I do agree with Emma Gregory that, while it's nice the knock out method has allowed more people to enjoy Minthara's character, it has the potential to weaken the complexity of her character, especially for those who never experience her full arc (act 1 included) as intended. It also, I think, fundamentally changes the relationship between her and the main player character.

The decision to raid the grove is a deliberately heavy one, and I think there's an irreconcilable difference in the dynamic between Minthara and a player who actively participated in one of the Absolute's atrocities, and that between Minthara and a player who remained morally irreproachable throughout act 1. Raiding the grove leaves you with no moral high ground over Minthara post-mind control, except for what you do going forward.

That's how it worked for my Tav (now a Durge)—she regretted it at the time, but as her bond with Minthara grew she found her confidence in her own Paladin ideals returning, and she sought to not fall into despair or seek atonement, but to carry on doing good despite her fall. Had I skipped that entire dilemma by knocking her out, that bond wouldn't be the same, they wouldn't be struggling with such similar past burdens, and their story would suffer as a result.

As Fray the Dark Knight trainer from Final Fantasy 14 said, "Do not seek forgiveness, for it will not ease the burden. It weighs as it should."

Killing the grove, I think, weighs exactly as it should.

Wyll has the hardest entrance in bg3 and no one can argue with that. They had him entering the field like a smash bros character, like:

when youre running late for saving your soulmate from a cursed pirate ship

hades explaining that he’s the god of the dead, not the god of death

Stay still, love

minthara's dating profile 🩸🗡️

[x]

I need to be kidnapped by kind aliens who take me to the alien vet and they know exactly what's wrong with me and they cure me and feed me nutritious meals

Minthara calling Shadowheart by her government name at the epilogue party

It's so funny how when you ask Minthara what she thinks of the other companions she's like "ew why would I get to know Gale, he's just going to explode anyway" and then immediately turns around and is like "I think Karlach is so cool and sexy for how she lives in the moment and doesn't let the fact that she's going to explode get her down"

Like girl just say you don't respect men

Karlach weighted blanket & Minthara beloved

Bothersome beast, comforting friend

the fact that i'm no longer the same age as the protagonists of novels and films i once connected to is so heartbreaking. there was a time when I looked forward to turning their age. i did. and i also outgrew them. i continue to age, but they don't; never will. the immortality of fiction is beautiful, but cruel.

When all this is over, will you stay with me? For good?