My Valentine's Day is characterized by jetting. A full, unapologetic embrace of seasonal love obsession. So when AdHoc started dropping cheeky official Valentine's Day wishes Send on X I sat, ready and fully prepared to overanalyze and cheer for fictional flirting like it was my full-time job.
But then I felt something unexpected in this wave of fangirling. I began to yearn for what I lacked. On February 9, AdHoc started Send Valentine's card with Robert. Which I think is perfectly fine – he is the main character after all. Did I feel something? Not particularly. He's safe, but from safety we could get somewhere, maybe a little on the edge of the safety net. In the process, I began to realize that the “what” was missing was actually the “who”.
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A Valentine's card from Dispatch made me crave what I had missed
AdHoc Studio followed Robert's invitation card on February 9th. The studio held a vote on their Discord to decide which Valentine card would follow Robert's. The options offered to fans were:
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Invisigal
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Flambée
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Blond jacket
There are some obvious threads emerging here. Invisigal and Blonde Blazer are romantic options Send Season 1, so it makes sense to have them at the forefront. Flambae oozes sex-appeal, so his was understandable too. But what was borderline unforgivable? Malevola's absence. There was no fourth option, not even a cheeky “come soon”. Simply, she was out of the question.
Place 9 games in the grid.
Start
Place 9 games in the grid.
Invisigal won the February 10 bid. Blonde Blazer followed at 11. Malevola, though out of the question, ended up appearing at 12. Even though she jumped Flambae in the so-called hierarchy, she still got what I consider to be fashionably late at the party she was supposed to have on the front page. Because, let's be honest: Maybe Malevola should have gone first. In my least justified view of it: she should have been offered the option to go first.
I need everyone to start wanting Malevola as a romance option in the 2nd season of shipping as much as I need her to be
There is a very specific kind of character that reshapes a fandom the moment they appear. From Sans to Onceler, I grew up watching entire fandoms live and die on Tumblr because of these characters. Among them are those with a compelling presence and a sharp edge that sounds less “reformed villain” and more “romantic possibility that will get me in a bind.” Mavola fits that mold effortlessly for me.
In the post –BG3In the world of Karlach romance, viewers proved to admire several things:
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He craves game romances with emotionally layered, powerful women.
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These women have heat and dialogue in their hearts.
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The combination of black horns and red skin is deadly.
After experiencing what can be a fully realized, unapologetically intense love arc in a video game, it's hard to ask fans to retreat to safer, flatter options. Malevola feels like more than just a viable option for romance Send Season 2 – feels inevitable.
Valentine's Day is about choices. Let's choose Chaos.
An Invisigal romance felt like taking a chance on something with potential. Blonde Blazer is literally a role model, and her romance reflects an idyllic stability. But it's time for some real hellfire.
The introduction of the Valentine card could have been playful marketing for fans who fell in love with it Senduser characters. Community engagement tactics and harmless surveys are just part of the fun of being part of an active fandom. However, fandoms are not neutral ecosystems. These are ecosystems driven by desire, and if the reaction to Malevol's card is any indication, then the fandom's appetite is clearly there. The card hit differently. Reactions have weight. And the potential practically hums through the static image.
So yes, this might be a Valentine's request. If Send Season 2 will lean towards more options for romance, it shouldn't be hedged or softened. And most importantly, it shouldn't delay what feels inevitable. After our best girl Karlach, the bar is simply higher. Some of us can't be expected to thrive without a Malevola love arc that emotionally destabilizes us in a way that only Adhoc can. So yeah, the card was adorable. Now I just need the plot to go alongside her.
Send
- Released
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October 22, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood, Crude Humor, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Crude Language, Drug and Alcohol Use
- Developers
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AdHoc Studio
- Publishers
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AdHoc Studio
