Season 2: The Evolution of Clementine
After completing In Harm's Way, it struck me that Season 2's main theme seems to be the burden of childhood in the post-apocalyptic world. And though its conclusion left me disappointedly certain that a few of my narrative hopes were dashed, I think Telltale's emphasis on this theme props up the idea of future Walking Dead games extremely well.
For instance, as a character study of a child having to adapt to the ruthless requirements of survival, I think Season 2 has done an emotionally wrenching job with its portrayal of Clementine. As each episode goes by we see another remnant of her innocence stolen from the increasingly stressful decisions demanded of her. Her encounter with the stray mutt in the first episode sets the precedent for the unyieldingly harsh tone of which the supporting cast react to Clementine's youth. In Season 1 she was the innocent child everyone scurried to protect; now she's the one all the adults heavily rely on and treat no differently. By Episode 3, Clementine is sought to do all the group's bidding and is often the voice that carries the most weight. Slowly but surely, Clementine is being positioned as the spiritual leader.
I think this is why, contrary to opinions I've come across in other communities, Sarah's character is an equally important device in this Season: while she isn't the antithesis of Clementine, her reliance on others mirrors the relationship Clementine shared with Lee. Sarah isn't weak; she herself is still a child who was the beneficiary of prolonged normality during the chaos. Clementine has the opportunity to serve as Sarah's compass into surviving and what if that entails the same sacrifices Lee made for her? This particular dynamic, and the uncertainty of Rebecca remaining alive to take care of her baby, seems likely to be the Season's emotional chamberpiece.
But, as I alluded to earlier, some of my hopes for Season 2 seem lost with Episode 3's conclusion. I personally feel that the group's coup d'état ought to have failed and for Episode 4 and 5 to flesh out the character of Carver (and his particular interest in Clementine's potential) and also to give us more of a backdrop of the characters introduced in 400 Days. We never saw much of the fortress Carver had built and learned only that he was a nihilistic tyrant who had somehow managed to avoid being shot in the head by one of his henchmen.
I was hopeful that Shel and Becca's sisterly dynamic was going to be focused on. Becca's disaffected youth that we saw in 400 Days was a potentially great foil for the earthy Clementine (and indeed the much more gentle Sarah) and I feel that exploring their interactions whilst growing up amidst all that's ahead of them would have been greatly interesting. But as it stands I feel there are simply too many dispensable figures in the supporting cast, most of which lack the charm and dimension of a Carley or a Doug.
Still, Season 2 still has some delicious questions left to answer: if Christa's still alive, what are her feelings about reuniting with Clementine? If Lilly's still alive, how has life as the lone wolf shaped her? If Rebecca dies after giving birth, what will happen to the baby?
I think what we're looking at, in the end, is Clementine's character being defined for the future. Whether that means she goes on to be the protagonist for Season 3 or transitions into a strong supporting player, I feel that ripping away the doleful child in Clementine is Season 2's main focus.
For instance, as a character study of a child having to adapt to the ruthless requirements of survival, I think Season 2 has done an emotionally wrenching job with its portrayal of Clementine. As each episode goes by we see another remnant of her innocence stolen from the increasingly stressful decisions demanded of her. Her encounter with the stray mutt in the first episode sets the precedent for the unyieldingly harsh tone of which the supporting cast react to Clementine's youth. In Season 1 she was the innocent child everyone scurried to protect; now she's the one all the adults heavily rely on and treat no differently. By Episode 3, Clementine is sought to do all the group's bidding and is often the voice that carries the most weight. Slowly but surely, Clementine is being positioned as the spiritual leader.
I think this is why, contrary to opinions I've come across in other communities, Sarah's character is an equally important device in this Season: while she isn't the antithesis of Clementine, her reliance on others mirrors the relationship Clementine shared with Lee. Sarah isn't weak; she herself is still a child who was the beneficiary of prolonged normality during the chaos. Clementine has the opportunity to serve as Sarah's compass into surviving and what if that entails the same sacrifices Lee made for her? This particular dynamic, and the uncertainty of Rebecca remaining alive to take care of her baby, seems likely to be the Season's emotional chamberpiece.
But, as I alluded to earlier, some of my hopes for Season 2 seem lost with Episode 3's conclusion. I personally feel that the group's coup d'état ought to have failed and for Episode 4 and 5 to flesh out the character of Carver (and his particular interest in Clementine's potential) and also to give us more of a backdrop of the characters introduced in 400 Days. We never saw much of the fortress Carver had built and learned only that he was a nihilistic tyrant who had somehow managed to avoid being shot in the head by one of his henchmen.
I was hopeful that Shel and Becca's sisterly dynamic was going to be focused on. Becca's disaffected youth that we saw in 400 Days was a potentially great foil for the earthy Clementine (and indeed the much more gentle Sarah) and I feel that exploring their interactions whilst growing up amidst all that's ahead of them would have been greatly interesting. But as it stands I feel there are simply too many dispensable figures in the supporting cast, most of which lack the charm and dimension of a Carley or a Doug.
Still, Season 2 still has some delicious questions left to answer: if Christa's still alive, what are her feelings about reuniting with Clementine? If Lilly's still alive, how has life as the lone wolf shaped her? If Rebecca dies after giving birth, what will happen to the baby?
I think what we're looking at, in the end, is Clementine's character being defined for the future. Whether that means she goes on to be the protagonist for Season 3 or transitions into a strong supporting player, I feel that ripping away the doleful child in Clementine is Season 2's main focus.
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Comments
Interesting post. Clementine is surely evolving into a headstrong person and has had to grow up so fast. I feel very sad for her that she hasn't been able to have a proper childhood. But of course, you can't really have one in the ZA.
She is one of the best female characters of all time, if not THE best. Telltale have done an amazing job creating her.
I was wondering and sometimes struggling about how real such person as Clem could be.
I mean she was beloved little child from "west" so the transition to horrors of apocalypse would be so much worse to handle than for child (lets say from africa) that was struggling in some ways before it all happend.
And I mean that from psychological point of view since I find it hard to imagine, how.. just how would 11yo girl find such psychological stability and strength in such times.
I have no doubts that kids of that age can easily learn how to fire guns, how to swing axe, BUT how can 11yo keep her shit togeather when she is getting in some death/life situation with multiple walkers is beyond me and unrealistic.
TL;DR: I'm not saying such kid like Clem cannot exist in real world. I'm just saying it would be such an honour to know such child. o/
Clementine, for me, will become the strongminded individual that her experiences will naturally shape her into but she will also retain her humanity by ensuring the small decisions she makes mean something in the palm of terror -- even if, in the end, they cannot change what lies on that bloody horizon.
I'm very intrigued to see what happens with Sarah and Becca, however, as I think they are two other characters that are going to be shaped in different ways by the zombie apocalypse. Somewhere, Clementine slots between them both; not too fragile, not too hardened.