What I Learned From Undertale

My favorite works of art have always been those which have the greatest effect on me. Those that change the way I look at things, put thoughts in my head that haven’t been there before, and cause me to reevaluate myself and how I interact with the world. It is the main reason why I feel My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic will forever be my favorite piece of art, simply because it changed me more than any story has yet to, and perhaps ever will.

And I think this is core to what makes Undertale such a beautiful work of art. It’s effected and changed people in so many ways, that it can’t help but be an experience to cherish. I may do an analysis of why it’s able to do this so well and what makes art “memorable” to us, but that’s for another analysis. No, for my first write up of Undertale, I’d like to get super personal, and simply talk of…how Undertale affected me, and what new thoughts it gave me.

Note: The following contains very minor spoilers, including gameplay mechanics and battle set ups. With how little it is, it should be fine to read if you have not played Undertale.

The big new thought that playing Undertale planted within my mind was its idea and interpretation of relationships, specifically, relationships with those who are difficult. One thing I struggle so much with is dealing with people who are difficult and can say rude and hurtful things. When something is said or done that offends me I can start to act bitter towards them and be hurtful back at them. It feels like our relationship and conversation is a mutual two person thing in which I must act in a way that’s responding to how they act and what they do.

But Undertale, Undertale takes this idea and throws it out the window. And how does it do this? The simplest and most noble of ways it does is seen in the simple fact that, during battles and boss battles, when you are hurt, when you get damaged, you don’t lash out and start attacking back. You certainly can and maybe you will, but you can also hold firm, and it’s much easier to, to shrug the hurt off and not let the pain control you. A large theme of this game is being able to take the pain and hurt of everyone as they hit you with all their insecurities and worries, and to take it all in and respond in kind with love and acceptance. It was very inspiring to see, and really motivated me to try and be like that, and not let being hurt suddenly change my actions and goals.

More than that though, I was fascinated by the way that relationships were portrayed as not a connecting interaction of 2 individuals, but rather as 2 separate individuals with their own ways of doing things. I was fascinated at how, like I said above, the hurt and general sayings of your opponents don’t have such a strong effect on you, such that you can still go on your own goal and not let their desires and actions affect yours. This is of course most clear in the boss battles, those individuals which conflict with you the most, and which require the most determination from you to not be affected by them. In Undertale you can stay strong and stick to your own values, without having your opponents have such power over you that you have to react to what they say in certain ways. Undertale reminded me that when you engage with others, you don’t have to respond to them when they say things that are hurtful, or just downright wrong. You can stay firm, calm, and not let them get to you, and you don’t become a part of this conversation with them and stuck with them. Undertale made me realize just how much power I actually have when interacting with others, and that I don’t need to react so much to what others do. If I have the determination, I can stay exactly as I want and say what I want, without being affected by the heat of the moment.

And I dunno, this has me looking at relationships differently than I used to. I’m starting to see them more as a mutual thing where both parties act a certain way of their own choosing. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the way we acted was all the fault of the others, but Undertale has reminded me just how much power we have, and what we can do if we stay true to our goals. Just because someone approaches you and talks to you, doesn’t mean you have to respond or get offended. You can remain calm and firm, and not let them get to you. The power to do so, the determination, is within you.

And as one final point, I am especially glad I got to play Undertale before I go to visit my family, as I know that there’s going to be lots of times when they hurt me. And I hope…that I can be like Frisk, and that when I’m hurt, I won’t let it stop me from sparing and showing mercy with my family. Thank you Undertale…