Absolution Netflix Trailer? {Theory - Spoilers All} 

I think that I'll like the show solely on the basis that it is Dragon Age. As long as it is not overtly cheesy or obviously low-effort, it will be a win in my book. There are also theories that the protagonist-looking elf is Hollix from Tevinter Nights, which may hint that the show connects to that anthology to some extent and, thus, have revelance to DA:D by association. PS: Can we all promise to avoid gatekeeping Dragon Age as much as possible. This show will undoubtedly attract new fans to the series, these so-called "normies", that will not be massive loreheads like us. This is a great chance to see our favorite series grow in numbers, and we should accept these people with open arms. Who if not Ghil-Dirthalen itself will help these new fans traverse the lore of Dragon Age?

Caitie, one thing you forgot about, is the fact that, Loki wasn't just associated with just snakes, he's also associated with wolves as well. Let us not forget about the fact that one of Loki's children is also....... the wolf Fenris. (Or Fenrir, it depends on which version you're reading.)

I'm actually excited about this show. Yeah, it doesn't look like it's going to be the greatest but I've been saying that a Dragon Age show outside of the events of the games could be great. I'm willing to give it a chance.

Remember Tevinter is an Andrastian nation. There's just a schism between the Tevinter chantry and the southern chantry. Like the Catholic Church and the Protestants

Honestly, with how desert-y a lot of the environments are, at least around the city, I was thinking maybe the story takes place around the Tevinter/Anderfells border? It would explain the giant Andraste statue if that was the Anderfells (or super borderlands Nevarra).

I shouted a huge "Finally, thanks!" When you pointed out the buildings and scenarios don't look from Tevinter but look rather Nevarran, the dragon head also made me think of it. I wonder where it will actually be set!

Always nice to see you stay grounded with this instead of screaming DRAGON AGE every time something new pops up

Mairghread Scott and Mae Catt-two of the lead writers on this show-both have a storied history with the Transformers franchise, and as a Transformers fan, I can definitely say that they’re perfect picks for Dragon Age. I think your mention that Dragon Age needs compassionate writing is a perfect way to sum up DA’s writing overall, and all the Transformers stories these two have written have had heart and compassion in spades. Both writers are already experienced with animation and heartfelt storytelling, so their involvement makes me extremely optimistic. As for the third writer-Tim Sheridan-the only thing I’ve seen that I know they wrote was the animated adaptation of Batman: The Long Halloween that came out last year, and that film was great. Overall, I think they’ve got an excellent team of writers onboard, and that makes me really hopeful for the show, even if the trailer didn’t really tell us much.

Coming from having binged the show the day it came out: your analysis was spot on in some aspects and off in others. It's so interesting to see the clues you put together. I am so excited to hear about your thoughts on it and the lore!! I personally think the show was really good in most aspects, and the ending was just 😱😱😱. I really truly hope something in Dreadwolf was reflected the show or vice-versa. Man, do I love Dragon Age.

i think the question of whether you should do a video on every trailer should be answered with "if you want to"! i know i would love to watch them, and i'm excited for the show, but if you don't have the time or don't think there's enough lore to justify it, then no pressure at all!

I think the art style isn't really for me but I'll be watching regardless. I just wish we knew if it was "for real" with canon lore or "for funsies" like every other watchable DA media. But tbh if the story is decent enough I'm sure I'll get something out of it, I really liked DA: Redemption and that was barely lore compliant but I found it really sweet and charming lol Just happy to have something to keep the hype up for DA:D :)

That Andrastian city could be in the Anderfels, which is extremely devout, and is right next to Tevinter. A codex in the Western Approach's mine also references a giant Andraste carving in the side of a mountain in the Anderfels. And now I notice you mentioned the Anderfels at the end of the video. Okay then. The double ouroboros artifact probably has to do with spirits. Not balancing out the Veil. In the trailer we see a mage casting a spell on two males, and one seems to be gaining something, and possibly the other is losing something. So maybe it is transferring life energy from one to another. It might also be used in reverse, such as through necromancy. And lastly, it might have something to do with the Pride demon-like figure that appears in the trailer. Maybe it is being summoned, and maybe that double snake artifact is part of it.

I for one am excited for this show. I definitely am a fan of the animation and think it looks super cool. I hope the events of the show get referenced at least a little in DA:D, but it won't really matter if they don't. Most of all, I just hope the show really works and catches on for people. I want more Dragon Age, I want more people to join the fandom, I want Dragon Age to have the same reach and importance as Mass Effect. If this show helps that, then even if it doesn't end up being for me, I'll still love it in principle for that reason alone.

been waiting for your thoughts!

I only know two things. First, I am absolutely watching the shit out of this. Second, I’m not sure how much I care about how it fits in the DA universe as long as it’s a good show. (And doesn’t utterly butcher the lore) As players, we have a unique view into the world of Dragon Age, having played and made decisions as three of the more consequential individuals. The show will be of someone else, who isn’t so wrapped up in the world of Thedas. So as long as they aren’t going: Elves are happy in Tevinter and worship the Old Gods, I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine with missteps in the Lore.

I am very cautiously optimistic about this show. I've never been too opposed to a Dragon Age show, and I think they went with the best route by doing a side story that exists in the world of Thedas/Dragon Age without it interfering with the games/books. While I do think this is geared more towards the casuals or Origins bros that haven't really paid attention to the series since Origins, I do think it'll be a great source of world building, which we all eat that shit up.

I’m still confused a bit about the locations at this point, but I’m excited for this show. I’m hoping for a fun standalone story with threads leaving open the possibility of later seasons.

FINALLY I've been waiting for somebody to mention that it isn't an ouroboros. I thought I was going nuts. Thanks for another great video!

Tevinter does worship Andraste, and could totally have a big old statue of her in one city or another. They have had time to build one and access to dwarven sculptors (treaty going strong for a millennium). The Tevinter heraldry has 2 serpents, just not in biting the other's tails.... maybe a cult? Mr. Rhexx has an interesting Forgotten Realms lore video about Asmodeus (Ahriman ) being the twin serpent (Couatl) to the god Jazirian, representing a primordial manifestation of opposites (Yin/Yang). ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fci16qH7fqY.html I know with Neverwinter Nights and Baldur's Gate the Devs have a lot of experience with Forgotten Realms Lore, so maybe there is something here. Maybe not, but the lore is cool anyway

Oh man I assumed that last city was Weisshaupt. It matches the description, and I have to believe that ONE of the companions is a Grey Warden since those guys are such a foundational group in Dragon Age. So it's possible that city is literally just in the opening shots as Warden companion gets marching orders to go look into XYZ before the gang gets together. DA for Normies is exactly what we should want out of this, to be honest. As annoying as the johnny-come-latelies will be ("Hey guys, I just had a crazy thought. What if _Solas is a Pride Demon?")_ In order for the series to thrive we have to grow the fanbase. For some reason me giving 30 minute TED talks about the way that the series addresses systemic oppression while also creating perfect impossible scenarios isn't probably doing the trick.

3:22 "I wouldn't expect anything earth-shattering to the lore to be in here..." (spoilers ⬇️) Merideth: [laughs in red lyrium]

Given that the city is on a river but has no sight of the famed vyrantium floating aqueduct my guess for it if its a tevinter city is Asariel. A city we know nothing about other than its name and location on the map. But given the giant Andraste I wonder if its in the Anderfels as I know they have atleast one famously huge andraste statue along the river Merdaine. The river side cities Hossberg and Kassel are in the only green area of the Anderfels map, so I'm wondering if its one of them.

off topic: perhaps the narrative is that the dragon age is evolving the society of the day toward a Renaissance which is why most shady practices and trades are appearing less and less each installment.

Ive always wondered what DA would look like in a screen series format, especially animated. So im mad intrigued to see how this looks, how it goes, how its received by fans and new eyes alike. So im looking forward to this. Ive been wanting to see this happen for a long time, now its coming.

The real auryn from the Neverending Story does look different but I get the jest of the meaning here. In old greek the double ouroboros stands not for infinity or immortality but for the circle of life and death, or life, death and rebirth. That's at least what I read about it. Be it as it may the snake biting tail design is quite popular. Thanks a lot for the video though. I always love to hear my favorite Dragon Age lore source to talk about things I was thinking about lately.

I can think of one more possible reference to 2 snakes eating each other. It's a pop culture reference from a novel called In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O’Brien. It was adapted for a tv movie as well. The the symbol of two snakes eating each other is connected to the phrase “one plus one equals zero” and shows up at several points in the book. A great quote about the symbol in the book is, "They would live in perfect knowledge, all things visible, all things invisible, no wires or strings, just that large dark world where one plus one would always come to zero."

The style of the animation is also very similar to that of Vox Machina (the Critical Role animated show), not sure if their productions overlap, but does sounds like a “we can do that too!” idea. Do they really need the visibility that desperately? One can only hope that the game comes soon after, and this isn’t just their way of literally _buying_ more time.

Thank you very much for your analysis! I had no idea this animated series was in preparation. 😅 If this series is a ‘spinoff’ I suppose the purpose of it could be to awake new interest for the Dragon Age series. Or just make money. 😅 For myself I think this could be related to the new game. Hopefully it will be a set up for the next chapter. Admittedly I’m basing this on the purple color. 🙃 Looking forward to December. 😋 Unrelated topic; Greg Ellis and BioWare drama. I don’t care about the drama! But I’m curious as to your thoughts on the character of Cullen not returning or the possible voice acting change. Stay safe. ❤️

Great video! One nitpick: Celt/Celtic/Celts(the peoples of pre-Roman Western Europe), is pronounced “KEL-tic”, with a hard C. The Celtics with an s-sounding pronunciation, is a *dogshit* basketball team from Boston. However, back to the video, I’m just glad that we’re gonna see Northern Thedas, especially Tevinter, in the show. Also I wanna know more about the Qunari mage lady and the elf rogue woman. Also, I am a *DIE HARD* believer in animation’s ability to tell great stories with *WELL DRAWN* animation that _is not_ Disney drawn/related (the creators of Treasure Planet and Atlantis got frogging _shafted._) I still remember Titan AE, and I will __*_die_* on that hill being a great animated movie.

If the ring is to do with fade and reality it could be an item similar to whatever spell or item the magisters used to break open the fade to the golden city and being magisters they would have multiple items cause I doubt if the spell didn't corrupt them into darkspawn they would have 100% redid the spell or encase the item broke when cast similar to the life amulet in inquistion.

I kinda saw something similiar of the snakes in DA graphic novel. It's in Until We Sleep. The auroboros was helding King Maric's body. Although it's not snakes but more of a dragon I think. But it's similiar. The head was eating it's tail.

Hey this is a question that sort of popped in to my head. do you think Andraste may have carried the spirt of Mythal. despite what history we know of her im thinking their is a possibility since i think we know so little of her as a person, rather its her history as second hand sources. i was looking at my world of Thedas book just in case Flemeth was born much latter it looks like just before the third blight (andraste born at the end of the first). Also another question i have, the first grey wardens (the founders of the order,) they all died out before passing on all their knowledge during the first blight (its their followers that took up the mantle). so my question is this how did they get the blood of a old god, did they already know the location of the old gods in the deep road and go and get it from them.(seems stupid as they might awoken it) or did Dumat get injured a few times (more likely). and how did they know how to do what would later be the joining (a lot of trial and error). Honestly i think someone was helping them and the only being i can think of is Mythal acting through someone. was playing witch hunt dlc recently and Morrigan said something i found interesting. that flemeth had more to do with the blight beginning. do you think bioware would do something with that or simply toss it aside. your thoughts.

Cullen shrine... love it. I'm lucky my hubby has a Cassandra crush so wasn't weirded out when the Cullen plushie arrived...

I believe that's Kimberly Brooks (Ashley from Mass Effect) voicing the Elf lady. Considering she voiced in another Netflix series.

Ugh! Why is everyone so fixated on this statue of Andraste!?😡 They have their own cult in the Imperium with male priests. All mages though.

Dragon Age actually has a certain style thats been consistent between 2 and Inquisition, its hard to see because of engine change but if you pay attention you can notice it especially if you played both games multiple times. Concept arts of both games and tie-in material(such as World of Thedas books and art provided with short stories that came out in recent years) released around the launch of Inquisition and afterwards also keeps the consistency probably because Bioware's own artists worked on most of them. Only actual inconsistency I can think of are the design of elves themselves, which can probably be tied to issues Bioware had with Frostbite engine but that is just my theory.

Im not sure if you have done a video on it or not and im sorry if you have but after just a quick scroll i didnt see it Would you like to do a video on the friendship vs rivalry in dragon age 2

Ive seen a bit of hate towards the show but honestly, i hope it does well, and it makes money, dragon age is relatively small when compared to other fantasy game worlds and id love more content thats separate from the main plot of the games. We've been wanting more stories about the world and this is a fantastic way to give us that

Thank you 😊 @Ghil Dirthalen❣️

Amazon also has wheel of time which seems have inspired a lot in dragon age. Interested to see how this goes

Tevinter is Andrastean, just with a few differences of opinion: Dorian: Most of the Imperial Chantry’s teachings are the same as in the south…despite some finicky bits about magic. Sera: The parts where you’re wrong? Dorian: Yes. Quite. The parts where we’re “wrong.” So, nothing wrong with Andrastean symbology being in Tevinter.

There will probably gonna have a character from this show that shows up in the game or who becomes a companion you know like paragon lost and James Vega.

I was literally thinking "Aaah! I feel like playing DA:O for the 7th time again... It would have been nice if Ghil Dirthalen released a video to help satiate my craving for dargon Age." I check the latest videos released on my sub list and look and behold! Here I am! Thank you.

That Andraste tower being in the desert makes me think at least part of this series might be set in the Anderfels--maybe even in Hossberg. The title itself is also pointing me to that conclusion--after all, they do have a tradition there *called* Absolution, where someone is killed for committing crimes against the Maker. I would think that maybe this party would have been hired to kill the villain for something, per the Anders Absolution tradition, but if that were the case I doubt a pair of mages would have been hired; unless both are secretly (at least to our current knowledge) Wardens, then they likely would have been either executed for apostasy or dragged off to the nearest Circle instead.

I'm cautiously optimistic about the series, as several others in the comments seem to be. Even if it doesn't wind up being considered part of canon, it would still give an opportunity to get a glimpse of broader Thedas and a feel for some of the other events in the world our Warden/Hawk/Inquisitor/next character could overhear, even if they don't get wrapped up in the situation directly. Worst case, we chalk it up as the Dragon Age TTRPG equivalent of Vox Machina.

It's fun to watch this video after having watched the show 😋

Quick side question: Have you seen "the Dalish Elf Project"? I noticed an awesome post by SlaysbySarah showing off some great Vallaslin facial art you might enjoy, not sure if you already knew about it :)

Will you be going over this show in the future? I just finished watching it last night and found it to be rather good.

I’m just hoping that it’s written by people who actually like and have played the game/know a bit about the lore. Oh and it being good but those two things are gonna be necessary for it to be good.

I think if this series is set in the Anderfels that would be a good way to help draw in 'Normies' and "Hardcore fans" because I don't think we've explored or been to the Anderfells in any of the games, so it would be a new exciting frontier to explore.

Okay, real quick while I agree about the animation style , castlevania did have more so design details for eyes etc (Specifically backgrounds in first season and other eps) to match the cover style of the games prior and it seems their going even more so with that cover art style in the new show with Richter. lol So I'd personally give it more props than the others just for that rather than being the choice style only :v?

I think the closest we might get to big connections to DAD is that one of the characters in this is a party member or major NPC, but that the story itself has the same relevance as Dawn of the Seeker---a side bonus (hopefully un-ironically enjoyable, unlike Dawn of the Seeker) but one whose salient points are summarized in a quick and early dialogue option.

1:39 what's the top right show? Also, on this point with dragon age i think even if it's a bad animation i would see it and enjoy a bit. That's what happened to me with Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker, it was a bit meh but i watched anyway xD

I am pretty much 100% certain that that city with the GIANT ANDRASTE STATUE is in the Anderfels.

I thought it looked more like the next Critical Role series than a Dragon Age. But hey I may be pleasantly surprised

I’m getting arcane vibes, Not in the quality but in the fact that it’s a popular fantasy setting And Netflix is making TV show about it that Isn’t Canon, it does look like it’s gonna be good though.

Well I don't know Jack about Dota and that's one of my favorite shows on Netflix. Perhaps that's precisely because I don't know anything about the game, but I'm gonna be optimistic and say I'm hyped for the DA series

"This is the show you put on for your new boyfriend to ease him into the fact that you have a Cullen shrine in your closet." LOL. xD

So you are saying that Netflix won’t put broodmothers in the show?

on twitter, i had an interaction with one of the show’s writers where i joked that this could be DA that i can show to my dad without him repeatedly going “wait i’m lost”, and he just replied with laughing emojis, so i’d be kind of okay with that if that’s the case. my dad deserves to enjoy some dragon age, even if he has no idea what a “chantry” is going in lol.

I’m trying not to have too much of a problem with the animation style, because I know in my heart anything other than literally animating the game figures like in cutscenes wouldn’t make me particularly excited or ‘feel’ like DA lmao. It just doesn’t feel dark and gritty enough for dragon age to me. It just makes me think of atla. I love atla but it’s not dragon age 😅 I think also that the animation style of The Dragon Prince might have suited better even though I don’t love that either. I agree about the lack of recognisable symbols and the not-ouroboros. I really hope it isn’t in any way set outside of the boundaries of known thedas because that would really fuck with lore and given that the game devs/writers aren’t involved I wouldn’t trust that. I also agree about it probably being more for new or casual da fans rather than the core of us. I’ll eat it up as soon as it comes out because duh it’s content lol but I don’t have particularly high hopes.

Teventer has a chantry so they would have a statue of andraste.

I hope the show is great, but I am also a hesitant as well. Hopefully the show is true to the lore but also accessible to newer fans.

You promised not to mention my shrine...😆

I just hope they make the artwork beautiful background in the Netflix anime it's to bad they don't go with the games artwork and drawing style for any of the games it would look so much better

I’d almost bet money that the purple fella is a forgotten one seeing how there’s almost no lore on them so blank slate

I read the book once, it's a kind of isekai. A boy from the "real world" gets called into the book and with the amulet he's able to form the world around him from nothing to everything. Can't remeber clearly how it ended but the protagonist changed badly with that power. it ended well tho

3:09 is this a "Hey Arnold" reference?

As a DA and Witcher fan and just my opinion they've done a great job with Witcher stuff. Of course this is a whole different team.

I thought for sure the voiced character was Kimberly Brooks.

Y’all i am starved for Dragon Age content I will consume anything. I started reading the books and comics two years ago cuz I just missed this universe. I’m cautiously optimistic about this series

Yeah, I’m probably gonna check it out, but as you said, aside from the Andraste statue and Venetori, there was basically nothing that looked like anything from Dragon Age in the trailer, at all. If they’re trying to get DA fans to watch, why not show any DA stuff. If they’re trying to get general audiences, why make it look like just another generic fantasy cartoon?

This show makes me excited because it will allow me to introduce my fiance to dragon age who...doesn't really like to try new games but loves animated shows

I'm excited 😁 I can maybe get my girls into it .. rating allowing that is

#IStandWithTheDreadwolf

Loki has a son named Fenris who is a wolf

I wish it looked more "realistic" but if the show is good enough, you won't pay too much attention to the animation. Although, it looks very western anime and less like a show based on a popular game.

Dragon age series ?? Oh my...

The art honestly kind of reminds me of She-Ra.

I was pretty concerned that this would be more "inspired by", so when everyone was squeeing, I was kinda like "Eh, I hope it's decent."

Solas is fen harel,dread wolf. Loki is the father to fenrir, the wolf that is destined to devour odin/wodan. Bring ragnarok or something. Solas fits the loki mantle, especially when u put into "trickster god" he did trick the elven pantheon much like loki tricked odin with fenrir. Solas brought ragnarok to the elves....

I'm not hyped at all by this new anime... I saw the trailer and, well, it exists. That my first thought. Sooo many images/cuts throw at my face, I hated it. As for the anime itself, It gave me beginner/generic fantasy vibes. Why not. The point is to attract new people to dragon age. I only hope the story will be good :D

Well I'm concerned.

It has a better name than the next game

Spoilers I guess? . . . . So I just googled the thing, and Google's description is: Set in Tevinter, the oldest surviving nation of Thedas, an invincible and magical government allows the enslavement of elves. Several bloody uprisings lead to the end of slavery in the mystical nation.

"The Elder Scrolls Online" lol

I think that we should not enter to hype train. Netflix was created a lot seires with lore until now. Such as Mortal instruments and Witcher. Results was really poor. They just dont care about it. Unlikly that lore of dragon age will be diffrent. More probably that will be another series for those who dont know too much about it. We will be cry, more probably, cry a lot.

I just don't see or feel Dragon Age when I watch that trailer. I replayed Origins yet again a few months back and I realized that current Dragon Age seems to bear very little resemblance to the world I fell in love with 13 years ago, in terms of look and vibe. Still, I'll cross my fingers and hope for the best for both the game and the TV show.

Cullen shrine? Well he does stop whining in trespasser.

One other problem I have with it besides the art is that the characters all basically look the same. I understand that they're going for natural hair colors, but why do they all have black or dark brown hair? There's other natural colors like blonde, ginger, strawberry blond, light brown, and platinum blonde. Maybe I'm just being picky lol I'll watch it but I' not expecting much from it.

I have a Dorian shrine ROFL

What is it with entrenched fandoms and their perpetual distrust of works they don't consider "canonical?" Hardcore Tolkien fans are an especially purulent and putrescent example of these, especially when they consider themselves and their opinions the default in interpreting and analysing his works vis-a-vis newer ones. It's like distrusting the quality of Virgil's continuation of Homer's Epics in the Aeneid because it's an entirely new cast of characters (Aeneas excepted of course).

I will watch it, of course. Buuuuttt….. I wish western cartoonist would find their own style of expression instead of these corporate overlords saying, “Hey. Know what makes money? Manga. The Japanese are making a killing right now. I want some of that money.” It’s getting old and worn out. I had a hard time watch ing Dawn of the Seeker because everything is anime nowadays. Even the fights were too fantastical (Cassandra jumping like 20 feet in the air) and the swordplay was more eastern than western. Nothing is wrong with anime. Something different would be refreshing to see.

Can’t wait to see how they crap all over the lore

Agree with the faux anime animation style. Puts me off a bit as it reminds me of my edgy teenage years watching things like Naruto and thinking it was sophisticated lol. Still, looking forward to this. Always love an upload from Ghil. :D

I know for a fact that a lot of anime fans are animation design snobs. This kind of animation is bad...not one piece bad but still pretty bad! You know its mostly going to be DA fans watching it and casuals watching and going 'what the heck is going on?"

Characters! Characters! Characters! Plot! Plot! Plot! References fans can recognize! Templars, Circle, Tevinter, The Fade, The Old Gods, The Maker, Orzammar, The Blight, Darkspawn, Dragons, The Hero of Fereldan, Blood Magic, Griffons and ... But no. I expect the Witcher without any interesting or relevant history and context. Just dumb, woke, action. I expect the worst.

Am I the only person disturbed by the fact that the Qunari-corn character in the trailer is a mage? I mean, if it isn’t in her back story that she escaped the Qun as a child would that help to understand my anxiety….? Dracosang-corn - Non Qunari with horns (Think The Iron Bull from Inquisition) Qunari-corn - since anyone who lives under the Qun is a Qunari, I call the ones with horns Qunari-corns. Corn - from the Latin “cornu” meaning “horn”

Wth andraste on tevinter???!!

I love the universe but Netflix ruins everything it touches lately. And the animation is god awful if you ask me. I can't stand it. I barely finished the first season of DOTA. It doesn't look good, looks like it was made in haste and you can barely see character movement, and the 3D parts of DOTA looked even worse. I can't understand how old cartoons had better animation than billion dollar companies decades ago, or how these companies can't have decent animation like the east. Anyway that's just like my opinion man, it remains to be seen.