The Lore of Dragon Age - Plans of the Architect

Something always felt...off with him. The way he talked, moved and acted, everything is suspicious about him.
Enjoy my rambling, I hope it makes at least a bit of sense!
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Pictures taken from the games or the Dragon Age Wiki.

[@Calwyne]

I also agree that he appears to be making up a load of bull. Even in the calling he constantly 'revises' his plan to Bregan, depending on how blighted Bregan is at the time. Not to mention he claims he only took blood from wardens already dead, despite the fact we find a live warden in the tunnels whose legs have been crushes who says they were all captured and his comrades have been 'killed or worse'. Not to mention it appears to be HIS army that attacks Amaranthine, as his messenger loudly protests defending the city and the darkspawn there are labeled as 'disciples'. He also labels the invasion of vigils keep as a setback, even going so far as to say it is lost. He is extremely suspect and I personally think he is himself being manipulated by the blight, call or no. Saving 'his people' also seems utterly meaningless given that he consistently says bonds are pointless etc, and given that darkspawn are not a race and only blighted versions of actual races in Thedas. I take everything he says with a grain of salt. He seemed very eager to kill everyone who seemed likely to think for themselves at the end of the calling.

[@LucasRhodan]

He's definitely one of the most intriguing characters around, much more so than Corypheus. I really hope we get more information on him in DA4, for those that let him live.

[@Calwyne]

Fusselkorn I just managed to catch the Mother saying that the Architect hears a different kind of song, a 'dark and twisted shadow'.

[@bucketofdicks4096]

There is evidence of him collaborating with the Wardens though; in Dragon Age 2, you meet Nathaniel Howe (if you spared him in Awakening) in the Deep Roads, he mentions how the Wardens wanted to investigate the Primeval Thaig after receiving intel from certain allies that know the Deep Roads. When Hawke questions him about these allies, asking if they were dwarves Nathaniel says no, stating that it's complicated. He does mention the Architect and what he is by name though so why he doesn't go all out and explain that there is some alliance with his disciples is beyond me.

[@YoshtTheAwesome]

I have a theory as to why the Architect might not remember that he was a magister. In the Legacy DLC, in the codex entry "An Unusual Discovery", Warden-Commander Farele talks about speaking with Corypheus but that his thoughts were disordered and it says that "at times he seems more human than beast", which indicates that he goes between human and bestial states. So the taint degrades even the minds of those who control it. But Corypheus was imprisoned and put to sleep, which halted the progress of the degradation. When he wakes up, he seems to have forgotten over 200 years of being blighted, since he was captured after the First Blight. And in Inquisition he says "I have gathered the will to return under no name but my own," so regaining his mind might have taken some effort. So what would the effect of the taint have been on someone that lived with it for over 1000 years with (presumably) nothing slowing its progress? My theory is that he forgot everything that happened to him before a certain point.

[@TheElenaFoxy]

I can't believe you don't have many subscribers.. your videos are really good! keep it up!

[@dewittbourchier7169]

I think the Architect is more or less sincere in his goal, but continues to make the same sort of mistakes he made in his past. But unlike Corypheus who dodges admitting his mistakes through claiming they were not mistakes, the Architect prefers not to talk about them. When confronted with unsavoury aspects of his plans, he appears ashamed and starts fidgeting like the fact that he awoke the Old God. Plus him not waiting for the darkspawn to fully taint his old God is understandable from the perspective of his plan. He was hoping to pre-empt a horde of Darkspawn arriving and tainting him. If you tolerate him his darkspawn do help you in Amaranthine and when he sends messengers to you he sends them with their hands up, showing he learns from his mistakes but his first instincts continue to be that of the brash and self-assured Magister who assaulted the heavens.

[@haroldhoover9498]

The Architect knew just like Loghain knew. 🐉

[@SaeybinUnderFire]

Hmm, I wonder if the Architect is really thinking for himself or the taint in him is pulling his strings. He makes no sense so either the goal (as Avernus alluded to) is to gain the power of the grey warden blood that only the Black City holds the answer to or the Architect is nudged into awakening Urthemiel so (if anyone did the Dark Ritual), Mythal would get Urthemiel's essence.

[@evamagnusson1431]

You definitely need to do a vid on the Mother in awakening. This theory is incomplete without her. She really had me scratching my head when I played the Awakening.

[@donkey0303]

I thought The Architect was a cool character I chose to not kill him in origins I wanted to see if they did more with him in the next couple of games

[@SnubbenISvart]

DAMN YOU THOMAS! you ruined my comment train.. I will have revenge

[@donkey0303]

sorry i guess but what is "comment train"

[@SnubbenISvart]

im just kidding man, but i've been commenting on all of this guys videos with random shit xD

[@donkey0303]

ohhh I get now, hahahaha you will never get your revenge sucka.... :P

[@SnubbenISvart]

haha, i'll just snipe his other video.

[@princekalender2154]

So my girlfriend was right. The Architect is hiding a lot of bulshit and is not so innocent. Damn, I let him live

[@LucasRhodan]

I let him live every single time as well, purely for science sake. I want to see what comes of his experiments. I mean, what's one more Blight to end? :D

[@princekalender2154]

Fusselkorn Hahaha. Also, we are Grey Wardens. We make horrible decisions, jaywalk and steal cookies from fat children. To let him live is only natural.

[@LucasRhodan]

Stealing cookies from fat children is rescuing them from Darkspawn in the future, the Warden is fed, and the kid loses weight so it can run faster...obviously.

[@christineherrmann205]

I always assumed he just wasn't right in the head, lying to himself, and so lying to the Warden by default. I'm starting to suspect the Blight/Taint has a mind of its own, and it _wants_ to spread; everyone tainted is being (at least) subtly controlled as well as (at least) slowly degraded (of course that tag-ends into my suspicion that the Blight was Andruil's weapon against the Titans, and maybe it was just supposed to clue the darkspawn into figuring out how to free the dragon Avatars of the Elvhen, but now it's utterly out of her control and holy crap we're all going to die, buried under red lyrium _pantpant_). Also, currputs?

[@bigbadwolf0047]

I don`t think he forgot he is just a retty good liar

[@LucasRhodan]

Given what happened in The Calling, I agree with you

[@pirates0138]

I can't see a reason why i should spare the Architect because, nothing guarantees that the awakened darkspawn disciples wont start all over again, where they left off, meaning they can still decide to seek out the Old Gods, but without them calling. Still they spread the taint nonetheless. Now all things considered for me there is just no point siding with him, for MAYBE a false hope, that you can break the endless cycle of the blight.

[@blainedelaune346]

love the videos, keep it up

[@Kraziel797]

I spare the Architect, because lying would be pointless if freeing his people wasn't in his agenda. I don't blame the brood mother though hating him for the freedom cus any chick would prefer living hell over living as a grotesque creature. There is mention of him in later games that apparently less dark spawn are in the deep roads becuase of him, originally the Architect was supposed to be Corypheous adversary during "Here at the abyss" the Inquisitor was supposed to meet the Architect. I believe sparing the Architect was a good choice becuase the cycle needs to end, the grey wardens die reguardless and the Architect holds a very risky solution that could save Thedas by not completely eliminating the Dark Spawn but at least teach them self control and communication. The only reason Thedas was saved was becuase of the Warden, but if that champion had not survived the Dark Spawn would of had won reguardless. (Im sorry im just into Orcs and would really would love to play as a Dark Spawn race but not the evil version of dark chronicle, I would love to belive the Architecr kept his promise but already game sources already mention he did in a way) On a final note for anti dark spawn -what is better? what is better to be born good or to over come your evil nature with great effort?- -parthunaax of skyrim-

[@SeventhheavenDK]

"Here lies the abyss" And I wonder from where did you hear that (the Architect being in Inquisition). Sometimes I get the impression some people believe their own fanfics.

[@peterfox6159]

Perfect! And bloody awesome, too ;)