9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“Fantastic!”[br]

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Theme Music

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
This episode comes with a content warning[br]for game footage involving

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
hypersexualized female characters[br]and is not recommended for children.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
As always, remember that it is both[br]possible and even necessary

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to be critical of the media we enjoy.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
That’s going to be especially[br]important to keep in mind

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
given the video game franchise[br]we are about to discuss…

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
In 1987 Nintendo released a 2D[br]action adventure game for their

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Nintendo Entertainment System[br]which departed

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
from traditional video game conventions.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Metroid starred a bounty hunter[br]named Samus Aran

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
who is covered head to toe in the[br]now iconic cybernetic “power suit”.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The game’s manual referred to the[br]protagonist with male pronouns

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and described his identity as[br]“shrouded in mystery”.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Metroid was notable as an[br]early example of a game

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that employed multiple alternative[br]endings which could be unlocked

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
based on the player’s gaming[br]skill and performance.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
If the player is able to complete[br]the game in under five hours

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
a short cutscene will play featuring the[br]protagonist without their armored helmet,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
revealing that Samus Aran is, in fact,[br]a woman.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
This was a significant moment[br]in gaming history,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
especially for many female gaming fans,[br]because, at the time,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
nearly all protagonists were just[br]assumed to be male by default.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Remember this was back[br]before the internet,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
when you couldn’t just hop online to find[br]out about all the secrets and spoilers,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
so for many players, the ending of[br]Metroid came as a genuine surprise.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Still, the subversion only worked[br]provided players were skilled enough

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to achieve the surprise ending.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
In retrospect, Samus’ gender reveal perhaps[br]should not have been as shocking as it was,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
considering that Metroid is[br]heavily influenced by the Alien films.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Sadly the alternate endings[br]did not stop there

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the two “best” endings make Metroid[br]one of the first games

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to exploit the Women as Reward trope,[br]

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
as both reveal Samus[br]in various states of undress.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The better a player does,[br]the more clothing is removed.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
If the player completes the game in under[br]3 hours Samus is shown without her armor

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and in a leotard.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
If the player finishes in under 1 hour[br]they are treated to Samus in a bikini.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So yes, Samus wasn’t a damsel’ed woman[br]waiting at the end of the game as a trophy

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
rather, her body itself became the prize[br]awarded to players for a job well done.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Later games in the Metroid series[br]continued the convention of

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
rewarding players with endings featuring[br]Samus in various states of undress.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
In one sense Samus Aran definitely did[br]subvert traditional gender tropes

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
of the 1980s by taking on the role[br]of intrepid hero.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
However she and her body were still[br]presented to players as prizes to be won.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The convention, of earning access to[br]cutscenes or ending vignettes

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
with eroticized female bodies can be found[br]in many titles over the past 30 years.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“Apollo”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“Whoa! Whoa!”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
(Audience laughter)

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“Oh!”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We can trace the roots of the[br]Women as Reward trope all the way back

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to the beginnings of the medium itself.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
As we discussed in our[br]damsel in distress mini-series,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
upon successful completion[br]of many arcade games

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
players were rewarded with the[br]related Smooch of Victory trope, so named

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
for the kiss the hero received as a reward[br]for rescuing a kidnapped princess.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Sometimes the prize is blatant as with the[br]Standard Hero Reward

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
in which a king will give his[br]daughter to the hero.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
On other occasions, it’s taken a step further[br]by employing the parallel

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Sex of Victory or Rescue Sex trope.[br]Yes, it’s exactly what you think it is:

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
instead of a kiss, sex with the rescued[br]victim is the player’s reward.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“That was gonna get ugly. You saved us!”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“My pleasure, ladies.”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“Thank you, thank you. Thank you.”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“You saved my life. A bit of joy as[br]recumpence is not too much to ask.”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“I’m intrigued. It’s been a tough day.[br]I think some joy might do me good.”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
(Moaning)

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We’ve coined the Women as Reward trope[br]to describe a long-running pattern

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
found in interactive media.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It occurs when women[br]or more often women’s bodies

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
are employed as rewards for[br]player actions in video games.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The trope frames female bodies as[br]collectible, as tractable or as consumable

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and positions women as status symbols

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
designed to validate the masculinity[br]of presumed straight male players.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
There’s some overlap between the[br]Damsel in Distress and Women as Reward

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
but they function differently.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
While the Damsel in Distress[br]trope uses women

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
as a plot device to motivate male heroes,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the Women as Reward trope presents women[br]as a formalized reward mechanism,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
meaning that the reward is coded[br]into the game system itself.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The result of this incentive structure is[br]that access to women’s bodies,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
women’s affection or women’s sexuality is[br]reduced to a simple equation that guarantees

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
delivery as long as the correct set of[br]inputs are entered into the system.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
In this way the Women as Reward trope[br]helps foster a sense of entitlement

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
where players are encouraged to view women[br]as something they’ve earned the right to

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
by virtue of their gaming actions,[br]skills or accomplishments.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
This is illustrated in arcade classics[br]like Joe and Mac

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
after players save the damsel[br]in both games,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
she will bestow a kiss on the character[br]who earned the most points on that stage.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“I owe you one.”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Entitlement to women is made even more[br]explicit in many versions of Double Dragon.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
At the end of the game, after the[br]final boss has been defeated

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and the damsel in distress saved, player[br]one and player two must fight each other

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
over who “gets” to “have” Marian and[br]with her, the smooch of victory.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Notice that Marian’s desires are not part[br]of the equation, she has no say in the matter

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
she simply fills the role of a trophy for[br]whichever player is ultimately victorious.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
This scene serves as inspiration[br]for similar scenarios

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
in more contemporary games[br]like Castle Crashers.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We’ve identified 6 primary ways the Women[br]as Reward trope manifests in video games.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Over the course of this episode[br]we will examine each in turn.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
In addition to the “earned cinematics”[br]we’ve already discussed, we will cover

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the trope as it relates to[br]Easter Eggs, Unlockable Costumes,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Experience Points, Collectibles,[br]and Achievements.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Easter Eggs are intentionally[br]hidden secrets or jokes

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
which developers conceal[br]inside of their games.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Like the eggs at a[br]children’s easter egg hunt,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
these secrets are usually difficult to find[br]but are meant to be discovered as rewards

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
for particularly industrious gamers.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Easter Eggs can be hidden messages, items,[br]secret characters or random events,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and their inclusion encourages[br]experimentation with the game’s systems

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and mechanics in order to[br]uncover these extra treasures.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Some can be found[br]inside game environments,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
while others require a[br]cheat code to unlock.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
For example, if players input a specific[br]button sequence while starting up

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the 1991 role-playing game Rings of Power[br]the title screen would change.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
By pressing down, right, A, B, C and the[br]start button, players were rewarded

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
with an image of a topless woman[br]next to the Naughty Dog logo.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Easter eggs are, of course,[br]not inherently problematic,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and gaming history is filled with[br]examples of neat secrets

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that designers have hidden[br]away for players to discover.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
But too frequently, Easter eggs[br]are used as another way

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to reward players with women’s bodies.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4 included a secret[br]unlockable character named Daisy,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
who bore the likeness of[br]porn star Jenna Jameson.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Daisy’s sexualized appearance and[br]skateboard tricks are designed as a reward

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
for those players who unlocked her.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
One way to do that is[br]by entering this code

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Probably one of the most famous[br]Women as Reward easter eggs

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
brings us back to Samus Aran.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The original Metroid used a password[br]system to save progress.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
By inputting the secret code[br]“Justin Bailey” into this system,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
gamers would unlock a powered-up[br]playable version of Samus

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
wearing only her[br]leotard-style bathing suit.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Incidentally this is the same outfit we[br]covered earlier as an end-game reward,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
only here she has the powers of the Varia[br]Suit and its associated color pallete swap

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
which changes her hair color to green.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Players can then play the entire game as[br]Samus without her space armor.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So she ends up exploring[br]a hostile alien world

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and fighting off deadly monsters[br]in her underwear.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“Welcome to the Hovercon intergalactic[br]hoverboard competition!”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
There’s a bizarre easter egg[br]in the original Ratchet & Clank:

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
If the player does a series of side-flips[br]in front of a green-skinned alien,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the woman’s breasts will[br]suddenly begin to inflate.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The more gymnastics stunts performed,[br]the larger her boobs will become.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
There are so many Women as Reward-style[br]easter eggs in the Metal Gear Solid series

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that it would take several hours[br]to go over them all.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
First released for the PlayStation in 1998[br]and then remade for the GameCube in 2004,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Metal Gear Solid featured not one[br]but two separate easter eggs

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that allow players to see[br]Meryl Silverburgh in her underwear.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The second of these easter eggs requires[br]players to follow Meryl into the ladies room

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and interrupt her while she is changing.[br]If this is done quickly enough

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the next cutscene will play with[br]Meryl in her underwear.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“Anyway, how did you recognize me in disguise?”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“I never forget a lady”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Jumping ahead to the fourth game,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the protagonist is assigned a psychologist[br]for PTSD counseling.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
During these remote sessions, if[br]players shake their Playstation controller

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the psychologist’s breasts will[br]bounce and jiggle in response.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“Memories began to resurface[br]from his childhood,"

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
"when he fought for Solidus[br]in the Liberian Civil War.”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Keep in mind that easter eggs[br]are not accidents or glitches.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
They are intentionally put into the game[br]by the designers,and as a result, indicate

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the value that the designers themselves[br]place on these female characters.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
They communicate to players that yes,[br]these women exist for players to exploit

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
or experiment with[br]for their own amusement.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Unlockable outfits are additional[br]costumes earned during gameplay

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
which allow gamers to play dress up with[br]player characters or party members.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Alternative “skins” as they are sometimes[br]called come in all shapes and sizes

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and are typically just cosmetic changes[br]to the character’s appearance,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
although sometimes they[br]add special abilities.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Many unlockable costumes[br]are cool, wacky or bizarre.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
But when applied to female characters[br]we see a distinct pattern

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
of revealing, hypersexualized outfits.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Fetishized bunny, cat, maid or nurse[br]costumes are commonly used by developers

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
as a way to pander to an assumed[br]straight male player base.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It’s important to remember that[br]sexualization is not necessarily

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
just about the amount of skin showing,[br]but is instead connected to the question

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
of whether or not a costume is eroticized[br]for the express purpose of titillation.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“Hey, why were you wearing[br]that stuffy-looking suit of armor?”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“Oh? You didn’t like it? It’s pretty sturdy[br]and protects my body quite nicely...

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
See? Look at this beautiful skin,[br]free of bruises and blemishes!”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“Very nice… I’m actually worried[br]where my eyes might wander.”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“You don’t look all that worried to me.”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“I’ve just got a good poker face.[br]So, you’re okay?...

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
You don’t mind leaving your armor behind?”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“It’s sturdy, but it’s heavy. Walking[br]around with that on tires me out.”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
“Hey, no complaints here. I prefer[br]eye candy to scary armor any day.”

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
These types of unlockable outfits[br]can be especially pernicious

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
since they often end up[br]undermining women who are

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
otherwise appropriately dressed[br]for active or professional roles.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The Resident Evil franchise has been[br]particularly guilty of this over the years.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Almost every major release in the series[br]has included the Women as Reward trope.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Resident Evil is a bit unusual in that,[br]since its beginnings in the mid 90s,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the franchise has featured a large[br]number of playable female protagonists

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
most of whom are skilled zombie fighters

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and have impressive professional[br]resumés, to say the least.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Rebecca Chambers is a police officer and medic[br]in the Special Tactics And Rescue Service.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Players can dress her up in “sexy nurse”[br]and cheerleader costumes.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Jill Valentine is a high-ranking[br]Special Operations Agent

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
in the Bioterrorism Security Assessment[br]Alliance, and also the master of unlocking.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
She can be placed in sexy police woman[br]and sexy pirate outfits.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Claire Redfield is a member of a[br]human rights organization

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that provides aid during[br]bioterrorism incidents.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
She can be turned into a[br]motorsport umbrella girl.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Sherry Birkin is a US government agent working[br]with the Division of Security Operations.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And here she’s wearing[br]a schoolgirl outfit.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Helena Harper is a Secret Service agent[br]and a former member of the CIA.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Her unlockable costumes include[br]another “sexy” police woman

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
complete with mini skirt and garter belt.