and the other is that AA is more evil and demeaning of a love interest, which makes sense, since he's evil.
Honestly, what's the point of a novel if the romantic interest is ONLY evil to his love. A character's evil can be shown in a variety of ways - the worst with a romance. Especially when Astarion is the only male for the path of evil as a romantic interest. When in general something romantic in reverse is created to show weak points and something ~good~ in evil character. Minthara is evil, she can kill, jealous, possessive, sharp. She also exhibits many positive qualities that are attractive.
"Literally evil." You are aware that vampires in DnD still love and are willing to kill for someone they care about. And making a bond with their bride is literally putting themselves at risk. The spawns were avenging the death of their Masters. Some red dragon being chaotic evil monsters, by will appreciate the treaty with giths and years of protecting them fight together. Even in DnD which is famous for its alignment rules regarding evil.
But Lord Astarion has to punch a frightened face in his romance novel to coolly "show evil"? … It doesn't make sense and tasteless on many levls.
Although what am I supposed to say when: - Spawn lies on the bed and looks at Tav: how cute - Lord Astarion: horror, he's watching.
When BG3 sort of abandoned alignment, which means a more facile attitude of character personality, from what I've heard. However, Astarion was described as neutral-evil. What you are talking about is sphere of evil for evil's sake, created by the paws of Mickey Mouse, is a caricature. Just like Cazador without the quest where he or his image\idea should have been a bit more complicated.
Originally Posted by Gooby Dooby
after they chose to push that character to mass murder 7,007 innocent souls (and condemn them to the hells) in a canonically evil ritual, and the end result of that choice is that the character became evil.
>chose to push >mass murder
I'd kill two banging orgs in a barn to hear "little death" afterward, in EA. I chose to explore the dark side of the character, and I want it to be complex and make sense. I don't care how many npcs are required for this victim.
Why not just take the book of evil like Disney and say "well he read the book of evil power"? "Became Evil". Astarion was evil and feels alive when he kills is his line in the original. And a little bit of other things. Although it's confirmed in interviews that it's still him, himself. Though it was better revealed in the game why Astarion has slavery approvals.
He's evil, because he's an evil character for the path of evil, he was written that way. Evil doesn't mean uncomplicated and can't do any good. Villains burning cities for someone they love - is the point of evil love.
Originally Posted by Gooby Dooby
cheap and manipulative
Everyone does it all the time nowadays on the internet. It's just there now. Everyone is projecting and talking about it.
Originally Posted by Gooby Dooby
is so incredibly tame and benign
Let those who have taken damage say how tame it is. The main damage isn't what Astarion does, it's Tav's face and the that it was done on purpose. Though if you read my critique of this reaction of Tav's makes absolutely ZERO sense.
Though I resent that his dominance and weirdness in the romance isn't explored better before and after the ritual.
There's no logical reasoning to it, Tav chooses a freakin' kiss and can break up.
I'll be fine if the who did-abuse-face and someones stop do this nonsense: Making the illogical Tav-victim line as the main one for romance and "Know-nothing Jon Snow, you're a victim of abusive behavior because you didn't choose the healing arch in a single romance with an evil man - we don't have one. It's a story of right-love and wrong-abuse-suffer. We added the fact that Astarion is going to hell for Karlach, giving up all the power, pleasures and silk sheets he's dreamed of all his life because Karlach, and cause Ascended Astarion became non-love demeaning\abuse pure evil".
