Perhaps the most unforgettable character launching an outcry among fans lately was Kurtis Trent, from which the whole fandom went on a frenzy over social media to wish him on his birthday. The official account of Tomb Raider started with a cheeky tweet, in response to which more than a few were utterly brilliant throwbacks laced with a little bit of chaotic humor—everything you’d expect from a fanbase existing since PS1 days.
Let’s talk about the guy before looking at some of the responses to the birthday tweet, lest you actually be asking: Who the heck is Kurtis Trent? He emerged into the franchise limelight in Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness: a mysterious man with a trench coat, psychic powers, being sometimes a tie with Lara Croft and sometimes…not. I mean, that is just about impolitic of him—conflicted, rather gray in color, and with a fanbase that is currently at odds about whether he is a hero, a villain, or probably just a guy in dire need of a nap.
The replies to the original birthday tweet went from wholesome to unhinged, with a few staying grounded, and such simple statements as @indigo_15’s “Happy birthday, Kurtis!!” and @kroft_k’s “Happy Birthday Kurt💙.” Now, you should be able to guess the next one: “I would if he was in his birthday suit 👀,” shared @tonkatrucktank, proving that gamers will flirt with any fictional character, and I’m talking about any given half with the opportunity.
Then, heavy loot arrived. @starrituals did the math, pointing out that if Kurtis was born in 1970 (as established in the games), then he should now be 53 years old. That’s right; Lara’s once-in-a-blue-moon ally is well into his 50s, and for some weird reason, that makes him cooler? Meanwhile, @ligiainchains issued birthday wishes coupled with demands: “Happy Birthday Kurtis I wish you a fully remastered AoD ❤️.” And honestly? Same.
Naturally, no discussion about Tomb Raider would ever be considered complete without at least a little flick of scandals from the fandom. Some replies spilled into timeline debates, with @merychxrry06 and @LolitaSwiftAri arguing whether the supposed next game would happen after the Angel of Darkness or after Legend (Spoiler: Nobody knows; at this point, it’s anyone’s guess). Then there’re those, like @AdaWpng, who used this opportunity to beg for remasters of Legend-Anniversary-Underworld because, let’s be real—those games deserve it. You can find more about these remasters in the discussions surrounding Tomb Raider.
But what made it fun? The sheer variety of replies. Some fans like @Lulu_Von_V called Kurtis their “man crush forever🥰”; others like @sjfostersound straight-up asked, “Is he a villain or a hero?” (Answer: Yes.) Then there was @King29Beat, who somehow interpreted this conversation as an opportunity to ask when the manor was born because why the hell not?
It was all just a wild, messy celebration of a character who, despite appearing in only one mainline game, managed to make one hell of an impression. Whether you love him, you hate him, or you just think he’s strange, Kurtis Trent forms a piece of the Tomb Raider lineage. And this birthday shoutout has at the very least ensured that when it comes to the strangest and most niche facets of their favorite franchises, this world just won’t tire of arguing.
So happy birthday, Kurtis: may he pop up again sooner, and in anything really actual, instead of in a 20-year-old PS2 game!
