Because Hawke can be a male or a female in-game, I'm going to reference them as they/their solely so readers can easily envision their own Hawke. It's a startling way to begin any game, but what's worse is this is one of the easier horrors that this family will face. Depending on which playable class the player chooses, either Bethany or Carver will be crushed to death by a vicious ogre.
When escaping the hordes of monsters thirsting for destruction, Hawke and their family experience their second loss following the death of Malcolm some years before. Escaping a simple life alongside their mother, Leandra Amell - a former noble that left the 'good life' behind to find love with her apostate husband, Malcolm - and their two siblings, twins named Bethany and Carver, the first loss ends up being one of many. When we first meet Hawke in Dragon Age 2, they are a humble farmer from Lothering whose life is suddenly upended due to the ravaging Blight seen in Dragon Age Origins. For Hawke, however, each win came with ten losses behind it, ultimately leaving them to be one of the most heartbreaking protagonists in gaming to date. In many stories where there is a hero at the heart of the tale, that hero goes through Hell and back to become a shining beacon of triumph and prosperity. Dragon Age 2 did many things right – and many things wrong – but one thing that stands out the most to me is the tragedy that is Hawke.
