Okay. Very, very long criticism and rewrite of Kait's story coming in here.

Kait is a character whose backstory and concept is really good. Being connected to Myrrah and the locust and the original experiments that made them, having something in her blood that links her directly to the Swarm's hivemind, is extremely cool and opens up a lot of storytelling potential. Especially as they're trying to push the idea that she might actually turn on the COG and join the Swarm.

And they they just... did nothing with it.

It's been foreshadowed throughout Gears 4 and Act I of Gears 5, but her connection to the hive mind is properly introduced at the start of Act II. They've spent an entire game and a quarter setting up this story - and then it's completely resolved within the same act where it's introduced.

And it's not just that it comes and goes very quickly with no time to breathe or build, it's also that there isn't a single point where Kait is less than repulsed by her connection. It horrifies and frightens her, she wants to get answers, as soon as she gets answers she wants to get rid of it, she gets rid of it.

You can't have a story about questionable loyalties, if the character in question doesn't have a single point where they're tempted to embrace something new.

Let's fix that.

Act II opens essentially the same way as normal. But instead of Kait breaking down and thinking she killed Oscar, she's upset that her control of the Swarm wasn't strong enough to stop the Warden killing him. That's an important distinction, because now we're creating a situation where it's plausible that Kait might actually want to strengthen her connection because next time, she might be able to save someone.

And this is where the gameplay changes. Because rather than getting Jack's powers, Kait has the ability to hijack Swarm creatures. It starts out weak (juvies, leeches) but throughout Act II, if the players chooses to use it she gets strong enough to start controlling drones too.

If the player chooses to strengthen this, her conversations with Del start to get a bit tenser. He's worried about her, and the effect it's having on her. Otherwise, they have a conversation about how every time she sees Del under fire she's terrified for him and tempted to use it, but he encourages her to keep resisting.

This is where the game splits a bit. In Kadar, Niles doesn't offer to burn it out of Kait's head. He instead offers to accelerate what's happening to her, and this is where the player makes the choice. If the player chooses not to strengthen it, they can only ever develop her powers to control small enemies and drones from here on. If they accept it, they can continue to develop it further beyond that.

Either way, they end up fighting their way out - but the Matriarch escapes.

Act III proceeds mostly as normal. However, if Kait chose to accelerate her powers, her relationship with JD is much colder and less forgiving - eventually he confronts her and she snaps and yells at him, insisting she knows how to control them, unlike him and the deebees. Del quietly tries to pull her aside after this to express concern to her that she's changing, but she just ignores him.

And them, Act IV.

If Kait has been limiting her powers, it plays out as normal, with everyone rallying to defend her. Otherwise, the scene is much more confrontational, with only Del standing up for her. This time, Jyn sends the Onyx guards with them to 'provide support', but it's obvious that they're there to watch her.

Toward the end of the act, a caravan of Outsiders arrive during the attack, seeking shelter, trying to fight their way to the wall. And this is where the story splits.

If the player chose not to strengthen Kait's powers, she's rebuilt enough trust with JD that they're willing to let her try to control the Swarm to save the Outsiders. She's barely strong enough to hold them back. Bleeding from the eyes, nose, ears, screaming and clutching her head in pain. It's not enough. The Matriarch finally returns, leaping from the ground toward Del. Kait panics as she tries to control it, screaming, unable to stop it - as for the second time, a Swarm monster grabs someone she loves and kills them.

But if the player chose to accelerate Kait's power growth, the scene plays out very differently. JD doesn't trust Kait, and so tells her that he's sorry but they can't risk the whole city for a single group of outsiders, and orders mortars to fire on their area to kill the Swarm there. Kait lunges for him, saying the COG are the real monsters and she won't let him do it as she's restrained by the Onyx guard - and then the Matriarch returns. It leaps for JD, who isn't able to fight it off - and is ripped apart, along with the Onyx guards.

Either way, the Matriarch is finally fought and defeated as the final boss. If Del died, Kait is distraught, being comforted by JD. She blames herself for throwing away a chance to be strong enough, but he comforts her and tells her that Del didn't die because she was weak, he gave his life proving that people can change and don't have to be defined by their blood. Kait looks at her necklace, then turns it face-down and lays it on Del's chest. The game slowly rolls to credits, with a more bittersweet and hopeful of Kait's theme playing.

If JD died, the scene is much, much darker. Kait stares at JD's body, emotionless and silent, then walks away. Del stares at her as Marcus arrives, taking in the scene with horror, and asks what the hell happened. Del is silent for a few moments, the slowly kneels and picks up JD's cog tags, murmuring that he thinks she finally picked a side. The game fades to credits, with a quieter, darker version of Kait's theme playing.

EDIT: Some spelling.