MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR BALDUR'S GATE 3 AHEAD
Baldur's Gate 3 offers the opportunity to interact with a wide variety of different companions, requiring players to build relationships with these characters throughout the game's story. Karlach, the Tiefling Barbarian, has won the hearts of many players and has quickly become one of Baldur's Gate 3's best romance options for many players. For those who are curious about pursuing Karlach as a companion or romantic partner, some may have questions regarding the possible endings Karlach has in the game.
Although the love for this big-hearted Tiefling Barbarian is growing amongst the fandom, Baldur's Gate 3's Karlach storylines don't exactly have the happiest of outcomes, and this is one of the main reasons why the character's many arcs have turned out to be one of the most compelling storylines in the game. Karlach's main story revolves around the repair of her infernal engine. She learns after this repair that it's too hot for the material plane, meaing it will kill her soon enough if she doesn't return to Avernus. However, returning to Avernus means she must leave the life she loves for a place she worked hard to escape.
Karlach's Endings Tell a Bittersweet Story
The saddest part about Karlach and her various endings is that none of them are clearly good or bad. Her story's ends are rife with gray areas, putting players through the emotional ringer if they become attached to her. There are two possible endings that involve Karlach returning to the dreaded Avernus, which for her is a fate worse than death due to her resentment of being forced into war. She can either return to Avernus with Wyll or return to Avernus with the player by her side, but as stated before, returning to Avernus is definitely something players who care about Karlach don't want to do, and there's no way of knowing what will happen to the player in Avernus if they choose to journey with Karlach.
The third option is that Karlach is presented with the opportunity to become an Illithid in order to stop the Netherbrain, but this is a choice that would completely change Karlach. This option would keep her alive on the material plane, but she would no longer be the Karlach that players have come to know and love throughout the story. Baldur's Gate 3 is filled with difficult choices, and the option to save Karlach but at the possible detriment of her personality is a perfect example of these hard choices. For the most part, it seems Karlach maintains her identity in a changed form, but even that rosier approach also means a lifetime of shame and being hunted/untrusted for her.
- Players could leave Karlach behind or kill her during Act One.
- She could become Enthralled by the player, if they become The Absolute.
- Karlach returns to Avernus alongside Wyll or the player.
- Karlach could become an Illithid that stops the Netherbrain
- Karlach can die after defeating the Netherbrain
The final, and saddest, choice is unfortunately probably the best ending for Karlach. Players can fight alongside her to defeat the Netherbrain, but after the battle is over, Karlach will go out onto a dock and accept her fate, dying right there. She will die, but she will at least die as a hero and as herself. Players can stay by her side as her time comes to a bittersrweet ending. It sounds terrible that the good ending is to let her die, but she at least gets to die free from the oppression of Avernus with her companion by her side. Out of all the options Baldur's Gate 3 provides for Karlach, this heartwrenching climax is a beautifully tragic send off for an wonderfully crafted character.
Baldur's Gate 3's incredible success is partially due to the amazing stories the team at Larian Studios have brought to life. A story as moving as Karlach's is one that some would expect to find in movies or television, but this is just one part of an even larger story, perfectly demonstrating just how much wonderful storytelling is in Baldur's Gate 3. With this game, Larian Studios has really set the standard for future fantasy RPGs and various RPGs in general. No matter which ending a player pursues for Karlach, all possibilties present a compelling narrative, and that's one of the many things that make Baldur's Gate 3 so good.
Baldur's Gate 3 is out now for PC with a PS5 version coming September 6. An Xbox version of the game is also in development.
