Aoc Zelda - Tumblr Posts
Random tangent, but am I the only one pissed off at the AOC DLC? Specifically in regards to Sooga's backstory. I might actually have to go through this shit in sections, like an essay, just to break down how horribly written, not thought out, and borderline insulting it is.
1: Queer coding.
When watching the cutscenes from the base game, it's very clear that Sooga and Kohga are a lot more than just 'friends.' they act very intimate with eachother, with Sooga being the only one we see directly touch Kohga (when not in battle.) Their dialogue is also full of not only character, but equality. Kohga sasses him and snaps at him, but it's never in a demeaning, "IM THE LEADER!!!" Kind of way. If anything, their interactions feel like they're on the same playing field. They feel like they're equals, instead of just a leader and his bodyguard. Sooga makes decisions and helps Kohga with plans directly. Plus, they argue like a married couple.
The DLC's reveal of Sooga's backstory directly contrasts how they act by trying to play it off as if they had a Father&Son dynamic, when they were very obviously written to be queer codded in the base game.
2: how it affects Sooga's character.
Sooga is loyal to the Yiga. Let me repeat that.
Sooga is loyal to the Yiga.
That mentality he has is incredibly important when looking at the cutscene revealing his backstory. His actions, his motives, and his worldview all seem to lean into the fact of him being an ex Sheikah, even acknowledging that "Gannon is a force not to be trifled with" (paraphrased quote.) He sees Gannon as a terrifying figure, yet still follows the clan.
What we see in the footage directly conflicts that. If he were taken in as a child, why would he have such a complex view of Gannon? Not only that, but just looking at the geography of the map, he looks to be either in Tanagar, or gerudo, neither of which being places that a child could easily access, one being swamped with monsters, the other being barren. No Hylians live in either places, and the Sheikah even further. The closest would be the Gerudo, and I highly doubt that he's the first male gerudan in hundreds of years. It just doesn't make sense.
It also conflicts with Sooga being loyal to the Yiga, like I mentioned before. All the Yiga in the cutscene we're tormenting him, and even after Kohga showed him kindness, the Yiga still had their weapons drawn, posing themselves as a threat. Sooga would have been loyal to Kohga in that instant, as he knew that the others weren't safe. He is loyal to the Yiga, and by extension, Kohga. Not the other way around. He is a bodyguard, so of course he usually stays near Kohga, however we see him actively go out and lead the Yiga shoulders by himself.
3: overview.
In conclusion, his backstory fucking sucks. It turns the relationship between Kohga and Sooga into queerbait, and completely ruins Sooga's character. Its stupid. This might be jumbled and not very well thought out, but I'm currently fighting my off nighttime depression, sleep, and the stress hallucinations, so you can catch these fuckin hands.
It would make more sense if Kohga was a refugee Sheikah that swore allegiance to the Yiga. Just sayin. Oh, plus it would be more interesting.