It's official: a Baldur's Gate 3 TV series is on the way. Craig Mazin (co-creator of HBO's The Last of Us) confirmed on February 5 that he is attached to create, write, executive produce, and showrun the adaptation. The show will apparently continue the story that happens after the events of the hit videogame, with new and old characters carrying the narrative. In my eyes, there's one person that absolutely must feature in the new series - the game's least popular companion.
Wyll Ravenguard is a troubled companion. Well, in the story of Baldur's Gate 3, he's probably the least complicated. An all-round do-gooder with a forgiving streak, Wyll lacks the angst of Shadowheart or the moral greyness of Astarion. But, behind the scenes, Wyll's development was by far the most turbulent.
After years of early access, developer Larian decided to rewrite Wyll from the ground-up. The general reason why is that Wyll, who was at that time a cocky hero with a severe hatred for goblins and a bit of a selfish streak, wasn't well-liked, and he didn't stand out much from the other companions. This prompted a thorough re-write and a re-cast at a time when other companions were having the final touches placed on their personal narratives.
As a result, Wyll has the fewest hours of dialogue of all companions, even after numerous game updates. He gets two romantic cutscenes (with no sex scene, an oddity in a game famed for its intimate moments). In comparison, Astarion, who has four hours more talking time than Wyll, gets six romance scenes. From a purely mathematical point of view, Wyll is the least loved of all companions.
Maybe that's why he's proved so unpopular with fans. Or perhaps it's the sheer lack of impact that Wyll has on the game's story. Despite hailing from the titular Baldur's Gate, he has no unique scenes or interactions there. He barely speaks during scenes where his father is in danger, or he faces those responsible for his family's suffering.
The one side quest in Act 3 that is supposed to be uniquely Wyll's is barely even about him. And, when Wyll's literal soul is on the line, he isn't the one that gets to forge his path forward - the main character makes that choice for him. Combine this with a rather quiet, well-mannered personality, and Wyll hardly has a chance to stand out.
I'll admit that, for a long time, I wasn't a Wyll fan. He committed the egregious sin of being downright boring, and it took me a long time to forgive him for that.
This new show, though, is a chance at redemption for Wyll Ravenguard. If the show takes place in Baldur's Gate itself, this is the perfect chance for us to see more of his life at home - possibly as the newest Duke of Baldur's Gate. He'd be a figure of immense influence, so he'd be an asset to any new band of adventurers that might lead the series.
More importantly, the show would give us more precious time with the Warlock. There would be more opportunities to show off his golden heart, the trait that drew his existing fans to him in the first place. Mazin could add some complexity to a character that many considered bland. I'm sure even I could learn to love The Blade of Frontiers if I had time to get to know him better.
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