While fan-favorite character Isabela may be adored by Dragon Age's fanbase, her hidden backstory reveals a terrible sin in her past. Isabela is the self-proclaimed "pirate queen," and was featured prominently in the 2011 video game Dragon Age II, but her backstory is fully fleshed out in the 2012 comic Dragon Age: Those Who Speak. Fans have often enjoyed her sarcasm and laid-back persona, yet a crucial piece of information calls her entire character into question.
It's no understatement to say that Isabela is a complicated person with an even more complicated past. Her outward devil-may-care attitude belies a hidden conflict that leads to erratic actions in the comic and culminates in the reveal of her insidious past. The comic begins with Isabela's team conning their way into a fancy party in the Tevinter Imperium - a nation built by Elven slaves and ruled by mages. The party quickly devolves into chaotic violence that fans see Isabela clearly relishes. The climax occurs when she stabs her former lover and slave trafficker Lord Devon. Outwardly Isabela revels in this action. However, it becomes very obvious that this is the culmination of a decade's worth of pent up rage, shame, and torment.
The source of her animosity towards Devon is made clear with the reveal that he was present, and partially responsible, for Isabela’s most shameful moment. When Isabela became a pirate she decided to enter the slave-trafficking business to pay off her debts. Devon hired her to transport slaves on her ship the Siren's Call. This reveal is shocking and provides future context for her intense dislike of slave trafficking. Unfortunately, halfway through the journey, they cross paths with an Orlesian ship - a group renowned for executing slave traders. When Isabela was unable to outmaneuver the Orlesians due to Devon surpassing the hold capacity, she took drastic action. The weight of all those people made it impossible to flee, so Isabela had her crew throw the slaves overboard, one by one, so they wouldn’t have the opportunity to mobilize, and she and Devon escaped. Dragon Age: Those Who Speak #2 comes from David Gaider, Alexander Freed, and Chad Hardin.
Years later, Isabela remains deeply ashamed of herself, and this culminates with her stabbing Devon in the heart. This is a series of big narrative moments for Isabela and the fans. Not only is her monstrous backstory finally brought to light after hints in Kirkwall, but she also executes Lord Devon. It's clear Isabela is still suffering from some type of misplaced anger when she enacts revenge for his role in the deaths for which she was ultimately responsible. Despite her regret, the callous disregard she exhibited for human life is shocking for fans of the comic series and games, and completely changes the context surrounding her character.
This Dragon Age backstory turns a beloved party member into a far more monstrous figure. Although Isabela clearly feels guilt and struggles with her actions, the atrocities add a twisted element to her character that is impossible to ignore. Slave traffickers are irredeemable in Dragon Age society, so to align Isabela with this poses an interesting moral quandary for fans in both the comics and the videogames.