BioWare's Dragon Age franchise has always had a knack for clever anagrams and puzzles, like the name of series' world itself, Thedas, being an acronym. When former BioWare producer Mark Darrah responded to a fan's tweet suggesting the title of the upcoming Dragon Age 4 was an anagram, fans couldn't help wondering if he was actually confirming the theory.
BioWare recently confirmed the fourth game in the series will be called Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, and its main antagonist will be Dragon Age: Inquisition companion Solas. Solas' true identity as Fen'Harel, the Dread Wolf of the elven pantheon, was exposed in the final scenes of Inquisition before Flemeth collapsed against him and transferred her power to him. After learning about Solas' plans to tear down the veil and restore the elves to glory at the end of theTrespasser DLC, it only makes sense that they would title the game in honor of the biggest bad Thedas has ever known. But what if there is more to the Dreadwolf title than simple homage to Fen'Harel's plot for mass destruction?
When Twitter user banalnadas suggested that "Dreadwolf" was an anagram for "Fade World," things really seemed to fall into place. Given what players already know about Solas and his plans to tear down the veil between Thedas and the Fade, it's a logical assumption. Fen'Harel is a known guardian of the Fade, often preferring the company of spirits more than that of other mortals, and if what he's already revealed is true, Thedas and the Fade once intermingled. After raising the veil to separate them and lock the gods away, it changed everything for the elves, though not for the better as he'd hoped.
Exploring the Fade has been a staple in every Dragon Age game to date. The Warden was forced to battle through the Fade to restore order to the Circle of Magi in Origins, and Hawke endeavored into the Fade to save a young boy plagued by nightmares named Feynriel in Dragon Age II. The Inquisitor and their party, along with Hawke and the Grey Warden, found themselves trapped and goaded in the Fade by a wicked demon known as the Nightmare. Players have seen firsthand what a bizarre, twisted, and dangerous place the Fade can be, so it stands to reason that the very veil Solas seeks to tear down is the only thing protecting Thedas from those dangers.
As speculation stirs among eager fans who have been waiting eight years for the next Dragon Age game, there are plenty of scenarios to consider. Maybe the veil won't come down all at once, and Dreadwolf's protagonist will find themselves chasing Solas and resealing areas after he's opened them. It's also possible that Solas' success will be the catalyst that launches the game, twisting Thedas into an eerie Fade World on the verge of collapse. Maybe Solas will even need to be confronted in the Fade. Regardless, it's all but guaranteed Dreadwolf will show players a side of the Fade unlike any they've seen before, and that in itself is a little scary.
