Dragon Age has a habit of introducing the next major villain in their franchise throughout their games. Typically, they are revealed by way of DLC, and players are left eagerly anticipating how the newest main protagonist will fight against their tyranny. However, Dragon Age: The Veilguard's main villain is anything but a mustache-twirling villain. Solas is a character with a deeply nuanced backstory stretching back to the earliest days of Thedas. Adding to the complications is that his ultimate goal is not a bad thing, it's just the cost of achieving it that makes it so horrendous.

Now, there are plenty of hardcore Dragon Age fans out there who are well aware of Solas' history and what he intends to do. However, as it has been ten years since Dragon Age: Inquisition was released, a refresher is not a bad thing. It might even be beneficial for newcomers who wish to partake in one of gaming's best fantasy settings. To understand Solas, a deep dive into the Ancient Age will be necessary, as it will explain how he came to work alongside the Inquisitor and help give perspective on what he intends to do in the near future.

The Man Who Became a Trickster God

• Solas is a powerful ancient elf that people remember as a trickster god.
• His fellow gods were depraved mages known as Evanuris.
• Solas created the Veil to banish them, but this destroyed Elven civilization.

Far back into Thedas' prerecorded history, before humans ever showed up, the ancient Elves reigned supreme over the continent. This was owed to one major thing: the Fade. Magic permeated the land, for the Waking and Dreaming worlds were one in the ancient past. Utilizing this abundance of magic, the Elves were immortal and built various architectural wonders that defied the laws of physics thanks to the magic at hand. The glory of their empire though, was matched only by its depravity.

Contrary to what the modern-day Dalish Elves will say, the Elven Gods they worshiped were anything but benevolent. They weren't even truly gods. They were extremely powerful mages known as Evanuris, and using the power and devotion they inspired in their people, ascended to the status of "godhood" in their eyes, inflicting countless horrors upon their own people, even enslaving them, all the while pretending to be benevolent overlords basking in their worship. Solas was like them only in one regard: he too was powerful.

Solas saw the depravity of his fellow "gods" and began a revolution, freeing countless Elven slaves and undoing the propaganda the Evanuris had perpetuated. His goal was to help the entire Elven civilization one day overthrow their oppressors. However, he was one man, and the Evanuris outnumbered him. He might very well have lost the war inevitably until they crossed a line even he thought they were beyond: they killed Mythal. She was one of the Evanuris, but even Solas claims she was the best of them all, kind and gentle.

Her death sent Solas into a rage, and realizing that their vanity would destroy the world, he created the Veil, separating the mortal realm and the Fade to trap the Evanuris within it. This was, unfortunately, a catastrophe for the Elves. It destroyed most of their civilization, which was intrinsically tied to magic. The Elves lost everything, including their immortality, and Solas was left with the burden of knowing he was responsible. For his deeds, later generations of Elves would believe him to be the evil trickster god, Fen'Harel, the Dread Wolf.

Becoming an Ally of the Inquisitor

• Solas awoke in the modern day and gave the Orb of Destruction to Corypheus.
• He intended for it to destroy Corypheus, and then he would use the Orb to bring down the Veil.
• When that failed, he joined the Inquisitor to undo his latest mistake.

Solas fell into a long slumber. The exact reasons why are unknown at this stage, but it can be reasoned that the act of separating the world from the Fade was taxing even for someone of his power. When he awoke though, he was horrified by what his decision had done to the Elves. Gone were the marvels of the past — the magic, the splendor, the freedoms. Instead, his people were reduced to abused nomads, poor or destitute, and worst of all, slaves. His actions hadn't saved the Elves, it had only doomed them to a slow decline into misery. He resolved then and there to undo his actions.

He started by retrieving the Orb of Destruction, a focus whose power he would use to tear down the Veil and restore the world that was. Doing so, though, would destroy Thedas as it was, unleashing countless demons and other unknown forms of destruction should he have succeeded. However, Solas' dormancy prevented him from having the power to activate the Orb, so he discreetly let the Venatori find it, knowing that their master, the ancient darkspawn, Corypheus, had the power to do so. When the Orb was activated, and it destroyed Corypheus, Solas would step in and undo what he deemed his greatest mistake.

Unfortunately, this led to his second biggest mistake. Solas had no way of knowing that Corypheus had discovered a means of effective immortality, allowing him to reclaim the Orb once its power had been unleashed. This not only prevented Solas from getting the Orb back but also unleashed a threat that was almost as bad as the Evanuris, jumpstarting the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition. Solas would ally with the future Inquisitor, hoping to stop the threat he set loose and hopefully reclaim the Orb for himself. In the end, though, the Inquisitor destroyed the Orb, undoing the damage done to the Veil. Disappointed, but undeterred, Solas left the Inquisition to continue his solitary journey.

Solas Still Plans to Remake the World

• Solas wants to undo the damage he did to the Elves.
• His actions are motivated by guilt and grief, not malice.
• However, his goal will destroy the world if it is achieved.

The Inquisitor learned the truth of Solas' origins and actions two years after his departure, and now, eight years after, Solas is finally ready to bring down the Veil. The consequences of such a decision would be apocalyptic for the world. Modern society doesn't have the same grasp of magic that the ancient world had, meaning that those currently residing in Thedas would be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of magic that would pour through once the Veil was gone. Even more concerning is the potential effects of the physical and metaphysical worlds mixing.

The Fade responds to emotions. Assuming anyone survives, there would likely be severe structural damage done to the world, morphing it into an inhospitable place as everyone is forced to adapt to a world where magic now exists in the air around them. The most obvious threats, though, are the spirits that will respond to the intense emotions and transform into demons as a result. This was showcased briefly in the gameplay for Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Just attempting to poke holes in the Veil unleashed hordes of demons that ran rampant throughout various parts of Thedas.

Solas' goal is not a bad one. He wants to restore his people to their former glory. From his perspective, it was like waking up to find out everyone in the world was a goldfish, unable to comprehend the beauty and majesty that was lost. It is a fate worse than death in his opinion, and one he wants nothing more than to undo. It is motivated by guilt and grief for what was done and lost, making him far more of an anti-hero than anything else, but his actions could destroy the world if he is left to his own devices. Solas needs to be stopped, and it will be up to the players to decide what his ultimate fate is.