Cyberpunk Showdown--Panam and Judy

Cyberpunk 2077 is a game with some very deep and thought provoking questions lodged firmly into its core.  Is it better to live a long, quiet life or to risk it all to rise to the top with a bang?  Are you really alive if your consciousness isn't present in your body?  Are you really human if you're mostly made up of technology? These themes play out through many of the stories and are worthy of discussion.  What cracks me up though is the fact that fans would much rather debate the big question--who's a better romantic option, Judy or Panam?  I know what you're thinking..."whoa, whoa--what about River and Kerry?"  Sure, they're options too, but it's obvious that much more work went into designing Judy and Panam (and I feel like that's a definite trend in games that give players romantic options--there are frequently more female than male choices and the female choices tend to have more depth and/or variety).  They both get much longer mission chains and players are given more chances to interact with them.

One of the most popular posts I wrote was a discussion about the merits of Yennefer of Vengerberg vs. those of Triss Merigold (Yen is canon, but I am 100% team Triss).  CD Projekt are masters of writing relatable, flawed characters and Judy and Panam follow this pattern to a T.

*SOME POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOR JUDY/PANAM MISSIONS.  

Judy Alvarez (likeable/attractive traits)

+ If you looked in the dictionary for a definition of "cool chick," you would find a picture of Judy.  She's got all the textbook marks of coolness--an array of intriguing tattoos (that all have meaning tied to her story), a decidedly cool haircut and hair color, and an odd sense of style (she pulls off 90's style overall fashion well) that isn't exactly sexy, but does have a hint of sex appeal.  She's also cute, so that's something.

Concerned Judy in her BD studio.

+ They picked the right voice actor for her character--for some reason Judy's voice fits her personality like a glove.  Judy's dialogue is also well written and helps her comes off as friendly--someone who's versed in Night City street slang, but who can also talk tech as an expert (and seem enthusiastic about it and not condescending at all).

+ She's a nerd, but like, a cool nerd.  The entire reason that V meets Judy is because he/she needs someone who can teach them BD editing skills and it just so happens that Judy is the best in Night City.  As you progress through Judy's mission chain and gain access to her apartment you learn that she likes to tinker on robots in her spare time.  She's also into action movies and has a vintage collection of rare films in BD form.

+She's an introvert.  Players who romance Judy have the opportunity to stop by her apartment and have a few more conversations with her.  In one of them V asks Judy why she doesn't want to take the lead of the Mox--Judy bluntly states that she's "not much of a people person." 

Judy trying to cope with loss.

+ Her life hasn't been easy.  Players learn a lot about Judy during her last side mission.  She grew up in Laguna Bend, a city that currently lies underwater thanks to a corporate dam project.  Her father left before she was born and her mother died when Judy was very young.  Judy grew up with her grandparents who she loved, but she grew up poor.  During your diving adventure you can hear Judy's memories and they reveal the other kids tormenting her for being poor and not having parents (it pulls on the ol' heartstrings).  As a teenager she ran afoul of the law (for fixing up a fire engine that they believed she had stolen) and wound up in a group home.  After that, she fell in with the Mox (owing to her belief that they would actively try to improve things for the joytoys/dolls)--a gang of former sex workers who occupy the famous Lizzie's Bar in the Watson section of Night City.  The game doesn't really make clear her role/experience with the gang (and, quite frankly, the Mox don't get a lot of story time) but she does accompany V on the mission to find Evelyn and has some combat skills.

Obviously things get even harder for her as she deals with Evelyn's death and wrestles with her own guilt over the role she potentially played in it.

+ She's a true artist/creative with a natural talent in BD editing.  If you snoop through the messages on her computer you find out that several corporate studios are actively trying to recruit her...and she ignores all of them.  She refuses to sell out to the corps.

+ She's unapologetic about her work.  Yeah, she edits hardcore porn BD's and is really good at it.  Players can express surprise that Judy would engage with such a medium that is exploitative, but Judy tells V that all her actors enjoy it and aren't being exploited--it makes for a better BD experience.  Also, it pays extremely well.  It's not what she wants to do forever and she's more interested in using it for artistic expression.

Judy's apartment has some amazing views.

+ She's a good person who cares deeply about her friends.  She particularly has a soft spot and is very protective of the joytoys and dolls (sex workers with a special implant that enhances their abilities and also can block out the tasks they are performing...it's something that's a bit confusing).  A large portion of Judy's story missions revolve around the disappearance of Evelyn Parker (V's contact for the Arasaka heist and a doll who worked at Clouds).  It's clear that Judy and Evelyn had a close friendship and Judy is determined to do whatever she can to find Evelyn--this includes hiring/asking V to help track Evelyn down.  We all know how that story ends...  If you snoop through Judy's messages later on you learn that she tried to hire an expert to help fix Evelyn--something that didn't come to fruition.  Judy also reveals that she and Evelyn had planned to save up money (the Arasaka heist figured greatly into that plan) to leave Night City.

+ Regardless of your relationship with Judy (if you romance her or don't) she lets you use her apartment.  If she leaves Night City she continues to text V and check in.  If you romance her she sends some cute drunk messages.  Basically, she's a good friend/girlfriend.

+ The "Pyramid Song" mission is a much needed, quiet departure from the intensity of many of the other missions.  I've read quite a bit of criticism about the romantic options in Cyberpunk (and, I agree with some of them) and many people point out that the relationships lack depth.  Pyramid Song gives players a beautifully executed opportunity to connect with Judy.  (It's too bad the other LI's don't get a mission like it...what would Panam's romantic activity even look like though?  Sniping Wraiths over a bottle of wine?)

Flaws

Judy's biggest flaw is accurately described in her database entry--she's blindly idealistic when it comes to helping the joytoys/dolls of Night City.  Let's be real...her plan to take over Clouds is disastrously bad on so many levels.  Firstly, she lays her trust in Maiko, her ex and someone who is completely untrustworthy.  Maiko's involvement in the plan is shady from the get-go and even if V points it out, Judy is completely unwilling to admit it.

Secondly, the idea of having the Tyger Claws simply hand over control of Clouds is insane.  There's absolutely no way a powerful and well established gang would make any kind of deal with two reprogrammed dolls, a BD editor, and one semi-established mercenary.  This is another point that you can raise, but she won't listen.

The more you learn about Judy's history in Night City, the more you can understand the impact of her flaw--when you ask her about how she joined up with the Mox she shares that she hoped they would fight to make real changes for the joytoys/dolls in Night City.  That never happened...and won't.  Her relationship with Maiko also demonstrates more of this--when she takes V to Clouds to rope Maiko into the plan she has to override a panel to sneak into the building--V comments that she seems to have done it before and Judy replies "yep."  So Maiko was making her sneak through the backdoor and wouldn't even be seen with her?  That's shitty!  If you snoop through Maiko's computer you can read a series of messages sent between Judy and Maiko.  It's blatantly obvious that Maiko was using Judy to get ahead in her own career (Maiko started off as a doll, but Judy used her tech skills to tweak Maiko's doll chip to give her an advantage).  Judy will admit that her relationship with Maiko was a mistake, but she still is oblivious to the fact that Maiko is only concerned with one thing...Maiko.  She still insists that Maiko is trustworthy and someone who will help with her doomed revolution at Clouds.

I wish there was an option to talk Judy out of the entire Clouds debacle.  It's a big part of her character arc and plays into her desire to leave Night City.  None of her hopes have come to fruition and the failure at Clouds is the final straw.

Panam Palmer (likeable/attractive traits)

+ Panam's place in the dictionary would be under B for "badass chick."  She's a nomad, so therefore extremely capable in many different areas--she can shoot (sniper rifles, RPG's....take your pick), she can fix up and mod vehicles, she's tough and won't back down from a fight, and she drives a rockin' rig with a freakin' turret on it.  Seriously, textbook badass.

Panam doesn't quite get as much attention in the unique appearance department as Judy does, but she's still attractive (she 100% wins the best ass award) and rocks her own nomad style--racing jacket, jeans (with all kinds of confusing rigging and straps--which I strongly believe were added to accentuate the goods), and boots.

+ Panam's VA also did a great job.  Panam is intense and can seem a bit high strung at times, but she can also be sarcastically funny.

Early story Panam is having a rough go.

+ You meet Panam at a particularly low point in her life.  She got involved with the wrong people (she blames Rogue for that) and they robbed her of her vehicle (something that is extremely important to her nomad identity) and stole the items she was supposed to deliver for a merc gig.  It's a pretty embarrassing place to be for such a badass...she's had to resort to driving a stolen station wagon.  She's also having a bit of an identity crisis and has split off from her clan due to conflicts with Saul, the leader.

+ She's passionately dedicated to the survival of her clan.  The Aldecaldos have suffered a series of setbacks and seem to be on the way to extinction.  She and Saul butt heads over what the future of the clan should look like--Saul wants to cut a deal with a corp, which would provide continued stability, but would essentially strip the clan of freedom (which is core to the nomad way of life).  Panam wants the clan to continue with its traditional (but decidedly riskier) activities like smuggling and attacking corpo convoys to steal tech.

Always so intense!

+ She's a loyal friend who's willing to dive straight into danger to help.  When she finds out that members of her clan are unwittingly heading toward disaster (after you down the Kang Tao AV) she implores V to rescue them and is desperate to make sure they're alright.

My favorite ending is the nomad ending and it's another example of her friendship and loyalty.  V calls her and essentially asks for help with a suicidal task...and she agrees to it (all because she owes V a favor for helping her through her own problems).

+ She's cautious with her feelings--something you'll only discover if you romance her.  I completely expected Panam to be the quick hookup type, but was surprised when my male V's flirtations were repeatedly shutdown.  It's only once you've completed several of her story missions that she finally opens up and reveals that she legitimately cares for V and doesn't want to lose him.  It's a surprisingly sensitive admission and one of the few times when you get to see beneath the "badass chick" veneer.

Panam doesn't get as much backstory as Judy does, so there are fewer opportunities to learn more about her.  There aren't any computers to snoop through and Panam doesn't message as much as Judy does (which makes sense personality-wise).

A rare, quiet moment.

Flaws

Panam's biggest flaw is her hot-headedness and conflict with authority.  She impulsively left the clan (due to her continuing conflict with Saul) and landed herself in a heap o' shit while testing out the ropes of being a mercenary in Night City.  During the first story mission she basically forces V to accompany her to wipe out the hideout of the group of Raffen Shiv led by Nash (the guy who robbed her).  It's extremely dangerous and not part of the mission...  Every time someone seems to wrong Panam, she goes straight on the warpath (a trait that Rogue points out from the very beginning).  Her story involves leading the Aldecaldo's down the path that she views as being the correct one and ignoring the risks.  This lack of foresight has tragic consequences during the Kang Tao AV mission as she didn't plan for the loss of communications that would occur from the EMP blast.  The clan sends a crew to check it out and she has no way to warn them of the dangers (resulting in many deaths).  

Team Judy!

What's the verdict?

I find both Judy and Panam to be likeable characters--CDPR did a great job writing them.  I think Panam gets the short end of the stick when it comes to backstory and Judy's story is much more fleshed out.  Panam doesn't get a computer to snoop through or an apartment with items you can observe.  My personal preference is for Judy--she's the type of character that you just want to learn more about and the "cool chick" vibe really works well and makes her more appealing than Panam.  Neither character is perfect, but they both manage to be interesting in their own ways.