Character Study: The Invisible Complexity of Vinh Lang
This is going to be a self-indulgent ramble solely to organize my thoughts out so if you don’t care for Life is Strange: Double Exposure or if you don’t want any spoilers, feel free to skim past this post.
I enjoy the Life is Strange series precisely because it is character driven. I love exploring everything as thoroughly as I can because through hearing the protagonist’s inner dialogue about their environment and the conversations they engage in, I get a sense on how they view the world and how they view the people they meet along the way.
My favorite game in the whole series is the first Life is Strange game, and I really enjoyed Max Caulfield as a character, so I was looking forward to Double Exposure. Even though it was made by a different developer, I do think that Deck Nine did justice to Max's characterization. You can see how much she has grown without losing her essence of what makes her “Max”. She still maintains her sense of humor and her bouts of awkwardness but it’s clear that she’s grown more self-assured in herself and her abilities as a photographer. And it shows in how she doesn’t hold herself back when she doesn’t hesitate to quip back with a witty retort.
Other than Chenrich (Alex & Steph from True Colors), I wasn’t invested in any other ships in the LiS fandom so I was open to any love interests that Max will have in Double Exposure and how Deck Nine would portray these characters and the development of their relationship with Max.
Character First, Romance Second
I was surprised to find myself liking Vinh Lang, one of Max's love interests in DE, and this is coming from someone who didn’t have a favorable first impression of him. I thought his flirting game with Max was a bit too strong at times but now that I'm reflecting back on my first impression of Vinh, I think it had less to do with Vinh and more to do with the fact that I was unused to Max flirting back because I was very much used to her shy and withdrawn 18-year-old self from the first game. And that really isn't fair on Vinh... and on Max. She is now 28 years old, a decade older than she was in the first game. It would be unreasonable to think that she would stay the same after factoring in her maturity and her life experiences in the ten years that have passed. Regardless, even before I came to this realization, I was indifferent to his character overall. Until Chapter 3 came around and Vinh became much more interesting as a character.
After finishing Life is Strange: Double Exposure, I am of the firm belief that out of all the new characters introduced, Vinh Lang is one of the more complex and nuanced characters of the main cast. This is not the same as me saying that he is well-written because I honestly think that there are better ways that Deck Nine could have scripted the scenes and dialogue without sacrificing his characterization. But I still firmly think that he is an intriguing character who makes me curious to get to know him more and when I get curious, that's a good sign that I'm getting invested. What helps in that regard is that Vinh is not there just to be a love interest for Max; he is actively involved in the plot and has personal connections to almost all of the characters that Max interacts with in this game.
With Vinh, we are slowly revealed pieces of who he is underneath his persona. It is not mandatory for the player to know these pieces of his life but if they take the time to explore the environment, listen in on conversations, and read the Crosstalk posts, there is actually more depth to him than what meets the eye. It gives the player a better understanding about his motivations and why he behaves the way he does. It makes it all the more satisfying and rewarding to learn about Vinh because it is not given to the player on a silver platter.
We find out that Vinh grew up poor because the only job his parents had was owning a liquor store and that despite it, he chooses to enter the acting industry (which is already very unreliable on its own and adding on the fact that the roles with the most visibility are still written for and going to white actors). We know that acting isn't just a passing fancy and that he's passionate about it because of his numerous acting accolades and the praise of his performances from the Abraxas society. But despite knowing that Vinh has the talent, we are shown that he has failed to get in his foot in the door in the acting industry by looking at his computer to see his search for numerous acting/modeling job openings online and his resume thrown in the trash. We find out that he still holds guilt from accepting Yasmin's deal in gaining a secure job as an administrative assistant to the president of a prestigious university in exchange for stating that his own friend, Maya, had mental health problems that resulted in her suicide. Underneath his cocky and flirty veneer, he is haunted just like Max. I haven't even mentioned Vinh's rocky relationship with Safi and Reggie but already, it goes to show that there is so much to discover and analyze about his character.
Vinh even has his own character arc as shown in Chapter 4 when he agrees to help Safi and Max with their plan to expose Lucas on Maya's behalf at the bar. Even though he couldn't fully go through on his end, what with Lucas threatening him (and just like that, my distaste for Lucas grows ever so larger), I'm glad that he at least gained the courage to confront Lucas publicly at the start and that this scene played out the way it did in the end because it would seem unrealistic for his character whose defense mode is self-preservation. What does ultimately matter is that Vinh tries and honestly, not many people can do even that. He is a very flawed person but that is what makes him feel real and relatable.
The Expectations Set on Love Interests in Media
Love interests in any media are inherently set up as competition to each other because only one love interest can "win" the heart of the one that they are competing over. Using games as our medium since we're talking about DE here, the player can only choose one. Because if you choose to romance multiple people, it typically doesn’t bode well for the player. All too often, it's commonly seen online that it's very easy to pit love interests against each other instead of acknowledging how they both can have meaningful relationships with the character they're in love with (romantic or otherwise).
I'm not faulting anyone for this at all because of how romance is generally socially accepted in the form of monogamy thus it is inherently set up like a sport in that only one "team" can win. Because it was revealed that Vinh would be a love interest for a fan favorite like Max, I do think there were high expectations set for Max's love interests.
There is a reason why this quote is so well-known: "first impressions make a lasting impression", and Vinh certainly didn't make the best first impression. Compare the first interaction you've had with him to Amanda, Max's other love interest, and Vinh looks a lot less impressive next to her. Once someone has made a bad first impression, you don’t want to keep interacting with that person. If you tack on the fact that he participates in hook-up culture and flirts with Max in almost every interaction they've had, this doesn't improve his reputation in the public's eyes.
Controversial opinion: I do not think that hook-up culture is inherently bad. As long as those involved are consenting adults, I do not see the issue.
As much as I like Vinh, I can see why there is such a negative perception that is widespread among the general audience who played DE towards his character. But just like how first impressions make a lasting impression, first impressions aren’t indicative of a person’s whole character.
Now, I know that Vinh was not planned to be a love interest for Max from the beginning and I believe that if they had stuck to their original plan in having Vinh only be a suspect in Max's investigation, he would receive much less hate. However, I'm actually really glad that they made Vinh a love interest for Max because getting to know who he is as a character feels very realistic. Just like in real life, not everyone is going to make a good first impression and we get to decide if we want to interact with them in spite of it.
And there's bisexual representation on top of it all so what better than one bisexual disaster than two bisexual disasters?
Complementary Opposites
At first glance, Vinh seems like the kind of person that Max would never fall for. And truth be told, if Max and Vinh had both met in high school, they wouldn’t even consider the other person either. But at this time in their lives and personality-wise, I think that they actually do have a lot more in common than one would think.
They share similar experiences, no matter whether Max chooses Bay or Bae. In the Bae route, Max and Vinh relate to the other in that they were, respectively, the ones who were broken up with and still carry a longing for their respective exes, Chloe and Safi. In the Bay route, Max and Vinh relate to the other in that they carry guilt over the death of a close friend. These two understand each other in a way that most people can't relate to, and I think that they both need someone like that in their lives. I chose the Bay route where Max chooses Arcadia Bay over Chloe and what made me like Vinh was this line that he shares about himself with Max at the bar: “Does the past version of you ever feel like an alien? Like, the shit that person cared about is so worthless that you can’t even remember being them?” It was that moment that I knew that Max would find a kindred spirit in him, whether as acquaintances, friends, or as a romantic partner. And I was proven right because at the end, regardless of whether you romance Vinh or not, he isn't scared of Max when he discovers that she has the power to cross timelines and what she could do with it. Instead, he is immediately on board for whatever chaos is going to unfold.
Max and Vinh both have similar coping mechanisms in that they are very avoidant about their issues and aren’t comfortable sharing their vulnerabilities with anyone, opting to keep to themselves. That’s why I enjoyed their bar scene because they willingly open up to the other without being pressured by the other to do so and are completely understanding of the other without judgement. And once their shared mood becomes too dark and depressing after sharing their experiences and vulnerabilities, they effortlessly shift the conversation back to being more light-hearted because they know that it's what is needed at that moment. I personally enjoyed their little Smash-or-Pass scene because it was just two grieving adults exchanging hypothetical scenarios as a way to escape from their problems for a while and to just feel normal for once.
Max and Vinh are both very adept in in their observation skills. First of all, they understand each other well even though they’re not close with the other prior to the game and aren’t known to be open about themselves in general. Max accurately assesses that Vinh has a prickly exterior who has a softer side to him underneath while Vinh accurately assesses that Max is “haunted” just like he is and unlike Safi, he doesn't press her about it when she confirms it. Secondly, they each catch on to the other’s discrepancies. Max catches Vinh’s lie about the cow skull and Vinh catches Max on how she knows that he slept with Safi when he knows for sure that Safi would never tell anyone that. Not to mention that Max figured out the Abraxas' puzzle box pretty quickly (requiring an eye for detail), which is implied to be made by Vinh (who is the president of Abraxas). If Vinh isn't a romantic option in the next game, would absolutely love to see these two be a detective duo the very least.
In terms of their interactions, Max enjoys flirting with Vinh as much as Vinh enjoys flirting with her. She has never expressed discomfort specifically about his flirting in her inner dialogue and even initiates flirting with Vinh herself with her one-liners (even without the player having to do so on her behalf). The fact that Vinh gets noticeably flustered or caught-off guard by her than the other way around is so funny to me, considering that he likes to keep up the appearance that he is suave and cool. If the player chooses to not go along with his flirting, Vinh doesn’t push you and simply accepts it.
If you take the time to read the messages and Crosstalk posts, you’ll find that Vinh is canonically a nerd too i.e. he watches anime, reads fanfiction, and has expressed that he wants to play in a TTRPG. (I would also bet my pinkie toe that Vinh would roleplay as a bard who would flirt with all the NPCs in a D&D game, but I digress.) The funniest thing is that when you read the replies to his nerdier inclinations, they are always one of surprise as if there’s no way he’ll be into it.
These are just a few things that they have in common and I'm sure that there are many more I haven't even begun to analyze yet. I know that I haven't wrote about the areas in which they are on opposite sides of the spectrum (and how it could be complementary), but this section is mainly to show that even though they appear as complete opposites, they are very alike underneath it all.
Conclusion
Overall, I think that too many people judge Vinh Lang right off the bat and boil his character down to a one-note archetype and in turn, miss all of his complexity. You'll only see his character as the persona he portrays, a flirty and cocky playboy, if you don't even give him a chance to get to know him better. Only then can you decide if you want to keep interacting with him or not. And I'm glad that despite my unfavorable first impression of him, I gave him a chance and that I got to realize on my own terms that he isn't as bad as one may think.
For a few moments during my first playthrough I genuinely thought Vinh had diabetes or other chronic disease.
I mean, this man had mentioned health insurance so many times that I was already like "Are you sick, sir? Or do you think you're going to get sick? Or anyone in your family?" I just like to theorize about everything, okay.
But then I saw the scene where he takes Max's hand and noticed his bracelet for the first time and my mind automatically went to this:
That really got me thinking about the possibilities of it being real and how this adds a new layer of complexity to the character and yet another reason for him to accept Yasmin's offer.
Of course, I know it's probably just a normal bracelet, an aesthetics of the character. I KNOW! And the game ended without mentioning anything, so can't be considered canon right?
But I think it's so interesting that I might keep it as my headcanon to use here and there when I get the chance.
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