![]() It may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things - the colour of your skin doesn't affect the story in any way - but it's so important when it comes to representation. Even now you'd be hard pressed to think of many female protagonists that are either black, Asian, or mixed race. Not only is Clem not sexualised, but she isn't white either. Able to hold her own, Clem is a great heroine to look up to. There's no temptation on the part of the developers to squeeze her into a tank top and shorts, a fate many other female leads have met - she's a survivor, through and through. ![]() Although she has now grown into an adult, she still isn't viewed in a sexual way. Clementine started off as a child, devoid of all sexuality. Women are still largely sexualised in games, though thankfully this is slowly beginning to change. She could be anyone you walk past on the street.Īnd this relatability stretches to her physical appearance too. She's not unobtainable perfection, nor does she have supernatural powers. It makes her a better role model than many of her peers. She's a very human character in a world of inhumanity. Her actions are sometimes flawed and can go wrong. Clementine is both, and in a way, neither. You're Princess Peach, or you're Lara Croft. Women in games tend to be one or the other. The Clementine we're seeing now is a far cry from the one we were introduced to at the very beginning, yet we're still able to see the impact each choice along the way has shaped who she is now. Although we're only one episode in, we can see that Clem cares much more about keeping AJ safe than she does her own path in life. And like Lee, she is deeply protective of the child under her care, standing up to anyone who questions her thinking. She's now a stand-in mother for AJ, much like Lee was to her. She goes from being an important, but less influential part of her next group to being a totally self-sufficient survivor in the third season.Īnd finally, in The Final Season, Clementine has come full circle. And she continues to mature through every new addition to the season. With Lee bitten, Clementine quickly matures, finally realising that she won't always have someone to guide her. Clementine has grown from damsel in distress to feminist icon. ![]() That is, until things take a turn for the worse. Clementine remains convinced through the majority of the first season that she'll find her parents and have her happily ever after. She giggles as she tells you about the bug she put on his pillow, and proudly shows you her leaf rubbing. ![]() When she meets Duck it becomes even clearer. She's clever for her age and has a sharp sense of right and wrong, but you never forget that she's just a child. During your time playing as Lee, Clem sticks to you like glue, constantly looking to you to guide her through the new, apocalyptic world. In the first title, Clem isn't the lead, but rather an eight-year-old 'damsel in distress' who the player can mould through teaching her valuable life lessons. ![]() With The Walking Dead following Telltale's style, many of Clementine's choices are determined by the player (then again, being a Telltale series, most routes tend to lead the same way in the end, meaning her growth is pretty much the same for everyone). Her character development is unprecedented in games and now, with the end to her story fast approaching, Clementine has taken her place among the great female protagonists. She has been a fan favourite from the start, and over the years we've seen her grow from a nervous first-grader to a mature young woman. The final season of Telltale's The Walking Dead is working to its conclusion, and the six year adventure of Clementine is coming to an end. ![]()
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