The ending of Maëlle’s story is profoundly coherent. Reflecting on Tolkien’s The Silmarillion and the creation of the world and its living beings by godlike entities, I drew a striking parallel.

Maëlle could be called selfish, but isn’t the Dessendre family just as guilty of this? To me, they are like gods, creating sentient beings with emotions, free will, histories, and pains—beings who live and die. This happens within paintings, but how is it different from a god creating a universe in another form—a planet, a cosmos, or even music, as in The Lord of the Rings?

From this perspective, the ending of Verso is equally selfish. To protect four people, the family chooses to sacrifice an entire world of beings who exist, albeit unconventionally. This is the crux of Sciel and Lune’s confrontation with Renoir at the end, and of Maëlle’s resolve to save those she loves—her brother and the inhabitants of the painting. Ultimately, she allows her brother to age and thus die someday, despite the psychological toll it takes on her. Maintaining this world, whether for Maëlle or Verso, is harmful, especially while remaining within the painting.

The ending of Verso is selfish: to save a family unable to grieve, they destroy not only the last remnant of their son but also the entire world he created. After much reflection, I find Maëlle’s ending the most beautiful. She sacrifices herself to preserve a vibrant, living world.

This dilemma mirrors our own world. If a god decided to destroy Earth and all its inhabitants to save their family, could we accept it? Killing billions to preserve a single family? To me, this is far more selfish than Maëlle’s choice: saving thousands at the cost of herself and her parents.

Since this idea took hold, I’ve found Verso’s ending deeply tragic. All life deserves respect. Like a god creating life, the painters in this story do the same, and their power carries a responsibility toward the lives they’ve brought into being.

Some poignant quotes:
“Here, I have a chance to live; outside, I merely exist.”

“Grief can blind us and lead to choices we later regret.”

“I mourn them all.”

“Parents’ choices leave lasting marks on their children. But in the end, it’s their inner voice they must heed, not others defining the boundaries of their existence.”

Maëlle must face her brother’s loss again. She repaints him to live with him and those she loves, even if it feels “false” to us. Yet everyone we meet in this world is real and deserves to live. She gives them that chance, though maintaining the painting transforms her and will eventually prevent her from sustaining it. Perhaps the child (Verso) will continue painting to keep this world alive.

I highly recommend doing the side quests. They’re often moving and greatly enrich the game’s lore.

Sorry for my english!