In Rosa’s New Game, Rosa Kimura’s identity is shattered when she loses not just one, but both of the core pillars she’s built her life on, forcing her on a difficult journey to discover her worth beyond her roles. For so many of us, what we do is who we are. It’s a concept that is both a source of pride and a potential trap, and I love exploring that fine line. When your life is tied to your work, it can be really hard to let go if you’re fired or sidelined.
Built on Two Pillars: Soccer and The I.A.
At the start of the story, Rosa’s sense of self is deeply entwined with two things: her skill on the soccer field and her career as a counselor at the Interstellar Agency. Soccer isn’t just a hobby; it’s a passion, a release, the place where she feels most alive and capable. When a knee injury benches her indefinitely, the first crack in her foundation appears. Suddenly, the physical freedom and camaraderie that defined her are replaced by pain and the pitying glances of her teammates.
Her career at the I.A. is the other pillar holding her up. It’s more than a job; it’s her connection to a childhood dream of space exploration. She may not be piloting starships, but she’s an essential part of the mission, guiding the brilliant minds who are. She sees her contribution with pride, reflecting that it’s “a small piece of the puzzle, but it’s mine.”
It’s so easy to build our identities around these external labels — the athlete, the counselor, the employee. They give us purpose and a place in the world.
But what happens when they’re taken away?
Deemed “Non-Core”: The Crisis of Job Loss
The threat of layoffs at the I.A. becomes a terrifying reality, and the label they use — “non-core” — strikes at the very heart of Rosa’s value. The corporate-speak during the all-staff briefing is cold and impersonal, but for Rosa, the words are a personal indictment. “Difficult but necessary decisions.” “Support divisions.” She knows what that means. Her work, her purpose, is being dismissed as expendable.
The devastation she feels is profound. It’s a pain I think many of us can relate to or at least fear. It’s not just about losing an income; it’s about losing a part of yourself. Rosa puts it perfectly when she thinks, “Losing this job isn’t about income; it’s about losing purpose, losing myself.” To be told your life’s work is a non-essential luxury is a brutal blow, and it sends her spiraling.
Finding Her Voice in the Void
In what feels like her lowest moment, with her professional world crumbling, Rosa discovers strength she didn’t know she possessed. Instead of shrinking into the background, she finds her voice. Pushing past years of cultural and corporate conditioning that demand deference, she stands up and confronts the Agency Director. This was one of my favorite scenes to write. The moment a character finds their power, even when they feel completely powerless.
Her speech is not just a defense of her job; it’s a passionate defense of humanity itself. She tells him, “We are talking about human beings, Director. Their well-being is not a luxury item we can trim when funds get tight. It’s the foundation upon which all our successes are built.”
In that moment, she isn’t Counselor Kimura, a “non-core” employee. She is Rosa, a woman of conviction, fighting for what she believes in. It’s a turning point that may not save her job, but it begins to save her sense of self.
A New Game, A New Contract
Rosa’s journey of redefinition doesn’t end with a magical reversal of her layoff, but with the slow, difficult work of rebuilding on her own terms. The I.A., likely impressed (or shamed) by her outburst, offers her a part-time consultancy contract. It’s a complicated victory, a mix of vindication and lingering bitterness. But it’s also an opportunity.
This is where her growth truly shines. Instead of seeing it as a step down, she recognizes it as a chance to create something new, something that is truly her own. She starts to dream bigger, beyond the confines of the I.A. “But maybe someday I’ll open my own practice. Be my own boss. No ‘non-core’ labels attached.”
This shift is so important. Her worth isn’t dictated by an employer’s label. She’s beginning to understand that her skills, her passion, and her value are hers to define and direct. She’s learning to play a new game, one where she makes the rules.
We see her stripped of everything she thought she was, only to discover who she is truly meant to be. She learns that her identity isn’t a title or a position on a team roster. It’s the strength to speak her truth, the resilience to rebuild after loss, and the courage to define her own worth, both personally and professionally.
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