CullenWarden

CullenWarden is the het ship between Cullen Rutherford and the Warden from the Dragon Age fandom.

Canon
''This is the relationship between Cullen and a female mage Warden, as the relationship between Cullen and a non-mage/male Warden is strictly different and nearly non-existent.

Dragon Age: Origins
After the Warden’s successful Harrowing, she can run up to Cullen, her Templar charge. She finds him stuttering when greeted by her. When asked why he’s doing that, Cullen claims he’s fine and that he’s glad to see her Harrowing went smoothly. Had the Warden’s Harrowing gone, Cullen would have had no choice but strike her down, telling her “he would’ve felt terrible about it.” He reiterates by stating that he serves the Chantry and the Maker, and he will do as commanded. Standing in an open hallway, the Warden may suggest that she and he go elsewhere to “continue [their] discussion,” leading to Cullen awkwardly looking around, questioning, ''“Elsewhere? What do you mean?”'' She can outright voice that she sees the way Cullen looks at her. Cullen stammers over his words, stating that what she’s suggesting would be inappropriate. Before she can say more, Cullen runs way from her, embarrassed.

The next time Cullen and the Warden meet is when Cullen is locked in a magical prison within the Circle Tower, having been tortured by Desire demons. Cullen, upon seeing the Warden and her company, will comment to himself about “this trick again” and “staying strong”. He believes the woman before him is another trick set up by the demons in order to torment him, using his “ill-advised infatuation” with the Warden against him. With the Warden’s help, he is able to be freed from the prison he’s in and be freed from the mind tricks of her.

Quotes
"Sifting through my thoughts… tempting me with the one thing I’ve always wanted but could never have… using my shame against me… my ill-advised infatuation with her… a mage, of all things."

- Cullen’s torment, Dragon Age: Origins.

"I knew an Amell once… she was a special woman. Never met her like again."

- Cullen, fondly remembering an Amell, ''Dragon Age 2.

Fanon
Any sort of romance can only be initiated by a female mage – Amell (human mage) or Surana (elf mage). CullenWarden is lightly shipped, as the player can create the canon they want. Between the two options, a female Amell is more commonly featured than a female Surana.

Due to Cullen’s world view in the earlier games, fans appreciate how he changes for the better in the 3rd game, Inquisition. When asked by the Inquisitor about a female Amell or female Surana – the Hero of Ferelden now – he tells them how he wishes she knew how sorry he was for the things he had said to her when she found/rescued him in the tower during the Blight from the first game. This dialogue from Cullen owning his past mistakes was taken well by most fans, especially by those who enjoy the Cullen/Warden pair.

In the past, fans of the pair had wanted more from the ship, leading to a popular mod being created where Cullen doesn’t run away from the Warden and two sneak off to kiss in a few extra scenes. This mod however is no longer available online.

Fandom
FAN FICTION
 * Cullen/Amell tag on FanFiction.net
 * Cullen/Surana tag on FanFiction.net
 * Cullen/Amell tag on FanFiction.net
 * Cullen/Surana tag on FanFiction.net
 * Cullen/Surana tag on FanFiction.net

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