A thing that I love about Cullen: the way he plays chess.
So, there are three options when you play chess against Commander Cullen in-game, and only one of them nets you a victory.
One option is to let him win, and, of course, he does.
Another option is to cheat. But when you do this, he still wins. Not just with you, either: every single game you witness with him against a character who cheats ends with Cullen winning; he canonically beats the Inquisitor, Dorian, and Leliana (she plays him in that scene if Dorian is unavailable) when they try to get the better of him. He really just radiates smugness when this happens, too (especially against Leliana, the sneakiest of them all). It’s like he beats cheaters out of spite.
The final option, playing fairly, is the only scenario in which you can beat him. This always seemed odd, to me; he’s obviously an extremely skilled player, who can win even if you give yourself an edge. So why do you win if you choose not to do so?
Why? Anybody’s guess. Maybe he appreciates the honesty after playing so often against someone who cheats. Maybe he remembers the frustration of always losing against his and wants you to come back instead of giving up. Fill in your own headcanons. But I just can’t shake the feeling he throws that game on purpose.
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