One of the key selling points ofBaldur’s Gate 3is its morally complex characters, whose alignments and choices can shift based on player decisions.The fates ofBaldur’s Gate 3’s6 origin companions are in the player’s hands, as their unique stories may end with the completion of their companion quest.These quests offer players narratives that span hundreds of hours, where they learn about their companions’ desires, fears, and hopes—if they can spare any while infected with a mind flayer tadpole. These hours inform the player about what character progression (or regression) can look like, giving them the privilege of helping campmates make quest-culminating decisions as they nurture a friendship or romance. Some of these decisions are subtle and have similar stakes, such as Wyll Ravengard’s. Others are potentially world-altering.
WhileBaldur’s Gate 3’s character depth has earned it numerous accolades, impressive character writing is a trend that has become a hallmark of the franchise. Viconia DeVir, a fan-favorite character fromBaldur’s GateandBaldur’s Gate 2, offers an intriguing case study in how the franchise handles character morality. In her initial appearances, Viconia’s alignment could change, evolving from Neutral Evil to True Neutral under certain circumstances. However,Baldur’s Gate 3has taken her darker path and made it canon, shocking fans who had taken all the steps necessary to ensure a “good” ending for her. This choice has significant implications for other characters in Baldur’s Gate 3 and possibly for the future of the series.
The sections below contain major spoilers for certain character arcs fromBaldur’s Gate,Baldur’s Gate 2, andBaldur’s Gate 3.
Who is Viconia DeVir?
Viconia DeVir appears as theMother Superior of the Shar enclavein Baldur’s Gate’s Lower City. As the Mother Superior of the enclave, she ordered Shadowheart on a suicide mission to retrieve the Artifact. However, long-time fans of theBaldur’s Gatefranchise consider Viconia a familiar face.
Viconia DeVir inBaldur’s GateandBaldur’s Gate 2is a character whose trauma informed her alignment. She abandoned the worship of the spider goddess, Lolth, and dedicated her life to Shar, the goddess of darkness, after her House in Menzoberranzan fell out of Lolth’s favor. Some players might allow her to lean into her darker nature, embracing the Neutral Evil side of her character, which prioritizes wrath over mercy. However, it’s worth noting that despite her dark inclinations, her morality is entirely fluid. Depending on the player’s actions, her alignment could shift, revealing a more nuanced character who shows vulnerability by trusting the player. Potentially, Viconia could even fall in love with the player.
Viconia’s story inBaldur’s Gate 3demonstrated that Larian Studios did not shy away from disappointing some long-time fans of the franchise. Larian chose to make her alignment much clearer, with her role as the Mother Superior of theSharran cloister in the Lower Citybeing the darkest possible outcome of her arc. This establishes a sense of finality to her character’s story, which has largely focused on her struggle with her faith and her past.
The Impact of Viconia’s Fate on Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gatehas always allowed players to dive deep into the depths of their companions’ personalities, forcing them to grapple with difficult decisions and consider the consequences of their actions. However, Larian Studios has set a trend that is truly irreversible: Viconia’s dark path has set a precedent for embracing thosehard-to-grapple-with “evil” endings inBaldur’s Gate 3. Viconia’s canon ending tells players that not all characters will be redeemed or “saved.” Some may embrace darker fates, regardless of how tragic or complex they may be.
This darker narrative choice is particularly important in the context ofBaldur’s Gate 3, where characters like Astarion, Shadowheart, and Lae’zel all begin their journeys with questionable morality or hidden motivations. Viconia’s established path encourages a similar exploration ofdark character arcs forBG3companions, suggesting that the series might continue to challenge players’ perceptions of morality, heroism, and fate.
InBaldur’s Gate 3, characters who start with questionable ethics or dark pasts are not simply “fixed” through good deeds; they remain multidimensional, capable of both growth and corruption. In this light,Viconia’s evil fateserves as a stark reminder that not all characters may find redemption. Instead, their stories may end in tragedy. The franchise’s willingness to allow characters to embrace darkness makes the world ofBaldur’s Gatefeel more authentic, where not everyone’s story is neat and wrapped in a bow. Larian has potentially opened some floodgates that it will not be able to close, and storytelling for theBaldur’s Gatefranchise may be better off for it.
Shadowheart: A Path of Reluctant Darkness
Shadowheart is a complex character inBaldur’s Gate 3to romanceor befriend because much of her arc revolves around her devotion to the goddess Shar, a deity of darkness and loss. Early in the game, Shadowheart’s unwavering faith seems to guide her actions, yet hints of internal conflict surface as players spend more time with her. Her devotion to Shar doesn’t appear to be rooted in pure evil, but rather in a desperate attempt to display obedience and piety, especially given her tragic, yet hazy, past. This is all Shadowheart knows, all that she can cling to.
As the story unfolds, players can influence Shadowheart’s alignment, either deepening her commitment to Shar or guiding her toward a more balanced, compassionate path. However, given the canon dark fates of other characters, it’s conceivable thatShadowheart might embrace her darker ending,eventually finding herself consumed by her faith to the point of forsaking redemption. IfBaldur’s Gate 4continues the trend of allowing characters to explore darker, more tragic endings, Shadowheart might be a prime candidate for such an arc. Her emotional vulnerability and unwavering connection to Shar could lead her down a path where her devotion turns into obsession, forcing her to fully embrace darkness, leaving players to grapple with an absolutely deadly Dark Justiciar.
Lae’zel: A Fighter Torn Between Duty and Survival
Lae’zel’s journey inBaldur’s Gate 3is steeped in the rigid expectations of herGithyanki heritage. As a fierce warrior loyal to her Goddess-Queen, she’s driven by a need to fulfill her mission at all costs, even if that means sacrificing personal relationships and her own sense of morality. Lae’zel’s pride and sense of duty often cloud her judgment, leading her to act in aggressive and uncompromising ways. However, beneath her warrior exterior, Lae’zel is a character capable of growth, especially when it comes to understanding the nuances of her own identity and the larger world around her. She’s young, and the githyanki code has served her well thus far. One cannot blame her for her harsh exterior.
The potential for a darker ending lies in her continued blind loyalty to the Githyanki cause or, truly,players not exploring the Mountain Pass. If Lae’zel were to fall further into a path of vengeance and isolation, she might ultimately choose her people’s goals over any notion of personal morality, resulting in a tragic and self-destructive fate. IfBaldur’s Gate 4explores the darker possibilities of characters like Lae’zel, she could become an example of how duty and pride can drive someone to forsake the greater good.
Astarion: The Vampire Ascendant
Astarion’s character arc is arguably one of the most compelling inBaldur’s Gate 3. As a vampire spawn, he carries a tortured past filled with abuse and manipulation, causing him to unwillingly inflict that onto others. Yet, he is also deeply charismatic, with a sharp wit and an allure to hide the darkness within. While he initially appears to be a charming companion, Astarion’s true nature slowly comes to light: he’s power-hungry, full of rage, and very, very frightened. He becomes blinded upon hearing that he was only a pawn for his master’s ascension ritual, and wishes to destroy everything around him, even the good person he could become. The big question becomes:to ascend Astarion or not to ascend him. It takes a gentle hand, patience, and perhaps a bit of romance to bring Astarion to the light.
Given his history, Astarion’s potential for a darker ending is high.Astarion is a vampire spawnthat consistently demonstrates a willingness to manipulate others to serve his own needs, to the point where he can leave being a spawn behind. In a potentialBaldur’s Gate 4, Astarion could be a character worthy of a villainous boss battle. As a Vampire Ascendant, his transformation would serve as a tragic confirmation of his being unable to break the chains that maimed him. He only reused those chains to hurt others, restarting the cycle of abuse once more.
Could Baldur’s Gate 4 Embrace Darker Endings?
WithPatch 8 just being released for BG3,Baldur’s Gate 4seems centuries away. Yet, Viconia’s fate inBaldur’s Gate 3opens up the possibility for even more morally complex narratives in future titles. If the series continues to evolve and embrace the ambiguity of its characters, it could lead to darker outcomes for other companions who begin their journeys with morally complex histories. Characters like Astarion, who grapples with his vampiric nature, or Shadowheart, whose devotion to Shar creates conflicting moral dilemmas, could each follow paths that challenge the crowd-pleasing expectations set by traditional RPGs.
In fact, future installments of the series, such asa potentialBaldur’s Gate 4, might explore these darker arcs further, potentially offering a storyline where redemption is simply not possible. Rather, if these characters were to come back for a hypothetical continuation, their “canon” endings could be the most reprehensible ones.
