Actually, all of the questions you raise are topics that I've been meaning to write about. :D
Cullen in Act 1 with a mage Hawke: For the most part, I agree that Cullen's lines in Act 1 fail to make sense because Obvious Mage Hawke Is Clearly Obvious after the entire Wilmod's Camp fiasco. We seem to have with three possible explanations:
1. Whoops, giant plot hole! (Thus, the writers are at fault--something they've alluded to) 2. Cullen takes bribes, which feels very out of character (but perhaps you and I are wrong, Cullen isn't as squeaky clean as we think, and he took bribes from Varric?) 3. Cullen knows that he would have died when Wilmod turned into an abomination so he looks the other way for now because Hawke is helpful, even though Hawke is a mage.
To me, the third explanation makes the most sense, especially since Cullen gives mage!Hawke the same warning he gives to non-mage!Hawke about Bethany once Hawke has enough (or almost enough?) coin to go on the deep roads expedition: "I've been hearing disturbing rumors about you/your sister, Hawke. I hope they aren't true."
Personally, all of Hawke's interactions with Cullen during Act 1 reminded me so much of real life experiences I've had with racial passing. Lots of subtle shit (and I do mean *shit*) in which people look the other way and wave me through even when spouting loud, hurtful, shitful words about Those People.
So, when Cullen has his "mages aren't people like you and me" moment, I think there is a lot more going on than what fandom usually says about that line. On one hand, Cullen is right, despite his assholian way of saying what he says -- a fact that doesn't go overlooked by in-game characters such as Macha who calls him out on what he says. Mages really aren't like non-mages. They have additional powers. They are mages. Society has reasons for fearing mages, despite the moral implications involved in this. Mages require additional kinds of training that non-mages do not require in order to safely develop their powers. Cullen is a flaming neon asshole when he makes his "mages aren't people like you and me" statement to a mage hawke, but what he says has a basis in reality and if the writers knowingly did this, I give them a lot of credit for correctly representing *the ugly side* of reality. This kind of comment is something that happens far too often when people are wrestling with their fears and prejudices -- the "well, all XYZ people are lazy, dangerous thugs except for you because you have an education/job/moderate viewpoint and aren't like THEM" bullshit that occurs far too often.
I have a lot more to say about this but it is better off in an essay of its own. :)
...
Dissent - Yes. I actually have a lot to say on this based on actual reports about sexual predators in the military and how they "successfully" (yuck) cover up their activities for years by exploiting the chain of command. We don't know what happened in the gallows but I find it far easier to understand the tranquility-sex-slave situation with Alrik when he is acting as a calculating sexual predator who is (literally) raping the rules of the hierarchical system that he's a part of. This is a topic for a much longer discussion at another time.
no subject
Cullen in Act 1 with a mage Hawke: For the most part, I agree that Cullen's lines in Act 1 fail to make sense because Obvious Mage Hawke Is Clearly Obvious after the entire Wilmod's Camp fiasco. We seem to have with three possible explanations:
1. Whoops, giant plot hole! (Thus, the writers are at fault--something they've alluded to)
2. Cullen takes bribes, which feels very out of character (but perhaps you and I are wrong, Cullen isn't as squeaky clean as we think, and he took bribes from Varric?)
3. Cullen knows that he would have died when Wilmod turned into an abomination so he looks the other way for now because Hawke is helpful, even though Hawke is a mage.
To me, the third explanation makes the most sense, especially since Cullen gives mage!Hawke the same warning he gives to non-mage!Hawke about Bethany once Hawke has enough (or almost enough?) coin to go on the deep roads expedition: "I've been hearing disturbing rumors about you/your sister, Hawke. I hope they aren't true."
Personally, all of Hawke's interactions with Cullen during Act 1 reminded me so much of real life experiences I've had with racial passing. Lots of subtle shit (and I do mean *shit*) in which people look the other way and wave me through even when spouting loud, hurtful, shitful words about Those People.
So, when Cullen has his "mages aren't people like you and me" moment, I think there is a lot more going on than what fandom usually says about that line. On one hand, Cullen is right, despite his assholian way of saying what he says -- a fact that doesn't go overlooked by in-game characters such as Macha who calls him out on what he says. Mages really aren't like non-mages. They have additional powers. They are mages. Society has reasons for fearing mages, despite the moral implications involved in this. Mages require additional kinds of training that non-mages do not require in order to safely develop their powers. Cullen is a flaming neon asshole when he makes his "mages aren't people like you and me" statement to a mage hawke, but what he says has a basis in reality and if the writers knowingly did this, I give them a lot of credit for correctly representing *the ugly side* of reality. This kind of comment is something that happens far too often when people are wrestling with their fears and prejudices -- the "well, all XYZ people are lazy, dangerous thugs except for you because you have an education/job/moderate viewpoint and aren't like THEM" bullshit that occurs far too often.
I have a lot more to say about this but it is better off in an essay of its own. :)
...
Dissent - Yes. I actually have a lot to say on this based on actual reports about sexual predators in the military and how they "successfully" (yuck) cover up their activities for years by exploiting the chain of command. We don't know what happened in the gallows but I find it far easier to understand the tranquility-sex-slave situation with Alrik when he is acting as a calculating sexual predator who is (literally) raping the rules of the hierarchical system that he's a part of. This is a topic for a much longer discussion at another time.