Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Justice for Minthara

She also praises Shadowheart for embracing Shar and becoming a Dark Justiciar, which she views as an honor to be fighting alongside with, and scolds Lae'zel for endangering them all for her "childish rebellion" - so there are definitely two sides to her opinion.


Allow me to play the devil's advocate and explain why a breakup itself may not be that polarizing for her character.

First of all, fear is an almost intrinsic part of Minthara's character. Her desire for power could very well be connected to that fear. When Minthara stands in front of the Netherbrain and tries to lift up your spirits, that is akin to me saying "I'm sure Larian will fix Minthara soon" while simultaneously worrying they might never truly fix her XD

We need to remember Minthara has been exiled, stripped away from all titles and privilege. She believes being feared is the only way (for someone like her) to achieve power and, in turn, safety. Upon entering the city, all she talks about is controlling it by sowing fear in people through propaganda or some other scheme so people would grow desperate and rely on her.

This doesn't mean Minthara is entirely fearless (not that anyone was saying this) but it's important to note that she hides her own fear extremely well. In fact, you would likely never even notice it if you didn't pass an insight check or choose certain dialogue options.




This is about Orin. She is utterly terrified, and asks you to promise to not let her fall into Orin's clutches ever again. When you do, she thanks you and regains the confidence she has left. Does that remove her fear? No, but she is grateful that she has you.



Her fear of Orin stems from the unpredictability and sheer savagery Orin would commit. Compare Orin to the Netherbrain, a powerful being she has never faced before and certainly not one she has fully understood. It is impossible for Minthara to not be afraid of this. Does this justify the breakup? Maybe not. Does it make sense for her to be angry at you? I think so. Hear me out here.

No matter how you play it, Minthara will try to see you as a home. This is just as much of a core part of her character as seizing power for her own gain: she longs for somewhere to belong. It is a shame that this dialogue is locked behind very low approval. I took the screenshot below from this Youtube video as I don't have the gall to do it myself.



When Durge confronts Orin and wins, imagine the relief and happiness she feels as you are one step closer to forging the future you promised together. Then you stubbornly reject Bhaal, and Bhaal takes out the blood from which he made you with, and you die. That's it. If Withers wasn't on your side, Minthara would be left alone. The person she viewed as the closest thing to a home and the focal point of all her plans, is gone. And it was caused by a choice you made from your own accord.

But you were revived, weren't you? She should be happy. But what stops you from making a similar decision in the future? On top of all that, she also warns you that you would lose her beforehand.




This is the face of someone who is afraid. According to the devnote here, this is a "warning that her romance with the player would end if they rejected a power inside themselves" and while I do not fully agree with the direction here. This particular scene could be interpreted in various ways with added context.

If it's not clear yet, I'm not supporting the breakup in its current state. I'm saying it can be rewritten or further developed to stem from a very different reasoning as Veranis and I pointed out here:


Minthara is not prone to outbursts, but when confronted with nigh impossible odds and almost losing the one she's come to value the most, I can very much see it happening. A thoughtless breakup leading to a follow up (and potentially a second, more emotional, romance scene) would solidify this as a great addition for me, but I'm aware this opinion may not be shared by many. For now, all we can do is wait. It's always fascinating to see people's different interpretations of her character :3


It is worth it, to me at least. I saw a lot of people paying more attention to my favorite character, and it got Larian to pay more attention too (albeit not that much in retrospect), so I am happy with their decision to add that possibility. I am, however, not happy about Larian's treatment of her character. As Crimsomrider has pointed out, this is completely separate :'3