(and Zevran! I...think I love him more than Alistair
i am not even going to lie, i literally gasped when i read that. i inhaled audibly.
And also, it's interesting that you make the delineation between Alistair ruling as king and Alistair ruling as king alongside a queen that can kick his rear in gear. I find it really interesting to consider that, since pretty much the moment I found out he was Maric's son I was pretty sure he was going to become king, and then very shortly after that I found out that the f!Cousland could marry him and rule with him, and from that point on I had King/Queen canon in my head for Lin. So the possibility of him ruling alone--it wasn't nonexistent, per se, but it was always a very...distant? possibility for me. Like, I was aware of it as an option, but I was so invested in getting the playthrough I wanted before I had to leave that I never spent much time dwelling on what would happen if he did become king alone.
And now I feel that that's informed my perception of him as a character, a little; I think maybe if I'd played a guy the first time around it might have made me less willing to put him on the throne at all, because while yes, there's a very selfish element of "Lin is the bestest ever and ilher so QUEEN TIEM," I think also that the way she came out, she has some similarities to Anora I wonder if that's why I dislike her, now that I think about it in that she's decisive and generally calm and can be a bit ruthless if she thinks it's the in the best interests for Ferelden; she's very concerned with duty and loyalty, very much a quick-to-trust, slow-to-forgive thing, especially if you'd abandoned your duty in the process. I feel like she and Alistair balance each other out, like if they ruled, she would be very much about Justice and Defense Of The Weak and Arguing With The Nobles and be all up in the court system and the laws, while he'd be actually out mingling with the people, leading the social reform and hearing petitioners and navigating the meeting-and-greeting with foreign rulers. I don't even know if this makes sense, but I think he'd rule from the bottom up while she ruled from the inside out.
Anyway, my point is that I think you're right, about him not ruling alone. I feel like in retrospect that part of the reason that I did put him on the throne was because I felt like Lin was competent enough to rule with him; I'd have to play through it to be sure, but I really think that if I'd played a male GW, I'd have probably left Anora on the throne instead. I feel like Alistair needs that emotional and political support system, at least if he's unhardened (I have no idea how I'd play through it with him hardened, as that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish). I mean, Arl Eamon's great, but he can't babysit him forever.
This is basically restating everything you said already, so NEXT POINT
As far as the writing of the mage thing: I honestly think that's just lazy/bad writing. I don't know if that scene just came at a crunch for time and they didn't have time to rerecord all of his dialogue or what, but it's apparently the same for all non-f!Couslands, regardless of race or class, and I think they just missed out on an opportunity to make the play a little more immersive. Because it is a logical reason! Mages are potential threats of abominations! And he could argue that, or that having non-humans on the throne would destabilize an already shaky Ferelden and weaken the throne, and it would undercut the support of the banns that he needs, and it just...ugh. That scene could have used a few more rewrites. It could have been so personal--you as the player made this choice for your character, and here is a consequence of it, but instead you just get a formulaic Dear John letter that doesn't even make sense; why is it so terrible to not have babies when they're a mage or elf or whatever, bad enough to end the relationship over, but it's perfectly okay and even something to joke about with a Cousland? Sloppy, sloppy writing.
THIS IS THE FIRST COMMENT I'VE EVER WRITTEN THAT EXCEEDS THE CHARACTER LIMIT WOW
i am not even going to lie, i literally gasped when i read that. i inhaled audibly.
And also, it's interesting that you make the delineation between Alistair ruling as king and Alistair ruling as king alongside a queen that can kick his rear in gear. I find it really interesting to consider that, since pretty much the moment I found out he was Maric's son I was pretty sure he was going to become king, and then very shortly after that I found out that the f!Cousland could marry him and rule with him, and from that point on I had King/Queen canon in my head for Lin. So the possibility of him ruling alone--it wasn't nonexistent, per se, but it was always a very...distant? possibility for me. Like, I was aware of it as an option, but I was so invested in getting the playthrough I wanted before I had to leave that I never spent much time dwelling on what would happen if he did become king alone.
And now I feel that that's informed my perception of him as a character, a little; I think maybe if I'd played a guy the first time around it might have made me less willing to put him on the throne at all, because while yes, there's a very selfish element of "Lin is the bestest ever and ilher so QUEEN TIEM," I think also that the way she came out, she has some similarities to Anora
I wonder if that's why I dislike her, now that I think about itin that she's decisive and generally calm and can be a bit ruthless if she thinks it's the in the best interests for Ferelden; she's very concerned with duty and loyalty, very much a quick-to-trust, slow-to-forgive thing, especially if you'd abandoned your duty in the process. I feel like she and Alistair balance each other out, like if they ruled, she would be very much about Justice and Defense Of The Weak and Arguing With The Nobles and be all up in the court system and the laws, while he'd be actually out mingling with the people, leading the social reform and hearing petitioners and navigating the meeting-and-greeting with foreign rulers. I don't even know if this makes sense, but I think he'd rule from the bottom up while she ruled from the inside out.Anyway, my point is that I think you're right, about him not ruling alone. I feel like in retrospect that part of the reason that I did put him on the throne was because I felt like Lin was competent enough to rule with him; I'd have to play through it to be sure, but I really think that if I'd played a male GW, I'd have probably left Anora on the throne instead. I feel like Alistair needs that emotional and political support system, at least if he's unhardened (I have no idea how I'd play through it with him hardened, as that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish). I mean, Arl Eamon's great, but he can't babysit him forever.
This is basically restating everything you said already, so NEXT POINT
As far as the writing of the mage thing: I honestly think that's just lazy/bad writing. I don't know if that scene just came at a crunch for time and they didn't have time to rerecord all of his dialogue or what, but it's apparently the same for all non-f!Couslands, regardless of race or class, and I think they just missed out on an opportunity to make the play a little more immersive. Because it is a logical reason! Mages are potential threats of abominations! And he could argue that, or that having non-humans on the throne would destabilize an already shaky Ferelden and weaken the throne, and it would undercut the support of the banns that he needs, and it just...ugh. That scene could have used a few more rewrites. It could have been so personal--you as the player made this choice for your character, and here is a consequence of it, but instead you just get a formulaic Dear John letter that doesn't even make sense; why is it so terrible to not have babies when they're a mage or elf or whatever, bad enough to end the relationship over, but it's perfectly okay and even something to joke about with a Cousland? Sloppy, sloppy writing.