"Baldur's Gate 3: Addressing Antisemitism, Ranking Opponents, Explaining Act 2, Time Constraints, and Quality of Life Changes"

The plot of "Baldur's Gate 3" includes a side story that perpetuates harmful fantasy tropes rooted in misogyny and antisemitism. The story involves a character named Ethel, who engages in a blood libel trope by trading or coercing someone to give up their child to be consumed. This trope, historically associated with antisemitic caricatures of Jewish people, has been used as a scapegoating tool throughout history. The game's portrayal of Ethel, including her transformation into a less humanoid creature with an elongated nose, further reinforces antisemitic stereotypes. The article argues that storytellers should confront and address these underlying issues of prejudice in the genres they explore.