SotWC, Sacrifice and Grief
Saw someone characterizing Gabrielle's sacrifice as "the result of her obsession" and knew I have to make this post after all.
(This is solely my interpretation, yours might be completely different.)
Narratively the whole bringing Darien back mirrors his own Summerset sacrifice - he has to watch what the player had to seven years ago. A person they care about (circumstantial for the player, I guess, keep that in mind) disappearing in a golden light.
Darien's Summerset sacrifice has a selfish nature: 1) the whole "I wouldn't do this for anyone else"; 2) the fact that shortly before it he realizes it's the sole thing he was sent there for and is willing to oblige. Because Meridia still promised him freedom for being a good obedient vessel. Saving the world in this is just 1+1=3 situation. Some of his Solstice dialogue suggests that as well. He was aiding or saving his favorite person first, not selflessly saving the world back then.
In comparison, Gabrielle's Solstice sacrifice is purely selfless. She's dying anyway, beyond help, and instead of clutching at her immortal soul she lets it be swallowed by whatever is eating those up after using the Gift. She chooses to do something no one else but her can in this moment. There's no regret following her decision. Remember "Words of the Fallen"? It starts with words of regret, in form of a warning but regret none the less. Words of comfort only come after that.
Processing Gabrielle's sacrifice and his own grief eventually pushes Darien to his second (third?) sacrifice. And now it's selfless, it's his last resort. The fight before that is lengthy, so he really tries to deal with the threat alongside the player without skipping straight to giving up on himself.
Gabrielle is hardly "obsessive". She searches for the ways to find Darien after Coldharbour because she thinks he's still alive, transported into a different realm. Last time we saw her before SotWC, we tell her about his demise and… she lets go basically. Nor her, nor Skordo, don't have any dialogue about Darien in the Prologue to indicate "still ongoing search/resurrection plan". Places and situations on Solstice are reminding Gabrielle of him and is what brought him up in a dialogue.
Player, on the other hand, is the one being obsessive (circumstantial).
On Summerset it's them having an option to tell Darien they've been looking for him everywhere. After Summerset they're the first to bring him up to Skordo. Their confession about missing him prompts Gabrielle to confess about her own somewhat suppressed feelings.
IMO: Gabrielle not only saves Darien's life by plucking him out of the Void and making him mortal again (with a catch), but saves the Vestige's life (circumstantial) and breaks a potential circle of sacrificing themselves for one another repeatedly (with Summerset sacrifice being done for the Vestige and some players giving signs of willing to do the same for Darien). We don't really want another Sam and Dean Winchesters here, right? Right?
The Vestige, saved, also has a mirror of their own to gaze upon - Darien in his grief. His friend's death haunts him, messes with his mood and makes people around him less tolerable towards his sadness. Much like what actual Darien fans and their characters experienced in game and from other fandom folks (I know I did) for the past seven years. This shared experience is a perfect foundation for us having an option to cheer Darien up and support him through this struggle in his arc.
So… That's it. That's the post.
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