Can You Save Gustave in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?
Image Credits: Sandfall Interactive, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
If you're hoping to find a way to save Gustave in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, here’s the short answer—no, you can’t prevent his death. No hidden choices, no secret endings. Gustave’s fate is sealed as part of the main story.
What Happens to Gustave?
During the expedition, Gustave sacrifices himself before the final confrontation with the Paintress. His death is a key moment in the story and can't be avoided, no matter what decisions you make along the way.
After returning to Lumière, Maelle delivers the news of his death to his sister, Emma, and to the group of children who looked up to him. The only thing you can do is pass on his journal, which becomes a symbol of his legacy and bravery.
Read More: Does Gustave Come Back
Does Any Ending Bring Gustave Back?
Technically, yes—but only in a bittersweet way:
In Maelle’s ending, if you choose to fight as her, the canvas world continues. Gustave, along with other fallen characters, appears alive again in Lumière. But this isn’t truly "saving" him—it's keeping everyone trapped in a fantasy, repeating the same cycle of grief that haunted Aline.
In Verso’s ending, if you choose to fight as him, the canvas—and everyone in it—is destroyed. Gustave, along with the rest of Expedition 33, fades away for good.
So, while Maelle’s ending lets you see Gustave alive, it’s not a real resurrection—just a continuation of a painted world.
Final Blurb
No matter how much you want to save Gustave in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, his sacrifice is part of the story’s core. You can bring him back in the canvas if you choose Maelle’s path, but it’s more of a beautiful illusion than a true second chance. Like much of the game, it’s a reminder that some losses can’t be undone—only remembered.
Reommended | View all Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
