Summary
It’s been almost nine years sinceDragon Age: Inquisitionand nearly eight years since Trespasser set the stage for what becameDragon Age: Dreadwolf. While there were a few interesting leaks earlier this year, there is still a lot that fans don’t know for sure about the game. Withthe nextDragon Agepushed back to 2024 or later, it might still be some time before fans get a good look at the upcoming action RPG.
Still, fans have some idea of where BioWare is going withDragon Age: Dreadwolf’s story. This includes the identity of some return characters, such as the dwarven rogue Varric. A fan favorite, the crossbow-wielding dwarf was introduced inDragon Age 2and is the only character to be a party member in multiple games. However, surviving multiple games doesn’t necessarily mean the character is safe, and BioWare might dust off a cannedDA2plotline involving Varric’s death.
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BioWare Almost Killed Varric after Dragon Age 2
To talk about Varric’s averted death, one first needs to talk aboutDragon Age 2’s canceled Exalted March expansion. The story would have seen protagonist Hawke caught once more between the Chantry and the Qunari as the events ofDA2threatened to trigger a full-scale war over the Free Marches. It also would have continued the story of Red Lyrium and the Mage Uprising. It would have also fleshed out the city-state of Starkhaven and the pirates of the Felicisima Armada.
Exalted March’s ending was also reportedly intended to be a gut punch for the player, with major characters dying. This would have included Varric, though it’s unclear how the Dwarven storyteller’s death would have played out. Fortunately for Varric fans, BioWare ultimately scrappedExalted Marchto focus onDragon Age: Inquisition, which was struggling due toBioWare’s problems with the Frostbite Engine. Some ideas fromExalted Marchwere later folded intoDAI, though BioWare relegated some to War Table Operations, and others were scrapped altogether.
Interestingly, formerDragon Agelead writer David Gaideralso tried to kill Varric inInquisition. Near the end of the game, Corypheus was supposed to launch a full-scale attack on the Inquisition’s headquarters of Skyhold. Gaider had intended for Varric to die in that battle. However, BioWare reportedly decided that Skyhold was already too complex for developers to implement the battle in a reasonable timeframe. Therefore, the whole sequence was scrapped.
Varric’s Death in Dragon Age: Dreadwolf
What’s noteworthy here is how both of Varric’s stays of execution came from a lack of development resources rather than a creative decision or executive meddling. This means that BioWare might still be open to the idea of killing him. David Gaider left BioWare afterInquisition, but it might not be out of the question forDreadwolf’s writers to decide to finally pull the trigger. While there is no evidence that developers intend to do so, there are arguments for why BioWare should.
A great example from another BioWare game is Mordin’s death inMass Effect 3. Not only is the scene well written and directed, but it’s made genuinely moving in large part by the player’s investment in the character. It also feels like a natural conclusion to Mordin’s character arc andMass Effect’s Genophage storyline, with the Salarian scientist sacrificing himself to undo the crime he helped perpetuate.
Bioware has an opportunity to do something similar with Varric onDragon Age: Dreadwolf. Varric’s story is closely tied to the story ofDragon Age’s Red Lyrium. He also played a role in unleashing Coryphaeus during the events ofDA2’sLegacyDLC. Unlike Mordin and the Genophage, Varric didn’t intend to unleash either. However,Inquisitionsuggests that Varric still sees himself as partially responsible.
Previous teasers indicate that Red Lyrium will play some role inDragon Age: Dreadwolf,and the new game may finally bring that storyline to a close. If that’s the case, it would make sense for Varric’s character arc to end similarly to Mordin’s.
Dragon Age: Dreadwolfis in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
