Issue 3.6: Archetypal, My Dear Watson

A Primer on Jungian Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious in Video Games

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Game & Word Volume 3, Issue 6: Sunday, Jun. 19, 2022

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Table of Contents

1. Summary & Housekeeping

2. Feature: “Archetypal, My Dear Watson” (~20 minute read)

3. Food for Talk: Discussion Prompts

4. Further Reading

5. Game & Word-of-Mouth

6. Footnotes

Summary:

Today, we’ll dip our toes into the collective unconscious by taking a look at archetypes, what they represent, and why they’ve been such a fixture of humanity since we practically gained sentience. With this, we’ll be setting the ground for a deep dive into some of gaming’s best depictions of the collective unconscious.

Housekeeping:

We’ve heard from one of our giveaway winners, Nattend0, who just received her signed copy of The Psychology of Zelda—which, you might remember if you were around, she won in Game & Word’s first-ever book giveaway! This is one happy customer:

Nattend0 @Nattend0

SO EXCITED! 😱 Psychology + Zelda = my JAM! 💚 It’s specifically written on OoT and Majora’s psychology, relating it to deeper issues. Self help book for Zelda nerds!! YASS PLZ! 🙌 Thank you @GameAndWord !!! Check them out on Twitter and their website! They have so much content!

June 18th 2022

1 Retweet18 Likes

Once again: congratulations on winning the giveaway, Nattend0! And thank you for your ongoing readership and support of Game & Word. Everyone else: you can catch Nattend0 on Twitch, Twitter, and pretty much all the socials.

Also, sorry this issue isn’t as image-heavy—or as long—as previous issues. I just didn’t have enough time this week. 😞 Next issue, on the other hand, will be much more… dynamic. I promise! 😁

Previous Issues:

• Volume 1 (The Name of the Game): Issue 1 ● Issue 2 ● Issue 3 ● Issue 4

• Volume 2 (Yo Ho Ho, It’s a Gamer’s Life for Me): Issue 1 ● Issue 2 ● Issue 3 ● Bonus 1 ● Issue 4 ● Issue 5 ● Issue 6 ● Issue 7 ● Bonus 2 ● Issue 8 ● Bonus 3

• Volume 3 (Game Over Matter): Intro ● Issue 1 ● Issue 2 ● Issue 3 ● Podcast 1 ● Issue 4 ● Video Podcast 1 ● Bonus 1 ● Issue 5 ● Podcast 2

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Feature: Archetypal, My Dear Watson

⏳📜✍️ Updates & Errata: ✍️📜⏳

UPDATE (6/21/22): Added images, including an archetype infographic, to provide some more visual flair to the piece.

CONTINUED FROM ISSUE 3.5

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I aM eVerYwHerE aNd NoWHerE. .eReHWoN dNA eRehWyREve Ma I

Source: Gifycat

The Collective Unconscious

…Ok, maybe it’s time we get our bearings. What, exactly, is the collective unconscious, anyway?

Roadmap to the Center of the Mind ||| Our Three Stops: 1) The Ego, 2) The Personal Unconscious, 3) The Collective Unconscious [You Are Here]

As far as the mind is concerned, you can’t get much deeper than this. We’re way past the realm of dreams and imagination, and in the plane of archetypes and quantum bonds. This is the fount from which all human experience originates, and the endpoint of every human journey. To use a computer analogy, this is the kernel through which God (or the cosmos, or evolution, or whatever) interfaces with the operating system of the psyche.

The popular conception of the collective unconscious is that it’s a kind of spiritual internet, through which every human mind is psychically linked to each other. That’s not quite what Carl Jung had in mind when he coined the term (though it was close). Here’s how he described it:

The collective unconscious comprises in itself the psychic life of our ancestors right back to the earliest beginnings. It is the matrix of all conscious psychic occurrences...

And later (emphasis mine):

There exists a second psychic system of a collective, universal, and impersonal nature which is identical in all individuals. This collective unconscious does not develop individually, but is inherited. It consists of pre-existent forms, the archetypes, which can only become conscious secondarily and which give definite form to certain psychic contents.

The differences between Jung’s understanding and the popular understanding of the collective unconscious are subtle but significant. Jung was highly analytical and scientific, and the notion of a transcendental psychic internet strikes me as a bit too… woo-woo for his tastes.

That said, he was also clearly fascinated with the spiritual, mythological, and mystical aspects of life and experience. So perhaps it’s not that far off, after all.

Either way, what Jung seems to mean by “collective unconscious” is more akin to what we popularly know as “the lizard brain”: the most primal and purely instinctual parts of our brain—the parts that control those behaviors that operate entirely on autopilot with no input from our conscious selves. These include our breathing,¹ food drive, sexual preferences, and fight/flight/fright responses.

Basically, this is where our minds access the thought and behavior patterns that allowed our distant ancestors to survive and avoid getting eaten by saber-tooth tigers long enough to pass on their genes.

But Jung didn’t stop at the purely base desires that our limbic system (the fancier science-y term for “lizard brain”) regulates—eating, sleeping, drinking, fu.. flirting, etc.

He posited that we inherit similarly primal systems of thought, dating from all the way back when our minds were first attaining sentience and consciousness, and that these “systems” inform human experience on a fundamental level.

As such, while everyone’s personal unconscious is unique to them, the collective unconscious is universal to everyone. Or, to continue to computer analogy, we all boot up from the same operating system.

Now, ever since humans became self-aware, we’ve been trying to make sense of this. But how do you even begin to wrap your mind around such an abstract concept?

As part of his own attempts to answer this question, Jung started studying stories, mythologies, and religions from around the world and across the ages.

And he noticed certain… similarities between them. The imagery, themes, and motifs between such disparate cultures as Ancient China and Medieval Europe contained similarities of too high a degree—and which re-occurred far too frequently—to write off as mere coincidence.

So, he dug deeper. And that’s how he discovered archetypes.

“Eh, You’re Just Not My Archetype…”

Look familiar? If not, don’t worry—it will by the end of this volume.

We’ve mentioned archetypes frequently throughout this volume. But we haven’t provided a formal, written definition yet. And even though archetypes are hard to concisely define without severely oversimplifying them (to the point that we risk creating misunderstandings and misconceptions of the concept), let’s give it our best shot:

ARCHETYPE (n.)

1: the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies : PROTOTYPE //
“The House of Commons, the archetype of all the representative assemblies which now meet …” ~ Thomas Babington Macaulay

also : a perfect example // “He is the archetype of a successful businessman.”

2: IDEA sense 4c

3 psychology : an inherited idea or mode of thought in the psychology of Carl Gustav Jung that is derived from the experience of the race² and is present in the unconscious of the individual.

Basically, archetypes are universal forms, concepts, or ideals which inform the way our psyches process, interpret, and respond to the world around us. And while the details may differ from person to person, or from culture to culture, the fundamental idea remains constant, transcending cultural and temporal boundaries.

Infographic adapted from The Psychology of Zelda (“The Archetypal Attraction,” pg. 82); yes, the same one we gave away!

Hmmm… maybe it’s easier to point to some recognizable examples from popular culture and video games. Shall we do that?

Archetypal Portrayals

Jung had the right idea when he decided to immerse himself in mythology to understand the collective unconscious—studying media and stories is probably the best and easiest way to understand archetypes.

Longtime readers might remember The Hero’s Journey, first identified, studied, and popularized by Joseph Campbell. We covered it way back in Volume 2. This in and of itself is archetypal—and so are the characters within it, which often draw from “The Big 12,” or the 12 most fundamental archetypal characters:

• Hero

• Lover

• Trickster

• Everyman

• Caregiver

• Ruler

• Creator

• Innocent

• Sage

• Explorer

• Outlaw

• Wizard

Hey, we haven’t done a wide-ranging survey like this for a while. So why don’t we put these archetypes through the ole’ magnifying lens, eh?

The Hero

The Hero Archetype represents strength and competence, channeled in a way that helps others or improves the world. The Hero’s main desire is to prove their worth and attain mastery—of a skill, of their circumstances, or of themselves.

Note that “Hero” in an archetypal sense isn’t necessarily “Hero” as commonly understood in fiction (ie, as the protagonist), though the two nearly always overlap. Countless protagonists’ “Hero’s Journeys” involve them growing from another archetype or stock character into the Hero—for instance, Ness’ growth from the Everman into the Hero, as discussed in our recent video essay.³

General Examples:

• Luke Skywalker (Star Wars)

• Harry Potter (Harry Potter)

• Superman (DC Comics)

Video Game Examples:

• Mario (Super Mario Bros.)

• Link (The Legend of Zelda)

• Samus (Metroid)

It may well be quicker to list protagonists that aren’t the Hero (or become the Hero), but the overlap is so ubiquitous that I’m having trouble thinking of any. If one comes to mind, please drop a comment and let me know.

The Lover

The Lover Archetype represents intimacy and connection. This obviously includes intimacy with the person (or people) they love, but it doesn’t have to stop there. The Lover Archetype can also feel a deep connection with their surroundings (like their home, or hometown) and even the work they do (think of how much pride SpongeBob takes in flipping burgers). Being severed or separated from the subject of their affection is the Lover’s biggest fear.

General Examples:

• Jack Dawson (Titanic)

• Quasimodo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)

• Elmira (Tiny Toon Adventures)

Video Game Examples:

• Princess Peach (Super Mario Bros.)

• Aeris Gainsborough (Final Fantasy VII)

• Alphys (Undertale)

If the Hero has a love interest, they’ll usually be this archetype. However, the fairy tale-esque romance this pairing usually conjures is increasingly falling out of favor—whether for being old-fashioned, two-dimensional, or problematic (or all three). Regardless, expect this character to go to the ends of the Earth (or galaxy), forsake everyone/everything else they know, and even give their life for the well-being of the subject of their affinity.

Depending on how romantic or cynical you are, this will strike you as either sweet and endearing, or baffling and excessive (if not a bit creepy).

The Trickster

One of the more well-known (and most misunderstood) archetypes, the Trickster (sometimes called the Jester, or the Fool) is all about enjoying oneself and living completely in the moment.

Unpredictable, playful, and funny, the Trickster has a propensity for tricks and jokes, especially of the practical variety—which tend to annoy others around them. They are also masters of disguise, manipulation, and other forms of deception. However, while the Trickster’s antics can spring from a place of selfishness or malice, this isn’t always the case. They can just as likely come from wanting to shake others out of complacency, conformity, and boredom.

When encountering the Trickster in stories, expect motifs related to deceit or obfuscation (masks, shadows, thievery), chaos, and random chance. Gambling/gaming motifs like cards, dice, chips, and game boards are especially popular, and—to further drive the point home—the Trickster may speak in riddles and rhymes, or even challenge the hero/villain to a game of chance.

General Examples:

• Bugs Bunny (Looney Tunes)

• The Joker (Batman)

• Loki (Norse Mythology, MCU)

Video Game Examples:

• Sonic (Sonic the Hedgehog)

• Kefka (Final Fantasy VI)

• Crazy Redd (Animal Crossing)

About that last example—the fox has been Trickster’s animal motif of choice for centuries. Think of the Western adages “cunning like a fox,” “outfoxed,” or “foxy vixen.” From folklore, tricky foxes feature in several of Aesop’s fables—and on the other side of the globe, we’ve got the multi-tailed Kutsune from Japanese folklore. Makes sense, considering how remarkably cunning IRL foxes are.

The Everyman

Exactly what it sounds like. The Everyman (or Everywoman, or Everyperson) is just like you and me. And everyone else hearing his story. The Everyman is ordinary, normal, average, or however you want to describe splitting every distribution curve right through the middle. On one hand, this makes the Everyman more relatable to the audience. On the other, the Everyman’s more balanced and grounded personality can make it harder for him to stand out from his supporting characters (that’s a highly diplomatic way of saying “this is a BORING character!”).

Still, even the most anodyne, milquetoast slices of cornbread that barely pass as unique characters can become interesting when placed in extraordinary situations. Then, not only do they become different (and thus, interesting) by default, they become even more relatable to audiences.

General Examples:

• John McClane (Die Hard)

• Arthur Dent (The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy)

• Ron Weasley (Harry Potter)

Video Game Examples:

• Link (The Legend of Zelda)

• Ness (EarthBound)

• Crono (Chrono Trigger)

In video games, “blank slate” protagonists tend to be Everymen, almost by definition. This is because game writers go for “blank slate” protagonists for the same reason their peers in books, movies, and other games write Everyman protagonists—for relatability.

“Blank slate” characters allow the player to project her personality onto the character—and who’s more relatable to any given person than herself? And since people are not nearly as unique or individualistic as they think they are, then more often than not, you end up with an archetypally Everyman character.

The Caregiver

The Caregiver is somewhat similar to the Lover, in that they’re both motivated by selfless desires. But whereas the Lover wants to protect and care for a specific person, place, or thing, the Caregiver is far less picky. They live to help others, no matter if they’re family, complete strangers, or even bitter rivals. They’re the nurturing instinct personified.

Think of a parent, teacher, nurse, or activist in your life who was absolutely, 100% dedicated to the well-being of their charges—sometimes even at their own well-being’s expense. That’s the Caregiver (albeit to an extreme degree).

General Examples:

• Mrs. Medlock (The Secret Garden)

• Rebecca (Ivanhoe)

• George [to Lennie] (Of Mice and Men)

Video Game Examples:

• Big Daddies (BioShock)

• Lisa (Silent Hill)

• Hinawa (MOTHER 3)

Because women had almost always been expected to assume the rule of nurturing and caregiving, characters based on this archetype tend to very often be female (in fact, another name for this archetype is “the Mother”). However, as we can see from two of our examples, men also have a nurturing side, and are perfectly capable of using it. And in the Big Daddies’ case, their caregiving can be painfully lethal for any unfortunate player characters who threaten (or appear to threaten) their dear Little Sisters.

The Ruler

The Ruler desires power and control over everything else—and will not hesitate to wield their power to secure themselves from any threats to their hold on it. Mortal enemy of the chaotic Trickster, the Ruler values order, leadership, and hierarchy. As such, a character based on the Ruler archetype will often serve as a foil to another based on the Trickster. Hilarity ensues (except when it doesn’t).

General Examples:

• Emperor Palpatine (Star Wars)

• Daenarys Targaryen (Game of Thrones)

• Nurse Ratched (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest)

Video Game Examples:

• Rufus Shinra (Final Fantasy VII)

• Ganondorf (The Legend of Zelda)

• M. Bison (Street Fighter)

Kings, queens, and emperors generally come to mind when thinking of this archetype. But as the above examples hint at, practically anyone, in any position of authority, can represent this archetype. Corporate executives, politicians, store managers, team leaders, anyone held up to be a role model for others. Yes, even a subreddit’s head moderator would count.

The Creator

The Creator is defined by (surprise, surprise) their creative impulses and output. The Creator often takes the form of a stock “artist” or “writer” character, but it can just as easily be an AI programmer, mad scientist, or creator deity.

General Examples:

• Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Frankenstein)

• Jo March (Little Women)

• Mabel Pines (Gravity Falls)

Video Game Examples:

• Professor Hojo (Final Fantasy VII)

• Pikango (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild)

• Adeleine (Kirby)

Suddenly, I understand why every time I boot up Civilization, I feel like Elon Musk was right about living in a simulation.

The Innocent

Also known colloquially as “The Pollyanna,” “The Dreamer,” “The Mystic,” or “The Child,” the Innocent represents childlike innocence, optimism, and naivite. It’s the unflinching belief in the ultimate victory of good over evil, and an undying conviction that humanity can—and will—build a better world once it gets its act together. A convinction so strong, that not even the blinding flashes of nuclear bombs raining all around them could shake.

General Examples:

• Snow White (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)

• Luna Lovegood (Harry Potter)

• SpongeBob (SpongeBob Squarepants)

Video Game Examples:

• Papyrus (Undertale)

• Tails (Sonic the Hedgehog)

• Sora (Kingdom Hearts)

While a “childish” outlook is often seen as something to grow out of, the Innocent teaches us that, au contraire, looking at the world through a child’s eyes—through a lens of optimism, wonder, and righteousness—can stop your soul from withering under the unrelenting torrent of cynicism that characterizes one’s adult years.

Remaining in touch with one’s inner child is not only desirable, but from a psychological standpoint, positively vital.

The Sage

The Sage archetype represents the pursuit of intelligence, wisdom, and truth. They will usually be a scholar, philosopher, detective, teacher, or some other learned professional. They’re almost always very old and, more often than not, a reclusive hermit or spinster who’ll chase the Hero off with a stick (or a tongue sharper than the finest steak knife) before eventually agreeing to mentor them.

In the Hero’s Journey, the Sage acts as the Hero’s mentor (in fact, the Sage is sometimes called the Mentor Archetype). Think of a martial arts master teaching their apprentice. Or a professor mentoring a graduate student. The mentor will usually die in order for the Hero to take their place. That said, not all Sages are mentors, nor do mentors necessarily physically die (sometimes, they simply retire).

General Examples:

• Yoda (Star Wars)

• Dumbledore (Harry Potter)

• Gandalf (The Lord of the Rings)

Video Game Examples:

• The Old Man (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild)

• Granny (Celeste)

• Kaepora Gaebora (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)

The Sage will often perform the role of delivering vital (if interminably long) exposition dumps, or otherwise bringing the audience to speed about what’s at stake in the story’s main conflict (especially if the protagonist has been chosen by Fate to save the world, and has no idea why).

The Explorer

The Explorer is all about the journey. They value seeking out new places to see, new people to meet, new things to do. Novelty is the name of the game here, as is the agency, will, and means to continuously pursue said novelty. These characters tend to ruffle more than a few feathers—sometimes, their mere presence as an outsider in a hostile land is enough to raise tensions (and arms); others, it’s some unintentional transgression which seems innocuous to the Explorer, but is a deadly serious faux pas in their host culture.

General Examples:

• Indiana Jones (Indiana Jones)

• Scrooge McDuck (DuckTales)

• Captain Kirk (Star Trek)

Video Game Examples:

• Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)

• Kass (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild)

• Nathan Drake (Uncharted)

Like all archetypes, the details vary across the ages, but the overall idea remains the same. Yesterday’s Marco Polo-esque explorer is today’s traveling salesperson.

The Outlaw

Another very well-known archetype, particularly in Western culture… and especially American culture, which glorifies and idolizes this archetype to a point that’d cause outside observers’ head to explode, especially if they’re also familiar with America’s puritanical history and legacy. How can the same culture house a religious and social paradigm so obsessed with order, while also making popular heroes out of those who flagrantly defy that order?

The answer’s actually quite simple. For the Outlaw Archetype, all the lawbreaking is just a means to an end: liberation. The Outlaw is all about breaking free of constraints so they can realize their potential unabated. The Outlaw represents freedom. This symbolism is particularly resonant in the United States—when you’re talking about a nation that so greatly values freedom (at least nominally) as to change the name of “French Fries” to “Freedom Fries,” well… no wonder we idolize Robin Hood, Billy the Kid, and Michael Corleone so much (as long as we’re not in their crosshairs, obviously).

General Examples:

• Long John Silver (Treasure Island)

• Louise Sawyer (Thelma & Louise)

• Jordan Belfort (The Wolf of Wall Street)

Video Game Examples:

• Niko Bellic (Grand Theft Auto IV)

• Garrett (Thief)

• Dutch Van der Linde (Red Dead Redemption II)

Oh, and speaking of GTA—contrary to popular belief, committing wanton violence does not constitute the core of the franchise’s appeal. Rather, it’s the ability to commit said wanton violence; the game never forces you to be violent, nor does it force you to not be violent. The choice is entirely up to the player—same with the choice to go anywhere in the map, and at anytime.

In other words, GTA emphasizes freedom and liberation. When you think of it that way, no wonder playing as outlaw protagonists works so well in GTA. It makes me think—would the series be nearly as much fun if the player characters weren’t criminals?

The Wizard

The Wizard is a visionary—they envision the solution to a problem, or an improvement to the world, and they make it happen. Naturally, this includes the general stock wizard from high fantasy settings. But like all archetypes, the Wizard is nothing if not adaptable, and has taken several forms outside of medieval European fantasy settings.

And I don’t just mean “Wizards” by any other name—like shamans, clerics, or prophets… though this archetype does indeed include those. But rather, a “Wizard” is someone who envisions what they want, and (sometimes literally) move mountains to make it happen.

This can be a genius inventor, a cunning businessperson, a dangerous cult leader, or anyone else who can take a vision and will it into being—whether through magic, science, or sheer willpower (and/or money). If it helps, think of the Wizard Archetype as “the Fixer.”

General Examples:

• Tony Stark (Iron Man)

• Merlin (Arthurian Legend)

• Melissandre (Game of Thrones)

Video Game Examples:

• Andrew Ryan (BioShock)

• Marx (Kirby Super Star)

• Mike Toreno (Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas)

Anyway, those are just a few of the archetypes out there.

That’s right, archetypes are by no means limited to the “Big 12” listed above.

Nor do characters need to comprise only a single archetype—creators can (and do) combine aspects from different archetypes to create more complex characters!

In any case, hopefully you now understand how central archetypes are to storytelling—and there, to the human experience. Because next time, we’re going to go even DEEPER!

‘Till Next Time!

Yup, that’s a wrap, folks! Join me for G&W’s next issue, when we explore the collective unconscious as a whole—with a little help from some great video games, obviously. See you then!

~Jay

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Food for Talk: Discussion Prompts

While you wait for the next issue, I invite you to mull over the following discussion prompts. Please reply to this email with your answers, or post them in the comments—I'd love to hear your thoughts!

1. Can you think of any additional video game examples for any of the “Big 12” archetypes? List them here, and tell us why.

2. Do you disagree with any of my archetype examples? How so, and what would you suggest instead?

3. Which Jungian archetype represents you best? How so? If you’re stumped, take this quiz to help out. (For what it’s worth: mine is the Joker/Trickster)

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Further Reading

• From The Psychology of Zelda, edited by Anthony M. Bean, Ph.D.— A highly illuminating and accessible collection of essays analyzing the Zelda series through various psychological paradigms.

  • The Archetypal Attraction by Anthony M. Bean, Ph.D.

• Understanding Personality: The 12 Jungian Archetypes — A basic primer (and taxonomic visualization) of Jung’s “Big 12” archetypes.

• Archetypal Characters by TVtropes.org — A slightly more expanded (though by no means exhaustive) list of archetypal characters.

• The Dream Interpretation Dictionary: Symbols, Signs, and Meanings by J.M. DeBord.— Symbology and dream interpretation is a fraught and highly subjective undertaking, and most free online “dream dictionaries” are about as useful as a Buzzfeed quiz. This one, however, was written by someone who clearly gets Jung, and outlines a solid methodology for creating your own dream and symbol interpretations.

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Tags

#psychology #philosophy #metaphysics #religion #spirituality #mythology #archetypes

#GameOverMatter

Footnotes

1. True, you can consciously control your breathing, but this requires focusing your consciousness on it, to begin with. And even if you try holding your breath for as long as possible, your unconscious brain will eventually take over and compel you to breathe in again. This is why breath work is so instrumental and central to Buddhist meditation—because breathing happens on its own and with no conscious input, it’s an easy thing to focus on while clearing your mind.

2. Note: Jung (and/or Merriam-Webster) is referring to the human race as a whole, not to any of the arbitrary social constructs we assign to different people.

3. Creators can also combine archetypes to create more complex characters. For instance, Batman is a mix of the Hero and Outlaw archetypes.