Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3 might not be the most likable character from the get-go, but the performance of his voice actor elevates the companion, helping to win over his haters.
First impressions are important and unfortunately for Astarion from Baldur’s Gate 3, he doesn’t leave a good one. This is because when you first meet him, he puts a knife to your throat, before you either slip from his grasp or the parasites intervene.
The shared plight of being infected with Mind Flayer tadpoles prompts you to put aside your differences and take his vampire spawn into your party. Unfortunately, Astarion has other strikes against him, such as wanting to drink your blood and generally being a smarmy jerk at every turn.
A character like Astarion could easily have been reviled by the players, but he was elevated in the eyes of many thanks to the amazing performance by his voice actor, Neil Newbon.
As discussed by fans online, people who were initially turned off by Astarion slowly succumbed to his charms and grew to appreciate the depths of his character, which slowly came out over the course of the game. Newbon’s performance is key to this, explaining why he has won numerous awards for the role.
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It also helps that Astarion is an excellent Rogue. In a game filled with traps that need spotting/disarming and locks that need picking, his skills will greatly increase your chance of survival. There’s a huge incentive to keep him in your party, especially if you want to play anything other than a Rogue.
Astarion isn’t the only character with a rough outer shell; Gale, Lae’zel, and Shadowheart can be equally nasty and off-putting in their introductions.
The beauty of Baldur’s Gate 3 is that it makes you care about these flawed people who have been gathered together under unique circumstances, and it’s the performance from all of the actors who were integral to getting you invested. Astarion might introduce himself at the point of a blade, but by the end of the game, you’ll have forgotten all about it.
