(spoilers) Previous version of endgame

[mph]

While I was digging through Iovara's dialogue files, I've discovered what seems to be lines from a different version of the story. I figured I'll share them:

 

Lines by player:

 

"The gods have given me the souls of their Forgiven. If you repent, you could join with them. Help me strike the final blow against Thaos."

 

(This first line IS still in the game, but it does next to nothing. She barely replies to it. What follows is what could've been.)

 

"You used to fight for your beliefs. Now all you do is whimper in protest. This DOES mean nothing. Defeating Thaos, that means something."

 

"You began your cause because you wanted to bring people hope without sacrificing truth. Thaos remains the greatest enemy to those things, more than any god."

 

"Your vision of a world that knows the truth may happen one day, but it will never come about while Thaos lives."

 

"All the souls of the Forgiven are bound to me - from every god. If you repent now, you are not asking for the gods' forgiveness, you are asking for mine."

 

(That last one is VERY Torment, right?)

 

"I would rather keep the souls."

 

[Extract Iovara's soul from the adra.]

 

You extend beyond the reaches of your body, plunging some part of yourself into the cold adra as though diving into a twilit ocean for some drowning swimmer. You can feel Iovara's presence, a faint warmth that guides you through the darkness, and at last you are able to gather her up and raise her from the depths.

 

She is bound to you now, like some extension of yourself, out of sight, but never far away.

 

Lines by Iovara:

 

"If I were to help you, though, I would do it on one condition. The souls you carry, I would see them freed. Their souls for mine.

 

"The way to Sun in Shadow is cloaked in unnatural darkness. Only its adra lanterns can light the way. It will cost you some of the souls you carry."

 

"Release all of them there, and they will find their way back into the cycle. It is the freedom they were promised but never granted. I promise you, against Thaos, I am more than their equal."

 

"We have an agreement."

 

Iovara nods, her disappointment undisguised. "So be it. I hope you will find it in your heart to set them free once they have done all they can for you. You of all people should be able to appreciate their need for rest."

 

 

----

 

There's also a short, unused file called "14_cv_iovara_end" which seems to contain a short dialogue with Iovara after you beat Thaos. No grand revelations there, however, aside from a  "May we meet again one day" line.

 

Apparently, in this version of endgame we were supposed to use the Forgiven souls not as a parachute/cushion, but to have a chance in a fight against Thaos, and to light the way (those few weird scenes make a lot more sense now). There was also an option to trade them for Iovara's help, too, and the first step of that path still lingers in the game.

 

I kind of see why they've decided to change it (for one thing, this is all very similar to a scene from Diablo 3), but still, I like some bits of this ending, esp. giving Iovara a chance to get back at Thaos directly. Would also explain how exactly is the Watcher beating up someone who's supposed to be level 50 or something