The More I Replay the First Main Quest...

[PhotriusPyrelus]

...the more I absolutely hate Adelaide. Reed is an idiot, but he's an idiot with a good heart, a sense of duty, and a willingness to self-sacrifice for the good of the greater whole.

Adelaide is a selfish old birch so bent on revenge she'd sooner see all of Edgewater and her deserters die than live in peace with the object of her revenge. She's so deluded and fanatical, she doesn't even realize she's a monster. She tries to manipulate the Stranger by telling him that taking her side is what a hero would do, but if you observe that it would only be heroic to her, she says "To the people who matter." Disgusting. The only sacrifices she's willing to make is other people.

I really wish I had an option to let her stay in her de-powered labs seething and still provide the town the knowledge they need to grow crops and start eating a balanced diet of not 100% poison-"tuna". After all, like all good villains, her hubris drives her to brag to you about how she did it.

[Amadel]

Reed is a terrible mayor. Can't do ♥♥♥♥♥. Corporate liberal mindset at it's finest. As well as all the citizens of edgwater - deluded useless scum. They eat ♥♥♥♥♥, trash is everywhere but they are friendly and tolerant. How beautiful. Too bad it's not enough to survive.
So yes. It would be heroic to the people who matter. The ones who chose to take the responsibility for their own lives, instead of withering because of blind corporate obedience.

[PhotriusPyrelus]

Originally posted by Amadel:

Reed is a terrible mayor. Can't do ♥♥♥♥♥. Corporate liberal mindset at it's finest. As well as all the citizens of edgwater - deluded useless scum. They eat ♥♥♥♥♥, trash is everywhere but they are friendly and tolerant. How beautiful. Too bad it's not enough to survive.
So yes. It would be heroic to the people who matter. The ones who chose to take the responsibility for their own lives, instead of withering because of blind corporate obedience.

Like I said: Reed's an idiot. But. He approaches you in good faith and wants to make amends with the deserters - moreover he reacts with complete shock when you suggest just killing them all. Adelaide does her absolute best to manipulate you into helping her and abjectly refuses to make amends with Reed, and when you mention "taking care of Reed", she's completely ambivalent.

Most importantly, Reed voluntarily steps down *and expects to die* when you explain to him Adelaide can save his town from the plague. Meanwhile, she would wallow in her failure and hatred letting everyone in Edgewater - including her own "family" who for lack of other option go back - die to the plague rather than try to get along with Reed.

She's a monster, and certainly no leader.

[FearTheLiving]

Since I first played the mission I wished we could have added Reed to our crew in some capacity or helped him out. Would have made for an interesting dynamic of having the super corporate companion with the super anti-establishment one.