A narrative as detailed and complex as Baldur's Gate 3 is sure to promise many secrets and big reveals. On this topic, it certainly delivers! From Isobel's lineage to the hiding place of Yurgir's final Dark Justiciar, to the fate of Mayrina should players meet her again in act three.
There are far too many twists in Baldur's Gate 3 that it would be impossible to cover them all in one list article. But there are plenty of reveals that stand out above the rest for the punch that they packed, the gasps that they caused, and the impression they have left on players long after the credits have rolled.
WARNING! Major story spoilers ahead.
10 What's In Yenna's Soup?
Not since Detective Mills in Se7en asked what's in the box has a question been so stomach-churning. Yenna is a sweet little girl, who can join the player's camp after her mother goes missing. She brings her equally adorable and very shy cat, Grub, with her, and the pair are inseparable. Yenna makes herself useful in camp, cooking soups and stews for the party members. However, one cutscene sees her acting very strange.
She wants players to taste her soup and guess the mystery ingredient. It turns out that she has put special meat in the stew. Her beloved cat, Grub. Yenna then contorts and reveals herself to be Orin the Red, the terrifying shapeshifter. To make things worse, Orin reveals that she has captured the real Yenna, but poor Grub has already found his way into the player character's stomach.
9 The Stone Lord's Identity
In Baldur's Gate, players are likely to hear whispers of the violent criminal leader, The Stone Lord. They are established as a brutal and threatening character. That is why The Stone Lord's identity comes as such a surprise when players eventually meet him. The Stone Lord is actually Minsc, a beloved character from the series.
While this reveal loses some of its impact for players unaware of Minsc or who may have seen his mimic-busting scene that featured heavily in promotion, it is still shocking to see an infamous character introduced so late and in an antagonistic role. It's revealed that he is only acting up because he is being controlled by a mindflayer tadpole and manipulated by a shapeshifter 'Jaheira', but the initial shock is nonetheless an impactful one.
8 Finding Vanra
While there is a whole side quest in Baldur's Gate dedicated to finding the missing girl, Vanra, some may be shocked when they find out where the girl is. Another Baldur's Gate side quest centers around helping a group of hag survivors as they tackle the reappearance of Auntie Ethel.
Should players confront her, she will be appalled by their manners. Especially since she reveals that she is 'eating for two'. Auntie Ethel is 'pregnant'. She has become pregnant in the way that most hags get pregnant; by swallowing a child whole. In this case, it is the fate of poor Vanra. Luckily, players who defeat Auntie Ethel can cut the traumatized girl straight out of the hag's belly, or even make her vomit the girl up.
7 The Identity of Zariel's 'Devil Asset'
At camp in act two, Wyll is approached by an apparition of his patron, Mizora. She has a task for him that she cannot afford for him to fail. As it happens, he can't afford to fail either, or she will turn him into a lemure, the lowliest of fiends. The task is to rescue one of Archdevil Zariel's assets from Moonrise Towers, where they are being held by the cult of the Absolute.
When players finally storm Moonrise at the apex of act two, players may find it surprising, although not at all out of character, that the 'devil asset' is none other than Mizora herself. It seems obvious in hindsight. Of course, she couldn't afford for Wyll to fail when it was her life on the line. But the initial reveal can really take players aback.
6 Kagha's True Motives
Kagha is a very severe act one character, but her true motives can be shocking. Kagha wants to evict the tiefling refugees from the Druid Grove and perform a forbidden Rite of Thorns to seal the grove off from the world, even killing a child if it means making her plans come to fruition.
Players can find evidence that there is more behind her behavior than a harsh drive to protect the grove. In a tree in the Sunlit Wetlands/Putrid Bog, players can find evidence that Kagha intends to claim the Druid Grove for the sinister Shadow Druids. Players can put a stop to Kagha's plans, but discovering her true motives is enlightening, especially because it can be challenging to find.
5 The Dark Urge's Past
Anyone who has played a Dark Urge character will know that this character's past is shrouded in mystery, all of their memories lost. Most of their arc, especially if players are trying to resist their dark urges, is spent trying to discover who exactly the Dark Urge is.
The more players learn, the darker the storyline becomes. Eventually, players discover that, like Orin the Red, the Dark Urge is a progeny of Bhaal. Whether players decide to embrace their lineage or reject Bhaal's influence, this is a truly shocking reveal, especially since it makes the player character closer to an antagonist than a protagonist.
4 Finding The Nightsong
The quest to find a weapon known as The Nightsong begins quite early in act one, but players won't actually find this weapon until likely the later parts of act two. When players do find it, its true identity is likely to come as a big surprise. It turns out that The Nightsong, although powerful, is far from a simple weapon.
The Nightsong, found in The Gauntlet Of Shar, is actually an aasimar called Dame Aylin. A very important character, her existence is likely to cause some conflict, since her powers are being used to give Ketheric Thorm his immortality, and Shadowheart will also want to slay Aylin to become a Dark Justiciar of Shar. Finding The Nightsong definitely causes more of a stir than players might have expected from 'the weapon'.
3 The Astral Prism's Captive
The Dream Visitor/The Emperor is not the only inhabitant of the Astral Prism. Towards the start of act three, players learn that a githyanki is being held hostage there, and their identity is a truly shocking reveal. The Astral Prism is the prison of the githyanki prince, Orpheus.
He was imprisoned by the githyanki lich queen, Vlaakith, and The Emperor has been manipulating Orpheus's ability to block out the elder brain's psionic influence. While it is a truly shocking revelation, it can't quite compete with the initial shock and breach of trust that is the reveal of The Dream Visitor's true identity.
2 The Dream Visitor's Identity
One of the major reveals and pivotal moments of Baldur's Gate 3, which is likely to become one of the most iconic reveals, comes at the start of act three. After leaving the Shadow-Cursed Lands, the party's long rest is interrupted by a band of invading githyanki. Players must escape through the portal to the Astral Prism where their dream visitor is battling the githyanki.
However, they no longer look like the guardian that players have created. They are in their true form. That of a mindflayer. This can shatter the trust of players and is a core twist in the game's narrative.
1 The Emperor's Past
The Emperor has another reveal for players, bound to produce some gasps. He explains that he used to be an adventurer, but it can take a while for him to reveal the full extent of his past. One of the best ways to get this reveal is to infiltrate the trials under Wyrm's Rock Prison and confront the dragon, Ansur.
An awe-inspiring character, Ansur was the dragon ally of the great hero and city founder, Balduran. Players learn that The Emperor was Balduran himself. It is possibly one of the most shocking reveals in the game, with a huge impact on Dungeons and Dragons lore as a whole.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available on PC and PlayStation 5. A version for Xbox Series X/S is currently in development.