I just wanna point out once again that Karlach returning to Avernus doesn't imply she will be under Zariel influence at all, even more so if Tav and/or Wyll return with her.
While i also want an ending where she is completely saved with no strings attached. If one wants a better ending to"Return to Avernus" path, at least give us an epilogue along the lines of:
Quote
As for Karlach and [TAVNAME], returning to Avernus made the love between them burn ever brighter in the face of the perilous nature of the Asmodean Underworld. The couple would stir enough trouble that their names would reach the ears of even the higher circles of devil society. In their search for a cure for Karlach's condition, many dangers would need to be toppled and impressive feats would need to be performed, but with a commitment to each other that transcended even the very planes of existence, that wouldn't stop them.
But that, as the saying goes, is a tale for another time...
Put a static image of Karlach and some music in the background and presto, you have a follow-through on the ending we got.
Maybe yes, maybe no. Remember that Zariel is an archdevil after all, an entirely different caliber than Raphael or Mizura (and try attacking Mizura and you'll see how that ends...). In my opinion, the current available endings are simply tragic. Don't get me wrong, I don't think that one ending is better or worse than the others. Personally, for me, all of them are simply unacceptable if we don't have an alternative like "and they lived happily ever after." I understand that there might be people who don't like her and either kill her off early or just don't care about her at all. But is it really too much to ask for a happy ending? Just as easily, right after being transferred to hell, Zariel could appear, effortlessly kill Tav/Wyll, and force Karlach into further servitude. And that would be an even greater tragedy for her. Especially when you consider that for each of the remaining companions, life goes on, and they can do as they please (well, maybe except for Astarion, who probably won't see the sun again).
I played the whole game doing everything to ensure a happy ending for each of them, and that worked out for everyone except Karlach, who deserved it the most. She's the only character who's been sincere from the start, hiding nothing and not scheming at all. All she wants is to be free and live; she doesn't seek power, recognition, or wealth.
Karlach's portrayal was simply incredible; Samantha Beart, who lent her voice, did an amazing job, and she deserves congratulations. The amount of emotion that was put into this group of pixels is simply divine. I just hope this isn't the end of her journey in BG3, because hopefully Larian will quickly invite her to record new dialogues to fix what they messed up. It's up to us to make that happen.
