The Enigmatic Human Girl of Undertale: Unraveling the Mystery of Frisk and Chara
The question of “who is the human girl in Undertale?” is more complex than it initially appears. In actuality, there are two human children central to the narrative of the 2015 indie RPG, Undertale: Frisk and Chara. While neither is explicitly defined as female within the game, the community often refers to them as such. Frisk is the playable character, who falls into the Underground and interacts with the various monsters. Chara is the first human to fall into the Underground, and her presence and actions heavily influence the storyline, often in a sinister manner. The interplay between Frisk and Chara, along with the player’s choices, shapes the narrative and the game’s multiple endings. Understanding them as distinct, yet intertwined figures, is crucial to grasping the core of Undertale’s story. Neither Frisk nor Chara have a canonically assigned gender. They are designed to be somewhat blank canvases, allowing the player to project their own interpretations and identities onto the characters.
Frisk: The Player’s Avatar
Frisk is the human child that the player controls throughout the game. They fall into the Underground at the beginning of the story and are guided by the player’s decisions. Frisk is portrayed as mostly silent, their actions being dictated by the player. Their primary character traits depend on the gameplay style: whether the player chooses a Pacifist, Neutral, or Genocide route. Frisk’s default appearance is of a young child with a bob haircut and a yellow-tinted skin, their eyes typically shown as closed. This characteristic closed-eye look is often attributed to myopia, or nearsightedness, though their eyes are occasionally seen as open and are brown. Notably, Frisk’s skin color is intentionally ambiguous and is designed as yellow so that it applies to any race, like how many emoticons are just yellow.
Frisk’s Role in the Narrative
Frisk’s role in Undertale is largely defined by player agency. In the Pacifist Route, Frisk embodies compassion, solving problems with mercy and kindness. In the Genocide Route, the player’s actions transform Frisk into a ruthless killer. The ambiguity of Frisk’s nature and motivations allows for a deeper exploration of the game’s themes of choice, consequence, and responsibility. They are not inherently good or evil; their path is entirely determined by the player’s decisions.
Chara: The Fallen Human
Chara, also known as the First Human or Fallen Human, is the first human to fall into the Underground before the events of the game. Chara’s past is shrouded in mystery, but it is revealed that they are closely associated with the Dreemurr family, as Asriel, Asgore and Toriel’s son was their friend. The canon gender of Chara is undefined, much like Frisk. They also lack an explicit physical description, allowing for player interpretation. Chara’s story unfolds through flashbacks and reveals a tragic history.
The Darkness Within Chara
Chara is portrayed as a deeply troubled character. According to game lore, Chara’s death, which was a self-inflicted poisoning by buttercups in order to use Asriel’s soul to cross the barrier, robbed them of their soul. This lack of a soul, just like Flowey, is cited as the primary reason behind Chara’s perceived evil nature, making them devoid of compassion and empathy. The game suggests that Chara influences Frisk, particularly in the Genocide Route, pushing them towards violence and destruction. While some interpret Chara as a purely malevolent entity, others argue that they are simply a product of the events that transpired. Some believe Chara was influenced by their human life that was not always the best.
Frisk vs Chara: Who is Really in Control?
A major question that plagues players in Undertale is whether Frisk or Chara is in control during various points of the game, especially during a Genocide Run. The game implies that, during a Genocide Run, Chara influences Frisk’s actions, leading them down a dark path of violence and destruction. Some interpret this as Chara taking over Frisk’s body. However, it is important to remember that the player ultimately makes the choices. The Genocide Route can be interpreted as a manifestation of a player’s curiosity and a willingness to explore the darkest paths of the game. The game leaves the extent of Chara’s influence up to interpretation.
FAQs about Frisk and Chara
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about Frisk and Chara, providing more insight into the characters and their roles within Undertale:
1. Is Chara Canonically a Girl?
No, Chara does not have a confirmed canon gender. Toby Fox, the creator of Undertale, stated that both fallen humans, Chara and Frisk, are open to player interpretation regarding their gender.
2. Why is Chara Considered Evil?
Chara is depicted as evil due to the game implying that, after their death and the removal of their soul by Asriel, they lack a soul and compassion, just like Flowey. Their influence on Frisk during the Genocide Route further cements this view.
3. Who is Frisk’s Mother?
The text provided states Susan Torres is Frisk’s biological mother. She is portrayed as emotionally abusive toward Frisk and their sibling, and uses Frisk’s status to bolster her anti-monster campaign.
4. Are Chara and Frisk Sisters?
The idea that Chara and Frisk are sisters appears in fan theories and fan fiction, but it is never directly confirmed by the game. The text provided suggests that Chara and Frisk are twins in a non-canonical setting, but the canon does not mention them being related.
5. Why Does Frisk Have Their Eyes Closed?
Frisk’s eyes are usually depicted as closed due to myopia (nearsightedness), a common visual impairment. However, they do open wider at certain points to reveal normal, brown eyes.
6. Is Toriel Frisk’s Mother?
Toriel is Frisk’s adoptive mother in the game as well as Chara’s adoptive mother. She adopts them after they fall into the Underground. Toriel is also Asriel’s biological mother.
7. Why Did Frisk Turn Evil?
Frisk only becomes “evil” if the player chooses the Genocide Route. Frisk’s actions are entirely controlled by the player, making their morality dependent on player choices.
8. Why Does Frisk Have Yellow Skin?
Frisk’s yellow-colored skin is intentionally ambiguous, designed to represent various ethnicities, similarly to how emoticons are often yellow.
9. What Killed Chara?
Based on tapes found in the True Lab, it is implied that Chara poisoned themselves with buttercups. They did this to use Asriel’s soul to cross the barrier.
10. Why Did Asriel Turn into Flowey?
Asriel becomes Flowey after losing his soul when he releases the human souls, including Chara’s, and monster souls he absorbed to cross the barrier to put Chara’s body back.
11. Why is Flowey Evil?
Flowey’s lack of a soul prevents him from feeling positive emotions like love or happiness, leading to a malevolent and cruel personality.
12. Can you Avoid Killing Toriel?
Yes, it is possible to spare Toriel. By choosing to Spare her repeatedly and avoiding attacking, players can eventually end the fight peacefully.
13. Who Kills Frisk?
In one possible ending, Asgore kills Frisk with the help of Flowey and uses their soul to break the barrier with other fallen human’s souls.
14. Why Does Frisk Sometimes Have Red Eyes?
During the end of the Genocide Route, Frisk’s eyes turn red. This is often interpreted as a manifestation of Chara’s influence or possession.
15. Why is Flowey So Scared of Chara/Frisk at the End of Genocide Route?
Flowey realizes, at the end of the Genocide Route, that he is not exempt from Chara/Frisk’s violence. He was scared that Chara would finally kill him.