The Warden was Dragon Age's first protagonist, but since the end of Dragon Age: Origins the character has practically disappeared off the face of Thedas. This makes the most sense in endings where the Warden sacrificed themself to end the Fifth Blight, but for many players who did not pick that path it leaves some huge questions unanswered going into Dragon Age 4.
There are some good reasons that the Warden should return in some form in Dragon Age 4, and a few different ways that could happen. There are also some huge challenges that come with bringing back the Warden as an NPC, as well as some possible ways to overcome those challenges. Here's why the Warden should return, and how BioWare might be able to pull it off.
Why Bring Back The Warden?
The Warden was the first hero of Dragon Age, but their disappearance after Dragon Age: Origins has left many fans unsatisfied. Depending on different Dragon Age world states, the Inquisitor can learn that the Warden began searching for a cure to the Calling after the events of Origins. The Calling is a madness that eventually affects all Grey Wardens after years of carrying the Taint, causing them to delve into the Deep Roads in search of the Old Gods just like the Darkspawn they fight.
Bringing back the Warden could finally help reveal the answers to some of Dragon Age's biggest mysteries. A cure to the Calling could be connected to the origins of the Darkspawn, for example. Dragon Age 4 is already set in the Tevinter Imperium, where the Magisters Sidereal allegedly entered the Fade and caused the creation of the first Darkspawn. Both Dragon Age 4's setting and the Dread Wolf's plan to tear down the Veil could be connected to the Calling mystery, and if the Warden isn't included in the story in some form it could feel like a missed opportunity.
More importantly, the disappearance of the Warden after Dragon Age: Origins makes it harder for players to trust that their decisions and their player character will really have an impact on the world of Dragon Age going forward. Dragon Age 4 will be introducing a new protagonist, and bringing back the Warden in some form could help create the sense that the new player character will continue to have an impact after the events of the upcoming game.
Dragon Age 2's protagonist Hawke already returned in Inquisition, setting a precedent for returning Dragon Age player characters. Unlike Hawke, however, the Warden had no voice actor in Origins, and had the potential to die at the end of the story. This poses some big challenges for their return, but they aren't as insurmountable as they may initially seem.
Bringing Back The Warden
There are a few different ways the Warden's return could be integrated into Dragon Age 4 without requiring specific world states. Dragon Age 4 will take players to the Tevinter Imperium for the first time. The inclusion of Tevinter and the potential destruction of the Fade could stand to reveal huge amounts about the Darkspawn and by extension the Grey Wardens. Solas' plans could see the player learn more about the Fade than ever before, and why the incursion of the Magisters Sidereal created the Darkspawn. It could also reveal what the aims of the Darkspawn's creators are, as well as unknown consequences of the Grey Wardens taking on the Taint.
This opens the door for the Warden to return in some different ways. If the Warden survived the events of Origins, the player may encounter them in the Fade or the Deep Roads as they search for the truth about the Grey Wardens and the Darkspawn in their attempts to prevent the Calling. If the Warden died in Dragon Age: Origins, the player might also encounter them in the Fade as a spirit along with all the other Wardens whose direct sacrifices allowed each of the five Archdemons who have led Blights so far to be defeated.
In both of these cases, the Warden could be included in a way that doesn't require BioWare to commit to them having a single clearly defined personality or voice. Players could encounter them as a spirit, or they might be following clues left by the Warden without ever actually catching up to them. What's most important is that the Warden doesn't seem like they've vanished entirely, otherwise fans have reason to expect that the same fate may await the new protagonist of Dragon Age 4.
The Warden's Legacy
Even if the Warden ends up returning in some other way, the fact that the Warden's fate has been left hanging in timelines where they didn't sacrifice themself also leaves the storylines of some other major Dragon Age characters up in the air. It means that the Warden's romance from Dragon Age: Origins was cut short without a satisfying conclusion regardless of which character it was with, for example. In cases where the Warden became king or queen of Ferelden, it leaves the fate of an entire nation unresolved.
As the Dragon Age series moves forward, the consequences of player's actions in past games need to feel as meaningful as possible, rather than being swept under the rug in favor of continuing a pre-planned narrative arc. The disappearance of the Warden after Origins is one of the biggest unresolved questions that undermines player faith that they really are able to affect the story and the world of Dragon Age, rather than being a passive observer of a story BioWare has already planned.
Bringing the Warden back in the same way as Hawke may be very difficult to pull off, but the effects of the Warden's story and perhaps a hint at their final fate could still help make the player's actions in Origins feel meaningful years later. Whether or not fans will ever get to see the Warden again remains unknown for now, but if the character remains almost entirely absent from the franchise going forward, the player's impact on Thedas across the series so far could feel increasingly undermined.
Dragon Age 4Â is in development.