Who Needs Friends, With an Attitude Like That?
Except that’s not true: even in the most continuity-challenged, misogynist-riddled fictions, side characters at least attempt to perform a level of complexity and depth, along with a mild connection to the main character. Lara doesn’t actually have to care about Zip and Alister, she just has to do a better job at pretending they matter. At the beginning of the game, Zip attempts to kill Lara. The question this action evokes should go something like this: “Wow, why would Zip want to kill Lara?” Instead, it’s something like this: “Oh, the stereotypically Black guy wants to kill his friend”. I wonder when during this game-long flashback we’ll learn of her occult-inspired betrayal/possession, which encouraged his assault!?” This is not the drama-inspiring, exciting beginning the designers wanted to create, but thanks to Lara’s almost godlike disconnection from the world she inhabits it’s hard to avoid such a let-down. Whenever she admires the beauty of a newly discovered temple or ruin, sh
