I acknowledge that Clementine is clearly written in a way where it is not possible to claim she doesn't feel attached to AJ. The problem is that the writers have definitely not been able to make the player recognize and strongly feel this connection at all. At least for me.
I don't know how much I'll be able to enjoy S4 if this is kept as the main plot point and main motivator for Clementine's character. I can't bring myself to care honestly, and I'm sorry Alyssa since you're the one reading this, but this is definitely a plot point the developers have failed to introduce properly, at least for me: Clem's attachment to AJ and why should we care, especially since you killed everyone else who was involved with this baby's upbringing and skipped two whole years of bonding (two years which realistically would've been pretty harsh and insufferable for Clem, filled with moments of suffering and pain in order to keep the baby safe rather than actual bonding and joy, but whatever).
I hope that the fact that we as Javier get the option to bring up "leaving AJ be should he be happy" is a good sign for players like me. My fear is that AJ not being safe and dealing with that will be the fourth Season's theme...
You may not feel attached to AJ, but the way Clementine is written, she clearly is. It makes sense that you wouldn't want Clementine to be r… moreesponsible for bringing up AJ, especially by herself. We saw the risk of that for her in the scenario where she lost her finger. However, that does NOT seem to be where Clementine is in ANF. She refers to herself as his MOTHER. I agree with you that this is strange, and undesirable.
I don't agree with you that her primary concern re AJ is that he is with a group/family that can keep him safe. Part of who Clementine is is pre-determined by the writers. She loves her little goofball and wants to continue the relationship that they had. She resented the hell out of David for taking AJ away from her and she did not think he had improved the situation for AJ. It is possible for her to admit that what David did might not have been a bad thing but I don't really see her wanting to go out into the world and ex… [view original content]
What are her hopes?
To survive and find a place that is safe in the long term. Not much hopes you can really have in ZA
What are her flaws?
I guess you can say finding role models in the wrong people. "My" Clementine's guardians were Lee, Kenny and Jane when there were arguably less controversial and more moral people around.
Is there any one thing she'd never do?
Hmm... betray her friends for self gain/for selfish reasons.
Is there any one thing she'd always do?
Kill or desert someone just for being a weak, incompetent survivor.
What did your Clementine dream about last night?
Her parents and happier times before the apocalypse. Tomorrow she will dream about Duck and what a good friend he was. I hope you are planning some dream sequences in season 4
What are her hopes? Simply put, she hopes to survive. In the apocalypse, she wants to find a community that finally has competent
members. A group that won't die off like the others, people that she can trust and rely on, people that are capable.The first group was fine, but there were reckless moments that she can't forget such as Ben's mistakes, or Kenny's drunkenness for example. The cabin group were full of too many adults that weren't responsible, smart, and independent. Examples of the many flaws she saw in the cabin group: Carlos's inability to distinguish the difference between a bite by an animal and walker. Locking her up, putting her in grave danger, the heavy reliance on her etc. It caused her to resent the group for the most part, and in-turn bond even further with Kenny.
What are her flaws? Her temper and guilt. Although she's smart, she is hot-headed - not only did she pick up an attitude from Kenny, but she feels angry about everything she's been through. The deaths of her family & friends, things always taking a turn for the worst; being powerless to do anything about it. She's angry with the way life goes for her, and she feels guilt over the deaths that she feels responsible for. Clementine blames herself for Lee's death, Omid's death, Crista's death (she believes so), Jane's death, Kenny's death, Sarah's death, Reggie's death, and so on. Some she counts as her fault completely while others she felt she could have done more. It eats away at her, and it definitely shows whenever she gets riled up.
Is there any one thing she'd never do? She'd never turn on someone she believes in, loyalty is one of her top priorities.
Is there any one thing she'd always do? She'd always do what's best for herself, and AJ. At first she wasn't so keen on the idea of a baby in their situation, but seeing Kenny's devotion to taking care of him changed her mind. Is she close to AJ? No, but AJ is more than just an innocent child, he represented hope, and his survival is what she and Kenny fought so hard for. Whatever is best for AJ, she's willing to do - even if it means leaving him in the better care of someone else.
What did your Clementine dream about last night? It was a nightmare: she was in the situation again where she was trying to save Sarah from the trailer, but left her behind. After taking one last look, she notices that Lee is sitting beside Sarah - both are covered by walkers. Jane's words of groups always falling apart echo while images of everyone she cared about dying all over again. But when she wakes up in a cold sweat, she realizes that AJ was not in that dream, he's still alive.
My Clementine -- the "Reformed Loner" as ANF put it -- is a bit of a mixed bag. At least in how I control her.
I never thought I'd have to actually "make" my own Clementine.. but here we go.
What are her hopes?
She hopes to find a safe place to hole up in, and hopefully for a very long time. She'd want to find a group (safety in numbers, after all) but one that can sustain itself, and that she wouldn't need to teach too much. She wants to see capable people, genuine people, people who would do good by her as she'd do by them. If she can't find that, she'd need to go alone... again. Her most important hope would be: that AJ's hope and smile never fade. If his goes, so does Clem's. He shouldn't suffer a terrible childhood in a world of monsters, famine, and utter survival. She doesn't want him to change into who Clementine has become now. She had to kill her father figure, see many of her Cabin mates die in front of her, turn on each other, and some even go crazy (see: Kenny). She's even sided and had to enlist in the New Frontier, because she accepted a stupid promise of shelter and food for her and AJ. AJ brought back some light into her world along with his own. She doesn't want either of theirs to go away.
What are her flaws?
Clem isn't too social. She's had to commit many horrible deeds and witness some herself (Kenny beating Carver, for instance). Due to this she can be a bit distant or cold at times, and it's usually when getting to know new people.
She is a bit too blunt. Given that she's had a lot of time on her own, but has also had many mentors since the beginning of the apocalypse, she knows all the tools of the trade (or that's what she thinks). But because of this, she can be quite blunt when teaching other people those same survival tricks. She's quite the hardened survivalist, so she considers her survival, and especially AJ's, first and foremost. IF she spends time with others, Clem would eventually loosen up to them, and have a more relaxed tone.
She may be too overprotective. Clem has spent a considerable amount of time with AJ, all on her lonesome. She's developed a bond with him that is stranger than any other before. Clem feels the need to protect him at all costs, to keep him alive. AJ is the last thing left of the Cabin group, of the friends she had made, of all the memories she's made with that group. She wants to keep those things alive, and have AJ continue on the legacy of those who came before him. Unfortunately, she would save his life over others, maybe even her own (if she knows that AJ would be able to survive without her).
Is there any one thing she'd never do?
She would never put AJ's life at risk.
OR, She would never steal a good person's supplies. While Clem may be distant and sometimes cold, she isn't completely heartless. She wouldn't steal from those who deserve a chance to live. But, for those who she does not trust, or those who make her concerned for her own well-being, she would take from them. (this is kind of confusing, but I hope you understand what I mean)
Is there any one thing she'd always do?
She would always keep AJ safe.
OR, She would always check for stability in a group. Because of her run in with Carver's people and the New Frontier, she knows what broken utopias are. Those who either offer good, but in twisted ways.. or those who exploit and lie to their own people. Clementine would ensure that who she's travelling with and who she may be working for are worth it. If it keeps her from doing her one duty (keeping AJ and herself alive), then she'd drop that group as soon as she could.
What did your Clementine dream about last night?
A Lake. An Icy Lake. Luke falling through the ice. She rushes over to save him, once again, breaks the ice and dives in. He's struggling, and she tries to help him swim out. She goes to grab him, but out of the corner of her eye she sees something. A Walker... yet it isn't a Walker. It's Clementine herself, floating closer and closer towards Luke. Clem finds this strange, but barely takes notice of it in her dreamy daze. It looks like her, yet she knows that it is in fact a Walker. "It" latches on to Luke, adding its weight to him. Luke struggles more and more, while Clementine is there completely stunned.. She watches as Luke's form gets dragged further and further into the depths of the lake, never to be seen again. Clementine turns to swim up, but now sees other people in the water with her. Walter, Alvin, Pete, Omid, Kenny, Jane, Bonnie, Sarah, Mike, Mariana... all being dragged down by the "Clementine Walkers". She tries to swim to any one of them, yet she can not move her body in the desired direction. She swims up, further and further from her comrades, closer and closer to the surface, where she finally takes one huge breath of air. The lake -- now no longer covered in ice -- still burns her freezing skin. She swims towards the shore, all alone, as her vision fades away. If only she had left those people sooner, neither they nor her would have suffered so much.
[She wakes up.]
And that's my Clementine. It may be a bit contradictory at times (though I don't mean for that to happen) but I have yet to read through it all in full.
But to summarize the main points: Clementine is a broken individual, and knows it. Because of the many hardships the apocalypse has thrown at her (the death of people close to her, the cruelty she had to witness, the deception she had to endure) she is very different than who she was in Season 1. She knows this. She is now a hardened individual who tries her best to keep her hope alive, but has a really hard time doing so. AJ has given her new hope, and she will do anything to keep that hope alive, no matter how hard it would be for her. She needs to protect AJ from experiencing what she already has suffered. She knows what is can do to people. She's lived it.
Clementine wishes to be in a permanent family she feels she belongs in. Permanent is a word almost impossible in the world of the dead, as everybody dies in the end. Clementine still hasn't given up hope that it won't stay this way forever.
What are her flaws?
As almost any person would be, in this world they are hardened by events around them. Specifically to Clementine, she is now less trusting of those around her. Yes, this helps her in survivability, she needs to remember humans need company to survive. Without company comes loneliness. With loneliness comes depression.
Is there any one thing she'd never do?
Despite her hardened personality, she would never steal if it meant costing the lives of others. What makes you better that a walker then, as walkers steal lives from communities.
Is there any one thing she'd always do?
My Clementine would keep mentally moving forward, not being hindered, rather motivated by the losses of people around her. Hope is a very difficult trait to gain in the world of the dead, but ultimately the ones who keep a positive outlook on life are the ones who will reach their goals.
What did your Clementine dream about last night?
Clementine dreamt of a paradise where she knows AJ can live safe. She doesn't need to spend every night wondering if he'll be there in the morning. It's time Clementine has the right to take care of herself for a change.
Why do you assume bringing up AJ for two years would have been insufferable and harsh and lead to moments of suffering and pain? Difficult, challenging and stressful I'd accept, but suffering and pain leave me confused. Please explain why you think that.
I acknowledge that Clementine is clearly written in a way where it is not possible to claim she doesn't feel attached to AJ. The problem is … morethat the writers have definitely not been able to make the player recognize and strongly feel this connection at all. At least for me.
I don't know how much I'll be able to enjoy S4 if this is kept as the main plot point and main motivator for Clementine's character. I can't bring myself to care honestly, and I'm sorry Alyssa since you're the one reading this, but this is definitely a plot point the developers have failed to introduce properly, at least for me: Clem's attachment to AJ and why should we care, especially since you killed everyone else who was involved with this baby's upbringing and skipped two whole years of bonding (two years which realistically would've been pretty harsh and insufferable for Clem, filled with moments of suffering and pain in order to keep the baby safe rather than act… [view original content]
I'm pretty sure there were periods of pain. Hell, there is the loss of a finger in one of the endings, I'm ready to assume that there were events where Clem, and maybe even AJ himself, ended up hurt.
It's such a dependable being, fighting walkers and nature alone while having to look out for something like that is bound to have you get hurt.
I'd imagine there were moments when Clem was hurt and starving because of AJ, where she might've actually thought of leaving him. It would've been so interesting to see Clem pushed to the edge like that... but it was all skipped, and what's done is done.
Why do you assume bringing up AJ for two years would have been insufferable and harsh and lead to moments of suffering and pain? Difficult, … morechallenging and stressful I'd accept, but suffering and pain leave me confused. Please explain why you think that.
I'm pretty sure there were periods of pain. Hell, there is the loss of a finger in one of the endings, I'm ready to assume that there were e… morevents where Clem, and maybe even AJ himself, ended up hurt.
It's such a dependable being, fighting walkers and nature alone while having to look out for something like that is bound to have you get hurt.
I'd imagine there were moments when Clem was hurt and starving because of AJ, where she might've actually thought of leaving him. It would've been so interesting to see Clem pushed to the edge like that... but it was all skipped, and what's done is done.
This isn't answering your question, straight away, but it's really important to how I played my Clementine. If you don't want to read it, you can just skip to my questions, but I really does mean a lot to how I play these games.
In Season Two, I loved Luke and Jane, and bonded with them super hard. I'm not a massive fan of Kenny, so he won't be mentioned as much - neither my Lee nor my Clementine got along with him very well. Just sparing any confusion in advance. Jane and Clementine's bond is something I found hugely interesting, to the point I'm writing a story about what I imagined their friendship could have - should have - become, with time. If she had any mementos of Jane, or Luke, she'd hold onto them as if her life depended on it. In my head canon, she still has Jane's nail file, and I like to imagine if she ever found something that reminded her of Luke - machete leaps to mind - she'd hold onto that, too.
But, yea, Luke and Jane were her best friends forever and ever. She thinks about both of them, especially Jane, every single day, and wishes they were still here with her.
Right, with that bit said, here are the answers to your questions!
What are her hopes?
Trying to find a home for AJ. Kinda forced, considering the ending of A New Frontier, but ho hum. After losing Jane, Luke, Kenny, her parents and Lee, she just wants the last person she has left to be safe. Losing people has taken its toll, on her, so she's determined to make sure AJ doesn't have to suffer the same sort of heartbreak.
What are her flaws?
Gets attached to people faster than she probably should. With Luke and Jane, even though they were near enough strangers, she treated them like close friends and let them in, even when they let her down - this applies especially to Jane, when she left the group after AJ was born and after causing my Clementine to shoot Kenny at the rest stop. I also try to have her struggle greatly with putting people she cares about out of their misery. She couldn't bring herself to do it to Lee, she never made sure Kenny didn't turn, and she couldn't force herself to pull the trigger when she saw Jane hanging from the ceiling of Howe's Hardware.
Is there any one thing she'd never do?
Kiss Gabe. Made a topic about that, actually. It's quite good. Maybe someone here would like to check it out. May seem like it's le funny meme, but it's not ... meant to be a joke. Entirely. Maybe a little.
Suicide. Under any circumstance. Again, seeing Jane like that traumatised her. The idea of herself giving up in a moment of terror, like Jane likely did, terrifies her.
In terms of treating other people, she'd be reluctant to steal. Every time the group stole from someone else - taking the supplies from the Stranger's car, Jane stealing Arvo's gun - it's ended in people getting hurt. Further, the thing she cares about the most - AJ - was stolen from her. She also isn't crazy about murdering people, but A New Frontier kind of renders this point 'moot' as she shoots more New Frontier thugs than I can shake a stick at.
Is there any one thing she'd always do?
That's a tricky one. I would say 'love thy neighbour', but my Clementine scared the family away from Howe's Hardware. I think, and it'll sound kind of cliche, keep looking forward. Yesterday may have been awful, but that doesn't mean tomorrow will be.
Oh, and accept a drink. Clem loves rum, now.
What did your Clementine dream about last night?
What things would have been like if Jane was still alive. As the last 'true' friend my Clementine had, Jane left a big hole in Clementine's heart when she chose to break character end her own life. Having called Jane 'family' - and meaning it - she misses the Big Sister role that Jane provided for the short time they knew each other, and wishes she could spend more time with her. Despite the bitter memories she has of those last moments with Jane, she had a 'happy' dream. One of stories about sisters, and 'Earthquake', and sugar crystals.
Sorry for being brief, and I hope this was helpful in some way. My Clementine really misses Jane, as well as Luke and Lee and her parents. I thought the way she was portrayed in A New Frontier, while definitely probably similar to the way some people played her in Season Two, was quite different from how my Clementine was played. I feel that, despite the claim of there being '42 different Clementines', they all ended up rather similar. Especially when one considers that the lessons Jane and Kenny would have taught her are quite different, to say the least.
My Clem misses Kenny, who's possibly still out there somewhere since he dropped off Clem and AJ at Wellington. Would be insanely awesome if Kenny was in Season 4 if he is still alive depending on our season 2 ending choices.
What Clem dreamt last night? I'm not sure about that, but a few nights ago she had this insane dream about Kenny dying in a car crash (or Jane hang herself). Insane, right? Lucky us that isn't the case, right? Lucky us that Kenny or Jane will be with AJ at McCarol farm... Right?
What Clem dreamt last night? I'm not sure about that, but a few nights ago she had this insane dream about Kenny dying in a car crash (or Ja… morene hang herself). Insane, right? Lucky us that isn't the case, right? Lucky us that Kenny or Jane will be with AJ at McCarol farm... Right?
What are her hopes?
My Clem's hopes are much the same as anyone's really. She wants to find a safe place for herself and AJ with a small group of people who know how to handle themselves and look out for one another. A group that works together and isn't filled with liars and psychopaths.
What are her Flaws?
Flaws? We are talking about Clementine here right? I am pretty sure she is practically perfect in every way... I guess if she has any flaw about her it would be that she holds herself apart as a measure of protection against the fact that almost everyone she has met is either evil, inept or dead. She see's most people as a liability, that they are too inept to survive and have only made this far by luck or by getting better people killed through dependence upon the strong. But screw all that mess, it's my Clem, those aren't really flaws in my eyes they're features... oh wait I know, she will wear any ugly jacket anyone hands her.
Is there one thing she'd never do?
Tell someone "No thank you, you can keep your ugly Jacket".
I don't think there is anything my Clem wouldn't do beyond some truly psychotic things which I don't really feel thinking about right now. My Clem understands that having boundaries would limit her chance to survive. There are many things she hopes to never do, but few things she wouldn't do in order to keep living.
Is there one thing she'd always do?
Take the ugly Jacket.
As soon as she meets anyone my Clem will always begin planning how she is going to kill that person when things start going south. My Clem asses all people quickly, whether they're weak or strong, smart or stupid and she always approaches first meetings with an eye towards the worst possible scenario. My Clem knows her exit points and tactics for survival and most of them involve shooting first.
What did your Clem dream about last night?
She was 18 and attending her first class at the University of Georgia. She met her new teacher, Professor Everett and his TA Sarah. Also she was wearing the most hideous jacket ever created.
Not sure what's she's like right now but since I was going full blown serial killer psychopath a lot in Season 1 and 2, I suppose not much positive thinking left in her
What are her hopes?
My Clem's hopes are much the same as anyone's really. She wants to find a safe place for herself and AJ with a small gr… moreoup of people who know how to handle themselves and look out for one another. A group that works together and isn't filled with liars and psychopaths.
What are her Flaws?
Flaws? We are talking about Clementine here right? I am pretty sure she is practically perfect in every way... I guess if she has any flaw about her it would be that she holds herself apart as a measure of protection against the fact that almost everyone she has met is either evil, inept or dead. She see's most people as a liability, that they are too inept to survive and have only made this far by luck or by getting better people killed through dependence upon the strong. But screw all that mess, it's my Clem, those aren't really flaws in my eyes they're features... oh wait I know, she will wear any ugly jacket anyone hands her.
… [view original content]
I don't really care for the whole #MyClementine thing from a characterization and continuous storytelling standpoint personally, but maybe I'll finally contribute something here.
Comments
I acknowledge that Clementine is clearly written in a way where it is not possible to claim she doesn't feel attached to AJ. The problem is that the writers have definitely not been able to make the player recognize and strongly feel this connection at all. At least for me.
I don't know how much I'll be able to enjoy S4 if this is kept as the main plot point and main motivator for Clementine's character. I can't bring myself to care honestly, and I'm sorry Alyssa since you're the one reading this, but this is definitely a plot point the developers have failed to introduce properly, at least for me: Clem's attachment to AJ and why should we care, especially since you killed everyone else who was involved with this baby's upbringing and skipped two whole years of bonding (two years which realistically would've been pretty harsh and insufferable for Clem, filled with moments of suffering and pain in order to keep the baby safe rather than actual bonding and joy, but whatever).
I hope that the fact that we as Javier get the option to bring up "leaving AJ be should he be happy" is a good sign for players like me. My fear is that AJ not being safe and dealing with that will be the fourth Season's theme...
What are her hopes?
To survive and find a place that is safe in the long term. Not much hopes you can really have in ZA
What are her flaws?
I guess you can say finding role models in the wrong people. "My" Clementine's guardians were Lee, Kenny and Jane when there were arguably less controversial and more moral people around.
Is there any one thing she'd never do?
Hmm... betray her friends for self gain/for selfish reasons.
Is there any one thing she'd always do?
Kill or desert someone just for being a weak, incompetent survivor.
What did your Clementine dream about last night?
Her parents and happier times before the apocalypse. Tomorrow she will dream about Duck and what a good friend he was. I hope you are planning some dream sequences in season 4
What are her hopes?
She hopes to find her hamster.
What are her flaws?
She is currently hamsterless.
Is there any one thing she'd never do?
Shave Kenny's majestic mustache
Is there any one thing she'd always do?
Neglect her hamster
What did your Clementine dream about last night?
Her hamster
What are her hopes? Simply put, she hopes to survive. In the apocalypse, she wants to find a community that finally has competent
members. A group that won't die off like the others, people that she can trust and rely on, people that are capable.The first group was fine, but there were reckless moments that she can't forget such as Ben's mistakes, or Kenny's drunkenness for example. The cabin group were full of too many adults that weren't responsible, smart, and independent. Examples of the many flaws she saw in the cabin group: Carlos's inability to distinguish the difference between a bite by an animal and walker. Locking her up, putting her in grave danger, the heavy reliance on her etc. It caused her to resent the group for the most part, and in-turn bond even further with Kenny.
What are her flaws? Her temper and guilt. Although she's smart, she is hot-headed - not only did she pick up an attitude from Kenny, but she feels angry about everything she's been through. The deaths of her family & friends, things always taking a turn for the worst; being powerless to do anything about it. She's angry with the way life goes for her, and she feels guilt over the deaths that she feels responsible for. Clementine blames herself for Lee's death, Omid's death, Crista's death (she believes so), Jane's death, Kenny's death, Sarah's death, Reggie's death, and so on. Some she counts as her fault completely while others she felt she could have done more. It eats away at her, and it definitely shows whenever she gets riled up.
Is there any one thing she'd never do? She'd never turn on someone she believes in, loyalty is one of her top priorities.
Is there any one thing she'd always do? She'd always do what's best for herself, and AJ. At first she wasn't so keen on the idea of a baby in their situation, but seeing Kenny's devotion to taking care of him changed her mind. Is she close to AJ? No, but AJ is more than just an innocent child, he represented hope, and his survival is what she and Kenny fought so hard for. Whatever is best for AJ, she's willing to do - even if it means leaving him in the better care of someone else.
What did your Clementine dream about last night? It was a nightmare: she was in the situation again where she was trying to save Sarah from the trailer, but left her behind. After taking one last look, she notices that Lee is sitting beside Sarah - both are covered by walkers. Jane's words of groups always falling apart echo while images of everyone she cared about dying all over again. But when she wakes up in a cold sweat, she realizes that AJ was not in that dream, he's still alive.
My Clementine -- the "Reformed Loner" as ANF put it -- is a bit of a mixed bag. At least in how I control her.
I never thought I'd have to actually "make" my own Clementine.. but here we go.
What are her hopes?
She hopes to find a safe place to hole up in, and hopefully for a very long time. She'd want to find a group (safety in numbers, after all) but one that can sustain itself, and that she wouldn't need to teach too much. She wants to see capable people, genuine people, people who would do good by her as she'd do by them. If she can't find that, she'd need to go alone... again. Her most important hope would be: that AJ's hope and smile never fade. If his goes, so does Clem's. He shouldn't suffer a terrible childhood in a world of monsters, famine, and utter survival. She doesn't want him to change into who Clementine has become now. She had to kill her father figure, see many of her Cabin mates die in front of her, turn on each other, and some even go crazy (see: Kenny). She's even sided and had to enlist in the New Frontier, because she accepted a stupid promise of shelter and food for her and AJ. AJ brought back some light into her world along with his own. She doesn't want either of theirs to go away.
What are her flaws?
Clem isn't too social. She's had to commit many horrible deeds and witness some herself (Kenny beating Carver, for instance). Due to this she can be a bit distant or cold at times, and it's usually when getting to know new people.
She is a bit too blunt. Given that she's had a lot of time on her own, but has also had many mentors since the beginning of the apocalypse, she knows all the tools of the trade (or that's what she thinks). But because of this, she can be quite blunt when teaching other people those same survival tricks. She's quite the hardened survivalist, so she considers her survival, and especially AJ's, first and foremost. IF she spends time with others, Clem would eventually loosen up to them, and have a more relaxed tone.
She may be too overprotective. Clem has spent a considerable amount of time with AJ, all on her lonesome. She's developed a bond with him that is stranger than any other before. Clem feels the need to protect him at all costs, to keep him alive. AJ is the last thing left of the Cabin group, of the friends she had made, of all the memories she's made with that group. She wants to keep those things alive, and have AJ continue on the legacy of those who came before him. Unfortunately, she would save his life over others, maybe even her own (if she knows that AJ would be able to survive without her).
Is there any one thing she'd never do?
She would never put AJ's life at risk.
OR, She would never steal a good person's supplies. While Clem may be distant and sometimes cold, she isn't completely heartless. She wouldn't steal from those who deserve a chance to live. But, for those who she does not trust, or those who make her concerned for her own well-being, she would take from them. (this is kind of confusing, but I hope you understand what I mean)
Is there any one thing she'd always do?
She would always keep AJ safe.
OR, She would always check for stability in a group. Because of her run in with Carver's people and the New Frontier, she knows what broken utopias are. Those who either offer good, but in twisted ways.. or those who exploit and lie to their own people. Clementine would ensure that who she's travelling with and who she may be working for are worth it. If it keeps her from doing her one duty (keeping AJ and herself alive), then she'd drop that group as soon as she could.
What did your Clementine dream about last night?
A Lake. An Icy Lake. Luke falling through the ice. She rushes over to save him, once again, breaks the ice and dives in. He's struggling, and she tries to help him swim out. She goes to grab him, but out of the corner of her eye she sees something. A Walker... yet it isn't a Walker. It's Clementine herself, floating closer and closer towards Luke. Clem finds this strange, but barely takes notice of it in her dreamy daze. It looks like her, yet she knows that it is in fact a Walker. "It" latches on to Luke, adding its weight to him. Luke struggles more and more, while Clementine is there completely stunned.. She watches as Luke's form gets dragged further and further into the depths of the lake, never to be seen again. Clementine turns to swim up, but now sees other people in the water with her. Walter, Alvin, Pete, Omid, Kenny, Jane, Bonnie, Sarah, Mike, Mariana... all being dragged down by the "Clementine Walkers". She tries to swim to any one of them, yet she can not move her body in the desired direction. She swims up, further and further from her comrades, closer and closer to the surface, where she finally takes one huge breath of air. The lake -- now no longer covered in ice -- still burns her freezing skin. She swims towards the shore, all alone, as her vision fades away. If only she had left those people sooner, neither they nor her would have suffered so much.
[She wakes up.]
And that's my Clementine. It may be a bit contradictory at times (though I don't mean for that to happen) but I have yet to read through it all in full.
But to summarize the main points: Clementine is a broken individual, and knows it. Because of the many hardships the apocalypse has thrown at her (the death of people close to her, the cruelty she had to witness, the deception she had to endure) she is very different than who she was in Season 1. She knows this. She is now a hardened individual who tries her best to keep her hope alive, but has a really hard time doing so. AJ has given her new hope, and she will do anything to keep that hope alive, no matter how hard it would be for her. She needs to protect AJ from experiencing what she already has suffered. She knows what is can do to people. She's lived it.
Clementine wishes to be in a permanent family she feels she belongs in. Permanent is a word almost impossible in the world of the dead, as everybody dies in the end. Clementine still hasn't given up hope that it won't stay this way forever.
As almost any person would be, in this world they are hardened by events around them. Specifically to Clementine, she is now less trusting of those around her. Yes, this helps her in survivability, she needs to remember humans need company to survive. Without company comes loneliness. With loneliness comes depression.
Despite her hardened personality, she would never steal if it meant costing the lives of others. What makes you better that a walker then, as walkers steal lives from communities.
My Clementine would keep mentally moving forward, not being hindered, rather motivated by the losses of people around her. Hope is a very difficult trait to gain in the world of the dead, but ultimately the ones who keep a positive outlook on life are the ones who will reach their goals.
Clementine dreamt of a paradise where she knows AJ can live safe. She doesn't need to spend every night wondering if he'll be there in the morning. It's time Clementine has the right to take care of herself for a change.
Why do you assume bringing up AJ for two years would have been insufferable and harsh and lead to moments of suffering and pain? Difficult, challenging and stressful I'd accept, but suffering and pain leave me confused. Please explain why you think that.
I'm pretty sure there were periods of pain. Hell, there is the loss of a finger in one of the endings, I'm ready to assume that there were events where Clem, and maybe even AJ himself, ended up hurt.
It's such a dependable being, fighting walkers and nature alone while having to look out for something like that is bound to have you get hurt.
I'd imagine there were moments when Clem was hurt and starving because of AJ, where she might've actually thought of leaving him. It would've been so interesting to see Clem pushed to the edge like that... but it was all skipped, and what's done is done.
Thanks for responding. Not sure I agree with your thinking, but liked being able to read it.
This isn't answering your question, straight away, but it's really important to how I played my Clementine. If you don't want to read it, you can just skip to my questions, but I really does mean a lot to how I play these games.
In Season Two, I loved Luke and Jane, and bonded with them super hard. I'm not a massive fan of Kenny, so he won't be mentioned as much - neither my Lee nor my Clementine got along with him very well. Just sparing any confusion in advance. Jane and Clementine's bond is something I found hugely interesting, to the point I'm writing a story about what I imagined their friendship could have - should have - become, with time. If she had any mementos of Jane, or Luke, she'd hold onto them as if her life depended on it. In my head canon, she still has Jane's nail file, and I like to imagine if she ever found something that reminded her of Luke - machete leaps to mind - she'd hold onto that, too.
But, yea, Luke and Jane were her best friends forever and ever. She thinks about both of them, especially Jane, every single day, and wishes they were still here with her.
Right, with that bit said, here are the answers to your questions!
What are her hopes?
Trying to find a home for AJ. Kinda forced, considering the ending of A New Frontier, but ho hum. After losing Jane, Luke, Kenny, her parents and Lee, she just wants the last person she has left to be safe. Losing people has taken its toll, on her, so she's determined to make sure AJ doesn't have to suffer the same sort of heartbreak.
What are her flaws?
Gets attached to people faster than she probably should. With Luke and Jane, even though they were near enough strangers, she treated them like close friends and let them in, even when they let her down - this applies especially to Jane, when she left the group after AJ was born and after causing my Clementine to shoot Kenny at the rest stop. I also try to have her struggle greatly with putting people she cares about out of their misery. She couldn't bring herself to do it to Lee, she never made sure Kenny didn't turn, and she couldn't force herself to pull the trigger when she saw Jane hanging from the ceiling of Howe's Hardware.
Is there any one thing she'd never do?
Kiss Gabe. Made a topic about that, actually. It's quite good. Maybe someone here would like to check it out. May seem like it's le funny meme, but it's not ... meant to be a joke. Entirely. Maybe a little.
Suicide. Under any circumstance. Again, seeing Jane like that traumatised her. The idea of herself giving up in a moment of terror, like Jane likely did, terrifies her.
In terms of treating other people, she'd be reluctant to steal. Every time the group stole from someone else - taking the supplies from the Stranger's car, Jane stealing Arvo's gun - it's ended in people getting hurt. Further, the thing she cares about the most - AJ - was stolen from her. She also isn't crazy about murdering people, but A New Frontier kind of renders this point 'moot' as she shoots more New Frontier thugs than I can shake a stick at.
Is there any one thing she'd always do?
That's a tricky one. I would say 'love thy neighbour', but my Clementine scared the family away from Howe's Hardware. I think, and it'll sound kind of cliche, keep looking forward. Yesterday may have been awful, but that doesn't mean tomorrow will be.
Oh, and accept a drink. Clem loves rum, now.
What did your Clementine dream about last night?
What things would have been like if Jane was still alive. As the last 'true' friend my Clementine had, Jane left a big hole in Clementine's heart when she chose to break character end her own life. Having called Jane 'family' - and meaning it - she misses the Big Sister role that Jane provided for the short time they knew each other, and wishes she could spend more time with her. Despite the bitter memories she has of those last moments with Jane, she had a 'happy' dream. One of stories about sisters, and 'Earthquake', and sugar crystals.
Sorry for being brief, and I hope this was helpful in some way. My Clementine really misses Jane, as well as Luke and Lee and her parents. I thought the way she was portrayed in A New Frontier, while definitely probably similar to the way some people played her in Season Two, was quite different from how my Clementine was played. I feel that, despite the claim of there being '42 different Clementines', they all ended up rather similar. Especially when one considers that the lessons Jane and Kenny would have taught her are quite different, to say the least.
Sooo, yea, those're my answers to your questions.
My Clem misses Kenny, who's possibly still out there somewhere since he dropped off Clem and AJ at Wellington. Would be insanely awesome if Kenny was in Season 4 if he is still alive depending on our season 2 ending choices.
What Clem dreamt last night? I'm not sure about that, but a few nights ago she had this insane dream about Kenny dying in a car crash (or Jane hang herself). Insane, right? Lucky us that isn't the case, right? Lucky us that Kenny or Jane will be with AJ at McCarol farm... Right?
If you think about it, there's two endings where that's a possibility for Kenny, and one for Jane.
What are her hopes?
My Clem's hopes are much the same as anyone's really. She wants to find a safe place for herself and AJ with a small group of people who know how to handle themselves and look out for one another. A group that works together and isn't filled with liars and psychopaths.
What are her Flaws?
Flaws? We are talking about Clementine here right? I am pretty sure she is practically perfect in every way... I guess if she has any flaw about her it would be that she holds herself apart as a measure of protection against the fact that almost everyone she has met is either evil, inept or dead. She see's most people as a liability, that they are too inept to survive and have only made this far by luck or by getting better people killed through dependence upon the strong. But screw all that mess, it's my Clem, those aren't really flaws in my eyes they're features... oh wait I know, she will wear any ugly jacket anyone hands her.
Is there one thing she'd never do?
Tell someone "No thank you, you can keep your ugly Jacket".
I don't think there is anything my Clem wouldn't do beyond some truly psychotic things which I don't really feel thinking about right now. My Clem understands that having boundaries would limit her chance to survive. There are many things she hopes to never do, but few things she wouldn't do in order to keep living.
Is there one thing she'd always do?
Take the ugly Jacket.
As soon as she meets anyone my Clem will always begin planning how she is going to kill that person when things start going south. My Clem asses all people quickly, whether they're weak or strong, smart or stupid and she always approaches first meetings with an eye towards the worst possible scenario. My Clem knows her exit points and tactics for survival and most of them involve shooting first.
What did your Clem dream about last night?
She was 18 and attending her first class at the University of Georgia. She met her new teacher, Professor Everett and his TA Sarah. Also she was wearing the most hideous jacket ever created.
Not sure what's she's like right now but since I was going full blown serial killer psychopath a lot in Season 1 and 2, I suppose not much positive thinking left in her
Um....
I don't really care for the whole #MyClementine thing from a characterization and continuous storytelling standpoint personally, but maybe I'll finally contribute something here.
Eventually.