The fantasy world of Thedas is home to all wonders of magic and invention, including mages, monsters, and creatures of myth and nightmares. Exploring the lands introduces players to all there is to behold, encountering friend and foe alike. Fraught with danger, it would be foolish to traverse the world alone, but that’s where the companions come in.
Across each game, players will encounter various other characters that could be human, dwarf, qunari, or elf, each possessing their own unique personality and set of skills. But not all characters are made equal, as there are those that outshine the rest. This list will celebrate and explore the elven companions across the Dragon Age series.
InDragon Age: Origins, players have the choice of six origin stories that determine how their journey starts — and how they end up joining the Grey Wardens. There are two origins for elf characters, one being theDalish elf origins. Dalish elves are nomadic tribes that steer clear of cities and refuse to move into the alienages set up for city elves.
Mahariel, the Dalish elf origin character, starts the journey following a group of humans that wandered too close to the camp, accompanied by fellow clan member Tamlen, a temporary companion for Mahariel. Despite them supposedly being childhood friends, players won’t really be able to form that strong of a bond with him since their partnership is short-lived, as Mahariel will soon leave to join the Wardens. Tamlen appears later on in the game, infected by the Blight, which results in a rather tragic farewell.
The second game in theDragon Ageseries runs parallel to some ofOrigins, and rather than being about a heroic Warden, it centers around the Hawke family and their struggles to find a good life in the safety of Kirkwall, far from the Blight ravaging most of Ferelden. Several DLCs were released forDragon Age 2to expand on Hawke and their exploits, with one being Mark of the Assassin, which brought in the talent of internet celebrity andDragon Agefanatic, Felicia Day.
Filling in the role of Tallis, there were elements of the character to enjoy, such as her witticism and chemistry with Hawke, but there were some well-earned criticisms, pointing out Tallis’s hypocrisy in regard to the Qun, and proclaiming she wants to avoid the blood of innocents while trying to protect the lives of spies with less than good intentions.A spin-off web serieswas released calledDragon Age: Redemptionto give players more Tallis, but with next to no budget, it failed to hit the mark, marring what is otherwise a complex and multi-faceted character.
Sera is one of the less cool and mature heads inDragon Age: Inquisition, an outspoken spokesperson for the ‘little’ people in the world, so there are points to be made that her presence in the game is vital, as they are often forgotten about in times of great turmoil. She often makes light of situations, just as likely to crack an immature joke as she is to shoot an arrow, but this is all part of her charm.
Her lackadaisical manner is a breath of fresh air when saddled by the fate of the world and surrounded by more uptight, serious characters like Cassandra. This makes hercharacter fit well into the party, as she brings about some balance, and her banter with other characters results in some hilarious and unforgettable dialogue. But her character isn’t for everyone, and that’s fine. It’s likely that she won’t care that much.
Dragon Age 2introduced players and Hawke to the many colorful characters that populate Kirkwall, with one of them being the Dalish-turned-city-elf, Merrill. She departs willingly from her clan, leaving for the city of Kirkwall with Hawke. As it turns out, her clan was turning on her due to the dark secrets her innocent and sunny exterior hides.
Merrill is fixated on repairing an ancient elven relic called an Eluvian, a magical mirror. She turns toblood magicin order to gain the skills necessary to cleanse the Eluvian shard she owns, which everyDragon Agefans know is a big no-no. But this only makes Merrill’s character more interesting and adds a new layer of depth. If she was always the happy-go-lucky cheery good-girl, it would make her character fall flat and hold very little potential for a satisfying character arc.
Dragon Age: Originsprovided a wide range of companions players could recruit in their war against the Darkspawn, but making allies also guarantees making a few enemies. Loghain was not merely content with nearly eradicating the Grey Warden, deciding he needed to stomp out the remaining two Wardens by sending an Antivan Crow to ensure the job is done.
Of course, Zevran fails the mission and is left at the mercy of the Warden, but this does not stop him from literally flirting with death, as it is just part of his character. Players who choose to spare his life andrecruit him among their allieswill find him to be easy-going, charming, and flirtatious, easily deflecting that party’s suspicions with little care. As one of the least judgmental characters, he is one of the easiest to get along with, making him a palatable character for almost everyone.
In the world ofDragon Age— more specifically, the city of Tevinter — slavery runs rampant, with the rich and powerful enslaving the less fortunate to serve without question. Fenris was one such unfortunate slave, being tortured for years, who escaped and hopes to remain outside his previous masters' reach. His master Danarius, however, eventually comes to reclaim his ‘property.’
Such a dark and tragic backstory certainly has affected Fenris’s outlook on the world, particularly that of mages, which can make for an interesting dynamic when playing as a mage character. Players can help him see past his prejudices, understandable as they are, and as they spend more time with him, he will slowly open up and reveal there is so much more to him than his hatred for mages. It is a treat to spend time with Fenris and get to know him and his hidden depths.
The title of the best elven companion naturally goes to Solas, one of the most complex and fascinating elven characters players will meet throughout the entireDragon Agefranchise. He joins the Inquisition in order to help them with sealing the breach, as he is the mage most well-versed in the Fade, able to enter it freely and talk with the spirits there.
Though serving as one of the protagonists inInquisition, hein turn becomes the villainof theTrespasserDLC, which has bigger and more tragic implications if the Herald of Andraste (the player) befriended or romanced Solas. This is what makes his romance one of the best in the games, as his turn in Trespasser puts a tragic spin on their love. Wearing the mantle of Fen’Harel marks him as an important character inDragon Agelore, and no one could have imagined this powerful but unsuspecting elf was an elven god all along. The betrayal may sting, but none can argue BioWare crafted a truly fantastic character.
