Kennys sugarcoated endings
Does anyone else feel that Telltale sort of sacrificed the authenticity of Kennys character, for the sake of him having a positive ending?
He doesn't argue with Clem no matter what the player chooses. Seeing that Kenny has always been the guy who has to have the last word in, this doesn't seem right.
For example; in the alone ending where you ditch Kenny at the rest stop, I just can't see him allowing Clem to walk of alone with the baby, without at least a heated argument?
That baby was everything Kenny had left, and he had just less then a minute ago showed that he was even ready to kill for him. Now, all of the sudden he is willing to let Clem walk away with AJ into complete uncertainty with no supplies etc..?
What do you guys think? Was the endings with Kenny consistent with his character, that we have known and seen develope for the past two seasons.
Comments
he was probably shocked by what he had just done, but... yeah, that sounded kinda weird to me too.
Yeah,Kenny suddenly become "out of character" just to please the fandom.
No supplies? The place just voluntarily chucked down a whole duffle bag of supplies for free. I think it's safe to say that they had plenty in there. A hell of a lot more than nothing, which is what Kenny had.
Kenny knows that place is safe. He said so himself. He also knows that he's becoming an unstable mess who lashes out in anger and scares the living hell out of every one around him. So he's sending the two people he cares most about away from him and to the one place he knows to be safe. That seems very in line with his character (when he's feeling up to it). And it's not like he had any other choice if Clem chooses to stay with him. So yeah, his behavior at the end was consistent with his character.
Thats the wellington ending. Im talking about the ending where you leave Kenny at the rest stop and head into the blizzard with the baby alone.
But I agree that the ending where you stay at Wellington is very nicely done and seems quite in line with Kennys character.
Oh that ending. I don't see how that's "for the sake of him having a positive ending." But anyway, the thing about Kenny knowing how dangerous he is still holds. Particularly now that he's just fatally stabbed a woman in the chest. He sees himself as being more of a danger to Clem than an asset.
The only thing I felt was missing from that ending in terms of Kenny's (it's the one that I got initially) was that he didn't urge Clementine to head to Wellington. He just kinda lets her head off to wherever. But he would definitely have let her walk away and it does make sense that he would give her AJ.
I mean positive ending in the sence that Kenny doesnt disagree with anything that the player does and it seems that Telltale wants for you to sympathize with him no matter what ending you pick.
Kenny does seem to stand behind killing Jane after it happens, so Im not sure if he thinks he's done the right thing or not. Perhaps he sees what he's starting to become and wants to get the kids away from him in time, who knows.
How does Kenny know Wellington is safe?
The same way he knows anything else. His gut. And that thing cannot be questioned.
It was totally consistent with Kenny's character.
The man isn't the monster some people want him to be. After Lee's death, really all he has left are Clem and AJ. He wants Clem to be safe more than anything, and that always was his goal.
In Season 1, he also wanted to save everyone with the boat, and keep in mind the plan would have worked out if it wasn't for Vernon.
Kenny wants to keep the people he loves safe, and that's what he does in the Wellington ending.
Well his gut told him that a boat and a train were good ideas, look what happened.
This doesn't exactly answer the question but I think any ending where Clem walks off alone into the snow with the baby is crazy. Even staying with Kenny is better. But what you describe sounds like Kenny acting way more defeatist than he ever would.
I think his point was he let Clem walk off alone with the baby without putting up a fight which, the Kenny we know wouldn't do. I'm only guessing because I haven't seen that Ending.
With the baby? Yes. Personally, I wanted the option to leave the baby with Kenny and take off on my own. But he insisted and I guess Clem couldn't bring herself to refuse.
Exactly, nothing was "sugarcoated". Kenny is a true family man at heart and always puts children first. It's a shame most of his haters seem to forget that.
I can't see him purposefully harming Clementine at all, which is why he would let her leave him. IMO, if anyone was sugarcoated, it was Jane. She lets the family in if the timer runs out... I mean, really? She needed more development for that to be believable.
I actually think Jane was the one sugarcoated in Ep. 5.
Here's the thing: Jane had no problem killing Troy in the manner in which she did. She shot him in the dick and left him to get chomped on; then, all of a sudden, she shows up and kills one guy with a knife to the back of the neck, and looks all surprised and shaken by it? Not only that, but she seems to look out for Arvo just a day after she was threatening to kill him and take his stuff.
You're missing my point. As @KCohere said: "I think his point was he let Clem walk off alone with the baby without putting up a fight which, the Kenny we know wouldn't do."
How would family man Kenny let his only purpose in life walk away just like that? Clem and the baby were everything he had.
I never forget that. Kenny says it himself. "You looked out for the kids. That's what a real man does."
No I'm not, just listen: Kenny knew he was unstable. He wasn't selfish, their safety mattered most to him. Hence putting children first.
Kenny is ready to accept death. As long as Clementine and AJ are safe, I'm sure he would go peacefully. This is why I'm perfectly fine with his endings. If you still aren't, I'm sorry to hear that.
I agree. In my original playthrough I went with Jane, because going alone would have been totally uncorcerning to the needs of the baby. How are just the two of us gonna survive out there when Clem has limited survival skills when it comes to being on her own.
She did say that that was the first time she had killed someone who hadn't wronged her in some way. On the Arvo thing, I have no idea.
Now that you mention it, yeah... that's fishy. Maybe if is because her role was supposed to be Luke's at first (but it would have been too obvious for it come to come to that)?
To my knowledge, Troy didn't wrong her either. Sure, the guy was a total dick(less), but judging from how Troy was talking to her, seems like Luke wasn't the only one that enjoyed a ride.
Actually, I think it was confirmed by Owen Thomas (Troy's VA) that he was sexually harassing her. Not justifying what she did though.
What ? Edith gave them two large bags full of supplies including food, water and a first-aid kit
Sure, but Clem and AJ arent exactly too safe in that scenario. No idea where they even are, no food, its freezing.. But maybe we shall just agree to disagree on this! I can see what you are trying to say and I respect your opinion!
Yeah I can agree , Kenny should have at least argued with Clementine while taking the baby away.
This happy ending is just to please the fans.I hope you're reading Telltale.
We are talking about a different ending. Check the other comments in the thread.
Thanks, same to you. :]
Jane should have watched this before shooting troy
If they had a working TV at Carver's... I'm there. I don't care if he treats me like crap, I'm toadaly there.
Is that from the license plate on Toad's car?
How good is your insurance?
OP you assume Kenny's intention for the baby was to have him for himself all along.
You make it sound like at any point he had been going full Gollum "my AJ, my own, my preciousss", not bearing that anyone but him would even touch AJ.
Actually you can see on plenty occasions he was always comfortable with other members of the group holding the baby, even those he didn't personally get along with. Which is something knowing Kenny. And why ? Because he knows the baby is safe with them and THAT's what's important, more than his own personal feelings towards this or that person. For that, he is able to swallow his pride.
And that was his obsession at the end of the season : the survival of children, Clem and the baby, and that they might live a good life or at the very least get a fighting chance in this world. He focused more on the baby because he's completely vulnerable, while Clem has already proven on a lot of instances that she doesn't need constant 24/24 care and can handle some amount of danger.
In this hellhole the world has become, Clem and the baby mean hope to him. Hope for the future. Kenny can't be content with being a survivor at all cost. Survival for the sake of surviving is not Kenny's trade. He needs to believe in something, he needs to have a larger goal than himself, to have faith in something : in a better world eventually, and that's what Clementine and the baby incarnate. Having lost his own family and having no goals for himself in life anymore, he assumed the mission of keeping them alive and bring them to safety.
That's why not only is he okay if Clem and AJ stay at Wellington, but he is also immensely thankful for that. His mission is accomplished.
And it makes sense to think that even it leaves himself alone again, far from feeling low and suicidal, the very idea they're safe and the pride that he did his duty might give him the strength he needs to care about his own life again.
I consider all endings except the one in which jane and kenny die as sugercoated and while that may feel powerful for people who like kenny.The thing is season 1 pushed you beyond what you would expect from character deaths(lee and duck)When they were alive you thought man they arent going to die .But no s1 broke that barrier.It didnt give you respite from and after these deaths.What i am trying to say is that s1 had a harsh unrelenting tone.S2 just didnt have that .you never felt you were being pushed to make extremely emotional decisions(even at the kenny/jane fight people for their reasons would immediately pick jane or kenny)They would never feel like "why did he/she have to die" instead its like"he/she deserved to die"or"he/she was gonna die anyway".Telltale needs to keep the harsh tone like s1 and not just give in like this to appeal to fans of kenny/jane
Exactly.
Far from being "sugarcoated", it's exactly the opposite : Kenny's endings are the logical completion of Kenny's story arc.
I think people who complain about Kenny endings being sugarcoated, or too happy, etc. are envious of the feelings Kenny lovers get from them, and that they're better written. While Jane endings are either a completely depressing "we went full cynical and selfish" ending (which you can appreciate if you were one of those "survival at all costs, fuck friends and values" players, but provides no good feels) or a more optimistic feeling where you can see that Jane is becoming a better person, but who still ends on an ambiguous note because you can't feel entirely happy of your choice because of the dad (see all those threads where people don't trust him or had a bad feeling as soon as they saw the gun). Besides, being told "nice hat" by a boy as ultimate scene before credits roll, it can bring a smile at best, but it's kinda anti-climatic and falls flat somehow.
Well he always was kind of a complex character so I guess you can view his actions in many ways.