Kieran Duffy is one of the most discussed supporting characters in the game because his story ends in a way that many players found shocking and deeply upsetting. After spending much of the game trying to prove himself to a gang that never fully trusted him, he is killed off in a sudden and brutal manner during Chapter 4. His death is widely considered one of the most emotionally gut-punching moments in the entire story. Fans continue to discuss it years later, with many expressing that they wish the game had given him a better outcome given how loyal and kind-hearted he was.

Javier Escuella is regarded as one of the most steadfastly loyal characters in the game because of how his beliefs and dedication to Dutch van der Linde never waver, even as others grow disillusioned. Unlike many gang members who begin to question their place by the later chapters, Javier remains committed to the gang's cause and to Dutch personally. His background as someone who fled persecution in Mexico adds depth to why he values belonging and loyalty so intensely. Fans who dig into his backstory through camp conversations and the companion activities find a genuinely complex character beneath the tough exterior.

Yes, Javier Escuella is actually a notable antagonist in the first game in the series, which is set years after the prequel story. Players who experience both games in release order get the interesting experience of meeting a much younger, more idealistic version of him in the prequel before encountering him as a wanted fugitive in the original story. This continuity adds a bittersweet layer to his character arc for longtime fans of the franchise and has become a popular topic in the fan community, particularly among players exploring the timeline across both titles.

Kieran Duffy resonates with fans far beyond his relatively limited number of story missions because of how richly written his camp interactions and dialogue are. Players who spend time around camp can overhear him talking about horses, sharing nervous jokes, and slowly opening up despite the constant distrust directed at him. Many fans feel the game built up his character beautifully only to cut his arc short before it reached a natural conclusion. Online communities have created fan art, fan fiction, and tribute posts specifically for Kieran plush characters and artwork as a way of honouring the character the game underused.

The gang characters from this game are exceptionally popular for fan collectibles because the game invests heavily in making each member feel like a real, fleshed-out person rather than a background prop. Between the campfire conversations, optional companion activities, and the overarching story, players form genuine emotional bonds with characters like Kieran Duffy and Javier Escuella over dozens of hours of gameplay. This emotional investment naturally translates into a desire to own physical mementos of those characters. Fan-inspired handmade items like the Kieran Duffy plush and escuella plush fill a gap that official merchandise rarely addresses, particularly for supporting characters who may not get their own mass-produced figures.