by OL » Fri Jul 11, 2014 1:18 am
^^Didn't listen to it all the way through because I'm a bit busy at the moment (kind of skipped around to get the gist), but I just wanted to comment on the girl's take on the latest Turok.
She mentions that it's offensive that he's a Native character, but has this white mentor that "teaches" him about being a Native (and I put teaches in quotes just because I think the character already knew these things; more on that later). And ordinarily, yeah, I think that would be a legitimate complaint to have. But in this particular case, I think it's important to note that that white mentor also turns out to be the main villain of the entire game.
The game isn't exactly high art in the writing department, but I remember thinking even back then that this was supposed to be like this white man forcing his perceived stereotype on the one Native person he has under his command. Turok himself is initially supposed to be sort of the prison-hardened tough who isn't concerned with whatever culture is in his blood. But then this white character comes in and says "you're an Indian. Here, use a bow and a knife. That's what you people do, right? You'll be good at it."
I always thought that was the intention, that the villain was offensive, not Turok himself. Chances are, Turok already knew plenty about his own culture; he didn't need anyone to tell him how to be Native. But his white commanding officer wants Turok to fit into this stereotype, so that's how he trains him.
Honestly, I think that particular Turok is actually one of the more inoffensive portrayals of a Native character in gaming, if only for the reason that, from his own perspective, the fact that he's Native doesn't entirely matter. He is his own person, and doesn't personally define himself by who his ancestors were.
It's a far cry from most other Native portrayals, where their stories revolve entirely around the fact that they're Cherokee, Iroquois, or what have you. I mean, why is it that almost every other Native character is like that, but not every black character's story revolves around the fact that their ancestors were once in Africa? There's a serious imbalance in fiction in that regard. Why can you have black, white, Asian, or Hispanic characters who are just "some guy," but Native characters always have to hover around the fact that they're Native?
Like I said, Turok might not be the highest of quality in the writing department, but I remember having that notion about things when I first played it, that here was finally a Native character that wasn't really predefined by his racial background. That that was intentional. And for that I personally really liked it.
OL has received a thanks from: Jokatech19