Baldur's Gate 3 -- Staying with the Emperor (ending)

[@leyrua]

**Astarion fleeing from being on fire** 🔥 Emperor: _"Their concerns are so trivial, aren't they?"_

[@zeniey]

wait so did he die?

[@AM59342]

@@zenieyno, he doesn’t die

[@tamnickyle]

@@zenieysadly, yes. but he lived!

[@KeitieKalopsia]

@@tamnickyle The best answer

[@chainsawsam0205]

@@tamnickylenice reference lol

[@ДобрыйХаосит-х6ф]

Epilogue: Mind Flayers are careless monstrosities. Omellum: Am I a joke to you?

[@vikihalliwell]

Righttt??? They gonna badmouth the sweetheart who calls me sun-child like that? Vile

[@DemonicAdj]

He was even self-sacrificing in the Iron Throne. Yes, I saved him too. But he was willing to prioritize the safety of others over his own.

[@valkyrie-randgris]

Was just thinking of commenting on best squid Omeluum! We stan an it/it's tentacled sweetheart. (Really though, all the talk about how mindflayers are soulless and can NEVER control themselves or keep their free will IS generally undermined by Omeluum being RIGHT there just chilling and doing science with it's hobgoblin qpp.)

[@noctoi]

@@DemonicAdj He didn't even try to hurt me when I misclicked and accidentally attacked him in honour mode! He just made a heartbroken noise, said "how disappointing" and teleported away from the fight! Also, not for nothing, but if you take the "su!cide" option at the endgame after becoming illiithid, Withers blatantly states that it's now canon that *some* exceptional flayers have souls and he's intrigued by the anomaly. So yeah, canonically, SOME flayers are *not* soulless murderous beasts!

[@ranaku603]

@@noctoi The lore behind mindflayers and souls is anyways weird, Mindflayers have a god and plane so it is odd that BG3 says that mindflayers don't have souls. But they don't follow DnD lore directly.

[@16Vagabond]

too bad our mindflayer form looks like a baby's ballsack next to the supermodel squid Emperor

[@vikihalliwell]

😂😂 ikr? I've heard people say that it's because Tav is a recent illithid, and they would eventually serve looks too...but that doesn't help me now!

[@vincentthought6130]

I believe it’s because the Emperor is a Ilithard. He’s basically the superior version of the mind flare. The emperor is basically a baby Elder Brain

[@combinecommando001]

@@vincentthought6130 Doubtful, if I'm not mistaken, those have 6 tentacles, not 4. and Emperor has only 4

[@knightofthetime]

​@@vikihalliwellyeah but at the same time those people who turned in an instant in Baldur's Gate already had longer tentacles and more prominent features. Also Tav in epilogue which takes place six months after the fight doesn't change at all. Rip to them being stuck with ballsack face, at least they got cool abilities out of that

[@fftere]

@@vincentthought6130 Nope, he's not an Ulitharid. They are way bigger and extravagant

[@lillithb1661]

The thumbnail is like “Don’t talk to me or my son ever again”

[@vikihalliwell]

😂 you're right!

[@moona_ttv]

😂😂😂 it took me a second but I got it I'm dead 😆😆🤣🤣 it looks like a beebee mindflayer

[@Bushswen]

Mind flayer. Dad can we get a Happy Meal pls

[@greyngreyer5]

"I couldn't have asked for a better thra- I mean companion!" - The Emperor

[@Truxidious]

LMFAO😂

[@aaronhumphrey2009]

Pairing up with the Emporor seems SO unlikely after you discover the truth behind his ' friendship ' with Brinn Stellmane & the knights of the shield. Even when the Emperor had willing accomplices, he couldn't help himself but to enthrall and/ or eat many of them..thieyre just SO tasty !😮

[@MyViolador]

well since you consumed Orpheus you are immune to mind control and are trully your own master, but the thing is, is it really you or you will let your squid instincts control you?

[@greyngreyer5]

@@MyViolador Larian fucked up the lore and made "special" parasites a thing. Apparently these completely replace your being as a whole, affecting body and spirit. So you are still "you", essentially. Except you are not. It's like a butterfly larva vs a butterfly. In the actual dnd lore, ceremorphosis is just another way to die. Your soul goes to the afterlife and you can be resurrected.

[@Tespri]

He kept his word. I have noticed that 90% of player base doesn't have lQ high enough to see things from his perspective.

[@sasori2425]

Funfact: If a mind flayer remained out of reach from its elder brain, it was possible for it to reacquire its free will. These so-called renegade illithids could go on to establish their own colonies or, free from the elder brain's arrogant supremacy, even seek cooperation with other species. This new personality and any alliances that were made instantly vanished as soon as the renegade illithid fell back under control of an elder brain.[2] - forgotten realms Our PC character's Elder brain is dead and all we would need to do is find something that blocks mind control like with the other mindflayer you meet in the underdark.

[@Lucidcow09]

Counterpoint: if you assimilate Orpheus, you would have his resistances to illithid control. This is the main reason why the emperor could join the final fight outside the astral prism to begin with. Mindflayer Tav is forever immune to other elder-brains.

[@elseggs6504]

​@@Lucidcow09Only as long as the Emperor in this case lets you. He'd 100% stab you in the back if it benefits him. In fact, thats what he does if you free Orpheus

[@leo-paulgrain3832]

@@elseggs6504 Orpheus would kill the emperor as soon as he is free. Or at least it is what the emperor think. It is what he says when you talk to him about the possibility of freeing Orpheus (i think it is in the dialogue with the emperor just after Raphael offer to give you the hammer). When he leave after you free Orpheus, it is not a betrayal from his part, you are the one betraying him.

[@DemonicAdj]

​@@leo-paulgrain3832 That's what sucked. One little fight for the world later and Orpheus was even smiling at me, a newly morphed ghaik. Gith are "nice, once you get to know them" to a T.

[@AmonTheWitch]

he doesn't even stab you in the back he literally just leaves fearing for his life, he never stabs you in the back, people just like to hate him because "blah blah he pretended to be my dream partner" ​@@elseggs6504

[@dichroichameleon]

Omg, "there's only room for one mindflayer, eat its brain" 😂

[@lyntonfleming]

Newborns gotta eat! :D

[@galomir833]

And he don’t even say a thing when you do it It instant consumption of the emperor

[@SethJV]

And that's the best ending if you're a Mind Flayer, because this mf Emperor only sees you as a pawn and will not hesitate to betray you once you become useless.

[@DavidCruickshank]

Finally a video that doesn't have betrayal in it. Thank you!

[@vikihalliwell]

You're very welcome!

[@widgeons]

The PC mind flayer looks so goofy and squishy compared to the Emperor lol

[@QueenofTaterTots]

Because you are a young new gen mind flayer, in time with more food, you'd evolve

[@profrbravo]

zoomer mind flayer@@QueenofTaterTots

[@KikomochiMendoza]

tbf Emperor has been a mindflayer for years, centuries perhaps. Tavflayer is barely a day old.

[@ahorseofcourse7283]

Stubby widdle tentacles.

[@mikiggs]

It's just Larian with their daddyflayer and daddy's flayer. Imagine a 300 pound Male half orc turning into this lol.

[@KamilleBidanApologist]

0:10 Nice save, Shadowheart 😂

[@DaughterOfDrakes]

I really wish there was a way you could convince the Emperor to free Orpheus with an argument along the lines of 'the elder brain knows you, and it knows that you would never free Orpheus, so he'll be the one ally it would never expect'.

[@vikihalliwell]

Ohhh yeah that would've been great!! There definitely could've been an angle to spin it that would've convinced the Emperor, since he's all about getting all the odds on his side

[@DemonicAdj]

Or bank on his old self. Baldurian was an adventurer.. taking stupid risks is part of the job.

[@thebreadbringer]

​@@DemonicAdj Although he does not like being referred to as Balduran. He sees himself as a different person, despite retaining all of Balduran's memories.

[@velinas_]

I will never have this ending. As much as I find the illithid intriguing, growing tentacles doesn't appeal to me the least. But it is a cute ending and one that makes a lot of sense - the emperor had after all done at least some of the things that he did, in an attempt to gain a mate. Illithid love or something very close to it. Cute tbh.

[@SpinTheWords]

I’ve grown to like The Emperor to the point that I’ll let him consume Orpheus every time. Even out of necessity, The Emperor is always at our side while the githyanki are eager to slice us.

[@RobertPodkosov]

​@@SpinTheWords same! Emperor is such a fascinating and interesting character. And he was done so dirty:( I feel like his romance could've been one of the deepest and most intriguing had developers taken it seriously rather than "you can fuck a squid for shits and giggles".

[@eugene9211]

Not getting a mate no. The emperor was pretty straightforward when he said this was the most practical path forward.

[@jasonbrewer6714]

He wants the brain destroyed, nothing more, nothing less. He cares not for the poor, or downtrodden. If he had to kill 100 to destroy the brain he would. He reaches his goals anyway he wants, and has no qualms of turning those into thralls. Which is exactly what he did to stelemane. Despite being a semi chill mindflayer, he still wishes for domination. This can be seen in this ending, aswell as in his romance, in which you can get him to reveal his true manner. He calls you a thrall aswell, and you wont be surviving without him. He tells the truth, sure. Yet its only half truths, look a little deeper and you'll find how morally off he is. He would say it wasn't worthy to tell you these stories you can reveal, but its just more manipulation.

[@jasonbrewer6714]

@@eugene9211 It's certainly the most straightforward, but definitely not the best. Orpheus is actually quite quick to forgive your transgressions and call you a hero of his people too.

[@strvmpet]

i wish we could get an ending where we end up like omellum

[@Kindelwyrm2]

You can always go off to the Underdark and maybe eventually join the Society of Brilliance. It's really up to you where Tav goes afterwards.

[@DemonicAdj]

You kinda do. If you're willing to live as an Ilithid, but you'll stay "yourself".

[@strvmpet]

there's a big difference though?! by being a ssorc or just from how good fo a person he was pre illithid he somehow managed to stay good@@DemonicAdj

[@DemonicAdj]

@@strvmpet I'll give you that one. Omeluum was likely morphed from a Sorcerer, but that just gave them the willpower to break free and slip away. They don't seem to identify with their old self, but rather view it like a parent.

[@strvmpet]

at the very least it's really strange to see a ng illithid@@DemonicAdj

[@lavellan2312]

it's wild that the narrator is telling you that "whatever self you possess is quickly ebbing away" when if Karlach is the Mindflayer she shows up to the six month reunion still very much in possession of her personality and moral alignment.

[@vikihalliwell]

Right? Then again, I guess that line preceded the patch where the epilogue was added, but still, it's a bit ??

[@DemonicAdj]

Narrator turns on a dime when you decide that you'll stay in control. "Maybe you are special". And other than one check to not eat somebody, you seem to be you. (I went to Avernus with Wyll and Karlach, I suspect the mind flayer had plenty to snack on).

[@Lahiss]

Mind flayers gain all the memories from the brains they consume. Eventually the memories and personality of the original vessel will fade away. The epilogue is only 6 months away so the squid still has some of Tav's/Karlach's mannerisms left, but that original vessel's residue is fading.

[@tropicalbreeze1164]

or you lose yourself if your not strong willed, as the dialog options support; choosing to give in, give up, or power through it We all know Karlach is as strong willed as they come, so if anyone was to endure the transformation, it'd be her. Even then, she does act a little different then, still herself, but a different herself

[@Zebo12345678]

I still really don't think Karlach is herself in that ending.

[@AGxbunny]

I'm glad you uploaded this so I could see it. I don't have the jam to go through with it myself. Thanks a million!

[@vikihalliwell]

You're welcome, friend! And it's just a matter of taste!

[@AGxbunny]

@@vikihalliwell of course. :) I have nothing against this ending. I have something against seeing my overly modded custom character that I put 2 years into turned into mind flare. Hahahaha. I'll eventually have to do it to get the trophy or achievement, so I'm glad I could see that it's not such a bad ending via you uploading this video, which I appreciate. :)

[@WolfyFancyLads]

It's a pity you have to sacrifice so much to keep him around. Honestly wouldn't mind if they had a really hard "perfect" ending, but I suppose it's too much to ask for the ability to save everyone, give them the best ending they could have, and also get to keep an eldritch lover where you somehow convince him to tone down the world domination in exchange for weird but fun tentacle smooching. I dunno, maybe it's me, I just always like having the ability to save everyone on a whim, even if some aren't as morally white as others.

[@Cellybeans]

The Emperor doesn't care about world domination though? He just wants to survive and be free to run his smuggling company. I agree it's a pity you have to sacrifice so much to be in good standing with him. My rogue self doesn't want to be mind flayer (I'll do half-illithid) but I wanna help him run the Knights of the Shield, and having an ally who accepts him for him who doesn't also need to eat brains would be a great asset for running the place I think. :v

[@kindcalf2184]

In my playthrough the only person that died was Orpheus and I was in good terms with the emperor a lot of people say you can't trust him because he only cares about freeing himself but I wanted to free myself and go to avernus with wyll and karlach so we had a common goal on killing the netherbrain

[@oroontheheels]

I think choose based games should always have best possible endings. Let players feel completely satisfied after they put 100000 hours into one game, you know?

[@crim1188]

@@kindcalf2184 Him wanting to kill the brain is precisely why he is trustworthy. Emperor is very open with you, he wants to kill the brain first and foremost. He will not betray you, you have to betray him by siding with Orpheus or just straight up murking him. His motivations are selfish sure, but why is that a bad thing? Would YOU wanna be a slave to a giant brain? Don't think so

[@damien678]

Welp, at least we have fanfic

[@yueiscute]

In my playthrough I romanced the emperor and I also loved his character. But in the end I chose to free orpheus since it seemed like the right thing to do. I still wanted him to stay with us tho. I was so shocked and hurt when he switched sides 😭😭

[@DemonicAdj]

Same. I wish he could have trusted me like I trusted him. You'd think he'd be willing to entertain a crazy plan, given his past..

[@yueiscute]

@@DemonicAdj unfortunately he didn't realize that trust is a 2 way street 😔

[@DemonicAdj]

@@yueiscute Yep.. I made sure to not kill him.. (slowed them down and hooked up the right side). I owed them that much.

[@FranWest.]

Interesting, I could never do this myself. Thanks for the upload.

[@vikihalliwell]

My pleasure!

[@tkraid2575]

Ngl, I would have loved an Epilogue with the Emperor or have a romance option with him. His story and motivations are right up my alley 🥰

[@vikihalliwell]

Same!

[@kevyndrago9632]

He's a villain

[@blacksunapocalypse]

@@kevyndrago9632 I'd say he's more in a gray zone.

[@Cellybeans]

@@kevyndrago9632 the Emperor is what you make of him. He's no more villain than Astarion (arguably less so, Astarion is a sadistic fuck), yet Astarion is considered a beloved companion. Are they good people? Hell no, but the grey area is what makes them interesting, and Karlach and Wyll are the only genuinely good people we travel with imo.

[@Josh-cf7xf]

@@Cellybeansand the two most genuinely boring.

[@grymmoire]

This is kinda cute tbh. You get to float off into the sunset with your illithid friend/lover. Is there an epilogue for this?

[@vikihalliwell]

There isn't. We were done dirty as hell. Patch 5 included. The Emperor isn't at the Withers party even if you have romanced him. He just sends you a letter, and it's written in such an impersonal manner. Again, we were done dirty. One nice thing though is that he also sends you one even if you stayed human, and he refers to you as "my friend", so that's nice.

[@grymmoire]

@@vikihalliwell awww, that’s a bummer. This would have been such a cool epilogue!!

[@TheOblivionFan]

@@vikihalliwell yeah, best we have is "I have made the nesessary adjustments to my headquarters - *our* headquarters" in his letter, have to milk this phrase for what it worth.

[@hudsonps4669]

Another weird thing with the epilogue - in the regular ending Lae’zel fought with me because of my choices to devour Orpheus. So it was quite jarring to have her show at camp being like “omg my friend how much have I missed you”. I like the game, but I swear people really just casually ignore these story inconsistencies.

[@TheOblivionFan]

@@hudsonps4669 voss even more so. i voluntarily became a ghaik, ate his oldest friend, he promised to hunt me after nether brain is over, and yet now he is sending letters, updating me on his revolution business.

[@BabyBishRemy]

I kinda wish mine had ended this way but I didnt want Karlach dead nor did I want Laezel to be nothing.

[@fatemo5748]

When i became illithid i killed myself. Gale screamed no! But anyone else didnt give a shit lol

[@DismasLover]

The same. This is very sad to think about. For example, I had an romance with Astarion, but he didn't show any reaction to my death as well as I'm to his sunburn, which makes the scene less emotional. Also, in the case of suicide/murder of the Emperor, he doesn't say anything like: "Wait, you're already a super squid, don't do this!". Well, it's probably too much to expect the game to react on anything. About Gale...he's talking to you just because he wants to discuss the decision about the crown I think, not because he care, meh

[@fatemo5748]

@@DismasLover next time I'm making astarion become a mind flayer idgaf

[@DismasLover]

@@fatemo5748 Fair enough

[@DismasLover]

BTW, I'm also curious, do all love interests reject you if you're a bit of a squid? Like Shadowheart and Gale are okay with it, as well as Halsin! They give you hugs, and Halsin even gives a wooden duck, I melted at that moment, because: "Damn, you are the only one who thought of a gift for me, hugged me twice and invited me to visit your community despite my look, even when my main partner rejects me" Bear and squid bois>>>others

[@fatemo5748]

@@DismasLover it does depend on some choices, everyone but lae'zel and astarion try and make it work. Nobody cares about the dusty druid woman or Minsk so I dunno lol

[@szymonbober2280]

i actually played a D&D session where you are infected by the Tadpole.. i got put in coma by Druids cause they didnt knew what to do with me...

[@bronsonbrown9785]

Larion is on a roll with these post release patches and hotfixes. I reckon if we ask hard enough, they might go out of their way and add an ending where he's present with everyone else at Wither's party.

[@vikihalliwell]

Heh, probably! But I wouldn't do that. Just not the type to whine and wheedle for changes. Unrelated, but love your use of "reckon"!

[@LecherousLizard]

And all of it feels tacked on.

[@e.v.a.lution]

I like this ending actually

[@vikihalliwell]

It's cool, right? And the stuff you can do as a mindflayer is really cool, too. The one thing I don't like is that Tav's midnflayer form is super ugly compared to the Emperor 😂😂

[@DM-nw5lu]

@@vikihalliwellI think it only looks like that because Tav is a newborn mindflayer. ^^ It'll look more like the Emperor in time

[@vikihalliwell]

@@DM-nw5lu Hmm I see! Makes sense

[@elenalizabeth]

@@DM-nw5lu I thought it was because unlike the Emperor you aren’t “full mind flayer”, or at least that’s what I understood from when Withers speaks to you (he can still sense your soul which illithid don’t have)? 🤔

[@DM-nw5lu]

@@elenalizabeth I don't think so... The ilithids of Orpheus and Karlach looked the same as that of Tav (shorter tentacles and smaller bodies) and Orpheus for one was fading fast. Maybe Tav is special as far as their soul is concerned but I don't think that would affect their ilithid appearance.

[@PavlovianResponse]

Thank you! I’ve been looking for this ending!

[@vikihalliwell]

My pleasure!

[@Crimson_Samurai-h8q]

*music stops* Everyone gasps "that was very insensitive of you"

[@bolladragon]

What?! It’s like a secret romance option, kinda want to go this route.

[@What_do_I_Think]

I don't like this ending because it involves murdering Orpheus -- but still thank you!

[@windyfrost3797]

Unpopular opinion: there's no romance at all with the Emperor, you can have the best ending with him even if he showed you Stelmane. He did everything he could to convince the group leader to commune with the astral tadpole (humanoid skin at first, then manners and feelings). Only one thing interests him: business.

[@hamsterpad3093]

That was the ending I got on my first playthrough. Was low key hoping the Emperor would appear in the epilogue but sadly no.

[@vikihalliwell]

Yeah Larian did us dirty there

[@hamsterpad3093]

@@vikihalliwell probably budget reasons. The Emperor wasn't nearly as popular as the regular companions so they prioritized spending money on them. But I agree, we were done dirty:/

[@vikihalliwell]

@@hamsterpad3093 yeahhh I guess! :/

[@flying-magpie]

​@@hamsterpad3093​ Nah it seems completely in character for him. He was only ever working with us for survival. We served our use and now he doesnt need us anymore. It makes sense why he leaves and doesnt come back.

[@hamsterpad3093]

@@flying-magpie in the epilogue I got my character and the Emperor are partners. Even if they're not you get letters stating he'll call for you/you can call for him. So it seems more like a game restriction to me

[@Wolf-sh9ze]

The emperor is so mf daddy bbg

[@vikihalliwell]

*me pointing at this comment*: "this person gets it"

[@Wolf-sh9ze]

@@vikihalliwell FR HES THE BEST

[@ethanseaman5576]

You clearly haven’t turned down his affection during the “tentacle romance” scene. Doing that may change your opinion on his machinations. He’s a daddy in a whole different vastly non sexual way.

[@Wolf-sh9ze]

@@ethanseaman5576 i like what he does to us 😏🤤

[@greyngreyer5]

He's a zombie with psychic powers... Kill it with fire.

[@Slappap]

FINALLY A VIDEO THAT SHOWS THE END WITH HIM NOT GETTING HIS BRAIN EATEN!! I just wanted to know the dialogue if you romanced him or not as a mindflayer. And hes not in the epilogue party. Dang

[@vikihalliwell]

😂 I had to be the change I wanted to see in the world for this one. Yeah the fact that he's not at the party sucks so bad

[@EmDaMo]

Yeah, I feel utterly robbed of a true romance option with him. It would be awesome to get romance specific dialogues and additional cutscenes!

[@vikihalliwell]

@@EmDaMo a few changes to the dialog would've been great! He could've referred to you as my dear or something. We already know he's capable of it even though he's not exactly the "mushy" type, since he called Ansur dear. Just some crumbs, Larian! That's all us monster-lovers are asking for! 😂

[@EmDaMo]

@@vikihalliwell Hell yeah, #TeamSquidLove

[@Slappap]

Why'd they do poor squidward dirty? I guess they figured we had enough characters to choose from to add another? I get hyped for seeing the dream guardian, Why'd I'd make that dude so good lookin?

[@CrniWuk]

He is putting his foot down and with what he is saying I can not blame him. You have to meow for your rights.

[@Meowmeowmeow564]

Nah fr

[@disneybunny45]

My headcannon is that my Tav is partners with the Emperor, curbing his morally grey tendencies. She's still will Halsin for however long they both want (or until he dies). The Emperor eventually sees Tav as a true partner and they are together for the rest of their lives. Tav tries to do at least 1 good act every time the Emperor does something less than moral.

[@vikihalliwell]

I like it!

[@igt-nj1gd]

I think Withers is 100% wrong about mind flayers.

[@zeuel]

Absolute best ending!

[@nataliebateman1151]

Emperor: Living my best life Tav: Astarion is dying Emperor: This ain't about him

[@ArilenaMoon]

Thank you for posting this. I was actually wondering if there was an outcome where he doesn't just leave at the end. I found it disappointing that there was no option to ask him to stay or ask to go with him. There should be a dialogue option for this even if you don't become a Mind Flayer. Just watching him walk away without a word makes no sense given everything you've been through, especially if you've befriended and/or romanced him. I hope this is something they might change in future patches.

[@vikihalliwell]

Agreed! Though he does in most cases say a few words in goodbye in the endings where you part. I don't remember exactly, but I know I've never seen him leave without a word. I definitely agree that it's kinda wack that he doesn't stay with you unless you go mindflayer :/

[@luvithdrevis]

I hope they add a little more to the "romance route" with the Emperor. I really wanted to make a Tav for him, had the entire journey and major choices decided based on a careful and complex personality and backstory to carry on said choices. However, I feel no joy in playing the entire game again to have... this. Yeah yeah, mind flayers aren't known for being sentimental, but this purple flying squid flirted with me first. He has what it needs for a little bit more. I should at least feel like, if you accepted his advances, you two are "a little more" close than a simply partneship. Which is what feels for me in this ending, a simple and plain partneship. Give the monster-love fans their service. Even if is just crumbs, pleeease T-T P.s.: Im aware he's morally gray, and great chances every single thing he does and say is pure manipulation. That's why in my main save I said "DONT TRUST YOU" to his face at the end. But some characters have walking red flags endings, why not a questionable "romance" route and proper ending for the Emperor? I felt robbed here. His VA gives him so much charisma, I felt truly charmed by him, I wanted a little more ;-;

[@vikihalliwell]

My friend, you do no need to justify yourself! I totally agree and also would've liked something more for his ending. Alas...at this point, we have to content ourselves with this 😔

[@elliepira8400]

I like to think the special tadpole you were given has changed you into something new, a free mindflayer whilst you still have the nature of one you are more free to define yourself much like the freed emperor was but perhaps you don't even need anything to suppress control seen as the tadpole was created by combining it with Orpheus power. I like to think you'd go on to create a new free faction of Mindflayers who keep their personality and will intact. Doesn't make sense after such bizarre circumstances you'd just end up another average mindflayer despite the special tadpole you possess.

[@DemonicAdj]

Yours is definitely a weird case. A netherese magic suppressed one in your brain, but catalyzed by another special one. Plus, for suppression, my character still has that Githerazi Mind Barrier technique in his brain.

[@mattmurdock5424]

For some reason this ending feels the most natural to me. How I played it, Tav embraced the tadpole, became half-illithid and romanced the Emperor. So this feels natursl

[@vikihalliwell]

I wish we could get this ending with just the partial ceremorphosis tbh. Tav's illithid form looks way too ugly 😩

[@mattmurdock5424]

@@vikihalliwellI mean…you’re kind of right. I think we should look as cool as the Emperor

[@Morgoth044]

Can this happen only if you turn into a Mind Flayer? There's really no other choice? Ugh... not saying they're awful creatures but after creating a character and use them for so many hours it gets too weird to see them becoming a totally different "thing". But I like the Emperor a lot and I've felt guilty turning my back on him on the two runs I've done so far. I hope I'll have the courage to get this final, too. The Emperor might be egoist and all, but he never betrayed you the whole time. He's a fine character and he's hella likable!

[@vikihalliwell]

Unfortunately, yeah :/ at least as far as I know. If you stay human, he fights beside you until the end, but goes his separate way once the fight is done. In the Patch 5 epilogue, he sends human!Tav a friendly letter at least...but it definitely sucks that he leaves even if you've romanced him if you didn't embrace ceremorphosis. I could make a decent case as to why, but I'm not about to do that in a youtube comment.

[@Morgoth044]

@@vikihalliwell oh man, that sucks. I can kinda understand why he leaves after fighting by your side, I'm not judging him or anything, it just sucks that he doesn't even show up at the party in the epilogue after calling you a friend of his, it would have been so cool to see him there and know how he was doing six months later after the last fight. Such a pity...

[@vikihalliwell]

@@Morgoth044 i agree!

[@HusKrWolf]

There needs to be an Emperor and Omellum interaction. Or another alternative ending with Omellum, at least he’s not a prick

[@cristinamaurras9184]

My greatest regrets for this game is the fact that the only way you can stay with the emperor is to choose to became an illithid as him... But hey! I would like stay with him also in my humanoid form ! 😉 😅

[@vikihalliwell]

I hear you. I would've liked that too 😔

[@atbkhaveiturway]

Them Mindflayers movin them hips haha 😂

[@sigmamalegrindset132]

why dont the mindflayer just use disguise-self spell 😂😂😂😂

[@DemonicAdj]

Orneluum (the underdark one) does a psychic version when he's out in public. Maybe it's like "Us" who says only friends see their true form. (Everybody else sees Us as "a kitty").

[@asbest2092]

@@DemonicAdj but when you enter the city the people in the house, and the fleeing guards see the emperor as an illithid though they see him for the first time and all they know is that illithids are enemies

[@DemonicAdj]

@asbest2092 that is true, they'd have to bother to do disguises.

[@StrongBalloonChris]

Squid Gang FTW 😂

[@vikihalliwell]

🐙 you know it!

[@ЭндиВеласкес]

It’s still unknown to me why the player character is a different kind of mind flayer in comparison to the Emperor and some others

[@D1gpIco]

newborn. needs children brains to grow :D

[@sasori2425]

new mindflayers actually get born all the time, it's just they are typically controlled by the Elder Brain to be a hive mind. Our player's Elder Brain is dead therefore they also have the potential to become an Elder Brain themselves. If memory serves me correct: there was also an excerpt about what happens to Mindflayers when they separate from their elder brain. Typically such mind flayers turn good. I'll edit my reply if I find the excerpt. Edit: It's from the forgotten realms If a mind flayer remained out of reach from its elder brain, it was possible for it to reacquire its free will. These so-called renegade illithids could go on to establish their own colonies or, free from the elder brain's arrogant supremacy, even seek cooperation with other species. This new personality and any alliances that were made instantly vanished as soon as the renegade illithid fell back under control of an elder brain.[2]

[@matiasluukkanen7718]

@@sasori2425 Only Ulitharids have capability of becoming Elder Brains. And illithids don´t lose their free will around Elder brains, otherwise they would not be nervous that other illithids find out their personality quirks, gossip telepathically or try to keep secrets from one another. It seems like weird addition that the game made. Illithids also have their own gods, Ilsensine comes to mind, so illithids certainly have faith energy to offer to their god, if they so desire.

[@matiasluukkanen7718]

@@sasori2425 Only Ulitharids have capability of becoming Elder Brains. And illithids don´t lose their free will around Elder brains, otherwise they would not be nervous that other illithids find out their personality quirks, gossip telepathically or try to keep secrets from one another. It seems like weird addition that the game made. Illithids also have their own gods, Ilsensine comes to mind, so illithids certainly have faith energy to offer to their god, if they so desire.

[@DemonicAdj]

Could be the unusual nature of your ceremorphmosis. You had a stunted/suspended tadpole whose "potential" was awakened by yet another altered tadpole. The other ones were suspended but just waiting for a signal.

[@shakyrob6512]

Lae'zel might miss all the time in combat but I would still choose her over the "emperor" every time.

[@kweeksw]

They look like theyre hula hooping

[@vikihalliwell]

🤭 true!

[@h3ll0gudbye]

I'd rather my character die than become a squid but this is cute, I guess. I would like the emperor more if he would just agree to freeing Orpheus.

[@aidankeogh9994]

The main reason I refuse to become a mindflayer and side with Balduran, is because I refuse to be a part of this comical "Don't talk to me or my son ever again" pairing

[@AeonQuasar]

My choices would be to first seek out Omeluum and learn from him to disquise myself from any outstanding influence, probably take over the abandonded Arcane Tower in the underdark for my main operations. Create a connection/agreement with the Emperor in Baldurs Gate and work in the shadows.

[@noctoi]

I'm so sad! I didn't get this at all. I don't know if it's bugging or if it's related to the amount of tadpoles my Tav consumed in my HM run, but everyone including the Emp tried to talk my Tav out of changing. I never got a conversation with Emp after the final battle and it was really ominous dialogue from the narrator only. In the epilogue I had to watch my party all being happy to see me while I made roll after roll to avoid murdering everyone 😢. It kinda put a damper on the HM completion, because I honestly thought there might be a little hunger but ffs Emp and Omeluum managed to not be brain crazed weirdos 🤦 Anyway, thank you for posting this. It's exhausting constantly being told we're wrong/delusional when these scenes so rarely trigger and no-one believes they exist. 💜

[@vikihalliwell]

I feel like I should know, but I've got no clue what an HM run is. Still, that sounds pretty sucky! When my Tav accepted full ceremorphosis, the people I had on my squad (Astarion, Shart, and Gale I think? It's been a while) were actually pretty chill about it. They were just like "well as long as you're sure, we're behind you, homie" and Gale was even super impressed if I'm remembering correctly. I think I had consumed a lot of tadpoles by then. I'd definitely triggered partial ceremorphosis already. I'm surprised the Emperor tried to talk you out of changing 0: I've never seen that, far as I've seen he's always super eager to have Tav join the squid club 😂

[@noctoi]

@@vikihalliwell Hah yeah my HM (oh it's Honour Mode!!) run had quite a few unexpected interactions that I've never seen/heard of before. I managed to get a fully consensual polyamorous relationship with Karlach and Halsin, in which Karlach was incredibly supportive too! I truly wish I had any idea about recording my runs, because I ended up leaving a couple of Facebook groups due to the vehemence I got for mentioning that! I had no idea there was even an *option* for poly Karlach, let alone a fully consensual one, so I was really excited about discovering it lol. I digress, as far as the change went, I was shocked how anti-Tav-changing everyone was! Gale dived in and demanded to be allowed to explode (yay! because it makes the end game much easier!), Astarion (who I wasn't even romancing!) was like "hang on a minute, don't do that!" and Emp was all "no, you don't have to do that! I can carry the burden for you, do you don't have to give up your life for this". I'm glad I did the run, but I'll likely never do Honour again. I don't like the horrible out of control feeling when the truly bad shite goes down and I can't stop it. The after party for this run was AWFUL 😭😭

[@noctoi]

It's clearly talking to ghost tav talking about the fact that the soul survived...

[@DemonDragon000]

Thank you ever so much, it would have been nice if there was any real indication that you had to pick that choice to join with the Emperor...

[@vikihalliwell]

Right? I picked the option to go out and do some good my first time, and it led him to peace out. I suppose it's not a total surprise, since the Emperor is far from being a do-gooder. But anyway, you're very welcome!

[@DemonDragon000]

@@vikihalliwell I was terrified to pick it cause I'm thinking 'I say this everyone is gonna stab me'

[@purpledevilr7463]

I wonder what happens with the new party epilogues if you choose this.

[@LS-lu5ix]

Thank you! Can you please also download new epilogue for this ending? if it even exists it's completely lost among Astarion/Gale endings😒

[@vikihalliwell]

Currently on another playthrough, but I'll see! And I hear you, it's tough to see Emperor content (that isn't hate, at least...)

[@LS-lu5ix]

​@@vikihalliwell exactly...It's originally giths that had their version of "grand desing" including elimination of all "lower races". But suddenly somehow we must save the "good" prince who probably is the main fan of his mother ideas. Ideas that once already separated 1 nation for 2. And poor neutral guy that protected us whole playthrough is "evil" because it was afraid of full party fraeking out about it's beeing mindflayer.

[@vikihalliwell]

@@LS-lu5ix I've seen a fic refer to that thing about the gith! It's implied in a book you can find in-game, right? The "grand dominion". I guess players could be excused for not finding it, however even without it the gith's...contempt, let's say, for other races is obvious. Ofc I know that Orpheus turns out to be ight and he works with you without issue, but yeah I'm not gonna betray my squid prince who's helped me this whole time, even though he IS problematic in his own ways of course. But people's takes on him are so obnoxiously nearsighted. "He betrays you immediately if you side with Orpheus!! He's so evil!!" You mean, if you effectively sign his death warrant? The guy whose main goal is to survive? You want him to just roll over and let it happen? "He killed his best friend!!" Yes...in self-defense, after he pleaded him time and again to let him go, to be free. Smh at the collective bg3 fandom.

[@LS-lu5ix]

​@@vikihalliwell oh, I wached some lore channels only after my 1st game. (There is a video on youtube "The Morality of The Emperor". It was one of first videos that draged me into dnd lore) I felt so bad for poor Emperor after visiting its former home. The stories, the emotions...I just thought: whf is this grinch prince is anyways? What good did he ever do to me? F this guy! Me and my personal Squidward against the world XD And I was laughing my ass of when I discored that taking Orpheus side was actually the worst choice possible. About Ansur...he really had no choice. Bronze dragons are histerical AHs that think thay know what is better for everyone. It is hard for them to kill a person but if they aready desided this drama-queen war machine is unstopable. In fact they can erase whole city and if in a time they even find evidence of them beeing wrone they won't even regret their actions. There is no such thing as a compromise for them. "I'm not going to explain obvios things to a race to stupid to unerstand". The main thing I figged out from the lore that the best thing for mortal is actually avoid dragons(though cuper seems pretty cool and friendly). And for everyone that think that Emperor is evil because of self-deffence...I'm pretty sure none of this guys allowed Laezele to slay them and quit the game there.

[@blitzkrieg237]

2 things: 1-why do we get a super ugly illithid form compared to the emperor? 2-no one realizes that having the rotting corpse of an illithid tadpole in their brain will kill them?

[@vikihalliwell]

I assumed the tadpole got burned away or something! Because yeah, just having a dead tadpole forever lodged in there would be nasty as hell, and probably unhealthy. As for ugly illithid Tav...who knows ;-;

[@Eugine1888]

Why have you become an illithid if you have the Emperor on your side?

[@hamsterpad3093]

Because it's cool af 😂

[@destroyerblackdragon]

So, if you side with the emperor you don't become an ilithid?

[@Eugine1888]

@@destroyerblackdragon you don’t have to

[@Eugine1888]

@@hamsterpad3093 it’s not cool - illithid tav/Durge looks like a virgin compared to Chad Balduran.

[@gabrielle-75]

Do you have to also be a mind flayer to get this ending?

[@vikihalliwell]

Idk for sure, but I think so :/ I think he dips (when the fight and all that is over) no matter what if you don't go illithid.

[@callumreilly9107]

Sucks how the Emperor is 10000% exaggerating his appreciation for Tav so they feel indispensible, meanwhile Emps will be looking for ways to ensure it comes out on top if there are any power struggles. Like, the Emperor talks about its "great friendship" with Duke Stelmane when they ran the Knights of the Shield together. However, it actually psychically attacked her, making her suffer a debilitating stroke and putting her in a coma for days while they psionicly battled for control of her mind. The Emperor won, gaining a well connected and intelligent pawn to use for like a decade.

[@ArilenaStardream]

I like this ending but I also really wish there was a way to stay with him without becoming a mind flayer. It makes absolutely no sense that it's not even an option to offer to rebuild the Knights of the Shields with him. I really hope they change that in future patches and give us another nice ending with him.

[@vikihalliwell]

@@ArilenaStardream same. But alas, life is cruel...!

[@Cellybeans]

@@ArilenaStardream yeah I don’t even expect romantic overtures from him but come on partner let’s team up and rebuild the Knights of the Shield together 😭

[@Cellybeans]

It’s basically my headcanon that my tav became half-illithid but doesn’t want to have to be feeding on brains and can be the public face for him while he’s the head of the operation

[@eggbag4182]

The Emperor is objectively awful but this is really cute and I love him

[@vikihalliwell]

A valid sentiment!

[@elmirapanahi9932]

Do we have to become illithid if we choose to ally ourselves with the Emperor and not free Orpheus?

[@we3ggirls]

Okay but what next! Gimme!

[@soreth4672]

Wanted to see more and rhe full end scene

[@oneverymadlad1124]

Yikes! How do you have 300 health?

[@vikihalliwell]

Level 30 mod

[@Abbendis1]

i wish there would be a way to save orphius and the emperor and to make astarion to the vampire lord without turning him evil

[@saribeepo.o5111]

I'd be fine with AA being 'evil', if the option for a proper evil Durge ending existed. My man wants to use the brain to command the arm as they were (goblins ogres ect), wreck Baldurs gate, then command them to kill themselves after the destroy the brain/tadpoles in those he chooses to spare (companions). A far better tribute to Bhaal, then a bunch of supposedly souless creatures filling their bellies (which in my book doesn't count as murder)

[@andymiraculous]

I was iffy on the emperor until on my first run through when I freed the gith prince and he immediately joined the elder brain. Now I don’t really upgrade my tadpole and I always defy him.

[@guzzo3913]

I’m confused I thought the emperor wanted to rule the brain … didn’t know there was an option to destroy it with him. Maybe he’s not so bad then .

[@vikihalliwell]

Do I got a revelation for you! Destroying the brain is the default option. If you let the Emperor have the stones, he'll destroy the brain UNLESS you succeed a PERSUASION check to get him to dominate it.

[@laningsmith9163]

I thought so too. I was so sure he was going to betray the team if I gave him the nether stones

[@knell18897]

@@laningsmith9163unlike the three, he knows how dangerous the brain is. And there is nothing could truly control it.

[@vikihalliwell]

@@knell18897 nah there is an ending where that's what you do. However, you have to succeed a persuasion check to get him to do it. It's quite clearly presented as a bad ending too, as you get nothing in the way of an epilogue.

[@vikihalliwell]

@@laningsmith9163 nope! He stays with you, fighting alongside you in the final battle, even if you don't accept partial or full ceremorphosis! The only scenario in which he "betrays" you is if you decide to free Orpheus. I'm putting betray in quotations because it's hardly betrayal on his end. Survival is his main concern, and freeing Orpheus means signing his death warrant, so it's only natural that he'd switch sides. You're the one betraying him, if anything.

[@weiyu3592]

What is that robe gale is wearing

[@vikihalliwell]

I believe that's Gortash's outfit. I don't remember why I made him wear it tbh

[@weiyu3592]

@@vikihalliwell thank u

[@DemonicAdj]

​@@vikihalliwellBecause it looks cool. Though I didn't make him wear that.

[@Cornfiglep]

How do you have 346 hp there? even a gold dwarf barbarian with the tough feat, the Amulet of Greater Health and a level 6 aid spell you'd only have like 234 at most.

[@vikihalliwell]

Mods, babyyy 🤙🏻 I was using the level 30 mod

[@TheSaphireKatana]

I prefer the ending where we free the son

[@gibbo7027]

,,No more grand design'' - nope. Every ilithid has a potential of evolving into another elder brain. So as long as there is a single one entire world is at risk. Even more so since Orpheus is dead now.

[@elwiwi4638]

I dont get why our illithid looks so different? Its not because we're newborn, we see newborn illithids ingame, they look like lesser versions of the emperor our head is triangular, triangles are a pretty common theme (myrkuls sigil + the dead THREE) methinks we become a unique type of illithid

[@vikihalliwell]

Ohh, that's an interesting theory! But dang, if it's not the fact that Tav is a newborn illithid, then that means they're stuck looking that ugly forever 😩

[@elwiwi4638]

@@vikihalliwell I kinda prefer it to the eggplant heads 😭

[@sofya3507]

I really wished to get this ending, I turned into a mindflayer, sided with the emperor... but for some reason I didn't get it. I got all the interactions with all the other characters except the Emperor. I am really not sure what I did wrong :[[[ I hope it is not because he died when I was fighting the netherbrain... Cause If it is, Ima have to refight it.

[@vikihalliwell]

Was the emperor like...there, in the cutscene on the pier? Because if not, then yeah it sounds like he stayed dead after that fight.

[@thefbi3350]

You can eat the emperor's brain? What ending does that lead to?

[@vikihalliwell]

No idea, but I know you can find a video of it on here

[@RoDraws]

wait did astarion die in this one??

[@vikihalliwell]

Sigh...why do so many people not get this...No, he doesn't die. The tadpole is gone, and so he's once again vulnerable to sunlight, so he runs off to hide. It happens in EVERY ending where you destroy the elder brain UNLESS you let him become a vampire ascendant as part of his personal quest.

[@RoDraws]

Thanks for clearing it up I didn't finish the game yet but the video all I saw was floating ashes and I'm like shit he died xD cause I didn't see him at the end with the companions lol

[@DemonicAdj]

He'll meet you at the afterparty, with some new threads and a new calling.

[@sethmiles9436]

How much can you do as a mindflayer before the ending of the game happens? Cuz I'll be honest, I think playing as one would be kinda fun lol.

[@vikihalliwell]

Most of the really cool abilities can be unlocked with partial ceremorphosis, which you can undergo as early as the beginning of Act 3 by communing with the astral-touched tadpole. You gain a few extra abilities when you undergo full ceremorphosis, which you can sadly only do before the final leg of the game, after the initial (failed) confrontation with the Netherbrain.

[@sethmiles9436]

@vikihalliwell that's a shame. Thankfully I've found a mod that letd you at least transform into one at the start of the game! Lol and yed some of the cutscenes are funny thanks to it

[@DemonicAdj]

The final fight and a big battle leading up to it. It was pretty fun to let loose.

[@356z]

346hp???

[@vikihalliwell]

"Level 30 mod", my friend. You can find it on NexusMods

[@adampearson2975]

346 health????

[@vikihalliwell]

I used a mod ^^

[@hhgnggnjngnmnnh5291]

can you still get this if you go to the house of hope?

[@vikihalliwell]

Couldn't tell you, I never went to the House of Hope. My guess is you're good as long as you don't use the Orphic Hammer, but if you're not planning on using it, what's the point of going to the HoH?

[@hhgnggnjngnmnnh5291]

@@vikihalliwell fair! i was just curious bc the house of hope is fun lol

[@floralthief]

yup! i did house of hope but didn't use the hammer and i got this :)

[@hhgnggnjngnmnnh5291]

@@floralthief oh cool, thanks! glad to know i can have all the usual fun shenanigans then :)

[@vikihalliwell]

@@floralthief 0: thanks for letting op know!

[@Александр-ж9м6я]

Nah! Just eat emperor brain, simple way

[@sabrinagidney6066]

Did astarion die?....

[@vikihalliwell]

No he's just running away from the sun, but he lives. Happens in almost every ending provided you didn't let him ascend

[@cabinfever5730]

Wait, did astarian just fucking die?

[@Eric4bz]

He fled for his life. free from the Ilithid tadpole he's lost his immunity to sunlight.

[@vikihalliwell]

What Eric4bz said. With the tadpole gone, he's back to being a regular vampire spawn, ie will burn to cinders in sunlight. So he runs to cover. It's unclear where he goes. If you romance him, you have to option to leave for the underdark with him, but that's it.

[@What_do_I_Think]

To my knowledge, No. I had not exactly this ending, but Astarion has to leave because of the sun. With the new epilogue since Patch #5 it is clear, that he survives. He is at the final party fully alive and kicking. I think, he goes to the underdark, but I must admit that I did not yet speak with him at the party, because he does not belong to my regulars.

[@wolflithay6380]

Squidward ending 😂

[@zrmojo]

Put yourself in prison

[@theincrediblefella7984]

What is up with your graphics, good Lord lol

[@andresespana3216]

not karlach dying D:

[@maurice8201]

Besides the obvious thing you are showing here, how the hell did you reach 346 hitpoints?

[@vikihalliwell]

Thanks to a mod called "Level 30 Mod"

[@maurice8201]

@@vikihalliwell ohhh yeah that makes a lot of sense

[@GentleBreeze-72]

"though one face is noably missing - Karlach" what does it mean? did she burn? :(

[@snikkipants]

Yes, if she’s not in your party she just burns and dies.

[@DemonicAdj]

​@@snikkipants might be patched now? She wasn't in my party but I still had to make a choice with her. I went off to Hell with Wyll and Karlach.

[@perun1113]

Do you still get epilogue from this ending?

[@vikihalliwell]

The party you mean? Yes it still happens. For me it didn't unlock, because it bugged out for whatever reason (take your pick, we all know bg3's endings haven't worked properly since day 1), but I've seen/heard from other people who did get to the party after romancing the Emperor/becoming illithid

[@masafromhell]

@@vikihalliwell You need to go back to the moment where you kill the netherbrain, only THEN does the party gets unlock on previous saves (At least it worked for me on older saves).

[@vikihalliwell]

@@masafromhell I did! I did the whole battle over again.

[@hamsterpad3093]

Yes you do, you attend the party as a Mindflayer and the scenes/dialogue choices are adjusted accordingly

[@outback3587]

This has 100% solidified on my next run I am killing the emperor

[@DustdeviIs]

everyone thinks you're cool for commenting this and nobody finds you annoying as fuck

[@wobblefoot7607]

Always

[@PavlovianResponse]

Why?

[@outback3587]

@@PavlovianResponse Being in the mind of a mind flayer shows just how awful they are as creatures.

[@kotorandcorvid4968]

Heretic, the Emperor must survive.

[@Abraxium]

I am racist towards mind flayers

[@ahorseofcourse7283]

Mind Flaycist

[@ahorseofcourse7283]

The Emperor is a groomer!

[@reegyreegz]

Fk i hate lae'zel. Most annoying character ever