< Dragon Age II < Characters

Dragon Age II/Characters/Hawke Estate


This page is for listing the tropes related to members of Hawke's family or estate who are found in Dragon Age II.

Hawke

"A hero named Hawke".

The Player Character, a refugee of the Blight who eventually becomes the Champion of Kirkwall. The male Hawke is voiced by Nicholas Boulton and the female Hawke is voiced by Jo Wyatt.

  • Action Girl: If female.
  • Anti-Hero: Like the Warden, Hawke can be played as one.
  • Appropriated Appellation: Snarky!Hawke actually likes Varric's suggestion that their nickname should be "Chuckles".
  • Badass: Inevitable.
    • Adaptational Badass: Played with. Hawke is already a certified Badass, but Varric is often found telling stories in the Hanged Man that exaggerate it to truly ridiculous levels. By Act III, there are people claiming that Hawke uses the Arishok's skull as a gravy boat and sleeps on a bed of dragon bones.
      • In Legacy Cassandra has a hard time believing Varric when he says that Hawke managed to defeat one of the ancient Magisters.
    • Badass Abnormal: If playing as Mage!Hawke.
      • To a lesser degree, a Warrior!Hawke that has the Templar and Reaver specialisations under their belt.
    • Badass Normal: If a warrior or rogue, Hawke actually survived fighting at Ostagar.
    • Badass Beard: The default Male Hawke sports some pretty impressive beardage, and character creation allows the player to further expand it.
    • Badass Unintentional: In the beginning of the game, Hawke is just trying to protect his/her family. When s/he gets to Kirkwall... Yeah.
  • Almighty Janitor: According to Snarky!Hawke, this is what being Champion entails.
  • Aloof Big Brother/Sister: When using the "Aggresive" dialogue wither either sibling. Though this seems to be the default relationship with Carver.
  • Asskicking Equals Authority: Hawke defeats the Arishok and is rewarded with the title of Champion...
  • Badass Creed: When Tallis tells Hawke that the Qun could give them a purpose.

Hawke: I have a purpose. I protect Kirkwall.

  • Batman Gambit: Rivalries can essentially become these, as Hawke baits the given party member into revelations. Highlights include Aveline bum-rushing him/her Zangief Kid-style for being called a coward and getting Merrill to grow a backbone.
  • Berserk Button: Do NOT mess with Hawke's family if you want to live. In fact, despite Snarky!Hawke being irreverent and unflappable at practically all times, when Leandra is kidnapped in Act II and Hawke's sibling in Act III, Hawke's whole demeanour changes and the amount of anger in his/her voice that still seeps through his/her Tranquil Fury indicates how fast you should be running away right now.
    • Its the sheer speed from which Snarky!Hawke goes from sarcasm to outright fury that makes it more startling;

Snarky!Hawke: I'm sorry to interrupt this lovely student-teacher reunion but WHERE IS MY MOTHER?!

    • Hell, even Diplomatic!Hawke's standard lines about not wanting to hurt anyone in those situations are uttered in a way that indicates that may not be his/her first instinct.
    • By the same token, even a pure Diplomatic Hawke will have trouble foregoing the Aggressive response when Meredith drags Hawke's mother, who was brutally murdered by a blood mage, into her incessant anti-mage crusade: "Leave my mother out of this." Knight-Commander or no, if there was one moment in the game when Meredith's stoic demeanor was a mere facade, that was it.
    • Even Snarky!Hawke demonstrates this when reacting to Carver insinuating that he/she was to blame for Bethany's death;

Carver: Sure, make light. We all know what happens when someone leaves big brother/sister's protection.
Hawke: *Stone-faced* Fair is fair, but you are taking this little pissing match too far!

  • Beware the Nice Ones
  • Beware the Silly Ones: Snarky Hawke is both just as dangerous as the other two personalities and shown to be a devious charmer capable of talking his/her opponents into believing just about anything.
  • Big Brother/Sister Instinct: Optional with either sibling, but it's easier with Bethany.
    • The first thing you do when Ser Wesley identifies Bethany as an apostate is get right in his face with fire in your eyes, and this is before you even get the chance to choose what you want to say to him.
    • A Rogue or Warrior Hawke gains the trust of Vincento by openly admitting that s/he has spent their entire life protecting their sister from the Templars.
  • Big Good: Hawke is this to the people of Kirkwall, if pursuing the diplomatic path.
  • Blood Knight: If you choose the bottom dialogue choices. Cold, detached, cruel, and always uses extreme violence at every opportunity.
  • Blood Lust: If you mostly pick aggressive dialogue options, Hawke will make remarks like this in combat:

There's nothing like the smell of fresh blood!

  • Brutal Honesty: Some of the aggressive dialogue options, and even some of the snarky ones. Particularly in a Rivalry with some of the companions.
  • Buffy-Speak: Hawke—especially a snarky Hawke—can lapse into this at times. Special mention goes to framing Serah Conrad, when you can tell an addled and drunk templar you saw Conrad sacrificing goats to the Great Demon, and doing many other... demon-y things.
  • Bullying a Dragon: Snarky!Hawke in a nutshell, particularly if playing as a Mage. This kindhearted, affable person in front of enemies is entirely capable of throwing a fireball at them or ripping them to shred with magic if they wanted to. Even if they know Hawke is a mage, next to no-one seems able to get the hint that they should tread carefully to avoid pissing Hawke off.
    • Its more telling that Meredith and the Arishok are the only people to treat Mage!Hawke as though they are the biggest threat in the room.
  • Bunny Ears Lawyer: Snarky!Hawke seems to revel in being this.
  • But for Me It Was Tuesday: Silly!Hawke pulls one with Ser Jalen in the Viscount's Keep after completing the "Raiders on the Cliffs" quest.
    • Hawke literally invokes this trope in Mark of the Assassin.

Tallis: What do you call killing someone and taking his property?
Hawke: Tuesday.

  • Celibate Hero / Really Gets Around: Can be played as either or, or anything between the two.
  • Chaotic Good: In-universe, Snarky!Hawke is frequently acknowledged as being this, especially if they are a Mage.
    • Lampshaded by Aveline, that for all their jokes, Snarky!Hawke can be counted on to always try to do the right thing.
  • The Charmer: Snarky!Hawke always seems reluctant to give up a joke, sometimes even bordering on Cloudcuckoolander, but when the situation calls for it, they can spin a line to tell the listener what they want to hear with technique second only to Varric.
  • Cosmic Plaything
  • Country Cousin: Rural Ferelden-born Hawke is one to the noble Amell Family.
  • Dead Little Sister/Brother
  • Daddy's Girl/Like Father, Like Son: No matter the dominant personality, Hawke is implied to take the most after his/her father.
  • Dangerously Genre Savvy: Snarky!Hawke in particular, who repeatedly lampshades just why you have to be in order to live in Kirkwall.
  • Deadpan Snarker: The second dialogue wheel option is the "sarcastic" option most of the time:

Hawke: She fills her time making poisons... and cake. Tell me you didn't try the cake.

    • Flemeth of all people, seems to enjoy verbal sparring with Snarky!Hawke.

Flemeth: Kirkwall? My, so far simply to flee the darkspawn?
Hawke: Do you have any better suggestions? I hear the Deep Roads are now vacant?
Flemeth: *laughs* Oh you I like!

  • Deal with the Devil: Hawke is forced to make one of these with Flemeth - help her with her Thanatos Gambit in exchange for getting the Hawke family and Aveline to safety. By the end of the game, there seem to be no negative consequences, at least for Hawke.
  • Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: The reaction of pure shock on Meredith's face when she enters the room to find Hawke has defeated the Arishok. Cassandra even has this reaction of utter disbelief that Hawke did so in single-combat
    • Agressive!Hawke actually punches a Rock Wraith in the Deep Roads in the face.
    • Cassandra reacts with similar disbelief in Legacy when Varric tells her the tale of Hawke defeating one of the first Darkspawn in existence who brought the Blight to Thedas in the first place.
  • Dude, Not Funny: In-universe, a few of the snarky comments elicit this response, particularly from Aveline.
    • If Hawke opts to snark while the Viscount is cradling his son's body, he tells him/her outright that he doesn't find any humor in the situation. If Aveline is in the party, she even calls Hawke an "ass" for that comment.
  • The Dutiful Daughter/Son: Hawke's entire motivation in Act I is to simply provide for their mother and gain enough money to win back her childhood home.
  • Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: No matter how Badass or despicable your Hawke can get, there's nothing stopping you from being nice to dear ol' Ma.
  • Even the Guys Want Him / Even the Girls Want Her: Every romance option in the game is bisexual, outside of Sebastian. Other characters sometimes come on to Hawke regardless of gender, like the First Enchanter.
  • Eye Take: Hawke's reaction to Aveline needing three goats and a sheaf of wheat.
  • Facial Markings: The default appearance for Hawke gives him/her a red blood smear on the bridge of his/her nose.
  • Fetish Fuel: In-Universe at the very least. A sarcastic response to a quest towards the end of the game is met by statements along the lines of "I'd pay to see that" in a very intrigued tone of voice by almost any ally you may have brought along, or the quest giver himself.

Hawke: "So I shouldn't slit my wrists and dance naked under the moonlight just to fit in?

    • If you don't bring any romanceable companions along (or if you take the quest while alone), even Reasonable Authority Figure Orsino seems intrigued.

"Well, if that's what you intend... perhaps I'll join you after all."

  • Fighter, Mage, Thief
  • Fight Magnet: Hawke can't even drop off a piece of mail without fighting more faceless, rooftop-hopping enemies with pointy weapons than most 80's action movie heroes did in their entire careers. To quote a rather plaintive snarky!Hawke:

Hawke: Someday, I'd like to go one week without meeting an insane mage. Just one week.

    • When Varric and Sebastian talk about Starkhaven, Sebastian says that it is a lot like Kirkwall, but "with fewer dead people." Varric is quick to point that Starkhaven doesn't have Hawke there.
    • After completing "Lost And Found" in Act III, Snarky!Hawke's response to Aveline's mutterings about the past coming back to haunt one is that s/he can't go twenty minutes without getting jumped by someone who s/he's pissed off at some point.
  • Filk Song: courtesy of Miracle of Sound. Link beneath the portrait.
  • Folk Hero: Varric's exaggerations are the retelling of the Champion's story through the public's eyes.
  • Fluffy Tamer: Inverted. Mabari choose their owners and the Dog chose Hawke.
  • Friend to All Children: Diplomatic!Hawke and Snarky!Hawke don't react well when it comes to children being hurt.
    • Nor does Aggressive!Hawke, just look at the aggressive options in the Act 1 sidequest with the murderer of elf children.
  • From Nobody to Nightmare: From at least some people's perspectives post-game.
  • Full-Contact Magic: Mage!Hawke.
  • The Gadfly: The Witty/Snarky dialogue is this in spade.
  • Good Counterpart: Compared to their Uncle Gamlen. Both are heads of the household and sole breadwinners, responsible for looking after their siblings and parents, as well as belonging to a family that has fallen on hard times. However, while Gamlen blames others for his misfortune, attempting to bribe, cheat and swindle his way back into riches, from the moment Hawke steps off the boat into Kirkwall s/he immediately demonstrates they are willing to roll up their sleeves, get their hands dirty and actually do some work in order to change their situation.
    • Although the latter is partially because Hawke didn't really have much of a choice; Hawke was perfectly willing to rely on Leandra's noble roots to house them in Kirkwall, but was forced to roll up his/her sleeves and work when it became clear that Gamlen's bungling and fraud cost the Hawke family the option they thought they had. Hawke is still a Good Counterpart to Gamlen, however, because once it becomes clear to Hawke that his/her family can only get into the city by working for a year either under the Red Iron or under the smuggling group, Hawke does the work with nary a complaint.
  • Good Is Not Nice: Possible, if playing as an anti-hero (for a given value of good, at any rate).
    • It's also very possible to play Hawke as a Sociopathic Hero if you go down a more Aggressive route.
    • Notable in Mark of the Assassin, Snarky!Hawke, who is nominally characterised as being the hero, will nonetheless let Duke Prosper stew while hanging from a ledge, quippping that they enjoyed the Duke's party and liked the belt they won. Instead of trying to get up or asking for help, the Duke just monologues until he loses his grip and falls to his death.

Hawke: I would have tried begging for mercy, but maybe that's just me. [..] Looks like the Duke...has fallen from grace.

  • Happily Married: If playing as a Female Hawke who romanced Sebastian, they eventually tie the knot.
  • The Hero
  • Heroic BSOD: After the quest "All That Remains" Hawke spends the next few cutscenes in a depression. S/he seems fine by the time gameplay resumes, but Hawke can confide in friends that this is not the case.
  • Hunter of His Own Kind: Quite possible to do if you play a Mage and tell other members of your kind to join the Circle and align yourself with the Templars by the end. Extra points if you're playing as a Blood Mage.
    • Even possible when aligned with the Mages. Several quests have Hawke purposefully have to track down rogue mages whose Well-Intentioned Extremist nature will ultimately cause more problems, often calling them out on this.
  • Hurting Hero: Just look at some of the entries on this page. Also depends on dialogue but there are certain points in the game where Hawke will be in a depression no matter what.
  • Hypercompetent Sidekick: To Viscount Dumar in Act II, routinely stepping in to deal with the Qunari on his behalf.
    • Likewise fufills this role opposite Tallis in Mark of the Assassin, being mentioned as one of the reasons she chose to seek Hawke out.
    • To either the Red Iron Mercenaries or Athenril's Smugglers, depending on who Hawke decided to work for during their first year in Kirkwall. In the former, Meeran laments how useless the people hired after Hawke were, while in the latter case, Athenril's group of Smugglers went from a minor theives guild to rivalling both the Carta and the Coterie.
  • Informed Attractiveness: As with Origins, the player can make their Hawke look worse than the darkspawn taint and other characters will still consider them beautiful and attractive—although it's mostly the love interests who comment. Even Varric, who's already spoken for, will comment on your Hawke's beauty.
  • In the Hood: Several hooded outfits are available for rogues.
  • It's All My Fault: May take this attitude after his/her mother's murder.
  • I Was Never Here: Hawke's apparent work ethic, typically taking jobs that involve acting beneath notice. Throughout the game, Aveline, the Viscount, the Templars and even the Arishok all use Hawke as a neutral third party agent so if s/he gets caught, they can claim plausible deniability that Hawke isn't doing anything officially sanctioned.
    • In Mark of the Assassin Tallis implies that one of the reasons she sought out Hawke was because he/she operates under the radar.
    • Possibly one of the many reasons why the Seekers are so desperate to find Hawke.
  • Knife Nut: Rogues can practically dance with their daggers. Though in cutscenes, even non-rogue Hawkes will see the return of the Murder Knife.
  • Knight in Sour Armour: Lampshaded in-universe. After their mother's death, Aveline calls Snarky!Hawke out and says that she doesn't buy their irreverent act for a minute.
  • Lampshade Hanging: A Hawke that takes the neutral Deadpan Snarker option often will do this a lot.
  • Large Ham: The Male Hawke's voice actor sounds like he's channelling Brian Blessed when he's shouting in combat. Which is rather amusing, because he's generally a lot more reserved in conversation... Could just be a case of Not So Above It All.

Hawke: NEED! TO REST! HAVE AT YOU! I CAN'T KEEP THIS UP! FOLLOW MY LEEEEAD!

    • A sarcastic Hawke takes great delight in chewing the scenery during the Mark of the Assassin DLC;

Snarky!Hawke: I've been stung by a bee! I think its swelling! MAKER, AM I DYING?
Tallis: The swelling is almost as big as your head! *To guard* Don't just stand there man! Do something!
Snarky!Hawke: If I die... *falls to knees* make sure the world knows... *dramatic music* I DIED AT CHATEAU HAINE!

  • Last-Name Basis: Much like Shepard before, everyone refers to Hawke by his/her last name.
    • This is actually a little amusing when you hear the party members refer to Carver or Bethany by their first name and then immediately after, in the same sentence, refer to Hawke by his/her last name.
    • This is also justifiable. Hawke may be the only Hawke left alive, or at least known by the masses. Either way, Hawke is a bit more impressive a name to be using than Marian/Garret/Whatever when telling a story, which is exactly what's going on. Varric is just staying consistent with what people know by not having various characters refer to you by less known names, even if they're more accurate.
    • In certain European/early American traditions, when addressing the first born child in a formal/unfamiliar manor, you would call them Miss/Mister [Surename], and then all the younger siblings by Miss/Mister [Given Name], so this could be seen as a less formal/more familiar version of this tradition. Especially when considering that Hawke is more or less head of household
    • More than once, Hawke will introduce him/herself as such; apparently, he/she prefers the last name basis.
  • Legacy Character: In Legacy, the Carta frequently refer to both Hawke and their late father Malcolm as being "The Hawke".
    • It becomes more confusing should you bring Bethany/Carver along, as they too are referred to by this title.
  • Let's Get Dangerous: Particularly noticable with Snarky!Hawke, who will cheerfully snark at adversaries, before being forced to knock them seven ways till sunday.
  • Like a Son to Me: Hawke can invoke this towards Sandal. Bodahn worries in Act III that he's starting to get on in years and what will happen to Sandal after he is gone. Hawke counters that Sandal will always be welcome in their home.
  • Living Emotional Crutch: Serves as an emotional anchor for a significant number of companions, either at certain points or throughout the entire game. This is especially pronounced with Anders, Merrill, and Fenris, though less so if Hawke is in a Rivalry with them.
    • If Merrill is romanced, in her banter with Aveline

Merrill: I love Hawke.
Aveline: You said that.
Merrill: I say it a lot. It makes things clearer, takes away doubt when everything is crazy and people are dying.

  • Lonely at the Top: Played with. The party mostly sticks around, but Hawke's family doesn't. As Hawke gets closer to glory, Leandra is kidnapped and murdered by a blood mage serial killer, Bethany either dies in Lothering, gets sent to the Circle, dies in the Deep Roads, or becomes a Grey Warden. The same fates await Carver, except he joins the Templars. Every step up the ladder Hawke takes, s/he becomes steadily more alone. By Act III, only Gamlen, Bodahn, and Sandal are left. It makes Hawke's offer for the chosen love interest to move in with him/her much more poignant.
  • Love Martyr: A Hawke who romances Anders and commits to him before the final battle, even though this means being hunted as a fugitive along with the most wanted man in Thedas, comes across as this.
  • Manic Pixie Dream Girl: A Snarky!Hawke who romances Anders, Merrill or Fenris. Especially Fenris.
  • Magnetic Hero
  • Meaningful Name: Both the Hawke and Amell family names derive from birds of prey.
    • Amell literally means "Power of an Eagle", which becomes very apropos considering their (former) high status in Kirkwall. Likewise, it also is very apt given the family's return to prominence through their scion, Hawke.
  • Memetic Badass: Hawke is an in-universe example, at the very least through Varric's storytelling.
  • The Messiah: Paragon!Hawke. Sadly, his/her best efforts won't prevent Thedas from being thrown into war.
  • Modest Royalty: Its revealed in Mark of the Assassin that despite being acknowledged by the Viscount as the legitimate heir to the Amells, Hawke turned down the title of "Lord/Lady Amell" because they wished to make the Hawke family name as respected and earn the title of "Lord/Lady Hawke".
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Several horrible events in the story are indirectly Hawke's fault.
    • In Legacy, Hawke may have caused Corypheus to inhabit one of the two Grey Wardens after defeating him.
    • In fact, Hawke seems to know that s/he does this.

Hawke: Summoned a horror. Of course. Why wouldn't I do that?

    • Hawke's look when they realized they helped gather the ingredients needed for Anders to be able to construct a bomb.
  • Noble Fugitive: Played straight in Act I; due to Gamlen recklessly squandering the Amell family fortune, Mage Hawke is dirt-poor and just as likely to be hunted as any other apostate. Subverted after Act II, as Hawke has become rich enough that the Templars can't touch them due to their status, while by Act III, Hawke new status as the Champion has caused Meredith to begrudgingly grant them clemency.
  • Won't Work On Me: Mage Hawke pulls this on the "Apostitute" Idunna.

Hawke: I... will... not... be toyed with!

  • Not So Different: To the Qunari, which is lampshaded several times. The Saarebas "Ketojan" in Act I, says that if Hawke submitted to the Qun, their role wouldn't change and later the Arishok claims that Hawke is what the Qunari would be without principles.
    • Tallis later hints at this, if Hawke becomes a "Basalit'an" to the Arishok, all Qunari now know and respect Hawke as an equal.
    • Tallis claims that the Qun could give Hawke a role and purpose. Hawke's response?

Hawke: I have a purpose. I protect Kirkwall.

  • Number Two: In a way; starting in Act II, the Viscount relies on Hawke more and more on keeping the peace between the Kirkwall and the Qunari. By Act III, Hawke is Kirkwall's champion and the single most influential noble in the city.
  • Obfuscating Stupidity: Snarky!Hawke seems to employ this and Buffy-Speak as a tactic to lure enemies into a false sense of security, because clearly this flighty, giggling oddball who can't go ten seconds without dropping a stupid joke couldn't possibly be as dangerous as they were told, right?
  • Occult Detective: Only in Kirkwall could seemingly innocuous jobs frequently end with Hawke battling Blood Mages, Demons, Walking Corpses and all manner of "weird shit".
  • Only Sane Wo/Man: As with the last game, a possibility. Given the Dysfunction Junction is out in full force here though, it's actually quite likely; even Silly!Hawke manages to come off as this at times (and lampshades it a bit mournfully).
  • Only Sane Employee: Comes with the job of being Champion according to Snarky!Hawke.
  • Pet the Dog: Hawke can interact with their Mabari at numerous points in the game, despite it having no bearing on the plot.
  • Platonic Life Partners: With Aveline and Varric.
  • Pragmatic Villainy: Hawke in the Destiny trailer uses Blood Magic.
    • It's also possible to play as a Paragon while also being a Blood Mage.
  • Rags to Riches: Over the course of the game, Hawke goes from penniless refugee to noble to the Champion of Kirkwall.
    • Rags to Royalty: And if you support the Templars in the end, Hawke becomes viscount/viscountess. Unfortunately, his/her reign doesn't last long due to his/her mysterious disappearance.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: Snarky!Hawke jokes this is what being the Champion entails.

Tallis: So, "Champion of Kirkwall", fancy title.
Hawke: The "Only One in Kirkwall Not Completely Insane" was considered...

  • "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Mage Hawke repeatedly gives them out to other Mages, noting that resorting to blood magic is exactly why they are so feared and hunted by the Templars. If played as a Paragon or Sarcastic, Hawke even admits while they understand their plight, this doesn't excuse the fact they are selfishly abusing magic to intentionally go out and kill people.
  • Red Eyes, Take Warning: In the Destiny trailer. Like the Sacred Ashes trailer before it, it's limited to the trailer only.
  • Red Mage: In the same vein as Bethany.
  • Rich Idiot With No Day Job: According to Aveline in Act II, Hawke refuses to actually get a position of authority. Though he/she can end up as Vicount at the end of the game (for a few years at least).
  • Right Man in the Wrong Place: Hawke became one of the most notable figures in Thedas history almost completely unintentionally.
  • Royals Who Actually Do Something: After reclaiming your family estate and becoming a noble at the beginning of Act II, it turns out that in the three year interlude, Hawke was helping improve life in the lower towns and coming to those in need, regardless of social standing. The Viscount even comments that that kind of attitude hasn't been seen in Kirkwall in a long time.
  • The Paragon: The dialogue choices at the top of the wheel turn Hawke into a selfless, caring person who always puts the needs of others first.
  • Sad Clown: A potential interpretation of a sarcastic Hawke especially after his/her mother's murder.
    • In-universe, both Aveline and Varric seemingly think this is the case.
  • Shrouded in Myth: The entire frame of the story is clearing up what happened and what didn't.
  • Shipper on Deck: Snarky!Hawke jokingly ships Meredith/Orsino, calling them out on their Foe Yay.

Hawke: The way you two carry on... people will talk!

  • Shrine to the Fallen: After Leandra's murder, Hawke refuses to disturb anything in their mother's room.
  • Sibling Rivalry: Potentially with Bethany or Carver thanks to the friendship/rivalry system. Carver is inclined towards this by default.
  • Signature Move: In cut-scenes, Mage Hawke repeatedly twirls their staff after defeating opponents.
    • Mage!Hawke also finishes opponents in cutscenes by summoning a torrent of fire to roast their opponents.
  • The Snark Knight: Hawkes who respond to dialogue primarily with the snarky choices will generally develop this kind of personality.
  • Spider Sense: A Mage Hawke demonstrates this on several occasions, having the innate Mage ability to sense shifts in the Veil and locations where it is particularly weak, such as Sundermount.
  • This Is Sparta: "I...will...not...be toyed with!"
  • Thousand-Yard Stare: Hawke sports one after his mother's death.
  • Ubermensch: Can be played heroically or anti-heroically, but his/her actions change Thedas forever.
  • Villain Protagonist: Averted, in contrast to the first game. You can be an Anti-Hero in the vein of Renegade!Shepard, but the outright thuggery possible in Origins is mostly absent here.
  • Warrior Therapist: If played on the friendship route, Hawke becomes this frequently.
    • Particularly prominent with Fenris, where most of their interaction has Hawke politely listening while Fenris talks about his life and why he has such utter hatred of magic. It practically is a therapy session.
  • Worthy Opponent: Can become one to the Arishok who deems Hawke "Basalit'an" denoting Hawke as an outsider worthy of respect.
    • Tallis later tells Hawke that this is how Hawke is considered by all Qunari; clarifying they do not think of Hawke as an enemy, but as an honourable outsider worthy enough to parley with or request assistance from.
  • You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Paragon and Snarky!Hawke frequently invoke this.
  • You Are Not Alone: Mage Hawke's simple reply to Feynriel in Act I.

Feynriel: Why do you care? You don't even know me!
(Hawke creates a blinding ball of light in their hand)
Hawke: I am you.

  • You Can't Go Home Again: Lived in Lothering with his/her family before the Blight came. There's nothing left to return to. Aveline and Hawke can discuss the trope in Act III.

Hawke's Siblings

Bethany Hawke

It was never anything I had to work for. Other people always took the risks to keep me free.

Hawke's younger sister. Younger Twin of Carver. She is an apostate, trained by her apostate father. Voiced by Rebekah Staton.

  • Action Girl: Has no fear charging into any situation with her magic, even as she tries to hide it.
  • All Women Love Shoes: Makes no less than three comments about shoes when prompted.
  • Anti-Hero: Can end up of something of a Type II if she became a Grey Warden.
  • Awesome McCoolname: Contrary to it being a Fan Nickname for a female PC, Bethany is the one that gets called Lady Hawke.
  • Big Brother Instinct: Invokes this frequently. Do NOT threaten her when Hawke is around.
  • Big Brother Worship: She starts off the game heavily tilted towards "friendship" and is constantly supportive of Hawke during her time in the party. Her codex entry for a mage Hawke states that she idolized her older sibling.
  • Birds of a Feather: Her attraction to Sebastian, beyond him being Estrogen Brigade Bait. They're the most moral party members and also the most overtly religious.
  • Badass: It runs in the family. Both sides.
    • Badass Adorable: Capable of kicking lots of ass, though there is much emphasis placed on her cute demeanor and vulnerability as an apostate.
    • Badass Bookworm: Circle!Bethany is held in high regard by both the Templars (by Meredith herself, no less) and her own students as an exemplary mage, despite being a former apostate and the daughter of an apostate.
    • Badass Teacher: Circle!Bethany, despite being only 22 by Act II, still ends up becoming a senior member of the Circle and in charge of teaching apprentices. Its mentioned that they completely adore her.
  • Beware the Nice Ones
  • Break the Cutie
  • Breast Expansion: For a short time, during Varric's exaggerated prologue sequence you might notice something besides Bethany's magic prowess being expanded upon. After she has the normal female model.
  • Comes Great Responsibility: Like father, like daughter.
  • Corrupt the Cutie: On learning she is a virgin, Isabela offers to buy her a night at the Blooming Rose.
    • If she goes to the Circle, Isabela apparently sends her a lot of suggestive books to get her through the night.
  • Country Mouse: When she's in the party, she will comment that she misses the fields of Lothering, compared to the cramped streets of Kirkwall.
  • Covert Pervert: Enjoys Isabela sending her suggestive books if she's in the Circle..
  • Daddy's Girl: Strongly implied after the end of Legacy. Malcolm justifiably spent a lot more time with Bethany than with either Hawke or Carver, especially if Hawke is a warrior/rogue and Bethany is the family's only mage child.
  • Darker and Edgier: A character-based version of this trope. If she becomes a Grey Warden, she becomes grimmer and surprisingly pessimistic. This is because Bethany's Grey Warden storyline removes the glamor of being one, after the first game made the life of a Warden seem like the stereotypical fantasy hero's. There is no Blight, and the rest of her life will be spent in misery, hunting down darkspawn warbands.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Occasionally.
    • Some of her banter with Anders in Legacy delves into snark, especially when he tries to scold her for voluntarily joining the Circle.
  • Death by Origin Story: First casualty of a mage Hawke's family.
  • Dysfunction Junction: Initially, she is the sole exception, with the rest of the party having dark pasts and personalities to match them. She isn't nicknamed "Sunshine" for nothing...
  • Earn Your Happy Ending: Circle!Bethany, in the mage ending, has spent the past six years locked in the Gallows, but by the end of the story, she's free, her friends are (possibly) alive, she has reunited with her beloved elder sibling, and the mages are uniting to fight for their freedom. Even though it doesn't go as smoothly as everyone would have hoped, and there's much hard fighting in store for the mages, her fate could have been much worse and she hopes that good will come out of the impending revolution.
  • The Eeyore: As a Grey Warden, she becomes this. Nothing stops her from angsting and lamenting the life of a Warden. Justified in that a Warden's life really does suck when one stops to think about it.
  • Fantastic Racism: Bethany hates qunari; she had a friend in the family that Sten murdered.
    • Which leads to a horribly ironic Fridge Brilliance moment if you're playing as a Mage. The Ogre that killed her was bred from a Qunari Broodmother.
    • It also becomes Enemy Mine in Mark of the Assassin.
  • God Is Good: Her view of the Maker; of the game's three mage party members, she is the devout Andrastian.
    • Her faith gets stronger as a Circle mage and is less pronounced as a Grey Warden.
  • Gravity Master: If she's alive in Act III, she will be a Force Mage.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: If Hawke is romancing Sebastian, Bethany frequently displays this;

Bethany: Sister, you lucky bitch.

  • Heroic BSOD: She gets one during the templar route if she was sent to the Circle.
  • I Just Want to Be Normal: Her biggest wish is to be normal, and she resents all of the hardships brought upon her family in order to keep her safe. Her codex entry mentions that, should Hawke be a mage him/herself, she deeply envied how her eldest sibling embraced their powers instead of fearing them.
    • She'll say this line almost word for word in a random dialogue with Merrill.
    • Subverted in Legacy. She realizes being "normal" would require an entirely different family. She admits, despite the hardship of being an apostate, she wouldn't have it any other way.
  • Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: If she goes to the Circle and you side with the templars, Meredith will run her through unless you step in.
  • Leeroy Jenkins: At the end of Act II, if she joined the Circle, she gathers a cadre of mages to help Orsino fight the Qunari, despite his orders for them to pull back, and her entire group gets slaughtered.
  • Mauve Shirt: Only if Hawke is a mage or if she dies during the Deep Roads expedition.
  • Nice Girl: Though she gets significantly more bitter if she ends up a Grey Warden.
  • Playing with Fire: Bethany definitely qualifies, starting with fire spells, a staff that shoots fire, and using fire spells in cutscenes when she attacks.
  • Plotline Death: If the player is a mage, Bethany dies instead of Carver.
  • Plucky Girl: Circle!Bethany refuses to allow her time spent in the Gallows to harden her and she hopes the mage's rebellion will change how they live among others for the better. A stark contrast to Warden!Bethany.
  • Put on a Bus: If she doesn't die in the Deep Roads expedition, Bethany is forced to join either the Circle or the Grey Wardens.
    • The Bus Came Back: She rejoins your party for the final battle.
      • She was also given leave to join Hawke in Legacy. If she's in the Circle it's implied Hawke had to pull a lot of strings..
  • Red Mage: Does not have the party heals or revives of Anders, or the hell-raising blood magic of Merrill, but has access to a great deal of offensive and defensive magic, plus healing, which Merrill lacks. Properly built, she is one of the most versatile mages in the game, subverting the Master of None stigma associated with them. As an Elemental/Force Mage, this becomes even more apparent.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: Blue to Carver's Red.
  • The Resenter: If she joins the Grey Wardens, she becomes this to Hawke, but will grow out of it by endgame.
  • Sacrificial Lamb: If Hawke is a mage.
  • Sacrificial Lion: If Hawke takes her along for the Deep Roads expedition and Anders isn't in the party.
  • Scarf of Asskicking: Like the other female mage, Merrill. It's probably there to hide the black seam between the head and body in character models, that doesn't mean Bethany doesn't look stylish in her vibrant red scarf.
  • Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right: If a Warden, she will come back for the final battle despite the fact that Wardens are supposed to stay neutral in political matters.
  • Ship Tease: If Sebastian isn't romanced and Bethany is still alive by that point, the two hit it off very well.
  • Sibling Rivalry: Potentially with Hawke. However, you have to work at it, because she starts off with the approval bar heavily tilted towards "friend". Party banter includes hints that this was her relationship with Carver.
  • Sibling Yin-Yang: With her twin, Carver.
  • Single Woman Seeks Good Man: Seems to have a thing for Sebastian.
  • Token Good Teammate: One of the few party members that is not one of the many darker shades of grey found throughout the game.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: Really lets Hawke have it if she became a Grey Warden and comes back to Kirkwall to find her older sibling supporting Meredith and the templars in the final battle. She can be talked into helping, but its clear she's not happy about it.

Carver Hawke

Do we know anyone who isn't brooding every hour of the day?

I'm here if you need me, but I must find my own way.

Hawke's younger brother and older twin of Bethany. He wields a two-handed sword, and has a massive chip on his shoulder due to being overshadowed by both siblings. Voiced by Nico Lennon.

  • Adorkable: Not nearly as bad as Merril, but he can get like this when trying to woo women.
  • Always Someone Better: He feels inferior to his siblings since Bethany is a mage and Hawke is either another mage or a superior fighter.
    • Bethany mentions that Carver felt this when their Mabari hound chose to imprint on Hawke.
    • Merrill completely misses his attempts to flirt with her, as she already has a crush on Hawke.
      • This also seems to have been the case back in Lothering with one of Carver's friend, Peaches. If playing as female, a letter alludes to an encounter Carver and Peaches had in a barn, but if playing as a male, the letter has Peaches obviously infatuated with Hawke instead. Ouch.
  • Anti-Magic: Gains the Templar specialization. May or may not become a Templar to get it.
  • Badass Abnormal: As either a Templar or a Warden.
  • Badass Normal: Carver both survived the Battle of Ostagar and managed to outrun the Horde all the way to Lothering to warn his family. Made more impressive that if Hawke is not a Warrior or Rogue, Carver had no backup during this.

Carver: Why are you looking at me? I've been running since Ostagar!

  • Big Brother Instinct: Its heavily implied that a Rogue or Warrior Hawke joined the army at Ostagar simply because he/she wanted to keep an eye on Carver.
  • Berserk Button: Despite his resentment issues, Carver really hates it when people threaten Hawke, as is natural for a sibling.
  • Character Development: Carver goes through a surprising amount of this if sent to the Grey Wardens. When he returns, he's far less awkward, less judgmental, more accepting of his sibling, and no longer seems to feel the need to prove himself. The other party members note this change in Legacy.
  • Chivalrous Pervert
  • Dark Is Not Evil: If he joins the Templars, he reveals that this is his opinion of them and what prompted him to join them.

"Father believed in a Templar. Why can't I?"

  • Death by Origin Story: Happens to a rogue or fighter Hawke quicker than you can say "spoiler".
  • Desperately Looking for a Purpose In Life: Its a recurring theme in Act I and lampshaded by various companions.
    • Anders comments that Carver is the kind of person who would find the life of a Grey Warden meaningful. Should he become one, this turns out to be completely correct.
    • Likewise, if he joins the Templars, he reveals in Legacy that this was part of the reason for doing so.
    • Its implied Aveline denies his application to the Kirkwall City Guard in Act I in part because of this, recognising he doesn't really want to be a Guard, he just wants to be a part of something and would join anything.
    • Entirely likely to be the reason why Carver rushed off to join King Cailan's Army at Ostagar (and got that tattoo of a Mabari).
  • Does Not Like Magic: Fairly minor case, especially compared to Fenris, but it's still there. He seems to blame it for making everyone's lives more difficult.
  • Downer Ending: In Legacy, if he's a Warden, he expresses minor discomfort upon learning that the fate of all Grey Wardens is to either go out in a blaze of glory or become half-crazed ghouls like Larius.
  • Dude, Not Funny: In-universe. Carver often goads Hawke in Act I, but the look that Hawke gives him when Carver insinuates that Hawke was responsible for Bethany's death indicates why that particular button should not be pushed.
  • Embarrassing Tattoo: Mentions in converation that at Ostagar he got one of a Mabari. He claims he can make it bark.
  • Fantastic Racism: He's not that big on mages in general considering how much of his life has been dictated by his family's magical talents.
    • Fairly mild, all things considered. After telling Anders he doesn't like him, Anders calls him out on hating mages. Carver counters that his problem with Anders isn't that he's a mage, but that he won't shut up about it.
    • Also, while often disparaging mages, the only person in the party that he actually gets on with is Merrill, who is a Blood Mage.
    • In Legacy dialogue he can imply that his problem is more with magic rather than mages. See Does Not Like Magic.
  • Go Through Me: If he joined the Templars, he says this to Meredith in the endgame sequence when she tries to have Hawke executed, regardless of whether Hawke sides with the mages or the templars.
  • Hypocritical Heartwarming: He often whines about Hawke's magic, but if he's in the party when Fenris finds out the Hawke is a mage, he will tell Fenris to leave his sibling alone.
  • I Coulda Been a Contender: If he joined the Templars and you bring him along in Legacy, it's subtly implied while questioning him about why he joined them that he wishes he could have been a Warden.
  • If It's You It's Okay: Despite his issues with mages, he seems to have a bit of a crush on Merrill and awkwardly (and with no success) tries to flirt with her a few times and ask her out, even if he ends up as a Templar.
  • I Just Want to Be Badass: Most of his dialogue and actions revolve around his intent to prove himself as more than "Hawke's little brother" to everyone else. The frequency of which renders him fairly unpopular with the rest of the party. If he becomes a Grey Warden, he feels that he's finally become who he was meant to be.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He is rather abrasive due to his inferiority complex, but when it comes down to it, he cares for his friends and family.
    • Particularly when he tells Fenris off and says he'll have to go through him if he's got a problem with Mage Hawke, and especially at the end if he'sa Templar when he effectively tells Meredith to shove it.
  • Knight Templar: One of his possible paths. Ultimately doesn't have the personality for it.
  • Lantern Jaw of Justice: Isabela teases him in Act I that either he was at the Blooming Rose or "someone stole your chin".
  • Leeroy Jenkins: You can practically hear it when he runs towards the Ogre in the Prologue. Oh Carver, we know you mean well, but what did you think would happen?
  • Little Brother Instinct: Carver may resent Hawke, but nobody is allowed to threaten Hawke in his presence. Carver is also highly antagonistic towards Sebastian if Lady Hawke marries him.
  • Mage Killer: If he survives to Act II, he will have access to the Templar warrior specialization, even if he doesn't actually join the Templars.
  • Mauve Shirt: If Hawke is a warrior or rogue or if he dies during the Deep Roads expedition.
  • Meaningful Name: In-universe example, Carver is named after a templar who helped his father escape Kirkwall.
  • Middle Child Syndrome / Jerkass Woobie: You can almost hear him saying "It's always 'Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!'" every time he opens his mouth, but anyone who has lived in an older sibling's shadow can relate to him.
    • In a poignant moment in Act I he admits he feels lost in Kirkwall. Hawke is busy being the breadwinner and their mother is still mourning Bethany, so barely anyone even notices him most of the time.
  • Muggle Born of Mages: His father, twin sister, and (in playthroughs that he'll actually survive) eldest sibling are all mages. His lack of magic caused him to feel completely alienated from most of the family.
  • Noble Bigot
  • Not So Different: Varric jokes that he looks like Gamlen and when Sarcastic!Hawke calls him out on his whining, he's horrified to realize he's starting to sound just like his Uncle.
  • Overshadowed by Awesome: This is a big problem for him in regards to his siblings, particularly Hawke.
  • The Paladin: Gains the Templar Specialization after becoming a Templar or Grey Warden. He lacks the Church Militant aspect though.
  • Plotline Death: If the player is a warrior or rogue, Carver dies instead of Bethany.
  • Pride: His arrogance early on is his biggest flaw. If he becomes a Grey Warden, he finally gets over it.
  • Put on a Bus: If he doesn't die in the Deep Roads expedition, he joins either the Templars or the Grey Wardens.
    • The Bus Came Back: He rejoins the party for the final battle and can join it in the DLC quests.
  • Really Gets Around: If Carver is a Warden, he tells this to Isabela in dialogue that since Grey Wardens have difficulties bearing children, he has to try extra hard.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: Red to Bethany's Blue.
  • The Resenter: Big time. He gets over it if he becomes a Grey Warden.
  • Sacrificial Lamb: If Hawke is a warrior or rogue.
  • Sacrificial Lion: If Hawke takes him along for the Deep Roads expedition and Anders isn't in the party.
  • Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right: If a Warden, he will come back for the final battle despite the fact that Wardens are supposed to stay neutral in political matters. As a Templar, even if Hawke sides with the mages he refuses to fight his own sibling.
  • Sibling Rivalry: Carver begins the game slanted towards rivalry. This was also his relationship with Bethany.
    • When they were kids, he used to nail her braid to the bed while she slept.
  • Sibling Yin-Yang: With his twin, Bethany.
  • Take That Me: In Legacy if he becomes a Warden, he mocks himself for being such "an ass" in Act I.
  • Took a Level in Badass: Carver considers himself to have finally done this if he becomes a Grey Warden.
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: With Varric. Also with Isabela, which crosses into Belligerent Sexual Tension at times.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: Like Bethany, he will yell at Hawke if he became a Grey Warden and comes back to Kirkwall to find his older sibling supporting Meredith and the templars in the final battle. He can still be talked into helping, but only because you're family. It really hammers in his Character Development when you consider how much he reportedly hates magic in the first act, and resents Hawke both for his/her magic and his own inferiority complex, yet as soon as he hears that Meredith has invoked the Right of Annulment, he comes running to help Hawke and expects to be helping defend the mages.

"Tell me this is a joke! You can't be siding with that bitch against your own people!"


Hawke Family & Estate

Leandra Hawke

"We've lost it all. Everything your father and I built."

She is the mother of Hawke, Carver, and Bethany by Malcolm Hawke, an apostate who died prior to the opening of the game. She has living relatives in Kirkwall. Voiced by Deborah Moore.

  • All Girls Want Bad Boys: Subverted to hell and back. On paper, the backstory of her romance with Malcolm Hawke looks like the typical dashing rogue sweeping the innocent noblewoman off her feet with his charms, his wit, and his exhilarating lifestyle. Malcolm, for his part, fits this image pretty well, being an outlaw from the Circle of Magi and a one-time mercenary. Then, come Legacy, Hawke learns a lot more about Malcolm and he turns out to be a nice guy, and a shining example of an honorable apostate.
  • And I Must Scream: Her face was removed and planted on another body, with her fully aware but unable to do anything about it. She's freed when Hawke kills Quentin, but dies shortly after.
  • Body Horror: Leandra is murdered and pieced together by Quentin and kept alive by his magic.
  • Dead Person Conversation: Leandra briefly appears at the Hawke Estate at the end of Legacy and speaks with Hawke.
  • Go Out with a Smile
  • Grandma, What Massive Hotness You Have!
  • Heroic BSOD: After Bethany or Carver's death in the prologue. She's improved by Act I, but the surviving sibling will mention that she rarely leaves Gamlen's house and isn't making much of an effort to reconnect with her old friends in Hightown because she's still grieving. By mid-Act II, she seems to have gotten much better before Quentin finds her.
  • Impoverished Patrician: Though in her case, she gave up her title and fortune willingly. It's just that when Lothering was destroyed, she was expecting to be able to get it back to provide shelter for her family. She does in Act II, though not without some considerable work on Hawke's part.
  • I Have No Daughter: She was disowned by her parents for eloping with an apostate, though this didn't stop them from favouring Leandra over Gamlen.
  • I Want Grandkids: A conversation in Act II implies that she wants Hawke to settle down for this reason.
  • I Was Quite a Looker: Well, she still is for the most part.
  • Parents in Distress: During the prologue, you must protect your mother, as she is the only non-combat member of your family.
  • Please Wake Up: When Bethany or Carver dies.
  • Rebellious Princess: Not royalty, but her family, the Amells, were highly prestigious nobility in Kirkwall. She sacrificed her station and everything she had to marry Malcolm Hawke, an apostate mage.
  • Shipper on Deck: Seems to support Hawke's relationship with the chosen love interest in dialogue. Though this is also the same conversation she can end by declaring her intention find him/her a proper wife/husband...
  • So Proud of You: Tells Hawke how proud she is of him/her right before she dies in his/her arms.
    • She also leaves a note saying this among Hawke's papers in their home. You can even find it after she's dead for more Tear Jerker moments.
  • Too Dumb to Live: Leandra, you lived in Lowtown for a year. You know how dangerous the damn place is, especially after dark. What on Earth prompted you to go through there alone after you became a wealthy noblewoman again? It's hardly like your oldest child doesn't know any number of people who would be good bodyguards! (Fenris in particular hardly has a day job to keep him busy or anything.)
  • What the Hell, Hero?: Accuses Hawke of letting the dead sibling run off to get killed. She admits, in later conversation, that she blames herself more than anyone else for the loss of Bethany or Carver to the ogre.
  • You Did Everything You Could: As she is dying of Quentin's blood magic, she uses her last moments to console a devastated Hawke that she does not blame him/her for anything, instead thanking him/her for freeing her.

Malcolm Hawke

"My magic will serve that which is best in me, not that which is most base."

The apostate mage father of our hero. He strongly believed that mages who could control their powers should be allowed to live outside the Circle. He died three years before the start of the game. In Legacy, Hawke investigates his/her father's past.

  • Badass Baritone: Once you hear his voice, you'll never want him to stop speaking.
  • Badass Prayer: "Be bound here for eternity, hunger stilled, rage smothered, desire dampened, pride crushed. In the name of the Maker, so let it be."
    • As well as his own personal mantra;

Malcolm: Magic will serve that which is best in me, not that which is most base.

  • Badass Bookworm
  • Blood Magic: He was a blood mage, though he is regretful of that.
    • Dark Is Not Evil: Of all the game's blood mages, he has the most understandable reason for even using the stuff. He used it to seal away Corypheus, a tremendously powerful darkspawn. And he did this because the Grey Warden-Commander Larius threatened Leandra and dialogue heavily implies that Leandra was pregnant with Hawke at the time.
    • Pragmatic Blood Magic: He used it when it was absolutely necessary, and judging from Bethany's aversion to it, never used it again. Even so, he was deeply disturbed by the Grey Wardens' use of demons to guard the seals to Corypheus's prison.
  • Comes Great Responsibility: A lesson he lived by and taught his mage child(ren).
  • Cursed with Awesome: He appears to have considered his magic a curse and its revealed he deeply hoped that his children would not be mages, so they would be able to live a normal life. Things didn't turn out that way for at least one of his children, but he was a good dad anyway.
  • Disappeared Dad: Died at some point before the start of the game.
  • Guile Hero: Malcolm was apparently a capable fighter without having to use magic.
  • He Who Must Not Be Seen
  • Heroic Vow: "Though I have left the Circle, I made a vow: Magic will serve that which is best in me, not what is most base."
  • Magic Knight: Although he was always better at magic.
  • Magnetic Hero: Malcolm seems to have been this, having close friends who were Templars and leaving such an impression that even after 25 years, Tobrius was instantly able to recognise Malcolm's children.
    • In Mark of the Assassin, Hawke subtly implies that Malcolm was one of the few the Chasind would barter with when coming to Lothering in order to trade, always treating Hawke's family with honour, despite the fact that many Fereldan's consider them to be "Barbarians".
  • The Obi-Wan: To his children.
  • Precursor Heroes
  • Posthumous Character
  • Significant Double Casting: Voiced by Nicholas Boulton, who also voices the male version of Hawke.
  • What If the Baby Is Like Me?: Malcolm did not want his children to have magic lest they take on the burden he has dealt with his entire life. It happens at least once with Bethany.
    • To the man's credit, his children are quite surprised to find out he did not want a child with magic, and imply that he never let this interfere in raising them. He and Bethany especially were very close.
  • What Happened to the Mouse?: It's implied that he bound four demons in the past, yet you can only fight three of them.

Gamlen Amell

So, you're moving up in the world. Got some coin to share with your favorite uncle?

Hawke's uncle and Leandra's younger brother. Helps the family get into Kirkwall and provides their housing pre-expedition to the Deep Roads.

  • Big Brother Instinct: Played tragically when Leandra dies. His anguish at her death is heartbreaking, and he reverses so much of his old resentment in place of regret. Played heartwarmingly in the next act, should Hawke reunite him with his illegitimate daughter, Charade. If you speak kindly of him to her, they will reconcile, and at the end, Gamlen will admit that if he sired as an admirable man/woman as Hawke, Malcolm Hawke must have been a great man himself, and worthy of his sister. Despite being a grumpy, pitiful, and altogether resentful deadbeat, that one moment lifts his character up so much.
  • Character Development: Gamlen starts out a sleazy man resentful of his sister for inheriting the estate despite running off with an apostate mage. Over the game, both Leandra's death and the relevation and meeting of his daughter Charade turn him into a better man, forgiving Leandra when he believes Malcolm was worthy of her.
  • Dirty Old Man: Visits the Blooming Rose fairly regularly. Also asks a female Hawke about details if she hooks up with Isabela, which is more than a little creepy. During Mark of the Assassin, Isabela can ask Hawke to talk to him. Apparently, he's often...inappropriate.

Hawke: You find something inappropriate?
Isabela: Extremely so! It's... rather repulsive, actually. Please talk to him.

  • Disappeared Dad: To his daughter Charade. He doesn't even know she existed until Act III. After finally meeting her, he seems to be trying to make up for this.
  • The Dutiful Son: Not that it earned him any points with his family.
  • Freudian Excuse: Being The Unfavorite and losing the love of his life to his greed has made him a very bitter man.
  • Impoverished Patrician: He lost the Hawke Estate and fortune to settle gambling debts. He never gets it back and is left living on a stipend.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Might not be a pleasant person initially, but he does love his sister.
    • He will also, in a very round about away, give Hawke a So Proud of You after Hawke becomes Champion of Kirkwall.
  • Karma Houdini: Never seems to suffer any serious punishment or imprisonment for selling Leandra's childen into indentured servitude to pay off his debts, squandering the Amell Family fortune, selling the Estate to slavers, and altogether committing massive amounts of fraud, even after you discover that their father's Will left everything to Leandra.
    • Although you can subvert this by preventing him from meeting his daughter and rubbing your success in his face while he remains in crappy old Lowtown.
  • Let Us Never Speak of This Again: Speaking to him in the Blooming Rose has him tell you that he won't say anything to your mother if you won't.
  • Parental Abandonment: Emotional abandonment. They favored Leandra and took Gamlen for granted while he remained in Kirkwall and cared for them while they were ill. Ultimately they didn't even leave him anything in their will, leaving everything to Leandra instead. No wonder the guy is so messed up.
  • The Resenter: Dislikes his sister for running off with an apostate leaving him to tend for his dying parents. And all they talked about was her. Even then, he still mourns Leandra's death.
  • Shadow Archetype: Much to his own disgust, Carver will admit he shares a lot of qualities in common with Gamlen.
  • The Unfavorite: Even though Gamlen took care of his dying parents after Leandra was disowned for eloping with Malcolm, one of their parent's last word was "Leandra" and they gave Leandra control over Gamlen's part of the inheritance.
    • Although given that he squandered the entire fortune on wine, women, good times, searching for a gem and bad investments in Qunari Cheeses, it could simply be that his parents understood that Gamlen has no sense when it comes to being responsible with money.
  • Work Off the Debt: The means by which he gets Hawke's family into Kirkwall; a year of indentured servitude to people he owes big time.

Charade Amell

Gamlen's daughter with his ex-wife Moira.

Bodahn and Sandal

A pair of dwarven merchants that later go on to become Hawke's manservants. Voiced by Dwight Schultz and Yuri Lowenthal, respectively.

  • Ascended Extra: Bodahn and Sandal were originally just merchants that offered overpriced equipment and enchantments for the Warden's party. They eventually become Hawke's loyal servants who stick alongside him/her until the end.
  • Cloudcuckoolander: Sandal.
  • Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Sandal once again.
  • Creepy Child: Repeatedly speaking to Sandal eventually causes him to spout some mildly ominous prophetic phrases.
  • Fluffy Tamer: Sandal. The Dog is incredibly fond of him.
  • Half Dwarven Hybrid: Legacy strongly implies that Sandal is the son of a dwarf and either a human or elf.
  • Hidden Depths: It's clear that there's something going on with Sandal. There's his prophecy, there's the Noodle Incident, etc. Also, a bit of dialouge in Legacy strongly implies that Sandal is the bastard child of an Aeducan noble and a human or elf mother.
    • Word of God Gaider recently said in an interview the writing team included the prophecy and other stuff because they felt hey had to or "[they] would go insane."
  • Honourary Uncle: While never actually called this, it seems clear that Bodahn and Sandal became part of the family, particularly how devastated they are at the death of Leandra.
  • Noodle Incident: It's still not clear how Sandal can waste Darkspawn offscreen, though it seems to have something to do with his runes enchantment. Though the reason ogres suddenly freeze in his presence is, in his own words, "Not enchantment!"
    • Which is confusing, because the rune he gave you is a frost rune.
      • Better yet, the rune had something to do with the "boom", which would indicate its exact opposite element.
    • Then there's another one in Templar Hall where there's five abomination corpses, two desire demon corpses, and even a Pride Demon, which is much deadlier than an Ogre.
  • Omniglot: Sandal holds a conversation with the Dog at one point. Bodahn jokes that Sandal must have learnt "Mabari-speak" during their stay in the Warden's camp. He might not be wrong.
  • Team Dad: Despite Hawke insistance that Bodahn doesn't need to pay them back for rescuing Sandal, Bodahn nonetheless takes it on himself to manage the day to day runnings of the Hawke Estate.
  • Undying Loyalty: Bodahn displays this towards Hawke for saving Sandal in the Deep Roads.
  • Unexplained Accent: Despite being from Orzammar, Bodhan speaks with a heavy Cockney accent (as does Sandal).
  • What Happened to the Mouse?: Bodahn mentions being married in Origins. No mention of his wife is made this time around.
    • Given that she's mentioned as having lived in Denerim, its entirely plausible she may have perished when the city was over-run with Darkspawn at the end of Origins.

Orana

An former slave to the Tevinter Magister Hadriana, first encountered during Fenris' personal quest during Act II. After setting her free, Hawke can later offer her a paid position as maid in the Hawke Estate.

  • Benevolent Boss: Hawke can become this to her. After rescuing her from slavery, Hawke can make its very clear that she is now free, she will be paid for her service as a Maid and if she wishes to leave their employ, she can do so at any time.
    • In Act III, its revealed that Hawke has been generously paying for her song and music lessons to nurture her talent as a musician.
  • Girl Friday: Plays this role to the Hawke family, alongside Bodahn's Team Dad.
  • Happiness in Slavery: She protests that everything was fine for her and her fellow slaves until Hadriana realized that Fenris was coming after her, freaked out, and started sacrificing slaves horribly in order to fuel her blood magic. Fenris sorrowfully replies that it wasn't: "You just didn't know any better." Either way, she's clearly confused and afraid when she's told that she's free, and latches hopefully onto Hawke as her new master because she has no idea how to live on her own.
  • Hidden Depths: Is mentioned as being an incredibly talented musician.
  • Insistent Terminology: Refers to Hawke as "Master/Mistress" despite Hawke repeatedly insisting to be called by their surname.
  • Undying Loyalty: To Hawke and their family.
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