Karlach's Endings: Larian Fixed BG3's Most Heartbreaking Story
Last Updated: November 5, 2025
In a game celebrated for its complex and beloved characters, Baldur's Gate 3 delivers a masterclass in companion storytelling. From the enigmatic Shadowheart to the ambitious Astarion, each party member brings a rich, compelling narrative to the table. Yet, it is Karlach, the fiery Tiefling Barbarian with a literal ticking time bomb for a heart, whose story resonated with a unique and poignant power—one that, at launch, culminated in what many fans felt was a profoundly tragic missed opportunity.
The Fury of Avernus
Players first encounter Karlach Cliffgate not as a hero, but as a hunted woman. Branded a devil and pursued by so-called "paladins of Tyr," her introduction is one of chaos and desperation. But beneath the horns and the infernal machinery humming in her chest is a spirit of unyielding optimism and a fierce loyalty that quickly endeared her to millions. She is, by all accounts, the heart and soul of the party—a beacon of positivity who just wants to experience the simple joys of life on Faerûn after a decade of forced servitude in the Blood War.
Her central conflict is as compelling as it is tragic: her heart was replaced with an Infernal Engine in Avernus. While it made her an unstoppable soldier for the archdevil Zariel, it burns too hot for the material plane. Without a solution, it will incinerate her from the inside out. This sets up a deeply personal and urgent questline that players eagerly embark on, driven by a desire to save the character who so often saves the party's morale.
A Race Against Time
The first two acts of Baldur's Gate 3 masterfully build glimmers of hope. Through the skilled hands of the Tiefling blacksmith Dammon and the discovery of rare Infernal Iron, players can upgrade Karlach's engine. These moments are narrative triumphs. The first upgrade allows her to finally touch another person without setting them ablaze, leading to one of the game's most touching and emotionally resonant scenes, especially for a romanced player. Each step forward feels like a victory, reinforcing the belief that a cure is not just possible, but inevitable. Larian convinces you that if you just find the right lead or the right craftsperson, you can grant Karlach the peaceful life she so desperately craves.
The Unfixable Heart and the Player Uproar
The devastating narrative turn arrives in Act 3. After exhausting every lead—from Gondian engineers to divine intervention—the final, heartbreaking diagnosis is delivered: the engine is too advanced, too powerful, and too intrinsically tied to the hells. It cannot be permanently fixed to function safely on Faerûn. The hope that fueled the player's journey for dozens of hours evaporates, replaced by a grim set of choices.
At the game's launch in August 2023, Karlach's potential endings were all steeped in sorrow. She could choose to die on her own terms as the Netherbrain was defeated, burning up on a sun-drenched dock. She could undergo ceremorphosis, sacrificing her soul and body to become a Mind Flayer. Or, in what felt like the bleakest option, she could return to Avernus—the very hell she despises—to keep her engine stable. This last choice, while saving her life, was presented as a somber defeat, a return to her personal prison.
The lack of a genuinely happy, earned ending sparked an immediate and intense reaction from the community. For many, it felt like a narrative failure, a punishment for their emotional investment. The hashtag #JusticeForKarlach trended as players argued that in a game defined by player choice and finding clever solutions, being told her problem was simply impossible felt like a betrayal of that core principle.
Larian's Response: A New Hope
To their immense credit, Larian Studios listened. In Patch 2, released just weeks after launch, the developers added a new, expanded cinematic for the Avernus ending. No longer a somber fade-to-black, this new scene shows Karlach, accompanied by the player and/or a heroic Wyll, charging into battle on the plains of hell, laughing and defiant. It reframed the choice not as a defeat, but as the beginning of a new adventure—a choice to live and fight on her own terms.
This was further solidified by the massive epilogue added in Patch 5. Set six months after the final battle, players attend a party hosted by Withers. If Karlach returned to Avernus, she appears via a fiery portal, more confident than ever. She speaks of a plan, of seeking out a permanent solution with the help of her friends, and of their ongoing war against Zariel. Her fate was no longer a tragic conclusion but an ongoing, hopeful quest.
Brilliant Tragedy, Now With a Purpose
The conversation around Karlach's story has now shifted. While the initial endings were a powerful, if brutal, take on tragedy, Larian’s updates have transformed it. Her story still underscores a core theme of Baldur's Gate 3: that not all wounds can be healed easily, and some victories come at a great cost. Yet, it no longer feels like a dead end.
Her journey is memorable precisely because it is so fraught with hardship. It forces players to confront a reality where good intentions and heroic effort aren't always enough to secure a storybook ending, but they are enough to keep fighting for a better one. By responding to player feedback, Larian didn't erase the tragedy of Karlach's condition; they gave her—and the players who love her—the agency to face it head-on. Whether a flaw at launch or an evolving feature, her bittersweet and now hopeful conclusion solidifies her status as one of gaming's most unforgettable characters, leaving a permanent, fiery mark on the hearts of all who fought to save her.