Solas is a more morally ambiguous villain than some of the other antagonists from Dragon Age's past. The Archdemon of the Fifth Blight was a corrupted dragon leading an army of soulless monsters, and Corypheus was one of the power-hungry mages whose use of blood magic to breach the Veil brought the Blight upon Thedas. Dragon Age 4, however, appears to be focusing on a villain whose main motivation is guilt.
Solas created the Veil during a time when the ancient Elven empire dominated Thedas. He did so in order to trap the Elven gods – the Evanuris – behind the Veil in the Fade. The Evanuris had been enslaving their own people, and Solas wanted to free them. The side effect of creating the Veil, however, was that the Elves lost access to much of their magic. Weakened, they were no match for the Tevinter Imperium after humanity arrived on the continent. Now it seems Solas wants to bring down the Veil to undo the damage he wrought on his people. With Solas' motivations already so sympathetic, BioWare needs to avoid one obvious twist in Dragon Age 4.
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BioWare has to perform an interesting balancing act with a character like Solas. He was a companion character in Inquisition, and though he could be haughty, the reveal that he was the Dread Wolf of Dalish legend still came as a surprise to many players. His character is most comparable to Flemeth, who doesn't just share his moral ambiguity but his history as one of the Elven gods who opposed the enslavement of their people through Mystra, the spirit possessing Flemeth throughout the games so far.
There's a risk that players simply won't buy that Solas is the true villain of Dragon Age 4, as there are plenty of reasons that players might doubt that he will be the final antagonist of the game. While Varric Tethras is quick to describe Solas' goal as "breaking the world" in the Dragon Age 4 trailer, anyone who has played through Inquisition knows this isn't quite the case. Solas wants to bring down the Veil and restore his people to their former prominence, with the Elves having lived as slaves, nomads, and second-class citizens for centuries by the time Dragon Age: Origins begins.
Solas accepts the possibility that bringing down the Veil could cause the destruction of the other races of Thedas, but that does not appear to be his goal. If the Dread Wolf had turned solely to revenge, his framing as Dragon Age 4's big bad guy might be less suspicious. Not only is Solas morally ambiguous, but it's not hard for many fans of the franchise to see how he could accidentally release a far greater evil by tampering with the Fade.
Although it has been subject to speculation in-universe and out, whatever created the Darkspawn appears to be in the Fade, and could be released if Solas brings down the Veil. The Evanuris themselves are also still presumably trapped in the Fade, and Solas' attempt to restore the Elves could see them enslaved by their ancient gods once again.
Whatever happens, however, BioWare needs to avoid one obvious twist. Solas should not bring down the Veil, release forces beyond his control, and then have a "what have I done" moment. If BioWare takes this route and Solas ends up making a last-minute heroic sacrifice, the game will miss the opportunity to explore an aspect of his character that could make him one of Dragon Age's most compelling villains so far.
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Solas' ultimate goals are easily framed as sympathetic. He wants to free his people. It is how he imagines himself in that project, however, that could be an interesting thread for Dragon Age 4's story to unravel. When Solas first rebelled against the other Elven gods and created the Veil to trap them, he did not anticipate the effect that cutting the Elves off from the Fade would have. He didn't predict the arrival of humanity on Thedas' northern shore, the unification of the human tribes into the Tevinter Imperium, the Imperium's surprisingly quick grasping of magic, or its willingness to use blood magic to become the dominant force on the continent.
Solas' tragic flaw is that he sees himself as the hero of his people. Despite some of the Elves' biggest problems being caused by his actions, he still believes that it will be him exercising his great power that will both free them and redeem himself. Solas is willing to bring down the Veil despite not quite knowing what the consequences will be. This act shows the exact same irresponsibility and arrogance that led him to create the Veil to begin with, despite not knowing the long-lasting effects it would have on the Elves.
Solas shouldn't be let off the hook if a greater evil is lurking in the Fade, and he shouldn't get a chance to redeem himself through heroic sacrifice. If Dragon Age 4 is going to explore the character to his full potential, it needs to show how, despite his admirable goals, the Dread Wolf's belief that he should – or even can – control the fates of entire civilizations is what makes him truly evil.
The Dread Wolf shouldn't lose sight of his admirable final goal – restoring the Elven civilization. However, it's already clear from the story so far that he is willing to go to any length to achieve that end, even gambling with the lives of the Elves and losing in the past. If BioWare can keep Solas' portrayal consistent while exposing the true extent of his villainy, Dragon Age 4 could have one of the most interesting antagonists of any BioWare RPG so far. Solas changing sides to battle a greater evil or sacrificing himself, however, would undermine the part of his personality that has the greatest potential to make him a compelling villain – his willingness to gamble with the fate of Thedas for the small chance of redeeming himself.
Dragon Age 4 is in development.
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