Beyond the Protagonist: How Love Shapes the Journeys in Video Games

Within the realm of video games, love is sometimes a strong force influencing their respective narratives, characters, and whole environments. Although heroes usually take the stage, it is generally the supporting ladies who really capture the complexity of love in all its forms—soft, sad, or fiercely protective.

Driven by love, these characters expose the emotional depths the medium may contain and provide gamers with a complex study of human relationships. More often than not, the women in the story who back and question the heroes show how love can be strong and weak, making their roles even more captivating.
 

 

Sadie Adler from Red Dead Redemption 2

Sadie Adler is the embodiment of the wrath that takes place after the abrupt and cruel loss of love. It goes without saying that she is one of Red Dead Redemption II's most intriguing characters, and the vast majority of the people familiar with her undoubtedly will endorse it. She was a woman leading a modest life outside the nearest town, in a cabin, married happily – the only character in the game to begin with an unadulterated state of living.

That statement should make it obvious that her life took a tragic turn, and that turn was the brutal killing of her husband during the event of a break-in by the notorious O’Driscoll boys. They took him from her, and it is hinted that they took advantage of her vulnerability. This was observed in the prequel’s very first mission, and we are to watch her leave behind everything that she and her husband had built, with all the remnants of her being a homely, caring person slowly flying away with the wind of the blizzard, on the horseback ride to camp, with the Van der Linde gang.

My admiration for Rockstar's approach to delivering her narrative has grown as time has passed. She has been scarred so severely that she is hardly noticeable during the gang’s time in the scenic Horseshoe Overlook. If you are the exploring type, you may catch glimpses of her, but not much can be done to interact with her being. It was truly a pitiable state, one many people can understand.

To my surprise, after being driven out of camp by the Pinkertons, a fallout can be heard once the gang is settled in the Clemens Point chapter, and it was from none other than a dispute between the camp’s chef and Sadie. Upon asking what the matter is, she expresses her displeasure at being a useless bystander within the camp, ordered to do nothing more than assist Pearson, a man she clearly holds in high contempt.  I had wondered what the point was of starting a game of this caliber with her by this period of my playthrough.

I remember whistling in amusement when she had demanded that Arthur take her to Rhodes. Just when I was about to write her off as another NPC we would hardly ever hear from, there she was, on the wagon next to Arthur, and what a rambler she turned out to be. I recall the entire mission being pleasant as I saw how outgoing Sadie can be. Though I do not approve of her going through Pearson’s letter, I will let that instance slide because of how wholesome it was to hear her and Arthur share a moment of laughter on their way back to camp.

Living life as an outlaw is not something she has been acquainted with, yet she gets wrapped up in it and comes to completely embrace it quite quickly, too, for that matter. From the outsider’s perspective—ours—we see her journey from a widowed shell of a being that fell into the darkest pits of despair imaginable, only to emerge from it furious and spiteful. And she wanted to do something about it, to make the people responsible answer for her ruination.

This fury and demand for blood payment that stemmed from the love that was stripped off of her are not satisfied even after their hideout in Shady Belle is ambushed by the O'Driscolls. It can be taken as the gospel truth that her outburst of anger during that shootout put Micah's fits to shame. This chapter was the first of many moments that Arthur has ever seen her behave in this manner, putting on a mad one-woman show, screaming and taking down more enemies than the Van der Linde gang’s best gunslinging men.

Rockstar was good at keeping Sadie's mental well-being under wraps. You never knew when she would snap or when she would finally be able to let go of the unimaginable sadness she had been bearing. She does not plummet directly into an aimless lust for violence, however. She still had her somber moments; in fact, there were instances throughout Red Dead Redemption II’s narrative where it appears as though she is disappointed with her current way of existing. At the end of the day, she was still a lover. A lover who had lost, but a lover nonetheless.
 

SADIE: “They turned me into a monster, Arthur. But my memories of him… they still pure.”

She is not unaware, nor does she try to shift accountability for her now violent demeanor. There is no doubt that she would not have turned to a life of killing had it not been for her husband’s demise, but that does not mean she can be excused for her actions after. She could have chosen another path to honor that delicate aspect of her past life, but that is not the path she picked. She harbors anger and remorse over the harsh, nihilistic person she has become, as well as guilt for continuing to live after her spouse did not.

SADIE: “Aside from my Jake, you’re the best man I’ve known.”

There is no mistaking the quick decline in Arthur's health, as is the dreadful twist of the game. What worthwhile thing did she achieve as a supporting role in the story, with the protagonist whose time on this earth is limited? Well, in a beautiful exchange of words between the two near the end of his story, enough has occurred for them both to acknowledge they are the same, unlike the rest and ghosts of their former selves.

This was Rockstar’s way of conveying why Sadie’s supporting role in Arthur’s story is so important within the themes and bounds of love. They both shared and received affection; they both had their affections axed and now, they both only exist to survive a world that has outgrown them and their time to love more. My take on their relationship was that they were by no means anything more than platonic; rather, they were mirrored versions of one another, rendering their impression of reliability mutual.

Arthur continues to have a special place in her heart long after his departure. However, her support does not end with him. Throughout the Epilogue and onwards to the end, we witness Sadie's efforts towards Abigail and John. It is clear that she has not entirely lost herself, even though she has embraced the outlaw lifestyle, done a complete about-face, and is now more pessimistic about life in general. This is despite the manifestation of her mourning for everything she has lost.

She goes so far as to give John a job, promising him a secure income and assuring Abigail's safety in the process. And when the time to perform another act of retaliation, this time being for Arthur, even harboring a horrible stab wound to the gut, she made sure to push the ascension of the snowy mountains and stick by John until Micah was put down like the rat he was. It was all over after that.

Sadie served her purpose as the supporting woman’s role by being there for the men she cared about in her husband's absence. She was going it solo after the death of Arthur, but I believe that because Arthur reignited her warmest memories of her Jake, she was more than happy to aid John and set him on a stable path when he needed it most. For Sadie Adler, the love she saw in Arthur’s nature opened her to tame her anger for the loss she had experienced and not let it take control over her any longer.

 

Dina from The Last Of Us Part II

One can easily see why Dina is such a beloved figure among the community of The Last of Us. She is patient, supportive, and, according to many, Ellie's ride-or-die on their way to Seattle. Throughout the game, she is Ellie's rock as she tends to her visible and invisible wounds. She acts as Ellie's moral compass in many ways, trying to save her from falling into the pit of despair her desire for vengeance brings her.

Little is known about Dina's life before she arrived in Jackson. She lost her innocence sooner than Ellie. Grimly, she recalled taking a man's life when she was at the mere age of ten so that she could defend her mother. We cannot pinpoint when or how Dina's mom passed away, but it occurred. After that, her sister Talia started having night terrors, was increasingly frightened and anxious, and started moving both of them along more and more frequently.

Dina desired stability so much and had a hard time dealing with this, but it seemed like she had little choice but to take care of Talia as her mental health deteriorated. She felt an early obligation to things she could not always supervise or avoid, along with an impulse to put other people's needs before her own. 

Caring for someone with mental health issues is something Dina had done before Ellie was thrown into the fray, and it has required her to put her own needs on the back burner. The sad truth is that Dina also lost Talia in the end, and it seems like Talia's life ended in a rather brutal nature. Dina was all by herself by the time she ended up in Jackson, and since she had no living relatives and was orphaned, she felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of faces in the town.

Where I talked about Sadie being a scary personality because of the state love left her in, Dina is the complete opposite. But Dina is not flawless; she has her capabilities and shortcomings, just like every human. While the weaknesses of other characters may have more obvious and noticeable effects on the outside world, Dina's shortcomings will mostly affect her within.

After enduring an unmoored and horrific upbringing, Dina's primary motivation is to establish a home and cultivate a feeling of permanence via strong ties with the people she loves. She has a deadly defect in her desire to be of service and the sacrifices she is prepared to make to achieve that goal. The way Dina treats Ellie is a prime example of this, which may be a habit she picked up from her younger years.

She will stop at nothing to ensure that she does not suffer the same fate as the one time she lost her whole family. We also know that being alone is one of Ellie's greatest fears. This can bring people closer together via shared experiences and understandings. Still, it can also make them clear of situations where their greatest fears may be realized, such as remaining in a toxic relationship. We all know how it meets the axe.

I want to redirect the reader’s attention to the memory of that night on the farm, where Ellie is packing her bags to leave in the middle of the night. As seen multiple times, Dina always uses humor to lighten a tense situation. So, once she sees what Ellie is up to, she already knows what Ellie is planning for, and she tries to open up with a joke to ease her way into stopping Ellie.

The joke involves baby JJ, and while it was said softly, Dina also sternly reminded Ellie that it is not just them in this family. The way Dina has handled Ellie's problems in the past—with humor, tolerance, and an invitation to rest—makes her believe she can do the same again. On the other hand, a part of her is prepared for Ellie to establish in her following words that she is really serious about this. Time is running out for Dina, but she attempts to buy a little more time, even if it is just to put the discussion off until the coming morning.

ELLIE: “I don’t eat. I don’t sleep, I’m…I’m not like you, Dina.”
 

This might be seen as an accusing statement by Ellie at first. And Dina probably interprets this sentence in that manner, too: that Ellie is implying that Dina does not feel or care as deeply as Ellie does. However, Ellie, who now takes responsibility for most things, is probably trying to convey that she thinks Dina is strong and can handle it better than Ellie can and that Ellie is weak in contrast.
 

DINA: “What? You think this is easy? For you, and for him, I deal with it.”
 

Dina has been supportive, patient, and kind throughout Ellie's ordeal and has done it all while coping with her losses. Dina takes care of Ellie, JJ, and herself in her distinct style, including praying, talking to Jesse's parents, or devoting herself to work on the farm to bring peace into their lives. In certain regards, she is mimicking the behavior we deduced from her connection with her late sister.

Everyone knows that in an airplane emergency, the protocol is to put on one's oxygen mask before assisting another. This is because if you are suffocating, you will be unable to aid anybody else.  Even though Dina has coping mechanisms, it seems that they are primarily sustaining her functioning for the individuals closest to her. But does she get the mental help and care she needs to be okay? How much longer can she bear the burden of emotional neglect from Ellie?

ELLIE: “I don’t plan on dying.”
DINA: “Yeah? Well neither did Jesse. Or Joel.”

This is the one instance in which Dina's composure is visibly compromised in relation to Ellie. Perhaps this was Dina's way of releasing all the pent-up anger she had harbored since Seattle. Dina lost a lot when she went on that journey with Ellie, not to mention putting her own life at danger. Dina is devastated at Ellie's decision to leave, and after all they have gone through together, proves that her efforts were in vain. Dina also made her point, but I am skeptical that she intended to harm Ellie by saying that death was never anyone's intention among those they have lost.

Dina pleads to keep Ellie from leaving after realizing that her last statement had alienated her and that her worst nightmare was coming true. She tries to remind Ellie of what they have and that they can continue trying to attain peace without risking death again. Inevitably, the chance had come and gone. Ellie took Dina's hand off her face, emotionally removing herself from the situation.
 

 

Dina left an intangible message for Ellie after the Santa Barbara chapter. Except for Ellie's possessions, which Dina stashed away in Ellie's art room, the whole home they had built for the life they were supposed to live was emptied. In my view, this signifies Dina's formal separation from Ellie entirely. I think this gesture is fraught with pain and possibly fury, but I do not believe there is any animosity. However, I believe it does not allow them to reignite their bond. Ellie made her decision after Dina presented her with an ultimatum.

Sadie Adler and Dina respond differently to the love and grief that shape their paths. Sadie lets her sorrow be directed into an enduring quest for retribution, and her love for her late husband drives her to change into an overwhelming force. In contrast, Dina’s love for Ellie is a steady, nurturing presence, guiding her through the moral complexities of survival while struggling to maintain her sense of self.

These characters showcase the diverse ways love can manifest in female supporting roles, reflecting the broader potential of video games to explore emotional resilience and the impact of relationships on personal identity. It is no wonder that these two games the characters are significant parts of are held in such high regard, considering their writing for these women. I think the argument has been made on why we need supporting characters to be as complex as the protagonists.
 

Jennifer
Editor, NoobFeed