Dragon Age Answers to the Batman Question... (NSFW)

Warning: NSFW implications and scenarios galore.

So you know that Batman bedroom scenario that had Twitter spontaneously combusting the other day? You know the one. About whether or not the Dark Knight would take a tour, ahem, downtown on a night with Catwoman. Otherwise known as The Greatest Conversation in the History of Twitter?

I thought it would be naughty fun to address this via Dragon Age characters, so see my takes below. I saw this discussed in a few places casually on Twitter, but want to shout out to Squonk, who posted a conversation that inspired me to do my own take on this. 

Note: Depending on their sexual orientation, let's just say that we're asking whether the character would take that tour with a partner of their appropriate gender.

Another Note: I forgot a few people! Bethany! Krem! A few others! So I've added them. Along with a few stupid comments that I forgot originally, so I hope they're good for a laugh. Many thanks to readers Rob and Kirsty for the reminder!

I'm probably gonna be sheepish I wrote this, but it was fun, and we all need a little fun in the world right now. So, onward!

The Warden
The world's ending any minute now, I feel safe in saying they absolutely would.

Alistair
Would have to be talked through it, probably also with diagrams, but sure. He would blush afterward and also send flowers.

Leliana
She's a bard who loves women, and who is highly skilled in the arts of the bedroom. What do you think? Those smallclothes would be off faster than you can say... smallclothes.

Morrigan
Definitely would, but I'm kind of thinking she'd be one of those "I gave you five minutes, now give me an hour" kinds of foreplay types. 

Sten
Hell, yes. He's Qunari—while they're repressive and disturbing as a whole, they do seem to be a culture that is very sex-positive even if aromantic, and during his time as a Companion he's totally doing the Qunari equivalent of visiting Europe, anyway. Don't @ me.

Oghren
I think he'd be willing, but the question is—would he stay conscious long enough? I just don't see that happening. Nope.

Wynne
Not... yet? I think she'd be willing, but I think she's had lousy luck so far (it's why I ship her with Zevran after he flirts with her in Origins, since he would absolutely rock her world). Let's be real—her previous sexual escapades were probably all hasty stolen moments in various dusty dark corners of the mage tower. And they never lasted more than four minutes at a time. (And now I'm depressed.)

Zevran
He finds the question hilarious, and has over two dozen favorite approaches and techniques, some of which both begin and end with an erotic massage. And yes, it would be ridiculously awesome.

Shale
"What a bizarre and useless question about those stupid, soft and fleshy beings."

Loghain Mac Tir
Nuh-uh. I don't think so. Look at all that tension. This is not the face of a man who's ever had a really happy sexual experience. Or given one.

Urthemiel
"Nobody ever asks what I need. Nobody ever asks if I'm a caring, gentle and considerate lover. Nope. It's all, 'Whine, whine, whine! Why'd you have to bring the Darkspawn? Blight, Blight, Blight!' and I'm sick of it."

Anders
Yep. You'd have pretty great sex, he'd be generous and satisfying, and then you'd look out your window and his moving van would already be parked right there at the curb. Still, there are worse trade-offs. I'm just saying.

Justice
"Are you being humorous? No. This question is immaterial and a waste of time."

Nathaniel Howe
I'm kind of seeing Nat as the sexual equivalent of a middle-of-the-road steak dinner. Like, nothing super-creative there, but the arrow would find its target. (Oh, that was really bad. Really, really, really bad.)

Sigrun
She'd be funny and caring, one of those "rogue in the streets, stole your sheets" types.

Velanna
Yes, but it would be tense, passive-aggressive, and slightly perfunctory. And she wouldn't call you afterward.

Teagan Guerrin
No. Just look at what happens to that man from Origins to "Trespasser." That is the face of a profoundly disappointed person right there. Nope. Never a single fun night in his entire life. What a waste of Hot Young Teagan! I blame Isolde.

Duncan
Yeah, I'm thinking a definite yes on that one. Duncan was a bit of a rascal in his early years, so this is not a guy afraid of a trip to the Deep Roads, is what I'm saying.

Hawke
All three colors are a resounding yes no matter what. Blue Hawke spoons after, Red Hawke doesn't. If it's Purple Hawke, there would be brief spoonage and then probably something humorous like farts or hiccups.

Cullen
Based on his adorable uptightness and his panic during even basic flirtation scenarios, I'm gonna go with a soft no on this one. I'm not saying he wouldn't eventually get there, but he'd definitely need to meet the right woman (thousands immediately raise their hands to volunteer). He's spent a lot of his life focusing on work and guilt, so to me his romance in Inquisition just makes me think there's not a ton of reach and flexibility in that corner of his life as yet.

Flemeth
If you could get past the subtly terrifying "I'll probably kill you when I'm done" aspect of Flemeth's sex life, she was probably a total blast as well as wickedly creative in her day when it came to romantic shenanigans. Absolutely yes.

Isabela
"Oooh, aren't you funny, you!" (Cheerfully and promptly demonstrates superior technique on the person asking the question. Bonus points if it's Catwoman.)

Varric
Of course he does, he's got a great imagination and is actually famous for writing blushworthy fictional romantic torrid scenarios.  And I'm sure he's had his share of opportunities, trysts, and admirers. 

And yet, in Varric's ongoing day to day life? It's a bit tragic, as his primary experience seems to have been with Bianca, and that is just really a waste of all that dwarfly sexiness. My question is, does he practice on the person, or the crossbow? Or... both?

Aveline
See also Cullen. That's a no. 

Cassandra
Absolute yes. Classic example of  someone who doth protest too much. Nobody reads that much Swords & Shields who isn't gonna be secretly delightful in the kip.

Fenris
Yes, and it would be very intense and dramatic. He'd probably get glowy at certain moments.

Merrill
"Did I miss something dirty?" My favorite thing about Merrill is that she is a paradox—an innocent who is completely free of sexual hangups, very much like the character of Jester in Critical Role, Campaign 2. In all seriousness, I always kind of ship her with Isabela, so yes. 

The Arishok
Absolutely would, and I'm not gonna say anything else because, anyway... yeah. (I'll... be in my bunk.)

Sebastian
Oh, no no no, my Andrastian ears and whiskers, no. Nope. Nope. Nope. Not ever. Or at least—not after his vows! Before is another matter entirely.

Tallis
Tallis would combine the Qun's no-nonsense sexual wisdom and technique with a sweet, funny, sparkly running dialogue that would either be annoying or adorable, or probably both.

Carver
Would be willing, but he'd also be the type to get someone interested down at The Hanged Man and then he'd complain and complain and complain for so long that they'd get that fixed expression on their face, escape when he paused for breath, and Carver'd never realize he just lost the chance to hook up. Poor grumpy bro.

Bethany 
Hmmm... she's very proper and sweet. But she's also incredibly empathetic and wants people around her to feel joy, so hey, this would be one way for her to do that. I'm just sayin'. So Bethany's a yes.

Meredith
I'm gonna say no. And all of Kirkwall will pay just because she couldn't find a healthier way to relieve stress.

Orsino
He's got this sort of slinky, super-feline quality to him that makes me think yep. Also, yes, part of me kind of ships Orsino with Meredith because he's probably exactly what she needs in the bedroom department. Just think, he could have saved the city with a daring proposition and a few glasses of Antivan wine!

The Inquisitor
Oh, depending on your character build and preferences, sure. And the Mark could also be an added bonus in certain scenarios. Sorry/not sorry.

Solas
He's thousands of years old, dating back to one of the most decadent, hedonistic eras in an intensely magical world, and for extra fun, he can paint the dream world of the Fade to be anything he wants it to be. In other words, there is nothing the Dread Wolf hasn't done in the sack as long as it's adult and consenting, and I'm talking genders, participants, etc. Nada. He's had the world tour several times over, and by now, he knows what he likes and knows how he likes it. (Confirmed preferences include dominating, er, focus, and probably lots of booty stuff. And don't forget the 'dominating focus.').

(stares into middle distance)

Wait, where was I?

ADDED NOTE: I can't help it! I keep picturing The Iron Bull and Solas making a trip to the store for bondage supplies, and then sharing notes on which materials they find most effective.

"But what about this stuff?" asks Bull. "It's great for adjusting tension, and it's on sale!"

"Nonsense," replies Solas. "It tangles easily and has no flexibility at all."

"But it's on sale!" cries Bull. "I could tie up half of Skyhold!"

"Nevertheless," says Solas. "It is important to be discerning in these matters if you wish the object of your affection to be satisfied." 

"Little asshole," grumbles Bull. "Everyone's satisfied with The Iron Bull."

"Undoubtedly," says Solas. "However, to keep it that way, I would go with my rope, not yours."

(Sorry. We now return you to your original posted content.) 

The Iron Bull
Oh, gosh, I don't know. You think? (hysterical laughter) Personally, I'm guessing for Bull that third base is practically his version of a good night kiss. 

ADDED NOTE: I keep visualizing this scenario in my head and it's been cracking me up for a few days now—Bull on the porch at the end of a date, and instead of a good-night kiss, just going right in for third base, and his date going, "Oh! Oh, my. Okay. Um, let's go inside." Although let's face it, anybody who ends a night with Bull with a kiss on the porch  just missed out on one of life's great moments, anyway. Sheesh, people.

But honestly, the best summation I can give of Bull's scenario is from my friend SeekerCat5500 over on Twitter, who wrote, "There's not one aspect of his lover's body that Iron Bull wouldn't dine on like a starving man at a feast."

She's not wrong. Also, woof.

(stares into middle distance)

Huh?

Krem
Handsome, smart, sweet, and dryly funny, I feel like Krem is basically perfect, so let's just say that I think he would be generous, attentive and very successful in this situation. However, I'd also guess that he'd have probably had a few insightful conversations with Bull, who would have given him lots of humorous advice on technique, combined with a few combat metaphors ("Don't rush right in! Vary your responses! Occasionally go for the unexpected, where they're weakest!" etc.) 

Dalish
She'd be a little bit impatient, she's got things to do and people to see and bad guys to shoot with a spell arrow: "There. No, there. No. Right there. Yes. No, you're in the wrong spot. Yes!" And at some point, she'd say the sexual equivalent of, "It's a bow." But dirtier.

Grim
Grim would grunt mysteriously a few times, then jump right in and make the recipient pretty happy in a businesslike fashion.

Sera
Shite, nobody even needs to ask this question because of course she does. In this scenario she is definitely Sera was Ever not Sera was Never.

Cole
(He pauses thoughtfully for a full minute)
"I don't think those two things go together. But also, you should talk to ______ because they think of nice things when they look at you, and then they smile." 

Blackwall
I think it could go either way. I'm gonna say, Blackwall, no. But when he's free to be Thom Rainier again? I'm gonna go with yes on this one. I think he'd be a people pleaser.

Scout Harding
Yes? I don't know. Sure, in a happy demi scenario with a trusted companion? 

Vivienne
"Oh, darling, how funny of you. Anyone approaches within a foot of that part of my body and they get a permanent case of Winter's Chill."

Dorian
Yes, and everyone's curtains go up in flames. If you know what I mean, and I think you do.

Cabot
Let's face it, with his clever moods and "words of the day," our sly barkeep is quite the cunning linguist.

Bram Kenric
"Oh, goodness, well let me see, I've been so focused on getting tenure, so this is a bit awkward. It certainly isn't like any of the  more scholarly descriptions I've read in books. It's a bit daunting, to be honest.  However, I'm willing to give it a try. Wish me luck!" Then at some point in the proceedings, he would injure himself on the bedpost, pass out, and require at least ten stitches.

Svarah Sun-Hair
"Ah! No. Wait a moment. Your tongue is as clumsy as a hold-beast's. It appears to me that while you are willing to please, you perhaps require further proper instruction. I will provide it. Begin again."

Corypheus
Look, say what you will about Corypants, but he's got to be an absolute dervish in the sack. Anything goes. He's totally got one of those bedrooms with weird colored lights and stuff too. And don't forget the striped stockings!

Josephine
No, I feel like she's a gentle ace who would probably rather not go there. But that she's very romantic in her own way and with the right partner.  

Sutherland
"Yes, ma'am, thank you, ma'am, a little higher? Sure. No, hold on. Left? Wait, was that a good sound or a bad one?"

Jim (Cullen's Attache)
Oh absolutely. He's still writing torrid fanfiction about the day when Cullen finally succumbs to his forbidden secret passions and realizes their love.

______________________________________________

What's your take? And what did I get wrong? 

Meanwhile, I regret nothing.

NOTE: Just a friendly reminder that if you enjoy my blog, tweets, or Dragon Age analyses, I'd welcome a coffee on Ko-Fi or some support on Patreon.

Ar Lath Ma, Vhenan: Solas's Romance, Part 4

"Has it affected you? Changed you in any way? Your mind, your morals, your… spirit?" asks Solas. Big questions, and not always easily answered...

INQUISITOR: So what does this mean, Solas?
SOLAS: It means... I have not forgotten the kiss.

It's a big moment when, after Adamant, Solas comes up to see the Inquisitor in her quarters.

As he does.

Wait, no.

He doesn't, does he?

Ever.

No, really. Not ever.

Solas doesn't actually ever come to Lavellan's quarters. He doesn't come to her rooms.

As blog readers, you all know I'm a headcanoning fool, but yes, it feels to me, always, like one of the strictures he has set upon their budding relationship. As if she can go to him within the confines of the Rotunda, but that he cannot visit her in her bedroom because, well... it's just blurring the boundaries for him. Too difficult. Too tenuous. Too close.

See, this is where two roads diverge in a wood, and I—I take the Road of Solas Does Not Have Sex with the Inquisitor. Ever. In-game. While of course acknowledging that there's room for both takes on this (and it's genius of Patrick Weekes and BioWare to espouse this).

And I am not saying this does not occur, um, elsewhere. For instance, in various quality and exciting fanfics, some of which I may or may not also be writing. But I think—in-game, and quite cruelly—that no, they do not. I always find it tragic, because it's something she needs and deserves. Something I wish he had given her. That gift of intimacy. Just that one moment.

But... sigh. Me, I feel like he just can't allow himself to go there.

NOTE: Throughout this piece, I am using screen shots with the "Always Night at Skyhold" PC mod. I just felt, on the latest playthrough, that the mod was useful and appropriately gothic for a romantic story that goes so very dark. I love the original sunset setting for this scene, but to me it's brutally hopeful and romantic (which may have been the purpose). 

I prefer this one, which is starker. Darker. It won't end well. Let's embrace it. But that's me.

Each step of their romance is controlled by Solas—how close, how far, when to touch, when not to. 

Maintaining the Boundaries

So I do not believe that Solas and the Inquisitor have sex. My logic for this goes as follows:

• Their entire relationship is about the slow burn.
• Each step of their romance is controlled by Solas—how close, how far, when to touch, when not to. It's not in a toxic way, but that "dominate your focus" dialogue wasn't just there to be funny. Solas is all about control, to me, at least in certain (cough) scenarios. I think he likes to orchestrate things.
• Each beat of the relationship—except for the crucial Last Date—involves Solas refusing contact then returning to the kisses in spite of himself. And then he leaves with this almost palpable sense that he is forcing himself away from temptation.
• We never get a sex scene (and, aside from Josie, this is something we get for every other companion across the entire trilogy).
  
  And, to me, this doesn't ping as Solas being ace (while Josie does)—although I should add here that he does ping as asexual to many other players, including reader Ladyiolanthe, who argues that Solas can certainly in fact be asexual or demisexual, and those are real potential options for him given his behavior as presented. In my ignorance, I dismissed those too immediately above, so of course this is another aspect that can be interpreted by the player. (Note: please forgive any mistakes I've made in discussing those or any other aspects of sexual orientation or preference, as I definitely didn't mean to discard interpretations or representations that may be powerfully meaningful for many players: How you see Solas and his sexuality is absolutely yours, first and foremost. This is just how I have attempted to interpret him.)
  
  But let's get back to my case for "They Do Not Have Sex..."
  
  So I'll amend my earlier statement to say that, to me, Solas seems like a very strongly sensual and sexual person, based on his behaviors, and one powerfully in love with the senses of the flesh, and who is deeply tempted by his physical desire for Lavellan. For this reason, the lack of a sex scene is noteworthy to me. Especially since he ends every other sexual moment with with variations on "we shouldn't!" So, for me, the moment he finally capitulates and goes, "Let's have sex!" should be a really big one. But we never see it.
• We never get kisses with Solas on demand. Which again, I find character-appropriate. Our Inky/Solas relationship is delicate enough that it is probably Solas who initiates the kissage. When he allows himself to. I know his romance was one of the later romances added in the final year of development, but I still think the technical options were there to add a love scene or a "kiss on demand," and that the exclusion of either item is deliberate and noteworthy.
• Last but not least, Solas instantly and emotionally denies sex when called on it by the Inky in "Trespasser:"

INQUISITOR: And so he did.

SOLAS: I did not. I would not lay with you under false pretenses.

Solas actually sounds upset over the above exchange, as played by Gareth David-Lloyd.

Either way, it's a big issue among Solasmancers, and there are passionate and persuasive points on both sides. But this is where I stand.

However—as I mentioned—I definitely understand those who headcanon that they do have sex after all. It just doesn't work for me the way the romance plays out. And I do think it's actually more angst-ridden and painful that way, that he never even gives her that one thing, that gift of shared intimacy. Not even a single night for them to lose themselves in one another.

Setting the Scene

In terms of the story, Solas has tentatively entered into a romance with the Inquisitor, but they're also in a holding pattern.

Before we go to the balcony with Solas, we're at a very specific point both in the Inquisition storyline and in Solas's romance.

In terms of the story, Solas has tentatively entered into a romance with the Inquisitor, but they're also in a holding pattern. They kiss passionately in the Fade... and the next morning, in the Rotunda, he agrees to the possibility of a relationship if the Inquisitor will be patient with him, as "it has been a long time." She agrees, and he is warm and affectionate in a careful, slightly remote way going forward. But there are no more kisses.

For a pretty long time.

Dammit.

And nothing else happens for what would appear to be weeks or even months in-game. If you look at the ensuing events after the Fade Kiss, the Inquisitor has accomplished a series of events both political and on the battlefield against Corypants. She's spent months establishing Skyhold as an important and vital new hub for the Inquisition, recruited valuable agents, acquired power across Thedas, and acquired loyalties from companions, including Solas. She's also most likely faced the dangers of Adamant and the Fade, possibly conquered the Great Game at Halamshiral, and recovered her memories.

My favorite part of "Wicked Eyes" is how it also provides a subtle, enjoyable new flash of insight into Solas, and it's a more natural escalation, for me, into the balcony scene.

Wicked Eyes and Wicked Wolves

As noted above, one thing I personally will also have chosen to do at this point is the wonderful quest "Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts." Now, this is optional—it can also occur after Adamant, which means that it would occur after the balcony scene, not before. But for me it's more effective for multiple story reasons for "Wicked Eyes" to have occurred before.

For one thing, experiencing "Wicked Eyes" before Adamant and "Here Lies the Abyss" means that you'll recruit Morrigan before Alistair (or whoever did the Dark Ritual, if your Warden or another character did so) in DAO, providing you with an additional potential scene in the courtyard between Morrigan, Kieran, and the father of her child that is surprisingly poignant.

But my favorite part of "Wicked Eyes" is how it also provides a subtle, enjoyable new flash of insight into Solas, and it's a more natural escalation, for me, into the balcony scene. To understand this, please check out my post here on what I think Solas was actually up to throughout this quest. It's really fascinating to consider, and to me it provides a fun explanation for why he's so odd, blithe, carefree, and unlike his usual rebellious self.

And then he's odd again after Halamshiral, not quite his old self again. As if he's trying to re-don the suit of the apostate and it no longer quite fits. I'll be analyzing that conversation later, so more on that to follow.

Nevertheless, whether before Halamshiral or after, Lavellan goes to talk to Solas, and he's jittery and odd, off-balance.

And then we talk to him and he shows up IN HER QUARTERS.

Sorry. It's just a big deal. Solas never does that. Bull does, sure (wait, wait, headcanons collide AND IT IS GLORIOUS)!

Okay, sorry. Now I'm back.

When we go talk to Solas, triggering the balcony scene, he's quite different, yet again, from his usual cool calm. He is instead uncertain, on edge.

Off to the Balcony

First, let's address the timeline. Since we can skip around in quests and accomplishments, there's a pretty flexible order in which all this stuff can occur.

While some players have encountered this quest immediately after Solas's loyalty quest, for me, I suspect that the canon order in which the story flows is that Solas goes to see Lavellan after the events of Adamant and the Fade. I say this because the interlude in the Fade seems to both awe and exhilarate Solas. Not that this is a shock. I mean, let's face it, Solas loves the Fade more than anyone, anywhere, anywhen. Bless his little ancient elven heart.

So that's the scene, at least as I see it playing out.

And then we go talk to Solas, triggering the balcony scene, and he's quite different, yet again, from his usual cool calm. He is instead uncertain, on edge. The presentation of Solas in the scene here is that he looks almost sad, and openly confused:

SOLAS: Inquisitor, I was… do you have a moment?

They walk together out onto the Inquisitor's BALCONY (I know, I'll stop yelping about this, but it's a big deal!).

And then he turns to her.

SOLAS: What were you like... before the Anchor? 

The Inquisitor looks down at her left hand, trying to remember her life before the Mark.

SOLAS: Has it affected you? Changed you in any way? Your mind, your morals, your… spirit?

Note the slight pause there. I've mentioned this before, but I think it's key. And since I overanalyze everything, I do think every one of Solas's pauses here is scripted, deliberate, and important.

Solas's question of the Inquisitor is all the more tragic and epic because he sees and loves her beauty, her courage. And he sees and loves her actual spirit. So he suspects that love, tries to write it off as a side effect.

A Question of Spirit...

So let's look at that pause: He pauses, hesitates, because spirit is the thing that means most to him in the world. The spirit. More than anything. And I actually believe that Solas, if he is in fact a former spirit, may even have some ability to see into the spirits within those he meets.

Which makes it all the more tragic and epic, his love for the Inquisitor: He sees and loves her beauty, her courage. And he sees and loves her actual spirit.

And I think there's something more complex happening here too. For me, his trip to the Fade has triggered his loneliness, his deep wish to find companionship, a kindred spirit. He's seeking additional connection. Which is why I believe Solas also yearns for the possibility that perhaps her spirit was changed, enhanced, transfigured by her contact with the Orb of Corypants (revealed to be Solas's).

In some respects, it's a slightly unpleasant, even narcissistic idea... but I think the key here isn't that he's looking for himself in her, I'd say he's more seeking every additional excuse he can to maintain proximity, even beyond the Mark. He knows he should not be romancing Lavellan. He knows he should remove himself... unless... there are reasons he MUST maintain contact. For her safety. For her spirit.

Solas is genuinely torn, and this is one of the key moments when he must choose—caught between, love, lust and an open willingness to deceive himself.

Finding Excuses

And story-wise, we've also entered the 'maybe' that he's even wondering frantically if this is why he's drawn to her, if it's instinctual, something he cannot help... because of this connection, because of the Mark, and because she touched his Orb (I know, I know, let your dirty little mind run free—mine already did).

My take: Solas is genuinely torn, and this is one of the key moments when he must choose—caught between, love, lust and an open willingness to deceive himself. On the one hand, he's searching for an explanation. Imagine the relief—he's not in love! She just absorbed a little magic and now he feels connected to her spirit! Just a by-product of sorts. Annoying, but not insurmountable. But still... the feelings are so strong. So he's also desperate to hold onto that idea that he and the Inquisitor may now be, irrevocably, spiritually connected.

But he's wrong on both counts, and she lets him know that very, very quickly. He doesn't get off that easily. If he's in this thing, he has to admit that love is involved. Nothing magic, nothing ancient or external. Just love, the deadliest thing of all.

 If Solas is in this thing, he has to admit that love is involved. Nothing magic, nothing ancient or external. Just love, the deadliest thing of all...

Back to the Balcony

So let's go back to where Solas asks his question, and the Inquisitor answers. (Please note that, unusually for me here, I will be including most potential response variations here, since they are so different, and show different potential sides of both Solas and the Inquisitor.)

Here we are, back on the balcony. And I love that we can hear the faint howl of the wind through the mountains here. The visual and aural design of this entire scene is so beautiful.

SOLAS: What were you like before the Anchor? Has it affected you? Changed you in any way? Your mind, your morals, your… spirit?
INQUISITOR: I don’t believe so.
SOLAS (disappointed): Ah.

Another telling pause. And this is a big one, and something I forgot to mention in my previous version of this post until reader Mia Monza pointed it out. She noted, and I agree, that Solas appears visibly disappointed here, as if he wanted her to acknowledge some visceral, real change in herself after the Mark. Mia noted that she believes this is due to Solas grasping for explanations on why Lavellan is so special to him and—specifically—on her "personhood" for him: If she has absorbed something from the Orb, this might provide him with a facile explanation for why she matters to him and allow him to continue on, guilt-free, with his plans to drastically change or even destroy this world without having to see its inhabitants as "people." (Remember, we later learn his vision of the living world was, for a long time, like "walking through a world of Tranquil.")

But this is one of the many times Felassan's words will echo back to him, in irony and bittersweetness, even as they did in the very beginnings of the romance: If she's real—if he accepts that she's real—then everyone here is real, and he is, in fact, a monster. 

INQUISITOR (among options): Why do you ask? (Alternatives are where she asks if he thinks she'd notice, or simply where she asks what he thinks is going on there)
SOLAS (answering in a rush): You show a wisdom I have not seen since… since my deepest journeys into the ancient memories of the Fade! You are not what I expected.

This part is charming because it's another of those rare moments where Solas is effusive and emotional, unguarded. And then there are some more dialogue options (I usually go with Option 3):

Option 1:
INQUISITOR: I don’t think of myself as different from anyone.
SOLAS: Perhaps not in the form of your body, no.

Option 2:
INQUISITOR: Sorry to disappoint.
SOLAS: It’s not disappointing, it’s… (sighs). Most people are predictable.

Option 3:
INQUISITOR: What have I done that’s so surprising?
SOLAS: You have shown subtlety in your actions, a wisdom that goes against everything I expected. If the Dalish could raise someone with a spirit like yours… have I misjudged them?

The Inquisitor answers—either for the Dalish, disparaging them, or stating that she is a product of her own choices. I typically support the Dalish:

INQUISITOR: I don’t hold the Dalish up as perfect, but we have something worth honoring... a memory of the ancient ways.
SOLAS: Perhaps that is it. I suppose it must be. Most people act with so little understanding of the world. But not you.

One thing I especially love about this moment is that Solas is basically declaring his love for Lavellan's mind—her actions, her decisions. And he is also showing himself as fallible, as vulnerable, that he can rethink entrenched points of view he has nurtured for millennia. He can see her as a person. He can see the Dalish as people. He can care for his companions. 

He is beginning to see how beautiful, and how fatal, simple love can be. 

Once again, for readers of The Masked Empire, the ghost of Felassan is very present here. As he should be.

The kiss and approach is an interesting staging choice—to me it seems to offer a slight nod to Solas's earlier implied bedroom preferences, in which she seems to be both relinquishing and yet wielding power.

"It would be kinder in the long run."

A pause as they face each other, the rays of the sunset falling gorgeously upon both their faces. They lean in toward one another but do not touch. Yet.

One of my favorite things about Solas as a character—both in how he is drawn and presented, and in how he's written and voiced—is this almost tangible representation of the fact that he is not quite fully there. He could run at any time. He wants to run; he needs to run. He doesn't want to give in.

So it's again a lovely detail that we see this so many times. So many times, he backs away, says "I shouldn't... we shouldn't..." and yet he's a passionate man. He is alive and still young even if the world is on fire. He has been desperately lonely for millennia, and here is perhaps is one and only chance at love, and at a moment of real happiness.

INQUISITOR: So what does this mean, Solas?

He smiles. Solas also likes controlling the moment, don't forget (see also: Indomitable Focus).

SOLAS: It means... I have not forgotten the kiss.

It's a big deal, and the Inquisitor faces him. She can either tell him to forget it, or agree to resume/continue their romance. Of course, my canon Inquisitor agreed with him:

INQUISITOR: Good.

Another key little moment. She walks right up to him and into his space. The romantic "Companion Kiss" music comes up in Trevor Morris's score. Then the Inquisitor leans close to him and clasps her hands behind her back. It's an interesting staging choice—to me it seems to offer a slight nod to Solas's earlier implied bedroom preferences, in which she seems to be both relinquishing and yet wielding power. And he gets that she's teasing him, and they almost kiss, the Inquisitor openly taunting him with what she knows he wants. But Solas resists and turns away.

She touches his arm and pulls him back.

INQUISITOR: Don’t go.
SOLAS (still facing away from her): It would be kinder in the long run.

Another "I should run right now" moment for Solas. "I should run far, far away from this."

SOLAS: But losing you would…

He can't run, or resist. They kiss again, at last. And it's as passionate and beautifully presented as always, and with the setting rays of the sun falling upon them both (if, of course, you aren't running my grimmer mod). And I mean, it's, like, a THIRTEEN SECOND KISS. (Compare that to our poor Bullmancing Inquisitors, who got a 1-second peck outside the tavern, darn it.)

And then they end the kiss, and it's as if a pact has been sealed between the two of them. Solas says the words every Solasmancer has loved and dreaded since time immemorial:

SOLAS: Ar lath ma, vhenan.

And then he leaves. Dropping a mic as the Inquisitor just looks pleased, dreamy, and thoughtful as she watches him go (as do we all).

DAMMIT SOLAS.

And then they end the kiss, and it's as if a pact has been sealed between the two of them. Solas says the words every Solasmancer has loved and dreaded since time immemorial... DAMMIT.

Parsing the Language

Meanwhile... not to diminish the charm or power of the final declaration, I only have one minor gripe here, which is that Gareth David-Lloyd's love declaration is phrased as "Ar lath, ma vhenan." Which has led, unfortunately and predictably, to a zillion tropes and memes in which people think he says "I love (you), my heart" here. And that's not quite accurate.

What Solas actually says is, "Ar lath ma, vhenan." To break it down in elven:

Ar: I
Lath: love
Ma: you
Vhenan: heart/home

Despite the insistences of much of the fandom, in other words, "ma" (while it can certainly stand in for either "my" or "you") is much more likely to be used as the object "you," especially here.

As for me, I always take GDL's phrasing here more as, "Ar lath ma vhenan. Not that he's misplacing the comma but rather that he's emphasizing the word "love."

(Sorry. I'm a nerd.)

Solas leaves... Solas, who is ALWAYS on the verge of leaving, simply because he is terrified of limits, terrified of feeling too much, lusting too much, of giving in to feelings he has bottled up for centuries upon centuries...

Final Observations from the Balcony

Don't you love the view up here? I always do. So much!

There are some very interesting, key and unique things happening in these final moments for me, so just a few additional observations as we enjoy the fading light of sunset.

First off, it's both in-character and absolutely appropriate that of course, Solas declares love in this very casual yet intense way... it's as if he is simply speaking aloud something understood by them both. She already knows he loves her. He already knows she knows. But he gives her that gift by speaking the words aloud. Even her reaction isn't joy or glee or anything huge; she simply smiles thoughtfully, watching him leave (BECAUSE OF COURSE HE DOES). She's okay for now because he's given her a gift.

I've thought a lot about the timing of this "I love you," and it's worth examining. For other romances, the "I love you" is the culmination, a separate arc. But I would argue that, as Solas's romance plotline is so deeply tied to the main storyline of DAI, its timing is not actually all that sudden. DAI takes place across approximately 1-2 years according to canon. By the siege of Adamant, Solas and the Inquisitor have spent at least 9-12 months together, by my reckoning. I further headcanon a few months beyond the Fade Kiss (seriously, so unfair to poor Lavellan) as they navigated their potential burgeoning relationship and its boundaries.

So they've been good friends and companions, and that romantic "something else" for almost a year now. It's just that now is when it's finally out in the open.

It's not about the Inky admitting it to herself. But about the milestone for Solas. And his relinquishment of doubt or uncertainty. Against all his inner warnings, he loves her, and he must act. And it must be a relief, certainly, to do so here. To give each of them this moment.

But let's compare this to all of the other declarations of love in the game. Out of all of them, all of them, Solas's is the only one that pointedly does not lead to or arise from sex (beyond the kiss, I mean). (As I noted, I am a die-hard believer in "They did not have sex," so I incorporated a lot of this behavior into my DAI AU fanfic—a Solas who is always on the verge of leaving simply because he is terrified of limits, terrified of feeling too much, lusting too much, of giving in to feelings he has bottled up for centuries upon centuries.)

The moment is given, yes, but the moment ends.

Solas says "I love you"... and then he leaves. It's a gorgeous presentation of subtext and metaphor in a single moment. It encompasses all of the passion, warmth and sexiness of the character... as well as his potential for coldness and expedience... and even cruelty.

It's who he is. It's what he has to do. It's what he will always do, both now and in the future.

That's what you get if you love Solas. Twelve-second kisses that may or may not taste ever so slightly of the tears ahead.

I still think they're worth it. Most replays. How 'bout you?

Note: I updated this post to address a missed (and vital) element in the dialogue 3/18.