Baldur's Gate 3 Doesn't Take Advantage Of Two Companions'…

Summary

Baldur's Gate 3 neglects to explore the thematic connections between the "left over" Origin characters, Astarion and Gale, despite the similarities in their narratives.
Astarion and Gale both experienced unequal power dynamics in their respective stories, which could be a common ground for bonding, but the game fails to delve into this aspect.
Both Astarion and Gale have unusual appetites, with Astarion needing to consume blood and Gale having to "eat" magical items, but their shared plight is only briefly mentioned in game dialogue.

Much of Baldur's Gate 3's appeal comes from its party members, complex and lovable characters with deep, well-written stories. Each character's tale is spun through a combination of personal quests, quiet moments at camp, inter-companion banter, and more. One storytelling device Baldur's Gate 3 uses to develop its companions is establishing parallels and connections between pairs: Lae'zel and Shadowheart, Karlach and Wyll, and more. However, the game neglects to take advantage of similar thematic connections between the two "left over" Origin characters: vampire rogue Astarion and Waterdhavian wizard Gale.

Baldur's Gate 3 Companions Form Narrative "Pairs"

The ten possible recruitable companions in Baldur's Gate 3 can be divided into five connected pairs, with most of them having special interactions with each other. These are:

Lae'zel and Shadowheart, who initially distrust and dislike each other
Wyll and Karlach, who are both deeply connected to Avernus and its hellish war
Halsin and Minthara, who are mutually exclusive recruits depending on the player's choices
Jaheira and Minsc, longtime friends returning from Baldur's Gate 1 and 2
Gale and Astarion, who share many narrative parallels

Several of these pairs are acknowledged within the game. Shadowheart and Lae'zel and Jaheira and Minsc have unique cutscenes interacting with one another. Karlach and Wyll even have a special ending where they can travel to Avernus together. However, the similarities between Astarion and Gale are not acknowledged in-game, as the pair have no particular interactions beyond some shared lines of banter.

Astarion And Gale Have Many Surprising Similarities

They Struggled With Unequal Power Dynamics

On the surface, the wizard and the vampire do not seem to have much in common, but their stories and character arcs are filled with parallels that the game unfortunately does not explore in depth. Before becoming infected with a mind flayer tadpole, Astarion spent 200 years as a slave to his cruel vampire master, Cazador Szarr. He was forced to eat rats, often beaten or confined in a coffin, and required to bring victims to Cazador to drain. While Gale's situation does not initially seem similar, his relationship with the Goddess of Magic, Mystra, also featured unequal power dynamics.

Mystra demanded Gale's utter devotion while keeping many secrets from him and limiting what magical knowledge he was allowed to learn. She continues to treat him poorly, even demanding that he end his own life to stop the Absolute. The pair could definitely bond over their shared trauma but do not currently do so in-game.

They Have Unusual Appetites

As a vampire spawn, Astarion of course must consume blood to survive. Players have the option to let him feed on them or bite enemies in battle, which grants him tangible combat bonuses. He has conflicting emotions about his unusual hunger, especially as Cazador prohibited consuming human blood.

Gale, on the other hand, is forced to "eat" magical items to stabilize the Netherese Orb trapped in his chest. Despite this obvious similarity, the only mention of their shared plight is an easily missed piece of dialogue should players have Astarion try to bite Gale and realize that his blood is tainted by the magic.

They Both Seek Dangerous Power For Themselves

Both Gale and Astarion find themselves drawn to power because of the powerless situations they were previously in. Astarion considers hijacking Cazador's ritual to become the unmatched Vampire Ascendant, while Gale dreams of stealing the Crown of Karsus from the Absolute and gaining god-level powers. A cutscene with the two of them discussing their shared quest for power would make an amazing addition, especially as Gale is unusually complimentary towards Astarion should he decide not to Ascend, and Astarion shows a rare moment of selflessness as he encourages the player to steer Gale away from the Crown.

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OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%

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Released: August 3, 2023
ESRB: M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
Developer(s): Larian Studios
Publisher(s): Larian Studios
Engine: Divinity 4.0
Multiplayer: Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
Cross-Platform Play: Full cross-platform play.