Reading the list, your issues with Gale are temporary until they can fix his magic item eating UI. Then they will roll it back so he is as needy as he ever was, I imagine.

I also totally get what you're referring to with him. As a guy, I found him repellant for exactly the reasons you specify. But I also found him realistically repellant and clueless.

Then on my third playthrough I let him sacrifice himself, and he grew in my estimation.

Poor guy was taken in, loved, and then abandoned by a goddess. Even if for good reason, it's understandable how damaged he was by it all.