Una wrote:
Cally removes herself throughout this episode. She has a real dilemma, and I think she's very conflicted throughout. She struggles repeatedly to express to Avon that what he is doing is murder, and thus wrong. But, I think she's finding it difficult to resolve the issue, and that part of what's going on is trying to justify to herself the fact that - by her inactivity - she is effectively letting him go through with it. Bearing in mind her own experience of people like Shrinker during S-L-D, I think part of her thinks he's justified. The only internal resolution she can find is removing herself from the action - just like Auron did.
Great analysis of Cally's character, Una.
Yes, I agree - one can also observe the process of 'decentring morality' inside her: starting with her initial rebellion against the passivity of her people and ending up with her own 'withdrawal'.
I think at that point she is also worried about Avon in general, it's not just that one murder, she intuits the direction in which he's going and she feels unable to stop him.
Unfortunately, speaking from my 'real life' experience, this is what many decent people do - they withdraw, feeling depressed and helpless, and allow evil things to happen.
N.