people keep calling it the “sad” route, like it’s some kind of punishment or lesser choice. like staying a spawn means you failed him. no. you don’t get it.

spawn ending is the only one where astarion refuses to become the thing that hurt him. he doesn’t kill hundreds. he doesn’t ascend. he doesn’t take the power that was used to destroy him and turn it around to destroy others.

instead, he chooses himself.

he chooses the long, painful road of recovery. he chooses to feel. he chooses fear, and weakness, and uncertainty — because at least they’re his.

he’s not a pawn. not a weapon. not a monster in someone else’s image. he’s just Astarion. for the first time in 200 years.

and yeah, it hurts. yeah, it’s messy. yeah, he’s scared. but healing isn’t pretty. healing isn’t clean. healing is quiet mornings and shaky hands. it’s learning how to live in your own skin. it’s learning how to be without needing to win.