The Myth of the Useless Female Lead: Putting Things in Context

             Women in gaming get a bad rap.  Even when they're not dressed in skimpy attire or being used as nothing more than a plot device, the idea that gaming is a "Boy's Club" activity tends to marginalize and discriminate against women, both those who play games and those who are in games.  However, I don't know if our perceptions about female characters in video games are quite as accurate as we think.  For the longest time, I was on the bandwagon that certain tropes were a bad thing in video gaming.  That the kidnapped princess from Nintendo titles or the loyal wife in games like Harvest Moon were often subversive and hurt feminism.  The idea that these tropes objectified and made the female characters useless.  Now though, I'm beginning to reconsider.  I don't deny that there is a deplorable double standard in video gaming, but...well, just hear me out on this one.

Another useless and ineffectual princess?  Maybe not...

            A female gamer online responded to a feminist's criticisms of some of gaming's more useless female characters with some interesting ideas that made me take stock of my own beliefs.  Her arguments were two-fold when it came to useless or objectified female characters.  The first argument was for people to look beyond the obvious and to see implications of how a female character's presence and absence affects the world.  The second was that personality makes a character and that even in the midst of these tropes, a good personality can create a female character who is strong and memorable regardless of what role she's been given by the developers.

            The example this female gamer used involved Princess Peach from Super Mario Brothers.  Nintendo often gets a lot of flak for making largely incidental female characters.  Arguments typically range from Princess Peach being a useless monarch to Zelda being a figurehead and prize when not cross dressing.  These are targets people have been using for decades.  But stop for just one moment and think about Princess Peach and the implications her kidnappings create.  When she is kidnapped, it sends the Mushroom Kingdom into chaos, forcing Mario to have to save her to restore order.  However, when she is still in power, the kingdom is at relative peace and stability.  Even if she may not be able to defend herself, does this not prove her worth as a capable ruler?  The kingdom isn't suffering from a high deficit, the toads aren't planning a bloody rebellion to overthrow their tyrannical ruler, and Bowser is so envious of her beauty, grace, and apparently her skill as a ruler that he feels the need to make her his own.  Looking at it from this angle, Peach seems a bit stronger and more capable than most of us give her credit for.  Another thing to think about is that Mario only gets his time in the spotlight if she's kidnapped...otherwise he's just a friend/defender of the realm.  It's easily as much his fault as Peach's that she keeps getting kidnapped, since he KNOWS this is how the story goes and just lets it happen, so he can have his games.

How peaceful and idyllic.  Princess Peach must be doing something right.

            Now, this might be looking a bit too far into things.  Nintendo's plots are largely simplistic and don't take into account real world logic, but upon hearing the female gamer discuss these issues, an idea was planted.  Of all the female leads we call useless, how many really are?  And once I started thinking, I saw so many leads others called weak or bland or lifeless as having new life.  Elena from Pandora's Tower is a great example of this.  On the surface, she seems kind of like a prize, as the hero, Aeron, is killing monsters for her sake and building up a relationship meter with her for a reward at the end.  But look at it from Elena's perspective.  She is afflicted with a curse that transforms her into a monster if she doesn't eat the meat Aeron brings her.  She is reliant on him, but despite this, she tries her best to stand on her own and assist him when possible.  She has reconciled the fact that she can't go with him, as she's frail and cannot wield a sword, so she wants to do her part back at their base by translating helpful documents, making medicine or treats, tending to Aeron's wounds, upgrading his equipment, etc.  Elena finds something she CAN do and runs with it, trying to make the best of a poor situation.

Does having a love interest or being domestic really make a woman weak?  I'm not so sure.  Elena might not be able to wield a sword, but she still tries to be strong in her own way.

            Some might argue that this locks her into a stereotypical housewife role and that that's negative, but...I disagree.  Elena has agency and chooses to put her faith in Aeron while doing what she can from the sidelines.  Her culture forbids her to eat meat, but she does so to honor Aeron's efforts as well as to survive.  And even if she is stuck in a housewife's role...have you ever seen a hardcore housewife?  They are some of the toughest, strongest people you can know, as they have to look after their home, children, they have to keep food in stock and ready, etc.  They have so many responsibilities.  On top of that, Aeron is a soldier and frequently away.  Ask any significant other of an armed forces member how hard it is for them when their love is out fighting for their sake and you will see that Elena is not just a cringing flower, eclipsed by Aeron's greatness.  She is strong and bears with his absences largely without complaint, dealing with the worry and fear of losing a loved one because that is what she can do to help.  Even in her darkest hour, when she starts transforming into a monster because the player didn't give her meat fast enough, do you know what Elena does?  She waits at the door for Aeron and despite her grotesque appearance, forces herself to smile and says "Welcome home," as if nothing is wrong.  Some might argue this is all still very demeaning to her as she is bound in a relationship to a man, and I can't argue that she and Aeron are inextricably intertwined...but what gets me angry is when people talk about Elena, or Peach, or Zelda like they're totally worthless just because we don't see them hefting a sword over their shoulder and slaughtering baddies.  That isn't all there is to being strong.  Sometimes, the quiet resolve of someone doing the best they can in a bad situation is truer strength than a hero going out and smashing heads.

Bless you, Elena.  Despite your pain, you're trying so hard to be brave.  And succeeding spectacularly.

            This brings me to the second argument that made me start re-examining my ideas of how female characters are viewed.  Personality.  I know for certain that personality is one of the most important things in determining if a character is...well, a character or if they're just a non-entity.  For example, Elena has a personality.  She is shy and demure at times, but also studious and adaptable, with a love of cooking and crafting.  She enjoys singing and is a skilled dancer.  Elena also tries to hide her sadness and doubt so as not to worry Aeron.  She has a great appreciation for nature and loves to chat with people.  These are all traits you can pin down about Elena that help define her.  By contrast, let's look at Skyrim, one of the most critically acclaimed games of 2011.  Skyrim makes a number of mistakes with female characters.  While some have...marginal characteristics, many women in the game are blank slates with no defining traits besides their gender.  For example, in Skyrim you are afforded a number of vassals called House-Carls who will follow you and be your steadfast allies.  Lydia, a female warrior, is the first House-Carl you'll typically get.  Lydia is a non-entity.  While you may be able to appreciate Lydia as a warrior and for helping you, she has no personality, will not do anything without your orders, serves you constantly either by watching your house or by fighting alongside you, and even if you marry her, she does not open up to you.  She merely opens a shop and gives all her money to you.  This is the kind of characterization that objectifies and makes women ultimately pointless in video gaming.  After spending almost forty hours fighting alongside Lydia, I could not tell you any of her interests, what her usual moods were like, or even if she had goals beyond serving me.  And it wouldn't have been THAT hard to make her more fleshed out.  Have her make reference to her past, complain about certain issues like if you're in a sewer, have her tell you about her likes and dislikes, etc.  You could even have a conversation option to have the hero ask Lydia about hobbies or goals.  Can you see the difference?  Lydia may be able to wield a sword and fight battles, but that doesn't make her a character.  And she's not the only lifeless doll in Skyrim.  Not by a long shot.

Get used to that bland, lifeless, face, because she's your bodyguard...she's a title, not a character.

            Now, alot of people might think, "Well Lydia's not the lead, so it doesn't matter if she's bland and lifeless," or "Elena's not really important because we're playing as Aeron."  To those people, let me just say that I think you're missing the point.  A character isn't worthless or weak just because they cannot fight.  And being able to fight does not automatically make them a good character.  Look at the game Recettear.  It is a charming little title about Recette, a girl who is largely abandoned by her father and saddled with a huge debt she has to pay off.  So, what does she do?  Go out and hunt monsters to make back the money?  No.  She's a child of around eight or so.  Killing monsters is a little beyond her.  Instead, she converts her house into an item shop to try and buy low and sell high until she gets enough money to pay off the debt.  The girl is not a warrior and may be filling a domestic role, but considering her circumstances, she is acting with remarkable maturity and strength.  The entire game is about paying off the debt by making the best damned item shop you can.  And what I love is that the characters in this game play an often overlooked role in the world at large.  They are supporters for other adventurers.  Looking at it from their perspective, they aren't useless, or bland, or lifeless at all.  They are working towards success by using their skills and available resources to the fullest.  In my opinion, that's quite admirable.  Alongside that, the personalities of Recette and her associate Tear are quite likable, if a bit silly.  Recette is a child.  She loves sweets, has a knack for crafting, is very capitalistic, but also trusting, naive, and honest.  Tear is her partner, who acts as a teacher, a surrogate mother, and a loan shark holding the sword of Damocles over her head.  This is why Recettear is a good example of how female characters in often overlooked roles can be seen as strong and not useless or objectified.  If you look at it from their perspective, what they do or don't do may be just as important to the world as what the hero does.  And, if they have strong personalities, the players will resonate with them.

Recette is silly and adorable.  She's also an item shop owner, has paid off a huge debt while at the age of eight, and tends to brighten everyone's day with her cheerful nature.  Deep?  Maybe not.  But a likable, mature, and independent female character?  I'd say so.

            This is not to say that gaming has improved the quality of female characters in general, however.  Too often we get developers making women who are bland, fan-service sex dolls, or who might as well be men with no real defining characteristics besides anger and a will to fight.  There is still a long way to go.  However, I want people to exercise their brains when examining female characters who may not be in the spotlight or who might get a knee jerk reaction from feminists for having a domestic role.  Look at them from a different angle or perspective and try to understand what their life is like in this world.  Pay attention to their personality and see if they actually have some.  You might be surprised.

            That being said, don't be fooled.  There ARE several female characters who are just fan service or who don't contribute to their games at all.  TRUE useless female leads.  And they are damned frustrating.  Shadows of the Damned, for example, has Paula, who is kidnapped from minute one.  Now, this could create a situation like with Peach where her presence creates stability and her absence creates chaos.  However the hero, Garcia Hotspur, openly admits to hunting demons before meeting her, so her presence didn't cause him to become a demon hunter, and he dotes on her, basically taking care of any and all eventualities.  Paula is totally reliant on Garcia, since she does not have a job or any noticeable skills beyond sex appeal, as emphasized in the game by her being perpetually in white lingerie.  Even if you were to look at her personality, Paula is a weak character.  She has so little screen time that her personality goes from whiny, to hysterical, to vindictive, to submissive, to psychotic with little to no consistency or transition.  Her only purpose in the story is to give Garcia a princess to rescue and to try and look sexy.  This is the epitome of an objectified female character.  She does nothing and is largely useless, save for her purpose as a plot device. 

Now THIS is objectified.  Paula is shallow, bland, whiny, and her only purpose in the game is sex appeal, as she clings on Garcia and relies on him completely, with no thought or will of her own.

  

            However, like I said earlier with Lydia, it is sometimes difficult to differentiate between a character that is strong and does their own thing in the world she is in, even if it looks like they don't, and a character that seems to be important, but is really useless.  Sylvia, in No More Heroes, might appear to be a confident, sexy, in control woman who acts as an agent for assassins, however near the end of the game and in the sequel this illusion is destroyed, showing that she is a self absorbed liar and a con-artist, whose frivolous actions eventually leave her destitute, forcing her to take refuge in a whore house frequented by perverted customers.  She has no point other than titillation and to move the plot forward.  In comparison, Rachel from Ninja Gaiden, while forced to wear armor that is sexist, stupid, and largely pointless, does at least prove herself to be strong enough to fight demons, does not swoon over or cling to Ryu Hayabusa, the hero of the game, and is working towards her own goals.  While she does spend some time as a hostage for Ryu to save, she has some strong characteristics buried under the unfortunate sexism that has become a hallmark of Team Ninja games.  Can you see the difference?  True, some of it might be the developers trying to cover their asses, but at least they're TRYING to show some degree of personality in a female character...many games have shown that developers can and often do just turn women into bouncing boobies for the enjoyment of a male audience.  Mores the pity.

Some gamers might try and defend Sylvia as strong because of how she uses Travis in No More Heroes and is confident and what not, but she's really just a liar, a con-artist, and eventually driven to prostitution...charming.  Sylvia might not be bland, but she's definitely objectified.

            I want to encourage players to look at female characters with a bit of a more discerning eye after this discussion.  Look at their situation and circumstances, look at their skill sets and their choices, look at their personality, and think about what they themselves are going through.  You might be surprised at how strong they may be, in spite of how poorly they come across. 

Rachel from Ninja Gaiden may be forced to wear sexist clothing and oversexualized, but at least she tries to be strong.  At least she can fight on her own, doesn't hang off of Ryu Hayabusa, and values saving her sister above everything else.  She's not a perfect role model or anything, but at least it's something...that's more than we get in a lot of games.

            Now, I don't claim that these views are the end all be all.  In fact, these views may be quite flawed.  I may be a feminist, but I am not a woman, so there may be key issues that I have overlooked.  Like many of my posts, these are opinions meant to spark discussion.  See, I find that female characters get a bad rap just because of how they are perceived...or not perceived as the case may be.  Just because one doesn't look strong doesn't mean they aren't going through their own trial by fire.  Just because they appear ineffectual doesn't necessarily mean their presence isn't important.  And the ability to fight on par with male counterparts does not automatically make them strong characters.  They need a strong heart to be impressive, not guns or muscles.  Make no mistake, there are many women in gaming who are ineffectual.  Who pander to the male audience.  Who are depressingly one dimensional.  But then again, there are many who aren't, even if they look that way.  Look at the characters from all angles, then decide for yourself whether you're dealing with an ineffectual female lead or a strong willed woman doing the best she can, given the circumstances.