Steef Society
 

I have been thinking about Stranger's aversion to guns and I got to thinking perhaps he doesn't like technology at all. Also, he refers to Eugene's laptop as his "computer thing" and in the phone movie with Sekto he seems very uncomfortable with the phone that the bounty store clerk hands him. Perhaps the Steefs as a people did not know how to use or create technology for themselves and that was the source of their relationship with Grubbs. It seems strange that they would be the gaurdians of the Grubbs if they got nothing out of it. So, maybe the Grubbs created technology for the Steef and in return got protection. This makes sense given that the Grubbs give Stranger his crossbow and armour. Any thoughts?

well, they gave him his crossbow and armor because they saved it in the cutscene where Stranger is de-pantsed.

About technology.... it might just be Stranger. I don't remember him being unconfortable about the phone... he was on the phone with Sekto... big badass with alot of money to be offering a Steef bounty. I wouldn't feel all to right talking with someone like that, especially considering that this is the guy who's hunted down all Steef in the general area.

and the laptop... well.... that might just be that he doesn't care... or it could be an intelligence factor :p

If you watch the phone movie again Stranger is hesitant about taking the phone and looks at it strangely.

That's because he is about to speak to someone who wants him dead and killed all of his relatives. How would you react to that telephone?

It could be both...okay if not the technology thing can anyone think of why the Steef would protect the Grubbs aside from them being noble creatures?

Could be a religious thing, or of course, there are a variety of things the Grubbs could give in return...

IDENTITY.

Think about it. The whole game is about his IDENTITY. He has to hide it. others fear him because of it. His IDENTITY ostrasises him from society which in turn gives him negative feelings of longing to belong. Yet here these little native grubs come along andthey praise him for his identity. Instead of pushing him chasin ghim away they make hiim an intergral part of their society. They make him feel like he belongs. At least I did when I played the game. Maybe you just couldn't relate because you are a jock or a geek in a geek envoroment or something. Maybe you just have never felt ostrasised.

My spelling and grammar are ripped to shredds.

The Grubs give him

A place in the world

An Identity

A Family

A Mission

A Purpose

An Enemy

A Chance at Justice

Backup

Social Status

His Heritage and knowledgeof his past, which he obviosly doesn't have at the start of the game.

People do a lot for these things in real life, join gangs, do drugs, join the army, kill, prostitute themselves, betray thier countrymen. Lie. Cheat. Steal. Marry too early or marry scum bags. keep unhealthy secrets. Conform. Ignore their own identity. Sell out. Play MMORPGs. A lot of things.

These things the Grubs give him are very important and valued by many. Most just don't realize it.

I agree, the grubbs had more statues of themselves than their guardian. The steef is just a tough fighter, teeth and horns and all and probably made a great ally/champion for all the above reasons.

Grubb catapults & Steef crossbows? Not a coincedance. It would be like the Grubbs to invent ways to use other creatures (like ammo) for their benefit?

I was more sorry all those cool Steef historical artifacts in the glass cases probably got washed away when the dam collapsed *G* Great design work Oddworld creators!

That's a very good point graizur but it only explains why Stranger protected the Grubbs. The Grubbs mention the the Steef have always been their gaurdians and since the Steef had their own society they wouldn't need the same kind of acceptance Stranger does so there must be another reason why the Steef watched over the Grubbs.

Why couldn't they have watched over the Grubbs because Steef are strong and Grubbs needed protecting? I think we're supposed to see the Steef as noble creatures, ones for whom reciprocity doesn't necessarily matter. Or if you're one of those Ayn Rand people, why not say that they protect the Grubbs because the Grubbs are the underdogs and the Steef get to feel important?

I don't think the exchange of material goods is a factor. That's my basic point.

I would be scared if someone had a bounty on me and as for the protection mabye protect the grubbs for a place to live or to be accepted by someone because Sekto hates them and clakerz andoutlaws think there four legged freaks.

D. Caste Raider: "you think you could be normal! you think you could be like us!SKIN THAT THANG!!

Steef1o1, if we're talking about why Stranger protected the Grubbs then I'm sure its because the Grubbs gave him a sense of identity and the boat he needed to go kill Sekto before Sekto could kill him. Stranger isn't all that selfless, really.

(EDIT: This post originally said something else)

graizur: I'm with you. I felt it all, especially when the Grubbs first saw me as a Steef, that moment hit me hard.

It may be because I have felt that way for a long time, especially lately, and was able to relate more to his struggle for acceptance. If only I could find my Grubb village...

tsioc, dont make me cry! *eyes water* I wanna find my Grubb village :fuzsad: *no seriously lol*

I think that both the ideas of the Grubbs giving Steefs technology and Steefs being the guardians of Grubbs. For the technology, you may notice that not only did the Grubbs build a new boat and catapults, they also rebuilt the crossbow. If you look at before and after pictures, the new crossbow is slightly smaller and the bow part is made from wood, instead of the original metal and tape/string. On the Steef guardian part, the Grubbs are in posession of ancient Steef armour, and in the old Grubb temple, there is a statue of a Steef.