I actually just finished the 2018 game and am of the mind that his character didnt really change THAT much, maybe towards the end arguably.
when "we killed your parents and then felt bad about it" is too woke for you
in seriousness though, I like emotionless/silent protagonists to some extent. It was a big part of the appeal of Metroid for me, at least before Other M came out. It makes the game feel more otherworldly