Star Master Jeff: Thanks for joining us. Scapegoats forever, my friend. Scapegoats forever. Next time on the Dark Star Adventurecast, the ownership module is still out there. Helium Dock 7, 3 a.m. One quick heist, and then they're off this rock for good. But like everything they do, it's not going to be that simple. If you want to get these episodes two weeks before they drop publicly, check us out on patreon.com slash darkstaradventurecast. We really appreciate each and every one of our patrons, and we really hope to see you there. Thanks so much for listening. And from both of us, Doja and me, keep following that signal. Bye, all.
[00:15:20] Doja: Take it easy, y'all. Thank you very much for listening.