Interpreting Solas - Analysing Screenshots from Dragon Age Inquisition Trespasser

I was going over some game play footage to create screenshots for video thumbnails, and it's amazing how quickly these images go by when you're fully immersed in the game. When taking a look at these screenshots, they speak volumes, just from that one frame.

Here is my analysis of these particular frames and my take on what they represent.

This first one is from a friendship with Solas. It's from my Human Mage play through. Solas is saving her from the anchor, which is killing her. He neutralises it, and literally takes her hand, or lower part of the arm. He does this in every play through. The anchor is supposedly off, though the effects of it linger on the part of the Inquisitor's arm that remains, as the green glow of it still flickers. Her dying hand is in Solas's hand.

If I wanted to give Solas a hand on his mission, then I literally did just that. In doing this, Solas saves the Inquisitor's life. They are staring at each other. We can see on his face how it was necessary for him to do this, but as he said himself, he takes no pleasure in what must be done. It's like a final goodbye to a friend you tried to save but who must leave. He takes a piece of the Inquisitor with him, a reminder of the bond of friendship and loyalty, which I hope will mean a lot more down the line to he who is called the Dread Wolf.

This one, and all the following images as well, is from my first Lavellan play through, with a romanced Solas. This is when the Inquisitor arrives and sees Solas for the first time after two years since his departure/disappearance. He seems to have expected her, yet he slowly turns, unknowing how seeing her will make him feel.

I find this position symbolic because he ultimately chooses to turn away from Lavellan, turn away from their love, though here he is turning towards her. What we really want, most of us who have romanced him, is for him to turn away from his current path and permanently turn to and choose his love.

They stare at each other, worlds apart. There is much distance between them here and Solas has chosen to put emotional distance between them. Lavellan is from Thedas, a world disconnected from the Fade by the Veil, while Solas is from a world that was once connected to and in existence with the Fade. He is so far gone and lost on the path he has chosen for himself, that this literal distance between Solas and his vhenan as he shares the origins of his people, the Evanuris, reflects the growing distance in his heart.

But the longing for his love is there, and it pains him to see her in such pain. He saves her, taking her hand, removing the anchor. In this romanced play through, Solas crouches and holds her as he removes the anchor, giving in to his passion and kisses her one last time.

Why does it have to be one last time!

Longing. Heartache. Reflected in his eyes and expression as he leaves for good. Or at least for now for good.

Solas decided that it had to be either his love, vhenan, or Arlathan. He does not see that it could be both. He chose a long time ago to restore Arlathan, so he thinks he cannot abandon that mission. His heart breaks and if he chose his vhenan over Arlathan, his heart would still break. There must be a way for it to be both, there must be another way, where he does not have to choose between his two heart's desires.

Anyway, those are some thoughts I had while staring at these images. Let me know what your take away is and how you interpret some of these, regardless whether you've played Dragon Age or not. I'd be curious to know the interpretation of someone who does not know the story and characters, to have an outsider's perspective. And the perspective of insiders too ;)