The Veilguard Didn't Save The Veil.
First off, I don't think Veilguard is a bad game. Alone, it's okay. As a DA game, and a game that was set up to be a sequel to Inquisition, it felt a little hollow to me. Again, I don't hate the game, but it just felt off.
No Keep carrying over aside, my main complaint with the story is this:
Solas' main motivation for taking down the veil changed.
Hold on! Hold on! Hear me out first...
1) His purpose is to take down the veil "for his people" and reclaim the time of the elves.
He stated to Flemmeth in Trespasser that "The people... They need me." In fact, he has stated and hinted at this multiple times prior to this game.
I know some of you could still argue that that doesn't change, but the way it is never talked about in Veilguard makes it appear like it has. Allow me to better explain with point two...
2) His regret was largely for his people, not himself or Mythal.
Regret was supposed to be the theme of Veilguard. Okay, nothing wrong with themes, and we saw in Tevinter Nights that a Regret demon formed in Skyhold from Solas' stay there. So, I didn't mind this being what they tried to showcase more in this game. My problem was what his main regret was showcased as.
Solas, being immortal, undoubtedly lived long enough to have much to regret. I do too, and I'm in my twenties! But never has he ever hinted at or stated before the game that he is motivated to take down the veil to make himself feel better for the unforseen consequences of it's creation, nor that he is doing it still because of Mythal.
He once destroyed the world (unintentionally) for the one he loved, and now he is doomed to destroy the ones he loves to "save" the world.
THAT is something to regret. THAT (to me at least), is more narratively interesting. But I digress into point three. . .
3) The veil was going to come down anyway.
Don't scream at me yet! I swear I have proof!
How many times throughout Inquisition did we hear him say "The veil is thin here"? Yes, yes, I know the Breach and rifts didn't help, but this has been happening throughout Thedas before that happened.
The veil has been thinned since it's creation due to wars, sacrifices, blights, ect. (See picture below and where they coordinate.)
Even with the Evenuris and old gods that are still trapped, it was coming down. Solas had to do something! Reguardless on how you feel about HOW he is going about it, you can at least see WHY.
Even with Solas trapped in the fade, the veil will come down eventually, because it was never meant to be made to begin with. Maybe it will be thousands or millions of years, but it will come down, which means...
4) Trapping Solas in the fade is not a permanent solution.
Seriously, though I doubt we are ever getting another DA game, if we do, they should at least address this.
P.S.
Thank you for reading. I just needed to start this conversation because I haven't seen anyone address this yet. 😭
Do you agree?
💯 percent!
Meh. It's not keeping me awake.
