During the Gamescom peek into Dragon Age 4, one developer referenced Solas as a character that some love and want to marry, while others want to see the Dread Wolf dead. This sentiment has lingered since the release of Inquisition, and many of the fandom want to finally “crack an egg” and defeat Solas.
Indeed, Solas seems to be at the height of his power, ready to tear down the Veil, and face off against the Dragon Age 4 protagonists, who won’t have the same power as the Inquisition. This seems to be the cut and dry approach many would expect, but assuming Solas does tear down the Veil, there could be a lot more happen than many expect. For example, the Forgotten Ones may return to wreak havoc on the world, whereas the Ancient Elven Gods are restored to power. Many think this somehow connects to the Archdemon, so Solas may also inadvertently awaken the final two and begin a massive blight in Dragon Age 4.
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Solas is hell-bent on restoring the old world of the Elves, whatever that means for the current world of DA4, but destroying it to rebuild it in its older image is likely what Solas refers to. Literally destroying the world would leave nothing for the Elves to rebuild, and if tearing down the Veil has huge consequences for the world, Solas may inadvertently have to save it to protect his people. This small irony could, in theory, be capitalized upon, with one returning detail for the character: making him a companion.
Little is known about the story, but players will be encountering political intrigue, wars, revolts, and a changing world, all without the power of the Inquisition. BioWare devs seemingly teased that the players won’t be a Grey Warden, have the support of Tevinter, or the backing of the Inquisition when Dragon Age 4 rolls around, making Solas’ plot all the more deadly. As such, and with his scheming around the world, it seems the Veil is indeed coming down. In other words, it would be like the Rifts that plagued the world in Inquisition, but much more deadly as spirits and demons collide, mages potentially have more power, Archdemons could awaken, The Forgotten Ones could seek to plunge the world into chaos, the Elven Gods could return in anger, and so, so much more.
In seeking to destroy the world, Solas may actually unleash enough power to do so, well beyond his expectation. It wouldn’t be the first time his plans have gotten out of hand. He did not create the Veil, for example, to see his people reduced to second-class citizens or to see the Dalish lose their way with the markings of slaves. He did not intend for Corypheus to be able to use the Orb, nor did he expect to lose the Anchor to the Inquisitor. In other words, the Dread Wolf has a history of plans going awry. Upon realizing this mistake, what becomes of Solas? What if this takes all of his power, thereby leaving him in yet another weakened state (as creating the Veil put him into a slumber for thousands of years)?
In this sense, it could be that the new player character finally cracks the egg and executes him for his actions against the world, being left in a world too distracted by politics to realize the new threat, and trying to solve it with no support. On the other hand, in this weakened state, Solas may still be the best option for correcting everything. As a companion, players could work with Solas to undo his plan, restore the Veil, seal away the Forgotten Ones and Elven Gods, and maybe still see the Elven people earn the worldwide respect they deserve.
Further, this would make sense in one long-running series staple: it’s always the mage companion. In Dragon Age: Origins, it is Morrigan who conducts the ritual and leaves. In Dragon Age 2, it is Anders who destroys the Chantry, thus beginning the Mage-Templar war. And in Dragon Age: Inquisition, it is Solas who was behind everything. Seeing him return as a Dragon Age companion would also make sense, as it would be a case like Varric, where his importance goes on to connect the two. After all, Solas is going to return in some form, and this might as well be it.
This doesn’t mean a happy ending, and this doesn’t mean players can’t finally crack that egg. But seeing Solas attempt to save the world that he’s seeking to destroy, to ally with those who would oppose him, and to take on massive powers without the support of the world or his own mystical powers would be a unique approach to Dragon Age 4. Of course, this is all speculation, but expecting a cut and dry story where Solas is the de facto villain doesn’t really seem like the best approach, despite how much hate he gets, deserves, and has brought upon himself.
Dragon Age 4 is in development.
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