Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Solas: From Vengeful God to Dream Advisor – Early Concept Art Reveals a Darker Vision
Early concept sketches for Dragon Age: The Veilguard offer a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of Solas, the enigmatic character who shifts between ally and antagonist throughout the Dragon Age saga. These sketches, shared by former BioWare artist Nick Thornborrow, reveal a significantly different portrayal of Solas than what ultimately appeared in the final game.
Thornborrow, who left BioWare in April 2022 after 15 years, played a key role in The Veilguard's development. He created an interactive visual novel to help convey story ideas, and over 100 sketches from this novel have recently been showcased online. While many scenes align with the finished game, Solas's depiction shows striking differences.
In Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014), Solas debuted as a helpful companion, his true intentions masked until the game's conclusion. The Veilguard (2024) directly addresses his plan to destroy the Veil, but the concept art paints a far more ominous picture. The final game portrays Solas primarily as a dream-based advisor to the protagonist, Rook. However, Thornborrow's sketches depict a far more active, and sinister, Solas.
The black and white sketches, punctuated by strategically placed color accents (like The Veilguard's lyrium dagger), show Solas shedding his guise of a sympathetic advisor. He's presented as a vengeful god, his hidden agenda far more blatant. While scenes like his initial attempt to shatter the Veil remain largely unchanged, other scenes are drastically different, often portraying Solas as a colossal, shadowy figure. The ambiguity surrounding these scenes leaves open the question of whether they represent events within Rook's dreams or manifestations of Fen'Harel's power in the real world.
Given the nearly ten-year gap between Dragon Age installments and the last-minute name change from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, significant story alterations during development were expected. Thornborrow's behind-the-scenes look provides valuable insight into these changes, bridging the gap between the initial vision and the final product. The contrast between the vengeful god of the concept art and the dream-bound advisor of the released game highlights the creative evolution of Solas's character and the narrative choices made during The Veilguard's development.
