Stardew Valley is a charming farming simulator that lets players live their life in Pelican Town. This quaint town is filled with plenty of villagers, each with unique personalities and backstories. Some of the most popular NPCs are the bachelors and bachelorettes, whom the player can eventually marry at one point during their playthrough. However, there’s also much to learn from the villagers who aren’t marriage candidates, including those who aren’t in the spotlight as often.
Kent is no doubt one of these less popular villagers in Stardew Valley, and it doesn’t help that he arrives only after a year in-game. Still, despite his cold exterior, developing a friendship with Kent reveals much about his character, sending a subtle, yet effective message about what war and trauma can do to a person.
Before Kent Arrives in Stardew Valley
Even though Kent makes his first appearance in Year 2, the player can learn of his existence by talking to the members of his family. For example, Jodi, Kent’s wife, will sometimes tell the player, “My husband Kent is a soldier, working overseas. That's why he's not here right now. I know he'll come back safe once his tour is over!” She also has a line of dialogue where she tells the player that she’s been praying for her husband’s safe return, showing how much Jodi misses him.
Similarly, Sam, Kent’s son, has a heart event where his younger brother, Vincent, asks whether their dad will ever come home. Vincent is visibly worried as he’s heard of how soldiers are being shot in the war zone. Sam is quick to shoot this down, reassuring Vincent that their father is a strong man. Though once Vincent is out of earshot, Sam tells the player that even he isn’t sure if their dad will ever come home, hinting at the brutal nature of the ongoing war.
Lastly, before Kent arrives in Year 2, the player can find a letter that he wrote to Jodi in one of the drawers of their bedroom. An excerpt from the letter reads, “I might not be the same man you remember. I've seen some things out here that have really shaken me up. I've been having a real hard time relaxing.” This reveals that Kent is aware, at least to some extent, of how the war has affected him, and he’s afraid that his family might not understand.
It’s widely believed in the Stardew Valley community that Kent suffers from PTSD. There is no direct confirmation of this in the game. However, players can surmise this by picking up the hints in his dialogue and heart events.
Evidence of Kent’s Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
When Kent finally arrives in Spring of the second year, he’s extremely reserved and mostly keeps to himself. Although, if the player raises their friendship level, he starts opening up more about his family life and personal struggles. In one piece of dialogue, he tells the player about the friends that he lost to battle, lamenting that he can no longer remember their faces.
In another line, he admits that he has trouble sleeping, and that he’s awake in the wee hours of the morning. This is due to the lack of structure that comes with no longer having to fight in the war. Additionally, he has a special line of dialogue during the Flower Dance, where he admits that being in an open field makes him nervous.
That said, the most telling evidence of Kent’s PTSD is seen during his heart event. Should the player enter his home while he and Jodi are present, a cutscene will play. Jodi will be in the kitchen, making popcorn. It makes a few popping sounds before Kent screams and runs into the room, telling Jodi, “You should've known that sound would remind me of the war!” As Kent laments about the friends he’s lost, Jodi says that popcorn was always Kent’s favorite. To which, he replies that things have changed.
By this point, Jodi will nudge the player to speak. Among three dialogue options, if the player chooses to sympathize with Kent but also tell him not to blame his wife, Kent will agree and apologize. This is the correct dialogue option, as blaming Jodi or lying will negatively affect the player’s friendship level with Kent.
Kent’s reaction to the sound of popcorn cooking is likely a trigger that brings back strong memories about his time in the war zone. His fear of open fields seems to be another trigger as it could remind him of the battlefield. Finally, Kent admits to having trouble sleeping, which is a symptom of PTSD.
How Stardew Valley Shows the Effects of PTSD
It’s clear that Kent is struggling from his experiences during his time in the war, and it’s also affecting his relationship with his family. Talking to him will sometimes prompt dialogue about how he’s regretful that he wasn’t there for Sam and that he doesn’t know him as much as he wishes. This certainly shows in his relationship with Sam as his son doesn’t have much dialogue on him. As for Vincent, he has a line where he says he’s happy that his dad’s back, but that he’s different now. Vincent also reveals that Kent doesn’t really play with him anymore.
Jodi’s dialogue lines are the most telling, however. Apart from Kent’s heart event, she also has dialogue that hints at the rocky nature of their relationship. In one line, she admits that she and Kent rushed into their marriage, then she cautions the player not to make the same mistake. In another line, she expresses that she sometimes dreams about having a life of her own, without a family.
All this paints a picture of how Kent’s internal struggle has a very real effect on his family. It shows the long-reaching effects of war and PTSD — none of which are pleasant. Though Kent’s family is trying to reconnect with him, progress is, understandably slow.
That said, some players in the community wish that ConcernedApe included a few more events surrounding Kent so that the player could play a more active role in helping him feel better. One idea is to allow players to hire Kent as a farmhand after raising his friendship level. This would give him something to do and help him provide for his family.
Regardless, Kent is an important character in Stardew Valley, and he showcases ConcernedApe’s masterful handling of dark topics. No doubt fans are eager to see more of this style of characterization, whether it’s in a new update of Stardew Valley or in his new project The Haunted Chocolatier.
Stardew Valley is available on Android, iOS, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
