That is some real twisted logic there.
I don't see how my logic is "twisted." I'm simply stating facts. At any rate, the Reddit thread which I linked earlier offers a more substantive defense of the empress ending. I'll cut and paste one of the more salient observations here:
In order for Ciri to NOT become the empress of Nilfgaard, one of two things has to happen: either Nilfgaard loses the war and Ciri never has the opportunity to become empress, or Geralt never takes Ciri to meet Emhyr. If neither occurs, she chooses to leave Geralt and go to Nilfgaard.
The issue of personal choice is at the heart of Ciri's story. Everyone around her, from the Wild Hunt to many of her companions, want to use, control, or manipulate her in some way because of her powers. Geralt's relationship with her is special precisely because he loves her unconditionally for who she is and does not force her to do anything. I say that if one follows the game the way it's presented, the moral thing to do is to let Ciri make her own choices.
For Ciri to make her own choices, we must first make as many choices available to her as possible. If Nilgaard loses the war, Emhyr is overthrown, and Ciri never has a chance to succeed him. Therefore, she never has the choice to become empress. If Geralt never takes Ciri to meet Emhyr, he's also depriving her of a choice to accept or reject her father.
It is also critical that she is making the choice of her own free will, which I believe she is in the Empress ending. It is not implied, as far as I can tell, that she is being forced or manipulated into this. In fact, she does not tell Geralt of her decision until the day the Nilfgaardians arrive to receive her. When questioned, she claims that she simply wanted to make the most of their time together. However, though her cheeks are tear-stained from having to say goodbye to Geralt, she also reveals that she is genuinely afraid he will stop her from going to Nilfgaard and force her to go with him instead, to which he quickly replies that he'd never force her to do anything.
So if we present Ciri with all the possible choices, as well as the free will to choose, she chooses to become empress. Notably, there is no ending in which she rejects becoming empress to stay with Geralt and become a Witcher instead.
Where is there any proof of that last sentence?
Ciri's dialogue in the closing moments of the game. Before she bids farewell to Geralt, she tells him, "In Vizima, my father and I spoke ... for long. Argued, really, and parted. Then a messenger came with a letter. I didn't say anything at first because I wasn't sure, and then ... I realized I had to stop fleeing. Realized that if I wish to change anything, I cannot do so hunting monsters round forgotten villages. I must do so from there, from Nilfgaard."
You're obviously free to interpret those words however you wish, but it's clear that Ciri reflects thoroughly on the situation, without Geralt's help, and comes to her own conclusions.
@Paprikamann
I think we're splitting hairs here, but what the heck, that's what most forum posts are anyways.
The fact remains that in Geralt's conversation with Ciri there are the following options:
a) Encourage Ciri to meet the emperor (she becomes empress)
b) Discourage Ciri from meeting the emperor (she does not become empress)
c) Tell Ciri that she needs to make her own decision, in which case she then forces you to weigh in with your opinion.
In either case, she solicits Geralt's advice, and you have no option but to respond.
From where I sit, the game is all about making as many choices available to Ciri as possible, and then letting her choose her own path.
As far as Ciri "wanting to be a Witcher," I think it's rather telling that (to parrot the reddit thread on this topic) there is no ending in which she rejects becoming empress to stay with Geralt and become a Witcher instead.
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