Last month we took a look at the most memorable mother’s of video games for Mother’s Day. Now, it’s time for video gaming’s greatest and most iconic fathers!
Barret Wallace (Final Fantasy VII)
When we are first introduced to Barret Wallace, he is the leader a secret, underground resistance organization called AVALANCHE. The group engages in acts of eco-terrorism against the all-powerful and corrupt Shinra Electric Power Company. Brash, brutish, prone to violence, and a bit rough around the edges, deep down inside Barrett has a heart of gold.
As altruistic, benevolent, and good-intentioned his cause to fight and save the planet from the clutches of Shinra is, his reasons for fighting are far more personal and close to the heart than he lets on. He fights for the planet to ensure safety, welfare, and a future for his four year old daughter Marlene. He truly loves and cares for her. This is exemplified best in the scene after he finds out Aeris had taken Marlene to safety before Shinra’s destruction of the Sector 7 Pillar, where the player finds Barret hugging, clutching, and bawling over his slightly confused but comforted daughter.
Barret often has internal struggles and guilt over his balance between fighting to save the world and taking care of his daughter. This is perfectly encapsulated in his personal musings to Aeris’ adoptive mother, Elmyra, trying to explain himself: “I think about it all the time. What would happen to Marlene, if I… But you gotta understand somethin’ …I don’t got an answer. I wanna be with Marlene… But I gotta fight. ‘Cause if I don’t… the planet’s gonna die. So I’m gonna keep fightin’! But, I’m worried ’bout Marlene. I really just wanna be with her… always. See? I’m goin’ in circles, now.”
We all know doing the right as a parent is never easy, and often requires sacrifice. Nevertheless, the fact that Barret is willing to face Shinra (let alone, the sheer insanity and megalomania of Sephiroth) to ensure Marlene and countless other children a chance at a future is why Barret makes such an excellent father.
