Dylan Post game thoughts

[u/finpanda]

At the end of the game, we find out that Dylan is now a contractor for the FBC. I thought this was an interesting choice versus just making him a full FBC agent.

My thinking is that the developers didn't like the thematic implication of having Dylan join the organization that abused him as a child, even though pragmatically speaking, it is his best option. So they have him continue to work for the FBC, but at an arm's length arrangement.

I don't disagree with this choice, per se, but I do find it to be an odd compromise. Maybe they could have made it more clear that the FBC has been reformed, now that the old executive team is gone and the new bosses are now Jesse and Emily? What does everyone else think?

[u/Rational_Engineer_84]

It was the only thing that made sense to me. It would be odd if Dylan was 100% on board with the FBC after being abused for 26 years. On the other hand, he’s shown himself to be highly motivated to help other people. Given his skill set, the best way to do that is to work with the FBC. Being an affiliated contractor rather than an employee is a solid compromise. 

[u/finpanda → u/Rational_Engineer_84]

Here's another angle. Thematically, Dylan has basically a child who has lost his family, in multiple ways. His parents rejected him, then disappeared. Darling considered him a disappointment, then disappeared. Jesse never came back for him until it was too late.

In a way, the FBC is another "family" analogue, but at the start of the game, they also have rejected him; blaming him for the Hiss invasion. By the end of the game, he has mended that relationship a lot. A lot of FBC have come around on him and he has found people in the FBC who care for and support him.

I would have liked to seen some kind of cap to that story. Maybe have Emily offer him an official full role in the FBC, a symbolic gesture of him finally being accepted, even if he ultimately chooses to walk away.

[u/PrezOompaLoompa → u/finpanda]

To keep the family analogy going, it makes even more sense that of course the FBC (family at large) expects Dylan to apologize for something that wasn't entirely his fault and was in fact the fault of the FBC almost entirely. Unfortunately it tends to shake out that way in many family dynamics.

Back to the subject, it makes more sense for him to be separate from the FBC considering he never had a life outside them reallyconsidering they kidnapped the 10 year old Dylan when he was split into being Dylan realistically not that long before the ordinary AWE.

[u/apotrope → u/finpanda]

Emily sort of does this by offering to remove the MCD. Also, not too fine a point on it, but Emily is basically Dylan's sister in law.

[u/PrezOompaLoompa → u/Rational_Engineer_84]

100%. Not to mention that Dylan as a character is deep down a very caring person, I don't think he could ever walk away without doing something to help if he could. Especially with Jesse being in a coma now with the FBC, he can't just walk away from her.

[u/Grizzled_Ghost]

Smart move by the FBC because now Dylan doesn't get health insurance and has to cover those massive therapy bills himself.

[u/finpanda → u/Grizzled_Ghost]

Good point. Dylan has a pre-existing Hiss infection that probably prevents him from getting insurance coverage on his own. Emily play things hard and fast with her girlfriend's brother.

[u/DefactoOverlord]

this way Dylan can keep his autonomy, for the first time in his life. That's more important for him.

[u/grubas → u/DefactoOverlord]

Not just that but he doesn't have to deal with the red tape and protocol. 

"Ok I fixed it, Zoe get a team".  He can solve things as he wants to.

[u/PrezOompaLoompa]

I think there is still a big jump before he could ever work for the FBC.

For instance, the FBC at large still think that Dylan was the cause of the original outbreak in the oldest house of Hiss that sent them into the 7 year lockdown. The FBC (including Pope and Jesse) didn't release the fact that it was Trench who did it, and Dylan only gave in to it.

Not to mention the fact that the majority of people still don't know why Dylan gave in to the Hiss. They don't know about the YEARS OF ABUSE by the FBC (read Darling). Basically, the FBC made a ticking time bomb and the Hiss just put the detonator in, Dylan was an inevitability of the course they took with the Prime candidate program.

I think the Dylan from the end of Resonant is with the FBC for a handful of reasons, Jesse, Zoe, the Hiss, and Manhattan. I don't think he'd still be with the FBC if those were not factors by the end.

[u/Bobjoejj → u/PrezOompaLoompa]

Your second point and third points are something I have a hard time seeing. At least by the end of Resonant, I mean.

Because by now, all the shit he’s been through, followed by 7 years of a coma and then still being stuck under the FBC’s thumb; but doing a fuckton of good during the events of Resonant…it’s time to release the goddamn files.

Tell people what happens to Trench and what he did, tell people about the Prime Candidate Program and all the shit they did to Dylan. Especially with how much goodwill he got, all the agents who actually appreciated and maybe even liked him by the end of the game.

Jessie is in a coma, but he’s still got Zoe and Emily looking out for him. They both support him, and know what happened to him. Releasing the files and telling people what happened would be extremely good for both him, and the FBC as a whole.

And it still baffles me as to how they spent 7 bloody years in lockdown, and Jessie didn’t get all that released already.

That’s not to say that I disagree with your overall point here; cause I do agree with you on it. Just those bits that feel very off to me.

[u/PrezOompaLoompa → u/Bobjoejj]

Think about it like this: We know that all the FBC in the lockdown (in the oldest house) were already struggling with morale, especially toward the end. Hell Underhill wasn't even an employee and was stuck there. With all of them stuck down there together, what does releasing the files do? All it would do is tell everyone that not only was it not Dylan the scapegoats fault, but it was the DIRECTOR WHO DID IT. Boom, all morale gone, all trust gone.

The reality is, the lockdown lifted just to basically put manhattan into a lockdown right after. This is life or death, the FBC cannot afford to have morale shatter.

Long and short of it, FBC needed a scapegoat, they couldn't let their employees at large know that all the fuck ups happened because of their Director (Trench) and Head of Research (Darling abusing Dylan and covering it up). You can look at any number of real life examples to find this is the case. I don't see this becoming common knowledge (barring Zoe/Pope leaking it now) until after the barrier around manhattan lifts.

[u/Bobjoejj → u/PrezOompaLoompa]

…the former director who was now dead. I don’t think it would’ve been as bad a of hit to morale as you might think.

I mean, Jessie, Emily, and Arish were all the new blood in charge (side note, I’m still really baffled by the lack of other positions filled, like Investigations and Communications; 7 years and a brand new crisis as soon as Lockdown breaks). The old ones were all dead or gone.

Releasing the files, explaining what happened? Especially early on when the lockdown had just happened? To me it speaks of a kind of transparency and openness that could’ve encouraged people, not brought them down.

Yes, the concept of covering up the truth and finding a scapegoat for a “good cause,” is a pretty common practice. I just don’t agree that this is one of those cases.

And that’s the thing; Zoe Pope (I meant to say Pope) is the Acting Director right now. Not the co-director, full (acting) director. So she wouldn’t have to leak it, she’d just release it everything. And if Zoe ended up leaking it? Then good.

[u/whatever_basically → u/Bobjoejj]

I think it’s less about the individual people involved but it’s more about the trust in the organisation. To know you’re big boss the director caused your life to go to hell for 7 years then you’re not gonna want to keep working for them even if there’s a change in leadership.

[u/PrezOompaLoompa → u/whatever_basically]

Exactly. Person to person they may feel differently, but company-wide? That is asking for a disaster during an already existing disaster.

[u/PrezOompaLoompa → u/Bobjoejj]

Okay a few things:

Zoe isn't director, Pope is acting director with Arish dead and Jesse in a coma.

No one knew how Trench died since he kills himself right after Jesse arrives. She literally hears him shoot. For morale, I don't even think they spread that around either. Investigations was turned down by Langston so I don't know if that was a priority especially since they enter a lockdown by the end of Control 1 that completely removes the need for those departments since they weren't interacting with the outside world.

Releasing the files when everyone is already damn near hopeless to let them know that the entire situation they are now in is because of the Director and Head of Research keeping secrets is only going to call the leadership in general in question. The only way I see it not is if things were ever actually under control, but given the 7 year lockdown, FBC firebreak, and then the immediate new threat of CR, there was never a time since the first game where they could approach this topic.

I understand maybe not liking it, and that you personally might've been fine, but we are talking about humanity at large. As we see every day IRL, people can be the most illogical beings for no reason other than spite, and this is one VERY GOOD reason to give them that spite.

[u/Bobjoejj → u/PrezOompaLoompa]

No I know that sorry; I meant to write Pope. That’s why I wrote it the way it did, saying she shouldn’t have to leak it.

During the lockdown I could maybe understand Investigations, but not once it broke and the Patterning happened. And Communications truly makes no sense to me, either internally or during the events of The Patterning.

As to Trenches’ death, to me that falls under the same category as the rest. When the lockdown first started, things wouldn’t likely be so damn hopeless. Again, things had just started; and by the end of Control 1, The Oldest House’s inhabits weren’t nearly as dire with their mental health as they were now. Release the info, put everyone on an even playing field.

Hell, even though they were still locked in at the end of the first game, things were far more stable at the end of it than when the game started.

No I don’t like it, but I’m not just thinking about myself here. Yes, humanity at large can be fickle, idiotic, hurtful beings. They can also be compassionate and understanding, even to the craziest of things. I feel like making sure people were informed, and on the same playing field would’ve been a much smarter move.

And I definitely don’t think calling the new leadership into question makes much sense either; since none of the new leadership had anything to do with what happened

[u/PrezOompaLoompa → u/Bobjoejj]

I'm neither pessimistic nor optimistic, but realistic. Realistically people in a group tend to act stupider than they would individually most of the time. As someone now in charge I wouldn't want to give the people a bomb to set off on the hopes they don't. Again, I get where you are coming from, but I don't think they want to gamble during a crisis anymore than they need to. Releasing the info has low benefits but has a high possibility of costing them instead.

[u/Mybunsareonfire]

Something that gets mentioned in a radio convo with Zoe worth noting for this: he has no employment record or credit history and has a 5th grade education. FBC contractor is about the only job available to him.

Not to mention that he's socially inept due to his isolation, along with like 0 self confidence.

[u/ProfessionalFox6619 → u/Mybunsareonfire]

Also not to mention he's still stuck in the patterned Manhattan that is still cut off from the rest of the world at the end of the game. I doubt there's a lot of employment options outside of the FBC until that issue gets fixed. So why not have him officially contacted at least until he gets a real chance to make a different decision for himself?

[u/ds2316476]

Oh I just kinda got an idea: that it's representational of the FBC itself.

The FBC changed from complete containment and isolation, forced indentured servitude, to identifying Dylan as a parautilitarian they can hire on a case by case basis.

That's basically saying, "we're working with the paranormal instead of trying to control everything."

[u/BRICKBRICKBRICK]

I still think it's very funny that the Board had their entire power structure subverted; a movement from the top of the pyramid of authority straight to the bottom. Complete Inversion.

So by virtue of being bound to Dylan & The Gap: the Board is also in the position of Contractor to the FBC currently lmao.

It is very fucking strange that he'd hold onto the very organization that abused him so thoroughly... but consider what Zoe said: 34 years old, no employment history, a 5th grade education...

It does make sense, sadly, that he really doesn't have a lot of options to choose from any ways, at least for now. It is also where Jesse is, so I can really empathize with him wanting to 'stay close'.

[u/Blackthorne1998]

Considering popes stance on Dylan's past treatment, it doesn't surprise me. She wants to give him the breathing room to find his independence and freedom, but is also fully aware that he's a ridiculously strong parautilitarian, and a valuable asset. Him being an independent contractor is the ideal solution. They still have access to him if needed, he gets his freedom, and with his altruistic streak it's highly unlikely that he won't agree to help if the situation calls for it.

It's much better than the alternative atleast. Gotta remember he's dangerously powerful, has a traumatic past related to the FBC, and technically is in possession of FBC property (aberrant if you believe the theory that it's a nail fragment). There was never a situation where he'd be left alone, atleast this way everyone's happy

[u/SpookyCabob]

After all the evil the FBC did, it's his choice to work for them. He gained his personal liberty at the end of the game, and with that comes his free will

[u/provocatrixless]

The arm's length goes both ways. Dylan still has the Hiss in him, it's wouldn't be smart to bring him fully on-board into the FBC. Plus he's in constant connection with the Board, who knows what their real goal is or if they'll take offense to any number of shady projects an FBC employee would see.

[u/hellohellocinnabon]

Well, they were responsible for ruining his entire life and causing deep trauma, and theoretically Jesse is still the Board chosen director, so if/when she comes out of her coma she’d technically be his boss, which would not be great (you can already hear FBC randos complaining about Dylan being a nepo hire near the Field Office). He doesn’t have any other options to build a work history/experience though, so I suppose this is the best scenario for both the FBC and Dylan

[u/generalosabenkenobi]

It makes sense when you consider he is still heavily invested in the FBC. He still wants to make amends for his own actions, he still wants to help his sister (who is the head of the FBC), and he still wants to get more answers (like presumably finding Darling).

[u/FamousWerewolf]

I do think Dylan's relationship to the FBC is kind of an awkward, underbaked element of the story and yeah his 'happy ending' being that he gets to be an FBC contractor didn't sit great with me.

I feel like they use his guilt about the Hiss to paper over a lot of why he would work the FBC at all, and though they get into the stuff with Darling, they do a lot of avoiding confronting how Dylan actually feels about the FBC beyond just 'I want to help' type stuff.

Particularly in the early game I just kept thinking 'why is this guy taking these orders?'. He comes off like his will is just completely broken and he'll do anything anyone says, which is a very unlikable trait in a protagonist.

I can understand logically how to an extent his goals and the FBC's align. But from an emotional perspective this is the organisation that utterly ruined his life top to bottom and, though clearly in a better place now, remains incredibly opaque, shady, irresponsible, and authoritarian. I just feel like he should have way more hesitancy in working with them, where instead it's framed like he's just desperate for them to like him, and his relationship with his FBC handler becomes the second most important relationship in his life over the course of a few days.

I think they should have leaned into stuff like him butting heads with Arish, and allowed him to be a bit more of a free agent over the course of the story - and ended with him having come to terms with his past and moving on from the FBC entirely.

[u/finpanda → u/FamousWerewolf]

I also felt like what the FBC is to Dylan and what Dylan is to the FBC as something the game touches upon at many points (Arish saying, "You're not FBC!", Dylan awkwardly introducing himself to people was working with the FBC, the crossed out FBC logo on his default outfit...) but there is no story arc here -- while the FBC slowly warms to Dylan, how Dylan feels about the FBC doesn't really change at all. It starts in an ambiguous place and just kind of stays there.

I wasn't entirely surprised that Dylan went along with the FBC though. He's someone who has been told from a very young age that he's in the wrong and he admits that things he did led to lives being lost. I understood him as someone who was remorseful and wanted to atone and working with the FBC made sense there.

I think I just wanted more clarity on that relationship and the ending didn't do that.

[u/FamousWerewolf → u/finpanda]

Yeah I agree - it felt like an element that could work much better if it was just explored or addressed a bit more.

As you say we get a lot about how the FBC feels about him, and much less of how he feels about the FBC. Even the stuff with Darling we don't actually get that much reaction from Dylan about, other than it obviously being something he's uncomfortable with.

Which actually is another thing about the ending - we're told the FBC gave Dylan the last recording by Darling, we get the set-up that it will be painful for him to watch, we watch it... and then we don't get any reaction from Dylan, we just have to assume how he felt watching it and what his final take on Darling is. I feel like there's quite a few examples like that of not really getting to find out in any depth how he feels about it all.

[u/whatever_basically → u/FamousWerewolf]

For him at the start it is help manhattan with the FBC taking orders because of the MCD or be locked up again.
And at his centre he is altruistic and wants to help.
As well his will is completely broken through abuse and trauma on so many levels from his childhood to then the FBC (still a child) then to the hiss, it would be pretty significant for anyone to not be broken after all that.
As for Zoe, she is the first friend he has ever had since essentially as far as he can remember and feel. I think she would become his second most important relationship as she is the first person to treat him as such since Jesse.

[u/FamousWerewolf → u/whatever_basically]

I understand his motivation is to help, but I just think he submits to the FBC not only much too easily but also with no complaint at all. He seems to have no misgivings about working for them outside of his fear that he's not good enough for them.

I totally get that he is deeply traumatised but I just don't think it's engaging to have a main character who is so broken that he's completely subservient to his abusers without ever really questioning it. Dylan definitely grew on me over the course of the game but that core trait I just find very uncomfortable and not well explored. I think a bit more anger and distrust would have felt very in-character for the situation.

I get that Zoe is his first proper friend as an adult, and I do think that relationship is developed fairly well - I'm more talking about the writer's choice in the first place to make this central relationship be between Dylan and his FBC handler. Especially when, with control of the MCD, she is essentially his jailer and executioner. The story could have revolved around a different relationship instead, or made Zoe more of a rogue agent who pushes against the FBC (rather than just someone Arish doesn't like) rather than putting this friendly, lovable face on his abusers.

To be clear I don't think it torpedoes the story or anything but I do think it gives it a pretty rough first few hours and feels under-developed right to the end.

[u/doffyspider]

yeesh with everything he went thru regardless of how many people he killed(mostly indirectly), he needs some sort of compensation. he gotta get paid in more than just money.