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A Baldur's Gate 3 Rant
tldr: woman is angry at a game and needed to scream and vent into the void. And this is cheaper than therapy.
TW: it's BG3, spoilers, and the game includes themes of abuse in all and every form. This post will be addressing some of those issues. I'm sorry if these matters are displeasing for you. Please bare this in mind going forward, especially with Astarion's part of the rant. I apologize in advance for any harmful emotions I bring up. I pray you are able to heal and continue to grow on your journey.
First off, I am not a gamer. I grew out of gaming back around 2020 since it no longer served as good or healthy escapism.
Most of the games I did play was stuff like Undertale, Skull girls, MK, Smash, Fnaf, and Overwatch. I have more titles under my gaming belt but these are just to name a few.
I am also not a DnD or Fantasy fan. I'm team sci-fi all the way. I just think magic is a cop out and used in lazy writing. Plus I can't play a game where the rules are basically whatever the dungeon master calls it. I need games with decent structure. Plus if I'm able to lift like 250, rolling a 3 shouldn't matter. It's like the will of the dice over rule your action and your stats don't matter.
So how the hell did I even get involved with this game? Youtube! The damn algorithm!
Every. Single. Recommend. Video. Short. Everything!
It was always the damn vampire. Only the vampire. I was almost convinced the game was just about him.
So, because I am a Fnaf fan that should tell you all that you need about my fascination and hyperfixation with gaming lore.
I blame MattPat!
So, I take a look into the game.
Immediately I'm hit with the Spider-Man vs BG3 drama. The absurd racism from some of the fans. The awful takes made about the game that was whole unjustified. And the very very concerning fixation on Astarion. This was all in January 2024.
Months later, the game is still popular. However I am beyond annoyed because the game sucks.
If you're a fan, that's fine. Honestly, it's the fans who drew me into the whole thing. You're a very talented lot who saw the wasted potential the game made. I'm pretty much became a fan of the Fandom. Until all the racism.
That being said, I'm going to be ripping into this game. I never played the game. I'm going off of clips, video essays, and posts that I've seen. I have also had to read some Fandom wiki to make sure I understood some story beats.
Lets get ready to rant!
First the game.
Is there a game? Seriously? Because if you're like me, a asexual who didn't want to romance anyone, what is there to do? I was expecting Diablo and I got some Otome game. Not to say that dating Sims can't be fun, but this feels so much like a dating sim. Almost everything relies on the relationships you make in the game. I just wanted to hack and slash, not.... kiss and miss?
I'm not clever, sue me.
And yes, I never played so how would I know? Almost all the posts I see about the game is about the companions. To me, it's like that's the only memorable parts. A good game should have memorable characters and game play. My example is undertale. It's a wonderful mix of memorable moments with the characters and great fights.
Also you can go on a date with the best boy of the game!
So if the focus of the game is made on the company of your party, how are they?
Bad. Their all bad.
Ok, that was a lie. The women are great, the men suck.
So let me begin with the most romanced character Shadow heart.
And it really shouldn't be a surprise why out of the 6 she's the most romanced. She actually has a story and while yes, all your choices impact the characters, she's the most believable character who would independently choose her path. Be it with Shar or Selune.
Plus she's the easiest to make a life with after the battle. Laezel needs to go to war. Karlach needs to go back to hell. Maybe you can make a life with one of the guys but why would you want to?
While everyone thinks Astarion was the writing room's favorite, it was actually Shadow heart. She has a clear cohesive story that doesn't feel cheap on either ending you get with her because it feels like despite your influence, her actions are hers. And I think it amounts to how the writers wrote her taking accountability of her actions in the clips I've seen. No complaints with this one. Sure, she's the embodiment "it's not a phase Mom!". But that's her charm and part of the reason why I like seeing her growth. 10/10 for me for the independence vibes into her own changes.
Now, Laezel was the second most romanced character and the second character with the best writing.
Another character with clear writing, clear motives, and a decent story.
She's also my personal favorite. Like, if I was isekaied into the game, we're besties. She'd probably hate me, but she would me my best friend.
Her story is ok, even if it's simple. It works.
I don't see much of how other's like her as a girlfriend. And I wouldn't know what her romance is like since I'm not playing the game. But she's a little emotional distant who warms up to you over time is the vibe I get. Which is much better than the vibes I get for Karlach.
I'd give her a 8/10 as a character and companion. Well crafted, but she leaves me wanting more.
Karlach is a 5.
Third romanced for a reason. Her crap story is what dooms her from the start.
She's a victim of the war and possibly a child soldier who's doomed to burn and die. Kinda hard to put your heart into someone who may not live to see if you can build a life together. Her death is certain and it's incredibly hard to see that for a woman so sweet.
All other companions get to be free but her. That sucks! She's pretty much in a doomed timeline. I feel awful for her as there's really no hope and a slim chance for getting better.
It's hard to romance someone with a constant bounty on her head.
Still would pick her over any of the guys any day. She's immature sure, but she's sweet. And if not a soldier, I could see her being that P.E. teacher everyone loves.
I could she her flourishing and thriving if she didn't have to deal with so much crap.
Her personality is a 8, smile is a 10, but she's a 5 because you will need to be constantly fighting to keep her safe. And even then, it feels like you can't.
She has the saddest story because unlike Astarion, she can't be free. There is no cannon event for her to have a proper mechanical heart like Tony Stark. So even if you some how free her from her devil, she's forever tied to hell. That's sad.
Now Wyll is a 4.
He's beautiful but he's morally corrupt. Which is why I couldn't nor could ever imagine romancing him.
Now, this poor man was dragged through the mud for no other reason than being a black man. I see this crap so much with fantasy/magic Fandoms. It's sad that in 2024 we can't have a black man in a video game. There's no justification to whitewash. Most of the critics I've seen of him has more to do with the critic than the actual problems with the character.
If you can't say what about the character gives you the ick, I'm questioning you.
Exactly what rubbed you the wrong way about him? And why can't you say it? There are valid reasons not to like a character. Even if it's just that you never connected with the character, that's OK too. But DnD does have a history with racism so it's sad to say that I shouldn't be surprised.
Wyll is a sweetheart. I love him to death. His romance is a breath of fresh air. I watched a compilation of his romance and I loved it. If he did that to me, I'd swoon. It was great to have someone who you could romance without sex. He is a true prince charming and easy to fall in love with.
However, I was upset when I found out he was a human turned devil and not a teifling. Again, I knew nothing about DnD when I was starting looking into this game. And nothing on his back story. I was smitten by his pretty face ok?
And once I looked into his back story, the image of the prince charming cracked. Instead, I'm left with a man child who wants to play hero.
Let me explain.
It's known that he was facing a evil cult and then panicked. He was a scared 17 year old, raised by the ideals of a lawfully good and just man. I could forgive him for making a deal with Mizora if he wasn't a literal duke's son.
Same situation but if Wyll was a commoner, or even as high class as a nobleman/ aristocrat's son, 100% understandable. He needs to save his people. It was the best he could do at the time.
But he's not a simple man. He is a duke's son. A person who would have had the means of military power. If not himself, he could have gone to a royal advisor and he could have lead a army.
This storyline is about as believable as BatMan. You know you messed up when Batman is more realistic than your character.
Ok, so let's go back to the start of his story. He was a scared kid and in his foolishness, made a deal to save his people. Noble. Good.
But then he served Mizora for 8 or so years. And for what? Powers that he doesn't use? He's the blade of frontiers. Man is a fighter, not a warlock.
And how many other innocent people has he killed because of Mizora? Someone made a really good point about his interaction with Karlach. You and Wyll see her burning, on the attack, and told she's evil not only by Mizora but from the knights.
You have no reason to really trust Karlach on her words alone. It's only through the tadpole that you are able to see her as the victim she is.
How many people has Wyll killed that were like Karlach? How much blood has he spilled thanks to his pact?
It's hard to like Wyll after noticing the hypocrisy. So much so that I can understand why people find him distasteful. (If only he was actually criticized for his actions)
He's not a good guy. He's lawful neutral. He's only good at playing the good guy. I say this as he really only cares about the glory of being a hero and nothing more. I don't blame his dad for disowning him. His dad fought and earned the right to be a Duke. Duke Ravengaurd was a man for the people, a true spirt of a guardian angel. Wyll looked up at him and sadly only saw the praise. I say this as his heart desires not the good of the people, but adventure and the tales of glory to boast about. All his interactions is about him gloating. If he's not gloating, he's playing the moral high ground.
Also, for a character that's so moral that quip to Astarion about the rat diet is out of line.
There's so many things you can make fun if Astarion for, why did you need to make fun of his abuse like that?
To me, Wyll is fools gold. Looks to be of great worth but is nothing more than a shimmering fake.
Because he didn't have to make the pact with Mizora. He chose to. He wasn't in a life or death situation. He didn't have to face the cultists with her alone. Throughout the game, Wyll is highly regarded in his city. You'll see this if he stays human. I find it very hard to believe he couldn't rally up some men to stage a coup, and kill off the cultists that way.
If that was his story, his dad could disown him for being rash, Wyll proves his worth being the blade of frontiers, and everything could still work the same.
Mizora ruins his story. Her addition doesn't feel genuine with the way Wyll is currently written.
Now how to fix that? Make Wyll power hungry. Have him be honest later in the game that he was blinded by the songs and praise such a deal could make. It would make it so much more satisfying for his story.
Unfortunately you are stuck with two characters that don't quite fit together that makes a emotional whiplash of a character.
Plus romance wise because someone mentioned this on reddit, Wyll will cry about being a devil but loves you for seeing more than his horns. But he cannot be seen with you if you become a squid man. That hurts.
Again, the good boy is not being a very good boy. His actions and words don't line up and I kinda hate him for it.
He's a 2 but his smile and charms makes those little red flags look green so he gets a 4.
Gale is a 2!
He may be handsome but, that literally cannot save him from my issues with him.
He is Neutral Good but left to his own devices would become Lawful Evil.
If Tav wasn't there, he'll gladly continue his toxic relationship with Mystra. He'd most definitely become a "god". And who knows what that would entail for a man with a dangerous ego.
But when Tav is there, to love him for who he is, to help him realize Mystra is awful and he can do so much better, he will still devote himself to a woman who will kill him.
Now Gale is a well written story of a male Harley Quinn. Someone so blinded by their love, they cannot see the torment.
I would also like to point out that she did indeed groom Gale. Anyone regardless of race, age, or gender can be groomed.
So whether they met when Gale was a teen or a young man, she groomed him.
Its scary how accurate they wrote someone who's been groomed. The way Gale justified her gaslighting and abuse is a very real response to how victims can't see there abusers as abusers.
But who is Gale if Mystra wasn't around him? He's still be a man who's love for magic causes him to become a wizard and his ambitious spirit is what makes him toxic. Because he needs to be the best. He cannot be humble. He does good things sure, but he can treat the one's closest to him like trash.
This man needs therapy and a class change.
I think this man's ego and self esteem relies too much on Mysta. My man is depressed and needs a hug.
He gets a 2 because while he's truly a 9, Tav cannot save him from his own destruction. And shame on Tara. She's his best friend but I don't see her trying to dissuade Gale from being with Mystra. And even if Gale heals, Tav will always be number 2. It's painful to be someone's rock only to be tossed aside.
It's a difficult romance that leaves you wondering, do you love me too?
Sorry, wrong photo.
GIVE IT UP FOR EVERYONE'S FAVORITE
✨️✨️⚜️ A S T A R I O N ⚜️✨️✨️
So....
I have very very mixed feelings about this character.
Firstly, Astarion is what you make of him.
You play a huge part in his discussions.
Like I know he's smoothed brain but still.
There is no Astarion. There is you.
You control his narrative.
That can be said of all the companions but it feels so much more with our dearest star.
There are two ways to play his character.
You fix him. Make it all better. Your love cures him. And he is grateful. He... is completely codependent.
Or, you can make him worse. Kill 7000 souls, doom them all, and prove him right. That he needed this to be safe all along.
I feel emotionally manipulated by the game devs on this character. Neither of these endings are healthy for him. The best ending is really being his friend and giving support. To show him people can be loving and care wholesome for another.
I feel emotionally manipulated because I don't believe his character nor the themes of abuse where properly used in the game or by the marketing team.
Looking at that onlyfans video Larian!
Similar to Angel dust from hazbin hotel, he's over sexulized. However, in Hazbin Hotel the characters fight against the exploitation of Angel where as it seems only Tav cares to treat Astarion other than a piece of meat.
Even then, with a character who LITERALLY GETS UPSET WITH HIMSELF if Tav wants to have sex with other people, there is no way to romance him without sex.
Like Wyll, there should be a path to allow the player to have a deep romance with him without sex.
It really breaks my heart seeing people over sexulize him or even ship him with Cazador.
This man has been through enough. He was pimped out by his master. Cazador sex trafficked Astarion. That's not a theory! That's a fact!
This man has been traumatized. He's fighting for his life out here and all he can do is think about ascending to finally be safe. To never have to worry. Something a lot of victims, me too, have wanted.
It's cathartic watching him kill Cazador. Many of our own Cazadors are still walking out there when they should be in jail.
This is the part of Astarion that Cazador made.
Cazador made him a scared wounded man who's reduced to his sexuality.
But he's so much more than that.
Prior to Cazador, he was a judge. So we at least know he was smart, wise, and/or trusted enough to be awared such a position. Astarion's also dead so that smooth brain may have more to do with the decomposition or trauma. Trauma changes your brain chemistry so much so we're able to map it on brain scans.
But one thing that people overlook is that he's always been lawful evil.
He was feeding guilty defendents to the Szarr family. This was supposedly a secret between him and the family from what I've read about the early game access. But either way, you don't get chummy with a vampire if not for nefarious reasons.
There's no explanation as to why this occurred. No potential political gain or even a mention of somehow of a relationship with Astarion and the Szarr family. Or even between Cazador and Astarion.
It's kinda obvious that Cazador planned on the attack. We're missing a lot of details as to why Cazador was targeting him. Because what vampire lord is just going to be conveniently walking past a dying man in the middle of nowhere?
Some one here on tumblr said it best. "He's an abuser who found a worse abuser."
He abused his power as a judge. Anyone he sent to Cazador could have been part of the 7000 souls used in the ritual. Anyone he sent faced the same abuse he faced later on the line.
Now, when we are wronged, we want revenge. And if you believe in karma. This very well could have been his karma for sending potential victims to Cazador that he would later use as sex traffic spawn. It's messed up. This is a very messed up back story.
But what truly bothers me is his lack of agency.
If Tav isn't guiding him one way or another, he kinda has to leave your party. There is no way around it. You either have to fix him and make him all better or turn him into an abusive husband. Both of these are wrong.
I have a problem with the "I can fix him", "beauty and the beast", "he's just misunderstood", or "bad boy with a heart of gold" tropes seen countless times in media. YOU CANNOT FIX SOMEONE. THEY ARE A PERSON! NOT A MACHINE!
Astarion needs a loving caring friend first and a lover later. I find the the above tropes vile and concerning because
A. It's always gendered. The female love intrest is held responsible and to the extent of responsibility a parent has over a child for the emotional well being of their male love interest.
B. It's dehumanizing to the male love interest as it perpetuates the idea that only a good woman can fix him. That he needs to be codependent in order to get better. To be better. To heal.
C. While this can be done regardless of the gender of "The broken" and "The Mechanic", to know or find out you're just a project to someone hurts. It breaks the love and trust between them as the mechanic never loved them in the first place. You do not try to make your partner a better person, you try to support them and give your advice. Trusting partners will consider each other's words. Controlling partners will insist they know what's best for the both of them.
Astarion is not going to change any time soon.
He will never be the sweet kind boy you want him to be. He's honest about this and you should listen.
He's a lovable ass and that's all he really cares to be.
Let him be. Let him grow in his own time. If he even does. I do see hope but again, this guy has been trying to win your favor. Who's to say he's above playing hero?
That being said, giving him what he wants kills him again. He is no longer the man you know.
When he ascends, as his master and his master before, it will only continue the cycle of abuse.
He says it so clearly when you break up with him. That he'll use up your love until you are nothing.
Nothing.
No one who loves someone, even in a twisted sense would want them to turn into nothing.
That being said, I feel bad for the Acended Astarion fans but this is a great example of what it's like to be in a abusive relationship. You're love bombed one minute and scared the next. You're now the spawn made to be consumed. And I agree 100% that the whole turning sequence falls in line with a vampire bride. That is your husband. And I am so sorry.
Everyone called out the kisses for being disturbing. They are. And they have every right to be. You fell in love with the monster you made. And you made him. He used your eyes to carve Cazador. He couldn't do it without you.
So, does this mean it's your fault? Are you to be punished for loving someone dearly?
See, this is my most horrific problem with this romance because you are held responsible for Astarion's well being. The blame is put on Tav. Not Astarion!
He tricked you, seduced you, said everything he could to gain your trust. And this is how your repaid? By being in a toxic relationship?
And the Devs answer to the back lash? Honestly, I can't find anything. Alot of people were upset. And to be fair, for months people role-playing as a evil but endearing to each other couple. Those kisses ruined the Mortica Gomez vibe and replaced it with domestic violence.
THAT 🐶 IS SMILING SLAPPING YOUR FACE!
SMUG MUG!
He likes the fear and control he has over you. And he was always like this. You just didn't catch on.
He repeats Cazadors rules.
He'll tell you till you drop, you're his equal.
But you are his property.
You were always meant to be a tool for Astarion.
Either to heal him or to be used by him.
Listen, I wasn't above his charm. When I first saw him I honestly was put off because he remined me of Prince charming from Shrek. But that didn't quite felt like the right character until I saw the comparison to Preminger. And that explains why when I first saw him, he scared me. Prince charming and Preminger have always scared me because they both kinda give a rapist vibe.
And to be quite honest, Astarion did kinda assult Sebastion. He got that poor man so drunk, kissed his with questionable consent, and then killed him through Cazador.
Because you can mold Astarion into the mold you want, it's easy to mold him into a redeemable character.
I know when I see him sad, my first thought is to comfort him because of all his trauma.
But he traumatized others too.
Hell, I tried to watch his romance comp as I've done with Wyll and I barely got past the bite scene. Just to see what all the hoopla was about.
It gave me flashbacks and I cried seeing it. Just as I did with the AA kisses in the kiss update.
He's a very violent man. He is scary. His love is twisted at best, a play at worst.
He wants you because he wants to use you.
And you, the one who loves him. The desperate need to take care of him, to protect him. You are not a bad person for wanting more for a person so hurt. You are a kind caring soul. And you will be hurt if you date an Astarion.
I'm no better, I was a loki fan girl once. I know what it's like to love like Harly Quinn and have it end up getting me hurt.
-🚩🚩🚩🚩♾️/10
Thank you for making it to the end of my rant.
I didn't feel like anyone else felt the way I did about these characters.
Especially Astarion and Wyll.
For a game so companion focused, they really made all the men toxic to all hell.
I'm sorry if I made anyone upset but Astarion really does scare me. I cannot find the appeal.
While I can sympathize with his character, some of his actions don't sit right with me.
I just wanted to say Neil did a great job as a actor.
Astarion made me every emotion under the sun.
That's a lot of range in one character.
And I'm really curious to see if anyone else felt this way too. I know I'm not the only one to feel like Wyll's fake and charming. But does Astarion scare anyone else too?
A Baldur's Gate 3 Rant
tldr: woman is angry at a game and needed to scream and vent into the void. And this is cheaper than therapy.
TW: it's BG3, spoilers, and the game includes themes of abuse in all and every form. This post will be addressing some of those issues. I'm sorry if these matters are displeasing for you. Please bare this in mind going forward, especially with Astarion's part of the rant. I apologize in advance for any harmful emotions I bring up. I pray you are able to heal and continue to grow on your journey.
First off, I am not a gamer. I grew out of gaming back around 2020 since it no longer served as good or healthy escapism.
Most of the games I did play was stuff like Undertale, Skull girls, MK, Smash, Fnaf, and Overwatch. I have more titles under my gaming belt but these are just to name a few.
I am also not a DnD or Fantasy fan. I'm team sci-fi all the way. I just think magic is a cop out and used in lazy writing. Plus I can't play a game where the rules are basically whatever the dungeon master calls it. I need games with decent structure. Plus if I'm able to lift like 250, rolling a 3 shouldn't matter. It's like the will of the dice over rule your action and your stats don't matter.
So how the hell did I even get involved with this game? Youtube! The damn algorithm!
Every. Single. Recommend. Video. Short. Everything!
It was always the damn vampire. Only the vampire. I was almost convinced the game was just about him.
So, because I am a Fnaf fan that should tell you all that you need about my fascination and hyperfixation with gaming lore.
I blame MattPat!
So, I take a look into the game.
Immediately I'm hit with the Spider-Man vs BG3 drama. The absurd racism from some of the fans. The awful takes made about the game that was whole unjustified. And the very very concerning fixation on Astarion. This was all in January 2024.
Months later, the game is still popular. However I am beyond annoyed because the game sucks.
If you're a fan, that's fine. Honestly, it's the fans who drew me into the whole thing. You're a very talented lot who saw the wasted potential the game made. I'm pretty much became a fan of the Fandom. Until all the racism.
That being said, I'm going to be ripping into this game. I never played the game. I'm going off of clips, video essays, and posts that I've seen. I have also had to read some Fandom wiki to make sure I understood some story beats.
Lets get ready to rant!
First the game.
Is there a game? Seriously? Because if you're like me, a asexual who didn't want to romance anyone, what is there to do? I was expecting Diablo and I got some Otome game. Not to say that dating Sims can't be fun, but this feels so much like a dating sim. Almost everything relies on the relationships you make in the game. I just wanted to hack and slash, not.... kiss and miss?
I'm not clever, sue me.
And yes, I never played so how would I know? Almost all the posts I see about the game is about the companions. To me, it's like that's the only memorable parts. A good game should have memorable characters and game play. My example is undertale. It's a wonderful mix of memorable moments with the characters and great fights.
Also you can go on a date with the best boy of the game!
So if the focus of the game is made on the company of your party, how are they?
Bad. Their all bad.
Ok, that was a lie. The women are great, the men suck.
So let me begin with the most romanced character Shadow heart.
And it really shouldn't be a surprise why out of the 6 she's the most romanced. She actually has a story and while yes, all your choices impact the characters, she's the most believable character who would independently choose her path. Be it with Shar or Selune.
Plus she's the easiest to make a life with after the battle. Laezel needs to go to war. Karlach needs to go back to hell. Maybe you can make a life with one of the guys but why would you want to?
While everyone thinks Astarion was the writing room's favorite, it was actually Shadow heart. She has a clear cohesive story that doesn't feel cheap on either ending you get with her because it feels like despite your influence, her actions are hers. And I think it amounts to how the writers wrote her taking accountability of her actions in the clips I've seen. No complaints with this one. Sure, she's the embodiment "it's not a phase Mom!". But that's her charm and part of the reason why I like seeing her growth. 10/10 for me for the independence vibes into her own changes.
Now, Laezel was the second most romanced character and the second character with the best writing.
Another character with clear writing, clear motives, and a decent story.
She's also my personal favorite. Like, if I was isekaied into the game, we're besties. She'd probably hate me, but she would me my best friend.
Her story is ok, even if it's simple. It works.
I don't see much of how other's like her as a girlfriend. And I wouldn't know what her romance is like since I'm not playing the game. But she's a little emotional distant who warms up to you over time is the vibe I get. Which is much better than the vibes I get for Karlach.
I'd give her a 8/10 as a character and companion. Well crafted, but she leaves me wanting more.
Karlach is a 5.
Third romanced for a reason. Her crap story is what dooms her from the start.
She's a victim of the war and possibly a child soldier who's doomed to burn and die. Kinda hard to put your heart into someone who may not live to see if you can build a life together. Her death is certain and it's incredibly hard to see that for a woman so sweet.
All other companions get to be free but her. That sucks! She's pretty much in a doomed timeline. I feel awful for her as there's really no hope and a slim chance for getting better.
It's hard to romance someone with a constant bounty on her head.
Still would pick her over any of the guys any day. She's immature sure, but she's sweet. And if not a soldier, I could see her being that P.E. teacher everyone loves.
I could she her flourishing and thriving if she didn't have to deal with so much crap.
Her personality is a 8, smile is a 10, but she's a 5 because you will need to be constantly fighting to keep her safe. And even then, it feels like you can't.
She has the saddest story because unlike Astarion, she can't be free. There is no cannon event for her to have a proper mechanical heart like Tony Stark. So even if you some how free her from her devil, she's forever tied to hell. That's sad.
Now Wyll is a 4.
He's beautiful but he's morally corrupt. Which is why I couldn't nor could ever imagine romancing him.
Now, this poor man was dragged through the mud for no other reason than being a black man. I see this crap so much with fantasy/magic Fandoms. It's sad that in 2024 we can't have a black man in a video game. There's no justification to whitewash. Most of the critics I've seen of him has more to do with the critic than the actual problems with the character.
If you can't say what about the character gives you the ick, I'm questioning you.
Exactly what rubbed you the wrong way about him? And why can't you say it? There are valid reasons not to like a character. Even if it's just that you never connected with the character, that's OK too. But DnD does have a history with racism so it's sad to say that I shouldn't be surprised.
Wyll is a sweetheart. I love him to death. His romance is a breath of fresh air. I watched a compilation of his romance and I loved it. If he did that to me, I'd swoon. It was great to have someone who you could romance without sex. He is a true prince charming and easy to fall in love with.
However, I was upset when I found out he was a human turned devil and not a teifling. Again, I knew nothing about DnD when I was starting looking into this game. And nothing on his back story. I was smitten by his pretty face ok?
And once I looked into his back story, the image of the prince charming cracked. Instead, I'm left with a man child who wants to play hero.
Let me explain.
It's known that he was facing a evil cult and then panicked. He was a scared 17 year old, raised by the ideals of a lawfully good and just man. I could forgive him for making a deal with Mizora if he wasn't a literal duke's son.
Same situation but if Wyll was a commoner, or even as high class as a nobleman/ aristocrat's son, 100% understandable. He needs to save his people. It was the best he could do at the time.
But he's not a simple man. He is a duke's son. A person who would have had the means of military power. If not himself, he could have gone to a royal advisor and he could have lead a army.
This storyline is about as believable as BatMan. You know you messed up when Batman is more realistic than your character.
Ok, so let's go back to the start of his story. He was a scared kid and in his foolishness, made a deal to save his people. Noble. Good.
But then he served Mizora for 8 or so years. And for what? Powers that he doesn't use? He's the blade of frontiers. Man is a fighter, not a warlock.
And how many other innocent people has he killed because of Mizora? Someone made a really good point about his interaction with Karlach. You and Wyll see her burning, on the attack, and told she's evil not only by Mizora but from the knights.
You have no reason to really trust Karlach on her words alone. It's only through the tadpole that you are able to see her as the victim she is.
How many people has Wyll killed that were like Karlach? How much blood has he spilled thanks to his pact?
It's hard to like Wyll after noticing the hypocrisy. So much so that I can understand why people find him distasteful. (If only he was actually criticized for his actions)
He's not a good guy. He's lawful neutral. He's only good at playing the good guy. I say this as he really only cares about the glory of being a hero and nothing more. I don't blame his dad for disowning him. His dad fought and earned the right to be a Duke. Duke Ravengaurd was a man for the people, a true spirt of a guardian angel. Wyll looked up at him and sadly only saw the praise. I say this as his heart desires not the good of the people, but adventure and the tales of glory to boast about. All his interactions is about him gloating. If he's not gloating, he's playing the moral high ground.
Also, for a character that's so moral that quip to Astarion about the rat diet is out of line.
There's so many things you can make fun if Astarion for, why did you need to make fun of his abuse like that?
To me, Wyll is fools gold. Looks to be of great worth but is nothing more than a shimmering fake.
Because he didn't have to make the pact with Mizora. He chose to. He wasn't in a life or death situation. He didn't have to face the cultists with her alone. Throughout the game, Wyll is highly regarded in his city. You'll see this if he stays human. I find it very hard to believe he couldn't rally up some men to stage a coup, and kill off the cultists that way.
If that was his story, his dad could disown him for being rash, Wyll proves his worth being the blade of frontiers, and everything could still work the same.
Mizora ruins his story. Her addition doesn't feel genuine with the way Wyll is currently written.
Now how to fix that? Make Wyll power hungry. Have him be honest later in the game that he was blinded by the songs and praise such a deal could make. It would make it so much more satisfying for his story.
Unfortunately you are stuck with two characters that don't quite fit together that makes a emotional whiplash of a character.
Plus romance wise because someone mentioned this on reddit, Wyll will cry about being a devil but loves you for seeing more than his horns. But he cannot be seen with you if you become a squid man. That hurts.
Again, the good boy is not being a very good boy. His actions and words don't line up and I kinda hate him for it.
He's a 2 but his smile and charms makes those little red flags look green so he gets a 4.
Gale is a 2!
He may be handsome but, that literally cannot save him from my issues with him.
He is Neutral Good but left to his own devices would become Lawful Evil.
If Tav wasn't there, he'll gladly continue his toxic relationship with Mystra. He'd most definitely become a "god". And who knows what that would entail for a man with a dangerous ego.
But when Tav is there, to love him for who he is, to help him realize Mystra is awful and he can do so much better, he will still devote himself to a woman who will kill him.
Now Gale is a well written story of a male Harley Quinn. Someone so blinded by their love, they cannot see the torment.
I would also like to point out that she did indeed groom Gale. Anyone regardless of race, age, or gender can be groomed.
So whether they met when Gale was a teen or a young man, she groomed him.
Its scary how accurate they wrote someone who's been groomed. The way Gale justified her gaslighting and abuse is a very real response to how victims can't see there abusers as abusers.
But who is Gale if Mystra wasn't around him? He's still be a man who's love for magic causes him to become a wizard and his ambitious spirit is what makes him toxic. Because he needs to be the best. He cannot be humble. He does good things sure, but he can treat the one's closest to him like trash.
This man needs therapy and a class change.
I think this man's ego and self esteem relies too much on Mysta. My man is depressed and needs a hug.
He gets a 2 because while he's truly a 9, Tav cannot save him from his own destruction. And shame on Tara. She's his best friend but I don't see her trying to dissuade Gale from being with Mystra. And even if Gale heals, Tav will always be number 2. It's painful to be someone's rock only to be tossed aside.
It's a difficult romance that leaves you wondering, do you love me too?
Sorry, wrong photo.
GIVE IT UP FOR EVERYONE'S FAVORITE
✨️✨️⚜️ A S T A R I O N ⚜️✨️✨️
So....
I have very very mixed feelings about this character.
Firstly, Astarion is what you make of him.
You play a huge part in his discussions.
Like I know he's smoothed brain but still.
There is no Astarion. There is you.
You control his narrative.
That can be said of all the companions but it feels so much more with our dearest star.
There are two ways to play his character.
You fix him. Make it all better. Your love cures him. And he is grateful. He... is completely codependent.
Or, you can make him worse. Kill 7000 souls, doom them all, and prove him right. That he needed this to be safe all along.
I feel emotionally manipulated by the game devs on this character. Neither of these endings are healthy for him. The best ending is really being his friend and giving support. To show him people can be loving and care wholesome for another.
I feel emotionally manipulated because I don't believe his character nor the themes of abuse where properly used in the game or by the marketing team.
Looking at that onlyfans video Larian!
Similar to Angel dust from hazbin hotel, he's over sexulized. However, in Hazbin Hotel the characters fight against the exploitation of Angel where as it seems only Tav cares to treat Astarion other than a piece of meat.
Even then, with a character who LITERALLY GETS UPSET WITH HIMSELF if Tav wants to have sex with other people, there is no way to romance him without sex.
Like Wyll, there should be a path to allow the player to have a deep romance with him without sex.
It really breaks my heart seeing people over sexulize him or even ship him with Cazador.
This man has been through enough. He was pimped out by his master. Cazador sex trafficked Astarion. That's not a theory! That's a fact!
This man has been traumatized. He's fighting for his life out here and all he can do is think about ascending to finally be safe. To never have to worry. Something a lot of victims, me too, have wanted.
It's cathartic watching him kill Cazador. Many of our own Cazadors are still walking out there when they should be in jail.
This is the part of Astarion that Cazador made.
Cazador made him a scared wounded man who's reduced to his sexuality.
But he's so much more than that.
Prior to Cazador, he was a judge. So we at least know he was smart, wise, and/or trusted enough to be awared such a position. Astarion's also dead so that smooth brain may have more to do with the decomposition or trauma. Trauma changes your brain chemistry so much so we're able to map it on brain scans.
But one thing that people overlook is that he's always been lawful evil.
He was feeding guilty defendents to the Szarr family. This was supposedly a secret between him and the family from what I've read about the early game access. But either way, you don't get chummy with a vampire if not for nefarious reasons.
There's no explanation as to why this occurred. No potential political gain or even a mention of somehow of a relationship with Astarion and the Szarr family. Or even between Cazador and Astarion.
It's kinda obvious that Cazador planned on the attack. We're missing a lot of details as to why Cazador was targeting him. Because what vampire lord is just going to be conveniently walking past a dying man in the middle of nowhere?
Some one here on tumblr said it best. "He's an abuser who found a worse abuser."
He abused his power as a judge. Anyone he sent to Cazador could have been part of the 7000 souls used in the ritual. Anyone he sent faced the same abuse he faced later on the line.
Now, when we are wronged, we want revenge. And if you believe in karma. This very well could have been his karma for sending potential victims to Cazador that he would later use as sex traffic spawn. It's messed up. This is a very messed up back story.
But what truly bothers me is his lack of agency.
If Tav isn't guiding him one way or another, he kinda has to leave your party. There is no way around it. You either have to fix him and make him all better or turn him into an abusive husband. Both of these are wrong.
I have a problem with the "I can fix him", "beauty and the beast", "he's just misunderstood", or "bad boy with a heart of gold" tropes seen countless times in media. YOU CANNOT FIX SOMEONE. THEY ARE A PERSON! NOT A MACHINE!
Astarion needs a loving caring friend first and a lover later. I find the the above tropes vile and concerning because
A. It's always gendered. The female love intrest is held responsible and to the extent of responsibility a parent has over a child for the emotional well being of their male love interest.
B. It's dehumanizing to the male love interest as it perpetuates the idea that only a good woman can fix him. That he needs to be codependent in order to get better. To be better. To heal.
C. While this can be done regardless of the gender of "The broken" and "The Mechanic", to know or find out you're just a project to someone hurts. It breaks the love and trust between them as the mechanic never loved them in the first place. You do not try to make your partner a better person, you try to support them and give your advice. Trusting partners will consider each other's words. Controlling partners will insist they know what's best for the both of them.
Astarion is not going to change any time soon.
He will never be the sweet kind boy you want him to be. He's honest about this and you should listen.
He's a lovable ass and that's all he really cares to be.
Let him be. Let him grow in his own time. If he even does. I do see hope but again, this guy has been trying to win your favor. Who's to say he's above playing hero?
That being said, giving him what he wants kills him again. He is no longer the man you know.
When he ascends, as his master and his master before, it will only continue the cycle of abuse.
He says it so clearly when you break up with him. That he'll use up your love until you are nothing.
Nothing.
No one who loves someone, even in a twisted sense would want them to turn into nothing.
That being said, I feel bad for the Acended Astarion fans but this is a great example of what it's like to be in a abusive relationship. You're love bombed one minute and scared the next. You're now the spawn made to be consumed. And I agree 100% that the whole turning sequence falls in line with a vampire bride. That is your husband. And I am so sorry.
Everyone called out the kisses for being disturbing. They are. And they have every right to be. You fell in love with the monster you made. And you made him. He used your eyes to carve Cazador. He couldn't do it without you.
So, does this mean it's your fault? Are you to be punished for loving someone dearly?
See, this is my most horrific problem with this romance because you are held responsible for Astarion's well being. The blame is put on Tav. Not Astarion!
He tricked you, seduced you, said everything he could to gain your trust. And this is how your repaid? By being in a toxic relationship?
And the Devs answer to the back lash? Honestly, I can't find anything. Alot of people were upset. And to be fair, for months people role-playing as a evil but endearing to each other couple. Those kisses ruined the Mortica Gomez vibe and replaced it with domestic violence.
THAT 🐶 IS SMILING SLAPPING YOUR FACE!
SMUG MUG!
He likes the fear and control he has over you. And he was always like this. You just didn't catch on.
He repeats Cazadors rules.
He'll tell you till you drop, you're his equal.
But you are his property.
You were always meant to be a tool for Astarion.
Either to heal him or to be used by him.
Listen, I wasn't above his charm. When I first saw him I honestly was put off because he remined me of Prince charming from Shrek. But that didn't quite felt like the right character until I saw the comparison to Preminger. And that explains why when I first saw him, he scared me. Prince charming and Preminger have always scared me because they both kinda give a rapist vibe.
And to be quite honest, Astarion did kinda assult Sebastion. He got that poor man so drunk, kissed his with questionable consent, and then killed him through Cazador.
Because you can mold Astarion into the mold you want, it's easy to mold him into a redeemable character.
I know when I see him sad, my first thought is to comfort him because of all his trauma.
But he traumatized others too.
Hell, I tried to watch his romance comp as I've done with Wyll and I barely got past the bite scene. Just to see what all the hoopla was about.
It gave me flashbacks and I cried seeing it. Just as I did with the AA kisses in the kiss update.
He's a very violent man. He is scary. His love is twisted at best, a play at worst.
He wants you because he wants to use you.
And you, the one who loves him. The desperate need to take care of him, to protect him. You are not a bad person for wanting more for a person so hurt. You are a kind caring soul. And you will be hurt if you date an Astarion.
I'm no better, I was a loki fan girl once. I know what it's like to love like Harly Quinn and have it end up getting me hurt.
-🚩🚩🚩🚩♾️/10
Thank you for making it to the end of my rant.
I didn't feel like anyone else felt the way I did about these characters.
Especially Astarion and Wyll.
For a game so companion focused, they really made all the men toxic to all hell.
I'm sorry if I made anyone upset but Astarion really does scare me. I cannot find the appeal.
While I can sympathize with his character, some of his actions don't sit right with me.
I just wanted to say Neil did a great job as a actor.
Astarion made me every emotion under the sun.
That's a lot of range in one character.
And I'm really curious to see if anyone else felt this way too. I know I'm not the only one to feel like Wyll's fake and charming. But does Astarion scare anyone else too?
A Baldur's Gate 3 Rant
tldr: woman is angry at a game and needed to scream and vent into the void. And this is cheaper than therapy.
TW: it's BG3, spoilers, and the game includes themes of abuse in all and every form. This post will be addressing some of those issues. I'm sorry if these matters are displeasing for you. Please bare this in mind going forward, especially with Astarion's part of the rant. I apologize in advance for any harmful emotions I bring up. I pray you are able to heal and continue to grow on your journey.
First off, I am not a gamer. I grew out of gaming back around 2020 since it no longer served as good or healthy escapism.
Most of the games I did play was stuff like Undertale, Skull girls, MK, Smash, Fnaf, and Overwatch. I have more titles under my gaming belt but these are just to name a few.
I am also not a DnD or Fantasy fan. I'm team sci-fi all the way. I just think magic is a cop out and used in lazy writing. Plus I can't play a game where the rules are basically whatever the dungeon master calls it. I need games with decent structure. Plus if I'm able to lift like 250, rolling a 3 shouldn't matter. It's like the will of the dice over rule your action and your stats don't matter.
So how the hell did I even get involved with this game? Youtube! The damn algorithm!
Every. Single. Recommend. Video. Short. Everything!
It was always the damn vampire. Only the vampire. I was almost convinced the game was just about him.
So, because I am a Fnaf fan that should tell you all that you need about my fascination and hyperfixation with gaming lore.
I blame MattPat!
So, I take a look into the game.
Immediately I'm hit with the Spider-Man vs BG3 drama. The absurd racism from some of the fans. The awful takes made about the game that was whole unjustified. And the very very concerning fixation on Astarion. This was all in January 2024.
Months later, the game is still popular. However I am beyond annoyed because the game sucks.
If you're a fan, that's fine. Honestly, it's the fans who drew me into the whole thing. You're a very talented lot who saw the wasted potential the game made. I'm pretty much became a fan of the Fandom. Until all the racism.
That being said, I'm going to be ripping into this game. I never played the game. I'm going off of clips, video essays, and posts that I've seen. I have also had to read some Fandom wiki to make sure I understood some story beats.
Lets get ready to rant!
First the game.
Is there a game? Seriously? Because if you're like me, a asexual who didn't want to romance anyone, what is there to do? I was expecting Diablo and I got some Otome game. Not to say that dating Sims can't be fun, but this feels so much like a dating sim. Almost everything relies on the relationships you make in the game. I just wanted to hack and slash, not.... kiss and miss?
I'm not clever, sue me.
And yes, I never played so how would I know? Almost all the posts I see about the game is about the companions. To me, it's like that's the only memorable parts. A good game should have memorable characters and game play. My example is undertale. It's a wonderful mix of memorable moments with the characters and great fights.
Also you can go on a date with the best boy of the game!
So if the focus of the game is made on the company of your party, how are they?
Bad. Their all bad.
Ok, that was a lie. The women are great, the men suck.
So let me begin with the most romanced character Shadow heart.
And it really shouldn't be a surprise why out of the 6 she's the most romanced. She actually has a story and while yes, all your choices impact the characters, she's the most believable character who would independently choose her path. Be it with Shar or Selune.
Plus she's the easiest to make a life with after the battle. Laezel needs to go to war. Karlach needs to go back to hell. Maybe you can make a life with one of the guys but why would you want to?
While everyone thinks Astarion was the writing room's favorite, it was actually Shadow heart. She has a clear cohesive story that doesn't feel cheap on either ending you get with her because it feels like despite your influence, her actions are hers. And I think it amounts to how the writers wrote her taking accountability of her actions in the clips I've seen. No complaints with this one. Sure, she's the embodiment "it's not a phase Mom!". But that's her charm and part of the reason why I like seeing her growth. 10/10 for me for the independence vibes into her own changes.
Now, Laezel was the second most romanced character and the second character with the best writing.
Another character with clear writing, clear motives, and a decent story.
She's also my personal favorite. Like, if I was isekaied into the game, we're besties. She'd probably hate me, but she would me my best friend.
Her story is ok, even if it's simple. It works.
I don't see much of how other's like her as a girlfriend. And I wouldn't know what her romance is like since I'm not playing the game. But she's a little emotional distant who warms up to you over time is the vibe I get. Which is much better than the vibes I get for Karlach.
I'd give her a 8/10 as a character and companion. Well crafted, but she leaves me wanting more.
Karlach is a 5.
Third romanced for a reason. Her crap story is what dooms her from the start.
She's a victim of the war and possibly a child soldier who's doomed to burn and die. Kinda hard to put your heart into someone who may not live to see if you can build a life together. Her death is certain and it's incredibly hard to see that for a woman so sweet.
All other companions get to be free but her. That sucks! She's pretty much in a doomed timeline. I feel awful for her as there's really no hope and a slim chance for getting better.
It's hard to romance someone with a constant bounty on her head.
Still would pick her over any of the guys any day. She's immature sure, but she's sweet. And if not a soldier, I could see her being that P.E. teacher everyone loves.
I could she her flourishing and thriving if she didn't have to deal with so much crap.
Her personality is a 8, smile is a 10, but she's a 5 because you will need to be constantly fighting to keep her safe. And even then, it feels like you can't.
She has the saddest story because unlike Astarion, she can't be free. There is no cannon event for her to have a proper mechanical heart like Tony Stark. So even if you some how free her from her devil, she's forever tied to hell. That's sad.
Now Wyll is a 4.
He's beautiful but he's morally corrupt. Which is why I couldn't nor could ever imagine romancing him.
Now, this poor man was dragged through the mud for no other reason than being a black man. I see this crap so much with fantasy/magic Fandoms. It's sad that in 2024 we can't have a black man in a video game. There's no justification to whitewash. Most of the critics I've seen of him has more to do with the critic than the actual problems with the character.
If you can't say what about the character gives you the ick, I'm questioning you.
Exactly what rubbed you the wrong way about him? And why can't you say it? There are valid reasons not to like a character. Even if it's just that you never connected with the character, that's OK too. But DnD does have a history with racism so it's sad to say that I shouldn't be surprised.
Wyll is a sweetheart. I love him to death. His romance is a breath of fresh air. I watched a compilation of his romance and I loved it. If he did that to me, I'd swoon. It was great to have someone who you could romance without sex. He is a true prince charming and easy to fall in love with.
However, I was upset when I found out he was a human turned devil and not a teifling. Again, I knew nothing about DnD when I was starting looking into this game. And nothing on his back story. I was smitten by his pretty face ok?
And once I looked into his back story, the image of the prince charming cracked. Instead, I'm left with a man child who wants to play hero.
Let me explain.
It's known that he was facing a evil cult and then panicked. He was a scared 17 year old, raised by the ideals of a lawfully good and just man. I could forgive him for making a deal with Mizora if he wasn't a literal duke's son.
Same situation but if Wyll was a commoner, or even as high class as a nobleman/ aristocrat's son, 100% understandable. He needs to save his people. It was the best he could do at the time.
But he's not a simple man. He is a duke's son. A person who would have had the means of military power. If not himself, he could have gone to a royal advisor and he could have lead a army.
This storyline is about as believable as BatMan. You know you messed up when Batman is more realistic than your character.
Ok, so let's go back to the start of his story. He was a scared kid and in his foolishness, made a deal to save his people. Noble. Good.
But then he served Mizora for 8 or so years. And for what? Powers that he doesn't use? He's the blade of frontiers. Man is a fighter, not a warlock.
And how many other innocent people has he killed because of Mizora? Someone made a really good point about his interaction with Karlach. You and Wyll see her burning, on the attack, and told she's evil not only by Mizora but from the knights.
You have no reason to really trust Karlach on her words alone. It's only through the tadpole that you are able to see her as the victim she is.
How many people has Wyll killed that were like Karlach? How much blood has he spilled thanks to his pact?
It's hard to like Wyll after noticing the hypocrisy. So much so that I can understand why people find him distasteful. (If only he was actually criticized for his actions)
He's not a good guy. He's lawful neutral. He's only good at playing the good guy. I say this as he really only cares about the glory of being a hero and nothing more. I don't blame his dad for disowning him. His dad fought and earned the right to be a Duke. Duke Ravengaurd was a man for the people, a true spirt of a guardian angel. Wyll looked up at him and sadly only saw the praise. I say this as his heart desires not the good of the people, but adventure and the tales of glory to boast about. All his interactions is about him gloating. If he's not gloating, he's playing the moral high ground.
Also, for a character that's so moral that quip to Astarion about the rat diet is out of line.
There's so many things you can make fun if Astarion for, why did you need to make fun of his abuse like that?
To me, Wyll is fools gold. Looks to be of great worth but is nothing more than a shimmering fake.
Because he didn't have to make the pact with Mizora. He chose to. He wasn't in a life or death situation. He didn't have to face the cultists with her alone. Throughout the game, Wyll is highly regarded in his city. You'll see this if he stays human. I find it very hard to believe he couldn't rally up some men to stage a coup, and kill off the cultists that way.
If that was his story, his dad could disown him for being rash, Wyll proves his worth being the blade of frontiers, and everything could still work the same.
Mizora ruins his story. Her addition doesn't feel genuine with the way Wyll is currently written.
Now how to fix that? Make Wyll power hungry. Have him be honest later in the game that he was blinded by the songs and praise such a deal could make. It would make it so much more satisfying for his story.
Unfortunately you are stuck with two characters that don't quite fit together that makes a emotional whiplash of a character.
Plus romance wise because someone mentioned this on reddit, Wyll will cry about being a devil but loves you for seeing more than his horns. But he cannot be seen with you if you become a squid man. That hurts.
Again, the good boy is not being a very good boy. His actions and words don't line up and I kinda hate him for it.
He's a 2 but his smile and charms makes those little red flags look green so he gets a 4.
Gale is a 2!
He may be handsome but, that literally cannot save him from my issues with him.
He is Neutral Good but left to his own devices would become Lawful Evil.
If Tav wasn't there, he'll gladly continue his toxic relationship with Mystra. He'd most definitely become a "god". And who knows what that would entail for a man with a dangerous ego.
But when Tav is there, to love him for who he is, to help him realize Mystra is awful and he can do so much better, he will still devote himself to a woman who will kill him.
Now Gale is a well written story of a male Harley Quinn. Someone so blinded by their love, they cannot see the torment.
I would also like to point out that she did indeed groom Gale. Anyone regardless of race, age, or gender can be groomed.
So whether they met when Gale was a teen or a young man, she groomed him.
Its scary how accurate they wrote someone who's been groomed. The way Gale justified her gaslighting and abuse is a very real response to how victims can't see there abusers as abusers.
But who is Gale if Mystra wasn't around him? He's still be a man who's love for magic causes him to become a wizard and his ambitious spirit is what makes him toxic. Because he needs to be the best. He cannot be humble. He does good things sure, but he can treat the one's closest to him like trash.
This man needs therapy and a class change.
I think this man's ego and self esteem relies too much on Mysta. My man is depressed and needs a hug.
He gets a 2 because while he's truly a 9, Tav cannot save him from his own destruction. And shame on Tara. She's his best friend but I don't see her trying to dissuade Gale from being with Mystra. And even if Gale heals, Tav will always be number 2. It's painful to be someone's rock only to be tossed aside.
It's a difficult romance that leaves you wondering, do you love me too?
Sorry, wrong photo.
GIVE IT UP FOR EVERYONE'S FAVORITE
✨️✨️⚜️ A S T A R I O N ⚜️✨️✨️
So....
I have very very mixed feelings about this character.
Firstly, Astarion is what you make of him.
You play a huge part in his discussions.
Like I know he's smoothed brain but still.
There is no Astarion. There is you.
You control his narrative.
That can be said of all the companions but it feels so much more with our dearest star.
There are two ways to play his character.
You fix him. Make it all better. Your love cures him. And he is grateful. He... is completely codependent.
Or, you can make him worse. Kill 7000 souls, doom them all, and prove him right. That he needed this to be safe all along.
I feel emotionally manipulated by the game devs on this character. Neither of these endings are healthy for him. The best ending is really being his friend and giving support. To show him people can be loving and care wholesome for another.
I feel emotionally manipulated because I don't believe his character nor the themes of abuse where properly used in the game or by the marketing team.
Looking at that onlyfans video Larian!
Similar to Angel dust from hazbin hotel, he's over sexulized. However, in Hazbin Hotel the characters fight against the exploitation of Angel where as it seems only Tav cares to treat Astarion other than a piece of meat.
Even then, with a character who LITERALLY GETS UPSET WITH HIMSELF if Tav wants to have sex with other people, there is no way to romance him without sex.
Like Wyll, there should be a path to allow the player to have a deep romance with him without sex.
It really breaks my heart seeing people over sexulize him or even ship him with Cazador.
This man has been through enough. He was pimped out by his master. Cazador sex trafficked Astarion. That's not a theory! That's a fact!
This man has been traumatized. He's fighting for his life out here and all he can do is think about ascending to finally be safe. To never have to worry. Something a lot of victims, me too, have wanted.
It's cathartic watching him kill Cazador. Many of our own Cazadors are still walking out there when they should be in jail.
This is the part of Astarion that Cazador made.
Cazador made him a scared wounded man who's reduced to his sexuality.
But he's so much more than that.
Prior to Cazador, he was a judge. So we at least know he was smart, wise, and/or trusted enough to be awared such a position. Astarion's also dead so that smooth brain may have more to do with the decomposition or trauma. Trauma changes your brain chemistry so much so we're able to map it on brain scans.
But one thing that people overlook is that he's always been lawful evil.
He was feeding guilty defendents to the Szarr family. This was supposedly a secret between him and the family from what I've read about the early game access. But either way, you don't get chummy with a vampire if not for nefarious reasons.
There's no explanation as to why this occurred. No potential political gain or even a mention of somehow of a relationship with Astarion and the Szarr family. Or even between Cazador and Astarion.
It's kinda obvious that Cazador planned on the attack. We're missing a lot of details as to why Cazador was targeting him. Because what vampire lord is just going to be conveniently walking past a dying man in the middle of nowhere?
Some one here on tumblr said it best. "He's an abuser who found a worse abuser."
He abused his power as a judge. Anyone he sent to Cazador could have been part of the 7000 souls used in the ritual. Anyone he sent faced the same abuse he faced later on the line.
Now, when we are wronged, we want revenge. And if you believe in karma. This very well could have been his karma for sending potential victims to Cazador that he would later use as sex traffic spawn. It's messed up. This is a very messed up back story.
But what truly bothers me is his lack of agency.
If Tav isn't guiding him one way or another, he kinda has to leave your party. There is no way around it. You either have to fix him and make him all better or turn him into an abusive husband. Both of these are wrong.
I have a problem with the "I can fix him", "beauty and the beast", "he's just misunderstood", or "bad boy with a heart of gold" tropes seen countless times in media. YOU CANNOT FIX SOMEONE. THEY ARE A PERSON! NOT A MACHINE!
Astarion needs a loving caring friend first and a lover later. I find the the above tropes vile and concerning because
A. It's always gendered. The female love intrest is held responsible and to the extent of responsibility a parent has over a child for the emotional well being of their male love interest.
B. It's dehumanizing to the male love interest as it perpetuates the idea that only a good woman can fix him. That he needs to be codependent in order to get better. To be better. To heal.
C. While this can be done regardless of the gender of "The broken" and "The Mechanic", to know or find out you're just a project to someone hurts. It breaks the love and trust between them as the mechanic never loved them in the first place. You do not try to make your partner a better person, you try to support them and give your advice. Trusting partners will consider each other's words. Controlling partners will insist they know what's best for the both of them.
Astarion is not going to change any time soon.
He will never be the sweet kind boy you want him to be. He's honest about this and you should listen.
He's a lovable ass and that's all he really cares to be.
Let him be. Let him grow in his own time. If he even does. I do see hope but again, this guy has been trying to win your favor. Who's to say he's above playing hero?
That being said, giving him what he wants kills him again. He is no longer the man you know.
When he ascends, as his master and his master before, it will only continue the cycle of abuse.
He says it so clearly when you break up with him. That he'll use up your love until you are nothing.
Nothing.
No one who loves someone, even in a twisted sense would want them to turn into nothing.
That being said, I feel bad for the Acended Astarion fans but this is a great example of what it's like to be in a abusive relationship. You're love bombed one minute and scared the next. You're now the spawn made to be consumed. And I agree 100% that the whole turning sequence falls in line with a vampire bride. That is your husband. And I am so sorry.
Everyone called out the kisses for being disturbing. They are. And they have every right to be. You fell in love with the monster you made. And you made him. He used your eyes to carve Cazador. He couldn't do it without you.
So, does this mean it's your fault? Are you to be punished for loving someone dearly?
See, this is my most horrific problem with this romance because you are held responsible for Astarion's well being. The blame is put on Tav. Not Astarion!
He tricked you, seduced you, said everything he could to gain your trust. And this is how your repaid? By being in a toxic relationship?
And the Devs answer to the back lash? Honestly, I can't find anything. Alot of people were upset. And to be fair, for months people role-playing as a evil but endearing to each other couple. Those kisses ruined the Mortica Gomez vibe and replaced it with domestic violence.
THAT 🐶 IS SMILING SLAPPING YOUR FACE!
SMUG MUG!
He likes the fear and control he has over you. And he was always like this. You just didn't catch on.
He repeats Cazadors rules.
He'll tell you till you drop, you're his equal.
But you are his property.
You were always meant to be a tool for Astarion.
Either to heal him or to be used by him.
Listen, I wasn't above his charm. When I first saw him I honestly was put off because he remined me of Prince charming from Shrek. But that didn't quite felt like the right character until I saw the comparison to Preminger. And that explains why when I first saw him, he scared me. Prince charming and Preminger have always scared me because they both kinda give a rapist vibe.
And to be quite honest, Astarion did kinda assult Sebastion. He got that poor man so drunk, kissed his with questionable consent, and then killed him through Cazador.
Because you can mold Astarion into the mold you want, it's easy to mold him into a redeemable character.
I know when I see him sad, my first thought is to comfort him because of all his trauma.
But he traumatized others too.
Hell, I tried to watch his romance comp as I've done with Wyll and I barely got past the bite scene. Just to see what all the hoopla was about.
It gave me flashbacks and I cried seeing it. Just as I did with the AA kisses in the kiss update.
He's a very violent man. He is scary. His love is twisted at best, a play at worst.
He wants you because he wants to use you.
And you, the one who loves him. The desperate need to take care of him, to protect him. You are not a bad person for wanting more for a person so hurt. You are a kind caring soul. And you will be hurt if you date an Astarion.
I'm no better, I was a loki fan girl once. I know what it's like to love like Harly Quinn and have it end up getting me hurt.
-🚩🚩🚩🚩♾️/10
Thank you for making it to the end of my rant.
I didn't feel like anyone else felt the way I did about these characters.
Especially Astarion and Wyll.
For a game so companion focused, they really made all the men toxic to all hell.
I'm sorry if I made anyone upset but Astarion really does scare me. I cannot find the appeal.
While I can sympathize with his character, some of his actions don't sit right with me.
I just wanted to say Neil did a great job as a actor.
Astarion made me every emotion under the sun.
That's a lot of range in one character.
And I'm really curious to see if anyone else felt this way too. I know I'm not the only one to feel like Wyll's fake and charming. But does Astarion scare anyone else too?
A Baldur's Gate 3 Rant
tldr: woman is angry at a game and needed to scream and vent into the void. And this is cheaper than therapy.
TW: it's BG3, spoilers, and the game includes themes of abuse in all and every form. This post will be addressing some of those issues. I'm sorry if these matters are displeasing for you. Please bare this in mind going forward, especially with Astarion's part of the rant. I apologize in advance for any harmful emotions I bring up. I pray you are able to heal and continue to grow on your journey.
First off, I am not a gamer. I grew out of gaming back around 2020 since it no longer served as good or healthy escapism.
Most of the games I did play was stuff like Undertale, Skull girls, MK, Smash, Fnaf, and Overwatch. I have more titles under my gaming belt but these are just to name a few.
I am also not a DnD or Fantasy fan. I'm team sci-fi all the way. I just think magic is a cop out and used in lazy writing. Plus I can't play a game where the rules are basically whatever the dungeon master calls it. I need games with decent structure. Plus if I'm able to lift like 250, rolling a 3 shouldn't matter. It's like the will of the dice over rule your action and your stats don't matter.
So how the hell did I even get involved with this game? Youtube! The damn algorithm!
Every. Single. Recommend. Video. Short. Everything!
It was always the damn vampire. Only the vampire. I was almost convinced the game was just about him.
So, because I am a Fnaf fan that should tell you all that you need about my fascination and hyperfixation with gaming lore.
I blame MattPat!
So, I take a look into the game.
Immediately I'm hit with the Spider-Man vs BG3 drama. The absurd racism from some of the fans. The awful takes made about the game that was whole unjustified. And the very very concerning fixation on Astarion. This was all in January 2024.
Months later, the game is still popular. However I am beyond annoyed because the game sucks.
If you're a fan, that's fine. Honestly, it's the fans who drew me into the whole thing. You're a very talented lot who saw the wasted potential the game made. I'm pretty much became a fan of the Fandom. Until all the racism.
That being said, I'm going to be ripping into this game. I never played the game. I'm going off of clips, video essays, and posts that I've seen. I have also had to read some Fandom wiki to make sure I understood some story beats.
Lets get ready to rant!
First the game.
Is there a game? Seriously? Because if you're like me, a asexual who didn't want to romance anyone, what is there to do? I was expecting Diablo and I got some Otome game. Not to say that dating Sims can't be fun, but this feels so much like a dating sim. Almost everything relies on the relationships you make in the game. I just wanted to hack and slash, not.... kiss and miss?
I'm not clever, sue me.
And yes, I never played so how would I know? Almost all the posts I see about the game is about the companions. To me, it's like that's the only memorable parts. A good game should have memorable characters and game play. My example is undertale. It's a wonderful mix of memorable moments with the characters and great fights.
Also you can go on a date with the best boy of the game!
So if the focus of the game is made on the company of your party, how are they?
Bad. Their all bad.
Ok, that was a lie. The women are great, the men suck.
So let me begin with the most romanced character Shadow heart.
And it really shouldn't be a surprise why out of the 6 she's the most romanced. She actually has a story and while yes, all your choices impact the characters, she's the most believable character who would independently choose her path. Be it with Shar or Selune.
Plus she's the easiest to make a life with after the battle. Laezel needs to go to war. Karlach needs to go back to hell. Maybe you can make a life with one of the guys but why would you want to?
While everyone thinks Astarion was the writing room's favorite, it was actually Shadow heart. She has a clear cohesive story that doesn't feel cheap on either ending you get with her because it feels like despite your influence, her actions are hers. And I think it amounts to how the writers wrote her taking accountability of her actions in the clips I've seen. No complaints with this one. Sure, she's the embodiment "it's not a phase Mom!". But that's her charm and part of the reason why I like seeing her growth. 10/10 for me for the independence vibes into her own changes.
Now, Laezel was the second most romanced character and the second character with the best writing.
Another character with clear writing, clear motives, and a decent story.
She's also my personal favorite. Like, if I was isekaied into the game, we're besties. She'd probably hate me, but she would me my best friend.
Her story is ok, even if it's simple. It works.
I don't see much of how other's like her as a girlfriend. And I wouldn't know what her romance is like since I'm not playing the game. But she's a little emotional distant who warms up to you over time is the vibe I get. Which is much better than the vibes I get for Karlach.
I'd give her a 8/10 as a character and companion. Well crafted, but she leaves me wanting more.
Karlach is a 5.
Third romanced for a reason. Her crap story is what dooms her from the start.
She's a victim of the war and possibly a child soldier who's doomed to burn and die. Kinda hard to put your heart into someone who may not live to see if you can build a life together. Her death is certain and it's incredibly hard to see that for a woman so sweet.
All other companions get to be free but her. That sucks! She's pretty much in a doomed timeline. I feel awful for her as there's really no hope and a slim chance for getting better.
It's hard to romance someone with a constant bounty on her head.
Still would pick her over any of the guys any day. She's immature sure, but she's sweet. And if not a soldier, I could see her being that P.E. teacher everyone loves.
I could she her flourishing and thriving if she didn't have to deal with so much crap.
Her personality is a 8, smile is a 10, but she's a 5 because you will need to be constantly fighting to keep her safe. And even then, it feels like you can't.
She has the saddest story because unlike Astarion, she can't be free. There is no cannon event for her to have a proper mechanical heart like Tony Stark. So even if you some how free her from her devil, she's forever tied to hell. That's sad.
Now Wyll is a 4.
He's beautiful but he's morally corrupt. Which is why I couldn't nor could ever imagine romancing him.
Now, this poor man was dragged through the mud for no other reason than being a black man. I see this crap so much with fantasy/magic Fandoms. It's sad that in 2024 we can't have a black man in a video game. There's no justification to whitewash. Most of the critics I've seen of him has more to do with the critic than the actual problems with the character.
If you can't say what about the character gives you the ick, I'm questioning you.
Exactly what rubbed you the wrong way about him? And why can't you say it? There are valid reasons not to like a character. Even if it's just that you never connected with the character, that's OK too. But DnD does have a history with racism so it's sad to say that I shouldn't be surprised.
Wyll is a sweetheart. I love him to death. His romance is a breath of fresh air. I watched a compilation of his romance and I loved it. If he did that to me, I'd swoon. It was great to have someone who you could romance without sex. He is a true prince charming and easy to fall in love with.
However, I was upset when I found out he was a human turned devil and not a teifling. Again, I knew nothing about DnD when I was starting looking into this game. And nothing on his back story. I was smitten by his pretty face ok?
And once I looked into his back story, the image of the prince charming cracked. Instead, I'm left with a man child who wants to play hero.
Let me explain.
It's known that he was facing a evil cult and then panicked. He was a scared 17 year old, raised by the ideals of a lawfully good and just man. I could forgive him for making a deal with Mizora if he wasn't a literal duke's son.
Same situation but if Wyll was a commoner, or even as high class as a nobleman/ aristocrat's son, 100% understandable. He needs to save his people. It was the best he could do at the time.
But he's not a simple man. He is a duke's son. A person who would have had the means of military power. If not himself, he could have gone to a royal advisor and he could have lead a army.
This storyline is about as believable as BatMan. You know you messed up when Batman is more realistic than your character.
Ok, so let's go back to the start of his story. He was a scared kid and in his foolishness, made a deal to save his people. Noble. Good.
But then he served Mizora for 8 or so years. And for what? Powers that he doesn't use? He's the blade of frontiers. Man is a fighter, not a warlock.
And how many other innocent people has he killed because of Mizora? Someone made a really good point about his interaction with Karlach. You and Wyll see her burning, on the attack, and told she's evil not only by Mizora but from the knights.
You have no reason to really trust Karlach on her words alone. It's only through the tadpole that you are able to see her as the victim she is.
How many people has Wyll killed that were like Karlach? How much blood has he spilled thanks to his pact?
It's hard to like Wyll after noticing the hypocrisy. So much so that I can understand why people find him distasteful. (If only he was actually criticized for his actions)
He's not a good guy. He's lawful neutral. He's only good at playing the good guy. I say this as he really only cares about the glory of being a hero and nothing more. I don't blame his dad for disowning him. His dad fought and earned the right to be a Duke. Duke Ravengaurd was a man for the people, a true spirt of a guardian angel. Wyll looked up at him and sadly only saw the praise. I say this as his heart desires not the good of the people, but adventure and the tales of glory to boast about. All his interactions is about him gloating. If he's not gloating, he's playing the moral high ground.
Also, for a character that's so moral that quip to Astarion about the rat diet is out of line.
There's so many things you can make fun if Astarion for, why did you need to make fun of his abuse like that?
To me, Wyll is fools gold. Looks to be of great worth but is nothing more than a shimmering fake.
Because he didn't have to make the pact with Mizora. He chose to. He wasn't in a life or death situation. He didn't have to face the cultists with her alone. Throughout the game, Wyll is highly regarded in his city. You'll see this if he stays human. I find it very hard to believe he couldn't rally up some men to stage a coup, and kill off the cultists that way.
If that was his story, his dad could disown him for being rash, Wyll proves his worth being the blade of frontiers, and everything could still work the same.
Mizora ruins his story. Her addition doesn't feel genuine with the way Wyll is currently written.
Now how to fix that? Make Wyll power hungry. Have him be honest later in the game that he was blinded by the songs and praise such a deal could make. It would make it so much more satisfying for his story.
Unfortunately you are stuck with two characters that don't quite fit together that makes a emotional whiplash of a character.
Plus romance wise because someone mentioned this on reddit, Wyll will cry about being a devil but loves you for seeing more than his horns. But he cannot be seen with you if you become a squid man. That hurts.
Again, the good boy is not being a very good boy. His actions and words don't line up and I kinda hate him for it.
He's a 2 but his smile and charms makes those little red flags look green so he gets a 4.
Gale is a 2!
He may be handsome but, that literally cannot save him from my issues with him.
He is Neutral Good but left to his own devices would become Lawful Evil.
If Tav wasn't there, he'll gladly continue his toxic relationship with Mystra. He'd most definitely become a "god". And who knows what that would entail for a man with a dangerous ego.
But when Tav is there, to love him for who he is, to help him realize Mystra is awful and he can do so much better, he will still devote himself to a woman who will kill him.
Now Gale is a well written story of a male Harley Quinn. Someone so blinded by their love, they cannot see the torment.
I would also like to point out that she did indeed groom Gale. Anyone regardless of race, age, or gender can be groomed.
So whether they met when Gale was a teen or a young man, she groomed him.
Its scary how accurate they wrote someone who's been groomed. The way Gale justified her gaslighting and abuse is a very real response to how victims can't see there abusers as abusers.
But who is Gale if Mystra wasn't around him? He's still be a man who's love for magic causes him to become a wizard and his ambitious spirit is what makes him toxic. Because he needs to be the best. He cannot be humble. He does good things sure, but he can treat the one's closest to him like trash.
This man needs therapy and a class change.
I think this man's ego and self esteem relies too much on Mysta. My man is depressed and needs a hug.
He gets a 2 because while he's truly a 9, Tav cannot save him from his own destruction. And shame on Tara. She's his best friend but I don't see her trying to dissuade Gale from being with Mystra. And even if Gale heals, Tav will always be number 2. It's painful to be someone's rock only to be tossed aside.
It's a difficult romance that leaves you wondering, do you love me too?
Sorry, wrong photo.
GIVE IT UP FOR EVERYONE'S FAVORITE
✨️✨️⚜️ A S T A R I O N ⚜️✨️✨️
So....
I have very very mixed feelings about this character.
Firstly, Astarion is what you make of him.
You play a huge part in his discussions.
Like I know he's smoothed brain but still.
There is no Astarion. There is you.
You control his narrative.
That can be said of all the companions but it feels so much more with our dearest star.
There are two ways to play his character.
You fix him. Make it all better. Your love cures him. And he is grateful. He... is completely codependent.
Or, you can make him worse. Kill 7000 souls, doom them all, and prove him right. That he needed this to be safe all along.
I feel emotionally manipulated by the game devs on this character. Neither of these endings are healthy for him. The best ending is really being his friend and giving support. To show him people can be loving and care wholesome for another.
I feel emotionally manipulated because I don't believe his character nor the themes of abuse where properly used in the game or by the marketing team.
Looking at that onlyfans video Larian!
Similar to Angel dust from hazbin hotel, he's over sexulized. However, in Hazbin Hotel the characters fight against the exploitation of Angel where as it seems only Tav cares to treat Astarion other than a piece of meat.
Even then, with a character who LITERALLY GETS UPSET WITH HIMSELF if Tav wants to have sex with other people, there is no way to romance him without sex.
Like Wyll, there should be a path to allow the player to have a deep romance with him without sex.
It really breaks my heart seeing people over sexulize him or even ship him with Cazador.
This man has been through enough. He was pimped out by his master. Cazador sex trafficked Astarion. That's not a theory! That's a fact!
This man has been traumatized. He's fighting for his life out here and all he can do is think about ascending to finally be safe. To never have to worry. Something a lot of victims, me too, have wanted.
It's cathartic watching him kill Cazador. Many of our own Cazadors are still walking out there when they should be in jail.
This is the part of Astarion that Cazador made.
Cazador made him a scared wounded man who's reduced to his sexuality.
But he's so much more than that.
Prior to Cazador, he was a judge. So we at least know he was smart, wise, and/or trusted enough to be awared such a position. Astarion's also dead so that smooth brain may have more to do with the decomposition or trauma. Trauma changes your brain chemistry so much so we're able to map it on brain scans.
But one thing that people overlook is that he's always been lawful evil.
He was feeding guilty defendents to the Szarr family. This was supposedly a secret between him and the family from what I've read about the early game access. But either way, you don't get chummy with a vampire if not for nefarious reasons.
There's no explanation as to why this occurred. No potential political gain or even a mention of somehow of a relationship with Astarion and the Szarr family. Or even between Cazador and Astarion.
It's kinda obvious that Cazador planned on the attack. We're missing a lot of details as to why Cazador was targeting him. Because what vampire lord is just going to be conveniently walking past a dying man in the middle of nowhere?
Some one here on tumblr said it best. "He's an abuser who found a worse abuser."
He abused his power as a judge. Anyone he sent to Cazador could have been part of the 7000 souls used in the ritual. Anyone he sent faced the same abuse he faced later on the line.
Now, when we are wronged, we want revenge. And if you believe in karma. This very well could have been his karma for sending potential victims to Cazador that he would later use as sex traffic spawn. It's messed up. This is a very messed up back story.
But what truly bothers me is his lack of agency.
If Tav isn't guiding him one way or another, he kinda has to leave your party. There is no way around it. You either have to fix him and make him all better or turn him into an abusive husband. Both of these are wrong.
I have a problem with the "I can fix him", "beauty and the beast", "he's just misunderstood", or "bad boy with a heart of gold" tropes seen countless times in media. YOU CANNOT FIX SOMEONE. THEY ARE A PERSON! NOT A MACHINE!
Astarion needs a loving caring friend first and a lover later. I find the the above tropes vile and concerning because
A. It's always gendered. The female love intrest is held responsible and to the extent of responsibility a parent has over a child for the emotional well being of their male love interest.
B. It's dehumanizing to the male love interest as it perpetuates the idea that only a good woman can fix him. That he needs to be codependent in order to get better. To be better. To heal.
C. While this can be done regardless of the gender of "The broken" and "The Mechanic", to know or find out you're just a project to someone hurts. It breaks the love and trust between them as the mechanic never loved them in the first place. You do not try to make your partner a better person, you try to support them and give your advice. Trusting partners will consider each other's words. Controlling partners will insist they know what's best for the both of them.
Astarion is not going to change any time soon.
He will never be the sweet kind boy you want him to be. He's honest about this and you should listen.
He's a lovable ass and that's all he really cares to be.
Let him be. Let him grow in his own time. If he even does. I do see hope but again, this guy has been trying to win your favor. Who's to say he's above playing hero?
That being said, giving him what he wants kills him again. He is no longer the man you know.
When he ascends, as his master and his master before, it will only continue the cycle of abuse.
He says it so clearly when you break up with him. That he'll use up your love until you are nothing.
Nothing.
No one who loves someone, even in a twisted sense would want them to turn into nothing.
That being said, I feel bad for the Acended Astarion fans but this is a great example of what it's like to be in a abusive relationship. You're love bombed one minute and scared the next. You're now the spawn made to be consumed. And I agree 100% that the whole turning sequence falls in line with a vampire bride. That is your husband. And I am so sorry.
Everyone called out the kisses for being disturbing. They are. And they have every right to be. You fell in love with the monster you made. And you made him. He used your eyes to carve Cazador. He couldn't do it without you.
So, does this mean it's your fault? Are you to be punished for loving someone dearly?
See, this is my most horrific problem with this romance because you are held responsible for Astarion's well being. The blame is put on Tav. Not Astarion!
He tricked you, seduced you, said everything he could to gain your trust. And this is how your repaid? By being in a toxic relationship?
And the Devs answer to the back lash? Honestly, I can't find anything. Alot of people were upset. And to be fair, for months people role-playing as a evil but endearing to each other couple. Those kisses ruined the Mortica Gomez vibe and replaced it with domestic violence.
THAT 🐶 IS SMILING SLAPPING YOUR FACE!
SMUG MUG!
He likes the fear and control he has over you. And he was always like this. You just didn't catch on.
He repeats Cazadors rules.
He'll tell you till you drop, you're his equal.
But you are his property.
You were always meant to be a tool for Astarion.
Either to heal him or to be used by him.
Listen, I wasn't above his charm. When I first saw him I honestly was put off because he remined me of Prince charming from Shrek. But that didn't quite felt like the right character until I saw the comparison to Preminger. And that explains why when I first saw him, he scared me. Prince charming and Preminger have always scared me because they both kinda give a rapist vibe.
And to be quite honest, Astarion did kinda assult Sebastion. He got that poor man so drunk, kissed his with questionable consent, and then killed him through Cazador.
Because you can mold Astarion into the mold you want, it's easy to mold him into a redeemable character.
I know when I see him sad, my first thought is to comfort him because of all his trauma.
But he traumatized others too.
Hell, I tried to watch his romance comp as I've done with Wyll and I barely got past the bite scene. Just to see what all the hoopla was about.
It gave me flashbacks and I cried seeing it. Just as I did with the AA kisses in the kiss update.
He's a very violent man. He is scary. His love is twisted at best, a play at worst.
He wants you because he wants to use you.
And you, the one who loves him. The desperate need to take care of him, to protect him. You are not a bad person for wanting more for a person so hurt. You are a kind caring soul. And you will be hurt if you date an Astarion.
I'm no better, I was a loki fan girl once. I know what it's like to love like Harly Quinn and have it end up getting me hurt.
-🚩🚩🚩🚩♾️/10
Thank you for making it to the end of my rant.
I didn't feel like anyone else felt the way I did about these characters.
Especially Astarion and Wyll.
For a game so companion focused, they really made all the men toxic to all hell.
I'm sorry if I made anyone upset but Astarion really does scare me. I cannot find the appeal.
While I can sympathize with his character, some of his actions don't sit right with me.
I just wanted to say Neil did a great job as a actor.
Astarion made me every emotion under the sun.
That's a lot of range in one character.
And I'm really curious to see if anyone else felt this way too. I know I'm not the only one to feel like Wyll's fake and charming. But does Astarion scare anyone else too?
uhm I dunno wut to put here…heds up this is gunna b a long post (I think…I’m jus gunna write as I go along like word vomit ig) So I wus messagin a few ppl n…2 of them blocked me for bein a boy, another wus sayin that the way i explane my grammar n chronic sexual atententon need so here we go ig…I was raped by my daddy (yes, I will use that word cus he is still in my life n I canot physicaly use the term “father” or I start 2 cry) ever since I was 10…or 6…I can’t rember I know I wus young and looked like my mother…she never beleved me, he used 2 make me sit on his lap, wen I cride it felt like no one wus there…he stopped ever since I wus fifteen but, now it feels like no one wants me I relied on my body for pleasure for so long n now no one wants it…not even my daddy anymor…so I’m srry if I reply slow or if I’m into crazy things like rape or incest or if I’m too clingy, needy, a nympho or fag or sex addict but I need attention plz…can someone help me feel loved? I need a new daddy…
I just wanna preface that therapists* are thoughtful and very helpful, I have changed therapists from a youth therapist and a behavioral therapist, I saw my youth therapist for the last time a few days ago (my “Mental health day”) and today I saw a my new one, her name was Chloe (already off to a bad start because my babysitter 1/2 of my rapists was named Chloe, not the same person though) my youth babysitter was a dude though so I was already pretty nervous that I had to share the origins of my episodes with a new person much less a thirty something year old girl. When I told him about my father (2/2 of my rapists) she looked confused and said, “Not to offend you but, I feel like you’re father would have rather raped your sister rather than you.” (this is when I started getting suspicious) I said no and explained how my sister was less than five years old when I was thirteen (I was thirteen when my father started) and that he was a pervert but not perverted enough to fuck a toddler, she wrote something down (Fucked if I know what it was) and about a half hour later (I paid for a full day/3 hours) I was telling her about my babysitter and how she would tie me to the bed and force herself on me…and this bitch said “Well you know women cant rape men right?” And pulled out the “if it gets hard that means that you secretly wanted it” I wanted to cry, but I somehow didn’t and I ignored her and continued for another hour, I told her how my social skills and behavior had physically reverted back to an adolescent state (Adolescent as in 13-16 years not like a ten year old) and she decided that she was done and just simply said “I don’t deal with people diagnosed with “age regression” they’re all just pedos” I started to cry, a lot to the point that another therapist from the room over decided to come in, I ran to my car and sat there for a few minutes before deciding to drive home, not to my dorm, but to my mom’s house in New Mexico, my dorm is in Fort Collins in Colorado at CSU. and I just got back, no surprise I’m not going to another therapist any time soon. 💜
My Average Contradicting Morning
My inner thoughts
TW: Cursing
Me
TW: Suicidal mentions
Yay for once I’m not tired! Here comes the migraine Hey I got up early today! Go back to bed, everyone will think you’re fake sleeping if you get up now. Hey, I’m gonna work really, really hard today! You’re still only making three hundred bucks per month. I have spending money! It’s not even enough to rent the dorm, you’re still short a hundred from last month…But I tried really hard and that’s all that matters! No one cares, you’re not the only one in the rat race. I should see some friends! The same ones you flirted with because you like him and he doesn’t like you? No, my best friend! The one you cursed out because she said your problems were getting out of hand? I…uhm…maybe I should just go to the mall…You look like skin and bones, you anorexic fuck. Right, maybe I should stay home…You lazy idiot, do something with your life. I should see my therapist…The one who left you or the one who made you cry like a bitch two weeks ago? I should buy a rope…Good idea, but the store’s out of the medium thickness ones, it’ll either break or you’ll fall through the loop. I have some…The ceiling of the dorm won’t hold more than fifty pounds genius. W-Where’s the knife..? You forgot to sharpen it, you couldn’t break skin if you wanted to, you worthless little bitch. Then I’ll buy a sharpener…You can’t, the store only has the shitty ones that don’t work, not that you know the difference between “Course” and “Fine” anyway. I should see Daddy at the prison…The same one who raped you and made you like this? I’m gonna go see Mamá…The one who speaks Spanish but won’t teach you and still doesn’t even accept that you’re a faggot? I…I th-think I’m just gonna sleep…Good idea.
Hey, It’s Mochi here, I want to say thank you to everyone who actually saw my ‘help’ and not porn related posts, and to the two people who liked my poem… If you read it you would’ve seen a very clear message of something I had been planning since I was around twelve. Some details, I’m half Mexican, I’m bisexual and a boy, I’m 19 and a rape victim of two separate people, my dad and my babysitter. Actually three after yesterday (July 15). This is obviously a rant. I’m gonna be honest, I can barely afford my dorm right now and the money left goes to my stepdad and mom for “Bills” bullshit btw, they live in a four bedroom three bathroom house that’s bigger than the entire east dorm building of my collage, and always buy name brands and luxury shit like jewelry or TVs but then get mad at me when I stay longer than a few hours when I visit. My older sister Lily however lives with them rent and job free, keep in mind I’m 19 and she’s twenty three, I make peanuts at my job which I got fired from because my mom told my boss about my “mara ju wanna problem” (Yes that’s how she says it) Which was actually medicinal for my epilepsy… so I failed the piss test, tried reasoning with the manager and failed. Rent is due in about 13 days give or take, which to give you an idea is 630$ if you pay on time but somehow the website to pay it is always “under maintenance” on the due dates so with the late fee I pay around 700$ guess what I have in my bank acc…$273.47 no I’m not starting a fucking go fund me or anything, I’m not white enough for that pity shit, speaking of which, hi I’m half Mexican, but I’m still about as white as provolone cheese. Which makes it worse because my mom refuses to teach me Spanish even though she’s fluent, somehow “forgot” to get me registered when we entered so guess who’s the only one in the family with a green card instead of citizenship papers… Can’t hang out with white ppl because they confuse the fuck me with their weird fucking travel mugs, makeup and other bullshit, can’t hang with the Mexican chicks cus I’m too much of a fag, can’t hang with the white guys because guess the reason (Hint, it’s because I’m a fag) can’t mess with the Mexican dudes because… want another fucking hint why? It’s the same reason as before. There’s no fucking halfy’s at my college at least. I play in a band… guitar, bass, drums, you name it I play it, because I was forced to by my stepdad until my fingers all started bleeding. Guess who was kicked out… go on… guess… apparently after five fucking years of being the lead singer and being openly bi I was suddenly “too gay” so they took my best friend instead and they all fucking left me to go to cali, goin to cali was my idea mind you. p1, p2 should be right under
I need an outside perspective, was I wrong?
Just had someone report me for “promoting suicide” as tumblr lists it… the guy messaged me for help about being an S/A victim and I told him to go to therapy, then cyber bullying, I told him to get off those sites. Then I asked him to list 5 positive things in his life, he put family and a teacher. I asked if he had any pets, “pets count as family” then I said that internet and devices are positive to which he responded “No, internet is normal”. Then he said therapy “always bullied him” I asked him how and got: “They always tell me about my problems” LIKE NO FUCKING SHIT! THATS WHAT ITS FOR! After I texted that he blocked me.
I dunno anymore, I think dude was just asking for attention.
TW: Me ranting
You know what's the most infuriating thing that Shazam the wizard did? He didn't teach Billy anything about magic!!! Like he's a wizard that chooses someone with no prior knowledge of anything magical to be the protector of the Rock of Eternity, the source of all magic in existence, and doesn't teach him anything! Not even about different types of magic, magical creatures, or special places and as a result Captain Marvel barely does anything with magic, he relies on his other abilities. This is why people compare him to Superman all the time, if they just developed his skills beyond his super strength, durability, and flying people would separate them. "But it would make Captain Marvel too OP ☹️" first off a lot of characters are already over powered in the DC universe and secondly this would mean we could focus more on Billy's life being a child that's homeless/in a big foster family and how that effects his hero life!
This is a rant about "The Boys" comics parody version of Billy Batson/Shazam!
TW: Ranting, swearing, "The Boys" comics, and mention of S/A
You guys know about "The Boys" comics and how they did a side story of a fake Billy Batson where they made him a r*pist. WHAT THE FUCK!!!! You're telling me they made a kid into one of the most disgusting kinds of people in the world when he could have an incredibly unique perspective of the universe in "The Boys"!
I know the comics are meant to show the evil side of superheroes but that can be done in infinitely better ways! Like showing how Vought would react to a potentially powerful child supe, showing how the people closest to supes change in response to the powers, showing how complex figuring out new powers are (especially as a child), showing how power can turn the most innocent people in society evil, showing how others might seek to control or manipulate the child, showing how the child may unintentionally cause harm to themselves or others due to a lack of understanding of the consequences, showing him idealizing superheroes and finding out the truth in his adult form, showing ect…
Literally anything else would have been better but the writers decided they wanted a cheap shocking side story! If they do add Billy into the tv show then they better change the story or not add him at all because I will not stand for this bullshit!
the thing is that my personality has always been as too much - i was too loud, too enthusiastic, too eager. and i had teachers who made me believe that i can fit in, because they fit in even if they, too, were loud, sarcastic, overly animated, cynical. i loved teachers who were like me, and i respected ones who were nothing like me
turns out that being Miss would take me creating a whole new, acceptable personality. i don't want to live a life in which me being myself is a weakness. i deserve better.
tw: rant
I really want to appreciate my man The Doctor, but I need to write a chapter of my two hundred (which might become five hundred) page fanfic. Sometimes I wish I had a second coauthor in my writing team who had a lot of free time and an enormous will to write... Like, having four people (including me) is already a big luck and commitment from them all (especially from my current coauthor, who have been helping me with this fanfic for all three years!!!), but I haven't updated my work since November 2023 and I want to finish the current chapter because I hate it but it should be done for all the chapters, that are waiting ahead. I am the one, who supposed to write, nobody in my team owns me writing my book.
I prefer to say, that it's coauthor's and my work. I mean that I began writing and it's my responsibility to continue it, if I want to (free will to leave a fanfic unfinished and stuff), I often I wish that I had another person, to write for me some moments, so I had to just adapt them, polish and call it a day. Even for one chapter.
I guess, everybody went from this, even the greatest authors. Tears, bloody lips, sleepless nights, apathy and many more. I just wish I had the same thirst for writing my works like I did two years ago. Alas, almost 150 deleted pages can crush your spirits.
As a self-proclaimed Yandere with BPD (though i don't talk about it for some reason), I'mma have to agree wholeheartedly with this.
I feel like the only people who should identify as a yandere are the people who've actually had to deal with the experience that's often associated with yandere behavior (as you mentioned)
The only exception I'll make is Ayano Aishi from Yandere simulator, but mainly because she's extremely BPD coded and I headcanon her as someone with BPD.
God I hate neurotypicals sometimes...
I feel saying you’re a self proclaimed “yandere” is fetishizing mental illness
The term yandere is literally based on bpd and being obsessive
Unlike people who are a self proclaimed “yandere” I can’t fucking help it
It isn’t a cute and quirky thing it’s a genuine mental illness that has been warped to a media stereotype and romanized the shit out of
:33 < rant
:33 < being a system is just.... so scary. i constantly have mental breakdowns, idont permit "myself" to look at "me" in the mirror, idont know who "i"am because iam not me. its a group of people. it feels so insane, like im not real. people call me by my name in which idont realise iam me or at least supposed to be. ihave so much confusion in life, so much amnesia and unawareness, its crazy. i just want to be freed and alone. we dont particularly like each other either. icant stare at myself normally. i seem to have to have a mental breakdown. ifeel so out of place. so abnormal. the others themselves get scared. we barely know who we are. am i the host ? really ?? did the actual host go dormant years ago ?? i question this daily because it dosent seem like im the actual me more like a fake version, or a figment of the original. a place holder. yea sure, icall myself the original, but am i really ?? maybe buzy knows, but then again buzy also is a little.... much. shes trying to.... well idont really wanna say it so yea. she wouldnt exactly be of much help. maybe all the others named s ? imeannnn theyre kinda the same as buzy. and its not exactly like we talk to eachother. imean yea, our headspace is super boring, but we kinda enjoy being alone and dont talk to eachother so iguess. thats. alright. idont know im probably just gonna stop this
B33 < rant ? about june though, so its positive !! :3
:33 < ithink a really interesting headcanon is headcanonning june as having long hair due to the fact that she probably no longer has a pair of scissors to actually cut her hair
:33 < like yea, sure, they have daves sword, but that wouldnt make for a clean cut, and itd be pretty funny if they all tried cutting their hair years ago but realised the haircut looked bad and never tried it again (though maybe if theres any character who wouldve liked the wonky, uneven hair cut its rose ifeel like they wouldve enjoyed it idont know why)
B33 < either that or they just dint cut their hair as a whole :oP more long hair daves !! more long hair john/junes !! more long haired men !!
yooo wassup my homie nepeta!! i got a question!!!! so, what r your fav ICP songs?? mine are prolly miracles (totes obligatory for every hs fan Bo)) ), here comes the carnival n down with the clown!!!! cant wait to hear what yours are!! :33
:33 < hiiii !! honestly ? idont think icould ever pick a favourite !! (and not just cause of my decidiophobia xoD) but because theyre all so great and so unique in their own way !! i really enjoy all the songs, from the yum yum bedlam albums, to the great milenko albums, to the bang ! pow ! boom ! albums, to the music that shaggy and violent j make separatly in their own time, just all of it as a whole !! sorry ididnt give a proper answer, but if it makes it better, ithink my first icp song was either queens or juggalo juice !! icant exactly remember which (back with the awful memory x3) but they definitely are 2 great songs and im glad i started with them !! definitely have listened to more of their songs though now, idont exactly think ineed to choose because theyre all so great in their own way !! anyways, sorry for like,, the whole paragraph,, that was a bit much but yea !! hope that somewhat answered your question :3 and thanks !! :33
hi i found your blog. you are so cool .. very appreciate care towards all nonhumans & i think it is so so great when people on the internet are Themself . & not hiding . cannot word well .anyway . ... i hope you have an awesome day & feel awesome & have an awesome night too . Cannot off anon out of schizo paranoia. but wish you the best :}
:33 < AWWWW THANK YOUUUU !! <33 ido try express myself a little better on tumblr, especially since i generally find it difficult to interact with general !! ido feel quite comfortable on tumblr though, this place seems nice and cozy :3 and iam so glad alterhumans can express themselves <33 ilove all shapeshifters, plants, animals, characters, beings and monsters, objects and numbers, places, humans and holotheres, nonhumans with millions of kintypes and nonhumans with only one kintype, nonhumans with no kin type, spirituals and psychologicals, and alterhumans who just are !! iLOVE EVERYONES KINTYPES !! also dont worry about wording, am not good at english too its ok :33 ithank yiu so much for this you are TOO SWEET AHHHH !!!1!1! /positive hope YOU have a pawsome day too !! x33 dont worry about the anyan, anytroll can be on anyan for any reason !! no need to sweat it ^_^ wishing you the best toooo <33 (sorry for the late response, was asleep then woke up early and didnt feel like functioning :o/)
:33 < sick and tired of polyamory not being accepted in the lgbtqia2s+ community. come on. it is 2024 and we still cant accept our own community because "oh polyams are just weird straights who date multiple people" NO ?? MY GOODNESS THIS IS THE "aroace isnt valid in the community" ALL OVER AGAIN. WE AS A COMMUNITY DONT HAVE TO EXCLUDE. WE SHOULD INCLUDE. BE TOGETHER AS ONE. UNITY. NO FIGHTING AGAINST LABELS, GENDER, WHAT IS "VALID" AND WHAT ISNT. we spend YEARS fighting for our rights just to exclude LABELS ???! THIS IS NOT WHAT WE FOUGHT FOR. WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO EXPRESS OURSELVES WITH LABELS, AND YET "reddit_user69" DECIDED "polyam isnt valid cause its actually like a weird version of straights"
B33 < in my eyes polyamory is a valid apart of the community
B33 < and no, idont mean as "cousins" of the community, or being "similar" to it, imean being apart of it.
:33 < if you support lgbtqia2s+ community then actually support it. support your community. "weird" identities. xenogenders. polyams. bipoc queers. disabled queers. gnc trans people. "obscure" and "contradictory" labels. yea youre accepting of the queer community, but are you actually ?? cause youdont sound too sure of it.