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[Jennifer Brandes Hepler]

Whether you love Anders or hate him, I'm thrilled that he's had such a deep impact on so many of you. When we started writing, I said that I would claim victory if I got even one player to change their preconceived ideas of who to side with based on the actions Anders and Meredith take. It sounds like we've achieved that. People tend to think of being devoted to a cause as a noble and heroic thing, but it's actually pretty frightening if you think about what it means to have an abstract ideal which means more to someone than their own or anyone else's life.

[leggywillow]

Jennifer!  You certainly succeeded.  I think Anders is easily one of the most compelling characters in DA2.  All of the companions are marvelous, as usual, but Anders really gives you something to think about.

Did you have to stab the fangirls right in the heart, though?    So depressing.

[SurelyForth]

leggywillow wrote...
He is the most heartbreaking thing in any video game ever. 

Agreed. And I just realized that I might never be able to romance anyone else because I don't want to think about him being alone, still going crazy with nothing good to cling to.

Seriously, I had no idea that things could go so badly for him and still be completely believable. Also, on a lighter note, someone has to make a .gif or video of the Chantry blowing up, followed by his introduction in Awakening- with him cooling his hands and professing his innocence.

[stuman89]

I HATE Anders. I view him as not very different than a radical Islamic terrorist, he thinks he is absolutely right and will kill anyone in order for his cause to become elevated. I almost wished I could use blood magic to raise him and then kill him again. Even before he blew up the Chantry I wished that I could have turned him into the Templars.

Kudos Jennifer on writing one of the most sick and twisted video characters without demonizing him.

[leggywillow]

SurelyForth wrote...

Seriously, I had no idea that things could go so badly for him and still be completely believable. Also, on a lighter note, someone has to make a .gif or video of the Chantry blowing up, followed by his introduction in Awakening- with him cooling his hands and professing his innocence.

Hey, first things first!  We still need our "GODDAMNIT, ANDERS" banners!  It could be part of a gif of the Chantry blowing up, I suppose.  XD

[SurelyForth]

leggywillow wrote...

SurelyForth wrote...

Seriously, I had no idea that things could go so badly for him and still be completely believable. Also, on a lighter note, someone has to make a .gif or video of the Chantry blowing up, followed by his introduction in Awakening- with him cooling his hands and professing his innocence.

Hey, first things first!  We still need our "GODDAMNIT, ANDERS" banners!  It could be part of a gif of the Chantry blowing up, I suppose.  XD

*Chantry explodes*
Anders: *Turns around to see Hawke watching with that bemusified face s/he makes like five times during Aveline's personal quest*
Anders: "Uh, I didn't do it."
Hawke: *continues making face*
*black screen with GODDAMMIT, ANDERS in bold, white font.*

I really should have been working on this today instead of doing actual work work. Stupid priorities.

Modifié par SurelyForth, 11 mars 2011 - 09:01 .

[PlayxDead88]

leggywillow wrote...

SurelyForth wrote...

Seriously, I had no idea that things could go so badly for him and still be completely believable. Also, on a lighter note, someone has to make a .gif or video of the Chantry blowing up, followed by his introduction in Awakening- with him cooling his hands and professing his innocence.

Hey, first things first!  We still need our "GODDAMNIT, ANDERS" banners!  It could be part of a gif of the Chantry blowing up, I suppose.  XD

I would love to see a poll just to see how many people said that when the Chantry blew up. I've been saying it since yesterday since I saw the scene.

[HolyJellyfish]

Jennifer Brandes Hepler wrote...

Whether you love Anders or hate him, I'm thrilled that he's had such a deep impact on so many of you. When we started writing, I said that I would claim victory if I got even one player to change their preconceived ideas of who to side with based on the actions Anders and Meredith take. It sounds like we've achieved that. People tend to think of being devoted to a cause as a noble and heroic thing, but it's actually pretty frightening if you think about what it means to have an abstract ideal which means more to someone than their own or anyone else's life.

And you did a very good job. I had anticipated siding with the Templars all along, but after the Chantry was destroyed and Meredith's reaction, it just felt so wrong. I wonder how people who were rooting for the Mages felt after the Chantry was ruined, and if they went through a similar change of heart.

Regardless, you picked an incredibly heavy character, Hepler, and you succeeded beautifully. I don't know if it was your intentions to create the parallels between Anders story and Andraste's legend - in terms of two characters who go against the grain and start a revolution (and become martyrs for their cause), but the amount of depth is certainly left to that interpretation.

[Raiil]

SurelyForth wrote...

Agreed. And I just realized that I might never be able to romance anyone else because I don't want to think about him being alone, still going crazy with nothing good to cling to.
 

That's pretty much done it for me, too. I was going to try out the other LI but everytime I see Anders it breaks my heart a little. I don't want to 'save' him in that sense, but he seems so lonely and then so attached to Hawke that I can't see my toon with anyone else. Granted, 'I'd drown us both in blood to protect you' probably isn't going to go down in the annals of most romantic thing ever, but from my perspective, 'I'd do anything to keep you safe' means a lot more when you're regularly ankle-deep in the entrails of your enemy.

[Kim Shepard]

I agree about the job well done with Anders. Even though he didn't change my mind (I was already on his side), he and Justice were my favorite Dragon Age characters by far, and now they're even more awesome.

SurelyForth wrote...

Seriously, I had no idea that things could go so badly for him and still be completely believable. Also, on a lighter note, someone has to make a .gif or video of the Chantry blowing up, followed by his introduction in Awakening- with him cooling his hands and professing his innocence.

This needs to happen. xD Brilliant idea.

[TripLight]

SurelyForth wrote...

*Chantry explodes*
Anders: *Turns around to see Hawke watching with that bemusified face s/he makes like five times during Aveline's personal quest*
Anders: "Uh, I didn't do it."
Hawke: *continues making face*
*black screen with GODDAMMIT, ANDERS in bold, white font.*

I really should have been working on this today instead of doing actual work work. Stupid priorities.

Surely, you're an Evil Genius. I love it!

Jennifer, you are absolutely brilliant with your charaterization of Anders. I loved him before from Awakening, but really the tragic depth you gave him, his desperation and rage, his sorrow and love...would it be to corny if I called it a Beautiful Disaster?

Alana Hawke (mage) didn't hesitate to leap either...she was just upset he didn't tell her. "Stand By Your Man" was playing in my head while she decided his fate.

[Souris]

HolyJellyfish wrote...

Jennifer Brandes Hepler wrote...

Whether you love Anders or hate him, I'm thrilled that he's had such a deep impact on so many of you. When we started writing, I said that I would claim victory if I got even one player to change their preconceived ideas of who to side with based on the actions Anders and Meredith take. It sounds like we've achieved that. People tend to think of being devoted to a cause as a noble and heroic thing, but it's actually pretty frightening if you think about what it means to have an abstract ideal which means more to someone than their own or anyone else's life.

And you did a very good job. I had anticipated siding with the Templars all along, but after the Chantry was destroyed and Meredith's reaction, it just felt so wrong. I wonder how people who were rooting for the Mages felt after the Chantry was ruined, and if they went through a similar change of heart.

Regardless, you picked an incredibly heavy character, Hepler, and you succeeded beautifully. I don't know if it was your intentions to create the parallels between Anders story and Andraste's legend - in terms of two characters who go against the grain and start a revolution (and become martyrs for their cause), but the amount of depth is certainly left to that interpretation.

I had planned to side with the mages from the beginning for my first playthrough, mostly because I chose mage as my class. As time went on, however, and after Anders blew up the Chantry, I kind of sat there and stared at my screen, wondering if I really wanted to help him - and the mages - after what he'd done. I think the biggest thing for me was that he betrayed my FemHawke's trust.

I suppose what I'm trying to say here is that his actions definitely gave me pause, and I probably would have had a change of heart if I was not so set on supporting the mages from the beginning.

[leggywillow]

SurelyForth wrote...

*Chantry explodes*
Anders: *Turns around to see Hawke watching with that bemusified face s/he makes like five times during Aveline's personal quest*
Anders: "Uh, I didn't do it."
Hawke: *continues making face*
*black screen with GODDAMMIT, ANDERS in bold, white font.*

I really should have been working on this today instead of doing actual work work. Stupid priorities.

This is pure gold, and we need this.  I never thought I would miss the days of Anders... well, not doing it.  Maybe we should change the title of this thread to be "Anders: He finally did it, and we wish he hadn't".  XD

Also, Isabela is hilarious trying to talk to Anders.

Isabela: ::loud, patronizing voice::  Hello?  Is Anders there?  Can I speak to Anders?
Anders: ::annoyed::You can stop yelling.  It's always me.
Isabela: Oh good, I didn't want to talk to that other guy.  The stick-in-the-mud.
Anders: He can still hear you.

[Raiil]

HolyJellyfish wrote...



And you did a very good job. I had anticipated siding with the Templars all along, but after the Chantry was destroyed and Meredith's reaction, it just felt so wrong. I wonder how people who were rooting for the Mages felt after the Chantry was ruined, and if they went through a similar change of heart.

Regardless, you picked an incredibly heavy character, Hepler, and you succeeded beautifully. I don't know if it was your intentions to create the parallels between Anders story and Andraste's legend - in terms of two characters who go against the grain and start a revolution (and become martyrs for their cause), but the amount of depth is certainly left to that interpretation.

I wasn't planning on rooting for the mages (I kept myself in the dark about most of the storyline) but when the building blew up, I felt a pang of sadness for the nice old lady... and then considered it justified. Or rather, my toon did, since I'd be horrified IRL. But my Hawke has become somewhat unhinged in the game. The writing and justification for Anders was done well, I think.

[Kim Shepard]

leggywillow wrote...

This is pure gold, and we need this.  I never thought I would miss the days of Anders... well, not doing it.  Maybe we should change the title of this thread to be "Anders: He finally did it, and we wish he hadn't".  XD

But... my FemHawke did want him to do it. She just wishes he would have invited her. D: (For some reason, I'm writing in past tense as if I've already played through this part. I haven't. I'm just planning ahead.)

Also, Isabela is hilarious trying to talk to Anders.

Isabela: ::loud, patronizing voice::  Hello?  Is Anders there?  Can I speak to Anders?
Anders: ::annoyed::You can stop yelling.  It's always me.
Isabela: Oh good, I didn't want to talk to that other guy.  The stick-in-the-mud.
Anders: He can still hear you.

They really have this dialogue? xD "He can still hear you"? That's great!

[ClaraPippa]

So, maybe I'm missing something here... But at the end of the quest Justice Anders, who is my romance, gets all mega-serious and says some rather break-uppish things to me, yet he's still in my house... Did I miss something? Also, what the hell did he do in the Chantry? He just ran up to me, said I've been looking for you, then we left to his clinic. So cofused.

Also, is anyone else as mad that there aren't nearly as many conversation opportunities in 2 as there were in Origins? I feel like... I've talked to Anders twice, we did our business, fell in love, then... there has been no mention of it save for my companion's idle chat and when he says he loves me during Justice. *cry* 

[SurelyForth]

@ClaraPippa Did you not talk to him at the beginning of Act 3? You can give him the key to the cellar (which I thought of the moment Hawke asked him to move in and was annoyed on his behalf that it took her three years to think of her crazy apostate boyfriend's safety) and that scene can be sweet?

Unless you tell him you love him, in which case it's sad.

Other than that, there's not a ton of conversations w. any of the companions. You get more out of them during quests, though.

Modifié par SurelyForth, 11 mars 2011 - 09:57 .

[Raiil]

@Clara there seems to be confusion with everyone. I thought he broke up with me... then I go to my house, he's there, telling dog to gtfo since we're sleeping together and my codex said that he was a devoted lover to me- and that carried through to the end, I even reloaded my last checkpoint after I finished the game, just to check. I'm wondering if there's some sort of bug.

[EnchantedEyes1]

Jennifer Brandes Hepler wrote...

Whether you love Anders or hate him, I'm thrilled that he's had such a deep impact on so many of you. When we started writing, I said that I would claim victory if I got even one player to change their preconceived ideas of who to side with based on the actions Anders and Meredith take. It sounds like we've achieved that. People tend to think of being devoted to a cause as a noble and heroic thing, but it's actually pretty frightening if you think about what it means to have an abstract ideal which means more to someone than their own or anyone else's life.

Impact? Yes, I would say so. He is such a tragic figure and you did an excellent job of keeping him real througout the game despite his internal conflicts. I can't stop thinking about him at work or at home... I'm officially obsessed, signed, sealed and delivered.

[Rinji the Bearded]

Jennifer Brandes Hepler wrote...

Whether you love Anders or hate him, I'm thrilled that he's had such a deep impact on so many of you. When we started writing, I said that I would claim victory if I got even one player to change their preconceived ideas of who to side with based on the actions Anders and Meredith take. It sounds like we've achieved that. People tend to think of being devoted to a cause as a noble and heroic thing, but it's actually pretty frightening if you think about what it means to have an abstract ideal which means more to someone than their own or anyone else's life.

This.  This so much.  Anders broke my heart into a million pieces, but I loved him anyway.  I was afraid of breaking his heart... but I wanted to hate him.  In the end, I couldn't do that.  And here I was, completely ambivalent or perhaps even apathetic about mages and templars before... and suddenly, my own morals are shaken.  What kind of mad genius writing is that?  Brilliant.



This is for you. <3

Modifié par RinjiRenee, 11 mars 2011 - 10:23 .

[maselphie]

Jennifer Brandes Hepler wrote...

Whether you love Anders or hate him, I'm thrilled that he's had such a deep impact on so many of you. When we started writing, I said that I would claim victory if I got even one player to change their preconceived ideas of who to side with based on the actions Anders and Meredith take. It sounds like we've achieved that. People tend to think of being devoted to a cause as a noble and heroic thing, but it's actually pretty frightening if you think about what it means to have an abstract ideal which means more to someone than their own or anyone else's life.

Yes ma'am. Yes you did. You broke my heart. I was ... I was literaly reeling for the rest of the game, hours after I completed it, I had to go to sleep I was so comatose, and the next morning, I was still like "Anders ... wtf man."

Stuff rarely hits me like that. I felt no emotional response at the end of DA:O, even though I knew I probably should be, because it never hit home with me. I never felt any piece of me was on the line, self-sacrifice or not. But in DA2, I litereally did one of those movie flashbacks of the entire game, where Anders had lied to me, tried to get me to leave him, spoke out against the church ... it shattered me. You can't really put a price tag on that sort of experience.

Thank you.

[Syxia287]

Omg ...That's really all I can say about this thread
So relieved that I'm not the only one bummed about not being able to interact with my party members whenever the heck I feel like itand that there weren't enough interactions (remembers harassing Alistair shamelessly until I ran out of conversation options, then just snogging him in the middle of Denerim just cos I could, dammit). Hopefully this can be remedied by Bioware in some way *sighs*
And also the fact that when the squealing fangirl inside me reared her ugly head and demanded blood over not having a cutsceen with a shirtless Anders...Well, I know the rest of you aren't too far behind me

[Nivilant]

So... Literally just finished first playthrough. I...just...what....!!

Anders is definitely the single most heartbreaking character to watch in any videogame I've played.

I eventually decided on female warrior, Revi Hawke. Always knew I was going for Anders, but damn, the force of that whole romance thread took me completely by surprise. I never actually say 'aww' while playing a game... but I did several times during this game.

I ended up with Anders as my boyfriend and Varric as my best buddy, and I have to say Varric also took me unawares. I didn't think much of him at first, but if you're friends he just seems to care so much about Hawke and what happens to her, beyond the personal motives of a lot of the others. Also, I totally had a squee moment at Varric nicknaming Anders 'Blondie'. It's such a cute nickname.

As to the chantry thing, I can't help but agree with him (at least mostly). Even without knowing Meredith's issues I still felt disgusted by her reaction, as well as the conduct of some of the more hardcore Templars. I mean, the blood mages were bad too but one could argue they're forced to it in some cases. I did, however, cheer on Cullen for the backbone he showed at the end.

(Trying to get several different opinions across in a relatively short space, if you couldn't tell)

Someone mentioned about the codex in Act 3, and yeah, that actually had me tearing up. I can just imagine Revi spending a night at the Hanged Man with Concerned!Varric babbling about how they have to stop this bloody feuding NOW before she loses one of the only damn things she cares about anymore. In many ways, becoming The Champion completely breaks Hawke. That's a benefit of the voiced character, and I really like FemHawke's VA. Some of her sad lines are so well delivered it's painful.

Thankfully, and credit to Ms. Hepler, Anders does still retain some snark to lighten the mood. I found myself giggling several times, and the sweet moments help to get you through the crushing later stages. That and the truly divine kiss scene at the clinic (plus the 'aching for you' line. Sweet Maker). Dear lord, that was good. In one word it sums up Anders' situation: desperate.

...I feel fics incoming.

[Rinji the Bearded]

Syxia287 wrote...

Omg ...That's really all I can say about this thread
So relieved that I'm not the only one bummed about not being able to interact with my party members whenever the heck I feel like itand that there weren't enough interactions (remembers harassing Alistair shamelessly until I ran out of conversation options, then just snogging him in the middle of Denerim just cos I could, dammit). Hopefully this can be remedied by Bioware in some way *sighs*
And also the fact that when the squealing fangirl inside me reared her ugly head and demanded blood over not having a cutsceen with a shirtless Anders...Well, I know the rest of you aren't too far behind me

YES.  Break and stomp on my heart all you want, but WE WANT BLOOD FOR NO SHIRTLESS ANDERS.

[leggywillow]

RinjiRenee wrote...

Syxia287 wrote...

Omg ...That's really all I can say about this thread
So relieved that I'm not the only one bummed about not being able to interact with my party members whenever the heck I feel like itand that there weren't enough interactions (remembers harassing Alistair shamelessly until I ran out of conversation options, then just snogging him in the middle of Denerim just cos I could, dammit). Hopefully this can be remedied by Bioware in some way *sighs*
And also the fact that when the squealing fangirl inside me reared her ugly head and demanded blood over not having a cutsceen with a shirtless Anders...Well, I know the rest of you aren't too far behind me

YES.  Break and stomp on my heart all you want, but WE WANT BLOOD FOR NO SHIRTLESS ANDERS.

LOL, this.  Yes, yes, terrorism vs. revolutionary, mages vs. templars, that's all well and good... but why the heck can't I see shirtless Anders?!

I'm glad it wasn't like Origins, with the creepy man-thong-diaper thing.  But male Hawke's body model is quite sexy, and I really just wanted to see Anders without his damn shirt on.