Cole {Char. - Spoilers All}
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- Опубликовано: 21 мар 2018
- Welcome, welcome! Did you just see a strange boy in your house? Perhaps you are having trouble remembering who you were just talking too? Are you suddenly feeling just a little bit better? Then come and listen to what is known~
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"Vivienne: The creature has more riddles for us, it seems.
Cole: It isn't a riddle. I can say what I mean without you understanding." - :D
"That. Was. AWESOME! In my head canon, my quiz would say "Cole, learned to be snarky and witty have we? Well done, son."
It is a riddle to others partly because knows things they don't and partly because of his nature as a spirit makes him express himself in a way that is the most accurate. Imagine someone with limited omniscience trying to convey what they know. It would sound like riddles or madness, wouldn't it? If you approach it like this then it makes more sense. He isn't trying to confuse or teach...he is trying to convey a series of complex concepts down into something simple like words. Without better understanding people he has trouble doing this.
you know you're being A Bit Much when THE PERSONIFICATION OF COMPASSION gives you a Sick Burn (whether he is aware of it or not).
...but yeah, defs more of a Meta Character has context beyond everyone else & thusly sounds cryptic af.
Wait what was this from? I never heard this dialogue before.
@@darylmcmexican539 random party banter
Ive always thought Dorian and Cole actually had the greatest relationship. Both Varic and Solas are only concerned with what they want Cole to be. Dorian thinks of Cole as a child and answers his questions accordingly. Sexuality, Eternity, Metaphysics. Dorian answers all of Coles questions.
i feel like thats because Dorian is the only gay uncle in the entire roster where Solas and Varric take more traditionally paternal roles for Cole, both spirit and human.
The three of them are arguably the kindest to Cole too, compared to all the other companions.
@@leftlucid If you have both Iron Bull and Cole in your party, they eventually become friends over time as well. Bull even tries to hire Cole some “female companionship” as an uh… educational experience since Cole is a virgin.
I’m not sure if it only happens if you choose to save The Chargers and Bull is kicked out of the Qun. The friendship between Solas and Bull only begins if Bull goes Tal-Vashoth, might be that way with Cole too.
@@mattphoenix4702 awe I forgot about Bull trying to get Cole in touch with a SW 😭😭I usually save the Chargers in my playthroughs so I can confirm but it would make sense for a hardened Bull to maintain distance and see him as a potential threat still.
Bulls also a good actor
This is why Dorian is an absolute angel and I will always romance him and Cole will be our son. Dorian can do the teaching and I can help with the autism management (cuz I’m autistic) and we’ll help each other wonderfully.
2:35 “bunny” cole later on says there should be more bunnies in stories my heart breaks 😢😭
*gasp* He does! I never understood that.
@Syphon Gamer you monster!!! you killed them in front of him?!?!
During my third play through, after Cole erases the memory of the woman in the courtyard and you have the option or watch or scold him for it, I realized Cole is the only NPC who gets to replay his conversations the way that the player does.
inquisitor is a spirit confirmed
exactly, he is, intentionally or unintentionally, meta commentary on the player
Not to mention, if you talk to Cole end game after Solas leaves, he will have a telepathic conversation with him which will end with Solas erasing Cole's memory of him to prevent Cole from interfering.
WHAT????
It actually happens, but just because he made him forget doesn't mean he can't figure it out again.
@@Deathbringersora That makes me sad
This is why Cole needs to return in the next game to call Solas out for erasing his memories!
Deathbringersora Yeah!
-When Cole joins the inquisition, Cole will have approval rating even if he is not in the party.. This is well done by Bioware, making it seem like Cole was there but we don't remember..
-Also when Cole is in subterfuge, if the inquisitor gets close to him, you can faintly hear the fade. Sounds like vale fire. Again well done Bioware.
-One more... In Therinfal Redoubt the first time we can actually see Cole is in the courtyard entrance. Just before speaking with Delrin Barris look up at the scaffolding. Cole is sitting on top looking down at you. I don't think he has a hat.. of corse this is if you choose Champion of the Just.
(I believe he has his hat or not based on whether you have helmets set to show)
@ PurpleGhost .. It's been a while since I've helped the Templars, couldn't remember. TY
Also on the walk into Therinfal you can see Cole on the walls
@ Cormac Doyle.. Really .. shit, now I've got to replay Therinfal. I bet there's more of Cole mysterious appearance .. Actually I've often wondered, if the Inquisitor releases Cole of the Inquisition, would he reappear somewhere hidden. Honestly, that seen is kinda creepy.The Inquisitor forgets Cole, and Solas is all smug and knows what is going on..
And he gets approval changes to your decisions without being in your party, which has several possible explanations, the one I like best being that he's following you all of the time and doesn't let you see him.
Oh my god, the real Cole's sister was named bunny?...that thing he said about Rabbits needing to be in more stories got an entirely different meaning now...
And lol, Varric has a knack of "adopting" his friends. Varric is the best. The episode in which you have to choose if Cole becomes a spirit of human should be called Dad-Off XD
Cole really is one of the most well written characters Bioware has ever made I think. He has so much depth and character. I kind of hope he will make a small cameo in DA4 but only if the writers do it right. This character needs to be done justice. (No, not Anders's kind of justice)
also if you kill a nug (since they look a lot like a rabbit) while Cole is in party, he will comment on it saying that the nug didn't do anything.
"If Solas needs to die, Cole will be there to bring his friend home" Wow. That would be great. But I would probably cry for a week if that happened...
Can Cole kill him? My understanding is that the Dread Wolf "sleeps" for long periods of time but is practically immortal.
Jamie Miller well think more ...metaphorically it symbolically he’ll kill the person that he is and bring him home as he was when we had him
That literally devastates me. I adore both characters so much and thinking that there is a possibility that Cole is holding a little welcome home sign for Solas if he ever dies makes me cry 😭
I LOVE MY WEIRD SPIRIT SON
WE ALL LOVE OUR SPIRIT SON! HE IS THE BEST SPIRIT SON!
@@Grim_Sister lol pretty sure everyone adopted Cole
On the Autism note, I personally have autism, and there are many times where the world seems very loud and extremely bright but nothing actually changed, the world just seems so, overwhelming.
Same here, I'm also autistic (I got diagnosed about a year and a half before I first play dragon age actually) and I sort of understand the way he speaks and how he phrases things, but I don't know how to explain it. Kinda in the repetition of adjectives and how he kinda explains feelings?
@@LenaVoices oh gods yes i talk weird and my roommates sometimes dont get my meaninga
@@Plaugue1122 It do be like that sometimes
I wonder if after Morrigan’s son said that the elves chose their shape, if the elves started out like Cole, and then after reproduction they became a separate race.
That could help explain their original longevity, and Solas instant recognition of Cole.
Wait what?!? now thats a god damn way of thinking about it
I wish we had gotten some interaction between Cole and Kerian. That would have been a very interesting conversation. I think they would have been friends, though I highly doubt that Morrigan would approve.
I always chose the human path for Cole. A while back, I watched videos of spirit path. At first I thought I had chosen wrong. Spirit!Cole was so happy. Then I saw the scene where he makes himself forget the original Cole. That scared me more than the broodmother in Origins. I don't think I can ever choose the spirit path now. Cole shouldn't be forgotten. He was already forgotten once. Never again.
Honest to god, I wish that the writers had given us the option to scold Cole for this- making himself forget isn't going to solve anything, it only shoves it aside for the feeling of hurt and regret to only resurface later. We could have scolded Cole for that, and told him that we were here to help him get passed his hurt, which could have helped Cole as a character. I think the Spirit Cole path could have been much more satisfying for both Cole and the player that way, but oh well
@@poetofjoy-physalis5141 facing the pain would be exactly what the "more human" path was for. forgetting something that wasn't really his (note this is now spirit cole, so that life wasn't exactly his) is not really wrong and would not result in a relapse/regret etc. I doubt spirit memories and human memories work the same, +its pointless to apply human emotions to spirits as i doubt they are perceived the same way. In order to grow more as a spirit he DID need to get rid of his attachment to old cole. Old cole was what is keeping him attached to the mortal world, consider it as shedding skin.
also do note that cole's memory manipulation isn't as shallow as humans forgetting something. it is more supernatural in nature. Spirit cole path would have been pointless if it was pretty much the same as the human path.
@@mishisho2779 You are right on that account, I'm probably just super biased since I love my spirit/human-child
@@poetofjoy-physalis5141 I agree with Fritz Occena: we are given some evidence that spirits don't really feel emotions; this goes along with their not having imaginations. Many spirits emulate emotions for reasons of their own: some perhaps to win back "The Maker's" favor, others to spite him. Spirit Cole's driving emotion was one he chose to emulate, not one that was native to him. Because of that he would never suffer any emotion he didn't choose to emulate. If he decided to make himself forget the emotions he chose to adopt from the real Cole he would have no reason for those emotions to ever plague him again. All that would be left would be his choice to emulate the emotion of compassion.
@mishisho2779 To add to this (four years later lol), the original Cole isn't completely forgotten if you chose the Spirit path: The Inquisitor remembers. Varric remembers. Solas remembers. Whoever Cole told about the boy in the tower remembers. It's not ideal, but the original Cole isn't totally forgotten, at least.
Death by paperwork, my worst nightmare.
I KNEW IT I CALLED IT COLE IS ONE OF US!
No but seriously, I played Inquisition maybe a year after being diagnosed with autism, and listening to Cole's dialogue, I had a feeling his character must have had something to do with autism, and maybe that's one of the reasons he's one of my favourite characters! And, as someone on the spectrum, I kinda understand his dialogue in a way, how he phrases something to mean something else!
(I also had the theory that Sera is also possibly on the spectrum, because how she articulates her feelings and opinions, but that's for another day)
But thank you BioWare witters, you are all geniuses and THANK YOU
🎉same
Huh, i do not have autism but i always understood what he said
I don't find it strange at all that he is as different as he is. I believe the exact phrase Cole used to describe the time between the end of Asunder and Inquisition was "I learned to be more like what I am." meaning he rediscovered some of his spirit abilities. The time lasted a few months and, considering that he was already quite a bit different when they got back to Skyhold after his personal quest, this change seems to happen quite quickly. And we know from Soals that spirits can adapt to a mortal's perception of them, which would have to be more or less instantaneous.
The "Your Head" portion of CotJ shows that time moves much more slowly in one's mind. The Spirit of Command in Old Crestwood also suggests that mortal beings are limited in their perception of time, implying that spirits can experience time and thought faster than mortals.
Better to say spirits can experience all facets of what happens at the same time. People have to focus. But this focusing is also why spirits can become demons. The person, who has a concrete self-identity and place in the sequence of things, focuses in on a part of that spirit and so that spirit forms itself around what is being focused on. What may have been a minor detail before becomes the central part of their being. It must be painful, in a way.
did anyone find varics party banter with Cole very informative?
I found just about everything Cole said to be very informative. I particularly enjoy the one where he says that even the dwarves don’t remember the dwarves. Especially after playing Descent.
Love it. I’m biased between being in the “growth and change are vital” camp instead of solas’ “gotta restore what’s been lost and keep a spirits nature pure and unchanging” approach and the fact that Varric’s argument to let Cole be more human echoes a lot of sentiments I’ve had a lifetime of therapy to come around to lol but I can never choose solas’ side when it comes down to it in that quest. The dwarf has the right idea imo.
I typically take the "Human Cole" route, but mostly that's because Varric told me to, and I always do what Varric says, either as a Hawke or as a Herald. :p
In all seriousness, Cole's memories of the real Cole may be what holds him back, and they may not be truly his...however, even if the world loses a spirit of compassion, it gains a compassionate soul, and that might be worth more in the end.
Varric is for templar side in DA2. What did you choose?
@@Shadowhunterbg He's pretty neutral, Varric expresses distaste at both sides and goes along with Hawke's choice
@@xevinsjaegernaut1414 He is not neutral. When you join the mages he dissaproves. When you join the templars he approves and backs up your decision.
I adore Cole. He's innocent and tries to do what's right. He does have emotions but they are very simple. He couldn't deceive you even if he tried (though someone like Solas could probably trick him into doing it). He doesn't make sense if you don't know what he's talking about but he makes perfect sense when you do...it isn't HIS fault when the player can't figure it out. Cole just says what he sees or remembers without any preamble or fillers. It makes sense to *him*, and often does to the player too when they look around and figure out what or who he's talking about. He's honest/truthful in his confusing way, and he's loyal to anyone he decides he can trust. And I love watching him fight. He's ethereal, fast, and takes on so many colors with his moves. Deadly little butterfly. I ended up feeling really protective of him. He's one of my favorite characters in all the games. And the fact he is a piece of the puzzle, that he understands so much more than he can (or even realizes he should) explain...I hope he plays a part in DA4.
I read "Asunder". Cole in the book isn't all that different from the one in the game as far as I'm concerned. It's his backstory from when the spirit takes over. I didn't end up thinking "this guy's completely different"..he's definitely the same Cole to me, just in a different part of his life. Younger, more frantic, with more fears and less understanding of himself or anything else. The fact that in the book he didn't constantly speak in cryptic sentences didn't break it for me. It took him a long time to even realize he wasn't the human-Cole, and then he started messing with his own memory and accepting that he actually was a spirit. Then he went who knows where for a couple of years before he showed up in the game, and he spent that time alone (as far as I know, though he seems rather chummy with Solas, hmm). That's enough for me to accept he quit trying to emulate a human and that his way of thinking and talking changed to something more spirit-like in the meantime. Whatever, if you like Cole, I do recommend the book.
Best comment ever, I 100% agree ❤👍
While I don't really go for spirit Cole that often I never quite agreed with members in the fandom that this option was strictly horrible on the basis that the real Cole's memory was forgotten. The memory for spirit Cole was both a pain and a shackle that kept him from moving on and it's not necessarily his duty to wear that memory. But that's the beauty in Weekes saying that neither option is all good as you get good discussions out of it.
What I find funny though is the spirit option feels like the reverse of the initial actions of a certain Grey Warden.
Could you elaborate? I assume you're talking about Anders, but I don't see how it applies. To me, encouraging Cole to become human is more like Anders accepting Justice into himself, whereas encouraging Cole to remain a spirit is more like encouraging Justice to hang around as a corpse.
BelieveIt1051 I was actually talking about Thom taking on Blackwall's name so that the world wouldn't forget about him.
Oh. When you wrote "Grey Warden" I thought you were referring to an actual Grey Warden. But yeah, the game shows a parallel between Cole and Thom. Cole becoming more spirit-like is also the same as Thom letting go of the Blackwall persona. They both let go of the ones they were impersonating.
I slightly disagree. While I agree that the memory of the real Cole brought him pain, I believe that forgetting about him entirely is wrong. You don't forget about your problems, you learn to move past them without forgetting them. To forget is cheating, and you know the saying, no pain no gain. Spirit's Cole whole idea of forgetting all your pain is a bad habit and does nothing for him but doom him to repeat the same mistakes again. He learns nothing if he forgets. Perhaps you can say that that is how a simplistic spirit should be. Carefree and forgetful. But that also probably explains why spirits are so susceptible to turning into demons, eh?
The real Cole was dying alone, and to help him, Compassion was supposed to remember him. To forget him would be saying that the real Cole never existed at all, and all his help was for naught. Yes he shouldn't have to owe a dead boy anything, but the least he could do is carry on his memory. He is Compassion after all. Learn to remember the real Cole, without letting that memory weigh you down and hold you back from being your own person.
@@frenne_dilley There's a difference between obsessing over the dead and remembering them. Remembering your past without letting it hold you back, and instead learn from it, is part of his great character arc and development. He learned from his mistakes from Asunder, and remembering the past and moving on is part of the healing process. I find it amusing how that would make him a walking tombstone in honour of a dead boy. Would I be a walking tombstone for not forgetting about my friend who passed away from tuberculosis as if he never existed?
I didn't know his sister's name was bunny... that's so sad because he said "I like the part with the rabbit, there should be more rabbits in stories"
It's interesting to me that Cole's character was actually inspired by people with autism, as I am neurodivergent myself and I could relate to Cole in a lot of ways: communicating in ways that confuse others, feelings of overstimulation in certain environments and even the use of stimming behaviours.
Although I still find it a difficult choice I prefer spirit Cole because he is appreciated for who is, not for who people want him to be. Varric means well and genuinely cares about Cole, but it's the old belief of 'he'd be happier if he was more normal,' which doesn't sit right with me when discussing an autistic-coded character. Being a spirit is a different experience to being human, but it doesn't make him lesser.
Plus I find it weird that human Cole ends up with Maryden in the Tresspasser DLC; the pairing makes little sense to me and I honestly feel like Cole could do better.
*wraps Cole in blanket while crying* I just want him to be safe and happy T0T
I was heavily bullied as a child too. The staff members at my first elementary school did everything but physically abuse me. It was like walking into a room where the floor was 100% mousetraps and u would get yelled at for triggering one. They'd be like "how fuckin' *dare* u?" and I'd be like "the entire floor is covered in mousetraps, what did u think was gonna happen?" then I would be suspended for trying to getting through the mousetraps for 3 days a week. Granted I dealted with them with explosive violence but only because I was on the spectrum of autism and nobody would help; just watch. I forgotten this most, no more than, "everyone was mean," but my Gramma brought it up, I experienced the *TRIGGERED* thing for the first time and remembered
Since the touch of a spirit cures tranquility could Cole cure tranquility? (If he stays mostly spirit)
Probablyyyy? So far- the cure had to be from a spirit in the fade- so a spirit Cole post Trespasser should be able too!
@@GhilDirthalen Does that mean I could write an entire fanfic about a mage who was made tranquil for Cole to come out and cure them and then helps them figure things out? I could do this? Oh my GOD
Libra Novik and it wouldn’t be bad either I mean Cole is a spirit of Compassion and can help heal a newly non un...tranquil? What ever it is to better cope
Vengence/justice manages to bring someone back from tranquility briefly in da2. For sure as a spirit of compassion cole has a longer lasting influence on people by intent
I thought Cassandra said a spirit of faith cursed her tranquility
Cole's story is the best. It's tragic, sad, kind, mysterious. I have him always on my team, he has the deadly dance skill. Great lore.
Yay my favorite spirit cinnamon roll!
What I really adore about the Solas Vs Varric dad-off is that it is likely so a play on The Old World (the time before the veil) and The New World (the time after the veil). And I say this because it is VARRIC who is tasked with grounding Cole and turning him human.
VARRIC. A dwarf. A Child of Stone. A piece of a Titan, who “reinforces reality”. So Cole is either taught to let go of his tether to the ground and go adrift again like the elves of the past, or he is taught to focus on the anchor that binds his feet to the earth (to a Titan) and loses his ability to fly.
Cole the sweet empath who doesn't understand the concept of privacy
broke my heart at the end “bring his friend home”
Cole is the only companion that approves if you say that you still love Solas in Trespasser and for that, he is my bestie.
My little spirit baby! I love Cole so much. He is easily one of my favorite Inquisition characters.
I could swear that i had a member in my Inquisition with a big hat like that, but I am having trouble remembering him though.
P.S. Great channel, love the content on it.
One thing I find interesting is that, if you make him a spirit (wich my cannon inquisitor does, because she's a solavellan mage who very confortable with spirits and the fade and values them as just as legitimate a form of life) in Trespasser if you click on him enough, he says something along the lines of 'when this is over, I will slip away and go to him' . And he's going where there is hurt and where he'll be needed so... what if he's with Solas somehow, since Fen'Harel is hurting over what he must do and 'would treasure the chance to be proven wrong'?
Also, if Felassan is still arround, it would be pretty cool if we could cure his Tranquility by summoning a spirit to touch him and that was a potencial Cole cameo, with a stand in (cough, like Stroud for Alistair, cough) for those who made him human.
While this all it really thought out and I agree with most of it, I don't think Cole will be able to cure Felassan for two reasons.
1. Cole has some banter/dialogue where he he says something along the lines of "the slow arrow breaks in the sad wolf's jaws." Many believe that this is Cole saying that, sadly, Solas killed Felassan (perhaps out of mercy? but who can really say). I am unsure if this is confirmed.
2. Tranquility must be cured by a spirit of Faith, and Cole is a spirit of Compassion, if you let him. If Felassan is alive, maybe spirits are able to become more than just people and demons. Maybe they can change the type of spirit they are as well, but I doubt it. Seems like retconning to me. This is all just speculation, however.
The thing is, I'm not sure it has to be a spirit of faith, since apparently that other guy from Assunder was touched by a demon and it seemingly worked. I always just thought the Seekers chose their proceedure to involve specifically a spirit of faith because they are a branch of the Chantry and it's a tool of control, so their members serve the doctrine of the Maker without question nor much room for deviation. If the Inquisitor were to try to get someone who knew Solas on their side, compassion might be a better fit, since it was already his love for Briala that made him whant to defy Solas to 'give the girl a chance'.
And I really just want to see Felassan with his sense of humour somewhat recovered. It would be funny if we could have the new protaginst walk into a room and overhear Felassan and a Solavellan Inquisitor mid awkward interaction.
There could be a witty line for each of all three of the main types of relationship (friend, hostile, romance), but I'm particularly curious about his reaction to the romance, since Solas stabbed him in the back for thinking they were people and then went on to still ear out and dally on for what could be months with the one of the two that has a vagina - even if you head canon they didn't do it, still...
Imagine the saltyness, the passive-aggressive remark he would send her way
We could hope, but Aquaswan makes a valid point about the banter, (+the book text) it's heavily implied he is no more. Which, just like Cole, book vs game, seems kinda out of character for Solas as we know him. I know which one I'd rather be canon though, I prefer the games.
As far as I understand it Cristina is right about the spirit, it doesn't need to be a spirit of faith.
However it is described as needing a spirit to reach "across" the veil from the fade. I am unsure if that's said out of practicality because spirits like Justice and Cole are uncommon, and demons on that side are unpredictable. Or if it is because they must reach with the fade itself to cure it (and if so that would explain why Justice's ability to cure Karl was temporary. Although we don't know that for sure, and it will always bothered me that Anders didn't test further, because I have this feeling that maybe they could have found a way. Anders was just *so sure* it could never be fixed. More's the pity. :\ )
If it ever did happen with Inquis and Felassan though, I'm totally with you on that, I'd want to be a fly on the wall for that conversation. Poor Felassan. Poor Lavellan. The Dalish got one thing right about Solas, that Dread Wolf is a damn tricksy fellow who will leave you feeling cheated. XD
(Although unrelated to the rest of things, a friendly reminder that we don't have guarantee of what's in Lavellan's pants, and Gender ≠ Genitals. I'd like to believe some of my Inquisitors could be trans. :3 )
Yes, I know, and I am sorry. I was more thinking allong the lines of whant he might say to her. If he's hurt enough and especially if he doesn't have full control of his emotions, he might just say something that would be hurtfull without much thought (like implying Solas was thinking with his bodily desire regardless of wether the conextion was deeper than that) . Not everybody can be polite when they're angry about being stabbed :)
Agreed, for sure! Also I'm with you on that, people reach for whatever is at hand when they're angry, and honestly he has a right to get annoyed and squinty about that.
(Because really, what the heck Solas!? Attack [or Kill] your best friend of literal eons because he's got a different opinion and slowed down your plan. Then when you spend a couple years around the modern-peoples, maybe decide they're really-real-people anyways? XP)
I love Cole being based on an autism spectrum person. I have autism and I totally got that read on him and I have adored Cole ever since I met him. I considered him my Inquisitor’s adopted son/family.
Blackwall: I am sorry about your... friend. Losing someone is difficult.
Solas: Thank you. The death itself was less painful than what came before.
Solas: Seeing a good spirit twisted, its nature defiled.
Solas: Those mages knew nothing of my friend. Worse, they did not care.
Blackwall: I... don't know what to say.
Solas: Nor will you, until you've seen ignorance snatch away all that you love.
Solas: Pray such a day never finds you.
I Know this banter has noting to do with Cole, but I have to express..
We know that Cole can feel pain from Solas, but we don't actually know what it is. I wonder, what if Mythal did not die ... What if Mythal was a spirit, and they corrupted her.. Twisted it's nature ...
Solas was in-love with a spirit, and what they did to her was worst than death..
A beautiful spirit of Faith, and Justice that cared for the people so much they called her "All-Mother Protecter of the people".
But some where Jealous, and feared here ...
I know that Solas says that Mythal was killed. In a way, she was.
Now that would be such a twist!
So my husband (likes dragon age but not fanatical like me) played inquisition for the first time this passed week. He just got to the part where haven is destroyed and solas takes you to skyhold last night. He sided with the mages do his first encounter with Cole was just now. He said something so interesting I had to share. "Oh, he's like sandle!" I'm like no hunny.....wait.....wait....WHAT!? Holy Crap you guys, what if Sandle IS like Cole!? What if they're both spirits taken human form!? It explains how they talk similarly, their mild use of magic without actually casting spells so to speak, and how both Cole (the companion in inquisition not the mage who died) and Sandle just appeared one day. It's a theory
Do one for Fenris
This was awesome. Thank you. I adore Cole, and I know this is not a popular choice, but I always make him more spirit. I choose this, because he is in less pain and in the end I want what makes Cole happiest - Bonus is that I really ship Maradyn and Krem :P
I have been thinking that Cole is a good choice for a character that returns in Dragon age 4. He is the best choice to forge a connection to Solas, because of thier close bond. Even if Cole wasn't recruited into the inqusition, he might still develop a friendship with Solas as no one else can remember him. He also can't be killed. On top of that there is still a lot of potential for him to grow and learn. If they bring him back, it would be fun if they made him a romance option this time around.
I read Asunder before the character list for Inquisition was even announced, so I was really happy to see him - and like you I love both versions. There are very few characters in the dragon age universe that I truly hate, but Rhys and Evangeline are two that fit that bill. At the end of Asunder, Cole was the only character I truly enjoyed.
As much as I adore him I think it's be weird to romance him, especially if he's more spirit. In case our protagonist is mortal, that is
@@hannahamori6560 True, but good lord does it open the door for some amazing cutscenes of companion dialogue.
Just the inquisitor inside a room, camers on the door as companions walk by, hearing a very patient inquisitor giving the specifics of romance, with Cole's amazing questions.
"But if something goes inside a person, doesnt it hurt? Do the people I hurt with my dagger enjoy it because something goes inside them?"
“Doobley-doo down below” Matt Coville’s inspiration reaches far
Oh yes. On the autism part. I'm on the spectrum. And I love Cole so much!
I don't like how everyone is like "we must protect little innocent Cole." Like, I just find that degrading. He's a grown man and a wise spirit who's been through a lot. He's no child and he doesn't need to be protected for he can handle himself.
I made him a spirit after reading Asunder and he forgot everything, which I realized way too late meant that he forgot Rhys and Evangeline and all of their adventures together 😭😭😭
If solas was once a spirit, does that explain why, after killing a remenant of mythal, at the end game a green cloak formed over his face. If thats true than wtf is the dread wolf.
Cole's personal quest only happens after you complete Here Lies The Abyss because he wants protection from being bound by bad mages p.s. I love your videos
Been working on a Cole drawing for the last couple hours, and in my first break I see this, must be fate! :D
Cole is a lot like my boyfriend, just wanting to help people and wanting to make things better...it's probably why I loved Cole so much. Like Cole, I had an abusive father and a very.. docile mother and my father was very violent so yeah.
My favorite quote from Cole is about the stars in the Hissing Wastes.
Thank you for putting these videos up- it really helps my understanding of the lore behind Dragon Age. You have a long-time subscriber from me!
The chills i got from you reading cole's codex made my subscribe. Awsome work!
I was going to write the exactly same thing!
It's good to know those lores that came from the books, since I'm from Brazil and the books never will reach here.
Cole is so precious, one of my favorite characters!
P.S: Your videos are amazing
How have I just found this channel now. Awsome videos you just got a subscriber.
Interesting. If Solas is like Cole - A spirit of the Fade that created a body for himself, and he regrets doing so, that would explain why he's so pro Cole becoming 100% spirit again. As a spirit, Solas had a specific purpose and life was a lot simpler. As an organic life is more complicated and he misses that and doesn't want Cole to lose that simplicity in life. Very cool.
This channel is everything I ever wanted
I love Cole to bits. Asunder helped me understand him so much and be is like my son now lol. Love the video!
I wish wynne was still alive and in this so we could hear them talk about asunder
Aaaaand I'm obsessed with your channel.
That was a great opening and a freaking amazing closing!
cant believe anyone would bully you you are my favorite person on RUclips when comes to dragon age love your channel
She's my favorite person, too.
wow what an awesome channel. This covers everything I really wanted to know and check in Dragon age. Btw I was playing Dragon age inquisition and I was playing in the trespasser DLC and I noticed one of the murals mosaic of Fen'harel looked kind of strange like a Demon and then I noticed somewhere else it had a similar structure. I just thought I would throw it out there since you like Dragon Age so much and I thought it was kind of interesting.
OMG I love Cole (and you too Ghil for this video)
OMG I just recognized that Solas and Varric arguing regarding Coles fate is choosing between the fade and the earth. Solas represents the fade choice - spirits, the Veil, magic. And Varric represents the earth - what’s real, the ground, titans (since dwarves are from Titans). And they’re both fighting for Coke to choose sides. Amazing theory!
I really enjoy watching your lore videos. keep it up
i like this channel, your voice is really soothing. glad i stumbled onto this channel.
Less than a minute in and already loving it!!! 🤘🏻
13:15 I also survived this trauma although in my case I remember everything. I think Cole's abilities are not about making people forget their pain so much as accept it.
I'm autistic, and I can really sympathize with Cole.
I can't wait to see my Cole-ly bear again. Spirit or human, I don't care. I want him back sometime soon.
I've adored Cole since I read about him in Asunder. So I was ecstatic when I heard he would become a companion in DAI. He is that one companion who I MUST bring with me everywhere I go. He has so many Easter eggs and reveals much about what is going on, especially when you can't see it.
Cole is one of my favorite party members - he reminds me of a friendlier version of Fenris - both a little bit emo and both unique characters.
Ohhhh that explains why i have played inquisition multiple times, but i always forget about him after a few weeks.
I just finished reading Asunder for the first time and had to fix my perspective trying to forget what I knew about Cole from Inquisition to get the right frame for people's reactions to him and how he talks about himself. ... Poor baby.
YAAASSSS I've been waiting for this!
Loved it. That ending was so perfect.
Girl, way to make me tear up with that final thought. I am a Solas Romancer (le sigh) and I hope that we don't HAVE to kill Solas in DA4 but if there is some good closure about it involving Cole, that would help me cope. I'm a new fan and so glad to have found your page. Thanks for the content.
Regarding Cole's quest, as someone who rushed through their first playthrough, not doing it does in fact keep him in that half-and-half state he starts in. And regardless of if he's in your party or not, Corypheus can control him in the final battle if that's the case. I'm just glad I hadn't taken Cole anywhere since I got him, so he wasn't levelled up and still had the crappy daggers from when you first get him, because I was, as should be obvious, underlevelled.
"I'm a banker, not a gangster." - Cole, 2018
I love Cole. Hes so sweet and curious.
Really nice introduction :D
Explains why i liked Cole and almost related to him i have aspergers a form of autism myself. He was my favorite character in Inquisition because i often was abused as a child up to age 6. Bullied all through school and always felt like i wanted to be forgotten so people would just leave me alone. In the game i always talked to him and tried to help him above all my followers simply because to me he was the character i could most relate to.
On a side note i remember everything people did to me right up to my ex cheating on me. However i took all my pain to help others like my daughters case. She isnt mine by blood and belongs to my ex and guy ex cheated on me with. I do however have a birth son through my ex. My ex died 5 years ago before she died from liver failure begged me to forgive her. After ex died i started being a dad not just to my birth son but inadvertently to my exes daughter after little girls dad rejected her. Reason i say that is i made a mistake of buying that little girl when she was 5 a razer scooter because i got one for my son and they were on sell. Some time later lil girl asked for a mermaid dolly. I think that was a reason i seen Cole as a relate-able character. My exes daughter these days forgot about the dad who rejected her and now sees me as her dad. In my mind it serves the greater good given i know how it feels to be in the shadows forgotten.
in a way i could say your lucky to be able to forget being bullied but that depends on how you look at it but as someone with a photo memory im so use to having the memories of being bullied and overcoming it that im not sure how i feel that someone could forget something like that
Solas says the spirit taking the form of the Divine should be regarded as the Divine if it wishes ("who are we to say that it is not the Divine if it identifies so strongly with her," to paraphrase) in the Fade and then immediately after that quest encourages Cole to forego his identity as Cole/human as embrace his identity as Compassion/spirit during Cole's companion quest, even saying "we cannot change our nature by wishing."
I always thought of this as contradictory, possibly caused by different writers not coordinating their writing (like how he says the Inquisitor should drink from the Well of Sorrows in the Temple of Mythal and then if they do he says that he "begged the Inquisitor not to," which I think was confirmed to be a mistake based on lack of coordination). I now have some ideas on how him advocating for both of these things could make sense, but I was wondering, what do you think the explanation is?
I'm curious about your head-canon on that, if you'd like you share I'll happily read it. :D
Sure! Note that it depends on the "elvhen are/were spirits" theory.
Tl;dr: The Divine was focused on living under a new identity and Cole was focused on changing into a human. At least, that's how it seemed to Solas.
Basically, Solas believes that only spirits are real people. He can't let himself believe that spirits and mortals (humans/elves/etc.) are the same or equally worthwhile because that would mean his whole plan to elevate elvhen/spirits at the cost of mortal lives would be wrong. So when he says that "we cannot change our nature by wishing" in regards to Cole he means that elvhen took mortal form (perhaps "trying to be mortal") but he still sees/saw them as different from mortals. Cole would be proving that spirits are not inherently separate from or superior to mortals (not to mention making himself an enemy of Solas's) were he to become human.
The Divine, in contrast, was not denying that her place was in the Fade and continued to use her spirit powers even as the Divine. She only gave herself a different name and lived as a different identity. If the "ancient elves are spirits in physical form" theory is true, likely all elvhen did this. We know Solas in particular has multiple names/identities.
Solas only started objecting to Cole's identification with the Cole identity and Cole's memories when they became incompatible with his identity/nature as a spirit. He doesn't insist on calling him "Compassion" from the get-go or deny his Cole identity before the quest, because initially the Cole identity and being a spirit were not incompatible.
Ahh, thank you for sharing. That's interesting!
I have other thoughts on the nature of spirits and elves that wouldn't jive with this, but, I'm still going to mull this over, because your thoughts on Solas' differing treatment of Cole when he becomes more human vs more spirit definitely has something to it.
I think it just boils down to Solas' own conflicting nature. He's a hypocrite on a lot of stuff, and even contradicts himself sometimes.
I think he just prefers spirits, and tries not to offend or project expectations onto them. So he didn't want to conflict with the Spirit of Faith that emulated Justinia V. Likewise, he didn't want Cole to be projected upon by Varric and the rest of the world. He wanted Cole to remain a spirit, and stay true to himself. In this case, they were trying to figure out what THEY should do with Cole, not what Cole wanted himself, because Cole didn't know what he wanted except to kill the former templar.
It's also possible that Solas was afraid of Cole succeeding in becoming human because it would prove him wrong in some way.
*flashes back to Solas saying "our people" and "[the orb] is ours" to Lavellan after the Haven attack and then saying he doesn't consider himself an elf after the Winter Palace*
Yeah...he really does contradict himself a lot. It's frustrating sussing out which of the things Solas says are supposed to be part of a puzzle and have a secret explanation, which are mistakes, and which are just him trying to be on both sides (and intentionally put in as part of his personality, esp. as Fen'Harel). But I like your explanation a lot!
Party members from Coles perspective:
Inquisitor - stepdad/stepmom
Solas- Dad#1 and personal hero that knows everything
Varric - cool stepdad that knows everything
The Iron Bull - Jock cool big brother
Dorian - gay cool uncle from abroad
Sera - little sis that thinks I am a weirdo
Vivienne - always disapproving wine aunt
Blackwall - grumpy but cool uncle
Casandra - tough big sis
I can see Zachary Quinto playing Solas and Evan Peters playing Cole.
Spirit Cole every single time
I definitely have that trauma thing . I was six when I had to have emergency surgery, a benign tumor in my Large Intestines. Apparently I was screaming the while way to the hospital but I only remember the days recovering.
Also another thing I thought of is if Spirit Cole goes back to the fade then isn't there a chance he could save the Warden/ Hawke that's trapped there?
I envy you, I remember my bullies (cause I also had no 'real' friends), and seem to only remember the bad in my life at times, not how it got bad just the actual bad. I do remember some of the good though.
Always remember the good and work towards the next good memory.
Hope things are going better now. One of the things I remind myself in bad times is that change is inevitable.
What we learn from Cole and Solas about spirits and "demons" has some major implications. Im usually pro mage and anti circle, Vivienne hates me in my current playthrough. But the reason we have Templars and ban blood magic is because we keep corrupting the spirits and making them into demons. Over in Rivain the Seers allow possession by spirits to help people. Theres a huge potential for peaceful coexistence in the future if we let it. Though between Grey Warden civil war and civil war between the Mage College vs the Mage Circles if they werent disbanded, and the impending Elven revolt with the veil coming down, I doubt we will see much progress.
Cole makes me think of an Empath, if you believe in the esoteric stuff that is, he kinda fits the description of one.
For someone who is easily forgettable in the game, ironically in real life he is so unforgettable.
i let dad!Varric win the dad-off, only to be shocked by my smol precious son GETTING INVOLVED WITH SOME STRANGE WOMAN WHO KEPT SERENADING SERA DESPITE THE LATTER VEHEMENTLY EXPRESSING DISINTEREST.
i know my precious child is young and learning about himself but... son. you can do better: when i learned spirit!Cole hooks Maryden up with Krem (KREM! YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS!) i became especially aggrieved because. my people. imagine.
COLE/KREM. TWO CINNAMON ROLLS WHO FOUND ACCEPTANCE AND FAMILY AMONG ECLECTIC MURDERY TYPES! besides! wouldn't it be more fun for Cole to go around adventuring with The Chargers than a sole bard? PLUS COLE COULD TOTALLY ACT AS A MESSENGER BETWEEN BULL AND DORIAN AS DORIAN WORKS TO CHANGE TEVINTER FROM WITHIN!
if not Krem, maybe Feynriel? SOMEONE COOL, OKAY. Sera got to hook up with DAGNA(!!!). VARRIC AND BULL ARE GOOD DADS AND SHOULD GET COOL IN-LAWS!
/oh wow, i need to replay Inquisition and find out where all this Maryden Shade is coming from. O__O
That's such a heartbreaking story...
I honestly had completely forgotten about Cole
Maybe there was no distinction between "mortals" (and immortal elves) and spirits before the veil. Those who ended up on our side became people, in the fade they were bodyless and became spirits as we know them now.
That would kinda explain this feel of Solas once being like Cole. After the Veil was created, Solas was actually bound to his body, because magic was not able to turn him into something without body. Also he needed, for the first time, to rely on his own senses and what he actualy experiences with others because he was not able to connect to their minds that easily anymore.
All I want to do is adopt Cole. It’s a weird reaction to have to a fictional character, but I don’t care. I just love him so much, you guys 😭
Hey I loved the video! Cole is one of my favorite companions in DAI.
Cole is a very cool person.
Loved being coles wingman
this is gonna sound weird but.. I forgot about real cole.. Its been a long time since i played inquisition, and hearing about bunny sent it all flooding back. I cried. Thank's for that 😂 in one way.. I wish for cole to grow, to have friends, love, and even a family. After ALL the pain... I want to see him happy.. he deserves it..on the other hand....if he came back from the fade to solas in his final moments... To ease solas' pain and help him as he did the real cole all those years ago.. Leading solas back home...oh lord im doing it again... *sniff* hold it together dammit!😣 I think thats a beautiful way to end their story...🥺😖😭
Solas wants Cole to return a spirit because he have plans that involve Cole.