The two different endings inClair Obscur: Expedition 33have become a topic of great debate among players who argue which ending is the “good” vs. “bad,” and it’s an argument that ultimately comes down to your opinions about the characters in the game. It’s easy to say that Verso’s ending is better than Maelle’s if you think about what’s best for the Dessendre family, but on the other hand, Maelle’s ending is arguably better if you’re thinking about what’s best for the characters inside the Canvas. However, these platitudes miss the point of the game entirely.
WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR CLAIR OBSCUR: EXPEDITION 33!Ultimately, I would argue there is no objectively"good" or “bad” endingbecause of how deeply invested players are in all ofClair Obscur’scharacters.Both endings are intended to force players to question themselves about which characters are “real” inClair Obscur, and to make players think deeply about what it means to find closure, deal with grief and trauma, and ultimately come to terms with loss. No matter how you spin it, there is no “good” outcome because there is no easy or “right” way of dealing with the level of loss that Maelle is facing.
Clair Obscur’s Characters Make A “Good” Ending Impossible
Every Character In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Is Complex & Easy To Love
Each character inClair Obscur: Expedition 33is very well-rounded and complex, and by the end of the game, players are going to empathize with all of them, even the “villain,” Renoir. This is what makes the game so compelling, and why players are deeply affected and passionate about the decision they have to make at the end betweenMaelle and Verso. Maelle’s ending preserves the lives of each character inside the Canvas, butperpetuates the same cycle of grief for Maelle/Alicia that their mother Aline was stuck in.
Verso’s ending offers more of a sense of closure, it’s definitely not a “good” ending in any sense of the word for those who existed inside the Canvas.
Verso’s ending offers a sense of closure for the Dessendre family, but at the cost of every beloved character inside the Canvas. These characters inside the Canvas may not be “real” in the sense that they are constructs of a Painted world, but they are very much real to the players who’ve just spent the entire game getting to know them, whichparallels how Maelle/Alicia felt about them as well.While Verso’s ending offers more of a sense of closure, it’s definitely not a “good” ending in any sense of the word for those who existed inside the Canvas.
Arguing Over Which Clair Obscur Ending Is Better Misses The Point
Both Endings Are Necessary To Establish The Stakes
Ultimately, neither ending inClair Obscuris “better” than the other, and both have objectivelytragic and devastating outcomesfor all the characters involved. Both endings are necessary to give players a sense of what is at stake at the end of the game, which I would argue makes both of them equally important, regardless of which one you think is better or worse for the characters. Whether you choose Verso or Maelle’s ending, you’re left with questions about whether you made the right choice.
At the end of the day,Clair Obscur: Expedition 33is a story about grief, loss, death, and coming to terms with tragedy. There is no simple or straightforward way to do this for any human being, which is exemplified by how dynamic the characters are in this game and how deeply invested players are in each of their individual journeys. Every character deals with loss and pain in different ways throughout the narrative, and it all culminates in a decision that forces players to think hard about their own understanding of loss.
