i had a whole thing about this, somewhere in my drafts, its something i've been chewing on for a while, but i saw something on a reddit discussion and almost had an aneurism so,
Celene posting, again. I'm so sorry.
I keep seeing people saying that Celene is the status-quo, which is what prompted this write up, but- lmao.
Celene isn't the status-quo. Gaspard is the status-quo.
Gaspard is the one who is mired in the past and wants to use Orlais military might to impose their will on the rest of Thedas, it's Gaspard who wants the Empire in a perpetual state of war, it's Gaspard who is salivating at the thought of glory through war.
Which has basically been Orlais' state of affairs for the past 300 years, in some form or another.
Celene is the one who looks towards the future, the one with a long, long eye towards the future. She is the one who actually changed Orlais historical focus from war to culture; she is the reason the university of orlais is The Instituition in Thedas for education, she is the reason the theatre is popular outside of Orlesian borders, she is the patron propping up and inviting international artists to Orlais to show their culture. Celene is the one who is making economic changes and social changes by giving elves and merchants more leeway in how they can operate their business; before her no commoners or elves were allowed in certain parts of the markets in Val Royeaux.
That is not the status quo of the country as it has been for the past 500 years.
That is the status quo when we arrive in Orlais, mired in a the middle of a civil war that occurs in part of the backlash of the change in status quo.
We, as players, when we arrive in a area, those areas are usually preparing themselves for change on way or the other, after centuries of doing the same thing. But Orlais has already gone through that change when arrive; and Celene was the one who started it, and this crisis is the backlash to those changes. Because she has changed things.
Yes, she keeps the Game, but even Josie tells you that it has become insular; do you know why? Because Celene has opened the doors so that common people may get better lives without having to join the nobility at all.
Gaspard wants to abolish the game? I believe him, he can quite suck at it sometimes (just like Celene can quite suck at war, which is why she is also opposed to it; she doesn't like to lose), but his methods are not going to do anything; when he's gone, the game will return, because he didn't address the underlining issue which is nobles' suffocating breath of power over commoners.
While I don't think Celene wants to abolish the game, what she is doing is the most likely way to do it; give people other means of having a better life and most of the power of the nobility starts dwindle slowly. She is, most assuredly unintentionally, slowly stifling the oxygen out the room.
This isn't to say that Celene isn't an imperialist dick, she is! She did try marry Cailan to influence Ferelden again. And her way of doing things is frustratingly slow, but it does work if you are concerned with making sure the country doesn't fall into chaos.
I don't doubt they both want what is best for Orlais, for as different a vision as they have of what that is; that is the one thing I think both Gaspard and Celene have in common. But there is a fundamental difference in how they approach such a thing.
Think of it's geographical position; basically backed against a wall on all sides with Ferelden to the East, Nevarra to the North and Anderfels to West.
Think of it internationally, two out three of those have been in active war with Orlais in the past century (arguably Orlais is in a cold war with Nevarra atm, disregarding DAV).
Imagine that the Anderfels, for some reason, decide to align themselves with Nevarra and Ferelden and they all declare war on Orlais.
Who is going to defend them? What is the dependable ally they can count on?
Because Orlais' unvarnished aggression towards its neighbors has isolated the country to the point where they do not have any allies beyond a vague alliance when the Chantry demands it or a Blight requires it.
What Celene wants - and what Orlais needs - is not a strongman that will lead them to wars that might strengthen their position for a while when they hold the territory they conquer (which historically, beyond the Dales, has not gone very well for them - to put it mildly).
What they need is allies.
Celene's press for culture and education is not just her own preferences shining through; it is essentially a PR move, a makeover of Orlais so that it might attract more flies with honey.
Marrying Cailan was not only about controlling Ferelden (oh, don't get me wrong, she wouldn't say no to that), it's about perception; if Orlais' most abused neighbor becomes a friend, then others will feel more likely to do so as well.
It's a PR move, which Celene is the queen of (for good or ill, good god).
Ultimately, I think that any scenario that leaves Gaspard alive is a horrible time for Orlais in the long term. The Truce is the worst outcome for the country point-blank (even if it suits an Inquisition that wants to stay neutral) and Emperor Gaspard is not only untested in ruling a country but is also doubling and tripling down on tactics that have crippled Orlais for the past century, if not for their entire existence. And Celene is not the status-quo, she is frustrating slow and head-inducing change that has to fight tooth and nail against her nobles to even get a foothold on most of her policy agenda; i mean these fuckers were against a peace treaty for a war that had ended at least 20 years before Celene ascended to the throne and she was the one who had to negotiate peace because Florian didn't have the political capital, strength or desire to do so.
