The Blanketfort (crying and throwing up) - The Official Solas Thread [Spoilers]

Thanks SJ! 
Solas moves between subforums as he does between worlds 

He's obscured by shadows for a reason  They're still going to tweak stuff, which is why nothing is shown in great detail yet. With that said, he just won't look the same as in DAI. The 3D model of the head may be near-identical to DA (albeit I don't think it will - this model definitely is more detailed), but even new textures, lighting and new animations will make everyone look different to how they looked in DAI. 

Naw, he seems OK to me, with a caveat that a short teaser doesn't yet give us the idea of full extent of improvements (to animations, textures, model details, etc) they've made. Still, improvements to graphics are still very noticeable. 6 years is a lot in terms of changes to computer graphics, overall or in games. No mug from DAI will work or look the same as it did in 2016. 

OP updated

So it would seem this is the new iconic look for the Dread Wolf since it is apparent here under his cloak:



And then has the same high collar and dark aspect in the latest offering:



He has definitely dispensed with the humble hobo look. He's full on Dread Wolf now.

Makes a change to have a major antagonist that you actually do find attractive. Like they say, some people will want to bed him, some people will want to slay him and some will want to do both.

I've been wondering this since the last game, and now wondering even more - about the Dread Wolf's eyes. Like, his 6 Pride Demon-esque eyes, specifically.

I feel like past images of Pride Demons show eyes that are pretty symmetrically spaced and of similar size. But the artwork of DW isn't symmetrical at all; the top right eye is actually more towards the middle of the head and larger than the others; and the pupils are doing some funky things - four are solid dots, one is a solid dot with a circle around it, and the big boy is a blue dot with a fat white circle around it.

Why is it styled like this? Is there any kind of symbolism or meaning under the surface that isn't obvious with current data/knowledge?

I like how he’s positioned in front of the wolf’s jaws. Like he’s about to be devoured. He’s touching it and then turns his back to it. Maybe I’m reading too much into it. Just reminds me of the first mural teaser we got of Solas holding his hand up in what seemed to be a stopping gesture aimed at his alter ego.

The thing is, whilst that seems amusing it is missing the point with Solas. In the movie Lord Farquaad was not prepared to risk himself, just the lives of others he could bribe, coerce or otherwise get to do his dirty work for him. Now Solas admits he has used others to achieve his aims but he is also willing to sacrifice himself to achieve it. That doesn't make what he intends any less horrifying but it does make him different from the guy he is being compared with. If that wasn't the case you wouldn't even think him worth saving.

What also makes him frustrating is that he has become so accustomed not to trust others that he won't share why he must take the action he is. Is he just trying to restore the world of the elves because it seems better to him than the present one, or is there more to it? There do seem hints of the latter. So just tell me Solas.

I also find it frustrating from the writing perspective that very often you seem to get a better insight into the way his mind works if you are more aggressive with him. Perhaps when he is angry he is less careful about keeping his guard up. I only find these things out by watching videos on You Tube because my Inquisitors invariably are on good terms with him.

There is an exchange where the Inquisitor can accuse him about not caring for the elves. He responds by asking what they would have him do. He refers to some examples that make me think he was well aware of what went on in Halamshiral before Celene massacred the elves there.  (It might also explain his anger with Felassan went beyond just rebelling against his orders: What harm can it do to let Briala have the eluvians for a while?  A great deal if it ends up getting a lot of elves killed).  Then he points out that even the Inquisitor with the power they have amassed cannot simply give the elves back their land and autonomy. In one of the dialogue branches he even says the only way would be to tear down the Veil and reshape reality, which of course would seem him just trying to emphasise how ridiculous the suggestion is that he could do more, when in fact it turns out that is the option he intends going with. Yet friend/lover Inquisitor can miss this conversation entirely.



I think you are right and this is definite symbolism. He is in danger of being consumed by his alter ego and I think every time he resorts to using it, that time draws a little closer when it will be impossible to save him from himself. It is very much the native American story about the two wolves battling for supremacy in your mind. Which wolf wins? The wolf you feed.