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In terms of classic horror movie tropes, Emily is, quite clearly, "The Bitch" - possibly the most hated character in any slasher movie, other than the killer himself. However, in Until Dawn, the writers overturn the whole horror movie "bitch" stereotype. Emily starts off as the most dislikeable character by far: dependent and spiteful - it's not an attractive combination, and the knowledge that she's that way because Mike dumped her in favor of Jessica doesn't really overcome our dislike, because Emily spends most of her time displacing her anger onto her innocent new boyfriend, Matt. And Matt, even with his most sarcastic responses, seems unable to mount an effective defense against her.
In terms of classic horror movie tropes, Emily is, quite clearly, "The Bitch" - possibly the most hated character in any slasher movie, other than the killer himself. However, in Until Dawn, the writers overturn the whole horror movie "bitch" stereotype. Emily starts off as the most dislikeable character by far: dependent and spiteful - it's not an attractive combination, and the knowledge that she's that way because Mike dumped her in favor of Jessica doesn't really overcome our dislike, because Emily spends most of her time displacing her anger onto her innocent new boyfriend, Matt. And Matt, even with his most sarcastic responses, seems unable to mount an effective defense against her.
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However, Emily and Matt are soon parted, and once Emily is on her own, she changes from harpy into hero - the sort of self-reliant and tenacious hero who demands our respect. The writers even mold her in the form of Joseph Campbells' "Accidental Hero" archetype.
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However, Emily and Matt are soon parted, and once Emily is on her own, she changes from harpy into hero - a self-reliant and tenacious character who demands our respect. The writers even mold her in the form of Joseph Campbells' "Accidental Hero" archetype.
[[File:EmilyIntro.jpg|left]]
[[File:EmilyIntro.jpg|left]]
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The "Accidental Hero" is one of three of Joseph Campbell's heroic archetypes. Falling between the "Reluctant Hero" and the "Intentional Hero", Emily falls into her journey accidentally, but she is the driving force in carrying it through. She pushes to get help for the survivors, and it is at her instigation that she and Matt set out for the cable car station.
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The "Accidental Hero" is one of three of Joseph Campbell's heroic archetypes. Falling between the "Reluctant Hero" and the "Intentional Hero", Emily begins her journey accidentally, but she is the driving force in carrying it through. She pushes to get help for the survivors, and it is at her instigation that she and Matt set out for the cable car station.
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Emily is taken on the classic "Hero's Journey" with all the trimmings:
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Emily is taken on the classic "Hero's Journey" with all the trimmings. Here is a graphic showing the classic "Hero's Journey":
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The call to adventure when faced with Chris and Ashley's terrifying experience. The refusal of the call and the supernatural aid/challenge, represented by the confrontation with the deer and Emily's unwillingness to pass through them. The fire tower representing the guardian of the threshold. The helper (Matt) and the mentor (The Stranger). The abyss - the mine is quite literally an abyss. Spiritual death and rebirth, represented by the death of her cellphone - her old life - and rebirth in her determination to carry on regardless. The challenges (the clues in the mine). The revelation of what happened to Hannah and Beth. Then comes Emily's full transformation into action hero as she escapes the wendigo. Finally, her return with information that can help her friends realize what they are facing, and her atonement after she is confronted about being bitten.
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https://carrotranch.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/from-awakening-the-soul-of-the-writer.gif
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Here is a graphic showing the classic "Hero's Journey":
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The "Call to Adventure" comes when faced with Chris and Ashley's terrifying experience. There is often some sort of "Supernatural Aid" and a "Refusal of the Call", and these are represented by the confrontation with the deer and Emily's unwillingness to pass through them. The fire tower represents the "Guardian of the Threshold". Emily has both a "Helper" and a "Mentor", personified at first by Matt and, later, by The Stranger. "The Abyss" is represented by the mine - quite literally an abyss. Interestingly, when we first find Emily in the mines, it is 3am. In "The Crack Up", F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote: "...in a real dark night of the soul it is always three o’clock in the morning". For a "material girl" like Emily, tearing her $600 top to make a torch was a step away from materialism, but the true signal of "Spiritual Death and Rebirth" is represented by the death of her cellphone - her old material life - and her new determination to carry on regardless. Here is the mid point of Emily's journey: she is ready for her new life to emerge.
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https://carrotranch.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/from-awakening-the-soul-of-the-writer.gif
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Of the "Challenges and Temptations", the challenges she faces are mental and emotional, being the clues in the mine and the threat, symbolized by the flamethrowing activities of The Stranger, whom Emily does not yet know to be a helper/mentor. The "Temptation" is the slippery rock face, which she attempts to climb, but cannot. The "Revelation" comes slowly, as Emily pieces together what happened to Hannah and Beth. Then comes Emily's full "Transformation" into self-reliant and determined hero as she encounters The Stranger face to face, and with his aid, escapes the Wendigo and emerges from the mines. Finally, her "Return" with information that can help her friends realize what they are facing. If Emily was bitten during her escape, her "Atonement" comes after she is confronted about being bitten. How/if she emerges from this is in the player's hands.
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Amazingly, Emily accomplishes this journey and faces off against the game's horror both unarmed and alone, which is more than any other character in the game does. By the story's end, if Emily has survived, she may still be a bitch, but she's a badass bitch, along the lines of Aliens' Ellen Ripley or Terminator 2's Sarah Connor, and no matter what players think of her personality, I think they must at least respect how her character triumphs over the terror she experiences.
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Amazingly, Emily accomplishes this journey and faces off against the game's horror both unarmed and alone, which is more than any other character in the game does. By the story's end, if Emily has survived, she may still be a bitch, but she's a badass bitch, forged in the same crucible as Aliens' Ellen Ripley or Terminator 2's Sarah Connor. No matter what players think of Emily's personality, I think they must at least respect how her character triumphs over the terror she experiences.
And the writers didn't take any easy way out with Emily. It would have been so easy to soften her bitchiness for the ending. While it's possible for her to express regret over how she treated Matt (if you know exactly how to play to get her to go in that direction), in most of my playthroughs and most playthroughs I've seen online, she remains cold towards him and angry towards Mike. It is quite refreshing to see a strong female character who gets through a story like this, becomes stronger and more self-reliant, but who doesn't lose what makes her who she is - who doesn't soften herself in order to conform to social expectations. Emily is not anyone's pushover, and I love her for that.
And the writers didn't take any easy way out with Emily. It would have been so easy to soften her bitchiness for the ending. While it's possible for her to express regret over how she treated Matt (if you know exactly how to play to get her to go in that direction), in most of my playthroughs and most playthroughs I've seen online, she remains cold towards him and angry towards Mike. It is quite refreshing to see a strong female character who gets through a story like this, becomes stronger and more self-reliant, but who doesn't lose what makes her who she is - who doesn't soften herself in order to conform to social expectations. Emily is not anyone's pushover, and I love her for that.
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Until Dawn's writers have created a classic antihero in Emily. She is a character that, in anyone else's hands would have been cheap, purely hateful and disposable. Yet these writers turn her into a rich and complex person who overcomes her stereotypical roots in horror cinema. If players can't bring themselves to actually like Emily, they should surely be able to appreciate the brilliance of the writers who created her.
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Until Dawn's writers have created a classic antihero in Emily. Hers is a character that, in anyone else's hands would have been cheap, purely hateful and disposable. Yet these writers turn Emily into a rich and complex person who overcomes her stereotypical roots in horror cinema. If players can't bring themselves to actually like Emily, they should surely be able to appreciate the brilliance of the writers who created her.
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[[Category:Blog posts]]