Microsoft’s “Fable”: Good vs Evil
Overview:
For anyone that knows me personally, they know my favourite video game franchise is Fable. Although the series in question quietly disappeared in 2010 (referring to the main series), rumors of a brand new Fable installment were in the works as early as 2015–2016. Thankfully, that rumor became a reality with Microsoft’s announcement during the summer of 2020. I have been playing video games since 2003, however, I only played Fable for the first time in late 2016. The following article will discuss the nature of religion and the occult within the Fable franchise, and form an understanding of why there is contextual good vs evil.
Let’s start with the Temple of Light:
The “middle ages” is the term used to describe the time period ranging from the fifth and fifteenth century. During this period of history, the church as an organization rose to prominence; such that religion and the church itself served a greater purpose than ever before. At least, this was true from the perspective of those working within religious roles.
Furthermore, the practice of Christianity was considered illegal and those following this movement were prosecuted- often facing death as a result. With respect to the nature of religion as whole, those refusing to convert to any other religion (particularly the beliefs of the Roman Empire) were not met with much understanding from Roman officials. Keeping that in mind, the Romans believed in multiple gods whereas Christians believed in just one. Not surprisingly, this monotheistic perspective further sparked conflict between Christians and those of the Holy Roman Empire.
Lionshead Studios released Fable II in 2008, through which religious representations in the blockbuster video game are comparable to the New Testament that came around the fifth century A.D. Despite the game being set in (possibly) 1800, the way religion is treated in the game very much resembles the infamous perception of Christianity throughout the middle ages. Of course, the franchise in question is a clear satire. Therefore, religious warfare somewhat “mocked” for comedic effect.
The 2008 video game demonstrates two sides of the coin:
the Temple of Light (Christianity), and Temple of Shadows (essentially anything in opposition to the Christians). The Temple of Light is depicted as the pinnacle of belief in one higher power, and this idea is comparable to Christianity during the middle ages. For instance, Christians used to meet in secret meetings and were able to identify one another by the presence of a “fish” somewhere on their hand or arm.
Fable II features the Temple of Light, which is Lionhead’s literary hyperbole for real world Christianity. More specifically, the player has the ability to complete (this) series of side quests which contains the oldest ritual known in the state of Albion. The ritual itself:
Consists of gathering blessed water from three springs, allowing the growth of a magical acorn( from golden oak tree); which falls once every one hundred years and sustains agricultural life for the town of Oakfield. Monks working at the temple encourage the player to make large donations, which eventually leads to the aforementioned ritual provided the player proves their dedication to Oakfield’s religious sanctuary. With respect to the issue of donations, keep in mind that Christians during the middle ages were much different from what we see today. Religion and the church were more important than anything else, so convincing people to make large donations to the church wasn’t something considered “beneath them”.
Despite Fable II being set around 1800 (this comes from comparison with real-world timelines, and all settings in the Fable franchise are never specified) the concept of religion and the loyalty to a singular God dates back to the middle ages. With respect to stories depicted in the New Testament (fifth century), Christ sacrificed his life for the importance of his teachings and the importance of collective civilization. Much like the death of Christ led to a birth of a new world, Fable II’s Golden Acorn must fall to establish new life- comparable to why Jesus Christ died for the sins of the people.
Now, let’s discuss the Temple of Shadows:
Another aspect of religion featured in Fable II is the “Temple of Shadows”. However, this religious group is probably more comparable to fantasy depictions of the occult. Much like its “good” counterpart, the Temple of Shadows serves as an allusion to real world religious movements of the middle ages. With the death of major religious figures, the Temple of Light’s leader (the Abbot) is killed under the order of Lord Lucien- the game’s antagonist.
Within context of the game’s narrative, Lord Lucien serves as an analogy to the New Testament’s Pontius Pilate; whom of which ordered the death of Jesus Christ. More specifically, the death of an important religious figure leads to great conflict between the people, and did not really solve any issues that were already being addressed in the game. Therefore, the religious warfare continued. Although more of a cult, the Temple of Shadow represents the other religious movements, much like any other religion in opposition to Christianity during the middle ages.
The player has the opportunity to attack the Temple of Light, well, that’s if they choose to align themselves with the Temple of Shadows. Moreover, the player has the ability to sacrifice the members of the opposing movement and even random civilians in order to continue the practice of unholy misfortune. More specifically, the player’s choices are comparable to the treatment of those who followed and practiced Christianity during the middle ages, such that those following the “new” religion were faced with severe persecution.
Note from the author:
Nevertheless, the Fable franchise (2004-) is a work of satire. Although religion plays a role in the game’s narrative, it’s certainly not the primary focus. Instead, Fable deliberately mocks politics, love, and even other works of fantasy. I’m very much looking forward to the next installment, as it’s something I’ve been anticipating for a few years.
Thank you for the valued feedback and support,
Brandon
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