Posted by Welcome to Dragon Age Month! I had so much fun with Mass Effect Month, and it’s not a secret I love Dragon Age even more than I love Mass Effect, so this is a match made in the Golden City. Every Monday and Friday of this month we’ll be tackling a different question, so be sure to chime in with your own answers each day this month!
Day Seven: Who is your favorite female companion?
I don’t know…
It’s sort of unclear…
I’m not sure…
Yes, that’s hardly fair, isn’t it? I challenged myself not too long ago to choose favorite characters while avoiding the obvious choices, but I guess I just couldn’t help myself. (And if anyone is following the stream of this game, I’m sure you’ve noticed how often I talk about her… !thereitis)
Let’s be real for a second… Leliana is amazing as a spymaster but horrible as a rogue. If my Warden had to rely on her for finding traps, people would think that bear traps and scorch marks were part of the Grey Warden uniform. And she was always so eager to help unlock doors but never manages to do so.
So much so that, while playing Pillars of Eternity, I almost fell out of my chair when one of the NPCs offered to open the door and actually managed it.
But what she lacks in lock-picking ability she makes up for in being a fantastic archer, having a great accent, and going through the most interesting character story arc across three games. So yeah. My fave.
What else can I say? I’ve talked about favorite characters during Dragon Age Month and they contained a lot of my favorite female companions. It seems like when I like a character, I also like to take them with me, whether or not it is the most tactical choice or not.
Day Seven: Who is your second-favorite female companion? (and don’t repeat anyone you’ve said in prior posts)
Okay. Here we go.
Dragon Age: Origins – Wynne, the mage from the Circle Tower, can be meddlesome at times, but she is a powerful mage who really looks out for the best interests of the Warden and their companions. Whether this is due to maternal instinct or the regrets of the past, or a combination of the two, I’m not sure, but I loved talking to her in the camp, and found myself wanting to make her proud of me.
Although I also really, really like Morrigan, and tended to roll with her a little more than I did Wynne…
Dragon Age II: Aveline Vallen, the Lothering native who would go on to be captain of the guard in Kirkwall, blasted her way into my heart when she consoled Hawke about her mother’s death. The analogy of no one being able to tell you when to “turn the page” on your grief really hit me, and while her fumbling through courtship was endearing, seeing how deeply and truly she cared ensured that she burrowed right into my heart and stayed there.
Dragon Age: Inquisition: Vivienne, Madame Le Fer, and resident ice queen of Haven and Skyhold.
I couldn’t stand her. I just couldn’t stand her.
But I also respected her not just because she was a powerful and talented mage, but because she was unapologetically forceful when it came to the things she wanted. She had her priorities, and she was going for them, and I can respect that. Also, the fact that I couldn’t stand her and yet found myself bringing her on quests and asking her advice fascinated me as a gamer, because it showed off just how good of a character she was.
There you go… My second-favorite female companions. What are your second-favorites? How do they compare to your favorites? Let me know in the comments!
Dareth shiral,
~Athena
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