>>12797I like the idea of a failed-at-redemption Durge. Particularly with Ascended Astarion. All these collared elf girl Durges get the ascension dynamic completely wrong.
Think about it like this. Durge lands on the beach and has no memories, no idea of right and wrong but for his own urges. Then he meets Astarion and is immediately taken. A walking, unbreathing corpse with a beautiful face, cold skin, and still heartbeat. As they get closer, they bond over their shared bloodlust, two people who have never been mutually understood before and who accept eachothers true natures, and it's never a problem until Durge *almost* kills Astarion that night. And Astarion isn't even mad. Astarion comforts *him.* So now he doesn't want to be a threat to him anymore, so he does try to change.
And this works, up until the ascension. Immortality, power, no longer an animal of prey but able to protect himself— it seems like a good deal, until they talk after. My favourite line from Astarion in this scene is "I love you. Isn't that what you were waiting to hear?"
It is, in essence, and admission that he never loved Durge at all. All those close moments, the mutual understanding, it was all fake. A successful manipulation to make the overpowered dangerous lunatic keep him safe and do his dirty work for him. This betrayal would hit extra hard if Durge already left Bhaal, as he essentially gave up and betrayed everything he ever was for a lie.
But despite the hurt and the anger, Durge has always excelled at planning. He wants revenge. He hates him down to the bottom of his soul, but he can't kick his obsession. So he plays the long game. Accept the gift of vampirism, its essentially free immortality. Play pretend at beloved pet. And then at the end, when they're at the brain, Durge sees his chance.
Astarion may have control as his Master, but with control of the mind worms, Durge is faster. Durge makes the aware but helpless Astarion allow him to drink his blood, no longer a spawn. Astarion, after briefly glimpsing freedom and power and safety, is a slave again to a worse master. This gets rubbed in too.
So much arrogance, so much bragging, but deep inside Astarion was still deeply incapable because deep down, he's a helpless idiot who needs to rely on others. Everything he thought he achieved himself was just gift wrapped and given to him
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