These women might not be mothers, but they’re the mothers who stepped up.
Video games are full of women who stepped up for kids who weren’t their own. Whether they’re stepping up for you, the player (Cooking Mama) or a nephew they adopted from tragic circumstances (Aunt May), it’s hard to discern where the line between guardian and parent ends. These five women in gaming might not be mothers, but they’re the mothers who stepped up.
Amicia de Rune from A Plague Tale: Innocence and A Plague Tale Requiem
By Timothy Raj Augustin
This article is about mothers who stepped up for kids who weren’t their own, and no one exemplifies that better than Amicia de Rune in the A Plague Tale series. That’s because Amicia isn’t Hugo de Rune’s mother–she’s his sister, but she’s arguably forced to play the role anyway due to their mother, Beatrice’s, absence during times of great strife. It’s not Beatrice’s fault, of course. The alchemist did everything she could to cure Hugo of his debilitating ailments, but ended up being separated from her children by circumstance.
While Amicia and Hugo sometimes find themselves in the company of friends and allies, they find themselves alone equally as often, and in danger of multiple threats to boot. If it’s not the rat plague, it’s the French Inquisition. Throughout it all, Amicia keeps Hugo safe by guiding him through avalanches of rats, fighting Inquisition soldiers, and carving a path to shelter in a dark and grisly world. She’s 15 and he’s five, and neither of them should be put in the position of saving each other–but save each other, they will.
Nyx from Hades
By Anna Bernardo
In Supergiant Games’ Hades, Nyx plays a pivotal role as a maternal figure to Zagreus. She isn’t his real mother, technically, but she did raise him as her own in Persephone’s absence. One of the many Chthonic Gods, Nyx is more than a primordial embodiment of night; she is the reason Zagreus survived infancy.
Throughout the game, Nyx consistently offers Zagreus measured, compassionate guidance. She never forces him into anything, but her presence is always steady and calm. Even after he uncovers the truth–that Persephone is his biological mother–Zagreus’ respect and affection for Nyx never wavers. In one of their conversations, Zagreus expresses his gratitude by telling her that he “never repay you [Nyx] for all [she’s] you’ve done.” However, Nyx only tells him that he had already repaid her.
Nyx also plays an important role in Zagreus’ development as a fighter. In the earlier part of the game, she grants him the “Mirror of the Night,” which could be found in his bedchamber. This mirror is important after the player dies or finishes each run, because through it, Zagreus can get stronger with upgrades that can be bought after each escape attempt. Then after Zagreus (or the player) gives her enough gifts to strengthen their bond, she gives him the Black Shawl, a Keepsake. This Keepsake buffs his damage against undamaged foes.
Her influence is so effective that even after Zagreus discovers the truth about his real mother, Persephone, Hades continues to view Nyx as a mother, not out of obligation but out of respect for the care and strength she provided in his formative years. In a realm governed by duty and harsh authority, her guidance is one of the few sources of warmth Zagreus can rely on.
Yennefer of Vengerberg from The Witcher
By Arianne Blanco
Yennefer of Vengerberg figured into The Witcher franchise as a powerful sorceress and Geralt of Rivia’s true love. But beyond all the magic and the romance, Yennefer is first and foremost seen as a mother figure to Cirilla (aka Ciri), Geralt’s adoptive daughter.
Initially, Yennefer underwent a quest to recover her fertility, something she had lost when she chose to undergo a gruelling transformation that changed her from an ugly duckling hunchback to the formidable beauty she later became. The loss of her fertility deeply affected Yennefer, as she felt that she was robbed of the ability to experience the joys of motherhood.
However, after meeting and bonding with Ciri, Yennefer found herself viewing Ciri as her own daughter. She took Ciri under her wing, essentially raising her while cultivating a strong emotional bond. Yennefer taught Ciri magic while preparing her for the world, all while protecting her from any kind of harm that could come her way.
The mother-daughter relationship that Ciri and Yennefer had may not be as prominent in the games compared to the books, but there’s no way any player who’s invested in the vast expanse of Witcher lore can deny that Yennefer of Vengerberg definitely stepped up.
Aunt May from Marvel’s Spider-Man
By Tommy Makmur
May Parker, or Aunt May, was Peter Parker’s only guardian after Ben Parker’s death. May was optimistic, kind, and selfless. However, her selflessness tended to make her overextend her help for others. Her motto in life was “When you help someone, you help everyone,” making her one of the most lovable characters in the game.
She cared deeply for Peter. Alongside Ben, she took care of him after his parents’ deaths. She raised him like he was her son, which she never had, even after Ben’s death. May secretly supported him and his actions as Spider-Man without him knowing, albeit worrying about his safety.
When Peter was evicted from his apartment, she lent him the couch at F.E.A.S.T., where she works, and forced him to take some money to support himself. Even on her last breath, May treated Peter as her child, saying she and Ben were proud of him and revealed that she knew his alter-ego. She accepted her death if it meant stopping Doctor Octopus’ Devil’s Breath plague. She reassured Peter that it was the right thing to do as her last moment.
Showing strength, love, and care for Peter until the very end.
Cooking Mama from Cooking Mama
By Kurt Lozano
Cooking is a skill everyone needs to learn, though there is never just one surefire way to learn it. With that said, most people are taught how to cook by their mothers and as such typically get the hang of it once they reach adulthood. However, I was unfortunately one of those edgy teenagers who thought they were too cool for that kind of thing, and instead spent most of my time playing video games when I could have been learning valuable life skills. I did play Cooking Mama on the Nintendo DS though.
I know that the Cooking Mama video games aren’t supposed to teach you how to actually cook, after all, they often what are complicated kitchen tasks to a mere swipe or two on the DS’ touch screen. But, somehow, I always find myself looking back on all the times I played Cooking Mama whenever I actually have to make a decent meal.
While it may come easy to some, cooking can be hard. Making a mistake is costly too, you’re either wasting food you bought or risking your health consuming substandard cuisine. But the games’ titular Cooking Mama helped me to feel not as pressured as an untrained cook trying to pretend he’s a gourmet chef should be. When I successfully do something while cooking, I always hear her saying “Wow, even better than Mama!” even if what I did was just cut some garlic or flip an omelette without destroying it. And if I do make a mistake, the Cooking Mama in my mind always reassures me by saying “Don’t worry, Mama will fix it!”, even if I can’t just reset things like in the video game and actually have to deal with the consequences of my actions. With all that said, Cooking Mama somehow helped me see cooking as fun and not just a chore.
I’m no Gordon Ramsay, but I’d like to think that Cooking Mama help me make that corned beef fried rice with eggs I had for breakfast today actually good.
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