Trailer Breakdown: Hero of Thedas (Dragon Age: Inquisition)

Transcript

Welcome. My name is Ashe - hello from my vacation in New Jersey! On October 14, Bioware released a new trailer called Hero of Thedas for Dragon Age: Inquisition. Let's dissect it.

Quick warning: Dragon Age spoilers ahead. Also, if you haven't seen the trailer yet, be sure to check it out on youtube.com/dragonageofficial. Then, come back here and let me fill you in on all the details you may have missed.

Now, to start...while I've never stopped to talk about the rating for a trailer breakdown, I think now's the time, since the ESRB has given an official rating for Dragon Age: Inquisition. Let's take a look: "Ratured Mature, for Blood. Intense Violence. Nudity. Sexual Content. And Strong Language. Tell me - what wasn't present in Dragon Age 2? ...if you guessed nudity, you were right. Or at least partially right, as "Partial Nudity" was noted on the ESRB Rating for Dragon Age: Origins. Not even DA2 had it. Even in the Mass Effect series, which had Liara standing practically naked in front of Shepard, the rating was only extended to "Partial Nudity". Additionally, Inquisition has the "Intense" prefix added to Violence yet again. While present in Origins, Dragon Age 2 was merely "Violent".

What do we know of the Nudity and Intense Violence factors for Dragon Age: Inquisition? Well, in one variation of the mage/templar quest in Redcliffe Castle, Leliana is tortured by one of the Venatori. Alexius's son also gets his neck slashed open by Sister Nightingale. With 8 different romance options among companions and advisors, sex and perhaps sex scenes, beyond the normal "fade out" players are accustomed to, are quite the possibility. Looks like Bioware is seriously stepping up to the plate with the new Frostbite engine.

Moving on! An Inquisitor with a damage-strengthening flame rune attached to his sword. Or...quite possibly the Flames of the Inquisition exclusive sword featured in the digital deluxe pre-order. An Inquisition shield and heavy plate - obviously a warrior. Shifting into a shot so similar to the original trailer for Dragon Age: Origins - instead of the Warden, Morrigan, Leliana, and Sten, we see the Inquisitor, Cassandra, Varric, and Solas. Kind of funny seeing it almost a decade after the Fifth Blight ends, does this come back to the beginning...at Haven. The location of the peace talks between the mages, templars, and the Chantry. The place of the catastrophic event that tears the Veil and opens the Breach. A bit of a FYI: Cassandra dragged Varric to see the Divine and explain his infamous story of Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall, while Cassandra has her own goal of restoring the Inquisition to bring peace to the conflict.

The walk to a new home. The Inquisitor, Cullen, Leliana, some of the clerics of the Chantry, and caravans of the Inquisition.

The Breach in the distance, with the Inquisitor riding an armored horse down a path of soldiers, villagers, common folk, clergy. There are some watching intently, while some villagers in the back are keeping to themselves.

The Adamant Fortress, in the Western Approach that once held the famed Grey Wardens back before the Blessed Age. But what stands a desolate area is upgraded into a fortress of trade. A huge statue in the back, the great tarps...these different keeps the Inquisitor can acquire can be upgraded for military, espionage, or economic use. 

Solas walks with the Inquisitor on top of the snowy hilltop, holding a dual-serpent staff, and looks towards Skyhold. 

The Inquisitor again, a rogue this time with his dual daggers on his back. What seems to be a mix of the real world and the green Fade. Something that only happens in very specific places we've seen in the past - the location of the Breach, as well as the red lyrium-infested Redcliffe Castle. 

The Grey Warden fortress that has been showing multiple times in past trailers. The Inquisition deliberately attacking the Grey Wardens. What we know now is that the Grey Wardens are possibly under the lure of Corypheus, an extremely powerful Tevinter magister from the days of Dumat, as seen in past gameplays released by other Youtubers. While this scenario of the Inquisition attacking the Wardens may not be related to the Corypheus plot, it is a possibility that we've seen the great fight slowly unraveling before our eyes in these trailers since E3 in 2013.

The party: Inquisitor, Sera, Dorian, Iron Bull, running from a Venatori base of operations.

The party fighting demons and corpses summoned at a fade rift. 

A firestorm falling onto the ground, with an unknown man, possibly one of the Freemen, being caught by the fire. 

The Grey Warden keep with the Inquisitor fighting a distinct mage, with a beard just like Hawke's and dark long hair tied in a knot on the top of his head. Considering the attire - a formed collar and white garb - I'd say Orlesian. He isn't a Warden - you can tell by the lack of regalia on this man. What you see for half a second at 49 seconds, however, is that the man is holding up his hand to the Inquisitor in a "Please stop attacking" kind of gesture. And, of course, the Inquisitor ignores and thrusts him back powerfully against the ground. 

The strange, tentacle monster in the Fade that we've seen in the Enemy trailer for Inquisition appears yet again. Stroud, this time, making an appearance against the creature. What we know now is that in an engagement against this creature, Hawke, an unknown blonde Warden, Stroud, and the Inquisitor are all present in the fade.

The Breach again sending a massive comet to the ground, which is actually a Fear Demon. 

An Archer Inquisitor that lies in the war-torn area. Cassandra, Solas, present. 

Then crosses to the Inquisitor, Cassandra, and Leliana at a Fade Rift. A shadowy figure approaches, similar to what we've seen in Dragon Age 2 Legacy where a cloudy, faded spirit appears with colored eyes and speaks. In Legacy's case, it was the incantations and spoken memories from Malcolm Hawke, father of the Champion of Kirkwall's Hawke.

Red magic against the Inquisitor's shield, being casted by the Fade Dragon. Could possibly be red lyrium casted in a powerful red beam? Who knows.

The gates for the Grey Warden Keep being rammed into, thus blasting all the Grey Wardens securing the door away. And the Inquisitor walking forward. Considering such a casual walkthrough, I imagine the Inquisition had plenty of enough forces to actually overwhelm the Grey Wardens at this location. Judging by past trailers where the Grey Wardens were being decimated, this seems to be the case. And these Grey Wardens are not a match.

Doubling back to the scene with the Inquisitor, Cassandra, and Leliana, the Fade Rift being closed. Since Leliana cannot be a companion in the game from what we know, it's possible to guess that while certain Fade Rifts closing are just simply tank and spank, other Fade Rifts will be essential to key areas. Possibly the Inquisitor is asked by an important NPC to close a rift, or a harder enemy is engaged. In any case, fast forward to...

a fade rift that summons a Pride Demon. The Inquisitor in the distance, while an unknown man in what seems to be either Ferelden furs or Avvarian attire at front. The location of this seems to be like the Redcliffe Castle, littered with strong red crystals.

A Dragon I've claimed on Twitter to possibly be Flemeth. Though a very quick shot of the dragon, the horns do have almost the right curvature as Flemeth's Dragon Age 2 version. Horns curving inward and more than two horns. The character body model is also the iconic purple shade. 

Another shot of a dragon in the Fade, with horns slicked back. This is not the same dragon from supposed Flemeth dragon; the horns of this dragon face backwards instead. The next dragon is also the hostile Fade dragon we've seen, with spots and a more dusted, corpse, stone-like extremity.

A Red Templar fighting against the Inquisitor. Shield with a red sun shown.

The Inquisitor fighting against Tevinter soldiers, made evident by the crest on their lower armor, as well as the distinct helmet garb we've seen in Dragon Age: World of Thedas. Shows off the whirlwind area of effect attack the Inquisitor has, but I'm sure we won't see a crowd of enemies lining up this easy.

Cassandra, Varric, and Dorian present with the Rogue Inquisitor, within a Keep containing a headless statue in the background. And the Fade Dragon from before perched.

The Dragon fight again, with what I think to be Flemeth fighting against the Fade Dragon. And losing, from what we see the Fade Dragon pushing the purple dragon into the ground. 

A Warden being eaten by the Fade Dragon, while the corpse of the Orlesian character we saw the mage Inquisitor attacking earlier is lying motionless on the ground. 

The Inquisitor putting up his sword, while Leliana at his side. A war cry that personally I think Cullen does way better.

In the half Fade, half Breach area, the Inquisitor rivals a demon.

And the entire crew, from left to right: Cole, Solas, Dorian, Cassandra, The Inquisitor, Iron Bull, Sera, Blackwall, Vivienne, and Varric. All standing in the background with the Inquisitor at the front.

And that is the Hero of Thedas trailer. Thanks for watching - a bit of a note...five weeks left. Welcome to the final stretch, everyone. Be sure to keep here for more Dragon Age news and lore. Follow me on Twitch as well, as not only will I be streaming Dragon Age Inquisition profusely when it comes out, but also I will have a lovely event on November 7 - aka N7 Day. Take care everyone. Fen'harel enansal.