Character Analysis: The Keeper and the Believer | Merrill vs Bellara • Dragon Age

[@sebastianpinoalipaz5935]

When Bellara said smtn like "No one knows more about Eluvians than I do" I was like "Well fuck Merril I guess"

[@АннаГубанова-ц1ш]

And Solas, for some reason. 😂

[@DerdOn0ner]

They’re trying to erase the past, because in their unending hubris, they think they can to better 😂

[@iro6758]

@@DerdOn0ner I honestly don't believe that they've experienced the previous games, in any way - outside of 1 curb notes session.

[@gameoverinsertcointocontin8102]

@@iro6758 They can't, because the first games came without trigger warnings, safe spaces and a lot of very dark themes.

[@YorkJonhson]

I've been begging people to show Merrill more respect ever since Morrigan was the one to show up and teach us about Elven lore in Inquisition for some reason. lol

[@rapidswelsa3306]

It's honestly a little sad that Merill sacrifices everything just to fix the mirror that doesn't even end up working because of demonic possession. And now everyone just uses them willy nilly, without ever even referencing "someone trying to fix this one" or "one is blanked out- but you can see a floating city"

[@gggris2960]

Same, the tonal shift with regards to magic, even in Tevinter is weird. Normally entering the fade was one of the most painstaking and feared things to do in Dragon Age and now there’s a whole group of people that just do it Willy Billy.

[@Rue_Khan]

In other games Bellara is the one npc researcher that has the most boring quest chain that you dread in every playthrough Veilguard made her a main character so that you have to deal with her a entire game Her making magic look like it is some sort of car engine that you can fix with a wrench is the most infuriating part for me

[@theesper7404]

Yes! Her going around "fixing" magical artifacts like they were car engines really bugged me. Especially when you compare how past characters handled magical artifacts 😅

[@Halfrican-Jones]

Merrill was my biggest crush, that's right, even more than Morrigan. She was full of life and sadness, and it was up to Hawke to guide her to either realize the cost of her ambition, or enable her to cause absolute destruction to her own clan. The fact BioWare possibly killed her off-screen instead of appointing her the leader of The VeilJumpers is a massive betrayal.

[@chickenbacon5197]

At least all my PCs died before they could witness the clown show their world became.

[@gggris2960]

When I saw Bellara my first thought was they should have brought back Merrill to fulfill that role. Veil Jumping was something that should have been spear headed by Merrill in the first place, since her working on the elluvians and no one was wanted to take that risk before her. In fact, the entire tonal shift with regards to magic was weird, all of a sudden everyone became okay with magic and going into the fade.

[@mattmark94]

we are talking about devs that don't even know the previous party members

[@grimm_satisfaction1292]

​@@mattmark94 Dude, their take on Zev pissed me off. Never played anything before Inquisition, never read any of the books, not a f*cking clue about _anything_ about the world they've infested, and they have the f*cking gall to call us _"tourists"..._

[@gsmithy2357]

​@@grimm_satisfaction1292 what they say about Zev?

[@Algol871]

Yeah, especially considering the fact that Merril is confirmed to be alive in Veilguard.

[@gggris2960]

@@mattmark94 Even if they weren’t the old BioWare, their narrative sense is too weak for writers. It's strange to because, because you'd think that, the people working there would have wanted to continue to the story.

[@masha22092000r]

Bellara is basically Merrill from Wish.

[@scarocci7333]

Bellara is Mass Effect 1 Tali. Not very comparable to Merill.

[@sol-hunter2332]

​@@scarocci7333ugh, that is an insult to Tali.

[@AN-yv8qi]

​@scarocci7333 both, it's like they mashed aspects of previous characters from both DA and ME because coming up with entirely new compelling characters takes effort.

[@nick25oo]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@scarocci7333I have to agree with other dude, that some straight disrespect to Tali because she was more interesting and useful then bellara from the absolute start.

[@willslls8901]

@@scarocci7333 She is Ali Baba Tali.

[@AdmiralElite]

Arishok was so well written that when you let him take Isabella his reaction, facial expressions and demeanor completely changes to almost regret for the actions he took against the Viscount and the people of Kirkwall to point where he questions his morals and the way of the Qun itself and it took Hawke to remind him of this. I always believed Arishok let Isabella go because it was the only way he could redeem himself as we all know he faces judgement and execution but at least he died with his honor intact. Imagine a Mid game boss has more soul and feeling than ten years of BioWares latest release.

[@AzureRoxe]

You confirmed something i've been feeling for a while. Most companions could EASILY be replaced with previous characters and nothing would change. Female Elf that can fix Eluvians? Merril. Badass Qunari? Iron Bull. Necromancer with manners? Dorian. Someone from Minrathous with strong connections to a group fighting corruption? Also Dorian. Warden? Tons of characters AND the Hero of Ferelden. Powerful Antivan Crow? Zevran. Also where the hell is Fenris?

[@MrAxedead]

Just imagine a DA game where the First Warden wasn't just some random dude no where has heard of before but Either the HOF, Allistair or Loghain depending on your choices throughout the games.

[@eohcyt2996]

@@MrAxedeador Blackwall if you exiled him with the Wardens.

[@MrAxedead]

@@eohcyt2996 With his personality I doubt he'd become First Warden but maybe him being there, could have been a possibility.

[@TheKangaRooster]

Nice breakdown, interesting stuff. Thank the Maker they did not include (and therefore ruin) Fenris' story - Dorian and Isabela were nightmare fuel enough. Fenris was most likely killed off screen, tbh, since Bioshite lost their ability to tell a good story.

[@Raydr62]

@@MrAxedead Wait this wouldnt make sense at all though: Alistair and Loghain both are essentially outcast wardens (and can be stuck in the fade) IF you make them a warden, and HoF already got established to be trying to find a cure for the blight the entire time IF theyre still alive Making them first warden would directly go against the lore they set up for them already Veilguard doesn't respect the lore that much, but making any of these characters first warden would butcher the lore even more.

[@joshuajohnselvaraj5092]

Merrill is a character who resonates with the well-known quote "The road to hell is paved with good intentions".

[@NightBane345]

Merrill was such a beautiful character in my eyes, and helping her while trying to warn her, be her rock, either as friend or love interest. Merrill and Fenris for me was the best companions in DA2, such depth for their characters.

[@MrAxedead]

Listening to Fenris and Merrill banter is one of the best things ever.

[@SaltyGoblin-vl2uc]

Personally hated the way elves looked in DAII, but Merrills Voice Acting was spot on. Everyone's VA, even In DAI was good & its probably the only thing that stayed consistent across the trilogy.

[@NightBane345]

@@SaltyGoblin-vl2uc I can understand that view, however they still does look more like unique elves than they do in Veilguard, where as many have said, it's just cosplayers with elf ears 🤣 Reason I like the Qunari, as an example, in DA2 because they're unique, they feel like a fresh fantasy race. As did the take on elves, having more of a bigger nose connected to their forehead. They have similarities to other races in fantasy, but you can still tell them apart from other genres

[@SaltyGoblin-vl2uc]

@@NightBane345 having them look more humanoid was familiar to DAO. The qunari males improved in DAII through to inquisition, however there was very few representation other than iron bull. The females I could have preferred a slightly more feminine look to them, I know the qunari weren't really human but there hair variety could at least meld better with there horns. Veilguard at least gives diverse hairstyles for them as well, despite them looking like ass. If anyone's ever played "Ark:twilight of the spirits" one could understand where I'm going, with the "deimos" look In that game.

[@chickenbacon5197]

@@SaltyGoblin-vl2uc Honestly I preferred them looking somewhat like aliens. Same reason why the Qunari redesign also appealed to me. Of course dnd wasn't really on my radar of interests and I didn't know tieflings so horned humanoid demon people didn't seem so tired to me yet.

[@nananderson7259]

Let's consider it a blessing that Daisy wasn't anywhere near Veilgaurd. She would've looked like a human and started the conversation with "blood magic is bad, no one should do it ever because morality is black and white." 😂

[@chevalierdunord3732]

Something I've always praised about DA2 is rivalry not locking you out of romance. I was max rivals with Merrill because Hawke loved her and didn't want her going down that dark path. Seeing that complex dynamic reflected in unique dialogue was amazing.

[@HyakuSh1ki]

I find Bellara to be absolutely insufferable, that fake quirky attitude of hers that feels so corporate and safe, the dialogue that makes her seem like a naive child... Actually, most of the companions act like children, unless they're talking about gender and sexuality, then they become experts and you need to shut up and listen. I hate to be superficial when you're going so deep with your analysis, but that just proves that Bellara and the rest of the cast suck at the most basic level.

[@SKYCROOSWILSON]

She made me refund veilguard. How many times can you say "nadas dirthalem"

[@AvengerAtIlipa]

I always complained that Merrill came across as overly childish in Dragon Age 2. I now feel as though I owe her an apology.

[@crazyfnjoey]

“Hey what could this modern, pop culture, hodgepodge of banal trends use?” “Oh I know! Lets make a character like Awkwafina!” “Brilliant!”

[@amyslowikgrossman835]

In early behind the scenes footage of the voice actress for Bellara, she didn't sound like Awkwafina. When I watched the newer game footage, I was like "WTF did they do to Bellara? Why does she sound so abrasive now?"

[@rapidswelsa3306]

Ngl (I feel so bad for doing so) but I used to call her Awkwafina, and because dragon age casts are incredible i thought it was actually her.

[@dostwood5103]

Oh wow that fast! Glad you made this video lol. My girl Merrill was ripped off, ignored, and dragged through the mud. Same with Isabela, Morrigan, and Dorian too of course. Bellara is an insult against Merrill.

[@-t96]

Out of all the characters they shouldve brought back for the game (and yes im talking about Morrigan too) it should've been MERRIL. They either retconned or ignored all of Solas' agents that were hinted at in trepasser but they should've put them in this game and had Merril be the leader of them. She would've been so on board with Solas' motivations and could've added to the plot by having her/his forces be a enemy/neutral party in Arthalan forest. From there Rook can be the mediator to the two factions by 'proving' he's been in contact with Solas and thus try to gain Merril's trust, which could've been a major storyline in the Veil Jumper / Arthalan plot. It could've showed us actual dalish clans, elven politics, and Rook could be in the middle of deciding how to either rally the clans together or split them apart for endgame allies. Instead of Morrigan being a lore dump for Solas, Merril could've been that character and Rook's goal would be to show her how wrong she is abt the dreadwolf.

[@weareharbinger914]

Yep, after meeting Bellara, I wondered why the hell she wasn't Merrill. A blood mage who actually was getting advice from a demon to achieve her goal. Since spirits are immortal this makes sense and there is a reason that she would have knowledge beyond her years. Bellara is just the best because she is. Merrill is naïve because shes a Dalish, and she's very earnest. Bellara just...is a ditz, even though I think shes supposed to be Dalish, but they just slam in a new faction, the Veiljumpers, which completely overshadows anything elven that came before. I thought since Morrigan repaired an Eluvian, and Merril CAN cleanse one, I thought it would be a natural team up for the two of them. But they squander Morrigan and ignore Merrill exists.

[@Kenshin6321]

Merrill is a masterclass in writing a well thought out character, while Bellara feels like she belongs in a Disney movie. Even the concept art at 1:38 looks like something you'd see in a Disney show. This was an amazing visualization to show how the previous devs cared about crafting a beautiful, deep, but tragic character, but the devs in Veilguard only cared about creating a happy go lucky adventure. In comparison, it feels like the Veilguard writers are writing for children, but the previous Dragon Age writers are writing for adults. Modern devs have forgotten that tragedy is one way people can relate because tragedy and sadness are universal human emotions. A character who is always happy just because they are always happy is not only unrealistic, it gets annoying really fast. Bellara feels like a wasted opportunity when compared to Merrill. I agree that they could have used her brother's death as a hook to get the player to sympathize with her. (long fan fiction incoming) For example, I feel like they could have taken her in a direction like the brothers in Full Metal Alchemist. What if she had a fervent desire to see her brother again, so she uses forbidden magic to try and recreate her brother. In her quest to see her brother brought back to life, she unleashes a horrific monstrosity that ends up destroying a nearby town and killing dozens of innocent people. Her happy go lucky facade has gone full masked off, and she's just an emotional wreck. Knowing full well her actions have costs the lives of dozens of people, she asks Rook to kill her because she doesn't deserve to live. Then you as the player should have the option to kill her, let her live, or turn her over to the remaining villagers and let them be the judge. Bellara could have been interesting, but instead, we got just another copy paste of a quirky Disney girl. Merrill is a perfectly crafted sandwich, and Bellara is just plain bread. Plain bread can be used to create a masterpiece, but only in the hands of a talented chef. If Veilguard had good writers, maybe we could have gotten some interesting characters.

[@marcogenovesi8570]

Bellara's scenes even get disney music

[@SeventhheavenDK]

I found kind of insulting that Merril had to go through a lot to restore the Eluvian, while Bellara managesbto fix SOLAS' Eluvian as if it was nothing! Also, why suddenly the Eluvians are so mainstream? And why does every single place have an Eluvian now? Merril should have been a companion instead of Bellara.

[@mightyn8]

Merrill was such an interesting, complex character in DA2. And her arc can be so different based on Hawke's relationship (positive or negative) with her, as well as the choices you make. Bellara is such a disappointed - she has nothing going on under the surface.

[@chickenbacon5197]

Merril, Isabella, and Anders were the companions that benefitted most from going the rivalry path with them because you were challenging their more self-destructive impulses. While the friendship path affirms Isabella should have no responsibilities, Anders should be a terrorist/revolutionary, and Merril should pursue her research without caution. Thus you tended to get their respective worst end states, Merril's entire clan dying being the biggest example (taking responsibility for her and leaving peaceably is a rivalry action.)

[@MeirinSutcliff]

Merril is my favorite character in DA2, I romanced her and if you have a dalish warden she and their clan keeper will talk about Mahariel, it was so cool. Bellara is like any asian character from 90s and 00s japanese rpgs but from wish.

[@DarthDainese69]

When you have to choose between Minrathos and Treviso, it shows how useless your companions are because they fail without you, in fact that's the whole story throughout the game, everybody is completely useless until the player turns up.

[@mattmark94]

You described the plot of every Bioware game xD

[@docmacabre]

In Awakening, you could fight on two fronts at the same time, and end up saving both places (more or less), depending on choices you made leading up to those battles. But I guess coming up with something similar for Veilguard was just too complicated for the devs.

[@occorner2502]

​@@docmacabresame in ME2. If you picked people who knew what they were doing in Suicide mission they survived because they were fit for that role. In veilguard companions are useless without rook

[@scarocci7333]

The problem is that the dragon only fly and blight the city, never going on the ground to be fought except if Rook is here, because he has the dagger.

[@occorner2502]

@scarocci7333 it's a stupid excuse. Ballistas exist in Dragon age. Those f*ckers even use those in Veilguard. Are you telling me Minrathous or Treviso do not have AA weaponry? Minrathous has flying mage fortress ffs...

[@AN-yv8qi]

The tragedy with her brother (or would have been tragedy) and Bellara blaming herself for what happened contradicts the whimsical tone of her whole character. Like you say she wasn't changed at all, she hits artefacts when she's frustrated like nothing could happen lol. Such great points in your analysis, please analyse every Veilguard companion 🙏

[@Slayer398]

the same artifacts you'd expect to blow up in your face or break and still have 'really bad things happen that ruin your day' basically...

[@AzureRoxe]

She even actively says "if i were to pull the Nadas Dirthalen like i usually do, i'd blow up most of Arlathan" only to immediately pull it and break it.

[@Njabs31]

I can't get away from how much this feels like Mass Effect Andromeda all over again.

[@mattmark94]

No, this feels 10 times worse.

[@andersfrieden567]

Andromeda was better than this. Yes, weaker in every way from writing standpoint compared to Mass Effect Trilogy, but at least not as disgraceful as Veilguard.

[@Njabs31]

@andersfrieden567 here's hoping the cycle ends with us.

[@maxissixam6049]

Veilguard is like Andromeda cranked to 20 and You are required to be nice to Liam all the time

[@dirkbsilver9260]

My Hawkes' more often end up with Merrill. She is a cute awkward elven maiden in one breath, but in the next she is fire and power for those she loves. So when the Keeper dies you see and feel her heart breaking as she realizes how she wasn't as wise as she thought. She does not back down from confronting anyone aswell. She will defy the world fo save it. She will also seek love from Hawke even if she is to take the hate of Hawke's neighbors if Hawke asks to more or less marry her. A brilliantly done character. Much like Isabella in DA2 and Avaline, they feel more like real women that are faulty but are powerful in their willingness to get what they want or need.

[@docmacabre]

Would've been so much more interesting, if Bellara had agreed to help Anaris. I mean, two gods + two archdemons, threatening to end and then reshape the whole world? Hell, a Forgotten One might actually be a good idea to team up with! You can always deal with that guy later! Not that Anaris being free makes any sense. But it would've been a lot better than what we got here.

[@Megaphy]

I just replayed DA2 and when I saw Merril I made the exact same correlation. Great video!

[@nuhre]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@TDAB-t2r]

Oh boy we talking about the good dragon age now we're so back

[@marcogenovesi8570]

one could say Return To Form

[@TDAB-t2r]

@marcogenovesi8570 you can't do this to me man

[@mattmark94]

I'm gonna say what everyone is thinking: having all the sudden so many "elves of color" pop out of nowhere is so immersion-breaking. Also they don't even look like elves, they just look like people cosplaying as elves. You want "diversity" in a medieval fantasy setting? Make it make sense! You can't just make every town look like a melting pot. Each nation and culture must have an identity! By making everything multicultural you everything ends up feeling the same.

[@VerminaeSupremacy]

for real. Pathfinder does diversity right: the world is vast and unusual characters come from distant places. Faerun setting, too, they had wild elves and remote places, but lately nobody bothers to release adventures there, Sword Coast titles only, and they darken local people instead of writing them properly. UGH.

[@rapidswelsa3306]

The "elves of colour" are justified. While the terrible unimersivie faces are likely a result of the art style, there have been elves of colour before- just few and far between. Namely: a hunter for Zathrian's clan, warden Tabris' mom and Zevran Also, if the theory that thedas mainly takes place in a Southern Hemisphere, the "north" will be closer to the equator and thus have more people with Melanin.

[@VerminaeSupremacy]

@@rapidswelsa3306 except Antiva is basicly Spain/Italy and Zevran (Antivan) and Fenris (from Seheron) were both tanned local elves, and now devs drank cool aid and went full 'Cleopatra was blakkk' and started slappin facial structures of human races from Earth on non-humans that barely had geographical spread, time or numbers to evolve such features. I miss DAII distinct features of races, especially more anime, but distinguishable elves and Qunari.

[@JustASuscriber]

@@rapidswelsa3306 "just few and far between", ok, so they should continue being few and far between.

[@scarocci7333]

"all of the sudden ?" My brother in Christ, the canonical mother of the warden from the city elf origin, Adaia, is a BLACK ELF. Fucking tourists I swear.

[@BasicSub]

I remember when Eluvians used to be this extremely rare ancient artifact. Only a small handful survived thousands of years to still exist in present day, and even less that were still intact and operational. And only a few people who deeply studied elf history even knew about anymore. Now they're just everywhere, all over massive cities, everyone knows about them, they aren't special or even rare. Everyone uses them to travel around, most of them still work.

[@chrisdixon4153]

Some other things to add on is that when someone is a bad writer they unintentionally reveal bad aspects of themselves rather than the characters they are writing and i got that impression from Bellara the most. Like the scene where she's talking about how her rambling ruins a lot of her relationships doesn't come off as a Bellara bad trait it comes off as John Epler making me his therapist through Rooke and validating why he can't keep a serious relationship. Merrill is one of my favorite Dragon Age characters of all time for a large part of what you already said and it's a mixed bag of her not getting any recognition in both Inquisition and Veil Guard. Because on the one hand if done right it would've been very interesting to see her reaction to Solas and the Elven Gods along with the Veil Jumpers but in reality with the way Veil Guard's writing is she'd turned out just as bad as Isabella in this game. Veil Guard is such a massive disappointment.

[@Burnouts3s3-z2v]

There's also the amount of player agency when it comes to Merrill; Hawke could get into a rivalry with her, romance her while in a rivalry and even kill her. Rook cannot get into an antagonistic relationship with Bellara. Rook can neglect her and Bellara can die but there's different ways to approach these two mandatory party members.

[@YueAki]

On the top of my head i can think: Lucanis / Anders / Wynne and what it means to be an aberration Lucanis and Zevran And how being a crow shapes someone. Dalish Warden-Commander and Davrin and what does it means to gave an oath to save a racist world/ look for a future/care for people. Taash and Dorian and Krem and LGBT+ representation (but we all heard of that) And or Taash and Isabela and Sten and Iron Bulls relationship with the Qun, and how its real life cult-like beliefes and culture leaves deep scars on people Harding and Shale and Sigrun andthe Dwarfs lore and implications in their people. Neve and Dorian and Fenris and the way Tevinter shapes people lives and restrain everyone's freedom in one way or other. Emmerich's the only one I cant really draw a origin within the companions of the other games 😂😂 we have Cassandra from Nevarra, but she doesnt care much for Nevarra culture and we have a bit of Wynne and her relationship with mortality

[@xNephilimxXx]

Another character that proves that blood magic isn't inherently evil, and was also fucked over by Veilguard was,ironically, Isseya. Or the "Gloom Howler" as she's known now. In the last flight book,she did blight the griffons. But she did it on her own,to save the world. And deeply regretted it. Instead of letting her rest by her going to her Calling as the author intended, shes brought back as a caricature of her self. Im convinced that Veilguard is death of Dragon Age.

[@averycheesypotato]

Even when used by a mage with pure intentions, the blood magic still had unexpected, horrific side effects. That would actually prove blood magic to be evil- just not all blood mages are?

[@xNephilimxXx]

@@averycheesypotato Evil and good are not easily dichotomised when it comes to Dark Fantasy. It's always about that grey line, the practical line. It's what Veilguard misses imho

[@averycheesypotato]

@@xNephilimxXx Veilguard misses a lot… but blood magic in the dragon age series is, at the very least, unpredictable enough to not be worth the risk

[@M99jj]

I think another good comparison point for Bel and daisy are their foil characters, Cyrian and Marethari. Keeper Marethari works as a great foil to Merrill as, as while the crux of Merrill’s character arc is about the dangers of Pride, it’s Marethari who kept Sabrae on Sundermount for many years even though the clan was suffering there, it’s Marethari that spread rumours about Merrill to the clan that damaged Merrill’s ability to actually protect the clan from the Vareterral, it’s Marethari that refuses to help Merrill in any way with the Eluvian despite her repeatedly showing she was handling it correctly, and it was ultimately Marethari who gets possessed by the Pride Demon just to try and prove her point that Merrill was wrong about what she should be doing with her life and Marethari was right. Merrill makes choices that are questionable and possibly wrong but importantly so does Marethari, this makes their conflict much more interesting and their conclusions much more impactful. Meanwhile, Cyrian’s arc is that he put on the Mask of Gaslighting +1 after being oopsie disappeared in a largely blameless accident (that Bel still blamed herself for, for drama points) and none of his choices with Anaris are his own or his fault and then he dies because he happened to be looking to the wrong way when the bad guy attacked (a plot device that happens too often in the Veilguard btw). Nothing about Cyrian matters and at no point does he feel like character even related to Bellara in any meaningful way other than their blood ties on paper.

[@Good100]

Bellara is a character made by someone who thought, "quirky girls like Tali and Merrill are popular, lets put one in this game," without having any deeper understanding of either of those two characters beyond the surface.

[@666AmigoBear]

I think it would’ve been cool if Merrill had been the one to create the veil jumpers in order to look for hawke in the fade.

[@SeventhheavenDK]

@@666AmigoBear and what if Hawke wasn't in the Fade? Not everyone leaves Hawke behind.

[@daizenmarcurio]

@@SeventhheavenDK then she creates it cuz hawke wants to look for stroud in the fade. Simple

[@666AmigoBear]

@ if hawke wasn’t left behind or romanced Merrill in DA2, she could still have been the leader of their faction. varic mentions she was in Kirkwall taking care of the elves in the Kirkwall and through messing with her eluvian she decided to explore ancient elven ruins, and go from there. Her looking for hawke is just an option to tie up any loose ends from previous games.

[@mister-x2]

I always lean towards the "cute" stereotype from Bioware (Merril, Tali). I wouldn't have minded Bellara's eye-rolling quirkiness but her story, like most of the cast, is very disjointed and shallow. Also, I had to save Harding from hooking up with Taash. Ew.

[@Gut7891]

T(r)aash. Never, ever let it be forgotten.😒

[@mattmark94]

Harding and Traash being a thing is probably the most disgusting thing about this game.

[@Gut7891]

@mattmark94 Talk about forced romance. Their personalities are utterly mismatched. What would both of them even talk about? Pronouns and gender? They have nothing in common.

[@marcogenovesi8570]

@@mattmark94 Traash existing at all is the most disgusting thing.

[@-t96]

​@@mattmark94Literally. I was grossed out and ignored Tassh the entire game it's wild they forced an abomination like that on us

[@dkirby9052]

The problem that I have always had with Merrill was how she was always so convinced that she was right that she refused to be convinced otherwise. She refused to listen to Marethari, someone who was older and more experienced, who tried to tell Merrill that what she was doing was dangerous. Making deals with demons, messing with artifacts that they don't understand, some things are best left alone. The ends don't always justify the means. Marethari is also not blameless in what happens though. She propagated the fear that the Dalish had for Merrill which could end up in their deaths. One elf running away at the sight of Merrill rather than let us help him. Or what happens at the end of Merrill's quest. On the other hand I can kind of understand Marethari's actions. As the Keeper it falls to her to warn her clan that what Merrill is doing is dangerous and they should not aid her. At least this is how I have come to understand the situation. I have always had a hard time siding with Merrill knowing what comes of it. If you slaughter all the Dalish at the end of her quest, in her conversation after all I hear is THEY didn't understand, THEY didn't listen, THEY destroyed themselves. No admission of maybe she was wrong. That chasing some long forgotten artifact was not worth the price. While I can understand Merrill's intentions I have find it hard to support what she is doing. I always end up having a rivalry with her. I can't say anything like this about Bellara. I just don't care. There are not conflicts in Veilguard. No moral ambiguity that gives you pause and question who you should support.

[@SeventhheavenDK]

@@dkirby9052 totally agree with this.

[@TheAzureGhost]

That description of Merril sounds almost like a progressive teenage aktivist or generally rebellious teenager who disregarded the warnings of the more experienced elders for their do not understand her and are to stuckup in their old ways to see the true way into the future, only to seek the fault in those elders when the outcome is not fully to what she imagined cause in her thought it must have been those stuborn old people who refused to understand and adapt to the new ways that made her vision fail. But that's not something bad as it makes her more relateable and gives her character more facettes.

[@dkirby9052]

@@TheAzureGhost That is how I have come to view Merrill. Someone who thinks she knows better than someone who is older and has had more life experience. Not even Marethari knows what will happen if Merrill succeeds in restoring the Eluvian, only that they lost Tamlen to one of them. But Merrill is convinced that it will be for the good of their people. I agree that it makes Merrill more relatable and the situation is complex. Which is why I have such a hard time deciding which way I should go with it.

[@TheAzureGhost]

@@dkirby9052 yeah and the thing is that both sides are right and wrong at the same time. While the elder wisdom offers stability, it also often crpples innovation and progress, but disregarding it completly can quickly destroy the support of your foundation and lead into chaos.

[@AzureRoxe]

That isn't a "problem", it's a flaw and it's literally the point of her story. She's so convinced she's right and everyone else is wrong that it cost her dearly.

[@sinh7765]

Man i still can’t get over how fantastical races look in this game. All identity gone. Literally just humans cosplaying and it looks so uncanny.

[@Jose-ru2wf]

Bellara is 90% Samantha Traynor, the nerdy techie from Mass Effect 3; and 10% Mordin. Except Mordin dealt with Maelon swiftly (and Mordin's background comprises so much more than his old pupil); while Bellara's "beloved figure from the past gone rogue" (her brother) is her entire deal.

[@AdhalMK1]

I love how this game takes "misgendering" is treated as being more impactful than watching your brother died... Shows how out of touch with life these "writers" are. Not only do they have less skill than Google Gemini, they have no actual real life trauma to fall upon.

[@TheKangaRooster]

Loving these deep-dives videos Ara! You are incredible at hitting the important facts while keeping the topic interesting! Merrill was one of the best, both tragic and intriguing - I wanted to help her in DA2, but I also wanted to protect her, which made the choices hard to make when assisting her with her quests. Started DAO again over the weekend. The stark contrast between these two games is overwhelming. The Mage Harrowing involves entering the fade to see if they can handle it, as a true test to being a Mage. It's regarded as an incredible feat to succeed and make it back out without becoming possessed - Now the home base (lighthouse) is chilling in the fade? Casually? Like, wtf people. What a horrid story made by horrid writers. For me, it ended with Inquisition (and Bioware should have done the same).

[@Free-thinkingfoolery]

Dragon Age's Veil is so thick, even gaming journalists can't walk through it-guess they forgot to spec into 'Basic Comprehension.'

[@juggernaut5014]

Bellara feels like lost potential. What the writers gave her for a backstory explains why she acts so childish, but it also feels like they never wrote an arc where she "grows up." The writers left Bellara a child, while Merril had shown growth by the end of her arc. Another geeat video and hope to see more as to why Veilguard fails to bring the player meaningful companions.

[@arashimifune2853]

I actually agree that blood magic is evil. It doesn't matter what intention a mage has, there's always a steep price to pay for using it. There's an example in Merrill's story. But the best example is from The Last Flight book, where it is explained who the griffons went extinct for centuries (and how they later returned).

[@robertagren9360]

Your brother died. Bellara: How about a second death?

[@StradaleMoth]

I'll just wait with a can of gasoline, for the screenwriters, when the turn of the analysis comes to Varrick. The fact that the community considers his death from a lyrium dagger "symbolic" frankly infuriates me

[@quitwastinmytime]

On one hand, I'm glad they did the opposite of the "edgy" characters of Andromeda. There is a strange thing in Veilguard where everyone seems like someone you would talk to in church and then there is Taash who seems like she came from a completely different game and acts differently than any other character in the game except for the villians.

[@marcogenovesi8570]

Traash sucked in all the edgyness from the other characters

[@BlitzedNostradamus]

This concept art for veilguard is genuinely nice to look at. How the fuck did all of that aethetically pleasing design disappear for the actual in-game models?

[@yueviathan]

I'm loving these break downs and direction of videos. Keep em coming

[@nuhre]

More to come!

[@olekw.2130]

I think I ended up disliking Bellara more than I would have because I couldn't help but compare her to Merrill. Merrill sacrificed everything she loved to try to make a single Eluvian work meanwhile Bellara has like 30 in her room lmao

[@Algol871]

Great points all around. I would also like to add that while both characters are bubbly, ditzy and sometimes awkward, DA2 never lets you forget that Merrill is a powerful blood mage that can turn your brains into mush or summon horrors that most people in Thedas will crap themselves seeing. Bellara is... just bubbly and ditzy. Like a Disney princess. She fixes the Eluvian in the very beginning of the game and that is it. She is never allowed to show her competence up until the very end of the game, and even that is optional.

[@DerdOn0ner]

Old BioWare games made choices matter and be impactful. Veilguard gives you the illusion of choice, ultimately nothing you do matters.

[@maxissixam6049]

Bioware game written and made like a PSA for children age 3-5

[@AzureRoxe]

In many cases you don't even have the illusion. They just tell you what to choose.

[@albertzinger7132]

I finished the game a couple of days ago, did every quest. It's funny in the retrospect how the first gameplay trailer was a perfect encapsulation of "what you see is what you get". The game itself is exactly how it is in that trailer (except for the level exploring). It was exactly as i thought it would be - mostly annoying. I hated Bellara. Taash, too. Almost every time they were on-screen i got so angry i sometimes said out loud "shut the fuck up, i don't give a shit". If the art's purpose is to invoke emotions, Veilguard succeeds. Except, i don't think they were the emotions that devs were hoping for.

[@TubeMage13]

This and your previous video are something I have not seen in your channel yet since I found it, and I've thoroughly enjoyed them. This is wonderful content, deep and thought provoking. I look forward to watching and listening to future videos of yours in the same format. While I enjoy your other videos as well, this type of content is just superb. Thank you for making it. Something I would be happy to hear a discussion or exploration of is the Qunari and their culture, considering how poorly Veilguard deals with both (well, objectively, Veilguard deals with almost anything established in previous DA games poorly). An independent discussion of Sten's character, or a comparison of him and/or other notable Qunari characters to the Qunari in Veilguard would also be very interesting.

[@lookingglass9966]

Dragon Age series games could be & do so much more, but the developers are too worried about PRONOUNS 🤨

[@MrsGiggles]

The plot of Veilguard would have been the epic sendoff to close off a chapter in the Dragon Age series, like how Mass Effect 3 was supposed to be a sendoff for Shepard. Merrill would jump at the chance to be Solas's officer, Velanna and Serani and the Architect could have made an appearance as the Darkspawn faction willing to ally with Rook and friends against the elven gods enslaving their kind again, Fenris and Anders if both live would be on a cat and mouse chase around Tevinter with Fenris trying to kill Anders, Isabela and Zevran could be allies or rivals of the Crows, Dorian and Mavaris could be the contact in Tevinter, the connection between the Blight and the elven gods would draw the HoF out as it is likely that the end of the Calling is tied to the gods and his reappearance will also bring back Morrigan and Kieran to the scene (Kieran would be old enough to be a companion too), Carver/Bethany could be a high-ranking mentor of Davrin, Aveline and Cullen in a chapter set in saving Kirkwall and Ferelden, Oghren and Sigrun in a chapter on the Deep Roads, etc etc. The possibilities are endless.

[@maniatissa]

Exactly! In all other BW games, I grew very attached to all my companions (except Oghren and Sera). I cherished the hours I spent with them, and the main reason I replay the DA and ME trilogies once per year, is the companions and the love I have for them. After almost 20yrs , they are like family to me-no joke! In DAV, I initially felt nothing for my companions, no connection at all, and by mid game, I wanted to kill them all and then kill my Rook and be done with it. DAV is the first DA game, in which I didn't romance anyone, because being alone in game was much better than romancing an uninteresting twat.

[@carolynspring6399]

In Inquisition, Solas himself challenges the idea that blood magic is evil. He says it is not, and that the only reason why he doesn't use it is because as a dreamer it keeps him from the fade. He's very logical about the whole thing and says it is a tool only is evil as the person using it. However, they recon that in Veilguard when he outright says that he abhors the use of blood magic. What complexity could have been there for characters, even returning ones like Solas, I felt like they just wrote out.

[@averycheesypotato]

They also set up Solas as simply intending to tear down the Veil to rebuild the world in Tresspasser, but then in Veilguard he just turns around and blames Rook for stopping him from keeping the old gods contained. Solas suddenly has a different motivation, but blames Rook for not knowing this?

[@carolynspring6399]

@averycheesypotato very true! While the endings we got with him weren't bad, a so-called good ending felt a little hollow to me. The reason being is that we know the inquisitor was asking him to stop in trespasser, but suddenly because mythal ask him not to he just won't? I don't know for me personally it just felt like lazy writing on that one. It didn't feel earned.

[@averycheesypotato]

@ he even took Mythal’s powers from her to start with, despite her protests. Makes no sense for him to flip flop

[@AegisKHAOS]

The biggest contrast between the two was the size of their heads. Dear lord, Bellara's freakish bobblehead... And when someone is paid to write for a RPG, I expect that person to be better than a toddler. I want to say fanfic writer, but I have seen better writing from fanfics than what we got with Veilguard.

[@Alberto-wu1mj]

This video is proof that there is good writing in all genres, but there is more bad writing out there in all genres as well. Good writing is an art form whether it is a novel, a TV show, or a video game. If a video game does not prioritize good writing for the story, it will be a bad story.

[@dragonhitman1071]

Nice video, bouncing off Merrill to bellara was a neat idea. Honestly didn't notice some of the similarities they had writing wise. Bellara could of been a decent character if she had better writers.

[@ColaPoweredGamer]

When Bellara said "It's Bellara time!", I was all YASS Queen, and then she Bellara'd all over the place!

[@christopherwaller1642]

Yes! Im so happy you made this, it literally icked me straight away in veilguard and EVERY fan who I spoke to was like "Where is Merril?"

[@Barholtworld]

Yeah, but Nuhre, don't you get it, Bellara talks to much. Such a deep and interesting character, you don't know how interesting it would be to drown her in deep water the 50th times she opens her mouth.

[@luxsignifer6996]

the more I play of this game, the more is cemented in my mind that the decisions DAV makes regarding events in the past, old lore or parallels with previous characters, is intentionally dismissive or subversive in a negative manner. Almost like saying "fuck your legacy". I just did Davrin final quest, and got an explanation for the Calling that legit made me go for a walk and a snack out of pure anger...

[@voltgar7895]

Really enjoying these lore videos! It's good to step back and see how good the real Dragon Age games are. We don't need Veilguard.

[@Octopugilist]

Merrill should have been one of Solas' lieutenants. Not only is she the living expert on Elven artifacts, but Solas is drawn to good-natured people because he's looking for reasons NOT to destroy the world

[@averycheesypotato]

Great video. You put into words what we all knew the moment we picked up Veilguard, more eloquently than I could have… and expressed those valid criticisms with far less swearing than I could!

[@Keram-io8hv]

Imagine having Merrill as Dreadwolf cameo where she went to follow Solas if U rivaled her or go against him if U friended her

[@bearking1249]

0:47 especially the dog

[@andersfrieden567]

The dog has more personality, than the whole Veilguard cast.

[@geovanl]

I like how vailgard being ah make every one appreciate the old ones a whole lot more.

[@PixieDrag0ns-r1h]

honestly I wouldn't mind listening to a entirely series from you just on how you would change or 'fix' the veilguard characters in your personal view. the story flow, and so on. like in Bellara addition to it bein her fault. with the lost of her brother in the first time she could be doubting herself, second guessing on things she knows. Not willing to work with others when it comes with artifacts, thinking that if she work alone she's the only one to be hurt if she fails. This would push people away. This could also be a neat way to put in her love of serials. to escape her own life, a rabbit hole when she starts writing herself. a reference to Varric stating. "Dwarves write how things, are. Humans write on what they wish things to be." and since there are no known elven writers, it could be an interesting twist.

[@Look-at-the-ghost]

This is my first dragon age lore video❤

[@kayne8222]

Very well thought out, i look forward to more character comparisons

[@SVisionary]

Appreciate your passion. I understand your pain. Wife and I were crushed watching the ME3 ending when Bioware started showing signs of giving up on what made them great. Removing choice, moral ambiguity and feeling the breadth and scope of humanity argued from both sides in equal measure. DA: Veil - First Bioware game I didn't purchase since Bauldurs Gate 1. Probably not going to bother with the company moving forward. What an assault on thinking people.

[@cttommy73]

I'm still confused why any of the Elves would turn against their own gods. They suffered under the humans for so many generations, returning to their gods would be the ultimate joy. I mean, I know this video is about why Merrill is so much better, but this really bugs me. Hell, it didn't even make sense in Inquisition. Why would Solas, the Dread Wolf, not go to the Elves to help, why go to Corypheous in the first place. Veilguard actually raises more questions about Inquisition, like, Solas knows about the Darkspawn and their corruption, so why go to these creatures who supposedly are using the ultimate evil powers of the Elvanuris. I know Solas is a stupid character, but you have to think. So many questions that will never be answered. It's why I avoided this game like the plague, even back during it's Dreadwolf days, due to how horrendous Inquisition was.

[@occorner2502]

Solas went to corypheus because he needed that orb cracked as it contained anchor magic and solas at that moment believed he's too weak for it and would have been killed. At least that's what inquisition set up. But i agree: elves, especially dalish had to instantly join their gods once both were freed. But modern bioware coddles elves so much they couldn't make elves new enemies to fight

[@Xxsorafan]

I mean… those two gods wreak havoc on anyone human elf or dwarf so why would you support them even as an elf?

[@occorner2502]

@Xxsorafan again. Crappy writing. Elgar'nan could have easily used elves as canon fodder with just lil bit of swaying. Like... Evanuris saw elves as their property, so why it wouldn't make sense for them to use elves own pride and desire for better life to brainwash them into servitude?

[@andersfrieden567]

​@@occorner2502they were supposed to join Solas, as it was set-up in Trespasser, but then they decided to push him and his followers aside.

[@onyxrose4349]

Solas did try to go to the Dalish, but every time he revealed who he was it ended in conflict and pain. So he decided to use Corypheus as a pawn, thinking he'd die doing it. Of course, after Inquisition Solas does manage to gain an army of Elves. An army that vanishes and is never mentioned in Veilguard...

[@akahey]

After watching this video, the writers could have very easily used Merrill as a blueprint to build Bellara as happy-go-lucky, naive, and weirdly sheltered Dalish elf who's obsessed with all things elven and magic who then starts slowly sliding down a slippery slope after the death of her brother. She could have become overly obsessed and even more of a workaholic where she spends weeks instead of days without any contact with anyone. She could be repeatedly looking at the scene where her brother died to understand what happened and how, and if there was no body to recover, what happened to it and where did it go and check the Fade if his spirit is there. This could push her into not only studying blood magic but also dangerous and more morally gray branches of magic because she wants to know what happened to him and if she can bring him back. His death hits her this hard because 1) he was her only family; 2) considering that Bellara is a Dalish mage but is neither a Keeper or First, she might have been forced out of her original clan, and her brother stuck by her; 3) even though he’s the younger one, her brother watched out for her and understood how she was. So, when her brother reaches out to her, she’s both joyful and tentative. When he tries to persuade her to join him on Anaris’s side, she hesitates because even though he’s a Forgotten One, he did save her brother, and maybe she does eventually, for whatever reason but mainly for her brother. The writers had everything there that they needed to make her an interesting and relatable character, but they couldn't have any of the important characters be remotely morally gray because that apparently didn't fit with what they wanted.

[@Iris-di6rw]

Cyrian would have made a much more interesting companion than Bellara, because he has a deeper internal conflict and morally grey motivation. In that sense he is also a lot closer to Merrill. Imagine recruiting a companion, who in his attempt to defeat the risen gods and preserve the elven legacy turns to worshipping a Forgotten one. It would have been so interesting to explore his struggle of being presumed dead and shunned by his family and the veiljumpers. It would have highlighted the desperation of an average elf in understanding that you cannot defeat Elgar’Nan and Ghilain’Nain with the tools the modern elves possess. He is willing to sacrifice himself to a lesser evil (Anaris) in an attempt to defeat the “Big bad”. It would also have given the writers a better opportunity to explore the lore of the Forgotten ones.

[@Punkertoon]

Thank you for making me want to do another Origins playthrough. Currently fighting the urge to start a character so I can finish Black Myth Wukong.

[@AvengerAtIlipa]

There's also Velanna, an extremely underappreciated character (all the Awakening companions are super underrated, even Oghren). Comparing Velanna's attitude to Bellara's is just... incredible. Velanna: "So you not only gave up on killing the Grey Warden who murdered your father, you actually joined the order. 😏" Nathaniel Howe: "Are you trying to pick a fight, Velanna? Baiting me like this is juvenile. 😕" Velanna: "I just wanted to know how you felt. 🤭" Nathaniel Howe: "How do you feel knowing you murdered all those people because you were too arrogant to check your facts? 😡" Velanna: "Warm and fuzzy. 😁"

[@quitwastinmytime]

The real truth is that I played this game for 100 hours and don't even remember it. Jacob was better character than anyone in Veilguard. The characters in Orgins and Mass Effect seem like real people in my memory

[@andersfrieden567]

They feel almost like a family to your protagonist, unlike this forced friendship in Failguard.

[@woodsmen8573]

the Qunari next, i'm still so annoyed how they ruined that race in veilguard. now they are nothing but real world humans with horns, they act human there mannerism is human, there attitude is human, they behave like human and there society is very human Qunari is no longer a Fantasy race.

[@mattmark94]

there is also a jamaican qunari wearing the jamaican flag's colors, 'nuff said

[@johngrant4470]

I like Lore Empress as much as I do Salty Empress

[@missriggie6083]

SPOILERS in this comment because I have to say several things.... First: I feel really bad for the devs and writers. It's disheartening to tell the story you want to tell only to have your publishers and distributors teeter back and forth with what they will and won't publish and the mass exodus that happened because of it. What we got was what they could manage within the time they were given with them championing some areas and sacrificing others while EA is actively trying to destroy them. They still put out a solid game, even if it does feel like a watered down prologue to something greater. Second: We all know they had to cut out a lot just to put it out there, and so I reckon they decided at the very least to hone in on one core theme: Regret. We witness Solas's regret through his memories in the Crossroads and the murals at the Lighthouse. He created a prison to trap the Evanuris with it, and manipulates Rook into feeling it. In each companion we see a version of their own regrets. Taash with their mother, Neve with Minrathus, Lucanis with Spite, Davrin with the griffons, Harding with not finishing the job sooner, Emmerich with being older and not going on the adventures he wanted, and Bellara with not only her brother, but her identity as a Dalish elf. Third: I don't really think you did Bellara justice in this analysis. I don't think she's a shadow of Merrill, but a jump-off point. From Merrill's perspective, the elves are a broken people because they don't know enough about their history, and she's doing everything to find out about it. Bellara on the other hand now knows too much. Throughout the game, she sees the cruelty of the Evanuris, their use and experimentation of the darkspawn taint and the destruction from that, she meets a Forgotten One and watched it possess her brother and took him from her again after already mourning his death once. She has witnessed how the world is so messed up, how the Dwarves are cut off from their dreams, because of the Elves. That pride she had in her heritage, the curiosity of where she and the elves come from is being dismantled piece by piece. This all culminates in the final act, if she was taken by Elgar'nan and tainted, she steps up, saves Solas, and says "You are not my god!". It both broke my heart and got me so hyped for her. I adore Bellara and I will die on this hill.

[@vegassims7]

I really liked Merril. None of these characters in Veilguard are worth investing yourself in. They are all just puppets of DEI worship.

[@MrAxedead]

Is really funny that most people agree that the canon ending of Veilguard is where all the companions die.

[@Nast33]

DA2 had its issues, but it is still the 2nd best game in the series. The story and character writing (of most anyway, don't remember how that one edgelord holds up) is top notch. The friendship/rivalry companion relationship system is still the best party affinity system ever designed in a video game. You could be apprehensive and critical of their goals, yet end up respected, even if unloved. If had such great depth.

[@Strike-w6k]

I love this chill side of you. Great job!

[@nuhre]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@jenniferthomson4921]

It occurs to me that Bellara was just another modern insert, like Taash. I believe the intention was to present her as neurodivergent. Interestingly enough, they stopped short of throwing that word around.

[@nuhre]

Each writer (with he exception of Davrins and to some extent Emmrich) wrote these characters as a self insert. Epler has ADHD -> Bellara had ADHD. Lucanis' writer made him bisexual because she's bisexual. Taash is non binary because Patrick Weekes is non binary.

[@jenniferthomson4921]

Damn. They made it a vanity project. Yikes.

[@Resef0486]

The only thing Drag and Aids Fail Hard has done is make me realize the god damn miracle Dragon Age 2 was/is. What they did in essentially an eighth of the amount of time should be way more appreciated than people currently view it. Hell even the worst part of 2, the repetitiveness, is actually matched by the repetitiveness of the combat in Fail Hard. DA2 I have judged you too harshly....

[@MannerdDesert7]

@3:25, Blood Magic has been inherently evil throughout dragon age, i think instead what merrill proves is that not all blood mages are evil, merrill is a good person & has good intentions but she gives in to temptation & unintentionally hurts those around her. Blood magic is basically Dragon Age's version of the Faustian Pact, no matter what good intentions you have for making a deal with the devil it will always end in ruin, but what the devil offers is always too tempting for mortals to refuse.

[@mylittledota4653]

Nah, disagree. It is just an instrument. A more dangerous one, sure, but still an instrument. By the way, if lirium is the blood of the titans, then all of magic is blood magic? Magic and mages are inherently dangerous. Any mage can be tempted, any mage can snap without using blood magic

[@mysticwraith6667]

Probably a hot take but i think it would have been cooler if the forgotten ones were the reason the blight exists Anaris design was really cool, shame he was just a side quest

[@Peatore]

I think you missed the point of Merrill's arc if your take away was that she was all about helping the Dalish. Maybe it was at one point, however eventually her fixation and sunken cost of sacrifice drove her further than any care of her clan. In the end, realizing she was doing it for her self is what allows her to move on from it. (Or she realizes after her clan is wiped out)

[@UltraFlea]

As welsh person myself it was nice hear Eve Myles accent in Merril and she was one of my favourite companions. I was also confused by her line when find the artifact "If i was to shut it down the normal way it would destroy everything around us!" Or something along those lines....why would that be the normal way to do it if you know a non destructive way to do it?

[@HadoukenX]

My mabari was named Faffyfoot. And he chewed through many darkspawn.

[@SeventhheavenDK]

Nuhre! Good news (tho, it's a different topic from the video). Failguard WASN'T nominated for the Game Awards!!!!! Well, it got one nomination, in the category of best game for Accessibility, but that's meh, and it's nominated along with Star Wars Outlaws 😂). We won!!!! Not even the game journos dared to nominate it for GOTY 😂!!!🥳🥳🥳🥳

[@alirodriguez2833]

Loving this format of videos

[@bhryaen3743]

Tbh I totally missed the Merrill connection. The whole “veil jumper” faction comes across as a contrivance. They don’t even do any jumping and their whole schtick is artifact hunting- so more like a Tomb Raider faction. I mean, the “ancient elves” of DA didn’t have “technology”. They were powerful mages, not a steampunk past to uncover like Horizon Zero Dawn. The eluvians were evidence of a secretly powerful magic past for elves, and Gaider’s team was continuing to be coy w the lore revelation even during the DA2 Merrill narrative rollout… like the ground rumbles under your feet due to the gravity of what Merrill was meddling with. Bellendia by contrast is like a literal mechanic or even engineer, not a scholar, which inevitably makes the lore exploration flat. She’s a gadget girl, not a blood mage. It’s a similar fail w Harding and the Titan lore. Harding in V is already an asinine conflation of DAI Harding w DAO/DAI Dagna, but given her inexplicable pull off the cliff to be inexplicably brought back up the cliff inside a rock… as a conflation further w DAI Descent character Valta who has the curious and simply unexplained experience she does w the Titans near the end. We get an amateurish attempt to provide answers for the otherwise intelligent, even profound ancient past, and they just appear to make everything into a gimmicky misinterpretation. Admittedly I never liked the DA2 rework of DAO Merrill (changing her VA as well), found her whiny tendencies distracting from the weight of the lore she was supposedly championing by going out of her way to do essentially what Solas wanted- bringing back elven glory. But Merrill as a character is far deeper than the idiot who casually relates that her tinkering w elf robot tech might blow everyone up. You describe well how Merrill has true arcs and potency. But one disagreement on Bellendia having no faults: like Morrigan she approves of leaving an otherwise innocent dude to a cruel death- disapproves if you don’t- so… not really a nice lady… There’s no way you’re giving her “depth” in a game that casually destroys its own gameworld…

[@magicrealms2824]

Bellara is a hollow character that lacks depth. "Shes just there" basically sums her character up in general. Nothing about her stands out. Merril feels like a real character that has both flaws and good traits. A character that has went through struggles that shaped her to who she is.