One of the things I like about the Solavellan romance is how goddamn powerful they both are. There does seem to be a tendency in the fandom to depict Lavellan as less powerful than Solas, in a kind of submissive role towards him. I think this false and I’mma bout you tell you why.
They are both very powerful. Lavellan is the leader of a movement, a entire organisation that reshaped all of southern Thedas. She killed Corypheus, a self-stylized god, who hated her in part because she naturally achieved what he so craved- worship, adoration, devotion from the people of Thedas. There are many instances in the game where there is a clear parallel that the Inquisitor is like a god to the people, whether or not they refuse to be called Andraste’s Herald. They believe in her in LIKE SHE IS A GOD, and that’s where her power comes from. Varric often says that its difficult to think of her as just a person. Mother Giselle even says that, in a hundred years, Lavellan might be a part of the Chant of Light. She might be remembered as a god, just as Solas was.
Solas even acknowledges this when he says that line in Trespasser which goes something like “the Dread Wolf inspired hope in my friends and fear in my enemies… Not unlike ‘Inquisitor’ I suppose.” There is a direct parallel drawn between who they are as individuals and who they are perceived to be by those who follow them. They love each other as mortals, but must fight each other as gods.
I would argue that, out of all the romances, Solavellan is actually the one with the most equal power dynamic. The closest one I can think of that would resemble it is romancing Cassandra who becomes divine, or maybe Dorian who becomes a magister. Everyone else will always be in love with a creature much larger than life, remembered and revered as a god, while they remain mortal.
A lot of people are squicked out by the perceived power imbalance between Solas and Lavellan, to which I say, bitch where? what power imbalance? Don’t diminish Lavellan’s power, my friends. She is just at a different part in the process of becoming a God than Solas is.
