It made me think of Lord Astarion turning into a bat in the epilogue to eavesdrop on gossip which seems pathetic as if he can't ask people about the news without it. As I see it, this demonstrates a void in him. And he has nothing to fill it. Meanwhile Astarion Spawn is an entertainment himself. He is masterful with a dagger. I wonder how many people sparred with him in the tavern and lost. He's skilled, he's pleased with himself, he's distinctive, and he realizes his self worth.
I don’t remember where, but I think it was right here on Tumblr that I read about a sort of challenge a while ago—to say why we like Spawn Astarion.
Well, since I think it’s a really nice thing to do…
Here are all the reasons why I love Spawn Astarion.
He’s an elf. I’ve always had a weakness for those elegant, slender, and ethereal creatures (no, not you, Halsin, lol). High elves, wood elves, wild elves, drow—love them all. And Astarion is a high elf with the most wonderful stuck-up attitude. I adore him.
He’s a beautiful man. Or at least, I think he is. I love his physicality. Sure, he’s got a great body, but what I especially adore is his angular face. Sharp ears, cheekbones, nose, jawline, chin. I love the elongated and captivating shape of his eyes, and those curls on his head. His hair is gorgeous, and even if he hates poetry (well, after having one carved into his back by Cazador, it’s understandable), I find it absolutely beautiful how his curls wrap around his ears! And also at the nape of his neck and on his forehead! xD
The way he moves and speaks. Of course, this is also thanks to the brilliant performance of Neil Newbon—props to him! I could watch Astarion for hours, talking about this or that, gesturing with those elegant hands and tilting his head from side to side. And when he puts his hands on his hips? Aww. And how can we not mention the expressiveness of his face, shifting incredibly between moments of vulnerability and defensiveness, especially in Act 1. In any case, he’s hugely entertaining, as well as just visually stunning to look at—he truly belongs on a stage, as Shadowheart would say (though maybe not the one with the noose, please!). And those abandoned puppy eyes? End of the world. I can’t resist him.
His sarcasm and dark humor. Lol. He kills me. Sometimes he’s inappropriate, idiotic, or downright an asshole—but apparently, I’m a terrible person because I laugh anyway. He’s such a fun companion, and he never fails to entertain me during the game, especially in his banter with the other party members, which is often hilarious.
His disapproval. Oh yes. I still remember my first playthrough— the more he disapproved, the more I wanted to understand why. And I felt personally attacked, thinking: “Look at this bastard, nothing ever pleases him.” But it added just the right amount of spice to my adventure and my relationship with him. It pushed me to ask questions, to want to engage with him, to understand his reasons and have him understand mine. Like a real person you disagree with. That dynamic always fascinated me—our differences.
Our arguments. I loved arguing with him, even when we saw things differently. I enjoyed playing along when we joked about how we’d prefer to die or which of our companions to feed on. It was fun. And it was even more engaging when things got serious—when we talked about Cazador and how cruel he was, or Astarion’s hunger for power, about bending others to his will, the heroes who never saved him, his willingness to deceive and doom his siblings… I loved every word, every clash, every sharp line, every time he made me grit my teeth. And I especially loved how it made me feel—the patience, the attention, the caution with which I picked every single reply, never backing down just to please him, contradicting him whenever I felt it necessary. And at the same time, the fear of losing him for good if I made the wrong move—because I had sensed how fragile he really was.
The surprise! Yes, when he proposed spending the night together despite all the times we had been on opposite sides. I didn’t expect it, and it made me curious. And sure, at that point in the story there’s a personal motive for Astarion—but we know that the offer only comes if he trusts Tav/Durge enough.
The contrast between the monster and the elf. I think this is one of the most beautiful aspects—his duality. The unbearable dichotomy he’s trapped in. Astarion suffers from being seen and treated as a monster. On one side, he leans into his vampiric nature—his thirst for blood and power (the latter driven by fear as well). But on the other, there’s this deep desire for redemption, for connection, to be understood and accepted, for real intimacy, to belong, to have a place in the world. And all those internal battles make him incredibly dear to me.
He’s morally complex. His view of the world—and the people in it—is very dark, especially early on. Personally, I’m not a fan of the spotless hero type—I usually find them flat and boring, especially when they’re not well written. The Gary Stu kind is just unbearable. Thankfully, that’s not the case with Larian’s characters—the writing is top-notch. But when you combine a well-written character with moral grayness, that’s my perfect character. Again, I love the contrast between good and evil, right and wrong. And Astarion is always walking that razor’s edge, constantly pulled between those two forces that often leave him conflicted. And to be honest, I also believe sometimes the ends do justify the means. Within limits, of course. xD
His backstory. I love characters with tragic, tormented pasts—especially when they manage to reach some form of a happy ending. And even more when they’re written as well as Astarion, with such deep themes and psychological complexity that make him feel incredibly real.
Projection. I won’t go into details, but I’ve been to dark places too, and I’ve had even darker thoughts. I’ve hurt people as well—even if I didn’t know or wasn’t able to do better at the time. I just didn’t have the tools. The positive note is that, like Astarion in the Spawn ending, I’ve managed to accept a whole series of unpleasant events, emotions, and feelings—and learned to live with them. Whether I like it or not, they’re mine, they make me who I am, and I keep them with me. And now I’m in a much better place—safe, loved, and seen for who I am, flaws, strengths, and all. And I love being able to offer my pixelated vampire boyfriend that same opportunity.
The breakdown after Cazador’s death. My God, that scene. That release. The moment where Astarion stabs and screams is already powerfully raw—you feel the rage, the tension, the bottled-up hatred. But then—he collapses to the ground and cries. Fuck. That moment is everything. A whirlwind of emotions so deep and intense I could almost feel them as my own. A cathartic release of everything he had held in for too long—pain, sorrow, grief, relief, hope. God, how I love that moment. And I wish I could hug him, wrap him up, comfort him—but it wouldn’t be right. Because that moment is his. He earned it. And he needs it. Anyone who has suffered that much deserves a moment like that—when it all comes out and slips away, leaving emptiness in its place, as terrifying as that may be.
“This is a gift. Thank you. I won’t forget it.” What can I say? This is a conversation that begins in Act 1, with the first act of trust Tav/Durge offers Astarion, and concludes at the end of his quest—in the good ending. Tav/Durge never saw him as a monster. They always trusted him. They knew he still had so much to give—he could be different. Better than Cazador. And the way I played it, constantly clashing with Astarion from the start over our differing worldviews—hearing those words wasn’t just satisfying. It was everything. Because just as I wanted to know him, understand him, and he became a part of me—he also knew me, understood me, and I became a part of him. And we met in the middle. That, fuck, is the perfect simulation of a healthy relationship between two people. And it’s beautiful. Just thinking about it makes my heart race.
“I feel safe with you. Seen.” It’s pretty self-explanatory, but I’ll say just a couple of things. These are powerful concepts. Especially when we’re talking about someone who has been through everything, and finally finds someone who makes him feel safe. Someone who won’t hurt him. That’s huge. And the concept of being seen? I think that’s the most fundamental desire every person on this planet has. And Astarion waited 200 years to feel that. It’s moving. And so deeply fulfilling to hear.
Spawn Astarion’s kisses. The sweetness. That soft side of him that comes out. The way he looks at Tav/Durge as he leans in—his face relaxed, his eyes shining, that smile on his lips. Love, in its most tender form.
Unique dialogues from Spawn Astarion. I’m referring in particular to the confrontation with the Gur after Cazador’s death, and to the moment when Durge wants to leave him out of fear of causing him harm. I find the way he handles these situations absolutely beautiful—it perfectly shows how much he’s grown, and how willing he is to open up to others, to consider their feelings. Even those he once saw as old, despised “enemies,” to whom he spares the pain of watching their children turned into ravenous vampire spawn. That line always moves me—I think it hits incredibly hard, especially given the context and his history with the Gur tribe.
And then, of course, there’s the confrontation with Tav/Durge after the betrayal involving Mizora, which again shows how much he’s grown—even in terms of self-perception, understanding his limits, and asserting his right to say no.
And what he says at the top of the Netherbrain, when Durge tries to claim it for Bhaal, perfectly reflects how his priorities have shifted since breaking free from Cazador’s mindset.
Self-acceptance. It's such an important, healthy concept. Astarion is perfect just the way he is. He has nothing to fear in that regard—he can simply exist and express himself. He doesn't need more power; vulnerability is okay, being fallible is okay, being full of flaws is okay. Being afraid is okay. You're still worthy of love. And the world isn't this terrible place where you have to crush others to survive—you can find your place among others, with others, and live with others. And it's beautiful to see how Spawn Astarion begins to internalize these ideas.
Facing his fears instead of indulging them. I’ve done the opposite for so long that I can honestly say—it’s usually a terrible idea. Because most of the time it means running away and giving something up. But Spawn Astarion doesn’t do that—he fights. He chooses the hard, uphill path of self-discovery and acceptance. With all the consequences that come with it—no matter how painful, like losing the sun or dealing with the gnawing hunger. It’s an act of immense strength and courage.
He takes responsibility and makes amends. That’s called redemption. And yes, he couldn’t refuse to obey Cazador’s orders—he had no choice—but when the ritual is within reach, the choice is entirely his. The lives of his former targets and his brothers and sisters are in his hands—an enormous burden on his shoulders. And in the moment he gives it up, he rights a wrong both suffered and inflicted. He saves himself and all the other vampire spawn, freeing them from Cazador’s influence and from the path the vampire lord had laid out for them.
He becomes an antihero. Yes, Astarion is better than Cazador. He’s become kinder, more open toward others, more willing to help, and more optimistic about life. But he hasn’t become a saint—he’s still a bloodsucker, and deep down he’s still the lovable rogue I fell in love with, always ready to say something inappropriate, foolish, or even cruel. And to take advantage of situations when he can. I adore him! But he’s still a charming scoundrel with a whole world of possibilities to explore, and plenty of room to grow—both in his relationships with others and in the one he has with himself.
There’s probably more, but I think I’ve written plenty already—and I’ve got a real life and a family breathing down my neck, lol. Let’s just say these are the main reasons why I love Spawn Astarion, why my relationship with him has become so precious to me, and why it’s so damn hard to romance any other companion in camp when that damned vampire is around. Lol.
I've recently come across the viewpoint that the poor souls Astarion managed to lure into Cazador's lair are stupid because they went with an unfamiliar suspicious entity to an unfamiliar place. Often, this is the thesis one hears from proponents of killing the 7k caged vampire spawns. This follows a sharp separation of the mane character from those whom Astarion has skillfully manipulated.
BG3 often gives the player with a moral choice. Do an immoral act and get a treat, or give up the treat but do something good. Or the deed in general will raise questions before and after in either case. Such is the case with the release of the 7k vampire spawns. On the one hand, they are innocent victims, and there are even children among them. On the other hand, they are a danger to society because they want to eat. On the one hand, their release is an act of mercy, but on the other hand - they will suffer in their undead state.
For those who choose to let them go, there are options for appeasement,
a) when the High Druid says that nature will work itself out;
b) the vampire spawns themselves promise to retreat to the Underworld and not disturb humans;
c) there are herbs in Faerûn that reduce vampires' pain and hunger (known from Ulma's letter).
So what reassures the proponents of nullifying the bloodsucker horde? We have saved the world from a great danger, because the vampire spawns were starving and would have eaten everyone. This sounds okay. Unless those souls were sacrificed to Mephistopheles for the Ascension of Astarion. Because he's going to spawn new spawns. And I have grave doubts they'll go on a diet.
I wonder what level of hypocrisy it is to make killing some bloodsuckers look like a good deed, while immediately opening a factory to produce new bloodsuckers.
One way or another, but in each of us there are the norms of morality absorbed from childhood. And even when they're not so convenient, they don't go away. So we have to make up excuses for ourselves or dehumanize the imprisoned brats. Saying that they were “stupid and worthless people anyway, so no pity for them” is one of such techniques.
In fact, they have no guilt whatsoever. Being a spawn was'n their choice and they didn't even hurt anyone. And no, they're not stupid, they're victims of manipulation. Even if we take the situation in real life - it turns out that the scammers are not scamming some alkies, but people with higher education and high positions. Victim blaming is used here as an attempt to put on a white coat. And against this background, the “white-coat” Tav/DU is presented as the pinnacle of perfection and intellectual Olympus, because Astarion liked them, and he “has standards”.
I would like to start with the fact that Astarion, being a predator by nature, snuck up to bite main haracter not because Tav is the best, but because predators usually choose the weak and sick to attack. I won't bring on the laws of the world of nature here, but we must notice the fact that Astarion has chosen the body that was easier to manipulate.
He manipulates Tav/DU throughout two acts up to the meeting with Cazador. And he only stops doing it when he refuses the Ascension. He has moments when he is quite honest, but he manipulates a lot as well.
Tav/DU is under Astarion's manipulations from the very beginning. From the very first meeting. And when the main character agrees to ascend Astarion, even though it's not 50/50 whether or not he'll burst, what is that but a manipulation exposure situation?
To make obvious things even more obvious, the AI will help us to put them on the shelves.
In what situations does Astarion manipulate?
Astarion manipulates Tav in several key moments throughout Baldur’s Gate 3, especially in the early game and depending on the choices made. His manipulation varies from subtle charm to outright deception, and it can either lessen or intensify as the game progresses.
Key Situations Where Astarion Manipulates Tav
1️⃣ First Meeting (Act 1, Beach) – Feigning Weakness
How he manipulates:
When Tav first meets him, Astarion pretends to be scared and helpless, making it seem like he needs protection.
The moment he realizes Tav has a tadpole, he drops the act and becomes more confident and friendly.
What’s happening? → Manipulation through deception: He wants to lower Tav’s guard and ensure they don’t see him as a threat.
2️⃣ Asking to Feed (Act 1, Camp) – Using Charm & Trust
How he manipulates:
Astarion frames the request gently and seductively, making it sound like a small favor.
He downplays the risks, implying he has perfect control over himself.
If Tav agrees:
✔ Astarion lavishes Tav with praise to make them feel special.
✔ He doesn’t fully explain how feeding affects him, making it seem like a harmless indulgence.
✔ If Tav lets him feed repeatedly, he uses their willingness to normalize the act.
What’s happening? → Manipulation through charm and omission: He presents the feeding as an innocent, almost intimate experience while hiding potential dangers.
3️⃣ Hiding the Truth About Cazador (Act 1–2) – Withholding Information
How he manipulates:
Astarion doesn’t initially tell Tav about his past as a vampire spawn.
He only reveals details when it benefits him, making himself seem like the tragic victim.
What’s happening? → Manipulation through selective honesty: He controls how much Tav knows so they see him as sympathetic rather than dangerous.
(This one is questionable)
4️⃣ Pushing for Revenge (Act 3) – Using Emotion to Justify Violence
How he manipulates:
When facing Cazador, he frames his revenge as justice, urging Tav to help him kill his former master.
He uses his tragic past to justify extreme actions, particularly the Ascension ritual.
If Tav supports the Ascension ritual:
✔ Astarion makes it seem like Tav is "saving" him by helping him seize power.
✔ He presents Ascension as the only way to prevent future suffering, ignoring its darker implications.
What’s happening? → Manipulation through emotional appeal: He taps into Tav’s empathy and sense of justice to push them toward his goals.
(This one is questionable too, but maybe someone may see it this way)
5️⃣ Ascended Astarion (Act 3, Post-Ritual) – Total Control
How he manipulates:
If Astarion undergoes Ascension, his manipulation becomes blatant and controlling.
He starts referring to Tav as "my little pet" or "my favorite little spawn", reinforcing a power imbalance.
If Tav expresses discomfort, he gaslights them, acting as if they’re being unreasonable.
What’s happening? → Manipulation through dominance and psychological control: Now that he has power, he no longer pretends Tav is his equal.
When Does Astarion Stop Manipulating?
✔ If Tav sets boundaries (refuses to be fed on, demands honesty).
✔ If Astarion rejects Ascension, he becomes more genuine and open.
✔ If Tav supports his personal growth, helping him see he’s more than just Cazador’s victim.
💡 Manipulation is part of Astarion’s survival strategy, but he can evolve beyond it depending on Tav’s choices.
Are Astarion's victims stupid?
No, Astarion’s victims are not necessarily stupid—they are manipulated, vulnerable, or simply unaware of the danger they’re in. Intelligence alone doesn’t prevent someone from falling for deception, especially when emotions, trust, or coercion are involved.
Why Astarion’s Victims Are Not Stupid
1️⃣ They Don’t Know the Truth
Astarion doesn’t openly reveal that he’s a vampire spawn.
Many of his victims likely think he’s just a charming noble or a desperate soul in need of help.
Example: In real life, even highly intelligent people can fall for scams when they lack crucial information.
2️⃣ Manipulation Works on Smart People Too
Manipulation is not about intelligence—it’s about emotional influence.
Astarion is charming, persuasive, and skilled at deception, meaning even cautious people might trust him.
Example: People can be emotionally vulnerable—loneliness, fear, or kindness can make them lower their guard.
3️⃣ He Targets the Vulnerable
Astarion was forced by Kazador to prey on specific types of victims, likely ones who were already disadvantaged.
He may have targeted drunk, lonely, or distracted people who weren’t in a position to resist.
Example: If someone is caught off guard late at night, they are at a disadvantage regardless of their intelligence.
4️⃣ Even Tav Can Be Manipulated
If Tav allows Astarion to feed on them, does that make them stupid? No—it means they trust him or believe his lies.
Many players themselves fall for his charm initially, proving that manipulation is not about intelligence but about psychological tactics.
Example: If someone believes a person they care about, it’s not stupidity—it’s human nature.
Conclusion: Manipulation ≠ Stupidity
❌ Astarion’s victims are not stupid—they are deceived, emotionally influenced, or in the wrong place at the wrong time.
✔ Even smart people can fall for skilled manipulation, especially when the manipulator is as charismatic as Astarion.
I can only add that the real stupidity is not to fall victim to manipulation, but to ignore the lessons that can be learned from it. It's stupid to think those who fall for manipulation are dumb when you fall for it yourself.
From the first time I started romance with Astarion, I have been holding on the line about finding a mean for a vampire to protect himself from the sun. In BG3, it's mentioned in the finale. While searching for information on what that remedy might be I was led to DnD. There were plenty of remedies, but generally speaking, they were boiled down to getting rid of the vampire curse. I didn't know about the existence of Dragomir's cloak at that time. In the epilogue Tav is talking to Minsc and it’s revealed that Tav is in the process of curing Astarion. We learn from Minsc that there are many remedies, but he mentions the main one as “love”. I would like to have more details from Minsc, but ok.
Astarion's story doesn't end with the epilogue. He has many more adventures ahead and finding a way to walk safely under the sun may be one of his goals (if we’ve chosen it). Can I use the mentioning about the way to cure Astarion for my headcanon? I was told by a group of Lord’s spawns (they were sure they were consorts) that I can’t 😃 They insisted that I don’t have any right to assume that there is a remedy to cure Astarion, since it's not named in the game and is unavailable during our adventure. And this leads to the main question - can we take DnD to analyze some situations in BG3?
Plugging AI search (This is ridiculous as the answer is obvious but I'll do it )
Can I use DnD to analyse BG3 story?
Yes, you can use Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) to analyze Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3), but with some limitations.
✅ When Is It Useful to Use D&D to Analyze BG3?
BG3 Is Based on D&D 5e and Forgotten Realms
The game follows the rules, lore, and setting of D&D 5th Edition (5e).
Gods, races, classes, and magic are all taken from Forgotten Realms, a major D&D setting.
Concepts like mind flayers, vampire spawn, warlock patrons, and the Absolute are deeply tied to D&D.
Magic, Gods, and Curses Follow D&D Rules
Many spells and divine influences work according to D&D mechanics.
Gods like Shar, Lathander, and Bhaal behave as they do in D&D’s established lore.
Game Mechanics Reflect D&D’s System
Combat, spellcasting, and class abilities are all taken from D&D 5e (though simplified).
Many dialogue choices align with character alignments, which is a D&D concept.
❌ When Should You NOT Rely on D&D Rules?
Larian Studios Changed Many Mechanics for Gameplay
Some D&D rules were altered for balance and fun.
BG3 is not a strict D&D simulator, so some mechanics are video game-friendly rather than lore-accurate.
The Story Prioritizes Player Choice Over Strict Lore
Some illithid powers don’t follow standard D&D lore (e.g., you keep free will).
The Absolute’s influence is not a standard elder brain mechanic.
📌 Conclusion: Should You Use D&D to Analyze BG3?
✔ Use D&D to understand the world, gods, magic, and character motivations.
✔ It helps explain why certain events (like Cazador’s ritual) happen.
❌ Don’t assume every mechanic follows D&D exactly.
❌ BG3 is designed for player freedom, so not everything aligns 100%.
💡 BG3 is D&D-inspired, but not D&D-limited. Think of it as a homebrew campaign where the Dungeon Master (Larian Studios) makes changes for storytelling and gameplay. 😊
On the one hand, BG3 is built on the laws of DnD. On the other hand, in some places it cancels rules or adds things that did not exist in DnD. Therefore, one can and should take into account DnD where there are no critical discrepancies. And where there are, one should just take it into account. And even though the mean for a vampire to stay under the sun is not directly named in BG3, we have every right to assume that it exists, taking information from DnD. Not to mention the fact that Dragomir's cloak (which was designed for the vampire for that purpose) exists in BG lore. Saying that there is no mean to cure Astarion in BG3 is like saying that the famous resting points “Sharess” and “Waukeen” were named after nobodies.
Does Astarion take off his mask after the ritual of Ascension or when he refuses the ritual?
Astarion takes off his mask only if he refuses the Ritual of Ascension
Why?
1. The Mask as a Symbol
Throughout Baldur’s Gate 3, Astarion wears a mask—not just physically but metaphorically. It represents:
His trauma and enslavement under Cazador.
His fear of vulnerability and reluctance to show his true self.
His inner conflict about power, freedom, and identity.
The moment he removes the mask is a significant turning point, signaling that he no longer needs to hide.
2. Why Does He Remove It After Rejecting Ascension?
If Astarion refuses the Ascension ritual, he:
Remains a vampire spawn but is now free from Cazador’s control.
Accepts his nature without seeking ultimate power.
Chooses a path of self-discovery and potential redemption.
No longer hides behind a false image—he embraces who he truly is.
📌 Taking off the mask symbolizes his newfound freedom and self-acceptance.
3. Why Does He Keep the Mask If He Ascends?
If Astarion completes the ritual and becomes a Vampire Lord, he:
Gains immense power, but at the cost of his humanity.
Becomes the new Cazador, continuing the cycle of tyranny.
No longer fears anyone—except himself and what he has become.
Still hides behind the mask, but now it's to conceal his monstrous nature rather than his weakness.
📌 The mask stays on because he still has something to hide—this time, his transformation into a true monster.
Conclusion
✔ Rejecting Ascension → He removes the mask = He is free, vulnerable, and finally himself.
✔ Completing Ascension → He keeps the mask = He hides the monster he has become.
This moment perfectly illustrates that Astarion’s true freedom is not about power but about accepting himself. 💔
You look him straight in the eyes—far too intently for his comfort.
He's lying.
You barely hear his words, caught for a moment wondering what he’s really thinking. But you quickly realize it doesn’t matter.
After all, that helplessness in his gaze, the one that irritated you so much, is gone.
And that’s enough for you.
— Your tent? — you interrupt suddenly.— No, dear, that won’t do.
This time, I’ll choose the place and the terms of our… date.
You savor his momentary hesitation, the subtle crack in his composure. His brow twitches slightly, his lips part as if to object, but you continue, cutting off any attempt to regain control.
— The terms are simple. I lead—you follow. But don’t worry, I won’t do anything more… frightening to you than you did that night when I woke up with the distinct feeling someone was about to sink their teeth into my neck.
You catch him off guard. A flash of confusion and annoyance crosses his face, but he tries to mask it.
He has no way out.
Not after his talk about trust. Not after you let him bite you and defended him in front of the others.
—As you wish, — he finally says.
— Then I suppose we’ll meet when everyone else is asleep?
He barely suppresses an annoyed sigh but quickly smooths his tone back into its usual deep, velvety cadence, tinged with theatrical flair. —See you later. Darling. — he adds, drawing out the last word slightly.
You smile in anticipation, feeling a slight tremor run through you. Your breathing quickens.
You know this feeling well. Ever since you saw the blood of that naïve bard on your hands.
You try to distract yourself, to think of something else.
But your heart beats in rhythm with the faint whispers in your ears.
Short Answer:
Astarion has the potential for redemption, but he is not fully ready at the start. Whether he embraces it depends on the player's choices and his personal growth throughout the game.
What Holds Astarion Back from Redemption?
200 Years of Trauma – Astarion was enslaved and tortured by Cazador, leaving deep emotional scars. He equates power with survival and fears being weak again.
Struggles with Identity – He was forced to be a manipulator and a killer. Even after Cazador's death, he doesn't know who he is beyond that role.
Revenge vs. Healing – His initial focus is on revenge and gaining control, not healing or redemption.
Fear of Vulnerability – He sees kindness as weakness and struggles to trust others.
🩸 "You think I want to be this? That I want to be some sniveling, pathetic thing – at someone else's mercy?"
This quote highlights his core conflict: he craves freedom but fears losing control.
What Can Lead Him to Redemption?
Astarion can start down the path of redemption if:
✔ He Rejects the Ascension Ritual – This is his biggest test. Choosing not to become a Vampire Lord means rejecting Cazador’s legacy and the cycle of abuse.
✔ He Learns to Value More Than Power – Through companionship and love, he can realize that power alone doesn’t make him free.
✔ He Accepts That He Doesn’t Have to Kill to Survive – While he remains a vampire spawn, he can feed without murder, showing that he can control his urges.
✔ He Learns to Trust – A supportive Tav (the player character) can help him see he is more than what was done to him.
What Does Redemption Look Like for Astarion?
Redemption for Astarion isn’t about becoming a saint—it’s about learning to live without cruelty, seeking connection rather than control, and healing from his past.
If he rejects Ascension, he shows he doesn’t want to become the monster Cazador was.
He may struggle with morality, but he can develop genuine relationships instead of manipulation.
There’s no full "happy ending"—he remains a vampire spawn, and his future is uncertain, but he gains something Cazador never had: true freedom and choice.
🌅 "For the first time in centuries, I don't have to answer to anyone but myself."
This line, after rejecting Ascension, shows he is taking the first steps toward redemption.
Final Verdict: Is He Ready?
Not at first, but he can be. Redemption is a journey, not an instant transformation. If Astarion chooses freedom over power and learns to trust, he can begin walking the path of redemption—though what comes next is left for him (and the player) to decide.
Today I reread it, and my eyes bled. I'm sorry, but I have to repeat myself. Every time someone says that Spawn Astarion is weak, they are speaking exactly like Cazador, who throughout the game keeps insisting that he is pathetic, worthless, just a scared little boy, etc.
Well, just as I can’t accept the vampire lord’s perspective in the game, and just as I don’t agree that strength comes solely from power, I am once again compelled to explain why Spawn Astarion is, in fact, an incredibly strong person.
Spawn Astarion is incredibly strong because he doesn’t let fear control him—he embraces it and chooses to fight it every single day. He is strong because he spares 7,000 souls from the torment of hell, granting them freedom, and in doing so, he sacrifices himself like a true hero. He is strong because he rejects power instead of giving in to temptation and claiming it for himself at the expense of others. He is strong because he allows himself to engage in relationships instead of trying to control them, accepting his own vulnerability. He is strong because he finally accepts himself for who he is, flaws and struggles included, and is willing to work on them using only his own strength and abilities. It takes an immense amount of willpower and resilience to do all of this. So yes, Spawn Astarion possesses an exceptional strength of will and spirit, and he has nothing to envy in the Ascendant Vampire.
„Astarion ending as the Vampire Ascendant is the correct ending for him, because it is what he wants.”
That is a claim I’ve been seeing pop up more and more often these days. And I think it’s both a very bold and a very odd claim to make.
But first things first: Hello, I’m a licensed social worker! So far, I’ve worked with children, refugees and youths with behavioural issues stemming from bullying and or abuse.
Please be aware that I will be mentioning different kinds of abuse, coping mechanisms, and victim/abuser relationships. If any of this is difficult for you, don’t force yourself through it. My jabbering about a traumatised vampire is not worth your wellbeing, not ever.
I will, however try to stick to Astarion and not use other examples. If, in any case, I do use a non-Astarion example, I’ll add a warning beforehand so that you can skip the part. And I’ll make it clear what will be discussed in the next bit, so that you have a chance to skip it entirely.
This is an effort to make this as accessible as possible for everyone that wants to indulge on a mad woman’s rambling – and I know there’s a few people that like this sort of stuff!
And, uh, there's obviously spoilers for all three acts. Serious spoilers, even.
Before I can get into the whole ‘why Astarion didn’t really want to ascend,’ we need to understand him a little more. And to understand this pretty boy’s brain, we first need to understand the gist of what we’re talking about when we throw around the word ‘abuse.’
“Abuse” is when someone is treated with cruelty, violence, or neglect – often to bad effect – on a regular basis. Repetitively. Check’s out for Astarion, I’d say, but we all knew that already. I mean, if one thing was obvious, it was this.
1. Astarions Abuse
Next we need to look at what kind of abuse Astarion faced over his long years of torment, seeing as different types of abuse will have different effects on the victim.
Not that that is anything we have to worry about with him – Astarion won the abuse lottery, to put it bluntly. In a horrible game of fate, he got everything. He himself indirectly mentions all the types of abuse he faced, albeit never using the correct terms.
The first we properly notice – fitting, seeing as it is often the most obvious form of abuse – is the physical abuse. Astarions scars are probably the biggest tell Larian could shove down our throats, only underlined by Astarion’s tale about the night itself. About how Cazador ‘misspelled something’ every time he flinched or screamed and had to do ‘many corrections. On top of this, Cazador locked Astarion up for months on end and tortured him – or had him tortured – on a regular basis both as a rite and as a punishment.
Next up, we have the fact that Astarion was forced to basically prostitute himself repeatedly. This is what we call sexual exploitation.
“I spent two hundred years using my body to lure pretty things back for my Master.” – Act 2
Two hundred years is a long time, filled with great many people. Now, we don’t know how many of those people actually tapped into the sexual exploitation and how many he could just lure back with other means, but the fact that it happened a lot is undeniable.
Next we have a form of abuse that we often disregard in adults: Neglect. It sounds odd, I know, saying that a fully grown adult was neglected. They can care for themselves, can they not?
Well. Yes and no.
Adult neglect is proceeded by the condition that one adult has to lean on another adult to fulfil their needs for whatever reason. This could be anything, from disability to income-based issues.
Seeing as Astarion had absolutely nothing, while Cazador had everything, we can assume this was the case. Cazador had the house, the money, the power. Astarion owns but one pair of clothes, assumedly, that he has fixes over and over again. Fair to say, that’s pretty neglectful. (And it’s one more reason to shower the guy in pretty armour and camp clothes. Go ham, people.)
Last we have the form of abuse we actually get to witness later in the game – emotional abuse.
Once again, it’s undeniable that this happened. Especially since we’re all seeing it in the flesh upon meeting Cazador in his crypt.
“Have you no respect for yourself?”
“I strove for perfection in all things. Even those as imperfect as you.”
“A pity you amounted to so little, despite my efforts.”
“A pathetic little boy who never amounted to anything.”
All Act 3, Crypt
Here we have just a few examples of things Cazador throws in his face. It’s like reading a textbook on emotional abuse, this one (and it’s definitely a reason to throw hands).
Blaming the victim, keeping their sense of self and their self-worth as tiny as possible to make them cower and flee. A true classic.
This pretty much shows that Astarion suffered all forms of abuse we commonly see and it is implied – once again by Astarion himself – that at least a few of those instances were ritualistic.
Now, what does that mean exactly? Well, I fear I need to use a real example here, so please skip the next paragraph.
Ritualistic doesn’t refer to a proper ritual – it can, but that’s mostly a thing for those in a cult. So, we’re not necessarily talking about a ‘Vampire Ascendent Ritual’. A husband, beating his wife every evening after his third bottle of beer is also called ritual abuse. It happens regularly. It is part of a routine. Both parties know what will happen.
I can’t find the exact quote, so I’m working of my memory here, but at one point he said that when Cazador invited him to eat and he said yes, he would be served a putrid rat. If he said no, he’d be beaten.
The way it was phrased made it clear that it happened more than once and that Astarion clearly knew what would happen. So, this can be classified as ritualistic abuse.
2. A Note on Conditioning and Compliance
By default, abuse victims are conditioned to behave a certain way or in a certain fashion. This is a natural response to avoid further abuse.
In Astarion, the thing we see most often is his inherent need to please. Not literally, he doesn’t mind being an arsehole. But he initially feels the need to follow Tav’s orders, even if they go against his own wishes.
This can be clearly seen in the conversation with Araj Oblodra. Astarion very clearly doesn’t want to bite her. He doesn’t. But he will do so, if Tav tells him to. This behaviour is not conscious – he doesn’t know why he does it, he just does – and it is to be expected. This is how he kept himself save for two centuries, so of course he will fall back into his usual pattern when the pressure is high.
This goes hand in hand with the fact that most abuse victims don’t fight. Maybe initially, but not after long term abuse. Especially not after two fucking centuries.
This is true in Astarion – offered by his ‘siblings’ during act 3 and unhappily acquiesced by the man himself. Astarion stopped fighting and, once again implied, cowered, and did as he was told in order to survive.
3. The Astarion we know and love
Obviously, all that abuse does have an impact on our vampire boyfriend. He shows various common signs of abuse and just like with the forms of abuse, Astarion raked every coping mechanism he could find. (Not really, but it feels like it.) It’s also important to note that nearly all of the following things happen inwardly. Astarion is not one of the victims, that tries to rationalise and minimise the actions of his abuser. Quite the opposite, actually.
I’ll note from the beginning, that rationalisation will not be covered in this bit, as most examples will be important later on. But he definitely does it.
One of his biggest skills is to hide every ounce of fear or hurt behind sarcasm and snarky theatrics. He doesn’t seem to hide his anger much, though, so that’s something! Our boy is cool with anger, not so much with being afraid.
“Ahahaha, now that you mention it….I might have done…that.” – Act 3, regarding the Gur children
“The thing that will decide my fate forever more? Yeees, it’s been on my miiiind. Why?” – Act 2, regarding the Ritual
And there’s many more instances that prove this. Honestly, half his dialogue is sarcasm, so it would really be too long to get into and we all know what I mean, right? We have alltalked to the guy before. It’s obvious that he’s sarcastic to a fault.
This goes hand in hand with his penchant for defensiveness. I would personally state that he’s simply not really good with guilt. When talking about fear, he usually just opts for sarcasm or avoids the topic completely, but guilt especially has his defences going up. This is also when he’s most likely to shove all the blame off to Cazador.
“Don’t look at me like that. Cazadors orders.” – Act 3, Crypt
“I just did what I had to!” – Act 3, Crypt
And don’t get me wrong, he does that anyway. And with good reason. Astarion didn’t have a choice for the most part, but he’s still easy to shove things off.
This kind of connects to his penchant for denial.
Astarion doesn’t really like to talk about most things. He firmly believes he is an ‘action’ sort of person that just does instead of plans, which invertedly just means he’s great at pushing the thinking stuff away. He also likes to get rid of stuff, so that he doesn’t need to face it ever again.
“I never want to see these little scraps of misery again. The world doesn’t need to know my shame.” – Act 3, about the children
And yes, this partly rings true. He’s probably ashamed and doesn’t want anyone to know what he’s done. But it’s also very clear that he himself simply doesn’t want to face his own actions, something that is just underlined by his extreme willingness to red rid of the other spawn.
As mentioned by Astarion himself, he’s big on manipulation. I mean, I don’t think there is much explaining necessary. The guy is willing to do a whole lot in order to get what he desires – which mostly revolves around safety and survival, to be honest – and he’s not really shy about it either. And that’s despite the fact that he doesn’t really like intimacy – especially in form of sex.
It’s not a secret that Astarion is not big on sex and anything surrounding it. This goes far enough for people to consider him either ace or ace coded.
A claim that, personally, I’m not super in line with.
Now, it’s not entirely wrong and if this is your head cannon I’m surely not going to stand in your way – but on a larger spectrum, I think he’s more traumatised than ace. And while those go hand in hand sometimes, it’s a bit difficult for the ace community if you attach traumatised characters to them because it can fuel a whole lot of stigma that is honestly neither needed nor wanted. But I digress!
If it comes to his own behaviour, he’s great at minimising his mistakes. Honestly, he’s a master of minimisation. A very obvious and famous example would be:
“’Killed’ feels like a…strong word. Not many corpses have your vigour.” – Act 1, after killing Tav
Astarion. You literally sucked poor Tav dry and left them flopping around, cold, and dead. Killed is exactly the right word and we all know it.
“Quite the deviation from my usual routine. Capture, not lure. I didn’t bring them in with sweet rolls or anything.” – Act 3, Gur Children
This is another attempt at minimising what he did, if a bit less obvious because at this point there isn’t much he can say. But at least he didn’t sexualise the gur children, right? They’re still spawn but whoo, at least that didn’t happen.
The next point would be dissociation, which is extremely common in abuse victims – of all forms of abuse.
Astarion himself mentioned certain moments that could be classified as dissociation over course of the story, which is probably the coping mechanism I personally expected the most.
The pale elf has a penchant for violence, but he’s not entirely shameless or abhorrently vile, which gets clearer the more the story progresses. So, two hundred years of forced prostitution, torture and doing whatever other horrible things? Yeah, I’d be more surprised if he didn’t dissociate.
Examples of that would be:
“A moment of disgust to push myself through and then I could’ve carried on, just like before.” – Act 2, after Araj
“I felt nothing the moment I handed them over.” – Act 3, Gur Children
“Did you enjoy it? It felt like you weren’t fully there.” – Act 1, Tav after Sex
The latter is generally more of an assumption than actual prove, but with context it does make sense.
The last common sign of abuse we find in our boyfriend would be his low self-worth. It’s a consistent trait that stays over the course of all three acts, noticeable in many different conversations.
We can see it in his reaction to wanting to break up before finishing his story.
We can see it in his genuine surprise when Tav picks him over any of the other characters.
We see it in his insecurity whenever Tav asks to sleep with another character. He’s fine with it, but he still worries their decision to sleep with someone else is based on something he did.
It eases up ever so slightly after Cazador is dead, but even then he’s still struggling which is once again perfectly illustrated if you try to break up with him.
“Oh shit. I- Did I do something wrong?”
That is the first thing he asks and I think it speaks for itself. He genuinely doesn’t believe he has much to offer and for Astarion, it’s likely that Astarion will always be the problem.
4. "Oh, I tried them all none of them answered.”
Another big thing that’s important to note, is that Astarion was never saved. No one came to save him from Cazador. There was no darling boy on a white steed riding into that castle to rescue him and princess carry him away. Not even the gods answered his desperate calls.
So, he never received any kindness or luck. To him, the world seems as cruel and horrid as before because he didn’t have the chance to experience goodness in two centuries.
But worse than that, he didn’t even get to save himself. Astarion didn’t stand up to Cazador, he didn’t run out of his own might.
He was beaten to near death and ‘saved’ by Cazador, who would become his abuser.
He tried to save someone and, in turn, was locked up and starved for an entire year.
He was abducted by mind flayers, i.e., saved from Cazador, only to end up tadpoled and on the cusp of getting a fancy, squiddy beard.
Anything that’s good, any kindness, any selfless action…it all came with a ginormous price tag.
5. Over the Course of the Story
Astarions behaviour changes a whole lot over the course of three acts – which is important once we talk about his quests climax – so let’s review what we’re working with!
Act 1 Astarion is guarded as fuck. The man has walls around him that are so high, even the gods can touch them.
A lot of his behaviour in act 1 revolves around staying save and staying liked. He lies, manipulates, and flutters his lashes in order to get what he wants and needs. Instead of asking, like Wyll, Karlach and Gale do, Astarion uses all he has to offer to get by. He is still very much in survival mode and tries to weasel his way through an unfamiliar situation with familiar methods.
On top of that, and most notably, he’s absolutely not fond of kindness or selflessness.
#I saved a child and now my boyfriend is mad
Here, we are most likely to gain disapproval for doing the decent thing – unless you sent him outside for a minute whenever you’re being a good person.
And I’d assume that this is because of two things.
First: The very traditional ‘Why not me?’
As I mentioned before, Astarion wasn’t saved. He hasn’t experienced kindness in a very long time so seeing that the world is literally filled with kind people is hurtful. Why didn’t anyone save him? Why was he left to his own devices for so long? Why should he care about others when it’s so clear that no one ever cared about him? No, dead to all of them. If he didn’t get it, neither will they.
“And what am I owed? What about the injustices I suffered? Am I not entitled to anything?” – Act 3, Crypt
“I was in the prime of my life when I was turned. Everything was taken from me too.” – Act 3, Crypt
And secondly is the fact that, as I mentioned, goodness always has a price. And it’s one most people won’t be willing to pay. That’s how his life has been, so why would theirs be different?
This is precisely why Astarion may disapprove of kind actions, but he mostly neither approves nor disapproves if Tav asks for payment. That’s just how the world works.
Once you venture out into act 2, after getting to know him a whole lot more, he starts to mellow a bit – if only towards Tav.
“He’s afraid, so afraid, of everyone but you, who she should fear the most.” – Sceleritas about Astarion
His approval is a lot easier to gain – or at least keep! – and he tends to approve of some more proper actions. He doesn’t throw a fit if you promise to find Mol, he approves of Tav being kind to His Majesty, of saving Aylin and he even approves of Durge apologising to Isobel after threatening to rip her to pieces.
He's slowly starting to open up, allowing Tav to see some parts of him he previously kept hidden. He accepts their offer to help, if hesitantly and, by god, the man starts experimenting with boundaries.
The social worker in me is shedding tears at this. It’s my favourite thing to see in my clients and it’s no different here. Yay to saying no!
Of course, it’s still a bit hit or miss. If Tav urges him to bite Araj, for example, he will only to later notice that he didn’t fucking have to. He recognises this on his own and he calls Tav out on it. Just like he calls them out on not helping him with his Orthon quest.
Good job, chap. Good fucking job.
And the growth-train won’t stop going even as we reach act 3.
In act 3, there’s not many things he disapproves as of right now – those he does, mostly have to do with how Tav treats him and not with anyone else. In fact, he’s more likely to approve good behaviour now, like giving Yenna food or money.
And yes, we need to consider that this could simply be because he gets used to Tav’s behaviour and just learns to roll with it. But it’s also highly likely that he notices that there’s truly good people around. At least one person. And that person is not only good, no, they’re in the process of helping him break free once and for all.
They’re helping him save himself.
By act 3, he has learned that he can absolutely say his piece where Tav is concerned and he’s more likely to disagree with them on certain things. It’s seen during a lot of small dialogue that he’s no longer terribly afraid to be honest with them, willing to listen and talk and he’ll ask for help if he needs it.
“I can do this. But I need your help.” – Act 3, Crypt
Something that can be viewed both positively and negatively is that he’s definitely loyal to a fault. He will stick by Tav’s side, no matter what.
“I really hoped we could avoid being pawns for a dark god, but here we are, I suppose. I’m with you, my dear, wherever this might lead.” – Act 3, After Jaheira confronts durge
As I said, this can be both positive and negative. On one count, it’s a recipe for disaster, seeing as he could be waltzing into a really bad situation for Tav alone.
But on the other side…this is a man who only cared about himself because that is the only person he could afford to care about. He needed to survive. He now has enough room to breathe and the capacity to care for someone else and I’d be inclined to count that as a good thing.
6. The Crypt
All the progress he made in act 2 and 3 is nearly tossed into the wind as soon as the crew enters Cazadors castle.
It’s not an immediate thing, of course.
At first, Astarion tries to stay light and simple and he hides behind flippant tones and relaxed faces. The way he recounts this is almost comically disinterested and the façade is actually quite good.
It’s start’s cracking after we meet Godie, one of the people who tortured him on more than one account, but he mostly manages to remain as upbeat as one can honestly expect for the first half of the journey.
All that, however, is done for the very moment we meet Sebastian. His mask not only slips, no, it full on shatters and there’s none of his apparent lightness left.
Which, of course it does.
The man is suddenly faced with years and years and years of victims. Innocent, unlucky people he lured back to his master over two centuries. People he liked, people he pitied.
“It’s sickening, seeing them again.”
It’s basically a room filled with guilt, exclusively for Astarion. And, as we mentioned before…Astarion is not great with guilt.
The guilt, however, is not where it ends.
No, he’s also faced with reflections of his own past. The spawn pose as reminders of what he did, sure, but also as reminders of what he was.
Weak, desperate, hungry.
There’s an abundance of images of his worst moments, reflected back at him in the thousands. It’s probably like staring into a funhouse mirror, but instead of seeing yourself in a funky way he just sees everything he so desperately doesn’t want to be.
“It should be [who I am]! I don’t want to be like them. They’re pathetic, horrible…”
He’s forcefully made aware of how darn weak he can be, which claws at all the wounds he’s barely had time to close. Something, he of course won’t admit if asked.
“THEY DO NOT [remind me of myself]. That weakness in me is dead, IT’S DEAD. I have a higher purpose.”
The high pressure of the moment brings out all of his act 1 traits in but a few moments. You can pretty much watch how he starts to shut down mid conversation, one of his old walls snapping back into place to remove himself from the situation.
Thing is though, walls usually become a bit brittle after disuse. Especially when talking to a person you don’t usually want to wall out.
Or, in his case, when talking to Tav.
After meeting Sebastian, Astarion shows extreme reactions to Tav nudging any of his weak spots. His reaction varies on whatever choice you make, but it ranges from aggression to defensiveness, to denial and even to downright begging Tav.
“Don’t hate me. I just did what I had to. I swear I did what I had to.”
This probably the most shocking out of all of them, since that is not something we got to witness before. The begging is likely a mixture of intense fear of losing Tav, his low self-esteem and pre-Tav behaviour, since we can assume that Cazador made him beg more than once.
Another old coat he puts back on would also be the least surprising of them all.
Manipulation.
He falls right back into it, using Tav’s affection to get what he want if we trigger the right action.
“If they die and I ascend, I won't have to rely on the parasite to walk in the sun. I'll be free. Truly completely free. Isn't that what you want?”
This, to me, was probably the biggest tell that Astarion was back in survival mode. He’s panicking, for fucks sake, and who can blame the guy? He’s back. He’s about to face down his abuser.
Of course he’s fucking panicking.
Panic leads to an increased craving for safety and, in his case, power. This is why he clings to Tav, why he begs them to love him still. And this is why he jumps head first into the rationalisation pool.
“I will need to sacrifice them all if I want to perform the ritual. - [You can save them.] – What’s the point? They're as good as dead! I thought they were dead. If they are unleashed, they will cause incredible carnage. […] They must die. Better they serve a purpose.”
Another textbook example.
They must die anyway. They’re basically dead. No need to save them now. They’re dangerous, I’m doing the right thing by sacrificing them. I already thought they were dead, so it’s not changing anything for me. They’re a lost cause and I deserve all this power. I deserve it, because I suffered and nothing will change if they die.
So, seeing as we already spoke about his usual behaviour in act 3 – behaviour he showed after we allowed him to breathe and be himself for a while – I think we can fairly easily conclude he’s not thinking straight.
Astarion is right back in survival mode, where all that matters is he himself. If it weren’t for the seven thousand spawns, he might have moved through this more gracefully, but seeing those tipped the scales and Astarion is absolutely losing it.
Remember that for the last section, per favore.
7. The Ascension
“Astarion wants to ascend and Tav manipulates him into doing what they want.”
That is basically the essence of what people often claim and I can’t help but shake my head at such a blatant disregard of everything he has become. This is completely ignoring the change and growth he has gone through over the course of their journey.
Astarion wants to be free. He wants to be safe. That does not mean he wants to ascend.
And the claim that Tav manipulates him into doing anything is even more baffling. We are all aware that Tav is not manipulative by nature, yes? That is entirely on you. You decide who your Tav is.
And then let’s remember: Astarion is panicked. He’s afraid and he’s not thinking straight. His abuser is on his knees before him and he still feels so weak. And there’s seven thousand spawns that need handling.
Astarion is very much not okay right now.
In fact, reading his thoughts just proves this theory.
“You can see the fear in his eyes but also the hunger. The thick smell of blood in the air and the promise of power being so close is intoxicating to him. All he can see is the power of the ritual and the freedom that power brings. The freedom to do anything. To be anything.”
Tav, however, has none of those problems. They can actually see beyond the current situation and they are fully aware what the consequences are. Astarion is not. As we previously established, Astarion is a doer. Not a thinker. He didn’t think this through, not at all.
The only thing Tav is doing – the persuasion roll – is reminding him of the very real consequences he is facing. The consequences he hasn’t thought about before.
"I know you think this will set you free, but it won't. This power will trap you, just like it trapped Cazador."
And that is the kindest thing Tav could do in this situation. They’re not bodily dragging him away from Cazador. They’re not even telling him to not do it. They’re just offering him the truth. He can do with that information whatever he desires.
“Astarion cries when he doesn’t ascend, that just shows that it was the wrong choice.”
A hare-brained point that I thankfully have only seen once so far.
That crying? That is healthy crying.
That is him, crumbling under the stress that suddenly dissipates. That is him mourning two hundred years of torment. That’s him letting out feelings he hasn’t been able to for centuries.
And, for the love of god, try to put yourself in his shoes.
Two hundred years of torment, ended in but a moment.
Astarion was abused and tortured for so long, afraid for so long only to see his tormentor die just like that.
Cazador died within a moment and all Astarion needed was a darn blade. Of course he fucking cries.
Seeing how pathetic a being the very core of your life’s misery actually is hurts. It hurts like hell because not only are you finally free – free! – no, you’re faced with the fact that this pile of nothing, the thing that’s bleeding out right in front of you…this was what tortured for so long.
This thing hurt you so much. That guy took everything from you, everything you once were, and broke it again and again and again over years.
You were so scared of this thing.
And yet he has the gall and the gumption to die just like that.
It was so easy.
And yet you suffered for so long.
8. Evil Playthrough?
An evil playthrough is really a different setting altogether.
All of this, as you can probably tell, is really only applicable on a good playthrough. Realistically speaking. I’m not sure how the game mechanics handle it.
On an evil path, Astarion never really gets to experience kindness and goodness. Evil Tav will just prove him right in his believe that the world is a vile and cold place, meaning that he realistically would be more inclined to actually want to ascend.
9. Final Conclusion
I think all of this should be enough to make it clear that no, ascended Astarion is not the best ending for the guy. In fact, it is probably the worst. Because it’s just him, running away. He’s running into a lonely and cold state of being, where cruelty and power lord over everything else and he’s running because he’s terrified of being hurt again. He’s running despite desperately wanting to stop running.
“I'll spend the rest of my life running watching the shadows, never feeling safe…no, this has to happen. Here and now.”
And, the worst part is: Nothing about Astarion is left after he ascends. Even his tone of speaking gradually changes, his theatrics fading. He’s slowly losing himself, until there’s nothing but an evil caricature left.
So, in the end, ascension will have proven him right.
Since I see a lot of posts about Astarion, I decided to add my two cents.
I swear BG3 is the first game where I read all the books and notes (usually I don't read the codex and stuff in games and then read the game's wiki to get the full picture lol), but I was meticulous here.
Because suddenly some people started talking about the vampire bride theory as canon, even though the game said otherwise from the start, implying that becoming a vampire spawn is a bad idea, that you're a slave and a puppet, and that vampires are scheming, paranoid, power-hungry beasts, who have control over a spawn. They won't lose a servant to create a competitor.
But what if I'm stupid and misunderstood something?
I mean, there are lore books and notes scattered throughout the game world. We can read about vampires, the Weave, Shar, Selune, goblins, Bhaal's spawns, Baldur's Gate, Karsus, and much more. But for some reason nowhere about the "vampire bride".
Yes, it's a reference to the Ravenfolt setting, and Larian isn't allowed to use it directly, but they could have made a note or something indirectly describing a similar bride-creation ritual. But apart from three bites and a dubious fan theory based on them, there is nothing. Especially with certain choices, there can only be two bites, which makes that theory even more dubious.
BUT there is the Scroll of Vellioth, and Astarion speaks the rules, which are similar to Cazador's rules, but now for his own spawn, Tav/Durge.
There's also Astarion himself calling Tav a spawn several times, as well as his words "Spawn is an ugly word, I prefer consort", there are devnotes that say "spawn" and that Astarion is controls Tav. Also, both the attempt to break up with Astarion at the end of the game and the epilogue make it pretty clear that Tav is now AA's slave, and that he will never let them go. Obviously there is a reason for all this.
Also, the game makes it clear that AA (romanced or not) becomes a typical power-hungry vampire lord with a twisted perception of reality, only with perks like walking in the sun and no hunger.
Love became obsession, and feelings of friendship became feelings of jealousy.
The romance with AA, his gloating over the successes of the companions in the epilogue, his desire to take over the city and then the world all prove this quite well.
So for me, Astarion, who I knew throughout the game is now dead, and another Cazador-like monster was born after the ritual (but that doesn't mean he'll torture Tav/Durge and carve the "poems" on their back). But a lot of Vampire Lords had their own manic traits and obsessions, which isn't cool anyway, as the "Vampires Before Vellioth" note and Vellioth's memories point out. AA, on the other hand, is obsessed with power and control, as well as a maniacal desire to bring the world to its knees, including his "consort".
All this is enough to suggest that Tav/Durge became Astarion 2.0 of their own free will, believing the beautiful, false words of AA and accepting the gift of eternity.
So no. For me, this theory remains just headcanon and was obviously never intended by Astarion's writers.
Obviously, there is no "vampire bride" or happy ending in this story. "I can fix him/he'll be different with me/happy couple of villains" is a place for fantasies, headcanon, and fanfiction ideas. That's clearly not what this ending is about.
I also began to see more and more arguments that without romance, AA is a bad ending, but with romance it magically becomes a good ending. So who is the "fixer"? And what is the "I can fix him" trope really about? It's all wierd and confusing, if you know what I mean.
A simple answer from AI why it is natural to choose the route of Redemption for Astarion.
From a Christian and Biblical perspective, Redemption is the correct and righteous path for Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3, rather than Ascension.
1. Redemption Aligns with the Biblical Concept of Repentance
Christianity teaches that true freedom and salvation come through repentance and a turning away from sin, rather than through power and domination.
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
(Acts 3:19)
Astarion, by choosing Redemption, acknowledges his past sins, renounces the path of cruelty, and seeks a better way of living. This mirrors the Biblical principle that true transformation comes from seeking righteousness, not power.
2. Ascension Represents Pride, Which Leads to Destruction
The Bible warns that pride and the pursuit of power lead to downfall. In Ascension, Astarion chooses to take Kazador’s place, embracing power and control over others. This is similar to the sin of Lucifer, who was cast down for his arrogance.
"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."
(Proverbs 16:18)
"For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
(Matthew 23:12)
If Astarion chooses Ascension, he succumbs to pride and the lust for power, which are condemned in Christian teachings. Instead of breaking free from his oppressor’s influence, he becomes another tyrant, perpetuating the same cycle of sin.
3. True Freedom Comes from Choosing Love and Selflessness
Christianity teaches that freedom is not about ruling over others but about serving in love. Jesus himself, despite being divine, chose to humble himself rather than seeking earthly power.
"Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant."
(Matthew 20:26)
Astarion’s Redemption path mirrors this by rejecting the hunger for domination and instead choosing to live freely without harming others. By renouncing his reliance on bloodlust, he embraces a life of self-control and love, which aligns with Christian virtues.
4. Redemption Offers True Life, While Ascension Leads to Spiritual Death
The Bible emphasizes that choosing righteousness leads to life and peace, while choosing power and sin leads to destruction.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(Romans 6:23)
In Ascension, Astarion remains trapped in a cycle of hunger, cruelty, and selfishness, ultimately losing his humanity. In contrast, Redemption represents a new beginning, where he learns to control his instincts and live a more virtuous life.
Conclusion: Redemption is the Christian Choice
Based on Biblical principles, Redemption is the correct and moral path for Astarion because:
✅ It aligns with the concept of repentance and transformation (Acts 3:19).
✅ It rejects pride and the lust for power, which lead to destruction (Proverbs 16:18).
✅ It embraces humility and selflessness, which are virtues of Christ (Matthew 20:26).
✅ It leads to true spiritual freedom and life, rather than remaining enslaved by power (Romans 6:23).
👉 In Christian terms, Redemption represents breaking free from sin and choosing righteousness, while Ascension is the path of pride, corruption, and ultimate ruin.
