Discussing Himiko from Tomb Raider

[Winter]

One thing I absolutely love about Tomb Raider: A Survivor is Born is the handling of the game's main antagonist, Himiko.

One thing that makes her so interesting is how little we learn about her, or rather, how little we learn from her. Of the course of the game we get several documents written by Mathias, the Storm Guard, the Solarii, an Ambassador from and one of Himiko's handmaidens named Hoshi. All of whom speak about Himiko and through them we get an idea of what kind of person she was but all throughout this game there is no document from Himiko herself and as such there is an air of mystery around her.

Her motives and powers are never fully explained within the game, we only get hints based on the opinion of other characters who either work with her or feared her but never from her.

As such Himiko feels almost like a Lovecraftian monster, unknowable and to learn the truth may very well drive one mad.

More over it almost feels like Himiko is the Island itself, the land is her body, the sea her hands, the wind her breath and all of it filled with her wrath. We only ever hear her speak one time and it's just three words as she causes a plane to crash "No one leaves!" And again this shows her as this unstoppable force of nature instead of a person who is not something we can fully understand.

There was suppose to be a boss fight with her in the end but poor reaction from test players who didn't like that they had to kill Sam altered it so Lara saved Sam before Himiko took full control of her. While I do think the final boss fights are a let down I'm glad that they changed the ending. Not just because of my love for Sam but because I think it would have diminished Himiko as a villain, this is someone who lived for thousands of years who wrecked hundreds of ships and commanded an army of undead monsters that, for me, making her a boss fight would just make her into something we could understand and at least fight.

I honestly think that Himiko is a great villain and a fantastic first time adversary for Lara to confront as she represents the dangers of the unknown and why somethings are better left forgotten.

[CharlesPhipps]

I think she's a great character because so much of it is based around an actual legend and mythology versus something wholly invented for the Tomb Raider franchise.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Himiko-Japanese-ruler

I admit, as much as I like Sam, I think it would have probably been better to kill her in the climax for the absolute decimation of Lara's soul.

But we hurt the things we love.

One thing I will acknowledge, there's a strong implication Himiko is just fucking racist and all the sacrifices failed just because they weren't Japanese.

[Winter]

I think she's a great character because so much of it is based around an actual legend and mythology versus something wholly invented for the Tomb Raider franchise.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Himiko-Japanese-ruler

I admit, as much as I like Sam, I think it would have probably been better to kill her in the climax for the absolute decimation of Lara's soul.

But we hurt the things we love.

One thing I will acknowledge, there's a strong implication Himiko is just fucking racist and all the sacrifices failed just because they weren't Japanese.

I don't know, after everything Lara suffered through this game having her being forced to kill Sam would just make the game impossible to playthrough again. What's the point of doing any of this if Lara fails to save anyone? It would be like in Mass Effect 3 where after everything you did your choices boils down to A, B and C regardless of how you played the Trilogy.

Also, saving Sam meant that Lara has a real victory after the lose of her father and 2 of her friends and makes the ending so much more satisfying. And with Sam surviving we got so many good stories in the comics and hopefully a great story in her return in TLOLC.

Also, I think it's less of a case that Himiko is raciest and more that she is a massive narcissist. Look at Hoshi's documents and Sam, she choose people who she likely felt looked like her and were seen as beautiful. She likely wouldn't take anyone else even if they were her own race unless she felt that she found someone who looked like her and was pretty.

If it was just a case of racism then why not just pick one of her other handmaidens or just some random villager. I have to imagine there were more options available to her. Hell why not just send out her army to kidnap a few girls. The Dragon's Triangle is not that far from Japan or China.

Of course there is also the idea that maybe there's something about her chosen hosts like maybe my idea of Sam having magic isn't that far off and she can only really survive in a host that has a spark of magic. But personally I just like the idea that she's just so self absorbed that she refuses to pick a new body unless said host is good looking.

Going back to the comics while I'm not the biggest fan of how Himiko is written there I do like the idea that she was far more petty and needlessly cruel or that the thousands of years trapped in a decaying body drove her made and showed her for what she really was. Which makes the moment Sam defeats her in a battle of wills and forces her into the Wei Mirror all the more satisfying.