Summary
One of the most unexpectedly endearing relationships in Bethesda Game Studio’s sprawlingStarfieldis the one between space cowboy Sam Coe and his daughter, Cora. A member of the Constellation group of explorers at the center ofStarfield’s story, Sam Coe is a former Ranger from the game’slibertarian-led Freestar Collective. Now retired from the Rangers and aiding Constellation’s quest to uncover the unknown, Sam travels the galaxy with Cora by his side. LikeGod of Warprotagonist Kratos and his son, Atreus, Sam and Cora are a positive gaming portrayal of a parent-child relationship.
Gamers will occasionally encounter the duo throughout the story no matter how they play, but it’s only if they make Sam theircompanion inStarfieldthat the planet-hopping pair’s relationship truly comes into focus. Unwilling to leave his daughter behind as he explores the cosmos, players who pick Sam as a companion will find Cora tagging along on their adventures. The tender, frequently funny interactions between the two reveal the unbreakable bond they share and how, like Kratos, Sam is determined to prepare his child for a challenging world.
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Sam’s Bond With His Daughter Cora in Starfield is Unbreakable
Hidden behind his gruff demeanor,God of War’s Kratos is a good fathereven in the face of difficult circumstances and Sam Coe follows in those footsteps. Like the Ghost of Sparta,Starfield’s single dad Sam is fiercely protective of his offspring. The fact that he chooses to take her along on his explorations with Constellation makes this immediately clear, but the bond between the two also reveals itself in other ways throughout the game. Players who pick Sam as a companion will frequently find themselves listening to Sam proudly praising Cora, though still clearly questioning if he’s chosen the right life for her.
The strength of the bond between the two becomes even more apparent if players, smitten by the space cowboy’s charms, choose toromance Sam inStarfield. Players who decide to romance Sam will not only have to win him over with their in-game flirting but also be prompted to seek the approval of Cora to win her father’s hand. Just as her dad always looks out for her, Cora is quick to question gamers’ intentions once things start getting serious with Sam. Those hoping to leave Cora behind if they tie the knot will find themselves disappointed, as Sam makes it clear throughout the courting process that his daughter will always come first in his life.
Sam Does His Best To Raise Cora Right in a Starfield’s Turbulent Universe
Sam’s protectiveness of Cora doesn’t stop at wanting to have her by his side as he makes his way throughStarfield’s story, as it also extends to preparing her for when the day comes that he’s not there to protect her. Although players won’t find Cora hopping into combat to lend a hand like Kratos’ son and sidekickAtreus inGod of War, during conversations Sam often mentions how he’s teaching her the skills she’ll need to survive in the cosmos.
Part of Sam’s drive to ensure that his bookish daughter is prepared to fend for herself in the relatively rough-and-tumble universe ofStarfieldis to prevent her from repeating his mistakes. Players who pursue a romance with Sam will learn how, in his youth, he had been an outlaw who filled his days with drugs, debauchery, and dastardly deeds before getting back on the right path. It’s clear that his protectiveness over Cora is largely driven by a hope that she’ll avoid the missteps he made as a young man inStarfield’s Akila City.
Like Kratos before him, Sam Coe provides a great example of a video game dad doing his best to raise a strong, self-sufficient child in an uncertain world. And while traveling the cosmos with a kid in tow may not be every player’s preferred way to experienceStarfield, those who spend time with Sam and Cora will get to see one of gaming’s most positive portrayals of parenting in years.
Starfieldis available now on Xbox Series X|S and PC.
