Vladimir
| Russian Speaking Scavenger | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Occupation | Scavenger | |
| Game(s) | Tomb Raider (2013) | |
Lara encounters the Russian Speaking Scavenger (or short the Russian) in the Tomb Raider (2013) game, respectively the Hunting demo. He seems to be some kind of leader of the Scavengers, a brutal man shouting orders and killing randomly. He is her first human kill.
After Lara and Dr. Whitman have been captured by the scavengers and put into a camp with some other prisoners, there is an attempted escape by some of the hostages. The Russian orders all prisoners to be shot. Lara manages to escape amidst the confusion and sneaks through the camp, but is finally found by the Russian. He grabs her and harasses her, but Lara bites his ear and kicks him in the crouch. Her hands come free and a struggle ensues, at the end she manages to grab his gun and shoot him in the head. He dies rather violently, twitching and gurgling blood.
Rape Controversy
The scene where Lara is being molested by the Russian was wildly discusses after first screenings at E3 2012. Some claimed this was an attempted rape and worried about the perception of Lara and women in general as weak and helpless towards sexual violence. These concerns were somewhat pushed by internet media.
While these are legitimate concerns, there is no implication of a rape seen on screen. The Russian touches Lara's thighs, but lets go as soon as she kicks him very hard. If he ever had rape on his mind he does not have the opportunity to do so as Lara is strong enough to defend herself.
