CompletingBaldur’s Gate 3takes dozens of hours, and its story spans over three sprawling acts. There is, however, an alternative ending toBaldur’s Gate 3at the end of Act 2 that only becomes available if Gale is in the party when investigating the mind flayer colony. With all the Absolute’s Chosen gathered in the same place, Gale offers to detonate the orb in his chest, killing everyone in Moonrise Towers including all enemies, himself, and the party.
This course of action results in the game ending and the credits rolling. It’s an incredibly tragic ending because it forces Gale to end everything, all with the knowledge that he’s doomed his friends, made even worse if the player character is in aromantic relationship with Gale. But the worst part of this ending is that it does nothing to stop the illithid invasion. As soon as the Elder Brain is destroyed in the explosion, all the people who had been tadpoled immediately transform into mindflayers.
The Consequences of Baldur’s Gate 3’s Gale-Driven Act Two Ending
AsBaldur’s Gate 3’s story makes clear, by Act Two ofBaldur’s Gate 3, many people had tadpoles inserted into their heads and ceremorphosis delayed. With thedestruction of the Elder Brain, that delay ends immediately, resulting in thousands of people across the Sword Coast instantly transforming into violent mind flayers. Gale’s decision to end his life doesn’t solve anything; in fact, it just makes things all the worse.
This is a downward trajectory for Gale’s character and story arc, which begins with the orb in his chest and begins to get worse whenElminster appears with a message from Mystra. His relationship with the goddess of magic is a strained one, and when she instructs him to use the orb inside of him to kill himself to destroy the Absolute, he begins a journey of despair. This journey is the heart of his character arc in Act Two, where he struggles to come to terms with the task that Mystra has given him. His resolve to end it all comes with the inner peace that his death would save Faerun from the Absolute, and that he trusts that Mystra would not lead him astray.
There are Better Outcomes For Everyone in Baldur’s Gate 3
Mystra does, however, lead him astray. His death is proven to be completely unnecessary and, it could be argued, worse than if the three Chosen had succeeded, making his death completely meaningless. Instead,Gale not dying at all in Act Twois the best outcome, as waiting to defeat the Elder Brain at a later point in Act Three proves to be the better path.
Gale’s orb detonation not only kills himself, but the entire party, everyone on the Sword Coast that has been infected with a tadpole, and their subsequent victims once they become mind flayers and begin preying on victims for their brains. As the narrator states, this is an ending, but not the best outcome, with too much loss and devastation, and certainly not what the party inBaldur’s Gate 3is capable of. That this outcome was ordered byMystra, the goddess of magic, makes it all the worse as she should know better, but is happy to sacrifice an untold number of people to get rid of an object that could challenge her.
Baldur’s Gate 3
WHERE TO PLAY
Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCEChoose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPICForged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian’s next-generation RPG engine.
