... Let me see if I am allowed to reply something today.
What I meant by academia, was not university as we know it but more a mindset, that seems to be omnipresent in all the wizards we meet, learn about and in the Mystra cleric who's tower we pilfer too. I picked the term because Gale is referred to as an academic in the epilogue - but that might be because he is teaching at an actual academy. In any case they are all very success oriented, competitive and seem to cast everything that distracts from their work aside. The theme of loneliness is strongly present in Lenore's tower, as is her need for success - her emotional support robot gives her a pep-talk by reminding her how brilliant she is - Yrre, her lover, does not seem to fare much better. Rolan goes so far as to briefly cast his beloved siblings aside for a chance to study with Lorroakan and seems not to understand how wrong Lorroakan's teaching methods are until he notices his master's general cruelty. Professor Gale's students also seem to have a mindset that is focused on success alone and he has to encourage them to have fun. So whatever you call the social circle of wizards, there is a very unhealthy tendency in it that has a negative effect on their overall behaviour.
Gale himself seems to be very fulfilled by his job, I'd go as far as call this a calling for him - I just hope that somebody occasionally gives him a hug or that shiny red apple.
I'd say, Tara is very proper. Even when she briefly wants to kill Mystra with a bow and tries to persuade Gale away from Act2 explosion (as does Elminster btw) she never questions the general laws of the world. She also has very high and very traditional expectations of Gale, she (and his mom) would like him to settle down with someone, but still be successful and studious. In all romance endings seems dissatisfied because Tav has taken her wizard away from her - unless she can make Tav complicit in bossing Gale around. So yes I think she was and is overall very proud of Gale as a Chosen - what higher honor can you get after all.
Tav seems to be the deciding factor for Gale to claim the Crown? I strangely never went for it despite mostly running around with Astarion and Gale. ^^; I did watch some yt videos though and I do like the slow change you can see in Gale: First he is only fascinated by the crown, then he wants to use it to better the world but not become a god, then at last - apparently when encouraged to defy Mystra - godhood becomes an option. But that final straw comes extremely late.
I don't think Elminster is unhappy with his fate and I never thought that he was not portrait in a benevolent way. In Gale's Origin there is even a narrative moment dedicated to how important he is to Gale. One options says that Elminster's disappointment is even worse than Mystra's. But as the game's core theme is power, including the power over people and what a lack of freedom can mean, being a god's chosen naturally takes a more sinister turn. Despite its dark themes, I feel it is overall not a very cynical game. When you wander the path of empathy for your fellow creatures and taking fate into your own hands, you generally get the sweeter results. I also like that freedom is portrayed as something difficult. As long as the gods decide for you, you do not have to think for yourself but - since you brought it up earlier - once you tasted a fruit from the tree of knowledge about good and evil, you have to make your own decisions. You are forced from your father's garden and have to carve out your own way, for better or worse.
I am also wondering when Companion Gale becomes Mystra's Chosen again in the end and when not. The unromanced ending seemed to imply it, in the romanced ones it felt less so.
(And I am sorry, that this text was so very chaotic. A lot of fragmented thoughts.)
Last edited by Anska; 11/01/24 09:45 PM.
