Yeah I think instead of a tragic backstory, Arnold programmed them with their loved ones as their cornerstones because he lost his kid.
Ake and Kohana
Maeve and her daughter
The other members of Ake's tribe
Dolores and Peter Abernathy
They only started moving forward when their cornerstones were removed.
Compare with Teddy, Hector, Armistice, Clementine, etc.
thinking about it kinda makes me see Arnold as New Testament God and Ford as Old Testament, with their methodologies when it comes to their creations, how they want them to grow and their presences in the show's lore.