Solas

At first, Solas is one of the less remarkable characters in Inquisition’s roster. He’s characterized by his knowledge of Fade-related magic, has some cool hat tricks to show you in his early conversations, and altogether seems a bit smug and judgy. Things start to change, though, as he reveals he is the source of Big Bad Corypheus’ magic. He shows frustration with the ways of the modern world, his personal quests solidify and reinforce his anger at how flippantly people view spirits, and when all is said and done, he leaves the Inquisition without a word. Then it’s revealed why Solas feels like a person out of time: He is the Dread Wolf, an elven trickster god who has awoken to find himself written in history as a traitor to his people. Solas reveals in the Trespasser DLC that he barely viewed his friends in the Inquisition as people, and was using them to further his plan to tear down the Veil that separates the real world from the spirit realm and bring back the elves’ long-lost immortality. That all changed as he grew to care for the friends he made along the way, but his mission can’t bend to newfound sentimentality. Underneath Solas’ pompous exterior is a man ravaged by guilt for what he did several millennia ago. Should he succeed in tearing down the Veil he created, that old guilt will be replaced with a new one as he watches the world burn to correct his mistake.

In The Veilguard, it’s revealed that Solas’ crimes extend far beyond the Veil and his betrayal of the Inquisitor. Though the game no longer bears his name, Solas is the beating heart of Rook’s story, existing as a foil for the hero and also the trigger for the cataclysm that nearly swallows Thedas whole. But The Veilguard isn’t just about Solas’ present, it also dives deep into the elven god of lies’ past and reveals that his history is the history of Thedas. The well of Solas’ regret runs so much deeper than we ever knew, and having to face someone who is no longer hiding who he is means dealing with all the regret, shame, and conniving fuckery he’s capable of. After you’ve learned everything there is to know about Solas, you’re left with a choice of whether or not he can be redeemed, or if you even want to give him the opportunity. That there is such hotly contested debate among fans over whether Solas’ actions were justified speaks to the complexities of his views, and solidifies his spot as the most compelling party member the series has yet put forth.