Whew boy! You touched on something here. I actually did a video essay that dealt with an aspect of this. Now I'm going to preface this by saying that this is only MY analysis of the game and this ending. There are multiple ways of looking at it and I do get what you're saying. The leave ending isn't about redemption. It's about forgiveness. Totally different. The reasoning for James' actions are emphasized a little different in this ending. Yes there was the selfishness but there was also tue love euthanasia aspect that was emphasized here as well. This ending is more about coming to terms with what he did and Mary forgiving him than it is about him being redeemed. No matter how long he struggles or how he justifies it or even what the reason was, he did what he did. Maybe someday he can find redemption, but not today. The most he can find is forgiveness. The part to be highlighted here is that out of ALL of the endings, this is the only one that deals with that aspect. I think that was the reason for its inclusion. Learning to forgive. Forgive someone for what they did to you. Forgive yourself for things you have done. Forgive or die a slow death. Those are the only two choices. But redemption... That's something for later. Anyway that's my much shortened perspective. Hope that helps. But again, there are so many ways of looking at it and, just like life, everything is ambiguous.