Summary
- Astarion's fate in Baldur's Gate 3 can have varying outcomes, but failing to kill Cazador results in a terrible ending for him.
- The ascension ending for Astarion perpetuates a cycle of abuse and is considered his "bad ending" by many players, but he is at least making some kind of progress.
- Leaving Cazador alive and under his control is a much worse path for Astarion, causing him to live in perpetual fear and regression.
Astarion is one of the most enigmatic in Baldur's Gate 3, thanks to the personas he builds to protect himself and his traumatic past. Like the other party members, he has several endings that vary in the outcome of his fate. Depending on the player's outlook, intentions, and the character they're roleplaying, most of the outcomes can be considered "good". However, reaching the end of Baldur's Gate 3, and having failed to kill Cazador, results in an ending that is objectively terrible for Astarion, no matter the perspective.
10 Most Evil Baldur's Gate 3 Characters, Ranked
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The Two Fates For Astarion Post-Baldur's Gate 3
Why Ascended Astarion is Considered the "Bad" Path
Astarion has two main endings that are directly tied to the outcome of his personal quest, The Pale Elf. Astarion can either remain as a vampire spawn, or he can become an ascended vampire. Both of these fates come with benefits and consequences, and players have been split on which is the best fate for Astarion. Overall, because the ascended vampire ending perpetuates a cycle of abuse that began long before Astarion existed, turning him into just the latest rung in the ladder rather than one who breaks the cycle, many players do think that allowing Astarion to go through with the ritual to ascend him is his "bad ending".
Astarion chooses ascension because he believes it will make him safe. Ascension feeds into Astarion's fears, rather than giving him the strength to let go and heal from generational trauma, and turns him into a tool to abuse others in turn. His spawn ending defies this and, while he doesn't have the powers of a vampire lord and can no longer walk in the sun, he is noticeably happier and expresses relief that he didn't go through with the ritual. Rather than sacrificing the best parts of himself to keep himself safe, he instead kept his humanity and broke an abusive cycle to choose to heal.
The Worst Path For Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3
The Pain of Doing Nothing for Astarion
There is, however, a worse path for Astarion than losing himself forever as an ascended vampire lord. Both of these endings, ascended and spawn, show growth and a move toward something new. The third option is not completing The Pale Elf and leaving Cazador alive, leaving Astarion under the control of Cazador and in perpetual fear of him. In this ending, Astarion describes how he had to flee the sun, then slipped away. He then spent the next six months hiding in the shadows and off the streets to hide from Cazador, and returned to eating vermin to avoid his master's notice.
Astarion begs the player to kill Cazador if they can. He quickly changes the subject if the player agrees, but it's obvious to anyone who understands his character that this is his usual deflection. He's spent the past six months running and hiding from his tormentor, too frightened to be seen in public and unable to bring himself to break old rules, even though he likely could if he wanted to. This is even worse for him than remaining static as a character: it's a regression.
This ending has Astarion being abandoned by his friends and people that Astarion trusted. Cazador still has real power over him, and could exert that power whenever he likes. No matter the drawbacks of ascending Astarion or the lives taken on that path, for him and the 7,000 spawn Cazador has imprisoned, keeping Cazador alive is far and away the worst outcome for Astarion.
Baldur's Gate 3
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
- Engine
- Divinity 4.0
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Full cross-platform play.
WHERE TO PLAY
Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.
THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCE
Choose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.
A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPIC
Forged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian's next-generation RPG engine.
- Franchise
- Baldur's Gate
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, macOS
- How Long To Beat
- 100+ Hours
- Metascore
- 96
- Genre(s)
- RPG
