Interesting how the only quote that changes still has Ascended Astarion call Tav his "treasure". Spawn Astarion simply comments on how upsetting it is that they have to be trapped in something similar, while Ascended Astarion needs to mention how something of his (his treasure) is being used. It's still weird how little attention irt companions' reactions this whole thing got.
yep I can totally sense the possessive / "you're my property" undertone in ascendant.. both here and when you meet Araj where he says out loud that Tav belongs to him (ironically though he did approve when Tav said to Araj he is his own person... and he does this to Tav rn.. but I guess this plays into the whole narrative that Tav accepted this sort of relationship dynamic = being degraded to sth less than he is). no judgement towards those who like that. I personally don't, it irks me. what's also noticeable how in both of these instances he needed to mention he's sth more, improved, untouchable which I found kinda funny. why does he need to mention it, lol.. it smells of insecurity. anyways.. I have a plethora of more reasons against ascension 🙊
@adrianatakacova541 near the end, there's an option to say you liked Astarion just as he was (pre-Ascension), and Ascended Astarion will get angry and call his past self weak. It really drives home how the Ascended ending is him ignoring his trauma and undoing any work he had done up to that point .
@@Carolina57685 YEP!! that's exactly it! and it annoys me that we can tell him in the ascendant break up "you were perfect before" but we aren't able to tell him how strong, capable, and perfect he really is in the spawn ending where it is *relevant* for him to hear it. instead we get 'you don't need the powers, I'll protect you' option which rubs me the wrong way. because he himself says he wants to share his new future with you as a partner, an *equal* ..I picked it once just to hear what he says and nah, I ain't doing it again.
@adrianatakacova541 yeah! Since there's an option to ask him for a kiss there should be one right after where you can tell him how much you like being around him or smthn
Im jealous of people romancing Astorion, you get a reaction like this from him but when you’re romancing Wyll and you break him from his pact he has nothing to say when you turn around and make one
Devs have said that there's a lot of issues, especially in act3, with content not initiating properly or at all. They are actually working on fixing the bugged content as well as finishing and restoring some cut content based on player feedback.
Ascended Astarion is still the same guy that got sexually abused so he has a love hate relationship with pleasure. It disgusts himbut he enjoys it to a point, so seeing u being used pisses him off
He only enjoys it with you. One because he loves you, the other is because he is 100% willing and it was his decision, not him being forced to due to situation or through mind control. Even though the ascension warped him and his love for you, it doesn’t erase the amount of physical, mental, and sexual abuse he suffered so I’m sure seeing you go through it hurts him. Loads of ppl say ascension him doesn’t feel shit but I believe he does, he sounds hurt and sad for you.
Ascended Astarion is just so interesting to me. 0% regrets in going that route on my personal playthrough as it makes sense on my Tav's journey. I love corruption arcs and evil characters because of how intriguing they are. From my own reading of evil (because ascended is too long) Astarion's character, becoming a vampire corrupted his love towards Tav. It's clear that Astarion sees Tav as someone who understands him, like he says after the spawn attack your camp "They(spawn) don't have someone like you"(paraphasing can't remember it word to word). In his mind Tav is the only one who accepts him as he is, someone who will stand up for him and truly love him. In the evil Astarion's mind having Tav as *his* is given. No one else can have Tav. When you break up because you don't want to become a spawn, he starts saying how it would have just used you up until you were nothing, seems to be something people use to point out how Astarion doesn't love Tav as his evil version. Now, I can't speak for the writers and what they intended with that scene, but my *personal* reading of it is: Astarion tries to hide how hurt he is. That it doesn't affect him at all when it actually does. He is deflecting and trying to prove to you that he "doesn't need you" because his pride is hurt. "How could this person who said they loved me, leave me? Well, jokes on them! I never really loved them. I was always just using them". Basically any egotistical person when person they love leaves them. Now, it's still toxic, obv. It's corruption arc in fantasy. But just call it "just toxic" is doing it a disservice, imo. (and for the kids and people who think we should always hand hold people: Exploring and enjoying toxic relationships in fantasy setting, is not the same as approving them in real life. That should be obvious. Fantasy allows us to explore these topics safely and discuss the complex psychological narratives being told to us without having to subject real people into these scenarios.)
Yeah, this really resonates. On one level when people online start getting really into this kind of stuff regarding companions I have the urge to be like “it’s just a video game …” But (ironically) comments like yours have the opposite effect, because you’re not just reducing it down to a trope or cliche. Like, to the extent that companion relationships in this game are worth taking seriously, it necessarily must be *because* they’re far more nuanced and complicated than just “this is the good option that heals X’s trauma, whereas this is the bad option whereby you fail X who in turn traumatizes you - hope you learned your lesson, just like in a Charles Dickens novel!”
My first run through after the Nightsong Incident I decided to let all my companions make their own choices (IE no persuasion checks), so when I hit ascension for Astarion and he wanted it, I did it. Ascended Astarion gets possessive, but even with some of the dialogue after the fact he does still care, albeit in a rather "You are mine" way. If you do go the vampire route, he even gives you his blood, which is something he previously implied no vampire would do, and it means you're not a slave the way he was. It's not that he's a perfect partner after the fact, in an obvious way, but it's not quite toxic so much as... Warped where he's healed poorly from trauma instead from my understanding.
Sometimes I feel like ppl forget that Astarion is downright evil. Boy got upset when you free slaves lol. He was a victim of Cazador, but that doesn't make anything he does or thinks right. That said, if you are a nice Tav, you fell in love with the bad boy and is trying to make him better with the redemption arc. That's the end for you. You don't feed his evil side and expect him to play nice. Thing is, not always you will be the good guy. My first run was manipulative DUrge, not evil, just the type who would break your mind if you let him. The only companion I felt that could keep up with him in a romantic way was Astarion (or Shadowheart, but she is a no go for romance if you take Shar route, plus, Shar sucks). I think Ascended Ast is made for us, who give the twisted and deprived a run, and I'm happy we have both options. It's not kind or healthy love, but between murderous and canibals I think that fits them well.
I think freeing the slaves might upset him because he was a slave for such a long time and no one came to rescue him, so why do these slaves deserve better?
@@CitronnelleCiphyI had nothing, no approval nor disapproval no reaction etc. It was the weirdest thing in the game. First thing that felt unresponsive and dead.
@@Nirraart In game? Sure, to each their own... it's just posting it with a heart like it's cute is kinda messed up ngl (people should really acknowledge it's toxic)
@@Fierth You also dont have the right to call anyones pet names toxic considering most were given for reasons only those in the relationship agreed upon. What you may view is toxic is just you having a disagreeing opinion with someone and trying to make it out like there is something wrong with them. You are ewwwing someone else's mmmmm. Which is actually toxic. Everyone is entitled to like what they like and shouldn't have to be targeted by people like you that cant separate fact from fiction. Many people LIKE evil astarion, liked him since the beginning you have no right to make the claim that their fantasy is a issue.
Yeah, he basically is like, I OWN you now, but dear, you shouldn't have to go through all that. I find it hard to believe what he tells us if we break up with him after Ascension about only using us. I think it's his hurt and insecurity, because it shakes his false sense of safety and control ascending gave him.
I was certainly in shock, the hero is raped by a demon, and the whole party stood and watched, even romantic interest, well raped you, took your body for eternity, no big deal
@@katiatall I'm agreeing it's not consensual, which is why I was shocked a dev seemed to suggest it was, especially given this dev wrote Astarion's plot themselves. And yeah it is definitely weird either way.
Аа, боже, огромное спасибо за все эти видосы с Астарионом! У меня очень мало времени остается на BG3, поэтому очень рада, что у меня есть возможность хотя бы на ютубе посмотреть все эти другие руты/уникальные диалоги)
This scene didn't even trigger for me (And yes, my tav had sold her body..). Probably just another, completely bugged out script. I really, REALLY hope Larian will bring order into that mess.
might be cos it's random which character reacts? idk cos I haven't even met the incubus yet, but I've seen a video compiling different companions' reactions
It triggered for me when I was just running around the city of Baldur’s Gate. I don’t know if it matters but I was heading to that one magic shop where that one wizard wants Nightsong and this scene automatically and randomly happened.
This goes a long way to prove that ascended astarion just wont interfere in your sexual choices. Sleep with Mizora? He lets you, no breakup. Sleep with the emperor? Disgusted, but no comment. Sleep with one of the drow? He critizises you taking the services of an elven prostitute - AGAIN (referring to himself), but lets you. Sleep with both drow and pull him in? He makes sure you enjoy yourself, but loathes it. And when you decide to Sleep with harleep, he tries to warn you of the dangers, but still lets you make your own choice. And then hes there afterwards to comfort you. He even comforts you when you tell him that sex with mizora was awful. Say what you want about "evil" Astarion, but he is miles away from becoming cazador. He would never interfere in your choices of sex life, because his own was commanded by his master. He would never abuse you even if you treat him like shit, still giving you everything. His huge main problem is his fear of lonelyness. All that power makes him miserable when youre not around, because the whole domination actually doesnt mean anything to him. You can see that when you romance ascended astarion and then go to hell with karlach without ever breaking up. He tries to keep up appearances, but gosh, does he feel bad and lonely. You can see that all those intrigues do not bring him any pleasure. So yes, his whole "You complete me" line at the party isnt even a lie. Without you, he would just have no idea what to do with his immortal super powerful yet unfulfilling life.
Also, may I add that Ascended Astarion just names things as they are? Spawn tries to swim around it with terms like "bondage" but ascended straight up says "violation" aka rape. Because thats what it feels like. No sugarcoating there, I just love ascended for that 😊
the incubus scene was basically rape? did anyone notice that? he doesn't say what he's planning on doing or ask for consent, and once the 'game' starts you have to make saving throws to not give your body away. that's... sexual assault. the devs talk about it like it's consensual and none of the characters _do_ anything except for astarion's disapproval.
Oh please, are you serious right here and right now? It's an I N C U B U S, Like, that mythological demonic creature that takes advantage of maidens in their sleep, like, it's literally what they do, it's supposed that everyone knows this, but Astarion seems to be more affected considering his past, but then again no one can do anything
@@angelinejorvaskr1125op is just stating a fact, no need to be so argumentative. You and I and everyone knows what it is, some people just take a bit longer to figure it out. Be kinder.
No yeah, 1000%. And like, personally + given the context of the game, I could accept that as a horror story beat, *If* it was framed as an assault and there were, y'know, plot or emotional consequences to that (aside from the current obviously). But It Turns Out No
Ох. Как приятно видеть что обе версии не в восторге от этого. Астарион всё так же любит её даже после вознесения. Хотя и слегка иначе. Но, злится что кто-то использует тебя. Хотя тут вопрос как относится: злится что его собственность трогают или как личность...
Good = dead master, no ascension, so his mental health can start healing so he can work on becoming a better person. Evil = kills master, kills 7k people, ascends, becoming twisted and then entitled and possessive over you and starts treating u like an object.
@@foxyloxyBABE You have have him Not ascend and still kill 7 k "people" . "Those people died years ago" They are feral, insane starving vampire spawn. Not exactly "people" and if loosed unto the world - they will reap more havoc than an army of 100k of the strongest fighters out for blood.
Ye maybe the first 50 years but not 200 like him. ESP when you’re sleeping or pooping or sick, the last thing you want is to feel creepy sexual touches all over you. If you are married or in love, it’s horrible too cause you only want your partners body and someone else touching you feels disgusting. You don’t own your body or sexual sensations anymore because you can’t control it. It’s really traumatic. So yea really don’t recommend if you’re an immortal. Do it if you have a short lifespan and have no sexual or romantic relationships.
@@user-uh3gc9uv8g как раз представляется возможным. По сюжету вы и проникаете в дом Рафаила без его ведома. Хотя я не знаю, если заключаешь с ним контракт, то что там по сюжету?
