Look I love Gale and I don't want anyone to feel bad about loving Gale, nor do I wanna fight but people are so absurdly hard on Mystra.
Putting aside the fact that she shouldn't be romancing mortals (people generally misunderstand how God's in this world work and misunderstand that Mystra was an adventurer who has only been a living goddess for a few decades) Mystra was not being manipulative by asking Gale for the crown of Karsus.
You can be pissed at her for asking Gale to sacrifice himself, despite the fact that he was going to die from his own self inflicted illness. But to perceive the request for the crown, a second request for forgiveness after Gale denied her first, one that doesn't require him sacrificing his own life, as manipulation on her part is nearly bordering on misogyny I'm being so serious.
The whole ROLE of her as Mystra is to protect her domain. The crown of Karsus DESTROYED MYSTRYL AND THE WEAVE! Why do y'all give her no consideration while giving Gale a whole weaves worth of benefit of the doubt? Please remember that when she literally feeds her power, the source of all magic, into Gales self inflicted power hungry orb, Gale immediately becomes power hungry again.
Gales insecurity leads him to having narcissistic traits, the Orb is a reminder of his folly leads him into a depressive episode because he requires greatness to feed his ego, and immediately when that wound is sated he goes back to his old ways!
Again y'all can like Gale, but you can live in the grey that both of these characters exist in. Yes she's a literal goddess I understand that, But she's not actually omniscient and omnipotent. Her current incarnation has literally died before. She's capable of Mistakes just as Gale is, and we literally only get his side of the account. Plenty of mortals mingle with the Gods in this world, Mystra literally rose to Godhood due to this proximity, Gale isn't ignorant of that fact.
Idk I am only so passionate about this because Gale is the most blatantly concerning companion. His red flags are glaring! I stan a problematic king like anyone else but c'mon now he's not a lil uwu baby who was had. Give him the credit of his own mistakes and flaws! He's literally the only companion who is directly the cause of his own undoing in his past life and people are so quick to sweep it under the rug.















