#I love my Brother | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

loredrinker · 11 days ago

Text

Solas, Checkmate, and the Pieces in Play

After reading @nadas-dirthalen's insightful post on Rook and the Inquisitor’s collaboration and the Inquisitor's significance in Veilguard, a chess theme arose and I started thinking about the redeem ending through the lens of chess.

Excited by the idea, I reached out to my brother, an avid chess player. What began as a simple idea grew into the detailed breakdown you’ll find below.

This post explores how Rook, Inquisitor Lavellan, Morrigan, and Mythal align with certain chess pieces, followed by a move-by-move analysis of the redeem ending.

Let’s start with a breakdown of the pieces and who they align with.

The Rook

Movement: The rook moves any number of squares in a straight line, either horizontally (along ranks) or vertically (along files), but cannot jump over other pieces.

Role in Chess:

Dependable and straightforward, the rook commands control over open lines, dominating ranks and files.

It creates openings and fortifies other pieces, making it essential for both attacking and endgame strategies.

It can play a sacrificial role, achieving a greater strategic goal.

Rooks work best when paired with other pieces, representing strength, support, and reliability.

Rook as...well, obviously the Rook

The rook often doesn’t come into play until the board is developed. In this case, Inquisition and Trespasser set the stage (board), and Veilguard introduces Rook, continuing the play.

Just as a rook defends key positions, Rook’s role is also about protecting Northern Thedas.

A rook’s ability to shift the board’s dynamics (disrupt the board) mirrors Rook’s impact on the narrative. Rook’s improvisational nature gives them an edge in the "endgame" of Solas’s failed ritual, where their unpredictable choices lead to outcomes that even Solas cannot fully anticipate.

Rook’s role often involves finding clear paths forward, whether through solving problems, bridging gaps between characters, or making decisive moves.

By giving the dagger back to Solas, Rook takes a calculated risk, akin to a rook sacrificing its position for the greater strategy, relying on others (Lavellan and Mythal) to achieve the ultimate checkmate.

The Queen

Movement: The queen is the most versatile and powerful piece, moving any number of squares in any direction - horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

Role in Chess:

Often described as combining the powers of the rook and the bishop. We know the power of a rook, the bishop adds foresight and planning.

As the most powerful and valuable piece, the queen is both an ideal attacker and a prime target for the opponent.

The queen symbolizes power, flexibility, and dominance, capable of commanding the board and turning the tide of the game.

It works best in coordination with other pieces, setting them up for decisive moves or amplifying their impact.

Lavellan as the Queen

Inquisitor Lavellan embodies the queen’s leadership and transformative power throughout Dragon Age: Inquisition, Trespasser, and Veilguard.

The Inquisitor is the reason Varric and Rook are even searching for Solas - fulfilling the bishop-like, foresight aspect of the queen by setting events in motion.

Her ability to adapt to challenges and situations mirrors the queen’s versatility and range on the board, switching between political negotiation (mediates conflicts between Ferelden and Orlais) battlefield commands (makes decisions that impact the Mage-Templar divide, and the remnants of the Grey Wardens), and personal connection.

In Veilguard, Lavellan’s entrance during the climax is akin to a queen stepping onto the board at a critical moment. Her plea, “I forgive you” forces Solas to confront his guilt, destabilizing his resolve and altering the dynamic of the confrontation.

Like the queen’s ability to dominate the board, Lavellan commands respect across Thedas. While Rook handles the immediate aftermath of Solas’s failed ritual, Lavellan works to unify Southern Thedas, reinforcing her strategic importance.

Lavellan doesn’t act in isolation. Her actions amplify the contributions of others, much like a queen coordinating with rooks, knights, and pawns to ensure victory.

*still works for a high approval friend Inquisitor, I operate in a Solas/Lavellan love world state. Higher emotional stakes.

The Knight

Movement: The knight is unique in its L-shaped movement: two squares in one direction (horizontal or vertical) and then one square perpendicular, or vice versa. It can leap over other pieces, making it uniquely versatile.

Role in Chess:

The knight’s unusual movement pattern and ability to bypass obstacles make it a disruptive force on the board - agile and daring.

The knight is highly valued for creating tactical threats, such as forks, where it simultaneously attacks multiple pieces.

Knights excel in closed positions, navigating through crowded boards and exploiting opportunities others cannot.

The knight thrives on creating unexpected moves, catching opponents off-guard and changing the dynamics of the game.

Morrigan as the Knight

Has Morrigan ever been predictable? She operates outside conventional expectations, appearing at opportune moments to disrupt plans and influence events.

Morrigan isn’t the most direct force in the narrative, but her interventions are pivotal. She influences the outcome of the “game” not through brute force but through careful planning, cunning, and her unique connection to Mythal.

Just as knights excel in crowded, complex positions, Morrigan thrives in morally and politically intricate situations.

Morrigan’s role across the series is marked by surprise and cunning. Whether it’s her sudden involvement in the Orlesian court, or her reappearance in Veilguard as Mythal’s vessel, Morrigan strikes from unexpected angles.

Her ability to affect events from the shadows mirrors the knight’s tendency to influence the board indirectly.

Morrigan’s entrance during the climax, arriving as a raven carrying Mythal’s essence, is a perfect example of the knight’s ability to deliver unexpected, game-changing moves.

The King

Movement: The king moves one square in any direction - horizontally, vertically, or diagonally - making it the least mobile major piece on the board.

Role in Chess:

The king is the most important piece, representing authority, strategy, and survival. The game revolves around its safety.

Its presence shapes the actions of every other piece on the board, influencing both offensive and defensive strategies.

Though its movements are limited, the king’s survival is paramount.

Mythal as the King

Like the king in chess, she remains pivotal even with limited direct action, ensuring the balance and survival of the "game."

She was one of the ruling elite - Mythal was the stabilizing force that maintained balance within the pantheon, much like the king anchors the chessboard.

Her actions and decisions shaped the Evanuris’ dynamics, the fall of Elvhenan, and Solas’s rebellion. Even after her death, her legacy dictated the course of events, paralleling the king’s ability to influence the board.

Even in her absence, Mythal’s memory and influence continued to shape the dynamics of the board, much like how the king’s position shapes the strategy of all other pieces.

Mythal’s intervention through Morrigan reflects the king’s transformation in the endgame. She takes an active role by addressing Solas, acknowledging their shared responsibility, and releasing him from her service.

Now to the game:

Rook moves

The dependable and improvisational Rook makes their move, stepping in to block Solas's plan. By grabbing the dagger, Rook halts Solas's immediate action, much like a rook defending against a check.

Rook returns the dagger to Solas. Rook is willing to sacrifice themself for a greater strategy. This sets the stage. it doesn’t deliver the final blow but holds the position, allowing other pieces to make their moves.

Queen moves

Emerging from the shadows, Lavellan moves decisively into play, changing the board. Her sudden appearance is akin to a queen making a powerful move that forces the opponent to rethink their strategy.

Lavellan’s words, her appearance, is an emotional strike to Solas (his heart has reappeared). The queen tries cutting through his defense.

Lavellan’s offer of forgiveness is a bold and risky move, she is positioning herself and the board. She appeals to Solas’s emotions, destabilizing his certainty and forcing him to confront his guilt.

Knight moves

Morrigan, carrying Mythal’s essence, enters dramatically, much like the knight leaping into action. She literally flies in (jumps over) the other pieces to introduce a new unpredictable move.

Morrigan’s revelation that she carries Mythal’s essence shocks Solas, continuing to disrupt his focus.

Morrigan’s role as a vessel bridges the mortal and divine, much like the knight’s ability to navigate both offense and defense.

King moves

Mythal’s essence, channeled through Morrigan, becomes a pivotal piece on the board. Her presence forces Solas to confront his deepest regrets and failures.

Mythal’s words, “I release you from my service,” remove the foundation of Solas’s guilt, representing the king’s passive yet decisive role in resolving the game.

Mythal’s acknowledgment of their shared actions is akin to a king in the endgame supporting pawns or pieces, ensuring the board is balanced.

Checkmate

Solas bends under the weight, crying and ultimately choosing to bind himself to the Veil instead of destroying it. This act is his capitulation, the equivalent of being unable to move and conceding the game.

What Makes This Checkmate?

Every option is countered. Solas’s logical (Rook), emotional (Lavellan), and spiritual (Mythal) defenses are attacked simultaneously, there is no move forward.

No Justification Left:

Rook forces Solas to consider whether his mission is for the greater good or a personal crusade. At the same time, Lavellan forces him to confront the people he has hurt, including herself. By offering forgiveness and saying, “You think you’ve gone too far to come back, but you’re wrong,” Lavellan removes one of Solas’s psychological defenses: the idea that he is irredeemable.

Finally, Solas’s primary justification for tearing down the Veil - honoring Mythal and correcting his perceived wrongs - collapses when Mythal accepts responsibility for their shared actions. (I still dislike her.) Mythal’s absolution leaves him nothing to cling to, with Rook and Lavellan having already disarmed his other justifications.

Solas’s decision to bind himself to the Veil signifies his surrender. His mission, his plan, and his agency to enact his original goal are all neutralized. The checkmate in this scenario isn’t about defeating Solas but stopping him from tearing down the Veil. It’s a victory of reason, emotion, and forgiveness over self-destruction. Just as in chess, where the king cannot escape the final threat, Solas cannot escape the truth of his actions or the intervention of those who care for him. This shifts him into a new, redemptive path, concluding the game.

It also reinforces my belief that it takes a village to change Solas's path. Not one person can do it.

How This Post Came Together

I don’t play chess - but my brother does. He’s loved chess since he was a kid, and as a fellow gamer, he was more than happy to help when I asked him to combine his love of chess with Dragon Age. It was the perfect mix of his two favorite things. He’s also played Veilguard (his Inquisitor was friends with Solas in Inquisition), so he was already familiar with the story and characters.

I peppered him with questions: “What does each piece do? What does each piece represent?” "How would you analyze this frame in this scene through chess?" We watched the Veilguard ending multiple times, analyzing each character’s role and how it could align with chess.

After countless back-and-forths, drafting, revising, and refining, this post finally came together.

Thank you Teddy!

#solas #rook #inquisitor lavellan #morrigan #mythal #chess #veilguard checkmate #veilguard ending analysis #i love my brother #redeemed solas #solas analysis #da:i #da:tv #dragon age inquisition #dragon age veilguard

86 notes · View notes