corseque:

dirthara-mama:

corseque:

the reason why Solas is facing Fen’Harel in that artwork could be because there are two different versions of Solas as a character in canon, now. There’s High Approval Solas and Low Approval Solas, and they are complete opposites. Precisely the same way the depiction of him changes depending on what tarot card you draw at the end of the game, both depicting the same thing (a mage with a staff, who is also a wolf). The only difference between the cards is the dominance of either figure based on his character development:

I think these murals are usually a depiction of his inner turmoil, and it works on that level. But I think the new artwork may be much less an indication that he will be self-sabotaging and more of an indication of how the Low Approval and High Approval characters might go about the same task differently, depending on which you’ve earned in your game. You could see it as the two fighting each other, but you could easily see it as them reaching for the same thing in tandem. The tree of the Lovers card is burning, and he’s turned his back on it; he is still a man walking the same land, though he’s exchanged gold for sackcloth, and traded the innocent love of the Fool for the mantle of the Magician. The Great Wolf remains a maddened beast beyond all reason.

But even his romance card changes to The Tower after he leaves.

I’m much more inclined to think Solas is battling inner demons, or even his outward perception. He may even be battling the blight itself, represented by the wolf. Everything about and surrounding the wolf calls to mind red lyrium and the taint: the red eyes (and Solas’s red eyes, is he tainted?), the red cracks between the wolf’s head and the protective circle, the way the party of the circle right next to it is cracking as if the red lyrium is trying to get in.

Solas seems like he’s already tainted (but for how long?). The black splatter from the wolf runs throughout the lower part of the mural, but it isn’t in the red circle of Solas’s magic. Almost like he’s pushing it out or fighting against it. I strongly believe The Dread Wolf is the party of himself that’s already blighted, or the blight itself.

“But even his romance card changes to The Tower after he leaves.”

nope, it doesn’t. I just opened my game just to take this screenshot for you:

So in my game, you could say he moved from the romance card straight to the left depiction of him on this new mural.

What’s interesting is (if we continue with my interpretation) that even if the Dread Wolf is Tainted in the new mural (the next game), there’s no indication that the version of elf Solas (who has experienced love/friendship) is Tainted. Say the popular speculation is true, and he’s using Red Lyrium. If that’s true, the mural looks like it’s saying that the Low Approval version will have turned to Red Lyrium because he’s given up on all hope of outside help, and therefore is willing to burn every bridge, even his own life. Whereas, the high approval version who has heard your vow to save him, he doesn’t use lyrium because he’s still holding even the smallest bit of hope. He is also making a gesture that could mean several different things, indicating how torn he is. But I don’t think they’re fighting each other… it’s probably more to indicate a difference in heart – Solas has always had the same goal, and it’s never changed. I believe it’s showing the two different versions of him.