Edér: What happened?

[Karkarov]

Really don't get why people don't like Eder in game 2, it is Eder, same dude, nothing really changed.  The animal jokes are more heavy handed, and shocker, Eothas killing a crap load of people left him confused and upset.  You all understand that when you believe in someone or something and then they betray that trust it makes you feel bad right?  Did you expect him to not be effected at all, or just brush it off?

It seems like the people who don't like Eder in Deadfire are also the people who are mad they can't romance him, and he isn't focused on the Watcher and not much else.  I guess he needs to apologize for being an actual character with personal goals and growth?

[Celan]

Well he does have a type.

Regardless of how you play your watcher maybe the watcher is just not his type. I mean come on, is everyone here physically attracted to their best friends irl?

 

Friendship isn't a bad basis for more.

 

Since Eder is a fictional character, we can question why the writer chose this arc. What makes Aloth any more likely to fall for any given Watcher?

 

Really don't get why people don't like Eder in game 2, it is Eder, same dude, nothing really changed.  The animal jokes are more heavy handed, and shocker, Eothas killing a crap load of people left him confused and upset.  You all understand that when you believe in someone or something and then they betray that trust it makes you feel bad right?  Did you expect him to not be effected at all, or just brush it off?

 

It seems like the people who don't like Eder in Deadfire are also the people who are mad they can't romance him, and he isn't focused on the Watcher and not much else.  I guess he needs to apologize for being an actual character with personal goals and growth?

You could try it again without sarcasm. Personally I never intended to have my character hook up with Eder, it just seems incongruous that the option wasn't there, to the point that several other characters comment on it. That's like an extra slap in the face to those who were hoping for that to happen. And I do agree with those who don't care for "one night stand turned dead girlfriend turned true love forever" as a character arc.

 

Obviously a writer can have their own ideas about how a story should go, but those who read/ play can like it or not. It just seems to me to be one of the more puzzling writing choices in the game.

Edited June 1, 2018 by Celan

[Aridea]

Friendship isn't a bad basis for more.

 

Since Eder is a fictional character, we can question why the writer chose this arc. What makes Aloth any more likely to fall for any given Watcher?

 

You could try it again without sarcasm. Personally I never intended to have my character hook up with Eder, it just seems incongruous that the option wasn't there, to the point that several other characters comment on it. That's like an extra slap in the face to those who were hoping for that to happen. And I do agree with those who don't care for "one night stand turned dead girlfriend turned true love forever" as a character arc.

 

 

Obviously a writer can have their own ideas about how a story should go, but those who read/ play can like it or not. It just seems to me to be one of the more puzzling writing choices in the game.

 

That argument can go both ways. Why does he have to be romanceable just because he is a fictional character. 

 

Friendship isn't a bad basis yes, but not with everyone. You don't except your every friend to secretly want to marry you, thats just ridiculous.

 

Aloth would have made sense in both situations. He is reserved and doesn't open up to anyone except the main character. He is also like a lost puppy without the Watcher, immediately goes somewhere and dies if you as much as look at him wrongly. Eder is more wordly, older, and he does have history with someone else.

 

I do kinda agree that the way Eder's quest was handled was a bit of a middle finger to people who felt really strongly about the character.

I don't know maybe his writer just enjoys drinking fan tears or something.

[Celan]

That argument can go both ways. Why does he have to be romanceable just because he is a fictional character. 

 

 

Friendship isn't a bad basis yes, but not with everyone. You don't except your every friend to secretly want to marry you, thats just ridiculous.

 

Aloth would have made sense in both situations. He is reserved and doesn't open up to anyone except the main character. He is also like a lost puppy without the Watcher, immediately goes somewhere and dies if you as much as look at him wrongly. Eder is more wordly, older, and he does have history with someone else.

 

I do kinda agree that the way Eder's quest was handled was a bit of a middle finger to people who felt really strongly about the character.

I don't know maybe his writer just enjoys drinking fan tears or something.

 

I don't think anyone is saying he has to be because he's fictional- it's the fact that there are obvious design choices that are disappointing to those who hoped to have that option, and to me they are downright puzzling. So it's not like a real person who has their own preferences, we're talking about the writers' choices.

 

Aloth isn't a lost puppy- he's been on his own for five years and doing just fine, in my game. It's not any more in his character to fall for the Watcher than it is for Eder, who also wishes for a family and seems to want stability.

 

In general I find it strange that the companions who shared so much seem to go their own ways and never see or speak to the Watcher again. I'm all for companions having their own agendas and plans, but that just seems odd. Even NPCs who I did a favor for at least wrote the Watcher a freaking note. And now in PoE2, the only ones besides Aloth who want to be in a romantic relationship with the Watcher are those who basically have no standards at all. It's just weird to me, because you invest so much into these relationships but the game seems to want to make them dispensable.

Edited June 1, 2018 by Celan

[PsychoBlonde]

 

... most of them would rather cover themselves in honey and belly-flop on a termite mound than deal with a "high-class", highly-educated woman no matter HOW hot or nice she is.

Why are you assuming that the Watcher is a high-class, highly-educated woman (or man)? In many of the backgrounds that's not true. At all.

 

I get no sense that Edér considers the Watcher in any way his superior. He's just a laid-back, easy-going, sort of brainless guy. Yes, he does have a type - we've seen two examples of it - but it's entirely possible to play a woman of exactly that type. And we know he's not suddenly decided on celibacy - he's quite ready to mack on Iselmyr.

 

Saying that he's not interested in a serious relationship? Completely understandable; he's never really been interested in that, apparently. Saying he's not attracted to any type of Watcher at all? Don't buy it.

 

 

Maybe because the example is not a literal example of what makes your Watcher "special".

 

Your soul is thousands of years old, you see spirits, and talk to gods on a regular basis.  Plus you're a noble.

 

You don't actually have to be a *classy person* to fall into the "high class" category for people with "I'm just a little person" syndrome, although from my experience you can get "promoted" there by being classy even if you're otherwise "base, common, and popular".  It's less about who you are (or think you are) and more about how Eder perceives you, and his basic character point since you first meet him is that he kinda prefers to have someone to tell him what to do.  He's NOT comfortable relying on his own judgment.  With pretty much all of those people gone from his life, he doesn't even leave a town where he's pretty likely to BE HUNG until you show up and he latches on to you.

Edited June 1, 2018 by PsychoBlonde

[Karkarov]

You could try it again without sarcasm. Personally I never intended to have my character hook up with Eder, it just seems incongruous that the option wasn't there, to the point that several other characters comment on it. That's like an extra slap in the face to those who were hoping for that to happen. And I do agree with those who don't care for "one night stand turned dead girlfriend turned true love forever" as a character arc.

 

Obviously a writer can have their own ideas about how a story should go, but those who read/ play can like it or not. It just seems to me to be one of the more puzzling writing choices in the game.

No I think my post was fine, and that wasn't much sarcasm it was general confusion at how many people think Eder should care more about his "bro" than his god, or his possibly estranged former girlfriend, or this sort of fanatical chick who has weird views of aforementioned god etc etc.  He isn't Minsc, he actually has a personality and motivations beyond "go for the eyes boo, go for the eyes".

 

Bear in mind other often overlooked facts.  Eder is one of, if not the, oldest people in the party by experience and "age".  Aloth might technically be older by years, but by elf standards he is mid-late 20's tops.  Of course he isn't interested in Xoti romantically, she is early 20's and he is probably mid to late 30's.  She literally looks like a child to him, non-withstanding her unusual feelings about his god.  Also he clearly still has unrequited feelings for the estranged former girlfriend. 

 

He felt like a Garrus to me, a trusted long term friend character, not someone you hook up with or get romantic about.  Ignoring the fact that they made it possible to romance Garrus in 3 ;p.

 

Speaking of Xoti, does no one actually help her?  Every post about her arc I see implies she becomes an insane murderer, or her and Eder end up hating each other.  In my ending they became great friends, she worked out her issues, and started focusing on helping the living as well as the dead.  I literally do not see the Xoti/Eder relationship every account I read online sees.  Yes they started rough, cause they were both misunderstanding each other, but they can work it out.  I can only assume the people seeing that Xoti intentionally don't help her, or give her terrible advice.

[Noctoi]

 

That makes sense. I was wondering actually, how everyone in Deadfire knows that Eder is a farmer, and brings it up.

 

Excuse me for trying to fix the broken quote there, sorry. I hope it worked.

He has a redneck accent, probably. And he acts like a "redneck" to an extent (apparently on purpose--he's smarter than he acts, but not a genius by any means).

It's more apparent in Pillars 1 that he's a low-key kind of guy, he reminds me of a lot of factory workers and laborers that I've been around over the years, and most of them would rather cover themselves in honey and belly-flop on a termite mound than deal with a "high-class", highly-educated woman no matter HOW hot or nice she is. And it's not because they don't like her, they like her plenty, they just don't want to be in a relationship where they're a sideline or an afterthought.

It's far from universal, but you see it here and there.

 

If you notice, if you miserably fail his personal quest, he doesn't really get mad at you. He ASKS you to PLEASE do his personal quest, even at the stage where it's LITERALLY LIFE OR DEATH for someone who concerns him. If he thought of himself as your equal, he'd TELL you that you're going NOW and be BITTERLY angry if you just wandered off and did your own thing. But he doesn't. It's not that he doesn't care, but he does NOT expect YOU to care--even though he was probably the one personally responsible for pulling your unconscious body out of the ruins of Caed Nua, hauling you cross country after Eothas to keep you alive, helping put a ship together, personally watching over you while you're unconscious, etc. I mean, he did ALL THAT STUFF, but he doesn't in any way figure you OWE him this one little thing that literally costs you NOTHING apart from being a little timely for once?

Yeah.

Yeah that’s pretty much my head canon for his behaviour too... somewhat like James Vega in ME:3. He’s clearly mildly attracted to fem!Shep, but has (if anything) more of a terminal case of hero worship/intimidated awe than truly romantic feelings for her. Kinda like they can’t imagine getting to a point where they can get past the imagined persona to appreciate the “person” underneath.

 

Much how I’d feel if the universe threw me into close quarters with... oh I dunno... Boba Fet, or Anders from DA(pro mage here lol) or Garrus from ME :D

Edited June 1, 2018 by Noctoi

[Normandy]

It also feels that he a bit creeped out by the whole Watcher-thing. He jokes every time Watcher does soul-reading, talks to the Gods, etc.

[Slotharingia]

 

You could try it again without sarcasm. Personally I never intended to have my character hook up with Eder, it just seems incongruous that the option wasn't there, to the point that several other characters comment on it. That's like an extra slap in the face to those who were hoping for that to happen. And I do agree with those who don't care for "one night stand turned dead girlfriend turned true love forever" as a character arc.

 

Obviously a writer can have their own ideas about how a story should go, but those who read/ play can like it or not. It just seems to me to be one of the more puzzling writing choices in the game.

No I think my post was fine, and that wasn't much sarcasm it was general confusion at how many people think Eder should care more about his "bro" than his god, or his possibly estranged former girlfriend, or this sort of fanatical chick who has weird views of aforementioned god etc etc.  He isn't Minsc, he actually has a personality and motivations beyond "go for the eyes boo, go for the eyes".

 

Bear in mind other often overlooked facts.  Eder is one of, if not the, oldest people in the party by experience and "age".  Aloth might technically be older by years, but by elf standards he is mid-late 20's tops.  Of course he isn't interested in Xoti romantically, she is early 20's and he is probably mid to late 30's.  She literally looks like a child to him, non-withstanding her unusual feelings about his god.  Also he clearly still has unrequited feelings for the estranged former girlfriend. 

 

He felt like a Garrus to me, a trusted long term friend character, not someone you hook up with or get romantic about.  Ignoring the fact that they made it possible to romance Garrus in 3 ;p.

 

Speaking of Xoti, does no one actually help her?  Every post about her arc I see implies she becomes an insane murderer, or her and Eder end up hating each other.  In my ending they became great friends, she worked out her issues, and started focusing on helping the living as well as the dead.  I literally do not see the Xoti/Eder relationship every account I read online sees.  Yes they started rough, cause they were both misunderstanding each other, but they can work it out.  I can only assume the people seeing that Xoti intentionally don't help her, or give her terrible advice.

 

Idk where you get the idea people don't like Eder in POE2? He's still the most popular character according to the recent poll. IMO *all* the characters from 1 are kind of diluted, maybe because the variables involved in their endings made it too complicated, or maybe because the writers were just more interested in writing new characters, and Eder definitely suffers the least from this. Fans want old characters back, but it's easier said than done in games where choices matter. Characters like Varric from DA, who are ultimately unaffected by the hero's actions are more suited for continuation in another game, but even he can look like a bit of an idiot in DAI if you played an **** Hawke. Talking of Hawke, s/he's another example of a character whose variables from DA2 are ignored and you get this generic creature in DAI that does nothing but spout "blood magic is bad" and crack one joke about the maker's bosom. Another example would be Anders, who's given an obvious reason to be different, but a lot of people didn't buy it.

 

I do understand why people would be disappointed they cannot romance Eder because he has that archetype people like to romance, without being a person who would romance him myself. I also get there can be reasons to make a character unromanceable but at the same time when a character is that popular, it should be obvious, make sense, and not be left to speculation. It's also just really begging for people to complain and possibly above all, it just seems like a missed marketing opportunity, since I can imagine a ton of starved Alistair/Cullen fans buying Deadfire simply to romance Eder.

 

As for Xoti, again idk where you get the idea from everyone gives her bad advice? In both my endings, she was Eder's friend at the end and both were positive endings, although I didn't even do her quest in one of them. However, in both playthroughs Eder pretty quickly brought up he has issues with her, but still approved of her all the time and they acted normally in banter apart from 1 convo.

[Aridea]

I do understand why people would be disappointed they cannot romance Eder because he has that archetype people like to romance, without being a person who would romance him myself. I also get there can be reasons to make a character unromanceable but at the same time when a character is that popular, it should be obvious, make sense, and not be left to speculation. It's also just really begging for people to complain and possibly above all, it just seems like a missed marketing opportunity, since I can imagine a ton of starved Alistair/Cullen fans buying Deadfire simply to romance Eder.

 

Um, just because the guy is blond and cracks jokes doesn't mean he is similar to Alistair/Cullen and attracts the same fans.

I'd rather they wrote what made sense for the characters. I feel like too much catering to fans can ruin the game. Dragon Age suffered from that already. Planescape Torment was a beautiful game with a beautiful story because it was created exactly how the writers wanted to create it.

Edited June 1, 2018 by Aridea

[Yria]

Of course he isn't interested in Xoti romantically, she is early 20's and he is probably mid to late 30's. 

 

I don't want to shock you, but Xoti is 27. Yeah, I know. But that's what she says herself.

 

As for Eder's personal quest, after hearing one of his banters with Pallegina about having children I don't really think it's about an old flame or Bearn's life and death. I think it's more about Eder desperately wishing for some sort of normal life and family and realising that time is ticking. Elafa and her son are just the people he happened to appoint his family substitute. Which is kind of sad, I suppose, but still not as sad and unhealthy as suddenly deciding that you have feelings for a woman you haven't seen in 20 years.

[Galagraphia]

I figured Edér wanted a family. That's pretty much what his short story was about. And that's what I find odd, because he clearly considers the Watcher (male, female, Orlan, Godlike, whatever) to be his family. He drops everything he was doing, digs out the Watcher and sails across the world for a faint chance that maybe it will help his friend not to die. You don't do that kind of thing for just anybody. And later he admits that this relationship is closer to anything he had in a very long time. But the way he repels the romance is pretty much this: he says that he can't have any romantic feelings, because he didn't sort out some issues from 20 years ago, and he's waiting for some mysterious things that he knows will never happen, but he's set on waiting for them until the next life, which we know now will also never happen, so that reasoning just sounds really bizarre.

[Slotharingia]

 

I do understand why people would be disappointed they cannot romance Eder because he has that archetype people like to romance, without being a person who would romance him myself. I also get there can be reasons to make a character unromanceable but at the same time when a character is that popular, it should be obvious, make sense, and not be left to speculation. It's also just really begging for people to complain and possibly above all, it just seems like a missed marketing opportunity, since I can imagine a ton of starved Alistair/Cullen fans buying Deadfire simply to romance Eder.

 

Um, just because the guy is blond and cracks jokes doesn't mean he is similar to Alistair/Cullen and attracts the same fans.

I'd rather they wrote what made sense for the characters. I feel like too much catering to fans can ruin the game. Dragon Age suffered from that already. Planescape Torment was a beautiful game with a beautiful story because it was created exactly how the writers wanted to create it.

 

I do agree with you that catering to the fandom can be detrimental, but would it really have affected anything negatively to make Eder a romance option?

[Yria]

Problem is, he wants a very specific, settle down and have a calm life together kind of family. The Watcher's life tends to be very turbulent, they aren't really a suitable candidate for that role. You might be his closest friend but you can't give him what he is looking for when he settles down with Bearn, especially when the writers insist on pulling the "...and then the Watcher dropped everything and sailed home because reasons" card.

 

But the way he repels the romance is pretty much this: he says that he can't have any romantic feelings, because he didn't sort out some issues from 20 years ago, and he's waiting for some mysterious things that he knows will never happen, but he's set on waiting for them until the next life

 

Ok, I didn't try to romance him and never heard what he says to you when you try to press the matter, so I'm only coming from what his quest showed me. What you are describing does sound somewhat bizarre.

[marimo]

I suppose it's also possible that Eder doesn't want to mess up and lose the Watcher's friendship. He really has no one left in his life who isn't tied to the Watcher, except for his parents. He's also never had a successful romantic relationship in his life as far as I can tell. He goes for the Elafa type (and even in that case it sounds more like FWB than anything) and it inevitably fizzles out quickly because they get sick of each other. I really think he doesn't know what he's doing in that area, on top of all the other stuff he's got going on in his head. The thought of losing his last close friend is probably terrifying. 

[CENIC]

Problem is, he wants a very specific, settle down and have a calm life together kind of family. The Watcher's life tends to be very turbulent, they aren't really a suitable candidate for that role.

For what it's worth, I play a wisecracking but kind-hearted Watcher (which gets approval from Eder VERY quickly) and in his approval dialogue triggered at +1, he mentions that the Watcher seeing/talking to dead people is creepy and it takes a special person to look past that.

Not really what a woman who is attracted to him wants to hear, but there you go. I think just being a Watcher invalidates us as a potential partner in his eyes.

[Celan]

No I think my post was fine, and that wasn't much sarcasm it was general confusion at how many people think Eder should care more about his "bro" than his god, or his possibly estranged former girlfriend, or this sort of fanatical chick who has weird views of aforementioned god etc etc.  He isn't Minsc, he actually has a personality and motivations beyond "go for the eyes boo, go for the eyes".

 

Bear in mind other often overlooked facts.  Eder is one of, if not the, oldest people in the party by experience and "age".  Aloth might technically be older by years, but by elf standards he is mid-late 20's tops.  Of course he isn't interested in Xoti romantically, she is early 20's and he is probably mid to late 30's.  She literally looks like a child to him, non-withstanding her unusual feelings about his god.  Also he clearly still has unrequited feelings for the estranged former girlfriend.

 

He felt like a Garrus to me, a trusted long term friend character, not someone you hook up with or get romantic about.  Ignoring the fact that they made it possible to romance Garrus in 3 ;p.

 

Speaking of Xoti, does no one actually help her?  Every post about her arc I see implies she becomes an insane murderer, or her and Eder end up hating each other.  In my ending they became great friends, she worked out her issues, and started focusing on helping the living as well as the dead.  I literally do not see the Xoti/Eder relationship every account I read online sees.  Yes they started rough, cause they were both misunderstanding each other, but they can work it out.  I can only assume the people seeing that Xoti intentionally don't help her, or give her terrible advice.

 

 

Garrus, who was one of the most popular romances in the Mass Effect series? I think he's a very good example of why the buddy romance can work out well. Obviously that was not what the writer had in mind here. The story we got was just, IMO, not executed very well.

 

I do agree that Eder and Xoti are like oil and water, but isn't it possible for them to end up together in some scenarios?

 

I figured Edér wanted a family. That's pretty much what his short story was about. And that's what I find odd, because he clearly considers the Watcher (male, female, Orlan, Godlike, whatever) to be his family. He drops everything he was doing, digs out the Watcher and sails across the world for a faint chance that maybe it will help his friend not to die. You don't do that kind of thing for just anybody. And later he admits that this relationship is closer to anything he had in a very long time. But the way he repels the romance is pretty much this: he says that he can't have any romantic feelings, because he didn't sort out some issues from 20 years ago, and he's waiting for some mysterious things that he knows will never happen, but he's set on waiting for them until the next life, which we know now will also never happen, so that reasoning just sounds really bizarre.

As I see it now, he wasn't on the ship for the Watcher, he was there to pursue Eothas and your ship was going his way.

 

It is apparently impossible for the Watcher to form lasting friendships, just working partners or sex partners.

[Galagraphia]

I don't think Watcher's creepy abilities are the reason. Because when you ask him what he's feeling for you, he says he actually has a lot of curiosity about these abilities. And he always says that you are great, and he's very fond of you, and very loyal and protective, and you are NOT the reason why he can't fall in love. The reason is that weird explanation about waiting for something that will never happen. And it sounds really weird, because it's like he knows he has a problem, and it prevents him from getting something he wants in life, but he doesn't want to do anything about it. A friend of mine said that it's like he's deliberately building walls around himself, but it's never explained why he does that.

[Slotharingia]

 

Problem is, he wants a very specific, settle down and have a calm life together kind of family. The Watcher's life tends to be very turbulent, they aren't really a suitable candidate for that role.

For what it's worth, I play a wisecracking but kind-hearted Watcher (which gets approval from Eder VERY quickly) and in his approval dialogue triggered at +1, he mentions that the Watcher seeing/talking to dead people is creepy and it takes a special person to look past that.

Not really what a woman who is attracted to him wants to hear, but there you go. I think just being a Watcher invalidates us as a potential partner in his eyes.

 

Yet he has a crush on Iselmyr xD

[CENIC]

 

 

Problem is, he wants a very specific, settle down and have a calm life together kind of family. The Watcher's life tends to be very turbulent, they aren't really a suitable candidate for that role.

For what it's worth, I play a wisecracking but kind-hearted Watcher (which gets approval from Eder VERY quickly) and in his approval dialogue triggered at +1, he mentions that the Watcher seeing/talking to dead people is creepy and it takes a special person to look past that.

Not really what a woman who is attracted to him wants to hear, but there you go. I think just being a Watcher invalidates us as a potential partner in his eyes.

Yet he has a crush on Iselmyr xD

Does he see a family-oriented future with Iselmyr though?

Hitting on her is "safe" because realistically nothing can ever come of it and they both know that.

[Galagraphia]

If you think about it, the impossibility of having a family with the Watcher also can't be considered a block, because some Watchers adopted Vela and she's still alive somehow, so some Watchers are probably more or less ok as parents And if Edér really wants children, that's already one daughter, and they could adopt Bearn and live all together. So nope, I'm not buying that as well. The Watcher can be anyone. There might be a Watcher who is pretty much everything Edér has ever wanted

[Tarlonniel]

And it sounds really weird, because it's like he knows he has a problem, and it prevents him from getting something he wants in life, but he doesn't want to do anything about it. A friend of mine said that it's like he's deliberately building walls around himself, but it's never explained why he does that.

 

I agree, and this is the one thing I find really interesting about Edér. He seems to be deeply disturbed on some level, but we don't get to explore it in the game; we just watch the consequences play out. We chase down some woman he used to bang twenty years ago (but was not in love with, nope), watch him try to adopt a nearly grown stranger on the basis of "your mother and I used to bang," and talk with him about Eothas a little.

 

And for the record, I have no desire to see my Watcher romance the guy. I just want a reason not to leave him on the ship the whole game. Which I currently do (sorry Edér).

Edited June 1, 2018 by Tarlonniel

[CENIC]

 

And it sounds really weird, because it's like he knows he has a problem, and it prevents him from getting something he wants in life, but he doesn't want to do anything about it. A friend of mine said that it's like he's deliberately building walls around himself, but it's never explained why he does that.

I agree, and this is the one thing I find really interesting about Edér. But, of course, we don't explore it in the game.

I forget if it was discussed here or elsewhere, but I recall reading that Eder is "not good at committed relationships" and apparently acknowledges that about himself? So yeah, everything seems to point to unresolved personal issues he has about relationships, which we are not given the opportunity to attempt to "fix."

 

Maybe they are saving his romance for a later game. We can always hope. There are epilogues for Deadfire where he stays with the Watcher after all.

Edited June 1, 2018 by CENIC

[Galagraphia]

Edér "not being good at committed relationships" thesis is literally based on one line from his short story about getting tired of relationships with women like Elafa or Iselmyr (or even Xoti, I guess, the way she was chasing him and the Watcher ). He acknowledges that he can't be in relationships based on crazy banging for long, that's all. Because they are fun at first, but tiresome.

I could assume that the Watcher has a crazy life, and Edér just wants to puff his pipe and pet all the dogs. There even was a line he throws somewhere early in the game about how you tend to get in trouble, and there's a hint of accusation in it. I'll look for the screenshot. But he never calls it an issue and indeed stays with the Watcher in some of the endings, which means this life suits him fine, and the Watcher suits him fine, and there's only this mysterious issue in his head which he clings to for no reason, and it makes him wait for something, even when he knows he only has one life now.

[CENIC]

I could assume that the Watcher has a crazy life, and Edér just wants to puff his pipe and pet all the dogs. There even was a line he throws somewhere early in the game about how you tend to get in trouble, and there's a hint of accusation in it. I'll look for the screenshot. But he never calls it an issue and indeed stays with the Watcher in some of the endings, which means this life suits him fine, and the Watcher suits him fine [...]

The reason I think we can hold out hope for him being a romance option in a future title is exactly this. A) Elafa is dead, so if he was holding a candle for her, there is no point anymore, and B) he can stay with the Watcher in the end. People can change. Perhaps if you resolve Eder's feelings for Elafa by completing the quest but failing to save Bearn (or saving him unwillingly) Eder will reconsider his stance on relationships.