Hawke's Favour
| Tropes and genres | |
|---|---|
| Related tropes/genres | Red Thread of Fate |
| See also | Hawke |
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| Related articles on Fanlore. | |
Hawke's favour is a romantic trope in Dragon Age fandom that involves Hawke gifting their love interest with a red ribbon or article. The trope has its basis in canon but has been expanded upon with fanon and features in fanworks.
Origin and fanon
In Dragon Age II, when player character Hawke enters a romance with Isabela or Fenris, the outfits of both NPCs change to reflect the relationship. Isabela wears the red favour as an armband and Fenris wears it tied around his wrist.[1]
The World of Thedas Volume 2 revealed the story of Hawke's maternal grandfather, Astride Amell, who gave Hawke's grandmother Bethann a scrap of red silk resembling a "little banner" covered in "figures that looked like birds."[2] This token was apparently all Bethann had from Astride after his death.[2] Fans have developed the fanon explanation that red favours are an Amell family tradition that Hawke has continued with their love interest.
Some fans have speculated on why Isabela and Fenris receive a favour in DA2 while Anders and Merrill do not:
I think it has more to do with distance. Both Isabella and Fenris love Hawke but they keep their distance for a short time (Isabella mental and Fenris physical). Both Merrill and Anders devote themselves. They don’t hold anything back. Maybe the favor is to say ‘I know you’ll leave but a reminder that a love you and you matter to me’rainbows-lets-plays[3]
A common fanon trope among Anders/Hawke shippers is that Anders wears Hawke's favour as a hair tie. In DA2, the player can give Anders an amulet as a companion quest, and the key to the Hawke estate as a romance quest. These items sometimes serve as love tokens in fanworks instead of a red favour.
Fanworks
Anders
Fanart
- drown us by against-stars (female!Hawke)
- fugitives together fugitives togehter by against-stars (female!Hawke)
- take the world back by against-stars (female!Hawke)
- the world gone up in flames by against-stars (female!Hawke) (NSFW)
- made myself a birthday present by apricottartlet (NSFW)
- happy valentine’s day by djkaeru (male!Hawke)
- token of love by helprin
- A Favor for Anders by IdaHarra
- Hawke's favor by IdaHarra
- Flowers for the Apostate by LainValentine
- Just let me have this one thing by mago-emplumado (with Justice)
- Anders by mikkeneko
- Anders by nesrinwildrose
- Anders by nesrinwildrose
- Anders x Hawke by nesrinwildrose
- Anders commission by queen-schadenfreude
- Dragon Age :: Anders by rinnyhoot
- Anders by theminttu
- Anders/Hawke by theminttu (male!Hawke) (NSFW)
- wanna talk about BROKEN GLASS? by sgushyonka (character death)
Fenris
Fanart
- Fen Small by 13febr
- Fenris by Assai-san
- Fenris in Love by blue-rex
- To Be So Loved by Captain-Savvy
- Fenris Tears by DanjiDoodle (character death)
- DA2: Fenris by Egobarri
- Fenris by IgnisFatuusArts
- Fenris - Dragon Age 2 by IraIVORY
- Dragon Age II - Fenris Hawke by JustAnoR
- Fenris Tarot Card by kataraqui
- Fenris by kitt2506 (NSFW)
- FenHawke love, minus the Hawke by laugan-art
- Waiting on You by laugan-art
- Fenris by Linnpuzzle
- Fenris by lionessami
- I am yours Hawke by reborn-gp
- I am still yours by reborn-gp
- Da - Fenris by Smilika
- Fenris: Two of Swords by UnbridledArtist
- Hawke's Favor by Wonderland-Cupcake
- Fenris - finding freedom by yuhime
- The Promise by Xiz0r (NSFW comic - page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Cosplay
- Hawke's favor – Yukilefay as f!Hawke, marinecosplayb as Fenris
Poly Ships
Fanart
- Favors by Amimia (female!Hawke/Anders/Fenris)
Gallery
Fanart
Creation of FenHawke by AstoriaV – Fenris (wearing the favour) reaching toward m!Hawke. Based on The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo.
Fenris holding Hawke's favour by Emma Collins
Fenhanders fanart by Lunaris-Eclipse of m!Hawke with a romanced Fenris (with Hawke's favour) and a romanced Anders (with Hawke's key).
I bear gifts to love by Mistiqarts – F!Hawke playfully blindfolding Fenris as she gifts him the favour.
The Lovers by Giza Possato – Fenris embracing m!Hawke, wearing the favour on his wrist.
The Red Favor by Shirozora – M!Hawke presenting Fenris with the favour.
Fenris wearing the favour as a hairtie by Skimlet.
Love by Laura St. Peter – a shirtless Fenris wearing the favour on his wrist, with a long scarf-like end winding down his front.
I remain at your side by Raúl Yáñez – Fenris holding the favour in one hand and his sword in the other.
Cosplay
Fenris cosplayer at Comic Con Brussels 2019 with the favour.
Iam Yours, Hawke by OvoshPolufabrikat – Cosplay of Blue Wraith-era Fenris clutching the favour (2020).
Cosplay of Fenris wearing the favour (OvoshPolufabrikat, 2020).
Fenris cosplayer on horseback wearing the favour (OvoshPolufabrikat, 2020).
References
- ^ "What Do Companion Armor Color Changes Mean?" post on r/dragonage on Reddit
- ^ a b "Some context on those red favors, from The World of Thedas Vol 2" discussion change on Tumblr
- ^ Reblog comment by rainbows-lets-plays on Tumblr