Undertale was a game that connected with a lot of people, myself included. While it wears its influences on its sleeve and tries to be a fun experience at the surface level, it has a lot to say about being human.
Obviously, Undertale had an effect on someone (or someones) within Larian, as Baldur’s Gate 3 includes a direct reference to the game. To see it, you’ll need to find a standing mirror. While there are a few instances of these standing mirrors scattered around the world, one of the earliest you’ll (probably) stumble across is in a ruined home in Blighted Village. That’s the town filled with Goblins.
When you left-click on a mirror, your character has a few lines they go to, most commonly (in my experience) “Let’s have a look at myself,” followed by “Not bad… all things considered.” However, if you’re diligent (or lucky) you’ll be treated to the line “Still me – Even after everything.” While the line from Undertale is actually phrased, “Despite everything, it’s still you,” the reference is clear. Rearranging the clauses doesn’t lose the meaning.
I still get a little misty at the line, which appears toward the end of Undertale as long as you’re on the “neutral” path. It’s actually a bookend to earlier in the game, where when you investigate a mirror, it simply says, “It’s you!” While the line can be seen as a joke based on its echoing of an earlier line, it’s often read a lot deeper than that. It’s possible to look at this line to say that, in spite of all the trials you faced along the way, you’ve been able to maintain your morals and what you believe in. It can also be read as an inevitability that, at the end of the day, no matter what happens or what you choose to do, you still have to live with yourself.
Within the context of Baldur’s Gate 3, however, it might just be a phrase of comfort. That despite all the hardships you had to overcome, you’re still you. With the addition of an Illithid parasite and a heaping of trauma.
Published: Oct 20, 2023 09:47 am