In fairness, it's not really a sacrifice if it can just be "fixed". Gale can no longer return to the mortal realm, which means he won't see Tara (his dearest friend), his parents, or his BG3 buddies ever again most likely... unless Mystra can somehow send him to Withers' prologue party, but I don't know.
@@mistahanansi2264 I agree, but seeing Tav as a Mind Flayer even in the "afterlife" after you choose to end your life is kinda depressing, plus Withers mentions that you (the party) could be needed again so I assume that includes Gale as well, idk
My understanding is that Mystra cannot interfere too much with Faerun. Therefore the only way she can restore Gale, is that if he is no more to return to Faerun. This makes sense for Gale as he is the chosen of Mystra, but for the others? Maybe for Durge Bhaal could do something similar, but Im not sure: a. I would decide to spend the rest of my life in Bhaal realm b. Bhaal gives an effing f about his choosens.
Love that they added this ending- though I''m not sure how I feel about Gale learning NOTHING from the last time he took a tumble in her magical undergarments. Poor fool.
@@traceyxxrose7454 She groomed him just like the Greek gods and goddesses did with mortals. He just finally submitted and is now her boytoy. Forever and ever and ever.
I find it bittersweet but realistically possible. Like Astarion, he gains a lot from a romance. It helps him grow personally and move past his old passion in ways friendship does not.
To be fair, being mystra's chosen (even if you basically die here) is significantly better than staying an illithid. That said, if gale is not an illithid and *still* choose to be with her again, yeah he's an idiot
@traceyxxrose7454 pfft please, mystra doesn't care about "teaching a lesson". What kind of lesson ask the student to die as punishment from making a mistake, which is caused by her in the first place? Do you know that one of mystra's doctrine for spellcaster is to 'seek power and keep trying to evolve magic' (paraphrasing)? Yet the moment gale sees the power beyond the boundary (something that she herself shows him) and wants to have that, it's suddenly not okay. Gale is power hungry, make no mistake, but he won't be this bad if not for mystra's own doing.
There kinda is already, after you get the ending where you go to avernus with her, at the party she tells you she has found a way to be cured, is not sure, is in the future, but is good enough according to me
It's still a rather sad ending as Gale can't return to the mortal plane, so he's still essentially dead. And he's spending his afterlife with the goddess who manipulated him. That being said though I actually got a little emotional watching Gale's soul being restored and I'm glad we get confirmation Mystra keeps her word.
Only fans with extremely poor interpretations of a goddess (who willingly chains herself to mortals, and who gale was literally devouring with his karsite weave bit by bit) would have thought she wouldn't. From her perspective asking Gale to kill himself isn't nearly as big of an ask as it is for a mortal, after all she's died several times herself!
@@override367 Strong words there, differing interpretations from your own do not inherently mean worse ones. Mystra is complicated, she keeps her word here but she is very flawed. The game suggests that pretty clearly I think. It's why upon Gale being told by Elminster to kill himself and everyone around him in a miles wide radius to save the realm, pretty much everyone besides Gale is angry at her and list valid reasons why Mystra's approach is flawed. Gale is of course also flawed like the rest of the cast, but Mystra clearly has power and control over him. For every noble reason you can assume she has for her decisions in game she also can have a selfish or petty one. Which is it, or is it both? I don't think it is unreasonable for players to be skeptical. I prefer gods written like Mystra for that reason. Extremely interesting.
My tav being a devout cleric of Mysra and watching Gale become chosen after I literally killed 2 other chosen and also a demon and wouldn't even consider not following the word of my goddess:
@rettbull9100 Nah, this isn't out of character for Mystra. He surrendered the Karsite stuff and Crown and the Absolute is also gone. The reward makes sense. However, it does feel out of character for Gale to do this, though, after what he's been through.
@@rettbull9100 How is this out of character for her? Mystra isn't evil. The only reason she didn't take gale to elysim before was because he wasn't ready. Now gale is willingly giving the crown and the karsite weave back to mystra, he has learned his lesson, and he has become an illithid. Mystra wasn't going to leave her chosen like that
Additional dnd context- last time someone used karsus’ crown to become a god, it killed Mystra. This event is why the netherese civilization fell and why individual mages are banned from casting spells above 9th level. Gale would 100% be aware of the crown’s history. I’m not saying him bringing up the crown is an implicit threat, but I’m not saying it *isnt* a threat either.
Well it was targeted at Mystra herself if I remember correctly or Karsus tried to make the Avatar of Karsus (the only 12th level spell I believe, again recalling this from memory) target Mystra which attempted to drain her into the Avatar? This is if I recall correctly. As she was losing her power in an attempt to stop the situation she used up all the power she had left and destroyed it, and herself along with it. It apparently took her a long time to come back too.
@@AsreiMurasame pretty sure the canon thing is, cast katsus avatar, it kills the god, give you its power. Turn out, when you kill personification of magic (old mystra who is not a ascended mortal like new mystra) magic stops working, spells fail, weave explode
Actually after checking ed greenwood tweet it seems she did sacrifice herself indeed, damn thats way less funny than the most powerful mage being a mega fool
@@quentinlelievre276 Yeah I think it's the case that if Karsus had targeted a different god, his spell would probably have worked. He shouldn't have tried to use magic to supplant the goddess of magic, it was self-defeating.
He's sent to Elysium which is basically just a tranquil paradise. Probably best outcome imaginable, especially if that goddess favors you and maybe will have you as a boy toy.
Not great, but far from the worst outcome, considering his only other option was "remain a soulless husk who's eventually going to slip into ilithid evilness and eat his lover's brain." He has his soul and his humanity back. Now all he has to do is wait till she tires of him, and then if he's clever, he can resume his life on faerûn almost like it was before...
Although what I like about this scene is HE STILL HAS THE ORB when she brings him back and I think that's a hilarious thing that was overlooked as I highly doubt Mystra would have left that on him bringing him back.
this ending feel like a bad one for me because when Mystra looked at gale she looked like she's happy she got her puppet back and Gale is just happy someone needs him. Like odd that she can change him back into his human form but only if he stays with her.
Exactly that why the more Gale talked about her the less I liked her. Also when you go to that temple place with all the gods you can pray too the narrator says she is a "jealous god" and while Karsus power is evil and Gale didn't really know that until after the fact If he chooses godhood and tell her that I think she gets jealous at that fact he achieved his goal and became a god. @@elenalizabeth
@@jassibella5415sometimes I see comments of people being annoyed that he talks too much about his ex. But like people often talk a lot about a certain ex for a reason. It's flawed to look only at the surface and see someone talk about their ex without thinking and listening to why that is. Relationships (especially long ones) have a significant impact on people and can change them for life.
Ao doesn’t like gods interfering in mortal affairs. That’s why Mystra can’t just change him back. The only way she’d actually be able to help him is if he’s not a mortal anymore.
@kozhcaelum8495 As a goddess of magic, there are strict rules she must adhere to. As a deity, she doesn't have the luxury of doing EVERYTHING in her moral compass that she would have had while she was still mortal. She has to think about the fate of ALL things magic rather than just those she personally cares about. And blowing up the Absolute was the most surefire way to stop a threat that could have been the doom of all things, even if it meant sacrificing Gale. Which yes is a heavy thing to ask, and one even she in her divinity had no right to ask of him.
@Spiralpaladin As I said, previous Mystra still has that mortal moral compass. This one doesn't after Ao punished her. You're right that her main thing is preserving the weave (hence why she uses volo as the anchor), but that's precisely why I said she's more true neutral now. Preserving weave isn't something good or evil, but it's just... it. More like natural order/force kindof thung. Well, unless we see weave = good, and shadow/karsite weave = evil. Edit: also, the problem with mystra isn't even her asking her follower to die, but more in how she does things. From romancing a mortal, not telling gale what to do after he ate the orb, telling him to die even though there might be a chance we could defeat the brain, only compromise when gale learn the truth of the crown
@@juanlaise1059 She groomed him ever since he was young. His reliance on her and his over-the-top ambition both stem from Mystra and her "promises". The major reason he is fcked up is because of her. If you ever romance him and show him he is good enough as just a man, you can see for yourself. That, and she could have just saved him without going "Come be my consort again." She's disgusting and a menace (like most of the gods really).
Honestly, I don't like this ending. It feels like Gale's entire character arc was rendered meaningless. At the start of the game, he was grappling with severe self-esteem issues stemming from his gifted-child syndrome and Mystra's manipulation, Gale perpetually felt the need to validate himself, striving to prove his worth. Mystra made things worse by playing on his insecurities and preying on his vulnerabilities, ultimately leading him to attempt seizing control of the Karsic weave to impress her. Not to mention she groomed him and she has a reputation for using "young wizards", as hinted at in Minsc's dialogue about her. Gale's aspiration to claim Karsus' Crown and ascend to godhood was his way of escaping failure. However, with the support of Tav and the events of the game, he gradually comes to realize that he doesn't need external validation to define his worth. He learns to love himself, stoods up to Mystra, and finds fulfillment as a professor. For the first time, he experiences genuine contentment and happiness. Yet, in this ending where he sails off with Mystra, looking all happy-go-lucky, undermines this hard-earned growth. It doesn't resonate with the journey he undertook or the lessons he learned along the way. It feels out of character and diminishes the impact of his personal development. Thus, I find it unsatisfactory.
I remember reading on Reddit about one of the writers self-inserting themselves as Gale, which is why parts of his story are kind of weird, whereas Gale as a character is solid. Makes sense, it's like some nerd having a crush on a celebrity (in this case the writer and Mystra) and thinking they'd be a great partner to them, without knowing what they are like or having similar interests.
A greater deiety can do pretty much anything, save affecting the fundamentals of Realmspace, which is the domain of Ao. They are however, not allowed to do much of anything by said Overgod, when it comes to the players and their story. At it's heart, this is still just a game that revolves around said players, not a real world with consistency to how nature and/or magic work. It wouldn't be much of a game if all it took was asking a god to solve all your plot-related problems, especially since most of the benevolent ones would probably be willing to do it anyway. Therefore, the system needs excuses to keep that from being an option.
I hate to say it, but it looks like Aurora Borealis. At this time of day, in this time of year, in this part of the planes, localized entirely within... wherever that is.
Mystra: Localized entirely within my domain you mean? In that case you are correct. If that is enough to impress you, then you will be absolutely blown away by my signature pleasure domes. 😏
@@Keram-io8hv Yes. Which is mature tadpole. You don't call frogs tadpoles either. The tadpoles in the heads of the Re of the crew died out with the Netherbrain.
@@melteddali8000 nah dude. You think that staying with the grooming purple god that asked you to commit suicide and abandoned you for trying to do something for her is the best ending? 😂
Its weird how people say that this is a badly written ending because "Gale doesnt learn his lesson about being a god's plaything" My brother, YOU ARE GALE ! YOU DIDINT LEARN YOUR LESSON !"
So, okay. I would like a definitive statement as to whether mindflayers have souls or not. Mystra said devoid of soul and conscience. If this were true, then would a mindflayer really give up the crown? And, what would there to restore if Gale's soul had either left his body or was obliterated? Her statements, along with Withers, are bafflingly contradictory.
Realistically, being turned from an Illithid back to a human is probably a terrible feeling. All mind flayers describe themselves as superior beings having the "fog" be lifted from their minds. So assuming Gale still has the memories of being an illithid, and the sense of mental clarity that came with it, it probably feels like absolute shit to go back.
If they are mind flayers, then emotions and morals would be a hindrance and feel bad. If they are humans, they need emotions and morals to find meaning in their lives.
@@TheScavv It doesn't contradict, but would you rather have a soul and have a sense of right and wrong, or would you rather have perfect mental clarity and psionic powers with no soul and no warmth.
An Illithid Deity without a soul feels like it's never gonna lead to good things for anyone, not even Gale, since the original Gale is gone in this form.
I think they meant why would you choose to go to Elysium just to be Mystra's muse if instead you could use the crown to return from being illithid and become the God of Ambition.
@@Neipalm Yeah but the thing is, what if that's specifically a Mystra related power? Not all gods are equivalent in power, Gale is implied to be on the very minor end of the spectrum. Likely because he was cautious and didn't make Karsus' same mistake. Mystra is a Greater Deity, that's why in the ending where Gale challenges Mystra to a fight - he loses, badly. So what if Gale can't return his soul to its original form? Or what if it takes far longer than Mystra? It's implied that one's Illithid mindset is slowly changing everyone who takes on this state. Eventually even the desire to not be Illithid would be gone.
idk I find the ending where she returns to Avernus with Wyll and finds the possibility to repair her engine quite promising. Especially if we get a DLC out of that. :3
All right but according to this... Illithids then are still sort of the character, just soulless? Sort of like the vampires of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, where vamps are essentially the twisted, demonified, soulless versions of their past human selves, but still are somewhat those people (in their cases with their worst impulses brought to life)? So both the Emperor AND Withers/Mystra are right.
Strenght of Will and passage of time. If the default Tav ends its life while being a Mindflayer, Withers Will say that you Still have your soul. The Emperor sure had a strenght but moral compass was destroyed, leaving only His ambition. If Tav, Orpheus could choose tu surrender their lifes, so did he.
I’m fairly certain that with withers being able to recognize the emperor as balduran in the upper city confirms that they have some form of soul, otherwise withers should have no way of knowing who the emperor was, it’s likely just that their soul loses any “apostolic” aspect, thus leaving whatever soul they have left useless to the gods
Game is very sort of wishy washy with what illithid transformation actually means. In the old lore it's the tadpole consuming you and the tadpole (not you) who emerges. The netherese infused tadpoles as well as the emperor's situation seem to be more alike a shapeshift (you keep your brain and soul, it's just your "shell" that changes). Withers does have some line about the fact that illithids are soulless, which I think is supposed to mean that they don't go to the regular afterlife, thus not strengthening the other gods and thus the dead three becoming comparatively more powerful for a time. Though they don't really get into it all that much for what is kindof an important line, perhaps there was more there originally but they kindof cut it out because it doesn't really matter to the narrative as a whole all that much.
@@studentt6064I took it as one of two things With the netherese tadpoles it's not a polymorph moreso the illithid replacing you but your memories and some remnant of who you once were imprinting on the creature leading to a seperate entity wholly convinced its you and by all means is a illithid replica of you while you die Or It's actually the manipulation of Orpheus' abilities that allows the victim to retain some of what they once were, although still very much an illithid, more like an illithid halfbreed in a sense than a true one. The body is an illithid, the mind is, but the soul is retained either permanently or temporarily.
Normally becoming an illithid wipes out the host entirely. People with very strong wills taken over by really mediocre tadpoles can sometimes have a portion of their personality mimicked by the tadpole, but its not really them, it's an illithid who thinks they are the same person. There's an argument to be made as to whether or not they are effectively the same person if they share enough memory or personality, but that's nitpicking at that point--the host has ceased to exist and been consumed by the mindflayer, if not in one fashion, then in another.
So... now Gale is the only character that have true happy ending as illithid (no more!)? Rest of characters are like "illithid? okay, thanks, but you are terrible"
On my second playthrough, I’m looking for a fall guy to become the Illithid. I’m salty that in my playthrough I made the sacrifice, off’ed myself, and was *still* a squid in the afterlife.
Mystra intervened and helped more than any other Gods (though her solution was a bit blunt) besides Jergal to deal with the Absolute. And despite Gale's direct disobedience she still ultimately redeems him once he restores balance. I can't see how she's villainous at all compared to other entities in the setting
I mean... so you don't have a soul anymore cause illithid (already proven by Withers both in pre final fight speech AND post death dialogue that you DO still have a soul) but she can somehow rescue that non-existent soul and take it to Elysium, idk man, sounds like some gods don't want you to realise you really do have potential as an illithid and try to hide it behind stuff like "they have no souls" (As for WHY would they do that is because illithids don't have a soul... that they can take advantage from, so you're useless to them but doesn't mean you dont' have one, in fact illithids can become liches, and require a soul to do so)
Idk if I’d call this a “good” ending. More of a “Gale returns to the cycle of abuse fully knowing he had to give up literally everything for Mystra to even somewhat approve of him.”
Not really,she clearly shows that she appreciates his efforts,you can see this while talking the first time with her or even Elminster sending the message
@@domenicc1839She really doesn’t, she’s very much so a manipulative child loving prick. The fact a that she knew of him when he was young and he explains how he was young when he was taken in my her and elmisnster and then became her student, she became his muse and then his lover is weird asf. Also side note, where what letter are you talking about, and if you wouldn’t mind, could you explain what was said in the letter?
Just finished my first playthrough with Gale last night, i am excited to see where the other relationships go but idk who can offer anything better than Godhood
It could be that the game has a lower facial animation setting or since this scene comes with the new update the animation hasn't been properly done Baldurs gate 3 facial animation is better than most AAA games that's for sure
somehow, i think this is the worst ending for Gale. Bro has to spend eternity with someone who literally groomed him and threw him away when he pissed her off
You know, i probably would have stayed as illithid... IF PLAYER ILLITHID HAD BETTER BLOODY DESIGN. SERIOUSLY, WHAT IS THAT SHIT? FUCKING TEENAGE ILLITHID? COME ON.
It's a shame you cannot get this ending when you play not as Gale. Because Gale agrees to sacrifice himself completely then, but there is no option to turn him into a mindflayer, a bit silly.
this is such a disgusting and tragic ending. Gale has not only learned nothing, but the option "I have someone waiting for me" means he romanced someone and then left them behind after returning everything to Mystra and they just get nothing back from him. Mystra actually opening Elysium to him is what he originally wanted but this also only serves to make him more subservient to her. ... As an aside, bloodweave w/ spawn Astarion romanced in Gale origin for this is so upsetting.
yeah pretty gross, but luckily its only if you're playing as him and its only if you actively choose this option. Something I'd personally never do as him
Yeah it’s pretty bad. Prof Dekarios or God Gale are better. There are canonically other Gods of Magic in Faerun besides Mystra, so becoming the God of Magical Ambition is not a far stretch. If Karsus succeeded then he would’ve definitely deserved this title too.
No, Divine intervention or things on the level of Wish could always cure complete ceremorphosis. Gods just aren't allowed to interfere in mortal affairs casually like that. Also most wouldn't care unless it's someone they really liked.
It’s sad that Gale can’t return to the mortal realm, but I still think him having his soul back is a better ending, even if he is back with Mystra. In the game, I never got the sense she was evil or a bad person. She’s just a goddess and has different priorities than mortals may. She doesn’t value mortal life in the same way. She was not a good fit for Gale because he has a big heart and she is completely impartial. I don’t think this is a perfect ending for him, but I think it’s better than him slowly losing all semblance of himself as a mindflayer (something that they have completely stated WILL happen, and we know this is what happened to the emperor, no matter what he says)
Kinda sad still I mean Mystra groomed him and basically toyed with him his whole life, Gale just accepting "yeah I was nothing more then her instrument" is my version of a bad ending, a good ending is becoming a god and challenging Mystra, she isnt evil but certainly evil to Gale's life. I don't know I know people would say don't hold a grudge or something stupid but never would I forgive her. Im thankful tho that she gave us this Gale with the bomb, if he wasnt he'd of probably been a douchebag.
This just reinforces the idea that Gale is the best person to sacrifice. Save Orpheus and have Gale either become a MFer or blow himself up. Either way, everyone wins.
mindflayers can have souls though. If you transform into a mindflayer for the final battle and kill yourself afterwards, Withers will find you (in mindflayer form) in the afterlife and admit he was wrong.
@@Jackie-ms3tn Explicitly that was because you aren't fully transformed at that point. If you choose not to kill yourself, your transformation completes almost immediately afterwards and wipes out what is left (because there's nothing holding it back anymore).
Not a shock she could do this, godhood aside the 10+ tier magic that mortals learned to use basically went from I can cast light to bitch I cast kill god.