#dragon age fandom is best fandom

[pinkyjulien]

x

[the-cryptographer]

I am constantly driven insane by the differences in how Anders and Merrill were treated by the narrative.

Like Anders and Merrill are both reactionaries to Chantry-led imperialism and genocide, re: mages and elves respectively. They have different priorities, but ultimately both are sociopolitical undesirables trying to find ways to push back against the reigning theocracy that is trying to eradicate a mix of their people and culture. Like, yeah, Anders is a bit more actively in the trenches of trying to get people out of the Circle, whereas Merrill is a bit more on the research and development side of things with the Eluvian (it boggles my mind that nobody in DA2 seemed to recognise what the Eluvian can and will be used for, and it was a bit of a relief when Blackwall in Trespasser finally puts to words how they can be used to mobilise troops and evacuate civilians). But by the end of DA2 as confirmed in DAI, Merrill is actively involved in doing social outreach with Alienage elves, which is basically what Anders was doing in Darktown at the start of his run in DA2. And just- beyond that they are both terribly proud, insecure, arrogant, stubborn, passionate people who try to protect themselves from the (deadly) scrutiny of others by feigning harmlessness and moral righteousness.

But the way the narrative treats this, like- I think a lot of people at this point recognise the ableism in how both these characters are treated, but I’m not sure how much people see the sexism. Like- there’s this persistent message in the game that, when Merrill attempts politically subversive actions, she is misguided and needs to be taken back under the wing of someone like Hawke who can steer her straight. Which is so very obviously paternalistic imho regardless of what gender Hawke you’re playing. Versus Anders, whose politically subversive actions are the centre of the plot by the third act and are treated with utmost seriousness and severity. The game constantly reinforces the message that downplaying Merrill’s work and goals is the correct course of action, while doing so for Anders’s is painted as ultimately foolish, and enables his ‘betrayal’ of Hawke and Varric at the end of the game. It’s like, when he attempts to disrupt the political order of the city, he’s dangerous and needs to be put down. When she attempts the same, she needs to be herded back into the kitchen.

Like obviously I don’t think either of these are the right approach when Anders and Merrill are pushing back against what is the equivalent of the Vatican at the height of the crusades. But these characters are just so similar and imho really deserved the full narrative foils treatment, and it drives me absolutely insane that nobody on the writing team wanted to treat Merrill seriously enough or treat Anders humanely enough to see that.

[walkingbomb]

obsessed with all of you feral little creatures absolutely tearing apart every microsecond of that Dragon Age trailer to find clues

[dragon-queen21]

zhongli just being a dragon regressor 😭

Ah, you are so right!

~Points you over to this post. Kind of obsessed with any type of reptile regressors wearing these scalemail gloves. I just think they are so cute.

~Let him have playdates with the other archons

~Or Aether. Aether would be a great playmate/caregiver

~I feel like Aether would pet regress as well. To what animal, I’m not sure. But the feeling is there.

~Zhongli and Venti both pet regressed and cuddled up. The dragon regressor would be so happy to be the older brother and get to protect the wisp regressor in his nest.

~He would probably have a bunch of fully decorated paci’s more than he would ever realistically need. But the gems on them are enticing and he enjoys having them.

[chipped-chimera]

Just outing myself as a Solas hater ahead of time but like, a hater in the way I think he's funny. He's just funny to me. Egg man. Baldy. Baldy bald man with the long face. Condescending hedgehog-personality man. I want to play his cranium like a drum. He delights me.

My inquisitor got along with him fine just, not BFFs. Or Fs even just 'co-workers' kind of vibe. She (as a human mage) felt a bit belittled by the dude and did not appreciate. As for me personally he's fine he's just ... not for me? In personality or face.

Anyway that's the heads up, but y'all can continue enjoying the egg man, please enjoy the return of your blorbo.

[lystacre]

Me, in April, reading Spike discourse: Mmmmmh… This feels strangely familiar…

[Music starts in the distance, barely a whisper, slow cellos playing a melancholic tune]

Me, in late May, hearing that Spuffy fans are abuse apologists: I swear, it’s the most intense feeling of Déjà vu, where could it come from?

[The music morphs, accelerates as drums starts creating a martial variation of the first theme]

Me, in early June, as the Dragon Age Fandom awakens from Uthenera and Solas/Solavellan discourse makes its way on tumblr once again: Oooooooooh, right.

[The music swells, and it was a medley of the Lost Elf and Dark Solas themes all along]

[danielnelsen]

WHEW

wish i could show my 14 year old self this

[deadletterpoets]

Despite my love for the games I never got too deep into the Dragon Age fandom. Especially when I was playing Inquisition and learned how hated Sera was in the fandom. Might've changed now, but I remember I couldn't look up anything Inquisition related without seeing hate for her character.

[raventrigonsdaughter]

How do i explain to people im a Daenerys stan but i hate jonerys now in both the show cause she can do better and in the books cause they would work perfectly as bros and i really don't need George's creep ass writting any more romance for his characters specially the ones who are minors

[other-cullen-ficrecs]

A world so full of beauty that beauty goes overlooked.

Five warriors - Justice (7/5) (x)

[katepeoart]

Kivari can’t steal anymore. It’s bad for her humors

[lothrilzul]

I love how Fenris reacts here. (Okay, his reactions were gold during the whole DLC)

Hawke may not chose her lover well, but she has the best friend possible.

[denaerystargaryen]

𝕺𝖋 𝕭𝖑𝖔𝖔𝖉 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕱𝖎𝖗𝖊 ─ a hotd/f&b fanfiction. it tells a story of vaemma velaryon (oc) and aemond targaryen and takes place during the dance of dragons au.

─────◇─────

❝whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same❞

when the world of their youth collapses around them, a sea dragon princess and an one eye-prince are forced to struggle with their inner and familial demons on their own. it's the sudden reunion of their family that allows them to form an unexpected but deep connection, which slowly turns into something bigger than themselves. in the mids of family disputes, generational grudges and a final attempt to mend broken bridges of the past, vaemma velaryon and aemond targaryen are forced to make impossible decisions.

─────◇─────

— ao3.

— tiktok.

— pinterest.

— playlist.

[timptoe]

Things I did on my winter vacation:

Stayed almost completely off of social media, which made my brain super happy

Came back to lots of lovely notes on my posts here and on AO3, leading me to wonder why I didn’t jump in here years ago

Channeled my kids’ sibling rivalry energy into something we call “battledance,” where we put on boss music from Kingdom Hearts and beat each other with lightsabers

Binge-watched Centaurworld, which is like an acid trip went to Horror School at nights, and has one of the best villain twists in recent memory

Pretty good winter vacation, ngl.

[meetraart]

Why I ever left Tumblr, everybody is so nice here ToT

[cockatricecoop]

I’m finding out that as a grouchy old person in terms of being in some fandoms… I really hate that some people take criticism of characters so damn personally.

I love some of the characters I love BECAUSE they are extremely flawed. Not despite it.

Not just villains either. Complex and flawed heroes are the best. People who are trying their best but have internal biases and might just make things worse in the long run.