Great topic...
Mine are:
1. Reaching Solas in "Trespasser" (the entire scene, from the moment we hear his voice, onward. Just so rewarding, cinematic and sweeping, especially if you romanced him...)
2. The Iron Bull relationship discovery scene (one of the funniest scenes in or out of a game -- JOSIE: "I cannot feel my legs")
3. The second kiss with Solas/Lavellan (first real-world kiss -- especially the way he turns away, then swoops back in. Woof.)
4. The Dawn Will Come/Finding Skyhold/Coronation (this whole sequence knocked me out. It turned me from a person who was enjoying the game, to a person who totally fell in love with it. And I still am.)
5. Watching Leliana and my companions sacrifice themselves for me at the height of "In Hushed Whispers" (this KILLED me)
Honorable Mentions:
Wicked Grace (I would play a whole DLC of Wicked Grace with these people. Get on it, Bioware!)
Being gobsmacked at the total obliteration of Haven
Cassandra and her secret love of Varric's sappiest book
Saving the Chargers
Sacrificing Hawke
Iron Bull's assassination attempt
The lyrium addiction discussion with Cullen (for some reason, I find this scene really powerful)
Dancing with Florianne (it's just so weird and wonderful, especially if you're a teeny elf girl)
Pranks with Sera
Judging Florianne's corpse
Judging Storvacker
So... yes... I pretty much love everything. <sheepish>
1. I was actually WORRIED about Morrigan and Kieran. Like, seriously worried. I was afraid something would happen to them. I was worried. About a video game character. It's the moment I realized I love Morrigan an unhealthy amount.
Bioware really needs to stop messing with my feels. (i'm kidding biower, pls neva stop)
I was worried for Morrigan and Kieran too. And if you played DAO, it's really emotional and satisfying to see Morrigan so changed and protective of her child. And the expressions on Flemeth's face as she realizes that she may have failed Morrigan more than she knew. Wonderful scene. It always gets to me that Morrigan calls after Flemeth not to leave... yet even though she's visibly affected by it, that Flemeth does. <sniffle>
And three honorable mentions since you made us stop at 5.
Your LI coming out to the balcony after you stop the Civil War, hugging them after killing Cory and then later meeting you at the door to your quarters after the post-Cory feast. Just really, really nice touches. These types of things are wonderful to experience because you KNOW they'd really happen in RL - the people who care about you would react to the things that happen around you.
I loved my first Quizzie's final DAI scene with Bull (and was again really moved by her final declaration to him in "Trespasser," when she thinks she's about to die).
Those would be my top 5 but I also love the Wicked grace game, Iron Bull on the battlements if you save the Chargers, Prayer with Avaar woman, Meeting Ameridan, Vivienne in the Spa, Giving Bull a Dragon Skull.
I love all of those as well. Bull's Dragon Skull gift is so funny and adorable, especially the whole stalling conversation as the Chargers attempt to sneak it by him.
And since I'm replying, I've got to add another one to my list... not sure if this will count as a "scene" in the OP's mind but... Alistair and Morrigan in the Garden if he did the Dark Ritual with her in DAO.
That was wonderful as well. I just wish we'd had more of a chance to talk to either of them about it. I liked that Alistair could see that Morrigan had truly changed after DAO.
Solas turns Viddasala into Stone (Why can't my Mage do That!?)
It's just so freaking awesome and scary. I mean, he can now kill people with a thought. Aghghg. But also: awesome.
1. Finding Skyhold. Beautiful cinematic, the music, Solas voice on the background. It was perfect. I got goosebumps.
2. Meeting Solas in Trespasser. Trespasser was such a great DLC. I loved every moment from it, but meeting Solas was the best moment. Great writing, cinematics, and the music was so moving.
Beautifully said. I felt exactly the same way. I especially loved that Trespasser is basically the discovery (even more notable if you romanced Solas) of who Solas actually is. So that when you finally meet him again, there are just so many conflicting feelings and questions there. It really feels earned.
In Hushed Whispers
It was powerful to witness that possible future, I liked Alexius who I found to be quite a tragic villain and the end scene where your companions sacrifice themselves, the music picks up, Leliana goes berserk mode... Whew.
Oh, the "In Hushed Whispers" final moments absolutely wrecked me. Leliana just going completely hardcore, throwing herself into the task of dying so that you can change the future... it really moved me. And I'm definitely on the same page with your thoughts on "Trespasser." I love that the scene with Solas is so complex, and can play out so many ways.
Killing Hawke / Hugging Varric- First time I played this game was when Alistair was the Warden. I had to just stop and stare at the choice I had to make because leaving Hawke in the fade made so much more sense. What made it worse was that Hawke had killed Anders and only Carver remained. I almost cried, then I lost it when Varric started crying. I refuse to make that choice again.
Meeting Inquisitor Ameridan- I know not many people liked this DLC but i adored it, Meeting Ameridan and finding out what happened to him. I was worried as hell because the Inquisitor (ours) seemed to be heading down the same path, I was worried when the final DLC came out we'd have to make a choice similar to Ameridan and I don't think I could have done that to Sera, Cullen or Dorian.
I loved both of these moments, and definitely got a little sniffly when my first Quizzie hugged Varric after Hawke's death. It was so sweet. But then on my second Inquisitor (my Solasmance), for some reason I didn't have enough approval from Varric yet, and I couldn't hug him! It was so funny.
I also loved the Ameridan questline in JoH and thought it was really beautifully written and well-done.