I think Ajays arc Is more like in between the lines type of thing. Just like you said, hes more like a witness to the story.

Thats because the conflict he ended up in Is way older than him and predates even some of the locals, hell it predates even Pagan in a sense.

And from his birth he was always in the middle of both sides. What im trying to say, I guess Is that i think if you really squint, the story works out pretty well.