Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves follows a party of adventurers on a quest to retrieve a magical talisman capable of bringing a single deceased individual back to life. ( Spoiler alert if you have not watched the movie)
Edgin Darvis (played by Chris Pine) is the driving force of this mission, guided by his heart to bring his wife, Zia, back from the dead after she was killed by raiders. Her death left him broken, and the bonds with his daughter further splintered by his absence.
Given Family
Edgin’s single-minded purpose to reunite his wife and daughter blinded him to the family he has had all along. In the absence of his wife, Edgin’s old friend Holga Kilgore helped nurture and raise his daughter, Kira. While Zia was irreplaceable as Kira’s birth mother, Holga played an important role in Kira’s life; her love and steady presence gently guiding the young girl as she grew up. Only as Holga dies does Edgin realise how much of a mother she was to Kira.
As Holga dies from an errant dagger in battle, Edgin and Kira are faced with a difficult choice: to bring back Zia or Holga, both of whom are loved by them. Edgin sacrifices his wish to see his wife again as he places the decision in the hands of his daughter, allowing her to choose the mother she needs. In choosing to use the talisman on Holga, Edgin knows that his efforts would not have been in vain. In this selfless act, we see Edgin’s deep love for his daughter and his care for her needs.
Chosen Family
Bahiyyiah Maroon, PhD states in Healthline: “Having a chosen family isn’t just about how others take care of you, it’s how you take care of others.” As with maintaining relationships, keeping a chosen family together also takes work. If you wish for members of your chosen family to show up for you in times of need, remember to also show up for them. Sometimes doing so requires some self-sacrifice on our parts, to put aside our wants and prioritising the person in need.”
This movie shows us that family isn’t always simply the one you are born into. Friends, classmates, colleagues and interest groups can become family. Chosen families are those that give us the support and the care we need, that hold us in their hearts and vice versa. They also provide us with safe spaces to be ourselves without judgement. Having the right chosen family can be an important support networks that help us cope with struggles and help us have a better perspective of life.
Find your D&D family
Ever wished you had that kinda ‘chosen family’? If you are a Dungeons and Dragons fan, you may just find one this June. We are running table-top D&D games but with the focus of growing a community and safe space for you to be yourself. Or join us in our D&D role-playing game and just have fun.
Click on image to register you interest in the D&D table top game.
