BioWare took a massive risk in 2011. They traded the sprawling, world-saving epic of Origins for a claustrophobic, decade-long tragedy set in a single city. It was messy. People hated the recycled maps. But if you ask anyone why they still play it today, they won't talk about the combat or the caves. They’ll talk about the Dragon Age 2 characters.
This game isn't about saving the world from an Archdemon. It’s about a group of disaster people trying to survive a city that’s slowly eating itself alive. You aren’t a chosen one; you’re a refugee trying to keep your friends from killing each other.
Honestly? That’s why it works.
Varric Tethras is the Glue That Holds Kirkwall Together
You can't talk about this game without Varric. He’s the narrator, the best friend, and the guy who basically invented the "chest hair as a personality trait" aesthetic. Unlike the stoic warriors or brooding mages you usually see in RPGs, Varric is a businessman. A storyteller. He’s the only companion in the history of the franchise who never leaves you, no matter how much of a jerk you are.
That loyalty is rare.
While other companions are busy with their own agendas—Anders is plotting a revolution, Fenris is hunting slavers—Varric just wants to make sure Hawke survives the night. His relationship with his crossbow, Bianca, is legendary, but his real strength is his observational skill. He sees through everyone’s crap. He nicknames people not just to be funny, but because he understands their core better than they do. "Daisy" for Merrill, "Blondie" for Anders, "Chuckles" for Solas (later on). He’s the emotional anchor. Without Varric, the Kirkwall crew would have disbanded by Act 2.
The Complexity of the Anders Problem
Anders is probably the most polarizing figure in the entire Dragon Age mythos. If you played Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening, you remember a funny, cat-loving apostate who just wanted to be free. In Dragon Age 2, he’s different. He’s merged with Justice, a Spirit of the Fade, and the result is... uncomfortable. It’s a slow-motion car crash.
Watching Justice turn into Vengeance over the course of ten years is one of the most effective character arcs BioWare has ever written. It’s not a "corruption" arc in the traditional sense; it’s a radicalization. Anders is a doctor. He heals people in the Darktown slums for free. But he’s also a terrorist. Balancing those two halves of his identity makes for a brutal gameplay experience, especially if you’re trying to romance him.
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The game forces you to decide if his cause justifies his methods. Most games give you a "good" and "evil" choice. Dragon Age 2 gives you a choice between a friend you love and a world that’s about to burn because of his actions. There is no easy win here.
Rivalry vs. Friendship: A System That Actually Matters
Most RPGs treat companions like vending machines. You put in enough "compliment" coins, and eventually, a romance or a quest pops out. Dragon Age 2 flipped the script with the Friendship/Rivalry system.
It’s brilliant.
A Rivalry isn't the same as "this person hates you." It means you disagree with their philosophy. You can be a Max Rival with Fenris and still be his best friend or even his lover. It just means you challenge his worldview. If you're a pro-mage Hawke, Fenris—an ex-slave who was tortured by mages—is going to have some notes. You don't have to agree with him to respect him.
This system allows the Dragon Age 2 characters to feel like actual people with backbones. They don't just fold because you’re the protagonist. If you're "Friends" with Merrill, you're enabling her dangerous obsession with blood magic and the Eluvian. If you're "Rivals," you're trying to protect her from herself, even if she hates you for it. It’s a level of nuance that Inquisition and The Veilguard haven't quite recaptured.
Fenris and the Trauma of the Tevinter Imperium
Fenris is more than just "the guy who hates mages." His skin is literally tattooed with lyrium, a process that gave him incredible power but stripped him of his memories and his humanity. He’s a victim of extreme systemic abuse.
A lot of players find him "whiny" or "one-note," but that’s a surface-level take. If you actually spend time on his personal quests, you see a man who is terrified of being controlled again. His hatred of mages isn't just prejudice; it’s a PTSD response. When he rips a heart out of a slaver’s chest, it’s not just for "cool factor." It’s a desperate assertion of his own agency.
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Merrill: The Sweetest Person Using the Darkest Magic
Merrill is a masterclass in cognitive dissonance. She’s adorable. She gets lost in her own neighborhood. She talks to birds. She also uses her own blood to summon demons because she believes it’s the only way to restore the history of her people, the Dalish.
The tragedy of Merrill is that she’s right and she’s wrong. She's right that the Elves have lost too much. She’s wrong to think she’s the only one smart enough to avoid the consequences of the Fade. Watching her tribe turn on her—or watching her mentor, Marethari, make the ultimate sacrifice—is gut-wrenching. You want to tell her to stop, but you also understand why she can’t.
The Arishok: An Antagonist With Honor
Technically, the Arishok isn't a "companion," but he is one of the most vital characters in the game. He represents the Qun, a philosophy of absolute order that stands in direct opposition to the chaos of Kirkwall.
He’s not a villain in the "I want to rule the world" sense. He’s a man who is tired of seeing people suffer under a corrupt, disorganized system. His respect for Hawke is earned through actions, not words. The duel with the Arishok at the end of Act 2 remains one of the high points of the series. It’s a clash of cultures, not just a boss fight. He respects you because you are "Basalit-an"—a person of worth. In a city full of liars, his brutal honesty is almost refreshing.
Isabela and the Art of the Escape
Isabela is the chaos element. She’s the reason the Qunari are in Kirkwall in the first place (spoiler: she stole their holy book). On the surface, she’s the classic "rogue with a heart of gold," but she’s much more selfish than that. And that’s okay.
Her character arc is about learning that staying is harder than running. Most of her life has been spent fleeing—from an abusive marriage, from the Qunari, from responsibility. Seeing her actually return at the end of Act 2 to face the music is one of the most satisfying character beats in the game. She doesn't do it because it’s the "right thing to do." She does it because Hawke is the first person she’s ever met who didn't let her run away.
Aveline Vallen and the Burden of Duty
Aveline is the straight man of the group. As the Guard Captain of Kirkwall, she’s constantly trying to bring order to a city that is fundamentally broken. Her relationship with Hawke is unique because it’s built on mutual professional respect.
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She’s one of the few characters who actually grows up. She gets married (if you help her navigate the world’s most awkward courtship), she gains power, and she loses people. Aveline represents the "normal" side of the conflict. While everyone else is dealing with magic and ancient scrolls, she’s dealing with corrupt guards and street crime. She reminds the player that there are real people living in Kirkwall who just want to go to work and not get hit by a fireball.
Why the Characters Work Better Than the Plot
The plot of Dragon Age 2 is fragmented. It jumps years at a time. It doesn't always make sense. But the characters are the through-line. You see them change over a decade.
- Act 1: Everyone is young, hungry, and trying to make a name for themselves.
- Act 2: Success brings its own problems. They have money, but they have enemies.
- Act 3: The pressure cooker explodes. The tension between Mages and Templars becomes untenable.
By the time you reach the final battle, these people feel like family. You’ve seen them at their worst. You’ve helped them through their personal hells. When the ending happens, and the group eventually scatters, it feels like the end of an era.
Many fans argue that Dragon Age 2 has the best writing in the series precisely because it is so focused on these interpersonal dynamics. You aren't just a commander giving orders; you’re a friend trying to keep a sinking ship afloat.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Playthrough
If you’re heading back into Kirkwall, keep these things in mind to get the most out of the cast:
- Commit to a Rivalry. Don't try to make everyone like you. Some of the best dialogue and character development happens when you disagree. A Rivalry with Anders or Fenris provides much more depth than a standard Friendship.
- Mix your party for dialogue. Don't just take the "best" combat units. Take Aveline and Isabela together to hear them bicker and eventually become friends. Take Varric and Merrill for some of the sweetest interactions in the game.
- Pay attention to the background. The banter in this game changes based on which Act you are in and what major decisions you’ve made. The characters react to the passage of time.
- Do the DLC. Mark of the Assassin and Legacy provide massive amounts of context for both the world and the characters (especially Varric and Hawke’s family). Legacy is practically required reading for Dragon Age: Inquisition.
- Don't ignore the siblings. Whether you have Carver or Bethany, their relationship with Hawke is the emotional core of the first Act. How you treat them—and where they end up (Wardens, Circle, or Templars)—completely changes the tone of the story.
The Dragon Age 2 characters are flawed, frustrating, and occasionally insane. But they are the most "human" characters BioWare has ever produced. They don't exist to serve your story; they have stories of their own, and you just happen to be part of them. That is the secret sauce that makes the game a cult classic despite its technical flaws.
To truly understand the weight of the Dragon Age universe, you have to spend time in the gallows of Kirkwall. You have to see the desperation in Anders' eyes and hear the click of Bianca as Varric loads a bolt. You have to realize that in the end, we aren't remembered for the dragons we kill, but for the people we stood by when everything fell apart.
For those looking to dive deeper into the lore before the next series entry, focus on the "Legacy" DLC specifically. It bridges the gap between the Kirkwall incident and the rise of Corypheus, proving that while the characters felt small-scale, their choices reshaped the entire continent of Thedas for years to come.
Next Steps for Players:
- Check your save files to ensure you have a "Rivalry" path completed for at least one companion to see the alternate ending dialogue.
- Replay Act 2 with a focus on the Arishok’s respect points to unlock the unique duel sequence.
- Review the Dragon Age Keep to see how your Kirkwall decisions impact the world state of the sequels.