If you believe Reddit, Stark is a new fan favorite for the audience, and nobody can blame them; the guy is great!
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (Sōsō no Furīren) has only five episodes aired, but it seems to have captured the attention of many platforms, including reddit. This week, reddit talks about the new character introduced into the anime in its fifth episode. That character is Stark, who was an apprentice of the main character's dwarf friend, Eisen.
Beware the spoilers in this one!
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End has only five episodes right now, and it is a delightful watch, so please give it a try before returning here.
Stark is revered in the village he lives in for saving it from a dragon. According to the popular story, he came out and just stared at the dragon for several moments, and the dragon left. Certain that the dragon was intimidated by Stark, the village celebrates the young man.
However, in private and with a very well-done reveal, Stark admits that he stared at the dragon in fear. He had meant to try and fight, but he got too terrified to move. Why the lizard went away is unclear; what is clear is that Stark is a bit of a fraud.
Of course, that does not stop the viewers from liking him.
For one, it is not really his fault that the events were misinterpreted. Moreover, Stark clearly has a good heart, even if it's a little cowardly. He worries about the village being attacked again because of Frieren and Fern disturbing the monster, for example. He is a good guy.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Stark looks like he is good enough to stop a lizard the size of a tower. That is because we see him training, and it is very clear that he is a force to be reckoned with. He literally slices mountains with his weapon, which speaks of great strength.
Eisen himself says that Stark is a coward. But he then proceeds to reminisce that he saw himself in Stark, probably implying his own fears and doubts. Remember, Eisen traveled with Frieren, fighting like a hero by her side, and he was celebrated along with the rest of the heroes who defeated the Demon King. It is difficult to say just yet, but it does seem that Stark cares for the people around him. And when somebody cares for others, they can go to great lengths to save them, even if they are scared.
After all, bravery does not mean that you are not scared. To be brave means to be ready to overcome fear.