#dragon age blogging

[venndaai]

I remember, back in the day, there were a lot of complaints about various Inquisition companions being hypocritical liberals who didn't want to change the status quo, but like, on replay, it seems obvious that this is very much a Theme for the game. DAO and DA2 star ragtag groups of outcasts, but in DAI, every companion joins the Inquisition under the banner of "restoring order". Despite their wildly different perspectives, every single one of them has a vested interest in returning Thedas to the status quo- much to the frustration of Solas, and yet Solas himself is seeking a return to the original status quo that he now regrets disrupting.

To me, DAI is posing to the player the question that Solas is also asking. "Should this broken, unjust world be destroyed?"

Sera hates nobles and enjoys killing them, but she's not going to lead a peasant rebellion, because she's not willing to pay the price in peasant blood. Iron Bull hates the suffering under feudalism, but he's not willing to lead a Qunari invasion and see the people he loves suffer and die. Vivienne wants power, but she doesn't want the uncertainty and chaos of war. Dorian hates what Tevinter is, but can't give up on reform. Cullen's been physically and mentally destroyed by the Templars but doesn't want them disbanded. Cassandra bitterly disagrees with Chantry doctrine and corruption, but is haunted by every decision that leads to destruction.

Cole learns that killing is not the only way to help.

And they're not supposed to be Right, I think, they're just there as a counterpoint, to show that even in a world as fucked up as Thedas, most people don't want dramatic change. Particularly people who have managed to survive and thrive.

[autopotion]

I was thinking about Josephine today.... Seriously underrated DA character. She stands out to me as one of the very few legitimate pacifists in a series that is fairly violent (which is a perspective that is sorely needed IMO), but her pacifism doesn't detract from her competency at all. I think often if you find pacifistic women in fiction they're portrayed as like, either childlike in naïveté, or impossibly flawless & pure of heart. Josephine on the other hand feels incredibly grounded and she's very cognizant of how her lived experiences differ from the people around her. She's sheltered (like... arguably, just compared to the hardened warriors of the rest of the cast, but she understands the gaps in her knowledge) without coming off as stupid, silly, or "endearingly" out of touch. She's also incredibly shrewd and can be cunning without sacrificing her principles (unlike Leliana, who is kind of her foil). I like her an awful lot

[crookytail]

my inquisitor chilling in the well of sorrows now that I know there’s no consequences

[queenofeden]

everyone please welcome rowan thorne to the family and play nice

[spacecravat]

JULIET LANDAU HEZENKOSS?? MICHELLE GOMEZ GHILAIN’NAIN????

[regrettablemeasure]

putting his hand on her back is making me ill

[enlichened]

efraim rook 2 seconds after being very rude to a high echelon grey warden.

[draconicshinx]

realized I haven't posted my rook yet which is a crime. their name is cal and yes they have blue hair and pronouns

[summerintevinter]

Lucanis as a concept is extremely appealing to my frontal lobe, and to my whole cerebral cortex in general, but somehow my amygdala is white knuckle gripping onto Emmrich with its little pizza hands

[wrasslerjedi]

Dragon Age 4 comes out in A WEEK.

[taffingspy]

dragon age reviving is great because finally more da content, not so great because The Discourse™ has also revived

[venndaai]

Qun!Bull lives rent free in my head because when you meet him he is not a true believer and hasn't been for years! His conversations make it very clear that he is completely aware that neither he nor anyone he currently loves could survive in the Qun and this is something that he obsessively worries about. and yet, if his personal quest is not completed- if nothing is done to change this state he's in- then, when given the signal in Trespasser, he shows no sign of hesitation. Not for friends, family, or love. and of course there's Cole implying he's completely dissociated. just. fuck!

[autopotion]

Man Minrathous is sooo cool looking. No wonder Dorian complained about the south so much lol.

[crookytail]

solas is so fucking funny you can literally see the moment he decides to lie to rook about varric

[queenofeden]

I finally got my hands on veilguard, this is both a statement and a warning

[ourbastardofsorrows]

therapist sten: get used to disappointment, and get used to disappointing others