D&D: Honor Among Thieves - Regé-Jean Page's First Scene Is Nod To A Classic Trope
"Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" breathes life into some of the most iconic classes from the beloved tabletop RPG, much to the delight of D&D players worldwide. This includes the bard Edgin Davis (Chris Pine), the sorcerer Simon Aumar (Justice Smith), the rogue Forge Fitzwilliam (Hugh Grant), the druid Doric (Sophia Lillis) and the barbarian Holga Kilgore (Michelle Rodriguez). At one point, this party of outcasts is joined by a legendary adventurer named Xenk Yendar (Regé-Jean Page). Xenk fills the role of the "paladin" within the team.
With paladin being one of the most popular and powerful classes in all of D&D, it should come as no surprise that Xenk is portrayed as a fantasy action hero, dispatching dozens of foes with ease and leading the team on a dangerous mission into the Underdark. Page says that the character's introduction leans into this heroic image by playing off the iconic "Save the Cat" trope. "I am so much the shiny, chivalrous hero," Page said during an interview with Collider. "The first thing I do in the movie is save a cat. I think that they know full well that they're winking towards what kind of hero this is, and then immediately subverting that, and playing around with that trope."
As Page says, our first introduction to Xenk sees him pulling a baby Tabaxi (a race of catlike humanoids) from the jaws of a large fish — immediately cementing him as a sort of medieval superhero through this well-known trope.
Xenk's absurd heroism is important to the story
Although Xenk Yendar saves this kitten from the maw of a disgusting monster rather than, say, from a tree, the scene still sends an immediate message to the audience that tells them, "This guy is a hero straight out of the legends." The juxtaposition of this heroic legend entering a ragtag party that includes an emotionally unstable barbarian, a criminal bard, and a sorcerer with low self-esteem is nothing short of hilarious — and as the story goes on, Xenk more than lives up to the expectations laid out in his introduction.
During the aforementioned interview with Collider, Regé-Jean Page explained that the contrast between Xenk and the rest of the party is an important part of the film itself, as he opens the door for Edgin Davis to become a true hero. "Getting to play around and interrogate what heroes actually are is, I think, what the heart of the movie really is," Page said. "That's why I kind of let Edgin go and fly on his own two feet because if I did all the hero-ing for him, there'd be no hero's journey for Edgin. There'd be no development."
Indeed, during the journey Xenk is constantly pushing Edgin and encouraging him to become the hero he was meant to be –- which comes in handy later when Edgin's ingenuity helps them escape an overweight dragon. While Xenk certainly might seem a bit too flashy (especially when he's shown saving kittens), it's clear that his absurd heroism is an important and hilarious part of the story in "Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves."