on Anders
an excerpt my from commonplace book
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Anders was right and I mean that with my whole chest. Let's just set aside everything about him as a person and focus solely on his actions in Kirkwall: he has done nothing to endanger the population of Kirkwall or Thedas in the ways that a mage can with his actions on the Mage Underground. The mages he helps escape are innocent of all crimes; he himself heavily abhors blood magic even though we see, in the metaphor of blood magic in the DA universe being likened to crimes such as drug dealing or prostitution in our world, that most mages turn towards blood magic when they are left with no other choice. Templars represent such a danger to them that they turn to the most forbidden type of magic that threatens not only their autonomy but their very lives just to escape them.
One could argue that if mages lived in a world where they weren't so threatened by a populace that fears them that they would, in turn, give them nothing to fear by turning to blood magic. It's not the mages the Anders helps escape that turns blood magic; it's the mages that are being mistreated and hunted by the templars. There are outliers, of course, but it's not a reach to say that the institution of the Circles and the Templars are the direct cause, or at least the spark that lights the flame, for most users of blood magic. Even in the cases of blood mages who were truly sadistic, they often cite the Templar's treatment of them as what pushes them over the edge. Anders' actions help prevent more cases of blood magic.
But even setting that aside, everything Anders did to try to help the mages other than his involvement with the underground was above board. He did it the "right way" by appealing to the authority in charge but Elthina deliberately wouldn't listen. In the scene where Hawke distracts Athena for Anders she says:
"I would not wish to be locked in the gallows, but I cannot take sides. We are all the Maker's creatures but magic allows abuses beyond the scope of mortals."
Using her religious beliefs to claim neutrality while also using that neutrality to turn a blind eye to the party that is actually suffering in the conflict. She tells Hawke without even needing to say the words that she sides with the Templars.
So the only authority higher than the Templars in city has taken sides with them. There is no one left to call for help to save the mages who are being abused, lobotomized and raped en masse. Anders is one of the only free mages in the city, in the entirety of Southern Thedas, who has the knowledge and means to do something, anything, to help them. And Anders is a healer; his entire life's purpose is to not stand by when there are those in need. He did everything the right way. He tried every avenue of non-violence available to him: he appealed to authority via Elthina, he appealed to the masses for help via his manifesto, and absolutely nothing worked. His only choice left was violence to save his people. I'm not speaking on who he is as a person, only what he did, which was give the mages the chance to break their own chains because freedom is never handed to the oppressed - it must be taken.
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just a stream of thoughts in defense of anders' actions. i am not interested in debating about him being a 'terrorist' and anyone who tries will be blocked.
