| Hawke | |
|---|---|
| Dragon Age character | |
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:DragonAgeIIHawke.png) The default male (left) and female (right) Hawkes, as they appear in promotional material for Dragon Age II. | |
| First appearance | Dragon Age II (2011) |
| Last appearance | Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014) |
| Voiced by |
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| In-universe information | |
| Affiliation | Kirkwall |
| Family | Malcolm Hawke (father) Leandra Amell (mother) Bethany Hawke (sister) Carver Hawke (brother) Gamlen Amell (uncle) Charade Amell (cousin) Human Warden - Magi Origin (cousin) |
Hawke is a character from BioWare's Dragon Age media franchise, first appearing as the player character of the 2011 video game Dragon Age II. Hawke is the eldest child of the human Hawke family and hails from the nation of Ferelden in the world of Thedas, the setting of the Dragon Age franchise. The opening sequence of Dragon Age II follows Hawke's family as they flee northwards to the Free Marches region as refugees from the invading Darkspawn hordes. Settling down in the city-state of Kirkwall soon after arrival, Hawke emerges as a prominent figure within the span of a decade, rising in power and influence to become the "Champion of Kirkwall". Hawke is a pivotal figure behind the origins of the worldwide conflict between the setting's magicians ("Mage" within series fiction) and their custodians the Templar Order, and also plays an important role during a subsequent extradimensional invasion of Thedas by demonic beings as depicted in Dragon Age: Inquisition.
Hawke's gender, class, first name and facial appearance is defined by the player during the character creation menu. The character's core personality, political affiliations, and personal relationships with companion characters is gradually shaped by the player's cumulative choices and actions over the course of the game's narrative. However, Hawke has a distinct origin story and character arc within the narrative of Dragon Age II, and is neither a hero nor a villain as the game has no morality system. British actors Nicholas Boulton and Jo Wyatt voiced the male and female Hawke respectively. A version of the character who is male and a mage was featured prominently in marketing and promotional material for Dragon Age II.
Overall reception towards Hawke, much like Dragon Age II itself, was initially divisive. Several critics have retrospectively analyzed Hawke as an atypical and tragic video game protagonist who is not meant to be empowered with full agency over the narrative of Dragon Age II, finding merit in BioWare's creative vision for the character.