Solas Origin Headcanon
So I’m going to go ahead and make this post about some of my headcanon on Solas’ origins. This is my first time actually trying to write out the rambling thought processes of my brain on this so I hope I manage to make it clear. If you have any additional questions, thoughts, or just whatever on it please please let me know them so we can discuss!
This is not even going to get into the Forbidden Ones, Old Gods, or Forgotten ones or anything. This is solely my thoughts on the origins of Solas, with that there is a bit about my thoughts on the origins of the Elvhen and Evanuris in general.
Beware below the line there be spoilers, obviously.
Alright so to start off I am firmly in the camp of those who believe that Solas was not subservient to Mythal. That, if not her equal, he was close to it and that he was as powerful, or more powerful, than some of the others. That said, I had issues trying to puzzle out how this could be with some of the dialogue from Cole. Specifically these two lines;
“Bare-faced but free, frolicking fighting, fierce. He wants to give wisdom, not orders."
"He did not want a body. But she asked him to come. He left a scar when he burned her off his face."
It seems to me this makes it less simple. So, I got thinking more. That thinking brought me to the origins of the Elvhen themselves. What if they were spirits that chose to take form?
A theory that I believe has some substance. Most notably by a banter shared between Solas and Cole if Cole takes the more human route;
Solas: You may well become fully human, after all. I never thought to see it.
Cole: When did you see it before?
Solas: I did not say that I had.
Cole: No, you didn't. It's harder to hear, sometimes. Sorry.
Solas: Good luck, Cole. You have taken a difficult road.
Which I do realize some could argue Solas didn’t really say it but this seems unlikely to me. There would be no reason for Weeke’s to put this in if it didn’t mean something. In addition this is just the type of lie by omission Solas excels at. He did not technically say it but that doesn’t mean he didn’t remember or think it. This in turn would imply that spirits taking a more solid form was not uncommon, if not done himself.
If this is true, the original Evanuris would have been the first and most powerful (though again not going into the others old ones and so on). Spirits of the elements likely. As for the nobility versus slaves I am still trying to work through the details of why some would be noble then and others would not. Perhaps strength of the spirit or age or the titles were earned by some feat or something else entirely.
The slaves would also be spirits who wanted to, or perhaps were asked or forced, to take form.
If this is the case then when the veil was brought into being they were essentially severed from the spirit origins completely. Over time this severing would have caused them to lose their immortality and their power. Over time they would forget. They would start breeding as mortals do and with each generation lose more of what had connected them to what they were. Except perhaps some of the stronger ones or ones that had already been in the deep sleep when the whole thing happened.
I believe Solas was, like the others a spirit, a spirit first. I believe he may have started as a slave to Mythal. A favorite because she sensed something in him perhaps. He was loyal and loved her. In the end he proved his worth and power by fighting alongside her in battle or protecting her in some way. That is when he became one of the Evanuris.
Mythal asked him to. She asked him to be a commander, to take his place amongst them, her friend and someone she could trust. She gave him that power. In doing so perhaps that is how he learned the spell to remove his slave markings. He would have been the first one it happened to so it isn’t unreasonable to think the spell wasn’t perfected.
To that end it would also explain his line that the name Solas came first. Perhaps the other gods chose the name Fen’harel for him to imply at the time that he was not truly one of them but essentially Mythal’s guard dog. Solas took that and ran with it, turning it against them.
This would also explain in my mind why Solas speaks against slavery not just from a compassionate, this is wrong, point of view but almost as though he knows what it is to be one. He knows because he was one before he rose in rank.
In the end what if he agreed to become an Evanuris not solely because of Mythal begging him but because he had a plan from the beginning to try to help other slaves. Perhaps not to the extent he did when he went full rebellion but he would have gone in hoping to make some difference. Perhaps something like the underground railroad type organization.
I think he enjoyed being a god for a time, time probably being a long time given his immortality, and that he partied. That he was young and reckless and enjoyed the new feelings that came with a full form. He fought with gusto, partied with gusto, and yes, he also had sex with gusto. Then the fights lost their rush, the wine lost its taste, and the sex became mechanic. It all became meaningless.
I’d say that some of the gods behaviours, Andruil with her sacrificial hunting and Falon’din with his wars to amass followers for example, was the final straw. I believe he withdrew more and more and set up plans for the rebellion eventually starting it full scale.
I believe at the height of his rebellion was when Mythal was betrayed. Not only did he feel rage then but also guilt at not being there to protect her. So that was that.
This got long sorry and like I said a lot of it is still me working things out in my head. There are still questions that come up with this but I needed to share it. Not only to just get it down and stop it banging around up in my skull but also to bounce it off any beautiful people who are interested. Perhaps you could lend me some additional theories or insight.