Ok guys let’s please not turn this into another thread getting into fights over astarion kisses. There have already been two threads locked because of that discussion getting out of hand, so people should just let it rest. It’s such a minor detail that is ultimately not a huge problem in the game, and people are getting far too up in arms over it. The kisses from now on will be happy and match up with all the other relationships having happy kiss scenes, because that’s the tone the game wants to convey here, end of story. If you want a story where your character is outright being abused and is upset about it, it is not to be found in this game.
But it’s not the tone the game wants to convey, that’s bullshit. At no point was the narrative “kinky bdsm uwu”.
FFS, this is the same route where Astarion will use every attempt to gaslight you into becoming a spawn, even going so far as to call you a humorless little wretch for trying to put up boundaries after ascension when he starts treating you like a pet.
We are given numerous options to express discomfort and hesitancy with going along with it. For instance, during the turning scene, initially saying no when he asks you to kneel will set your character’s facial expressions to uncomfortable / reluctant for the rest of the scene.
This is a route where the break up backpedal option literally has the description “abusively” written into the script. Our companions literally call out Astarion, With Wyll going so far as to say he’s a degenerate, while Halsin and Gale point out Tav is a slave. We can’t break up in the epilogue with him like you can with EVERY other character.
And sorry, the expressions were relatively neutral before. Tav looked rightly confused by Astarion’s sudden aggressiveness. He bites them without consent, he pushes them, he makes them kneel as a sign of humiliation. The old expressions had you react appropriately with surprise, confusion, or slight annoyance at being forced to do degrading things. This is a master and slave relationship based on everything the narrative has been building toward and once you’ve become a spawn, there is NOTHING to imply you will be safe for breaking up with him.
And finally, this is changing something that has been in the game for nearly half of its release. If this wasn’t the artistic vision, then it should have been updated months ago.
Tl;Dr: My character should not be smiling for things I’d be breaking up with my partner IRL for doing to me without my express consent. The fact that these facial expressions just decide my Tav is ok with it is gross and triggering.
LARIAN IS ROMANTICIZING ABUSE.
