The following contains major spoilers forClair Obscur: Expedition 33.
It didn’t take long for Esquie to prove himself asClair Obscur: Expedition 33’s breakout star, thanks to his heartwarming and easily lovable nature. However, Verso is right up there with him, brought to life by the talent of the increasingly familiar Ben Starr, who notably voicedFinal Fantasy 16’s Clive Rosfield. As it turns out, both of these characters share a unique bond with each other that they don’t with any other character in the game, and whileClair Obscur: Expedition 33attempts to explain why, that bond actually goes much deeper than it might initially seem.
Once Verso arrives on the scene inClair Obscur: Expedition 33, the game allows him plenty of room for his relationships with the other characters to grow. But his friendship with Esquie is one that began off-screen and developed into something special that he doesn’t ever share with anyone else. There’s a reason for this, but it isn’t fully revealed until players reach the end of the game and choose the appropriate path.
Verso’s Bond With Esquie Was Formed During His Childhood
One of Clair Obscur’s Endings Reveals Esquie’s True Nature
In order to understand why Verso and Esquie have such a unique bond, it’s important to have a firm grasp of the game’s story and the way that it ends. The most significant reveal inClair Obscur: Expedition 33’s storydiscloses that Lumiere, the surrounding continent, and its many inhabitants are, in fact, a painting originally created by Verso himself. Before his life was taken from him when he rescued his sister Alicia from a fire that engulfed their family home, Verso had the unique ability as one of many Painters to create entire worlds by painting them onto a special Canvas.
On his Canvas, he created the world of Lumiere, the surrounding continent, and many of its inhabitants before his mother, Aline (the Paintress), entered his Canvas after his death and reshaped it to immortalize his memory within it. Shortly after the final boss fight withRenoir inClair Obscur: Expedition 33, players are given the choice to either destroy the Canvas or save it, with the choice to destroy it arguably leading to the game’s “good” ending — at least when considering the scope and message of the narrative.
The whole idea ofClair Obscur: Expedition 33’s narrative is that grief can be a powerful enemy when it is not seen through to its end, as it can trap people in an endless loop of denial that will eventually destroy them.
This “good"ending inClair Obscur: Expedition 33sees Aline, Alicia (Maelle), and the rest of their family standing at Verso’s grave and finally accepting his loss, instead of remaining dictated by their grief. Here, Alicia is shown holding an Esquie doll in her arms at her brother’s grave, and while it isn’t explicitly stated, it’s safe to assume that the doll actually belonged to Verso when he was a child. This moment, though it might be brief, carries profound implications for the bond shared between Verso and Esquie, as well as Esquie’s nature and unmatched power.
Verso’s Bond With Esquie Is One That a Child Shares With Their Favorite Stuffed Toy
While Verso and Esquie have a history within the Canvas, the “good” ending forClair Obscur: Expedition 33confirms that their bond goes much deeper than that. Rather, this is an unbreakable bond that a child shares with theirfavorite stuffed toyand a symbol of how powerful a child’s imagination can be. Even many adults who have outgrown dolls, so to speak, can still point to memories of their favorite childhood toy, with it often resulting in feelings of nostalgia and warmth that not many other inanimate objects can inspire.
And this is actually one of the reasonsClair Obscur: Expedition 33’s Esquieis such a popular character among fans. He is a lovable, innocent, and warm individual who gives comfort to those in need, just as a plush toy might for a child. His endearing nature has therefore effortlessly struck a chord with fans of the game, and even that is indicative of Esquie’s true nature as Verso’s favorite childhood toy. In the end, it’s not so much the adventures Verso and Esquie have gone on within the Canvas that hold meaning, but the adventures they went on together during Verso’s childhood that played a significant role in who he eventually grew to become.
