Larian Studios Forums Divinity II The Dragon Knight Saga / Flames of Vengeance (English) Divinity II - The Dragon Knight Saga Some Thoughts On The Ending of DKS *SPOILERS*

Commander Rhode, as we all know, is one of the major NPCs in Ego Draconis and one of the few who has something of a story arc. She goes from aloof but kind mentor to regretful enemy to bitter enemy. Her arc ends when she's imprisoned in Aleroth. Blinded by her own hatred, Rhode falls from grace. It's perhaps not the most original story-arc for an antagonist and an arrest may not be the most climactic way of resolving it, but it works.

We learn very early on that Rhode has been released from prison and is now on the exact same quest you are. Interesting. A chapter that had apparently been closed has been reopened. We follow Rhode's footsteps through Aleroth, one final confrontation seems inevitable and then...

It doesn't happen. Bellegar's turned her to stone.

Gosh.

That's... that's really not a fitting end for Rhode's arc. Throughout your previous encounters, you could try to reconcile with her or make her even more angry. Whatever approach towards Rhode you decided on it would have been... fitting... if you could actually resolve this issue between the two of you.

In Flames of Vengeance you and Rhode are demonstrably on the same side, working towards the exact same goal. Is Rhode still too consumed by her own hatred to listen to reason? Is she willing to put aside her distrust so long as this common enemy looms in the air? Might she actually be able to reconcile with you?

None of these resolutions are particularly original, I'll admit, but they work. Flames of Vengeance dangles a new story thread about Rhode in front of you, but instead of doing anything with it, it rips it away and carelessly discards.

There is no confrontation, there is no resolution. Bellegar's simply turned her to stone. Just like that. And you weren't even there.

It's like if you finally manage to escort that zeppelin to the final boss fight, you finally face Ygerna and then!

Bellegar warps in, kills Ygerna and warps back out. Game Over. Roll Credits.

You'd feel cheated if that were to happen, wouldn't you? The Rhode thing is not nearly as severe, of course, but it's still there.

Rhode being taken out off-screen by Bellegar doesn't work thematically.

Amongst other things, the Dragon Knight Saga is about the restoration and redemption of Dragons and the Dragon Knights. We start the game with the Dragon Knights nearly extinct and ruthlessly hunted and we end with a crowd joyfully cheering your Draconic shadow. And it's all thanks to your efforts against Damian.

Rhode basically personifies that hatred and distrust of the Dragon Knights that you spend all game overcoming. It should therefore be you who eventually overcomes her, whether by defeating her in combat or by forcing to her to see the error of her ways (to some extent). It would be symbolic of the larger issue, one might say.

Instead, Bellegar turns her to stone. Bellegar, who's done absolutely nothing to help the Draconic cause, defeats the personification of the hatred for all things Draonic. It doesn't work.