Dragon Age 4 is one of the most hyped games that won’t come out for a long time (much like the next Elder Scrolls entry). While fans can get by with rumors of a Mass Effect trilogy remaster, many are left to theory craft about previous characters.
This isn’t limited to what the plot of the next game might be or who the player character might be. Rather, fans are looking toward people and pieces from previous games that have gaps of information to fill.
One such character, both beloved and despised by fans, is Cullen Rutherford. A native of Honnleath in Ferelden, he knew he wanted to be a Templar from age eight. That led him to eventually join the Inquisition at the behest of Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast.
But fans have some lingering questions about the Templar turned Inquisition military advisor.
10 Has Cullen Ever Been To White Spire?
White Spire is the fabled headquarters for Thedas’ Templar Order. While not quite as mysterious as the Grey Warden HQ at Weisshaupt, there is plenty left clouded about Templar HQ. It is said to be in Val Royeaux somewhere, but dedicated fans have also found a place called “White Spire” in Arlathan Forest on a map of Thedas.
Regardless of its actual location, there is not much indication as to whether or not Cullen has ever been to White Spire. He served the Templars for quite a long time – more than ten years – but it never seems to come up in conversation with Curly.
9 Why Did The Writers Retcon Cullen’s Mental Breakdown?
Dragon Age fans who haven’t played through the first game, Dragon Age: Origins, may be less familiar with Cullen’s origins. However, some die-hard fans could even miss out on this part if they didn’t choose the right combinations in the game.
At the end of DAO, there is a prologue that says Cullen went mad and killed three mages. Greagoir sends him to Greenfell to “level out”. But the writers chose to turn this into mere “rumors” in subsequent Dragon Age entries. Some fans consider this a mistake because it adds to his depth of character.
8 What Is His History With Chantry Bureaucrats Like Chancellor Roderick?
Though Chancellor Roderick was annoying at first, many fans look back on him fondly for his service to the people. Before his sacrifice, Cullen jousts verbally with him making jabs about Chantry bureaucrats.
Given his extensive service as a Templar, Cullen must have had many interactions with Chantry members – especially as someone stationed at Kinloch Hold (the Circle Tower near Redcliffe). But fans are left only to muse at Cullen’s history with the Chantry and its members.
Unless it comes in future graphic novels or codex entries, it seems unlikely that players will get anymore information in this area.
7 Has Cullen Always Fancied Mages?
Cullen is a Templar through and through. He joined at age 13 after all! But that hasn’t stopped him from developing crushes on various mages over the years. In fact, if fans play as a mage in DAO, they can hit on him and make him get all flustered and run away.
Whether attributed to randomness or perhaps a sense of taboo for Cullen, its a minor trend that some fans of the series further in their Dragon Age: Inquisition playthroughs. Of course, his experiences at Kinloch Hold still shaped his opinion of mages for the worse. By the time he appears in DAI, he seems to have softened quite a bit.
6 When Did His Lyirum Addiction Get So Bad?
Cullen reveals in DAI that not only does he have an extreme problem with lyrium addiction, but that this issue is practically systemic in the Templar ranks. Most fans will remember that Templars need lyrium to use their mage-hunting and magic inhibiting powers.
Lyrium can even be infused into the body as was the case with Fenris in Dragon Age II (pictured on the right).
But lyrium addiction was also a central part of Cullen’s plot line in DAI. The player character can help Cullen or convince him to keep taking lyrium which eventually leads to his death. However, not much information is offered as to the timeline of Cullen’s addiction.
Fans only get context as to why he takes it: to be more powerful and help more people.
5 Does Cullen Work With The Seekers To Help Stop Lyrium Addiction?
DAI also reveals that the Seekers, another order that works with the Chantry, has a method to give warriors magic inhibiting powers without needing lyrium. This relates to the Rite of Tranquility, but lets ignore that for now.
Depending on your choices, Cullen retires after DAI and opens a kind of rehab center for lyrium addicts. Not much more information is given on this, but some fans wondered whether or not he would have worked with Cassandra and the Seekers to reform the Templar Order regarding lyrium.
The course of action certainly fits within Cullen’s Lawful Good point of view.
4 Was Cullen’s Lyrium Addiction A Result Of His PTSD?
Unfortunately, the topic of PTSD doesn’t come up across any of the Dragon Age games. At least, not explicitly. There is some conversation about what has been done to the elves (genocide, forced into alienages, racism, etc). But in the same way that this is haphazardly mentioned, the games never really address how Cullen manages his experiences at Kinloch Hold.
Since the writers retconned the original outcome, fans can only glean a little insight across some conversations – most of which occur only if you romance Cullen. But, as with real world trauma, complications like addiction can be the outcome of trying to cope.
Perhaps Cullen’s PTSD exacerbated his lyrium addiction.
3 How Does He Feel About Qunari?
Some fans posit that Cullen has compared the Qunari to “heathens” in past games. But, for the most part, there is not much evidence to suggest how Cullen views the Qunari one way or the other. He obviously has very strong opinions on mages and the Templar order. That could be extrapolated to how he feels about Tevinter.
But there is little evidence to suggest how Cullen feels about Qunari or, more importantly, the Qun. As a character, he makes for a perfect Qun convert or “Viddathari”. Cullen, after all, likes routine and works best when he has a singular goal in mind. He never expresses knowledge or interest in the Qun in the series.
Despite his proximity to Iron Bull and the Arishok, Cullen’s true opinions on the Qunari remain obscured.
2 What About Elves Or Dwarves?
The fog of mystery doesn’t stop with the Qunari when it comes to how Cullen views other races in Thedas. Because Cullen’s life revolves so heavily around Templars and Mages, fans can find it difficult the identify how he feels about almost any other topics.
If you romance Cullen in DAI, you can pick up some information from his line about “not seeing human or elf”. This seems like an odd echo to the phrase “I don’t see color” in our own world. With dwarves, Cullen almost never mentions anything specific about them.
Cullen is a simple-minded guy, so as long as they can fight, don’t get in his way, and don’t practice blood magic, he probably doesn’t pay them any mind.
1 Will Cullen Appear In Dragon Age 4?
Despite the pitfalls of the last two Bioware releases (Mass Effect: Andromeda and Anthem), fans remains hopeful for the yet untitled Dragon Age 4 entry. While there isn’t too much information to parse so far, most fans agree that it will take place in Tevinter, Solas returns, and the release won’t take place til after 2022.
But regardless of whether you disbanded the Inquisition or left it intact, Cullen can still be tapped to return for the next game in the franchise. For now, fans can’t predict just which characterswill be returning and which won’t.
NEXT: 10 Dragon Age Mysteries That Still Aren’t Solved
