My hero growing up was Lara Croft. Tomb Raider came along when I was super into ancient history, and gaming was entering fully 3D, explorable worlds. Being able to explore greek and egyptian ruins based on real places and myths in a game that wasnt a 2D sidescroller with sprites, made a huge impression on me. I didnt know of Metroid at the time.
Before Lara, the only female characters in games that I saw were pretty princesses to be rescued - so seeing a GIRL go on adventures with nothing but a pair of guns and knowledge of ancient history, finding unsolved and undiscovered relics was so fucking cool. She wasnt crying, screaming, needing rescuing, or having moral dilemmas over shooing aggressive wildlife and moids trying to stop her or fuck her. No bullshit PTSD breakdowns, no annoying friends and "relationship building", no "relatable" how is she going to fund her trip AND justify pillaging treasures side quests. No annoying students to baby sit and give PSA inspiring speeches to the 1% of weirdos who want Lara to be a fat, black, lesbian paraplegic stunwoman with vitiligo who's somehow going on adventures to pay off her student loans. It's just Lara who's already rich and does it for fun.
I'll never forgive the fags that ruined Lara, made her a simpering wimp and keep putting her in situations that end with moids either mutilating or raping her. The one's who turned her into a "girlfriend you want to hold hands to protect". And fuck the fags that want to turn nu-nu-Lara lame and gay.