You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reasons:

This IP address has been blocked from editing Wikipedia.
This does not affect your ability to read Wikipedia pages.
Most people who see this message have done nothing wrong. Some kinds of blocks restrict editing from specific service providers or telecom companies in response to recent abuse or vandalism, and can sometimes affect other users who are unrelated to that abuse. Review the information below for assistance if you do not believe that you have done anything wrong.

The IP address or range 44.195.0.0/16 has been blocked (disabled) by ‪Blablubbs‬ for the following reason(s):

The IP address that you are currently using has been blocked because it is believed to be a web host provider or colocation provider. To prevent abuse, web hosts and colocation providers may be blocked from editing Wikipedia.
You will not be able to edit Wikipedia using a web host or colocation provider because it hides your IP address, much like a proxy or VPN.
We recommend that you attempt to use another connection to edit. For example, if you use a proxy or VPN to connect to the internet, turn it off when editing Wikipedia. If you edit using a mobile connection, try using a Wi-Fi connection, and vice versa. If you are using a corporate internet connection, switch to a different Wi-Fi network. If you have a Wikipedia account, please log in.
If you do not have any other way to edit Wikipedia, you will need to request an IP block exemption.

How to appeal if you are confident that your connection does not use a colocation provider's IP address:
If you are confident that you are not using a web host, you may appeal this block by adding the following text on your talk page: ((unblock|reason=Caught by a colocation web host block but this host or IP is not a web host. My IP address is _______. Place any further information here. ~~~~)). You must fill in the blank with your IP address for this block to be investigated. Your IP address can be determined here. Alternatively, if you wish to keep your IP address private you can use the unblock ticket request system. There are several reasons you might be editing using the IP address of a web host or colocation provider (such as if you are using VPN software or a business network); please use this method of appeal only if you think your IP address is in fact not a web host or colocation provider.

Administrators: The IP block exemption user right should only be applied to allow users to edit using web host in exceptional circumstances, and requests should usually be directed to the functionaries team via email. If you intend to give the IPBE user right, a CheckUser needs to take a look at the account. This can be requested most easily at SPI Quick Checkuser Requests. Unblocking an IP or IP range with this template is highly discouraged without at least contacting the blocking administrator.

This block will expire on 09:46, 11 January 2025.

Even when blocked, you will usually still be able to edit your user talk page, as well as email administrators and other editors.

For information on how to proceed, please read the FAQ for blocked users and the guideline on block appeals. The guide to appealing blocks may also be helpful.

Other useful links: Blocking policy · Help:I have been blocked
Your IP address is in a range that has been blocked on all Wikimedia Foundation wikis. The block was made by ‪AntiCompositeNumber‬. The reason given is Open proxy/Webhost: Visit the FAQ if you are affected .
- Start of block: 13:55, 18 August 2022
- Expiry of block: 13:55, 18 January 2025
Your current IP address is 44.195.68.6. The blocked range is 44.195.0.0/16. Please include all above details in any queries you make. If you believe you were blocked by mistake, you can find additional information and instructions in the No open proxies global policy. Otherwise, to discuss the block please post a request for review on Meta-Wiki. You could also send an email to the stewards VRT queue at stewards@wikimedia.org including all above details.

You can view and copy the source of this page:

((short description|Video game antagonist))
((Infobox character
| name = Joseph Seed
| image = JosephSeed.png
| caption = Joseph Seed from ''[[Far Cry 5]]''
| series = [[Far Cry]]
| first = ''Far Cry Absolution'' (2018)
| firstgame = ''[[Far Cry 5]]'' (2018)
| creator = [[Ubisoft]]
| portrayer = [[Greg Bryk]]
| origin = [[Rome, Georgia]], [[United States]]
| nationality = American
))

'''Joseph Seed''' is a fictional character from [[Ubisoft]]'s ''[[Far Cry]]'' video game franchise. He appears as the primary antagonist of the 2018 title, ''[[Far Cry 5]]'', and was extensively featured in promotional material for the game. In ''Far Cry 5'', Joseph is a charismatic but demented preacher who leads the Project at Eden's Gate, a well-armed [[doomsday cult]] and paramilitary group that occupies the fictional Hope County in [[Montana]], [[United States]]. He comes into conflict with a group of law enforcement officers who attempt to liberate the county and its residents from the cult's control.

Subsequently, the character appears in the 2019 spin-off ''[[Far Cry New Dawn]]'', set 17 years after a possible ending of ''Far Cry 5'', where Hope County is ravaged in the aftermath of a [[nuclear apocalypse]]. Joseph serves as the [[figurehead]] of New Eden, a successor faction to the original Project at Eden's Gate, and as an ally to the [[player character]]. Joseph is also the protagonist of ''Joseph: Collapse'', a post-launch [[downloadable content]] pack released for the 2021 title, ''[[Far Cry 6]]''. His other appearances include the novel ''Far Cry Absolution'' and the live-action short film ''Far Cry 5: Inside Eden's Gate'', both prequels to ''Far Cry 5''; and the third issue of ''Far Cry: Rite of Passage'', a comic book tie-in to ''Far Cry 6'' which further explores the character's backstory.

For the central villain of ''Far Cry 5'', the development team decided to depict a more subtle and insidious form of villainy, which represented a departure from the wild and violent antagonists featured in prior titles. They conducted extensive research into real world cults and their leaders to capture the context of how they would conduct themselves. The team's desire to create a more emotionally-driven villain altered the power structure of ''Far Cry 5''(('s)) antagonistic faction and informed the performance of Canadian actor [[Greg Bryk]], who drew from his personal experiences to empathize with Joseph's inner motivation and emotions.

Joseph Seed has received an overall mixed reception; his in-universe role as a cult leader became a point of contention with regards to the [[Far Cry 5#Controversy|controversy]] surrounding ''Far Cry 5''(('s)) themes of [[religious fanaticism]], as the game's launch coincided with the emergence and rise of [[Far-right politics|far-right political movements]] in the United States in the 2010s. ((citation needed|date=October 2023))
==Concept and design==
Joseph Seed was developed as a different take from other notable villains in the ''[[Far Cry]]'' series. In a 2021 interview with IGN, Lead Writer of ''Far Cry 5'' Drew Holmes said he wanted to present the central antagonist of ''Far Cry 5''  as a frightening figure without constantly making death threats or pointing a gun at the direction of the player. Holmes emphasized that in order for the character to be believable as a charismatic yet nefarious cult leader, he needs to be "spooky" in temperament as opposed to being outwardly insane or violent like [[Vaas Montenegro]], a popular antagonist from ''[[Far Cry 3]]''. The character's distinguishing physical features include a [[Bun (hairstyle)#Man bun|man bun]], beard and [[Aviator shades]].<ref name="Tom">((cite web|url=https://www.tomsguide.com/us/far-cry-5,review-5284.html|author=Sherri L. Smith|title=Far Cry 5 Review: A Gorgeous (But Hollow) Shooter Romp|publisher=Tom's Guide|date=March 29, 2018|access-date=February 8, 2022|archive-date=February 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209041306/https://www.tomsguide.com/us/far-cry-5,review-5284.html|url-status=live))</ref>

[[File:Far Cry 5 flag (without stripes).svg|thumb|upright|A recreation of the cross-like symbol used by Joseph Seed and his followers]]
An archetypal cult leader who is worshipped by his devout religious subjects as a higher power, Joseph Seed's role as the "Father" of the Project at Eden's Gate movement was inspired by historical [[Cult#Destructive cults|destructive cults]] like the [[Peoples Temple]], the [[Manson Family]], and the [[Branch Davidians]]. As the leader of a religious cult, Joseph Seed surrounds himself with devoted followers, which is meant to be interpreted as overcompensation for his troubled upbringing.<ref name=IGN/> To develop his characterization, the team did extensive research and reading for context to develop the way that he holds his gaze, or the way that he writes, or the way that he speaks; according to Far Cry 5 creative director Dan Hay, the final version of Joseph Seed is a composite of numerous historical precedents and personalities. To develop the organization he leads as a believable cult in their role as the antagonistic faction for the story of ''Far Cry 5'', Ubisoft recruited cult specialist [[Rick Alan Ross]] as a consultant for the project.

In Ross' view, the essential quality a successful cult leader should have is a charismatic personality or "magnetic pull" that attracts people to their cause.<ref name=Money>((Cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2018/03/02/far-cry-5-cult-adviser-reveals-how-these-fanatics-thrive-follow-the-money/|title=Far Cry 5 cult adviser reveals how these fanatics thrive: Follow the money (updated)|date=March 2, 2018|access-date=February 9, 2022|archive-date=March 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180302232543/https://venturebeat.com/2018/03/02/far-cry-5-cult-adviser-reveals-how-these-fanatics-thrive-follow-the-money/|url-status=live))</ref> He described Joseph's personality as "nuanced" and "vividly real" like cult leaders that he has met, in that he could come across as someone who has a loving personality and is deeply interested in the individuals he interacts with. As explained by Ross, it is necessary for such leaders to project a non-threatening image for prospective members, but who would then leverage their influence once established to manipulate or undermine the authorities.<ref name=Money/>
===Portrayal===
Hay noted that finding the right actor to portray Joseph Seed was essential for the project. He described the casting process as "tricky", and that they "cast the net really wide" to find the right person. The team eventually contacted an agent for Canadian actor Greg Bryk and offered him the opportunity to audition for the role. Bryk initially turned down the offer without a second thought because he did not have any positive expectations for the storytelling potential of the video game medium, as he had not played a video game since childhood. Bryk was eventually convinced to read some prose which was written by Holmes, and changed his mind after having read the character's lines of dialogue from a cutscene. Bryk said Joseph Seed's monologue about his insecurities about being a young father who lacked access to resources or a support system resonated with him, and that it was "so dark and beautiful" in the way it unfolded that he became interested in being involved with the project, and forwarded an audition tape to the developers. Both Hay and Holmes formed a good impression of Bryk's audition tape: Hay found his reading of Joseph Seed's monologue to be "riveting",<ref name=Money/> while Holmes found his performance "chilling".<ref name=IGN/>

Bryk felt that what made the character terrifying is that he could reveal a lot of himself and his own truth in the character. In an interview with IGN, he explained that in his view, "the best villains are the most relatable villains, because we all have that darkness in us". For Bryk, the main challenge with approaching the character was to "ground" himself in Joseph Seed as a human being first and then, "let the villainy take care of itself", as in his view each person has "a danger that can come out in the right circumstances". He admitted that he felt highly connected to the material and believed almost every word he uttered in the game, as if he was legitimately preaching the character's sermons, as they were issues that he had thought about in his own private life and that they felt "real and timely and important".<ref name=Money/> Bryk said that there are certain moments in the game's cutscenes where the character appears to address the player directly in his questioning of a "modern world that has gone mad", and noted that the empathetic and reasonable manner which he delivered the lines is intended to unsettle players.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwKMRXU70zw|title=Far Cry 5: Meet Greg Bryk &#124; Joseph Seed Actor &#124; Ubisoft [NA]|via=www.youtube.com|access-date=2022-02-09|archive-date=2022-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209015107/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwKMRXU70zw&ab_channel=UbisoftNorthAmerica|url-status=live))</ref> Holmes recalled that Bryk fully understood the character of Joseph Seed and that he displayed a lot of empathy for him in spite of his questionable mental state, and believed that their character work would not have been as effective without the qualities Bryk brought to the role.<ref name=Money/>

An important cutscene late in the game's story which took place prior to the final confrontation between Joseph Seed and the player character's allies involve an emotional outburst directed towards the player by the former.<ref name=IGN/> The scene was recorded in a studio in Toronto, which is adjacent to a subway that negatively impacts a recording whenever a loud train passes and forces the team to re-record any impacted scenes. Holmes recalled that during the recording of the cutscene, they were aware that a train was about to depart while Bryk is in the middle of performing the monologuing scene, and admitted that they applied pressure on the actor and pushed him to deliver on his performance.<ref name=IGN/> Bryk noted that during the cutscene, Joseph displayed the emotional vulnerability of a six year old child who is reliving his trauma of being abandoned, beaten, and abused, and that he is venting at the player character for ending the lives of his loved ones.<ref name=IGN/> During the IGN interview, Bryk explained that while he was able to deliver a competent initial reading, with a "vulnerability and emotion to it that was right", he felt that it was missing an element that could made it special and take it to the next level emotionally. Soon after Bryk took a break from recording and walked away from his chair, he recollected a negative memory from his past, an experience he described as a "very dark black rose" which "bloomed" in him.<ref name=IGN/> As the team resumed recording, he launched into the monologue in the form of a tirade, with tears and snot flowing from his face. He recounted that the studio fell silent as the recording ended, which was when the train went past.<ref name=IGN/> Holmes and Hay were both impressed by Bryk's intensity in that take, with the latter instructing the renderers who were present that the entirety of Bryk's performance should be captured in minute detail and not be "sanitized" in any way.<ref name=Money/><ref name=IGN/>

==Appearances==
((summarize-section))
===''Far Cry 5''===
In ''Far Cry 5'', Joseph Seed is introduced as the founder and leader of the Project at Eden's Gate, a paramilitary doomsday cult based in Hope County, a fictional rural county in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Montana]]. Joseph's biological brothers John and Jacob, as well as an adoptive sister he renamed as Faith Seed, act as his lieutenants. Over the course of the story, the player character, a junior sheriff deputy of Hope County Sheriff's Department who was initially sent to arrest Joseph, must pursue and kill each of these family members in order to weaken the cult's hold over Hope County. Once this is accomplished, the deputy confronts Joseph, now emotionally devastated by the loss of his family members, at his compound and may attempt to complete their goal of arresting him.

The branching narrative of ''Far Cry 5'' includes multiple endings as a result of how the player decides to deal with Joseph Seed.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/4/2/17188486/lets-talk-about-the-ending-of-far-cry-5|title=Let's talk about the ending of Far Cry 5|first=Russ|last=Frushtick|date=April 2, 2018|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|access-date=February 9, 2022|archive-date=June 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613111711/https://www.polygon.com/2018/4/2/17188486/lets-talk-about-the-ending-of-far-cry-5|url-status=live))</ref> The player has the option to make a game-altering decision early in the narrative by disobeying U.S. Marshal Cameron Burke's order to arrest Joseph, and depart from Hope County along with their colleagues. The player may also decide not to escalate their character's conflict with the cult during the final confrontation at Joseph's compound and leave Hope County to its fate, though it is implied that the deputy's prior brainwashing engineered by Jacob Seed is still intact. Finally, the third ending of the game sees Hope County being devastated by a nuclear warhead shortly after Joseph is defeated in battle, the "Collapse" he had foreseen and tried to prevent. Both Joseph and the deputy survive the nuclear devastation, and hide together within a fallout shelter for an indeterminate number of years. Joseph tells the deputy that they are the only family he has left and "adopts" them as a surrogate child.

===''Far Cry New Dawn''===
''Far Cry New Dawn'' takes place seventeen years after the nuclear conflict ending of ''Far Cry 5'', which is implied to have devastated not only Hope County, but the rest of the world as well.  Alongside the junior deputy, now his personal "Judge", Joseph Seed has gathered a new group of devout followers who reside in New Eden, a settlement based in the north of post-apocalyptic Hope County.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/far-cry-new-dawn-joseph-seed/|title=Here's how to find Joseph Seed in Far Cry New Dawn|author1=Zoe Delahunty-Light|date=February 15, 2019|website=gamesradar|access-date=February 9, 2022|archive-date=February 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206111624/https://www.gamesradar.com/far-cry-new-dawn-joseph-seed/|url-status=live))</ref> Unlike their predecessor, the New Eden cult eschew all trappings of modernity and maintains an isolationist outlook as opposed to aggressive [[expansionism]], and Joseph himself is a seemingly changed man. By the events of ''New Dawn'', Joseph has vanished, leaving his biological son Ethan Seed to take over as the leader of New Eden while he has secretly retreated to a secluded sanctuary to the north of Hope County.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/guides/494797-far-cry-new-dawn-joseph-seed|title=Far Cry New Dawn Joseph Seed &#124; Is Joseph Seed in New Dawn?|date=February 15, 2019|website=GameRevolution|access-date=February 9, 2022|archive-date=February 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209020428/https://www.gamerevolution.com/guides/494797-far-cry-new-dawn-joseph-seed|url-status=live))</ref>

===''Far Cry 6''===
Joseph makes his first appearance as a playable character in a post-launch [[downloadable content]] [[Expansion pack|expansion]] for ''[[Far Cry 6]]'' titled ''Joseph: Collapse'', released on February 8, 2022.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/far-cry-6-dlc-turns-you-into-the-biggest-villains-from-the-series/|title=Far Cry 6 DLC puts you into the shoes of the biggest villains from the series|author1=Tyler Wilde|website=PC Gamer|date=June 12, 2021|via=www.pcgamer.com|access-date=February 9, 2022|archive-date=February 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206110731/https://www.pcgamer.com/far-cry-6-dlc-turns-you-into-the-biggest-villains-from-the-series/|url-status=live))</ref> ''Collapse'' takes place in a dream sequence, where Joseph is tormented by a mysterious Voice, as well as those of his family, for leaving them behind while he hid from "the Collapse". Journeying through a destroyed Hope County, Joseph frees the "souls" of his family: John, Jacob, and Faith, while recovering pieces of his cross. Afterwards, Joseph attempts to cross Eden's Gate, but the Voice prevents him, challenging him to fight endless waves of enemies to prove that he's a changed man. Joseph succeeds in surviving the onslaught, and the Voice forgives his past sins. A phone message plays afterwards, in which Joseph tries to call his wife, the first Faith, who is revealed to be pregnant with their child.

===Other appearances===
A novel titled ''Far Cry Absolution'', written by Urban Waite and released on February 27, 2018, marks the character's first appearance in ''Far Cry'' franchise media. The novel details events which occur prior to ''Far Cry 5'', and explores the backstory of his involvement with the circumstances surrounding the death of Fall's End resident Mary May Fairgrave's father, as well as her brother's defection to the Project at Eden's Gate.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.gamereactor.eu/far-cry-novel-unearths-backstory-behind-upcoming-sequel/|title=Far Cry novel unearths backstory behind upcoming sequel|first=Islem|last=Sharouda|website=Gamereactor UK|access-date=2022-02-09|archive-date=2022-02-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208180304/https://www.gamereactor.eu/far-cry-novel-unearths-backstory-behind-upcoming-sequel/|url-status=live))</ref>

A live-action short film titled ''Far Cry 5: Inside Eden's Gate'', which stars Greg Bryk as Joseph Seed, serves as another tie-in prequel to ''Far Cry 5''.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/far-cry-5/far-cry-5-live-action-trailer-the-baptism|title=Far Cry 3 Machinima series stars Christopher Mintz-Plasse. It's actually funny, too|first=Julian|last=Benson|work=[[PCGamesN]]|date=November 26, 2012|access-date=July 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705130819/https://www.pcgamesn.com/farcry/far-cry-3-machinima-series-stars-christopher-mintz-plasse-its-actually-funny-too|archive-date=July 5, 2019|url-status=live))</ref> Released on March 5, 2018, the film follows a group of vloggers set on researching the Project at Eden's Gate. In one scene, Joseph Seed and his followers invades the congregation of Pastor Jerome Jeffries, brings his congregation out and into Eden’s Gate, and, eventually, killed a young woman in a baptism. The film shows that Pastor Jerome's congregation have watched on and followed the cult after Joseph Seed killed her.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/far-cry-5/far-cry-5-short-film-trailer|title=Live-action Far Cry 5 prequel is now free on YouTube|website=PCGamesN|access-date=2022-02-09|archive-date=2022-02-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206110733/https://www.pcgamesn.com/far-cry-5/far-cry-5-short-film-trailer|url-status=live))</ref>

Joseph appears in the [[tie-in]] comic series ''Far Cry: Rite of Passage'' published by [[Dark Horse Comics]], which sees ''Far Cry 6'' villain [[Antón Castillo]] recounting cautionary tales to his son Diego. One of the stories is a recount of Joseph's backstory, from his childhood years to the events that led to his founding of the Project at Eden's Gate.<ref name="Comic">((cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/far-cry-comes-to-comic-books-in-new-dark-horse-series/|title=Far Cry comes to comic books in new Dark Horse series|date=February 20, 2021|author=Newsarama staff|website=GamesRadar|access-date=February 8, 2022|archive-date=April 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404054525/https://www.gamesradar.com/far-cry-comes-to-comic-books-in-new-dark-horse-series/|url-status=live))</ref>

==Promotion and reception==
Ubisoft released a number promotional trailers which featured Joseph Seed to promote ''Far Cry 5''.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.videogamer.com/news/far-cry-5-live-action-trailer-explores-joseph-seeds-rise-to-power/|title=Far Cry 5 live-action trailer explores Joseph Seed's rise to power|date=March 1, 2018|website=VideoGamer.com|access-date=February 9, 2022|archive-date=February 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206194616/https://www.videogamer.com/news/far-cry-5-live-action-trailer-explores-joseph-seeds-rise-to-power/|url-status=live))</ref> Joseph Seed's likeness had been used for a number of merchandise. The limited ''Far Cry 5: Father Edition'' includes a figurine of the character preaching before a mural.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo34vguw7Og|title=Far Cry 5: Father Edition Unboxing with Greg Bryk (The Father) &#124; Ubisoft [NA]|via=www.youtube.com|access-date=2022-02-09|archive-date=2022-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209020430/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo34vguw7Og|url-status=live))</ref> A 32&nbsp;cm figurine of the character titled " The Father's Calling", which depicts him shirtless and raising a gun with his arm, was launched as a standalone purchase in March 2018.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOml0rR-G5A|title=Far Cry 5 – The Father's Calling figurine – Launch Trailer|via=www.youtube.com|access-date=2022-02-09|archive-date=2022-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209020428/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOml0rR-G5A|url-status=live))</ref>

Joseph Seed's appearance in ''Far Cry 5'' drew a positive reaction from critics. IGN staff gave a positive assessment of the character, as he is presented by Ubisoft as a realistically disturbing villain who exudes an "absorbing and chilling presence" instead of the "edge-of-your-seat theatrics" that characterized prior series antagonists, and that he has also earned his place in the "bad guy hall of fame".<ref name=IGN>((Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/how-far-cry-villains-were-created|title=How Far Cry's Iconic Villains Were Created|first1=Dale|last1=Driver|first2=Matt|last2=Purslow|date=October 3, 2021|website=IGN|access-date=February 9, 2022|archive-date=October 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007160625/https://www.ign.com/articles/how-far-cry-villains-were-created|url-status=live))</ref> Dais Johnston from ''Inverse'' found ''Far Cry 5'' to be a "chillingly accurate mind control story", and that players could sympathize enough with Joseph to be engaged, but not so much that they would side with the cult.<ref name=Inverse/> For his performance as Joseph Seed in ''Far Cry 5'', Greg Bryk received a nomination for Fan Favorite Male Voice Actor at the [[Gamers' Choice Awards]] in 2018.<ref>((cite web|url=http://file770.com/2018-gamers-choice-awards-nominees/|title=2018 Gamers' Choice Awards Nominees|last=Glyer|first=Mike|date=November 19, 2018|website=File 770|access-date=January 4, 2019|archive-date=December 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216000529/http://file770.com/2018-gamers-choice-awards-nominees/|url-status=live))</ref> On the other hand, ''Game Informer'' staff found Joseph Seed and his family to be forgettable antagonists when compared to Vaas or ''[[Far Cry 4]]''(('s)) [[Pagan Min (Far Cry)|Pagan Min]].<ref>((cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/10/06/ranking-every-far-cry-game|title=Ranking Every Far Cry Game|magazine=[[Game Informer]] staff|date=October 6, 2021|access-date=February 8, 2022|archive-date=October 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006192953/https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/10/06/ranking-every-far-cry-game|url-status=live))</ref> Javy Gwaltney in particular was disappointed that ''Far Cry 5'' does not fully explore the "terror and paranoia it supposedly seeks to inspire" with its controversial premise, and claimed that the game offered no evidence which demonstrates that the character of Joseph Seed is genuinely charismatic and terrifying beyond a slogan often repeated by other non-player characters.<ref>((cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2018/03/28/the-virtual-life-far-cry-5-pulls-all-its-punches.aspx|title=The Virtual Life – Far Cry 5 Pulls All Its Punches|first=Javy|last=Gwaltney|magazine=[[Game Informer]]|date=March 28, 2018|access-date=February 8, 2022|archive-date=February 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209064645/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2018/03/28/the-virtual-life-far-cry-5-pulls-all-its-punches.aspx|url-status=live))</ref>

Some critics have discussed the character within the context of historical [[cult]] movements and [[far-right politics]] in the United States. Kai Bailey from ''US Gamer'' remarked that while Seed and his cult obliquely referenced American politics during the [[Presidency of Donald Trump]], their [[demagoguery]] stayed seemingly apolitical throughout the story of ''Far Cry 5''.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/far-cry-new-dawn-joseph-seed-preview|title=Far Cry New Dawn Devs Reveal What Happened to Joseph Seed After the Apocalypse|first=Kat|last=Bailey|date=January 23, 2019|access-date=February 9, 2022|archive-date=February 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209153631/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/far-cry-new-dawn-joseph-seed-preview|url-status=live))</ref> Colin Campbell from ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'' opined that Joseph Seed is a recognizable albeit exaggerated part of American political culture, a "guns-and-[[Bible]] demagogue who cites scripture often, and speaks in apocalyptic terms", with the iconography employed by his cult co-opted from real-life [[white supremacy]] movements. Joseph's fanaticism reminded Campbell of [[Roy Moore]]'s unsuccessful attempts to run for the U.S. Senate, and his appeals to voters who subscribe to far-right politics and religious conservatism for their support.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2017/12/15/16778928/far-cry-5-politics-religion|title=Far Cry 5's story looks like a morally dubious mess|first=Colin|last=Campbell|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|date=December 15, 2017|access-date=February 9, 2022|archive-date=February 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206110727/https://www.polygon.com/2017/12/15/16778928/far-cry-5-politics-religion|url-status=live))</ref> Johnston observed that Joseph's penchant of quoting from the biblical [[Book of Revelation]] and use of the military opposition to bolster belief in his prophecies echoed [[David Koresh]]'s ''[[modus operandi]]'', while his "piercing gaze and charismatic ways" as he recounted the disturbing manner in which he killed his own newborn daughter reminded him of [[Jim Jones]] and the [[Jonestown]] incident.<ref name=Inverse>((Cite web|url=https://www.inverse.com/gaming/far-cry-5-cults-underrated-joseph-seed|title='Far Cry 5': One terrifying thing the divisive game gets right|first=Dais|last=Johnston|website=Inverse|access-date=2022-02-09|archive-date=2022-02-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206195200/https://www.inverse.com/gaming/far-cry-5-cults-underrated-joseph-seed|url-status=live))</ref> Writing for ''Fanbyte'', John Warren was particularly impressed by how the developers captured the facial stillness of Koresh, who also had distinctive eyewear, in Joseph Seed.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.fanbyte.com/features/the-inspirations-behind-far-cry-5s-edens-gate-parallels-ep-3/|title=The Inspirations Behind Far Cry 5's Eden's Gate: Parallels Ep 3|date=January 2, 2019|access-date=February 9, 2022|archive-date=February 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206111636/https://www.fanbyte.com/features/the-inspirations-behind-far-cry-5s-edens-gate-parallels-ep-3/|url-status=live))</ref>

In a preview article for  ''Far Cry New Dawn'', Zoe Delahunty-Light from ''GamesRadar'' said she was intrigued by Joseph's depiction as an ally to the player's faction in spite of his past.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/far-cry-new-dawn-has-done-the-unexpected-its-turned-that-cult-into-your-allies/|title=Far Cry New Dawn has done the unexpected: it's turned *that* cult into your allies|author1=Zoe Delahunty-Light|date=January 23, 2019|website=gamesradar|access-date=February 9, 2022|archive-date=February 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206195159/https://www.gamesradar.com/far-cry-new-dawn-has-done-the-unexpected-its-turned-that-cult-into-your-allies/|url-status=live))</ref> Nevertheless, she personally loathed the character and said she looked forwarded to the opportunity to kill the character because of his heinous actions in ''Far Cry 5''. Campbell criticized the fatherhood-themed story of ''New Dawn'' and focused his criticism on Joseph in particular, an "unhinged, authoritarian father who emotionally poisons his child", and "who somehow acts as a conduit for the game’s musings on parenthood". He described the character's arc as a "collection of tired tropes and clichés" and a "dog’s dinner of daddy-stories" which have nothing of substance to say.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2019/2/22/18236458/far-cry-new-dawn-story-campaign-review-playstation-4-xbox-one-windows-pc|title=Far Cry New Dawn's fatherhood-themed story is terrible|first=Colin|last=Campbell|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|date=February 22, 2019|access-date=February 9, 2022|archive-date=February 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206110734/https://www.polygon.com/2019/2/22/18236458/far-cry-new-dawn-story-campaign-review-playstation-4-xbox-one-windows-pc|url-status=live))</ref>

Chris Shive from ''Hardcore Gamer'' gave a positive review of ''Far Cry 6: Joseph: Collapse''. He praised the character as a memorable villain and learning more about his backstory is a worthwhile experience provided by the DLC.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://hardcoregamer.com/reviews/review-far-cry-6-joseph-collapse/418330/|title=Review: Far Cry 6 Joseph: Collapse|date=February 7, 2022|website=hardcoregamer.com|access-date=February 9, 2022|archive-date=February 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209020430/https://hardcoregamer.com/reviews/review-far-cry-6-joseph-collapse/418330/|url-status=live))</ref> Conversely, Travis Northup from IGN called Joseph one of "the weaker villains from the series’ otherwise iconic lineup" and questioned the creative decision to present Joseph as a  repentant person in the storyline of ''Collapse''.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/far-cry-6-joseph-collapse-dlc-review|title=Far Cry 6 Joseph: Collapse DLC Review|first1=Travis|last1=Northup|date=February 9, 2022|website=IGN|access-date=February 9, 2022|archive-date=February 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209152640/https://www.ign.com/articles/far-cry-6-joseph-collapse-dlc-review|url-status=live))</ref>

==See also==
* [[New religious movements and cults in popular culture]]

== References ==
((Reflist))
((notelist))

==Further reading==
* [https://kar.kent.ac.uk/80170/1/far-cry-5-cults-radicalism-and-why-this-video-game-speaks-to-todays-divided-america-95000 Far Cry 5: cults, radicalism and why this video game speaks to today’s divided America]
* ((cite journal |title= Reading The Book of Joseph |date=2021 |author1=Frank G. Bosman|author2=Archibald L. H. M. van Wieringen|journal= Journal for Religion, Film and Media (JRFM) |volume=7))

== External links ==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL4hY12SGF8&ab_channel=UbisoftNorthAmerica Far Cry 5: Inside Eden’s Gate – Full Live Action Short Film] on the official Ubisoft North America [[YouTube]] Channel

((Far Cry series))

((DEFAULTSORT:Seed, Joseph))
[[Category:Far Cry characters]]
[[Category:Fictional American people in video games]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from Montana]]
[[Category:Fictional criminals in video games]]
[[Category:Fictional cult leaders]]
[[Category:Fictional murderers]]
[[Category:Fictional preachers]]
[[Category:Fictional prophets]]
[[Category:Fictional warlords in video games]]
[[Category:Ubisoft antagonists]]
[[Category:Male characters in video games]]
[[Category:Religious worker characters in video games]]
[[Category:Video game bosses]]
[[Category:Video game characters introduced in 2018]]

Pages transcluded onto the current version of this page (help):

Joseph Seed (edit)
Template:'s (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Ambox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Category handler (view source) (protected)
Template:Citation needed (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite journal (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite magazine (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite web (view source) (protected)
Template:Delink (view source) (protected)
Template:Far Cry (edit)
Template:Far Cry series (edit)
Template:Fix (view source) (protected)
Template:Fix/category (view source) (protected)
Template:Hlist/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Template:Icon (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:If empty (view source) (protected)
Template:Infobox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Infobox character (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Main other (view source) (protected)
Template:Navbox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Notelist (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Pagetype (view source) (protected)
Template:Reflist (view source) (protected)
Template:Reflist/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Template:SDcat (view source) (protected)
Template:Short description (view source) (protected)
Template:Short description/lowercasecheck (view source) (protected)
Template:Summarize-section (edit)
Template:Summarize section (edit)
Template:Template other (view source) (protected)
Module:Arguments (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/blacklist (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/data (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/shared (view source) (protected)
Module:Check for unknown parameters (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1 (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/COinS (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Date validation (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Whitelist (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Delink (view source) (protected)
Module:Disambiguation/templates (view source) (protected)
Module:Formatted appearance (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Icon (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Icon/data (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:If empty (view source) (protected)
Module:Infobox (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Infobox/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:InfoboxImage (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:List (view source) (protected)
Module:Message box (view source) (protected)
Module:Message box/ambox.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Message box/configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Namespace detect/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Namespace detect/data (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar/configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbox (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Navbox/configuration (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Navbox/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Pagetype (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/disambiguation (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/setindex (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/softredirect (view source) (protected)
Module:SDcat (view source) (protected)
Module:String (view source) (protected)
Module:TableTools (view source) (protected)
Module:Unsubst (view source) (protected)
Module:Wikitext Parsing (view source) (protected)
Module:Yesno (view source) (protected)

Return to Joseph Seed.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Seed"