interesting that people dont seem to interpret chell’s mutism as like, an nd thing, as opposed to just Not Talking
like i know this was a joke but the thing that really kinda cemented this idea in my head was when she jumped instead of talking for wheatley
as her character, that can be interpreted as either chell willingly mocking his order to talk or her ignoring him and just making sure all her own motor skills are in working order
but as the player, you’re told that pressing space will let you talk, and then you jump instead, and it’s very much the type of experience that rings familiar to someone who’s gone nonverbal before. like idk it just felt like that unique frustration when youre trying your goddamn hardest to do something (speak) and you just cant, its just something that is outside your capability at that time. so you do the next best thing (irl that can be signing, or making other hand gestures or facial expressions) but the other person doesnt get it and they never will and they assume youre stupid (or literally “brain-damaged”).
and i know it was kinda confirmed that she doesnt speak because she hates aperture or whatever but even that’s kind of iffy thanks to its phrasing, and it still leaves room for interpretation.
i guess some people prefer the idea that chell could be speaking throughout the whole series if she wanted to but she chooses not to. it’s probably more relatable to people who wished chell would speak. but i always felt like between my own experience being nonverbal and how glados and wheatley’s lines always felt like they were written more as monologues than invitations for dialogue, chell never could’ve spoken.
…it’s “a very minor case of serious brain damage.” We’re told so in those exact words. Who’s out there interpreting it as defiance?
