Related to the discussion in the Imoen plothole thread, let me try to answer this once and for all.
Imoen is actually a figment of charnames psyche, and is not real at all.
First off, she only appears after periods of great trauma or stress for charname:
First after being badly attacked and watching his foster father die after leaving candlekeep.
Next after being captured and brutally tortured by Irenicus
Finally, after having his very soul removed.
In bg1 charname imagines her as a constant companion because thought of a return home to candlekeep are a constant companion, and she reminds him of this. Note that sarevok or gorion never mention anything about another bhaalspawn
Ch1 of bg2: "Imoen" releases charname from his cell, although she has been badly tortured and traumatised. Irenicus wanted charname to give in to bhaal, and become consumed so he could gain a better understanding of his powers. The frayed state of Imoen represents the frayed state of his humanity. Be she still remains, which means the process is not complete. However, it has already begun, and as the dream sequences later on indicate, charname already feels the temptation of the darker path.
Her role in ch2-4 in bg2 is that of a metaphor for the discovery of charnames bhaal essence, and the loss of his humanity (imoen) as he journeys to find it. The revelation about his heritage is what makes him feel as if his humanity is lost.
Bodhi is supposedly the recipient of her divine soul, but conspicuously never exibits any bhaal-style powers, unlike Irenicus with your soul. She even runs away from you the first time you turn into the slayer.
When Imoen reappears, she is no longer her invulnerable self as before - she now represents charnames dawning realisation of his own mortality. Imoen rejoins the party - representing that he has now found his humanity - however charname is stripped of his soul (the belt keeping her alive)
She appears to him in visions and dreams as a very aspect of bhaal - now this is charname coming to terms that his humanity is no longer what definies him - is was his bhaal essence all along.
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I have a few theories about some of the other NPC's as well but they can wait for another day.
Imoen is actually a figment of charnames psyche, and is not real at all.
First off, she only appears after periods of great trauma or stress for charname:
First after being badly attacked and watching his foster father die after leaving candlekeep.
Next after being captured and brutally tortured by Irenicus
Finally, after having his very soul removed.
In bg1 charname imagines her as a constant companion because thought of a return home to candlekeep are a constant companion, and she reminds him of this. Note that sarevok or gorion never mention anything about another bhaalspawn
Ch1 of bg2: "Imoen" releases charname from his cell, although she has been badly tortured and traumatised. Irenicus wanted charname to give in to bhaal, and become consumed so he could gain a better understanding of his powers. The frayed state of Imoen represents the frayed state of his humanity. Be she still remains, which means the process is not complete. However, it has already begun, and as the dream sequences later on indicate, charname already feels the temptation of the darker path.
Her role in ch2-4 in bg2 is that of a metaphor for the discovery of charnames bhaal essence, and the loss of his humanity (imoen) as he journeys to find it. The revelation about his heritage is what makes him feel as if his humanity is lost.
Bodhi is supposedly the recipient of her divine soul, but conspicuously never exibits any bhaal-style powers, unlike Irenicus with your soul. She even runs away from you the first time you turn into the slayer.
When Imoen reappears, she is no longer her invulnerable self as before - she now represents charnames dawning realisation of his own mortality. Imoen rejoins the party - representing that he has now found his humanity - however charname is stripped of his soul (the belt keeping her alive)
She appears to him in visions and dreams as a very aspect of bhaal - now this is charname coming to terms that his humanity is no longer what definies him - is was his bhaal essence all along.
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I have a few theories about some of the other NPC's as well but they can wait for another day.