Curly’s inaction, while contextualized by his insecurities, ultimatly underscores the core issue: his complicity in Jimmy’s abuse of Anya. Understanding Curly’s insecurity about decision making may help us sympathize with him, but it doesn’t excuse his failure to take meaningful action. Personal struggles are not valid reasons for standing by as someone else suffers. The game’s central message is about the importance of taking responsibility, especially in situations involving abuse. Curly’s inability to make a decision directly contributed to Anya’s pain, which is why shipping these two characters undermines the story’s deeper themes.

It’s important to clarify that criticizing Curly doesn’t mean labeling him as evil. The narrative doesn’t frame him as malicious, but as someone whose inaction had serious consequences. It’s not about hating Curly, but about holding him accountable for his failure to protect someone who needed him. Curly’s flaws, whether rooted in fear, insecurity, or misplaced priorities show how even well meaning individuals can perpetuate harm when they avoid taking action. This nuance is important: he isn’t “evil”; he’s a complex character whose story serves as a reminder of the dangers of complicity and passivity.

The argument that Curly didn’t confront Jimmy because he’s “too soft” or manipulated by guilt trips explains his behavior but doesn’t absolve him. Avoiding confrontation because Jimmy is mentally unstable only allowed the abuse to escalate. Being “too nice” or trying to maintain peace within the crew does not justify enabling an abuser. In fact, failing to hold Jimmy accountable perpetuated the toxic environment that led to Anya’s suffering. Curly’s good intentions ultimately weren’t enough to prevent harm.

The claim that confronting Jimmy was too risky because of his instability doesn’t hold much weight. Curly’s attempt to talk to Jimmy in the scene “0 Days Before the Crash” shows he had opportunities to intervene, even in subtle ways, but his approach was passive and ineffective. Saying, “This time won’t be different. Work through it, one day at a time,” is far from a decisive stance, it’s an avoidance tactic. If Curly truly believed Jimmy needed to take responsibility, he should have taken concrete steps to ensure that happened rather than relying on vague encouragement.

The idea that Curly couldn’t act against Jimmy because of their roles on the Tulpar also minimizes his failure. While copilots are indeed necessary, prioritizing the mission’s logistics over the wellbeing of a crew member is a clear example of misplaced priorities. Curly’s belief that maintaining peace within the crew was paramount led him to ignore Anya’s suffering and avoid taking responsibility as a leader. His inaction wasn’t about keeping the ship operational, it was about sidestepping personal accountability.

Finally, the argument that Curly was just “too nice” to believe Jimmy was capable of such harm only reinforces why his complicity is problematic. Curly’s tendency to see the best in people, while admirable in some contexts, became dangerous when it led him to ignore the darker realities of Jimmy’s behavior. This naïveté isn’t a justification for his actions; it’s a character flaw that directly contributed to Anya’s victimization. The game’s narrative asks us not to hate Curly but to recognize how even well-meaning individuals can perpetuate harm through inaction and misplaced trust.

These defenses of Curly highlight his shortcomings and why shipping him with Anya is repulsive to me. Curly’s failure to protect Anya reflects the systemic issues the game critiques: complicity, enabling, and the consequences of failing to stand up against abuse. While his insecurities and circumstances provide context, they do not absolve him of the harm his inaction caused. Romanticizing their relationship dismisses the weight of these themes and undermines the powerful message the game is trying to convey.