Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    EA Sports Madden NFL 26 Head Coach But Why Tho 5

    Dear EA Sports, Why Can’t I Make A Hot Coach?

    08/14/2025
    Blade in Marvel Rivals Season 3.5

    Blade Can Shut Down The Other Team In Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 If You Know How

    08/08/2025
    John Cena and Cody Rhodes during Summerslam 2025

    The SummerSlam 2025 Main Event Was A Fever Dream We All Needed

    08/08/2025
    Street Fighter 6 Sagat

    Sagat Brings Depth And Approachability To ‘Street Fighter 6’

    08/07/2025
    Battlefield 6 Classes - Support trailer image

    Battlefield 6 Really Wants You To Play Support (But Knows You Won’t)

    07/31/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » Features » Get Uncomfortable: Sapadel Makes Players Confront Moral Ambiguity in Avowed

Get Uncomfortable: Sapadel Makes Players Confront Moral Ambiguity in Avowed

Charles HartfordBy Charles Hartford02/18/20256 Mins ReadUpdated:02/19/2025
Sapadel in Avowed
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

This article includes spoilers for Sapadel’s storyline in Avowed.

In the opening moments of Avowed, The Envoy (player character) is tasked with finding a cure to a mysterious plague called the Dreamscourge. This madness-inducing malady is eventually revealed to be caused by a long-forgotten god named Sapadal. The ancient race known as the Ekida, or Godless, also disappeared at Sapadel’s hands. As the god speaks directly into The Envoy’s mind it begs to be freed from their eternal prison. But these facts give The Envoy pause.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

But like many great stories, what you initially see isn’t everything. It’s soon made clear that Sapadel didn’t do these things on purpose. They were accidents brought about by fear, confusion, and in self-defense. These claims are hard to believe at first since the only source is Sapadel themself, but that changes thanks to the presence of Woedica, The Queen That Was.

To say that Woedica is a controlling goddess is an understatement. Anything that doesn’t fit her purposes or her self-imposed order for the world must be removed root and stem. Periodically throughout the game, Woedica appears, manipulating The Envoy into seeing the situation her way. Sapadel’s story is confirmed through these appearances, and a further wrinkle is added to the murky moral waters.

A key element of most moral codes is intent. Whether a result is intentional greatly impacts how we view an action and the one who took it. Accidents can never be murder. Neither can you accidentally steal something. While crimes can be accidental, there must be intent for them to warrant the harshest of punishments. But what if you are dealing with an individual who could accidentally cause a volcano to erupt or turn a city of people into the walking dead?

The conditions of Sapadel’s creation make their punishment in Avowed morally ambiguous.

Lodwyn in Avowed

Due to the special conditions of Sapadel’s creation, the other gods of the world never welcomed them. This means that this being of immense power had to teach itself how to wield its great powers. This is a clear recipe for disaster. It was this lack of self-control that spawned the Dreamscourge.

Sensing the return of its old enemy Woedica through the arrival of her servant Lödwyn, Sapadel’s panic manifested into the deadly disease. But Sapadel promises that, if released from their cage, they will have the control they need to reign in their terror and be a source of good for The Living Lands.

All these elements come together as The Envoy finally stands before Sapadel with the final choice before them. To free the diety or use their special connection to kill the god. Strong arguments can be made for both choices, even if many would consider the latter distasteful.

The merciful thing to do is to free Sapadel. With its lack of teaching and unaware nature, it would be easy to look at their past failings akin to a child who accidentally found a parent’s gun. Sapadel didn’t know what they were doing. They lashed out in fear, only later realizing the full effects their terror would wreak. Now, they understand. And what’s more, they will have The Envoy with them to help keep them level. Surely, they deserve a second chance? Don’t we all?

While this is a stance most would take in our world, individuals can’t single-handedly wipe out cities in our world. How far good intentions can get you is a tricky proposition, especially since The Envoy holds no authority in The Living Lands. They are not a representative of the people who will have to live with the choices they make. Does The Envoy have the right to put their lives on the line?

This is where option two steps in. Putting the lives of thousands on the line in the hope that a maladjusted god doesn’t blow their stack sounds a bit irresponsible. Is it tragic that the other gods didn’t help them learn about their abilities and teach them the control they need? Of course. Even more so, they were hunted and caged simply for the manner of their creation. But what’s done is done, and it is the now that must be dealt with.

Choosing how to deal with Sapadel is an intentionally impossible choice.

Sapadel in Avowed

Despite the coldness of the arguments, they do bear moral weight. Many moral codes put the needs of the many over the needs of the one, arguing that an act that helps the most and hurts the fewest is always the clearest path. While this outlook provides clear guidelines, it lacks a level of nuance that leaves lives feeling like little more than numbers in a ledger.

The lack of any mid-range option goes a long way to making the choice so hard. In the real world, given the unintentional nature of Sapadel’s crime, we might find some third path. Like freeing them but stripping them of some/all of their power. They don’t deserve death, but they can’t just be set free, either.

The Envoy stands in an uncomfortable position without knowing what will ultimately come of their decision. The choice of what to do with Sapadel is unclear at best. Both options are fraught, and simply applying the morality we are accustomed to doesn’t work due to the special nature of the circumstances. That’s assuming Sapadel is being completely honest with The Envoy. Whether through deceit or centuries of repression due to guilt, it’s always possible that all the facts are never laid bare, even if they feel fully addressed.

And that is what makes fantasy one of the most compelling genres of fiction. It takes tried and true concepts like morality and asks “What if?” How we respond to these problems teaches us things about ourselves, our outlooks on life, and what we value most. Avowed takes full advantage of this ability, creating a complicated situation that leaves plenty of room for questions while forcing players to find their own answers.

Avowed is available on Xbox Series S|X and PC, and is playable via Game Pass.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleExpansive Trigger Warnings In ‘Lost Records: Bloom & Rage’ Still Miss The Point
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’ Sets The Spin-Off Standard
Charles Hartford
  • X (Twitter)

Lifelong geek who enjoys comics, video games, movies, reading and board games . Over the past year I’ve taken a more active interest in artistic pursuits including digital painting, and now writing. I look forward to growing as a writer and bettering my craft in my time here!

Related Posts

EA Sports Madden NFL 26 Head Coach But Why Tho 5

Dear EA Sports, Why Can’t I Make A Hot Coach?

08/14/2025
Blade in Marvel Rivals Season 3.5

Blade Can Shut Down The Other Team In Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 If You Know How

08/08/2025
John Cena and Cody Rhodes during Summerslam 2025

The SummerSlam 2025 Main Event Was A Fever Dream We All Needed

08/08/2025
Street Fighter 6 Sagat

Sagat Brings Depth And Approachability To ‘Street Fighter 6’

08/07/2025
Battlefield 6 Classes - Support trailer image

Battlefield 6 Really Wants You To Play Support (But Knows You Won’t)

07/31/2025
Battlefield 6 Multiplayer Reveal promotional image

Battlefield 6 Classes, Maps, And More: Everything You Need To Know

07/31/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Still from Shin Godzilla
8.5
Film

REVIEW: ‘Shin Godzilla’ Is More Relevant Than Ever

By Sarah Musnicky08/16/2025Updated:08/17/2025

It is understandable how Shin Godzilla succeeded at the box office nearly a decade ago. The strength of its story still stands today.

Botanical Bliss Update Palia But Why Tho 5 News

Palia’s New Botanical Bliss Update Brings New Flora, Decorations, And Quest Mechanic

By Matt Donahue08/18/2025Updated:08/18/2025

The Botanical Bliss update adds new event, more plushes, and a host of quality-of-life improvements and more to celebrate 2 years of Palia.

BOOTS Netflix First Look promotional images News

First Look at Coming-of-Age Story BOOTS, Coming to Netflix This October

By But Why Tho?08/17/2025

Netflix is reporting for duty this fall with the new eight-episode series BOOTS, a comedic drama starring Miles Heizer and Vera Farmiga

Nuestra Magia Secret Lair Art Interviews

EXCLUSIVE: How The ‘Nuestra Magia’ Secret Lair Found Its Identity And Raised Over $1M

By Kate Sánchez08/15/2025Updated:08/15/2025

We spoke with Ovidio Cartagena about Magic: The Gathering’s Nuestra Magia Secret Lair drop, its impact, and the real treasure within.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here