Jade’s presence

Jade was a core character in DL1. She was resilient and selfless character who sacrificed herself to allow Crane to live and help others.

Despite being deceased for 20+ years by the time of the beast, she’s very much present in the game. I believe her character is used in a number of ways in the beast. she’s a reminder of the good in humanity and a symbol of resilience and hope. On the flip side she’s also a representation of the people crane failed to save and his lack of agency in general.

The most blatant use of Jades character affecting the story and game is via Olivia. While they’re very different characters personality wise, they’re also similar in that they aim for good and fight against evil. In the story it is clear that Jades death heavily affects Cranes view of Olivia and that he fears that outcome heavily. It also explains why crane becomes so disturbed when Olivia is apparently kidnapped by the Barron since the situation echos jades death.

But the fact that Olivia survives may mean that Crane has begin to overcome his guilt and look towards a more hopeful future.

On a wider scale, I think Dying light is about the light and dark sides of humanity. With people like Jade and Crane representing light and people like Rais and the Barron representing evil. So the fact that Olivia survives may mean that Crane has managed to change fate and make a difference and a brighter future for himself and the people around him.