It doesn't necessarily have to be this way.
Even if the player didn't trigger it at 6F, they can make him trigger anyway in later events, giving a subtle nod like
"Something feels familiar, I've felt like this before. It's so... urgh... HAAAAAAAAA!" if the player got it on 6F ending, or completely disregarding the nod if the player didn't trigger it.
It doesn't have to be that divisive, and to code this conditional should be easy AF.
I immediately associate this Blue Flame Ethan with a Super Saiyajin transformation kinda thing: you need an actual trigger to transform for the first time, regardless if you are already powerful enough to do it or not; the case being heavy emotional distress.
If he didn't do it by 6F, he could likely do it further if something similar happens.
That's what makes 6F evil ending so dark, by the way: we end up knowing Ethan is a beast inside. He has untapped potential that made even Karen intrigued and concerned about it - in that form,
he could likely damage her.
Still, all that potential gone, all that power gone, all hope of stopping their evil plan gone, for a pair of sexy feet. He ends up not knowing what he is. His mind is broken and he doesn't think about anything anymore besides Karen.
Pretty dark, if you ask me.
Branching is good for replay value, specially for a game like ToT.
And the fact that Bo Wei and Koda aren't strangers to darker endings/outcomes, makes it even cooler: I personally want a good ending. Ethan deserves it. But the darker endings add to the femdom element from the game.
I once told Bo personally that
ToT could use a dark male figure.
(Not as a floor boss, for God's sake.
)
But either as an anti-hero, or straight villain. Something that would serve as an example to Ethan
what not to become. He already has Master Roman as a hero figure.
So far, all the male figures in the tower are either benevolent from the start, or straight redeemed by his actions/example.
