#if you want to believe that solas is a liar liar pants on fire who will say literally anything

[burning2know]

Inquisition had a nice thing going with Solas the lore-master, lying only by omission, being an anti-slavery, rebellion-rousing, fade-obsessed princess. As a lore fiend, I want need that Solas back.

Veilguard highlights that a liar manipulator character who is willing to say Anything to achieve their immediate goals cannot be a vehicle for lore reveals. A character who frequently contradicts themselves without some consistent explanation means that we can't trust Anything they say. Fans will be tempted to use this character as evidence by cherry picking some things over other. But that simply confirms any existing beliefs (confirmation bias). As someone who enjoys sleuthing and figuring out how the world works, the more principled way is to discard everything such an untrustworthy character says for what we can observe and confirm with a more reliable source. Basically, if a character is a liar liar pants on fire, then a discerning lore scholar should be equally skeptical of every statement they've made, only trusting ones that can be cross-referenced.

But the problem with Solas is, he is often our only source, e.g. for how the veil works. Because he's the only kne who knows. Because he msde it. And although he was a biased and unreliable narrator, he had a consistent point of view that IS reliable in DAI. Veilguard's rebranding of him as a liar pulls even that fundamental point of reference from beneath us, and doesn't replace it with another one (saying whatever it takes to serve an immediate goal is not a strong enough viewpoint, in fact, it's incredibly effective at obfuscating one's actual views). And that should retroactively call everything he said in Inquisition into question as well. After all, that viewpoint could easily have been made up. We don't have another ancient elf to corroborate most things he's said. We ONLY have Solas's word. And now that his word is completely untrustworthy, then what are we to make of the lore he revealed?

I have heard the argument that Solas is supposed to be different from the one we know in Inquisition. And that intention was executed effectively. He is fundamentally changed (how or why the game never addressed). But it could have been done without destroying the integrity of the lore that we've gotten from him in previous games. But the choice to make him the god of lies made it impossible, particularly in veilguard, where all the other lore reveals also fitted together badly.

And what is the god of lies moniker but the headcanon of Solas haters and detractors who didn't figure out how he operates beyond "he deceived me"? It was a choice to make that interpretation canon, it was a choice to validate and accomodate their beliefs. And why? Solas detractors didn't need it to be canon before, they didn't need it here. Haters gonna hate. It's what they do.

We lost a huge chunk of the fade lore so the game can gratify Solas haters. That's absolutely tragic.

[chupacabrasmustdie]

1, 26 and 27 for the special flavour of chupa salt! I know its that high quality pink stuff!

I feel honored by your trust, Bugsie *wipes tear* Let’s make this multi-fandom!

What OTPs in your fandom(s) do you just not get?*I’ve gone on long enough about how much I hate Danse x Maxson… There are a lot of ships that I “do not get” but I’m not sure they are that popular so I wouldn’t consider them OTPs. Among the most popular pairings, though, there are a few that make me  go,”???”, not because of the ships themselves, but because of how they are handled. Namely, happy dovey! Solavellan and Cullenquisitor. It doesn’t help that I do not get the thirst for Solas at all. He’s unsufferable, a villain AND a god – just how smoothly do you think things will go with your precious quizzy? I remember someone on tumblr saying that Solavellan was just a DA:I twist on “student / teacher” romance and I pretty much agree. Like no matter how much your quizzy invests in the relationship, she and Solas will never be equal, and that is a shitty starting point. The thing with Cullenquisitor is more of a personal squick based on how I felt playing the romance, and that is: very incomfortable. Cullen’s history is only adressed from the addiction point of view, which, okay, cool, but you never get to call him out on being a fucking hypocrite (when Samson’s judgement would’ve been such a perfect occasions to hand These Receipts™) and that never sat right by me. Also, it just seems like he’s in such a bad space during DA:I that the mere idea of romance felt completely off.

Not saying you shouldn’t write about these ships if they’re dear to you for some reason (different things for different people, etc) but can you just… make it believable and adress the actual issues pertaining to each relationship? Like if you’re gonna tell me about Solas doing body paint on Lavellan or whatever, can you at least foreshadow the fact that he’s a lying liar who lies with his pants on fire, or something? And no, I don’t want to read about how Trevelyan’s vagina cured Cullen’s depression and cleared his skin, thank you very much. Tell me what their life together is like, with her running the Inquisition and his struggling with PTSD, how it all comes together – or not.

Maybe I’m just picky.

Most shippable character?What about Josephine Montilyet? Her motto is, “Common ground is the start of all negociations”. She just happens to be kind, smart, funny, beautiful, and bisexual -- no matter who you want to write her with, there is something for you to work with. Can’t really ask for more.

Least shippable character?This is a tough one because while I have rather rigid opinions on what I’m interested in reading/watching, if it’s well drawn / well written, I can totally warm up to a ship I would’ve dismissed for lack of canon evidence / chemistry / etc.

So an “unshippable” character, to me, would be someone I picture as having no interest in engaging in a relationship, emotional, sexual or else. Um… Corypheus? He does get pretty worked up about power and divinity, but I didn’t feel like he really connected with anyone throughout the game.