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Dragon Age: Inquisition's DLC epilogue, Trespasser, had a lot of significant moments including Solas' dread wolf reveal and the conclusion for the various companions that range from getting married to becoming a viscount. However, for some players there was betrayal, notably a betrayal from The Iron Bull if they chose to sacrifice his mercenary group during his companion quest. Many fans who got this ending felt bitter or devastated, especially when they expected the qunari to be friends with the Inquisition after sacrificing Bull's chargers. Some may have even been romancing the character, but that made little-to-no difference in his betrayal.
The obvious emotional reaction from fans aside, Iron Bull's betrayal in Trespasser is worth examining. Betrayal is a major theme in Dragon Age: Inquisition, but no one pulls it off as cold and calculating as Iron Bull. Compared to even the dread wolf himself, Iron Bull's behavior up until the Trespasser betrayal is perfect for a spy. For fans who got to see this dark side of Bull, it proves how the qunari's Ben-Hassrath spies are the best of the best.
Examining The Iron Bull's Behavior
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Going into Inquisition, veteran fans of Dragon Age already knew a lot about the qunari through Sten in Origins and the qunari invasion attempt at Kirkwall. However, Iron Bull is unlike those encounters, as he comes off as too honest or even lazy as a spy. He immediately tells the Inquisitor that he is Ben-Hassrath when they meet, and seemingly blows his cover. However, all of this is calculated to lure the Inquisition and its leader into a false sense of control.
There are two conditions that make the Iron Bull betray the player in Trespasser. One is that the Chargers were sacrificed for a secure relationship with the qunari. The second one is if Bull's personal quest is never completed. This means it is possible for the Chargers to be alive while Iron Bull betrays the Inquisition, so it was his original plan all along, and the only condition that changes his mind is witnessing his people sacrifice his friends while the Inquisition doesn't.
All of this means Iron Bull acted as a spy from the beginning, and only stops if the Chargers are not sacrificed during his personal quest. Showing a laid-back personality is not exactly a lie, but it is a perfect part to show off that lures others into a false sense of security. If he does decide to betray the Inquisitor, he keeps up his lying with no regrets, unlike Solas and Blackwall who go through inner turmoil. If Cole is in the party during Bull's betrayal in Trespasser, he even mentions that Iron Bull's heart had no doubts over his choice.
A Look Into Dragon Age's Ben-Hassrath
Unlike Solas and Blackwall, Iron Bull leaves little that hints at his betrayal in Trespasser. He is a professional, and the qun has methods to remove any doubt from its community. They are a society all about re-education, and Iron Bull has even admitted to the Inquisitor that he willingly put himself through re-education to continue with his work without any hesitation.
Iron Bull is honest about his past, even mentioning he was chosen to be Ben-Hassrath when the tamassrans found out he lied to them. Even his qun name, Hissrad, translates to "liar" and "weaver of illusions." Iron Bull proves to be smarter than most, even keeping up with Solas. Despite not being a mage himself, he points out that Solas' fighting style is different from any other mage (a subtle hint of Solas' true nature). Spies are often imagined to be like Leliana, using daggers and poisons, but Iron Bull's fighting style uses two-handed weapons and brings players to wonder if that is on purpose.
Iron Bull's Betrayal
Compared to other betrayals in the game, Iron Bull's has the least amount of wiggle room for the player. One either kills Iron Bull or dies, with no hope of changing his mind. His approval rating does not matter, and his romance also does not matter. It is a very unforgiving consequence that the players cannot escape unless they reload back hours into the game. To add insult to injury, Inquisitors who romanced Iron Bull get blamed for the qunari attack and are said to be, "Mocked in tavern songs and Orlesian plays for years to come."
Dragon Age players have been betrayed by characters like Morrigan, Anders, Blackwall, and Solas, and can conditionally be betrayed by many others. However, none of these characters had the guts to come out as a spy and then still surprise players by the end. This has made Iron Bull one of the scariest characters in the series, but at least he only shows this dark side to those who are cold enough to kill his Chargers.
Dragon Age: Inquisition is available now on PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.