For those who come after (Expedition 33 ending)

[Renato]

Reading through the thread about games, I was inspired to make one for this wonderful masterpiece. Of course on reddit you can find beautiful dissertations about this game, so no need for me to parrot them here. But I wanted to spend a few words on the ending I chose and how it relates to my view of life and the topic of this site.

SPOILERS BELOW
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I chose the Maelle's ending. At first I was left with a bittersweet feeling and it looks like the general consensus is that it's the "bad" ending. In a sense I recognize it's an unhealthy situation: keep living in a fake, happy world when the pain in the real one is too deep is an implicit defeat. But honestly I don't really have a problem with the idea of giving up: especially if you really tried (like Maelle and like many if not all of the people who announce their CTB on this site), there is no shame in recognizing that the game is over. In it's peculiar way there is even something beautiful about it: it's like the manifestation of a profound willpower which draws the line of what is acceptable and in order to reach freedom is willing to pay the price for it. Maelle doesn't necessarily has the best interest of her family in mind when she finds shelter in a fictional world, but I think she is morally fine because every human should have right to seek their own happiness: life is tragic in itself, and it sucks like how our actions may lead to other people's pain but this shouldn't push us towards total paralysis. Indeed the awareness that somehow ANY of our actions could possibly lead to bad outcomes for others (think of Renoir), should give us the freedom to take our own path.

On the other side, painted Renoir really reminds me of people who always keep fighting no matter what and despite everything: in real life he would probably work at some helpline, and funnily enough in the game he is clearly an evil character (even if nuanced).

Another thing that I thought a lot about is the theory according to which Maelle uses Verso (who now seems able to age) as a timer: when he'll die she will know that's time to leave (in order to avoid madness). This reminds me of how I tend to choose arbitrary deadlines for my CTB: it gives a lot comfort but at the same time it could be just a coping mechanism and I know for a fact that these deadlines are not necessarily set in stone. Of course each story has it's own ending, so the answer may vary and we have no idea what will happen to her (or even to us here...).

The main point for me is that indulging in fantasies for some of us is just... so sweet. There was this girl, she was everything I had always dreamed: we were not partners, she knew I loved her, she didn't reciprocate yet we still had an amazing relationship (not sexual nor romantic). Now she moved to another country and for this reason and many others I know that relationship will not ever be back: I can really feel what Maelle means when she says there is nothing in the real world that is worth anymore for her, even if one could say my problem is not as tragic as hers. I have zero friends and have never had a girlfriend so that relationship has had a disproportionate value and emotional weight for me, definitely comparable to a metaphorical fire. I haven't seen that girl in a year (almost) but I have countless conversations and dates with her in my head, a single day doesn't pass without her visiting me in my recurring daydreams. I know it's unhealthy and I also know that after my fantasies I feel WAY worse. But I can't resist. It's just so easy and pleasurable. I just hope that when my timer expires I will have the strength to end the game. Or on a happier note, go fight in the real world (but I wouldn't put my money on that).

Until that moment, I guess I continue.

 

[bankai]

Nice post. Games are phenomenal. They're a very unique piece of in entertainment, unlike movies and TV shows. Since they're so immersive. Damn, imagine virtual reality in 20 years or so. We'd actually be able to live in the game world. I had nearly every game console till the PS4. I'll probably buy the PS6 in a couple of years when it's slated to release. I didn't buy the PS5. I did spend more than 3000 hours on Overwatch. Got called a lot of names by 12 year olds and 15 year olds. That's the dark side of gaming . But other than that I had a lot of fun and socialized too.


I've quit gaming for the past few years because of how addicted I got to it. The problem is if I game I won't do anything else. And that's just not acceptable.

 

[DivineSpark]

Nice post. Games are phenomenal. They're a very unique piece of in entertainment, unlike movies and TV shows. Since they're so immersive. Damn, imagine virtual reality in 20 years or so. We'd actually be able to live in the game world. I had nearly every game console till the PS4. I'll probably buy the PS6 in a couple of years when it's slated to release. I didn't buy the PS5. I did spend more than 3000 hours on Overwatch. Got called a lot of names by 12 year olds and 15 year olds. That's the dark side of gaming . But other than that I had a lot of fun and socialized too.


I've quit gaming for the past few years because of how addicted I got to it. The problem is if I game I won't do anything else. And that's just not acceptable.

Yeah, addiction rate for gamers is like 4-5% of gaming population. Graphis are getting better, so it is easier to get addicted and immersed. My most played game on steam is civ 5 (about 1700 hours) but I have been playing like for 6 years or so.

 

[catlover20]

Maelle doesn't necessarily have the best interest of her family in mind when she finds shelter in a fictional world. Still, I think she is morally fine because every human should have the right to seek their own happiness: life is tragic in itself, and it sucks how our actions may lead to other people's pain, but this shouldn't push us towards total paralysis.

I chose Verso's ending in my first playthrough because it seemed like the right choice morally at the time. But after thinking it through a bit more, I totally see your point.

I understand why many people see Maelle's ending as the "bad" one. It is tragic, and it leaves her family behind to grieve without closure. But I think there's more nuance to it than simply calling it wrong.

Maelle chooses to remain inside the Canvas because, to her, the real world no longer offers any kind of peace or happiness. Even if the world inside the Canvas is not real in a conventional sense, it gives her something she can hold onto. That choice does not come from selfishness. It comes from someone who has reached her limit and is trying to find a version of happiness, even if it is fleeting.

I do see why most people prefer the ending where Verso leads everyone toward acceptance and closure. But I also believe that everyone should have the right to search for happiness in a way that makes sense to them, even if that choice is hard to understand from the outside.

So while Maelle's decision is painful, and it comes with consequences, I think it is still a valid and very human response to grief. For me, it is not just a bad ending. It is a deeply emotional one that reflects how different people cope in different ways.