Why, in my opinion, Clementine shouldn't be the protagonist of Season 3
To start this off, I'm aware that this will most likely generate a ton of hate towards me, but I've always felt like saying that. I did, however, wait until the initial post-season hype and speculations died down, so the topic wouldn't get lost amidst the sea of others.
So here we go. As the title says, I firmly believe we should be getting a Season 3 protagonist that isn't Clementine. Now hear me out why. Season 1 set Clementine up perfectly to be the centerpoint of Season 2's story. Irregardless of your decisions, she ended up on her own in the same situation. However, unlike Season 1, where Clementine's fate was the same and no matter what you did and the events could still logically lead to the beginning of Season 2, Season 2 gave us a broad range of endings that differ in terms of where Clementine ends up and with whom. However, we all know that won't last if Clementine is the protagonist of Season 3. We know that Telltale only provides an illusion of choice, with the consequences always arriving at the same point eventually- UNTIL that ending, which, correct me if I'm wrong, is the first REAL large scale consequence based on your choice that happened in a Telltale game.
I love the fact that for the first time I felt like my decision truly mattered. That it changed something of significance. And personally, I want it preserved. Now we all know that if Telltale does make Season 3 with Clem at the helm, they will have to inevitably cheapen those endings someway. One way or another, Clementine will have to end up at the same place regardless where she started and with the same pack of characters, which means whatever shelter you go to will fail and Kenny and Jane are marked for death, just like every determinant character in Telltale's Walking Dead history. Telltale doesn't have time, resources, nor probably willingness to make what is essentially several different stories for the beginning of the game. Thus, it will be imperative for the telling of the new story to wipe out the differences between the endings of Season 2, so the Season 3 narrative can kick off. Eventually.
And I don't want that to happen. I love Clementine as much as the next Walking Dead fan, but I'd prefer if she wasn't the focus of Season 3, so I can continue knowing that my decisions at the end of 2 was weighty, as it should be. Don't write her off completely, of course. There's ample opportunity for whoever is the protagonist of Season 3 to interact with Clementine on different circumstances, so it doesn't break the ending of the 2nd season, nor the importance of its decisions. But I think that the series would benefit from a fresh protagonist. Clementine's story was long and saw her out-grow in character most of the adults we've met in the series. But that story also feels rather done. Clementine is strong, she can take care of herself whether or not she has someone by her side, and her focus now should be to settle in a safe place to look after AJ, unless she intends to abandon the baby. Doesn't sound like a very interesting setting for a new game. There's so much more to be done with the setting and I feel like it would be best done through the eyes of a new character who, once again, may interact with Clementine. Instead of the other way around.
So that's my take on the subject. I've read around on the forums and it seems almost a unanimous belief that Clementine should and will be at the helm of Season 3. Most people don't even consider an alternative. I wonder if I'm alone in this. Let's hear people out.
Comments
I dont think Clem's story will end with a look of mild concern and slight cliffhanger as it does in Jane's empathy ending.
And I'd be disappointed if her story ends with her being made a disney princess as in the Kenny endings. She needs a more thorough closing of character, and I don't see how we can get that without playing her until her story actually does conclude.
PHOEBE
Clementine still has lots of room to grow as a character and a protagonist, especially now that she will be going through puberty in Season three, which should shake up the story and her character up a bit.
If her story does end in Season Two, with those lackluster endings, I will be very disappointed.
Agreed
Ugh...how exactly will Clem going through puberty change anything?
You mean she'll possibly experience mood swings?
She can basically already do that, depending on how you play.
"Anyone who doesn't agree with me is stupid!!!!!"
[removed]
Maturity level, that's all I was thinking of lol.
Omg he is so bad.
She's already more mature than some of our group in season 2, so it wouldnt really shake up the story
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Looks like I have no idea what I'm talking about.
None of us do most of the time
I agree. "Clementine is going to grow up" is no longer an argument. It might have been made back before Season 2, but by the end of it, she's as mentally mature as any adult out there. The only thing I can think of that her going through puberty will change is that she'll start to have romantic interests. And that will be nothing short of awkward to roleplay as a child character, regardless of her mental maturity.
See, this is becoming quite sad. You just automatically write them off. After a huge wave of criticism, contempt and disappointment that TT has been experiencing from the large group of fans since the beginning of Season 2, multiple endings might be a honest attempt to restore the opportunity to increase the amount of choices having an actual impact on the game - what people went absolutely crazy about - and reduce the "illusion of choice", which is nothing more than people nitpicking at everything.
It's obvious we are not going to get three or four different games, but it doesn't mean TT will completely neglect the work they put into ending. It's safer to hold a reason behind it, instead of: "Hey random player, catch! One of your choices actually matters! Have fun!". Some people literally drowned them in the negative reviews (and just to clarify, I'm not one of them, I really enjoyed S2). I just want them to take as much time as they need for the preparation of S3 or the DLC. And I believe they won't fuck this up. A little more faith never killed nobody, right?
Back to the topic, Clementine doesn't need to be a protagonist to let the player see how our choices affected her - which is probably the main reason why most of people want to remain playing as her. One story can be told from different points of view, and I'm okay with whichever protagonist we'll get.
U hrt meh fllingz m8 tek it bak
Perhaps it's different protagonist for each season rule.
I really hope not, as much as our choices don't matter right now, I would feel they would matter way less if we had a different protagonist every season.
Maybe it came off that way, but I don't say that with a negative tone you're picturing. Just stating a fact that has been apparent for both seasons of the Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us. And I honestly doubt that's gonna change. I'm not saying their model of choice/consequence, or the illusion thereof, is bad. It's still way more than we get in most games, and for many people, the satisfaction comes from the very process of MAKING a hard choice, and it only becomes apparent that it didn't really matter way later, when you replay the game.
But really, I'm fine with Telltale sticking to their model of choices, and they will most likely do so. Anyway, I wanted to avoid this topic boiling down to a discussion of how much choices matter, there are threads for that already. So let's maybe stick to the topic.
And what you said in the last paragraph are basically my thoughts. I would like to see the story continue from another point of view.
"If you truly love something, sometimes you have to learn when to let go."
I love Clementine as a character, but I don't want her to be relegated to a "cash cow mascot" being shoved in game after game, year after year. becoming a bland marketable character that's apart of a franchise that only appeals to a demographic that is concernedly more and more associated with the Call of Duty or Assassin Creed fan base. I want Clementine to remain special and interesting in my mind, that means knowing when to allow people to inquire their own personal theories about the already ambiguous endings. She's grown and seen some of the worse shit imaginable, she was and is still interesting. I don't want that ruined by out-of-touch execs that use market charts and sell graphs to try to mass appeal a character that doesn't need her name sullied by ridiculous business practices.
Leave her story be. And move on to another interesting character with new traits, moral viewpoints, set characteristics, and conflicting emotions. Keep the story fresh.
I wasn't reffering to you in particular. Many people stick around here just to keep bombarding TT with complains and accusations, I'm truly looking for this to stop. Well, I brought it up unnecessarily, let's forget about that.
I think TT themselves mentioned not long ago that in S3, we are going to see the story told from the different angle. That could be this another point of view we both want to see.
I want Clem to be the main playable character, but if it means Kenny and Jane need to be cheaply written out then no, Id rather have a new protagonist and story
Clem was the main protagonist in season 2 because we had already been prepared for this at the end of season 1 when she ends up alone and most people loved the character after spending a whole season bonding with her and protecting her.Now, there wasn't any indication for a potential new protagonist in season 2 as all the cabin group members are dead and Jane/Kenny are determinant. This would mean that they'd introduce us to a brand new character and they would most likely start from the beginning of the ZA.
Why bother starting all over when you already have a well established character that is loved by most people and that still has a lot to offer? What would be the point of calling it season 3 if there is no sense of continuity to it ? Also, several things Telltale have said are hinting towards Clem returning as the protagonist or at least as an important side character so she has to be a part of season 3.
There are still a lot of possibilities for her story to continue: how is she going to survive with a baby to take care of ? Telltale could also explore the psychological struggles she should be facing after everything that happened to her. Though I admit that all this could also be achieved with her as a side character and I think I wouldn't mind that if it was well done.
Well worded and completely agreeable. Have my upvote.
It doesn't have to be a character starting from the beginning of the apocalypse. I'm pretty sure it's ok to introduce a character who has already lived in the apocalypse for a while. The comic does it, the show does it, the game could do it as well. If it's absolutely necessary to get some background on the character, it can always be done via flashbacks, something Telltale hasn't tried yet, but it could be an interesting concept to try out. It's not necessary to tell every single struggle of a player character. Remember, as Clementine, we got taken out of the action for 18 whole months and no mentions were made on what happened during that LONG time, but it didn't impede Season 2 in any way. I'm sure having a new protagonist start from where we left off would be no big deal.
I personally hope TT makes 20 seasons, all of them based on Clementine.
"All I want is the girl. Give her back, and no one needs to get hurt."
I honestly do not care about the playable character as long as they have development. I replayed Season 1 about a week ago and it reminded me why I loved this series so much in the first place, because of the amazing story in it. As long as Season 3 can have a story that rivals Season 1s, I couldn't care less if we played as the raccoon from Amid the Ruins.
I think it would be fun to have a new protagonist, but if we changed characters our choices would truly feel pointless.
I'm gonna break down in ways of why this really won't be a good idea.
We only seen what Clem learning as a Kid in a world and we know Clementine personally. You can't be any random character from season 1 or 2 either because in season 2 we don't know any of the people and pretty much everyone except Jane or Kenny (Determinant) and we know we won't play as them.
We can't just be any random person becasue we don't know any of them or about the storyline. Just putting someone else we don't know about won't follow the story. Telltale is great for a story line. Like the 400 Days, it was weird playing as them because we never saw them before at all. But telltale tied them together through the story lines. We won't have a great story or sense of direction of where it's going.
Overall, this isn't too agreeable but the points are valid. However, we do need to see where Clementines story life will go to from beginning to end.
I find this idea of clementine not being in season 3 repulsive and hate this idea.... But I respect your opinion.
This is way I hope Season 3 will be the last in the series. I honesty don't want to see the series (not just Clementine) become dull and overdone just so TT can get there dosh. I still love Clem, and I hope she is the protagonist next season but I fell the series needs to close the books next season.
Thank you, I appreciate it.
haven't we disscussed this thing awhile ago? hahahhhha xD u guys makin my day
Edgy Clem.....sigh
Err wtf happened to my post?
Thank you. Some people just don't want to let her go.
It's funny to see all these comments when you're a developer at TTG, since they already made their choices and aren't going to put their resources into a new one.