Despite the game’s duo of endings having vastly different consequences for their characters, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 actors Jennifer English and Ben Starr both agree on which one is best.
Full spoilers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and both of its endings to follow. Read at your own risk!
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is mostly linear when it comes to its storytelling, but when you arrive at the game’s climactic finale, you’re faced with a decision: Do you allow Maelle to live happily within the painted world with all of her friends and family surrounding her, knowing full well that staying there for a long time will eventually decay her? Or do you destroy the canvas, meaning everyone you’ve met on your journey and the world itself is gone, and Maelle goes back to her life as Alicia?
These are typically called Maelle and Verso’s endings as each character is the main driving force behind one of the two endings, and you have to have them do one final battle to decide it. But despite their character’s opposition, both Jennifer English (Maelle) and Ben Starr (Verso) – who both took home awards for their acting in the game – are agreed on which they prefer.
Talking to GamesRadar+ at the Golden Joystick Awards, English was asked for her choice and responded, “I mean, Maelle’s my girl. I think let her live her delulu fantasy life.” She reasons that “it’s a reality; it’s just a different one.” Meanwhile, Starr has a somewhat more straightforward explanation: “Maelle’s ending because I really like my acting in it.” He urges people “Please play Maelle’s ending. I’m really proud of some of the stuff I do in there,” adding that “I got this award because I was so good in that ending; choose the Maelle ending to see why I won this award!”
Although despite his preference being due to his acting, Starr did add “I do think both endings are Alicia’s ending,” adding that “it’s a moment where you think, what is best for grief? How are we dealing with it? And I think both are completely valid.” Which is good to know as someone who went with Maelle and immediately regretted it because I much prefer Verso’s.
Of course, English and Starr weren’t the only winners, so be sure to check out all the Golden Joystick Awards 2025 winners.
