Baldur's Gate 3 has many deep and surprisingly thoughtful romance options to pursue, but one of them comes almost out of nowhere.
Highlights
- Baldur's Gate 3 offers players the chance to engage in romantic relationships with several core cast members.
- One surprise romance option is the Dream Visitor, who is revealed to be The Emperor, an adventurer transformed into a Mind Flayer. The emotional bond between the protagonist and The Emperor develops through discussions about their past and a potential romantic undertone.
- The romance with The Emperor is unique in concept but comes a little out of left field. It could have been more popular if there were earlier hints or dialogue options alluding to deeper feelings, as it feels a bit rushed. Still, it is certainly interesting.
Baldur's Gate 3 offers players an opportunity to romance several members of its core cast. Most of the options available are other party members whom players get to form a connection with, taking their emotional arc in several different directions. Although these romantic subplots can start early in a campaign, the story spans throughout the whole game, evolving alongside other choices and elevating Baldur's Gate 3's romance to another level.
Not every romance can begin in the game's first act however, only being able to be initiated at far later points in the game. One of these is with the Dream Visitor, a customizable individual living in the Artefact Shadowheart carries. This alone might be somewhat of a surprise since conversations before the start of the third act don't hint at any potential feelings, but there is an even bigger surprise behind who the Dream Visitor is.
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The Emperor Being a Romance Option Comes Almost Out of Nowhere
The Dream Visitor's true identity is an individual known as The Emperor and was an adventurer who was forcibly transformed into a Mind Flayer, serving the Absolute for years before regaining their sentience. They took on the form that players customized to make their claims easier to believe, and their role as a guide remains as such for the whole journey whether players choose to follow their recommendations or not. It's one of the biggest character twists in Baldur's Gate 3, and it's after the fact that a relationship can develop between them and the protagonist.
Friendly Mind Flayers are not an entirely unheard of concept within Baldur's Gate 3 since one lives in the Underdark, but The Emperor's reveal is a far greater shock as they are someone who had been by the player's side for many hours. Although they had made their opinions known beforehand, an actual emotional bond can start developing should the player be accepting of them.
The seed of a romantic connection begins when discussing The Emperor's relationship with Duke Stelmane, who served as their partner during their time in the Knights of the Shield. They describe missing them, mourning her death as the two had a deep connection, and in a rather touching moment, the player can hold The Emperor's hand as a show of solidarity. While this moment is very probable to happen between friends, there is a potential romantic undertone players can act upon the next time they speak.
In a scene that potentially opens up a romantic arc that is arguably Baldur's Gate 3's most unique in concept alone, The Emperor appears shirtless and alludes to having feelings toward the protagonist due to the kindness and empathy they showed the Mind Flyer even after their true form was revealed. Players can act disgusted or turn them down politely, or they can reciprocate these feelings. This would mean romantic entanglement with a Mind Flayer, something Larian Studios said was not in Baldur's Gate 3.
There is some build-up before this scene, but it also comes a little out of left field. Something that would have made this pursuit feel less hurried is if more dialogue options potentially alluded to deeper feelings brewing. It makes some sense for The Emperor to potentially develop feelings as the player has to decide their fate several times during the game, but development on the protagonist's end could be seen as a little rushed.
Having The Emperor be a love interest is one of the more interesting twists the story can take, but it would potentially be more popular if the seeds were planted sooner. Baldur's Gate 3 features many options for romance, so it's a shame this one will likely be overlooked due to how late its introduction is.
Baldur's Gate 3 is out now on PC and will come out September 6 on PS5. A version for Xbox Series X/S is in development.
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