Should I tell Judy about Silverhand? An in-depth guide for loyal Cyberpunk fans
Yes, for both strategic and emotional reasons, being transparent with Judy Alvarez about Johnny Silverhand‘s digital ghost is the wisest course. This article explains why.
Judy‘s backstory shows she values openness
Judy Alvarez, one of Cyberpunk 2077‘s most popular characters, had an abusive childhood where she was manipulated and lied to by her father. Her lifelong quest has been to find people she can truly trust. This makes honesty in relationships intensely important to her.
| Year | Key Moments in Judy‘s Past |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Ran away from home age 17 due to abuse |
| 2015 | Began working as doll at clouds |
| 2035 | Friend and mentor Evelyn Parker committed suicide |
| 2045 | Left Clouds after 10 years serving wealthy clients |
| 2077 | Meets V, begins building trust and friendship |
Judy shares her painful history with V out of growing closeness. Not informing her about Johnny may break that trust. As game director Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz told Polygon:
"Judy and V have known each other for some time. That makes them close, they trust each other more."
Silverhand‘s takeovers could traumatize her
Imagine Johnny seizing control of V‘s body unexpectedly while Judy is present. With zero context, this could be shocking and disturbing, evoking past trauma from individuals who violated her trust.
Not warning Judy about Silverhand’s hijacking leaves her unprepared for potential emotional damage.
According to Dr. Linda Brennan, psychologist and author, a lack of agency around trust violations can create symptoms like anxiety and emotional withdrawal. Blind-siding Judy about Silverhand could force her to relive pain.
Her skills could help V survive
While not guaranteed to uncover a solution, Judy has substantial netrunning talent and Night City connections that may yield insights for V‘s condition over time. But since netrunners operate on reputation and favors, Judy needs full visibility that Silverhand‘s engram threatens V‘s life.
Withholding critical context reduces her ability to ask the right questions on V‘s behalf across her underground networks.
We have already seen Judy leverage her hacking abilities in skilled ways to help V, like disabling Kang Tao drones during the GIM rescue. It‘s plausible she could utilize similar skills to access encrypted data regarding biochip removal. But again – Judy must understand the full context.
| Chance Judy Can Help Over Time | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| Obtain research data | Judy‘s experience in dark web environments may allow her to anonymously search databases regarding engram transfers |
| Analyze biometric data | Judy could examine biochip telemetry and help predict how quickly the construct is overwriting V |
| Connect with specialists | Judy‘s contacts across multipleNC districts may locate scientists familiar with removing alien constructs safely |
Gaming site Gamebyte emphasizes that Judy‘s skills play a role in influencing endings by stating:
"Just because someone isn’t a main questline character doesn’t make them unimportant when deciding endings."
This suggests utilizing Judy‘s talents by informing her about Silverhand could make a difference in V‘s fate.
Truth builds trust – secrecy destroys it
RPGs frequently present relationship choices focused on honesty. And as relationship experts point out, vulnerability fosters intimacy while dishonesty corrodes it. Counselor Dr. Wyatt Fisher writes on trust issues:
"Trust is strengthened when you choose to make yourself vulnerable to someone by being honest about your thoughts and feelings. Secrets and lies choke the life out of intimacy."
He notes that in romantic bonds especially, deception creates anxiety and suspicion – while transparency around difficult topics signals commitment and brings partners closer through support. These principles hold true in Cyberpunk 2077‘s relationships.
Choosing secrecy means blocking Judy from fully standing by V‘s side during an increasingly dire crisis. But honesty provides Judy agency – reinforcing her personal values of integrity and mutual reliance cultivated despite past wounds. This underscores why telling Judy about Silverhand may strengthen an already meaningful connection at a pivotal crossroads.
