Originally Posted by tarraxahum
Hm. Tonedeaf as in which meaning? (asking totally chill and respectfully, of course, we're clearly on the same side here, heh, just for the sake of discussion)

I mean, to me it seems like one of the most logical directions to take if you consider how that choice would go? As in,
we all know that Karlach isn't the character to lay down in misery and give up. She said so herself post-Gortash. So no use in getting depressed over being back, not her style. However, a cheery attitude and not thinking about bad things won't save her when she's in the middle of the worst thing happening. And she had ten years to hone out some mental armor and coping mechanisms, which, naturally, snap into place immediately when she's thrown back in. Very much believe that smoking was also Demonsbane's habit, an unhealthy coping mechanism, hence it coming back.

Or do you mean that last line, 'cause in that case
could sort of agree, but also it's kinda true, she would never come back if not for the player - Wyll gets some other devnote ofc - mattering enough to her to convince her otherwise. I've mentioned a couple of times that I do indeed consider my Tav selfish in doing so, and that line goes with it very well - albeit painfully.

OR. Orrrr do you mean that the
fact that it's worded in particular to hammer home the fact how much it affects her and that it was in some way a selfish choice on the part of the player, however she tries to appreciate it, as if meant to punish us for choosing so, like see, happy, Karlach you knew is gone anyway, just metaphorically,
'cause in that case. Yeah? Yeah.

But also thematically it's fair, I think? Like, how ELSE was that gonna go. The "suddenly it's fine, they're gonna be fine, don't worry about it" interpretation of the scene was even more jarring and pissed people of even worse from what I've seen.

(Now, the treatment of all that as a 'good' ending by some folks (don't mean the ones who just like the current endings in general, as established!) and the godforsaken phrasing of 'ending she deserves' - still think a social intern screwed up on that, but the damage is done - does look interesting in this light.)

What it's actually underlining is, again, the lack of ending options.
Do you want Karlach Cliffgate dead as in exploded, dead as in turned into a mindflayer, or dead as in shoved back and buried in her consciousness for self-preservation, ay?

P.S. has to be said however that there's no use to get too fired up (heh) over a devnote - we are not meant to see them, after all, and they're not meant for us, they give context to actors and such.


Oh, i meant tonedeaf in regards to the rest of karlach's character and what she has been saying to us all game long! it's super sudden, not supported by any prior dialogue ("i'd rather die than go back there") and just happens 'cause. of course the devnote isn't meant for us, i was not getting heated (heh) just merely taken aback by how abrupt and sudden the wording felt, a bit rushed? i don't know if i explained myself fully ahah