MOE✰

Idk about this take…

This trope is so favoured among many gamers. I don’t blame them,The Last of Us and The Walking Dead are great games. But I had this recurring thought for a while and couldn’t formulate it clearly enough.

This trope is often presented with a man who either doesn’t have a child or lost one. Later, they encounter a girl. They soon become partners, or the man is seen as a father figure.

In real life, some people tend to view girls as more vulnerable or in need of protection. So when a young girl is placed in an apocalyptic world or a world full of monsters or evil, she becomes an immediate emotional anchor. Not necessarily a symbol of purity, but a very readable form of vulnerability. Protecting her feels natural, almost expected, and the player understands the dynamic instantly.

I am aware that Ellie and Clementine become older and their “father figure” is no longer around. They have their own personalities and act realistically. And characters like Lee Everett do mentor as well as protect, which shows that these dynamics can overlap.

But I still notice that the trope often begins with a young girl in that role. Even when there is mentorship, it often grows out of that initial framing of vulnerability.

When I compare it to something like God of War with Kratos and Atreus, the dynamic feels different. The focus is less on protecting a fragile child and more on raising and guiding someone toward strength. The child is not introduced primarily as vulnerable, but as someone with potential.

That contrast makes me wonder if developers tend to choose a young girl not just because the story requires it, but because it’s the fastest way to create that feeling of protectiveness. It says something about how audiences are conditioned to respond, who is seen as vulnerable, and who is seen as worth protecting.

That’s also why characters like Diana from Pragmata feel a bit off to me. Yes, she’s a robot and all, but her behavior feels exaggerated. It doesn’t come across as natural, and the way people react to her sometimes feels less like genuine attachment and more like they’re drawn to that exaggerated vulnerability in a way that feels a bit uncomfortable.

Harman’s clothes are similar to a Priest’s vestment, precisely a cassock. Harman is mostly described as a god-like entity in Killer7, knowing that his  rival, Kun Lan, is a reincarnation of a Buddhist demon, I assume that Harman Smith represents the Western image of  “God”. Although it might seem like it is a battle between God and the Devil, it does not mean good vs evil.

Harman’s weapon, the GLIDER is an armour-piercing anti-tank rifle. The name of the weapon describes its use and effectiveness; it can penetrate through a tank. In the game, the players rarely use Harman Smith, and when they do, it is against ANGEL and Kun Lan. The GLIDER is so powerful that it is only used against God-like figures.

(Although the third picture is from the beta content, he shoots down the helicopter in which Curtis was in)

Although Harman is described as this indestructible being, he is still human after all, and can get wounded. The all-mighty Harman is now an elderly, wheelchair bound man due to being shot by one of his crew members, Dan (The Hellion). This, however, isn’t a handicap for Harman; he still remains respectful towards others and his enemy. Garcian kneels down to him when talking and calls him not by his name but as the Master. Most of the time, the person in front of him is either seated or kneeling; this shows that Harman remains dominant or equal to the people around him.

I used to cry to this song…

Travis Strikes Again felt bittersweet to me. It’s as if all the characters are turning a new page in their lives, or at least trying to improve themselves. Shinobu uses the UAA money to help children learn how to defend themselves, while Travis distances himself from his family in order to keep them safe.