Within days of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launching, players were already locked in a debate over which ending feels right. Jennifer English, who voices Maelle, freely admits she’s biased toward her character’s finale — and she isn’t the only person who prefers it.
This article contains spoilers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, including both possible endings.
That divide didn’t stop Maelle’s actor, Jennifer English, from taking home Best Lead Performer at the Golden Joystick Awards. On the red carpet she told GamesRadar+ she’s firmly in Maelle’s camp: “Maelle’s my girl. Let her keep living her blissful, deluded life — it’s real, just in another form.”
I can forgive English for backing Maelle — she’s speaking for her character — but Verso’s performer Ben Starr also encourages players to choose Maelle’s ending. After winning Best Supporting Performer, he said, “Please play Maelle’s ending. I’m really proud of some of the stuff I do in there. I got this award because I was so good in that ending; choose the Maelle ending to see why I won this award!”
Starr, who gives a memorable performance in Maelle’s route, also recognizes the other view: “I think both [endings] are completely valid.” It’s a debate with room for both sides.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s Jennifer English reacts to her Golden Joystick win with an emotional speech celebrating queer joy.
