😢 These Two Characters From Baldur’s Gate 3’s House Of Hope Deserved A Much Longer Story!

Why didn’t we get more of them? 🤔

Two characters from Baldur’s Gate 3’s House of Hope had so much potential, yet their stories were cut way too short. Fans are demanding more, and honestly, they deserved a deeper dive. 😩

What could have been if their arcs were fully explored? 🏰

👉 Click here to find out which characters should’ve gotten more screen time!

One of my favorite aspects of Baldur’s Gate 3 is how three-dimensional and compelling the characters are. The companions are written beautifully, and they truly feel like realistic people. Many non-recruitable characters are also fantastic, and it’s no surprise that NPCs like Rolan and Barcus are so beloved. However, there are lots of characters that evidently didn’t get as much attention.

It would be ridiculous to suggest that every single NPC in a sea of hundreds should be completely fleshed out, but there are two characters from the House of Hope quest that I’ve become gradually more frustrated with every time I see them. A lot of the content in Avernus was cut, and it was originally supposed to be very similar to the Underdark with various encounters and side-quests. I doubt that these characters had more planned for them in Avernus, but they certainly have considerable wasted potential.

Hope And Korilla Don’t Get A Fulfilling Resolution

Korilla Shows Up Frequently Throughout The Game, Only To Meet An Underwhelming Fate

Hope and Korilla are set up to be pretty big characters throughout Baldur’s Gate 3, but their actual impact is quite underwhelming. Korilla stalks the player across all three acts before they get to the house of Hope, and it feels like her inclusion should lead to something bigger rather than just being a worker for Raphael, when we bump into him several times as well. Raphael also talks about the concept of “hope” a lot, often talking about how people run to him to make deals when they become hopeless.

The reveal of “Hope” also referring to a person should have a lot more impact considering how she is vaguely foreshadowed throughout the game, but my main problem is her lack of interaction with Korilla. The conversation they do have is awfully brief considering their history. Hope and Korilla are sisters, and Raphael wanted both of them to serve him. Only Korilla accepted, and Hope’s refusal is what prompted him to torture her for so many years.

A Reddit User called spacetimeboogaloo shared a fantastic theory leaning into the lore of the Forgotten Realms, which may justify Korilla’s decision to sell her soul to Raphael.

Despite arguably losing a fair bit of sanity, Hope continued to endure Raphael’s wrath and always stood her ground against him. It’s only Korilla’s betrayal that appears to deeply sadden Hope, and she’ll recount stories of her sister protecting her when she was younger. It’s incredibly easy to dislike Korilla, but we know that Raphael uses sly methods to get his way.

It’s always bothered me that Hope and Korilla don’t get a proper resolution. It’s undeniable that there’s a huge rift between the two, but Hope still sees the good in Korilla, and seeing them reconcile would make for a more fulfilling end to the House of Hope questline. If you manage to beat Raphael without killing Korilla, Hope will be elated that her sister was able to survive, but we never get any follow-up on their relationship, even in Hope’s letter in the epilogue camp.

Lots Of BG3 Players Don’t Know What Hope Actually Is

A Larger Narrative Focus Would Make Hope And Korilla’s Story Easier To Digest

Something which I think proves that Hope and Korilla really got the short end of the stick when it comes to the narrative is how a lot of players can’t tell what Hope actually is. Fans such as asanskaarilegend on Reddit have theorized that she’s some kind of quasi-deity, or the literal embodiment of hope itself, when the truth seems to be much simpler than that. Hope appears to just be a regular cleric with an ironic name, which is probably one of the reasons why Raphael is so obsessed with her.

You could argue that Hope’s unbreakable spirit does make her an embodiment of the concept of hope, but I think some more development for her and Korilla could’ve provided some more insight into their backstory and who they are as people. Raphael is one of BG3‘s most iconic villains, and I would have loved to see more about how Korilla got tangled up with him. There was a lot of potential for a character who is a warlock of a main antagonist, but she feels painfully one-sided.

The Player Can Convince Yurgir To Fight Against Raphael, But Korilla Won’t Side With Her Sister

Korilla May Not Be As Powerful As An Orthon, But She Would Have Been A Better Ally Story-Wise

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My biggest takeaway from my disappointment with this character is that I think it would have been a lot more impactful if you were able to recruit Korilla for the final battle instead of Yurgir. At the very least, it would have made a lot of sense to have some dialogue to convince her to fight on your side. Yurgir is certainly a useful ally to have on your side, but the truth is that he doesn’t contribute a huge amount to the plot.

Korilla siding with the player to help her sister would’ve been a more fulfilling narrative than Yurgir doing it out of spite. We already know that Yurgir hates Raphael and is only bound to him by contract, but Korilla is nothing but a loyal follower. A side-plot where Korilla defies her patron would have had the potential for some very powerful moments, possibly with some interesting moments for Wyll if she violated the terms of her contract. Raphael punishing Korilla for stepping out of line would also have been a better narrative than no follow-up at all.

Even if players aren’t interested in stealing the Orphic Hammer, this could give players another motivation for infiltrating the House of Hope. You can ask Korilla about her sister, so it feels natural that you would be able to find some piece of information that could help her see through Raphael’s manipulation. Lots of Baldur’s Gate 3 players rightfully hate Kagha, yet she can still be reformed if you convince her to side against the Shadow Druids.

It feels strange that you can help Kagha come to her senses after she tried, and possibly succeeded, to kill a child, yet you can’t do the same for Korilla, who was obviously highly manipulated. The way Hope describes the way Korilla used to act definitely implies that Raphael played a large hand in turning the sisters against one another, but there’s no way of seeing if they ever mend their relationship. Hope may only be present for a short amount of time in Baldur’s Gate 3, but she deserves to have a proper ending alongside Korilla.