“Other people always took the risks to keep me free.”
Bethany Hawke (born 9:11 Dragon[1]) is Hawke's younger sister and Carver's fraternal twin. An apostate mage, she received her magical training from her father, who was also an apostate.
Background
Before the Fifth Blight, Bethany lived with her family in the outskirts of Lothering. Despite standing out in her curiosity about religious stories[2], she was known to mostly stay hidden away at home. This was, of course, because of her arcane talents. A traveler identified as only 'Sade' visited the Amell family after the onset of Bethany's gifts, describing her as 'reveling in the stories of the far and away' and 'masterfully reserved'. Once, she and a friend were being chased by a wild dog and Bethany accidentally made it go to sleep. After this incident, Bethany kept herself in even more secrecy. The friend did not betray her to the templars because 'she was too nice to be magic.'[3]
Appearance
Bethany has one of several facial structures and hair styles, depending on the customization of the player's character. The selection works as follows:
There are three base facial shapes that each family member can have. Hawkes using the default Hawke appearance or any of the first three presets will get the first head shape, Hawkes using the second three presets will get the second head shape, and Hawkes using the final three presets (or any modded presets past that) will get the third shape.
Each of the three head shapes has three variations - one with a pale skintone, one with a medium skintone, and one with a dark skintone, and each with a different hairstyle. Which of these variations is used by the game depends on Hawke's skintone; the first four skintones will result in the light-skinned version of Bethany, the second four in the medium-skinned version, and the final four in the dark-skinned version. All versions of Bethany will have black hair. The same applies for Carver and Leandra.[4]
During Varric's initial recount of a warrior/rogue Hawke's flight from Lothering, Bethany appears with her default face/hair.
Involvement
Dragon Age II
As Lothering is overrun with Darkspawn, Bethany is forced to flee with her family. In a surprise encounter with an ogre, and if Hawke is a mage, Bethany will attack an ogre, be grappled, smashed to the ground and killed. However, if Hawke is a warrior or rogue, Carver takes her place. Following the fight, Bethany accompanies her family to Kirkwall.
Upon arrival, she spends a year working with her elder sibling in servitude to repay their passage into Kirkwall. Afterwards, Bethany and Hawke overhear about The Deep Roads Expedition and agree to join as a last resort to acquire enough wealth and influence to cow the templars from scrutinizing them too closely. Though she appreciates the trouble her family took to keep her out of the Circle, the running, hiding, and constant fear for what their future would hold have taken their toll. She begins to express guilt when she sees how much the family sacrifices to keep her free, especially when she learned their mother gave up her life as a noble to elope with their father. Sometimes, she even wonders whether everyone would be better off if she'd been sent to the Circle from the very start. Through their time in Kirkwall, Bethany and Hawke work on reclaiming the family estate. After amassing the fifty sovereigns needed to fund the expedition, Bethany volunteers to join her elder sibling in the Deep Roads venture. Just as they prepare to go, Leandra begs Hawke to leave Bethany at home, as the expedition is too dangerous. Though Bethany remarks that she is "allowed to fight the darkspawn," but the final decision is made by Hawke.
Left home
If Bethany is left behind in Kirkwall when Hawke sets out for the expedition, she is arrested and taken to the Gallows just as Hawke returns from the Deep Roads. She remains in contact with her family and adjusts quickly to life in the Circle. She passes her Harrowing and becomes a senior member of the Circle, in charge of teaching young apprentices. A letter reveals that Ella has taken quite a shine to her. She is happy that she doesn't have to run anymore and supports the Circle.
During the Qunari siege of Kirkwall she leads an attempt to save First Enchanter Orsino from the Qunari. Hawke is coldly received by Bethany, who utters sarcastic and ungrateful remarks, but she survives the siege.
As hostilities between mages and templars increase, Bethany is kidnapped by Grace and Thrask who are inciting a rebellion to overthrow Meredith, believing that the Champion is working for the Knight-Commander, regardless of their actual allegiances in the mage-templar struggle.
During The Last Straw (Quest), Bethany naturally wants to take the mages' side. If Hawke sides with the mages she's thankful to Hawke for siding with her kind and joins the party once again. She will then participate with the defense and evacuation of the Circle. If Hawke joins forces with the templars, she pleads with the Champion to not force her to choose between her family and her people. She can later be found in the courtyard of the Gallows, and asks Hawke if they'll fight her. If Hawke retorts by questioning if she would fight her own sibling as well, she responds by expressing doubt. However, Orsino convinces her that the mages must remain united during this crisis and she follows him into the Gallows.
The next time she is encountered is during the battle with Orsino. When he reveals that he studied the research of the Blood Mage Quentin, Hawke may mention that he was the man that murdered their mother, causing Bethany to withdraw from Orsino, shocked and appalled that Orsino protected the man that killed their mother, and claiming the First Enchanter could have saved Leandra. As Orsino begins his blood magic ritual, Bethany expresses her dismay that Orsino is planning on killing Hawke, whom he had promised to spare. She joins the battle against his Harvester form. After Orsino is killed, she still mourns him. When Knight-Commander Meredith prepares to execute her, Bethany accuses her of driving Orsino to such extremes but accepts her sentence, stating that she knows what will happen.
Hawke can now choose to let Meredith go through with the execution, or speak up in Bethany's defense. If Hawke defends her, she expresses her gratitude with a hug and re-joins Hawke's party in time for the final battle with Meredith.
If Hawke sides with the mages, Bethany is relieved. She can join the party defending the mages in the Gallows. In her final dialogue she comes to the conclusion that her magic comes from the Maker and he wouldn't want mages to be treated as they are.
Taken on the Deep Roads
If taken on on the Deep Roads expedition she contracts the taint and dies unless Anders is in the party, in which case she is recruited into the Grey Wardens. She has very little contact with her family, contacting only Leandra to inform her of her survival and of her continued travels with the Wardens. She resents Hawke for coming out of the Deep Roads unscathed while she almost died and has been permanently changed. She's the only member of the Hawke family to return to Ferelden since their flight from Lothering.
During the Qunari siege in Act 2, she and several other Grey Wardens are attacked by the Qunari and receive support from Hawke.
Later, when tension between the templars and Mages reaches its boiling point, she is abducted by Ser Thrask and used to get Hawke to join his cause. The plan fails however, and Thrask is killed along with the abductors. She can also be seen in the Deep Roads with Nathaniel Howe, in which case she reveals that she is still sad and hurt. In addition to the taint taking a toll on her, she has also been away from her family for a long time. She explains that she tried to freeze herself emotionally to cope with her inability to help her family, but that this has only caused her more harm. Furthermore she realizes that joining the Wardens was her only hope. She does not give a proper goodbye.
During The Last Straw (Quest) Bethany arrives at the city in time to witness the start of the war. She finds Hawke and apologize for her earlier attitude and thanks Hawke for saving her life. When asked about her role as a warden her only reply is "I'm not a Grey Warden, I'm your sister". She naturally wants to side with the mages, but still rejoins the party if Hawke sides with the templars.
Dragon Age: Inquisition
If Bethany is still alive, the Inquisitor can ask Varric Tethras about her fate.
Varric states that she was last seen on Warden business near the border of the Anderfels. A conversation with Hawke reveals that they sent their associate Aveline Vallen to take her far away from Orlais when they heard about Grey Wardens acting strangely. A bottle of her ritewine can be found in Redcliffe, titled "Princess Piss"
Varric states that she stayed behind in the Free Marches to help other mages from the Kirkwall Circle. A conversation with Hawke reveals that they sent their associate Aveline Vallen to take her far away from the Free Marches when they heard about Grey Wardens acting strangely.
Either way, if Hawke lives after the encounter with the Nightmare, it is mentioned that they will likely reunite.
If Bethany was taken into the Deep Roads, Varric alludes to her fate during the Keeping the Darkspawn Down side quest if he is in the party.
Friendship and Rivalry
- See the approval page for more information.
Friendship with Bethany can generally be earned through acts of kindness, by siding with mages or by supporting family.
Rivalry with Bethany can generally be earned by choosing aggressive responses, by siding against mages or by exploiting Fereldans.
Quests
Prologue
Act 1
Mark of the Assassin
Initial statistics
Spell trees
| Available spell trees | Initially selected spells |
|---|---|
 Elemental
|
 Fireball
|
 Spirit
|
|
 Creation
|
|
 Entropy
|
|
 Force Mage (specialization)
|
Equipment
| Weapons |  Birchcore
|
Bethany specific gear
Armor
- See also: Companion armor
An upgrade for Bethany's armor, Hawke's Pinions, is available in Act 1:
Heirloom Amell Protective Sigils – in the Estate Vault during the Birthright quest. +10% magic resistance
Other
Birchcore – Bethany's initial staff- A Private Memento – requires Mage Item Pack DLC
- Grandmother Amell's Wedding Band – requires Mage Item Pack II DLC
- Bloodline – requires Legacy DLC
- Miniature Family Portrait – requires Mark of the Assassin DLC
Alternate
From left to right: Hawke's Pinions, Circle Mage Robes, Grey Warden Robes
- If she was taken to the Circle of Magi then re-joins Hawke's party during The Last Straw in Act 3 (or for the DLC), she will be equipped with Circle Mage Robes and Staff of the New Growth
- If she became a member of the Grey Wardens then re-joins Hawke's party during The Last Straw in Act 3 (or for the DLC), she will be equipped with Grey Warden Robes and Staff of the Blighted Heartwood
Quotes
Early concept art of Bethany with short blonde hair
- Main article: Bethany Hawke/Dialogue
- (Upon meeting Wesley) "Well, the Maker has a sense of humor. Darkspawn, and now a templar. I thought they all abandoned Lothering."
- (Said if Bethany joins the party in act three, female Hawke version) "The Hawke Sisters together again, just like old times."
- (When Hawke agrees to Jethann's services) "Maker's breath! Can't you do this when I'm not around?"
- "All these years I tried to understand what Andraste saw. Why she had to lock us up. But my powers come from the Maker... and I just cannot believe that is His will."
- "I was just hoping it would be different here in Kirkwall. We're not running away again. We're coming home."
- "Father was a good man, but... Mother gave up so much for him. Of course, if she hadn't worked up the nerve to elope, she probably wouldn't have been able to resist the templars, either. If we'd been born here, you'd be nothing more to me than a name the Circle kept in my file."
- "The Maker is wiser than we can be in a lifetime. Who am I to question His plan?"
Mark of the Assassin
- (To female Hawke) "You're a far better "Lady Hawke" than I would have been."
- (To Male Hawke) "You're a far better representative of the family than I would have been."
Trivia
- Jennifer Hepler wrote Bethany for Dragon Age II.
- Bethany was named in honor of her maternal grandmother Bethann.[5]
- In the beginning of the game, when Varric is telling the legend of the Champion, Bethany has much larger breasts, a subtle reference to Varric's tendency to exaggerate.
- Bethany is a second cousin of the human of the Magi Origin, regardless of whether or not they are the Warden, through her mother Leandra Amell.[6] She will reference this if asked why her parents protected her from the Circle so much. If the Warden was a Human Mage (imported save) she also states that one of the children became the Hero of Ferelden.
- Bethany is excited about the possibility of Leandra reclaiming the Amell estate; however, she never gets the chance to actually live in it.
- In her codex page, it is revealed Bethany "greatly respects" Hawke and has a "teasing rivalry" with Carver. It can also be noted that she "envied the way [Hawke] embraced magic" (if Hawke is a mage), as Bethany wanted a normal life for herself. If Hawke brings him along, Carver further explains Bethany's resentment of being different in the Legacy DLC and also mentions that Bethany never felt she could live up to Malcolm's expectations, implying that Bethany and Carver were close enough to be emotional confidants.
- It is implied in dialogue that Carver is the second child. By extension, this would make Bethany the youngest of the three Hawke siblings.
- Bethany and Carver are the only companions who do not have their own unique specialization; instead they use the Force Mage and Templar specializations, respectively, from the beginning of Act 2. In Act 1, they remain un-specialized.
- Bethany does not have the option to learn spells from the Primal skill tree.
- When approaching the Qunari compound at the Kirkwall Docks, Bethany mentions that one of them killed her best friends back in Lothering, which is a reference to Sten from Dragon Age: Origins.
- In the Chantry, Bethany may mention Leliana, saying she misses her telling stories in Lothering.
- If Bethany is taken to the Circle, Isabela often writes her letters and sends her "wicked" books to read.[7]
- During the Deep Roads Expedition, Bethany's face morph may switch to another existing face preset when infected with the Taint. However, this new face bears the taint markings, similar to Wesley's after he was infected.
- David Gaider said that if he could write another Dragon Age comic, it would be dedicated to Bethany starting with that scene in Lothering and ending as a fleeing Circle Mage. He mentioned that he wanted her to adventure with Sebastian Vael in Starkhaven, and maybe Nathaniel Howe.[8]
Gallery
See also
- Codex entry: Bethany Hawke
- Codex entry: Bethany - After the Deep Roads
- Family Letters, the letter Bethany sends to Hawke at the start of Act 2
References
- ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 152
- ↑ Dialogue with Leliana
- ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 154
- ↑ Mike Laidlaw. "Family Resemblance: Anything more than skintone?" . The BioWare Forum.
- ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 152
- ↑ David Gaider. "Is Hawke related to the mage warden?" . The BioWare Forum.
- ↑ Banter in Mark of the Assassin
- ↑ David Gaider. "On Speculative Flights of Fancy" . Tumblr.
| ||||||||