And who can blame people for wanting to feel loved and knowing they have a big impact on the world around them?
No one.
However, there are games that lure players into a false sense of security by the fact we tend to be the hero of the story. Then they turn around and painfully prove how wrong we were.
Mouthwashing and Spec Ops: The Line are two such cases.
In Mouthwashing you play, for the majority of the game, as Jimmy. He takes the position of captain once the Tulpar crashes into an asteroid which leaves the captain unable to resume command. Jimmy is presented as someone who never wanted the position and merely took it because Curly went crazy and tried to crash the ship. But that is far from the truth.
Jimmy's life on Earth wasn't good. So taking the position of co-pilot of a freighter that spent long stretches of time away from civilization was a good thing. It wasn't like he was leaving anyone behind.
But the only reason Jimmy got the position was due to Curly. Yep, Jimmy isn't actually qualified to be a co-pilot.
So what makes Jimmy so horrible?
Besides liking to lay his own faults at the feet of others and an inability to admit responsibility, he raped Anya. He loathed the woman so much that he thought she wasn't really a person. Pony Express, the company that owns the Tulpar, made this even easier for him.
How did they do that?
There are no locks on the cabins. Because Pony Express cares less for its employees than the things they deliver.
Eventually Curly finds out about Jimmy's crime and so the rapist is going to face retribution once they get back. The captain also reveals to Jimmy, and the rest of the crew, that they will all be laid off once they complete their latest delivery. So Jimmy is forced to face the consequences of his actions and accept that he'll need to find a new job.
Except Jimmy decides to run away from the truth by crashing the Tulpar since death was more preferable to him than admitting he was wrong. Or at least he attempted to.
If not for Curly's heroic actions everyone would've died in the crash. For his sacrifice he was disfigured to the point he needs to be constantly looked after. He is also rewarded by being painted as a villain by Jimmy.
It isn't surprising that Jimmy would throw Curly under the bus. Of course Jimmy would decide to continue running from his problems. Of courses he would blame Curly for the crash.
Captain Martin Walker originally came to Dubai with his team to check if there were any survivors. So all he was meant to do was look for people and then quickly leave. It's not a very heroic deed but the point isn't to be a hero. The point is to make sure if there are survivors and not to feel like the fate of everyone rests on your shoulders.
But Walker decided he wanted to be a hero and so disregarded his original mission. To help him pretend he was supposed to be a hero, he hallucinated Colonel John Konrad. Those familiar with Heart of Darkness will recognize that last name.
Because,yes, Spec Ops: The Line can be considered an adaptation of Heart of Darkness.
One of the greatest feelings in the world is to be liked. Whenever I receive a compliment I don't know how to react as it's an odd feeling. Not one I dislike but one I hardly receive. Being liked is also important for being a blogger, streamer, and writer. This due to the fact an audience is easier to build if they like you.
But usually you're in no position to be a hero. You have to be content with being liked for everyday things. Such as listening when someone has a problem or making dinner. And sometimes doing simple things can save lives. There won't be a big fanfare for what you do, but at least those you care about will be happy.
Jimmy felt like he deserved more. He looked to Curly and didn't see a friend but competition. Here was a man who had the respect of everyone which, Jimmy believed, was something he was owed. When he found out that Curly wanted to pursue a different path of life Jimmy couldn't comprehend that.
To Jimmy the position of Captain was something everyone envied. So someone who didn't mind throwing that away was an idiot. When Jimmy crashed the ship he took the position of Captain and painted Curly as the ultimate villain. Even though the only reason anyone survived the crash was because of Curly.
Because of Jimmy's selfish actions nearly all of the crew was killed. A need to be a hero cost people their lives.
The fate of Curly is left open-ended. He is put in the cryopod and that keeps him alive for twenty years. Which means there is twenty years for someone to find and rescue him. So I can't say canonically that Curly died or survived.
All Captain Walker had to do was send a simple report stating if there were any survivors. Instead of that he decided to sacrifice his entire team so he could play hero. Walker's true motives are expertly hidden in Spec Ops: The Line as that game appears, at first, to pander to those wishing to feel like a hero. This makes the player and Walker have the same motives.
So why would the player think to question Walker being a hero?
All Walker had to do to stop the bloodshed was turning away from Dubai. All the player had to do was turn off the game to not feel guilty.
Spec Ops: The Line has multiple endings and not one that is canonical. So Walker's ultimate fate is left up to interpretation. In some endings he dies. In others he lives. But none are happy as what he did was selfish and left his hands covered with blood.
Remember you can submit ideas for future posts by commenting on this post. I also talk about other fandoms, so don't feel that you have to only submit ideas for Mouthwashing and Spec Ops: The Line posts.
You can also submit guest posts HERE.
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