The romanced Inquisitor and the Redeem ending (Veilguard spoilers)
I often see misunderstandings and critical comments, especially on Reddit, about the role of the Inquisitor in the redemption ending. I want to explain how I see it from a narrative designer's perspective. I'll approach the topic from a broader angle, so I ask for your patience and understanding. Long read.
This was a fantastic objective analysis as someone who isn’t a Solasmancer to boot! An aspect I always get stuck on emotionally is how Mythal *finally* listening then subsequently dying locks Solas into perceiving her as a martyr and objectivity for him would go out the window. Regardless of what kind of relationship dynamics they shared they had a deep care and respect for one another so the loss, and the tally of mistakes and poor choices, becomes incredibly consuming. Being given the empathy and compassion by Rook, someone he JUST betrayed speaks massively to Rooks character. I have said this in a twitter thread but the ending says a lot more about Rook as a protagonist than just a satisfying end to Solas. Bad ending is full of fury, trick ending is an attempt to outwit (imo felt a bit flat because there wasn’t enough build but we move) but redemption says despite all the wrongs Solas has done, Rook still has understanding and compassion for the lost elf under it all. Giving him the chance to make amends, learning about his past, fighting or convincing Mythal to help all speaks to their belief he can be better and deserves the chance to be. Solavellan ending is just generally an extra level of satisfying as narratively their arcs in the games start together, they were the only elves in a massive organisation who found comfort and familiarity but also surprise and love in one another. There us a lot Veilguard needed go enhance its narrative strength but for a game made in three years, it did a good job and i was content in Solavellan redemption narratively.
Thank you so much for such a detailed comment! I’m deeply in love with mythical love stories (researching and writing myths is part of my actual job) and the story of Solas and the Inquisitor is exactly that kind. Despite being mostly disappointed with Veilguard, their story ended without excessive tragedy. I love happy endings and glad they found each other again.
It’s true, Solas is “somewhat” biased about Mythal, but that only adds depth to his character and their relationship. Their story is fascinating to explore, especially when drawing parallels with the Inquisitor’s story.
You’re absolutely right: it's all about the player's personality and choices. Rook, like the Inquisitor, was meant to reflect Solas narratively, but this was done weakly, and we only see this idea fully realized at the end of the game. That’s the most powerful moment in the game and for the player personally. At the end of game the player can show either wisdom and compassion or pride and cruelty. For the first time, there’s a real opportunity to fulfill the narrative mission — being a true reflection of Solas, choosing a side of your personality and expressing it.
The ending where the player outsmarts the trickster with a simple fake knife is the weakest of all, and I don’t want to delve into that discussion, or I’ll end up in a long, meticulous critique of how poorly it was executed.
The “combat” ending reflects pride, resentment, revenge, and the player's lack of wisdom to break this endless cycle of violence, and from that perspective, it effectively conveys the aspects of both Rook and Solas’s personalities. In the bad version of this ending, Rook clearly dies, sacrificing himself and others, unable to choose another path. Similarly, Solas cannot stop without Rook's help and ends up losing everything and everyone he loved and fought for. Their dialogue here perfectly showcases this aspect of their personalities: when Solas speaks to Rook, it really feels like he’s talking about himself. It could have ended differently if the player had found the strength to make wise choices.
In these endings, the player punishes Solas by binding him to the Veil against his will, thus surrendering him to his greatest fear — being left alone, dying alone. Not just being lonely, but being the last survivor of his kind, the last one who remembers his roots, the time when “the world sang in unison”.
That’s why the ending with the Inquisitor is so narratively strong: Lavellan, after years of separation, has learned to speak his lost language and the rhythm of the ancient elves and spirits (it is her legacy at the same time). She “sings” with him in the same rhythm, and he’s no longer alone in any sense. From a mythological perspective, the romantic idea Weeks embedded in this ending is so beautiful.
I love in-depth conversations like this and absolutely agree with your reply! Spoilery long response ahead!
The Mythic aspect of the whole dynamic is really what solidifies Solas' story to just a whole new level - and frankly it should as it stands at the centre of the world state. The Elvhen history and downfall, the sundering of the Titans and dwarves losing connection to magic, Literally LYRIUM, THE BLIGHT. He sits within the web as an active participant and a horrified witness. There's so much that can be said about his emotional state and how those actions affect his mentality in how he proceeds with his service to Mythal/Duty to the elven people but also processes his own shame. It is much easier to put on a mask and keep going down a destructive path for the "right" reasons than stop and look behind at the trail of blood and recognise the shame and failures for what they are.
Pride is a core principle for mythic gods, the Greek pantheon comes to mind and how human lives were at the whims of higher beings who wanted to reinstate their power and reinforce their influence. As you said, the bad ending is a reinstatement of this Pride but from a position of being powerless. It is easier to be angry than grieve.
Trick has him "realise" he is a fool but we both feel the same about how all of that was conducted... conceptually tricking a trickster sounds great but execution both narratively and gameplay wise was lacklustre. It felt surface level because it was so quickly thrown together and very much just fulfils "OOOOH He's a Trickster God and Rook is SOOO smart for outwitting him!" ... be for real right now.
Whilst redemption speaks most to a core principle of Dragon Age games (IMO) - the human experience. And not as in the human race in the game, but we as the players - the emotional, mental and experiential elements that make a life a life. Redemption asks you to listen to the council of those around you and dig deeper, it asks for you to ask for more of yourself, you lose Varric, but his death is overshadowed by his wisdom in imploring you to set his friend free now you have the key to do so.
I hate the oversimplification of Mythal in the sense that the fragment we meet is raw and fresh and angry - she was a goddess in a pantheon and though she was "the best of them" - she too still was not wholly good. Solas is stuck between the friendship they had (bare minimum way to express that spiritual bond but I digress) but also his service to her as someone he chose to follow. Without realising it, he did deify her before deification formally took place when she joined Elgar'nan's side to lead the new pantheon. She is his goddess and finally able to objectively see he fall into so deep a folly he lets go of the emotional bond and active service. I say active, because he never actually stopped serving her in his *original* purpose.
The original purpose of servitude being towards helping the people. It is so interesting that Mythal frames, coercion aside (she is also desperate for his help to do this IMO which I do understand though it is messed up), this as something to help oppose Elgar'nan - someone who would subject the people to *his* whims. Solas vehemently opposes the notion he is like Elgar'nan but by tearing down the veil in an effort to bring immortality and the original state back , and undo his magical error, he becomes like him by not listening to the people. That is where he does "sound like a god". Bad ending is him exemplifying the very behaviour and Pride he detests in Elgar'nan, and makes the comparison wherein Solas talked of how he opposed Elgar'nan hit harder. Rook can liken them, and Solas posits that like Elgar'nan had Solas to keep him in check, Solas has Rook.
This is why the redemption ending is so viable because Bad ending you are *not* keeping Solas in check, thus the narrative weight is weaker because you are fulfilling your own pride and condemning him (at present) to his own. Whilst Trick he is "checked" in that he sees he has been "outwitted" and accepts he is a "fool" - but this does not actually resolve the actual underlying issues of the narrative.
Redemption however does, because it proves the weight and depth of the current mortal spirit. The capacity for empathy for Solas to believe he is redeemable by giving him the dagger, the mental intelligence to speak to Mythal and have her acquiesce her power, and physical power if you choose to fight her as well as all the other mini bosses of the past you have to face to get the crystal wolves to unlock the memories. Rook also has to listen to her companions and their interpretations which heavily weighed on simplistic at times and quick to lack empathy for a being whose mental framework would have been completely different from our own. There is empathy for the goddess who pushed him to certain actions and was the ideas behind them but not the man who conducted them because they both were trying to do the right thing at the time. Despite the cost.
If after Rook does all that, and were freshly betrayed after being condemned to his prison for potential lifetimes (WHO KNOWS HOW LONG IT COULD HAVE BEEN(!?)) to then STILL choose to offer him a chance of redemption is truly the most satisfying end to Solas' arc and reinforces the validity of current existence.
A romanced Lavellan is just another satisfying layer in that, as you said, she speaks his language. The cleanest Elvhen she has ever spoken, in his same cadence, they mirror and sing together once more. She has seen him now at his lowest and fully accepts him still, when before he was a tool now he can go back to just being a spirit for good. There is such beauty in the idea Solas was a lost god who gets to return to being a spirit of wisdom, saved by the wisdom of current mortals. And a renewed and happier purpose in the woman who chose him despite the world because their essences truly call to each other in a way that goes beyond time and space itself. Inquisitors story also being framed with the chant of light just adds to the mythic parallels and solidifies the romance as something mythic. A woman of the current elven kind falls in love with one of her gods and ascends with him to help cleanse the world with understanding and compassion. With wisdom and purpose.
I have nothing to add; I agree with every word! You’ve really understood and felt this story deeply.