by Miss Sally
 | Can I get a ‘what-what’ for gender normalization in video games? I have shared my love of Dragon Age: Inquisition before. One of the things I find most compelling about the game is that I feel included, and not alienated, as a female player. |
| True, the developers have not explored beyond the industry physical standard of the hourglass figure. Even so, Inquisition raises none of my feminist hackles. The female characters are nuanced and fully human, not just misshapen sex-creatures whose bouncing assets exist to sell to slavering man-children. High five, BioWare! | Portraying females as leaders, warriors and lovers without stepping into tropes takes willful finesse, and BioWare has pulled it off. |
DA:I’s female characters are strong. They’re admirable. The most powerful positions in Thedas belong to women. They are True Strong Female Characters - as opposed to the one-dimensional stock characters we often see in pop culture.
Here are 3 Strong Female Character types and the ways DA:I embraces them - not only for their strength, but also for their depth.
Here are 3 Strong Female Character types and the ways DA:I embraces them - not only for their strength, but also for their depth.
The Leader
Leliana, Josephine and Cassandra are the leading ladies of the Inquisition. Strong-willed and driven, these three and the military commander, Cullen, run the organization. They have varied skills and wield their power in distinct ways: Leliana is the spymaster, Josephine is the ambassador, Cassandra is the soldier. Each expresses genuine emotion, tied to a complex backstory and a multifaceted personality.
The main religious leader in Thedas is the Chantry’s Divine. The Divine is always a woman. In Inquisition, the Divine Justinia is worshiped as a pious and compassionate leader who is one step away from a being a deity.
Leliana, Josephine and Cassandra are the leading ladies of the Inquisition. Strong-willed and driven, these three and the military commander, Cullen, run the organization. They have varied skills and wield their power in distinct ways: Leliana is the spymaster, Josephine is the ambassador, Cassandra is the soldier. Each expresses genuine emotion, tied to a complex backstory and a multifaceted personality.
The main religious leader in Thedas is the Chantry’s Divine. The Divine is always a woman. In Inquisition, the Divine Justinia is worshiped as a pious and compassionate leader who is one step away from a being a deity.
 | Let us not forget the Empress Celene, ruler of Orlais. Her reign could be perceived as exhibiting traditionally female traits, favoring pacifism and displaying underhanded maneuvering and political fickleness. But Celene is a progressive leader, proving to the Orlesian nobles she was a capable politician at a very young age and avoiding a royal marriage. In fact, Celene’s only known romantic relationship is with her former handmaiden and spymaster, Briala, who becomes a strong political player in her own right. |
Though they have smaller parts, it is worth noting that the leader of the Grey Wardens and the leader of the mage rebellion are also women who face adversity head-on and display interesting character development.
The Warrior
Cassandra is the perfect example of a female NPC who can tear up the battlefield. Players can build Cassandra to be an invincible tank. She may be unrealistically strong, but let’s be real, so is our male tank, Blackwall. Cassandra is loyal, stubborn and often comically self-righteous. Unlike your typical Strong Female Character, she does not employ gratuitous violence, and she has nothing to prove. There is a hilarious and unexpected interaction with her halfway into the game that brings to light her love of a good old trashy romance novel. Did I mention girl is my in-game BFF?
Cassandra is the perfect example of a female NPC who can tear up the battlefield. Players can build Cassandra to be an invincible tank. She may be unrealistically strong, but let’s be real, so is our male tank, Blackwall. Cassandra is loyal, stubborn and often comically self-righteous. Unlike your typical Strong Female Character, she does not employ gratuitous violence, and she has nothing to prove. There is a hilarious and unexpected interaction with her halfway into the game that brings to light her love of a good old trashy romance novel. Did I mention girl is my in-game BFF?
| Vivienne, enchanter and advisor to the Empress Celene, is the Inquisitor’s most overtly feminized companion. A sleek fashionista, she wears a very low-cut neckline and calls everyone “darling” in her melodic purr. Though she is a sultry lady of the Orlesian court, she never lets you forget her social and magical power. Her specialization is Knight Enchanter, which makes her more than just a squishy mage; she is capable of kicking some serious melee ass. Oh, and there is no winning the beautiful Vivienne as a romantic prize. She will always reject your pathetic romantic advances. |  |
 | The Lesbian Many RPGs feature women who can be romanced by other women, but they are usually bisexual. Sera is an openly gay character who can only be romanced by female Inquisitors. Sera talks sex, draws butts, ruffles everyone’s feathers and generally gives zero f*cks. She’s cute, but not sexy. She’s tough, but not manly. |
And, of course, as mentioned above, the Empress Celene engaged in a romantic liaison with Briala. Their love story is as tumultuous as your average heterosexual affair.
As a side note, Bioware deserves credit for creating Krem, Iron Bull’s lieutenant. He’s a trans character whose sexual partner preference is not addressed (at least, from what I’ve seen).
As a side note, Bioware deserves credit for creating Krem, Iron Bull’s lieutenant. He’s a trans character whose sexual partner preference is not addressed (at least, from what I’ve seen).
DA:I has shown itself to be balanced and thoughtful when it comes to gender roles. The only NPC who makes the occasional sexist remark is Iron Bull, but he is also portrayed as a horny (literally and figuratively), yet lovable brute from a society with unique gender roles.
Portraying females as leaders, warriors and lovers without stepping into tropes takes willful finesse, and BioWare has pulled it off.
Now let’s talk about Cullen’s sexy man-abs and how they improve the female gamer experience. Just kidding!! Ahem.
Portraying females as leaders, warriors and lovers without stepping into tropes takes willful finesse, and BioWare has pulled it off.
Now let’s talk about Cullen’s sexy man-abs and how they improve the female gamer experience. Just kidding!! Ahem.
