#carver deserves so much better lmao

[fox-from-fairytale]

After finishing playing season 2 I felt tired as if I was the one crawling in snow

I loved this season so much, maybe even more than the first one, even if I cried so much at that scene with Lee and every time he got mentioned I kinda wished he was still there, but I preferred playing as Clementine if I have to be honest. Still, there are some things of this season I don't like:

At the beginning I didn't mind Jane, but all her comments about Sarah and how the others were just a weight to Clem were upsetting me. Honestly, the more I spoke to her the more I knew I wasn't going to stick around with her for too long.

I didn't want to let her die, and I even thought about shooting Kenny, but remembering she told Clem "now you're going to see who he really is" something rubbed me the wrong way about her. And I was right. She put the baby in danger to prove her point. What if in the meanwhile something happened to the car? What if, dying, Clem didn't hear the baby after? And left without knowing AJ was still alive? Yeah, no. Good riddance. She didn't want AJ around anyway, and even if I killed Kenny because I wasn't trusting him either anymore, I still would have told her to fuck off.

I started this season hugging Kenny every chance I got, but after the whole thing with Jane happened and he hugged Clem I was like "yeahhhh... let's not do that anymore for a loooong time". I felt so awkward man. I still went with him. I guess I needed someone to still be with Clementine, because I hated how they all just... died. What's the point of going on if everyone just die? And I guess for Kenny is the same. Plus I cried so hard at his whole "just take the kids".

The whole thing resolving in a Kenny vs Jane was so weird. They built this whole thing between him and Luke and then it was with Jane? It would have been harder to me if it was with Luke, and not even because I like(d) him, but because he wouldn't have put AJ in danger, especially for the same stupid reason Jane did. I thought that choosing if to sit with him or Kenny was the first before a final and more difficult "choose if to save Kenny or Luke" or maybe with which one we should have gone with, but nothing.

I felt quite disappointed in Luke after the break out. I don't blame him for being caught by Carver, the guy wasn't sleeping or eating for who knows how long, but after that... what happened to him? I understand, after losing so many people dear to him, he wouldn't exactly be acting the same, but... he seriously thought about leaving Sarah like that, and put the group in danger just to go and fuck with Jane. I don't know, there were so many things that happened that made me feel as if I was with Nick instead. When he died at least I wasn't as sad like I was for Sarah, Alvin and Rebecca ig.

Sarah, who we showed how to defend herself and saved just to see her die that way. I'm not surprised she is so hated by the players (not because i agree with them, I just expected it from them), but doesn't mean I'm less disappointed lmao she clearly needed help, but it doesn't mean she didn't deserve it or she couldn't get better at defending herself and surviving that world once she got it. I liked her, a lot, and she was a good friend to Clem. She even told Carver, the man that frightened her so much she just "ceased to function", to stop it when he hit Clem. To me that was enough.

This post is getting too long, so I'm going to stop there. Just one more thing...

What happened to Christa?

[swndmehelp]

I am very bored so I will be rambling about my dragon age hero’s just because. Maybe just talk about how they get along with each companion. I’ll add a photo or doodle of them so you know what they look like.

It’s all under the cut, I wrote a lot more than I thought I would. I’m so sorry.

Vara Surana (Hero of Fereldan):

My favorite one, if I’m honest. I probably just like her so much because she’s from the first game, and I LOVE Origins. I love all the characters, the story, though I hate to admit it, it’s the only of the three games I haven’t finished. I’m working on it I promise.

Her romance is Alistair (hes my favorite, basic I know). She doesn’t make him king and they live happily ever after. Honestly I just LOVE their romance, makes me all giddy and everything. I have a thing for good relationships in games. I love it when you get Alistair to talk about the Warden in Inquisition and he just talks about how much he loves her and how he wants to make her life easier. I LOVE HIM AHDBDOS.

Anyways, Vara loves all her other companions. She gives Sten his cookies before he goes back to the Qun, a lot of cookies. She’s with Oghren at Ameranthine so she does things often with him. Writes Wynne and Leliana as much as she can. Wynne is her grandma, being raised in the circle she never had a real family (except Irving), Wynne was the group grandma. Zevran probably bothers her as much as he can until she disappears. And Morrigan, uh, idk, she probably doesn’t talk to her until they meet again at the Inqusition.

Vara, uh, she’s pretty decent. She’s probably got PTSD from everything that happened before, during, and after the blight. Her life was a shit show from the start. It just got worse when she became a Gray Warden. That’s probably why Alistair says he wants to make things easier for her, that she deserves that much. (I FUCKING LOVE ALISTAIR UUUUUGGH).

Maya Hawke (Champion of Kirkwall):

Uuugh Hawke, I love Hawke. She’s a goofball up until Anders (spoilers) BLOWS UP THE FUCKING CHANTRY. She is altered man. Part of it is probably because she was romanced to Anders, at first I was doing Fenris then on my second play through, already knowing what was happening I purposely romanced him just for the angst. I forgot to mention I also love doomed romance. Anyways Hawke fucking killed Anders, poof, dead.

I think the only companions she really ever stays in contact with is Varric and Merrill. Everyone else is just gone, done with Hawke and everything else. Given Gameln is her only living family, and he doesn’t exactly like her especially after her mothers death, she doesn’t talk with him. Varric is her bff though, Merrill coming in a close second.

Okay, I know Hawke didn’t get a lot of writing and I’m sorry. (If people are even reading all my yapping lmao). Anyways, Hawke has SEVERE survivors guilt. First her sister died, she got blamed for that by both her mother and brother (though Carver apologized right after and I love him so I’ll never be mad at him for it), the Carver died, she definitely blamed herself for that, then her mother. She probably didn’t leave her estate for a week after her mother died, probably didn’t even leave her room. Then she killed Anders, that was her breaking point. Her guilt took away whoever she was before and just makes her absolutely miserable all the time. I love her, she deserves better (I made everything that happened to her happen to her, I had complete control over it :)) ).

Sorry I don’t have any good photos of Hawke on hand, this is a very old drawing. She doesn’t look like this anymore.

Ayla Levellan (Inquisitor):

Finally Levellan, my absolute sweetheart of an elf. She’s probably the nicest of the three hero’s, trying her hardest (but failing to) avoid violence. If anyone was mean to her she would probably cry, for example when she was talking to Dorian for that quest where you have to talk with his father she says she thinks he should go talk with him and Dorian says, “I didn’t ask what you thought, did I?” Ayla would have sobbed in her quarters right after that, if not in front of him. I’m just happy Dorian apologized right after, I love their dynamic.

Ayla absolutely adores all her companions and advisors. She’s romanced to Cullen (basic again I KNOW), I just feel like they’re a perfect fit. Cullen is so sweet to her and I just feel like they just click. If she were a male inquisitor the romance would be Dorian, sue me.

Anyways. She didn’t let Backwall get killed even after his betrayal, she loves doing pranks with Sera just because. Though she does always feel bad after. She reads the Swords and Shields with Cassandra. Iron Bull tries to train her, she’s always sore after that. Her and Cole running around helping people, her favorite being the time they gave flowers to everyone. She’s terrified of Solas (trespasser messed her up). She’s also scared of Vivienne but for different reasons. Josephine and Vivienne dress her up, like pick her clothes for her everyday, Ayla is Dalish and has no sense of style. I like thinking Vara came to the Inquisition just because I said so, so her, Hawke, and Ayla all hand out.

Dorian and Ayla’s relationship is so dear to me. They’re like siblings, it’s awesome. The whole inquisition feels like some sort of a whole found family trope, more so than all the other games. I just love it. But I love the relationship between Ayla and Dorian, they’re just so dear to me I can’t. And Ayla and Varric’s relationship reminds me of a sort of parent-child relationship, almost like how Varric and Solas are to Cole. Wholesome I know.

When Hawke is with in Inquisition she normally stays with Vara or Varric, they’re tight. Or she bothers Cullen just because. Vara normally stays with Alistair but she also talks with Leliana or Morrigan, also Ayla and Hawke. Really she’ll talk with anyone who talks with her. Though Vara is definitely terrified of Morrigan’s little demon baby, no matter what she will be scared of that little 10 year old boy. She’ll shit herself.

Neither Hawke or Alistair die because I said so, shut up. I love Au’s where everyone lives and is happy.

My Inquisitor is definitely very anxious all the time, but I also like to think (just how I play her and everything) she any be on the spectrum. Just a thought though.

Another old photo, I really gotta redraw these losers omg.

[ansburg]

putting the tit in antitemplar: carver hawke. 

[shimmershae]

My thoughts on Episode 7--Promises Broken

Placed behind a cut for those of you that would rather escape my babbling, lol.  You’re welcome.  

The episode opens with Maggie, Elijah, Father Gabe, and Negan.  

Right away I can’t help feeling disappointed because the emotional core of last episode (Kelly and Connie’s reunion and the aftermath) seems like it’s being ignored and punted further down the road so we can waste another hour getting piece meal progress on the Reaper front, but I’m going to try to push my misgivings away and enjoy this episode for what it is, so.  

“Daryl just told us to go home.”  

And save your hides and keep the rest of the community safe?  I can’t argue that Negan might have an actual point here, lol.  But Maggie sure can.  

Not gonna lie.  When Negan came back with “I think he was being subtle. He said they were armed with lookouts” I had to LOL.  

“We will never be even.”  I mean.  Maggie been frustrating me with her stubbornness in this suicide mission, true.  But she right.  They will never, ever be even.  

“Ya’ll know Blackbeard, too?”  I admit it.  I laughed.  A little.  

Okay.  I don’t know if this bodes well for this episode or not, but the cold opening in this episode?  Was the most underwhelming cold open of this season.  

At least the opening credits still give me that old familiar rush of the heyday of TWD.  

Fake Stephanie and Eugene are on Walker clean up duty.  Hmm.  I think I’m going to refer to Fake Stephanie as Fifi until she gets a real name for brevity’s sake.  

Fifi handles herself surprisingly well with the Walkers.  Is she one of Mercer’s stormtroopers working undercover maybe?  

Somehow I doubt it’s true that our friends can trust “Lance” but whatever, lol.  

I hate to admit it but I’m already kind of bored with this episode.  We’re barely over 6 minutes in.  

I didn’t recognize Princess without her fluffy pink coat!  

Zeke is definitely struggling.  

I do like that these two  have been paired up.  They have taken to each other quickly and already have a good rapport.  There’s something endearing about their scenes together.  

“Never been afraid of hard work.  Kinda anti-friends who die from stubbornness.”  Have I mentioned lately how much I love Princess?  Because I really, really do.  

So it’s been days.  Has it been days that Maggie and Negan and Co. have been outrunning the Reapers?  I’m talking since they left the safe house.  Does that mean that it’s also been days since Kelly and Connie’s reunion?  This timeline is so slow and yet they keep telling us it’s been days and making me think we’ve been missing time.  Like I can’t even.  

You know Carol’s “Pookie is in danger” senses have to be big-time tingling by now if it’s been DAYS.  

Also?  Alden almost certainly has to be dead.  

But I digress.  They obviously don’t want us getting hung up on the apparent time warp between ASZ, Meridian, and the Commonwealth.  It’s like the Bermuda Triangle of the ZA.  

“A person with your pedigree...”  

Okay then.  Commonwealth is full of uppity assholes.  Good to know.  

Yumiko looks classy!  I say that in my best Princess voice, lol.  

Well.  At least they’ve given Daryl Dog back.  Has Dog come to his senses though?  That is the question.  

Daryl sharing a smoke with the enemy to gain some intel.  Or maybe just the keys to food storage.  

So.  Another redshirt (Elijah’s sister’s friend) we don’t know bites the dust.  Meh.  Including that tidbit in the trailer was purposefully misleading, lol.  Not that I want people to die, but still.  

“But the one?  He’s mine.”  Let’s take bets.  Was it Carver Elijah has a beef with because it just seems like it was.  Could also be that his name is the only one I know, lol.  

Where is Maggie sending our hobbled Father G?  

“I kept my mask for practical and sentimental reasons.”  Negan?  You almost had me.  He really can’t help his inherent asshole-ishness can he?  

But seriously.  Yuck at what they about to do because I assume Alpha and Co. at least cured the nasty skins.  

I wish I could say I give a damn that they’re attempting to give Leah some more likeable layers but it’s a cheap cheat so naw.  

There’s that damn river that symbolizes the great divide between Daryl and his love and his family.  At least it’s pretty.  

I’m with Daryl.  Is Pope just looking to cleanse the earth of those he doesn’t feel belong or what?  Wheedle the truth out of her, Daryl.  

“You never needed anyone to make you strong.”  

Think our guy has ever said this to his real girl?  

It’s kinda funny that the Whisperer flunkie is now the herding Whisperer tutor.  

Is that the Reaper’s version of a priest?  Sorry.  I swear.  I’ve been trying to pay attention during their scenes.  But my mind wanders because it feels like Woodbury and the Sanctuary all over again.  The Whisperers at least were elevated by Samantha Morton, Ryan Hurst, Thora Birch, and yes, Jeffrey Dean Morgan.  Like I love Norman Reedus and the character he’s crafted in Daryl but he’s not enough to have me enthralled with Leah and these dudes.  I don’t care if they were all Calendar pinups before the ZA.  

Truly.  A+ casting with Yumiko’s brother.  

Yeah.  Something’s definitely fishy about Tomi’s reluctance to go back to his old life in the Commonwealth, but the desire for a slower, less stressful existence is definitely relatable so I’m not going to hold that part against him at all.  

What did Maggie say after Elijah asked if Negan had changed?  Because I replayed it a handful of times and still don’t know.  

This Lancy Hornsby dude reeks of slimy politician.  

Too much one on one Daryl and Leah in this episode.  Without any kind of chemistry at least these two drag each other and their parts of the episode down.  Leah’s character is a fail for me and it has nothing to do with shipping reasons.  She’s just not believable or authentic to her role as a mercenary.  

“If I could do it all over again, I’d have killed every single one of you.”  Damn.  Well.  He’s being true to himself, I guess.  Unapologetically Negan.  

Again.  I can’t say Negan’s wrong exactly but shit does he deliver some uncomfortable truths.  

Princess’s childlike delight over treats is <3.  

Look at Eugene running toward danger!  OG Eugene would never.  Abe would be so proud.  

Eugene and Fifi actually work pretty good together but it all feels so staged.  I feel sorry for our guy.  

“This guy was being, well, an asshole.”  LMAO @ Josh’s delivery. The asshole definitely deserved that punch and his date deserved to be eaten.  

Real Stephanie is so pretty.  

Aww.  She’s concerned about Eugene.  

Oh shit.  Eugene punched Pamela Milton’s little entitled prick of a son.  This feels like the ASZ Monroes all over again.  Sorry.  I can’t remember their names.  

Poor Eugene.  Have I said that already?  

Is this Lance Hornsby guy the lesser of two evils or...”  

All the chances you’ve gotten, hmm?  Seems to me they’ve been set up for some failure too, though.  

Maggie and Negan leading a herd where?  Meridian?  

That poor woman.  Just wanting her family safe and spared of seeing her meet her maker.  

f

So Leah’s not completely cold.  Okay.  Doesn’t mean she’s able to be saved though.  

At this point, Kang is just  yanking Daryl’s chain and ours in the process.  

Even hidden behind that skin mask, Elijah made me tear up when he saw his sister.  

No previews?  What a copout.  

Not Kang correlating Maggie and Negan to child and coach, lol.  

The narrative they keep pushing about the villains having families and FEELINGS doesn’t change much for me, Angela.  Gracie was the only innocent in that outpost Team Family attacked.  I’m not saying they should have done it but stop trying to make the bad guys sympathetic.  It isn’t earned.  

Interesting how she mentions Gabe is trying so very hard to hold onto faith.  

If Leah’s the frog boiling in that pot?  They better be serving frog legs to the starving community she’s hunting.  Just saying.  

Overall impression of this episode?  

It was boring.  No seriously.  

I wish I could say I liked it better but it was just meh.  I can’t even muster up any words because I just feel blah about it and that’s not a good feeling to have going into the first final (mid?  half?  tri?  I don’t know what to call it) episode of the season.  

Withholding the previews further adds to the doldrums because what is there to actually be excited about here after that episode?  At least try to pique our interest, Angela.  

[tabriscadash]

I was asked this on my old blog right as I set about transitioning to this one, so...

The first character I ever fell in love with: for DA:O, dare I say Daveth? What can I say -- I irrationally got incredibly attached to him. otherwise, DEFINITELY Morrigan, and I have crystal clear memories of my first run through Lothering and looking at Morrigan like 😍 the whole time. For DA:2/E, Carver -- unless you count Anders & Justice since I knew of them from Awakening beforehand, in which case probably Justice. For DA:I, it’s a toss-up between Vivienne or Cole -- I technically liked Cole first but SPECIFICALLY in the supporting material (Asunder), and didn’t vibe with him anywhere near as much in the game, AND I got him as a companion after I got Vivienne, so probably Vivienne.

A character that I used to love/like, but now do not: for DA:O, I guess Oghren? I never loved him, but I liked the idea of him because I really liked the dwarves/Orzammar side of DA’s worldbuilding -- but he’s such an unlikeable character that I just.. don’t vibe with him at all. I debate recruiting him every single time now, and I don’t think I ever do his personal quest (in the base game OR Awakening). for DA:2/E, I don’t really have anyone that fits -- but I REALLY wanted to like Merrill and Aveline more than I did, and especially in Aveline’s case, I can’t stand her and genuinely think she’s the unintended, secret Big Bad of the whole game. for DA:I, probably Cole, bc I was really into the idea of a little walking-corpse serial killer animated by a spirit as per the book, but that’s not really the vibe in DA:I, and combined with the somewhat patronising/ableist language and how significantly he is infantilised (including by the fandom) I just got put off him. I do still like him, but not as much.

A ship that I used to love/like, but now do not: for DA:O, I don’t really have one? I guess see my DA:I answer, lol... for DA:2/E, has to be Anders - I don’t think he’s OOC in 2, but I think his writing does so little with him and he feels v. reductive. Where his relationship could be SO interesting and angsty, it instead is written in a really dull and/or cringey way. It would have been nice to see Anders more like the Anders of Awakening near the beginning of the game (rather than random, infrequent and questionably rare snippets), and then see the progression of his relationship with Justice as the game went on -- I want more interesting abominations, PLEASE. for DA:I, listen I cannot express to you HOW EXCITED I was for my planned Lavellan to romance Sera… also I used to be way more tolerant of Cullen x Amell/Surana ships because, like, hey dark ships are fun, right? But since Cullen’s ~wholesome whitewash~ in DA:I, and his fandom clamouring to absolve him of any wrongdoing ever.. it’s boring to me.

My ultimate favourite character™: for DA:O, probably Sten? or Morrigan. They’re both fantastic, and also are significant comfort chars for me. for DA:2/3, honestly, probably my own Hawke -- I feel so hugely proud of her, and can’t imagine I’d enjoy the game anywhere near as much had I not played it as my Hawke. If not her, maybe Sebastian or Carver? for DA:I, I really love Vivienne, as well as Blackwall, and Solas is a great character even if I probably would not say I liked him.

Prettiest character: for DA:O, we all know it’s Zevran. for DA:2/E, I think Aveline -- although her aggressively bland colour-scheme lets her down in a major way (although I respect her dedication to all orange all day every day). There’s just something about her arms -- very Abby from TLOU:2. for DA:I, maybe Josephine? Ser Barris is very pretty, too...

My most hated character: for DA:O, I really didn’t like Alistair, Wynne and Oghren, and of my companions - Oghren is probably my least favourite. He’s vulgar and also profoundly uninteresting. for DA:2/E, it has to be Aveline. There’s just something about ineptitude and a complete, wilful refusal to take accountability for your actions that I can’t stand. It would be okay if it was an intentional character flaw, but the game/narrative treats her like she’s lawful good and it really annoys me. for DA:I, maybe Iron Bull? He was a huge disappointment for me. I also really dislike Sera, Cassandra, and Varric. I’m so sick of Varric - I never want to see him again.

My OTP: for DA:O, I really loved Zevran’s romance -- but I am also very amused by the fact that Leliana got to ‘love’ status with Kallian accidentally, AND I got the ‘love’ glitch for Justice (👀) and Velanna. I do sometimes wonder about an AU where Kallian is forced to make a politically expedient marriage with Nathaniel Howe for diplomatic reasons in order to consolidate her position as Arlessa, and it being an entirely platonic arrangement (it’s not like anyone expects an heir from an infertile Grey Warden) -- and maybe Zev and Nate kiss sometimes, who knows? I also LOVE my Darkspawn Chronicles AU where Kallian and Nelaros are a happy, married couple each hiding their skills with weapons from each other like dumb, cute sweethearts. They shelter Zevran when he fails to kill Alistair and a poly couple evolves. for DA:2/E, I love the IDEA of a Seb romance that isn’t so strictly conditional around the structures that abused him -- he should be allowed to love, chastely or otherwise, but free from the Chantry OR his position as prince/heir. I’d LOVE to actually have a romance with him where you can actually challenge the abuse he’s experienced. for DA:I, Malika doesn’t have a canon romance (although I think when I replay, I’m going to romance Josephine!) but I think Blackwall has an amazing romance. Solas’ is also iconic, it must be said. 

My NOTP: for DA:O, I really dislike Alistair in a shipping capacity; he’s immature and says a lot of misogynistic shit and I don’t think he’s the worst for it, but I don’t really vibe with shipping him, having played the game as a female city elf. for DA:2/E, I wouldn’t say I have one, particularly? although I really dislike Aveline’s relationship with her husband simply because it seems incredibly inappropriate, given that they work together and she has power over him -- and because I dislike her, generally, I don’t feel inclined to do something nice for her. for DA:I, I suppose Sera/Lavellan -- although I’m not AGAINST it, it just really isn’t for me, having attempted it. I also don’t really vibe with Dorian x Iron Bull. Something abt the way the game handled BDSM and their relationship banter specifically I don’t really like.

Favourite episode quest: for DA:O, probs Orzammar/the Deep Roads. I really love the dwarven lore! and, of course, Fort Drakon is really funny, even though it’s not canon in my game iirc. for DA:2/E, maybe the murder mystery with the serial killer, where ultimately Leandra dies? I also really enjoyed all the companion quests. for DA:I, The Descent (just, all of it, lmao) and everything to do with the Avvar. Crestwood also BANGED.

Saddest death: for DA:O, it’s frankly a fucking INJUSTICE that Shianni gets murdered if you make her Bann of the Alienage -- the idea of that happening whilst Kallian is in Amaranthine and unable to protect her :( genuinely very upsetting. I go back and forth on who is made Bann, tbf, so idk how canonical it is: I think maybe Cyrion would get it, but I’m also endeared to Soris holding the position, with Shianni as Hahren. for DA:2/E, Bethany. I wish both twins had had the chance to reach Kirkwall :(. Let Leandra die instead. for DA:I, maybe not the saddest death, but the most memorable for me was that one sleeping dragon in the Hissing Wastes.. leave her alone. Stay out of a womans’ business.

Favourite season game: DA:O!

Least favourite season game: DA:I.

Character that everyone else in the fandom loves, but I hate: for DA:O, Alistair. I cannot deal with his complacency and hypocrisy. for DA:2, I really disliked Merrill but I honestly cannot remember why. DEFINITELY Varric -- I hated how the game forces you to be his best friend, and if you’re low approval, you have to endure these pointless pissy little comments with this little anti-dwarf centrist pissant. After the expedition, I literally have no reason to put up with him, and I NEVER take him out. I hate that he plays the same role in DA:I, too. for DA:I, the Iron Bull was hugely disappointing, and I also really don’t vibe with Cassandra. She just seems very wishy-washy and complacent and hypocritical, and many of her comments about other cultures seem snide for literally no reason other than bigotry. 

My ‘you’re a piece of trash, but you’re still a fave’ fave: for DA:O, lbr probably Sten. Mans is gonna launch a HORRIFYING invasion in the next game iirc and frankly, I’m ok with it. Just wanna see that big bastard again ❤🥵. for DA:2/E, I LOVE Gamlen, ok? for DA:I, I am not sure if I have one.

My ‘beautiful cinnamon roll who deserves better than this’ fave: for DA:O, if any of you so much as LOOK at Velanna wrong, it’s hands. That includes Bioware. I also feel incredibly protective of and sad for Morrigan. for DA:2/E, probably Sebastian -- I feel so sad for him, and so frustrated by the limitations with the game. for DA:I, I’m honestly not sure.. maybe Josephine? I don’t really feel this way about Sera, but I do think she deserves better from the game and its writing, and also from fandom: there are valid criticisms of her, but the hate she gets is not proportional to any valid issues with her -- and gee, I wonder why that is.

My ‘this ship is wrong, nasty, and makes me want to cleanse my soul, but i still love it’ ship: for DA:O, I did use to find Cullen x Surana/Amell intriguing as a dark ship -- I actually hc that Neria Surana is actually Nelaros’ sister, and have dabbled with it as a dark ship. I also am interested in Loghain/Alistair - which each pretends the other is someone else. Alistair is wooby, hate ships are, in general, fun -- so long as we acknowledge that they are, indeed, unhealthy ships. for DA:2/E, I kind of feel like Sebastian romances are, invariably, kind of dark... and, similarly, Anders romances -- especially with certain red Hawkes, The way it ends is, invariably, bordering on fucked up. ALSO Hawkecest is weird and wonderful: GET WITH IT. 

My ‘they’re kind of cute, and I lowkey ship them, but I’m not too invested’ ship: for DA:O, I joked about Velanna x Leliana once and I’ve not been able to stop thinking about it ever since… Velanna x Sigrun is also something that can be so personal. Ariane x Finn is adorable and are paid DUST by Bioware AND fandom. I actually am really into Anora x Nathaniel & NO I will NOT explain myself; it’s a crackship but it’s MY crackship. for DA:2/E, Isabela x Fenris is super cute, but I don’t pay enough attention to them to really have super committed thoughts & feelings on them. for DA:I, Blackwall x Josephine is cute as a background ship; I also think Maryden x Cole is sweet.

[felassanis]

The blatant Anders rivalry when it comes to any of Hawke’s romances.

I will mainly be talking about a Hawke who romanced Fenris, because that is literally the only guy I ever romance. Therefore, I have witnessed the behaviour Ander exhibits from a Fenhawke point of view, I do not mean to ‘demean’ Isabela or Merill but I probably won’t mention them a lot. Other factors are that I am female, therefore I utilise Marian Hawke and I am a mage who is ‘friends’ with everyone. No rivalmance or rivalry with any of the characters. Just putting that out there because I don’t want someone popping into the comments saying ‘BUT THIS HAPPENS WHEN-” Yeah, I know. I have played the game THOROUGHLY and I have watched many videos depicting the choices I did not make.

Anyway, THE BLATANT RIVALRY WITH ANDERS IF YOU DO NOT ROMANCE HIM. It is...amazing. I am not hating on Anders, I absolutely adore Anders. And...I have always believed that he has feelings for your Hawke, especially if you flirt with him. 

The thing with Dragon Age is that it does a good job of not making you feelbad if you flirt with multiple characters nor does it mean that you are locked into a romance upon flirting once with a person. It also does not make you feel bad if you kinda romance a companion but change your mind, you can break it off with a companion and that’s it. The Companion will act like nothing ever happened, as though you have and always were just friends.

Dragon Age 2...does something a bit different. Anders is someone who brings up the romance, and has very clear emotions towards them.

Your companions in all of the games obviously comment on whoever you romanced, but Dragon Age 2 makes A MUCH bigger deal about it than any of the other games. Particularly, with Anders. I truly think that regardless of your choices, Anders has feelings for Hawke. 

My points are:

I am of course, going to bring up the fact that Anders is one of three characters that comment on your romance. Varric, Isabela and Anders comment on who you romance, The thing is Isabela jokes about it, Varric jokes while showing some real concern (You know Varric will make anyone who hurts Hawke fucking hurt 10x more) but Anders gets...a bit bitchy lmao. As you do his companion mission when looking for the ingriedients to ‘seperate him from Justice’ Anders will stop and ask “Are you sure?” about whoever you are romancing. But not in the manner that Varric innocently inquired, Anders inquires like Hawke is dating a 90 year old. “Are you sure?” like hes asking Hawke “Have you lost your mind?!” He purposely stops the crew from going any further just to bring this topic up whereas Varric and Isabela were just chilling at the Hanged Man waiting for you to come to them. 

Then, he goes on to insult whoever you are romancing; even when they are right there. Anders truly has no shame, and often whatever he brings up about the other companion it’s him being hypocritical. Especially with Merill. For Fenris he says, “Surely you want someone more open minded?” And my first thought upon hearing this was ‘are you alluding to yourself?’ because that’s...kind of what his tone implies, he is suggesting they deserve someone better and since he’s the only one who has a problem with whoever Hawke romances it’s safe to assume he is referring to himself. (That’s quite bold of you Anders)

Another thing, after a Bitter Pill and sleeping with Fenris you can actually still flirt with the other companions, and you can engage in Ander’s kiss scene. It’s.... good. I think it adds a lot more conflict to the companion dynamic, especially between Fenris, Hawke and Anders. 

 Anders will go the Amell Estate at night. Here he brings up your romance again (It can either be Isabela or Fenris I’m not sure about Merill) and again, he insults them. Now, he calls Fenris a ‘dog’ and my Hawke always gets defensive and asks that he leaves, saying they cannot do this. Anders will appear hurt (I can’t blame him) and visibly angry. It’s...interesting that Bioware lets you get so far with Anders. You can have that hot make out session (Even tho the noises make me cringe) and be on the verge with sleeping with him. You even get the chance to reject Anders twice before you can initiate the sex scene, once straight off the bat and the next one after he makes his comment on whoever you previously slept with. To which the option goes “I still love him/her” it’s just interesting that Anders gets that treatment, Idk if the other companins get the same treatment, it’s more like you friendzone the other characters rather than directly say ‘I am in love with another’. while the prompt button says ‘I am still in love with her/him” Hawke doesn’t actually say that, they say “Don’t call him that! I’m sorry Anders, we can’t do this!” but...the prompt button is conveying the fact that you can choose to have your Hawke realise their mistake.

“I can’t imagine what Hawke sees in you,” He says to Fenris “I always knew she had some sense,” He says relieved when he realised Fenris and Hawke are currently ‘not together’. (And the fact that Fenris very clearly is wearing Hawke’s token and their family emblem probably fuels Anders need to badger Fenris. As it’s clear Fenris still loves Hawke despite breaking it off, so it gives Anders some fuel I suppose but that’s just a headcanon)

He also acts very proud if you romanced Fenris and then did sleep with Anders. “You were a fool to leave hawke” and he’ll say something about being glad he brought Hawke to him. He just gloats about it. (can we just, relish the fact that people call this ‘Fenris and Anders fighting over Hawke’ but in reality it’s just Fenris being guilty about leaving Hawke and it’s just Anders harping on Fenris, like it’s Anders who’s doing the fighting Fenris is just kind of accepting it? It’s still such good banter, I am a slut for conflict what can I say ;) )

Other factors are kind of miniscule, little tid bits that have connotations to Anders caring about Hawke. It could be seen as just him being a great friend, because he is a good friend, but...I also can see this as Anders just doing it because not only does he care about Hawke but he cares about them so much it is leaning towards a crush. Despite moaning and complaining about the Deep Roads he will go there with Hawke, despite saying how he will NEVER go to Wardens, and despite actively hiding from them if Carver or Bethany are sick he will bring them to the wardens even tho he is being hunted. Because they are Hawke’s family. “You are the one bright light in Kirkwall,” Is also just...a very romantic thing to say and I’m pretty sure he says it regardless if you flirted with him or not.

Anyway, I don’t know if it was intentional. But all of this (to me anyway) not just alludes but confirms that Anders has feelings for Hawke regardless of your choices. I like it, it really adds something to the story in my opinion and to his character. It’s fun to imagine what kind of arguments, conflicts, jealousy and pining went on in the many years that DA2 takes places. It adds more emphasis to how heartbreaking Ander’s end in the story is, with him betraying and lying to Hawke to keep them safe, but ended up making Hawke a damn fugitive in the process. Not his goal I assume, but the reality nevertheless. He makes the woman/man he loved a fugitive, and whoever they fell in love with is also forced to go on the run with them. 

And then in Inquisition, the way Hawke talks about Anders if they did not approve of the Chantry Explosion. Romanced they will say “When someone betrays you like that, it takes a long time to get past it. I don’t know if we ever have” It’s...such good dialogue, but applying that to a Hawke who did not romance Anders...those feelings must still apply just the dfference being Hawke probabaly has no idea where he is. Maybe Hawke prefers it that way. I like to think Hawke can never forgive Anders, perhaps a bit of disdain for their old friend. But, while a part of them prefers not knowing where he is, they deep down hope that he is okay. It’s sad to think that perhaps Anders and Hawke never did reconcile, that they said little to each other before everyone went their seperate ways as the betrayal was still warm (And like Fenris would even let Anders talk to Hawke after all of that lmao)

So, my point is that I think Anders is a hopeless romantic, not-so-secretely pining for Hawke and that it is rather tragic if you don’t romance him. It’s more angsty if you don’t, and that’s why I purposely kiss Anders but call it off because I love Fenris, it adds more to your story and I love that it’s an option that can have consequences. Even tho regardless if you kissed Anders he acts really jealous, if you do kiss him his behaviour makes more sense. 

[theharellan]

101 DRAGON AGE QUESTIONS | not accepting

for the sake of reducing the number of ooc posts i’m answering these all in one and just @ing the people who asked the questions! thank you for them all!

if you sent me one of these btw and rbed this meme yourself and i didn’t send you something, please let me know! i want to send you things back and must have missed you reblogging the meme. this includes non-mutuals.

1. How did you get into Dragon Age? | asked by @kaaras-adaar & @dreamerlavellan​

Sort of by accident, actually. It was the summer between my freshman and sophomore years in university (2011) and summertime is generally a time of inactivity and depression because I cannot tolerate the weather here. My dad happened to own Origins and I picked it up because??? Fantasy? RPG?

Starting the game I saw you could play as a dwarf, who have been my favourites in fantasy since a child as The Hobbit is among my favourite books. Then after that I fell in love with the worldbuilding for dwarves and Gorim, my first actual Dragon Age love. I was more or less hooked after that. DA was actually not my first Bioware game, I was obsessed with Jade Empire as a kid so like Origins appealed to me immediately despite being far less fun to play than literally any other Bioware game I’ve ever played. The characters and world more than made up for it.

I beat it relatively quickly and my dad bought Dragon Age II which had come out earlier that day, actually against my suggestion because I’d heard it wasn’t good. And in this instance my dad forgetting something I said turned out for the best because I ended up enjoying DAII more in some respects. While it took me a while to join the fandom as a content producer I was a consumer and certified DA trash from then on.

2. Have you finished all three games? | asked by @kaaras-adaar

Kskjdfs yes. I’ve beaten each at least 4 times, but probably more like 8. The only thing I haven’t played are some of the Origins DLC because as much as I enjoy my replays I am so ready to be out by the end of the game (and I have the worst luck with Awakening bugs) and I also don’t have Sebastians DLC b/c his never goes on sale individually and I refuse to spend more than like $4 on him.

3. How long did it take you to finish the series? | asked by @kaaras-adaar

I honestly don’t know. I think it took me like a week to beat Inquisition without 100%ing it, I’d say my first playthroughs all probably took about that long. I tend not to do everything in my first playthrough. Like shard collecting didn’t happen until round two, etc.

7. Favorite DA:O backstory? | asked by @dreamerlavellan & @fatefaulted

I’ve played through all of them and I enjoy them all except Cousland, but my favourite is Aeducan. I enjoy the politics, the culture, the aesthetic of Orzammar. I love Gorim Saelac and the surprising amount of depth to this character who is designed to be thrown away after the prologue. I love how it ties you to the Darkspawn threat in a bigger way than any of the origins accomplish. I love how it ties you to the Orzammar plot later in the game, and playing Aeducan first is probably one reason why I adore that branch of the game. It’s a good origin that establishes its world really well and has great characters to boot.

11. Share a pic of your favorite OC from any DA game. | asked by @dreamerlavellan

I just want to share pics of my girl and Solas’ future husband.

Ian Lavellan, non-Inquisitor written by @theshirallen

Thora Cadash, dwarven Inquisitor and default Inquisitor for this blog written by... me lmao.

22. Favorite DA2 party combo? | asked by @fatefaulted

My main Hawke is a mage Hawke, so this party is horrendously imbalanced, but: Varric, Merrill, Isabela. They all just like each other and I think that’s neat. Although in act one my favourite is probably Carver, Merrill, Isabela / Varric. Unfortunately the game doesn’t want me to have a warrior in my party.

24. Favorite main-story quest from DA:I? | asked by @kaaras-adaar

It’s hard to pick between In Hushed Whispers and In Your Heart Shall Burn. I love seeing the red lyrium’d companions and the dark future of Thedas, and speculating on what happened in the intervening year. I love reflecting on what it must do for the Inquisitor to see that and have it be undone. I think it sets up the rest of the game really well, and in ways Champions of the Just doesn’t do quite as well.

In Your Heart Shall burn is a simpler quest but I think the power and emotions in the quest are so raw. Playing this the first time was riveting and I was on the edge of my seat. The triumph of closing the Breach, the strangeness of your first encounter with Cole (whose appearance at the gates is another reason I prefer IHW tbh, I think it’s more tension building than Dorian’s), Corypheus, crawling through the snow. Capping it off with The Dawn Will Come and the journey to Skyhold idk, it’s just such an emotional high point in the series that every time I replay I get goosebumps.

25. Favorite DA:I place? | asked by @fatefaulted

It’s a tie between the Frostback Basin and the Emerald Graves. I love the lore in both, as elf trash I prefer the lore in the graves especially if I can include the Din’an Hanin into that category. But the Avvar lore and Ameridan is also Very Good, and while I adore the giant trees of the graves the Frostback Basin clearly was able to have more resources poured into its design, and as a result the different sections of the map have so much more character.

A close runner-up is the Hinterlands, as I think the quests there are fun and it feels like home. I enjoy returning to it. Which is good, b/c I’ve played through it... a lot... I think loving it might be a coping mechanism, but also I love the vibe of the early game that’s best captured in the Hinterlands.

32. Favorite DLC mission overall? | asked by @fatefaulted

Trespasser is up there with Shivering Isles as my favourite DLC ever produced. Its hits every emotional beat I think it needed to hit, set up the next game with greater detail and intrigue than the initial epilogue, and I’m honestly dying to get to replay it again on Thora despite what it does to my nerves. The first time I played it I could feel my heart beating faster like wtf me.

37. Blood magic: yes or no? | asked by @hopewrought​

Would I use it myself? No. Morally I think it can be reprehensible but also neutral, much like any other magic in the game. In certain characters I think even if used for good it may encourage unhealthy habits, but I think it can be learned to be engaged with in better ways.

59. Who was written really poorly? | asked by @theshirallen you can’t hide behind anon I know it was you

Oghren fucking Kondrat. When I think about the reasons Origins is my least favourite game he is among them. With Oghren there was a really good chance to portray an alcoholic abuse victim, suffering from severe mental health issues, and still mourning his wife, with the respect it deserves. Instead he just... is a gross sexist dwarf and his alcoholism is mostly played for jokes. And then he comes back in Awakening and... continues to be a gross sexist dwarf whose alcoholism is mostly played for jokes.

There could have been some really interesting stuff with Oghren, the Warrior caste of dwarves I think would suffer from issues similar to qunari warriors, where when they can no longer fill the purpose society has dictated they must serve, what then? They can’t do anything but fight. There could be comradery with Sten, or perhaps Zevran or Alistair, or any of the companions who have had the path their lives took dictated to them by societal forces they had no say in (even if they are happy with that direction). There are snippets of good stuff in here, the line “let us show them our hearts, Warden, and then show them theirs” is one of the best of the good-byes the game offers us imo. It’s a shame about what came before.

Like there are other characters, such as Sera, who I think were done dirty by their writers, but Sera at least got some growth in the DLC and there were attempts to address criticism of her character. Oghren in Awakening was just kind of a take two of an already poorly-done arc.

60. Who do you wish had been given more story? | asked by @hopewrought​

I wish Briala had more, like that she had some impact on the story in universes where Gaspard isn’t crowned with her as his puppetmaster. She and the elves reappears in that but not if you reunite her with Celene or exile her, and I think it would’ve been neat. I also wish she’d had a chance to interact with Solas in some small way given how many parallels were drawn by one of his own agents during Masked Empire.

I also wish we had more about dwarves in general in 2 and Inquisition. We get some great lore in Inquisition that was set up in 2, but with our only dwarf companion being Varric, who honestly has a relationship with his race that at times is comparable to Sera’s, it pulls a few of its punches. I really think they have dwarves set up to be important players in the next game, with their architecture featuring heavily in the dev diary, buuut no dwarves to be seen. So who knows. Just give me dwarves in the next game who aren’t Varric Bioware pls. Let me kiss one maybe.

61. Favorite NPC? | asked by @kaaras-adaar​

I’m not going to count advisors even though they kinda are NPCs and I’m going to answer one for each game so uhh...

Origins - Anora

DA2 - Feynriel

DA:I - Krem

Bonus - Lord Woolsley, the only unproblematic DA character

63. Best story moment? | asked by @ghilannainguideme

It’s a tie between the journey to Skyhold and the talk with Solas at the end of Trespasser and the resulting disbanding of the Inquisition (if you so choose). I really can’t separate them because I think the reason Trespasser works so well is how it calls back to the very beginning of Inquisition and that moment with Solas in the snow. It’s triumphant and sad, something’s ending, the fellowship is breaking, but you know all of you will continue to work towards a better world apart.

In DA:O I think it’d be saying good-bye before the final battle and in DA2 I think the moment where you can tell the Arishok he was right to take in the elves who killed that guardmen is good. Probably one of the reasons why I think Hawke-Arishok work so well as a protagonist-antagonist combination.

81. Favorite fanfic? | asked by @ghilannainguideme​

I don’t read a lot of fanfic, actually. Save what I read on here, which I do count, but idk if other people do.

My favourite writers to read are @theshirallen​, obviously. Joly wants to tweakIan’s personal quest but I think the version they have written now is still very good and you can find it here. I love reading Peace’s stuff and find their smut especially spicy in the best possible way, you can find a Merrill/f!Mahariel piece here! Gaia doesn’t write on Tumblr much these days, but she wrote a wonderful Tug/Sketch (the companions from Leliana’s Song) that you can find here.

I follow so many talented writers and I can’t list them all but here are a few I can fire off real fast: @theshirallen / @ghilannainguideme / @seahaloed / @sabraelin / @valorcorrupt / @mercysought / @hopewrought / @ofrevas / @skyheld have all moved me with their words at some point, be it in fic or rp.

82. Favorite fanart/fanartist? | asked by @ghilannainguideme

Again I just can’t choose jsdfks.

The easiest way is to just link my Solas fanart tag. Obviously this favours Solas artists, however, so also here’s a link to thedaswlw where there’s a boatload of amazing fanart all of wlw.

Of people I’m mutuals with I know @abracafockyou, @kaaras-adaar, @dalathin (currently inactive but I gotta link them), and @syntharts​ are all very talented artists.  I’m also a big fan of destinyapostacy, nipuni, elbenherzart, starscollected (on twitter), and many more.

97. What’s your favorite DA mod? | asked by @ghilannainguideme​ & @hopewrought​

I’ll chose one as many as I want to apparently from each game again, b/c why not?

DA:O - I have to admit I find this game hard to mod because nothing can really salvage the gameplay or look of the game. I need Better Dwarf Model so I don’t have to look at the odd dwarf proportions in the game (the women have arms for days). Mostly I have armour mods. I like Grey Wardens of Ferelden so I can match Alistair in the final batte and have everyone in uniforms in Awakening. I do like Kirkwall Exports because I can put Zevran in the robes of the notorious pirate tho. I haven’t used this mod yet but I also love this mod I retweeted this morning.

DA2 - Again, I don’t mod 2 very much. You could probably make some kind of chart for correlating my enjoyment of a game versus my urge to mod it, with the more I love a game means I want to mod it more. With 2 I enjoy the combat and overall design of the characters more so I mostly use a couple of tweaks, my favourite is Ishs Scarf for Merrill which just adds a cute blue scarf to Merrill and hides the fact that elves in this game have weirdly long necks. Oh and a mod to fix the weird hand dirt.

DA:I - Equal Opportunity Solas mod, I bought the game again on PC just to use it. Being able to play Solas/Ian for screencaps was everything tbh. Other mods I enjoy are More Banter, which while I have better luck with banter it is nice to be able to count on it. I installed it this latest pt and I have heard location comments that have never triggered before. Black Hair for Everyone has changed my life because finally Thora doesn’t have grey hair. No Dirt Buildup is also amazing, as the dirt can cause some really weird blotting on PCs that’s especially noticeable on dark-skinned Inquisitors.

99. Where would you live (Ferelden, Orlais, Free Marches etc?) | asked by @heysales​​

Probably Ferelden. It is fantasy England and hey if I make it past Inquisition maybe nothing will ever happen there again. Somewhere in the Free Marches might also be chill. Not Kirkwall. Maybe Starkhaven? Honestly tho I just want to live in the Frostback Basin. Have a spirit friend. Shake hands with nugs.

101. If you could meet your Warden/Hawke/Inquisitor, what would you say? | asked by @dreamerlavellan​

If I met Thora I’d tell her I’m proud of her. She’d be confused, but that’s ok.

[black-emporium-exchange]

2020 Pinch Hit #3, hollyand -- CLAIMED

This pinch hit will be due at the same time as assignments, August 31st at 8 PM EDT. Please leave a comment here (comments are screened), send a message to one of the mods, or send an email to blackemporiumexchange@gmail.com to claim. 

Requested Relationships:

Carver Hawke/Merrill - Fanart, Fanfiction

Alistair/Bethany Hawke - Fanart, Fanfiction

Ashaad/Saemus Dumar - Fanart, Fanfiction

Bianca Davri/Varric Tethras - Fanart, Fanfiction

Bethany Hawke/Sebastian Vael - Fanart, Fanfiction

Bethany Hawke/Isabela - Fanart, Fanfiction

Arishok/Male Hawke - Fanart, Fanfiction

Letter: http://hollyand-writes.tumblr.com/blackemporium2020letter

Request #1:

Carver Hawke/Merrill

Fanart

Fanfiction

My ultimate OTP! (I mean, given that I run the Carvermerrill Tumblr ship blog, this should surprise no-one, LMAO.) Forever sad that Bioware teased us with this ship in-game, and even indicated that they intended for it to happen until the third DLC got cancelled. But this is what fanfic and fanart is for! 

I am happy for any AU or canonverse/canon-divergent scenario - I love any and all scenarios with this pairing and can never get enough! Warden Carver, Templar Carver, Act 1 Carver, AU Carver, it’s all good with me. 

Would prefer no mention of background ships in fic, although if you do want to mention any then the ones listed in my letter are fine. 

Smut is most welcome, if that’s what you feel like writing! I don’t really have many squicks except for the kinks mentioned in my “do not want” list. 

I feel like this pairing has as much potential for pain as it does for pleasure, so if you want to write darkfic, I’d love it; but if not, I’m sure I’ll love it anyway. 

DO want: 

- Carver and Merrill being together in some way by the end of the fic. As long as you have them doing more than chastely holding hands I’ll take it! 

Would be happy to receive any of these, but none of them are a must: 

- forbidden love, size difference/kink, PWP, slow burn, healthy or unhealthy relationships, A/B/O with mage omegas, cum kink, pining, mutual pining, fluff, romance, humour, requited love/attraction, friends-to-lovers, enemies-to-lovers, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, pregnancy sex, breeding kink, slice of life, established relationship/marriage, meet-cute, arranged marriage, first times, friends-with-benefits, hate-sex, angst with a happy ending, angst with a porny ending, domestic or work scenarios, historical AUs, modern AU (with or without magic), mundane AU, Soulmate AU, one-night stands, "dirty spells", sex pollen, forced to fuck, Merrill not seeing Carver as inferior to his sibling, Merrill being adored by Carver... really I'm good with most things involving these two. 

Do NOT Wants:

- Any kink involving things that go in a toilet (i.e. no scat, watersports, vomit) - Daddy kink, mummy kink or ageplay - Vore - Biting - Body piercings - Mpreg (fine with it generally, just not for this pairing) - High School AU / College AU - Hawke/Merrill, past or present - OCs - Sexual infidelity - Bashing past partners - Mention of any characters that do not appear in DA2 in any way (so please no DA:O or DA:I characters) - Animal play - Necrophilia - Choking/breathplay

Request #2:

Alistair/Bethany Hawke

Fanart

Fanfiction

I love this pairing and there is just not enough of it. I feel like Alistair’s humour and general laid-back-ness would suit Bethany’s personality and character very well, and she would organise him and he would be very reliant on and appreciative of her intelligence and competence. Plus, he’s royalty! And Bethany would LOVE to be a princess! I feel like they would work so well together, be good friends as well as lovers, and he would adore her like she’s meant to be adored. 

DO want: 

- Pairing being in love by the end of the fic. Canon-verse, canon-divergent and AUs all accepted. Smut is great but not required. 

Do NOT Wants:

- Any kink involving things that go in a toilet (i.e. no scat, watersports, vomit, blood) - Daddy kink, mummy kink or ageplay - Vore - Biting - Body piercings - High School AU / College AU - Coffeeshop AU - Background pairings (except for those in my letter) - OCs - Infidelity - Bashing past partners - Mention of any characters that do not appear in DA2 in any way (so please no DA:O or DA:I characters) - Animal play - Necrophilia - Choking/breathplay

Request #3:

Ashaad/Saemus Dumar

Fanart

Fanfiction

I love them and I am so sad that they could never be together because Ashaad was killed. Would love smut, but it’s not required. Give me the happy ending they deserved! 

DO want: - Pairing being together in some way by the end of the fic. 

Would be happy to receive any of these, but none of them are a must: 

- forbidden love, size difference/kink, fluff, romance, PWP, slow burn, slice of life, A/B/O with Saemus as omega, pining, mutual pining, requited love/attraction, friends-to-lovers, enemies-to-lovers, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, breeding kink, healthy or unhealthy relationships, meet-cute, arranged marriage, first times, friends-with-benefits, cum kink, hate-sex, angst with a happy ending, angst with a porny ending, sex pollen, forced to fuck, discussions of the Qun, initiations into the Qun, canon-divergent or AU, Saemus and Ashaad in a cave (could be just talking, could be more - up to you!) 

Do NOT Wants:

- Any kink involving things that go in a toilet (i.e. no scat, watersports, vomit, blood) - Daddy kink, mummy kink or ageplay - Vore - Biting - Body piercings - High School AU / College AU - Coffeeshop AU - Background pairings (except for those in my letter) - OCs - Infidelity - Bashing past partners - Mention of any characters that do not appear in DA2 in any way (so please no DA:O or DA:I characters) - Animal play - Necrophilia - Choking/breathplay

Request #4:

Bianca Davri/Varric Tethras

Fanart

Fanfiction

I feel as if Bianca gets treated unfairly by much of the fandom for a scenario and relationship that (I feel) is not mainly or even mostly her fault, so no Bianca-bashing for this prompt please. I’d like to see something about their relationship, whether that’s a one-shot in better (or worse) times, or some sort of exploration of her relationship (or her "forbidden love"/secret love) with Varric. Optional prompt, if needed: How did it start so well, and how did it all go wrong? 

DO want: - Pretty much anything - one-shots, full-length multichaptered fic, whatever you fancy! 

Do NOT Wants:

- Misogyny / Bianca being blamed or held more responsible for what went wrong than Varric is / Bianca being beaten up or slapped or physically attacked in any way due to “how she treats Varric” 

- Any kink involving things that go in a toilet (i.e. no scat, watersports, vomit, blood) - Daddy kink, mummy kink or ageplay - Vore - Biting - Body piercings - High School AU / College AU - Background pairings (infidelity from Bianca and/or Varric themselves is OK - I mean, they’re both canonically unfaithful to the other) - Mentions of, or endings involving, other Varric ships - Animal play - Necrophilia - Choking/breathplay

Request #5:

Bethany Hawke/Sebastian Vael

Fanart

Fanfiction

I love them and I love their flirtation in-game and I am so sad that Bioware could not take the romance they teased us with to the conclusion they indicated they intended to happen. To quote David Gaider: "I like the idea of Princess Bethany (and so would she)." Give me the happy ending they deserved! 

DO want: - Pairing being together in some way by the end of the fic. As long as you have them doing more than chastely holding hands I’ll take it! Would love smut, but it's absolutely not required. 

Would be happy to receive any of these, but none of them are a must: - forbidden love, fluff, romance, PWP, slow burn, slice of life, pining, mutual pining, friends-to-lovers, enemies-to-lovers, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, weddings, arranged marriage, first times, angst with a happy ending, angst with a porny ending, sex pollen, canon-divergence, historical AU, royalty AU, modern AU (mundane or with magic, I don’t mind), Soulmate AU, canonverse, Queen Bethany, Sebastian adoring Bethany 

Do NOT Wants:

- Any kink involving things that go in a toilet (i.e. no scat, watersports, vomit, blood) - Daddy kink, mummy kink or ageplay - Vore - Biting - Body piercings - High School AU / College AU - Background pairings (except for those in my letter) - OCs - Infidelity - Bashing past partners - Mention of any characters that do not appear in DA2 in any way (so please no DA:O or DA:I characters) - Animal play - Necrophilia - Choking/breathplay

Request #6:

Bethany Hawke/Isabela

Fanart

Fanfiction

Ever listened to their interactions in-game? Yeah, I ship it. 

DO want: - Pairing being together in some way by the end of the fic. I don’t mind whether you make it smutty or not, as long as both ladies are happy! 

Do NOT Wants:

- Any kink involving things that go in a toilet (i.e. no scat, watersports, vomit, blood) - Daddy kink, mummy kink or ageplay - Vore - Biting - High School AU / College AU - Coffeeshop AU - Background pairings (except for those in my letter) - OCs - Infidelity - Bashing past partners - Mention of any characters that do not appear in DA2 in any way (so please no DA:O or DA:I characters) - Animal play - Necrophilia - Choking/breathplay

Request #7:

Arishok/Male Hawke

Fanart

Fanfiction

My guilty pleasure. Was once asked to write a crackfic for the ship, I laughed and wrote one, and now oh dear here I am. 

DO want:

- Smut - Crackfic - Humour - Prostitution AU - Size difference/kink - Cum kink - Humiliation - Any or all of the above

Do NOT Wants:

- Romance or romantic fluff 

- Any kink involving things that go in a toilet (i.e. no scat, watersports, vomit, blood) - Daddy kink, mummy kink or ageplay - Vore - Biting - Body piercings - High School AU / College AU - Mundane AU (i.e. I would like the Qunari to remain Qunari regardless of AU) - Background pairings (except for those in my letter) - OCs (except other DA2 Qunari) - Infidelity - Bashing past partners - Mention of any characters that do not appear in DA2 in any way (so please no DA:O or DA:I characters) - Animal play - Necrophilia - Choking/breathplay

[cheryls-blossomed]

What do you think of the WA scene in ep 15 when MIris gave Barry the speech abt losing his speed was probably for the best. That they could live a normal life. I felt that Barry was confused & hurt by MIris saying that to him because it wasn’t something Iris would say. I always felt that on a subconscious level, Barry feels this measure of guilt for putting Iris thru so much & maybe a small part of him feels like he doesn’t deserve her

That was in episode 14, right? The end of the episode?

I mean, I think that whole speech was so far removed from what Iris would ever say (the same Iris who gave Barry the speedsters are a light when the world goes dark and that’s why being the Flash is his destiny?) that that should have really been the defining moment for Barry. If the show hadn’t dragged the story-line out, 6x17 would effectively have been 6x15. Instead we needed nonsense Nash filler and stupid contrived drama in 6x15, and then 6x16 basically simply existed to unnecessarily stretch out the story more (which while I did like Joe’s story in 6x16, as far as dragging out the reveal about Mirror Iris, this episode was just more of the same, only Mirror Iris was becoming more and more agitated about draining Barry of his speed, and thus she becomes more reckless). It’s not only that that talk Mirror Iris gives Barry where she says that losing his speed is perhaps a blessing in disguise is something Iris wouldn’t say, it’s that that speech is fundamentally a sentiment Iris is utterly opposed to. It exists dichotomous to how much Iris believes in Barry’s heroism, because he’s Barry, and that she sees his powers as just deeply a part of him and as the physical manifestation of his innate heroism, which he always has had. That should have been the moment for Barry when he realizes that this isn’t his Iris. It’s a lot more powerful as the defining moment rather than the drama that took place at the end of 6x16, which was just completely contrived. I also think that in the meanwhile, the story could have built up Mirror Iris wanting to become her on person instead of springing that arc on us in her final episode, because I think that’s such an interesting story that could have used more development. 

So yeah, I’m still frustrated by the fact that the end of 6x14 basically set up Barry coming to the revelation that Mirror Iris is not Iris, but then 6x15 dropped the ball completely. We didn’t need stupid Nash drama. We didn’t really need the story dragged out even more in 6x16. I stand by the fact that 6x17 should have been 6x15, and 6x17 could have been where Barry tries to get Iris out of the mirror and does everything he can think of to get her out, but Eva ends up being liberated in a brutal battle. Then 6x19 or 6x20 is where Iris ends up trapped some place else and has to confront her emotions about Francine (and we get to see Francine and Iris gets closure, bonus points if 2049 Iris gets closure with Nora) (hence also explaining where she went after she disappeared), and Barry draws upon an emotional connection to get her out of the mirror, and this is a demonstration of him as her lightning rod as well. Oh and nobody ever protects Carver, lmao. Just a few changes, including less focus on secondary characters, and this arc could have been really, really amazing. I hope the resolution of the arc does give us some of these things, though. 

And to your point, yeah, I do think Barry does, on some subconscious level, feel that Iris deserves better and not having to constantly worry about him not returning home to her, but I also think Barry is not like a lot of heroes, where this kind of thing consumes him. He doesn’t view it as selfish to want to be with the love of his life, because it absolutely is not, and he understands that the burden they carry is one they carry together as heroes. He sees Iris as a hero, in her own right, and he knows their heroism combined is what powers them, and Iris would take any life with him over any life without him. But for sure, he does have lingering guilt; that is, of course, a natural feeling.

[retrauxpunk]

sv 6.04

spoiler-filled recap post under the cut

WHAT THE FUCK

i swear every single episode is gonna have me feeling like that because IT’S SO INTENSE i think i’ve forgotten how intense this show is because it’s prior to the release of s6 it’s been 2 years since i watched new episodes? and so i just know the storylines quite well and am familiar with everything?

but jesus christ!!

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

okay let’s start at the beginning:

FUCK ethan!!

WHAT THE FUCK

I had the vague inkling of a feeling that bringing on ethan would be the same as bringing on the carver, russ hanneman, jack barker, etc. in that it would seem to be good at first and then it would magnificently blow up AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WHAT THE FUCK

there were so many intertwined storylines in this episode? i feel like there were more than usual? there was: richard and his conflict with ethan; gavin’s book thing; monica’s misadventures with feminism; gilfoyle’s budding friendship with john stafford (I STAN); jared’s story with his parents and gwart

THERE WAS SO MUCH.

last episode my fingers couldn’t keep up with my thoughts because it was such an amazing uplifting kickass episode, but this time i just feel, i dunno, kind of clogged with feelings/thoughts because there was a lot that happened in this episode and it was................ MOSTLY SAD????? mostly unpleasant?????? like it was a great episode but all the things that happened to the characters were like ... real shitty

HOLY SHIT the guy who plays ethan is SO GOOD at playing the role of the emotionally manipulative jackass prick who mistreats you and then acts like you’re the shitty one if you don’t ‘play along with the fun’ and so on like HOLY MOTHERFUCKER those types of people are the fucking worst and god i wish richard’s punch hand gotten him in the mouth instead or something (more on that later)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he was so terrible to richard! it fucking hurt! i was with dinesh! i watched richard’s balls getting kicked and my balls hurt in solidarity!! fuck!!

????!

richard what are you doing

it was, no lie, a little nice and fuzzy and heartwarming to see dinesh like sticking up for richard and trying to help him

even if it’s through the ‘dumbest thing i’ve ever seen’, that alpha male video. 

WHAT WAS THAT

THAT WAS LEGIT like something out of IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA what the FUCK

i don’t object to it being in the show because, y’know, it’s within the bounds of the absurdities of the show and so on, but

WHAT! that had the exact same energy as the fight milk ads!!

i really like that richard’s initial reaction was ‘this is the dumbest thing i’ve ever seen’. what a shame he succumbed to it!!! ........but at least it wasn’t something worse that he succumbed too i guess???

POOR RICHARD

this is one of those episodes where i am entirely on richard’s side and have no complaints about him, he didn’t do anything wrong

omg i just remembered when he caught ethan’s eye in the opening scene and waved him in because of ‘dumb social shit’ (#relatable) ................WAS THAT BECAUSE HE WAS REFLEXIVELY REGRESSING TO HIS DOWNTRODDEN WAYS from when he was ethan’s report and was consistently having to defer to him and put up with his shit? and that’s why when ethan motions to like invite himself into richard’s office, that’s why richard just invites him in?

yeah that’s my opinion now

........

IT HURTS

IT HURTS WATCHING RICHARD GET KICKED AROUND BY ETHAN

WHAT THE FUCK DUDE

this is one of those times when richard’s like, trying to do a good/right thing and be nice and so on WHEN HE SHOULDN’T BE. like when he was ‘trying to respect’ erlich by refusing to hire jared patakian despite erlich giving him his blessing. and (to a lesser extent) when he went to have those chats with seth after gilfoyle stole the endframe login credentials, and when he gifted laurie some pied piper credits (where they credits? don’t remember the word)

UGH he was trying to be ~chill~ and not so uptight and so on BUT NO THIS IS NOT THE TIME RICHARD and no this is not what being a cool/nice person is! it is not putting up with this kind of shit!

i just felt so bad for him!!!

WHAT THE FUCK IS ETHAN’S PROBLEM

god what a cock

I’M SO GLAD RICHARD PUNCHED HIM IN THE FACE and honestly??? i wish the punch had fucking landed!! for once i’m sick of richard being an ineffectual klutz! i want him to try to kick ass and succeed!!! god!!

that’s what i want out of season 6, one (1) time when richard tries to do something physically badass like socking a deserving douchebag in the face and actually succeeds

can’t fucking believe he bought into dinesh’s dumbfuck alpha male video. UGH RICHARD

i mean at..........at least it makes him........feel better? idk

(in my personal hc richard manages to watch that fucking always sunny style video and not develop misogynistic tendencies as consequence because that would be lame if it happened)

I JUST HAD TO TAKE A BREAK FROM WRITING THIS RECAP BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH AN INTENSE EPISODE

6.3 was intense in the same way that like an adrenaline-fuelled ultimately victorious battle is intense, or like, idk, the lovechild of MDMA and acid???

6.4 is intense like the COMEDOWN. god

IT IS THE COMEDOWN, it’s the terrible fucking low that occurs in the wake of the soaring high of buying hooli!! fuck!!!!!!!!!!!!

okay so that’s the richard storyline covered

um

y’know i was suspicious when ethan wanted to move things onto hooliphones, i thought it was maybe some kind of thing to sabotage pied piper in some way? but now i see maybe it’s just a way to get himself a job. and the bullying of richard is a way to soothe his own fragile ego i guess? hmm

gilfoyle’s friendship with john stafford! I LOVE IT! i love that the guy from the underground pits of jack barker’s box plan has returned! and he announces each hooliphone the way he announced each box ... excellent callback. AND THEY PLAY CHESS! AND HE BEAT GILFOYLE EVERY SINGLE TIME! YES!!! 

GILFOYLE WHY DID YOU DELETE HIS FRIEND REQUEST

YOU WERE GONNA ACCEPT IT

YOUR CURSOR WAS HOVERING

WHY THE FUCK

some kind of lame-as-fuck attempt to maintain an idea of power in the dynamic? viewing the vulnerability of accepting a friend request as somehow being weak/lame?? just upset because he lost so many chess games??

hope it’s the the last one becaues that’s the least lame/sad of the three i thinkkkk

also his fucking feed full of dinesh hate. what a loser lmao perfectly suited to dinesh

i want them to kiss

ummmmmmmm monica!! lmao i enjoyed how they made her a female character who is successful but not actually personally interested in being a feminist activist, because i think that’s a thing that’s pretty real/relatable. like, you can be a woman who believes in gender equality but who doesn’t actually do stuff to actively advocate for it, and i think that’s a lot of people, and honestly i don’t think i’m quite like monica (i wouldn’t say the things she said about foxhole HAHAHHA) but i relate to it! i’m not a very politically active person at all, my ~activism is limited to being generally educated on stuff and calling out/discussing shitty things if friends/colleagues say them. so i guess i felt seen? #guiltyfeminist

when monica went to the panel........... and then priyanka totally outshone her ........ i felt a little bad for monica but she was pawning off foxhole to priyanka entirely selfishly because she herself didn’t want to be involved and so i didn’t feel too bad for her :pp

good on priyanka! all that stuff  she’s doing sounds awesome!

except the beginning where she referenced her ‘network of awesome women coders’ or something like that, i found that phrasing uhhhhhhh cringey. cliquey. didn’t like it, but that’s just my subjective feeling. also i suspect it was meant to be a little satirical of uberwokeness so fair :P

richard giving monica foxhole ‘for optics’ and then doing the handwavey ‘just make it work, for women’ ........ a brilliant sad-funny representation of extremely superficial and empty meaningless ‘feminism’

laurie lasering in on gwart because she’s also eating that vegetable in a weird way! nice.

OKAY JARED? JARED

FUCK

we see him set up in pied piper’s offices meaning he at least took up richard’s offer which is nice

his parents?

fuck ‘em

they deserve to rot, obviously

sociopaths

i............................... it was an upsetting scene, i’m not sure why it’s in the show............ perhaps to give rise to jared’s whole ‘i must have rejected them and rejected everyone else who’s been kind’ thing that he’s doing in a desperate bid to understand/make sense of his suffering ....... which gives rise to his thing about rejecting richard...

i guess maybe he’s doing that thing where he’s repeating past cycles of trauma/abandonment? that’s what’s (at least partially) driving his stubborn refusal to rejoin richard? is it that he (on some not-necessarily-conscious level) believes himself unworthy of happiness and self-sabotages? and all of that mixes with his fear of fucking up pied piper with his feelings (the way he did in 6.1) and that keeps him away from richard?

I DON’T KNOW IT’S COMPLICATED AND MAKES ME SAD

that thing he said about how he has to stay with gwart . .............. god this stupid entirely arbitrary rule he’s set for himself, it’s so fucking painful

ETHAN’S REPENTANCE WAS DUE TO THREAT FROM HOLDEN? WOW

um

good on you holden i guess!! .....?

i HATE the whole ‘jared threatening holden and emotionally abusing him into the perfect assistant for richard’ arc because that was painful and i feel like it was played for laughs but i didn’t find it funny or good at all

so in this case it was kinda vindicating to see holden no longer terrified of jared and kind of sassing him (’don’t you have somewhere to be’)

..............what was with the end of the cold open where richard’s like ‘holden i wanted water’??? or something? didn’t holden give him the water partway through ethan’s presentation? ugH

GWART FIRING JARED

FUCK YES! THANK YOU GWART

JARED TALKING ABOUT HOW HE’S FREE TO GO WITH RICHARD

HOLY FUCK

YEAH SO OF COURSE OUR BOY JARED WANTS TO BE WITH RICHARD and now that gwart (his temporarily chosen ‘leader’/person to be devoted to) has given him orders (and therefore permission) to fuck off, he CAN BE WITH RICHARD without feeling like he’s, i dunno, being disloyal.

HURRAH

so the episode ENDS on jared asserting that there is a space for him to be with richard? homg seems like 6.5 is gonna go HEAVY ON THE JARRICH again?????

HNNNG

this was a tense episode and i’m upset

like it was a decent episode, i didn’t think it was bad quality, i’m just sad

[collective-laugh]

Duuuuuude!! You also like Dragon Age?!! You're perfect, never change! Who are your faves and why? Tell me, tell me! Lol but in all seriousness, there are a lot more people in the Arcana fandom that like Dragon Age than I thought. It's very interesting. We should all make a group or something for us so we can spaz together about both lmao

Ooooooooooh my god, I don’t just like Dragon Age, I lived, breathed, and prayed over that shit for a good four years of my life and continue to play it as “casually” as one can. If you make a Discord or some shit I will be there

My favs from the first game are Zevran and Morrigan

Zevran: His romance route makes me absolutely swoon but I love how his development isn’t solely surrounding your relationship. Zevran is a fun, lighthearted character with Trauma (he’s a former assassin turned Warden-follower cut him some slack omg) and I romance him almost every time

Morrigan: I was so sad to learn that Morrigan wasn’t romanceable by a female warden. Like, she is such a well-thought out and unique character (as I’m writing this, I think I’m just into the fuckoffs who show up out of nowhere tbh)

My favs from the second game is Bethany and Varric

Bethany: The first time I played through, I restarted because I wanted Bethany to live and not Carver (before I even knew how much he annoyed me. I don’t mind him too much, but I prefer Bethany) 

Varric: Ha. I think Varric is everyone’s favorite character from the second game. (He carries over into Inquisition, obviously) and, I’m gonna say it, I really wanted to romance him in both installments. 

My favs from the third game are Iron Bull, Cole, and Dorian (and Krem makes a quick appearance)

They’re quite literally my go-to party. My default class is an archer so we have one of each involved. 

Iron Bull’s romance is my absolute favorite in all three of the games, hands down. I love how it revolves around that one crucial decision and how it actually affects how it goes down, and the deceit in the “Reversed” route, and it just gives me a big bowl of Feelios, alright.

Cole was my favorite character in the game (fuck what they did to him in Trespasser) and I love him. He deserves better than an underdeveloped bard (I would’ve loved to have seen him with a developed bard or the Inquisitor, mind you) (oh, and what they did with him with the whole “this is what people do, right?” after the whole ace community basically adopted him and just kind of kicked them in the collective groin)

Dorian is the love of my life. Every time I play as a dude? Lovers. Every time I play as the other option? Best friends. I don’t think I could ever have a bad relationship with Dorian, in good conscious. 

Krem! I almost forgot Krem lmao. Yeah, I love Krem so much. Bottle man. 

So tl;dr, I love Dragon Age, and I love their characters and development but if I don’t get decent hairs in 5 I’m going to scalp Bioware.

[autisticlaezel]

bitter questions asks

I wasn’t actually tagged but I saw @fuckbioware do it and I thought I’d give it a shot

I’m doing this for Dragon Age and swtor.

What OTPs in your fandom(s) do you just not get?

Smuggler/Corso. Jedi Knight/Doc. Doc/Quinn

Are there any popular fandom OTPs you only BroTP?

Torian/Bounty Hunter (though only bc my BH is a lesbian and like ten years older than Torian). Vette/Sith Warrior.

Have you ever unfollowed someone over a fandom opinion?

Oh absolutely. The swtor fandom has a lot of “fascism is okay, actually” which is. Not something I want to deal with obviously. The DA fandom has a similar thing with feudalism and blaming oppressed classes for their oppression (mages, elves.)

Do you have a NoTP in your fandom? Are they a popular OTP?

LS Jedi/Lana Beniko (I love Lana but. No. No, no, no). Theron/Lana. Koth/Lana. Doc/Quinn (especially because a lot of the stuff I’ve seen with them has Doc continously flirting with a visibly uncomfortable Quinn which. Is in character for him but still fucking gross).

Cullen/Amell. Cullen/Surana. Cullen/Hawke. Cullen/Mage Inquisitor. Cullen/Dorian. You get the pattern.

Has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you?

F!Sith Warrior/Pierce, because of the amount of fic there is out there with the SW revenge cheating on Quinn with Pierce which is um. Gross.

Fenris/Anders. It’s not so much that I hate the concept, as it’s that I hate the execution of it. It’s almost always written as emotionally abusive, and on occasion, physically abusive as well. It almost always paints one of them as like the most terribly evil person to ever exist and the other one as a Sweet Innocent Baby Who Can Do No Wrong uwu.

Has fandom ever made you enjoy a pairing you previously hated?

I don’t think so? It’s made me consider pairings that I wasn’t otherwise interested it, but never made me like one that I didn’t.

Is there anything you used to like but can’t stand now?

The Hinterlands. Belsavis. The Deep Roads. The Fade.

Have you received anon hate? What about?

Yeah but rarely about fandom. Usually people are just upset that I hate men lmao.

Most disliked character(s)? Why?

Doc. Corso. DS!Jaesa. Lord Scourge.

Cullen. Aveline. Arl Eamon.

Most disliked arc? Why?

Aveline’s personal quest. Sera’s romance quest (imagine thinking that it’s a good idea to force you to walk around and listen to people talk shit about your girlfriend without being able to defend her to progress in her romance).

Imperial Taris. Most of the Jedi Knight Story. With Warrior Alderaan.

Is there an unpopular character you like that the fandom doesn’t? Why?

Koth Vortena. Satele Shan. Felix Iresso. LS!Jaesa. Ashara Zavros (?? I’ve seen a lot of people calling her whiny and complaining about not being able to seduce her to the Dark Side). Vaylin.

Vivienne. Blackwall (??). Sera. Anders. Merrill. Velanna. Carver Hawke.

Is there an unpopular arc that you like that the fandom doesn’t? Why?

I’m not sure? Not that I know of.

Unpopular opinion about XXX character?

Anders was right. Anders was right. Anders was right. Anders was right.

Unpopular opinion about your fandom?

The swtor fandom is generally pretty horrible. It’s full of fascism apologists, people who think that glorifying abuse is Cool Actually, treats any character that dares challenge them when they do objectively evil shit as absolute crap. And that’s just the Tumblr side of the fandom, because then of course there are the dudebros who dress their female companions in slave outfits.

Also people treat healers like shit in PVP arenas.

The DA fandom has a lot of the same issues. There’s also so much homophobia there.

Both fandoms have a racism problem as well.

Unpopular opinion about the manga/show/game?

Inquisition wasn’t that good.

The Jedi Consular story is one of the best ones, the fandom just doesn’t know how to appreciate something that isn’t Edgy and Dark(TM)

If you could change anything in the show, what would you change?

Let me be nice to Sera! Let me be nice to Sera!

Forcing Fenris back into slavery shouldn’t have been an option. I know that Bioware RPGs are about giving the player the power to make choices and all that, but that was absolutely taking it too far.

Koth deserved better writing and to not randomly disappear. Where is he Bioware??

Does not shipping something ‘popular’ mean you’re in denial and/or biased?

Um no.

What is the purest ship in the fandom?

Merrill/Isabela. Josephine/Isabela. Leliana/Warden. Hawke/Merrill. Hawke/Isabela. Inquisitor/Josephine.

What are your thoughts on crack ships?

Oh I’m very pro crackships.

Popular character you hate?

Cullen

Unpopular character you love?

Vivienne, Sera, Anders, Velanna, Carver. Koth. Felix. 

Would you recommend XXX to a friend? Why or why not?

Unfortunately yes.

Most shippable character?

Hawke, Isabela, Merrill, Anders. Varric.

Risha. Theron. Koth. 

Least shippable character?

Cullen. Doc.

And I tag (the usual gang):

@bastilashans @badsithnocookie @theebonhawke @atonerand @codariidoescrimes @micaldisciple @lordmalak @wolfdaddynedstark @sapphicsansas

[spanimator]

what were your main issues with each season? even the season that's labeled as "perfect" by so many fans (aka season 1). and if ur able to, go in-depth abt it :3

I LOVE U GOOD QUESTION!!!! thank you for sending in…

S1- there’s a few things about s1 that aren’t perfect. the stranger is not that great.. and the entire confrontation doesn’t make much sense if you didn’t steal from him. i’ve seen people say it would of been better to have a St. John or even Jolene replace the stranger and I really like the latter. - unable to have kenny on your side by the end of the game if you decided to side with lilly more is also pretty frustrating. i get its his character to hold grudges but after trying to save larry, there’s not even options to reason with him afterwards. and after that i was loyal and nice to him but he still fucks me over. -it succcksss carley and doug’s characters die off without any big development. carley significantly gets more development (even forming some kind of relationship with lee) but poor doug is just more of a comic relief. we can’t even admit to our past if you saved doug : /  its unfair. -also wow, chuck deserved better… at least mention him to the group!! but overall s1 is still amazing. i might go more in depth someday about its flaws in another post. 

S2- OOF there’s a lot with season 2 and the more i revisit it, i realize its my least favorite season. -too many interesting characters are introduced and killed off/disappear with no real development. need i say more? nick, sarah, luke, 400 days characters etc. - choices do not matter. and i know its cliche but it truly does not matter how you treat your friends, kenny, carver, steal from arvo or not etc. they’ll all still feel the same about you. the only choices that matter is the grand finale. -the story falls flat after ep 3. the season starts off very promising but the lack of no carver really halts the story and it clearly begins to drag when russians are involved and they shove the whole “kenny’s a dangerous psycho” down your throat. there’s no goal. carver should of been a long term villain the whole season. -jane should of just left and it should of been  luke vs. kenny for a more difficult choice. the season’s pretty messy but there’s still some redeeming qualities and moments that make it worth playing at least once. the main issue is essentially the characters though. 

S3- OK, s3 is actually good in my opinon and not that bad but yeah people have pointed out the flaws repeatedly. but you’ll be spared from the gabe hate because i actually don’t have any problems with gabe really. -besides david, gabe and javi, none of the other characters really leave an impact and there’s quite a lack of character development from them. tripp, elanor, kate etc. are alright at best its just nuts since this season had 5 episodes compared to s4 with only four and they developed nearly all the characters quite well. -aj and clem’s side plot doesn’t really go anywhere. the flashbacks were pretty bad too and ooc. clem’s whole arc is essentially, “WHERE MY SON?” -villain is pretty bad yet again, joan sucks ass and she literally just poofs when you don’t shoot her because the writers don’t know what to do with her. she’s just your basic bitch villain. but like i still enjoy s3 a lot besides its flaws. 

S4- my fave season, its wonderful but there’s some flaws. -the entire focus of the season of raising aj is downplayed by the end. it doesn’t really matter how you raise aj, he stills ends up the same and you are the one to trust him or not which is too bad because its pushed so much. it lead many to believe if you fucked up raising aj, he’d turn insane (especially when you killed lilly in ep 3) -in fact it doesn’t really matter how you treat all the other characters too besides romancing them or not. they all still tolerate or even like you even after burning your old teacher or telling them to fuck off. its disappointing and doesn’t make a scum play through very enjoyable. -captured violet/louis’ outcomes were kinda lame and very rushed which makes their whole arc feel incomplete which is sad because they’re such good characters. -minerva is great but lilly is mixed villain. her actions and sentiments shift a lot which is confusing. in ep 2, many were led to believe lilly was redeemable. also it still makes no sense to murder and mutilate all these kids when you want to win them over lmao?? the fuck lilly. one day i’ll replay s4 and truly analyze her. but yeah i still love it!! 

my list: S4 > S1 > S3 > S2

[shimmershae]

My thoughts on Episode 8--For Blood

As always, placed behind a cut for those of you that would rather escape my babbling, lol.  You’re welcome.  

Sadly, I don’t think this is anticipation I feel.  I’m pretty sure it’s dread but okay.  Here we go.  

This episode has to go up from the rock bottom boredom of last week, right?  

Let me preface what I’m about to say with the truth that I in no way hate Maggie.  She’s been with us since Season 2 and I have an emotional attachment to her, mostly due to my love of Glenn and the way he loved her.  She’s not my favorite by any means, but the fact of the matter is, I do like and appreciate her and don’t mind that she is back because it’s nice to have old familiar faces with us to take us into the final season.  That said?  Forcing Maggie front and center after her long absence ultimately, IMHO, has not worked in these first 8 episodes.  I can’t help but feel if ASZ had been the A story with Maggie/Negan and Daryl/Leah/the Reapers the B1 and B2 story?  These episodes would have been better received overall and not feel so much like they’re trying so hard.  Maybe lead me toward the water instead of shoving my head in it next time, Angela?  Hmm?  

Oh goodie.  They’re opening at Meridian.  Should I get my bathroom break out of the way now or give myself an out for later?  Call it Shae’s choice, lol.  

That flicker of a smirk Leah gave to Carver after their mini walk down memory lane had more spark to it than the entirety of her and Daryl’s toxic relationship.  In the future, maybe Angela will lean all in on them instead of Leah and Daryl.  Something tells me Leah knows this “brother” biblically.  

Daryl recognizes Whisperer moves when he sees ‘em.  Somehow, he realizes Maggie and Negan have banded together however reluctantly.  

Pope doing it “Dixon’s” way but not allowing Dixon to do the actual thing shows the level of distrust and paranoia the man still haves for outsiders. 

Look at Daryl chewing his lips with worry for his people.  If he and Leah know each other even a little bit, she has to recognize that as one of his tells.  

Ooohhhh.  Who took the first stab at Wells?  Maggie?  Negan?  Father G?  I swear.  I took my eyes off the “ball” one second and the whole damn play is halfway down the field.  Sorry.  If you cannot tell, I watched football with the fam yesterday, lol.  

The Walking Dead logo didn’t crumble this time.  Interesting.  Parts of it looked like it had been rebuilt.  With brick.  Wood.  Other parts of it looked reclaimed by nature.  Call me crazy, but that almost looks like an eye/part of a face on the first D.  

Okay then.  Babbling nonsense about the logo over, lol.  Tell me.  Please.  Anybody.  How do the events at ASZ line up with the events at Meridian?  Because it’s night and full-blown storming in ASZ and still daylight at Meridian.  But hey.  Thank fuck we’re in ASZ.  

All the babies huddled together giving me feels.  Sorry.  I know some feel they have no place on the show, but I personally enjoy their inclusion from time to time.  It usually plucks hard at my heartstrings.  

Connie tenderly comforting an injured Virgil is sweet, not gonna lie.  

Aww.  Is that Hershel petting a scared RJ’s hair?  Unless it’s a case of me not being able to pick out and place all the little hands, which it most certainly could be, I’m thinking Judith’s got her hand on her knee and that’s Hershel’s hand in RJ’s hair.  Regardless of whose hand is where, it was a sweet little scene.  What can I say?  I’m easy because Baby Glenn and Baby Rick, ya’ll.  

Oh snap.  The windmill’s on fire and pieces of the wall are blowing down main street ASZ like steel tumbleweeds, lol.  

Anybody else having flashbacks to the barn from Season 5?  Good times.  We still had most of Team Family with us then.  They were in a bad place, hurting and lost and just trying to survive--when are they not just trying to survive?--but they were together.  I miss them.  

Carol and Lydia holding each other.  These two, lovelies, have my whole heart.  

Wells is Walker Jerky, Shaw.  Stop wasting your breath.  

“She did.  My enemy.”  I mean, are we supposed to get the impression Maggie’s been a formidable adversary to Pope?  Because she feels more like a roach that simply knows the best rocks to hide under.  Granted, roaches are hard to kill but still.  I’m gonna need them to give us something better than Maggie being Pope’s enemy simply because she didn’t want to give up her home without a fight because this is frankly unbelievable and bordering on stupid.  

Alright.  So they’ve obviously been sowing the seeds of distrust and defiance between Leah and Pope because she doesn’t like losing family but Daryl?  Man?  You and Leah have differing opinions about how family operates.  Trust me on this.  

So.  Three teams, huh?  Aaron fighting the windmill fire, Carol repairing the breach in the wall, Rosita protecting the babies that represent their future.  Choose your fighters, lol.  Seriously, though.  Why do I have the sinking feeling only one group is going to be shown actually doing their thing?  

Listen.  Am I pissed we haven’t gotten the scene we deserve yet between Carol and Connie after all that’s happened and we’re getting crumbs mainly because Angela wrongly feels the Reapers/Maggie & Negan/Daryl & Leah need more focus?  Absolutely.  You bet your sweet asses.  But Melissa fucking McBride just took the crumbs allotted her and made a magnificent, work of art cake out of it trying all on her lonesome to feed us starving Carol fans.  

Bless Connie wanting wanting to go with Carol.  What a show of trust and sister-like solidarity that must have some hate-rotted guts about to turn themselves out.  

I love Kelly and Connie’s sister bond.  No ill will intended, but It takes the good parts of Maggie and Beth and elevates it beyond anything those two ever showed us.  I really feel like that’s a testament to Angel and Lauren’s real life ease with each other.  

Magna choosing to go with Aaron makes me wonder if it’s possible she feels some kind of residual guilt over Connie.  Not guilt for anything she’s actually done, but simply guilt over making it out.  

Virgil volunteering to help.  Okay.  Damn.  I’m honestly starting to like the guy.  

Judith offering to go with her aunt Carol had me all up in my feels.  I mean, granted.  It was a blink and you miss it scene.  We really deserved a longer heart to heart between that little girl and the woman that’s sacrificed so much to keep her safe and loved her for so long, but you know I’ll gobble any and all Judith/Aunt Carol content up.  Seems to me, Little Ass Kicker is just as afraid of letting Aunt Carol out of her sight as Uncle Daryl.  My heart.  

Gracie and Aaron are sweet.  And honestly?  I find them more realistic and true to what normal parents and children would be like in a ZA than Judith and Michonne no matter how much I love that bond.  I mean no disrespect, but I really do.  

“Why am I keeping you around?”  Pope asking the question we’re all wondering.  

Not Apocalypse Popeye comparing Daryl to a stray dog.  Joe from the Claimers already declared Daryl an outside cat that thought he was an indoor cat.  I did have to internally cheer when Daryl was like “I’m ain’t gonna lick it” talking about the helping hand Pope had extended him.  

“Somehow she has turned the dead against the living.  Oh, that’s impressive.”  The thing about Pope respecting Maggie so much as an enemy is I just find it hard to buy, lol.  Like if this had been Carol, yeah.  But Maggie?  Nope.  They’ve mostly shown her (with Gage being the bewildering exception) to be all bark and no bite.  

Has the house in ASZ really become that dilapidated that they can see through its walls?  Because its original owners dodged a bullet if so.  

Look at Grace hero-worshipping Judith.  It’s sweet.  

Virgil telling Judith Michonne would be proud of her is nice but doesn’t feel as earned as if someone like Daryl or Carol that actually knew Michonne well said it.  But maybe that’s the whole point--Judith needs to hear it from someone she knows isn’t going to just say what she wants to hear.  

Call me jaded, it was a touching scene, but also?  It felt designed to allow Judith to move beyond her very normal and realistic feelings of being abandoned by Michonne, even though she gave her the “okay” herself.  Like she’s still a kid.  Wants don’t always line up with feelings.  Anyway.  Cailey continues to be a bright, shining little star and I love how she’s managed to make Judith a true amalgamation of all the people she’s loved who have loved her in return.  Not just Michonne.  I know people like to overlook and cheapen the fact, but it’s taken a village and entire family to raise her from infancy.  

Gracie really should have known better than play in front of the windows during a storm period, but oh well.  Plot point, lol.  

Seriously, though.  I feel like they’ve teased poor Gracie’s demise in a multitude of ways since the beginning of the season.  I hope nothing ultimately comes of it but I fear it will.  All I can say if the worst comes to happen is poor Aaron.  

Where are Negan and Elijah though?  Ouch.  There they are, taking on shrapnel for the cause.  

Ready the what now?  

There’s ASZ’s Baby Sitter Extraordinaire!  Barbara, is it?  That lady’s been putting in the work since Season 5 at least.  

I’ve honestly grown to love Rosita.  More of her and less of Maggie, please and thank you.  

“Let’s stay away from the windows.”  I’m sorry but I had to LMAO at that.  Still a badass moment though.  

Gabe hobbling toward his assigned sentinel.  At least they haven’t forgotten he’s injured like they seemed to forget Daryl was near death last season before the attack on Hilltop, lol.  

“It’s hard to watch something you care about change.”  Listen, Leah.  Chick.  You and Daryl obviously never really knew each other.  It’s always been obvious but I have a feeling “DIxon” is finally going to show you, spoilers or no spoilers.  

WTF are they calling that thing?  Sorry.  I have just as hard a time understanding Pope’s accent as I do Maggie’s sometimes.  

That’s not love that has Daryl telling Leah she can come with him.  That’s care for somebody he used to know.  There is a distinct difference that’s obviously lost on so many.  How can you really and truly love someone you cannot trust?  Especially in Daryl Dixon’s case?

Why does Angela hate us so much?  Giving us all these Reaper scenes and leaving us to simply imagine Carol and Connie and Kelly working side by side to save the wall?  

I think I honestly could have enjoyed this whole Reaper storyline more, at least a little bit anyway, had they not retrofitted a half-assed romance between Daryl and the story’s weakest link and if only they’d made it the B storyline and given earned deference to the goings-on in ASZ instead.  

I wonder if Glenn taught Maggie how to hot write a car?  I miss my baby Glenn.

Apocalypse Popeye is several fries short of a Happy Meal.  What else is new on this show, lol?  

I care for Maggie.  Mostly for nostalgia’s sake and Glenn and Baby Hershel but damn, man.  She’s not actually proven herself got be worth killing your entire “family” for.  But are too far gone, so.  We’ll make allowances.  

I will say at least this episode is not as abysmally biring as last week’s episode.  

Leah finally giving Pope the throat punch he’s been asking for but I’m not fooled she’s on Daryl’s side here.  She’s always been on her own side.  

Look at Father G returning the favor for Maggie saving him in the tower.  Taking Deaver down!  Poor Deaver barely saw the light of day.  

Here comes that woman scorned part.  I can feel it.  

“Pope is dead.  Dixon murdered him.  He’s with the enemy.”  

Please, Angela.  I’m begging you.  Bring Carol into this story and ramp it the fuck up.  You been idling too damn long and the car is fast running outta gas.  

Bitch really has to die to framing Carol’s Pookie.  

Rosita and Lydia and Carol and Connie and Kelly and Magna have literally been holding up this damn show while Angela farts around with the Reapers bullshit.  Honorable mention goes to Aaron but these lovely, badass ladies been putting in the real work and not getting any of the glory.  You just know they’re tired AF.  

Not my babies Lydia and Judith being the cliffhanger!  Oh and Gracie.  Angela?!  A word.  

Listen.  Carol’s already done that fireworks trick.  That Reaper dude owes her royalties.  Granted, it was on a smaller scale but much more impressive for it because she was left to be the sharpshooter.  

Angela has a point.  It is kind of cool how Team Family have learned from their enemies and assimilated their useful points into their own cache of knowledge.  

I truly feel like the Leah/Reaper storyline would have benefitted from a much stronger actress.  Just saying.  

I know Judith annoys some with her precociousness but Cailey just keeps teeing off on what they give her and personally?  I feel she’s so very talented and light years beyond her little acting counterparts so it still works.  

“They’re never gonna choose each other over the people that they’ve loved and fought for because they simply cannot really trust each other.  There’s sort of, like a toxicity at the base of that relationship.”  Straight from Angela’s mouth.  

“At the end of the day, Daryl chose his family.”  Yeah, he did.  That “I belong with you” shit only happened when he felt they were all gone, including the one he loved above all others--Carol.  Fight me.  

Overall impression of the episode?  

On its own, disregarding how much I can’t help resenting how much time I feel has been “wasted” setting this story up, it was much more entertaining than Episode 7 which was only epic in that it was an epic bore.  There was still too much focus on the Reapers when I just just kept wanting to see what was happening at ASZ.  I mean, they cheated us out of Carol and Connie and Kelly working together. Of Aaron and Magna.  Call it personal preference coloring my opinions if you want, but the characters I care about feel like they’ve been shown the backseat for this self-indulgent exploration of Angela’s OC and her version of self-insert FF with Daryl Dixon.  If we can return to Team Family?  The whole Team Family and not just Maggie and Co. against the world?  You’ve got me.  If not?  Well.  You’ll keep losing me by degrees and you don’t want to do that on the final season.  

Anyway.  The ASZ parts were my favorites per usual.  The episode could have used a lot more of those.  

[elfyourmother]

💚 Loghain, according to Khedira and Mari?

Khedira is very fond of Loghain and tbh out of all the advisors she’s by far the closest to him. Like Blackwall they have the Ugly Past in common and are both atoners but unlike Blackwall, Khedira knows Loghain’s story from the very beginning and she saw even in Haven how the Fereldans in the organization held such mixed views on him. And HOO BOY can she relate to that, when she first became an itinerant seer and was traveling through Rivain. Helping people who have every right to fear and despise you because of your actions is like Big Mood to her. and she feels like he really Gets It, that the important thing is to try no matter how people might view you and your present actions in light of your past. they also share that tremendously dry sense of humor and bond as non-Andrastians surrounded by Chantry folk. and the way he loves Ferelden is the way she loves Rivain, and it’s only matched by how much he loves Gisele and Alistair. she can’t help but admire that. they spend a lot of late nights just talking about these things over a pot of tea. Khedira appreciates the way he respects her a great deal (his deference toward her is probably a result of his upbringing as much as her actions. he treats her like the old traditional priestesses), more so than any of the other Fereldans she’s met. they get each other, the way she and Blackwall do.

ngl I lowkey ship them but Loghain would never go there with her because of his weird sense of loyalty and also because he’s a Mess when it comes to romance and always has been. I mean it took him an actual decade to admit that he had feelings for Leliana and he’s still in denial about it to a degree to the point he was even rationalizing it away literally minutes after they fucked, and he has some totally irrational sense that he’s betraying Gisele because of it. half the time he still feels like an absolute piece of cradle robbing shit for falling in love with Alistair aka the man who overthrew his daughter, aka Maric’s son, and the less said about his Gisele guilt the better. dude is a basket case and barely believes he’s worthy of the love he already has. if Khedira ever actually approached him (and it would 1000000% have to be her making the first move), he’d probably splutter and run away lmao.

Mari adores him because of his devotion to his family. Family is so, so, so important to her, and it becomes very obvious within five minutes of talking to him how much he cares about his partners and children. Mari also has a well documented soft spot for brusque dudes who appear to be grumpy on the surface but are actually deeply passionate and ridiculously sentimental. This went into overdrive when Anora visited Skyhold at one point and she happened to see him giving her a massive dad hug; it made her tear up a little, because it reminded her of her own dad and how much she missed him. In part due to  that, they strike up a very odd couple sort of friendship; he reminds her a lot of the old mercs from the Irregulars that her dad used to hang out with all the time, and there’s something comforting about that. She likes how blunt he is, how he won’t sugarcoat things but is supportive at the same time, and she ends up confiding in him a lot. He knows what it’s like to have to live with terrible mistakes. He’s empathetic and he’s not judgey but he doesn’t coddle her the way Sebastian or Varric sometimes do. He really does remind her a lot of Fenris, actually, in temperament (though Fenris is much more openly demonstrative). Mari can trust him when he compliments her, because she knows he’s not full of shit. And most importantly, two different mabari love him, so that’s all she needs to know. She also likes that he beats Varric and Isabela at cards.

When Carver starts up on his rants about Loghain being a traitor who doesn’t deserve to be a Warden or deserve anything but the gallows etc etc, Mari tells him to shut up. XD

[breadedsinner]

This confession is presuming a lot, lmao.

Him only being a companion until Act 2 is fair enough. I would argue more is not always better; all these years I am not clear what I was meant to take away from Aveline’s “arc” and I don’t feel Varric is challenged enough throughout the course of TWO games.

You know who else has a game and some change of screen time? Oghren, and he ain’t exactly a fan favorite, so this argument, while fair, is a little shaky.

“Tight knit group” ...are you sure? I am still of the mind the DA2 cast is NOT a “found family”, as fandom keeps insisting. The only modern bioware game that did this was Andromeda, I think.

By Act 2, Fenris is still looking over his back, Isabela has not shared anything about the relic. Even beyond that, Fenris never apologizes to Merrill for calling her a witch, Isabela and Aveline’s “resolution” seems more like Isabela giving up and let Aveline talk to her however she wants;I’m not really sure she ever liked anyone in that group. Anders gets WORSE, by the end Varric and *possibly* Hawke are the only ones reaching him.

Act 1 gave us time to get to know these people, and Sebastian could have benefited from this, but the idea that they’re all good friends except for him is objectively not true. There are friends *within* the group, and Sebastian is part of this; he treats Fenris and Merrill with more respect than most of the rest of the cast gives.

Also he specifically does NOT proselytize. Isabela point this out herself, I can’t make this any clearer. Asking about belief is not the same as trying to convert them. Also...he’s a priest did you not think faith would come up???

As for Varric himself, I understand he’s presented as your best friend, thick and thin, and so if he doesn’t like someone, we’re inclined to agree. But let’s think on it, is he really that nice to the group, expect maybe Merrill and Isabela?

This...doesn’t strike me as all that nice?

I know things get a little better with Carver IF he survives, but frankly I don’t think he deserved this to begin with. It’s actually very mean-spirited. Like dude, he’s 18, what are you doing.

Someone commented Varric is a “canary” and that if he dislikes someone, there’s a reason. But that game didn’t really GIVE us a reason, so I think that’s poor writing. Why does Varric not like Sebastian? Because he decided he’s boring? Because when Varric asks a questions, he...gives a plain answer?

I honestly think this says more about Varric than it does Sebastian. Like this is really weird. How was I supposed to get “Oh obviously Sebastian is meant to become a villain, all the signs were there”, from Varric antagonizing him like people are just monkeys to dance for his stories?

As for that banter with Fenris, love how it’s just the thing that dooms Sebastian as anti-mage forever. Never mind he comes from a society that deems that as correct, never mind he’s confiding in Fenris because he’s clearly conflicted, and never mind while he brings it up once and never actually does it, Aveline IS ACTUALLY DOING IT.

As for Anders, again, bold of you to assume I consider him a friend. Unlike Varric, I think it’s debatable that you were supposed to be his friend from the get-go. Yes, he has the benefit of being from Awakening, but there wasn’t much there and he goes under a pretty massive off-screen change. Both Awakening and 2 Anders can actually say some insulting things, but we’ll be here all day if we get into that.

No matter how you feel about Anders and what he did, it will always be true that he lied to you to further his goal, and the results of that lie undo your whole life in Kirkwall. You can say you’re fine with it, you can say Kirkwall sucked anyway, it will never change the fact that you did something without knowing the whole truth as to why. 

So quite frankly Sebastian can have Kirkwall. It never happens in any playthrough of mine, I think you have to at least consider the fact that if Anders dies he sends aid to Kirkwall, I wish people would stop acting like Annexing Kirkwall is irrefutably canon, it’s not. And even then...so I’m supposed to side with Aveline, who refuses any criticism, who doesn’t let her guards go into Darktown, who happily shrugs off responsibility for the Qunari invasion and the death of Leandra and the other women? Yeah, no thanks.

I think more screen time WOULD have helped, but I don’t think it would have fundamentally changed much. He would have been the same character with a little more detail. He still would have been an Andrastian, he still would have been celibate, he still would not have approved of Anders. If you’re a fan of Anders I don’t think there’s anything that could be done to make you come around, no amount of development could change that without changing core parts of his character.

So yes while I do think there could have been more, I also don’t think there’s so little that people can’t sympathize with him, which most in fandom refuse to do on principle. 

CONFESSION:

I just want to say I really like Sebastian, but I can also totally see why many people don't. First, he's a DLC character so most people either don't have him or get him later on and feel like he's some random interloper in the otherwise tight-knit Kirkwall Crew. And the fact that you don't get Sebastian as a companion until Act 2 compounds this, as you've already had all this time getting to know everyone else and then all of a sudden he's there too.

Being in only two acts also means he has less character development, so he can be a little one-note. His romance is super limited which takes a bit of the shine off as well

In-game, there is that one banter where he considers turning Anders and Merrill in to the Templars makes him pretty unlikable if you're pro-mage (or just pro-friends) even though he very notably doesn't turn them in. Then general proselytizing turns a lot of people off too. Demanding you murder Anders is a bit of a sore spot, particularly for people who romanced Anders or who support him. Trying to invade Kirkwall in DAI likewise doesn't do him any favours. All the characters have bad sides, but Sebastian turns up several years late and then tries to launch a holy war when you refuse to murder your friend so his is a little more extreme. And most importantly: Varric doesn't like him. Varric likes the whole crew, except Sebastian.

If Sebastian had been a full companion with a full romance I imagine more people would like him, but being both deliberately written as 'the friend you/Varric don't like' and being strangled by the DLC limitations really puts him on a lower rung than the ladder.