Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Solas, explained

BioWare has a long history of giving mage companions a much more important role than other companions in the Age of the Dragon franchise. It just so happens that some companions are destined for greatness while others are destined for, well, more sinister affairs. With that in mind, players should have known this when they met Solas in Inquisition that there was more to him than just a love of spending time in the Fade. He was rather reserved and mysterious.

Fourth episode of BioWare, Dragon Age: Guard of the VeilIt was initially called The Werewolfwhich means fans will want to take a look back to find out who this intricate character is and what role he might play in the future. The Guardian of the Veil It is scheduled for release on October 31, 2024, which means it's time for old players to get reacquainted with Solas and for new players to start understanding him.

Updated August 30, 2024 by Robbie Robinson: For any player who has had a relationship with Solas or simply enjoyed his friendship, his betrayal was like a knife to the heart. In terms of the story, it was an incredible twist that left a trail of breadcrumbs for players who replayed the game more than once. Solas is a very interesting character, and while his motivations have been revealed, there is still much more to come. This article has been updated to include more information about Solas and The Veilguard, as well as to bring it into line with current CBR formatting standards.

Who is Solas in Dragon Age: Inquisition?

A helpful wizard who is more than meets the eye

Posing as an apostate from a small village, Solas identifies with neither the Dalish nor the elves of the City, claiming to have spent his days wandering the wilderness and exploring the Fade. He doesn't talk much about himself, though he is more than willing to discuss his travels through the Fade with anyone willing to push him to do so. Solas' interest in the Fade and the Veil has set him apart from many, as most people in Thedas view otherworldly spirits and magic as the frightening unknown.

The Fade is what piques Solas's interest the most, and his efforts lead him to understand all that the Fade has to offer. While Solas's knowledge and wisdom have made him an invaluable asset, they have also set him on a dark path. Solas becomes involved with the Inquisition in its early days, after being drawn to the Breach. The Breach formed as a tear in the Veil and serves as a direct link to the Fade. Because of this, the Breach allows monsters and demons to break out of the Fade and wreak havoc upon the world.

With his motives in mind, Solas offers his services. He gladly hands his staff over to the cautious Templar and takes a look at Cassandra Pentaghast's new prisoner, who was present during the initial explosion at the Temple of Andraste that opened the Breach. This prisoner, of course, is the player character in Inquisitioninitially called the Herald of Andraste. While the Herald has little memory of the events that unfolded during the tear, he has been granted a strange and painful mark called the Anchor on his hand that reacts to the Breach. Solas stabilizes the mark and saves the life of the future Inquisitorbecoming a loyal companion as the Inquisition gains more and more power.

The Anchor allows anyone marked to control the Veil and the Vanish, which is extraordinarily powerful. However, when in the possession of anyone other than the god Fen'Harel, the Anchor is a death sentence for its wielder.

When the big bad of InquisitionCorypheus, he reveals himself to Haven, is holding the Orb of Destruction. Solas explains that the orb is an elven artifact of great power called a foci. The Orb of Destruction is capable of manifesting and harnessing incredibly powerful magic. Solas worries about the impact it will have on the elven race if people discover that such a terrible object is elven in origin and used for pure evil. Naturally, Solas has a much bigger stake in the matter than just defending his people. He fights side by side with the Inquisition until Corypheus is defeated. The Inquisitor destroys the orb during their last, successful attempt to stop Corypheus. Solas is disappointed by the destruction of the foci and, with nothing left to do, leaves the Inquisition without even saying goodbye.

Who is the Terror Wolf?

Solas' true identity was a blow to every Inquisitor.

Solas's true nature is finally revealed during a post-credits scene. Solas meets Flemeth, an ancient Witch of the Wilds who played a role in the Age of the Dragon franchising from OriginsThe Inquisitor encounters Flemeth while traveling with Morrigan to the Well of Sorrows, discovering that Flemeth is actually Morrigan's mother.

In the mid-credits scene, it is revealed that Flemeth is actually a goddess of the elven pantheon named Mythal. Mythal greets Solas as an old friend, but also calls him the Dread Wolf. Mythal laments that Solas failed to obtain his orb, the Orb of Destruction, which is actually the Orb of Fen'Harel. Here, it is revealed that Solas is no ordinary wizard, but in reality the elven god Fen'Harel. Solas remained asleep for a long time after he turned against the other gods, preventing them from returning to the world.

Although he was seen as a god of betrayal, Fen'Harel's true intentions were more focused on freeing the elven people from their chains and restoring their original culture and roots. Fen'Harel freed many elves from their masters, those who had been controlled by the Vallaslin markings on their faces. The Dalish still wear them, not knowing or understanding their true origins as signs of slavery.

In the Intruder DLC, the Inquisitor and the party hunt down Solas and in their search they discover several notes detailing the history of Fen'Harel. His original name was Solas and he worked for the rebellion against the other Evanuris, who constantly fought among themselves and strived for divinity and power. He fought for the Elven People, but when the Evanuris murdered Mythal, who Solas believed to be the best of them, he punished them by lifting the Veil and sealing them away from the mortal world.

When confronted, Solas confesses that if he had not lifted the Veil and cut the Evanuris off from the world, they would have ultimately destroyed him in their lust for power. He declares to the Inquisitor that he will walk the lonely path known as Din'Ansharal and restore the Folk, no matter the cost. It is later revealed that his desire to restore the elves to their rightful place of power rallies many followers to his cause. Taking control of the Eluvian Network, which the elves once used to travel, elves who once served the Inquisition begin to mysteriously disappear, joining forces with Fen'Harel as his agents of chaos.

What Solas' Identity Means to the Veilguard

Is there any hope of bringing him back to his senses?

Solas's plans to tear the veil seem disastrous at best, and it is now clear that Solas will be the main antagonist of Dragon Age: Guard of the Veil. What is less obvious is what his plan to rise to power might mean for Thedas. Is it possible that by restoring the People to glory, he will achieve what he claimed the Evanuris would do if left to their own devices? Will his efforts destroy all of Thedas? One might wonder whether an Inquisitor becoming Solas's lover might have any influence in stopping him, but that seems unlikely. As a potential romance option for an elven Inquisitor, Solas was slow to accept the idea of ​​falling in love, but curiosity, peaceful negotiations, kindness, and a stolen kiss in the Fade have eventually won him over, if only to a certain extent.

There is actually a moment in the love story between Solas and an elven Inquisitor where it seems like he wants to confess everything, but then decides not to and ultimately ends their romantic relationship.

Before InquisitionThe end game has begun, Solas has broken up with his lover, confessing that he could not continue the relationship without offering a real reason to appease her. In Intrudereven a courted Inquisitor who had offered to aid him on his lonely path was blocked, so it seems unlikely that his heart could be turned from his self-appointed duty to restore his people. Regardless of his relationship with Solas during InquisitionIt certainly seems like this will be a tough foe for the next hero to face. Dragon Age: Guard of the Veil.

Everything You Need to Know About The Veilguard

Between returning characters and new areas, where is the game going?

The Guardian of the Veil is just around the corner and after nearly a decade between new games, fans are dying to know how this story with the once-trusted Solas will play out. It is uncertain what role the Inquisition will have in this game, if any. Considering how interconnected the Age of the Dragon games, it would certainly be awesome to see the player's Inquisitors loaded into the game, even if only for a brief moment to witness an interaction with Solas. However, players will take on the role of a new character, Rook. Rook will be fully customizable, allowing players to choose their race, gender, and background faction. It is still unclear who Rook really is and how he gets sucked into the race against time to stop Solas.

There are a few other returning faces, though. The reveal trailer for Veil Guard shows Varric and Lace Harding fighting side by side. Varric is a companion in both Age of the Dragon II AND Dragon Age: Inquisition. She is the charming dwarf thief with his trusty crossbow, Bianca. Lace Harding is a new companion, but she first appeared in Inquisition. Once the gameplay reveal was released, fans stepped into the shoes of Rook, traveling with Varric into Tevinter. The two meet Lace and then head out to stop Solas's ritual of tearing down the Veil. It's already been shown that Varric and Solas have a pretty tense moment, with Solas destroys the thief's precious crossbow, Bianca. Many fans are now wondering if Solas will kill Varric or if Varric will die in some other way. Varric is not listed as one of the companions, so it is unclear what his fate may be.

While Varric's fate looms large in the early stages of the game, one thing is certain: Solas' actions will play a major role in The Guardian of the Veil. With Inquisition carrying Age of the Dragon IIWhen Hawke returns to the game for a jaunt through the Fade, players can't help but wonder if the Inquisitor will return, intent on stopping Fen'harel, the traitor who used the Inquisition as a springboard to get what he wanted.