The rapid change in Tarquin

[McStabbington]

From a strictly in-comic-perspective. I don't think Haley's actions are considered pure, particularly because of the fact that she had to lie about it afterwards and I don't recall there being a clear threat on Haley from Crystal. Haley may be good aligned and one of the good guys, but that doesn't mean her actions were meant to be good.

However, Haley is a character the Giant doesn't mind us liking, warts and all. Tarquin is meant to shock us and is specifically meant to be abhorrent in the way his facade is coming apart right now.

Indeed, one of the main reasons why Haley remains likable is that she felt conflicted about the matter afterwards. When she and Elan shared their mutual confessions, killing Crystal was one of the things mentioned. It does not completely make up for the deed, but contrition and guilt are at least some sign of a healthy, working conscience. Tarquin has no such compunctions. When he murders, he talks about it like it's any other task, because for him, it is any other task.

Think of it this way: people are never quite as bad as the worst thing they've done, nor as heroic and mighty as the best thing they've done. Pushed far enough, most people will do horrible things, and when inspired enough, most people can do something truly heroic. The measure of a man is in what his ground state and normal is. O-Chul is amazing not because that one time he inspired the Monster in the Darkness to do the right thing. It's because he inspires those around him all the time. Inspiring and heroic and honorable and humble is his ground state. By that standard, you can't really compare Tarquin and Haley, because the only way to do so is compare the cruelest, most evil thing Haley ever did with what Tarquin does every single day of his life. Equivalent actions they may (arguably) be, but they don't make Haley and Tarquin equivalently evil characters.