A cool little article about Sonya in MKX
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great article Sonya Blade has always been a trailblazer, and now being one of the few (if only) aged women in fighting games.
As a fan I'm thrilled with her portrayal in MKX, she does feel more real than before, infact she feels more real than both her movie counterparts in MK and MKA.
Seeing her and Johhny getting old actually feels poingnant, I hope they don't retire her in the next game, she be really cool if they went all metal gear "big mama" on us. More battle damaged and weary.
As a fan I'm thrilled with her portrayal in MKX, she does feel more real than before, infact she feels more real than both her movie counterparts in MK and MKA.
Seeing her and Johhny getting old actually feels poingnant, I hope they don't retire her in the next game, she be really cool if they went all metal gear "big mama" on us. More battle damaged and weary.
samuhai Wrote:
It's amazing how many people are trying to read this article as if it's a negative - harping on about the personal opinions of the author (like thinking Sonya is at last a 'real character') rather than embracing the massive compliments for this game and franchise throughout.
By the nature of fighting games, NONE of the MK characters had real 'personality' until recently. We had our favourites, and they fared better than Street Fighter or Tekken characters when it came to actual characterization, but they were still wordless sprites on a 2D plane.
MK9 and MKX have really let the true aspects of these characters out, and MKX has been tremendous.
Let's all focus on what this article's actually saying, rather than focusing on details that are a matter of opinion.
MKX was great for female characters. In a field where portrayals of women are often (not always) spotty, MK has really committed to making good characters who happen to be women, satisfying both the 'feminazis' and the whiners who don't want 'gurl power' shoved down our throats.
It's amazing how many people are trying to read this article as if it's a negative - harping on about the personal opinions of the author (like thinking Sonya is at last a 'real character') rather than embracing the massive compliments for this game and franchise throughout.
By the nature of fighting games, NONE of the MK characters had real 'personality' until recently. We had our favourites, and they fared better than Street Fighter or Tekken characters when it came to actual characterization, but they were still wordless sprites on a 2D plane.
MK9 and MKX have really let the true aspects of these characters out, and MKX has been tremendous.
Let's all focus on what this article's actually saying, rather than focusing on details that are a matter of opinion.
MKX was great for female characters. In a field where portrayals of women are often (not always) spotty, MK has really committed to making good characters who happen to be women, satisfying both the 'feminazis' and the whiners who don't want 'gurl power' shoved down our throats.
Wonderfully put.
The article echoes my own overall impression of the character in MKX. I didn't overanalyze would-be interpretations of the statement that she "finally feels like a real character"; rather I thoroughly enjoyed and embraced the fact that they took out time to rightfully shed a spotlight on and specifically acknowledge Sonya for what she represents in this particular iteration of the franchise.
I wasn't extraordinarily taken aback by this Sonya, and that's a good thing; in her persistent importance to the Story and various exchanges/fights/dialogue, she felt familiar to me. But make no mistake, that is largely because I (like everyone else here who is a diehard fan of a character) have been filling in her blanks (winkwink) for all these decades. I've taken meager bios and short-and-sweet endings and created the character I believed they would if they could. So I can't even properly express what a wonderful experience it's been to see my creation match up so well with their creation; to see her finally realized in full the way she's always been in my mind.
She does represent, unequivocally in MKX, everything and more than what the article has touched on. Her mere existence, but more so her effortful portrayal, is something to be observed and admired when it comes to women in media. I take my writing and storytelling seriously, and it irritates me beyond belief when I see cliches rehashed without an ounce of boldness, including--and particularly--female roles. To see a female character written in unabashed idolatry of the male lead, a helpless prize begging to be claimed by someone who can give her the worth she doesn't naturally have, is all too common and easily forgiven, which should astound people in today's times.
Sonya has broken that media stereotype time and time again, far before April 14th of 2015, but never as clearly, as evidently, and glaringly as now. She deserves the laudation of this article, even if its mentions are bullet points that most logically have already been noted by all of us when we played through MKX's Story.
We aren't expected to even blink in confusion when she rises through the ranks of the military to a position essentially equating to Leader of the Earthrealm; or when she picks up Jax and chucks him like softball; or when she handles two ninjas and a demon sorcerer in hand-to-hand. We know she's always been this strong, this tough, the odd woman out amid the countless women of fiction looking longingly to their "better" male counterparts for fulfillment. We can then sit back and appreciate her as she shows us all the other facets of her character we haven't had the chance to see until this particular MK Story, all of which only further reinforce the much-welcomed innovation of what she represents.
No reason to go into minute details of this, when the article has done such a great job listing them all.
Props to NRS for utilizing the force that is this character to her great potential, and here's to more such demonstrations in the future.
LeoBrZ81 Wrote:
This is something people forget a lot, I think. Only since MK VS DC have we gotten to see all the characters in proper cutscenes (Mythologies/Shaolin Monks excluded), and that was a silly non canon game.
MK11 was the real first chance to know all these characters, and MKX is the first time we haven't had something to fall back on story wise.
Seeing Sonya as she truly is for the first time (With a proper role in the story) is a great step.
Add to that the much better female designs and the balls (pun) to make a girl the final champion, MKX has really done a great job in this aspect.
But make no mistake, that is largely because I (like everyone else here who is a diehard fan of a character) have been filling in her blanks (winkwink) for all these decades.
This is something people forget a lot, I think. Only since MK VS DC have we gotten to see all the characters in proper cutscenes (Mythologies/Shaolin Monks excluded), and that was a silly non canon game.
MK11 was the real first chance to know all these characters, and MKX is the first time we haven't had something to fall back on story wise.
Seeing Sonya as she truly is for the first time (With a proper role in the story) is a great step.
Add to that the much better female designs and the balls (pun) to make a girl the final champion, MKX has really done a great job in this aspect.
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