Some moments transcend pixels and screens, reaching deep into the hearts of players in video games. One such moment arrives with the introduction of Conduit in Apex Legends. “AAAAH Conduit! I have soooo much to say”. It’s about damn time we’ve got our sassy fun Filipina in the games. I was extremely jealous of Valorant when they added Neon as an agent, so to see Conduit finally coming into the games, it’s a whole new level of feeling seen. Yes, video games are a gateway to thrilling adventures, fantastical worlds, and unforgettable characters but what people forget is representation in games is crucial for fostering inclusivity, empathy, and understanding.

Apex Legends has always hit the nail when it comes this. It’s why I absolutely love the game. Rowenna Valentina Coffey Divina or as everyone else knows her as Conduit, will be joining us in Season 19 of Apex Legends.

Suit Up

I was invited to a special community event with Filipinos from all over the world to get a more in-depth look behind not just Conduit as a legend, but also as a person, as a Filipina in the world of the games. It’s so funny because even her name is super Filipino-like. To the rest of the world, we are known to have fancy over-the-top names. We even asked the panel what her nickname would be and they called her Roro. We chuckled! We had the Narrative Lead, Christal Rose Hazelton, Bianca Catbagon, who is a Filipino Director and Writer based in Los Angeles, as well as AJ Varela a part of the internal developing team for Conduit.

Now why Conduit? Christal mentioned that they had pitched a lot of different names for Roro, but in the end, nothing really quite stuck like Conduit did. Her name just came hand in hand with her kit. We also know Conduit as part of a power source, and here is where they thought, hmmn, Conduit for greatness. One of the taglines the devs had from her was greatness from anywhere because she’s a fan of the Apex games, and now she gets to live her dream by being a part of it. Hence, Conduit, a conduit in many different ways.

Let’s talk about Roro’ story. She was born on the Fringe World of Nexus in the year 2708, which isn’t a new world. Christal mentioned that Nexus is only mentioned once in the Bangalore and Pathfinder story and this was her opportunity to expand Nexus’ lore.

“Ever hear of the Nexus executions? on the other side of the outlands with some half-ass monarchy that punished anyone who said anything critical of them, no matter how small with public executions barbaric until the IMC stepped in we saved those people.” – Bangalore

When she was young, Nexus was ruled by a brutal monarchy. During a battle, a Monarch-class Titan was dropped into the battle and defended Roro’s community from an army of Pilots and their Ion-Class Titans. The Pilot of the Monarch Titan detonated their Titan’s battery, causing this to save everyone by wiping out the enemies. The site of the blast soon became an irradiated quarantine zone, and the Monarch’s sacrifice became a symbol of hope for the people of Nexus.

When the revolution ended and Nexus was rebuilt, Roro and her siblings became mega fans of the Apex Games. As shown in the trailers, they would often dress up as legends and act out battles, dreaming that one day they could be among the legends. Roro’s story is all about self sacrifice, and it’s very common for us to be extremely family-oriented in the Filipino culture. One day, her older sister Diwa, returned home with a terrible injury to her arm. Seeing this injury made her realize that her family was struggling, and that’s when she took matters into her own hands.

She ventured into the quarantine zone and went to the chassis of the Monarch. Roro reclaimed the irradiated wreckage of its battery, returned home and used it to create a combat exosuit. She eventually got invited to the Apex Games. Now the suit is an incomplete Monarch Titan and it poisons her, but she is willing to go through the games for her family. Despite knowing that she’s exchanging her health for her life, our dear Roro loves being a part of the games because it has always been her dream. She’s a super fan and the games biggest supporter.

My favourite part about her being a super fan? She has all the replays saved and filed.

Static Shock

We were told that she gets along well with Gibraltar since he was also a fan of the games before joining it! Now when you hear fan and girl in the same sentence, people often think of it negatively. So Christal mentioned that she wanted to make sure that she when the word super fan came up to describe Conduit, she didn’t want people to look at her in that light. Conduit is competent and confident and like, you know, achieving in like the highest regions of her field.

In a special interview with the panel, I asked if they had any notable Filipino figures, historical events, or cultural icons that inspired aspects of Conduit’s character. Christal mentioned that she had looked at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist, Hidilyn Diaz. She also mentioned that she looked a lot into sportswomen like the Philippines women’s soccer team and their performance at the Women’s World Cup.  I loved AJ’s response, which was that instead of basing her off of known figures, they decided to go off of their own family members, and their own experiences. They wanted her to have a more homey feel, like a real person feel. Bianca as well echo-d the sentiment and mentioned that what made Conduit interesting is the fact that she feels like a friend. People are always saying Filipinos are the friendliest people to come across, and they’re not wrong!

Filipino women are also commonly known for being beautiful, and small, and a cute little Asian. We’re known for entering beauty pageants or starring in telenovas. Which made me think, Conduit is none of that! I’m not saying she isn’t beautiful because she is. What I mean is stereotypically beautiful, and I love love love that about her. This led me to ask the panel, how they thought Conduit’s character challenges or subverts any stereotypes or expectations often associated with Filipino characters in media?

It’s amazing to hear but when creating Conduit, it’s something they did think about a lot. Bianca and Christal had a lot of in-depth conversations about steering people away from a version of Conduit that would seem shy or submissive, even too cutesy, or other stereotypes that comes with being an Asian woman, particularly with being a small Asian woman. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with being cute! Another thing, which I am sure the Filipinos will agree with me is that they did not want her to come across as a nurse because God Forbid, that’s what people automatically think of when you say you are a Filipino woman.

They finally agreed on having  Conduit or our lovely Roro to be more of her own person, which is where the title Shield Healer comes from! It’s amazing to see that they wanted Filipino women to be represented in a way that they usually aren’t. Something that really rang in my head during this round table was what AJ had mentioned, that she didn’t want Conduit to be spunky because she is a Filipino or that she’s super lovely because her family just gave her a whole lot of love. That there has to be a reason why she acts a certain way. She’s Roro. She’s Conduit. She has all these Filipino details screaming out from her, but at the same time, she is her own person.

Speaking of stereotypes, funnily enough, when Conduit broke out in song during the trailer, I just had to chuckle and go, “OF COURSE SHE HAS TO SING. SHE’S A FILIPINO.” It’s just so common for people to be like, “You’re Filipino? That means you can sing, right?”. I also asked if she had any other hobbies she does in her free time when she isn’t playing the Apex games, and Christal mentioned that Conduit is the kind of girl who makes her hobby into a fulltime job, so she’s gotta look for new ones now.

So for all you fans wondering, or my lovely Filipinos, will Conduit have little nuances that scream I AM A FILIPINO. Well, yes, we’re about to get a whole lot of love.

Roro is going to be doing the all-favourite Asian squat. Her banners will also have food on them, because yes, she is a food lover, like all the rest of us! She also speaks Taglish, a little bit of Tagalog and English in game! There’s a little bit of Easter eggs everywhere and the devs are super excited on seeing the community finds these little things. One thing I know we are all going to squeal in excitement about is her idle animation. The classic pointing with your lips! YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN! Another thing that I thought was amazing is that in her legendary skins, some of them take inspiration from local tattoo art. All these tiny details they’ve worked so hard on, really make us Filipinos feel seen.

Pinoy Power

We’re all already so emotionally invested into Apex Legends and its lore, but with this now I feel more connected to Apex. It’s a significant milestone in the Apex community, especially Filipino gamers who have loooong awaited the representation. Conduit as a character reflects a broader shift towards inclusivity and diversity in gaming, sending a powerful message that players from all walks of life deserve to see themselves reflected in the virtual worlds they inhabit. During the round table, being around the other Filipino content creators, the Filipino community in the game we all love, how excited we were just watching all the little teasers and hearing the little details, it really really made me feel connected. Most of the time, we’d be screaming “Oh my god, I felt that.”, “That’s me!”. It was amazing. It is amazing. And I hope to see more of this.

As a part Filipino player, seeing Conduit in action is more than just a thrilling gaming experience; it’s a moment of cultural pride and connection. I can’t help but think of the countless Filipino gamers who will now have this beacon of representation to look up to. The impact of Conduit reaches far beyond the confines of the game; it sends a powerful message to the world that we, too, have stories worth telling, heroes worth celebrating. I hope that the industry continues to recognize the importance of diverse representation, not just as a token gesture, but as a genuine commitment to showcasing the rich tapestry of cultures, experiences, and backgrounds that make up the global gaming community. With characters like Conduit leading the way, the future of gaming looks brighter, more inclusive, and more exciting than ever before. So, let’s celebrate this milestone, and look forward to even greater strides towards representation in the world of gaming.

Conduit joins the Apex Legends in Season 19, 31 October, 2023, at  1 PM EST/ 1st November 1am GMT+8