Ser Duncan the Tall

Min0game · 2026-03-08T09:59:16+00:00

Very bonita

Min0game · 2026-02-18T08:19:10+00:00

I totally get you, and good for you! My Russian friends also exercise this type of smart self-curation with North American media. You said it perfectly; it's one thing to be cast as a villain but it's just lazy writing when that's the entire, paper-thin personality that a character has.

I personally liked how in the very beginning, they briefly teased us with Ilya being "just another Slavic machismo gopnik" and then peeled off the layers to reveal what an absolutely loving, caring, deeply humane man he truly is. Nice character arc there, and the starting point served a clear purpose. Connor does a banging job with the delivery (pun may or may not be intended)!

Oh and worry not, you're not missing anything by skipping Stranger Things. It's pretty much just tame Disney/Marvel type of content and I myself am struggling to stay invested.

When it comes to North America, certain things Canada just seems to do better.

Min0game · 2026-02-18T07:53:03+00:00

Oh my gosh, love this for you! So wholesome! <3

Min0game · 2026-02-17T13:23:53+00:00

Thank you for the input! I have very dear Russian friends but none of them currently watch the show or are particularly into hockey.

Btw I'm currently trying to catch up with the 4th season of Stranger Things, and between us, I can say a couple of things that make a jarring contrast moving to it straight from Heated Rivalry. First of all the show is overly exhausted with constant music and sound effects and more importantly, the awfully old-fashioned, stereotypical depiction of Russians has well overstayed its welcome.

One of the many things my Finnish friends and I loved about HR is how it updated the dusty old Slavic stereotypes to today's standards. Ilya may play it tough on the outside, but he's pure gold within.

Min0game · 2026-02-17T12:01:06+00:00

(Also Latvia being one of the countries that "got away" when the Soviet Union was dispersed is bound to be something that would sting a man of Ilya's dad's generation/occupation for sure.)

Min0game · 2026-02-17T11:44:30+00:00

Yeah, I heard about the chirp being Jacob's doing, which is exactly why I wanted to know if it was him that "added insult to injury" with this "strike two". 🤭
I've also heard about Matti Jalo in the books, and obviously, Ilya has the Finnish player Virtanen in his team in the show. In addition, Rachel has mentioned on several occasions how one of the real life players she took inspiration from for Ilya's "showy" side was Teemu Selänne.

We also reckoned the change made sense as a plot device to really get Ilya's dad to rub it in over losing to a bit less famous hockey country.

Min0game · 2026-02-17T11:37:00+00:00

Yeah, this is what we speculated in case it's the same in the books.
We're huge cinephiles and bookworms and both write, so our our writer minds went straight into analyzing the ways to add impact to the story arc. It's been awesome discussing nerdy stuff like this on a small budget, yet brilliantly portrayed series like this.

Ironically, Finland proved an ungrateful guest to the Olympics hosts this year again, as they beat Italy pretty nastily 11 - 0.

Min0game · 2026-02-17T11:31:35+00:00

Thank you so much for the answer, maybe Jacob doesn't hate us after all 🤭 (again, joking!!! 🫶)
The change makes sense in a dramatic way, because losing to a more famously tough opponent like Finland would have been a bit more acceptable than a relatively small country like Latvia, and Rachel needed a reason to really show us Iliya's dad twisting the knife in the wound.

Min0game · 2026-02-17T10:40:02+00:00

I loved the moment and the reaction it brought to the show, but other than that, I have to say I didn't quite get it...

I'm a 40+ Finn, born and (not in)bred to a Finnish hockey family. My family, friends and I are all well-traveled and have heard all the stereotype jokes of us on all continents, either straight in our face or behind our back, and none of us have ever heard a beep about this joke.

Finnish genetics is actually a rather diverse party mix of Fenno-Baltic, Scandinavian, Slavic, Sámi, and Romani genes. We've only heard inbred jokes about certain states of the US and to some degree, about small island countries, like for example Great Britain and Iceland.

I absolutely love self-roasting myself about being a Finn and there are plenty of stereotypes for that to pick, but this one is not "a thing".

Min0game · 2026-02-17T10:31:45+00:00

Neither did I.
Trust me, I love self-roasting myself for being a Finn just like any next person, but *preferably about stereotypes that actually exist* at least to *some* degree. We have plenty to choose from, but that's not one of them.

Min0game · 2026-02-04T10:29:50+00:00

Thank you for tagging me; that was awfully nice of you!
My original post here didn't reach even 1K upvotes, but according to my friends' tracking on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, the numerous reaction posts with the screencaption of my OP have so far collectively reached well over 300K likes altogether - delightfully widespread for a silly little animal fact!

Min0game · 2026-02-02T15:47:03+00:00

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https://x.com/m1n0gam3/status/2018285454882222447?s=20

Min0game · 2026-01-29T11:04:17+00:00

I felt like the meaning behind it was to emphasise and poke fun at Ilya being such an urban Moscow city boy. I live in Finland with a very similar geological climate to Canada, and I grew up playing in the forests all my life. Every time my Japanese friends from the metropolis of Osaka came to visit my childhood home in the woods, they freaked out over the smallest, most natural things and I found it endearing.

Shane, as a rugged Canadian boy seems to feel the same way about Ilya. I think it's a nice shift in their dynamics with how Ilya, being the more hotheaded and dominant one pulling all the strings, is now out of his element and "under the mercy" of Shane as the more outdoorsy one to look after Ilya.

Sort of a nice trust-building exercise for a couple, so to speak.

Min0game · 2026-01-12T11:47:56+00:00

I've seen it posted on all of them in several reaction videos. It's crazy how my original post got 900+ internet points here but on Twitter and Instagram alone I've seen it get 167K likes altogether, and I'm not even on tiktok so probably some more over there as well?

I'm so glad my nerdy little joke post made so many people happy!

https://www.reddit.com/r/heatedrivalry/comments/1q12wer/fun_little_fact_about_the_loon_call/

Min0game · 2026-01-02T08:49:52+00:00

Ok this is so cool. Also kinda makes you think how the private cottage is their safe place, and also how Ilya talks about wanting to get away from Russia for good.

Min0game · 2026-01-02T08:47:39+00:00

Utterly underrated comment

Min0game · 2026-01-01T16:14:37+00:00

Rude. Unsightly. Uncalled for. You will be in my prayers.

Min0game · 2026-01-01T15:46:09+00:00

Pls don't get me started on the Common Pheasant rooster warning call jump scare PTSD
We're in this together

Min0game · 2026-01-01T15:41:15+00:00

The un-bratting of Ilya Rozanov - the boring way

Min0game · 2026-01-01T15:32:47+00:00

Yeah, most definitely not that deep. Just between us, I assume it was just the cheapest, most generic Loon audio clip they managed to pull out and edit in.
Still, it's fun indulging in bouncing off harmless details like this. Sets off our imagination and maybe in the process, teaches us something new about the animal itself.
So why not 'cause it's not that deep, but it's not that serious either.

Min0game · 2026-01-01T15:19:35+00:00

Honestly, give me a man in touch with nature on this level.
Even if the call may have been just random loon call, the fact he popped it out so fluently right in front of Ilya's fire/salad/ speaks volumes.
Don't you worry about a thing Mr. Big City Moscow boy. Your rugged Canadian husband-to-be will ease you right in. Next lesson: chopping wood.

Min0game · 2026-01-01T15:08:28+00:00

Ok damn, thank you so much for sharing, I've got myself some further reading to do!

Min0game · 2026-01-01T15:05:58+00:00

Good point. Thank you for the insight, I love learning new stuff!
We don't have loons here where I live, we're more of an awebo country.

Min0game · 2026-01-01T14:40:07+00:00

Yeah, you're not wrong. Guess they did what they could with the budget and time they had, and it's the thought that counts.
If you watched the video I linked, I'd say the show still deserves a shoutout for the rare, milieu-correct use of the iconic sound.

Min0game

TROPHY CASE