Solas "at least has the possibility" of being the big bad for giving Corypheus the orb.
"I'm really bad at writing bad guys."
He's better at writing morally conflicted characters or ones who do bad things for what they believe is right.
"Solas has done some unfortunate things."
"He doesn't kick puppies."
Very rarely suggests something morally questionable but might approve of it. Approves of intelligent and thoughtful even if those lead to ruthlessness.
"If you want to understand Solas, listen to the things he brings up on his own."
The honest answer for why they put the romance: to make people grumpy with him, to make it sadder, "if you want to see the utter sadness of Solas" romance him, his feelings were not fake, he is one step from telling the truth about himself. Fanboying GDL's delivery of "the truth."
"Goes in for the kiss and is so ready to lose himself and forget about the past." Not pulling back would have made Solas "betray himself." Broke his heart when he wrote it.