Adding my voice to the choir that his ending felt totally off. It gets even more tragic if RNGesus is with you and
his comments are being put first in line with him commenting that the sun is up and he is not burning (all with a hopeful smile) just to light up a bit later.
I could have accepted his flippant line and running off if there wouldn't have been a stupid remark from a random companion and if he had not run far (maybe just to the nearest shade) so even a non-romanced companion could have gotten a conversation with him to offer some solace. We get to talk with Gale about his plans for the crown, get to send off Lae'zel, deal with Orpheus/talk to the Emperor and see Karlach burn up (and maybe send her to hell to save her). But Astarion was not worth a little cutscene?
I just did a duo-run with him, so the only people on the docks were him and Illithid-Orphy, so I at least did not get Gale's tone-deaf remark, but what I got instead was not much better. It cuts to your character's sad face as you stupidly watch him run away and the narrator says: "Astarion's days in the sun are behind him. The best you can hope is that he finds darkness, and the comfort it once gave him" Then your character smiles and the narrator continues: "Knowing him, he probably will. Comfort was always one of his specialities. Especially when it was his own." Like what? That was so random. I can't even recall a single moment in all three Acts where that was a thing more than a jokey remark from him?
That said, I like his endings narratively, both the ascended douchebag ending and his sad, but hopeful spawn ending. The only thing they would need to add for the last romance conversation in the spawn ending is a bit more closeness. Especially when he asks for your reassurance once again you should be able to give him some physical comfort - maybe just a hug to echo that scene in Act 2 or take his hand and give him the "That is what I want" line. Doesn't even need a new recording, just a new, more intimate animation.
It's not strange that he asks for reassurance again - a few weeks with you don't wipe away 200 years of self-loathing and now the dice are cast anew. Without the tadpole you would have to agree to live with all of his drawbacks. But, man, a little bit more emotional intimacy would have been nice here.
And while we're at it - what's up with the last "kiss" before the grand finale? "This may be the last time for a kiss" "Then let's make it count" *quick peck* Can we get some passion over here? We could die horribly any second.
