Representation is incredibly important in media because it allows people to see themselves reflected in the media they consume. Though June is still a week away, many members of the LGBT community are gearing up to celebrate Pride Month, especially because there were no in-person celebrations last year. Today, May 24, is Pansexual Visibility Day and a fantastic time to look at some of the most well-known pansexual characters in different video games.
Someone who identifies as pansexual may find themselves attracted to the person more than their gender. Gender identity and sex typically play no role in if a pansexual person is attracted to someone. Instead, there’s more emphasis on personality rather than any sort of gender preference. Some video game characters have been confirmed to be pansexual, while others are regarded as such by their fandoms.
Dragon Age: Inquisition - Iron Bull
The Iron Bull is introduced in Dragon Age: Inquisition, the third game in the BioWare created Dragon Age franchise. Originally, he was meant to be a race-specific romance because the Qunari are so big and tall, but adjustments were made during development to allow for a romance between the Iron Bull and the Inquisitor. Besides being the first Qunari love interest, players can romance the Iron Bull regardless of the gender chosen for the Inquisitor. In a tweet from 2014, it was confirmed that the Iron Bull is pansexual and not just bisexual.
Much like Garrus and Tali in Mass Effect 3, if players aren’t romancing the Iron Bull or Dorian in Dragon Age: Inquisition they’ll start up a romance of their own. Players can question either one of the characters about the relationship before defeating Corypheus. Their relationship can even be acknowledged during the Trespasser DLC with certain dialogue triggers.
Borderlands 3 - Zane Flynt
Zane Flynt is the Operative class character of Borderlands 3, though he was mentioned in the Borderlands 2 DLC, Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary. While the Borderlands franchise doesn’t have any on-screen or playable romances, it’s confirmed that Zane is pansexual. Zane is a loner, but he’s extremely extroverted and even married in a few different star systems. Given his sexuality, it wouldn’t be surprising to find out that his spouses are all different genders.
Apex Legends - Fuse
Fuse’s bio in Apex Legends describes him as both a ladies’ man and a man’s man, which led to some speculation about what label he would use. It was later confirmed on Twitter that Fuse is a pansexual character in Apex Legends. Players who want to play as the explosive-enthusiast Fuse can’t do so automatically, though, as he was introduced in Season 8 of Apex Legends and must be unlocked separately from the base game.
Life is Strange 2 - Finn
Life is Strange 2 introduced players to a new roster of characters, including Finn who was introduced in Episode 2 of the game. Depending on the choices players have Sean make, he’ll get to know Finn a bit better and the latter will discuss his sexuality. Finn states that he is attracted to the person, not their gender, making many fans speculate that Finn is pansexual despite not using an official label. The two men can even share a kiss toward the end of Episode 3.
While there are many other characters who display sexual fluidity, not all of them identify as pansexual. Furthermore, some sexually fluid characters are based on players’ choices, so the sexuality of the protagonist would change per playthrough. Pansexual Visibility Day is a time to celebrate being pansexual and these characters show just how much there is to celebrate.
Apex Legends is available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
