"The Good, the Bad, and the Lovely" puts female characters under the microscope and then injects a healthy dose of feminism.April Ryan is perhaps my favorite video game heroine. Oh, let me count the ways... (*spoilers to follow*)
In The Longest Journey, April possessed a power called "shifting" which allowed her to travel between two twin worlds as the balance between them was threatened. During the game she travels around both worlds and beyond to restore the balance and ensure the safety of the peoples and creatures contained within.
April is the everywoman: She goes to school, has a job in the local cafe, hangs out with friends, and even has an obnoxious neighbor who hits on her constantly. The first part of the game is almost solely devoted to showcasing April's life and concerns. She worries about avoiding creeps and finishing her homework until she discovers the very world could fall apart without her help. April is endearing to the player because of these real-life struggles and also because she's practical, witty, smart, self-reliant, and caring. Not only is that the sign of a good producer or writer, but also much credit needs to be given to April's voice actress, Sarah Hamilton (who you will hear for hours during gameplay and not tire of).
Notice that nowhere above did I mention a love interest or a beloved family member (in fact, she has all but abandoned her family) or picking up the mission of the game just on a whim. April takes on the adventure because of the powers and talents she possesses, but most importantly because she is the only one that can, not because she's fighting for a certain person or for her own self gain. There is no personal gain in her adventure at all- in fact she has to let go of all her ties to her life and herself to complete the journey (making her personal one "The Longest Journey"). It's a selfless act which exposes her pain, her passions, and her insecurities (and, thankfully, none of her naughty bits).
But, she discovers that she was not destined to fix the balance after all.
She played an integral role in restoring the balance, yes, but she was not destined to end her journey there as its Guardian. Suddenly she is abandoned by fate and left without purpose. She discarded her life, her friends, her world, and her very soul to restore the balance only to find out that the role she was to take was destined for another. Relieved of the responsibility she had prepared for, she felt lost.
Enter Dreamfall: The Longest Journey. We learn that, since the last game, April has lost her shifting powers and can't return to her own world, confining her to the twin world she discovered in TLJ. Since then she has struggled to understand what her purpose is, if not to maintain the balance. However, the world in which she now lives has troubles of its own and she creates a resistance to the forces who are beginning to seize control. In Dreamfall she becomes disillusioned, but still has the will, strength, and independence she gained in TLJ and continues to do what she believes is right, regardless of the consequences.
April is a great character who is relatable and realistic in almost all aspects. She's very strong-willed and thoughtful (and sensibly dressed). Her purpose is to fight for the greater good and to improve the lives of others without compromising herself or falling into the pitfalls of other female protagonists (love interests, sexualized image, etc.). Most of all, April is great because she embodies the aimlessness and helplessness we all feel about our purpose while she struggles to make a difference and follow her heart and mind. Her struggles can be epic, but she also has personal and universal troubles we can all relate to.
April Ryan, you're my hero.
1 comment:
Also she clearly played the Monkey Island games as a child, since she names a beloved toy after Guybrush!
I should really play Dreamfall someday, even if it dilutes the adventure with action.
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