I didn’t like the choice at the end. It felt forced for shock value and didn’t have nearly the buildup like Dom’s or his wife’s.
Still, whatever TC chooses to do with Gears 6, I hope there’s an option to see JD again with Del’s death on his conscience along with all the other crazy deaths (both the ones he accidentally caused and didn’t) throughout his story. There’s huge potential there to make him a very interesting, burdened character paralleling war and the hard decisions needed to win it. Same thing with Kait, to a lesser extent–she never panicked and ordered a firing squad on a riot. Having to live with that in a character with JD’s personality is great for internal conflict.
His redemption arc was WAY too rushed, much like them suddenly making him someone who fired on a riot and like him suddenly becoming a prototypical “COG” following orders. I liked Del but had to save JD. By the end of the game, he’s the most interesting and complex character in it besides maybe Marcus, yet it hardly ever comes out in his dialogue. Wasted potential IMO.
P.S. I hate how quick he “returned” to old JD when they could have done SO much more with his character after Act 1, given what he has done/caused/gone through.
Tl;DR I really hope JD shows up in Gears 6. His character potential is the best of anyone in the cast right now.