Isabela Explains it All

Greetings, my lovelies. I usually don’t use the internet for my own personal soap box, but in this case I felt the need. You see, I’ve recently read through the The Silent Grove, a (fictionalized) tale about an adventure that I, Varric, and Alistair undertook.

There is adventure, there is excitement, and there is battle. And therein lies the problems. You see, in battle, there’s always the distinct possibility that our heroes get injured. And so, I have presented for you the catalogue of all of their injuries.

Alistair

Silent Grove #2

Varric

Silent Grove #3

And of course, Isabela

Silent Grove #3

Silent Grove #4

Silent Grove #5

Now… perhaps it’s just me, but it does seem disturbing and disproportionate, doesn’t it? Especially for someone as famed a duelist and hand-to-hand combatant as myself.

One might say “Oh, she’s just fighting more than everyone else”. But that’s not true at all. The three characters are never far apart during a fight. Another might argue that this Isabela’s the least armored of them. But Alistair is wearing leather armor at best. This Isabela is shot *through* the armor, leather armor doesn’t protect much against kicks or dragon tail attacks, and she’s hit in the face twice.

You can make your own judgments about the reasoning or the drama of it. Personally, I think it’s because many people feel that violence against women is more “resonant” at a visceral level. Maybe it’s true. But I don’t like it, not one bit.