Summary
Cyberpunk 2077has no shortage of incredible characters. While everybody’s reception of the game varies, one of the best aspects of the game that almost no one will discredit is its rich and deep lore, and this extends to some of the personalities fans meet inNight City. Night City, with all of its bells, whistles, and wonders, is also one of the most unsafe places on the planet. The city and its outskirts are filled with mercenaries, gangs, cyberpsychos, and suits with overpowered Ripperdoc upgrades which they use to kill without a second thought. Players will have to face a couple of them or step in their shoes inCyberpunk 2077.
As V, players will encounter numerous powerful individuals who have allmade a name for themselves in Night City. Everyone wants to become a legend in this urban landscape so that they can escape the poverty that’s rampant in this city and enjoy life to the fullest. A great way to achieve this is by being as strong as possible. Most people automatically earn the respect of others after they get to see how powerful said person is. There are many people in Night City who have attained this strength in many ways, becoming legends in their own right.
Updated on October 18th, 2024 by Jacob Buchalter:Night City is filled with all types of people. However, with a city this alive and chaotic, most people need to be exceptionally strong to survive. And that’s just for getting by day to day, to survive as a mercenary, runner, hit-men, bodyguard, or even as a solo people need to become even stronger. Whether this is through cyberware, gun skills, or netrunning skills, it doesn’t matter. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the all-time legends of Night City, icons of the industry who almost assuredly have their own drink at Afterlife, and talk about which ones are the strongest overall and why.
First Appearance
Cyberpunk Edgerunners
With the confirmation from CD Projekt that the cast ofCyberpunk Edgerunnersis canon the the world of theCyberpunk 2077game, it only seemed apt to include the most memorable of theEdgerunnerscrew, starting with David Martinez. David Martinez, quite literally, was just ‘built different’, being able to handle and absurd amount of cybernetic implants before dealing with cyberpsychosis in any capacity. But, more than that, David was just an incredibly nice guy with a good head on his shoulders.
He had good decision-making skills, made the best decisions for his crew, and was great in a fight. Obviously, the guy wasn’t invincible and he had his fair share of problems but David Martinez absolutely achieved his goal of becoming one of Night City’s legends.
Next up is by far the most ‘professional’ person on David’s crew and the love of his life, Lucy AKA Lucyna Kushinada. Lucy is the netrunner of the crew and a fantastic one at that. Netrunners have to be judged on a different scale than solos or enforcers in Night City, as their ‘battlefield’ is different. And, at least in what was shown inEdgerunners,Lucy is an incredibly capable netrunner.
Even more than that, she’s a good fighter and in top physical form even outside of the net. Lucy’s childhood was rough, and she went through extensive training with Arasaka to become one of the best netrunners around. In fact, as a child, she was often forced to dive into the pre-DataKrash Net, a domain filled with all sorts of rogue AIs that would kill the other children in the program pretty often. However, Lucy made it out of there, escaped Arasaka, and ended up in Night City, eventually earning her spot as one of the city’s best netrunners overall.
And last up for theEdgerunnersrepresentation is Rebecca, probably the most beloved fan-favorite character from the show and an absolute weapon of mass destruction hidden within the frame of a tiny woman. Rebecca is one of the ‘muscle’ members of the crew alongside Maine, and she absolutely demolishes in a gunfight despite not having a ton of cyberware installed. In fact, she basically just has her cyberarms (which were originally her brother’s), some cyber optics, and some EMP threading, which is pretty shocking for such a powerhouse character.
Of course, she also has some pretty hefty firearms with her Guts variant Carnage Shotgun that players can actually obtain inCyberpunk 2077as well as her Crusher Heavy Pistol and a whole host of other weapons from assault rifles to heavy machine guns. Funnily enough, despite being the one with the sharpest tongue, Lucy is actually the most emotionally mature and level-headed character in David’s entire crew.
Riders of the Storm
When players interact with Panam, they can form a bond with this character as they help out both her and the group she works for. The Aldecaldos are nomads with a common cause who band together to pool their resources and do what’s right for their group in the lawless area of the Badlands.
The leader of this group is Saul Bright, a character that Panam argues with time and time again that establishes their rapport pretty effectively. He’s a fairly level-headed character who may play it a bit too safe at times but isn’t afraid to get down and dirty when the situation calls for it. Saul is a valuable ally in battle who helps V out multiple times without fail.
The Ride
Dexter DeShawn makes a strong impression when he’s introduced. The fixer sets up V and their gang for the heist of a lifetime during the game’s prologue, with V being tasked with stealing a valuable package from Arasaka that turns out to be the relic for Johnny Silverhand’s engram.
When things go south, he doesn’t waste any time betraying V and looking out for himself when things get dicey. There’s no denying that his presence in Night City was strong at one point, but Dexter’s influence wasn’t enough to save him. After Takemura forces the fixer to show him where V is, Hanako Arasaka’s bodyguard shoots down the man in cold blood.
I Fought the Law
Power in Night City doesn’t come from pure strength alone, even though it helps. No, what makes more of a difference is influence, and being a mayor of Night City would certainly mean something. However, despite all the love and support that Jefferson Peralez has, this doesn’t stop him from becoming a pawn in a larger game.
In a bid to misuse his reach, a mysterious organization has brainwashed the Peralez family, with Elizabeth pleading with V to not tell her husband about this revelation. It’s a disturbing moment that goes to show that even the strongest and most influential people in Night City are nothing more than pawns in the grand scheme of things.
Dog Eat Dog
Phantom Liberty’s narrative is as riveting as anyone would expect from a DLC by CD Projekt Red. Not only is this DLC properly woven into the central narrative ofCyberpunk 2077, but it also enables a new ending if V plays their cards right. DuringPhantom Liberty, one major character that plays a central role in the narrative is Song So Mi, an accomplished netrunner known by the alias Songbird.
Her netrunning skills make her a force to be reckoned with and also turn her into a tool that NUSA uses, because of her ability to tap into the Blackwall. Depending on V’s actions, they can either secure her safety, make sure she’s safe in Reed’s hands, or let her become a victim of her powers of accessing the Blackwall.
Playing for Time
Despite not even being the heiress to the Arasaka throne, the sheer amount of power that Hanako wieldsis tremendous. Most people would argue that she has more sway over the corporation than Yorinobu. This can be seen firsthand if players decide to side with her near the end of the game.
Even if players don’t go down this route, Hanako has a ton of sway and influence in the game world, which shouldn’t be surprising. After all, she has the power of the Arasaka family in the palm of her hand, allowing her to do some incredible things. Taking her help to defeat Yorinobu may not be the best course of action, but it gives players a glimpse of how influential and respected this figure is.
None (Mentioned Multiple Times)
Solos are respected mercs in the world ofCyberpunk 2077.Most reputed Solos are so competent and reliable that most people don’t have to worry about anything after assigning a task to them. So, it’s clear that Morgan Blackhand must have done something special to be considered the greatest Solo in Night City’s history.
Despite not even being seen in the events ofCyberpunk 2077, Blackhand’s influence can be felt in every part of the game. It ranges from the books he’s penned, to a clever in-game news report that alludes to his presence in Japantown. It’s easy to see why any Solo would aspire to reach the same level of notoriety as Morgan Blackhand, and why players who were invested in Night City’s lore were quite fascinated by this character.
Never Fade Away
Alt is one of the most unique characters inCyberpunk 2077.She’s a friend of Johnny who was also a talented netrunner before being abducted by Arasaka to develop Soulkiller. She became the first victim of this program. Her consciousness exists as a digital ghost on the Net.
The sheer amount of power Alt has as an AI shouldn’t be underestimated, especially since the world ofCyberpunk 2077relies on the Net and everything connected to it. The fact that she could override Arasaka’s defenses after being freed by V and Johnny proves how powerful she is, even if she doesn’t have a physical body. Barring the Arasaka ending, every other path mandates that V use Alt’s help to hack into Mikoshi and help V and Silverhand embark upon the journey to finally separate their psyches and go their ways.
