Baldur’s Gate 3 players divided over the Emperor’s morality

Theo Burman
Baldur's Gate 3 Emperor

Baldur’s Gate 3 players are divided over the morality of the Emperor, one of the most significant characters in the game.

The cast in Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the most developed gaming has seen recently, so it’s no surprise that the community has formed strong opinions on most of them. We’ve already seen how popular the main party members can get, and several NPCs have also become fan favorites.

However, when it comes to the Emperor, a lot of players don’t know what to think. Instinctively, he’s easy to hate. He’s a Mind Flayer, which a lot of players will have visceral reactions to, most of the companions don’t trust him, and he catfishes you as the guardian.

Despite this, some players are warming to him now that the dust has settled after the game’s release, leading many to wonder if the Emperor was all that bad.

Baldur’s Gate 3 player defends the Emperor’s actions

In a post on the official Baldur’s Gate subreddit, one player claimed that they trusted the Emperor from the start, even after the guardian disguise was revealed.

They said: “I actually didn’t feel manipulated or suspected his intentions even after learning all sorts of stuff about him in Act 3. I’m sure he’s not the white knight he claimed he is, he definitely prioritizes his own objective, but is it a bad one though?

“In the end, it’s true that the elder brain is a threat to all living things, and if I didn’t miss anything he just wants to remove that threat as much for Orpheus or any of our companions.”

For many players, the fact that the Emperor wasn’t actually the guardian they designed at the beginning of the game was something they couldn’t get past. As one player put it: “As soon as I found out he wasn’t really a blonde high elf babe, I was mad at him for the rest of the game.”

For more news and updates about Baldur’s Gate 3, check out what the devs have planned for their next big game.