David and Maine's parallels really struck me in Edgerunners episode 7 - I mean, David _is just Maine 2 electric boogaloo at that point._ Exact same build. Exact same place on the team. Some of the same cyberware. Same attitude. Same preference for Smart weapons as he becomes more and more unhinged.
SIDENOTE, your conviction that it’s Maine’s silhouette is like my conviction that the preference for Smart weapons means something. I mean, we’ve previously seen them using relatively normal ballistic firearms (and a Tech shotgun) and at their most… overtaken… by their own cyber ware, we’re seeing them use a gun that essentially aims for them.
What really harrowed me about Maine's death was that even through his cyberpsychosis that led him to kill Dorio, he recognised David. He was gentle with his massive gorilla arms when he held David's pistol and lightly slapped him. Despite becoming violent and dangerous even before Dorio's death, in his final moments he showed what really mattered to him, and that cut into me.
I would say the only character who is actually "special" in cyberpunk lore is V. Because hes dose so much while progressively dying from a relic and the amount of cyberware you can put on V is insane.
Well, Adam Smasher is also pretty borged up, his body is literally all cyberware except for his brain and he has all sorts of extra implants, yet he didn’t lose his mind.
I'd argue it's BECAUSE of the Relic that V gets as far as he/she does. That it's stemming off cyberpsychosis that would otherwise have consumed V already.
There are a LOT of special people in Cyberpunk. V is far from the only one, though I understand why you think so And when it comes to cyberware limit and fighting skill, the Relic helped V. Sure, he had the occasional attack, but V is basically 2 skilled individuals in 1 body. Regular V was a cut above most gangoons, but he was no Morgan Blackhand who, let me remind you, was able to 1 v 1 Smasher with very little implant
In a way Maine was an example how Night City's ethos of "live like a legend, die like a legend" will swallow you whole and allow corporations like Arasaka to keep getting richer while the "poor" stay poor. The same thing happened to Johnny Silverhand. Johnny flew too close to the sun and got caught by Adam Smasher when he could have planted the bomb and left, but he had to go a step further because his ego couldn't let him do the job at hand. That one step was too close to the edge and he fell.
You are aware the bomb was just part 2 of a 3 part plan right. Part 1 was to get Alt Cunningham out of Arasaka's Data base. part 2 was to destroy Arasaka's copy of Soul Killer, IE Bomb Arasaka Tower. Part 3 was to dump all of Arasaka's Dirty laundry onto the net, Crippling them. In truth all three parts worked. Alt was liberated. Arasakas Copy of Soul Killer was Destroyed, and Spider Released all of Arasaka's laundry out onto the open net. Not because of Johny Silverhand, but because of Morgan Blackhand. Johny didn't clash with Smasher, that was Morgan. Johny got shot and his body was buried under Arasaka tower when the bomb went off. The Legends that day were Shamon, Spider, Rogue, and Smasher. The Survivors. It's even insinuated that Morgan somehow managed to Survive. I truly believe that the Live like Legand, Die like a Legand is Corpo Propaganda spun theru Rogue and the Afterlife so Edgerunner's don't become too much of a threat. Because in if a bunch of Edgerunners can cripple a branch of Arasaka with two Nukes, what else can they do?
@@ozmul5810 Remember the context of how those runners got the nukes it was a militech op in the 4th corpo war so edge runners can't just get nukes they can still storm towers and steal data and implant AI's but the nuke bit demands context. Also, there were a ton of militech operatives helping Morgan and Johnny it wasnt a runner op like a normal merc would run. It was a corpo hitjob.
What you're describing is Johnny's engram memories which are outright stated to be false. Johnny got cut in half by Smasher pretty early into the operation. The one who fought Smasher on the top of Saka Tower was Morgan Blackhand, the real operation is detailed in the core book for Cyberpunk 2020.
both in the show and in the game no matter what happens and who it is in the end it all amounts to nothing. maine, V, Johnny, jackie they all die as legends and are well known among edgerunners and street kids but the world they leave behind is the same they started with.
@@417PYRO Thats not entirely true. At least in the game. Certain choices decide rather Arasaka is ran by a near immortal Demigod in the body of Yorinobu. Or its being torn apart and destroyed from within by Yorinobu. So long as you don't side with Arasaka, there Crippled by the end of the game. If the DLC Ending is to be Cannon, there Smashed to peace's and replaced altogether. Ide call that something.
A rather sad fact I see allot in Cyberpunk is that Edgerunner's accept the live fast die young philosophy. When the greatest edge Runner that had ever lived would have disagreed. Morgan Blackhand wrote the book on Solos, fought Adam Smasher and survived on numerous occasions, all with one cybernetic hand. He didn't fight to go out in a blaze of glory but to see the next mission. Both the books and the game haven't declared him dead. Infact one of the running theories is, Morgan Backhand Is Mister Blue Eyes. Thoe to me, my personal theory is Morgan Black hand is well....... Mister hands. When the genre is all about people walking into a meatgrinder. The Ones who stand out are the ones who survived.
@@runningbetweenspacesSome people can’t/won’t. To some people pushing themselves to the edge is the only reason they even bother waking up in the morning.
Morgan blackhand wasn't an edgerunner, I thought edgerunners were specifically the guys that chrome the fuck out and border on cyberpsychosis, Morgan blackhand was simply the greatest solo that ever lived. Didn't even need to chrome out.
@@slimmmshaney5695 Technically if you're going by the books Edge runners is a term used for freelance Mercenaries who do dirty jobs for Corporations so they can keep their hands clean. Another word for them is Merc. Shamon, Silverhand, Rogue, Spider, and yes Blackhand were old school Edgerunners. Chrome or no Chrome. What does that make Falco, Or Dario, or Rebecca? Sure, they had chrome but not as much as David or Maine did. Blackhand was the Edgiest of all Edgerunners as he had very little to any chrome and yet wrote the book on Solos. The most badass Edgerunners there are, as they don't even require a Team to work. Sadley that is one of the Angles V had Over David when it came to Smasher. V is a Solo, fighting another Solo. (with help depending on which path you choose) While David relied heavily on other people and Chrome. I digress, and I commend you if you're still reading this. You're arguing the point I been making. Edgerunner's didn't always chrome out to the point of cyberpsychosis and jump into shit with a ride till you die philosophy. They used to be careful and impactful. I think what we see in Edgerunners in 2076 and 77 is the result of a push by Corpos to make Edgerunners that are useful, but not too powerful to become a threat. Because in Cyberpunk you can't take a shit without some Corpo knowing about it and signing off on it.
Someone may have already said this but I want to add that Maine isn't the one who kills Dorio, a cop is. His gun is pointed past her head and the bullet that ends her strikes from behind. Maine might have thought he killed her (although really his actions leading to this did), but he did not pull the final trigger on her.
It’s quite possible he did. He aimed at Dorio and possibly pulled the trigger but she got out of the way. But Maine had the smart auto tracking L-69 ZHUO shotgun so it’s possible the bullets arced back around and killed her after locking on.
This was such a great analysis of Maine. You made me look at his character in a different light. Your analyses on each Edgerunners character has been sorely needed on UA-cam! Imo Becca is the nost tragic character since she died without anyone giving a shit about her despite her heroism, heart, and loyalty. Unlike David, Lucy, Maine, Gloria, and Dorio, nobody loved her or was prepared to chase her dreams after she died. I mean she didnt even get a drink in the Afterlife for Christ's sake...
This is a side note but the guy who Maine is named after is my video game design teacher (he worked on the cyberpunk ttrpg) he’s really cool! Also his life was fucking crazy. He came back from dieing in the hospital on his own despite having a do not resuscitate order on him cause he was coughing up blood and had black mold in his lung and was the soul survivor of a cancer study. He was also in the military; the guy is super interesting! :] Exited to have him as a teacher. Neither of us have seen edgerunners though lol
The unga bunga bit caught me off guard Great analysis, he's my favorite character in the anime for the same reason. Lots of complexity hiding under all that chrome and testosterone.
Johnny Silverhand died in an unmarked grave underneath a tower that would just be rebuilt like nothing ever happened. We don’t even know what became of Morgan Blackhand, and barely anyone in the game mentions his name. The harsh reality of Cyberpunk is that it doesn’t matter what you do. Eventually you will be forgotten by the masses.
Reminds me of the Ernest Hemingway quote: "Every man has two deaths: when he is buried in the ground and the last time someone says his name. In some ways men can be immortal."
I don't think the warning fell on deaf ears. Just Maine was too chromed to even say it straight. To David, the sandy is speed, it's who he is. Maine told him that the sandy was a part of him, it made him fast, so keep going. But I think it was also understood. David probably pieced together that to follow Maine's "advice" would kill him. But he didn't care. He'd make Lucy happy, keep his promise to Maine and his mother. So he doubled down. Used more chrome than necesarry and ran as fast as anyone, and collapsed harder too.
David clearly could've accomplished his goals without going as far as he did. His crew was already one of the best in the city before he was maxed out. The sandy, arms and some guns would've been more than enough. He could have lived a little slower, loved longer and saw a much better life with Lucy play out. But from just about day 1 with the sandevistan he convinced himself (and then repeatedly reinforced it despite any logic to the contrary) that he was next level special. One of my biggest (and few) complaints about the writing was Lucy's arbitrary distancing and absolute refusal to share anything to David no matter what. But what they /did/ get right was her straight up saying basically "you're not special, you just have a high tolerance, fool." But he was too far gone and she let him get there. Maybe she couldn't have stopped him but I think if anyone could have, it was her.
No one is more tragic thsn becca imo. Shes willing to do whatever it takes and rven gibes her own life just to make david happy, knowing full well that her feelings for him will never be reciprocated. I think there are many people out there who can relate
This. Her death hits so fucking hard because of everything you just said. But it hits even harder because of how brutal and disrespectful it was. She could have escaped with Falco and Lucy and the story would not have changed at all. She died like an unnamed NPC. Even KIWI the traitor had a better, heartfelt, respectful death scene. It's REALLY tough to see her dead body. Colorful, loyal character so full of life and heart reduced to a lifeless corpse.
@@happycompyAs tragic as her death is, I think it was necessary to further David’s descent into insanity. When Rebecca died, David lost his last friend who truly tried to understand him, leaving Lucy as the only person who can possibly save his humanity. Also prevents the potential plot hole of “why didn’t Rebecca do x.”
@@ExtantPerson It wasn't necessary. David was already balls deep and then some. Already doomed to psychosis, already doomed to die by Smasher's hand. The only thing it did was make us sad and be the 85th reminder of how much the city and lifestyle sucks.
"Imagine, growing up in poverty, surrounded by crime, taunted by gleaming palaces of the rich and cutthroat" Welcome to the real world, may I take your order?
This show is glorious, and so is the game. I have NEVER had a video game and an anime both make me cry like a baby. Truth be told, I have tears in my eyes as I type this, I felt the loss of Dorio, Maine and Rebbeca hit me like a ton of bricks. THIS is amazing story telling at its finest.
I have to say, this video was incredible. I really enjoyed how you dove into Maine's psychology, especially his past influenced that, even if we only got small hints about it, and how his mistakes lead to David's own spiral into madness. Loved every second, hope you keep up the great work.
The way Maine dies, and how Kurosaki warned David about the path he was walking only serves to remind you that, in the end, David choosed to live and die the way he did. OHHH BOY there is a mega analysis, I'm skipping sleep tonight.
That intro hit so hard, I couldn't have worded it in that way, even if I tried. Earned a sub, keep up the fantastic work. I'm straight geeking over how well made this is
One point regarding Maine wanting that Sandevistan may also link in to the "Let You Down" music video that acted like a prelude to the series. There we saw a different netrunner (Sasha) in Maine's crew who broke into BioTechnica. However, there Maine wasn't fast enough to save her when things went wrong and you could really see him feeling like he let her down whilst looking at her dead body afterwards. So that might be why he was so feverishly searching for that Sandevistan; so that he would never be too slow ever again. ua-cam.com/video/BnnbP7pCIvQ/v-deo.html
your videos are truly AMAZING! you speak in a way that gives me a new perspective and makes me look at things differently. it allows me to understand things I had overlooked and not paid attention to while watching the series for the first time. they make the value of those characters and stories increase multiple times for me. Your channel is fantastic. I really wish you could gain more views and subscribers as soon as possible because what you do is really great and you deserve the best. i'm looking forward to more contents and more breakdowns from more stories❤
Amazing video! Just finished this show, absolute piece of art. I can see how David and Maine could be made to believe how adding more chrome is the only way to escape Night City
Had a conversation with a friend of mine after finally watching the first 5 episodes, and we kinda drew a connection between David's (and by extension Maine's) need for Chrome and the Riddle of Steel from Conan the Barbarian.
Edgerunners is such an incredible show. All the characters are incredible and highly memorable, and my personal favorite is tied between Maine, David, and Lucy. Also, just an afterthought- David could not have met Maine at a better time emotionally, since after losing his mother, what he needed most was any sort of parental figure.
the edits were really good and so was the construction of the video and points talked about. I likes this a lot. also the gorilla joke made me laugh lol
The bad thing is when you can't do the best thing, when you are stuck on the slums, because your only ladder is money and money doesn't come your way. Not even when you work it becomes enough sometimes
@@anzullic I would die 100% I have asthma, it's REALLY bad, the worst kind, I use medicine like if I was a diabetic, if I drop everything to try and restart I will die in the first die after choking to death on my own lung
I still have a moment for Maine now and again. Just listen to the track and just think about him, guy is in my head rent free on the respect front. He tried.
You know, had V met david, they might have been able to talk him down, especially after the cyberpsycho missions, because at that point V has knowledge that not only can anyone break but the trigger for it can be any number of things. During those missions V finds out that people have broken because they were stuffed with cyberware, they broke because of drugs, they broke because of trauma, or they broke just because of stress, and the only reason V didn't is because they got "lucky."
I feel like cyberpyschosis could’ve been easily preventable, I don’t see why they need to attach gadgets to their bodies rather than holding it as an item, they chrome up to do better on the job and live but that same chrome shortens their lives
@@Sacr3dHam trauma team still had full sets of gear, bulletproof vests, helmets, etc, I don’t see the need for a rocket launcher inside your arm or legs
@@qs2808 Trauma team's incredibly expensive high tech equipment is supplied by Kang Tao. The majority of Edgerunners aren't going to be able to afford that without chroming up to complete higher paying gigs
Ya that's smart never thought of that have super lightspec chrome for the house and your "work clothes" for the job thdt tell David and maine to go light implying they can wear simple arms instead let their brain and body settle and wear their good chrome when they need or in sandevistans case just use it once or twice on the job like doc said
There is a bit more of his backstory in the edge runner on stuff that came out a little while back. They even tie his military service in with Reed from PL
Damn I love it when a random video I didn’t ask for just opens the door to an addictive, bingable channel. Awesome format, feels like my uni days when I was making presentations for the class ❤️🔥
9:45 don't apologize for recognizing artistic intent. What makes this series and Arcane so much more beautiful and expressive is the way symbolism is used all throughout each episode so that even if you don't see it, subconsciously you'll generally pick up on the feeling those symbols represent and that's the beauty of using symbolism in a 2d representation of a well thoughtout world. I promise you, if you look more, you'll see even more symbols, mini-arcs that aren't stated by anyone, just shown as they're happening, symbols like the shadow being used to represent ideas that are relevant to what's going on, and so much more. What you see and can share with others so they can see it as well is what you're presenting to us - the audience. Never apologize for it. For providing more context to those who missed it, allowing the IP to become more magical and "real" to even more people. Own it and be proud of it. Yes, the whole "living in the shadow of" trope is blatantly shown in this clip and it's such a powerful expression of what David feels like he's bound to. He HAS to rise up and become something and someone he idolized for the longest. He has to fill that void left behind by this man who was a father figure to him but also so much more to everyone else around him. He was the glue that made the team work. He was the direction that made the life or death calls and had to know he was right in his orders and that they won't result in his crew getting killed. He was such a powerful figure and then he died. And when you see a metaphorical god die before your eyes, it kinda messes you up. Even moreso when you're expecting yourself to take on his role as you're now bound to the shadow. This is pretty much the arc of David, how he sees himself as that which fills the shadow, but needs to learn that he's not supposed to lead as a copy of what came before, he needs to lead as the leader he becomes himself. It's symbolized all throughout the story and is the reason for a few conflicts along the way but is a damn good on shown along with all of the other arcs and strories happening. Anywho, you're awesome! Just never apologize for being awesome! :D
They went all out with his design. Even if he had 2 minutes of screentime, he had an important role in the story, and it’s depressing to know he and Maine are not all that different in the end.
Probably one of the best video essays I’ve seen on UA-cam, only thing that spilled it was a moron in your comment section that actually ruin the end of cyberpunk by path of that this is fantastic
Sometimes striving for too much can change a person for wanting more and more not realizing that we all have line we shouldn't cross. I think by the time David had gotten that military tech and did few jobs he should've just ended there but us as people always want to strive for more then we could handle.
I like to think that when Dorio was shot, Maine thought he did it since it all happened so fast and his mind was literally a blur... he shot his gun and sees her go down though she was shot by NCPD from behind. Even his tone of voice and when tells David "she didn't make it", this might not be the case and probably is just a headcanon but I like the idea that Maine died thinking he killed her Great video btw! Also little maybe fun fact idk but episode 6 is titled "Girl on Fire" and... I'll just let the rest come to you guys
Maines final scene gets me every time. Man, so sad. The music that plays during that scene... its super simple, only a couple notes, but man, is it powerful. I was not expecting that caveman dub at the end lmao
Maine honestly kinda reminds me of John Silver from specifically treasure planet. Maine's relationship with David is like a dark mirror of the relationship between Silver and jim imo
How come you didn't go over the music video of "Let You Down"? I thought it added to the tragedy of Maine, the big warm smile he gave to Sasha when she left the bar and then him shedding a tear and clenching his hand while its shaking after she died right in front of him
Awesome analysis of an awesome character! 9:40 is totally not a reach. Nothing put in animation (especially quality animation such as edgerunners) is unintentional!
This was such a great breakdown of one of my favorite characters in the series! Random question though, what's the song that's playing in the background during the "Goliath" segment?
I think that CDPR wanted to evolve the topic of cyberpsychosis in the anime because it basically had no effect in the game before the phantom city patch. I mention this because V is decked out in so much chrome that he would have been a cyber psycho long before ever fighting Adam Smasher. I hope that they try to make players feel the effects of cyberpsychosis in the next game because it's such a trippy topic with the hallucinations and the rage.
I caught up on the show and, frankly, I think Maine was an abusive, hot-headed and impulsive asshole. Even with David going over the edge full-borg, he was never quite as bad as Maine was at his worst. Maine could never just let a failed mission be or avoid poking a tiger. When the mission to swap some guy's car's navigational data failed, he just went ahead and stole the car despite discretion being the point. Rather than let the failure lie, he went and kidnapped the Arasaka executive which really was ultimately his downfall. To put it bluntly, I think Maine was a _bad_ mercenary. A genuinely unskilled buffoon who leans on technology and numbers as a crutch to make up for his utter incompetence. I found his behavior throughout the show incredibly disagreeable and offputting and now I think I know why. He's a brute who doesn't think and who doesn't really lead. I also find him presumptuous and pushy, part of why David takes him on as a role model too. And this incompetence gets handed down to David in his excessive chroming and lack of improvement in his basic skills. David's Sandevistan is a crutch. I don't think I ever recall him ever learning to aim a gun or swing a katana or something. He always just runs barehanded up to his enemies so he can't miss or veers away from attacks of his enemies after-the-fact. And because of his laziness, he has no concept of how to fight anybody who can follow him at the same speed. And he paper over these inadequacies with robot legs or arm cannons and other stupid unnecessary gimmicks. He's just equipment, not an actual soldier or martial artist. I think that's even an intentional narrative point. Lucy has David jogging at night because she thinks the extra stamina is important. She _trains._ David later bypasses this step entirely by buying a lung implant, immediately getting an improvement to his endurance. And that's the complete difference between Lucy and Maine's approach as mercs. Maine never tries to adapt or plan around his weaknesses. Never learns from his failures, he just buys the next implant. If the implant isn't enough, then he has his crew. If _that_ isn't enough, he bulldozes forward blindly anyway.
Technically if you really wanna stretch it Maine kinda had a introduction in episode 1 where he was texting Gloria about the sandy but I can imagine this doesn’t really count like I said it’s a stretch depending how you view it.
I like what you like, I almost ended up like Main. But I’ve learned I’m not special nor super human nor do I regret my life any longer. If anything, these days I am grateful to have lived and be alive today
I have a theory that David’s Dad was actually a Dogtown resident. If you play inside the walled city long enough, you’ll notice that there are more cyberware capacity shards there than anywhere else. And the reason David has such a high cyberware capacity on day one, is because he was already “upgraded” by his father or mother when he was very young.
The caveman wife meme was fucking hilarious, accurate, and still hurts like hell. How dare you put me through that emotional rollercoaster all over again. Maine is a fantastically tragic character, and I wouldn't change a damn thing. This anime was as close to perfect as it could get with it's writing. Cyberpunk as a genre didn't click with me before, but man, it's so fucking good once it did. I'm entirely hooked on it now.
Maine should have kept his firmware up to date and his parts under warranty. He might have had time to see where he was going before He was there staring at a pile of regrets and his dead lover.
I find it funny that all the mercs who try to leave their mark on the world, to be special, to "become a legend" always lose to the city and die as fools. V, Jackie, David, Maine, Rebecca, Johnny, potentially even Takemura and Reed; all people who once died trying to change the city instead of enforcing their way of life and striving to survive Night City. Think about all the strongest and the ones who live the longest. V, Morgan Blackhand, Rogue, Alt Cunningham, Adam Smasher, Saburo Arasaka, maybe even Songbird; all people who fought to live the way they saw fit, and who molded the world simply by acting as they saw fit. Trying to leave a mark on, or fighting back against the World of Cyberpunk will only get you killed or left ravaged and powerless. The people who actually make it far and change the world are those work to enforce their position in the world, not tying themselves down with delusions of grandeur or the refusal to adapt. They become strong by evolving with the world, not by letting the world control them.
David and Maine's parallels really struck me in Edgerunners episode 7 - I mean, David _is just Maine 2 electric boogaloo at that point._ Exact same build. Exact same place on the team. Some of the same cyberware. Same attitude. Same preference for Smart weapons as he becomes more and more unhinged.
SIDENOTE, your conviction that it’s Maine’s silhouette is like my conviction that the preference for Smart weapons means something. I mean, we’ve previously seen them using relatively normal ballistic firearms (and a Tech shotgun) and at their most… overtaken… by their own cyber ware, we’re seeing them use a gun that essentially aims for them.
@@fluffywolfo3663true, but maine doesn’t actually use the smart aim on his shotgun in the show, he manually aims that bitch for the most part
love the sunny reference
Maine was a father figure and David was inspired by him. He ended up taking on some of his bad traits too.
That's exactly why David was a moron who brought that ending upon himself. He learnt absolutely nothing from Maine's tragic example
What really harrowed me about Maine's death was that even through his cyberpsychosis that led him to kill Dorio, he recognised David. He was gentle with his massive gorilla arms when he held David's pistol and lightly slapped him. Despite becoming violent and dangerous even before Dorio's death, in his final moments he showed what really mattered to him, and that cut into me.
He didn’t kill dorio she got shot from the cops behind
@@ShowTheAnime I gasped loudly when that happened. It was truly so sudden
@@MidoriGa95 I didn't think so. Felt very much like she was about to die there, just I thought he was gonna do it rather than the cops
I would say the only character who is actually "special" in cyberpunk lore is V. Because hes dose so much while progressively dying from a relic and the amount of cyberware you can put on V is insane.
😅😊😊
Well, Adam Smasher is also pretty borged up, his body is literally all cyberware except for his brain and he has all sorts of extra implants, yet he didn’t lose his mind.
@@riceball52 he’s a high functioning cyber psycho
I'd argue it's BECAUSE of the Relic that V gets as far as he/she does. That it's stemming off cyberpsychosis that would otherwise have consumed V already.
There are a LOT of special people in Cyberpunk. V is far from the only one, though I understand why you think so
And when it comes to cyberware limit and fighting skill, the Relic helped V. Sure, he had the occasional attack, but V is basically 2 skilled individuals in 1 body. Regular V was a cut above most gangoons, but he was no Morgan Blackhand who, let me remind you, was able to 1 v 1 Smasher with very little implant
In a way Maine was an example how Night City's ethos of "live like a legend, die like a legend" will swallow you whole and allow corporations like Arasaka to keep getting richer while the "poor" stay poor. The same thing happened to Johnny Silverhand. Johnny flew too close to the sun and got caught by Adam Smasher when he could have planted the bomb and left, but he had to go a step further because his ego couldn't let him do the job at hand. That one step was too close to the edge and he fell.
You are aware the bomb was just part 2 of a 3 part plan right.
Part 1 was to get Alt Cunningham out of Arasaka's Data base.
part 2 was to destroy Arasaka's copy of Soul Killer, IE Bomb Arasaka Tower.
Part 3 was to dump all of Arasaka's Dirty laundry onto the net, Crippling them.
In truth all three parts worked. Alt was liberated. Arasakas Copy of Soul Killer was Destroyed, and Spider Released all of Arasaka's laundry out onto the open net.
Not because of Johny Silverhand, but because of Morgan Blackhand. Johny didn't clash with Smasher, that was Morgan.
Johny got shot and his body was buried under Arasaka tower when the bomb went off.
The Legends that day were Shamon, Spider, Rogue, and Smasher. The Survivors. It's even insinuated that Morgan somehow managed to Survive.
I truly believe that the Live like Legand, Die like a Legand is Corpo Propaganda spun theru Rogue and the Afterlife so Edgerunner's don't become too much of a threat.
Because in if a bunch of Edgerunners can cripple a branch of Arasaka with two Nukes, what else can they do?
@@ozmul5810 Remember the context of how those runners got the nukes it was a militech op in the 4th corpo war so edge runners can't just get nukes they can still storm towers and steal data and implant AI's but the nuke bit demands context. Also, there were a ton of militech operatives helping Morgan and Johnny it wasnt a runner op like a normal merc would run. It was a corpo hitjob.
What you're describing is Johnny's engram memories which are outright stated to be false. Johnny got cut in half by Smasher pretty early into the operation. The one who fought Smasher on the top of Saka Tower was Morgan Blackhand, the real operation is detailed in the core book for Cyberpunk 2020.
both in the show and in the game no matter what happens and who it is in the end it all amounts to nothing. maine, V, Johnny, jackie they all die as legends and are well known among edgerunners and street kids but the world they leave behind is the same they started with.
@@417PYRO Thats not entirely true.
At least in the game. Certain choices decide rather Arasaka is ran by a near immortal Demigod in the body of Yorinobu. Or its being torn apart and destroyed from within by Yorinobu.
So long as you don't side with Arasaka, there Crippled by the end of the game.
If the DLC Ending is to be Cannon, there Smashed to peace's and replaced altogether. Ide call that something.
A rather sad fact I see allot in Cyberpunk is that Edgerunner's accept the live fast die young philosophy. When the greatest edge Runner that had ever lived would have disagreed.
Morgan Blackhand wrote the book on Solos, fought Adam Smasher and survived on numerous occasions, all with one cybernetic hand. He didn't fight to go out in a blaze of glory but to see the next mission. Both the books and the game haven't declared him dead. Infact one of the running theories is, Morgan Backhand Is Mister Blue Eyes. Thoe to me, my personal theory is Morgan Black hand is well....... Mister hands.
When the genre is all about people walking into a meatgrinder. The Ones who stand out are the ones who survived.
True, because they realize at some point they have to slow down.
@@runningbetweenspaces A thing of beauty... Will never fade away.
@@runningbetweenspacesSome people can’t/won’t. To some people pushing themselves to the edge is the only reason they even bother waking up in the morning.
Morgan blackhand wasn't an edgerunner, I thought edgerunners were specifically the guys that chrome the fuck out and border on cyberpsychosis, Morgan blackhand was simply the greatest solo that ever lived. Didn't even need to chrome out.
@@slimmmshaney5695 Technically if you're going by the books Edge runners is a term used for freelance Mercenaries who do dirty jobs for Corporations so they can keep their hands clean. Another word for them is Merc. Shamon, Silverhand, Rogue, Spider, and yes Blackhand were old school Edgerunners. Chrome or no Chrome.
What does that make Falco, Or Dario, or Rebecca? Sure, they had chrome but not as much as David or Maine did.
Blackhand was the Edgiest of all Edgerunners as he had very little to any chrome and yet wrote the book on Solos.
The most badass Edgerunners there are, as they don't even require a Team to work.
Sadley that is one of the Angles V had Over David when it came to Smasher.
V is a Solo, fighting another Solo. (with help depending on which path you choose)
While David relied heavily on other people and Chrome.
I digress, and I commend you if you're still reading this. You're arguing the point I been making. Edgerunner's didn't always chrome out to the point of cyberpsychosis and jump into shit with a ride till you die philosophy. They used to be careful and impactful.
I think what we see in Edgerunners in 2076 and 77 is the result of a push by Corpos to make Edgerunners that are useful, but not too powerful to become a threat.
Because in Cyberpunk you can't take a shit without some Corpo knowing about it and signing off on it.
Someone may have already said this but I want to add that Maine isn't the one who kills Dorio, a cop is. His gun is pointed past her head and the bullet that ends her strikes from behind. Maine might have thought he killed her (although really his actions leading to this did), but he did not pull the final trigger on her.
It’s quite possible he did. He aimed at Dorio and possibly pulled the trigger but she got out of the way. But Maine had the smart auto tracking L-69 ZHUO shotgun so it’s possible the bullets arced back around and killed her after locking on.
This was such a great analysis of Maine. You made me look at his character in a different light. Your analyses on each Edgerunners character has been sorely needed on UA-cam!
Imo Becca is the nost tragic character since she died without anyone giving a shit about her despite her heroism, heart, and loyalty. Unlike David, Lucy, Maine, Gloria, and Dorio, nobody loved her or was prepared to chase her dreams after she died.
I mean she didnt even get a drink in the Afterlife for Christ's sake...
Ahhh thank you so so much! And yes, very true and good point about Becca. Ugh. She deserved way better 100% 😭
I cried at this imaginary mans death. That is good writing
This is a side note but the guy who Maine is named after is my video game design teacher (he worked on the cyberpunk ttrpg) he’s really cool! Also his life was fucking crazy. He came back from dieing in the hospital on his own despite having a do not resuscitate order on him cause he was coughing up blood and had black mold in his lung and was the soul survivor of a cancer study. He was also in the military; the guy is super interesting! :] Exited to have him as a teacher.
Neither of us have seen edgerunners though lol
The unga bunga bit caught me off guard
Great analysis, he's my favorite character in the anime for the same reason. Lots of complexity hiding under all that chrome and testosterone.
Johnny Silverhand died in an unmarked grave underneath a tower that would just be rebuilt like nothing ever happened.
We don’t even know what became of Morgan Blackhand, and barely anyone in the game mentions his name.
The harsh reality of Cyberpunk is that it doesn’t matter what you do. Eventually you will be forgotten by the masses.
Blackhand disappeared in the shadows while he could still do so.
Morgan is a living legend among mercs, dudes mere existence raised the quality of solos and mercs alike
At least Johnny got a drink named after him. Rebecca died fighting Smasher and got nothing.
Reminds me of the Ernest Hemingway quote: "Every man has two deaths: when he is buried in the ground and the last time someone says his name. In some ways men can be immortal."
There's no happy endings in Night City. Bittersweet or downright sad endings are a Hallmark of the entire genre of Cyberpunk media not just this IP.
I do not know if it was intentional or not by the writers, but the name Maine, is also a word in Finnish for a reputation, renown, fame / stature.
As someone actually from maine i appreciate this
I don't think the warning fell on deaf ears. Just Maine was too chromed to even say it straight. To David, the sandy is speed, it's who he is. Maine told him that the sandy was a part of him, it made him fast, so keep going. But I think it was also understood. David probably pieced together that to follow Maine's "advice" would kill him. But he didn't care.
He'd make Lucy happy, keep his promise to Maine and his mother. So he doubled down. Used more chrome than necesarry and ran as fast as anyone, and collapsed harder too.
David clearly could've accomplished his goals without going as far as he did. His crew was already one of the best in the city before he was maxed out. The sandy, arms and some guns would've been more than enough. He could have lived a little slower, loved longer and saw a much better life with Lucy play out. But from just about day 1 with the sandevistan he convinced himself (and then repeatedly reinforced it despite any logic to the contrary) that he was next level special. One of my biggest (and few) complaints about the writing was Lucy's arbitrary distancing and absolute refusal to share anything to David no matter what. But what they /did/ get right was her straight up saying basically "you're not special, you just have a high tolerance, fool." But he was too far gone and she let him get there. Maybe she couldn't have stopped him but I think if anyone could have, it was her.
glad I found your channel. I just did a rewatch of edgerunners, and fuck it hit me WAY harder the second time i watched it...
Ughhh it gets worse in the feels each rewatch 🤣 I hear ya! Thank you so much for watching!
This is such an underrated channel. I randomly came across your David vid, and instantly subscribed.
Thank you so much for that! Means a lot. Super fun making these videos, especially knowing you’re enjoying them 😄
No one is more tragic thsn becca imo. Shes willing to do whatever it takes and rven gibes her own life just to make david happy, knowing full well that her feelings for him will never be reciprocated.
I think there are many people out there who can relate
This. Her death hits so fucking hard because of everything you just said. But it hits even harder because of how brutal and disrespectful it was. She could have escaped with Falco and Lucy and the story would not have changed at all. She died like an unnamed NPC. Even KIWI the traitor had a better, heartfelt, respectful death scene. It's REALLY tough to see her dead body. Colorful, loyal character so full of life and heart reduced to a lifeless corpse.
@@happycompyAs tragic as her death is, I think it was necessary to further David’s descent into insanity. When Rebecca died, David lost his last friend who truly tried to understand him, leaving Lucy as the only person who can possibly save his humanity. Also prevents the potential plot hole of “why didn’t Rebecca do x.”
Simp detected
The woman who was cucked to death.
@@ExtantPerson It wasn't necessary. David was already balls deep and then some. Already doomed to psychosis, already doomed to die by Smasher's hand. The only thing it did was make us sad and be the 85th reminder of how much the city and lifestyle sucks.
"Imagine, growing up in poverty, surrounded by crime, taunted by gleaming palaces of the rich and cutthroat"
Welcome to the real world, may I take your order?
maine was a real one
This show is glorious, and so is the game. I have NEVER had a video game and an anime both make me cry like a baby. Truth be told, I have tears in my eyes as I type this, I felt the loss of Dorio, Maine and Rebbeca hit me like a ton of bricks. THIS is amazing story telling at its finest.
I have to say, this video was incredible. I really enjoyed how you dove into Maine's psychology, especially his past influenced that, even if we only got small hints about it, and how his mistakes lead to David's own spiral into madness. Loved every second, hope you keep up the great work.
Thank you so much, Peter! That means a lot. Will do! :D
No more running for me, dawg. Reaper's finally callin my name.
I'm loving your Edgerunner character analyises!
AWWW thank you so much! So glad to hear it!!!
This is just what I was looking for! The way you look into these characters is uncanny. I love delving deep into characters or people for that matter.
The way Maine dies, and how Kurosaki warned David about the path he was walking only serves to remind you that, in the end, David choosed to live and die the way he did.
OHHH BOY there is a mega analysis, I'm skipping sleep tonight.
That intro hit so hard, I couldn't have worded it in that way, even if I tried. Earned a sub, keep up the fantastic work. I'm straight geeking over how well made this is
Awww thank you so so much! Genuinely happy to hear it, thank you!
One point regarding Maine wanting that Sandevistan may also link in to the "Let You Down" music video that acted like a prelude to the series. There we saw a different netrunner (Sasha) in Maine's crew who broke into BioTechnica. However, there Maine wasn't fast enough to save her when things went wrong and you could really see him feeling like he let her down whilst looking at her dead body afterwards. So that might be why he was so feverishly searching for that Sandevistan; so that he would never be too slow ever again.
ua-cam.com/video/BnnbP7pCIvQ/v-deo.html
your videos are truly AMAZING! you speak in a way that gives me a new perspective and makes me look at things differently. it allows me to understand things I had overlooked and not paid attention to while watching the series for the first time. they make the value of those characters and stories increase multiple times for me. Your channel is fantastic. I really wish you could gain more views and subscribers as soon as possible because what you do is really great and you deserve the best. i'm looking forward to more contents and more breakdowns from more stories❤
AWWW OMG THANK YOU!!! 😭 thank you so much for watching my videos!
Finally a Maine vid i thought i was the only fan
I am LOVING the Analysis videos, thanks for another banger hon! cant wait to see whats next
AHHHH THANK YOU JAY
Maine could have had his own series. Love this video.
If they ever do decide to do a miniseries on him, it would be a great watch I’m sure!
Maine's death fucked me up man
Amazing video! Just finished this show, absolute piece of art. I can see how David and Maine could be made to believe how adding more chrome is the only way to escape Night City
Had a conversation with a friend of mine after finally watching the first 5 episodes, and we kinda drew a connection between David's (and by extension Maine's) need for Chrome and the Riddle of Steel from Conan the Barbarian.
Lydia, I'm absolutely hooked on this cyberpunk content. Grateful for your efforts.
AWW THANK YOU!
Edgerunners is such an incredible show. All the characters are incredible and highly memorable, and my personal favorite is tied between Maine, David, and Lucy. Also, just an afterthought- David could not have met Maine at a better time emotionally, since after losing his mother, what he needed most was any sort of parental figure.
been seeing the recommendations for this girl's videos for months now. and damn i regret not seeing them before. great analysis
the edits were really good and so was the construction of the video and points talked about. I likes this a lot. also the gorilla joke made me laugh lol
Hey, thank you so much! 😄
Nice touch finishing the video with maine's last moments sound track
I think the best thing we can do for ourselves is to live in a good environment.
The bad thing is when you can't do the best thing, when you are stuck on the slums, because your only ladder is money and money doesn't come your way. Not even when you work it becomes enough sometimes
@@keyman245 Do you live in the slums?
@@anzullic unironically yeah, full on poverty, 100% fucked up here on Brasil
@@keyman245 How far do you think you could get if you drop absolutely everything?
@@anzullic I would die 100%
I have asthma, it's REALLY bad, the worst kind, I use medicine like if I was a diabetic, if I drop everything to try and restart I will die in the first die after choking to death on my own lung
Love ur videos on cyberpunk it’s such a great anime. Bout to rewatch and ruin my week thanks😭😢
You should do more edge runner videos, this one was peak.
this is such an underrated video series !!! I LOVE IT
Ahhhh thank you!!! 😄
Loving every video so far keep up the epic work 💪😎
Aww thank you!
I still have a moment for Maine now and again. Just listen to the track and just think about him, guy is in my head rent free on the respect front. He tried.
You know, had V met david, they might have been able to talk him down, especially after the cyberpsycho missions, because at that point V has knowledge that not only can anyone break but the trigger for it can be any number of things.
During those missions V finds out that people have broken because they were stuffed with cyberware, they broke because of drugs, they broke because of trauma, or they broke just because of stress, and the only reason V didn't is because they got "lucky."
I feel like cyberpyschosis could’ve been easily preventable, I don’t see why they need to attach gadgets to their bodies rather than holding it as an item, they chrome up to do better on the job and live but that same chrome shortens their lives
You can only really hold one, maybe two items at a time though. Plus a lot of the chrome wouldn't work correctly if not wired into your nervous system
@@Sacr3dHam trauma team still had full sets of gear, bulletproof vests, helmets, etc, I don’t see the need for a rocket launcher inside your arm or legs
@@qs2808 Trauma team's incredibly expensive high tech equipment is supplied by Kang Tao. The majority of Edgerunners aren't going to be able to afford that without chroming up to complete higher paying gigs
Ya that's smart never thought of that have super lightspec chrome for the house and your "work clothes" for the job thdt tell David and maine to go light implying they can wear simple arms instead let their brain and body settle and wear their good chrome when they need or in sandevistans case just use it once or twice on the job like doc said
They took the chrome too far
Maine reminded me of the first squad leader I had in the army.
There is a bit more of his backstory in the edge runner on stuff that came out a little while back. They even tie his military service in with Reed from PL
Heyy, I just want to say you are doing a great job!!!! Great content and you explain it very well!! Keep doing you ❤
Damn I love it when a random video I didn’t ask for just opens the door to an addictive, bingable channel. Awesome format, feels like my uni days when I was making presentations for the class ❤️🔥
AWWW THANK YOU! Glad you like the videos! 😄
9:45 don't apologize for recognizing artistic intent. What makes this series and Arcane so much more beautiful and expressive is the way symbolism is used all throughout each episode so that even if you don't see it, subconsciously you'll generally pick up on the feeling those symbols represent and that's the beauty of using symbolism in a 2d representation of a well thoughtout world. I promise you, if you look more, you'll see even more symbols, mini-arcs that aren't stated by anyone, just shown as they're happening, symbols like the shadow being used to represent ideas that are relevant to what's going on, and so much more. What you see and can share with others so they can see it as well is what you're presenting to us - the audience. Never apologize for it. For providing more context to those who missed it, allowing the IP to become more magical and "real" to even more people. Own it and be proud of it.
Yes, the whole "living in the shadow of" trope is blatantly shown in this clip and it's such a powerful expression of what David feels like he's bound to. He HAS to rise up and become something and someone he idolized for the longest. He has to fill that void left behind by this man who was a father figure to him but also so much more to everyone else around him. He was the glue that made the team work. He was the direction that made the life or death calls and had to know he was right in his orders and that they won't result in his crew getting killed. He was such a powerful figure and then he died. And when you see a metaphorical god die before your eyes, it kinda messes you up. Even moreso when you're expecting yourself to take on his role as you're now bound to the shadow.
This is pretty much the arc of David, how he sees himself as that which fills the shadow, but needs to learn that he's not supposed to lead as a copy of what came before, he needs to lead as the leader he becomes himself. It's symbolized all throughout the story and is the reason for a few conflicts along the way but is a damn good on shown along with all of the other arcs and strories happening.
Anywho, you're awesome! Just never apologize for being awesome! :D
Think of how many more MaxTec he would have Zero'd if he had the Sandy when he went CyberPsycho.
my group's fan canon is that maine was david's dad all along os this fits in neatly
Love the analysis! Great video
I like to ignore how gut wrenching this show is and think they all lived happily ever after.
This was very eye opening. Thanks
Thanks for watching. 😄
James Norris is the most bad ass character I’ve ever seen in the short time we got to see him.
They went all out with his design. Even if he had 2 minutes of screentime, he had an important role in the story, and it’s depressing to know he and Maine are not all that different in the end.
She really said "imagine" and described my situation. Minus the special part I'm dying on poverty
Probably one of the best video essays I’ve seen on UA-cam, only thing that spilled it was a moron in your comment section that actually ruin the end of cyberpunk by path of that this is fantastic
Awwwww thank you! 😄 AND OH NOOOOOOO
Sometimes striving for too much can change a person for wanting more and more not realizing that we all have line we shouldn't cross. I think by the time David had gotten that military tech and did few jobs he should've just ended there but us as people always want to strive for more then we could handle.
I like to think that when Dorio was shot, Maine thought he did it since it all happened so fast and his mind was literally a blur... he shot his gun and sees her go down though she was shot by NCPD from behind. Even his tone of voice and when tells David "she didn't make it", this might not be the case and probably is just a headcanon but I like the idea that Maine died thinking he killed her
Great video btw!
Also little maybe fun fact idk but episode 6 is titled "Girl on Fire" and... I'll just let the rest come to you guys
There’s so much more to Dorio than meets the eye! Totally agree with your idea about Maine thinking he shot her. Thank you so much for watching. 😄
Very well thought out analysis!
Thank you so much!!!
Maines final scene gets me every time. Man, so sad. The music that plays during that scene... its super simple, only a couple notes, but man, is it powerful.
I was not expecting that caveman dub at the end lmao
Maine honestly kinda reminds me of John Silver from specifically treasure planet. Maine's relationship with David is like a dark mirror of the relationship between Silver and jim imo
9:43
Naw, its not a coincidence, davids hair's all spiky right there, shadows def more clean cut hair. they were 100% going for that
This video was a banger, thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching.
i would say from the flashback sequences Maine either grew up in the Badlands within NC's border or in Santo Domingo
That show was so tragic for real. I have never gotten a therapy ad, after watching this video it played one. (Im not joking)
Maine and Dorio are my favorite characters from the show, they were awesome from start to finish.
the MAINE thing I can think of is 'How TF do wired earphones have a better mic than my headset!'
That’s what I keep asking myself too lol
How come you didn't go over the music video of "Let You Down"? I thought it added to the tragedy of Maine, the big warm smile he gave to Sasha when she left the bar and then him shedding a tear and clenching his hand while its shaking after she died right in front of him
Awesome analysis of an awesome character! 9:40 is totally not a reach. Nothing put in animation (especially quality animation such as edgerunners) is unintentional!
great essay
They need a season 2 for
This
This was such a great breakdown of one of my favorite characters in the series! Random question though, what's the song that's playing in the background during the "Goliath" segment?
AWESOME VIDEO
i enjoyed it a lot, nice job 😁👍
Great video but now I'm sad. Thanks!
I think that CDPR wanted to evolve the topic of cyberpsychosis in the anime because it basically had no effect in the game before the phantom city patch. I mention this because V is decked out in so much chrome that he would have been a cyber psycho long before ever fighting Adam Smasher. I hope that they try to make players feel the effects of cyberpsychosis in the next game because it's such a trippy topic with the hallucinations and the rage.
Mane Was so Dope. Strong, Charismatic, Primal.
I'm so glad the algorithem suggested me this video! The only critisizem I have is for the funny/weird edit in the end which was kind og random😂
I caught up on the show and, frankly, I think Maine was an abusive, hot-headed and impulsive asshole. Even with David going over the edge full-borg, he was never quite as bad as Maine was at his worst. Maine could never just let a failed mission be or avoid poking a tiger. When the mission to swap some guy's car's navigational data failed, he just went ahead and stole the car despite discretion being the point. Rather than let the failure lie, he went and kidnapped the Arasaka executive which really was ultimately his downfall.
To put it bluntly, I think Maine was a _bad_ mercenary. A genuinely unskilled buffoon who leans on technology and numbers as a crutch to make up for his utter incompetence. I found his behavior throughout the show incredibly disagreeable and offputting and now I think I know why. He's a brute who doesn't think and who doesn't really lead. I also find him presumptuous and pushy, part of why David takes him on as a role model too.
And this incompetence gets handed down to David in his excessive chroming and lack of improvement in his basic skills. David's Sandevistan is a crutch. I don't think I ever recall him ever learning to aim a gun or swing a katana or something. He always just runs barehanded up to his enemies so he can't miss or veers away from attacks of his enemies after-the-fact. And because of his laziness, he has no concept of how to fight anybody who can follow him at the same speed. And he paper over these inadequacies with robot legs or arm cannons and other stupid unnecessary gimmicks. He's just equipment, not an actual soldier or martial artist.
I think that's even an intentional narrative point. Lucy has David jogging at night because she thinks the extra stamina is important. She _trains._ David later bypasses this step entirely by buying a lung implant, immediately getting an improvement to his endurance. And that's the complete difference between Lucy and Maine's approach as mercs. Maine never tries to adapt or plan around his weaknesses. Never learns from his failures, he just buys the next implant. If the implant isn't enough, then he has his crew. If _that_ isn't enough, he bulldozes forward blindly anyway.
Man I cry when he die I won't let you reopen that Wound again keep up the work 😂😢
I loved Maine he was my favorite Character
That wife joke at the end is foul 😆
Love this analysis
Thank you! 😄
Technically if you really wanna stretch it Maine kinda had a introduction in episode 1 where he was texting Gloria about the sandy but I can imagine this doesn’t really count like I said it’s a stretch depending how you view it.
I like what you like, I almost ended up like Main. But I’ve learned I’m not special nor super human nor do I regret my life any longer. If anything, these days I am grateful to have lived and be alive today
Growing up in the ghetto, your "imagine this" intro was my reality
Think about wife. Regret. Funniest shit I’ve seen this morning
Subscribing just because you covered this
Man Maine's end was more tragic than the actual ending of the show
I have a theory that David’s Dad was actually a Dogtown resident. If you play inside the walled city long enough, you’ll notice that there are more cyberware capacity shards there than anywhere else. And the reason David has such a high cyberware capacity on day one, is because he was already “upgraded” by his father or mother when he was very young.
I’ll keep my eyes open for any info on that while I’m there! Currently recording phantom liberty footage. 😄
Intro is every kid born in Boyle heights east Los Angeles
The caveman wife meme was fucking hilarious, accurate, and still hurts like hell. How dare you put me through that emotional rollercoaster all over again.
Maine is a fantastically tragic character, and I wouldn't change a damn thing. This anime was as close to perfect as it could get with it's writing. Cyberpunk as a genre didn't click with me before, but man, it's so fucking good once it did. I'm entirely hooked on it now.
Maine should have kept his firmware up to date and his parts under warranty. He might have had time to see where he was going before He was there staring at a pile of regrets and his dead lover.
Before Maine went full psycho, he was listening to Dorio, but when the hallucination made Dorio David, he stopped listening
Plot twist, Maine was actually Davids father which makes th8s even more tragic..
The shadow is Maine!!
OH SHIIIIIT
I find it funny that all the mercs who try to leave their mark on the world, to be special, to "become a legend" always lose to the city and die as fools. V, Jackie, David, Maine, Rebecca, Johnny, potentially even Takemura and Reed; all people who once died trying to change the city instead of enforcing their way of life and striving to survive Night City.
Think about all the strongest and the ones who live the longest. V, Morgan Blackhand, Rogue, Alt Cunningham, Adam Smasher, Saburo Arasaka, maybe even Songbird; all people who fought to live the way they saw fit, and who molded the world simply by acting as they saw fit.
Trying to leave a mark on, or fighting back against the World of Cyberpunk will only get you killed or left ravaged and powerless.
The people who actually make it far and change the world are those work to enforce their position in the world, not tying themselves down with delusions of grandeur or the refusal to adapt. They become strong by evolving with the world, not by letting the world control them.
Can some tell me the background music at 8:54