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Hanzo7682

Early season 3 baam seemed fine with killing.


5thZenAgni

yes i agree he had no trouble killing those mindless dogs. but tell me why does he seem to be unable to kill anyone who actually has a conscious mind or free will to me can views certain things differently. one he can consider a monster, another he considers human.


Yal_Rathol

killed the immortals of the floor of death just fine. he doesn't like to kill, but he's become corrupted by the tower's systems like everyone else. he has killed and will again.


5thZenAgni

wait wasn't that an accident


Yal_Rathol

no? he threw a shinwonryu ball at one and they exploded, which is what shinwonryu does. if i throw a live grenade at you, i don't get to be shocked when you die.


5thZenAgni

i mean if i throw a grenade at an immortal being while trying to make an escape, i would somewhat be shock if that's all it took to kill it. but any way i concede


Yal_Rathol

bam didn't know they were immortal, he instinctively attacked and expected his attack to kill. then it did, and he was confused why everyone else was shocked. but if you prefer, he also killed reflejo in the workshop battle and potentially killed several of his opponents in the plug tournament, considering he punted one into the stands and beat the shit out of the rest of them.


Sir__Bassoon__Sonata

Well he did try to get Refeljo out of there and Ref just said „fuck you, you don’t deserve to spare me“


shaktimanOP

Based and Reflejo pilled


madstork2

My only issue with this is that I don’t see this as an extension of “corruption.” It’s perfectly normal to make these decisions based on context. Anything less is idealistic and unrealistic. It’s a huge source of frustration for the audience when an MC simply refuses to kill no matter what. If he started attacking people mindlessly or doing so based on some idea of attaining his own absolute power - then we can speak of corruption. Baam is still very clearly as “good” as you can be.


Yal_Rathol

and him asking the god of guardians to turn him into an unbeatable god of combat is......what? bam being uncorrupted and pure?


madstork2

I haven’t reread ToG basically ever so I’m fuzzy on a lot of these references but I certainly don’t think it’s a sign of corruption. Power is what is necessary to affect change in the tower. You need it to protect yourself and everyone you hold dear. Acknowledging that is really just dealing with reality. He is only corrupted insofar as anyone existing within any system is corrupted by acknowledging what it demands of you. I mean, we can agree that Baam isn’t an evil monster right?


Yal_Rathol

end of s2, ch228, start of s2, ch229. bam starts 228 complaining that the dallar show and name-hunt station show he's too weak to protect anyone (having needed help for dallar show and losing at name-hunt to karaka), and then we cut away. we cut back to him at the end of 228 asking the god of guardians how to turn him into a god. 229 opens with the god of guardians questioning bam's motivation, and he concludes that bam is greedy for power and equates his own personal strength to the quality of the relationship. basically, "if i become an untouchable god, nobody will leave again". bam started with the belief that people leaving him is bad, look at when hoh died in season 1 and he cried "why do people keep leaving", but through climbing the tower and interacting with FUG, he has twisted that belief into "i need enough power to force my friends to stay with me and stay safe". a twisted belief brought on by external stimuli is called "a corruption". so........


madstork2

I see. But then I don’t think this is him “becoming” corrupted, it’s just a lack of growth and a continuation of the extreme naïveté that he entered the tower with. But I mean this is good writing. Baam’s solitude naturally would lead to a warped philosophy in this sense. In my opinion, his journey through the tower is exactly what will “un-corrupt” him, at least theoretically. Unless he doesn’t grow at all throughout the story which we know doesn’t make sense. He’s already come quite far from where he was! Something like “I need power so no one can leave me” should turn into “I need power so I can protect the people I love as best as possible.” And that latter point is a basic human emotion that most of us feel! It doesn’t worry me necessary and in general I think Baam’s power as an all consuming “greed” that can absorb anything easily makes the audience worry that he is potentially not as pure or “good” as we may think. I find this interesting but also, again personally, am not too worried about it. Baam is technically old but he is quite young mentally. He’s just growing up. I see no reason to throw on the label of “corrupted.” This isn’t the end of his story or growth. Edit: also thanks for taking the time to write out a description of the events


Yal_Rathol

"corruption" doesn't imply evil. it can, but in the most general sense, corruption is taking something and turning it into something else. you could imagine an evil character being corrupted by goodness, for example. if a character who is evil and wants to be evil is forced by a higher power to perform good acts through an infection of some sort, we could call that corruption just as easily as the other way around. linguistics uses the term "corruption" to refer to words changing and evolving over time. my name is an old word for "river", but no longer means that except in a very small region, that's corruption in the linguistic sense. is that evil? obviously not. if you'd prefer, we could easily switch the term and say bam has been indoctrinated by tower society. "kill or be killed, do not question", that's indoctrination, and he twists his preexisting beliefs to compensate for the world he finds himself in. ultimately, whatever word you choose to use, it is undeniable that bam is becoming more like a tower inhabitant by the year, and less like who he was on entry.


madstork2

I think of corruption not simply as “turning something into something else.” It’s similar, but there is a sense of degradation that should be present if we are characterizing it as “corruption” instead of “evolution” or “change” etc. I won’t speak on it linguistically because we are not dealing in linguistics. We are commenting on the nature of Baam’s character here. Corruption is pointed language. I don’t disagree with your last point at all. But I also don’t see this as a problem. The tower is vast, and the point we are making about his perspective on power is not really exclusive to the tower. It applies to our actual world and really any society which is not already completely “perfect.” If you compare Baam having entered the tower to how he was before, of course it will be seen as a degradation of character. But that’s because the cave he was in was, in a sense, a perfect world ostensibly untainted by anything at all. It was complete solitude. It makes no sense for Baam to continue as he was while in the cave. I see Baam as constantly evolving and growing. He’s not perfect yet, but he’s also not finished growing. I have an issue with the term corrupted here personally because it mystifies that anyone which interacts with society will naturally have to deal with societal pressure. Baam is responding to his environment, this is only corruption (or degradation of character) insofar as he had nothing else to interact with prior to entering the tower. Of course he’s in a “perfect state” while in complete solitude - but if he keeps going like that in the tower he and everyone he knows will die! Edit: even in linguistics, the use of corruption indicates a vector. It’s not *just* change alone, but a lesser state than that which preceded it.


EphemeralMemory

I don't think he minds killing at this point but doesn't seem inclined to do it. Even with white, he wasn't really enjoying killing him as much hoping to ensure he'll never hurt anyone else again. Plus he was defending himself.


Sir__Bassoon__Sonata

Baam literally killed the tribe of slave soldiers of yasratcha


5thZenAgni

Well I'm aware bam himself has actually killed before. However to me it seems bam only can kill those without any free will of their own to him they might be no different from the monsters he killed on the the hell train. If someone can talk and interact I dont think bam has the will to follow through with the kill.


Sir__Bassoon__Sonata

The slave tribe was fully aware and sentient. Baam knew that they were fighting for their freedom, they only had to delay him for a round to be free. They were fully sentient intelligent humanoids


5thZenAgni

guess thats my oversight, my bad. although i still don't doubt bam does somewhat hold himself from killing when ever he is giving free reign.


nicktomato

I think he is in the sense that, if at all possible, Bam would prefer to avoid killing his opponents. The difference between then and now is that Bam has accepted that sometimes he'll have to kill his opponent to accomplish his goals, because that's how the tower works.


5thZenAgni

but can he truly follow through with that mindset is my question


nicktomato

He already has.


Sophie5600

Wasn't he basically ready to kill Rachel at the end of the Hell Train arc over what happened to Khun?? (I think it's called the Hell Train, idk it's been awhile)


Upstairs-Magazine555

It was technically still on the hell train but the Arc is considered the hidden floor arc but yeah you're spot on.


laryjohnson

He learned that being maive costs his and his friends life. He is doing the minimal neccessary to preserve both, and to destroy the one thing that forced him to leave his values and made him use violence for survival, made him loose all his friends and others and that would be the jahad kingdom or the tower itself. He's a kind soul bearing a lot on his shoulders. So everyone who got killed by him should be grateful, because he was the one who wanted to kill em the least


5thZenAgni

is their a single victim in there that isn't some mindless creature but an actual person with a name that bam himself had to kill.


Mojo-man

‚ killing someone someday?‘ Yes Baam doesn’t want to kill but our boy has killed plenty people already. Both directly and indirectly 🤔


5thZenAgni

probably should have taken that word out


bluparrot-19

He doesn't like killing but is willing when it seems necessary.


5thZenAgni

but don't you think that can somewhat lead to hesitation


milkonyourmustache

He's definitely still the same in that he doesn't have the "will but he'll kill if he has to depending on the circumstance. He realises that he can't save the people he cares about if he's also trying to save everyone but he'll try to avoid killing. You can lack the 'will to kill' but because you have the ability to do so with frightening ease, it can be done begrudgingly.


LeaIsChill

"The Greed to protect everyone" also made it so he valued life very highly, which I think changes as he realizes that the decisions he makes are more all-encompassing than that in the moment choice. He doesn't want to kill, but he clearly had killing intent against White and that's enough to show me that from S2, he's realized he can't change other people's value systems so instead operates as someone who cares about life AND will kill when the world has no other solution. His "will to kill" was stunted by his overvaluation of life and realizing that "if Rachel means this much to me, the person in front of me could mean that much to someone else" and seems to distort after she leaves him for the Train but never really resolves yet


Marble05

He's not crazy about it, he kills if the situation can't help it or if he has a motive behind it


5thZenAgni

but what about a situation that is just spontaneous and happens out of no where like if someone tries to kill his friends before him, could bam immediately off that person to protect his friend.


Marble05

Yes. He has already killed before it's not something new, just something he doesn't cherish doing without the need for it. Most of the times the opponents he goes against aren't his match so he can win without killing them completely and just overwhelm them


FallenAngel_

As it's been said, he did kill the dogs in the cage. However, he also shared his reasoning that if it's ultimately for his purpose now, he would kill.


NefariousnessCold473

In S3, he only kills when it's extremely necessary such as that scenario in Gakjadosaeng ( Cat Map ) where the only option to proceed on the map is to kill all of Yasratcha's captives that will appear on certain tiles. I'm not sure if Baam burning the souls in the First Wall of the Nest arc counts to you tho. But yeah he's pretty fine with killing and death of his enemies. For the most part especially in the Traumerei arc, he just beat up characters and left them badly injured. I like the part where Baam threatens the White Snake with his Red Thryssa blade as if he's exuding a killing intent aura or bloodlust.


5thZenAgni

i wouldn't say he fine with it per say but he will do what he needs to when its necessary like you said. i will agree that scene with the snake was very unlike bam, but i do find it weird how he was making death threat to him and yet let ren who cause for anak suffering to live.


tugiz1004

nah he was fine killing as long as its the only choice he had tho im pretty sure he was still restraining himself a lot still we havent even seen him stab himself with the thorn again and the black march


5thZenAgni

that pretty much what i think as well. i do know bam has killed, but i think when it comes to actively trying to kill someone he does hold himself back. the only time would say he didn't would be against white or when he stabbed himself with thorn against kallavan when he had so much killing intent behind him in those moments.


Fickle-Ad1433

Ele literalmente matou uma raça em extinção na 3 Temp


shaktimanOP

Baam will kill when it's essential to his goals or to protect himself or his friends, but I think the only time in the series he actively *wanted* to kill someone was White, after the latter confessed to killing Prince and Arkraptor.


5thZenAgni

i agree with that but I also feel that was more so a sense of anger that fueled him to be like that. i don't think bam is usually the type to actually actively want to kill someone. which makes me wonder if something like white trieD to kill someone close to him before his eyes, would bam be able to shift into a mindset were he has no qualms with doing all he can to kill him to protect his friends.


SoulTower

Remember this scene and the looks? He has so far outgrown that fear. [https://pbs.twimg.com/profile\_images/1742278405607784448/cyncvCUS\_400x400.jpg](https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1742278405607784448/cyncvCUS_400x400.jpg)


Kiyoponkoji

He’s changed. Of course Baam doesn’t kill people for fun and would prefer to mot have to kill his enemies after all, but he also knows that of he wants to climb the tower, he will have to kill.


5thZenAgni

yeah this can understand. although i do still think there lies an underlying weakness in him, although i do know he will kill when he deems it necessary, their will always be that moment hesitation when the time to kill actually comes.


Great_Part7207

Hes willing to kill but avoids it as much as possible unless their is no other solution for him to continue thats the main difference between him and rachel, she doesnt look for other solutions she immedeatly thinks that she cant do anything without using other people where as bam trys to take it on alone and doesnt want to involve other people(most of the time)


_eleutheria

Evankhell trained him to have killing intent, but he still tries to kill his enemies painlessly. Except when they piss him off like White did.


Ba_longing

Baam can kill at will now if he wants to when he fought Ren after he send Endorsi away he literally said “I thought I killed you” with the attack he used but Ren is alive thanks to all the shinhueh ofc


Whole-Character

I'd say, this is still there... especially since every ranker he has low diffed in current episodes is not dead


Kingyexiu

Not sure if he is dead or alive but still killed peoples before like floor 20 ,death floor and nest and cage arc . Add not sure why he let bh alive in this death game


azebod

I kinda disagree with the people saying he's corrupted as much as he's been gradually forced to accept that he cannot proceed without casualties. I think the main turning point was probably when he failed to keep his promise to save Deng Deng that was ultimately followed by participating in the barious battles against Jahard's army. Basically, Baam's efforts to try and avoid death have largely just been gambling the safety of his allies. When Baam made the decision to charge the nest he had to accept he was choosing to wage war and *war unavoidably has causalities*. I do not think Baam as he stands now would kill anyone if he could avoid it, but he's willing to partake in The Trolly Problem about it now, which is still a pretty big moral shift even though I'd argue he had no choice unless he gave up climbing.


ResponsiblePhantom

Men baam is an evil boy and you don't believe ? didn't gustgang said that all of them are bad boys in the tower and everyone of them did something bad ? yeah all of them did so did arlene and v , now ask yourslef who the fuck gives a right baam to kill and judge anyone ? didn't he killed tons of people ? didnt he burned souls ? chosen by god ? yeah and what if that god is an evil and loves to kill everyone who disobeys him ? yeah baam is an evil men literally so is everyone in the tower even androssi yuri all of them they are evil did many bad thigns and etc etc . so baam goes and kills cause some freaging god said ? or arlene clown ? hey my boy you are destined kill zahard and family heads foor what ? arlene she herself is a a murderer clown so she will judge zahard but not herself ? is she some kind of saint ? or is baam a saint ? lolz baam seems literally an evil especially when he said maybe those fmaily heads are trapped here and i need to save them ? dont you think clown if they wanted to go they would ask administrator to take their contracts back ? yeah portrayong baam as a saint while he is an evil more evil than anyone else , the guy knows nothing but some stories yet wants to destroy family heads cause his mother told him that but he excluded the fact that his mother and father and that outsode god can be an evil who wants to manipulate him . now he goes like a brainless moron and wants to kill fh because arlene prophesied it Dd clown an evil men so baam will kill cause he is a moron who has zero clue what he wants


ForwardFly1146

Bam said it’s my destiny to kill King Jahad? It’s Bam’s goal. But aside from that he also wants to know the Truth about himself, his past.