[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“Fantastic!”\N
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Theme Music
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This episode comes with a content warning\Nfor game footage involving
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,hypersexualized female characters\Nand is not recommended for children.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As always, remember that it is both\Npossible and even necessary
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to be critical of the media we enjoy.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That’s going to be especially\Nimportant to keep in mind
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,given the video game franchise\Nwe are about to discuss…
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In 1987 Nintendo released a 2D\Naction adventure game for their
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nintendo Entertainment System\Nwhich departed
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from traditional video game conventions.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Metroid starred a bounty hunter\Nnamed Samus Aran
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who is covered head to toe in the\Nnow iconic cybernetic “power suit”.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The game’s manual referred to the\Nprotagonist with male pronouns
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and described his identity as\N“shrouded in mystery”.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Metroid was notable as an\Nearly example of a game
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that employed multiple alternative\Nendings which could be unlocked
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,based on the player’s gaming\Nskill and performance.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If the player is able to complete\Nthe game in under five hours
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a short cutscene will play featuring the\Nprotagonist without their armored helmet,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,revealing that Samus Aran is, in fact,\Na woman.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This was a significant moment\Nin gaming history,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,especially for many female gaming fans,\Nbecause, at the time,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,nearly all protagonists were just\Nassumed to be male by default.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Remember this was back\Nbefore the internet,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when you couldn’t just hop online to find\Nout about all the secrets and spoilers,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so for many players, the ending of\NMetroid came as a genuine surprise.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Still, the subversion only worked\Nprovided players were skilled enough
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to achieve the surprise ending.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In retrospect, Samus’ gender reveal perhaps\Nshould not have been as shocking as it was,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,considering that Metroid is\Nheavily influenced by the Alien films.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sadly the alternate endings\Ndid not stop there
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the two “best” endings make Metroid\None of the first games
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to exploit the Women as Reward trope,\N
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as both reveal Samus\Nin various states of undress.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The better a player does,\Nthe more clothing is removed.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If the player completes the game in under\N3 hours Samus is shown without her armor
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and in a leotard.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If the player finishes in under 1 hour\Nthey are treated to Samus in a bikini.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So yes, Samus wasn’t a damsel’ed woman\Nwaiting at the end of the game as a trophy
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,rather, her body itself became the prize\Nawarded to players for a job well done.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Later games in the Metroid series\Ncontinued the convention of
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,rewarding players with endings featuring\NSamus in various states of undress.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In one sense Samus Aran definitely did\Nsubvert traditional gender tropes
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the 1980s by taking on the role\Nof intrepid hero.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,However she and her body were still\Npresented to players as prizes to be won.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The convention, of earning access to\Ncutscenes or ending vignettes
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with eroticized female bodies can be found\Nin many titles over the past 30 years.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“Apollo”
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“Whoa! Whoa!”
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Audience laughter)
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“Oh!”
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We can trace the roots of the\NWomen as Reward trope all the way back
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the beginnings of the medium itself.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As we discussed in our\Ndamsel in distress mini-series,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,upon successful completion\Nof many arcade games
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,players were rewarded with the\Nrelated Smooch of Victory trope, so named
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for the kiss the hero received as a reward\Nfor rescuing a kidnapped princess.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sometimes the prize is blatant as with the\NStandard Hero Reward
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in which a king will give his\Ndaughter to the hero.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,On other occasions, it’s taken a step further\Nby employing the parallel
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sex of Victory or Rescue Sex trope.\NYes, it’s exactly what you think it is:
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,instead of a kiss, sex with the rescued\Nvictim is the player’s reward.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“That was gonna get ugly. You saved us!”
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“My pleasure, ladies.”
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“Thank you, thank you. Thank you.”
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“You saved my life. A bit of joy as\Nrecumpence is not too much to ask.”
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“I’m intrigued. It’s been a tough day.\NI think some joy might do me good.”
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Moaning)