[Spoilers] I Don't Think There is a Good Ending

[Reaptor]

I chose Maelle's ending, though I watched Verso's on Youtube and you could argue either one is better for various reason. Verso's ending could be perceived as good because it's helping everyone move on from the past, but that also raises the question about the people in the canvas. Do they deserve to die because the real people need it to move on? Do their lives not matter because they're not real? What is "real" anyway? They live, feel, eat, think, carry on lives all on their own. Why does what is essentially a higher power get to decide their fate? Does a god reserve the right to destroy their own world?

Is it right that she kept Verso as a prisoner? No. She didn't need to keep bringing him back like that for their pleasure. Toward the end, it felt like a cope, that these were replacements for Verso. They shouldn't have to suffer the cost though.

[Elvick]

Both endings are empty and lame. I wish there was no choice it would be easier to accept whatever they chose to tell.

But giving choice all I can think is that my choice would be a middle ground. Alicia gets rid of painted Verso like she did her painted self (and painted Renoir).

Then she fixes up the place, brings everyone back, sets things in motion and leaves.

The idea that Sciel, Lune, even revived Gustav, would just let Maelle remain in the painted world forever is goofy. They would talk her into leaving to face the real world.

And then she can return to visit here and there. There’s no reason it had to be either extreme.

And I fail to see how I can care about a singular painted person wanting to die but not the generations who wanted to live. They’re all equally alive, but the ending places the only value on painted Verso.

I guess you can say it’s on the kid Verso, so a part of real Verso’s soul or something? But that’s not well explained for me to give a ♥♥♥♥ about.

Lune, Sciel, Monoco, and Esquie (sp) have zero agency in the endings. Which is really annoying.

If they really wanted the ending options there should be a hidden third after finding all the lore (messages, talking to all the fragmented people, whatever else) which allows Alicia to get to a point she can cope enough to make a middle ground decision.

Because I felt the whole “brother” thing at the end came out of *nowhere* to me. She always treated painted Verso as a different person, yeah with memories of the real one, but not the same person. The whole story and argument for her was that she didn’t want a piece of her brother to be destroyed (the painting). But suddenly she switched to it being about painted Verso. Lame.

I just feel like when games do multiple choices and all the endings are just “I’m 12 and this is deep” where the endings are all sad/depressing then it’s annoying.

I’m fine with a miserable “nobody wins” ending, but choose that for me. Don’t give me the illusion of a choice when the choices are all dumb.

[ShockedHearts]

ignore above they seem to be missing a lot of key information stated that invalidated most of what they said lol. both endings are impactful and deep, they showcase conflicting feelings between two people. this is a great example of the villain is right.

both endings are bittersweet and both endings are deeply emotional. you can only hate it if you are naive and expect a happily ever after in a tragedy.

[Reaptor]

Originally posted by Elvick:

Both endings are empty and lame. I wish there was no choice it would be easier to accept whatever they chose to tell

Going to cut the quote down for size, but you are missing a lot of deep seated things, maybe you can't grasp the whole picture. Not everyone is equipped to deal with thinking this deeply.

Firstly, you say "let her" remain in the painted world. She is essentially a god. There is no letting her. She either will stay or wont. Sure, she *can* leave, but as Renoir said, it's intoxicating. Just like an addict can quit, its not always so easy.

Can their be a middle ground? Yea, sure, maybe there is, but this is the story the writers wanted you to experience. Maybe she does go in and out of the painting. It never says she doesn't. Also, the ending isn't just about keeping Verso's soul alive, it's about everyone's lives. All the people you mentioned play a massive role in the ending. It's their lives you're deciding for. Do they get to live or do they cease to exist?

Which is why I asked Does a god reserve the right to destroy a world they created? Especially when it's to benefit themselves, without taking into consideration the entire world they'd be destroying and all the lives involved.

[Trehek]

You're right, OP. Neither ending is ideal. There is no easy perfect ending here. For the people in the canvas, preserving the canvas is the desired outcome, and having one or more gods to rebuild the world is even better. Returning to the real world is ideal for the healing of the Dessendre family, despite Alicia's reservations. But if everyone were to leave the canvas willingly, they'd still have the option to return in a more healthy fashion. But even if every inhabitant and all the Dessendre's get their good ending, the remaining shard of Verso would still be imprisoned, forced to paint against his will.

Therefore, I'd say the "true ending" would be the family reaching consensus and leaving the canvas peacefully, healing and then with their combined skills and powers, destruction of Verso's canvas and recreation of painted Lumiere with its people in a new canvas, a new world. But naturally, the family's grief and trauma prevents reaching this outcome.

[Wisp]

The ending is just about the point of view of Maelle and Verso. Verso is fed up about his fake world and the manipulation of the painters, so he rather have it destroyed and ignore what everyone else feels. Nobody wins on Verso's ending, destroying the picture is NOT moving on, if Maelle wants to stay in the canvas, its her call. If Verso is buthurt about his world being fake, well guess what, we don't know if ours is too.

Maelle is the good ending. She gets what she wants, it doesn't matter what others think. Her father accepted her decision and so seems her Maman. And the characters in the picture are also happy to keep existing, only buthurt Verso can't get over it. At least it seems she repainted him more mature. If Maelle never gets tired of this fantasy world to the point of not being able to leave and her body failing, its her choice. Her "real" world is terrible, her family is torn, her body is mingled, and it is missing her brother, I would 100% choose to stay on the painting, no regrets, nobody loses (but oneself)

[Reaptor]

Originally posted by Wisp:

The ending is just about the point of view of Maelle and Verso. Verso is fed up about his fake world and the manipulation of the painters, so he rather have it destroyed and ignore what everyone else feels. Nobody wins on Verso's ending, destroying the picture is NOT moving on, if Maelle wants to stay in the canvas, its her call. If Verso is buthurt about his world being fake, well guess what, we don't know if ours is too.

Maelle is the good ending. She gets what she wants, it doesn't matter what others think. Her father accepted her decision and so seems her Maman. And the characters in the picture are also happy to keep existing, only buthurt Verso can't get over it. At least it seems she repainted him more mature.

Yea the only part I didnt like was her repainting him and keeping him as a plaything. She could have just not repainted him.