THE LANDS BEYOND | Baby Steps - Part 9

The player, Markiplier, returns to the game "Baby Steps" after a long break, feeling his muscle memory is not as sharp as it once was. He faces a new challenge, climbing what appear to be "twin peaks," which he suspects is a single, difficult ascent. His initial attempts are clumsy, highlighting his lost proficiency. He encounters Nate, who is cold and looking for Moose. Nate reveals he doesn't have a map, which the player finds surprising, implying Nate skipped points of interest. Nate accuses the player of "eating Jim's worms" by having a pre-charted path, while the player asserts he's seen everything. The player, feeling exhilarated by the idea of no map, suggests a night hike, prompting Nate to produce two lanterns. The player then encounters a giant figure, which he speculates is Nate's mom, given the "baby" theme of the game where he appears in a onesie and walks clumsily. He realizes he needs to regain his walking skills. He spots a "smoking motorbike" and a fruit, deciding to go for the fruit first. The area is icy, making movement slippery and difficult. He learns that fast, smooth, and steady movements are key on ice, especially when descending. He manages to retrieve a "lemon," confirming his theory about quick, smooth movements. He then attempts to interact with a snowman, accidentally kicking it over, much to his amusement. He discovers he can roll the snowman's head, wondering if it will gather snow, but it doesn't. He then finds a crashed train car, which he initially thought was a motorcycle. He tries to skate on the ice near it, finding a rhythm that allows him to slide effectively. Inside a cave, he finds Mike trapped under a rock, screaming for help. Nate appears, but after a brief, somewhat unhelpful conversation, Nate leaves to find Moose, claiming it's a "complicated" situation. The player attempts to free Mike but realizes the rock is too heavy. He considers going back down the mountain to find Jim, who he believes might be able to help. He also speculates that the "moose sounds" heard earlier might actually be Mike groaning in pain. The player attempts to climb a challenging path, discovering a "pineapple" at the top. He experiments with diving to stick to the ground, but it doesn't work as expected. He encounters strange "spying" movements from Nate, where Nate becomes springy and elastic, which the player finds both unusual and frustrating when trying to reach flat surfaces. He also notices a "cut in the geometry," allowing him to "peer into the beyond." He decides to prioritize getting the fruit (which turns out to be a hat) and then figure out how to help Mike. He struggles to grab the hat, which is perched on a branch. After several failed attempts, including trying to step on the branch, he realizes he could have simply grabbed it the entire time. This frustrates him, as he spent a significant amount of time trying to climb the tree. He acknowledges that others might have been "screaming" at him to just grab it, but he believed the tree was climbable. He then focuses on finding Jim to help Mike. He considers going back down the "Manbreaker" path, but opts for a staircase, hoping it will make Jim appear. He sees the staircase as a strategic move to "summon" Jim, believing Jim wouldn't expect him to use stairs. He describes the stairs as "way better" and less repetitive than the Manbreaker. He reaches the top of the stairs, but Jim is not there. He realizes his elaborate plan to summon Jim has failed, feeling he's accomplished "so little" in the episode. He then attempts to navigate a narrow ridge line, finding that quick, confident movements are sometimes safer on slippery surfaces than slow, cautious ones. He reaches a flat area and continues his journey, still unsure of how to help Mike or find Jim. He spots a train car in the distance, believing it might be important. He attempts to navigate a "nearly impassable" path with a snow-covered tree, realizing it might be easier to go higher and come down. After some perilous climbing and sliding, he loses his hat but manages to retrieve it. He continues through a "big and empty" area, eventually finding the train car he saw earlier. He realizes he needs to approach it from a specific angle to land on it. He slides down a steep incline, struggling to control his momentum. He eventually reaches the train car, which is hanging precariously off a cliff. He enters it, finding a ringing phone. He answers it, and it's his dad calling about Thanksgiving. He tells his dad he's "climbing a crash train hanging off a cliff" and won't be able to make it. His dad accepts this calmly. After the call, he realizes with frustration that he was supposed to climb *up* the train, not down, feeling "so stupid" for his mistake. He recounts his journey, highlighting the many missed paths and loops he took, and the significant time he spent on seemingly irrelevant tasks, like trying to right a porta-potty. He observes that his journey has been filled with missed opportunities and inefficient paths. He then reflects on the game's mechanics, expressing surprise at how much he enjoys the "simple act of walking" due to its skill curve. He finds the world bizarre and a "fun sandbox." He wishes he knew more about Nate's story and how to save Mike, realizing he might have missed many crucial elements of the game. He acknowledges the game's intentional frustration, but finds it satisfying to overcome challenges. He then spots another path to the top of the mountain, realizing he might have missed an obvious route again. He attempts a slide, but it doesn't work as intended. He expresses his frustration with the game, but resolves to continue. He concludes the episode, stating he will attempt to reach the top of the mountain in the next video, embracing the precarious and horrible challenge.