I feel that Gale's quest lacks a conclusion. All other characters get a concluding moment for their quest within the game, only he hasn't one. You can watch his conversation with Mystra - which you shouldn't be able to witness as you even get told right before it happens that you cannot be part of it - but he doesn't get a moment to make his feelings about the conversation known, which for him as a companion is much more important than the exact content of the conversation.
Other than that, I think think the pacing of his quest is pretty good because the Crown is just the plot twist that challenges his previous perception. It's temptation, another way out - like the ritual is for Astarion.
Of course I didn't see the first post at first *coughs*
I don't think there is a problem with the thinking in Gale's quest.
At the end of Act2 basically everyone can have realised that blindly trusting their gods is not a good thing to do. If you let do Gale as he wants at the end of Act2 he will blow himself up and fullfill Mystra's commands. If he continues he sees the Crown as an option to take fate in his own hands - same as Astarion with the ritual - he at this point has realised that someone who asks you to kill yourself and many others for a quick easy fix problem, might not be worth of his devotion either. He might have also realised that Mystra's command is not only aimed at the absolute but also at the magical artefact that Elminster did not mention. I feel - much like for Astarion - grabbing for the Crown is parts struggle for autonomy and part revenge. Which is fine. You can talk Astarion out of the ritual and you can talk Gale away from the Crown.
I also feel like Mystra didn't consider Gale *had* anything else that he valued in life but Magic, so once he shows that he really wants to live, she gives him a way out. I am fine with that. It feels like two people/entities who once cared about each other making up. And I found it rewarding that, at the end of his Origin at least, their relationship feels like a healthy one. They are on good terms again and that is nice.
