Elena Fisher made her debut in the first Uncharted game back in 2007. From the opening cinematics of Drake’s Fortune, she was portrayed as a capable fighter, with an intelligence that was easily equal to Uncharted’s protagonist Nathan Drake. However, as the series progressed, Elena’s role seemed to get side-lined to make way for other characters. Even the upcoming Uncharted movie adaptation appears to have (so far, at least) bypassed the character of Elena altogether. But given that Elena was so instrumental in the first Uncharted game, her character really deserves more than she seems to be getting from the industry of late.
After Elena’s progressive debut in Drake’s Fortune, the introduction of secondary love interest Chloe Frazer in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves provided an amusing dynamic for the game’s overall plot. But even with another female character in the mix, it never overrode Elena as an individual. Despite the reduced screen time, Elena still managed to leave a lasting impression on players with her famous “Last year’s model” line and unwavering tenacity to reveal Lazarević’s plan.
However, moving into Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, Elena’s role suddenly became a plot device to move the narrative forward. She was no longer instrumental to the overall experience of this entry in the Uncharted series. Rather, the help that she could provide to Uncharted 3’s men by issuing them with press passes was all she was really used for. Swap Elena out for any other journalist with a previous connection to Nate and Sully, and the role would have essentially stayed the same. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End reduced Elena’s character even further. She was no longer throwing herself at life in a bid to tell her own story. Rather, she became a crux whose only real purpose was to serve Nate’s overall character development, and as a result, her own development took a massive hit.
Uncharted: Chloe Frazer Is Now The Main Female Lead
Despite ending Uncharted 4 on a "happy" note, having settled down with Nathan and their daughter in a tropical beachside paradise, the once confident and independent Elena ended up essentially merely acting as the games’ moral compass. However, as Elena Fisher’s role in the Uncharted series became less, Chloe Frazer’s role became so much more. Chloe may have originally entered the series to act as the darker side of Nate’s treasure hunting antics, but her overall character arc is arguably the best in all of Uncharted. She goes from being a scheming and manipulative thief in Among Thieves to a fully fleshed-out individual. This culminates in her own standalone adventure, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.
Chloe’s star turn and Nathan Drake’s finale outing are both being remastered for the PlayStation 5 and PC in the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves collection. This is undoubtedly great news for fans of the globe-trotting series. However, the omission of the original three games, and therefore the majority of Elena’s most empowering moments, feels incredibly remiss. Even the advertising for the Legacy of Thieves collection barely featured Elena at all. Rather, she is only briefly glimpsed in a small handful of fast-moving frames, while Chloe is front and center with Drake.
Elena deserves so much more than this, and so do fans who saw Elena as an inspiring role model at Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune’s close. This is not to say that Chloe does not deserve the attention she is getting. On the contrary, Chloe Frazer - along with Nadine Ross and Sam - proved how successful an Uncharted game could be, even if it is not fronted by Nathan Drake. It is just that there was so much potential for Elena to do great things that weren’t simply dependent on her husband’s compliance. Sadly, Elena's potential is never truly realized in any of the Uncharted games, resulting in a missed opportunity that could have, and should have, been great in later games and will hopefully be rectified in the movie.