Dragon Age II: EA boogaloo

[CharlesPhipps]

Hey, if you are a guy who murders 1000s of people, you should keep the guy who can raise everything up to All Dead and including Mostly Dead.

On a serious note, it is kind of funny that Anders is the Friend Nobody Likes even in the game. Anders is an asshole to Aveline, Fenris, Isabella, and everyone else and you know what? They all treat him like crap in return. The only reason they tolerate him in the setting is Hawk seems to be friends with him regardless--probably because, again, Anders is entirely capable and willing to kill anyone who Hawke points him at.

Which is good business.

But of course Anders will end up burning that bridge too.

[CaiusGermanicus]

Correct me if I 'm wrong since I never played the game and my only familiarity with it is through the review but once she gets his map why does Hawke still need Anders? couldn't she fire him? (at least in theory?) As such unlike in harassment where you are forced to put up with behavior you don't care for since the other person has all the power. In this case Hawke has the power and could get rid of the guy. Again if I am misreading the situation I apologize. NOTE: I am not saying you have to like the guy, just saying that there is a difference between an asshole and harasser since the latter is about power. Again if Anders still had leverage in that situation and I was simply unaware of it I retract my statement as incorrect.

Nothing about the harassment and power. This about he's sometimes a rude jerk. My favourite romance of the whole series.

But you can send him away in the Act 2, after his personal quest. I suppose on low difficulty doesn't matter you don't have a healer, and if you play as a mage, you can spec to healing. But of course, he's not a simple companion. He's the real (anti)hero of the game. His conversations are interesting. And Hawke can crush him, kill him, send him away, betray him, refuse him... true, it does not affect the outcome, but it can ruin him.

[CaiusGermanicus]

Hey, if you are a guy who murders 1000s of people, you should keep the guy who can raise everything up to All Dead and including Mostly Dead.

On a serious note, it is kind of funny that Anders is the Friend Nobody Likes even in the game. Anders is an asshole to Aveline, Fenris, Isabella, and everyone else and you know what? They all treat him like crap in return. The only reason they tolerate him in the setting is Hawk seems to be friends with him regardless--probably because, again, Anders is entirely capable and willing to kill anyone who Hawke points him at.

Which is good business.

But of course Anders will end up burning that bridge too.

Hey, Varric likes him, and Bethany as well. He's not a monster (or at least it depends...). He's can be a big asshole, but not always, let's be objective! And Aveline, Fenris and the others also can be an asshole to him. Except for Merrill... Merrill always kind to everyone, even to him and Fenris.

Anders has a crush for Hawke, or rather obsession? This can be mutual and one-side, healthy and very unhealthy.

[CharlesPhipps]

For me, I think it's kind of interesting to note Anders represents the dangers of Moral Myopia. There's no doubt Mages get the short end of the stick and I'm all for revolution with them but I kind of like comparing his revolutionary views to Serah's or Fenris. Neither of them really see's the other's plight as their problem.

But yes, my Dragon Age review was basically Mage Hawke as Mageneto and even he was embarrassed by Anders at times.

[CaiusGermanicus]

For me, I think it's kind of interesting to note Anders represents the dangers of Moral Myopia. There's no doubt Mages get the short end of the stick and I'm all for revolution with them but I kind of like comparing his revolutionary views to Serah's or Fenris. Neither of them really see's the other's plight as their problem.

But yes, my Dragon Age review was basically Mage Hawke as Mageneto and even he was embarrassed by Anders at times.

Anders in Kirkwall can't solve the Tevinter slavery, regardless, he doesn't support that. He can focus on Kirkwall's problem, and he does it. He not only deals with the Mage issues but even the refugees and poor people of Darktown. Of course, his main problem is the Circles. He's biased this is undoubted. But he sees the danger of the magic, but can't accept the system as a solution. Magneto is not a bad simile. My Hawkes mostly supports him. (I once sided finally with the Templars, for Carver and felt bad.)

I like his character, because very (and literally) complex, and explainable in many ways. For me (I'm biased) he's the best in the series.

Probably you're right about Sera, but I see Fenris more open-minded than this seems at first sight. There some conversation, we can see, he rather fears, than condemns. Anders more judgemental (probably Justice's influence, but I'm not sure: he's deeply Andrastian, more than even he thought).

[CharlesPhipps]

Anders in Kirkwall can't solve the Tevinter slavery, regardless, he doesn't support that. He can focus on Kirkwall's problem, and he does it. He not only deals with the Mage issues but even the refugees and poor people of Darktown. Of course, his main problem is the Circles. He's biased this is undoubted. But he sees the danger of the magic, but can't accept the system as a solution. Magneto is not a bad simile. My Hawkes mostly supports him. (I once sided finally with the Templars, for Carver and felt bad.)

I like his character, because very (and literally) complex, and explainable in many ways. For me (I'm biased) he's the best in the series.

True, I forgot about Anders charity work for Fereldans. It's why no one was turning him in to the Templars.

Probably you're right about Sera, but I see Fenris more open-minded than this seems at first sight. There some conversation, we can see, he rather fears, than condemns. Anders more judgemental (probably Justice's influence, but I'm not sure: he's deeply Andrastian, more than even he thought).

I think there's a decent argument the problem with Thedas is the people. It's not so much that mages will become corrupt, dominating, and ruthless abusers but that said system is the natural state of Thedas. Dorian raised a good point in Inquisition that mages are just as qualified as anyone else to rule--because without magic, a hereditary warrior caste rules the rest of the world.

[CaiusGermanicus]

True, I forgot about Anders charity work for Fereldans. It's why no one was turning him in to the Templars.

I think there's a decent argument the problem with Thedas is the people. It's not so much that mages will become corrupt, dominating, and ruthless abusers but that said system is the natural state of Thedas. Dorian raised a good point in Inquisition that mages are just as qualified as anyone else to rule--because without magic, a hereditary warrior caste rules the rest of the world.

And probably this is, why the Templars don't arrest him, only watch him (he mentioned to Hawke, the Templars Snooping around his clinic), this can be a valid explanation when we speak about refugee problems: a free health care can keep the refugees calm. (And because there's no other explanation: his Grey Warden state doesn't protect him anymore).

Always the people are the problem. Dorian is a good example. And even Fenris mentions at the Gallows (first visit here, if Hawke confronts with him), that he can't deny, among the Magisters are real noble people.

[CharlesPhipps]

And probably this is, why the Templars don't arrest him, only watch him (he mentioned to Hawke, the Templars Snooping around his clinic), this can be a valid explanation when we speak about refugee problems: a free health care can keep the refugees calm. (And because there's no other explanation: his Grey Warden state doesn't protect him anymore).

Well, that and I think since Justice took him over, Anders is perfectly willing to kill any Templar who tries to take him down.

As an Abomination, he's really capable of taking down most with ease.

[CaiusGermanicus]

Well, that and I think since Justice took him over, Anders is perfectly willing to kill any Templar who tries to take him down.
As an Abomination, he's really capable of taking down most with ease.

Yes, he clearly able to do it, and he did it in his short story. He's incredibly strong and almost immortal with Justice, he can be a monster, but he's not really a monster. In Kirkwall, he didn't kill any Templar without Hawke. There's nothing about it in the game (the game doesn't mention a secret Templar-killer), and he can say it somewhere: he can restrain his anger, only this is hard. He didn't kill Templars without evidence: when the man says in the Hanged Man, the Templars and the Chantry involved this qunari problem, he says not once, this is not a proof, only a drunk's words. He can keep the control after Ella's case. On the other hand, the blind massacre does not serve his cause. He must be over control.

[CharlesPhipps]

Well, that and I think since Justice took him over, Anders is perfectly willing to kill any Templar who tries to take him down.
As an Abomination, he's really capable of taking down most with ease.

Yes, he clearly able to do it, and he did it in his short story. He's incredibly strong and almost immortal with Justice, he can be a monster, but he's not really a monster. In Kirkwall, he didn't kill any Templar without Hawke. There's nothing about it in the game (the game doesn't mention a secret Templar-killer), and he can say it somewhere: he can restrain his anger, only this is hard. He didn't kill Templars without evidence: when the man says in the Hanged Man, the Templars and the Chantry involved this qunari problem, he says not once, this is not a proof, only a drunk's words. He can keep the control after Ella's case. On the other hand, the blind massacre does not serve his cause. He must be over control.

Eh, a lot of people die around Hawke in general. Templars and mages. Anders isn't seeking them out but I'm assuming if any Templars did identify him and try to go after him then the result would be pretty obvious. I imagine by the early part of the game he's inclined to run from them but by the end of the game, he'd just lie about any murders he committed.

Besides, a lot of Templars die in Kirkwall.

Mages too.

That's part of why it's the powder keg which ultimately destroys the Mage-Templar detente. They are already in a state of Cold War by the time the game begins. Hawke doens't find out about ALL of the murders and guerilla war but he finds enough.