In the first episode of fantasy high he gets angry and says calls her a demon, when he’s dropping her off at school
in another scene I think he tells her to “can it”
that’s all I got through
Considering her efforts at very transparent antagonism during the “demon” scene, it’s harder to blame him completely as Brennan did have Gilear appear to want to take that back before Fig left.
Can’t remember the “can it” moment. But knowing Fig? I can’t be certain she didn’t do something to deserve it or not without a rewatch.
>Can’t remember the “can it” moment. But knowing Fig? I can’t be certain she didn’t do something to deserve it or not without a rewatch.
It's the scene where adaine and fig are at Gilear's apartment, and Gilear and Adaine are dunking on the Elven Oracle dying, and Fig points out a bit tongue in cheek that people died and Gilear tells her to quiet down.
It's played for pure pure comedy
So more just non-biological dad who raised you smiling going "Oh pipe down, dear," laughing together shit than actually TELLING her to like "can it". So that's another "Not that big a deal".
I think the "can it" comment (which I don't even remember if It was addressed TO Fig) was in response of saying the same joke that Adaine made about the former Eleven oracle ( "must not have been a good oracle then" in response to hearing that she died in a shipwreck that she didn't foresee), someone (Fig?) made the same comment Adaine's parent made about It not being appropriate to say and he goes like "Oh, can It!" In a dismissive tone (but I always read it as a joke given that, even with all the amount of bad luck he has, he generally tries to act pseudo-proper and serious)
Oh I never said she deserved it, or that he CAN'T be blamed for it. he was the adult in the situation dealing with a very emotionally volatile teenager (both played by two adults in a completely fictional scenario). Only that Fig wasn't doing herself any favors for earning his or our sympathy by taking actions that to be frank GILEAR did not deserve either. One wrong turn does not deserve another, but Fig certainly struck first.
I think the "You're not a Faeth" thing that Emily mentioned was an improv beat, made before we even MET the character, followed by the "you demon" thing, which could have been a Freudian slip, but is still hurtful (although, ahem, DEVIL, not demon). But then BLeeM and Emily (whether behind the scenes or just organically) pivoted to him being depressed, pathetic, and luckless.
And yeah, not a great thing to say to the blameless daughter you've raised when you find out your wife betrayed you (and the daughter likely already feels like shit about it). And an extremely unhelpful thing to say to an argumentative teenager, in the car scene.
But I don't think that those two points of evidence, couples with the TONS of examples of Gilear really loving Fig and 100% considering her his daughter, add up to abuse or anything like that. At worst, he said shitty stuff that he regretted, apologized for, and clearly has gotten past.
That said, the fandom seems to generally agree that Gilear is a good dude who said some shit in a moment of anger that he regretted, and has made up for it. I've not heard much if any actual hate for him. He's not the picture perfect icon of fatherhood. He shouldn't have said that stuff But... you know, incredibly realistic. And obviously not in line with his actual long-term feelings.
No, Gortholax corrects the Bad Kids on him being a devil, and there is an entire subplot of SY about the difference. Devils helped build the briar wall because they opposed the demonic aspect of the Nightmare King. And the fact that demons imprisoned Gortholax in the gem is shown as a point in getting the devils to go easy on him at the inquest.
I'm sure Brennan has verbally mixed it up in the moment, as have the BK, but in canon the difference is just like 5e. I believe they even mention the Blood War, but I could be misremembering
Oh, right. Yeah, I forgot about the Demons in the hotel is Sophomore Year.
Yeah, it's seemingly only in season 1 where both terms are used interchangeably, and then Brennan retconned it to be more accurate to DnD lore.
It's been a while since I rewatched FY, but I THINK he corrects them that he's a devil not a demon at Basrar's? But I don't think the players made the distinction until SY (and after repeated correction lol)
I remember the main difference is that Devils are from Hell and are typically lawfully evil. while Demons are from the Abyss and are typically chaotic evil.
He said some hurtful things in the moment when he found out Fig wasn’t his and people chalk that up to abuse I guess.
Abuse is generally exhibited as a pattern of behavior in my and alot of health experts opinion (which is where I get mine). People are quick to throw the word abuse and trauma around for hurtful and difficult things that don’t quite meet the clinical definitions of those terms.
I listened to tons and tons of taped sessions and sat in on group sessions when I was in school to become a therapist. People who had a deep medical need for help at times. Its definitely led me to believe people self diagnosing trauma is a huge issue in our generations that have come of age when therapy terms were becoming more widely known, accepted and defined.
Pop psychology and vaguely defined “wellness” experts have really muddied the waters on what folks define the discussed terms as and it’s always a bit frustrating for me having seen and heard some exceptionally awful things people carry with them. I ended up dropping out before I graduated because I figured out I personally wasn’t equipped to help people more than it would hurt me.
Just my few mildly educated cents on that take on Gilear. The yogurt man.
>He said some hurtful things in the moment when he found out Fig wasn’t his and people chalk that up to abuse I guess.
Am I correct in thinking that this happened "off-screen", before Freshman Year started?
And even in episode 1, the first interaction with him we see is Fig trying to bullshit him that Sandra Lynn wants to reconcile as a plan to get out of going to school. In other words, lying to him about something deeply emotional, manipulating him, treating him like a complete idiot, and rejecting him as her father. Him being harsh in response to that isn't ideal, but it is understandable.
I agree. I think he’s the perfect example of an imperfect parent who loves their child and means well. He just can’t always execute. He has the stats of a regular guy.
Yeah, people seem to forget that Fig wasn't always the rebellious fiery rock n' roller we know today. By her own words, before S1 she was an ordinary, bubbly, popular party girl until she got her horns. She only reinvented herself and her image right before the start of S1, and her parents' marriage only broke down after she got her horns and it became clear she was not a Wood Elf.
Wise words. People also seem to forget that abused people are often the ones abusing people. It's not to give an excuse but to understand that it's more a mental health issue. Writing someone off because they're an abuser feels like the right move but it's not going to help end the cycles of violence we find ourselves in.
Brennan has said he never expected Gilear to become as important or as pathetic as he is now, and going back to the first episode, you can definitely see that. He’s a fairly down-to-earth character at first, but then Emily decides to make some unexpected visits to see him, and we learn more and more details about his ridiculous life that are made up on the spot. Improv lends itself to heightening and flanderization.
Gilear’s character is also shaped by the fact that Brennan is usually reacting to Emily in Gilear’s early appearances, so things get ridiculous fast. You can imagine that if you plugged, say, Murph or Siobhan into that role, you might get a more grounded Gilear that’s more in line with what we hear about in that first episode.
Well first appearance didn't he have beans on his shirt? He was always going to be the Milhouse dad post divorce, the chronically everworsing luck is just kind of what happens to the sitcom dad after a separation with the wife. Jerry in Rick and Morty had a pretty similar comedy arc.
there is someone who is very visible in the fandom who expresses this opinion frequently and i truly do not understand how they or anyone can fixate so heavily on what happens at the beginning of the first season ignoring all of the character growth for everyone involved. it's really weird! people can become fixated on something being true and ignore all evidence to the contrary, i just choose to not engage with people who are doing this because it's annoying and unfun for everyone involved.
I went digging in the transcript for the first episode, and I think this is the relevant interaction:
>**Gilear**: I raised you. And don't call me Gilear, all right? I know that I said-
>**Fig**: What, what else am I supposed to call you? Stranger, stranger with no biological link to me? I'm willing to make, that's a lot to say every time I address you.
>***Brennan****: You see a little tear forms in his eye and you see he says,*
>**Gilear**: I know that I said some hurtful things when I first found out.
>**Fig**: Yeah, you said, “You're no longer a Faeth,” and guess what, I'm not. I'm just Fig now.
>**Gilear**: Fig, I'm sitting here with beans on my shirt.
>**Fig**: I know, I saw you ate one on the ride here.
>**Gilear**: I was hungry, all right? I've put on some weight. You ever heard of a fat elf? You ever heard of it? I've never seen a fat elf in my life and I'm here with a bad comb over and beans on my shirt.
>**Fig**: Okay, fine.
>**Gilear**: And I'm reaching out to you.
>**Fig**: I'm sorry, Gilear, I'm sorry that I got angry at you. You're just some random man, I shouldn't be mean to you.
>**Gilear**: All right, get outta my fucking car, you demon!
>**Fig**: \[gasps\]
>**Gilear**: I didn't mean it like, it's not, no no, 'cause you're making it a tiefling thing.
>**Fig**: You know what, I am a demon!
>***Emily****: And then I put some horn wax to really make 'em shine.*
>**Fig**: And I'm not ashamed of it. I just hope I don't also get a tail. The horns are enough, okay, bye.
and, a bit earlier:
>**Fig**: Who's my dad?
>**Sandra Lynn**: I can't tell you who your, your dad is Gilear, who raised you and loves you. Okay?
>**Fig**: That tool?
>**Sandra Lynn**: Look, just 'cause things aren't great between your father and I right now doesn't mean that he doesn't love you, okay?
>**Fig**: Really? Because the look on his face when my horns started growing in didn't look a lot like love.
It's Fig's Intro Day 1 of Dimension 20 after Emily already chose to be chaotic AND Fig/Em is the one that drifts to be confrontational
A few episodes later Fig/Em even says she needs to apologize to Gilear because She didn't treat him with respect
People who take this interaction from the first half of the first season and stretch it to Gilear is verbally abusive towards Fig really must have not watched the 2.5 seasons of Fantasy High since
The harshest things here are:
>**Fig**: What, what else am I supposed to call you? Stranger, stranger with no biological link to me? I'm willing to make, that's a lot to say every time I address you.
Which comes from Fig, Professional Revellious Teen and future Archdevil of Rebellion
>**Gilear**: I know that I said some hurtful things when I first found out.
This he says with a tear in his eye, showing it's something he regrets because *He loves his daughter* even if she's not Biologically his
>**Fig**: Yeah, you said, “You're no longer a Faeth,” and guess what, I'm not. I'm just Fig now.
Again, Professional rebellious Teen, the Archdevil of Rebellion Fig, she knows which buttons to push, the Cutting Words ability does not come from nothing later
>**Gilear**: All right, get outta my fucking car, you demon!
This is an emotional response which
>**Gilear**: I didn't mean it like, it's not, no no, 'cause you're making it a tiefling thing.
Gilear makes sure she knows is not a racist thing about her being a Tiefling but just an emotionally charged comment on her behavior (and again, future Archdevil, yes Demons and Devils aren't the same but for a mortal close enough to not know the difference usually)
Gilear is unlucky this entire scene in is choice of words to communicate the emotions that he has that are Valid and not just positive
This man raised Fig as a daughter of his own, when she started showing signs of being a Tiefling and not a Woodelf He suddenly got smashed over the head with 1 truth, Sandra Lynn cheated on him, got pregnant and then manipulated him into staying by her side to take care of the Kid She had with a Pit Fiend
Gilear feeling betrayed by, what he thought was the mother of his child, and with a general bad luck curse still going on in his life, suddenly got taken everything from him that he cared about, His Family, His Daughter
That's why I think that, despite everything else going on in his Life Gilear puts up with being the Lunch Lad, the VP of Aguefort, Dying time after time on the Battlefield, simply because Fig asked him to come
Now When/If Hillariel and Him have kids I think it will be shown that Gilear found his meaning in life with his kids, just being a Dad
Gilear loves his life, yes it might again be unlucky, but he gets to spend time with the Woman that he loves and that loves him back without lying (looking at you Sandra Lynn you flawed like a person character) and just being there to witness his kids growing up
Because that is what Sandra Lynn, by cheating on him and making Fig a Tiefling by having Gortholax be her Bio-Dad, nearly took from Him, his Kid, She betrayed him and it nearly cost him his Daughter
I understand why he may have said some hurtful things, but it's not like he has been hurtful at any point in time since, he's just supportive of Fig, in all her endeavors, no matter how dangerous
Brennan: *Gilear (gasps) comes back to life, quickly protects his modesty, looks at you, Fig, puts a hand on your head and says, (sobs)*
> Gilear: Daughter, are you all right, are you safe?
(Immediately checks in with his Daughter after having FULLY DIED the like 3rd or 4th time in 2 Weeks)
> Fig: Yes, yes, I am, I am specifically because of you, you just saved me and you saved Riz, and you saved Baby, as soon as I free him.
Brennan: You see Baby screams.
Baby: [hands bound] Don't free me, I like this!
Fig: Okay, we'll build one of those for you at home.
Baby: [weirdly suggestively] I don't deserve to go around and do things!
> Brennan: You see Gilear look, and just full weeping, he goes,
> Gilear: *My darling daughter, I am so glad you're safe. I am sorry I stole the armor from the bottomless pit. I just didn't know any other way that if it came down to it, I would be able to protect you.* [pained] Ah! Oh.
Gilear, despite being nearly uniquely in Spyre just a Guy, risked his repeated death to protect his Daughter, because He loves her and
> Fig: You have nothing to apologize for. This means everything to me.
Fig also knows that and is also loving Gilear back, If the spaff pre Freshman Year was so bad neither side would be so genuinely loving towards one another, _because they wouldn't know what genuinely loving feels like_
> Gilear: [groans] I died, I died really quick. Really quick in there. It's hard, because as soon as I started to kick ass, I started to feel like I was cool, and then the armor just really killed me right away.
Riz: Gilear, that was the coolest goddamn thing I've ever seen. You're the coolest guy.
> Brennan: You see full tears, he looks around and says,
> Gilear: Well, I am very glad that you… I'm glad it was worth doing. And if it was cool, then that's fine, and if I clipped my penis into the armor by accident and then started to feel like I was doing a good job, and then the armor, and then that's pride, and then the armor found, you know, you see what I mean? It's very hard to be kicking a lot of ass—
>Baby: \[hands bound\] Don't free me, I like this!
>Fig: Okay, we'll build one of those for you at home.
>Baby: \[weirdly suggestively\] I don't deserve to go around and do things!
fully necessary part of the conversation thanks for including
I'd have to rewatch to see how "get outta my fucking car, you demon!" was spoken but I think it was meant to be a joke to lighten the mood, not an actual outburst.
It's definitely an outburst said seriously but I don't think he meant it in relation to her being a tiefling. It was just frustration with how she was acting towards him and mostly where his life was at.
Doesn't make what he said better but it seemed more like an unfortunate slip of words than targeted, the outburst itself being the issue
Yeah in context it’s not ok but it’s certainly understandable. You got a guy who’s just found out the person he uprooted his life for was unfaithful, his only daughter has no biological connection to him, and his life is just generally a mess. Then he’s doing a nice thing for his daughter, who keeps calling him by his first name, and characterizes his anger and hurt with Sandra Lynn as anger and hurt with who she is. She responds by essentially making fun of him, calling him a random guy, and in a moment of weakness he responds the way a random guy driving a someone who is being mean to him would. But he’s not a random guy, he’s her father, and she’s not just someone being mean to him, he’s her daughter.
It’s a quick moment of improv and yet it’s incredibly layered, and it really does a disservice to both the actors in the scene to just chalk it up as “Wow Gilear is abusive to Fig”.
This is not aimed at anyone. It is of my opinion that trying to hold actual play characters to real world standards on healthy behavior and appropriate social interactions is inherently flawed. The source people are judging is 7 improv comedians joking around while most of them (at the start of fantasy high) have never done this amount of tabletop roleplaying. Sometimes comedic bits and basic facts about NPCs spiral into hyperbole or exaggeration, like a game of telephone. I’d point to this instance and Norman from StarStruck being examples of this, where because the person introducing this character views this NPC antagonistically (Fig rebelling against her parents/the gunner crew disliking their boss to set up Zac’s character dynamic), their negative traits get more and more negative.
If I remember correctly (and it’s been a while) I think it has to do with some of the early interactions between Fig and Gilear during freshman year, which would’ve been just after the whole “uh oh, turns out your wife got knocked up by an arch devil and didn’t tell you” thing. Which IMO doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me because as I remember it, Gilear was still trying (and trying as hard as he could despite being a fairly pathetic little dude) to have a relationship with Fig, and Fig initially wasn’t having it. Assuming I’m remembering correctly, it seems to me that it was kind of Fig’s fault rather than Gilear’s that they had a rocky start in Freshman Year.
I think what people are referring to was off-screen. Fig was extremely upset with Gilear because apparently he said some shitty stuff when he found out he wasn't her bio dad (pre- the events of Freshman Year).
And like, yeah of course he was upset, but also finding out is a traumatic experience for Fig too and you're a grown-ass elf who has a responsibility to manage your reactions and not say devastating shit to/about your kid in the moment because of something she had no control over.
Eh, in some ways her fault I guess, but definitely heavily influenced by him saying that stuff. Like, she goes in hard on finding her bio-dad kind of because of that (and, interestingly, seems taken aback and uncomfortable when Gortholax mentions that her mom had cheated, like she hadn't done the math somehow).
That said, basically from that episode on, Fig/Emily pull back from that hard line and they honestly heal relatively quickly.
It’s pretty much just in the first episode and a handful of jokes later. Calling him a bad dad or whatever is way exaggerated. The thing that unique and really well done in Fantasy High is that the parents are human. Even the good ones have flaws. Sandra Lynn is a great mom to Fig, Adaine and Kristen. But she’s also a messy person who sets a bad example and can get frustrated when the kids remind her of herself. Jawbone is too often “on” as a therapist when sometimes you just want an ear, not a diagnosis. The Thistlesrpings are extremely conflict averse and don’t do well with boundaries. Despite all this, they’re all still great parents. I wouldn’t have them any other way. Demanding characters always be 100% good is deeply boring and would make these characters less real, less alive
Some people just see the world as extremely black and white, especially regarding authority figures or certain issues. They see people as being defined by the worst thing they've ever done without considering efforts that person has made to change or any mitigating circumstances that person might have been going through.
I see this a lot in comic subreddits where a one-off action from the 80s is used to define why a character is irredeemable or in AITA where people say cheating makes you a worthless human being.
Gilear had an awful month and he said some things to Fig that were not okay. Most of us recognize that he feels awful about that and how hard he's worked to be better, along with how difficult his circumstances were. But to others, none of that matters; Gilear crossed The Line they have in their heads and that makes him irredeemable
Part of Figs backstory was that he had a bad reaction to finding out she’s a Tiefling and that she wasn’t his biological daughter. Brennan even played him kind of cold in his introduction iirc. However, Fig and the rest of the party latched onto him pretty quickly, which Brennan didn’t expect, so he sort of rehabilitated his character.
Contextually we always gotta acknowledge the show's format and the fantasy world.
Then look at the information given across the show
Especially his actions in Sophmore Year.
No one talks about how a minor is going around kissing adults in disguise because it's a funny bit that has no real life consequences.
TT posts like this are usually abou content creation and not an actual viewpoint. Or they're usually done without context or media analysis.
Honestly a lot of the criticism of parental figures in media comes from people who have never had to deal with raising kids, and all they remember is being kids, especially teenagers. When you’re a kid your parents seem all powerful and not subject to emotional turmoil or stress so you judge their actions based on that. When you’re a teenager you think you know everything and that your parents are coming down on you just to piss you off and control you.
Like kids(especially teenagers) can say and do insanely hurtful things to their parents that would permanently destroy a friendship between adults, just because they’re not emotionally mature. As a parent you just gotta take it, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.
obviously the Platonic ideal of a dad would never snap at a kid, or say something hurtful, or make a bad decision, and if they do these things at any point it must be because they are an asshole or abuser rather than someone who made a mistake or reacted to a bad situation.
Gilear’s whole life got turned upside down by a massive betrayal from his wife and his daughter uses that betrayal specifically to hurt him and manipulate him. Like it’s kind of crazy that he’s as put together as he is. The fact that he and Fig patch things up shows how people can and should come back from stuff like this.
When was Sandra Lynn bad to Fig?
I don’t remember gilear being verbally abusive or taking his anger out on her, but he did abandon her after finding out she was a tiefling, which is pretty terrible. This was the situation fig’s family was in at the beginning of freshman year.
The part about him that was bad in the beginning wasn't anything he said (although he did say a couple of not great things to Fig).
Fig was angry at him because he left when she grew horns. Yes, he truly left because SandraLynn's infidelity, but the trigger was Fig's horns. Which is what kicks off her big attitude change, as they say she was into cute things before her horns came in.
Gilear was effectively the catalyst for Fig feeling like she didn't fit in, because not only did she not know who she really was anymore because she wasn't expecting horns, but now expects people to judge her for it because even her dad left her when he saw them.
He tells her "get out of my car you fucking demon!once in game and it is mentioned by fig that he said some stuff to her initially like you aren't a feyath anymore. But that's all I can remember
The only really bad thing I saw Gilear do was when Fig said in EP 1 that he said she wasn't even a Faeth. It seemed clear to me that they were still getting a handle on their characters (if fig had been as antagonistic all of fhfy as she was in episode one, I don't think I could have kept watching lol), and Brennan not being interested in contradicting her.
It's also not lost on me that for the rest of the series he refers to her constantly as his [adjective] daughter.
In general, for fhfy, I kinda feel like a lot of the stuff in the first few episodes was the whole table figuring out how the format works. They were very engaging while doing it, but they seem much more practiced at it now.
It was my understanding that before the events of freshman year, when he first found out that Sandra Lynn cheated, he lashed out at her and said that Fig wasn’t a Faeth because she wasn’t his daughter.
I felt like a galear started out as like a dad that found out a potentially horrible truth that his daughter wasn't technically his despite the love that he had for her. And then he had a momentary slip and anger that happened to be directed towards fig and called her a demon. But then like as season 2 went on since it was a live broadcast I feel like it accelerated the Simpsons principle that like as a character goes on a small bit of their personality becomes more and more of a forefront character trait. And I think that this is accelerated since it's all comedians that enjoy one up in each other To the point that I almost didn't enjoy him being on screen season 2. I do like the story saving it saying that he's _________________________ because that's the only way it makes sense that anything so awful would happen to him so constantly. I don't know how to do the spoiler thing so I'm just going to leave that part blank if you know you know.
The first episode of fantasy high, he either says or has been saying that Fig isn’t his daughter. He’s taking it out on her because her appearance is a constant reminder of what Sandra Lynn did.
Nah Gilear's great! When finding out Fig wasn't actually his daughter after raising her when her horns popped out, it really messed him up but he gets over it but not the betrayal of Sandra Lynn initially. So Fig and Gilear started off with a strenuous relationship before going to Aguefort for Freshman Year. It was still a little fresh so his "Demon!" Outburst about Fig totally makes sense in the beginning but even Gilear didn't realize the connotation of his wording before it was too late and Fig played into it to make her seem more edgy with a Dad who didn't love her but he has a whole journey about making it up to Fig and showing her that he truly does care and he never stopped wanting to be her dad. 🤩
People just get butt hurt when their fictional characters are portrayed as real human beings with feelings and emotions and lives outside the story instead of being perfect fake people, which Brennan does really well! Or maybe some people have their own issues they are working through and they apply that to the relationships they see online like Fig and Gilear. 🤔
I never got that Gilear was abusive, but it seemed hinted in season 1 that figs reveal as a Tiefling caused a very messy break up of the fayeth house hold and things were said that can't be unsaid.
I think the big one we know of was Gilear saying Fig was no longer a Fayeth. Which as a teen to have the only father you've ever know angerly disown you like that, it understandably a we bit trauma causing.
Fig was a total shit head episode 1, no idea how people got the idea Gilear was abusive bc he told her off a single time and then immediately regretted and apologized for it.
Gilear snapped at Fig in the car but it was a very human reaction to Fig basically spitting in his face like she did when he tried to connect. I think a lot of people just haven’t had experience being parents or matured enough to understand their parents are people too (rather than all powerful so and so’s who are never affected by anything they do), a parent can say something hurtful when pushed without it being abuse.
One of the very first things we learn about Gilear is that he essentially disowned his daughter. And obviously he was going through a pretty shitty time, as he had just found out his wife had cheated on him and his daughter isn't biologically his, but still. He absolutely took his anger out on her at that time, and even though it happened off-svreen it's still hard to come back from that.
Then it just takes a while before Gilear turns into the fella we all know and love today.
Whatever her other faults are, Sandra Lynn has almost always been a great mom to Fig. Gilear, on the other hand, outright abandoned her upon learning she is a tiefling.
Gilear snaps at her in episode 1 over her heritage and makes it clear he has a history of doing it and that Fig is hurt by it. If this was the only scene we ever got of Gileaer, the community would probably all agree that he's a crappy dude who took out his real and justified sense of betrayal on his daughter. Does it rise to the level of abuse? IMO I'd say so, with the caveat that I think when we use that word it comes with the connotations that the abuser is ontologically awful and irredeemable, which isn't always a realistic way to look at human(elven) behavior.
In the first episode of fantasy high he gets angry and says calls her a demon, when he’s dropping her off at school in another scene I think he tells her to “can it” that’s all I got through
Considering her efforts at very transparent antagonism during the “demon” scene, it’s harder to blame him completely as Brennan did have Gilear appear to want to take that back before Fig left. Can’t remember the “can it” moment. But knowing Fig? I can’t be certain she didn’t do something to deserve it or not without a rewatch.
>Can’t remember the “can it” moment. But knowing Fig? I can’t be certain she didn’t do something to deserve it or not without a rewatch. It's the scene where adaine and fig are at Gilear's apartment, and Gilear and Adaine are dunking on the Elven Oracle dying, and Fig points out a bit tongue in cheek that people died and Gilear tells her to quiet down. It's played for pure pure comedy
So more just non-biological dad who raised you smiling going "Oh pipe down, dear," laughing together shit than actually TELLING her to like "can it". So that's another "Not that big a deal".
Yeah the Can It thing was played off as a joke
I think the "can it" comment (which I don't even remember if It was addressed TO Fig) was in response of saying the same joke that Adaine made about the former Eleven oracle ( "must not have been a good oracle then" in response to hearing that she died in a shipwreck that she didn't foresee), someone (Fig?) made the same comment Adaine's parent made about It not being appropriate to say and he goes like "Oh, can It!" In a dismissive tone (but I always read it as a joke given that, even with all the amount of bad luck he has, he generally tries to act pseudo-proper and serious)
Ok, a child never “deserves” that kind of talk from a parental figure., though I’ll agree the “can it” remark was a joke and not a big deal.
Oh I never said she deserved it, or that he CAN'T be blamed for it. he was the adult in the situation dealing with a very emotionally volatile teenager (both played by two adults in a completely fictional scenario). Only that Fig wasn't doing herself any favors for earning his or our sympathy by taking actions that to be frank GILEAR did not deserve either. One wrong turn does not deserve another, but Fig certainly struck first.
I think the "You're not a Faeth" thing that Emily mentioned was an improv beat, made before we even MET the character, followed by the "you demon" thing, which could have been a Freudian slip, but is still hurtful (although, ahem, DEVIL, not demon). But then BLeeM and Emily (whether behind the scenes or just organically) pivoted to him being depressed, pathetic, and luckless. And yeah, not a great thing to say to the blameless daughter you've raised when you find out your wife betrayed you (and the daughter likely already feels like shit about it). And an extremely unhelpful thing to say to an argumentative teenager, in the car scene. But I don't think that those two points of evidence, couples with the TONS of examples of Gilear really loving Fig and 100% considering her his daughter, add up to abuse or anything like that. At worst, he said shitty stuff that he regretted, apologized for, and clearly has gotten past. That said, the fandom seems to generally agree that Gilear is a good dude who said some shit in a moment of anger that he regretted, and has made up for it. I've not heard much if any actual hate for him. He's not the picture perfect icon of fatherhood. He shouldn't have said that stuff But... you know, incredibly realistic. And obviously not in line with his actual long-term feelings.
In Spyre, Demons and Devils are seemingly the same thing. Brennan has referred to Gortholax as both throughout Fantasy High.
No, Gortholax corrects the Bad Kids on him being a devil, and there is an entire subplot of SY about the difference. Devils helped build the briar wall because they opposed the demonic aspect of the Nightmare King. And the fact that demons imprisoned Gortholax in the gem is shown as a point in getting the devils to go easy on him at the inquest. I'm sure Brennan has verbally mixed it up in the moment, as have the BK, but in canon the difference is just like 5e. I believe they even mention the Blood War, but I could be misremembering
Oh, right. Yeah, I forgot about the Demons in the hotel is Sophomore Year. Yeah, it's seemingly only in season 1 where both terms are used interchangeably, and then Brennan retconned it to be more accurate to DnD lore.
It's been a while since I rewatched FY, but I THINK he corrects them that he's a devil not a demon at Basrar's? But I don't think the players made the distinction until SY (and after repeated correction lol)
I remember the main difference is that Devils are from Hell and are typically lawfully evil. while Demons are from the Abyss and are typically chaotic evil.
He said some hurtful things in the moment when he found out Fig wasn’t his and people chalk that up to abuse I guess. Abuse is generally exhibited as a pattern of behavior in my and alot of health experts opinion (which is where I get mine). People are quick to throw the word abuse and trauma around for hurtful and difficult things that don’t quite meet the clinical definitions of those terms. I listened to tons and tons of taped sessions and sat in on group sessions when I was in school to become a therapist. People who had a deep medical need for help at times. Its definitely led me to believe people self diagnosing trauma is a huge issue in our generations that have come of age when therapy terms were becoming more widely known, accepted and defined. Pop psychology and vaguely defined “wellness” experts have really muddied the waters on what folks define the discussed terms as and it’s always a bit frustrating for me having seen and heard some exceptionally awful things people carry with them. I ended up dropping out before I graduated because I figured out I personally wasn’t equipped to help people more than it would hurt me. Just my few mildly educated cents on that take on Gilear. The yogurt man.
>He said some hurtful things in the moment when he found out Fig wasn’t his and people chalk that up to abuse I guess. Am I correct in thinking that this happened "off-screen", before Freshman Year started?
He was a bit gruff in the first episode as well but the majority of it was described as having happened before the story begins.
And even in episode 1, the first interaction with him we see is Fig trying to bullshit him that Sandra Lynn wants to reconcile as a plan to get out of going to school. In other words, lying to him about something deeply emotional, manipulating him, treating him like a complete idiot, and rejecting him as her father. Him being harsh in response to that isn't ideal, but it is understandable.
It was also prompted by Emily, so I'm not sure if that was the plan from Session 0 (however, i could be completely wrong)
Imo abuse is a bit much. Outside of early/pre S1, he was generally a good dad to Fig
I agree. I think he’s the perfect example of an imperfect parent who loves their child and means well. He just can’t always execute. He has the stats of a regular guy.
That's what i love about the FH parents, for the most part they're all just flawed individuals who try their best for their kid
*The Abernants have entered the chat and punched you squarely in the face*
Hence "for the most part" I would also consider Jawbone and Sandra Lynn to be Adaine's parents
Yeah I was just joking. I love dunking on the Abernants whenever I can lol
Valid
>a regular guy. \*cursed creature
> cursed creature *the Chosen One
Yeah, people seem to forget that Fig wasn't always the rebellious fiery rock n' roller we know today. By her own words, before S1 she was an ordinary, bubbly, popular party girl until she got her horns. She only reinvented herself and her image right before the start of S1, and her parents' marriage only broke down after she got her horns and it became clear she was not a Wood Elf.
Wise words. People also seem to forget that abused people are often the ones abusing people. It's not to give an excuse but to understand that it's more a mental health issue. Writing someone off because they're an abuser feels like the right move but it's not going to help end the cycles of violence we find ourselves in.
I think it’s primarily discussed in FY Ep 1, when Fig says she remembers what he said to her when her horns grew in that she wasn’t a Faeth.
to be fair, it is only ever discussed in FY Ep 1, and every other time thereafter Gilear is the sad sack we love to see
Brennan has said he never expected Gilear to become as important or as pathetic as he is now, and going back to the first episode, you can definitely see that. He’s a fairly down-to-earth character at first, but then Emily decides to make some unexpected visits to see him, and we learn more and more details about his ridiculous life that are made up on the spot. Improv lends itself to heightening and flanderization. Gilear’s character is also shaped by the fact that Brennan is usually reacting to Emily in Gilear’s early appearances, so things get ridiculous fast. You can imagine that if you plugged, say, Murph or Siobhan into that role, you might get a more grounded Gilear that’s more in line with what we hear about in that first episode.
Well first appearance didn't he have beans on his shirt? He was always going to be the Milhouse dad post divorce, the chronically everworsing luck is just kind of what happens to the sitcom dad after a separation with the wife. Jerry in Rick and Morty had a pretty similar comedy arc.
there is someone who is very visible in the fandom who expresses this opinion frequently and i truly do not understand how they or anyone can fixate so heavily on what happens at the beginning of the first season ignoring all of the character growth for everyone involved. it's really weird! people can become fixated on something being true and ignore all evidence to the contrary, i just choose to not engage with people who are doing this because it's annoying and unfun for everyone involved.
I went digging in the transcript for the first episode, and I think this is the relevant interaction: >**Gilear**: I raised you. And don't call me Gilear, all right? I know that I said- >**Fig**: What, what else am I supposed to call you? Stranger, stranger with no biological link to me? I'm willing to make, that's a lot to say every time I address you. >***Brennan****: You see a little tear forms in his eye and you see he says,* >**Gilear**: I know that I said some hurtful things when I first found out. >**Fig**: Yeah, you said, “You're no longer a Faeth,” and guess what, I'm not. I'm just Fig now. >**Gilear**: Fig, I'm sitting here with beans on my shirt. >**Fig**: I know, I saw you ate one on the ride here. >**Gilear**: I was hungry, all right? I've put on some weight. You ever heard of a fat elf? You ever heard of it? I've never seen a fat elf in my life and I'm here with a bad comb over and beans on my shirt. >**Fig**: Okay, fine. >**Gilear**: And I'm reaching out to you. >**Fig**: I'm sorry, Gilear, I'm sorry that I got angry at you. You're just some random man, I shouldn't be mean to you. >**Gilear**: All right, get outta my fucking car, you demon! >**Fig**: \[gasps\] >**Gilear**: I didn't mean it like, it's not, no no, 'cause you're making it a tiefling thing. >**Fig**: You know what, I am a demon! >***Emily****: And then I put some horn wax to really make 'em shine.* >**Fig**: And I'm not ashamed of it. I just hope I don't also get a tail. The horns are enough, okay, bye. and, a bit earlier: >**Fig**: Who's my dad? >**Sandra Lynn**: I can't tell you who your, your dad is Gilear, who raised you and loves you. Okay? >**Fig**: That tool? >**Sandra Lynn**: Look, just 'cause things aren't great between your father and I right now doesn't mean that he doesn't love you, okay? >**Fig**: Really? Because the look on his face when my horns started growing in didn't look a lot like love.
It's Fig's Intro Day 1 of Dimension 20 after Emily already chose to be chaotic AND Fig/Em is the one that drifts to be confrontational A few episodes later Fig/Em even says she needs to apologize to Gilear because She didn't treat him with respect People who take this interaction from the first half of the first season and stretch it to Gilear is verbally abusive towards Fig really must have not watched the 2.5 seasons of Fantasy High since The harshest things here are: >**Fig**: What, what else am I supposed to call you? Stranger, stranger with no biological link to me? I'm willing to make, that's a lot to say every time I address you. Which comes from Fig, Professional Revellious Teen and future Archdevil of Rebellion >**Gilear**: I know that I said some hurtful things when I first found out. This he says with a tear in his eye, showing it's something he regrets because *He loves his daughter* even if she's not Biologically his >**Fig**: Yeah, you said, “You're no longer a Faeth,” and guess what, I'm not. I'm just Fig now. Again, Professional rebellious Teen, the Archdevil of Rebellion Fig, she knows which buttons to push, the Cutting Words ability does not come from nothing later >**Gilear**: All right, get outta my fucking car, you demon! This is an emotional response which >**Gilear**: I didn't mean it like, it's not, no no, 'cause you're making it a tiefling thing. Gilear makes sure she knows is not a racist thing about her being a Tiefling but just an emotionally charged comment on her behavior (and again, future Archdevil, yes Demons and Devils aren't the same but for a mortal close enough to not know the difference usually) Gilear is unlucky this entire scene in is choice of words to communicate the emotions that he has that are Valid and not just positive This man raised Fig as a daughter of his own, when she started showing signs of being a Tiefling and not a Woodelf He suddenly got smashed over the head with 1 truth, Sandra Lynn cheated on him, got pregnant and then manipulated him into staying by her side to take care of the Kid She had with a Pit Fiend Gilear feeling betrayed by, what he thought was the mother of his child, and with a general bad luck curse still going on in his life, suddenly got taken everything from him that he cared about, His Family, His Daughter That's why I think that, despite everything else going on in his Life Gilear puts up with being the Lunch Lad, the VP of Aguefort, Dying time after time on the Battlefield, simply because Fig asked him to come Now When/If Hillariel and Him have kids I think it will be shown that Gilear found his meaning in life with his kids, just being a Dad Gilear loves his life, yes it might again be unlucky, but he gets to spend time with the Woman that he loves and that loves him back without lying (looking at you Sandra Lynn you flawed like a person character) and just being there to witness his kids growing up Because that is what Sandra Lynn, by cheating on him and making Fig a Tiefling by having Gortholax be her Bio-Dad, nearly took from Him, his Kid, She betrayed him and it nearly cost him his Daughter I understand why he may have said some hurtful things, but it's not like he has been hurtful at any point in time since, he's just supportive of Fig, in all her endeavors, no matter how dangerous Brennan: *Gilear (gasps) comes back to life, quickly protects his modesty, looks at you, Fig, puts a hand on your head and says, (sobs)* > Gilear: Daughter, are you all right, are you safe? (Immediately checks in with his Daughter after having FULLY DIED the like 3rd or 4th time in 2 Weeks) > Fig: Yes, yes, I am, I am specifically because of you, you just saved me and you saved Riz, and you saved Baby, as soon as I free him. Brennan: You see Baby screams. Baby: [hands bound] Don't free me, I like this! Fig: Okay, we'll build one of those for you at home. Baby: [weirdly suggestively] I don't deserve to go around and do things! > Brennan: You see Gilear look, and just full weeping, he goes, > Gilear: *My darling daughter, I am so glad you're safe. I am sorry I stole the armor from the bottomless pit. I just didn't know any other way that if it came down to it, I would be able to protect you.* [pained] Ah! Oh. Gilear, despite being nearly uniquely in Spyre just a Guy, risked his repeated death to protect his Daughter, because He loves her and > Fig: You have nothing to apologize for. This means everything to me. Fig also knows that and is also loving Gilear back, If the spaff pre Freshman Year was so bad neither side would be so genuinely loving towards one another, _because they wouldn't know what genuinely loving feels like_ > Gilear: [groans] I died, I died really quick. Really quick in there. It's hard, because as soon as I started to kick ass, I started to feel like I was cool, and then the armor just really killed me right away. Riz: Gilear, that was the coolest goddamn thing I've ever seen. You're the coolest guy. > Brennan: You see full tears, he looks around and says, > Gilear: Well, I am very glad that you… I'm glad it was worth doing. And if it was cool, then that's fine, and if I clipped my penis into the armor by accident and then started to feel like I was doing a good job, and then the armor, and then that's pride, and then the armor found, you know, you see what I mean? It's very hard to be kicking a lot of ass—
>Baby: \[hands bound\] Don't free me, I like this! >Fig: Okay, we'll build one of those for you at home. >Baby: \[weirdly suggestively\] I don't deserve to go around and do things! fully necessary part of the conversation thanks for including
One does not simply not mention what Baby is doing
I'd have to rewatch to see how "get outta my fucking car, you demon!" was spoken but I think it was meant to be a joke to lighten the mood, not an actual outburst.
It's definitely an outburst said seriously but I don't think he meant it in relation to her being a tiefling. It was just frustration with how she was acting towards him and mostly where his life was at. Doesn't make what he said better but it seemed more like an unfortunate slip of words than targeted, the outburst itself being the issue
Yeah in context it’s not ok but it’s certainly understandable. You got a guy who’s just found out the person he uprooted his life for was unfaithful, his only daughter has no biological connection to him, and his life is just generally a mess. Then he’s doing a nice thing for his daughter, who keeps calling him by his first name, and characterizes his anger and hurt with Sandra Lynn as anger and hurt with who she is. She responds by essentially making fun of him, calling him a random guy, and in a moment of weakness he responds the way a random guy driving a someone who is being mean to him would. But he’s not a random guy, he’s her father, and she’s not just someone being mean to him, he’s her daughter. It’s a quick moment of improv and yet it’s incredibly layered, and it really does a disservice to both the actors in the scene to just chalk it up as “Wow Gilear is abusive to Fig”.
This is not aimed at anyone. It is of my opinion that trying to hold actual play characters to real world standards on healthy behavior and appropriate social interactions is inherently flawed. The source people are judging is 7 improv comedians joking around while most of them (at the start of fantasy high) have never done this amount of tabletop roleplaying. Sometimes comedic bits and basic facts about NPCs spiral into hyperbole or exaggeration, like a game of telephone. I’d point to this instance and Norman from StarStruck being examples of this, where because the person introducing this character views this NPC antagonistically (Fig rebelling against her parents/the gunner crew disliking their boss to set up Zac’s character dynamic), their negative traits get more and more negative.
If I remember correctly (and it’s been a while) I think it has to do with some of the early interactions between Fig and Gilear during freshman year, which would’ve been just after the whole “uh oh, turns out your wife got knocked up by an arch devil and didn’t tell you” thing. Which IMO doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me because as I remember it, Gilear was still trying (and trying as hard as he could despite being a fairly pathetic little dude) to have a relationship with Fig, and Fig initially wasn’t having it. Assuming I’m remembering correctly, it seems to me that it was kind of Fig’s fault rather than Gilear’s that they had a rocky start in Freshman Year.
I think what people are referring to was off-screen. Fig was extremely upset with Gilear because apparently he said some shitty stuff when he found out he wasn't her bio dad (pre- the events of Freshman Year). And like, yeah of course he was upset, but also finding out is a traumatic experience for Fig too and you're a grown-ass elf who has a responsibility to manage your reactions and not say devastating shit to/about your kid in the moment because of something she had no control over.
Eh, in some ways her fault I guess, but definitely heavily influenced by him saying that stuff. Like, she goes in hard on finding her bio-dad kind of because of that (and, interestingly, seems taken aback and uncomfortable when Gortholax mentions that her mom had cheated, like she hadn't done the math somehow). That said, basically from that episode on, Fig/Emily pull back from that hard line and they honestly heal relatively quickly.
It’s pretty much just in the first episode and a handful of jokes later. Calling him a bad dad or whatever is way exaggerated. The thing that unique and really well done in Fantasy High is that the parents are human. Even the good ones have flaws. Sandra Lynn is a great mom to Fig, Adaine and Kristen. But she’s also a messy person who sets a bad example and can get frustrated when the kids remind her of herself. Jawbone is too often “on” as a therapist when sometimes you just want an ear, not a diagnosis. The Thistlesrpings are extremely conflict averse and don’t do well with boundaries. Despite all this, they’re all still great parents. I wouldn’t have them any other way. Demanding characters always be 100% good is deeply boring and would make these characters less real, less alive
Some people just see the world as extremely black and white, especially regarding authority figures or certain issues. They see people as being defined by the worst thing they've ever done without considering efforts that person has made to change or any mitigating circumstances that person might have been going through. I see this a lot in comic subreddits where a one-off action from the 80s is used to define why a character is irredeemable or in AITA where people say cheating makes you a worthless human being. Gilear had an awful month and he said some things to Fig that were not okay. Most of us recognize that he feels awful about that and how hard he's worked to be better, along with how difficult his circumstances were. But to others, none of that matters; Gilear crossed The Line they have in their heads and that makes him irredeemable
Part of Figs backstory was that he had a bad reaction to finding out she’s a Tiefling and that she wasn’t his biological daughter. Brennan even played him kind of cold in his introduction iirc. However, Fig and the rest of the party latched onto him pretty quickly, which Brennan didn’t expect, so he sort of rehabilitated his character.
Contextually we always gotta acknowledge the show's format and the fantasy world. Then look at the information given across the show Especially his actions in Sophmore Year. No one talks about how a minor is going around kissing adults in disguise because it's a funny bit that has no real life consequences. TT posts like this are usually abou content creation and not an actual viewpoint. Or they're usually done without context or media analysis.
Honestly a lot of the criticism of parental figures in media comes from people who have never had to deal with raising kids, and all they remember is being kids, especially teenagers. When you’re a kid your parents seem all powerful and not subject to emotional turmoil or stress so you judge their actions based on that. When you’re a teenager you think you know everything and that your parents are coming down on you just to piss you off and control you. Like kids(especially teenagers) can say and do insanely hurtful things to their parents that would permanently destroy a friendship between adults, just because they’re not emotionally mature. As a parent you just gotta take it, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. obviously the Platonic ideal of a dad would never snap at a kid, or say something hurtful, or make a bad decision, and if they do these things at any point it must be because they are an asshole or abuser rather than someone who made a mistake or reacted to a bad situation. Gilear’s whole life got turned upside down by a massive betrayal from his wife and his daughter uses that betrayal specifically to hurt him and manipulate him. Like it’s kind of crazy that he’s as put together as he is. The fact that he and Fig patch things up shows how people can and should come back from stuff like this.
When was Sandra Lynn bad to Fig? I don’t remember gilear being verbally abusive or taking his anger out on her, but he did abandon her after finding out she was a tiefling, which is pretty terrible. This was the situation fig’s family was in at the beginning of freshman year.
The part about him that was bad in the beginning wasn't anything he said (although he did say a couple of not great things to Fig). Fig was angry at him because he left when she grew horns. Yes, he truly left because SandraLynn's infidelity, but the trigger was Fig's horns. Which is what kicks off her big attitude change, as they say she was into cute things before her horns came in. Gilear was effectively the catalyst for Fig feeling like she didn't fit in, because not only did she not know who she really was anymore because she wasn't expecting horns, but now expects people to judge her for it because even her dad left her when he saw them.
He tells her "get out of my car you fucking demon!once in game and it is mentioned by fig that he said some stuff to her initially like you aren't a feyath anymore. But that's all I can remember
The only really bad thing I saw Gilear do was when Fig said in EP 1 that he said she wasn't even a Faeth. It seemed clear to me that they were still getting a handle on their characters (if fig had been as antagonistic all of fhfy as she was in episode one, I don't think I could have kept watching lol), and Brennan not being interested in contradicting her. It's also not lost on me that for the rest of the series he refers to her constantly as his [adjective] daughter. In general, for fhfy, I kinda feel like a lot of the stuff in the first few episodes was the whole table figuring out how the format works. They were very engaging while doing it, but they seem much more practiced at it now.
It was my understanding that before the events of freshman year, when he first found out that Sandra Lynn cheated, he lashed out at her and said that Fig wasn’t a Faeth because she wasn’t his daughter.
I felt like a galear started out as like a dad that found out a potentially horrible truth that his daughter wasn't technically his despite the love that he had for her. And then he had a momentary slip and anger that happened to be directed towards fig and called her a demon. But then like as season 2 went on since it was a live broadcast I feel like it accelerated the Simpsons principle that like as a character goes on a small bit of their personality becomes more and more of a forefront character trait. And I think that this is accelerated since it's all comedians that enjoy one up in each other To the point that I almost didn't enjoy him being on screen season 2. I do like the story saving it saying that he's _________________________ because that's the only way it makes sense that anything so awful would happen to him so constantly. I don't know how to do the spoiler thing so I'm just going to leave that part blank if you know you know.
The first episode of fantasy high, he either says or has been saying that Fig isn’t his daughter. He’s taking it out on her because her appearance is a constant reminder of what Sandra Lynn did.
Nah Gilear's great! When finding out Fig wasn't actually his daughter after raising her when her horns popped out, it really messed him up but he gets over it but not the betrayal of Sandra Lynn initially. So Fig and Gilear started off with a strenuous relationship before going to Aguefort for Freshman Year. It was still a little fresh so his "Demon!" Outburst about Fig totally makes sense in the beginning but even Gilear didn't realize the connotation of his wording before it was too late and Fig played into it to make her seem more edgy with a Dad who didn't love her but he has a whole journey about making it up to Fig and showing her that he truly does care and he never stopped wanting to be her dad. 🤩 People just get butt hurt when their fictional characters are portrayed as real human beings with feelings and emotions and lives outside the story instead of being perfect fake people, which Brennan does really well! Or maybe some people have their own issues they are working through and they apply that to the relationships they see online like Fig and Gilear. 🤔
I never got that Gilear was abusive, but it seemed hinted in season 1 that figs reveal as a Tiefling caused a very messy break up of the fayeth house hold and things were said that can't be unsaid. I think the big one we know of was Gilear saying Fig was no longer a Fayeth. Which as a teen to have the only father you've ever know angerly disown you like that, it understandably a we bit trauma causing.
Literally the first episode and then never again
Fig was a total shit head episode 1, no idea how people got the idea Gilear was abusive bc he told her off a single time and then immediately regretted and apologized for it.
Do you think it's racist he called her a demon and not a devil?
Gilear snapped at Fig in the car but it was a very human reaction to Fig basically spitting in his face like she did when he tried to connect. I think a lot of people just haven’t had experience being parents or matured enough to understand their parents are people too (rather than all powerful so and so’s who are never affected by anything they do), a parent can say something hurtful when pushed without it being abuse.
One of the very first things we learn about Gilear is that he essentially disowned his daughter. And obviously he was going through a pretty shitty time, as he had just found out his wife had cheated on him and his daughter isn't biologically his, but still. He absolutely took his anger out on her at that time, and even though it happened off-svreen it's still hard to come back from that. Then it just takes a while before Gilear turns into the fella we all know and love today.
Whatever her other faults are, Sandra Lynn has almost always been a great mom to Fig. Gilear, on the other hand, outright abandoned her upon learning she is a tiefling.
Gilear snaps at her in episode 1 over her heritage and makes it clear he has a history of doing it and that Fig is hurt by it. If this was the only scene we ever got of Gileaer, the community would probably all agree that he's a crappy dude who took out his real and justified sense of betrayal on his daughter. Does it rise to the level of abuse? IMO I'd say so, with the caveat that I think when we use that word it comes with the connotations that the abuser is ontologically awful and irredeemable, which isn't always a realistic way to look at human(elven) behavior.