It's true that most people Fenris killed to survive had it coming. It's still an extreme thing to do to survive much like a mage turning to blood magic. I don't think Fenris should judge a mage for using it in order to be free so long as they don't let themselves get possessed by demons which seems to happen a lot. As sarcastic Hawke says in A New Path, "Getting possessed doesn't help anyone."I don't see how becoming a blood mage helps to survive but they kept saying that in DA2.
I don't think you can compare Fenris killing hunters in self defense to the use of blood magic, at least not when you consider blood magic as the way it is described in the lore. Blood magic spells allow for mind control and magnify the already immense power a mage can wield. Once a mage has control of that power there is very little to stop him from (ab)using it. Perhaps the mage was justified in that first instant, when it was intended to save himself from a threat, but then what? Will the mage still have enough self control to abstain from using blood magic in the future? Blood magic is said to twist and corrupt. I think once a mage has had a taste of that ultimate power it will be very difficult to resist. This is my own theory, but since blood magic is fueled by "life force" I think it actually uses up the soul. No doubt life contains a lot of power, so you need very little of it for a spell. But over time the mage would do considerable damage to their soul, which results in the corrupting effect of blood magic. It would also make sense for healing/creation magic not to work when cast with blood magic, because blood magic inherently relies on the destruction of the power of life. That is not compatible with restoring life (aka healing). Anyway, point is that blood magic and old-fashioned killing in self defense is not the same (in Fenris' eyes) because blood magic is far more likely to result in harming innocents along the way. Perhaps not immediately, but eventually.
For me the time skips kill a potential Fenris romance. The most I've done is have my Hawke sleep with him, get dumped, and move on. Rekindling the relationship the way it's done just makes no sense. How do two people who see each other often go 3 years without even mentioning the encounter to just jumping back into a relationship? Was Hawke just waiting patiently for 3 years for Fenris to bring it up; ready and willing pick up where they left off? Emotionally Hawke would have to discuss what happened at some point or move on; not just sit idle for 3 years.
Again, I agree completely that the time skips are awful and illustrate the most lazy writing in DA2 besides the "muahaha, I'm crazy so you have to kill me" reason people would oppose Hawke. I really missed the opportunity to talk to Fenris after he left you, to ask "what's wrong? Why did you leave?". Even if Fenris would just snap "I don't want to talk about it" and make you leave, at least it would have shown some initiative from Hawke here and help make it feel less abrupt and that Hawke is not some unemotional robot who silently watches when Fenris walks out. During the reconciliation scene you do get the choose to say "you didn't want to talk about it", which suggests that Hawke has made at least one attempt to talk about what had happened between them but that Fenris shot it down. Unfortunately we don't get to experience this and it is up to the imagination to come up with the way Hawke deals with this. That said, I don't think Hawke has necessarily been pining over Fenris for three years. It's perfectly possible that Hawke gives up hope for a romantic relationship and moves on, but when confronted with a remorseful Fenris is willing to give it another try now that Fenris is more ready for it. People reunite after breaking up. It's not impossible. Hawke could understand that Fenris is still dealing with his past and simply needs more time.
Fenris outright states he is not the best relationship material. "I'm an elf and an escaped slave living in a borrowed mansion. Doesn't any of that bother you?" Hawke should know what he/she is getting into might not be easy.
Fenris got hostile when my Hawke suggested reading lessons. I don't think he takes her up on it.
True, when rivaled he declines the offer of reading lessons, which is a shame. I think it's because when rivaled the relationship between Hawke and Fenris hinges on mutual respect. Fenris disagrees with Hawke's beliefs and actions, but he respects him/her and feels that he is in his/her debt. When he is confronted with a situation which makes himself look inferior to Hawke (i.e. not being able to read) Fenris becomes defensive because it threatens the relationship that has been established between them. Hawke might think less of him if he/she is once again reminded of Fenris' past as a slave, and Fenris' doesn't want pity or be perceived as weak. Fenris is trying to develop his own identity after years of only being concerned with Danarius' needs and wishes, but he constantly runs into situations in which his past still defines him. The markings he received set him apart and make him stand out and still cause him pain or at least discomfort. He has never had to chance to learn how to read, unlike the people he interacts with now.
And I don't see why Fenris can't have a relationship while Danarius is alive. He has to be unhappy and alone in his mansion instead?
Yes! That's exactly what he has to be. I don't think Fenris sees he has much of choice here. During the time skip Fenris is concerned with two things: Danarius still being alive and able to send another army of hunters after him at any moment, and finding his sister. He needs either of those, or probably both, to move on. As long as Danarius lives there is no point in building a life and starting a relationship. Danarius could show up any time and tear it all apart. Second, like I said before, Fenris is still trying to define his own self-worth and identity as a free man. So far his life as a slave continues to define him: he has the markings, he has literally been created to kill and to remain free he has been forced to continue that existence. Is he more than what Danarius made him to be? Can he be? What does he have to offer Hawke if he is only able to kill? To him his sister is the key to these questions. She is his connection to his old life, his life before he received the markings and became a living weapon. She could be the evidence that he once was a loving brother and son, a complete individual with a family. She could convince him that he can be more than what Danarius made him into.
Until these two things have been achieved, Fenris doesn't dare to let himself be happy and in a relationship with Hawke and he believes it would be unfair to Hawke as well ("I thought it better if you hated me. I deserve no less."). Fenris is not whole yet, not a complete man. He thinks Hawke deserves better than him at the moment and does not feel worthy of making claims on him/her. Hawke has the chance to move on and be happy with somebody else, which is also why Fenris will give up on the restarting their relationship once Hawke has shown signs of indeed moving on and spending the night with somebody else. To Fenris that means Hawke has found a better alternative.
i honk for Fenris it's that he can't stomach walking away from a situation that in his mind would turn Kirkwall into another Tevintor. He honestly can't see a future where free mages wouldn't turn into magisters. Maybe in the future he could, but at that point it's all still too raw for him and he hasn't had enough experience with mages that don't do crazy things. Only Hawke or Bethany, pretty much.
I agree. I think Fenris can't walk away from what he perceives as such a big threat. To him the uprising of mages will inevitably lead to another Tevinter in the end. He knows there are mages with good intentions. He acknowledges they exist in the Imperium too, but those few do not matter as long as there is a group that is happy to abuse their power. To him the suffering that would be caused by this outweighs the unfortunate need to annul the Circle of Kirkwall.
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I'm sure it's not as bad as all that and some people find it appealing, but I'm not sure I like the idea.
