This article contains major spoilers for Cyberpunk 2077.
Cyberpunk 2077 has a strong roster of well-written and compelling characters, but one particular trio brings some of the game's best stories to life. Judy Alvarez, Panama Palmerand Rogue Amendiares serve as the three central characters Cyberpunk 2077and their presence in the narrative challenges the traditional femme fatale trope often found in noir stories.
Themes such as corruption, moral gray areas, and a cynical view of human nature in a ruthless society are essential to noir and are front and center throughout Cyberpunk 2077 story. Still, while there are plenty of tropes in the genre, one of the most notable is the femme fatale. The femme fatale has become one of the main defining aspects of noir over the years. Traditionally, femme fatales use their sexuality as a tool to achieve their goals, but Cyberpunk 2077 turns the trope on its head by blurring the definition, making the concept even more compelling.
Main features of Femme Fatale
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Independence
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Sex-appeal
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Hazardous
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Ambitious
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Mysterious
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Opportunistic
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Charming
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Manipulative
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Troubled or traumatic past
IN Cyberpunk 2077Judy is a character that V meets at the beginning of the game when Evelyn Parker introduces them. An incredibly skilled braindance editor and free spirit, Judy doesn't let her own brilliance get to her head. She prefers an independent life to working for a corporation, even though she has the skills to get hired immediately.
One of Judy's most distinctive character traits that most resonates with the femme fatale label is her independence. Her reluctance to accept Evelyn's offer is the norm for her as she tries to avoid any job that comes her way. However, Evelyn's promise of a jobless life after this favor tempts her to accept. Judy is ready to leave Night City, and Evelyn's job is one of the few exits she can find. This lends itself to the opportunistic traits of the femme fatale. In terms of sex-appeal, V's players may fall for Judy, but her sexuality isn't used as a tool because it's a way to demonstrate Judy's trust in V, which goes against the trope. His strong will to be independent makes him a great asset, but he also shares the archetype's tragic traits.
Judy's life is defined by loss. After her childhood home in Laguna Bend was bought by a corporation, she and her family were forced to move to Night City. This sudden uprooting of her life left her with a deep sense of distrust, and after her family eventually left the crime-ridden metropolis, she was left alone. Meeting Judy sets in motion another great tragedy in her life. V and Evelyn's heist goes awry, ending with the kidnapping, rape, and eventual suicide of Evelyn, marking Judy's time in Night City with even more trauma.
Panama Palmer: Fire beats ice
V intersects with Panama in Act 2 Cyberpunk 2077and some of her defining aspects are a complicated past with the nomadic Aldecaldos, a desire for independence, and recklessness. Her temper can get in her own way, but she's ultimately motivated to secure her freedom from corporate overreach, which is easier said than done in Night City.
The mixture of a complicated past, her desire for independence and a dangerous course of action make her a fascinating character, but she doesn't always fit the femme fatale mold. Her hot nature is seen during her interactions with Rogue and is further illustrated by the rocky history she has with her chosen family, the Aldecaldos. This doesn't necessarily match the cold demeanor that many femme fatales have, but her stubborn personality and determined goals still keep her in the trope. Male V can romance Panam, but the interaction is more emotionally vulnerable than what is common in noir, much like Judy's romance.
Since this is an RPG, it makes sense for the romance to showcase a Cyberpunk 2077 the character's trust in V, but it's also interesting subverting how sex and romance are used in noir storiesbecause these things are often used as a means to an end instead of something truly meaningful.
Rogue Amendiares: Right Down the Middle
Rogue is probably the most appropriate designation for the femme fatale of the entire trio. Once a professional mercenary, Rogue is now considered the best fixer in all of Night City. With her skills, Rogue runs The Afterlife, a bar frequented by repairmen and mercenaries, giving her control over much of Night City's underground crime network. It's an incredibly powerful position, and her particular mix of ambition, danger, and legendary reputation puts her squarely in the middle of the femme fatale spectrum.
On the romantic side of things, it depends on players unlocking the “Blistering Love” side quest, where Johnny Silverhand takes Rogue on a date through the body of V. The tragedy of the side plot plays into the noir trope of true love being a seemingly impossible feat, leaving Rogue as a character with a hint of emptiness. If players take Rogue with them to raid Arasaka Tower, she dies, further cementing her as a mysterious and tragic figure, more in line with classic femme fatale traits.
Why Cyberpunk 2077 breaking this stereotype is so important
While Judy, Panam, and Rogue share traits that are consistent with a femme fatale, the biggest difference is that these three don't use their looks or sexuality to make it big in Night City. Instead, their skills and abilities they gave them a strong reputation that everyone boasts about. Whatever it is Judy's tech-savvy expertise, Panama's action-oriented sass, or Rogue's social strengththe trio has a knack for survival through their own skills.
There is enough of the femme fatale formula in it Cyberpunk 2077's main female trio to keep it decently true to the classic trope, but it's a more modern and powerful interpretation that fits better with Night City's futuristic dystopia. Judy, Panam, and Rogue may not be the pure definition of femme fatale, but that's ultimately what gives their characters so much fascinating depth.
- Released
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December 10, 2020
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and gore, intense violence, nudity, coarse language, strong sexual content, drug and alcohol use
