Role-playing games are known for having intricately written characters created for the sole purpose of grabbing the player’s attention in both a narrative and gameplay sense. Oftentimes these characters are not only just available to converse with, but their very fate may lie in the hands of the player as they shape the story through the choices they make.
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A good RPG might make this aspect of the game merely interesting, buta great RPGwill make the player genuinely care about how their choices affect the characters they’ve come to know and love, especially if those choices lead to the death of said characters. Their “famous last words” can not only leave a lasting impression on the player, but they can further illuminate details about their character that was previously only hinted at, whether they be a hero or villain.
6"May He Be Rewarded For His Service As I Have!" - Miraak
InSkyrim, Miraak was a servant of Hermaeus Mora eons before ever meeting the last Dragonborn, and yet theDaedric Princeof Knowledge saw fit to end his life as soon as a worthy replacement appeared (the player). Miraak knows what fate awaits the Dragonborn as his replacement; a life of subjugation and perhaps even betrayal at the hands of the infamous Daedric Prince.
In some ways, the player might feel some small amount of sympathy for Miraak, as his actions were driven by a need to be free of Mora’s control. This same need may very well consume the last Dragonborn, as it did Miraak, in the future.
5"There Is No Hope. Leave Now, Leave While You Still Have Hope." - The Master
Though the Master (formerly Richard Moreau) was a grotesque and twisted being willing to forcefully drown the very essence of humanity itself to achieve his goals, that goal was in some ways an understandable one. The only world the Master ever knew was the irradiated hellscape of the former United States of America. Using his scientific prowess, he sought to create a better world; by force if necessary.
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Falloutaffords the player more than one method for taking down the Master, one of which is to disprove his “better world” and totally shatter his revolve. Aside from the convenience of this method, it lends credence to the idea that the Master wasn’t necessarily evil so much as misguided.
4"The Biochip… Hold Onto It. For Me." - Jackie Welles
It’d be hard to find a friend in Night City, but a friend as loyal as Jackie Welles? That’s next to impossible. Even after his death, the player never really finds another character to fill the void left by Jackie. Some come close,like Panamor Judy, but neither one can really replace Jackie.
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Cyberpunk 2077does such a great job of developing Jackie Welles as a character that fans started todemand story DLCthat would feature him more heavily. This is rather impressive considering the relatively short amount of time spent with him in the game.
3"By Killing Me Here, You Have Rewarded Me More Than You Can Possibly Know!" - Kreia
While not her exact final words, this line reveals much aboutthe motivation for Kreia’s actionsthroughout the story ofStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2. Kreia was neither Jedi nor Sith at the end of her life. In fact, she held some amount of disgust for both ideologies due to how dogmatic she perceived them to be.
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More than this, she’d felt betrayed by both sides; she was deemed a failure by the Jedi while the Sith she trained herself tried to kill her. It was Kreia’s relationship with the Exile that finally gave her true validation, as they would be the first to truly understand her teachings and achieve greatness as a result.
2"It’s Been A Gift To Me, At The End Of It All, To Behold Innocence. Goodbye, Zion." - Randall Clark
Randall Clark is a character that the player can easily miss when playingFallout New Vegas’second DLCHonest Heartsdue to him being dead for well over a century. Despite this, the player can learn his story through the terminals he left behind in Zion, and even find his final resting place. Clark lived through tragedy after tragedy, having not only lost his family in the Great War but so much more in the subsequent decades.
However, in the end, he was able to find some peace as a silent guardian over Zion, protecting her inhabitants as a father would their own child. This type of interactive storytelling resonated so much that Randall Clark has become one of the bestFalloutcharacters that fans never actually got to see.
ThoughMass Effect 3received a mixed reaction from fans as an ending to the trilogy at the time of its release, one moment has been universally lauded as one of the standout moments of the franchise; thedeath of Mordin. The scene is praised for showcasing the best aspects of Mordin’s character. These being his intellect, coldly rational (the ends justify the means) demeanor, and finally, his rather exuberant personality, particularly in how he quietly sings his favorite song,“The Very Model Of A Scientist Salarian"to himself in his last moments.
In addition to these details, however, this story element is left entirely within the hands of the player. Indeed, Mordin’s fate is entirely dependent on player choice, making it a particularly memorable send-off of a fan-favorite character should he sacrifice himself.
