I don't know if Larian tried to prove and show on February 14, with AA in the fanservice 6 patch - "a story about abuse where the player is the victim"
But here are my suggestions. As well as a critique of the Tav-victim narrative line (5 point).
Great post, thank you, LiryFire!
I'd also like to add that Astarion has been established as a character that wants to PROTECT Tav, NOT HURT them. Nirraart has made the perfect short showcasing his lines: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EH15C67NgiE
Then we also have the banter where Astarion says: 'I have one person who trusts me completely, that's enough for me. We're both happy with our arrangement. I need someone I can trust, and now I know they'll never betray me'. Excuse me, but how can Tav's faces be of someone who trusts him completely and is happy with the arrangement? Seeing their behaviour they just cannot wait to betray him. Making Gale fall in love with you and helping him become a God has now become an even more enticing option in case things go wrong - after all he wants you in the Heavens with him and suggests he might help you ascend. Tav who is unhappy with AA would just elope with Gale and become even more powerful than AA.
Here's also annoyed AA at the epilogue party: 'I give you wealth, power, pleasure, every decadence that can be afforded to a person. You are my consort, and I will see you living the very best life, even if you don't appreciate it'. Totally sounds like someone who wants to make his vampiric spouse miserable, scare them to death and sexually abuse, right?
Nirraart has also released yet another short with mortal Tav who asks to become a vampire in the epilogue. Absolutely not scared, delighted even: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NvoDGhdYOiY. So why are they so horrified by his passion and dominant behaviour in the kiss scenes?
Originally Posted by LiryFire
"The character shows the value of violence and the dark side of humanity, as well as to his extraordinary charm and allure. This balance is extremely important because a shift to either side would make Astarion extremely unattractive or too one-dimensional and empty a character". These are Stephen Rooney's words from an interview. A friend of mine gave it to me, unfortunately I can't find the timeline.
This just makes the whole thing even sadder. Whoever is pushing for this nonsense is crapping over someone else's amazing work and going against their very vision of the character.
