Throughout Tear Ring Saga, there are multiple points where decisions you make will give you different cutscenes. One such case happens during the game's epilogue, where 1 of 2 scenes may play depending on a previous decision. These 2 possible scenes include one between Attrom and Lyria and one between Xeno and Juni. Here, I will explain how the differences between these cutscenes is a commentary on the idea of media striving to be unproblematic.
The cutscene between Attrom and Lyria is a fairly shallow moment of comedic relief. It's not poorly written, just simple. Lyria jokes about returning to a known human trafficker so that Attrom will agree to let her join him, and he gives in. Again, not terrible but also you don't learn anything profound about either these characters or the world they live in.
As for the Juni and Xeno scene, we hear how Juni's family was targeted by enemy soldiers during an unexpected attack by a neighboring country. She witnessed the murder and subsequent desecration of her family, all the while she pretended she wasn't related to them because it was the only way she could save herself. Juni laments that she had to beg her own family's murderers for mercy before confiding in Xeno that he's the only person she trusts due to them having a similar past.
We then learn that she's been changing her appearance ever since out of fear that her past will be exposed, and we get what is quite possibly gaming's first White Woman Jumpscare when Juni reveals that part of her disguise includes darkening her skin and she's actually white. I would hope the problematic elements here are obvious.
The racism in Juni amd Xeno's scene inexcusable, yet it is attached to one of the most emotional moments in the game. In contrast, Attrom and Lyria's scene contains nothing so offensive but is comparatively a very dull and forgettable part of this 2 hour epilogue.
So what is this getting at? A lot of great art contains problematic elements or is made by problematic people but if you're mature enough to understand that then you can open yourself up to a whole new world of enriching and intriguing stories. Alternatively, you can go out of your way to only consume the cleanest content conceivable but that's how you're going to end up in your 20s watching Bluey or that disney movie about the singing Colombians. There'll be no risk of your being exposed to uncomfortable topics, but you're also going to stunt your analysis skills.
The cutscene between Attrom and Lyria is a fairly shallow moment of comedic relief. It's not poorly written, just simple. Lyria jokes about returning to a known human trafficker so that Attrom will agree to let her join him, and he gives in. Again, not terrible but also you don't learn anything profound about either these characters or the world they live in.
As for the Juni and Xeno scene, we hear how Juni's family was targeted by enemy soldiers during an unexpected attack by a neighboring country. She witnessed the murder and subsequent desecration of her family, all the while she pretended she wasn't related to them because it was the only way she could save herself. Juni laments that she had to beg her own family's murderers for mercy before confiding in Xeno that he's the only person she trusts due to them having a similar past.
We then learn that she's been changing her appearance ever since out of fear that her past will be exposed, and we get what is quite possibly gaming's first White Woman Jumpscare when Juni reveals that part of her disguise includes darkening her skin and she's actually white. I would hope the problematic elements here are obvious.
The racism in Juni amd Xeno's scene inexcusable, yet it is attached to one of the most emotional moments in the game. In contrast, Attrom and Lyria's scene contains nothing so offensive but is comparatively a very dull and forgettable part of this 2 hour epilogue.
So what is this getting at? A lot of great art contains problematic elements or is made by problematic people but if you're mature enough to understand that then you can open yourself up to a whole new world of enriching and intriguing stories. Alternatively, you can go out of your way to only consume the cleanest content conceivable but that's how you're going to end up in your 20s watching Bluey or that disney movie about the singing Colombians. There'll be no risk of your being exposed to uncomfortable topics, but you're also going to stunt your analysis skills.
Ramaladni
6 months ago