Welcome back to the Final Fantasy Sexism series, after a bit over a month off. When we
last left off, I went over the beginning of the PS1 era with Final Fantasy VII and VIII, which saw a return to the emphasis on gender roles and sexist stereotypes after the temporary improvement of Final Fantasy VI. This part will focus on the end of the PS1 era and the beginning of the PS2 games: Final Fantasys IX and X.
Remember the
Bechdel Test that I referenced in
Part I? The purpose of it is to criticize the use and depth of female characters in film; too often women’s roles are minimized as they revolve around more central, male characters. That principle, if not the exact test itself, can also be applied to video games, and FFIX and X are classic examples of otherwise strong female leads being minimized to fit into the classic role of love interest for the true main character.
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