Overlord is a dark fantasy and isekai anime about Ainz Ooal Gown's quest to conquer the New World. Part of his strategy to accomplish this is to look for useful territories to take under his wing. While Ainz is preoccupied with the Dwarf Kingdom and Frost Dragons, Albedo and Demiurge continue with their Carrot and Stick Plan in Overlord 4.
With the upcoming release of Overlord: The Holy Kingdom Arc Movie, Ainz and Demiurge square off as part of their power grab.
The Sorcerer Kingdom, as Prince Zanac mentioned, had aided the Sacred Kingdom in its fight against the forces of the untouchable demon, Jaldabaoth.
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What is the Carrot and Stick Plan?
The English philosopher Jeremy Bentham, also known as the Father of Utilitarianism, devised the Carrot and Stick Plan.
Bentham developed the Carrot and Stick approach of motivation, which is based on the principles of reinforcement, during the industrial revolution. He derived this approach from a centuries-old donkey story.
Accordingly, the best way to get the donkey out of the stable is to put a carrot in front of him and jab him from behind with a stick.
The carrot represents the donkey's reward for moving, while the stick represents the punishment for not moving.
Bentham believes that in order to motivate people to perform desired behaviors, they must be promised a reward or benefit.
On the contrary, Bentham assumes that people can be forced to perform desired behaviors as a result of their actions through punishment.
A workplace may contain examples of the Carrot and Stick Plan. For instance, a manager might want his sales team to sign contracts with ten new clients each month.
Employees who accomplish this will be rewarded with a raise in commission. On the other hand, those who do not meet this requirement will have a portion of their commission deducted from their pay.
The disadvantages of the Carrot and Stick strategy are its narrow focus, reduced intrinsic motivation, lower performance, crowding out of good behavior, and short-term thinking.
So, if you want to use the Carrot and Stick approach, consider its application, benefits, and outcomes.
You'll be fine if you're like Albedo and Demiurge, who always think ahead of the game.
Overlord’s Carrot and Stick Plan Explained
Overlord's Carrot and Stick plan refers to Albedo and Demiurge's approach to invading territories, not necessarily in the Re-Estize Kingdom. It just so happens that Re-Estize is now at the heart of their operations.
The Carrot will refer to the benefits and rewards that the Sorcerer Kingdom will bestow on Re-Estize if they quickly and properly submit to Ainz. They will be showered with Ainz’s mercy and their citizens will be in a good place.
The Stick, on the other hand, will refer to the punishment that the Sorcerer Kingdom will inflict on Re-Estize if they go in the opposite direction.
Simply put, the Sorcerer Kingdom will declare war on Re-Estize in order to achieve its goal.
Albedo returned to Re-Estize to establish good relations. However, one of the nobles of the Re-Estize Kingdom, Philip Montserrat, made a disastrous decision to mess with the affairs of the Sorcerer Kingdom.
As the Sorcerer Kingdom went to supply food for the Sacred Kingdom, Philip Montserrat and his group destroyed all of the empire's carriages, believing that the Sorcerer Kingdom intended to eliminate their livelihood entirely.
This event sparked a discussion in Nazarick. While Ainz observes how his NPC Guardians intend to act, he is astounded to learn how murderous they are.
After all, the NPC Guardians were extremely offended when the Sorcerer Kingdom's flag was trampled on and destroyed by mere humans.
Back in Re-Estize, they were concerned after the Sorcerer Kingdom sent a complaint letter.
It was signed not only by the Sorcerer Kingdom but also by the Baharuth Empire, the Dwarf Kingdom, the Frost Dragons, the Faceless One, and the Sacred Kingdom, all of which have previously acknowledged Ainz's supremacy.
Despite Prince Zanac's efforts to be pragmatic by offering Philip Montserrat's head to the Sorcerer Kingdom, the King has other ideas. However, we all know what will happen if they cross Ainz and his guild at this point.
Unfortunately, Prince Zanac is the only intelligent person in the room who understands how powerful and terrifying the Sorcerer Kingdom is. After all, they had not learned from the Battle of the Katze Plains.
Too bad, because in the end, what awaits them is the stick, not the carrot!