The Unforgiven: Exploring the Consequences of Not Forgiving Asriel Dreemurr in Undertale
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What happens if you don’t forgive Asriel Dreemurr in Undertale? The short answer is: the True Pacifist ending proceeds, albeit with a lingering sense of melancholy and a missed opportunity for complete emotional closure. The game doesn’t drastically alter its course, but the player and Frisk themselves miss a crucial moment of empathy and understanding. While forgiving Asriel doesn’t unlock a hidden level or change the mechanics of the ending, it’s crucial for fully realizing the thematic heart of Undertale: redemption, empathy, and the power of forgiveness.
Choosing not to forgive Asriel results in a more subdued, less cathartic resolution to his character arc. While he still understands and accepts the decision, and the other characters remain blissfully unaware of this internal struggle, a significant weight remains. Frisk leaves Asriel at the flowerbed where he initially became Flowey, knowing that they parted without offering complete forgiveness. The overall impact on the gameplay is minimal, but on a narrative and thematic level, the moment represents a failure to fully embrace the pacifist philosophy that the game champions. It’s a subtle but significant difference, turning a triumph of empathy into a muted victory tinged with regret. This single decision ripples through the ending, potentially influencing how the player reflects on their journey and the choices they made. It emphasizes that the spirit of Pacifism, not just the actions, matters.
The Nuances of Forgiveness in Undertale
Undertale meticulously crafts a world where choices, both big and small, carry weight. While many games offer binary good/evil choices, Undertale thrives in the gray areas. Asriel’s character embodies this complexity. He’s not simply a villain. He’s a product of his circumstances, grief, and the unique conditions of his existence as Flowey and then as a resurrected version of his former self.
Forgiveness in Undertale isn’t about excusing actions but about understanding their roots. Refusing to forgive Asriel doesn’t punish the player with a bad ending. It punishes Frisk, and by extension, the player, with a feeling of incompletion. They miss a chance to offer empathy to someone deeply hurting, even if that hurt was caused by his own actions. Forgiveness, in this context, becomes an act of self-healing as much as an act of extending grace to Asriel.
The Importance of Player Agency
The decision to forgive or not is a powerful example of player agency. Undertale doesn’t force players into a particular moral path. It presents choices and allows players to wrestle with them authentically. The consequences of not forgiving Asriel are primarily emotional and thematic. It’s a reminder that even in a game celebrated for its pacifist approach, true peace requires active compassion, not just passive avoidance of violence.
It is important to remember this, as Games Learning Society is an organization dedicated to promoting learning through games, and Undertale demonstrates how games can teach complex emotional intelligence and ethical reasoning. Forgiveness is one of those emotional intelligence and ethical reasoning examples that the player can learn from. You can find more about the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.
Asriel’s Character Arc and Redemption
Asriel’s transformation from a grieving child to the soulless Flowey to the remorseful final boss is central to the story’s emotional core. Understanding his journey is key to appreciating the significance of the forgiveness choice. Flowey’s inability to feel love or empathy leads him to commit terrible acts. When he briefly regains his true form, Asriel expresses profound regret for his actions.
The act of forgiveness, then, becomes a validation of this transformation. It acknowledges that Asriel is more than just the sum of his past mistakes. It recognizes the inherent goodness that still exists within him, even after his descent into darkness. Refusing to forgive him, however, denies him this validation.
The Impact on Frisk’s Journey
Frisk, the silent protagonist, embodies the potential for empathy and understanding. Their choices define the player’s experience and shape the narrative’s conclusion. Choosing to forgive Asriel reinforces Frisk’s role as a symbol of hope and compassion. It completes their journey as a peacemaker.
Opting against forgiveness, however, creates a disconnect. It suggests that Frisk, and by extension the player, are unwilling to fully extend grace, even to someone who genuinely seeks redemption. It leaves a lingering question mark over Frisk’s commitment to the ideals of pacifism and understanding.
FAQ: Unforgiven Edition – Delving Deeper into Asriel’s Fate
Here are 15 frequently asked questions that explore the implications and context surrounding the decision to forgive Asriel Dreemurr:
1. Will not forgiving Asriel lock me out of the True Pacifist Ending?
No. The True Pacifist ending is still achievable even if you choose not to forgive Asriel. It’s more about the emotional tone than a hard game mechanic.
2. Does refusing to forgive Asriel affect my relationship with other characters?
No. The other characters are unaware of your specific interaction with Asriel at that moment. Your relationships with them remain unchanged.
3. Does Asriel’s dialogue change significantly if I don’t forgive him?
Yes, Asriel acknowledges and accepts your decision, displaying understanding even in his disappointment. His closing lines are altered to reflect the lack of forgiveness.
4. Can I change my decision later if I regret not forgiving him?
Unfortunately, no. Once the interaction with Asriel concludes, the choice is permanent for that playthrough. You would need to reset the game to make a different decision.
5. Does not forgiving Asriel make the game harder in any way?
No. The game’s difficulty remains unaffected by your choice to forgive or not forgive Asriel.
6. What is the “canon” choice: to forgive or not forgive Asriel?
Undertale doesn’t have a definitive “canon” choice. The decision is entirely up to the player, reflecting the game’s emphasis on player agency and moral ambiguity.
7. Is Asriel truly sorry for his actions, or is he manipulating Frisk?
Asriel’s remorse appears genuine. The narrative presents his regret as a sincere realization of the harm he caused, both as Flowey and as Asriel Dreemurr.
8. Is there a secret scene or reward for forgiving Asriel?
There isn’t a specific secret scene or reward. The primary reward is the emotional satisfaction of offering forgiveness and witnessing Asriel’s peaceful departure.
9. How does Asriel’s lack of a soul impact his actions and accountability?
As Flowey, Asriel lacked the capacity for empathy due to his lack of a soul. However, when he temporarily regains his soul, he demonstrates remorse and takes responsibility for his past actions.
10. Can I defeat Asriel through combat if I refuse to spare him?
No. Asriel cannot be defeated through conventional combat. The fight is designed as an emotional challenge, requiring the player to use the “ACT” option to connect with him.
11. Does choosing not to forgive Asriel make me a “bad” player?
Absolutely not. Undertale doesn’t judge players for their choices. It encourages reflection and consideration of different perspectives.
12. Does this decision affect a subsequent Genocide Route playthrough?
No. This is a separate playthrough. Each ending is independent of each other.
13. Is forgiving Asriel essential for understanding Undertale’s themes?
While not strictly essential, forgiving Asriel significantly enhances the understanding of Undertale’s core themes of forgiveness, redemption, and empathy.
14. How does not forgiving Asriel compare to other controversial choices in Undertale?
It’s a more subtle consequence than some other choices, like killing Toriel. The impact is primarily emotional and thematic, affecting the player’s personal interpretation of the ending.
15. What happens to Asriel after the True Pacifist ending, regardless of whether I forgive him or not?
Asriel reverts to Flowey after releasing the souls of the humans and monsters, once again losing the ability to feel love. It’s ambiguous whether he stays Underground or leaves with the others.