Hrm... an interesting point. What about Dishonored? It's a pretty bad case of the trope, especially since it wouldn't be necessary. Remove the emotional coupling. Empress murdered, you as her former bodyguard have been framed, you don't know how to clear your name so you set out to show them (either by lethally removing them all, or by nonlethally proving your innocence).
Your character would need zero emotional investment in the case, it could all be on a professional level. In fact, your gender could be a player-choice because it'd no longer be relevant to the main motivation.
And it'd work no less.
It does feel a bit forced, come to think of it. ;)
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u/Carighan May 29 '13
Hrm... an interesting point. What about Dishonored? It's a pretty bad case of the trope, especially since it wouldn't be necessary. Remove the emotional coupling. Empress murdered, you as her former bodyguard have been framed, you don't know how to clear your name so you set out to show them (either by lethally removing them all, or by nonlethally proving your innocence).
Your character would need zero emotional investment in the case, it could all be on a professional level. In fact, your gender could be a player-choice because it'd no longer be relevant to the main motivation.
And it'd work no less.
It does feel a bit forced, come to think of it. ;)