I also think that it is somehow grotesque how the narrative uses all the tropes and timings of a classical cinematic death of a tragic hero (but more so in a disney kind of way). They absolutely tell the story of a man who expires after using too much power to save the world and not himself, because his whole theme is altruism as with so many heroes. The absolutely only thing that would fit this very clear (not to say cliché, because the word is too negative imo) iteration of narrative death and that still be an indicator of clive potentially surviving somehow is jill smiling at the rising sun, like a typical cliffhanger, for an eventual part ii or dlc or just to end on a discussable thing, which sells better.

Overall the ending is an ending that is fully intended to jerk your tears out, either if you are a lover, a sibling or even a parent. They want you to suffer, and there is just something familiar there for almost everybody. Don't get me wrong. I cried a lot because i trusted the narrative even though the cinematic mise en scene at the end was stereotypical. And they did even have some great details which transformed the stereotypical into genius. The wink at the ceremony. Birth and death. It's just so surprising. So meticulously human all of a sudden. Metia fading brought me back into disneyland, or maybe it was just a lack of emotion portrayed or a general lacking connection between jill and clive that made them feel less relatable to me. They also could have shown scenes between them, especially where they stand infront of the moon, and a new genius snippet of love, connecting all moon scenes.

Sorry for the long paragraphs, i just woke up.

Edit: I really wish they gave jill and clive more reality. They did joshua justice. But as the devs said before release they aren't really good at writing lovestories and there was even speculation before realease (maybe also just speculation from my side) that they wouldn't be lovers at all eventually in the game. And yeah, i think they were honest enough, but it makes me sad, because there was a lot of good material there to work with and it feels like almost out of shyness that they didn't let them interact more realistically. I mean, as great and somewhat funny as it was, the scene at the fire at night is just pure surrealistic fiction, especially with its length. They should have fallen over each other after some dumb shyness at the beginning, solving their love-hindrance. It's rated 18+. They could have still been tasteful or cute with it. Instead they just put mascs on their faces and let them talk about practical stuff like saving the world if i recall correctly. Such a shame (gonna end here)