It’s been ten years since the launch of Dragon Age 2 and we’re getting a look at some cut content for what could have been. Dragon Age 2 may have had a rough release with development being rushed but many fans still hold it dearly in their hearts. Kirkwall is a city with many secrets and rotating plots and while we may never get to experience its full splendor again, we can take comfort in learning about some unused narrative.
Bioware writer Mary Kirby tweeted a few details about a potential plotline involving the Qunari, pirates, and a zombie plague. Evidently at some point during the many terrible moments in Kirkwall, Hawke was going to take part in another battle with the Qunari. The idea apparently would have focused heavily on Isabela the pirate and a possible fight aboard a burning dreadnought ship.
Somewhere along the way, Hawke and crew mayhaps have been able to procure an entire fleet of ships, possibly including Isabela’s ship the Siren’s Call. This all would have even lead to Isabela gaining access to ‘an EXTREMELY fancy hat.’ A hat as amazing as that could only be presumed to be a legendary item.
As for how, where, why, and when zombies came into play? Well, there is no way of knowing unless it comes to light in a future remake or remaster one day. However, we have a possible theory as to how it could have happened.
The Act 1 quest The First Sacrifice sees Hawke investigating what happened to a missing women. This leads to Act 2 of the game where it turns out young women have been reported missing and later found dead. The questline eventually leads to a quest called All that Remains. In it, Hawke learns his mother Leandra has been meeting with someone who has been sending her white lilies. Events lead Hawke and company to a necromancer named Quentin who killed Leandra and brought her back as an undead creature; aka a zombie.
This could potentially be what Kirby had in mind with the Qunari, pirate, and zombie plague plotline. The young women murdered by Quentin and his apprentice could all be the zombies referenced in the cut content. While dealing with the Qunari problem which Isabela had a hand in, the zombies could have attacked Kirkwall at the same time leading to an even bigger problem with mages, blood magic, Qunari, and templars.
Of course this is all just speculation and until it’s all confirmed by Bioware, we will just have to keep hoping. Speaking of hope, maybe one day there will be a Dragon Age Legendary Edition too.