Originally Posted by beargor
Just adding more stuff that I found that is relevant to the emperor rewrites. Again source is Harbs Narbs, god bless him, hoping he starts making videos again now that the game is released.

Video Link

Images Link

These are from the Baldur's Gate MTG set and a line from Descent into Avernus. Seems to confirm even more how the emperor was supposed to be an antagonist. My theory is that the emperor was supposed to be some twist final villain, as he makes a power grab to control the elder brain for himself and he reveals he was manipulating you this entire time to further his plan. Kind of lines up with him, for seemingly no reason, just switching sides at the end of the game if you decide to free orpheus (I get he fears Orpheus because he is a githyanki and wouldn't let any illithid live even if they were 'independant', but going to the side of the elder brain that is going to enslave you once again is just stupid).

There is also a cutscene when the emperor offers to romance you, where when you call him a creep for suggesting it, he'll reveal that he was mind controlling Stellmane (as said in the descent text) and some others. This doesn't get brought back up and the game kind of ignores that this reveal happened. My guess is it's some stuff they forgot to remove as they rewrote him?

This is fascinating. Definitely makes me wonder if The Emperor was supposed to be the guy who tadpoled you at the start. Perhaps he was on the side of the Elder Brain against the Chosen, only to try and grab the brain for himself?

Last edited by The Red Queen; 23/08/23 02:20 PM. Reason: Added spoiler tags