Summary
- "Bromances" are central to Gears of War games, like Marcus and Dom, or Cole and Baird.
- The Gears of War "bromances" are key to character dynamics and the emotional impact of battles.
- The Gears of War movie must emphasize brotherly bonds among soldiers to capture the essence of the games' human stakes.
Netflix's Gears of War movie is finally gaining steam, but the production must not forget to embrace "bromances." The Gears of War games follow the human resistance on the planet Sera, where their population has been devastated by the Locust Horde, subterranean creatures fighting their way to the surface. The original trilogy kicked off in 2006 and was led by Marcus Fenix, a court-martialed and imprisoned soldier, who is called back to action in a last-ditch effort to stop the Locust.
A Gears of War movie has been in various stages of development since almost its debut, with Netflix set to take a stab at the project, announcing their intentions in 2022. However, a recent announcement saw Bullet Train and Deadpool 2 director David Leitch sign on to Gears of War, meaning the movie may finally see the light of day, even if it is still years away. As the project continues development and scripting, the creative team needs to remember the key facets that have endeared the games to fans worldwide. Beyond the large-scale action, unique environments, and chainsaw bayonets, players have repeatedly returned to the Gears of War franchise for the characters, many of whom thrive via "romances."
The One Character (Aside From Marcus Fenix) The Gears Of War Movie Needs To Get Right
The Gears of War movie finally has momentum, and with several characters fans want to see, there's one aside from Marcus Fenix they can't get wrong.
"Bromances" Thrive In The Gears Of War Games
A "bromance" is merely a term coined to define a close non-sexual male bond characterized by a deep affection and admiration that often transcends a normal friendship. From the start of the Gears of War games, characters have thrived in "bromances." When players took control of Marcus, his lifelong friend Dominic "Dom" Santiago was his right-hand man through it all. Dom was always there, never wavering in his friendship with Marcus, even through his court-martial, with Dom pulling him back into the fight. Furthermore, the two fought side by side, with Marcus present during Dom's bleakest hardships, endearing them to each other more like brothers than friends.
Cole and Baird, the other members of Delta Squad, are also close friends, having fought alongside each other for years. Their conflicting personalities often see them playing well off of each other, making their dynamic an interesting one to watch. Given that the core team comprises two "bromances," the main character relationships audiences see for most of the first game are male friendships.
Even beyond the original trilogy, Marcus' son JD (or James Dominic Fenix - named after Dom), thrives with a similar character dynamic, as Gears of War 4 sees him as the protagonist alongside his friend Delmont "Del" Walker. While JD and Del are taking on a new enemy called the swarm, they still embody the type of relationship the games thrived on, and the co-op features built into the gameplay of Gears of War help players to feel a similar sense of camaraderie in their own friendships.
The Relationships In Gears Of War Make The Battles Worth Fighting
Players return to the Gears of War games for the fun of battling unique enemies on an alien world. While anyone making a surface-level assessment of the series may only see the violent combat, they would be missing what makes the games truly special. Any player will remember taking on a Riftworm by fighting their way through its insides, or when they got to ride a Brumak, but those same players also recall the hard-hitting emotional moments that elevate the rest.
Players recall Dom breaking Marcus out of prison, reuniting with his wife in Gears of War 2, and his sacrifice in Gears of War 3. When Cole gets his Thrashball throwback, it further fleshed out his past while continuing to move the action forward. Even with how the games have toyed with the Carmine family, it is well known among fans, and it all circles back to character work. Fans love the characters, and the series' heroes are remembered for far more than their action-fueled adventures. The Gears of War games have thrived for almost 20 years thanks to the dynamic relationships that help each battle feel impactful in the grander scheme.
The Gears Of War Movie Can't Ignore The Brotherly Bond Among Soldiers
While "bromance" feels like a hokey term, the truth is that brothe rs-in-ar ms fuel the Gears of War games. It is common knowledge among real soldiers that deep bonds are formed with those you fight alongside, as you never know if today will be your last, and trusting the man next to you is often all the security you have. The brotherly bond formed comes from a shared experience only a few could ever truly understand, which is why Marcus and Dom, or Cole and Baird, continue to be such strong partners and friends.
While the Gears of War movie is set in an alien world, it is still about humans besieged by war. As David Leitch and his team work to adapt the games, they need to understand that it is a war story that thrives on the bonds formed among the characters fighting it. The horrors of war won't have the emotional impact the audience should experience if the characters aren't well-crafted, and maintaining the "bromances" Gears of War built their human stakes around is key to Netflix's movie adaptation.
