It's a pretty quick shot and the pause doesn't do much here, so you can interpret it in different ways, but no interpretation will make it better. On the contrary, I really liked the attack scene in the sewers because of how realistic it was. It clearly shows that Astarion is a vampire, and he wants to eat anyway. The Ascended, by the way, can eat regular food as well and doesn't feel hungry. It is clear, of course, that he will drink blood, but for him it will not be such a harsh and all-consuming necessity, desperately looking for a victim will certainly not have to.
If you consider stumbling over a conveniently tied up guy in the sewer realistic, we have very different perceptions of realism. For me that scene is only edgy and maybe shows that Astarion is a thug. I do like the bit in which he holds his hand into the sunlight though.
Originally Posted by Anska
Interesting! But he's selfish in a lot of ways - his remarks towards the other companions, especially when some misfortune happens to them, show that. He seems to care mostly about himself, and about Tav if Tav becomes a friend (in the romance he probably does too, I haven't romanced him, but I'm sure he will). Not only about Astarion in terms of the line after the bite scene that pissed me off at the time (he reacts pretty adequately to Ascension, by the way, compared to the tantrums of some of the other companions), but also in the video where Tav gives Shadowheart to Viconia - there's a very cold and indifferent attitude there in general. I'm not saying it's bad, he's quite logically looking out for his own well-being. And in general in BG3 companions don't really care about each other, there's no party unity, even at the end of the game, so he's not the only one, it's more like the whole game.
Well he doesn't want to die and thinks that if he fesses up about his bomb before you consider him to be useful, you'll boot him out of the camp. Other than that, most people seem to agree that his alignment is either true neutral or neutral good, and most of his comments are rational but empathetic. His morality is mostly utilitarian, accepting some evil for the sake of a greater good. He dislikes the ritual because of the lost lives but likes the stronger vampire for the final battle. And he is the character who, after having been given a none-lethal solution to his orb, will still offer to detonate it so that nobody in the group has to transform into a mindflayer, in some variations he will downright guilt-trip you into allowing him to detonate. So, saying that he only looks out after his own well being is a very harsh view. He is probably the one who along with Karlach expresses most concern for the player group, he is just much less cuddly (and overbearing) than she is.
As for the whole "Who is lying" bit, I think that the characters are often very unreliable narrators when it comes to matters pertaining to their own flaws, convictions and hidden desires.
