He definitely cried himself to sleep after he got dumped. He was putting on way too much bravado.

3:54 The little stutter... man, he's so taken aback at the thought that he was loved as he was before... I love this response because it's one major time that he's actually taken aback and uncertain (possibly kind of regretful), instead of defensive and arrogant

I dont like ascended Astarion, but i like that he exists If that makes sense

He’s literally Ken sulking in his Mojo Dojo Casa House trying to pass himself off as an aloof vampire king

Neil Newbon really said alright imma crush this one too. Amazing performance.

5:08 bro is like "the gravest crimes committed in this world are committed for * almost gags * lOvE" lmao i really do not like ascended astarion, but the acting is absolutely something to be appreciated

Ascended Astarion is a terrified creature. His philosophy early on that having power lets you do anything you want means that all dynamics are now power based. He can only be stronger, or weaker. A pretty stressful state for an eternity that involves no peace, no truces, no alliances. I get the impression that he wont survive long at all. He is one heroic adventuring group away from being a loot pinata.

He seems to regret ascension in some ways, not all though (and he desperately clings and hyperfixates on all the benefits). There's just something about how he talks and shows little cracks here and there, such as at 3:54, where he seems a little regretful. Even how the video starts with him saying "I can't believe you let me do that, killing all those people". His face and tone seem more disgusted than happy/entertained there. And the way he is happier that you rejected him because he knows he would have ruined your love. Like he wants to keep the pure love you had/have for him as a dear memory, untainted by its inevitable ruination had you chosen to be with him. He sounds sincere when he says he respects you for that choice and also saddened when he says "I was trying with you, you know. In the only way I can". I think he's aware that he's lost his old self since ascension, I mean I'm sure he's perfectly capable of reading books and whatnot that mention how undead beings in this world are naturally evil. And it's not like he's forgotten how he was and felt in the past. But as time passes he will slowly forget and the day will come where he fully embraces who he is now. That'll be a sad day.

Toxic Astarion can't hurt me, Toxic Astarion can't hurt me, Toxic Astarion can't hurt me, Toxic Astarion can't hurt me, Toxic Astarion can't hurt m-

I’m wrapping up a “good” dark urge run with spawn Astarion, which has been AMAZING. Next I’m planning an evil durge run through with evil Astarion. It’s going to be 10000x’s the toxicity and I’m going to love every minute of it 😂

Sure, you can read this as him trying to convince himself that it was never real to begin with and that he only played Tav. But it's honestly also amazing to just read it as "I've been literally waving all the red flags right in your face from the very start, you absolut fool!"

"That's what you want, isn't it? To be mine? Forever?" Well... clean up on aisle me. 🥵

In my evil playthrough, Astarion was always a lot of talk of wanting world domination but in the end, there was only room for one on that throne >:) Astarion feels very fake after he's ascended, as if he's trying to portray how he has it all together and everything is fine when in reality, he most likely deeply regrets his choice. Even when talking about how he got it, it never felt genuine to me, solid bit of acting on his VA for sure.

Can’t believe no one has mentioned the perfect timing of the music at 5:32 when he says “nothing”. It almost feels intentional

When you tell him you liked him just as he was he almost sounds like his old self

it actually feels like he's trying to convince himself that he's okay that everything turns out the way it does~ I'm also glad he's not clinging on us and trying to pressure us to stay, he doesn't want to trick us and take our freedom to make our own decisions

I can't believe some people think that THIS is the best choice for him. he becomes just like the one he hated most - cazador.

The more I play this scene in my head, the more I feel the following (let me know what you think): I know that when he ascended, the old Astarion, everything good and bad that made him, well, him, was destroyed and can never come back. I 1000% believe that there is a little bit of the old Astarion still in there, but this little bit will get destroyed or suppressed with time. Anyway, here goes: I genuinely believe that this last conversation is sort of like the death rattle for what's left of old Astarion. Look at his smile at 9:38. That smile is as insincere as he could possibly be. It's right after he tells Tav that he would have ruined her trust until she was "nothing." It looks exactly like a smile he gave waaaaay earlier in the game (I don't remember exactly when), one where you could do a wisdom check and see that he likely didn't mean a word he was saying. While I 100% believe that he means the words he's saying here in this conversation, he's clearly hiding something. Not completely sure what that something is, but I think he's hiding a bit of emotion there. Astarion, or at least what little is left of him, knows that as much as it breaks his heart to admit, he would have destroyed her, and this is a gift from old Astarion to keep her safe from that, to preserve her memory of the Astarion she once knew and loved. Yes, Tav had already made the choice not to join him so she's safe anyway, but this is still a gift to ease the pain of loss. It's 100% intentional. This conversation is sort of like the death rattle of old Astarion- he's breaking through to say goodbye. He says here that he'll stick with the party to help defeat the elder brain which of course he does, but I genuinely feel like after that's all over, he will disappear and probably never see Tav again. I do think, though, that Tav will remain under his protection for the rest of their life, and that he will direct his horde to stay away from Tav and from Tav's family (if they have one). *For those who don't know, there is a video of cut epilogue content where Withers tells us what happened to each of the characters after the events of the game. When talking about Ascended Astarion, Withers mentions that, as befitting a Vampire Lord, he often holds legendary decadent parties. When talking specifically about ascended Astarion whose Tav left him, Withers says that Astarion still things fondly of Tav from time to time, and that he even considers inviting Tav to his parties, but decides against it, because he doesn't think it would befit a vampire Lord. It sounds like this epilogue content is meant to take place at least a few years after the events of the game. What does it mean? Not sure, but it seems like there's a tiny, tiny bit of the real, old Astarion still in there even then, that he still misses Tav, but that new, Vampire Lord Astarion doesn't think it would be appropriate for people to know about his feelings, and that he is afraid of appearing weak. Maybe he still doesn't trust himself to remain composed if he were suddenly to see Tav again after all these years. Maybe he wants to preserve the memory of Tav that he once had, and doesn't want to ruin that by seeing Tav age, since he can't. Maybe he doesn't trust *Tav* to remain composed...maybe, like I said earlier, he wants to preserve Tav's memory of him and their time together and is worried that seeing him in his new life might ruin that, or might reignite Tav's pain of the loss of their old life.

Spawn Astarion: baby, precious angel, deserves to be protected Ascended Astarion: the stupid fuck face who spits in my soup-

1:23 OH MY GOD I GOT NEW HEADPHONES ITS LIKE HES WHISPERING RIGHT INTO MY EARS AND HES RIGHT NEXT TO ME THE ABSOLUTE SHIVERS I FELT THAT NONE OF YALL WOULD EVER BE ABLE TO FEEL I HAVE JUST FELT THEM NOW

Lol, Scratch in the background - HEY. I FOUND THIS THING AND I THOUGHT OF YOU

There is a really tragic scene where Tav confronts Cazador without Astarion present. Cazador asks Tav what they think Astarion is feeling at that moment, and you can respond with "fear". Cazador then lays out Astarion as a person, from his perspectove, and it's very cruel but has a lot of truth to it. He describes Astarion as this pathetic, terrified individual that has likely cloistered himself in a rat-filled hole. He goes on to say that he WILL return to Cazador, on his own free will. He knows nothing else but the reality that Cazador has given him. Cazador says he has nobody but him and Tav in his life, and once Tav is killed, Astarion will come back to him. Maybe he will delude himself that he's going to Cazador to save Tav, but the reality is that he knows nothing else. That was one of the most tragic and sadistic things said in the game, and I wonder if it would have come to be. Probably. Although Cazador said something interesting. He said that Astarion knows only him AND Tav. Coming from a narcissistic sadist, it's profound that he would admit his puppet has someone else that's deeply impacted him. No matter what ending you choose, I like to think he's still Astarion, and his relationship with the player remains incredibly important to him. Anyway, I also think a lot of what Astarion does is up for interpretation. They leave a lot of the details open, so that players can come to their own conclusions. Personally, I think Astarion (in all his endings) is very reliant on Tav and wants to keep the relationship going. For AA that means securing Tav entirely for eternity (very vampirish). It's toxic, but I don't believe he will treat Tav like Cazador did his own spawn. She meant too much to him before. In the epilogue he seems to have kept his promises, and they enjoy parties at his palace. Regardless, I still prefer the spawn ending.

I like this answer 3:51, but it's a pity, you can't somehow add to this dialogue To say that "It's not true you weren't pathetic - NEVER!" After all, it is clear that this made Astarion doubt, although for a moment there was uncertainty, and facial expressions and voice when he says - "Why are you saying this?" more like a non-Ascended self.

Ascended Astarion is such a huge piece of crap but it's so like, normal and coherent that it's possible for him to become like that Spawn Astarion is my bb though i love him so much

Scratch in the background with an exclamation point on his head 😂

It makes me cry😭💔😭 OMG why does it hurt so much..

this is why i created 2 saves one for Ascended Astarion and one for non ascended because i like both but unascended is just the better healthier option for him

His defense mechanism to mask his true feelings is really interesting to see.

toxic astarion lmao, nice tittle

thanks for going through with this play :D I would not have the strenght xD

Eh! I tried so hard to be a good influence on my Astarion . I was really hopeful that he would refuse the ascension by himself.... I felt my heart break a little when he just went for it so hard. Did anyone get their vampy boi to make the right choice without heavy persuasion?

Honestly I wanna hate the ascended asta but I simply cant, hes stuck between a rock and a hard place and whatever path he or you choose for him he doesnt get the happiness he strives for. If he ascends he at least gets to turn you and he wont loose you as a result of him being immortal while Tav isnt. If he doesnt go through with the ritual, even if you tell him youll help him walk in the sun again he will still face ridiculous restrictions and pain and eventually loose the first person he ever really cared for anyway. While incredibly twisted he still gets his love and dialogues like these just somehow go to show that even when ascended he loved Tav in his own twisted way, trying to convince himself its for the better and that love is simply ridiculous and something disgusting. After all performing and hiding behind masks is what astarion has been doing for 200 years and continues to do so regardless of what ending you choose. In his own twisted and traumatised ways he tries to make Tav and himself feel better about the situation and simply laugh it off regardless of wether he ascends or not. In the end no matter the ending either Tav will have to sacrifice themselves or Astarion will have to saceifice himself if they continue their relationship

3:00 Astarion on coke

Idk why but he doesn't feel as intimidating in his starting clothes 💀

What kind of upgrades do u get, when you become a vampire? You need a relationship with him, to reach this interaction? Do you know how many relationships are possible in 1 through?

There's for and against ascending him, I mean on the one hand he does get alot more powerful hits and two bites 'ascended bite is extremely useful' but negative he becomes an annoying dick and you can't romance him without becoming one of his spawn 😂

I let him ascend because hey 7000 spawns in the underdark i just fixed is a no no. And then my character felt guilty because its our fault he is like this. Also he also says he wants too feel safe. I turned my slelf into a mind flayer to escape this guy. I do still think his ascention self could have been written better. Or an epilogue showing what happens if you leave him. Another ending is me in hell with Khalak while still a vampire as another way to ran from this lunatic (Come find me you 😮). Option to walk in the sun please 😭😭

I gotta know... does Ascended Astarion react the same to tav and a durge that rejected bhaal's gift? Or is there some different flavours?

This is less toxic Astarion it's more like butt-hurt Astarion.

It’s difficult not to ascend him, the attack he gets is cool

what armor and accessories is astarion wearing?

How to get that dialogue at 4:50?