Why Does Blowing Up the Brain Have Different Outcomes in Act 2 vs Act 3?

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I’ve been diving deeper into the game and had a big question about the ending choices. At the end of Act 2, you can choose to let Gale blow up the brain under Moonrise Towers, and the narration says that anyone with a tadpole is no longer under the Absolute’s control but immediately turns into a mind flayer. However, I found it confusing that if this happens in Act 2, why doesn’t the same thing occur in Act 3, especially since all the Chosen are killed then, which should also release those with tadpoles from the Absolute’s influence. Can anyone explain why the brain explosion in Act 3 doesn’t yield the same results as in Act 2? Am I missing something?

Why Does Blowing Up the Brain Have Different Outcomes in Act 2 vs Act 3
Baldur's Gate 3

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3 Answers

LoreMasterX -

Honestly, I was lost the first time too. Seems like the game doesn’t give a solid explanation for that shift in mechanics. Maybe the devs just wanted to create a more dramatic moment in the storyline or something.

EpicQuestHunter -

It sounds like a classic case of game inconsistency. The key difference seems to be that in Act 2, you’re dealing with the actual elder brain, while in Act 3, you’re facing a netherbrain. That’s likely why the outcomes differ. In Act 2, the brain’s destruction means immediate transformation for those with tadpoles, but in Act 3, the power dynamics change since you can dominate the elder brain and effectively manage the situation.

ShadowMage99 -

That makes sense! I guess they wanted to keep the stakes higher in Act 3, huh?

CriticalRolePlayer -

Yeah, it’s true that the reasoning isn’t super clear. You’re right that it’s confusing! In Act 3, if you’ve managed to dominate the elder brain, it would essentially be forced to take out those tadpoles before it goes down. So, going in with Gale doesn’t give you that opportunity to control the situation like you could in the final battle.

QuestGiver123 -

Exactly! Without being in control, Gale’s explosion just kicks off a different chain of events, which doesn’t trigger the same transformation.

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