Ok, because you asked...

You caught me off-guard, all the offline responses to my last entry. Lots of game-questions. Many asked about the evolution/story of Chyna's love life (and I will NOT answer all those questions, you perverts). Anyway, because you asked...

In the story, one of those small but pivotal moments for Chyna was when she walked into StormRiver camp. Everything that came next can be traced back to those moments: Thorne, who in a lot of ways created her & who became her first kill. Hawk, who became more a sister to her than her own blood kin. The slave-war survivors, who became the River Rats & family. Sid, who both challenged & strengthened her. The Misfits, whose friendships led her in unexpected ways. And Xeno, who she came to love.

From StormRiver, Chyna's path was pretty much set. It was Xeno's role that was the most unpredictable.

Ater their gazes locked at the StormRiver stockade & then their first kiss (which Chyna pretty much shrugged off), it seemed like fate took over. These 2 found themselves intersecting more & more in the game. And the more she got to know Xeno, the more she found her own fears, angers, uncertainties, needs & loneliness mirrored in him. But in Xeno, all that was coupled with a strange mad strength. Xeno carried more mental & emotional baggage than most. The Brotherhood, the Virus, his father, his sister, Brena, decisions made, actions gone awry...yet he never gave up. He kept trying to do the right thing even when all of his attempts went wrong.

For Chyna, Xeno saved her life (when she was about to commit suicide) & then he saved her soul. He showed her that hope was possible, that trying to do the right thing was enough, that she could love without losing herself...that she didn't have to be alone. (Even their arguments were fun!)

I have absolutely no clue WHY Xeno loved Chyna. You'd have to ask Xeno's creator that one. But Chyna grew to love him because of who he was--the 18-year-old conflicted, confused, desperate man with good intentions who kept finding reasons to TRY. Xeno made her a woman, and then he made her stronger. She became more than what she had been. She had lots of reasons to act, with all that was happening around her. Yet it was because of love that Chyna found the strength to confront her past & deal with it, to take charge of her own destiny as far as she could.

In-game, Chyna & Xeno had 6 weeks together. They were separated and then found each other again at the end. When death was the only option left, they fought furiously for each other. Their deaths propelled the story, keeping the enemy at bay just long enough for the city's defenses to get in place & ultimately win that war.

In death, Xeno found his redemption while Chyna finally found her peace. They died together, were buried together near the sea, and they entered game-legend.

The creative collaboration that brought those 2 characters together & wove their story was awesome. I have a feeling that's not the norm for an rpg. Then again, KTDARPG isn't exactly a normal game. :)

So there you have it. Chyna & Xeno -- lived, loved, fought, died. And in the process, they changed their world. Strong characters who still resonate through the story we have today.

RIP --Chyna