Peering through the male gaze of the damsel in video games

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6p5AZp7r_Q&list=PLn4ob_5_ttEaA_vc8F3fjzE62esf9yP61&index=1

“Tropes vs Women in Video Games: Damsel in Distress”

In this video it is part 1 of 2 in looking at the cliche video game plot of the damsel in distress as well as a brief origin and influential areas into how it was incorporated into video game culture. She starts off the video by talking about this great game that no one got to play that featured a female lead character battling her way through the story. However before the release of the game, the developer kept the same story in place but re animated the game over to have it be another installment in their franchise with a male lead and the original female lead (Krystal) being now reduced to a non playable character as a damsel in distress for the main protagonist to save. The video does a great job of discussing some of the origins of the damsel in distress trope like coming from the 1933 movie King Kong which inspired the Donkey Kong games and hence the damsel in distress in that game. 

This video has definitely made me more aware of how prevalent the damsel in distress is as a plot line in video games. A lot of times while playing these games it’s not really something I think about, but it is a fair critique of how overused it is in the gaming industry. It was also a great explanation into understanding where the damsel comes from and how it is a translation from an old french expression that we have “stolen”. As well as how the damsel in distress can be traced all the way back to Greek mythology with the story of Perseus and then carrying through the middle ages with tales of Knights going on quests to save mistresses to prove their bravery and chivalry. It was all great background into better understanding how the damsel in distress role isn’t anything new or specific to video games, but is a larger plot line for several different mediums of pop culture throughout human history.

This video was another great explanation into the “male gaze” aspect of video games and plot lines that was also outlined in Robin James’ article from this week about how the “male gaze” is in film, this shows how it is in video games. It shows it, by how female characters in popular games such as Super Mario Bros. are not playable but are instead the target or object by male protagonists for saving which for all these types of games portrays to, as she says in the video, the male power fantasy. Which comes back to how video game plots are told through the eyes of male audiences and oftentimes reduce female characters down to nothing more than objects/desires to their male counterparts and male players.

Soaring to new heights

 Race and ethnicity play a major part of our pop culture, especially in film or TV. A lot of the time, minorities in these shows or films play a stereotypical role based on their race which has led to stereotypes about people in our society. There are instances, especially more recently in the 21st century, of these types of stereotypes and racial roles being broken in TV and film. A great example of this would be Sam Wilson (Falcon) from Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The show does a great job of applying a possible real world scenario of how a Black superhero could be treated by society and also how Sam breaks through all of the subtle racism and stereotypes to become the next Captain America.

The show has numerous scenes in which depict how Sam, who has done everything right, is treated by society. Despite being an Avenger and saving the world several times, he is refused a bank loan to save his family business and it is heavily implied that the reason the bank will not approve the loan is because of his race. There is also another scene in which Bucky and Steve are arguing in the middle of an urban street about Sam giving up Captain America’s shield to the US Government, and two police officers pull up and are ready to arrest Sam until they realize who he is. They continually ask Bucky if he is alright and if he feels threatened, to which he shuts down. Then at the conclusion of the show, the US Government doesn’t want to give Sam the shield and the identity of Captain America because of the perception of Captain America being black. Despite all of that racism working against him, Sam defies it and takes ownership to the Captain America title becoming the face of American military might.

This character is portrayed to defy previous stereotypes about black Americans and black superheros. He breaks through that Uncle Tom type stereotype and instead pushes the boundary for what a black superhero can be by becoming Captain America (Black-face.com). He does this by being proactive and vocal on where his standing should be and how he deserves the title of Captain America and the shield as Steve chose him to be his predecessor. At first he gave into the wishes of the white generals by handing over the shield and feeling as though he is not worthy of taking on the mantle of Captain America. But throughout the show he finally realizes that becoming Captain America is his true calling and to not just settle for being who he is as Falcon but to be more.

A Look at Reality TV in our Culture

 https://thehornetonline.com/2020/03/06/reality-television-is-destroying-societal-values/

The article above gives its opinion on why reality television is ruining American societal values. The author makes some good points on how reality television portrays only a small glimpse of reality and promotes “irresponsible behavior, unhealthy relationships, and degradation of family values”. They talk about how directors and producers of these shows need to fill a typical 44 minute time slot and edit down all of this footage to tell a narrative and create drama and excitement which in turn has created that negative influence on societal behaviors. Americans view shows like Keeping up with the Kardashians as a glimpse into the life of luxury when all it really does is stimulate those negative behaviors they portray.  

The article is making a mass culture theory argument by taking the stance that reality television is worthless in our society because of all the negative themes and actions that shows highlight and promote for their viewers entertainment. It goes into how the influence reality tv has on the masses has created a culture that enables bad and confrontational behavior. The author’s views on reality television would indicate that they believe that reality television is below us and that it should have no value in our society as it only has a negative and manipulative effect on those who are fans of it, warping reality of their viewers into believing that is either the life of luxury or that is how everyday people should be living/dealing with relationships. 

I wouldn’t say that reality television is completely worthless or doesn’t have a spot in our popular culture, it does show a gateway into people’s lives. Being exposed to the public eye can be comforting for people if they see someone they idolize going through a hard stretch of times and coping with that if they are also going through some hard times as well. Feeling that human connection that how they are feeling is normal and that they are not alone. For me, reality tv has its value in the emotional connection with people. So while I do agree that reality television does promote poor behavior and not an accurate portrayal of reality for the average person, there are aspects of it that can be taken away and do hold some value to its viewers.

The Hidden Cowboy

 Our depictions of cowboys riding on horseback going from town to town to bring order to a orderless place, isn’t always the indicator of a cowboy being present in different ways than we’d expect. For instance, look at The Mandalorian from Star Wars. That entire show is essentially an unconventional western with a space take on a modern day cowboy.

So, what makes Mando a cowboy? Mando is a guy that sticks to his creed, it’s what guides him. He travels from frontier town to frontier town on these desolate planets to carry out bounties, but always ends up with him weeding out corruption or taking on an external threat to the towns people. He’s tough and rugged, and speaks very little. Being that ultimate “man’s man” is an important characteristic in being a cowboy, never being scared to stand up for what’s right and abandoning their moral code when they come across people in danger and in need of help. The Mandalorian has episode after episode that showcase Mando’s willingness to stand up for what is right and be this traveling hero from town to town, never staying long but making an impact and imposing his order on those that are taking advantage of small towns people.

There are several aspects to this show that connect it to a typical narrative of being a western and/or a cowboy story. Specifically to The Mandalorian he falls under that wanderer type of cowboy where he doesn’t seek out trouble but rather always seems to stumble into it. Now I know that he is a bounty hunter, therefore he technically is always searching out trouble, but pretty much all of the encounters are not from the bounty he is seeking but from another source of wild west behavior from the town or village he traveled to. When he shows up in these places he finds himself having to defend the people from different types of gangs or monsters that have been terrorizing these people, restoring order where there was none. The Mandalorian isn’t your typical western and Mando your typical cowboy, but they are very much a part of the genre with typical portrayals in untypical settings, making it a unique yet familiar watch.