Clementines greatest influence.
I feel like this is a topic that people take for granted and just assume, yes, Lee is her greatest influence based on the player's experience rather than her own. But, let's look at who really taught her and spent time with her.
Lee: Spent 3 1/2 months with her, took care of her when she was at her most vulnerable and gave her confidence and the BASIC skills to survive.
Christa: Spent about 2 years with her, was there when she was learning the basics and taught her the advanced survival skills (making and tending fires, hunting and cooking).
Omid; honrobale mention, he did spend 8 months with her and seems to miss him dearly... still more quantitative time than Lee spent with her. Also sacrificed his life for her.
Jane, despite being a Kenny hater myself, I will include her due to her screen time in S2, taught Clem some advanced fighting skills and... wasn't the hot headed irrational Kenny.
Kenny: He was there with Clem from near the start AND spent probably about 2 years with her in the best case scenario, had almost no visible interaction with her in S1 AND optionally doesnt really care about her that much based on Lee's decisions, but still, near 2 years of caring for her puts her on par with Christa.
Ed and Diana: More honorable mentions honestly, but do you think Clementine would be so open-minded, intelligent and patient without them?
At any rate, I say Christa deserves specific attention, she still took care of Clementine when she was still getting on her own feet, even while Christa was recovering from a lost child (maybe?). Kenny may have spent as much time with her (in the best case), but that was while she was already independent enough to act on her own. Finally, while Lee always has a place in my heart as her guardian, he BARELY began to teach her to survive, Christa did that for the next 2 years.
Comments
It would've been nice to hear how these people influenced on Clementine.
Like have her break down, thinking about her dead parents at the campfire or something.
You know, instead of showing off how of a "edgy badass" she is.
I'd have to go with Lee. His teachings and memory have really stayed with her all these years. She met him at a time when she was most vulnerable and impressionable, and I don't think his presence will ever completely go away.
After that, I'd go with Kenny (if she picked that route) considering how they became family after so much time together. She learnt a lot about resilience and family from him.
Jane passed away too early for her to become a big influence on Clem's life. At most I could see her death influencing her more than say her life/personality/guidance/etc.
With Christa... the two never really had a close bond (especially with what happened with Omid). She was too closed off towards Clem and most probably resentful towards her for a long time that they were together. Maybe she taught Clem about survival, but I don't think they were close enough that she would have influenced her mentality, ethics or priorities in life.
Do you think she still remembers her parents well? I'd say she maybe remembers bits and pieces, but not say aspects of their personality etc. Definitely not enough to be a big influence on her life.
I fully agree with this ^
It'd be nice to have some scene where she speaks about the people who taught her, protected her and died for her.
I feel like Christa is very underappreciated. I understand where players might side with Kenny or Lee more; Christa blames the death of Omid on Clem. This is evident after the 16 month time skip. Clem and Christa's relationship is completely severed, and Christa feels lost. However, Christa kept her alive for two years, taught her how to sew up her wounds, and possibly much more.
It was Lee the most.
Gabe. He taught her how to play euchre
I feel as though Lee only set her on the path to survival, while Christa walked it with her. Without Christa and Omid, I honestly think she would have died pretty soon after Lee. The moment after she was separated from Christa, I feel she had the tools to survive then. I don't feel like the Kenny route would have had nearly as much impact because she was pretty much grown up by then.
Jane, since S3 Clementine is a Jane version 2.0
Judging from what Clem says in ANF, she clealy cares for either Kenny or Jane, as those are the only people she can mention, or as I should say, writers thought its necessarily to remind us our endings matter (when they don't).
Being with Christa (and to a lesser extent Omid) really did set her on the path of survival. She grew to be a lot more independent and confident in her abilities during this period. I don't think they expected anything less from her, and Christa definitely wouldn't have any inclination to baby her (esp after the Omid incident).
So yes, Clem is alive today because of Christa. But when we're talking about the idea of people influencing her, I think of it more as people who have shaped her personality or world view rather than people who have kept her alive. In that regard, Christa was very closed off towards Clem and I don't think they were that close for her to be able to impact Clem on such a manner. Time, such close proximity, having only each other for company, etc. does not necessarily equate to a strong bond and vulnerability between both parties for that to take place.
Lee, Kenny, Jane, Luke, etc. may not have contributed as much to Clem's survival skills, but they helped shape who she is today.
Lee wouldn't have done half as much if Chuck hadn't laid into him about it. SO I say Charles because I am fancy and most people forget about him.
For my version of Clementine, Kenny. He spent the most combined amount of time with her.
Let's be honest: AJ and Lee both have/had the greatest influence on Clem; Lee as a parental/guardian figure and AJ as a child. At this point, AJ is the one thing she's fighting for and she clearly cares about his survival more than her own, and her actions are influenced by how she will protect him and help him survive.
Lee was the most because he taught her how to survive and never give up on hope, even if things seem bad. He also gave his life saving her.
Kenny comes 2nd because he taught her that family comes first before anything else. That and he, determinately, a few years with her longer than Lee.
Christa is 3rd because she only taught her advanced survival skills (stitching, mending a fire, cooking, etc.) and spent 2 years with her, around the same time as Kenny.
Jane comes last because the only thing I remember her teaching her was the knee technique and that's about it.
Well that and raieing bodies for shit.
Yeah I agree, Christa was there much longer than Lee was. And Kenny was there for 4 years (optional). Christa was there for 16 months, not 2 years. But still... Lee wasn't the biggest influence
*Molly 3.0
???
But not how to light a fire. Kenny did teach her to light a fire.
I wish Season 2 was about Clementine's time with Christa and Omid tbh, rather than just pushing the story forward with a death and time-skip.
Then it's Molly 4.0 since that woman in the Jane ending is a reused model from Molly.
this one
Huh? In the beginning of season two, you have to keep a fire lit. I would imagine that's one of the things Christa taught her.
Patricia was introduced after Jane, though.
I think a lot of people overlook Chuck a.k.a 'Charles if ya fancy'. He was the one who told Lee to make a plan for Savannah, he also told Lee to cut Clem's hair and teach her how to use a gun to protect herself, all important things during the beginning of the ZA.
Christa would be close second, teaching Clem how to some what survive through making fires, hunting, and attending injuries with basic first aid.
Christa says she should have taught Clem to light a fire.
She would be dead if she hadnt cross with Lee. He prepared her for apocalypse and take care of her after her family got away. In season 2, she is acting more like Lee actually. Her mimics and her replies mostly reminded me Lee. It means that Lee has a great place on her heart.
Mine were Lee and Luke.