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[vbibbi]

That was the best part. I just wished we had stayed there.

 

 

 

Well, that becomes kind of clear in Issue 5: Marius wanted to be a hero. And where Marius goes, Tessa goes.

Right, but I meant there was no reason for agents skilled as magekillers to go on the missions they went on (killing giants, for example). Marius has shown that he's had experience killing demons when he fought the blood mage in the first comic. But the entire series seems like it's promoting this new magekiller warrior from Tevinter, and then it's not really referenced again. He's just a skilled fighter, like every other character.

 

And why isn't Leliana sending them out to assassinate high level Venatori mages? That would be a much better use of their skills than fighting mundane enemies any agent could handle.

[BansheeOwnage]

But it highlights the trouble with Magekiller's story: it's ultimately irrelevant and has no meaning.

The hilarity of stabbing beings of pure magic with swords and hurting them becomes apparent as they stab wraiths and shades. I'll assume they have magic weapons.

 

 

Weirdest moment of the comic: Inquisition soldiers arrive. And then Tessa mistakes Harding for Charter. How in the world did she do that? One is a dwarf and one is an elf. Charter and Tessa are lovers. She couldn't tell her lover apart from a complete stranger?

1. That's a shame, but also what I've gotten out of it, even though I haven't read it. Why do this series how they did rather than make it something new, something of its own, and therefore something that could be more meaningful? It's really strange.

 

2. I always thought that was odd too, in The Elder Scrolls as well, but we've been slashing fade-creatures to death since DA:O, so it's not out-of-place.

 

3. Weirdest part indeed, and that's saying something, judging from the whole mess around the last 2 missions that you described. That is utterly bizarre  I froze when I read that because it's so implausible and such a bizarre thing to write.

 

Joke answer for how it happened though: They have the same hair ingame, so... maybe that's why?

 

Wait, how does specializing in killing mages translate to an ability in killing giants? I know he was previously a gladiator in the arenas of Tevinter and how that might have allowed him to acquire some combat experience concerning giants but without mentioning or alluding to how he'd know how to fight them, it seems an odd assignment.   

 

Giants do not even have a few things in common with mages as far as I've noticed. 

I think Vbibbi was being sarcastic. As in: Why are they sending the magekillers to the Emerald Graves (where there are giants) where there is no Venatori presence (mages), instead of somewhere more conducive to their specialized skill-set?

 

Edit: Ninja'd

[thats1evildude]

Demons need to be at least partially corporeal to interact with the mortal world, so you don't need magical weapons to hurt them.

[vbibbi]

1. That's a shame, but also what I've gotten out of it, even though I haven't read it. Why do this series how they did rather than make it something new, something of its own, and therefore something that could be more meaningful? It's really strange.

 

2. I always thought that was odd too, in The Elder Scrolls as well, but we've been slashing fade-creatures to death since DA:O, so it's not out-of-place.

 

3. Weirdest part indeed, and that's saying something, judging from the whole mess around the last 2 missions that you described. That is utterly bizarre  I froze when I read that because it's so implausible and such a bizarre thing to write.

 

Joke answer for how it happened though: They have the same hair ingame, so... maybe that's why?

 

I think Vbibbi was being sarcastic. As in: Why are they sending the magekillers to the Emerald Graves (where there are giants) where there is no Venatori presence (mages), instead of somewhere more conducive to their specialized skill-set?

 

Edit: Ninja'd

 

Well Charter and Harding had the same freckle style face set in the comics, and a similar haircut, so perhaps the author actually just confused himself. Maybe he thought Harding and Charter were the same person in the actual game. Charter is the agent who runs Caer Bronach, right? And she makes an appearance in Trespasser?

 

Demons need to be at least partially corporeal to interact with the mortal world, so you don't need magical weapons to hurt them.

 

I guess it really hit home this time because we see Tessa "stabbing" an insubstantial wraith. I know it's in game lore that normal weapons can harm demons anyway, so it's not going against canon. But if wraiths are just the remnants of a magical entity, it seems like only magic/magical weapons should be able to harm them. It's not a big deal.

 

 

 

Okay I found the original announcement about the comic. And it does indicate that it would continue past the events of Inquisition.

 

http://www.polygon.c...omic-dark-horse

 

Magekiller will also see the rise of the Venatori, the Tevinter cult that worships and works for Dragon Age: Inquisition's villain Corypheus, with the end of issue #2 corresponding to the destruction of the Conclave, the inciting event of the game. The first arc of the series will encompass the full plot of Inquisition, however, and after that it'll be striking out into new territory for the franchise.

 

So possibly the interviewer got the facts wrong, or maybe Rucka is coming back, just not directly. Dunno.

Modifié par vbibbi, 20 avril 2016 - 11:19 .

[nightscrawl]

Right, I'm going to post an analysis of this issue, as I've finally read it soon after release date. I'll tag everything in spoilers for those who haven't read it yet and are planning on it.

So much to address here, and I agree with everything! (Let's see if I can work around these spoiler tags...)
 

Spoiler

So the cover page we discussed recently...it turns out that weird black ball in the middle is still there with no explanation, it's not a placeholder for a logo or anything. What is is supposed to be? Why is it at the center of the image taking up the focus of the illustration? And why are red templars on the cover if the only enemies in this issue are demons?

You know... I never really gave much thought with any of the issues as to the relevancy of the various covers, but you're right. I had thought that the black circle was reminiscent of Solas's orb. However, even though that fits with the events in the DAI game finale, that doesn't correspond to the other imagery on the cover itself, or the events of this issue of the comic.


We pan to Skyhold, everyone's at the Arbor Wilds except for Tessa and Marius and Sutherland's crew. Since Marius barely speaks, most of the dialogue takes place in Tessa's head. It makes sense so that there's some form of character perspective, but it's still grating after five issues of it. Tessa worries about her relationship with Marius, and if they're friends or just work buddies and why he keeps her around. She realizes that Marius wants to be part of a cause greater than himself, and he's found that in the Inquisition. Woo.

It strikes me that, even though one of our heroes is the titular magekiller -- perrepatae in Tevene, thanks Dorian -- the entire comic is told from the PoV of his spunky sidekick. I liked the narration as an explainer for the first two issues, but after that I wish it had faded away. It really seemed like a large amount of filler, which was a necessity because Marius is a taciturn fellow. Taciturnity works well in film because you can have a lot of communication with movement and facial expression, but that is more limited in the comic form.

The device got old very quickly. It didn't really help that Tessa kept rehashing some of the same things over and OVER, as if the audience were too dumb to remember from one issue to the next. Who was this series for? Was it for people unfamiliar with Dragon Age and so needed an explanation for everything? It hardly seems so, with the cameos and whatnot. Was it for the dedicated DA fan already familiar with Thedas and her issues? That doesn't really follow from the presentation that we got: more tell, lesser show, and just one single significant lore reveal in the whole damn series.


Seconds after Corypheus reopens the Breach, Leliana somehow sends a message to Charter. I guess Dagna or Dorian have started equipping the Inquisition's spies with message crystals? Still, it's astonishingly fast for Charter to know exactly what happened in the Arbor Wilds and that the Inquisitor needs help. I guess this means that in the comic universe Morrigan drank from the Well of Sorrows, because there's no way that the Inquisitor had enough time to return from the Arbor Wilds, find Mythal's champion dragon, then go to the Temple of Sacred Ashes.

The time difference was somewhat irksome only because it was not presented that way in the game. Despite the NPC dialogue acting as though "the end is nigh," we have as much time to d*ck around and do whatever we want. I completely understand it is not feasible to portray it in that way, but neither do I like that they progressed events so rapidly, hardly giving the Inquisitor time to have that war table conference. I think it's even said that Corypheus has retreated for the time being, but that it IS likely that he will make a final strike. I guess we're just supposed to assume that he hopped on his flying horcrux and that is how he got to the temple so quickly.


Also, the Inquisitor returned from the Arbor Wilds through the eluvian. Why didn't we see them pass from Skyhold to face Corypheus? I know it's because that would require a canon Inquisitor and which companions accompanied them on the mission. But the comic is going to keep having Tessa and Marius be agents of the Inquisition who just keep missing the Inquisitor and it's breaking immersion.

Yes... all of this is why I just want them to move AWAY from the game. It's a veritable anchor (ha ha...) that is dragging down the story arc of the comic and adding a burden to real character development.


So the crew needs to clear a path for reinforcements to help at the Temple. Ironic since we know that no reinforcements can reach the magic floating fun times temple, but Charter doesn't know that at this point. But it highlights the trouble with Magekiller's story: it's ultimately irrelevant and has no meaning.
 
We learn that Marius' specialized skills as a magekiller have been put to use in the Emerald Graves...killing giants. Because that's not a waste of his special training.

I can't imagine how anyone can possibly counter these points. Again another reason why the game material hurt the comic, and it makes you wonder who it was written for. How can any DAI player not feel completely disconnected from these events, regardless of whether they liked the game, or their Inquisitor.


We get a reference to Donald Sutherland. Nice to see the familiar faces of the crew, I wonder if the Inquisitor was worried they couldn't handle the Arbor Wilds and thought to keep them safe at Skyhold.

The best part of the issue! Er... aside from the Donald Sutherland reference, which I don't understand. Was this even intentional? How was it funny at all? I did think they got his writing down well and he seemed to step right out from the game. I also liked the further romantic stuff between him and Shayd; it was adorable, just as Tessa said.


Charter pulls Tessa away to canoodle and warn her not to sacrifice herself for Marius. If anything from Magekiller makes its way into DA4, I wonder if Charter and Tessa will be an established couple, if they'll have broken up and be LI options, or if they'll even be mentioned.

I had previously wanted Charter as a f/f LI for DA4, but not anymore. If she is available, then that means that anything regarding Tessa either never happened and this comic was a complete waste of everyone's time (including its creators!), OR that there will be some sort of contrivance to have them break up. Also, it would be nice and refreshing to have a person who is in some sort of stable romantic relationship AND have that relationship not be an issue at all, just have it BE.


We move to the Frostback Mountains, where the crew is apparently moving away from the Breach rather than toward it. They're taking the scenic route.

This seemed like another way to plug in game events to make the comic seem relevant. Half the players (those who took that path in the prologue) will say, "OH! I know where that is!" and then move on.


We get the confusing mental realization from Tessa that "Marius needs me. He knows it. I know it. The question really is--what does he need me for?" So...you don't actually know that Marius needs you, Tessa? Then why did you say you know he needs you?

I didn't think this was that bad, actually. I think it is possible to see that someone cares for you from their actions and behavior, but not understand why that is so because the person, like Marius, is so uncommunicative that they are a veritable enigma. In his case, actions speak louder than words, but words can be important for complete understanding.

Of course... she manages to figure it out in the end -- yay Tessa! -- but doesn't share it with the audience. I'm sure it's just me being thick-headed, or something (quite possible), but I didn't take her meaning. Was that intentional? I'd prefer that I just missed it rather than the writer being vague. I do not like vagueness for this sort of thing, particularly when you are told that someone learned something, but not what is was.


Back to the mining tunnels from DAI's prologue, getting to know Sutherland's crew. The hilarity of stabbing beings of pure magic with swords and hurting them becomes apparent as they stab wraiths and shades. I'll assume they have magic weapons.

I don't think this is the comic's fault, but rather the problems of trying to translate game fights into a static medium. We can suspend this belief while we're playing because we're doing the action, but we can't do that here for the most part. But they can't have it be this true because then warriors and rogues would be useless in the game, particularly at the start.

They did have Voth, though.


Big demon fight ensues, Tessa is grabbed by a pride demon. I actually liked that the demon telepathically tried to influence her, it reminds us that demons are more than just RPG enemies but represent darker human emotions.

Yes, it would be been nice if they did more stuff like this throughout the series, especially useful for Marius as a character.


Weirdest moment of the comic: Inquisition soldiers arrive. Scout Harding leads the soldiers to meet the crew. I thought Scout Harding was down by the Temple, since she almost managed to remain on the floating island as it was lifted to the sky. I guess she ran back to gather the reinforcements. And then Tessa mistakes Harding for Charter. How in the world did she do that? One is a dwarf and one is an elf. Charter and Tessa are lovers. She couldn't tell her lover apart from a complete stranger?

OMG! I didn't even realize this! At the time I thought it was odd that Charter basically ignored her girlfriend, but after looking at it again I can clearly see that it IS Harding. Other than the ears and hair color (Charter is only slightly lighter), they look similar with the freckles in this art style. I think this was a mistake or lack of communication between the writer and artist.


So it's a job well done, the crew earned a rest while Char-Harding and the soldiers go into the mining tunnels. Except now, we can clearly see that the Temple is floating and inaccessible to anyone on the ground, so how are Harding and the soldiers going to help the Inquisitor? Did they bring a net, in case someone falls? It's best to be prepared, sure, but what is the actual game plan for reaching the floating earth islands?
 
Tessa and Marius congratulate themselves on "helping to save the world" by clearing some tunnels of demons. Which didn't need clearing since the Inquisitor was already facing Corypheus and no reinforcements could reach him/her. So again, their story is irrelevant and not really saving the world like they are claiming.

There's nothing to add to this, really. It's another example of the game hurting the comic. However, I didn't mind the final line of "We just helped save the world," with the full view of the dragon battle waging overhead. My Inquisitor thinks as I do when it comes to things like this: every person has their role to play. While I believe that, I don't think this comic showed that effectively with these two characters.

 
It wasn't a horrible comic series, but I don't really see the point, since apparently Rucka isn't going to write any more. I wonder if the sales were bad so Bio canceled the next issues, or if it was always planned as this five episode series. I could have sworn they mentioned that Tessa and Marius would have multiple stories occurring before, during, and after the events of DAI.

I wonder that as well. The line, "The first arc of the series will encompass the full plot of Inquisition, however, and after that it'll be striking out into new territory for the franchise," from the Polygon interview, certainly does seem to suggest that there will be more, but Ruka's tweet seems like perhaps not? Maybe it was cancelled? Or maybe there were not definite plans and it was a test case to see how it, and these characters, were received?

 

However, he did add later on,

@ruckawriter

@thats1evildude that story is ended. THAT story....

 

So who knows, really?

If anyone involved with the comic is reading this thread at all, please take one point away from all of these postings. Most of the people here expressed a desire to see a comic that is apart from game events. Give us that. Please.

[Chiramu]

I don't like the skipping of story in Dragon Age stories. They did the same as the games where they refer to a dramatic fight in exposition as well. If it was heroic then show it to us!

I was disappointed with that end anyway. It's like the writer didn't know how to end it without making it all gooey and heroic. I think it could've used more parts to the comic, skipping story in Dragon Age is really annoying me. 

I'll never get over that ten year skip.

[nightscrawl]

Wait, so Tessa and Charter are a thing? Meh. I sometimes feel like Bioware makes a lot of female characters gay/bi because they think it makes them more interesting in some way, or just for fanservice. Why do I think so? Well, having a gay/bi guy is much more rare.

Well, it's written by Greg Rucka, who writes a lot of gay characters. Dragon Age is pretty accepting of gay characters, so the likelihood of Tessa being gay was about 90-95 per cent.
 
And Charter is an elf, so ...

 
I don't see how this applies since she's actually a woman. I also don't find her be to androgynous at all. 
 
 

How much of Tevinter is seen if someone will be kind to tell me? I might be interested in those issues if they focus sufficently enough on it and what it is like there.
 
If I buy them, it would have to be from special shops or from online since they would not be sold locally in my country so I'd only buy the ones I know I'd be incredibly interested in.

 
The last few pages of issue 1, and most of issue 2. There is also a (very small) lore reveal in issue 4 because Dorian has a cameo, but you don't need to buy that to learn it.
 

Spoiler

There is apparently a special phrase in Tevene -- perrepatae -- for what Marius is, and the training he received.

[thats1evildude]

Probably the wrong trope to link to. The joke I was trying to make is that basically all Dragon Age elves are gay, Solas being the one heterosexual holdout. No wonder he didn't get along with the other gods.

[nightscrawl]

^ OK, I can see that, especially since all of the elf LIs in the series, aside from Solas, have been gay or available to both genders -- Sera, Zevran, Merrill, Fenris.

[vbibbi]

I'm going to fudge trying to quote Nightscrawl's post but still keep it in spoilers

 

Spoiler

So the cover page we discussed recently...it turns out that weird black ball in the middle is still there with no explanation, it's not a placeholder for a logo or anything. What is is supposed to be? Why is it at the center of the image taking up the focus of the illustration? And why are red templars on the cover if the only enemies in this issue are demons?

You know... I never really gave much thought with any of the issues as to the relevancy of the various covers, but you're right. I had thought that the black circle was reminiscent of Solas's orb. However, even though that fits with the events in the DAI game finale, that doesn't correspond to the other imagery on the cover itself, or the events of this issue of the comic.

 

Yeah I don't mind the red templars, it's really just a call out to enemies from the source material. But the orb is really weird and not at all explained.

 

We pan to Skyhold, everyone's at the Arbor Wilds except for Tessa and Marius and Sutherland's crew. Since Marius barely speaks, most of the dialogue takes place in Tessa's head. It makes sense so that there's some form of character perspective, but it's still grating after five issues of it. Tessa worries about her relationship with Marius, and if they're friends or just work buddies and why he keeps her around. She realizes that Marius wants to be part of a cause greater than himself, and he's found that in the Inquisition. Woo.

It strikes me that, even though one of our heroes is the titular magekiller -- perrepatae in Tevene, thanks Dorian -- the entire comic is told from the PoV of his spunky sidekick. I liked the narration as an explainer for the first two issues, but after that I wish it had faded away. It really seemed like a large amount of filler, which was a necessity because Marius is a taciturn fellow. Taciturnity works well in film because you can have a lot of communication with movement and facial expression, but that is more limited in the comic form.

 

The device got old very quickly. It didn't really help that Tessa kept rehashing some of the same things over and OVER, as if the audience were too dumb to remember from one issue to the next. Who was this series for? Was it for people unfamiliar with Dragon Age and so needed an explanation for everything? It hardly seems so, with the cameos and whatnot. Was it for the dedicated DA fan already familiar with Thedas and her issues? That doesn't really follow from the presentation that we got: more tell, lesser show, and just one single significant lore reveal in the whole damn series.

 

I did like that the narration stayed with Tessa, it makes sense and is easier to convey Marius' taciturn nature. But as you say, she overnarrates. She recaps what happened in the previous episode, which is filler. Other comics I've read just have a blurb on the credits page saying what happened previously. A lot of the content in these comics felt like filler. The fight scenes took up one third of each issue.

 

And the issue you bring up with the intended audience is a good one. Since the comics end up relying heavily on the game, I don't think the main audience has not played DAI. The cameos, the setting, the enemies, all require knowledge of the game since they're not further explained in the comics. But then why spend so much time rehashing the game? Maybe the intention was to see the events of Inquisition from a different viewpoint, but the events as they occurred in the comics just recycled characters, locations, and quests. Why did Marius and Tessa have to fight giants in the Emerald Graves? Why couldn't they have performed an off-screen mission in Jader or Orzammar or Cumberland? Why did they just follow the Inquisitor's steps exactly? They went to Crestwood, EG, the mining tunnels, the Hissing Wastes.

 

And by having them follow the Inquisitor's steps, it also decreases the importance we as players have made on the game world. The Venatori returned to the Hissing Wastes in greater force after the Inquisitor left. So...my visiting that zone as the PC didn't actually do anything? Venatori were actually stronger because I had visited? And if I opened the final tomb and found the artifacts they wanted, why would they bother returning to that area?

Seconds after Corypheus reopens the Breach, Leliana somehow sends a message to Charter. I guess Dagna or Dorian have started equipping the Inquisition's spies with message crystals? Still, it's astonishingly fast for Charter to know exactly what happened in the Arbor Wilds and that the Inquisitor needs help. I guess this means that in the comic universe Morrigan drank from the Well of Sorrows, because there's no way that the Inquisitor had enough time to return from the Arbor Wilds, find Mythal's champion dragon, then go to the Temple of Sacred Ashes.

The time difference was somewhat irksome only because it was not presented that way in the game. Despite the NPC dialogue acting as though "the end is nigh," we have as much time to d*ck around and do whatever we want. I completely understand it is not feasible to portray it in that way, but neither do I like that they progressed events so rapidly, hardly giving the Inquisitor time to have that war table conference. I think it's even said that Corypheus has retreated for the time being, but that it IS likely that he will make a final strike. I guess we're just supposed to assume that he hopped on his flying horcrux and that is how he got to the temple so quickly.

 

Yeah I'm willing to allow the gameplay-story segregation to pass between the Arbor Wilds and the final fight. I guess what was jarring in the comic was that Charter instantly knew what was going on as soon as the Breach reopened. Maybe that is another format-story segregation, as it would waste too many panels to show that some time passes before Charter knows what's going on.

 

Also, the Inquisitor returned from the Arbor Wilds through the eluvian. Why didn't we see them pass from Skyhold to face Corypheus? I know it's because that would require a canon Inquisitor and which companions accompanied them on the mission. But the comic is going to keep having Tessa and Marius be agents of the Inquisition who just keep missing the Inquisitor and it's breaking immersion.

Yes... all of this is why I just want them to move AWAY from the game. It's a veritable anchor (ha ha...) that is dragging down the story arc of the comic and adding a burden to real character development.

Yes, the comic's story was hampered by the game without getting much benefit. I guess not having to establish the secondary characters was a benefit (Chargers, Sutherland, Charter)

 

So the crew needs to clear a path for reinforcements to help at the Temple. Ironic since we know that no reinforcements can reach the magic floating fun times temple, but Charter doesn't know that at this point. But it highlights the trouble with Magekiller's story: it's ultimately irrelevant and has no meaning.

We learn that Marius' specialized skills as a magekiller have been put to use in the Emerald Graves...killing giants. Because that's not a waste of his special training.

 

I can't imagine how anyone can possibly counter these points. Again another reason why the game material hurt the comic, and it makes you wonder who it was written for. How can any DAI player not feel completely disconnected from these events, regardless of whether they liked the game, or their Inquisitor.

 

Just thinking of the Mary Sue thread currently going, it also smells a bit of fanfic. "Marius can kill mages, and Demons, AND GIANTS."

 

We get a reference to Donald Sutherland. Nice to see the familiar faces of the crew, I wonder if the Inquisitor was worried they couldn't handle the Arbor Wilds and thought to keep them safe at Skyhold.

The best part of the issue! Er... aside from the Donald Sutherland reference, which I don't understand. Was this even intentional? How was it funny at all? I did think they got his writing down well and he seemed to step right out from the game. I also liked the further romantic stuff between him and Shayd; it was adorable, just as Tessa said.

 

Yeah the joke fell flat to me, but then I'm not a huge fan of fourth wall humor. At least not in a serious setting like DA. I did like the use of Sutherland's company, though.
 

Charter pulls Tessa away to canoodle and warn her not to sacrifice herself for Marius. If anything from Magekiller makes its way into DA4, I wonder if Charter and Tessa will be an established couple, if they'll have broken up and be LI options, or if they'll even be mentioned.

I had previously wanted Charter as a f/f LI for DA4, but not anymore. If she is available, then that means that anything regarding Tessa either never happened and this comic was a complete waste of everyone's time (including its creators!), OR that there will be some sort of contrivance to have them break up. Also, it would be nice and refreshing to have a person who is in some sort of stable romantic relationship AND have that relationship not be an issue at all, just have it BE.

 

I just really hope Marius is not a LI in DA4.

 

We move to the Frostback Mountains, where the crew is apparently moving away from the Breach rather than toward it. They're taking the scenic route.

This seemed like another way to plug in game events to make the comic seem relevant. Half the players (those who took that path in the prologue) will say, "OH! I know where that is!" and then move on.

 

It just looks like a long detour in order to reach the Breach. It didn't feel that far in DAI's prologue. Especially since they're coming from Skyhold rather than Haven, so they could still be approaching the path to the mining tunnels while still moving toward the Temple. It's not a huge deal.

We get the confusing mental realization from Tessa that "Marius needs me. He knows it. I know it. The question really is--what does he need me for?" So...you don't actually know that Marius needs you, Tessa? Then why did you say you know he needs you?

I didn't think this was that bad, actually. I think it is possible to see that someone cares for you from their actions and behavior, but not understand why that is so because the person, like Marius, is so uncommunicative that they are a veritable enigma. In his case, actions speak louder than words, but words can be important for complete understanding.

Of course... she manages to figure it out in the end -- yay Tessa! -- but doesn't share it with the audience. I'm sure it's just me being thick-headed, or something (quite possible), but I didn't take her meaning. Was that intentional? I'd prefer that I just missed it rather than the writer being vague. I do not like vagueness for this sort of thing, particularly when you are told that someone learned something, but not what is was.

 

Well, I interpreted it as her figuring it out at the end of the fight with the pride demon. He needs her...because she's his friend. Okay. Very trite and anticlimactic and obvious. And I didn't have the sense that she was really worried about their relationship prior to this issue. It seemed like Rucka was told to include some feel good revelation between the two leads in the last episode. It wasn't needed, the rest of the issues didn't focus too much on the characters' psyches.

 

Back to the mining tunnels from DAI's prologue, getting to know Sutherland's crew. The hilarity of stabbing beings of pure magic with swords and hurting them becomes apparent as they stab wraiths and shades. I'll assume they have magic weapons.

I don't think this is the comic's fault, but rather the problems of trying to translate game fights into a static medium. We can suspend this belief while we're playing because we're doing the action, but we can't do that here for the most part. But they can't have it be this true because then warriors and rogues would be useless in the game, particularly at the start.

They did have Voth, though.

 

If DAI had kept sustainable abilities and spells, maybe Voth could have used flame weapons. But noooo... grumble grumble

Big demon fight ensues, Tessa is grabbed by a pride demon. I actually liked that the demon telepathically tried to influence her, it reminds us that demons are more than just RPG enemies but represent darker human emotions.

Yes, it would be been nice if they did more stuff like this throughout the series, especially useful for Marius as a character.

 

Good point. If Marius had been trained against mental attacks from demons as part of his magekilller training, that would be interesting.

 

 

Weirdest moment of the comic: Inquisition soldiers arrive. Scout Harding leads the soldiers to meet the crew. I thought Scout Harding was down by the Temple, since she almost managed to remain on the floating island as it was lifted to the sky. I guess she ran back to gather the reinforcements. And then Tessa mistakes Harding for Charter. How in the world did she do that? One is a dwarf and one is an elf. Charter and Tessa are lovers. She couldn't tell her lover apart from a complete stranger?

OMG! I didn't even realize this! At the time I thought it was odd that Charter basically ignored her girlfriend, but after looking at it again I can clearly see that it IS Harding. Other than the ears and hair color (Charter is only slightly lighter), they look similar with the freckles in this art style. I think this was a mistake or lack of communication between the writer and artist.

 

I really do wonder if Rucka just wasn't clear that they were two separate characters. I'm sure he's played the game, but most likely not as many times as the dwellers on these boards.

So it's a job well done, the crew earned a rest while Char-Harding and the soldiers go into the mining tunnels. Except now, we can clearly see that the Temple is floating and inaccessible to anyone on the ground, so how are Harding and the soldiers going to help the Inquisitor? Did they bring a net, in case someone falls? It's best to be prepared, sure, but what is the actual game plan for reaching the floating earth islands?

Tessa and Marius congratulate themselves on "helping to save the world" by clearing some tunnels of demons. Which didn't need clearing since the Inquisitor was already facing Corypheus and no reinforcements could reach him/her. So again, their story is irrelevant and not really saving the world like they are claiming.

 

There's nothing to add to this, really. It's another example of the game hurting the comic. However, I didn't mind the final line of "We just helped save the world," with the full view of the dragon battle waging overhead. My Inquisitor thinks as I do when it comes to things like this: every person has their role to play. While I believe that, I don't think this comic showed that effectively with these two characters.

 

Yeah, the final lines just felt undeserved and irrelevant. Their presence in the last three issues was just shoehorned into DAI scenes and the illusion of a deep character-focused story tacked on at the end.

[myahele]

The 1st few issues were great, it was only after they left Tevinter did things become rather ... not interesting. Would have been better if they dealt with hunting and killing mages instead of playing an small role in Inquisition, especially considering how the Archon himself needed their services.

[BansheeOwnage]

Well Charter and Harding had the same freckle style face set in the comics, and a similar haircut, so perhaps the author actually just confused himself. Maybe he thought Harding and Charter were the same person in the actual game. Charter is the agent who runs Caer Bronach, right? And she makes an appearance in Trespasser?

Yeah, that's her. It's true about the freckles as well... I hope the writer wasn't confused

[thats1evildude]

Harding and Charter also have the same hairstyle, which makes things even more confusing.

[nightscrawl]

Spoiler

Why did Marius and Tessa have to fight giants in the Emerald Graves? Why couldn't they have performed an off-screen mission in Jader or Orzammar or Cumberland? Why did they just follow the Inquisitor's steps exactly? They went to Crestwood, EG, the mining tunnels, the Hissing Wastes.

Man, that would have been awesome.


And by having them follow the Inquisitor's steps, it also decreases the importance we as players have made on the game world. The Venatori returned to the Hissing Wastes in greater force after the Inquisitor left. So...my visiting that zone as the PC didn't actually do anything? Venatori were actually stronger because I had visited? And if I opened the final tomb and found the artifacts they wanted, why would they bother returning to that area?

Yes, completely agree. I felt that issues 3-5 were a hugely wasted opportunity. They started off well with the lead in to Tevinter and those operations and established their bona fides as killers of mages. Then it just fell flat.

I'm actually starting to wonder whether a next arc, if there is one, will still focus on these two characters or if we're going to get someone new.

[nightscrawl]

Yeah, that's her. It's true about the freckles as well... I hope the writer wasn't confused

 

I think it's difficult to point to a specific person in this instance since it was a collaborative effort between the writer and artist.

[Hanako Ikezawa]

Harding and Charter also have the same hairstyle, which makes things even more confusing.

I'm telling you, they're the same person. Harding is just an alias for Charter who disguises herself as a Dwarf. They look similar, both work for Leliana, are skilled in similar things, we never see them in the same room together.

[BansheeOwnage]

 

If DAI had kept sustainable abilities and spells, maybe Voth could have used flame weapons. But noooo... grumble grumble.

Hey, you know what? Voth actually does use elemental weapon spells... If you enter the Tac Cam and hover over one of Sutherland's group, they'll have a list of all their active effects, like normal, only there will be a "Lightning weapons" (I forget the precise name) thingy there with its own icon and mechanics...

 

But we can't use it! Even bigger grumble!

[Andromelek]

On the plus side, those worried about Tessa being a romance option in DA4 don't have to worry now since she is in a relationship with somebody else.

She better stays away from the companion slots too, those things aren't infinite and I really would prefer to avoid monologues explaining the obvious, hell, I'm not even sure I want Marius as a companion

[CardButton]

OK, question ... is "Magekiller" considered cannon content, or simply another addition to Bioware's own personal Cannon like many of the previous comics were?  It's existence seems to (like its predecessor) require certain world states to work, especially in regards to the Bulls Chargers decision.  Also, I'm having a lot of issues placing where exactly this content takes place in comparison to DA:I.  I was under the impression that it started prior and sometime during the events of DA:I, but with the way its set up and the way it ends ... it seems like they are using this comic to set up DA4 to some respect (perhaps characters at bare minimum, though I'd be lying if I'd say I found either Marius or Tessa up to par with Dragon Age's normal character quality).  

 

It ends with Lelliana saying that the Inquisitor needs their help, but this is apparently still before the defeat of Corypheus which would mean that the Solas subplot from "Trespasser" had yet to occur by at least two years.  So then what were Marius and Tessa intended to help the Inquisitor with?  Am I reading too much into this, I'm kind of confused and I may be a ******, but any help would be appreciated.  

[thats1evildude]

I'm going to say that, like the books and the comics that came before it, you can decide whether or not it's actually canon.

 

If you told Dorian to take a hike, then the Inquisition sends some other mage out to help Tessa and Marius out in the Hissing Wastes.

 

If the Chargers are dead, then the Inquisition sends some other demolitions expert, or Tessa and Marius come up with a different plan. (Aside from Rocky setting off a bomb, none of the Chargers really do anything in Issue 4 anyway.)

 

If you never went to the Wastes, then Tessa and Marius get sent somewhere else. Simple.

[CardButton]

I'm going to say that, like the books and the comics that came before it, you can decide whether or not it's actually canon.

 

If you, say, told Dorian to take a hike, then the Inquisition sends some other mage out to help Tessa and Marius out in the Hissing Wastes. If the Chargers are dead, then the Inquisition sends some other demolitions expert. (Aside from Rocky setting off a bomb, none of them really do anything in Issue 4 anyway.)

Yeah, thats what I figured ... though to be fair this series seems far less restrictive than (The Silent Grove, Those Who Speak, and Until We Sleep) as those seemed to exclusively rely on a Hardened King Alistair married to Anora and a sacrificed Warden to exist.  As for when it exists ... I'm genuinely confused on that point.  I know generally where it started, but chronologically where it ended, I have no idea?

[thats1evildude]

Yeah, thats what I figured ... though to be fair this series seems far less restrictive than (The Silent Grove, Those Who Speak, and Until We Sleep) as those seemed to exclusively rely on a Hardened King Alistair married to Anora and a sacrificed Warden to exist.  As for when it exists ... I'm genuinely confused on that point.  I know generally where it started, but chronologically where it ended, I have no idea?

 

Spoiler

Not sure what you mean. Magekiller ends during the final battle against Corypheus, when he re-opened the Breach.

 

You can see the floating rocks and the two dragons fighting up in the sky within the last panel, so the Inquisitor and Corypheus are battling right at that moment.

 

It sure is good that Tessa and Marius cleared the tunnel so we could get the reinforcements we didn't need.

[Addictress]

I just remember the fact that in DAO I would suddenly find one of my party members having their blood boiled or being caught in a crushing prison. That Tevinter Magister in the alienage suddenly decided to hit us with a blizzard, regardless of the fact that his own side would be caught in it too, so both sides were able to use the same spells. I definitely recall the mages in DA2 causing me some trouble if I didn't keep my wits about me and take off after them when they teleported away from me. There was a definite urgency to ensuring that I took down the enemy mages as soon as I could because of what they could do to my side if I didn't.

I honestly did not find the mages in DAI a significant problem; much of the time I just sent my rogue Inquisitor into stealth, crept up and one shotted them before they even knew we were there but even when I didn't they didn't seem to have much variety to their attacks or be able to employ the same sort of spells that we could. I realise not all Venatori would be high level mages but you'd think that when we got to the higher levels that mages from Tevinter would have a bit more scope to their arsenal, particularly since they come from a place where illicit use of blood magic is meant to be endemic so according to WoT1 even the most devout mage "knows at least a little blood magic". I'm pretty sure that Dorian knows the theory; he just has scruples against using it, something that would not be the case for the majority of the Venatori. Why are they no longer able to cast blizzard (a regular spell) or firestorm (for some inexplicable reason now part of the Rift mage specialisation)? What in the hell happened to crushing prison? These were standard spells in DAO that our enemies used against us. In DAI I even started to focus my attention more on the enemy rogues because they still seemed capable of causing comparable damage to my own team.

This so hard!!!!

[BansheeOwnage]

Yeah, so... Can someone explain to me exactly how they contributed to saving the world during that last issue there? Because I can't figure it out.

[thats1evildude]

Supposedly by clearing a tunnel so the Inquisitor could get reinforcements we didn't actually need. In other words, they didn't actually help that much, which is the crux of the criticism around Issue 5.

 

(In fairness, M&T had no way of knowing the Inquisitor had the situation well in hand.)