The Ghosts of Judy Alvarez | Cyberpunk 2077 Character Analysis

Judy is one of the best written characters I've ever encountered in a game, and I'm so glad to be taking a look at her story today.
Whether you love her or get frustrated with her, her storyline is so well done that you can understand both opinions. Cyberpunk is full of awesome characters and quests, but I think they knocked it out of the ballpark with Judy.
Today, we focus on the motivations, trials, and ultimately, the best ending (in my opinion) for Judy. Please let me know what you think of this video, Judy, Cyberpunk, anything you think of in the comments section. I hope you all enjoy my longest video yet.
Many thanks, and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. GOODBYYYYYYEEEEEE!!!!
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Cyberpunk 2077 is a property of CDPR. All music either belongs to CDPR, or to Epidemic Sound. This video is for analysis purposes only.
#cyberpunk #cyberpunk2077 #cdprojektred #cdpr #character #analysis #cyberpunkedgerunners #videoessay #videogameaddict #dystopian #explained

[@lydiscott]

Thank you so much for watching! If you enjoyed this analysis, you may enjoy my post apocalyptic novel, Caesaria: Book I! It takes place in Canada, and takes inspiration from Game of Thrones, Fallout: New Vegas, and Vikings. I’ll link it here if you’re interested: www.amazon.ca/CAESARIA-Book-I-Lydi-Scott/dp/173904200X

[@superbrian7997]

Judy Alvarez is a Solarpunk Girl in a Cyberpunk World

[@jaffarebellion292]

"It's so easy to see the world in black and white. Grey... I don't know what to do with grey" -Garrus Vakarian

[@AvianSavara]

Judy was always slowly drowning, and she at last learns to breathe free.

[@lydiscott]

YESSSS!

[@ravendelacour1917]

As an old Cyberpunk tabletop player Judy in the game reminds me of when a player used the traditional heroic narrative of something like Dungeons and Dragons joined a Cyberpunk game. They rapidly learned that there were no good guys and good intentions often did pave the way to Hell.

[@lydiscott]

The tabletop seems like such a rude awakening from most other games in the genre for sure!

[@ravendelacour1917]

@@lydiscott In Jungian sense Cyberpunk in either the tabletop or this video game is a metaphoric descent into the Underworld to confront the Shadow to test one's self. Johnny in the video game explicitly calls this out in meta sense when he declares the value of a person is shown in the confrontation of their death, or more broadly, their limitations of which death is just the greatest. What do you do when you are confronted by forces beyond your control and unable to defeat? What do you sacrifice to continue? Do you surrender what makes you unique and quietly fade over time? Or do you rise up in defiance and declare one's individuality despite the discomfort and the cost? Judy does the later and comes out greater while David in Edgerunners did the former and dies. What V chooses is due to the player's choice and in a way a test of the player.It's why Cyberpunk and Cosmic Horror are two of my favorite genres. They reveal character.

[@happydonkey5333]

​@@ravendelacour1917oof By this train of thought my medtech is definitely the former which checks out I feel like he's been getting colder and less caring Ironic really since he has 78 humanity still but that's mechanics vs rp

[@ravendelacour1917]

@@happydonkey5333 Humanity in the TTRPG to me represents the capacity for empathy but it's up to player to realize it. It also suffers from trying to create a statistic for an abstract concept. Another example of this is Wisdom in the Dungeons & Dragons setting. As a GM, I usually replaced with that with Willpower which better fits the role of how it is used in the game and is easier for people to understand. As for how to RP in Night City and not burn out, my method was to approach it as I did in the military. What keeps a soldier from degenerating into a soulless killer is discipline. To set your own limitations and abide by them. You can't survive in Night City with the conventional ethical code of the real world, so you have to adhere to one of your own. I ran a high Humanity corpo who used Machiavelli's approach of inspiring both loyalty and fear. "Take care of your own and they will take care of you" with the added caveat "betray me and I'll hunt you down to the ends of the earth and extract revenge". All the while running my own operations the table to benefit my own faction. I even had an open policy of matching bribe attempts to suborn my people and buying out contracts against me. In a city filled with unreasonable egotists, being the calm voice of reason was appealing to many to turn to. Iron fist, velvet glove.

[@JammesJack-td6gv]

Idk man people who play dnd make some truly psychopathic characters

[@Mifune41]

There are no happy endings in Night City, so I’m glad Judy is able to get something close by leaving.

[@jamaldee2355]

Chilling in the country side

[@englishgiraffe2124]

I dunno, even if I don't believe in the concept of 'endings', Kerry got a happy outcome. Pepe and his wife got a happy outcome (as long as you don't side with Songbird). Barry got a happy outcome if you visit him enough and tell his cop buddies why he's depressed. As long as you don't get the Tower Ending, Vik and Misty are happy with their outcomes. There's even a few gigs where people come put happy. Johnny's line, while poignant and can apply to the Edgerunner life, is too binary and absolute.

[@lydiscott]

That Barry quest always hits different. Love that man and his love for that turtle. 🥹

[@nateorius]

@@englishgiraffe2124to be fair though I don’t think those are there “endings” they might be doing good or happy when v sees them last but who knows when a random cyber psycho is gonna gun them down or a corporation is gonna steamroll there home. Night city is just too random and violent for there to ever be true happiness or a comfortable life

[@englishgiraffe2124]

Ah, Judy Alvarez, my 2nd favourite character, behind Valerie. I've got a lot to say about her, and it is a long comment. I'll talk about the 3 major things about her. 1: Why V/Judy is my favourite love story 2: Her similarities with Johnny, the similarities between Clouds and Arasaka and her stance against injustice 3: Why her leaving with the Aldecaldos is the best outcome. (Note, all 3 lifepaths are perfect, but I'll be using Corpo V as reference) V and Judy are extremely similar to each other, often being standoffish, temperamental and hot-headed, preferring to be loners. There's already electric chemistry with each other in Act 1, the tech talk is cute. And sure, Evelyn says that Judy isn't part of V's crew, but she fixed Evelyn's braindance which was vital to the Heist, Judy's as much a valid crewmember as V, Jackie, etc. Jackie and Evelyn are the closest people V and Judy had in their lives and both got ripped apart from them in the worst ways possible. Both are the last remnants of the Act 1 Crew, both lost so much from the Heist, they both arguably have survivor's guilt from this. Both ultimately feel like they can only scream out in sorrow and rage. And most importantly, the two are afraid to love again after going through so much pain and loss. Which makes it all the more inspiring when V and Judy slowly but surely grow closer from their similar circumstances, on such a intimate and vulnerable manner. It's especially inspiring for V, not just the events of The Heist, but after doing some shady stuff to climb up at the Arasaka power level, V closed herself off from her family and forced herself to be calculating and cold, until she had her brotherly relationship with Jackie, before he got taken away from her, now believing herself that she was incapable of love. Maiko is almost a dark side mirror to Corpo V, using relationships for her own gain to climb up, she’s what V would've been if she stayed at Arasaka. Which makes it special that Corpo V makes all those connections, and that includes Judy. To redeem herself and not make the same mistakes with Judy like Maiko did, like V herself did back at Arasaka. Judy lost so much in her past: her parents, her childhood home, arrested without cause, taken advantage of by Maiko and now lost Evelyn. She, much like V, is afraid to love again because of the fear of being taken advantage of, until she sees who V really is. All of this ultimately culminating in the mission, Pyramid Song, where the two open up about their past in such a raw and vulnerable manner. And when they spend the night at the cabin, the two are finally able to show their love for each other on a deep, slow and intimate manner. No selfish love. Just unconditional and selfiess love. Both not only remembering what it's like to love again, but knowing what it's like to be loved. One isn't an anchor for the other, both are equal anchors for each other. So when they leave together, with a future planned for the two, the Merc and the Mox have overcome the circumstances that was thrown at them. Think Jackie and Evelyn would be proud of the two for getting out, alive, together and happy (take the wordings from Judy in the Tower Ending "I'm *Good* now, V" vs Judy in the Star Ending "I'm *Happy*") Personally, never really got the connection between Judy and Alt, besides both preferring to work behind-the-scenes. But I actually think Judy is similar to Johnny in wanting to overthrow a megacorporation, both because they're tired of the status-quo and out of grief. Their stance was right, but I don't think they ever understood the true lesson behind fighting evil like them. They fought the organisations based on the idea that there would be an ending. But the truth is that corpos like them will always exist, even if under a different name, the core principles will always exist. Corpos have no intention in doing anything so prosaic as 'winning', because winning isn't a concept. Corpos believe that the world doesn't work in spite of Evil (them), it works because of Evil. Maiko already held the stance of keeping the status-quo, because nothing we do matters. (And I actually disagree on the stance that keeping Maiko is the best option, she'll continue to make half-measures and let the status-quo carry on. It is terrible what happens to Tom, but with Clouds being closed, there is a greater chance of it opening up again under better management. I'd rather take the chance of a full-glass than a half-measure. Even then, there's still work to be done to make sure Clouds is running better) Endings do not exist (unless it's death, and with V and Johnny, there's not even that sometimes). Fighting is *Every Day*. It's a State of Being, a Series of Continuous Actions. It took Arasaka Tower being rebuilt, and a Tyger Claws firefight for them to realise that. But I do believe they learned from that, and still plan to fight regardless, they just learned that the battle is neverending. In that sense, Judy joining the Aldecaldos is actually a positive for her. The Mox for now are probably the only decent gang within Night City, but their core principles of helping people off the streets have waned, and I'm sure overtime, they'll slowly turn into the average gang in Night City. The Aldecaldos actively strive on making a change, regardless if nothing they do matters. They still keep their stance of fighting injustice and helping the helpless. Living as though the world was what it should be, to show others what it can be. "If Nothing We Do Matters, Then All That Matters Is What We Do" By all accounts, The Aldecaldos are the exact right type of people for Judy's ideals, she was practically a Nomad living within Night City. Even if V’s gone (which I doubt, if you go further in the Tabletop Lore and learn more about the Nomad clans, tying it to Panam's contacts), Judy still has a group that has the same ideals to what she has. Sorry for this long post, just wanted to get into detail about why I adore Judy and how she touches on the broader themes of Absurdism in Cyberpunk.

[@jamaldee2355]

Epic!!!! Loll

[@lydiscott]

DONT APOLOGIZE! Love in-depth comments like this. 😄

[@sorrenblitz805]

The tabletop lore doesn't cover the 2070's though does it? How do games that take place decades before the video game tell you that V survives their predicament?

[@englishgiraffe2124]

@@sorrenblitz805 It may not, but when reading up on StormTech and the Technomancers, and how they focus on bioware, they are far too massive to have just dropped 50 years later. Also the shard next to the Basilisk before V and Panam jump on to leave N.C suggests that V can survive. The game just weirdly likes to make 'Panam’s contacts' much more vague than say, the Crystal Palace. A lot could’ve changed between the 2040s and 2070s, but maybe they've improved on biotechnology over the decades.

[@MeanJelly]

Great comment, always a delight to see people agreeing that V will survive.

[@microwavespork5178]

I reckon the canon ending is Judy leaving with V and the Aldecados

[@grey6545]

But that would mean that V has to be a woman. I wish there was a way to convince Judy to stay in Night City as male V even without going through the romance route.

[@grey6545]

@@xoulmannn Oh! She tags along even when you're playing with male V? I wasn't aware of that. I thought she always leaves NC after the Pyramid Song mission (scuba diving with Judy), and the only way to bring her along with Panam is if you romance her as female V.

[@PersonManBoy]

@@grey6545she leaves if you’re male v

[@brandonhall7498]

​@grey6545 Nah. As a male, Judy leaves for Washington to live with her grandparents. She sends you messages and she seems pretty happy.

[@fumky4768]

@@xoulmannnis there any weight to you saying V is canonically anything? I don’t remember cdpr making v canonically anything

[@illtones_]

My absolute favorite character getting the analysis she deserves. Fantastic work here.

[@lydiscott]

Aww thank you so much for watching! 😄

[@sir_captainmorgan]

Pyramid song has got to be one of the best quests in the game tbh, it was a surreal experience. I really enjoyed this video, happy I stumbled on this channel!

[@dfactoropbr]

it's my favourite mission in any video game ever

[@lydiscott]

Such a beautiful quest. Music and atmosphere is 10/10. Ugh. And aww thank you for that! Means a lot to know you enjoy my videos!

[@RapidNameChange]

I still have hope for Judy in the Aldecaldos myself. The points you brought up in favor of the Phantom Liberty ending are pretty spot on and definitely the best shown scenario for her, but I can't help remembering the texts you get from her post pyramid song if you don't romance her and she leaves. She road trips. She goes out into the world to see it and explore. While still under V's wing in the Aldecaldos ending, it still feels like Judy is doing the same thing, just this time with a partner she's loves and she's still very happy in the credits scene (which is super cute imo). Idk I still hope for the best in that scenario but this was a great video of my fav character in Cyberpunk 2077 and I love the analysis!

[@jamaldee2355]

Love cyberpunk please continue making great content!!!! 🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@lydiscott]

Ahhh thank you! I will! 😁

[@jamaldee2355]

@@lydiscott I can’t wait!!!🎉🎉

[@VA_Kushiel_AV]

Judy is happy with V when she leaves NC with her. She seems racked with regret when you call in the tower ending. At first she plays it off as if V can visit, and at least be friends. By the end of the call, she's practically begging V to leave her be as she's still in love with V, and doesn't want to "complicate" her situation. V and Judy leaving NC is the happiest ending because its the only ending where Judy is truly happy. Its a nice thought that she can be happy without V, but that only makes since if you don't romance her. She stays in NC for you. No way does she just leave in like 3 months, find a girl and marry her in less than a year of dating, and not regret moving on so fast. Its ridiculous CDPR even wrote that in. It just isn't believable, but they wanted it to hit hard. Which it did unfortunately.

[@sorrenblitz805]

She loved Evelyn, and very very quickly moved on to V once Evelyn died. It's kind of obvious Judy has extreme co-dependency issues and latches on fast. She probably wouldn't marry someone that fast, but moving on to the next attachment? That I could see Judy doing very easily.

[@englishgiraffe2124]

Yeah, I get the sense that the two can't see each other again, because there's still the feelings of love between the two. I'm not usually one for the concept of soulmates, but I get the feeling they want to be back together, but can't, because it's been so long, and Bianca would be hurt. At least with Male V, Judy legitimately wants to keep in touch with him (honestly, Male V has it much easier with the Tower Ending than FemV, he still has Judy as a little sister and romanced Kerry wants to see V, but can't because of the tour but let's him stay at Kerry's place). Honestly, I get why a lot of fanfic writers just try and find a way to reunite the two

[@VA_Kushiel_AV]

@@sorrenblitz805 let’s not compare V to Eve… She self deleted. V left for surgery and was unfairly put in a coma by NUSA docs to extract info from the biochip and disable her ability to use cyberware. Also, loving your best friend and being in love is two different things. As for her moving on, it’s also unfair to chalk that up to “dependency” due to it being a video game where she’s a romance option. The issue isn’t that she moves on quickly, it’s that she clearly regrets it in the tower ending. The continuity isn’t strong enough for me to believe and accept it, but it undoubtedly hits the player hard when they are first met with the scene so I can’t deny its power.

[@yarhar9732]

I definitely agree that she moved waaaay too fast in this ending, but I don't think she regrets being with Bianca. She's just conflicted. On one hand she's married to someone who helped her out at her lowest, and obviously there's going to be some strong feelings there. But on the other hand her ex who she thought had died is suddenly back, and those old feelings are resurfacing. Judy is ultimately being pulled in two different directions with two people that she cares for, and that terrifies her.

[@yarhar9732]

​@sorrenblitz805 Eh, V's a bit of a special case because Judy already kinda starts crushing on her even while Evelyn's alive. There's optional dialogue for flirting as soon as she meets V, and Johnny's comment about her crush on V is available as soon as you rescue Evelyn.

[@auradelpotro5574]

There’s the ending where they leave with the aldecaldos. You join Panam and take Judy with you ❤❤

[@ThatMykl]

I really appreciate your in-depth takes on Cyberpunk and all the work you put into your essays! Judy is such a lovely and tragic character, really well written

[@lydiscott]

Aww thank you! Totally agree, amazing writing in cyberpunk in general, but it really shines with Judy.

[@ThatMykl]

@@lydiscott Yeah, she's my absolute favourite by far. But I'd also really like to hear your thoughts on Vik, he's in second place for me :D

[@DanielGarcia-cq6gd]

20:18 Susie Q = Status Quo The Creedence song is a cool excuse to connect, my theory... the name the chose for her, represnts that... Some time later a revolution explodes, the original impulse becomes weaker than the wind... In the mox case, at the beggining was purely helping the dolls and the outcast, but with time money became more and more a priority thant the cause

[@lydiscott]

Very true. The Mox would be an interesting subject to cover in a video!

[@thesmashingbadger4644]

I'm not sure how you'd go about it, but I would love to see you do one of these for V. And, of course, Johnny.

[@lydiscott]

ABSOLUTELY! For both! Definitely someday!

[@TheMecoolerest001]

@@lydiscottI would recomend digging into the lore outside of the games before coving Johnny. We know for a fact that his versions of events are wildly incorrect and that he is in fact a cyberpsycho whose psychosis manifests as him thinking his hand is talking to him.

[@Keter05]

A 28 minutes video only about Judy? Yes, please!

[@mre16]

Pyramid Song was crazy for me, in that it was something I had gone through in my own life. It was not at all for the same reasons from an external view, but internally, the idea of letting go and moving on from a past version of myself, it was the same. This quest was.. breath taking for me. I felt a piece of myself being presented to me by someone who knew nothing about that part of my life and the connection it gave me to Judy's character is insane. My first playthrough and ending was as female V, with Judy, riding off into the sunset with the aldecados and it feels perfect. I've never had a game where a character wasn't just someone who I enjoyed or found engaging, but Judy (and many other characters in Cyberpunk 2077) felt like real people, or at least real people's story, but down into this world I could be apart of. really glad to have found your channel, every video has been super engaging. Thanks for what you do!

[@AlexHeavens]

I didn't see how much I empathised with Judy until your analysis, ty :)

[@drbelanger73]

I have almost 2500hrs in this game. Can't walk away. Always some new angle. I enjoy your stories. Saw a few of them. Keep it up.

[@itami6803]

really appreciate your hard work on these character analyses

[@lydiscott]

Thank you so much for watching them! ☺️

[@nicholassiter368]

I've been budging your episodes and dives into these characters and I must say bravo. This is a great look into this character and while I never choose Judy(romantic wise), I always knew she was a true good soul. The fact that you brought up she needed to learn how to serve herself before ours is a deep point that others should take note of in this world, but keeping the balance of doing the right thing is the hard part. Great video and keep up the great work choom!

[@m.hiroshisutherland3035]

Judy is easily my favorite companion character in Cyberpunk and hoo boy am I simmering after you made an incredible point there. Leaving with V and the Aldecaldos, is my personal favorite ending. Judy does say she is happy, and I personally think V learned to leave the madness of Night City behind her. BUT... Judy leaving for herself and finding happiness on her own terms is a beautiful message. At best, now I can only say that those two endings are on equal footing with each other for Judy... Plus, must be hard to scroll preem content as a Nomad... Lastly, loving your content! Beautiful explorations and deep dives that help me rethink the stories I have taken in! Thank you for inspiring deeper analysis of what we take in, I really feel like it is something we all can use more of!

[@TaliaIGhul]

I like Judy leaving with V and the Aldecados because she doesn't just have V, she has Mitch, Cassidy, Carol, and Panam and every other member of that group to treat her like family. She would have a support system that would always have her back and love and support her. They aren't bound to the harshness of Night City since they travel the country and would more than likely never return after their raid on Arasaka Tower. It's something Judy never had since after her town was literally drowned out. Even if they do fail to save V, the Aldecados would be there to take care of Judy.

[@BurnTheseBooks]

Judy was the absolute standout story to me, and I really love your point of how V's best ending with Judy isn't really Judy's best ending. There's a complication and pain to the romance that made it hit so much closer to home for me, and you articulated exactly why. Really love your videos! Keep it up.

[@grandmyotismon]

but she did choose her path in the star, she chose V and fmaily with them. she is never happier than when we see her post credits clip .

[@blar2112]

Yes, she has a happier life when V dissapears on the Phantom liberty dlc ending lmao

[@leehrvyoswld]

I love your videos. I have played 4 characters all the way through on Cyberpunk 2077. I have every achievement and every ending in the main game and Phantom Liberty. I love the story and the nuance of some of the characters. As well as the real motivations behind their choices. Thanks for sharing your love for 2077 with us.

[@helheim4704]

Getting texts from Judy as she travels to different parts of the USA is really nice going place to place then settling down with her grandparents for a while made me smile

[@drbelanger73]

It is tough saying no to a romance with Judy, but I am with you. It felt selfish saying yes to her. I knew it was the wrong choice almost as soon as I had made it. If you love someone, let them go after all.

[@lydiscott]

I always feel so guilty having the romance with her. Honestly I’m debating just playing as male V to romance Panam, even if hers is not my favourite romance, I still think she fits the best with V

[@drbelanger73]

@@lydiscott I think a lot of guys think Panam fits the best too. I like here well enough, but I feel like I'm being lead by the nose. I never knew what became of Judy until I finally played a guy. (somehow I STILL haven't started Phantom Liberty, had to remake everything after 2.0. No attention span, I guess). I'm on the fence a bit about game romances. Yes, they add depth, but they also feel awkward. I can take them or leave them.

[@Andy_from_de]

@@lydiscott I did that. In that playthrough, I of course did Pyramid Song as well. I don't want to spoil it for you, but I would love to hear how you felt doing this quest as a male V.

[@roughhaus999]

I am so glad I stumbled across your channel. You are a masterful storyteller, I really enjoyed listening to your thoughts and beliefs. Judy and Fem V is easily one of the greatest videogame romances I have ever experienced, the pain and anguish Judy feels is so agonizing and brutal to realize, and you help reconcile that in this video. I’m not toooootally sold on the belief that V is “too chaotic” for Judy, however I see what you mean. My headcanon for V is someone who in the beginning of the story, is sold totally on the NC “becoming a legend” fairytale, but post Konpeki and esp post Evelyn’s death, recognizes that the only thing that truly matters is the way you treat other people and how you care for others. This is why I always HC and play my V to romance Judy, to give her that opportunity to forgive. For V to learn how to care for herself and for her lover. To leave together from NC, is V saying goodbye for the last time the lie she was told by NC. To make right on what Johnny told her to do. To never stop fighting. Leaving NC is not stopping the fight. It is the beginning of the fight. And, after V learns within Mikoshi about her inevitable death, I think recognizes she’d rather die as herself surrounded by the people that love her (Judy, Panam, the Aldecaldos.) Its a more complicated story than that, but those are my thoughts about everything. God bless Judy Alvarez, Happy pride to all the lesbians and lesbian storytelling appreciators such as my queer self.

[@rossnorris2351]

This video was brilliant. I loved it and it has me in tears as we speak.

[@TheMecoolerest001]

Wonderful video! Your editing and presenting skills are getting better and better as you release more videos. I think that V leaving with Judy isn’t actually a bad ending for her. In her video call she actually seems happy. Something she was not in Night City. And based off the nature of the call and the timeframe Judy mentions it seems V is living well past where they were expected to. I suspect Judy has found a family with the Aldecaldos beyond even V. We already see Judy and Carol interacting and seeming to bond. Overall Judy is my hands down favorite romance and I tend to agree that she may very well be the cannon option.

[@lydiscott]

I honestly hope she’s canon despite my own feelings about wanting her to find her own way. It’s just so well written. Ugh pyramid song hits different. And omg thank you for saying that!!! Ahhh! 🤣 my sisters also been saying I’m getting better at it and I’m like 🥹 THANK YOU!!

[@TheMecoolerest001]

@@lydiscott part of what makes Judy so well written and her relationship seem so natural is how connected to the story she is. Panam is a close second place I feel in terms of relationship quality for the same reason. Then there is a huge drop off in quality for Kerry mostly because he comes into the plot so late and is a weird creepy old guy in his eighties when V is 27 😒. Then in last place is river who has by far the least screen time and suffers from it immensely. Also Judy has the best relationship texts (even if Panam sends you ooo lala pics). Talking to her Abuella is always so cute and fun. Lastly for your skills keep it up and you are sure to end up with a huge following.

[@jaffarebellion292]

@@lydiscott In the real world, Judy leaving on her own is probably ideal. In the world of Cyberpunk, I give her a couple of months, tops. It's a dying world that could plausibly be compared to Dark Souls, 40K, or Berserk (with just a bit more neon), and anyone who wants to survive is far, far better off with people at their back they can count on. And given the Aldecaldos are some of the only genuinely good people in the game, Judy would probably do well among their ranks with or without V. Though if Saul survived, he'd be pulling his hair out inside of a month. One Panam was bad enough, lol.

[@JimBracher]

Thank you for these character analyses. They are helping me enjoy the story. The literary analysis of character and drive and emotion reminds me these are more than tactical games, a mode I can too easily fall into when the action starts. Your insights are persuasive and compelling. I hope you continue them, and create your own characters that we can enjoy. take care.

[@beige_projection]

Cyberpunk video request - has potential to be controversial though: Fiona Vargas (Gig: Talent Academy). For additional info on her outside the gig she's in, there's a shard of her correspondence with Joanne Koch (Gig: Guinea Pigs). You might only get that shard if you kill Joanne Koch.

[@lydiscott]

OHHHH THANK YOU

[@MrNintendogeek01]

I can't say that I agree that The Star ending invalidates Judy's growth. As other endings demonstrate, Judy will break up with V if V doesn't leave Night City by the end of the game; V leaving with the Aldecaldos is just mutually compatible with her own desire to leave Night City by that point.

[@elliscontee5177]

I've been looking for a good character analysis on Judy, and yours really was everything I could hope for, really great! As for the endings, I always prefer Judy leaving with V and Aldecaldos. Even when you romance her, Judy does still make it clear that she wants to leave Night City, only now she'll just wait for V to sort out her relic problem. And by leaving with the Aldecaldos, Judy gets to be with a group that shares her ideals, which is a nice thought l to have if V doesn't make it in the 6 months she has left. This is why I only ever romance her as a female nomad V.

[@lydiscott]

Aww thank you! Really appreciate that! And honestly despite my own feelings on romancing her, my heart does love that potential future as a nomad. She deserves happiness ❤️

[@jaffarebellion292]

She even says in her phone/apartment dialogue she wants to leave the city with V once the Relic situation is resolved. That's not V charting her course for her, that's both of them making a decision together, as healthy couples do.

[@Shinigami88X1]

Tbh I think PL ending is the ending for ppl who didn't want to play the base game. It also kinda sets up a preview to the next Cyberpunk game. Back to Judy...I think that even if she left with V during the Panam ending and V dies. She would of lived her life. But tbh if you read the NetWatcj agent email you can kinda piece together that Evelyn wanted to start a new life with Judy and was doing the Heist because she wanted Judy to be free from Night city

[@liesdamnlies3372]

This video really helped me understand why _I,_ personally, love Judy so much. Sure prompted a lot of introspection on my part. Thank you very much.

[@rpmV8]

I always felt the Phantom Liberty ending is the one where V gets what they wanted, survival, but it comes at a cost to not only V but everyone they care about. Judy makes a comment about Bianca "she's nothing like you" and I get the feeling she isn't as happy as she says. She settled for someone stable and boring after getting continually hurt by her "type".

[@reening]

I don't usually stay invested in KZbin video longer than 5-10 minutes but I really enjoyed your analysis and take on Judy. Thanks for doing these videos, will be looking forward to more!

Excellent analysis! Very, very well done. Thank you!

[@Hadgerz]

Finally picked the game up on steam sale recently after hearing the 1.0 release was a mess. Been doing Judy's questline and i noticed her in-game phone profile picture is a Ghost in the Shell reference...complete with her _water motif._ The little world-building details in this game are just fantastic. It's a stunning, bittersweet experience. You swim through a town deliberately flooded by corporations, Judy's childhood echoing all around you, knowing she recently buried Ev ('Evelyn' meaning 'desired life, water, island'). Seeing what Ev suffered through in her final days, seeing Judy's relationship with her past in her inks and in the art on her walls, Ev was to be a way out, and she loses that, and this soundtrack makes us feel it. It makes us understand that she carries that flooded little town with her everywhere she goes -- right up until finally she meets Bianca, (meaning 'white') ... a literal blank slate we know nothing about, just that she's nothing like us. It's a fresh start, and finally something that has nothing to do with water. So she goes, and she starts anew. When she says we mustn't take that away, we understand she means it.

[@jesspavlichenko5745]

I think this is a great character analysis. Your ending comments about Judy learning that she doesn't need to bear the weight of the world on her shoulders are insightful, making me consider how I sometimes do the same. Thanks for making this!

[@lydiscott]

Thanks so much for the kind words! Glad you enjoyed the video!!!!

[@niteus4907]

In my first playthough I was so happy when Judy decided to leave with my and the Aldicaldos, it was that releaf that she can start healing after all the pain she went though

[@whisperedshadow4947]

I would have liked it if they gave your V the choice to leave with Judy on there own journey outside of the one where you leave with the aldacados giving them both an ending they deserve together.

[@chuckcox7914]

Love the way you told her story , feel like I truly understand Judy now

[@beige_projection]

I agree that going through Judy's plan for Clouds is actually the worst ending for the mission. Like you said, she views things in black and white and can be quite naive. Spoilers obviously, but if you go through Judy's plan, the Tygers will come back and take over again and kill Tom. Meanwhile, if you go with Maiko's plan, and then read Roxanne's message to Judy later on in her computer at her apartment, Roxanne says that yes, not much has changed in Clouds, but the Tygers do bother them less, which honestly, in Night City, for most things, the best you could hope for is the least evil result.

[@englishgiraffe2124]

Honestly, I think siding with Judy is still the better outcome. Don’t get me wrong, Judy's plan was naive and she barely had any members, but Maiko would just let the status-quo carry on as normal, which is terrible. Sure, it's terrible what happens to Tom (though I maintain it's better to go out fighting than carrying on on his knees), but there is a greater chance of it opening up again under better management. I'll take the chance of a full-measure over a half-measure, corpos and the status-quo of the world have far too much of the latter. If there's a slight chance of making change, and being sure to maintain it, then that's enough for me. Would I regret what happens to some people along the journey? Sure. Would I regret getting to where I would get so others can have a better tomorrow, even if that meant I wouldn't be able to see it? Probably not, no.

[@beige_projection]

@@englishgiraffe2124 "If there's a slight chance of making change". That's the problem though. Judy's plan didn't have any chance of making a change because the Tygers was sure to take back Clouds in no time. The Mox is the youngest gang in Night City and is much weaker than the Tygers. What's worse is that Judy didn't even have the backing of the Mox for her plan. All she had was herself, Tom, Roxanne, and V (which for narrative purposes wasn't allowed to intervene after the mission. V alone could have wiped out the Tygers but eh). If only Judy had Sussie Q's backing, I would agree that it's better to take the risk despite the small chance. But with Judy's plan as it was, it was doomed to fail and would have done more harm. I knew that from the start. I think it all goes back to the famous line from the game "A happy ending? For folks like us? Wrong city, wrong people." as well as the quote from Mike Pondsmith "Cyberpunk isn’t about saving the world, it’s about saving yourself”. That's why for most cases in Night City especially when it comes to changing the status quo, the least evil result is the best you can get.

[@TheMecoolerest001]

In phantom liberty depending on your choices and timing you can find Maiko, the three tiger claws from cloud and Jotoro Shobo at Hansons Dogtown party.

[@englishgiraffe2124]

@@beige_projection Well I think it's important that if they do come back, you carry on fighting regardless. Judy’s flaw was expecting there to be an ending. But (and this is probably a me thing) there is no such thing as an ending (besides death). There would always be more work to do, even if it ultimately didn't mean anything in the end. Maiko would just make everything too complacent. Personally, I wanted Clouds to burn to the ground, but I know that's really naive of me to think that, so getting it closed was the next best thing. Even then, there will always be more work to do to make sure the management was better (only gripe I have with Judy’s quest is that we don't see the aftermath) As for the whole "Happy Ending? Wrong City, Wrong People", I dunno, even if I don't believe in the concept of 'endings', Kerry got a happy outcome. Pepe and his wife got a happy outcome (as long as you don't side with Songbird). Barry got a happy outcome if you visit him enough and tell his cop buddies why he's depressed. As long as you don't get the Tower Ending, Vik and Misty are happy with their outcomes. There's even a few gigs where people come put happy. Johnny's line, while poignant and can apply to the Edgerunner life, is too binary and absolute, the same way "Quiet Life or Blaze of Glory" is too binary. And as for the "it's not about saving the world, it's about saving yourself", sure you can't save the world, because in the greater scheme, nothing we do matters. But the Aldecaldos still fight to make a difference with people, they still try to help out whenever they can, even if it doesn't mean anything. I dunno, I feel like the concept of 'Death of the Author' has kind of been lost overtime, so I personally disagree with Pondsmith's philosophy, despite him making my favourite world.

[@beige_projection]

​@@englishgiraffe2124 The thing is, the examples of people you brought up that had a "happy ending" are more for their personal lives. I said that the quote applies mostly for people trying to change the status quo like the "revolution" at Clouds. In a place like Night City, you gotta be more mindful of the quote "the road to hell is paved with good intentions". That quote is commonly associated with people who tried to change the status quo but got eaten up by the system and ended up doing bad things themselves. But it can be very well associated with naivety too. Like with Judy's plan, as I said, it does more harm than good, because all she had was that small crew. Of course the Tygers could get the place back with minimal effort. It would have been a different thing if Judy had the backing of the Mox, but because she had a spat going on with Sussie Q, you just know that there wouldnt have been a fight to defend Clouds once it was taken. Sometimes, especially in a place like Night City, you really gotta be careful of your good intentions, because it could very well end up doing more harm than good. Close Clouds? The Tygers would just open another place that would probably be even worse than that. And since it closed because of protestations from you and Judy, the Tygers would keep the new places much more hidden and secret and that could lead to even more mistreatment of people. At least if you go with Maiko's plan, Roxanne does say that the Tygers come less often.

[@ceaseroo]

I’m so glad people are digging into the characters of this world. They’re so deep! ❤

[@ravendelacour1917]

The Judy romance with the Path of Glory ending works because V and Judy create good memories and then Judy leaves to presumably find Bianca while V continues on her destined path.

[@TheThirdStreetSaints133]

Judy Alvarez, my Favorite Cyberpunk Character. This is bout to be a long comment but I just feel like expressing the reasons why I just love her Character (Development & Story) & the Story of Nightcity (Partially).. There are many reasons why I love Cyberpunk and its Story + Atmosphere...Judy Alvarez is a Main Reason I love Cyberpunk that plus the factor of her "Personal Mission" which as you said was a Tombstone of her former Self that of Pyramid Song one of my favorite Quests. The way the Character is written is just so well done that I feel a connection to her as if she was a friend. Not to mention how well emotionally it got especially for Both Sides Now (Evies' Flatlining Herself,) first time I saw that broke me emotionally for a little while. I was not expecting it going to be honest, I thought something bad happened since how Judy spoke during the call but not a S**icide. The Following Missions of Judys' Side-Plot is just nice to dive into some of Judys' history with Mieko & some the Dolls from Clouds. Then once The Pyramid Song Mission Came Around I fell in love with the Mission not just for the Romance-Lock in & Post Mission Texts/Gifts (I will get into that soon) but it's the fact that this is a nice hangout and not some Life or death guns blazing mission but rather a calm & relaxing day just going scuba diving at Laguna Bend and scrolling a Double Actor BD with her at her (former) home town where she grew up at. The Fact that after waking up after passing out from the Underwater Scuba BD and she hears Johnny just made me love her Character and the fact that the dual actor BD Worked gave me a thought of "Holy sh*t could Judy be someone that can Help keep V Alive longer?" . Now onto her romance, I found it so sweet & Cute after waking up the way she calls you Mi Calabacita "My Little Pumpkin" in Spanish is cool and what I also found adorable as well. Not to mention the Misspellings in some of her texts is cute & sometimes adorable (Even the 1.6+ Update Texts of V can say it sounds like a breakup text I found cute weirdly the way she responded to it) which I find cool because of how realistic it felt with typos and whatnot. The Drunk texts I just found kinda chuckle funny. (Also the fact you can text her grandma was nice to see). Now for each of the Endings I found the Sun, The Devil (Both Version), Temperance to be bad endings but I really found the Suicide Ending to be the worst alongside The Tower (Never got to it both times for different reasons, first time I was already broken from how emotionally attachment I had from finishing and getting all 4 endings for Phantom Liberty, the second (Happened very recently and I am mad this still happened to me) was due to some dumb Airdrop Bug which I could resume during Lucretia My Reflection/after getting free-roam in Dogtown) it made me sad as hell seeing the phone call from the Suicide ending and her crying it really hurts & I couldn't get through watching the full phone convo for the Tower Ending w/ Judy it just hurt not mention seeing the texts for being in a 2 year coma from her which sucks to see. I am going to have a small Bias towards The Star as I find it to be The Absolute Best Ending for V and Judy. Judy for one gets to go out of Nightcity for good and now she is doing it with V which I honestly love to see. The Two Little Pumpkins leaving Nightcity for good always puts a smile on my face especially how V getting surprised seeing Judy gets me happy just seeing it. The Credits-Scene Phone call from Judy gets me all giddy and happy inside just seeing her being flustered (a bit) with her words and being truly happy for once in her life, which I will always love seeing with characters I get attached with. I will just love The Star always for many reasons but from what I said is going to be the main factors for why I love it. Now far as the "True Ending" I do not dive into that territory but I do recall hearing someone say this but not by who and which they said this, "Nightcity has no Happy Endings" can fit so well to all the endings which is why I love the Ending of V, Judy & the Aldecaldos leaving NC for good. Gives V & Judy a Happy Ending and the possibility of extending V's Life (Especially after Judy being the first person to hear Johnny outside of V & eventually Songbird) of which is more possible when it comes with Judy and her Techie Knowledge. The Fact being surrounded by friends & Family (might not be by blood but still Family in their eyes more-so Judy than anyone else) is what will probably give V more hope than ever before. I could keep going on but this has been a long comment already but what I will say is that Judy is one of the Best Well-Written Characters in Video Game History as well with a Such Well-Done Romance with the writing, the story telling Character Development and the emotionally attachment it grabs you by is such a so loving reason why I personally will love Judy Alvarez & The Story of Cyberpunk. (I have a small Bias when it comes towards Judy, as her personality reminds me of my Best Friend less so of the techie side but more so how she acts as a friend even the way she texts Before & After Pyramid Song) Once Again I will say I love that Judy got a Happy ending away by leaving Nightcity in The Star Ending will always warm my heart. Side Note: I love the Romance Theme I just find it very heartwarming to hear The Actual Song itself & the Humming from Judy its a very cool OST. Always stay true to yourself Choom!

[@SineN0mine3]

Judy's main traits are that she's naive, irrational and vengreful. She's by far the worst person V has the option to romance, even Meridith is kinder to V. Despite the fact that V is dying of a terminal illness that she know way more about than V does (if your V isn't a netrunner) but every opportunity she's given to help V she turns into some wild goose chase dragging V into her personal issues and it results in a lot of innocent people dying (at least if you follow the path required to romance her). Her character is the epitome of what you don't want to be in Night City, somebody who reacts to provocation without thinking and gets the people they care ahout hurt because of their inability to out aside their own ego. The only thing she's good at is scroing BDs and she makes out like that makes her better than everyone else in the city, but she's just as much a cog in the machine as anybody else. She couldn't survive without people like Evelyn and V risking their necks to keep her safe. She's a liability, and not a likeable one.

[@TheThirdStreetSaints133]

@@SineN0mine3Okay. That’s your opinion though, which I respectfully disagree with. I just like her character as a whole emotionally attachment & from the not-si-perfect character traits & otger reasons so ya. You might not like Judy for those reasons but I respect the opinion. )))*>

[@Tokaga29]

One thing thats important here that I feel like you should have mentioned in this video is when Judy is Diving with V, she says that she didint want to do this with just anybody. even as Male V, a friend. She wanted to share this with V. she mentions that she is scrolling the whole thing and sharing her memories through the VD Sync so V can hear and feel the sensations and experiences of the event that Judy felt at the time. but as someone new to this whole underwater circumstance. This is all prior to her mentioning she is leaving Night City. Judy wanted someone left in Night City that felt the tragedy that happened in that town. Someone to carry that burden, to hold the torch so to speak before moving on from night city.

[@lydiscott]

VERY GOOD POINT!!! It’s such a beautiful sentiment to show she cares about V, love it!

[@ProfBrunoClemente]

For me, claiming independence for the Mox is her best ending. Although it backfires hard, she just leaves Night City to see her grandparents and then goes on a world trip. Waiting to hear news about her travels was the most humane and mundane thing a game made me feel, but it was powerful. Keep on driving, Judy... And keep sending me pictures, too! You earned it.

[@SaltySquirrelInn]

This is a wonderful look at Judy, she is hands down my favorite character in the game. I'm currently in the middle of doing a playthrough to do the Aldecaldos ending and take Judy with me because I disastrously screwed up the first time. I did a playthrough as a male V where she leaves immediately following Pyramid Song and I really liked that ending for her as she texts you from time to time with updates of her travels and she seems so much happier, and the updates are pretty wholesome. I also think that her romance is the best one in the game by far, it's almost the only one worth pursuing even though I also feel that it isn't 100% fair to Judy to pursue her depending on the ending you choose. However, I think the Aldecaldos ending also offers more hope for Judy and V. I want to think that there was a cut storyline where Judy is able to help V survive with the Relic in some way. Because it never really goes anywhere, I think a lot of people forget that V gets all of the information Hellmann has on the Relic, Judy is working on a way to scroll two separate data streams on the same BD and have it be useable (she even gets an impression of Johnny during Pyramid Song), there is literature in her apartment about rewiring neural pathways, we're also shown a couple of times that she's capable of tweaking doll chips to work outside of their intended parameters. Just a bit of speculation.

[@lydiscott]

OHHHH I LOVE THAT SPECULATION! Hmmmmm…. Now I’m curious if anyone’s dug into the data in the game, maybe there’s something locked away in there that was cut?

[@SaltySquirrelInn]

@@lydiscott I would think that if anyone found anything we'd know about it. All of this could be coincidence, they could have dropped the idea before they got far enough to have code to leave behind or it could straight up be a red herring meant to give us hope of a way out.

[@louiscachet7681]

"His own choomba shot him!" -The Judester

[@iluvj00]

I think you missed one important point on Judy's need of making a change. The original Mox, the woman that started the movement, she is the inspiration for Judy, she wants to be The Mox. Thats why she focuses on helping every doll she can.

[@younggunpark]

I love the deep analysis of meanings. And your writing! :D

[@lydiscott]

Thank you for watching! I really appreciate it! ☺️

[@scottshepherd1296]

Great video and you did a great job narrating it, well done and I hope that you do many more. Love Judy and hearing about her background told this way was awesome, again great job, take care regards Scott.

[@ninsennansen]

Beautiful video, or rather ANOTHER beautiful video. I love the way you describe Judy; so poetic and precise (in my opinion)❤

[@lydiscott]

Aww thanks so much for that! ❤️ really glad you enjoyed!

[@ninsennansen]

@@lydiscott 🤗

[@chefrowlet]

I love all of the main cast but Judy is such a standout to me. Her writing and backstory hints make her so *human*. She never does anything that doesn't make sense (in context) and it's hard not to root for her. Plus her romance is far and away my favorite. I know sex scenes usually get skimmed over especially when your parents are in the room, but Judy's being so tender and intimate and gentle right after she shared this exciting hobby within a hobby with you... So good.

[@ShadowProject01]

Judy is such a prodigy if a techie that her tech allows her to hear Johnny in V’s head for a moment and vise versa to V. She also has a datashard detailing her research into neural matrixes. I mean look what she accomplished with Tom and Roxie. If she and Songbird could have met and Songbird actually intended to help V, I believe these two together could have actually pulled it off 😢

[@ronharrington6583]

You're welcome I liked How you went into detail about Judy's life

[@paulreckless]

You are so good with words. Just beautiful.

[@goobertime2119]

12:09 what’s the song that plays here? I’ve noticed it’s in all your 2077 videos and it sounds really pretty

[@I_Am_Catholic_Crunch]

Outsider No More, you can find it in the cyberpunk 2077 soundtrack album :)

[@goobertime2119]

Thank you

[@HappyBuffalo347]

I think its a bit rough saying that Judy's plan to take over Clouds is purely revenge. She could have just left it at killing woodman and the claws, but she was actually trying to follow the same example as Lizzie's and The Mox.

[@Wolf_Dominic]

I do truly like, that the closest thing to a happy ending this game has, involves you leaving along with her.

[@Meshuggah333]

On Judy's romance with V being bad for Judy, it's true to some extent. But, in the Star ending, while Judy might lose V a few month later, she still would've found family in the Aldecaldos. I'd like to think she would be adopted by the clan, and Panam would become very attached to her because she was V's lover. It's certainly wishful thinking but, to me, it's still a good ending for Judy.

[@CrazyGamebino]

i never thought about it. but her romance could have been not completely platonic but more in line with helping someone you love/care about move to a healthier mindset and what not capitalizing in the endings. ending up together or with judy ending up bianca to v's joy or whatever level of disappointment or death. considering the list of stuff that judy has dealt with in the weeks(?) since the heist and meeting v moving to another though "healthier" relationship might not be the play.

[@theCoconutGirl96]

Just discovered your channel, and I have to say, I love your analyses on Cyberpunk so far! Some thoughts I had on Judy and the Aldecaldo ending (caution, long ramble ahead!): While I probably have to agree that an outcome like the Tower ending, where Judy settles down, is likely what would bring Judy the most peace in her life, I think that the Aldecaldos are probably the one group where she can actually do the most good, which is what she wants (tho arguably not what she needs, one might say). Nomads like the Aldecaldos would appreciate her drive to change the world for the better, and they can definitely put her techie skills to good use. I prefer to see game and the Star ending with this headcanon in mind, that V and Judy not only find a caring family with the Aldecaldos, but also a community that is able to transform their idealism into actual, tangible change. Just leaving night city, to escape its toxicity, feels too simple to me, almost like giving up. All this to say: While I adore this game, its characters and its writing, it is this political nihilism of Night City as a dystopia that always rubbed me the wrong way. I am a little like Judy, i guess, in that I believe we can always make the world better, no matter how bad it gets (not just on an individual, but also a systemic level). I wish the writers had put that message into the game more prominently, and nowhere do i get this feeling more than with Judy's storyline. Guess i have to write that story myself lol.

[@codyconnor6981]

Really wish there was an option to convince Judy to join the Aldecados, because they could give her something she desperately needed. A group of people that she could depend on, and would genuinely appreciate her.

[@sreif78]

Lesson from Judy's story, Doing the right thing Isn't always doing the good thing. And doing the good thing isn't always the right thing.

[@simonbrooke4065]

I think Judy's plan for a revolution at Clouds is sincere and should be taken at face value. I agree that what tips her over the edge to action is grief at Evelyn's suicide (and the events that lead up to it, for which it's possible that Judy partly blames herself -- because she did know that Evelyn had gone back to Clouds, but was apparently too angry with her to keep in touch). I agree that, without at the very minimum the active solidarity of the Mox, the revolution was doomed to fail. And I think that Judy's decision to let Maiko in on the plan was a fatal mistake which would have doomed it even if it had not been doomed already. But the idea of setting a brothel (which is essentially what Clouds is) as a workers' co-operative is not in itself a bad one -- even if trying to take away a profitable asset from a very vicious and powerful gang would always have been a very ambitious thing to do. But it would not have been, canonically, the first time that a self-organising collective of sex workers had won at least a tactical victory against the Tyger Claws: that is, after all, the foundation story of The Mox. Indeed, Judy is being more true to the traditions and ethics of the Mox in her plan to turn Clouds into a workers' collective than Susie Q is in refusing to support her. Killing the Tyger Claw bosses is a real strategic error in this: once you've done that, the Tyger Claws have lost face and are bound to seek revenge. But that's V's error (if you make it), not Judy's. It would be interesting to do a playthrough using non-lethal weapons in the showdown in the Megabuilding 8 penthouse, to see whether that makes any difference; but my bet is that it will not. The game's logic tends not to treat people taken down with non-lethal weapons as 'still alive' afterwards, although (at least in theory) they should be. I think ending up on the road with the Aldecaldos would not be a bad outcome for Judy. It would give her community and friendship; it would give her a context in which her skills would be valued; and it would be a hell of a lot safer for an autistic young woman (Judy is clearly on the spectrum) to be on the road with a tough and competent crew around her than on her own. Yes, V would die; but by the time V died, Judy would have been absorbed into the community, and the Aldecaldos genuinely seem to be one of the better social groups in the vicinity.

[@baron-chan6484]

Speaking of Judy's Ghost.... her holo call is a Ghost in a Shell

[@blar2112]

I played male V, so romance wasn't even an option, but i did not even try, and i shit you not, the happies thing in that happened in the whole game for me was Judy's message about a flat tire. After having to deal with night city, having all the issues with gangs, death, betrayal... She managed to leave the nightmare and her biggest issue so relevant to message V is a flat tire.... I'm not joking, it made me shear a tear.

[@brodie8728]

really picked the right time to replay cyberpunk

[@SiliconSlyWolf]

I think the best ending for Judy is when she leaves to do her own thing. There's no guarantee that V will survive even the Aldecaldos ending, and the implication that Panam and V barely get to spend time together probably reinforces the idea Judy's just going to be mostly alone until V probably dies. The one thing I don't like about Judy is probably an artifact of not writing the ending voicemails thoroughly enough, but if you do the Sun ending I think it was, and call Judy, when she gets upset at V, you can choose to tell Judy she should do her own thing, and she seems somewhat contented that's the best choice and you suggested it, but the voicemail still sounds like Judy made the call to dump you after giving up hope there was any point to keep trying.

[@redscarfinfinite9743]

When you scan Judy you can actually see a bit of lore involving her and a protest she attended

[@LoFoSho]

You’re gonna blow up with all this great content. Cyberpunk doesn’t have many KZbinrs that delve deep into the universe like this. With that being said I’ll be looking forward to your Mr.Blue eyes video :)

[@lydiscott]

OHHHHHHHHH that whole subject drives me nuts with how interesting it is! Can’t wait to delve into it!!!!!! Thanks so much for your kind words 😄😄😄

[@LoFoSho]

@@lydiscott of course! yea no joke I was finally able to play/beat phantom liberty and now I’m just as obsessed with the blackwall as everyone else 😭

[@rikhenry9701]

This was a fantastic video, very well done. 18:37 Now you're just someJudy that I used-to-know.

[@Illindi]

Judy is the only romance option that feels truly genuine to me. Say what you will about Panam but that one feels like a passing ship in the night, a deep friendship with a benefit. So yeah, Judy is canon of sorts for that reason. Kerry is there if you are really there for a Jonny ending and River... Well, he's there for the thirsty and deaperate. A consolation prize at best but more likely a participation trophy...

[@Skooskah]

Judy's my favourite person to end up with by far. I used to be torn between her and River (controversial I know) but the contrast in how they both act if you get the spaceship ending confirms that Judy is absolutely the superior choice.

[@SineN0mine3]

Yeah i mean obviously you pick River, he's the closest Night City has to being a decent person and he clearly cares about V. Judy only cares about herself and doesn't care who gets hurt (doesn't amybody care about Tom!) fighting for whatever mad thing she's excited over that day. She's a great character in that she's believable and sympathetic but she's an absolute mess of a person. She's also needlessly cruel to V unless you walk on eggshells around her, she always assumes the worst of your character despite you going out of your way to help her. She has ample opportunities to connect with V over their shared losses and struggles but leaves V to do all of the work. Even after you risk your life to take back clouds, she has the gall to be mad that you happened to have some collateral damage if you kill Maiko, who was planning to double cross you both from the beginning (obvious to V if they read any of the notes i her office!) and she attacks V when she realises you want bend to her will. I don't want Judy to be written differently but I'm always suprised by people who say she's their favourite. I know there's a lot of nuance involved, but when I weigh it up she doesn't seem appealing to me as a love interest. I think if she started to care about V before she puts her life on the line twice to helo her and asks nothing in return then I'd be more sympathetic. River starts in a very similar place to Judy, deeply affected by his tragic situation, but unlike her he's able to put that aside when he realises that V needs help. I don't think even if you do romance Judy that she ever really trusts V within the game's story. I guess if you run away with her and the Aldecados you can roleplay that they worked out their differences but V and Judy just doesn't work for me!

[@scottleneau6221]

Judy's quests are about her trying to bring about some sort of justice for the loss of people she loves. Except, it's more about her exercising her own grief than doing something morally right. If you want, you can read her quests as stages of grief--though it's not really in order or quite as simple as that. She is going through a ritual of mourning, and V-like a good friend-is there to her through it. With Pyramid Song, she finally chooses to let go and leave the city that keeps chewing her up, and spitting her out. It's almost like a forsaking of attachment. An escape from the Samsara of Night City. It carries strong hints of enlightenment. Every single one of her endings makes it clear that this is the point of her arc. No matter what, the choice to leave is the only way Judy finds happiness. Thus to stay with V as a romantic partner is to forsake her enlightenment, and choose attachment again. This, by the way, is also doomed to disaster, since V has less than a year to live (just watch all the post-romance endings-they are all her realizing her mistake.). I read Judy as the only one in the whole game who got a genuinely happy ending, because she chose to walk out of her hell. She says as much when you complete her side quests and then watch her ending slides:

 (in a genuinely happy tone) “Hey V! Long time no see! Lemme guess-you still the top of your game in all of Night City? Heheh, yeah, I left all that. I guess I’m calling to say thanks-for everything. Wasn’t until I left everything behind that I realized how depressed I was all that time. Take it from me, V. If you ever get the chance… just leave. Leave and don’t look back. The weight it takes off your shoulders… I-I can’t even describe it. All right. ‘Nuff lecturing. Take it easy, man.” This is what makes Judy all the more interesting. How the lessons she learns apply to V's personal arc. Remember, Cyberpunk 2077 is the story about a merc getting a second chance at life, only to face certain death once again. V is a revenant, a spirit sent back to life--not to live happily ever after--but to learn, atone, grow in preparation for his/her death. To set things right. Kinda like Johnny Silverhand, for that matter. And while Johnny's arc is about personal transformation--atoning for the past and becoming somebody new, V's arc is very different. It’s about coming to terms with their mortality. Accepting it. Allowing it to change their goals, outlook, personality, and the way they treat others. In that way, Judy’s lesson to V is to let go and walk straight out of hell.
 That's why I actually like the ending where V and Johnny storm Arasaka tower together and then V voluntarily allows Johnny to take their body. In my mind, V has to have accepted their own end, and want those they love to live on in peace and in joy. It’s the ending I’d expect a V who cares enough to help Judy find her peace to choose. I think it was handled poorly. Perhaps even cheesily. But the core of it is solid. Here Johnny is-literally a new man. With the blessing, forgiveness, and genuine friendship of the person whose body he now inhabits. In a very real sense, this is the ending where V follows in Judy’s footsteps, lets go, and walk away from it all.

I just wish that the Temperance ending had some version of itself where Judy was able to find peace in V’s choice. Because Judy’s call in the suicide ending is horrendous. Absolutely devastating. Probably the most emotional moment of the whole game, really-particularly if you empathize with Judy. An actually good Temperance ending would need to be a lot more than that.

[@gameoverinsertcointocontin8102]

Regarding Evelyn, the heist might also been self preservation, as she learned about the Voodoo Boys only saw her as Ranyon that was likely being killed when no longer useful. For all of her flaws Evelyn managed to convince a fixer who was just as desperate as she was, , as she did not have the ressources of finances and contacts to prepare the heist.

[@jasonritner9662]

My two favorite endings for the game are a Nomad Male V with Panam and either leaving with the Aldecados or the new ending from Phantom Liberty. (Personally, I feel both would work out really well as canonical endings, but thats probably just because they fit my exact tastes for this type of setting) Judy's specific ending in Phantom Liberty as not being a romantic partner to V and getting to finish her questline ends in what is probably the best ending possible for any of the characters in this story. Hers is the one most full of hope and happiness in the dystopian world of Cyberpunk. Seeing her story end in that way actually brought a tear to my eye and made the rest of the struggles in the game worth it to see at least one person come out on top like that.

[@pillmatik4239]

I think Judy leaving night city is the best ending for her. I loved seeing the messages from her seemingly find peace

[@ChrisTownsend98]

Again, my V looks to Judy like a little sister and would go out of his way to keep her safe. (Much to Johnny's annoyance) Though he was sad to see her leave, he knew it was the best thing for her. I like to think that even after my V's death, He would look after his and Panam's kid. (Yes, I love Panam. And I hope you do a video on her)

[@andimason3370]

I don't think I've ever connected with a video game character more than I have Judy. So much so in-fact that she was the primary reason I chose the star ending in my first playthrough. My V got in a relationship with Judy and when the time to make the big decision came I realised pretty quickly that I could not accept an ending where V lets down the someone who trusts and loves her so completely. So I made sure I could accomplish Judy's dream of escaping night city. In an strange way it kind of put my V in a similar situation to David in edgerunners. I had to ensure Judy got her happy ending, no matter the cost.

[@stipy5916]

Judy spending the last 6 months of Vs life with here is in no way a bad ending for Judy, she still can set out to find herself after V dies.

[@r3xmundi1]

Judy is an amazing well written character. I fully agree that the romance option is unfair to her. She has a much happier ending when V is just a loyal friend. I enjoyed the messages she sends you when she's free of night city, and has genuinely let go, even from V. I think that's the writers rewarding us for not being selfish :)

[@lui8625]

Great analysis about an amazing character

[@lydiscott]

Thank you so so much! 😄

[@ambre7734]

Now i'll always feel guilt about my Aldecados Judy ending 😭 Well i already did. Always thought the post cards from beyond the grave was the best gift V could give to her. So sad to imagine Judy one year later alone among the Aldecados..

[@derickrobles485]

Amazing video! Judy is a badass and good friend in the game. I’d love if you can make a video on Panam Palmer

[@lydiscott]

Panam is must! Very excited to take a deeper look at her!!!

[@Obiwan1994Kenobi-iv4jf]

Whenever I play as Female V ( I swap over each playthrough) I go for Judy withe Aldocados ending. That way everybody gets something close enough to a happy ending.

[@foxfire7]

do you plan on doing a video about Panam? I'm curious what you'd say about her. Also, Judy is definitely a great character, her romance is not quite my favorite tbh. (Kerry's romance is my favorite) I don't think I agree with you on the part with her leaving with V and the Aldecaldos. It's definitely got the exploration, the freedom, the ideals (even if they don't perfectly match, she can learn how to apply her ideals in saner ways). She can learn from the nomads and they can learn from her too, it's a solid, stable base to rest on for her that she wouldn't get if she just went off on her own. The Face in the Crowd ending in PL is great for her too, I don't deny it. I just think the nomad ending is better suited for her. She'll grow there too.

[@PhilNightmareBrutality]

The story of laguna bend shares the fate of a Welsh village named Capel Calyn which like laguna bend was drowned by corpos and there were protests like how the citizens of laguna bend did and the corpos of the UK could possibly do it again

[@attw6l]

i love judy but ever since i romanced her for the first time i always always let her leave night city, she deserves that so much more than my V could ever give her

[@DJMarcO138]

Judy is amazing, but I confess I like Panam just a smidge more. Oddly, I prefer playing as a female V, but the male V ending with Panam heading off with the Aldecaldos still allows Judy to leave Night City to be with her family out of state. I think that's about as good of an ending as you can get in Night City.

[@my0866]

But at the end, both Panam (if you don’t choose her ending) and Judy both use V to reach their own ends. When V leaves the FIA in the Phantom Liberty ending both Panam and Judy turn their backs on V , when V is in need of help and comfort. Even Rivers , V dates him , and even Rivers Turns his back. My opinion both Judy and Panam use V and neither of them even try to find out if V is alive or dead. Even if you play Female V and Don’t date Panam, and stay friends Panam is still angry at you , for something totally out of Vs control.

[@treetheoak8313]

I was always frustrated with Judy at the end of this mission for deciding to leave Night City after the Tiger Claws clapped back. Not because she tried to get the Dolls at Clouds a better life but for assuming leadership and bailing on everyone when the going got tough. I tried romancing her as female V on that playthrough but I went stag afterwords. It really rubbed me the wrong way. Especially since my V had a Lot of downs and stayed with my friends.

[@johnbernatis6051]

I'm still on my first playthrough of CP2077 and my decision to play a Female V was solely because I had watched stuff and became enamored with Judy, and in such so has my V. Once they became an item, V no longer had to survive for herself: she had to survive for Judy. My V currently is sitting at a whopping 2.8mil eddies, all of that was earned to provide a life for her and Judy when they leave NC (it'd be more, but I can't stand driving around in 1 or 2 vehicles- or going the while game wearing 1 smelly outfit)

[@Mercgo]

These are really good. It reminds me of the murder podcasts my girlfriend listens to.

[@lydiscott]

OMG THANK YOU 😂