Seriously, especially that pause at the beginning of his sentence when mentions his past- there is an incredible show of hesitation, vulnerability, and trust bleeding out of his facade and I love it all the more.
I don’t understand some people calling Astarion an unapologetically evil sociopath when dialogue like this (and many more) exists. he can be what you want him to be, either you are his enabler towards the dark side-ascension, or you can help him heal.
Exactly. All the characters are who you make them to be. If your Astarion sucks, it's probably bc you made him that way... Enablers is the perfect word for it xD
@@stars-and-cloudstruly, the game allows us to he his enabler as much as a therapist (and lets be honest, he desperately needs one after all that’s happened to him). if he were truly evil from the start, you wouldn’t be able to get anything good out of him or snap him out of performing the ritual. and the dialogues in act 2 when he openly admits he manipulated you cuz he needed protection, he understands if you end it or accepts your friendship cuz he never had a friend (how sad is that ffs) or he can go all soft with his feelings even though he’s not yet sure what he and Tav/DU are. don’t know what’s evil about any of it. Karlach and Wyll are the only truly pure good aligned companions but Lae’zel, Shadow, and Astarion are all neutral.. it’s only up the player to make them all see reason.
@@stars-and-clouds wanted to add that even if Astarion displays sociopathic tendencies he has a very rightful reason for it. it’s not without merit he’s the way he is. it’s all just a result of 2 centuries of abuse.
Oh, don't sell yourself short, Astarion, we know Cazador did way worse to you than just "a few lashes" whenever you so much as thought about fleeing or disobedience. Like flaying you, repeatedly. Humiliating you by forcing you to feed on dead putrid rats. Using his control over your body to turn you into a literal meat puppet and forcing you to submit to toture or even torture yourself. Or breaking your will by burying you alive (well, undead) in a stone sarcophagus, starving and in total silence, for an entire year, not knowing if you would ever be let out again. And in case we don't trust your word for it, we could read your mind for your worst memory (the Year of Horror) and have NPCs corroborate your stories (like the other spawns, and Godey the Master of the Slave Kennels). Heck, Astarion, Godey even bragged about it when you angrily accused him of torturing you for 10 days straight one time, saying he always liked to torture you most of all the vampires spawn thralls of Cazador's because you screamed the most. That's a lot different from giving up after a few lashes with a whip, Astarion.
Well... we only have Neil Newborn to thank for that. He just made Astarion perfect. That's usually what good story telling does to people. Be sure, stay clean of sin mate, but let us simp in peace
The way he whispered "don't become his", like he's still too afraid to say it out loud. I can see him whispering or thinking this to himself every day to keep him from succumbing to his fear of doing nothing about Cazador and going back to being his slave again. This desire to be free of Cazador, if nothing else, is the one driving force behind his every thought and action. That's how I interpret it at least, poor guy.🥺 That line had me fighting back a tear honestly. Though I must say that every one of Astarion's scenes (and even his banter lines) has a way of making me feel very strongly in a large variety of ways, from being extremely entertained to feeling enraged or devastated. No doubt a result of the amazing writing, voice acting and motion capture.
I adore that even though he acknowledges that beating Bhaal won't be as simple as fighting Cazador, he still encourages you to not only merely defy a particularly blood-crazed god; but also to set yourself free of him. there's something about hearing this gold-hearted vampire telling you to give Bhaal the middle finger and go your own way after breaking that which binds you to Bhaal.
This scene is just beautiful, for those that call him a mindless, murdering sociopath clearly miss everything about him as a person. His growth from beginning to end is some of the best character development to exist
people who hate on him are pretty much those who kill him right away... they know literally nothing, don't know why he's acting the way he is and don't care. well, yalls loss then. he's the best character in game I've ever come across - especially when doing a good playthrough and steering him away from the dark path (as to me after the ascension everything good in him goes out of the window).
@@asmalltalk Agreed for the most part, but I do think ascended Astarion has some good in him still. It's a bit hidden but it happens too often that his expression and tone show genuine care, respect, remorse, empathy etc., only to very quickly be followed by a twisted joke or something randomly cruel. Like he's trying to hide the good in him. He's always had this tendency and it's still there when he's ascended. He isn't all that different from the person he was before ascension, he just acts tougher than ever before. As a result most of his words/threats are emptier than ever before as well, and usually lack real intent behind them.
When I first found Astarion I figured he was going to just be an annoying effeminate vampire that’s been done way too often. Yet the voice acting just sounded so phenomenal that I couldn’t get tired of him. Every response felt memorable, every line seemed perfectly in character. And now hearing this exchange I’m convinced he’s the best voice in the game, better than even JK Simmons. If he isn’t getting buried in an avalanche of offers by now there must be something seriously wrong with the VA industry.
I haven't played any baldur's gate 3, but I have watched some of the dialog options for each of the companions. What I've seen of Astarion so far is that if you open up to him, he opens up to you. And while my own orientation means I probably won't be romancing him, I definitely want him as a friend in my character's canon.
I didn’t really think he was all that redeemable or even use him in my party, until I hit this. Once I told him and he was just so understanding I finally understood why he was how he was fully, and he became an immediate and valuable member to my party.
I do love that no matter what your attitude toward your discovered Heritage, he supports you all the way. If you seem eager for it, he's absolutely down to watch (and hopefully participate in) the carnage. Just, please don't get all preachy "father" about it. But if you're NOT okay with it, and you admit you're scared of his control? Well shit, that sounds familiar. And he practically _begs_ you not to give up.
Can we also just pause on the bit about "sleepless nights spent tied up trying to slit [his] throat"? NIGHTSSS. As in there have been multiple incidents like that first one where Durge resisted the Urge to kill him, and he did exactly what he said he'd do then, and tied them up when the Urge came back, and then _stayed_ with them through the night until the Urge had passed. True, it would have been irresponsible to simply tie Durge up and then not keep an eye on them, but even so, _he's_ the one Durge is actively trying to kill in those moments, anyone other than him could have kept an eye on them, but _he_ did it, keeping close while Durge is literal feet away straining against bonds to get killing hands on him. It's just so...ugh, I think about this stuff waaaaaay too much.
This is probably the only time I believe what’s coming out of his mouth. The developers did SUCH a fabulous job.. we -WANT- to believe what he’s saying. The charm.
I was enjoying this and his jokes until the last dialogue path. I enjoyed that too, but in a deeper way - and almost choked up by his sheer determination and resolve in his voice. And you can tell nightmarish memories are being played in his head.
Immediately after entering act 3 and you get a dream about who you are. You have to talk to your companions in the morning after and they'll all have opinions about your bhaalspawn heritage. It's easily missed though if you don't rest soon enough after you enter Rivington.
You get it when you enter act 3. You have a dream about being a bhaalspawn and then in the morning you can talk to your party about it. If you don't long rest soon enough after entering Rivington you might miss it though.
@@usagiharukatsukino4951 you don't really craft things in the game only in 2 specific quests. You need to just gather the ingredients the quest asks for but they're not very clear, you need to study some of the books you'll find around. In both quests you can do them after you reach the underdark.
Immediately after you enter Act 3, you will have a dream about your past. In the morning you get the chance to talk to your companions about being bhaalspawn. Everyone has something to say but I'm guessing you get more dialogue from your love interest.
Act 3, dark urge spoilers: it happens when you enter act 3. In one of your first long rests you have a dream about your past as dark urge and some things are revealed to you. The game then tells you, you have the chance to talk about it with your party if you wish to reveal to them you are a bhaalspawn. You can talk to all of them and Astarion has this interaction. The others comment on it as well. Only Jaheira has no dialogue option but somehow she learns about it anyway.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Honestly Astarion understands more than he would admit but in this moment he does admit
I just wanted to cry with his last answer 😭 he's so damn cute and supportive
@@LivinAlie92 He is really misunderstood. There is a heart underneath!
@@NovaG0or that's just what he wants you to think. He knows how to manipulate feelings all too well
@@dontforgettonerfthepig3322someone doesn’t know anything about the astarion track
Seriously, especially that pause at the beginning of his sentence when mentions his past- there is an incredible show of hesitation, vulnerability, and trust bleeding out of his facade and I love it all the more.
I don’t understand some people calling Astarion an unapologetically evil sociopath when dialogue like this (and many more) exists. he can be what you want him to be, either you are his enabler towards the dark side-ascension, or you can help him heal.
Exactly. All the characters are who you make them to be. If your Astarion sucks, it's probably bc you made him that way... Enablers is the perfect word for it xD
@@stars-and-cloudstruly, the game allows us to he his enabler as much as a therapist (and lets be honest, he desperately needs one after all that’s happened to him). if he were truly evil from the start, you wouldn’t be able to get anything good out of him or snap him out of performing the ritual. and the dialogues in act 2 when he openly admits he manipulated you cuz he needed protection, he understands if you end it or accepts your friendship cuz he never had a friend (how sad is that ffs) or he can go all soft with his feelings even though he’s not yet sure what he and Tav/DU are. don’t know what’s evil about any of it.
Karlach and Wyll are the only truly pure good aligned companions but Lae’zel, Shadow, and Astarion are all neutral.. it’s only up the player to make them all see reason.
@@asmalltalk completely agree with it all. They're is no one version of most of the characters.
@@stars-and-clouds wanted to add that even if Astarion displays sociopathic tendencies he has a very rightful reason for it. it’s not without merit he’s the way he is. it’s all just a result of 2 centuries of abuse.
i completely agree. I cannot even imagine what 2 centuries of that does to someone.@@asmalltalk
2:35
Astarion: "I didn't realize you and I were so alike."
Tav: *Meows*
lol damn cat destroying the moment
Even the cat was swooning
Sounds more like a peacock.
@@WitchHekate *meowment
I mean, you've seen that one dnd beyond clip of Astarion drinking wine like a cat right? They really are alike!
Oh, don't sell yourself short, Astarion, we know Cazador did way worse to you than just "a few lashes" whenever you so much as thought about fleeing or disobedience. Like flaying you, repeatedly. Humiliating you by forcing you to feed on dead putrid rats. Using his control over your body to turn you into a literal meat puppet and forcing you to submit to toture or even torture yourself. Or breaking your will by burying you alive (well, undead) in a stone sarcophagus, starving and in total silence, for an entire year, not knowing if you would ever be let out again. And in case we don't trust your word for it, we could read your mind for your worst memory (the Year of Horror) and have NPCs corroborate your stories (like the other spawns, and Godey the Master of the Slave Kennels). Heck, Astarion, Godey even bragged about it when you angrily accused him of torturing you for 10 days straight one time, saying he always liked to torture you most of all the vampires spawn thralls of Cazador's because you screamed the most.
That's a lot different from giving up after a few lashes with a whip, Astarion.
Thanks you very much for the summary!!
Well... we only have Neil Newborn to thank for that. He just made Astarion perfect. That's usually what good story telling does to people. Be sure, stay clean of sin mate, but let us simp in peace
I'm fucking crying... I know he is just a video game character but my heart aches for him
The way he whispered "don't become his", like he's still too afraid to say it out loud. I can see him whispering or thinking this to himself every day to keep him from succumbing to his fear of doing nothing about Cazador and going back to being his slave again. This desire to be free of Cazador, if nothing else, is the one driving force behind his every thought and action. That's how I interpret it at least, poor guy.🥺
That line had me fighting back a tear honestly. Though I must say that every one of Astarion's scenes (and even his banter lines) has a way of making me feel very strongly in a large variety of ways, from being extremely entertained to feeling enraged or devastated. No doubt a result of the amazing writing, voice acting and motion capture.
I adore that even though he acknowledges that beating Bhaal won't be as simple as fighting Cazador, he still encourages you to not only merely defy a particularly blood-crazed god; but also to set yourself free of him. there's something about hearing this gold-hearted vampire telling you to give Bhaal the middle finger and go your own way after breaking that which binds you to Bhaal.
That little pause when he said "a few... lashes" says so much
He's forgotten how many lashes he's suffered
A few dozen? A few hundred? A few thousand?
I know 😭
after 200 years, a few million maybe :(
This scene is just beautiful, for those that call him a mindless, murdering sociopath clearly miss everything about him as a person.
His growth from beginning to end is some of the best character development to exist
people who hate on him are pretty much those who kill him right away... they know literally nothing, don't know why he's acting the way he is and don't care. well, yalls loss then. he's the best character in game I've ever come across - especially when doing a good playthrough and steering him away from the dark path (as to me after the ascension everything good in him goes out of the window).
@@asmalltalk Agreed for the most part, but I do think ascended Astarion has some good in him still. It's a bit hidden but it happens too often that his expression and tone show genuine care, respect, remorse, empathy etc., only to very quickly be followed by a twisted joke or something randomly cruel. Like he's trying to hide the good in him. He's always had this tendency and it's still there when he's ascended. He isn't all that different from the person he was before ascension, he just acts tougher than ever before. As a result most of his words/threats are emptier than ever before as well, and usually lack real intent behind them.
the writers have confirmed that ascended astarion doesn't feel real love. @@shibernyan2009
astarion is giving that one japanese fisherman in his waders up to his knees whos like "never give up!!" lmao, i love that
The one who's fishing for clams in freezing weather lmfao
This is really sweet. It makes me want to do a good aligned durge run.
DO IT. It's so worth it.
Concur it's so good, my default Good run is Durge it's amazing.
@@LyricCicadaI'm taking your advice and finally taking the plunge!
@@ecrulis6954I just finished my vanilla run and now I'm going to do it!
I want to do it, but I also know what happens with A***** and she's one of my favourite NPCs
Asterion is a great character.
I can't understand why there are people who don't like him
You can't help but stand by him and help him ❤
When I first found Astarion I figured he was going to just be an annoying effeminate vampire that’s been done way too often. Yet the voice acting just sounded so phenomenal that I couldn’t get tired of him. Every response felt memorable, every line seemed perfectly in character.
And now hearing this exchange I’m convinced he’s the best voice in the game, better than even JK Simmons. If he isn’t getting buried in an avalanche of offers by now there must be something seriously wrong with the VA industry.
I mean, there IS something seriously wrong with the VA industry anyways, regardless, but yeah, he deserves high prominence work
he was in Detroit become human and resident evil village so it's not like he's unknown with no work
Ugh made me get a little teary eyed honestly.
He can be a prick sometimes(given his past, who can blame him?), but he still has his sweet moments. As hard as that route can be.
I haven't played any baldur's gate 3, but I have watched some of the dialog options for each of the companions. What I've seen of Astarion so far is that if you open up to him, he opens up to you. And while my own orientation means I probably won't be romancing him, I definitely want him as a friend in my character's canon.
I love the way you go through each of the branching dialogue options. Thank you 🙏
What can I say, I'm curious. You know though I don't look a day over a hundred, I was alive in Baldurs Gate when the bhaalspawn first arose.
I didn’t really think he was all that redeemable or even use him in my party, until I hit this. Once I told him and he was just so understanding I finally understood why he was how he was fully, and he became an immediate and valuable member to my party.
I do love that no matter what your attitude toward your discovered Heritage, he supports you all the way. If you seem eager for it, he's absolutely down to watch (and hopefully participate in) the carnage. Just, please don't get all preachy "father" about it. But if you're NOT okay with it, and you admit you're scared of his control? Well shit, that sounds familiar. And he practically _begs_ you not to give up.
I love him so much it's insane at this point.
Thanks that bit from 2:42 onwards saved my life... he is so right. Better to be free, then live as a slave.
Can we also just pause on the bit about "sleepless nights spent tied up trying to slit [his] throat"? NIGHTSSS. As in there have been multiple incidents like that first one where Durge resisted the Urge to kill him, and he did exactly what he said he'd do then, and tied them up when the Urge came back, and then _stayed_ with them through the night until the Urge had passed. True, it would have been irresponsible to simply tie Durge up and then not keep an eye on them, but even so, _he's_ the one Durge is actively trying to kill in those moments, anyone other than him could have kept an eye on them, but _he_ did it, keeping close while Durge is literal feet away straining against bonds to get killing hands on him. It's just so...ugh, I think about this stuff waaaaaay too much.
I dont even own this game but his performance made me tear up 😢
All the origin companions you get even the npcs are extremely well performed and acted. Every last detail is spot on.
Well damn, that hits the feels
This is probably the only time I believe what’s coming out of his mouth. The developers did SUCH a fabulous job.. we -WANT- to believe what he’s saying. The charm.
I was enjoying this and his jokes until the last dialogue path. I enjoyed that too, but in a deeper way - and almost choked up by his sheer determination and resolve in his voice. And you can tell nightmarish memories are being played in his head.
Oh man, I somehow didn't get this conversation on my Good Durge run.
Guess I'm playing again!
''oh damn, a bhaalspawn... anyway, how do you feel?'' he is the cutest
Tav: *Throws self in oubliette
Dark Urge: *Casts misty step
He's very supportive ❤
my man, you don't look a day over 35...
*quickly looks up the word oubliette*
I did the same lol. Astarion and Gale are giving me a hard time when it comes to my english knowledge
As finely put in an old classic, the Labyrinth... it's a place for people to forget about you.
@@cinder4181Happy to see someone beat me to it 💗
Is this the dark urge play through??
Yes. I say so in the description also
How do you get this? My last playthrough was a Dark Urge but I never got this conversation
Immediately after entering act 3 and you get a dream about who you are. You have to talk to your companions in the morning after and they'll all have opinions about your bhaalspawn heritage. It's easily missed though if you don't rest soon enough after you enter Rivington.
@@WitchHekate Thank you! And yeah I don’t think I rested until I’d gotten quite a bit into the city so I’ll remember that next time:)
How do you get this event? I’m about to kill Orin and I have yet to experience this yet
You get it when you enter act 3. You have a dream about being a bhaalspawn and then in the morning you can talk to your party about it. If you don't long rest soon enough after entering Rivington you might miss it though.
@@WitchHekate Ahhh that explains why, thank you. I am way past that point but I’ll make sure to remember it for my next playthrough
YOU KNOW
What armor is that
On me? It's the adamantine scale male you craft in the adamantine forge
I'm over 100 hours into the game and I don't know how to craft armor
@@usagiharukatsukino4951 you don't really craft things in the game only in 2 specific quests. You need to just gather the ingredients the quest asks for but they're not very clear, you need to study some of the books you'll find around. In both quests you can do them after you reach the underdark.
How'd you get this dialogue? I missed it on my durge playthrough
Immediately after you enter Act 3, you will have a dream about your past. In the morning you get the chance to talk to your companions about being bhaalspawn. Everyone has something to say but I'm guessing you get more dialogue from your love interest.
@@WitchHekateOhh? Somehow I missed that.
When does this scene happen? Thanks 💗
Act 3, dark urge spoilers: it happens when you enter act 3. In one of your first long rests you have a dream about your past as dark urge and some things are revealed to you. The game then tells you, you have the chance to talk about it with your party if you wish to reveal to them you are a bhaalspawn. You can talk to all of them and Astarion has this interaction. The others comment on it as well. Only Jaheira has no dialogue option but somehow she learns about it anyway.
Is this astarion without romancing?
romanced
How are you doing a dark urge playthrough as a custom character?
The Durge IS a custom character. The dragon is just the default look.
@@VGJoker hmm interesting
select dark urge
edit appearance
Bruh
The Dark Urge was going to be the only custom character (Tav), but the devs split it for an "evil" playthrough.