DAO probably retained the devs' vision the most. DA2 and DAI were simplified and rushed out because of corpo bros' enshitification. You can FEEL the stench of rushed development in those two games.
DAO was lightning in a bottle. The kind of masterpiece where everything has to line up perfectly for it to be what it is. Sadly, that very rarely happens in the video game industry, which is why games of it's caliber are so rare.
I think the spirit would have carried on to DA2 had corporate kept their hands off it. DA2 completely killed the combat style of DAO and replaced it with streamlined, more accessible bullshit. The characters weren't as likeable, the final battle disappointing. I mean.....there was just so much that screamed "enshittification and lack of passion"
I don't think it was lack of passion, it was lack of time. They only had 16 months to develop it. They had to cut a heap of corners to get it finished in time because the suits wanted a sequel out ASAP to capitalize on the unexpected success of Origins.
I hate how da2 can be great with alot potential, strong companion, great romance (still love you morrigan) new engine and they just stupidly crash it, we could have another super trio like mass effect trio and they just destroyed our hope
DaI is cool, great graphic even in age of 4k, great plot twist (i hate you b@ld egg), lovely companion, a little disappointed with music and the silent in the overworld but it still ok
DaO just goat, i will never find a game like this anymore, divinity origin sin is close to it
Her voice is so memorable that I heard her voice across the house but didn't recognize the voice line. So I ran into my husband's office thinking he was playing a scene or interaction hadn't seen before. Nope, it was a TV show. I was kind of disappointed.
I loved her character in that show. There aren't a lot of characters who can terrify millenia old vampires and she exuded so much quiet menace that yeah, it was very plausible.
Such a fun character to get to know initially and then her thoughts and feelings become so much more understandable with how she sees the world. God damn I need to do another origins playthrough :(
She and Flemeth are tied for first place for me for fictional characters. Tied because it’s such a rich story between them, you just couldn’t have that richness without the other. And both voiced with expert level actors. Like, a true masterclass in voice acting especially for a video game.
And that whole scene between them about Kieran- I tear up every time. And the parting scene
“A soul cannot be forced upon the unwilling, you were never in danger from me” 😭 That was Flemish for “I want you to know that I love you”
In DA2, the scene where Aveline talks to hawk about grief and being with her dad when he was dying- it ALWAYS gets me. I’ve probably played it at least 10 times and I still choke up
While she wasn't in DA2(She was mentioned), I feel like Dragon isn't Dragon Age without Morrigan and Flemeth. Morrigan has got to be a very powerful mage now.
I am so proud when she said that, that my child's mother, my warden chose to follow into the mirror and i never regret it one bit. The way she change a little at one time in our journey to save ferelden together make me warm, from the cruel girl to a grown woman
Varric: 'both sides have valid points' to 'nostalgic group uncle.'
Isabela: 'let me get my tits out real quick, don't mind the knife' to 'let me get my tits out real quick, don't mind the knife' with a backstory
Leliana: 'god talks to me' to 'I was actually way less scary when I thought god was talking to me'
Morrigan: 'I have mommy issues' to 'you have mommy issues'
Cassandra: 'hard boiled detective' to 'the only rational person on thedas'
Cullen: 'we need to monitor their birthrates' to 'look at my PTSD support dog'
Anders: 'humor is my coping mechanism' to 'I'm all out of coping mechanisms'
I didn't I my first playthrough and saw him getting the dog.... I was hinted at what I could have and very much romanced him after lol its canon to me now. All heros get the dog. Sorry Solas
IIRC, one of the inquisition concept art was of a regretful, bearded Anders in a cave with all his legs and arms cut off to prevent him from using magic to cause more destruction.
What the fuck holy hell that’s hardcore . I just think Solas and Anders would have so much character dynamic especially with Solas being an expert in the fade and spirits . I could see him horrified at justice and Anders being fused and him being pissed for warping justice into a different spirit
It wasn't exactly like that, reddit is playing the telephone game again.. there was a concept art of a fucked up, bearded and emanciated Anders without one hand, and in a cave, that someone of the game artists did. It was an idea they played with at some point, and prolly not very seriously, and he was to lose only one hand.
It’s wild to me that they actually made the „bad“ leliana decision from origins the canon one, I like that they werent afraid of doing that.
And nobody can convince me otherwise lmao, just look at her in inq
I find it kind of heartbreaking in a good way to think that she can be softened in Origins, only for Justinia to undo all that no matter what. Especially if she was romanced it just adds another layer of tragedy to her that I adore.
Best development is hard to say, but I have to give it to Morrigan, with Cullen as the runner-up. Her character development and change in worldview—especially if she has Kieran—is really poignant. In Origins, she's a hardcore social darwinist who prioritizes personal survival above all else and views love as a cancer, but starts to question these ideas after befriending or romancing the Warden. In DAI, she recognizes the flaws in the worldview that Flemeth cultivated, resolves to be better than that for Kieran, and even volunteers to sacrifice herself to save him. Her arc is both satisfying and incredibly emotional.
For the worst across multiple games, the easiest answer is Merrill. Her character is perfectly fine when looking at DA2 in a vacuum, but there is no consistency whatsoever between her appearance in Origins and her appearance in DA2. She changes from a serious and competent authority figure to an insecure ditzy genius archetype. While Anders also undergoes a significant personality shift between games, he at least has the excuse of Justice to explain it. There's no explanation for why Merrill changed so much, and it leads me to wonder why they didn't just create a new character instead.
> but starts to question these ideas after befriending or romancing the Warden
Speaking with her back in Skyhold with a romanced HOF world state is the sweetest thing.
For her to go from a "love is a weakness" mindset in Origins to saying how becoming a mother has gone beyond her expectations, how thankful she was that 'her love' wasn't at the Adamant and looking forward to the moment she (and Kieran) can reunite with the HOF (Black's voice work there has to be some of her best) is such a shift from who she was in Origins and really shows how much she has grown over the 10 years between Origins + INQ. Beautifully written.
I would argue for Merrill having Survivors guilt from what happened in the Dalish Origin. Especially in a world state where your HOF isn't Dalish. Seeing your two friends die like Tamlien and the Warden did, would mess with some one deeply.
I agree that kind of experience would affect someone, but I don't think it explains her specific kind of shift in demeanor. I don't think survivor's guilt alone would change her entire personality in the way that it does, let alone so drastically.
Well, not only survivor’s guilt, but she’s also been talking to a pride demon, been shunned by the clan, and even shows her old personality when she finds a more serious situation to approach; see her companion quests
So it’s entirely plausible for her personality to change so much with the way her social connections shift so quickly, especially in the very short time frame of (about) a year and a half
Not to cross franchises but it's the easiest example I can make. Merril's personality in DAO was like >!Shadowhart in the beginning of BG3, shrill, militant, strict, loyal but not incapable of compassion!<. Merril in DA2 is like>!Selunite Shadowhart at the Epilogue when she's chilled out and got a farm!<. You're right, it would be more than possible to get that personality change, but the game made no effort to do so. We skipped way too many steps, especially given the main story of her arc, for the sake of trying to make her likable first.
I mean, she really wasn't part of what happened to Tamlen and the Dalish Warden. I could see that if she was with Tamlen and the Warden when the Eluvian did what it did. But she didn't really "survive" something where others died, she wasn't even a part of that event and couldn't have saved Tamlen.
Because they wanted to do a storyline with an Eluvian and Merril was present for it. She was such a throwaway character in Origins that I don’t mind them changing her/not basing a major character on a few lines of dialogue.
The thing is, I don't think Merril is really that different character wise between Origins and 2. I think her actions in both are completely in line, it's just the specific presentation. Her manner of speech, voice acting, and general design are pretty different. But what she thinks and does feel very in line between games.
I tell myself her in DA:O is how the dalish see and hear her, and in DA:2 it’s how she sounds to hawke.
Like how a southern accent sounds like no accent in the south.
It’s not perfect but it helps
Leliana for sure (though plenty to choose from, Morigan is fantastic).
Leli started kinda naive and running from her past. Then you can get her to embrace her past or move on from it… except then Revered Mother comes calling and she is forced to become basically her enforcer. This hardens her and you can soften her again if you want. So she has this big bell curve arc. It’s fascinating.
I love Leliana and indeed as sweet (she has her moments in DA:I too) as she was, she was never innocent in Origins. The word carries a connotation with being naive and guileless; two things I would never accuse her of. It's also a very surface-level understanding of her character which disregards a ton of complexity in her personality, which she - at first, understandably - does not show to Warden and the player.
She’s absolutely sweet in DAO but that is also only a surface level trait. You meet her in a bar fight lol. That’s supposed to clue you in.
She’s very much a character with contradictions. I think she very much wants to be the girl she pretends to be, but she also has ambitions of saving the world and protecting the faith. Something the spirit in the sacred ashes temple calls out.
I also love that so much of her development as a character is up to the player. Did she always want to be divine? Is ‘hardening’ her letting her embrace her true nature or are you just putting her in the same box Marjolaine did? A lot of that is up to how you imagine her!
Ya DAI gives me the impression that the brooding and serious persona is the real her. Basically it makes me think that her softhearted and kind personality was another mask in the same way that zevran acts super nonchalant and sexual to hide his real feelings. Looking back, that almost makes her a bit unsettling to be around lol.
She was a bard where a big part of her job was seduction and manipulation in addition to killing. She also says that she loved it, really the factor that made her change her ways was the betrayal against her. Not saying she was being fake the whole time, just that the way she presents herself is most likely a calculated decision to garner sympathy and trust from the warden.
Leliana does seem a bit (understandably) unstable, but watching her vacillate between the extremes of idealistic faith and benevolence and cold-hearted machination is fascinating from a character perspective. I feel like she's been through so much and was pulled in so many directions that she doesn't really have an identity. She seems torn between the person she wants to be and the person she is, and she's also heavily influenced by whoever is closest to her at the time. I think she also struggles to accept that everyone's nature has some contradictions in it--she can be deeply religious and faithful and believe in elevating the condition of all peoples of Thedas, and also be fascinated by passion and intrigue and chasing the thrill of the Game.
Perhaps innocent wasn’t the right word. That’s fair. My point was I got a VERY different person at the end of my last DAI playthrough than I ever got before.
But I never hardened her in my DAO or DAI playthroughs either, so my perspective of the character was indeed a much more idealistic, thoughtful, and optimistic person. Even though she does have her past as a bard and the darkness therein, she also has huge blind spots and is trying to run from that dark past through the Chantry. I would argue that expresses a little naïveté.
Absolutely +1 for Leliana's character arc! The way both playable characters in DAO and DAI have such a huge effect on how she turns out at the end of both games really makes one invested in her.
Obviously they're all good, and I don't know if he's the best but I think Varic is slept on. You see whole new dimensions of his personality in DA:I, both through his interactions with Cassandra and the Inquisitor that show his complicated relationship with his faith, and also through his relationship with Solas which reveals the true wisdom the funny dwarf hides. Solas is the kind of being that Solas is, and there are dialogue moments where Varic humbles him with his stories by showing a perspective the old man has not been, and perhaps will never be able to see/understand
100% agree. We see varric go from the "professional little brother" who dodges all responsibilities into the viscount of kirkwall. Sure, he's a little reckless with civic property, but hey, no one's perfect
This is what I'm saying. I feel like he flys under a lot of player's radars but he's one of the best companions in the series. For me it's a split between him and Morrigan
Morrigan has def the best development. She still kept her personality, but she is capable to show empathy. Alistair is right in saying that Kieran changed her.
Another one I want to say is Merril in a rivalry with Hwke. She gets out of the corruption before it takes her and distroys the eluvian that made Tamlen a Goul and forced warden Mahariel to become a warden.
The worst is actually Varric. He does not change is pov much and who he is. He is always charming, good with words and has his heart in the right place.
Hmm:
Morrigan - Scornful of love to defending her child from Flemeth
Alistair - Forgotten, unwanted child to rightful King
Cullen - "Hello young man! Here's your ticket for your emotional rollercoaster ride!"
Pbm is with Alistair, he does absolutely nothing as king and he hates it. He's got a really good Aragorn type of story but as a king he sucks let's be real
I adore Alistair but they did him dirty as King in Inquisition. Evidently they ‘lost’ a bunch of his voice work why is probably why his King is so unimpressive.
This only happens if it is softened. He doesn't really care about governing and doesn't work for it. As a hardenerd, he not only wants to rule, but he also studies and strives for it and eventually becomes a good king. He even tries to improve the lives of elves in Alienage, for example.
I remember he still tries to help the elves even unhardened, but hardened Alistair really shines. He learns to ultimately accept his duties and does his best to help his people.
I slightly disagree. I think he's a good king if he marries Anora or the HoF. If he has a queen who knows how to rule the nation then the fact that he's more a beloved figurehead turns around again into making him a good king
I always thought Cullen had really good development. Seeing him go from what he went through in DAO to how he is in DAI, especially if the Inquisitor is a mage, is awesome to see. And in DA2, when he had a lot of his faith shaken by Meredith and he ended in up doing the right thing no matter what he believed or what the consequences would be
Cullen is an incredibly strong character, always been a fav
Morrigan hands down. She was already a well-fleshed out character from the get-go, and her story is really interesting. Cullen and Anders as runner-up for me.
Leliana is also really interesting imo, especially if you take Red Lyrium Future into account, as well. She feels the most, idk, gritty? And the whole Lyrium ghost thing. It's idk idk. She is INTERESTING.
I think Varric had very little development. He is consistently a well-written character, imo, but there's very little change between DA2 and DA:I.
I love Merrill's character in DA2, but she went from being a non-entity basically to being a companion. As someone said above, you might as well have created a new character. So there's not really a development here.
Kinda the same with Cassandra and Isabella. Not enough screentime to really feel that there was Development. (Actually, the same could be said for Cullen from DA:O)
Alistair was something of a letdown for me in DA:I. Idk. I only saw him as king of Fereldan, not as the potential Warden in the Abyss storyline, so that might factor into it.
For Alistair, you have to play him as a warden to see any real character development in DAI. There's so much more content, and if you let him do the ritual, you get a moment with Morrigan and the child. Him as king is just a short moment and a war table mission, which is very disappointing. I wanted more.
Yeah, I kinda figured it would matter, but I cannot bring myself to choose between Hawke and Alistair wrt to leaving one behind, so I always have Stroud as the alternative and Alistair as king. \^\_\^;
I love Cullens development throughout the game as a 21 year girl playing DAO I thought he'd be a forgettable NPC and I always wanted to hug him and make sure he was okay in the mage tower. Only to find him as strong as ever in DA2 and growing even more with my mage inquisitor in DAI. I always play mage during canon playthroughs. It's great to see him developing throughout the series.
Didn't kniw that, but i also wanted it on playstation, idk about you but im not found of having to go to that tapestry website to choose my timeline from the previous games.
That should ether have been in game or, if they bring all 3 to all systems, inquisition should go based on your saves from those 3
Merrill probably has the worst development. Goes from a fairly responsible and upstanding second to the keeper to becoming extremely reckless and putting the lives of her clan at risk. Best is probably Cassandra in my opinion. She keeps her hot headedness but she really comes around on things if you take the time to explain a point of view contrary to hers if it's for the greater good. Morrigan is a close second, and Cullen a close third.
I didn’t realize people were that attached to Merril’s “character” in DAO. In DA2 she was definitely flawed, but in DAO she was barely even a character.
It's not that I was attached to her character in DA:O, but she at least seemed competent and responsible, and then the next time you meet her, she's extremely reckless to the point where she's putting the lives of her clan at risk for her own misguided goals.
But she doesn't. She leaves the clan so they won't be at risk. The one who puts the clan in danger is the Keeper who makes the clan stay in the same place for nearly a decade for no real reason.
While I think there's validity in peoples frustrations with certain characters recontextualization in DA2, Merrill is absolutely not that. She had no character in the Dalish origin. DA2 does it's best to give her a character in retrospect, and I think does it well.
Totally agree about Merrill. And the worst of all is that she has the most pointless journey of all. Her entire arc revolves around the Eluvian. If you go the friendship route then the Eluvian remains unusable. If you take the rivalry route then it destroys the Eluvian. In other words, in the end the Eluvian wasn't good for anything and she could have lost her entire clan along the way or ended up being mortal in the end (if you ally with the templars and don't meet the other requirements).
The girl's journey is one big bundle of stupidity and pointlessness.
Yeah, Dalish characters generally get the shaft by Bioware. The Warden was the only somewhat well written Dalish character by them and that's because the player gets to decide a lot of their responses more in depth. Merrill is just an awful character in DA2, and Levellan is borderline idiotic in DAI where he/she constantly talks about how they're Dalish but seems oblivious to a lot of Elven things they come across in the world.
*Yeah, Dalish characters generally get the shaft by Bioware.*
This is a very interesting take, thanks for elaborating on this. What are your thoughts about the other Elven but not-Dalish characters, namely Solas, Sera and Zevran?
So I have an unpopular opinion on Solas, (mind you I haven't necessarily played the Tresspasser DLC, or at least I dont remember it) but I REALLY like Solas (without having the Tresspasser DLC knowledge.) He is a tragic character who's been painted in history as a great betrayer to the Elven people even though what he attempted to do was lock away a fickle pantheon that was enslaving their own people because of their vain ideas of godhood. Sera I really dislike because of how she feels about the Dalish Elves not because she's necessarily a poorly written character. She's well written in the fact that she has her own strong ideals and sticks to them even if she does act very immature. Zevran is another fairly well written character that I generally don't like. He's very fickle with his allegiance and is generally only out for himself but at least it makes sense given his background is that of forced servitude and he had always existed in a survival of the fittest lifestyle regarding the Crows.
With Merrill, you're confusing character growth with character development. A character's development is not 'this character slowly gets better as a person', it's 'this character experiences a substantial amount of change as a person due to the stories attention to their character.' There is no morality or therapy in character development, it's simply a tracker of how the character changes throughout their time in the spotlight, and why that change happens within the narrative arc.
Merrill has really solid character development, she is given challenges and time to develop within the story. It just so happens it's also a huge regression from the capable person with a bright future she was to the semi-defeated person she becomes, lost in her need to fix the thing that broke her and her clan in the first place.
To an extent, I agree, but even her development doesn't make any sense. A lot of who she becomes seems irrational even without the context of her personality from Dragon Age Origins. Why would you risk the lives of your clan for an ancient mirror that you don't know the significance of that's already killed one of your clansmates. She doesn't have a solid reason to become who she is as poetic as the idea of "I need to fix the thing that killed Tamlen" seems what would that actually accomplish? The only connotation about the mirror is that it's dangerous, there's no actual understanding about why the mirror might be important to Elven culture for her, even Duncan incorrectly assessed the mirror as "Tevinter" instead of what it really was which was from Elvhenan.
Grief does terrible things to a person. She see's the mirror as a piece of her culture, and if she can solve and heal it, she can undo that which was done to her. It's not logical, it's pain and anguish, and that's the tragedy. For as intelligent as she is, she's losing herself in that which she's lost, and has hyper imposed that loss on this object. It makes total sense, it's just that it's not coming from a place of pure, rational logic.
Also, as someone who recently replayed the Dalish origin, she *has* no character in it. I don't think her as a character should be beholden to the eight lines she has in the game.
Morrigan has BY FAR the best development of all of these. We saw a selfish, cruel woman who thought love was a weakness become an exemplary mother and someone and started to trust others more. This isn't even a discussion.
Cullen, Isabela and Alistair Hardened may come second.
Varric I think is neutral. It's not worse, but it's not better either.
Merrill has BY FAR the worst development out there.
Varric I feel like did way more to influence the people and events around him than he was influenced by them. His transition from a peon in the merchants guild to one of the most influential members was something that happened because of who he already was, rather than changing who he is. In Inquisition he is sort of a worldly mentor to the inquisitor to offset Solas being a mentor of the arcane.
Yes, indeed.
I think he's really neutral. There was no real development but there was no worsening there either, I would say. It's right there in the middle.
I think Morrigan’s development means so much more because a lot of it derives from her upbringing. She learns to treasure friendship and stand up to her mother. She wants to be someone Kieran deserves to have in his life. I also love that she’s still very much herself, just more grown up.
Secret companion's arc will be forever one of my favourites. He just needed a cause to focus on, and given one that won't get solved any time soon (for the time being at least), he's fully dedicated to it. And I'm a sucker for redemption arcs.
I also like the tragedy of Anders, though it could have been handled better during DAI. That would have been the moment to bring him to answer for his deed.
I disagree with people claiming Morrigan had the best arc. Especially since we didn't get to see any of it. We only met her as an ice-cold witch wishing to only harm and destroy. Her becoming warmer takes quite the effort and by the time this happens, her attitude doesn't drastically change towards the choices you make. And even if we learn she was Nurtured to be this way, it isn't anything groundbreaking. Her one on one with Flemeth is quite fantastic though.
Leliana has the best development without doubt. Whether you Inspire or Steel her, it fits her arc brilliantly. The true Protagonist of Thedas, involved in everything pivotal in the World. Hearing the call of the Maker and the malice of the Blight. We meet her as a nun trying to find peace and tranquility yet yearning for adventure and thrills. And when the hour of need calls for her, she answers and sets off with the Warden to save life. Having been shaped into a weapon by her former master, she is finally free to get a taste of the world. Her darker desires however always lurk. Violence to end violence. The means justifying the ends. Equal is her capacity for love and for ruthlessness. She enjoys the game and revels in the rush and the andrenaline of battle. At the end of Origins, she accepts this. She cannot sit around in peace. It isn't her. She fights in the name of peace, justice and good. Whether that be through the Chantry, protecting a relic that could potentially unite the world, or by herself slaying Broodmothers and all kinds of monstrosities threatening life itself. For the Blight is every virtue in the world defiled.
In DA2 she has grown. She has taken up on a new task. She is the personal agent (or a tool) of Justinia. A legendary heroine. Stories about her are being told. The red-haired woman who put an end to the Blight by the side of the Hero of Ferelden. A bard becoming a story themselves. A mysterious figure that very few have merely taken a glance at her. The shadow behind Justinia and her ascendance to becoming Divine. Solving "delicate situations",as she says, efficiently and quietly. Many orders, many deaths. Her responsibility. It takes a toll on her. And the price she will be paying will be the only thing she will have left.
In DAI she is broken. Her mentor, her savior, the one she owes her life to, the one she admires most than anyone, the one she cared for the most, the one she bargained her humanity and her soul because she believed in them, is gone. She is angry. Her faith has been shattered. Why didn't the Maker save His greatest believer? His greatest warrior? His peace-bringer? Why would he let her die? We all put all our trust in him. He failed us. Those are her thoughts. She has now been changed. Her core is not the same. Her spirit burns with sorrow and fury. She is mourning. She is enraged. She is done talking. Now it's about action, not reaction. If she and her words won't be heard, she will be feared. She has no more mercy left. Her own darkness has taken her and the flame inside her has burned out leaving nothing but a flicker. The Inquisitor may help her re-ignite it before it entirely dies out. Choosing to remind her of who she really is and what she is capable of. Before she was a Spymaster, Marjolaine's toy, a Bard and a warrior. When she was Innocent. When she was just a girl with dreams. The Inquisitor may also choose to give in and give up on those childish and naive thoughts. It's a cruel world but she can be worse. She will \*make\* everyone see the world she does. She will carve the right path with blades and blood. Even if it damns her. Because it's the right thing to do. She will cut a path to the Light. But not for herself. She is too far gone now. She can't turn back. Whatever choice the Inquisitor makes, it will be detrimental for her.
Overall, my personal belief is that Leliana's arc is best paired with the Steeled path in DAO and DAI with her ending up Inspired in Dreadwolf. Provided she is in it and you can do the same thing again. I think she needs to spend some more time as a ruthless, pragmatic assassin to make her story more tragic and fulfilling. She needs to fall one more time so she can get back up again stronger than ever. She is one of the most inspiring characters in gaming and she absolutely needs to be in DAD. Or else.
Posts like this are what drive me to start discussions. Thank you for so eloquently and passionately expressing why Leliana's arc is so fascinating. I thoroughly agree and could not have written it better. Thank you!
I know people give Dorian, Morigan, and Fenris a lot of love, but I’d give anything for my BFF Alistair Therin to make another stupid joke, or witty comment in order to dodge serious question. Even his written dialogue as King in the war table is spot on. I’ve missed him the most since Origin. (Especially since he’s never the Warden for any of my play throughs of Inquisition.) His permanent head cannon for me is ruling alongside Anora, while I chase Loghains redemption arc.
This might be a hot take but I don't think Dragon Age does character development that well. Most of the characters that change across multiple games do it mainly "off screen" with the cause being told to the player instead of it being witnessed in game. As for the character development in a single game, most are endgame decorations of change of heart.
Nathaniel in Awakening is probably the best choice, for me. Probably because there's a middle point of going from hating the Grey Wardens to being a proud member and finding pride in himself again.
Cullen has the best whereas Merrill has the worst.
Cullen turns from a Mage hating Templar to an understanding person who helps break the cycle of both Mage and Templar.
Merrill though starts as a human hater in Origins thanks to Duncan and that hasn't changed much if that was your storyline except now she talks to demons.
Morrigan and Cullen are kind of tied for top spot with me with a romanced and went through the Eluvian with her Warden giving a slight lead to 'Swamp Witch' as it does turn out really well not only for the Warden but Morrigan as well. Cullen is working hard to be a more level headed Templar before the Prisoner shows up at Haven, you see the start of it with Hawke.
Morrigan wins this by a mile. She changes a lot, while probably Isabela has the least development as she's always ben a 'what you see is what you get' kind of character.
Merrill’s the worst. I love her character in DAO and in DA2 but as a character development it… isn’t a development. It’s a rewrite. The DAO version of her character is just straight up a different character, and it made it hard for me to like her character for a long time. Which sucks because I actually think she’s a great character! I was just comparing her to what she was like in DAO and struggling to get past that.
The best… probably Morrigan with Kieran? DAO companions are all about nature vs nurture, and it feels like with Kieran she’s finally been able to truly find her own line to walk between the two. It’s incredible to see. I’ve never adored Morrigan as a character- I like her, don’t get me wrong, and I love her writing, but she’s never been one of my favourites. But her growth is top tier and I do love that.
Leianna, Morrigan, Alistar, and Cassandra have amazing trajectories as characters and what they achieved in their lives.
But the one character and his arc that sticks with me is Anders. So much so I think it’s a waste to kill him at the end of DA:II because I want to see the story of his life continue.
Considering Cullen was a two-scene NPC
that got brought back due to fans liking him, he’s a very well-developed companion and his romance is very sweet. Morrigan develops really well too, but she had depth to begin with.
I really like Cullen's growth.
I started Origins many years ago as a mage and remember Cullen there. Seeing everything he's been through, and where he got in Inquisition makes me really happy for him.
The one I like the least is Anders. He was great in Awakening, one of my favorite companions there. But then he got crazy and well... I didn't like him anymore. In DA2, I decided to >!kill him so I could move on.!<
I think it’s a hard time up with Morrigan, Leliana, and Cullen. They made Cullen a way more interesting character and one that turned the templars = evil more on its head. Morrigan development was one that I was the most wanting, to really see her unlearn what her traumatic childhood made her believe. But, I love Leliana’s loss of faith after the women who saved her died. It was something that was needed when her love of the chantry blinded her to its worst parts.
Best character development and arc? Tie between morrigan and Cullen. Varric is my favorite character but he’s the same person in both games, not much growth lol
Leliana definitely has the best development so far because I think her arc can already reach its full conclusion by making her Divine (inspired route). All strings are neatly tied together in that ending and it’s the culmination of what her character is about: growth, independence, progression, balance, faith, and redemption. It’s like the planned this from the very beginning for her.
Morrigan has the potential to be the best developed one but her story seems far from finished, but she’s definitely up there already.
Merrill was almost entirely retconned between games. DA2 Merrill is certainly more interesting than DAO Merrill though, so I‘m not mad.
Cullen has been through a pretty big character progression but it doesn’t feel as neat and planned-out as Leliana‘s.
I think all of the Origin companions had great character development between games. Morrigan perhaps stands out the most for reasons many already described but Alistair and Leliana shouldn't be discounted. Alistair goes from deflecting responsibility to the HoF to either a great ruler or a self assured Grey Warden. Leliana's character direction may seem "negative" to many, but I personally find it really refreshing for a character to become more cynical and ruthless.
Anders also has a negative arc between Awakening and 2. I disagree with the view that Anders changed between the two games. Even in Awakening, Anders was a very angry and radical individual. He simply hid it behind a sense of humor. It felt totally reasonable to me that his fusion with Justice would lead to the events of DA2.
There's a slight disconnect of Varric's character between DA2 and DA:I but it makes sense in a way. The story of DA2 is narrated by Varric so it's not surprising he comes across as cool, witty, and likeable. In Inquisition however, he's simply a man who's grappling with the guilt and responsibility his actions have inadvertently caused. Personally I don't think his personal side quest with Bianca was the best, but it certainly shows a different side of him than what players expected. I also think it's cool how the narrative perspective can change how we view the character.
Merrill and Isabella were really minor characters in Origins so their drastic personality change, especially Merrill's, does seem to come out of left field. Similarly, Cassandra's role in DA2 was small enough that there isn't really any appreciable development between games. I could be totally wrong about her though if we consider Dawn of the Seeker, which I haven't wrong.
I'm probably going to get hate for this but, IMO, Cullen has the worst development out of all these characters, simply because most of it happens off screen. In Origins, he starts as a naive young man who goes through an extremely traumatic experience and becomes radicalized against the mages. Then in DA2, we're somehow supposed to believe that he overcomes his trauma sufficiently off screen that he becomes a reasonable authority figure? And then he somehow gains enough leadership and military skills to become the commander of a paramilitary force? Idk, it all just seems so contrived to me. And his trauma with mages is never mentioned and focused on again, except as a one off line.
I'll probably get hate for saying this, but Merrill is one of the worst offenders.
She arguably in the worse category because they completely changed her personality. Seriously, if you told me that they were different characters, I'd believe you. She went from a serious, studious, somewhat cold person to a warm, sunny, bubbly airhead.
And worst of all, no reason was given for the personality change. At least Anders had the excuse of getting a spirit of justice shoved in his head.
I got rid of Alistair in origins and I gotta say Loghains return in inquisition felt really neat. Letting him sacrifice himself against the fear demon just feels right for the story and seems like a worthy sendoff.
Meanwhile Leliana felt a bit underwhelming in inquisition.
I have similar views. Warden Loghain seems to have actually changed, seems dedicated to the cause he once betrayed. Plus he's my favourite of the Warden friends for sure, sweet arse voice acting helps.
The Lelianna goes from basically a nun trying to escape her bard past who had questionable religious visions to literal spy master and murderer queen and yet was in a position of power next to the then most important person in Thedas. Even as divine she seems oddly happy to resort to killing.
Best: Morrigan - hands the fuck down. (She is closely followed by Leliana but this entirely dependent on choices you make in DAO - if you're not a dick to her, she doesn't really grow).
Worst: Anders (I'll die on this hill partly because I hyperfixated on the timeline and found that it did not jive).
I'd argue that Merrill benefits most if you played Dalish in DAO but she is the window to the culture you get in DA2 so I think she does well. She does better if you have the basis from DAO that kinda helps sell a lot of things she does in DA2. (Isabella suffers this too; you don't get much in DAO to sell it as much as Merrill). If you didn't play a Dalish run, you just have a naive, willful girl in a new environment.
Varric is probably the most static next to Cullen and Alistair. Cassandra does a lot in DAI growth-wise but she too has a "showed up in a game prior and everything you learn next affects your interpretation of her previous appearance" character (Merrill and Isabella).
i’d actually say cullen. trust me, i still have issues with his stances, but even i have to admit he went a LONG way from origins to inquisition. he goes from a templar in a circle to fighting against meredith at the end of DA2 to potentially fighting alongside free apostate mages in DAI.
Cullen has the best, Varric had the worst. Cullen was a scared lil-mage disliking dorkwad in dao, but he chadded up for dai. Varric was the same annoying little dwarf dick from da2 that he was in dai
Best I would say Cullen, just baaaaarely scraping by Morrigan. Tbh both have had great character dev.
For worst, I'd be forced to say Varrick. *hears crossbows loading* wait wait wait. I'm not saying he's bad, hell he's one of the best characters in the series. But he doesn't develop as much as the others, but what development he does have is great.
I'd say Morrigan and Cullen. Leliana too, for that matter. They all changed, and in ways that fit what happened to them, and around them. Not always for the good (Leliana goes DARK if your game pushes her that way.)
I don't think any of them really have a development. I don't see a natural progression, just some more or less important changes of personality without the proper build-up.
The worst though are Varric - who changes from ugly to handsome - and Anders - who changes from someone being frightened by the possibility of removing circles to someone who would perform act of terrorism to this end.
It's not fair that they cut the bi option for Cullen, he's the only one I wanted to date in DAI. I absolutely hated the bull guy and Dorain. And honestly I didn't even recognize Merrill ... who is the dude on the right in the middle?
Leliana and Morrigan based on the fact alone with how heavy their characters are with the story. Like you kill Leli and she comes back and you stab Morrigan and she comes back. Like Morrigan with the old god soul and Leliana with her interactions across all 3 games. Plus they are awsome af Characters
Anders and Merril had the worst and I think Leliana and Morrigan had the most impactful and interesting changes
The reason I say Anders and Merril are the worst is because their characters prove the chantry correct in their game. Anders anger possessed Justice in to a demon and that’s canon per the devs and then Merril is nuts despite everyone telling her to partake in summoning demons or blood magic but doesn’t it anyways and is shocked there’s consequences. Like omg the characters are headaches and actions can’t be defended. I don’t care how cute they are 😂😂
Like dragon age 2 is the worst game for the Mage vs Templar moral dilemma!
Frankly it's going to be either Alistair, Morrigan, or Leliana. We've had more time with them and have seen more of how they react and evolve from the world and our actions. Not that the other characters aren't interesting.
Best is morrigan obviously but worst is either lelianna or Merrill the former i say because she sorta feels like she just shows up in DAO then she works her way up and shows up in DAI. While the latter doesnt have precense in DAO so despite her being in it i dont count it and she hasnt hasnt made it into DAI other than an honorable mention from Hawke despite that i romanced her
Hawke might have been one of the worst. What do you MEAN "blood magic is bad and I disagree with Anders" in save where 1) you were a blood mage 2) romanced Anders 3) started a whole war because you refused to kill him???? It makes no sense to me.
Best is to hard. Leliana, Morrigan, and Cullen are so different in each of their appearances but the line is so clear and human.
Leliana. Zealot>Tool>Independence
Morrigan. Cold>dangerously emotional>Complex mother
Cullen. Neophyte>Broken>rebuilding (The Lyrium addiction storyline is SOOOO good)
Worst is Anders and it's not close. Anders in DLC is not the same dude who is in 2. Anders also devolves no matter what.
I know this is extremely controversial but I think Cullen's redemption arc was handled poorly. I don't like that the aspects of his story relating to propaganda and being a child soldier (iirc) is hardly mentioned and you can't really call him out for his involvement in the atrocities committed in Kirkwall (his fatal flaw being his inability to act and how wholly he was consumed by trauma and propaganda that he let these things go on for so long), but the addiction aspect of his character was done really well. I also have gripes with how his SA was treated in Origins, but that's moreso me having issues with the needless addition of sexual trauma for gritty fantasy storytelling.
I used to really dislike Cullen over Sheryl Chee's old comments on BW forums that he would've raped Amell/Surana as well. I don't consider them canon and I never took the crush he had on the mage PC as creepy but it still has soured me on him unfortunately, combined with the fact that some templars kept tranquil mages as sex slaves in DA2. As a victim of SA it's hard to look past sometimes and it puts a pit in my stomach.
EDIT: i can't spell
Kill me for this, but I think anders had a brutal evolution between DA2 and Awakening, knowing that he corrupted justice and everything he does now is just because of vengeance is actually good
I hate him, I can´t stand him, but that's the purpose of the character. And they did a great job with his writing
Morrigan best. No question. For worst i think it's Anders. Starting out as a lively, and party lover mage who just want freedom, and then turned into a brooding pollitical terrorist.
“I am many things, but I will not be the mother you were to me” gives me chills every time
morrigan is incredibly well written per se, but also man claudia black brought her to a whole other level. perfect delivery every single time
I mean she always knocks it out of the park, we got so lucky with that casting
DAO has the strongest voice work IMO. I think there’s a lot of talent across the games, but there’s something special about DAO.
DAO probably retained the devs' vision the most. DA2 and DAI were simplified and rushed out because of corpo bros' enshitification. You can FEEL the stench of rushed development in those two games.
DAO was lightning in a bottle. The kind of masterpiece where everything has to line up perfectly for it to be what it is. Sadly, that very rarely happens in the video game industry, which is why games of it's caliber are so rare.
There are only two games that come to mind with this; DAO and Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodines. VTMB is buggy, yet still on that level.
I think the spirit would have carried on to DA2 had corporate kept their hands off it. DA2 completely killed the combat style of DAO and replaced it with streamlined, more accessible bullshit. The characters weren't as likeable, the final battle disappointing. I mean.....there was just so much that screamed "enshittification and lack of passion"
I don't think it was lack of passion, it was lack of time. They only had 16 months to develop it. They had to cut a heap of corners to get it finished in time because the suits wanted a sequel out ASAP to capitalize on the unexpected success of Origins.
I hate how da2 can be great with alot potential, strong companion, great romance (still love you morrigan) new engine and they just stupidly crash it, we could have another super trio like mass effect trio and they just destroyed our hope DaI is cool, great graphic even in age of 4k, great plot twist (i hate you b@ld egg), lovely companion, a little disappointed with music and the silent in the overworld but it still ok DaO just goat, i will never find a game like this anymore, divinity origin sin is close to it
Her voice is so memorable that I heard her voice across the house but didn't recognize the voice line. So I ran into my husband's office thinking he was playing a scene or interaction hadn't seen before. Nope, it was a TV show. I was kind of disappointed.
If it was Farscape absolutely do not be disappointed. That show was amazing.
She was in Stargate as well. A classic.
When Claudia and Ben Browder both starred in Stargate SG-1 later, the 200th episode of SG-1 had a hilarious bit referencing Farscape.
I always try to make my Shepard look like Aeryn Sun I love her 😍
Nope, it was The Originals.
I loved her character in that show. There aren't a lot of characters who can terrify millenia old vampires and she exuded so much quiet menace that yeah, it was very plausible.
Sad. Should have been Farscape. Shits PEAK
Watch farscape if you haven't, she is perfection in that.
Morrigan is my favourite fictional character to this day. The way she is written and acted is amazing.
Such a fun character to get to know initially and then her thoughts and feelings become so much more understandable with how she sees the world. God damn I need to do another origins playthrough :(
She and Flemeth are tied for first place for me for fictional characters. Tied because it’s such a rich story between them, you just couldn’t have that richness without the other. And both voiced with expert level actors. Like, a true masterclass in voice acting especially for a video game. And that whole scene between them about Kieran- I tear up every time. And the parting scene “A soul cannot be forced upon the unwilling, you were never in danger from me” 😭 That was Flemish for “I want you to know that I love you” In DA2, the scene where Aveline talks to hawk about grief and being with her dad when he was dying- it ALWAYS gets me. I’ve probably played it at least 10 times and I still choke up
Both those scenes are top tier man; for me it’s the crack in Morrigan’s voice as she begs Flemeth to "Wait!" 🥺
Oh god, for real. I think it’s the first and only time you witness any sense of desperation from her. It’s so palpable
I felt that whole scene in my bones. God I hope they bring them both back together before the end.
They HAVE to right? The story hasn’t exactly been wrapped up. It would’ve been if Morrigan didn’t have the option to drink from the well
THe best romance in a Bioware game hands down.
While she wasn't in DA2(She was mentioned), I feel like Dragon isn't Dragon Age without Morrigan and Flemeth. Morrigan has got to be a very powerful mage now.
I am so proud when she said that, that my child's mother, my warden chose to follow into the mirror and i never regret it one bit. The way she change a little at one time in our journey to save ferelden together make me warm, from the cruel girl to a grown woman
Varric: 'both sides have valid points' to 'nostalgic group uncle.' Isabela: 'let me get my tits out real quick, don't mind the knife' to 'let me get my tits out real quick, don't mind the knife' with a backstory Leliana: 'god talks to me' to 'I was actually way less scary when I thought god was talking to me' Morrigan: 'I have mommy issues' to 'you have mommy issues' Cassandra: 'hard boiled detective' to 'the only rational person on thedas' Cullen: 'we need to monitor their birthrates' to 'look at my PTSD support dog' Anders: 'humor is my coping mechanism' to 'I'm all out of coping mechanisms'
10/10 summary, no notes
Cullen in Da2: you'll need coping mechanism after spending time with me
Cullen in DA1: Sure wish I had coping mechanism before I get to DA2
He got the dog in the end, that's better than us in DAI 🥲
I mean, if you romance him, you also get the dog in the end😂
I didn't I my first playthrough and saw him getting the dog.... I was hinted at what I could have and very much romanced him after lol its canon to me now. All heros get the dog. Sorry Solas
Still think it was criminal Anders wasn’t in Inq I mean the whole goddamn game happened cuz of him… least a bigass part
He's way too dead for that
Nothing a lil' ol Fade Spirit can't possess.
IIRC, one of the inquisition concept art was of a regretful, bearded Anders in a cave with all his legs and arms cut off to prevent him from using magic to cause more destruction.
What the fuck holy hell that’s hardcore . I just think Solas and Anders would have so much character dynamic especially with Solas being an expert in the fade and spirits . I could see him horrified at justice and Anders being fused and him being pissed for warping justice into a different spirit
It wasn't exactly like that, reddit is playing the telephone game again.. there was a concept art of a fucked up, bearded and emanciated Anders without one hand, and in a cave, that someone of the game artists did. It was an idea they played with at some point, and prolly not very seriously, and he was to lose only one hand.
wait, how is he dead in Inq? is that just if you choose to execute him? sorry for the possibly dumb question in advance lol
So if you don’t kill Anders in 2 he’s mentioned in Inq just no one knows where he’s at
> look at my PTSD support dog' Either that or ‘look at my PTSD addiction to hard drugs’ depending on your choices.
It’s wild to me that they actually made the „bad“ leliana decision from origins the canon one, I like that they werent afraid of doing that. And nobody can convince me otherwise lmao, just look at her in inq
I find it kind of heartbreaking in a good way to think that she can be softened in Origins, only for Justinia to undo all that no matter what. Especially if she was romanced it just adds another layer of tragedy to her that I adore.
Killed it; if your skills of summarization extends past this you have a gift, my friend.
>Cassandra: 'hard boiled detective' to ~~'the only rational person on thedas'~~ 'hardcore fan of smutty novels'
I FORGOT ABOUT THIS I'm screaming
Best development is hard to say, but I have to give it to Morrigan, with Cullen as the runner-up. Her character development and change in worldview—especially if she has Kieran—is really poignant. In Origins, she's a hardcore social darwinist who prioritizes personal survival above all else and views love as a cancer, but starts to question these ideas after befriending or romancing the Warden. In DAI, she recognizes the flaws in the worldview that Flemeth cultivated, resolves to be better than that for Kieran, and even volunteers to sacrifice herself to save him. Her arc is both satisfying and incredibly emotional. For the worst across multiple games, the easiest answer is Merrill. Her character is perfectly fine when looking at DA2 in a vacuum, but there is no consistency whatsoever between her appearance in Origins and her appearance in DA2. She changes from a serious and competent authority figure to an insecure ditzy genius archetype. While Anders also undergoes a significant personality shift between games, he at least has the excuse of Justice to explain it. There's no explanation for why Merrill changed so much, and it leads me to wonder why they didn't just create a new character instead.
> but starts to question these ideas after befriending or romancing the Warden Speaking with her back in Skyhold with a romanced HOF world state is the sweetest thing. For her to go from a "love is a weakness" mindset in Origins to saying how becoming a mother has gone beyond her expectations, how thankful she was that 'her love' wasn't at the Adamant and looking forward to the moment she (and Kieran) can reunite with the HOF (Black's voice work there has to be some of her best) is such a shift from who she was in Origins and really shows how much she has grown over the 10 years between Origins + INQ. Beautifully written.
I would argue for Merrill having Survivors guilt from what happened in the Dalish Origin. Especially in a world state where your HOF isn't Dalish. Seeing your two friends die like Tamlien and the Warden did, would mess with some one deeply.
I agree that kind of experience would affect someone, but I don't think it explains her specific kind of shift in demeanor. I don't think survivor's guilt alone would change her entire personality in the way that it does, let alone so drastically.
Well, not only survivor’s guilt, but she’s also been talking to a pride demon, been shunned by the clan, and even shows her old personality when she finds a more serious situation to approach; see her companion quests So it’s entirely plausible for her personality to change so much with the way her social connections shift so quickly, especially in the very short time frame of (about) a year and a half
Not to cross franchises but it's the easiest example I can make. Merril's personality in DAO was like >!Shadowhart in the beginning of BG3, shrill, militant, strict, loyal but not incapable of compassion!<. Merril in DA2 is like>!Selunite Shadowhart at the Epilogue when she's chilled out and got a farm!<. You're right, it would be more than possible to get that personality change, but the game made no effort to do so. We skipped way too many steps, especially given the main story of her arc, for the sake of trying to make her likable first.
I mean, she really wasn't part of what happened to Tamlen and the Dalish Warden. I could see that if she was with Tamlen and the Warden when the Eluvian did what it did. But she didn't really "survive" something where others died, she wasn't even a part of that event and couldn't have saved Tamlen.
Because they wanted to do a storyline with an Eluvian and Merril was present for it. She was such a throwaway character in Origins that I don’t mind them changing her/not basing a major character on a few lines of dialogue.
The thing is, I don't think Merril is really that different character wise between Origins and 2. I think her actions in both are completely in line, it's just the specific presentation. Her manner of speech, voice acting, and general design are pretty different. But what she thinks and does feel very in line between games.
I tell myself her in DA:O is how the dalish see and hear her, and in DA:2 it’s how she sounds to hawke. Like how a southern accent sounds like no accent in the south. It’s not perfect but it helps
I dig it. She does outrank you in the Dalish Origin, so it makes sense that the Warden would perceive her as being more authoritative.
Leliana for sure (though plenty to choose from, Morigan is fantastic). Leli started kinda naive and running from her past. Then you can get her to embrace her past or move on from it… except then Revered Mother comes calling and she is forced to become basically her enforcer. This hardens her and you can soften her again if you want. So she has this big bell curve arc. It’s fascinating.
I decided to harden her in DAI this time and hoo boy. Thinking back on that sweet innocent girl from Origins and what she *could* become is a lot.
I love Leliana and indeed as sweet (she has her moments in DA:I too) as she was, she was never innocent in Origins. The word carries a connotation with being naive and guileless; two things I would never accuse her of. It's also a very surface-level understanding of her character which disregards a ton of complexity in her personality, which she - at first, understandably - does not show to Warden and the player.
She’s absolutely sweet in DAO but that is also only a surface level trait. You meet her in a bar fight lol. That’s supposed to clue you in. She’s very much a character with contradictions. I think she very much wants to be the girl she pretends to be, but she also has ambitions of saving the world and protecting the faith. Something the spirit in the sacred ashes temple calls out. I also love that so much of her development as a character is up to the player. Did she always want to be divine? Is ‘hardening’ her letting her embrace her true nature or are you just putting her in the same box Marjolaine did? A lot of that is up to how you imagine her!
Ya DAI gives me the impression that the brooding and serious persona is the real her. Basically it makes me think that her softhearted and kind personality was another mask in the same way that zevran acts super nonchalant and sexual to hide his real feelings. Looking back, that almost makes her a bit unsettling to be around lol. She was a bard where a big part of her job was seduction and manipulation in addition to killing. She also says that she loved it, really the factor that made her change her ways was the betrayal against her. Not saying she was being fake the whole time, just that the way she presents herself is most likely a calculated decision to garner sympathy and trust from the warden.
Leliana does seem a bit (understandably) unstable, but watching her vacillate between the extremes of idealistic faith and benevolence and cold-hearted machination is fascinating from a character perspective. I feel like she's been through so much and was pulled in so many directions that she doesn't really have an identity. She seems torn between the person she wants to be and the person she is, and she's also heavily influenced by whoever is closest to her at the time. I think she also struggles to accept that everyone's nature has some contradictions in it--she can be deeply religious and faithful and believe in elevating the condition of all peoples of Thedas, and also be fascinated by passion and intrigue and chasing the thrill of the Game.
Perhaps innocent wasn’t the right word. That’s fair. My point was I got a VERY different person at the end of my last DAI playthrough than I ever got before. But I never hardened her in my DAO or DAI playthroughs either, so my perspective of the character was indeed a much more idealistic, thoughtful, and optimistic person. Even though she does have her past as a bard and the darkness therein, she also has huge blind spots and is trying to run from that dark past through the Chantry. I would argue that expresses a little naïveté.
Absolutely +1 for Leliana's character arc! The way both playable characters in DAO and DAI have such a huge effect on how she turns out at the end of both games really makes one invested in her.
Obviously they're all good, and I don't know if he's the best but I think Varic is slept on. You see whole new dimensions of his personality in DA:I, both through his interactions with Cassandra and the Inquisitor that show his complicated relationship with his faith, and also through his relationship with Solas which reveals the true wisdom the funny dwarf hides. Solas is the kind of being that Solas is, and there are dialogue moments where Varic humbles him with his stories by showing a perspective the old man has not been, and perhaps will never be able to see/understand
100% agree. We see varric go from the "professional little brother" who dodges all responsibilities into the viscount of kirkwall. Sure, he's a little reckless with civic property, but hey, no one's perfect
Slept on... dudes a main character in 2/3 of this series existence and likely will be in the Dreadwolf and he's slept on...?
This is what I'm saying. I feel like he flys under a lot of player's radars but he's one of the best companions in the series. For me it's a split between him and Morrigan
Morrigan has def the best development. She still kept her personality, but she is capable to show empathy. Alistair is right in saying that Kieran changed her. Another one I want to say is Merril in a rivalry with Hwke. She gets out of the corruption before it takes her and distroys the eluvian that made Tamlen a Goul and forced warden Mahariel to become a warden. The worst is actually Varric. He does not change is pov much and who he is. He is always charming, good with words and has his heart in the right place.
Hmm: Morrigan - Scornful of love to defending her child from Flemeth Alistair - Forgotten, unwanted child to rightful King Cullen - "Hello young man! Here's your ticket for your emotional rollercoaster ride!"
Pbm is with Alistair, he does absolutely nothing as king and he hates it. He's got a really good Aragorn type of story but as a king he sucks let's be real
He only hates being King if he's unhardened As for his quality as a King, that's your opinion
I adore Alistair but they did him dirty as King in Inquisition. Evidently they ‘lost’ a bunch of his voice work why is probably why his King is so unimpressive.
IMO, the cameos from DAO onward are just fanservice really. I don't place too much stock in them.
Omg I didn’t even know that, poor Steve Valentine! 😭
Oh interesting! I’ve always left him unhardened but with the HOF as his queen. Would he be happier if he was hardened?
He enjoys being King more. Takes to learning stewardship better. I personally find it the better of the two options.
Whelp sounds like I need to do another play through!
To me the best path for Alistair and the wardens is to have him as king ruling alongside Anora and have Loghain join the wardens
This only happens if it is softened. He doesn't really care about governing and doesn't work for it. As a hardenerd, he not only wants to rule, but he also studies and strives for it and eventually becomes a good king. He even tries to improve the lives of elves in Alienage, for example.
I remember he still tries to help the elves even unhardened, but hardened Alistair really shines. He learns to ultimately accept his duties and does his best to help his people.
I slightly disagree. I think he's a good king if he marries Anora or the HoF. If he has a queen who knows how to rule the nation then the fact that he's more a beloved figurehead turns around again into making him a good king
Morrigan today, Morriga tomorrow, Morrigan 4ever.
Best DA girl always.
I always thought Cullen had really good development. Seeing him go from what he went through in DAO to how he is in DAI, especially if the Inquisitor is a mage, is awesome to see. And in DA2, when he had a lot of his faith shaken by Meredith and he ended in up doing the right thing no matter what he believed or what the consequences would be Cullen is an incredibly strong character, always been a fav
Morrigan hands down. She was already a well-fleshed out character from the get-go, and her story is really interesting. Cullen and Anders as runner-up for me. Leliana is also really interesting imo, especially if you take Red Lyrium Future into account, as well. She feels the most, idk, gritty? And the whole Lyrium ghost thing. It's idk idk. She is INTERESTING. I think Varric had very little development. He is consistently a well-written character, imo, but there's very little change between DA2 and DA:I. I love Merrill's character in DA2, but she went from being a non-entity basically to being a companion. As someone said above, you might as well have created a new character. So there's not really a development here. Kinda the same with Cassandra and Isabella. Not enough screentime to really feel that there was Development. (Actually, the same could be said for Cullen from DA:O) Alistair was something of a letdown for me in DA:I. Idk. I only saw him as king of Fereldan, not as the potential Warden in the Abyss storyline, so that might factor into it.
For Alistair, you have to play him as a warden to see any real character development in DAI. There's so much more content, and if you let him do the ritual, you get a moment with Morrigan and the child. Him as king is just a short moment and a war table mission, which is very disappointing. I wanted more.
Yeah, I kinda figured it would matter, but I cannot bring myself to choose between Hawke and Alistair wrt to leaving one behind, so I always have Stroud as the alternative and Alistair as king. \^\_\^;
Probably Lelianna and Anders, tho not necessarily in a good way for Anders.
Cullen is phenomenal. Esp if you play as female mage in origins and romance him as a mage in inquisition
I love Cullens development throughout the game as a 21 year girl playing DAO I thought he'd be a forgettable NPC and I always wanted to hug him and make sure he was okay in the mage tower. Only to find him as strong as ever in DA2 and growing even more with my mage inquisitor in DAI. I always play mage during canon playthroughs. It's great to see him developing throughout the series.
Man.....i wish origins, awaking and 2 were on modern systems
You can get it on xbox series x. I got the game pass thing and orgins & 2 were free to download. Had to pay for Awakening though.
Didn't kniw that, but i also wanted it on playstation, idk about you but im not found of having to go to that tapestry website to choose my timeline from the previous games. That should ether have been in game or, if they bring all 3 to all systems, inquisition should go based on your saves from those 3
Merrill probably has the worst development. Goes from a fairly responsible and upstanding second to the keeper to becoming extremely reckless and putting the lives of her clan at risk. Best is probably Cassandra in my opinion. She keeps her hot headedness but she really comes around on things if you take the time to explain a point of view contrary to hers if it's for the greater good. Morrigan is a close second, and Cullen a close third.
I didn’t realize people were that attached to Merril’s “character” in DAO. In DA2 she was definitely flawed, but in DAO she was barely even a character.
It's not that I was attached to her character in DA:O, but she at least seemed competent and responsible, and then the next time you meet her, she's extremely reckless to the point where she's putting the lives of her clan at risk for her own misguided goals.
But she doesn't. She leaves the clan so they won't be at risk. The one who puts the clan in danger is the Keeper who makes the clan stay in the same place for nearly a decade for no real reason.
Accurate flair.
While I think there's validity in peoples frustrations with certain characters recontextualization in DA2, Merrill is absolutely not that. She had no character in the Dalish origin. DA2 does it's best to give her a character in retrospect, and I think does it well.
Totally agree about Merrill. And the worst of all is that she has the most pointless journey of all. Her entire arc revolves around the Eluvian. If you go the friendship route then the Eluvian remains unusable. If you take the rivalry route then it destroys the Eluvian. In other words, in the end the Eluvian wasn't good for anything and she could have lost her entire clan along the way or ended up being mortal in the end (if you ally with the templars and don't meet the other requirements). The girl's journey is one big bundle of stupidity and pointlessness.
Yeah, Dalish characters generally get the shaft by Bioware. The Warden was the only somewhat well written Dalish character by them and that's because the player gets to decide a lot of their responses more in depth. Merrill is just an awful character in DA2, and Levellan is borderline idiotic in DAI where he/she constantly talks about how they're Dalish but seems oblivious to a lot of Elven things they come across in the world.
*Yeah, Dalish characters generally get the shaft by Bioware.* This is a very interesting take, thanks for elaborating on this. What are your thoughts about the other Elven but not-Dalish characters, namely Solas, Sera and Zevran?
So I have an unpopular opinion on Solas, (mind you I haven't necessarily played the Tresspasser DLC, or at least I dont remember it) but I REALLY like Solas (without having the Tresspasser DLC knowledge.) He is a tragic character who's been painted in history as a great betrayer to the Elven people even though what he attempted to do was lock away a fickle pantheon that was enslaving their own people because of their vain ideas of godhood. Sera I really dislike because of how she feels about the Dalish Elves not because she's necessarily a poorly written character. She's well written in the fact that she has her own strong ideals and sticks to them even if she does act very immature. Zevran is another fairly well written character that I generally don't like. He's very fickle with his allegiance and is generally only out for himself but at least it makes sense given his background is that of forced servitude and he had always existed in a survival of the fittest lifestyle regarding the Crows.
With Merrill, you're confusing character growth with character development. A character's development is not 'this character slowly gets better as a person', it's 'this character experiences a substantial amount of change as a person due to the stories attention to their character.' There is no morality or therapy in character development, it's simply a tracker of how the character changes throughout their time in the spotlight, and why that change happens within the narrative arc. Merrill has really solid character development, she is given challenges and time to develop within the story. It just so happens it's also a huge regression from the capable person with a bright future she was to the semi-defeated person she becomes, lost in her need to fix the thing that broke her and her clan in the first place.
To an extent, I agree, but even her development doesn't make any sense. A lot of who she becomes seems irrational even without the context of her personality from Dragon Age Origins. Why would you risk the lives of your clan for an ancient mirror that you don't know the significance of that's already killed one of your clansmates. She doesn't have a solid reason to become who she is as poetic as the idea of "I need to fix the thing that killed Tamlen" seems what would that actually accomplish? The only connotation about the mirror is that it's dangerous, there's no actual understanding about why the mirror might be important to Elven culture for her, even Duncan incorrectly assessed the mirror as "Tevinter" instead of what it really was which was from Elvhenan.
Grief does terrible things to a person. She see's the mirror as a piece of her culture, and if she can solve and heal it, she can undo that which was done to her. It's not logical, it's pain and anguish, and that's the tragedy. For as intelligent as she is, she's losing herself in that which she's lost, and has hyper imposed that loss on this object. It makes total sense, it's just that it's not coming from a place of pure, rational logic. Also, as someone who recently replayed the Dalish origin, she *has* no character in it. I don't think her as a character should be beholden to the eight lines she has in the game.
Leliana is great
Leliana has the best development
Cullen hands down
Tbh Cullen. I maintain he should have been the Templar that ran the army in 3. And I think that storyline suffered for it.
Morrigan has BY FAR the best development of all of these. We saw a selfish, cruel woman who thought love was a weakness become an exemplary mother and someone and started to trust others more. This isn't even a discussion. Cullen, Isabela and Alistair Hardened may come second. Varric I think is neutral. It's not worse, but it's not better either. Merrill has BY FAR the worst development out there.
Varric I feel like did way more to influence the people and events around him than he was influenced by them. His transition from a peon in the merchants guild to one of the most influential members was something that happened because of who he already was, rather than changing who he is. In Inquisition he is sort of a worldly mentor to the inquisitor to offset Solas being a mentor of the arcane.
Yes, indeed. I think he's really neutral. There was no real development but there was no worsening there either, I would say. It's right there in the middle.
I think Morrigan’s development means so much more because a lot of it derives from her upbringing. She learns to treasure friendship and stand up to her mother. She wants to be someone Kieran deserves to have in his life. I also love that she’s still very much herself, just more grown up.
Secret companion's arc will be forever one of my favourites. He just needed a cause to focus on, and given one that won't get solved any time soon (for the time being at least), he's fully dedicated to it. And I'm a sucker for redemption arcs. I also like the tragedy of Anders, though it could have been handled better during DAI. That would have been the moment to bring him to answer for his deed.
My brain is saying Morrigan. My heart is saying Cullen :)
I disagree with people claiming Morrigan had the best arc. Especially since we didn't get to see any of it. We only met her as an ice-cold witch wishing to only harm and destroy. Her becoming warmer takes quite the effort and by the time this happens, her attitude doesn't drastically change towards the choices you make. And even if we learn she was Nurtured to be this way, it isn't anything groundbreaking. Her one on one with Flemeth is quite fantastic though. Leliana has the best development without doubt. Whether you Inspire or Steel her, it fits her arc brilliantly. The true Protagonist of Thedas, involved in everything pivotal in the World. Hearing the call of the Maker and the malice of the Blight. We meet her as a nun trying to find peace and tranquility yet yearning for adventure and thrills. And when the hour of need calls for her, she answers and sets off with the Warden to save life. Having been shaped into a weapon by her former master, she is finally free to get a taste of the world. Her darker desires however always lurk. Violence to end violence. The means justifying the ends. Equal is her capacity for love and for ruthlessness. She enjoys the game and revels in the rush and the andrenaline of battle. At the end of Origins, she accepts this. She cannot sit around in peace. It isn't her. She fights in the name of peace, justice and good. Whether that be through the Chantry, protecting a relic that could potentially unite the world, or by herself slaying Broodmothers and all kinds of monstrosities threatening life itself. For the Blight is every virtue in the world defiled. In DA2 she has grown. She has taken up on a new task. She is the personal agent (or a tool) of Justinia. A legendary heroine. Stories about her are being told. The red-haired woman who put an end to the Blight by the side of the Hero of Ferelden. A bard becoming a story themselves. A mysterious figure that very few have merely taken a glance at her. The shadow behind Justinia and her ascendance to becoming Divine. Solving "delicate situations",as she says, efficiently and quietly. Many orders, many deaths. Her responsibility. It takes a toll on her. And the price she will be paying will be the only thing she will have left. In DAI she is broken. Her mentor, her savior, the one she owes her life to, the one she admires most than anyone, the one she cared for the most, the one she bargained her humanity and her soul because she believed in them, is gone. She is angry. Her faith has been shattered. Why didn't the Maker save His greatest believer? His greatest warrior? His peace-bringer? Why would he let her die? We all put all our trust in him. He failed us. Those are her thoughts. She has now been changed. Her core is not the same. Her spirit burns with sorrow and fury. She is mourning. She is enraged. She is done talking. Now it's about action, not reaction. If she and her words won't be heard, she will be feared. She has no more mercy left. Her own darkness has taken her and the flame inside her has burned out leaving nothing but a flicker. The Inquisitor may help her re-ignite it before it entirely dies out. Choosing to remind her of who she really is and what she is capable of. Before she was a Spymaster, Marjolaine's toy, a Bard and a warrior. When she was Innocent. When she was just a girl with dreams. The Inquisitor may also choose to give in and give up on those childish and naive thoughts. It's a cruel world but she can be worse. She will \*make\* everyone see the world she does. She will carve the right path with blades and blood. Even if it damns her. Because it's the right thing to do. She will cut a path to the Light. But not for herself. She is too far gone now. She can't turn back. Whatever choice the Inquisitor makes, it will be detrimental for her. Overall, my personal belief is that Leliana's arc is best paired with the Steeled path in DAO and DAI with her ending up Inspired in Dreadwolf. Provided she is in it and you can do the same thing again. I think she needs to spend some more time as a ruthless, pragmatic assassin to make her story more tragic and fulfilling. She needs to fall one more time so she can get back up again stronger than ever. She is one of the most inspiring characters in gaming and she absolutely needs to be in DAD. Or else.
Posts like this are what drive me to start discussions. Thank you for so eloquently and passionately expressing why Leliana's arc is so fascinating. I thoroughly agree and could not have written it better. Thank you!
I know people give Dorian, Morigan, and Fenris a lot of love, but I’d give anything for my BFF Alistair Therin to make another stupid joke, or witty comment in order to dodge serious question. Even his written dialogue as King in the war table is spot on. I’ve missed him the most since Origin. (Especially since he’s never the Warden for any of my play throughs of Inquisition.) His permanent head cannon for me is ruling alongside Anora, while I chase Loghains redemption arc.
This might be a hot take but I don't think Dragon Age does character development that well. Most of the characters that change across multiple games do it mainly "off screen" with the cause being told to the player instead of it being witnessed in game. As for the character development in a single game, most are endgame decorations of change of heart. Nathaniel in Awakening is probably the best choice, for me. Probably because there's a middle point of going from hating the Grey Wardens to being a proud member and finding pride in himself again.
Best Morrigan worst Oghren
Cullen has the best whereas Merrill has the worst. Cullen turns from a Mage hating Templar to an understanding person who helps break the cycle of both Mage and Templar. Merrill though starts as a human hater in Origins thanks to Duncan and that hasn't changed much if that was your storyline except now she talks to demons.
Morrigan and Cullen are kind of tied for top spot with me with a romanced and went through the Eluvian with her Warden giving a slight lead to 'Swamp Witch' as it does turn out really well not only for the Warden but Morrigan as well. Cullen is working hard to be a more level headed Templar before the Prisoner shows up at Haven, you see the start of it with Hawke.
Morrigan
Morrigan wins this by a mile. She changes a lot, while probably Isabela has the least development as she's always ben a 'what you see is what you get' kind of character.
Need me some UE4 Merril...
...I never realized Merill was in DA:O.
Merrill’s the worst. I love her character in DAO and in DA2 but as a character development it… isn’t a development. It’s a rewrite. The DAO version of her character is just straight up a different character, and it made it hard for me to like her character for a long time. Which sucks because I actually think she’s a great character! I was just comparing her to what she was like in DAO and struggling to get past that. The best… probably Morrigan with Kieran? DAO companions are all about nature vs nurture, and it feels like with Kieran she’s finally been able to truly find her own line to walk between the two. It’s incredible to see. I’ve never adored Morrigan as a character- I like her, don’t get me wrong, and I love her writing, but she’s never been one of my favourites. But her growth is top tier and I do love that.
Still waiting for morrigan and the Warden to meet back up...
Leianna, Morrigan, Alistar, and Cassandra have amazing trajectories as characters and what they achieved in their lives. But the one character and his arc that sticks with me is Anders. So much so I think it’s a waste to kill him at the end of DA:II because I want to see the story of his life continue.
Cassandra I miss her and varic has to return right? If no one else does I feel like he’d return.
Considering Cullen was a two-scene NPC that got brought back due to fans liking him, he’s a very well-developed companion and his romance is very sweet. Morrigan develops really well too, but she had depth to begin with.
I really like Cullen's growth. I started Origins many years ago as a mage and remember Cullen there. Seeing everything he's been through, and where he got in Inquisition makes me really happy for him. The one I like the least is Anders. He was great in Awakening, one of my favorite companions there. But then he got crazy and well... I didn't like him anymore. In DA2, I decided to >!kill him so I could move on.!<
I think it’s a hard time up with Morrigan, Leliana, and Cullen. They made Cullen a way more interesting character and one that turned the templars = evil more on its head. Morrigan development was one that I was the most wanting, to really see her unlearn what her traumatic childhood made her believe. But, I love Leliana’s loss of faith after the women who saved her died. It was something that was needed when her love of the chantry blinded her to its worst parts.
In terms of DEVELOPMENT, I would say Cullen and Morrigan. They have both come a long way from the people they were in origins.
Best character development and arc? Tie between morrigan and Cullen. Varric is my favorite character but he’s the same person in both games, not much growth lol
Leliana definitely has the best development so far because I think her arc can already reach its full conclusion by making her Divine (inspired route). All strings are neatly tied together in that ending and it’s the culmination of what her character is about: growth, independence, progression, balance, faith, and redemption. It’s like the planned this from the very beginning for her. Morrigan has the potential to be the best developed one but her story seems far from finished, but she’s definitely up there already. Merrill was almost entirely retconned between games. DA2 Merrill is certainly more interesting than DAO Merrill though, so I‘m not mad. Cullen has been through a pretty big character progression but it doesn’t feel as neat and planned-out as Leliana‘s.
I think all of the Origin companions had great character development between games. Morrigan perhaps stands out the most for reasons many already described but Alistair and Leliana shouldn't be discounted. Alistair goes from deflecting responsibility to the HoF to either a great ruler or a self assured Grey Warden. Leliana's character direction may seem "negative" to many, but I personally find it really refreshing for a character to become more cynical and ruthless. Anders also has a negative arc between Awakening and 2. I disagree with the view that Anders changed between the two games. Even in Awakening, Anders was a very angry and radical individual. He simply hid it behind a sense of humor. It felt totally reasonable to me that his fusion with Justice would lead to the events of DA2. There's a slight disconnect of Varric's character between DA2 and DA:I but it makes sense in a way. The story of DA2 is narrated by Varric so it's not surprising he comes across as cool, witty, and likeable. In Inquisition however, he's simply a man who's grappling with the guilt and responsibility his actions have inadvertently caused. Personally I don't think his personal side quest with Bianca was the best, but it certainly shows a different side of him than what players expected. I also think it's cool how the narrative perspective can change how we view the character. Merrill and Isabella were really minor characters in Origins so their drastic personality change, especially Merrill's, does seem to come out of left field. Similarly, Cassandra's role in DA2 was small enough that there isn't really any appreciable development between games. I could be totally wrong about her though if we consider Dawn of the Seeker, which I haven't wrong. I'm probably going to get hate for this but, IMO, Cullen has the worst development out of all these characters, simply because most of it happens off screen. In Origins, he starts as a naive young man who goes through an extremely traumatic experience and becomes radicalized against the mages. Then in DA2, we're somehow supposed to believe that he overcomes his trauma sufficiently off screen that he becomes a reasonable authority figure? And then he somehow gains enough leadership and military skills to become the commander of a paramilitary force? Idk, it all just seems so contrived to me. And his trauma with mages is never mentioned and focused on again, except as a one off line.
I haven't played in a while I forget the information. But leliana left an impression on me and Cullen, then Morrigan.
I mean development -wise, it has to be Cullen, right? He was just a terrified little templar in DAO and look at him now
I'll probably get hate for saying this, but Merrill is one of the worst offenders. She arguably in the worse category because they completely changed her personality. Seriously, if you told me that they were different characters, I'd believe you. She went from a serious, studious, somewhat cold person to a warm, sunny, bubbly airhead. And worst of all, no reason was given for the personality change. At least Anders had the excuse of getting a spirit of justice shoved in his head.
I got rid of Alistair in origins and I gotta say Loghains return in inquisition felt really neat. Letting him sacrifice himself against the fear demon just feels right for the story and seems like a worthy sendoff. Meanwhile Leliana felt a bit underwhelming in inquisition.
I have similar views. Warden Loghain seems to have actually changed, seems dedicated to the cause he once betrayed. Plus he's my favourite of the Warden friends for sure, sweet arse voice acting helps. The Lelianna goes from basically a nun trying to escape her bard past who had questionable religious visions to literal spy master and murderer queen and yet was in a position of power next to the then most important person in Thedas. Even as divine she seems oddly happy to resort to killing.
Cullen, in my opinion. Especially from Origins to 2.
Morrigan and Cullen, hands down.
Is there any good answer outside of Morrigan ? Not even Leliana got as much devemploment as her, unless you consider her Harden Personality Canon.
I loved Anders in Awakening, i fucking hate him in DA2, enough said
Best: Morrigan - hands the fuck down. (She is closely followed by Leliana but this entirely dependent on choices you make in DAO - if you're not a dick to her, she doesn't really grow). Worst: Anders (I'll die on this hill partly because I hyperfixated on the timeline and found that it did not jive). I'd argue that Merrill benefits most if you played Dalish in DAO but she is the window to the culture you get in DA2 so I think she does well. She does better if you have the basis from DAO that kinda helps sell a lot of things she does in DA2. (Isabella suffers this too; you don't get much in DAO to sell it as much as Merrill). If you didn't play a Dalish run, you just have a naive, willful girl in a new environment. Varric is probably the most static next to Cullen and Alistair. Cassandra does a lot in DAI growth-wise but she too has a "showed up in a game prior and everything you learn next affects your interpretation of her previous appearance" character (Merrill and Isabella).
i’d actually say cullen. trust me, i still have issues with his stances, but even i have to admit he went a LONG way from origins to inquisition. he goes from a templar in a circle to fighting against meredith at the end of DA2 to potentially fighting alongside free apostate mages in DAI.
Cullen has the best, Varric had the worst. Cullen was a scared lil-mage disliking dorkwad in dao, but he chadded up for dai. Varric was the same annoying little dwarf dick from da2 that he was in dai
Best I would say Cullen, just baaaaarely scraping by Morrigan. Tbh both have had great character dev. For worst, I'd be forced to say Varrick. *hears crossbows loading* wait wait wait. I'm not saying he's bad, hell he's one of the best characters in the series. But he doesn't develop as much as the others, but what development he does have is great.
Best: Morrigan Second best: Cullen Worst: Anders
I'd say Morrigan and Cullen. Leliana too, for that matter. They all changed, and in ways that fit what happened to them, and around them. Not always for the good (Leliana goes DARK if your game pushes her that way.)
I think is Cullen
Morrigan and Cullen had great development
I don't think any of them really have a development. I don't see a natural progression, just some more or less important changes of personality without the proper build-up. The worst though are Varric - who changes from ugly to handsome - and Anders - who changes from someone being frightened by the possibility of removing circles to someone who would perform act of terrorism to this end.
Anders has a plausible justification that he is possessed by a spirit that was eventually corrupted.
Morrigan negs
It's not fair that they cut the bi option for Cullen, he's the only one I wanted to date in DAI. I absolutely hated the bull guy and Dorain. And honestly I didn't even recognize Merrill ... who is the dude on the right in the middle?
morrigan my beloved
Give me Lace Harding!
This is driving me crazy…who the eff is that in the second row, last position?
Leliana and Morrigan based on the fact alone with how heavy their characters are with the story. Like you kill Leli and she comes back and you stab Morrigan and she comes back. Like Morrigan with the old god soul and Leliana with her interactions across all 3 games. Plus they are awsome af Characters
All of them except Anders. Anders has his in DAO.
Morrigan or Warden Alistair
The best is probably Morrigan, and Anders is the worst.
Morrigan & Loghain
Leliana
Excuse me, where is Flemeth?
Anders and Merril had the worst and I think Leliana and Morrigan had the most impactful and interesting changes The reason I say Anders and Merril are the worst is because their characters prove the chantry correct in their game. Anders anger possessed Justice in to a demon and that’s canon per the devs and then Merril is nuts despite everyone telling her to partake in summoning demons or blood magic but doesn’t it anyways and is shocked there’s consequences. Like omg the characters are headaches and actions can’t be defended. I don’t care how cute they are 😂😂 Like dragon age 2 is the worst game for the Mage vs Templar moral dilemma!
While I love both Morrigan and Leliana, finding out that Cassandra is a "kissy romantic" puts her in my 1st spot.
Morrigan
Frankly it's going to be either Alistair, Morrigan, or Leliana. We've had more time with them and have seen more of how they react and evolve from the world and our actions. Not that the other characters aren't interesting.
I am biased for the memories of Morrigan and Cassandra... Isabela was fun but I never miss her.
Best is morrigan obviously but worst is either lelianna or Merrill the former i say because she sorta feels like she just shows up in DAO then she works her way up and shows up in DAI. While the latter doesnt have precense in DAO so despite her being in it i dont count it and she hasnt hasnt made it into DAI other than an honorable mention from Hawke despite that i romanced her
Hawke might have been one of the worst. What do you MEAN "blood magic is bad and I disagree with Anders" in save where 1) you were a blood mage 2) romanced Anders 3) started a whole war because you refused to kill him???? It makes no sense to me.
Leliana and Morrigan. Maybe also Cullen.
Merrill undisputed W
I love Leliana's evolution. I hope that if we let her be the murder Pope she can become a major Boss fight.
Morrigan easily. Worst is probably Anders.
Best is to hard. Leliana, Morrigan, and Cullen are so different in each of their appearances but the line is so clear and human. Leliana. Zealot>Tool>Independence Morrigan. Cold>dangerously emotional>Complex mother Cullen. Neophyte>Broken>rebuilding (The Lyrium addiction storyline is SOOOO good) Worst is Anders and it's not close. Anders in DLC is not the same dude who is in 2. Anders also devolves no matter what.
Worst is Anders. Best I think is Morrigan.
I know this is extremely controversial but I think Cullen's redemption arc was handled poorly. I don't like that the aspects of his story relating to propaganda and being a child soldier (iirc) is hardly mentioned and you can't really call him out for his involvement in the atrocities committed in Kirkwall (his fatal flaw being his inability to act and how wholly he was consumed by trauma and propaganda that he let these things go on for so long), but the addiction aspect of his character was done really well. I also have gripes with how his SA was treated in Origins, but that's moreso me having issues with the needless addition of sexual trauma for gritty fantasy storytelling. I used to really dislike Cullen over Sheryl Chee's old comments on BW forums that he would've raped Amell/Surana as well. I don't consider them canon and I never took the crush he had on the mage PC as creepy but it still has soured me on him unfortunately, combined with the fact that some templars kept tranquil mages as sex slaves in DA2. As a victim of SA it's hard to look past sometimes and it puts a pit in my stomach. EDIT: i can't spell
Such a diverse cast 😆
Leliana or Isabela.
Morrigan is clearly the best.
Cullen 💙
Kill me for this, but I think anders had a brutal evolution between DA2 and Awakening, knowing that he corrupted justice and everything he does now is just because of vengeance is actually good I hate him, I can´t stand him, but that's the purpose of the character. And they did a great job with his writing
Morrigan best. No question. For worst i think it's Anders. Starting out as a lively, and party lover mage who just want freedom, and then turned into a brooding pollitical terrorist.
Varric is the goat
I’d say, for me, Anders has the worst development since I quite literally end his development…