She’s a Nun and a Witch: Abjection in Fantasy RPG Narratives

Abstract: Women-identified characters in video games are subject to the same gendered norms as women in other media. However, the addition of interaction in games creates another mode in which patriarchal norms can be reinforced, but also opportunities for those norms to be resisted. One example of this type of resistance can be found in Dark Souls III through the character Sister Friede. She exists as an abject character within the interactive narrative where abjection, defined by Kristeva and Creed, refers to that which destroys societal order, thereby disrupting the distinction between subject and object. In this example, Sister Friede exposes the weakness of the patriarchal order by her refusal to adhere to gendered norms of women in fantasy role-playing games. Specifically, her abject nature is revealed through a player’s interaction with her as they play through the game, particularly during the boss fight where she inverts the expectation of gendered dominance of women in fantasy RPGs. In order to gain a better understanding of how abject characters like Sister Friede are created and how characters like her fit into cultural discourse surrounding video games, I use critical technocultural discourse analysis to elucidate the cultural meaning embedded within the interactivity of Dark Souls III . As a case study, Sister Friede demonstrates how understanding modes of interaction is an important part of feminist games scholarship as well as how the resistance of gendered domination in games further demonizes women.