#because demi lucanis is canon to me

[thismission]

rook being lucanis’s first relationship 💜

[jasmine-fanblog]

Dear Lucanis,

I am formally writing to apologise for my criticism regarding your romance in Dragon Age: The Veilguard (tee em). You're perfectly fine as you are.

Excuse me while I do my time in the regret prison.

Hugs and kisses, Jasmine

[laurelsofhighever]

On Lucanis and ace representation

I have mixed feelings about it. Spoilers ahead, obviously.

On the one hand, I have been writing ace representation into Dragon Age fandom for at least five years by this point; I have made posts speculating which characters in the franchise could be read as aspec, I have critiqued the conflation between apparent aspec identities and brokenness that happens so often in mainstream media, and I have longed for a canonically aspec character in the stories I love. To me, however, this new declaration about Lucanis does not feel like a victory.

It feels convenient.

Mary Kirby tweeted six months ago that she specifically wrote Lucanis to be a disaster bisexual, not panromantic demisexual. In the real world, of course, people can discover new things about themselves and change their labels, and it’s fine. The problem is that Lucanis is not a people, he is a character with a static set of responses to a limited set of inputs from the player. In other words, he is what he is. That this change in Word of God about his sexuality comes directly on the heels of the very poorly received AMA from the devs is something I don’t view as a coincidence.

To be clear, this isn’t an attack on Mary Kirby, nor is it a tantrum about not getting a sexy Zevran 2.0. I am ace – I love slow burn emotional depth before physical intimacy, and I was drawn to Lucanis because of his struggles with alienation and the softer playfulness that’s there to see if you look for it. (And the voice, and the wings, but that’s not relevant here.) However, there is something severely lacking in the connective tissue of his romance. For the first two thirds of the game he is unresponsive to flirting to the point where the game feels like it’s bugged. Multiple people have pointed out that it’s almost impossible to tell when the romance is locked in without looking at the companion screen – I myself only realised when took him to Rivain with Taash and they started talking about him popping out the wings. The idea that this woodenness was a deliberate choice does a disservice to everyone who has pointed out a valid critique of the content – mechanically, rather than narratively – of the romance.

It is also immediately contradicted if you don’t romance Lucanis. Because instead he gets together with Neve in a relationship that not only lacks the emotional closeness that is required for Rook to lock in a romance, but also gets physical far more quickly, which is the exact opposite of how demisexuality works. For Rook, romancing Lucanis requires repeated declarations of support and care, and he will only fully reciprocate once they have battled through his inner demons to encourage him to start healing from his trauma. Even after that there is no physical touch between them until after Rook is pulled from the Fade prison. Neve, meanwhile, is one of the locks on his cage, but creates a ‘hats off’ rule for Spite. It's like watching Aveline run around finding marigolds for Donnic all over again. Not to say that all ace experiences are the same, but if someone described these two relationships to me, I would assume only one of them involved a demisexual character.

Truthfully, however, this isn’t really about the evidence for whether Lucanis is or is not demi. You could argue that back and forth all day because interpretation goes both ways. For example, he says he’s inexperienced in relationships, but then he’s arguably more competent than the other companions who ask you for romantic help, more lacking in confidence than skill – and analysis of that is a whole other post. But it’s not useful. There isn’t one way to be aspec, and I’m certainly not saying he can’t be read that way.

What this is about is the way representation feels like it has been retconned in as a response to the genuine critiques brought up in the AMA and elsewhere. Excusing the gaps in his romance by saying it’s because he’s demisexual feels like a cheap attempt to divert attention away from weak character writing. Perhaps I’m just being cynical, but after all the dodged questions and misrepresentations from the devs in almost every aspect of this game, if Lucanis had been planned as aspec from the beginning then the TRANS WOMEN ARE WOMEN game would have made a huge thing of it. I know this, because they did it already, they stated all the companions were pan (except for Lucanis who was bi).

And I don’t know what’s worse: it not being planned and only trotted out as a smokescreen to avoid engaging with the flaws in the writing; or it being there from the beginning without any care for how it might look to have the ostensibly aspec character be a literal abomination whose interpersonal issues stem from being imprisoned and tortured. Again.

A good slow burn would have addressed Lucanis’ relationship to attraction, though hopefully with more nuance than Taash was allowed. A good slow burn would have not made one character exchangeable for another in a romance regardless of the personal journey Lucanis can only take with one of them. A good slow burn would have at least had him reacting to the things the PC says to him. But this is not a good slow burn and the devs are using a token attempt at queer rep to cover for whatever went on behind the scenes to give us such a patchy final product.

[maythedreadwolftakeyou]

idk man been sifting through my feelings on all this. and i think what it comes down to is i don't really care/mind that there are non-canonical (BY DEFINITION, if it is not IN the media, it is not in the 'canon', and this info was in tweets) statements about Lucanis' sexuality being demi/ace/him being a virgin. and i'm glad for people who like to incorporate that into their headcanons about the game/interpretation of his character and expand on that more than the game itself does, like, this is our space now baby do what makes you happy!

but personallyyyyyyy i just do not think these new labels are some magic bandaid that solves the flaws in the pacing and writing of his romance. Lucanis never talking to Rook about his feelings as they get to know each other (but sure is willing to talk to Rook about his feelings for Neve if you don't romance him) is not solved, for me, by saying "well he wouldn't be attracted until he got to know you and also has no experience with sex". the same way calling it a "slow burn" did not solve this for me. especially because right up until release he was being advertised as a "bisexual mess". but now was secretly a "panromantic demisexual" the whole time. it just... idk. you can say anything you want online, you know? but if you don't Show Me... well. i also don't like that people who are saying 'well this was Not part of his story in the game so i don't see it' are getting labeled as anti-ace when like, many of the criticisms i am seeing are coming from people who are themselves demi/ace lol. it's not asexual representation bc it is not in the game itself. (though honestly. i AM glad that that was not jammed into his story arc, and that his quests were about his agonizing over his family and the fact that he's now bodysharing with a demon. because his writing was never going to get MORE lines, and to take away any of the ones he had to put in a sexuality arc beyond an offhand mention would have really crashed that because the existing writing barely holds together as is. like there just was not room to have more so personally i am not criticizing Mary Kirby for her decision not to add it. but you can't not add something and then also claim it's a definitive part of his character. plus i dont think a character needs to know/understand/use modern labels anyway).

and personally i DO prefer an awkward/fumbling Lucanis, to be clear. Before Veilguard came out I was never expecting the sexy antivan lover angle because we got that once already: Zevran. I didn't want poor-imitation Zevran, and bioware would not write Lucanis like that to make sure he is a more distinct character anyway. BUT i do think it's reasonable in a bioware game to expect that a romance is going to have romantic content--and the number of times after his cutscenes i literally said aloud "go girl give us nothing" after he failed to react to a flirt was pretty sad. If he's awkward and nervous give him a line where he stutters and doesn't know how to react, not just a blank stare and back to business, or whatever. Or a scene where you can literally ask "you never respond to my flirting do you want me to stop" and for him to say say he likes it but doesn't know how to reciprocate or. ANYTHING. Idk. I have seen 10 different posts/takes on how the Wall Lean Scene fits in, be it that he was imitating a romance novel or it was crow seduction training or he was just pretending because that's how he's seen Illario do it but at the end of the day. It is all just speculation because nothing in the game EVER addresses how wildly different the tone of that scene is from every other one of his romance scenes. And as much as i love the Sexy Wall Lean, given the rest of his characterization in EVERY other romance scene, i think I'm at a point where i think the romance would have been better served by cutting it out and having a different scene where you actually get to talk to him instead.

but! that is not the game we were given. we only have what we have, which is the Veilguard content by Mary Kirby, and The Wigmaker Job written by Courtney Woods (where for reference, he mentions stumbling into an orgy on a previous job, and having an "interesting" time getting out of that, so i already think we have 2 different interpretations of his character between them anyway). but yeah idk man to me "well he's ace" is not an excuse for either gaps in the writing or cut content or whatever was going on. because 1. HE IS NOT AN ACTUAL PERSON he is a storytelling vessel that i felt failed to satisfyingly communicate the entire romance story and 2. even if he was a person saying 'well in ace relationships communication sucks' would also be, not great, you know. everything beyond the text itself is just interpretation and headcanons

[scurvgirl]

I love that Lucanis is canonically demi. I really do and it IS a win, for me at least, to have such a popular character be ace.

This doesn't change my thoughts about his romance though. I still think it would have benefited from more scenes, especially a date scene (*cries in lost gondola scene*). It doesn't have to be sex - it could be hand holding, it could be talking and bonding. While I understand that his sexuality was not the focus of his story, it would have been nice to...discuss how this is Lucanis's first relationship and he doesn't know what he's doing (because he doesn't).

Also, as a demi/gray-ace person, I think having more bonding time would make even more sense for Lucanis to work up to the final romance scene.

[coffeecorenix]

Some people are getting so worked up about what devs are and aren't saying about Veilguard, and about what is and isn't canon. Like holy crap -- if you don't like the discourse, don't partake in it. You only have to accept what is in the game as canon, chill. And if you don't like the canon, make a head canon, or just move along. Damn. I stay away from social media for this precise reason, because people are now harassing the devs? Because they gave fans what they wanted by giving us more information/interaction and are now just being bullied online? You don't have to argue against what they do or do not say, hot damn, just walk away.

The sheer level of immaturity and entitlement that takes some people over, you'd think they're also abominations (possessed by a demon, for anyone reading this not versed in Dragon Age terminology).

People have found a way to be upset over absolutely everything about this game. It's like everyone forgot how to have fun. I also cried at my friends about feeling tormented by the Lucanis romance (that slow burn, that tease), until I completed the game. At which point I told them that it was fantastic, that the slow burn and lack of physical content (more. kisses.) made sense if you kept in mind that he has been imprisoned and tortured for a year, and that the tenderness in what we do get was more than worth it. If anything, as someone on the ace spectrum, I for once did not feel overwhelmed by the "horniness" levels in a romance.

And when I saw that Kirby said he was demi, it was a lightbulb moment. They didn't have to state it in game, you don't have to go around flinging your labels around if they're not the "norm," you can just live and deserve to be accepted regardless. He reads demi. And if you don't like it? Pretend you never heard, reject it as canon calmly and maturely, and play the game you want! You have headcanon artistic license!

And for anyone who still feels cheated, there is fan fiction! Or other characters you can romance! If you keep harassing people and abusing devs, we're going to end up with no people willing to be devs and no games. Grow the f*** up and learn to be grateful for things that are nice instead of lashing out like a child who was gifted the wrong color dollhouse for their birthday.

I, for one, absolutely loved this game. As I have loved every Dragon Age game that came before it. I'm grateful for all the work that has gone into it. Were there extra things I wish I had seen? Definitely! Were there some choices I feel very strongly against? Also definitely! I replay them differently in my brain whenever I go through them in the game. Because I get to do that. Because no one can stop me. And because that way, I'm still getting all my money's worth and having a great time living life.

[glitchinginthegarden]

Rook/Lucanis thoughts

I need to say that in retrospect Lucanis being demi makes a lot of sense. PERSONALLY.

Like from a creator perspective for me.

Because I have had no drive to truly write or draw actual NSFW Rookanis stuff until I figure out how their relationship develops first. It feels wrong to me to throw them into that aspect of things before figuring out the rest.

I didn't have that problem with SilverV.

All I'm saying is that I think even without completely and definitively stating Lucanis' sexuality the feeling was there. That the connection needs to develop and grow before more can happen. That both of them absolutely have healing to do and trust to establish and ROMANCE to engage in before physical shit is even on the table.

So regardless, I think they did a good job conveying what romancing Lucanis is. Do I wish we had more of those developmental landmarks in canon? Yeah, but I'm not mad about it. 🤷‍♀️

*edit I think I should also add that this does not mean I haven't read some REEAALLY good fic and whatnots already *chef kiss*

[athenasdragon]

ooo on Kirby saying Lucanis is demi, I am sad and mad about it ngl! I think it works and would've been great to see that represented in text but it isn't! It wasn't hinted at or implied or anything (you could for sure read some of his behaviors as due to him being demi but his hesitancy honestly makes sense otherwise, he just escaped a year of captivity a week ago and hasn't dealt with spite yet, that seemed to be the reason given in game), Kirby stating it after the fact doesn't change anything and doesn't make up for his lack luster romance nor make it representation?

I understand people running to the writers for more information (especially given how lacking many of the characters felt and especially Lucanis) but getting more info from them means very little? We shouldn't be relying on the writers giving us their intentions and headcanons to fill out the game. I know many people expected Lucanis to be a bisexual disaster (Ig panromantic demisexual disaster now?) because Kirby said she wanted him to be and I've seen people be disappointed that he wasn't really that. All this information for what Kirby wanted to write doesn't retroactively make his character better written. Cause in text he really is underdeveloped! What Kirby had in mind sounds great, would've loved to have experienced that! (to clarify I'm not shitting on Kirby for this nor the ppl wanting more, nor the people happy Lucanis was meant to be demi, I'm just :/ at the people who are over the moon with Kirby saying this as if that makes it canon and aspec rep?)

Yes, thank you!! You get me anon. I also have no ill will towards her or the people who like the concept and rep ("""""rep"""""). I just don't think it's a substitute for thoughtful and well-developed queer rep in the game itself.

[thismission]

didn’t realize how hard it would hit me to have demisexual lucanis confirmed because i’ve never considered that happening. can’t think of any other canon demi character, let alone my favourite. what the shit