Tomb Raider: A Survivor is Born, the Tie-in Comics and the less than Impressive Sequel Games

[Winter]

I heard that too though I've heard that they're trying to present the Survivor Timeline as the origin story to the original games even though that makes no sense as A) Lara's parents are still alive B) The Origin we do get DOESN'T line up with the one we get in the reboot and C) Lara's personality doesn't line up with the Original Lara's Personality.

In fact, I should point out that Lara's story has gone through multiple versions and alternate continuities. While you may love the reboot Lara's comics, I admit a special love to TOP COW LARA CROFT who did lose her parents in a plane crash (along with her fiance). She was a fantastic character and I enjoyed many of her boyfriends and possible (they vacation together and many-many other suggestions) girlfriend/friend with benefits in Sarah Pezzini.

Going over to left field from a moment, what do you like about Sam that makes her more interesting to you over Survivor Timeline Lara?

[CharlesPhipps]

Poor Survivor Lara is not so much badly written (she's not) but inconsistently written. All three games Laras are completely different characters;

* Hardened Survivor Lara is a kind, compassionate, and nice girl who is going through some SERIOUS shit and just so happens to be preternaturally talented as a killing machine. She's basically Jason Brody if Jason Brody wasn't a psychotic piece of shit (which is actually Ajay Ghalia now that I think about it).

* Rise Lara is someone with some severe Oedipal issues that has an obsession with completing her father's work that was never even hinted at before. She's also someone with absolutely zero fucking respect for a native indigenous Russian people's historical claim to a set of ruins. She wants her fucking grail and FUCK the Grail tribals.

* Shadow Lara is the Punisher basically and her target is wiping out Hydra...I mean Trinity. If it means accidentally killing thousands of Peruvians, who gives a shit. Jonah actually calls her out on this so I'm not exaggerating for emphasis, it's just THIS IS NOT A CUTE QUIRK. THIS IS HORRIFYING.

Hardened Survivor Lara is an incredible character but she's actually made less interesting by her sequel interpretation as she loses so much of her likability and lovability. Sam as a character at least maintains a really authentic feeling. She and Lara are besties who want to go dancing, explore this island, and just feel "real" that this is meant to be an academic trip and isn't archaeology cool. In a just world, LAra, Alex, and Sam would have just gotten through this without anything other than maybe a bad case of stomach illness.

But instead it's an island full of misogynist rape cultists and zombie ogres.

If I'd been the head developer, Sam would have permanently been upgraded to Lara's sidekick. Reyes would also have been part of it.

[Winter]

Poor Survivor Lara is not so much badly written (she's not) but inconsistently written. All three games Laras are completely different characters;

* Hardened Survivor Lara is a kind, compassionate, and nice girl who is going through some SERIOUS shit and just so happens to be preternaturally talented as a killing machine. She's basically Jason Brody if Jason Brody wasn't a psychotic piece of shit (which is actually Ajay Ghalia now that I think about it).

* Rise Lara is someone with some severe Oedipal issues that has an obsession with completing her father's work that was never even hinted at before. She's also someone with absolutely zero fucking respect for a native indigenous Russian people's historical claim to a set of ruins. She wants her fucking grail and FUCK the Grail tribals.

* Shadow Lara is the Punisher basically and her target is wiping out Hydra...I mean Trinity. If it means accidentally killing thousands of Peruvians, who gives a shit. Jonah actually calls her out on this so I'm not exaggerating for emphasis, it's just THIS IS NOT A CUTE QUIRK. THIS IS HORRIFYING.

Hardened Survivor Lara is an incredible character but she's actually made less interesting by her sequel interpretation as she loses so much of her likability and lovability. Sam as a character at least maintains a really authentic feeling. She and Lara are besties who want to go dancing, explore this island, and just feel "real" that this is meant to be an academic trip and isn't archaeology cool. In a just world, LAra, Alex, and Sam would have just gotten through this without anything other than maybe a bad case of stomach illness.

But instead it's an island full of misogynist rape cultists and zombie ogres.

If I'd been the head developer, Sam would have permanently been upgraded to Lara's sidekick. Reyes would also have been part of it.

Agreed and I think it's very telling that the comic tie-ins tend to emulate how she was written in the first game by making her human and overall likable if still a bit flawed. Part of the problem here is how the developers wanted her to be written. Pratchett wanted to continue exploring Lara's PTSD and her relationship with Sam only for the Studio and Director to go "No, we will NOT have Lara dealing with PTSD because she isn't weak. Also, get rid of Sam, we don't want her."

On Sam I think part of what makes her so interesting is how well she is developed in the comics. Like Lara she's affected by the trauma of what happened on Yamatai and it strains her relationship with Lara.

Back to Lara I actually address Lara's rather awful behavior and terrible choices by revealing that she was going after Trinity to try and avoid her trauma and as she went on she only got worse because she left that wound fester until the pain of it was all she could feel. She also confronts someone who lost loved ones in Shadow and while he does grow to respect her and even understand her he never forgives her for what she did and Lara knows he has every right to hate her and has no right to be forgiven.

And like you Sam is Lara's partner in this and I give her magic powers, nothing major and it's meant to tie-in to the metaphor of what Himiko did to her. These powers aren't a result of Himiko trying to possess her but of her own doing (and no she's not even close to being a true Sorceress).

Basically I just want everyone here reading my fan fic and seeing what they all think of it but I do think you'd like it. Last plug to said project I promise but I'm so proud of what I got so far. Dialogue could be better but I think I've got a real winner here.

[CharlesPhipps]

Sam/Lara is one of those relationships like Jesse Faden/Emily Pope that just seems organic.

Mind you, I had a dream about being in a teamup with them so I'm biased.

[Winter]

Sam/Lara is one of those relationships like Jesse Faden/Emily Pope that just seems organic.

Mind you, I had a dream about being in a teamup with them so I'm biased.

I think what makes the relationship work so well is how the two contrast and compliment one another. Sam is a party girl, social butterfly American who has a flare for the dramatic to Lara's socially awkward, bookworm Brit who is a bit more subdued. Both are, however, badasses who have faced down evil organizations and ancient evils that could destroy the world and came out on top and neither is someone you would want as your enemy and be thankful they were on your side.

It also goes to more subtle things like both girls wardrobes. Sam is almost always seen in a new outfit that is based on the latest fashion while Lara wears the most practical cloths she can. But both have a love for undiscovered the past, traveling the world and share a bit of a sweet tooth.

One of my least favorite things about Jonah is that he tends to have an almost bipolar personality when it comes to Lara. In one scene, he's yelling at her for her obsession only for the next scene he's all in support of her choices no matter what. Sam will support Lara but will stand against her when she feels Lara is out of line and will stick to that conviction and not just agree with Lara just because the script says so.

Lara and Sam work because their relationship is complex and engaging and that even after almost 10 years Sam is STILL the person Lara has been shipped with the most despite only appearing in one game and the tie-in comics.