And even if you consider Karlach as illithid as a way to save her life, mind flayers have no souls. So she had to give up her soul to avoid going to hell. Ironic, I guess, depending on one's point of view.

Ultimately, Karlach's bad endings remind me of the puppy in Life is Strange 2. A sweet moment turned very sour in the most unnecessary way just to provoke strong feels. I don't know.
I have PTSD and I just can't relate to the people thankful Karlach is just as doomed as many of them feel, but I respect their feelings on the subject.

Maybe it's just the state of the world that is making Karlach's endings harder to deal with. Something akin to hopeless nihilism just seems too on point at the moment.

There are a lot of little, special moments with Karlach. Visiting her parents' grave, running into her old friend. Maybe this metaphor won't work for anyone but myself, but have you ever watched a TV show that introduces a new, fresh character? One who is universally loved, filled with boundless optimism and energy. Just too good to be true? Yeah... and by the end of the episode they're suddenly dead, because ratings season. But didn't you enjoy a good cry? It's almost like Karlach was designed to make you love her, then lose her.

Maybe, given the length and intensity of these conversations, Larian got Karlach spot on. Look how much we all care. Still, there's something to be said for options. If they'd killed off Minsc or Jaheira in BG1, I never would have played BG2. And I admit that the endings, as they stand, make me feel more emotionally manipulated by Karlach's story than anything.

Last edited by Dangerferret; 14/11/23 06:14 PM. Reason: old fat fingers
"Often forcing his victims to eat their own lips, he was caught and imprisoned for tax evasion." -Yellowbeard.