The town of South Park is abuzz with the arrival of the New Kid in the South Park games. This character, central to the RPGs, has garnered admiration and respect from many of the female characters in the series. This departure from the established gender dynamics within South Park piques curiosity about the character's potential to challenge franchise norms in South Park: Snow Day.
Devotees of South Park are familiar with the gender norms prevalent in both the games and the TV show. For more than a quarter of a century, the children of South Park have typically remained sharply divided by gender. The boys stick with the boys, the girls with the girls, while the adults struggle to keep up with the ensuing chaos. This reflects the predominantly male viewpoint that permeates the South Park franchise. Although female characters occasionally participate in storylines, they are usually portrayed in conflict with the boys rather than being integrated into their world. Throughout episodes, seasons, specials, and games, the girls are consistently depicted as rivals.
However, the introduction of the New Kid in recent South Park games challenges this status quo in several significant ways. Debuting in The Stick of Truth in 2014, the New Kid garners admiration and support from both boys and girls. While the girls are typically viewed as a separate group, the New Kid successfully enlists them to join their cause.
The Silent Protagonist
This collaboration forms a diverse coalition that strengthens Cartman's Human faction. This is not the sole instance showcasing the New Kid's ability to communicate across gender lines in The Stick of Truth. The New Kid must pretend to be Bebe's boyfriend to further solidify the boys' and girls' alliance. While this scenario may seem like a classic South Park scenario, male characters seldom go to such lengths to gain girls' approval, and the girls rarely reciprocate positively. This accentuates the New Kid's groundbreaking approach to gender dynamics.
In 2017's The Fractured But Whole, the gender disparity may be more pronounced, yet the New Kid's capacity to bridge this gap remains intact. While the New Kid navigates the advances of the Raisins Girls, Call Girl goes out of her way to assist them. Bebe acknowledges the New Kid's appeal, solidifying their image as the archetypal silent, attractive hero.
The New Kid must take selfies with Bebe and other girls, further establishing them as an unlikely bipartisan ally. This aspect is also evident in one of the most audacious chapters in The Fractured But Whole: the exploration of gender. Early in the game, Mr. Mackey introduces gender fluidity, encouraging the New Kid to explore their identity, with PC Principal endorsing this initiative. The ability to define one's gender is just one of numerous examples where the New Kid defies this peculiar franchise tradition while staying true to South Park's established universe.
Breaking the Mold
In both the series and the games, the boys and girls of South Park frequently clash. Friendships and relationships in South Park are fluid, tumultuous, and often short-lived, even for nine-year-olds. Yet, the New Kid's ability to challenge this unusual franchise tradition underscores their significance in the series. These characteristics make playing the New Kid all the more intriguing.
The New Kid will reappear in the forthcoming South Park installment, Snow Day. While specifics remain under wraps, the New Kid's knack for connecting with female characters is expected to persist. The extent to which the game will push the boundaries of South Park's gender dynamics remains uncertain, but one can hope that the New Kid will continue to pleasantly subvert expectations.