My Valentine's Days are characterized by guffawing. A full, unexpected embrace of the passion of the season of love. So, when AdHoc started dropping the main official Valentine cards Dispatch At X, I was seated, ready, and fully prepared to overanalyze and fangirl fantasy flirting like it was my full-time job.
However, I felt something unexpected in this wave of fangirling. I began to give thanks for what was missing. On February 9, AdHoc kicked things off Dispatch A Valentine card featuring Robert. Which is just fine by me – he's the hero, after all. Did I feel something? Not particularly. He is safe, but from safety, we can get somewhere, maybe a little bit on the edge of the safety net. In that process, I began to realize that the “what” that was missing was actually a “who.”
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The Dispatch's Valentine's Day cards made me long for one far away
On February 9, AdHoc Studio followed up with Robert's card with an invitation. The studio hosted a vote on its Discord to decide which Valentine's Day card would follow Robert. The options presented to fans were:
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invisible
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Flambé
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The blonde blazer
There are some clear threads that emerge here. Invisigal and Blonde Blazer are romance options Dispatch Season 1, so putting them in the forefront makes perfect sense. Flambae oozes sex appeal, so hers was also understandable. But was the borderline unforgivable? Absence of malevola. She was not the fourth choice nor “coming soon.” Simply, he was not an option.
9 Match the games to the grid.
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9 Match the games to the grid.
Invisigal won the February 10 bid. Blonde Blazer followed at 11. Malevola, although she was not a substitute, eventually appeared at 12. Although she left Flambé in the so-called Hierarchy, she still arrived at the party I consider fashionably late at the party she was supposed to be headlining. Because, let's be honest: Malevola, perhaps, should have gone first. Take my least due on this: she should have been given a chance to go first.
I need everyone to start looking at Malevola as a romance option in Dispatch Season 2 as much as I need him to be.
There is a very specific type of character that reshapes a fandom when they appear. From Sons to Onsler, I grew up watching entire fandoms live and die on Tumblr thanks to these characters. They're the ones with a commanding presence and a sharp edge that reads less “reformed villain” and more “romance option to put me in a chokehold.” Malevola, for me, fits that mold effortlessly.
in the post-BG3Karlach romance world, viewers have proven that they appreciate a few things:
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They want in-game romances with emotionally layered, powerful women.
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These women have warmth in their hearts and dialogue.
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The black horn and red skin combo is deadly.
After experiencing what can be a fully realized, unexpectedly intense romance arc in a video game, it's hard to tell fans to retreat to safe, flatter options. Feels like a more than viable romance option for Malevola Dispatch Season 2—She feels indispensable.
Valentine's Day is all about options. Let's choose chaos.
Invisigal felt like taking a chance on something with romance potential. The blonde blazer is literally a competitor, and her romance reflects a beautiful consistency. But it's time for some real hell.
A Valentine card rollout can be playful marketing for fans who have grown in love DispatchThe characters of Community engagement strategies and harmless polls are just part of the fun associated with active fandom. However, fandoms are not neutral ecosystems. Those are ecosystems fueled by desire, and if the response to Malevola's card is any indication, the fandom's appetite is clearly there. The card was hit differently. Reactions carry weight. And the potential practically hums through a static image.
So yes, this is probably a Valentine's Day treat. If Dispatch Season 2 is going to lean into more romance options, it shouldn't be hedged or bland. Most importantly, it should not delay the inevitable. After our best girl Karlach, the bar is only higher. None of us can be expected to thrive without a Malevola romance arc that can make us emotionally unstable in a way that only ad hoc can do. So, yes, the card was adorable. Now, I need a story line to go along with it.
Dispatch
- issued
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October 22, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood, crude humor, intense violence, nudity, sexual content, strong language, use of drugs and alcohol
- developer(s)
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AdHoc Studio
- publisher(s)
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AdHoc Studio
