In the spirit of the holiday season, I want to start a more fun conversation.
Who are your favorite characters and why? They can be from anything; movies, TV shows, video games, literature, etc.
Furthermore, did they exhibit any positive traits or skills that made you want to become a better person in the real world in some way? Did their actions help encourage you to want to learn a particular skill, become physically fitter, more resourceful, confident, etc?
I'll get things started (mine aren't in any particular order):
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Zero (Mega Man X): I like both Zero and X, but Zero's confident professionalism so to speak stood out to me. He's serious and intelligent, but he knows how to stay witty and sarcastic at the same time. In addition, he wants to defeat his destiny as a robot designed to commit evil and fight for good. In particular, I love how he's always working to better at protecting others but has to struggle with the realization that doesn't guarantee he'll be able to save those closest to him. That last example reminds me of something I've struggled with in my own life.
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Donatello (TMNT 2003): I love the arc Donnie undergoes in the '03 TMNT cartoon. He's extremely book-smart and; like myself, passionate about machines and technology. Nonetheless, he's open to acquiring new knowledge. Although he studies science and technology at an academic level, he does it out of a genuine love for the field. And he developed his intellect almost entirely on his own. He's great at staying cool and collected under pressure and thinking creatively and quickly in the same circumstances. Out of all the Turtles, he's probably the most pacifistic and diplomatic, but isn't above getting snarky occasionally. Finally, he can get annoyed by his family at times, but will still drop everything to help them and become deeply passionate about helping them.
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Niko Bellic (GTA IV): He may not be a popular choice here, but I loved playing through his story. Although he came from very little and doesn't have a great record of following the law, I think he proved to be so much more than that. Despite a horrible upbringing, Niko in GTA IV goes on to display a clear sense of honor and an ability to think more three-dimensionally than most of the game's other characters. I love how he goes through hell to protect Roman and everyone else he cares about even when their judgement (or lack thereof) gets them in trouble. I chose to take the story paths where he spares targets as I felt they were more consistent with his personality. Besides, who wouldn't admire a character that's agile, adaptable, and can operate any machine from a car to a helicopter?
All three of these characters partially inspired me to get physically fitter, think less impulsively, think about the consequences of my actions, open myself up to new knowledge/ideas, and become more analytical and confident. I became more inspired to treat others how I'd want to be treated and stand up for what's right even if it might not make me popular. Most important of all, following their adventures helped me realize that no matter how uncertain or hopeless I think life can look, there's always some way I can make it a little better.
Your turn.
Inuart from Drakengard.
Guy was a bard in peacetime, engaged to the girl he loved the most. Until she was chosen to be the "Goddess of the Seal" which meant the marriage was cancelled and she was going to spend the rest of her life in constant pain and suffering trying to hold back the Gods from the world. When war came and the Empire sought to kill her to try and reach God, he took up a sword to try and defend her. And was a complete joke, just got fucking bullied by basic troops that the MC, Caim, slaughtered by the hundreds in the first level.
Caim is her brother, the prince of the kingdom, and just a general unstoppable murder machine. She has always looked up to him for protecting her their entire life, and those feelings eventually became shameful incestuous ones (but more on that later).
But the little band (plus Caim's dragon) goes on a journey to defeat the Empire, during which time Inuart (who has been useless the entire time) gets captured by the Empire and tortured by the very Avatar of the God's themselves by mocking all those nagging hateful thoughts on his mind. Which slowly breaks him down into accepting their offer of power, through a pact with his own dragon to become stronger than Caim so she looks at him again instead of her brother.
Which leads to one of the best scenes in the game. In which Inuart shows off his newfound power to just beat the shit out of everyone and steal back his woman. Declaring everything now is a "world without song" as he throws away his harp, the last symbol of the good man he once was.
The game progresses and his mind starts breaking more and more with paranoia that Caim is going to come and steal her back, and that she still loves Caim more than him. Which is all true, as eventually you beat him in combat and rush to rescue her. But the God's Avatar reveals her incestuous feelings to everyone and she just kills herself in shame right there. Leading to the last seal breaking and the God's breaking into the world.
Which of course doesn't do anything good for Inuart. The game has a bunch of endings from this point. The one that focuses on them involves him attempting to offer her body to the Seeds that fell from Heaven in hopes she is ressurected. Which she is, but as an insane monster who instantly kills him. In all the rest, the Seed does nothing and he just curls up next to her body and lets the world die around him.
I love this character because while he doesn't portray any positive traits, he is still a very relatable character and a walking cautionary tale. Because all of us will have that moment where we lose a girl due to circumstances beyond our control, and also just being completely impotently powerless in a world you weren't meant for.
And how all of that leaves you easily manipulated by others, both by your desire for power and your desire to remove the weakest elements (that would be celebrated in another age). Something I, as a younger lad, needed to see because I was often very blinded by not just rage at the world, but at my own impotence to do anything about it, making it easy for someone to manipulate me into their way of thinking. And I still think is very relevant today more so than ever, especially given how much ragebait gets posted around here fairly successfully.
I also typed all this out as part of my continued crusade to prove Drakengard is a good game that is worth playing, and TheDarkId's LP has done incredibly unfair damage to its reputation by making people only watch it and talk about Murder Monster Caim memes.
Not going to lie, this one here hit close and hard.