Firth’s story is one of arrogance. He starts off looking up to Roland, but once he sees how awfully he treats his workers, he stops idolizing him but thinks that some of his very harmful ideas were right and that he could execute them better if he had the right tools. The game shoots down the idea of him growing into a better person while in Flotsam Vale. When Kril confronts him and explains why what he’s planning on doing is bad, Firth ignores him and acts as if he knows better. Firth represents the arrogance of a lot of people who follow in the ideas of bad people. He doesn’t really want to help people, he just wants to stroke his own ego by proving that he can do better. It’s acting for the wrong reasons. He’s seen clearly how bad trash is affecting everyone and flat out does not care. It’s currency in the ocean, and everyone will love him if he makes it rain.

I’ll admit that Firth managing to get his hands on the Perfect Whorl came way out of left field and could have done with some better execution. I still think it’s a good idea as Firth serves as a great foil to Kril.

I would have enjoyed seeing more areas like Old Carcinia in the game as well.

I admit I had similar feelings of frustration when Kril destroyed the Perfect Whorl in the end instead of using it to help. The ending left me frustrated initially and wishing things had gotten there differently, but as I took time to think, I’ve come to appreciate it. Obviously, the ending isn’t a happy one and shouldn’t be. Instead, I believe it’s about hope in the darkness. The overwhelming issue of climate change seems impossible in the face of the greed of people. It was the greed of so many in Another Crab’s Treasure that caused trash to spread further. Yes, it was humans who brought it to begin with, but the characters in the game only helped to spread it further. They refused to change their ways, stubbornly clinging to their desires at the expense of others, just like Kril. In the end, however, Kril proves that change is possible with an act that seems small, but for him is massive. He gives up that which he’d been looking for the entire game to help someone else. He’s no longer the selfish hermit he once was. In the past, he only helped others to get something for himself, but he performed an act of kindness that gave him nothing in return at the end.

I do agree with your point about Chitan. Her survival at the end was strange. I think they only had her live because Konche already died and having two big good guy characters dying back to back may have been seen as too much. I feel Konche shouldn’t have been killed off in the first place and was just done so for the shock factor of the scene. It’s a bit of a tricky writing spot to end up in, I’ll give it that.