#gale's opinion

[gale-gentlepenguin]

Gale's Opinion (read: FACT) on Penguins

You mean the closest thing to perfection ever made?

Penguins are peak

[nuka-rockit]

his lack of rizz and swagless aura have captivated me your honor

[elminstersapprentice]

[myrkulitescourge]

for all the screencaps and gifsets of astarion's kiss animation with flycam, i haven't seen anyone post his big, dopey grin just before the camera cuts to him

face of a man just SO stoked for kissies

[finnicks-elbow]

[tumbleweed-run]

PLEASE, I beg of you, I crave a story that plays after Gale had the conversation in Act 2 with Tav of him beeing wooed seing her in battle. It was the moment the Wizardman owned me...

“But standing by your side through such darkness and disrepair, it only makes me want you more.”

You blink slowly, your brain still catching up with everything that has just happened. As Gale’s words sink in he’s already turned to other matters and you groan inwardly at your delay. The others, at least, have the decency to pretend they hadn’t heard anything you two had said. And if they make themselves a little more scarce after speaking to Jaheira once again, you’re all the more grateful for it. 

You make up your mind and grab Gale’s arm, all but dragging him into an occupied room. He’s opened his mouth, no doubt to question your manhandling of him, but you silence him quickly by smashing your mouth against his. He immediately melts against you. 

This kiss is more than anything you’ve shared this far. You both have been so wary of setting off the damned orb that you’ve done little more than small pecks and holding hands at camp. This is tongues dancing, hands grasping for any place to hold. You can still smell the aftermath of the previous fight, feel it as Gale unknowingly bumps against bruises. For the most part, he thankfully seems unharmed - the benefits of being a wizard. 

The heat that had pooled between your thighs is now a raging inferno, and you can feel Gale is very much in the same state. But even as you reach for his robes he stops you, hand grasping your wrist gently. 

“Not here,” he pants, lips having barely moved from yours to speak. 

A frustrated noise escapes your lips, “you can’t just say those things,” you grouse at him, trying to wiggle your hand free. 

He chuckles, the sound rumbling across your cheek. 

“The first time we make love,” Gale says confidently as if he can’t imagine a world where this isn’t love, “we will do it properly. You deserve it done right.”

“Gale,” you plead, but it's halfhearted. You can tell he won't relent from this. 

“I will not leave you in such a state, though,” Gale promises, a mischievous look on his face, “It would not go well for us if you’re unfocused.”

He guides you backward until you bump against a table. You grab at it to keep it from toppling over, and as you do, Gale takes advantage of your distraction and quickly undoes your pants. He’s got them down to your knees by the time your brain catches up to what he’s doing. He follows them down, sinking to his own knees before you. 

“Gale,” you gasp at the sight. You’re armor is still on, still covered in blood and dirt from the battle, but Gale kneels before you, looking untouched and nearly perfect. It only adds fuel to the flames of your desires for him. 

His only response is to lean forward and press a kiss against the mound of your cunt, just for a moment, before slipping his tongue between your folds. You quickly rip your glove from your hand, tossing it off to the side, and then thread your hand into his hair. The first few passes of his tongue between your legs feel like an experiment, slow and calculating. You swear you can feel him smirk against your skin when a pass over your clit makes you jump and swear. 

He’s significantly less restrained after that, all but burying his face between your folds. The sounds he’s making cause your knees to buckle. Suddenly, you’re relying on the table to keep you up. He’s so loud and eager you swear the rest of the inn should be able to hear the two of you. The thought heats your face even as your head falls back and you spread your thighs as far as your pants will allow.

A finger slides inside of you, joining quickly into the rhythm his tongue has found, and then another. You’re moaning freely, fingers gripping the table so tightly you’ll be surprised if there aren’t grooves worn into the wood later. Your hips begin moving of their own accord, rolling forward, seeking more. Gale is quick to respond, his tongue now moving expertly against your clit as his fingers fuck deeper inside of you, finding a spot that makes you gasp and stand on tiptoe. 

It doesn’t take long and you come, cry only muffled as you nearly bite through your lip. Your hips don’t stop moving as wave after wave of pleasure courses through you. Gale moans between your legs, tongue and fingers drawing out your orgasm for as long as possible. Only once your knees start to buckle does he stop, withdrawing his fingers from you only to grasp at your bare hips to keep you upright. 

When he stands, you lean forward against him, panting, your body finally coming down from a multitude of sensations. As your head clears you reach forward to attempt to rub his cock with your palm but Gale easily sidesteps you. 

“What about you?” You ask, surprised to hear your voice as level as it is. 

“I am perfectly fine waiting, my love,” Gale says as he presses a soft kiss to your head. 

You flush at the implication that you were unable to control your own lust. A chuckle from above you and another kiss in your hair lets you know Gale might just be able to tell what you’re thinking. 

[everlarksquell]

finnick and katniss’s friendship brings such a comedic relief in catching fire. their banter is unmatched, and how they come together to prank peeta(????? gotta love them.

[dreamingofthewild]

I really want to speak about Gale's version of the new evil endings but no one is. More under the cut. Warning: spoilers for patch 7, please proceed with caution.

Gale's new evil ending feels like a powerful "what if," an exploration of what happens when his frustration, ambition, and disillusionment take over. I've always headcanoned that Dark!Gale emerges when the Karsite Weave corrupts him, and this ending supports that idea nicely.

It's a dramatic "screw you" to Mystra and could even pave the way for another of her downfalls or a major shakeup in the Faerûnian pantheon if the story were to be taken further. Watching him rip off that earring and seeing Mystra's statue topple was deeply satisfying, like watching a long suppressed storm break free.

In this ending, Gale isn't just angry at Mystra—he's furious with all the gods. His bitterness and jadedness come from viewing these deities as remote figures who manipulate and abuse mortals. This resentment grows as he witnesses how the gods have mistreated those around him and their consistent inaction. It’s like watching a pot simmer for too long until it inevitably boils over.

In the boat scene, Gale's bitterness towards the gods is palpable. Having glimpsed their celestial realms, he understands their power and is incensed by their refusal to intervene.

Imagine the orb feeding on his ambition and hatred, possibly spurred on by Astarion, Shadowheart, or Lae'zel. It's easy to see how he could end up on this dark path. This isn't the natural progression of his storyline, but rather a tragic twist where his indignation and fury at the gods consume him.

In this ending, he starts off as a hero with noble intentions but falls into darkness. He believes he is liberating everyone from the whims of the gods, when in reality, he will only cause chaos. It's reminiscent of a Greek myth, where the hero's flaws lead to their downfall. He still technically has good intentions, at least from his perspective, but in reality it's chaotic and will likely end in ragnorak. His ambition and ire have blinded him. He looses himself to them.

This ending delivers everything I wanted from a darker portrayal of Gale. While it may not be his best or my favourite ending for him, it’s undeniably cathartic and epically tragic.

Tl:Dr in summary Dark!Gale in his evil ending decides to wage a war against the gods. He uses his mind control powers to make everyone angry with the gods. They topple Mystra's statue and I presume they follow him through the tear in the sky he made to the heavens. He sees this as liberating them. But the scene ends there so we don't know what happens.

Alexa play Black Parade.

[deiastormborn]

Gale of Waterdeep; A much needed look beneath the surface 

Hey all. This is a script for the video I made in defense of Gale. I never had a place to put the text version of it anywhere else, but... if Tumblr isn't a good place for it, then what is?

Warning: Long Read!

________________________

Hi, my name is Stormborn. I’ve been playing Baldur’s Gate for some time, enjoyed it quite a bit. As much as I can appreciate every companion that the game has introduced, Gale of Waterdeep, a charming lil’ wizard, has caught my attention the most. At glance, he is this sarcastic happy-to-go man, always joking around, trying to do the right thing. But, the more you get to know him, the more you slowly uncover his trauma, as much as he, himself, is trying to deny it.

Honestly, I thought that Gale would be liked by many people, I genuinely expected him to be one of the most chosen companions, and one of the most romanced ones. But, to my surprise, I’ve been seeing him getting more hate than I anticipated. Some people call his way of speaking way too annoying and complicated, some people call him clingy and creepy, mostly due to the glitch that would skyrocket his approval of you, probing him to romance you. Genuinely, it is okay to dislike some companion in favor of the other one. But I could not get rid of the feeling that people just despise his guts unjustifiably. 

One of the main reasons, besides the ones I covered earlier, is that people hate his ‘obsession’ with Mystra, the goddess of magic he happened to romance. I saw people complain that he just cannot stop talking about her, even while you romance him, and I can’t help but wonder if people were paying attention to his story at all. And I cannot blame them, as Gale always portrays his romance with Mystra as something so special, so unique, and as something to be proud of. But, let me explain to why you should be able to judge his story for yourself, rather than simply listen to what he is saying.

Gale is a talented wizard, so talented that he got attention from Mystra herself for his talent of channeling the weave. The story says that he is so powerful, that he could potentially destroy a whole village by basically sneezing in its direction. However, we all need to remember that he got attention from Mystra at the very, very young age. If I am not mistaken, the first time Mystra clawed onto him was when he turned 16. Ever since then, Mystra was feeding him all kinds of praise, prompting him to seek power, ensuring him that he can become Mystra’s chosen, and, mind you, *started romancing him ever since*. It is not a secret that Gale was not the first, however, if you really think of it, such revelation can seriously mess with a mind of a teenager. Not only it might boost the self-esteem, but also make him think that he is better than anyone else. And, I assure you, it is exactly what Mystra wanted. By giving him some form of attention, minimum affection, she had Gale on the hook. And Gale, as a boy obsessed with magic, who has been worshiping Mystra before he even met her, didn’t require much effort in getting hooked. But here comes the problem: as much as it is uplifting to get a praise from a literal Goddess of all magic, it is also as equally devastating to get any kind of critique or a cold shoulder.

Mystra was messing with his mind, making him feel like, no matter how well he does, he can always do better, as he has so much potential. With such authority, Gale would believe her. And it would make him always chase something more to impress her, rather than settle and appreciate what he has. It is also a reason to why the whole mess with the Orb began in the first place. People seem to call Gale power hungry, which, as any companion in the game, it is possible for him to go down that route. But they seem to forget one important detail: Gale thought that the Orb was a missing relic of Mystra’s magic, and he wanted to, yet again, impress her by bringing it back. Please remember that Gale was still a young adult, if not a teenager, when this happened. And it would all be resolved if Mystra would not shatter his self-esteem as much as she did. So, he made a mistake, and the Orb became his burden. And yet again, rather than explain this to her ‘chosen one’, she basically banished him, and left him with no answers for many years to come.

Gale isolated himself to keep people around him safe, with nothing but the books and the cat for the company. I think I do not need to mention on how that can play with your mind, too. But, in spite of all, Gale’s blind loyalty and obsession with Mystra kept him wanting for more attention, more answers, so he kept seeking more power, and more ways to get Mystra’s approval. At the day you first meet him, this is the first time he has been amongst people. Yet he still kept his jolly appearance, messing around with Tav, and appreciating everything that surrounds him.

I do not know if this is obvious just yet, but Mystra has basically groomed the kid. If we look at the very definition of grooming, Grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them. And it is most prominent when it comes from the place of higher authority. I think I do not need to explain that, in the fantasy setting, there is no higher authority than the God or a Goddess. Yet, for one reason or another, this seems to not be taken serious. And I think I have an explanation as to why.

When you talk to Gale about Mystra, or when you let him talk about her first, he is still full of admiration, obsession, and the unending pride. There is still some bitterness lingering somewhere in him, yet it Is not as powerful as any other feeling he has towards her. I’ve noticed people basically hating him for saying something like ‘Yeah, I banged Mystra, that’s pretty cool, right?’. But think of it this way: wouldn’t Mystra *want* him to think that it’s ‘pretty cool’? And who are we to say that it was the real Mystra he had an intimate moment with? For all we know, she might have conjured an illusion, to satisfy him and feed into his ego. If the romance between them was as real as Gale thinks it was, do you really think Mystra would just abandon him with no answers for a mistake such as this? After all, Gale was young, and had barely any experience. All he had was wizards, such as him, or more powerful than him, and her. If she truly cared about putting him to a right path, rather than using him for her needs, the outcome would be ever so different. 

I would also like to address that people do not think of it as a simple coping mechanism. Even if you look at the society these days, most of the time, when a man comes with a confession of, say, a woman taking advantage of him, it is often met with ‘wow dude, you got lucky’, rather than with a serious concern. Who are we to say that Gale, rather than simply try to reflect and recognize his relationship with Mystra as an illusion, didn’t just decide to get along with it and be proud instead? Even then, when you romance him further, he is slowly realizing that it was not as real as he once thought. In Gale’s own words: ‘there is no love between us. I was not the first, and I certainly won’t be the last’. Gale finally, ever so slowly, starts to understand that he was simply used by Mystra for his talent. Being a deity means that you are only powered by the followers you still have. It is in the god’s interests to keep people interested in them, or they will loose power. Using Gale, knowing he was an extremely skillful wizard, was in Mystra’s interests. She does not give him answers, but keeps him interested in her enough to keep him in her claws, spreading more words of her, attracting more people to follow her godhood. There was no real romance, she was interested in his power more than himself. And you can help him realize that.

But, with such dynamic comes a price, which also becomes more prominent when you play the game further: Gale never feels good enough. With the first chance he can sacrifice himself for a greater good, he takes it. He has no real appreciation of his life, he does not take it as something valuable. He is deeply depressed and traumatized. When a person moves away from the environment that scarred them, it can become extremely overbearing, difficult, and overwhelming. People also seem to act as if it is weird that, with any kind of hurt, Gale’s first reaction is to ‘blow himself up’. It doesn’t take much to know that he won’t do it if it were to mean that someone can get hurt, but he is saying that because, maybe, partially, he *wanted* to die. He has finally found appreciation amongst other people, who are not wizards like him, people who do not know him well, and people who do not want him to constantly be the best version of himself. He falls in love with Tav, because Tav is showing him kindness, and proving to him that he does not have to be someone that he is not to be loved. In that very vulnerable state, any kind of hurt or rejection hits you more. Not to mention that, the only time he ever says it, was after the night he spent with you. After he opened up, shared his fears, more of his past, even said out loud that, in truth, he does not want to die. He let himself be vulnerable, the most vulnerable he has probably been in years, so it is not a question of his ego being hurt: it is a situation where a man, who always kept to himself, has finally let someone in, and got hurt. I am sure one of us, at one point in life, said something like ‘well guess I go die’ as a joke. This is the only way Gale knows how to respond: joking about his pain. He does not mean it, but says it anyway, because it is the first thing that came to his mind. He has been a very reserved companion through the whole time, always seemed to know what to say, and he acted on an emotion after a very emotional night. 

It is also a fact that, even while he is slowly realizing that Mystra used him, he does not mind dying because she asked him to do so. That does not only prove a point that Mystra does not have any real regards to him other than a tool, but also that she was using him for her own sake. With The Absolute getting more followers, her power also weakens. The Absolute is a threat, not only because of the infection and danger to mere humans, but also to her godhood. And who better to deal with it than the man she has so methodically conditioned to do as she wishes? You would think that, a goddess as powerful as Mystra, could try to take care of things on her own. And yet again, the only time Mystra ever gives him any answers, is when she needs him to be used. That is, yet again, a definition of the grooming.

Gale will do anything for a little bit of appreciation, anything to be noticed, and we cannot blame him. This is why you, a player, as a Tav, have a power in you to make him realize that he, as he is now, is valid. It is almost as if Gale forgot that he is such a talented wizard after all the stuff with Mystra. You, as a player, have it in you to remind him. And once you do, Gale slowly separated himself from Mystra as her ex-lover, and only answers to her as his deity. After all, she is a goddess of all magic, it will be hard to reject her entirely.

Victims of grooming or any kind of abuse often can’t let go of the person who harmed them. They will talk about them, they will mention them, they might even try to grasp onto good things, or make it seem like bad things that happened weren’t really all that bad. Combine that with a constant feeling of never being good enough, and not knowing a genuine kindness outside of his very small circle, and you have Gale. A charming, sarcastic, jolly Wizard, who is also as ever troubled. 

Moving on to other topic that people seem to judge Gale for, is that, once a chance arrives, he starts grasping onto Godhood, wishing to become a God himself. It is also in that situation where he starts to say that he would have the power to completely overthrow Mystra. People seem to criticize him for his hunger for power, and also, altogether, call him ungrateful. I would like to add another opinion on that: while Gale is slowly realizing that he was being used, he went through all 5 stages of grief. But here comes the other one, that is mentioned much less: revenge. He wants to show Mystra that she was wrong about him. He wants to prove to her that, after all this time, he *was* good, if not better than her. On top of that, he is still trying to fix his never-ending self-esteem issues. While he is seeking godhood, he still thinks that, him, as he is now, will never be enough, and only by becoming God he can truly become worthy… of anything. If you romance him, he later apologizes to you, but also asks to let him explain to why the Godhood would be good for him, and you, as a couple. Gale wants to give you everything. The entire world. He wants to be the very best version of himself, for you, his lover. He thinks that he can only achieve that by becoming a God. He doesn’t realize that, maybe, without it, he can still be a valuable partner. He even talks to you about it, openly, saying that you deserve better. It is, yet again, in your power to remind him that you do not need him to be anything more than he is now. And, rather than with anger, he answers to you with a surprise. He truly, genuinely, can’t believe that you would take him as he is now. This is how deeply his trauma runs in his mind. And, once he finally believes you, this is where he finally calms down. This is finally when he accepts himself, and lets it all go. He is not repaired, but he is on his path towards healing. All because you, a player, convinced him, and reminded him of his value.

I think Gale’s approach towards things have deeply changed the perception of the players. Because he is in so much denial, people seem to just go along with what he says. He is proud of sleeping with Mystra - so people take it for what it is. Gale might not be your type, or even the most interesting companion to you compared to others, but I truly, genuinely think, that the hate he has received has been a little too much. Every companion has a burden, everyone expresses it differently, on their own pace. Gale has chosen the approach that makes the most sense in his situation. He is just a guy who was thrown into a mess made by the Goddess he worshiped at the young age. He is just someone who is trying to do good. And I hope that a small essay such as this helped and shed some light on his story. 

Men can be groomed, they can be taken advantage of. I think it is our duty to also recognize it, and show a little patience. After all, Gale is not the first example of such abuse. And, sadly, won’t be the last.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAnZHJtYkcg

[gale-gentlepenguin]

Gale's opinion crossover Paring for Marinette

As long as it isnt used for salt purposes I dont care

[illegiblewords]

SOME ILLEGIBLE RAMBLES AND REFLECTIONS: GALE AND WYLL AS FORSAKEN CHILDREN

Gale and Wyll share a rather unique element of abuse that I haven't seen discussed yet. Someone's gotta talk about it, might as well be me lol.

I would argue that both Wyll and Gale are being pressured to destroy themselves at the altar of certainty. Wyll pacted with Mizora in the first place because when the cult of Tiamat threatened Baldur's Gate, he was told that destruction and death were inevitable outcomes unless he agreed. Mizora was exploiting fear, self-doubt, and a double-standard in self-worth. Even in the Forgotten Realms I'm pretty sure the future isn't set in stone. There was a definite chance destruction and death could occur due to the cult of Tiamat though, and Wyll was willing to enter an incredibly abusive pact to avoid that possibility. His alternative was to accept that life is struggle and uncertainty by nature, and he does not have total control over outcomes. The idea that his best might not be good enough and others might come to harm was enough to justify self-destruction in Wyll's own mind back then. In scenarios where Wyll ends his pact, it's narratively poetic that Mizora poses the same question. This is a way for audiences to examine whether or not Wyll has changed over the course of his pact, whether he looks at himself and life the way he did originally. Mizora tells him with the same false-pretense of certainty that if he doesn't use her power then his father will die and it will be Wyll's fault for not sacrificing himself in Ulder's name. Having Wyll break the pact feels appropriate to me. Whether he succeeds or fails in saving Ulder, it matters that he makes the attempt as a free man without any guaranteed outcome. If he succeeds, it's an especially good way to spit in the face of Mizora's manipulation. She never knew for sure what tomorrow would bring. She had no right to pretend that she did. Mystra does a similar thing to Gale. Gale might succeed in destroying the Absolute without detonating the orb. He might succeed in retrieving the Crown of Karsus. He might not. Mystra isn't in it for mortals here either way. She wants what she wants for herself when she wants it. And while the scene before the final battle varies depending on choices, I had one where Gale basically started panicking because if he didn't use the orb and the group's efforts failed--he thought that everyone who died to the Absolute and mindflayers would be because of him. He thought it would be cowardice and selfishness not to kill himself. He could have gone up alone, detonated the orb alone, and made CERTAIN nobody died except for him. The alternative was to risk failure for the possibility that he wouldn't need to die too. Like Wyll, Gale was taught not to trust himself. Like Wyll, Gale believes his life and well-being are acceptable prices for 'the greater good'. Like Wyll, Gale is being told that the fault of everyone's suffering if he tries and fails is not the Absolute, not the Emperor, not the Dead Three--but him. His best couldn't overpower those enemies, so it's his fault for letting everyone down. It's his fault for not just killing himself. For Wyll it isn't Mizora's fault if his father dies. It isn't Gortash's faut. Blame falls on him exclusively because he wasn't ready to put himself back into the power of an abuser. The attempt to shift accountability is incredibly dishonest. Both Wyll and Gale are basically being put into the allegory of the foresaken child. For anyone who may not know it, the story goes like this.

There is a perfect, utopian city. No one suffers, no one fights, no disease ravages its streets, no hunger grips its people. And everyone not only lives in peace, but lives in the certainty that their peace will never be broken. There is, however, a price to this. For all the residents of that city to enjoy tranquility a single, innocent child must be sacrificed to endure unimaginable torture. It's because of this child's suffering that everyone else is guaranteed happiness. Is that child's life an acceptable price?

Most people would say it isn't. The allegory exists to illustrate how people might decide to give cruelty and horror a pass.

There is another saying that exists, too. "Those who would sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither." That is also what is being demanded of Wyll and Gale--their freedom, their agency, their efforts rejected as inadequate. Only guaranteed outcomes will do according to their abusers... except life has no guarantees.

I would argue Wyll and Gale are both effectively forsaken children, who are being blamed for balking when told to accept their torment for the good of everyone else. Their abusers condemn them for not treating themselves as expendable.

There's a difference between a sacrifice freely made as a last resort when all alternatives are exhausted, and someone making a sacrifice because they regard their own life as cheap or are afraid of failure as a possibility. There's also a huge difference when someone sacrifices themself as their own idea compared to being coerced or manipulated into it. And as a fun personal experience that accidentally illustrated the point. During my first complete play through, it happened that there were two characters in-range of the Netherbrain. One was Karlach, wailing on the thing until it had about twenty HP left. The other was Gale. Gale had no powerful spells left, and no scrolls left. But he had cantrips and he was in-range. The last move in that fight was Gale killing the Netherbrain with shocking grasp. Considering that Gale started the game with basically none of his archwizard spells, that Mystra had no trust in his capabilities and encouraged him to doubt his own capabilities, that Mystra wanted him to kill himself regardless of whether it was necessary simply because it was certain... having Gale win on the reaction cantrip felt like the biggest fuck you he could have given. Could not have asked for things to unfold better than that personally. In any case the idea that Wyll and Gale come to realize they're more capable than they ever gave themselves credit, that they aren't disposable, and that they aren't to blame for the bad actions of other people seems like a key lesson for both of them imo.

[bharv]

I just feel so passionately about Gale being absolutely excellent at pre-rehearsed romantic lines, planned romantic gestures, beautiful thoughtful gifts etc. but also being the sort of person who would accidentally insult your mother on a two hour long infodumping rampage, who would accidentally wound you to the core and not notice it or you being angry about it for a good day and yes, the sort of person who would see a crown of extreme power beyond most mortal reaches and fuck you with a far off look in his eye as he definitely thinks about himself in that crown the whole time

[messiahzzz]

just saw somebody refer to gale as “guy in his late 20s”. as a certified 28yo let me tell you: THAT MAN is at least in his late 30s to early 40s

[ongreenergrasses]

Okay I gotta hear the meaner and more contentious ones now lol

i think Gale’s actions were justified. i do not and never will understand why this fandom hates him so rabidly. he has been radicalized because he saw his home burn, over nine tenths of his people wiped out, and the responsibility of saving the survivors rested fully on his shoulders. he is a young man that saw one of the most horrific atrocities in the books and he got angry and wanted revenge. and i think if you think for a second that you’re above that, that there’s no way you would react so angrily and throw yourself into making sure that the people who did that were beaten down, you’re kidding yourself. every single one of us has the capacity to act like Gale after going through something like that and i think that reality scares people which is part of why they hate him so much. they want the “perfect victim” that handles trauma in a perfect inoffensive way and he’s not that.

also. something that everyone seems to forget? it’s never actually confirmed that the bomb was his. it’s never explicitly stated that he killed Prim, and even if it was the bomb he created, he specifically did not kill Prim. he had no idea it would be used in such a horrible way. of course Katniss blames him, and that’s her right, but it is never confirmed in the book or the movie that he is responsible for it.

[goblinartsonist]

you guys think they would go on a picnic yes or no

[dreamingofthewild]

I was thinking about the ways in which Astarion & Gale are mirrors to each other.

They both rely on the protagonist. Gale needs help feeding magic to the orb whilst Astarion needs to feed on blood. Both conditions can potentially cause harm to the player character.

Speaking of the protagonist, they are both desperate to gain the trust of the player character and use their respective skills to do so. Whereas Gale tries to make himself useful by using his intelligence and being of service, Astarion attempts to seduce you. Because to the both of them that's the only way they know how.

They are both the only characters who approve of using the tadpoles power.

They are on opposing ends of the morality spectrum but have the potential for change. Gale's desperation to live can cause him to be manipulated into following an evil character. Whereas Astarion can be pushed towards the path of redemption by the way of a good player character who respects his boundaries, autonomy, and doesn't play into doing everything Act 1 Astarion approves of.

They both have scars which are directly related to their abuse.

Both hide their true selves at first. Gale masks his desperation, self-loathing, and past mistakes with polite charm. Astarion uses arrogance and wit to hide his fear and past trauma.

They are both witty and capable of blunt, even cruel, honesty when needed. Gale's is demonstrated more in an evil playthrough. I see it that he always acts as the voice of reason in most cases.

Gale worships a Goddess whereas Astarion was abandoned by all the gods.

Both of their abuse involves coitus in some way. Astarion being forced to use his body to lure victims. Gale, although it is not explicitly stated in the game, intimately worshipped Mystra.

Despite their outward appearances of confidence, both Gale and Astarion harbour deep-seated insecurities and vulnerabilities. They both think that they are not worthy of being loved.

Astarion does not know how to love and Gale only loves deeply.

Gale finds beauty in everything. He is an emotional, highly empathetic, and self-sacrificing person. In contrast to Astarion, who has learnt that empathy and kindness only bring more pain. Who has learnt to give up on kindness and hero's. He thinks the world is a cruel, dark, and unforgiving place. Whereas Gale thinks the world is full of magic.

Gale's unending empathy and moral compass could serve as a stabilizing influence on Astarion's more selfish and morally ambiguous tendencies. Conversely, Astarion's pragmatism and survival instincts could help ground Gale's idealism and prevent him from being too naive or trusting. Their contrasting strengths and weaknesses could complement each other, allowing them to support and uplift one another.

I think they can understand each other and see each other in a way that the other companions can't. Even if they do not end up in a relationship, they are best friends at best.

In a romantic relationship, Gale is a slow burn. He does not care for lying, and I think he sees right through Astarion's theatrics in Act 1 because deep down, they are not unalike. This is why he does not fall for Astarion's attempts to flirt twice. Due to the fact that he was unable to successfully seduce Gale, Astarion acts slightly antagonistically towards him because he sees Gale as a potential threat. I couldn't seduce him. Therefore, why would he want to protect me?

However, Gale continues to protect Astarion anyway. From the Gur, from Araj, from their enemies. Not because he was seduced by Astarion, but because he is fundamentally a good person. Through Gale, he learns that there are truly good people out there.

Astarion is against Gale using the orb in Act 2. Through his brutal honesty, he would be the one to break all the holes in Gale's warped worship of Mystra. He would be the one to catch on and make him see their relationship for what it is and that the god's do not care for mortals. Chosen included. A romanced Astarion would not let Gale ascend to Godhood, especially after being denied ascension himself. And Gale is against Astarion ascending. I think Astarion would also be the only one to recognise it if Gale dissociates during a depressive episode. They both know what it is like to be isolated and condemned to death.

Gale, who would marry his love interest as a Mind Flayer, looks past Astarion's vampirism. He breaks down the walls that Astarion built around himself and gets through to the genuine Astarion. The tiny sliver that is still there desperately seeking redemption and tells him that he is worthy of being loved. He is worthy of a better future.

They do have the potential to draw into each others negative traits and make each other worse.  Astarion could push Gale to abandon his carefully maintained moral front, while Gale might try to drag Astarion towards a more empathetic path. And this all depends on the player choices.

The main difference is that Gale's conflicting motivations offer a more nuanced moral struggle for Astarion. While Wyll represents a clear oppositional force (good vs. evil), which can result in redemption or death, Gale straddles the line. His desperation and potential for greater darkness mirror Astarion's own complexities.

Gale and Wyll would be healing for each other and possibly better for each other than Astarion. However, it is the least popular of the three potential pairings.

Both of them are very compelling ships. Enemies to lovers, opposites attract, monster vs. monster hunter is a very popular tropes in fanfiction. The potential for one to act as a catalyst of change for the other, or to potentially destroy them (either in death or corruption) is more interesting to write about than a balanced couple who mirror how most relationships are in real life. Some of the most popular romances have drama (Romeo and Juliet, Pride and Prejudice, etc).

Astarion and Gale can be redemptive or corruptive. They can transform each other or be each others catalyst's for character development.

They compliment each other in other ways. Astarion needs to reacquaint himself with his body, which involves not having coitus in a while, whereas Gale sees the act as the combining of the body and soul, not just a means of release. Gale falls for what is inside a person, not what is on the outside. But at the same time, he is not the heroic type which Astarion has come to hate. Gale is also not like any of Astarion's victims.

I have read many fanfictions where they both, in character, make each other better. Their intense need for love, validation, and belonging working well together. They can be content with each other. Gale devoting everything to his lover and Astarion who never had anyone care about him before.

They are mirrors of each other, and this is why I like Bloodweave. It is not out of character for either one of them to fall in love with the other one. But it would take time. They are a slow burn. They're not perfect, but life is not all sunshine and roses. We communicate, we learn, and we get better.

To understand the ship, one has to believe that Astarion can be redeemed, albeit only through a good person. Gale is a very complex and forgiving person who chooses to see the good in everyone. Who holds other people tl standards, which he does not himself. They don't hate each other. But they understand each other.

This, to me, is why the ship is popular. Karlach & Wyll and Lae'zel & Shadowheart are also thematic parallels who are shipped together. The nature of fandom is to ship characters who have compelling romances, different dynamics, or maybe just because they like both characters. Each one is valid. However, in BG3, any pairing can be shipped together by nature of the fact that you can play as an origin character and romance another.

Ultimately, when you play the game you are in control of the narrative and how the romance between the character you are playing and your chosen romance partner goes. The companions are complex, flawed, broken, beaten, beautiful people and who are we to say that a character would not react in a certain way in a given situation.

I realise that I am rambling and have strayed off of the topic of Bloodweave specifically and on to ships in general. But I just wanted to explain why I like Bloodweave. I am a Galemancer, and I am not particularly attracted to Astarion, yet I ship him with Gale due to the aforementioned dynamics.

I also ship Gale with Wyll, Shadowheart, and Lae'zel. I think Astarion with Wyll or Karlach is also nice. And I like other ships in the fandom. But it is the sheer complexity and naunce of Bloodweave, which attracts me to it above all else.