Which BG3 Ending Will HBO’s Baldur’s Gate Series Make Canon?

Official confirmation has arrived that a Baldur’s Gate television adaptation is in development at HBO. Spearheading the project is Craig Mazin, the acclaimed co-creator of The Last of Us, though notably, developer Larian Studios is not directly involved. The series is slated to take place following the tumultuous events of Baldur’s Gate 3, functioning as a narrative successor. However, this premise raises significant questions, as the game’s sprawling narrative concludes in vastly different ways depending on player agency.

Broadly speaking, Baldur’s Gate 3 offers five primary narrative resolutions. The path a player treads is forged by their moral alignment—choosing between heroic altruism and villainous self-interest—as well as specialized variables like the Dark Urge origin. Furthermore, the fates of individual companions, such as Astarion’s potential ascension versus his lingering humanity, add layers of complexity to the endgame.

As HBO prepares to establish a “canon” starting point, here is a breakdown of the core endings that defined the game’s finale.

The Path of Liberation

In this traditional heroic conclusion, the protagonist defeats the Netherbrain in the heart of the city before commanding it to self-destruct, effectively neutralizing the Illithid tadpole threat. This sequence culminates in a poignant moment where the survivors gather on the docks to witness the sunrise over a saved Baldur’s Gate. Epilogue scenes then provide closure for each companion, detailing their individual journeys based on the choices made throughout the campaign. The game concludes with the city beginning the long process of reconstruction, returning to a semblance of peace.

The Usurpation of Power

To achieve the “evil” resolution, the player conquers the Netherbrain but chooses to dominate it rather than destroy it. By claiming the crown, the protagonist ascends as the Absolute, transforming into a tyrant with a brainwashed army at their beck and call. This path often requires the cold-blooded execution of whichever Mindflayer assisted the party—be it the Emperor, Prince Orpheus, or even Karlach. Any surviving companions are instantly stripped of their free will, their tadpoles allowing the player to force them into total submission. The city falls into a nightmare of Illithid dominance, ending with the player smiling over a ruined landscape, declaring their dominion: “In my name.”

Redemption of the Dark Urge

This path is reserved for players who fight against their sinister heritage. By resisting the murderous impulses of Bhaal, defeating Orin the Red, and rejecting Bhaal’s ultimate “gift,” the Dark Urge is finally liberated. Though the process is agonizing, the player’s soul is purified, allowing them to lead the charge against the Netherbrain as a free agent. Once the brain is destroyed, the ending aligns with the standard heroic conclusion, but with the added weight of a hard-won personal salvation.

The Absolute Scion of Bhaal

The dark culmination of the Bhaalist origin sees the player seizing the Netherbrain to initiate a global slaughter. The Narrator describes a future where the player amasses an army to drown Faerûn in blood. This ending is particularly grim: it prompts the player to murder their romanced companion in a final, twisted act of devotion to Bhaal. Following this, the player forces their remaining allies to leap to their deaths from the Netherbrain’s heights before descending to the streets to personally massacre the terrified citizenry. It is an ending of absolute, desolate nihilism.

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“You are the end,” the Narrator intones as the screen fades. “The last creature living… Father will be proud.”

Gale’s Pyrrhic Victory

This unique resolution can bypass the final confrontation entirely. If the player encourages Gale to fulfill Mystra’s request, he can ascend the Netherbrain alone and detonate the Netherese orb in his chest. The resulting explosion vaporizes the brain and instantly kills all nearby tadpoles. While Gale is lost, the city is spared further torment. The survivors reflect on his ultimate sacrifice, noting the bitter irony that such a victory required the death of a dear friend.

While HBO has yet to reveal which path they will follow, it is highly probable they will select an outcome where the primary cast survives. Despite Larian having no hand in the show’s production, CEO Swen Vincke remains proud of the game’s narrative foundation. “It’s incredible that a story born in a modest hotel room has grown into an HBO series,” he noted on X. “We strove to make Baldur’s Gate 3 a worthy legacy, and these characters are the heart of that success.”

Source: Polygon