Baldur’s Gate 3: Should You Help the Emperor in the Astral Plane? – Answered (BG3)

That's not what I was expecting

You’ve felled Moonrise Towers and now Baldur’s Gate is on the horizon. But just when things are getting cozy, a portal to the Astral Plane is opened. Your dream visitor is being attacked. And now, you’re faced with a decision. Should you help them? Should you help the Emperor in the Astral Plane? 

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Should you Help the Mindflayer Emperor or the Prince in Baldur’s Gate 3

Once you’ve made it through the portal, you’ll find yourself fighting Githyanki, allied with Intellect Devourers and Mindflayers. But once you get close to the center, you’ll see the true source of the conflict.

A Githyanki prince is held captive at the center, and your Dream Visitor is actually a Mindflayer, holding him captive. This Mindflayer, called the Emperor, will ask you to help him push back the assault. But should you? Or should you push back the prince? 

The answer is, you should really help the Emperor

While things are never clear cut in Baldur’s Gate, doing so is the only way to stop the Absolute from pushing into your brain. The Emperor wasn’t lying about that. And by killing the Emperor, or refusing to help him, the Absolute’s voice will fill your head.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: What Happens if You Annihilate Mizora – Answered (BG3)

You’ll then be turned into a Thrall. Another slave to the Absolute. Yep, the Emperor was telling the truth the whole time! You weren’t being protected by super special main character powers. 

Screenshot by Prima Games

Once you’re turned into a Thrall, you’ll get a game over screen. So, this is one of the few times where your choice really doesn’t matter. 

And now that we know that, maybe it’s time to consider letting tadpoles burrow into your brain. Here are the best illithid powers to choose from. 


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Author
Image of Daphne Fama
Daphne Fama
A Staff Writer at Prima Games since 2022, Daphne Fama spends an inordinate amount playing games of all stripes but has a soft spot for horror, FPS, and RPGs. When she’s not gaming, she’s an author and member of the Horror Writers Association with a debut novel coming out in 2025. In a previous life, she was an attorney but found she preferred fiction to contracts and forms