Baldur’s Gate 3 Turns One—But Karlach’s Mind Flayer Ending Still Haunts Fans

It’s been a full year since Baldur’s Gate 3 landed in players’ hands, and the dust has barely settled. Despite patches, awards, and an extra post-launch ending, fans are still grappling with the emotional wreckage of one particular storyline. And yes, we’re talking about Karlach.

She deserved better.

A Character Too Good for This World

Karlach was never built for a happy ending. That much was clear early on. The flame-hearted Tiefling was introduced as a warrior with a broken engine for a heart, doomed to either burn out or burn away in Avernus.

Her options were already cruel: return to hell, die with purpose, or become something… else.

And then came the Mind Flayer choice. For some players, it seemed like the only way to keep her alive, especially if you wanted to face the final boss with her by your side. But the cost? That’s the kicker.

The Illithid Ending Isn’t a Life—It’s a Disguise

You’d think turning into a Mind Flayer would be the worst part of it.

But it’s not.

In an interview with PCGamer, Karlach’s voice actor Samantha Béart said the performance for that ending was done very intentionally—Karlach is barely there. What you’re seeing is a shadow of her, a mimic. It might look like Karlach, maybe even sound like her. But the soul? Gone.

“Not very much. This is now an impersonator playing Karlach,” Béart said.

She explained that her animated gestures—so central to Karlach’s identity—were stripped back. Her warmth, her fire, her humor… dulled. Muted. What remains is a ghost in alien skin, puppeteering a version of the character fans came to adore.

Players Didn’t See It Coming—And That’s the Problem

For many fans, choosing the Mind Flayer route didn’t feel like a mistake.

Karlach was vocal about her hatred of Avernus. She begged not to go back. Dying felt cruel. So when the chance came to let her “live” by transforming, players jumped at it. Maybe she could be saved later. Maybe there was hope.

But nope.

• There’s no redemption arc.

• No second chance.

• No “true Karlach” peeking through.

Instead, what they got was a beautifully acted, heartbreakingly hollow ending. A character who’d spent dozens of hours lighting up your screen now a blank-eyed shell of her former self.

Every Ending Hurts—and That’s the Point

There’s no “good” ending for Karlach. That’s not a bug. It’s the whole design.

Larian Studios leaned into that heartbreak. RPGs often give players power, freedom, hope. But sometimes, the best stories aren’t the happiest ones—they’re the ones that cut deep.

One player summarized the experience perfectly: “No matter what I chose, it felt like I was grieving her.”

There’s tragedy in every route:

• Avernus? Eternal torment.

• Death? Heroic sacrifice.

• Illithid? Unrecognizable survival.

And that’s what makes Baldur’s Gate 3 unforgettable.

So… Why Did They Add Another Ending?

In response to fan outcry, Larian patched in a new option post-launch—a “ride or die” ending where the player character can go with Karlach to Avernus. It doesn’t fix anything, but it feels less like abandonment. At least she’s not alone.

Still, it’s not a happy fix. It’s a band-aid on a bullet wound.

And here’s the irony: the game gives you the illusion of choice, but no matter what you pick for Karlach, it still feels like loss. Like something unfinished. And maybe that’s the point.

The Performance That Made It All Work

Karlach wouldn’t hurt this much if she hadn’t been so alive.

Samantha Béart’s performance is one of the most memorable in recent RPG history. Her version of Karlach is vibrant, warm, and deeply human—even when she’s, technically, not.

Fans have called her “the heart of the party” and “a comfort character.” That’s what makes her fate so unbearable.

She laughs, she jokes, she roars through combat. She talks about sausages. And then she’s gone.

Just like that.

Larian’s Future Looks Just as Wild

While players continue to cry over Karlach’s fate, Larian Studios is already looking ahead.

According to recent interviews, they’re not resting after Baldur’s Gate 3. They’re cooking up not one, but two new RPGs. Yes. Two. Madness.

Good thing they’ve put together a brand-new storytelling department to help.

And they’ll need it. Because expectations after BG3? They’re sky high.

Meanwhile, Owlcat Games producer Anatoly Shestov, who spoke to the press about creating RPGs at this scale, admitted you’d have to be “crazy” to attempt something like this again. Oh, and he wants to make a proper SCP RPG.

Honestly? Sign us up.