Enver Gortash - Blog Posts

Gortash has a 'love' for humanity and it's making me sick cuz that's perhaps why I even like him. Cuz it's twisted and messed up and rotten, so fucking rotten, but it's there, and his every step and every plan of his strives towards the betterment of the status quo in some way and advancement of humanity in a way that's just making me sick.

In this essay I will-

A lot of Thoughts about Enver Gortash and the text of Richard III

Ok so William Shakespeare's character of Richard of Gloucester is very much the archetype for the Tyrant in western literature and I just have SO MANY THOUGHTS about the way Enver Gortash wears that particular crown... (Not to mention how the fangirl in me just loves some of Richard's dialogue and could easily see it coming out of Gortash's mouth, and I'm trying so hard NOT to write a whole ass fic just so I can get Gortash to say, "I am not made of stone.")

WHO IS RICHARD III?

In real life, he was the last Plantagenet king of England, and a controversial figure, but I'm just talking about how he's depicted as a character in William Shakespeare's play Richard III (and to a lesser degree in Henry VI) . In Shakespeare's plays he is written as the quintessential scheming, backstabbing, duplicitous tyrant who will stop at nothing to gain and keep power. He concocts a massive plan in which he will manipulate the whole of the English aristocracy into crowning him king, by creating a situation in which they will be so desperate and angry at an imagined enemy that they will beg him to assume power over them. Sound familiar?

"Since I cannot prove a lover (...) I am determined to prove a villain." They have different backgrounds, but with both Richard of Gloucester and Enver Gortash there's a driving current of otherness compared to the ranks of the nobility that they're manipulating. Gortash is from a working class family but clawed his way up to join the ranks of the well-bred elite through cunning and ingenuity (and lots of crime). Richard was born into a noble family, but is physically disabled and is often mocked or insulted for it. In context, Richard uses the phrase 'since I cannot prove a lover' less as a complaint about his love life and more as a general example of how he has doesn't fit in with his peers. Basically, "You don't accept me? I'll make that everyone's problem."

"How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown..." Both of them survived trauma and violence, which was directed at them by people against whom they were powerless at the time. Gortash was sold to Raphael as a child and spent years as a target of every kind of abuse his master deigned to throw at him. Richard saw his father and brother brutally tortured, then murdered by the queen of their country, while he could do nothing to stop it. In both cases they internalized at a young age that violence = power = safety.

"Was ever woman in this humour won? (...) I, that kill'd her husband and his father, to take her in her heart's extremest hate (...) and yet to win her, all the world to nothing!" Both Richard and Gortash are platinum-tier smooth-talkers, who are skilled at getting other people to act the way they want through use of charming words. Richard shoots his shot with Anne despite the fact that she knows full well he murdered her last husband and she literally spent the first half of the scene wishing death on him. But by the end of the scene he's convinced her to marry him. Gortash, similarly, can talk the player character around to siding with him against the Elder Brain in spite of having just spent the first 2 act of the games trying to unravel his evil plots. Why? Because they're both just. that. smooth. They both have a way of manipulating others with a smile and good cheer - they sound so reasonable, even when you KNOW you shouldn't listen to them.

"Why strew'st thou sugar on that bottled spider, whose deadly web ensnareth thee about? Fool, fool! thou whet'st a knife to kill thyself." Both of them have are underestimated partly because of their ability to be charming, and partly because of their status as outsiders. Gortash because of his working class background, and Richard because of his disabilities. In both cases, there are people who find them repulsive but generally toothless (Queen Elizabeth and Ulder Ravengard respectively) who live to regret it. In both cases there are also people who ring the alarm bell that this creep is up to no good, but who aren't heeded soon enough.

"And thou unfit for any place but hell." "Yes, one place else, if you will hear me name it." "Some dungeon." "Your bed-chamber." They both have a little bit of that freak in them and seem to get off on trying to fuck people who want them dead. See: Richard with Anne. Durgetash in general.

"I'll be at charges for a looking-glass, and entertain some score or two of tailors." Gortash and Richard are both exceptionally well-dressed, to the point of vanity. Gortash is described as handsome in the game, but even fans who dig him can admit that he has a very unconventional style of attractiveness. His teeth are discolored, his skin is blotchy, he's pushing late middle age, and he's got the sort of flat features that other fans have pointed out are typical of boxers and other people who've gotten punched in the face a lot. Similarly, Richard is described as hunchbacked and with features so deformed that 'dogs bark at (him) as (he) passes by'. Yet, despite not being conventionally pretty, both of them seem to spend a lot of money on their clothes. ... this is getting long, so I'm going to end this here. Might do a part 2 later if the brainrot is still upon me.

What if this is Gortash's way of having a plan to betray the others. Just as Durge is planning to end the world, with himself and Gortash as the last living beings, what if Gortash was planning on "liberating" Durge from their bhaalspawn flesh and blood. Durge would be a part of Enver's perfect order. Maybe both of them are hatching plans to subvert the other for their cause, tyranny and murder respectively. This is a wild rabbit hole indeed.

Let's say, Durge somehow defies daddy Bhaal and Gortash does not bite the grass.

Let's say, despite tireless efforts Bhaal doesn't rly like letting go of his kids, esp not those crafted from his own flesh and blood.

Let's also say, Gortash, the mad unethical scientist, would find 'ways' for Durge to get rid of the burden that is their Bhaalspawn body (essence may be gone but that body still Bhaals property technically).

And now, cuz I'm feeling funny, what if the Steelwatch and the whole consciousness/souls bit Gortash got going on is precisely with that in mind? After all, Gortash is a tyrant obsessed with freedom. And Durge is his equal. So of course he'd assist in their escape from their own hell, too. And if what they need is a new vessel to store their consciousness, well, Gortash and his mechanical puppets are happy to oblige.

I'm onto smth I know it (and this is definitely not just a scrapped ending that I've been reconsidering again)

Fun fact everyone when I found out there's no way to save him I stopped playing that run for a week and made a new save because I hated it that much

I do refuse to acknowledge the death of Gortash. I shall feign that his demise be but a Mandela effect.

Oh how do I know I have a really bad hyperfixation character? My coworker got me a sticker of him. And when she gave me the sticker I did a little stompy feet stim and immediately felt pain in my bad leg but that's fine, I have a Gortash sticker now. Look at him, look at how cute he is

I need 20 more

"You're supposed to be dead" was all that came out, but there were many more thoughts racing through Durge's head

How was he alive? How long had he been alive? And, oh no, why did he almost feel relieved.

Gortash was decomposed, nothing like his usual self as he rushed to explain. Durge stood still, arms crossed as he stared at Gortash

In truth, the words weren't processing in their mind. They were too preoccupied by the internal conflict, knowing this man was a threat but being glad his death had only been temporary

At some point Gortash stopped talking. Durge said nothing, they couldn't when none of the explanation had stuck

The two stared at each other, unspoken emotions dancing behind each of their eyes

"Durge?"

Finally, Durge spoke again, tone light; "I'm glad I can kill you myself"

Imagine this:

Gortash is back, no one knows just yet, with the the exception of withers.

Withers thinks it's best for gortash lays low for a while.

The companions have no clue about his resurrection.

Gortash is aware that he is now an enemy of the people in baldur's gate.

Going back there isn't an option right now.

He is at the wilderness campsite, that's where he stays.

Every now and then, the companions would visit withers, gortash must remain unseen at all cost.

So he hides, until they leave.

Eventually, it all gets a little tiresome for gortash.

Wondering when he'll be able to get out of hiding.

This time, durge pays a visit to withers.

Gortash hesitates, he hadn't seen durge since their confrontation with the elder brain.

Realisation hits him, he must hide, quickly.

With a quick sigh of relief, gortash wonders, if durge would be glad to see him. Maybe not.

Durge has changed, no reason to be around a miserable failure like himself.

Durge has moved on, with no memories of their times together.

To durge, he is the past. The forgotten past.

Gortash's thoughts were cut off when he heard the sound of someone clearing their throat.

Lo and behold, standing there, in his hiding place, was none other than the one he was thinking about.

Durge saw him.

Durge knows nows.

He should be disappointed he failed withers.

But he's happy, happy to be seen by his durge.

"You're supposed to be dead" were the words durge spoke.

Time to explain everything.

"No Longer You" from Epic: the Musical fits the Dark Urge so well

"I see a song of past romance"

Durgetash

"I see the sacrifice of man"

Alfira/Everyone who Durge killed for Bhaal

"I see portrayals of betrayal and a brother's final stand, I see you on the brink of death, I see you draw your final breath"

When Orin overthrows Durge (especially if Orin was disguised as Gortash)

Alternatively, "portrayals of betrayal" could be referring to the scene where Durge tries to kill a companion, and "brink of death," "final breath" referring to the duel against Orin, and then rejecting (or accepting) Bhaal

"I see a man who gets to make it home alive, but it's no longer you"

Durge losing their memories and returning to Baldur's gate

"I see your palace covered in red"

Bhaal's temple

"Faces of men who had long believed you're dead"

The Bhaalists/The dead three's chosen

"I see your wife with a man who is haunting, a man with a trail of bodies"

Wife is referring to Gortash, and the other person would be who Durge was pre-tadpole

Please share your thoughts/theories/rambles/headcanons!

A silly comic of the Chosen playing Minecraft..