The Portrayal of Elijah Kamski as a God-like Figure and its Impacts in Detroit: Become Human
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.9744/katakita.13.1.152--158Abstract
This thesis examines the portrayal of Elijah Kamski as a God-like figure in the video game Detroit: Become Human and explores the impacts of his godlikeness. Detroit: Become Human is an interactive drama game developed by Quantic Dream and released in 2018. The narrative centers on androids created by Elijah Kamski, who gain self-awareness and begin to develop human-like empathy. By applying Jones’ (1923) concept of the God Complex and the DSM-5’s (2022) criteria for narcissistic personality disorder, this study identifies key actions and behaviors that contribute to Kamski’s depiction as a God-like figure. Additionally, this analysis incorporates Driscoll’s (2016) “White Man’s God Complex” and Khorram-Manesh’s (2024) work on the impacts of narcissistic leadership to demonstrate how these traits underscore social inequality and societal instability caused by the androids’ creation. This thesis argues that Kamski’s God Complex—an extreme manifestation of narcissism—positions him as a God-like character within the game. His portrayal significantly influences the narrative, leading to the dehumanization and abuse of androids.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
