#chantry explosion

Plot hole, or simply a plot contrivance? I say no. Makes perfect sense. Something big changes for Anders around this time, namely that he becomes friends with someone who has connections all over Kirkwall and canonically is known to pay off whoever he needs to in order to keep his friends safe (as he does to make sure Merrill never gets mugged in Lowtown).

You know, the same guy who swears to the Inquisitor that he has no idea where Anders is (but also somehow knows where to send a letter if Anders' partner is left in the Fade).

Even Meredith's zealotry is powerless against corruption--not the corruption of darkspawn blood or red lyrium, but the simple corruption of greed that lurks in the hearts of men. There's a kind of person that knows where to make the coin move to make heads turn away from their sworn duty, and can offer the kind of protection even the friendship of the Hero of Ferelden couldn't buy.

Thanks for your ask❤️

If we strictly abide to canon, none of the three Hawkes play any role in the Chantry explosion because the game simply doesn't allow you to play an active role in it. That said, in the realm of headcanons, I can see that perhaps the closest Hawke to play a significant role in it out sheer stubbornness may be Red Hawke. They could force Anders to spill out his plan and aid him knowing that is the right thing to do to give the mages a fighting (and a escaping) chance. Now, Purple and Blue Hawke may take a diplomatic stance by, for example, putting all their chips on Thrask and his alliance among mages and templars to oust Meredith (I know Best Served Cold for a pro mage Hawke is a hot mess of a mission and I will fix it in my fic wip even if it's the last thing I do *shakes fist in the air*) but ultimately, Anders knows that won't solve the underlying problem. Another knight commander will replace Meredith and the old practices and abuses will continue.

I headcanon that, days prior to the Chantry explosion, Anders disappears. Hawke is worried sick fearing the worst and mobilizes their friends to search for him but things are at a boiling point in the Gallows between Orsino and Meredith and for some reason they are both relying on Hawke to solve things or mediate. They could remember Anders' odd request of weeks prior to distract the grand cleric and have a hunch to search for him in the Chantry. If Hawke is a mage, they may sense something? But if they're not, perhaps they could go with Merrill and she could help? Whatever they find could lead to Anders' whereabouts and after making sure he's alright and in one piece, Hawke could confront him about his plans. Not sure whether Anders would ultimately share them or mislead Hawke one more time in a last attempt to shield them from the upcoming backlash.

Again back to canon, DA2 has a way of gaslighting Anders starting by Hawke and their companions. People deflect his accusations of templar abuses like he is paranoid, Hawke rolls their eyes at the drafts of Anders´ manifesto left at their estate (even a pro mage Hawke who is romancing Anders does this,) he's treated as a nutcase and a nuisance and so, the narrative makes it very difficult to snap out of it and actively aid him. For that you'd need to believe him, take him seriously and acknowledge that the systematic abuse against mages by the templar order and condoned by the Chantry for a millennium cannot continue.

so there's no explosion. there's no anders or he gave up for some reason or hawke stopped him. it doesn't matter. what matters is that things stay as they were but it doesn't get any better. it gets harder and harder for hawke to keep meredith and orsino from tearing each other apart. then the right of annulment arrives because why would it be revoked. so there's no more circle. if bethany got stuck in the gallows she dies with everyone else because why wouldn't she. if carver got stuck with the templars he takes part in mass murder and has to live with it. if hawke is a mage they have to witness a legally approved slaughter of their people. if they're not they can lose their little sister. the only family they had left. because it was too late wasn't it. they didn't know. they couldn't change anything. no one man army would defeat the whole templar order and the chantry's divine right.

maybe one day they come to listen elthina preaching about her heart aching for sacrifices that had to be made. maybe they hide in their estate knowing damn well they're granted the right to live and walk freely up until meredith decides they aren't useful to her anymore.

they'll go on like that for another couple of years if they didn't lose it and went on rampage immediately of course. so there's still no viscount because why would someone else be needed when meredith is right there protecting the city from blood mages and abominations even when there's no gallows. actually maybe meredith isn't right there anymore. maybe she's getting a promotion as corypheus' templar general and what's remained of the gallows is already overgrown with red lyrium. maybe there's another exalted march because divine justinia wasn't convinced that the crisis was over.

He went in with a plan to romance Sebastian but now he’s going after Anders. (After much deliberation because once meeting all the companions he was torn over Anders, Sebastian, Isabella and Fenris).

The man knows nothing about Anders and the Chantry at the end of the game.

Thoughts?

i both love it and hate it tbh

its a great idea story wise, i love all the siblings being alive. i just really, really hate the templars. but if anyone can join a group that brainwashes people, and resist it, its hawke. i do like the idea of an "inside man", and spying on them, the leaders meredith / elthina and especially cullen

one of the downfalls is that it would be (moreso) triggering for anders, having a templar friend / love interest

but it makes sense that hawke would be a mage and they would'nt notice, bc they are incompetent and hawke is just that smooth lmao

and i also love THIS hawke being at skyhold. it would make such an improvement for inquisition (which imho is the worst DA game). anyway it would set up a great "templars are the bad guys, actually", and cullen SHOULD be judged by the inquisitor and NOT be the leader of the forces. get rid of that alleged "both sides are bad, actually" centrism which i despise