Anders/Karl

Anders/Karl, also known as Kanders, is the canonical slash pairing of Anders and Karl Thekla from Dragon Age II.
==Canon==
Anders and Karl were romantically involved during their time as Circle mages at Kinloch Hold. Eventually, Karl was moved to the Gallows in Kirkwall, leading Anders to unsuccessfully try to escape to follow him. After his final escape from the Gallows, Anders went to Kirkwall and lived in hiding, hoping to one day free Karl. There he meets Hawke, the player character, with whom he can enter a new relationship. With Hawke's help, Anders breaks into the Gallows to free Karl, only to discover that Karl has been made Tranquil (a kind of magical lobotomy). The power of the spirit Justice inside Anders briefly restores Karl to a lucid state. Karl asks Anders to mercy kill him. Anders reluctantly complies.
==Fannish Reception==
==="Bury Your Gays" Criticism===
While some have praised the Anders/Karl backstory in Dragon Age II, others have criticized it as an example of the bury your gays trope, given the tragic fate that Karl unavoidably meets in the game.Heather Alexandra, "Let Queer Characters Be Happy", Kotaku Australia, June 27, 2018
Fans have commented on how the trope is made worse by how little mention the Anders/Karl relationship receives in DA2:
===Omission from Female Hawke Script===
In DA2, Anders will reveal the romantic nature of his relationship with Karl to a male Hawke, but simply presents Karl as a dear friend to a female Hawke. David Gaider explained in a 2011 interview with GameSpy that writer Jennifer Hepler "didn't think [Anders] would" reveal his history with Karl to a female Hawke and wanted to enable "a player who prefers to think of Anders as straight" to do so.Lara Crigger, "Putting the Gay in Games: The Industry's Evolving Attitudes Toward Sexuality", GameSpy, July 8, 2011 He further confirmed that the Anders/Karl backstory is canonical rather than conditional, stating that "no matter who the player is, Karl was always someone [Anders] was romantically involved with."
The omission of any mention of Karl for female Hawke players has drawn criticism.Jessica Hylton, "LGBTQIA Inclusion in Dragon Age: Inquisition: Burning Down Stereotypes and Modding for Representation", in Women and Video Game Modding: Essays on Gender and the Digital Community"From Embracing Eternity to Riding the Bull: Representations of Homosexuality and Gender in the Video Game Series Mass Effect and Dragon Age" by Kim Johansen Østby Many fans see this as not only biphobic and heteronormative, but as undercutting an important, meaningful aspect of Anders' arc for female Hawke players, since his grief over Karl forms a part of his anger toward the Chantry.
==Fanworks==
===Fanart===
**finger guns @ you* by a-charaid
*Your honor I love them by a-charaid
*honestly i'm obsessed with kinloch hold boyfriends by aeonars
*love is joy, love is true, love's a boy who loves you by aeonars
*you don't know how lucky you were, to have someone who loved you and could help you by aeonars
*Sketchy mages for a shipper by al-norton
*Anders and Karl by asnazum-art
*Kanders by Budgies
*Kanders by Budgies
*Kanders by Budgies
*i hope you learn to fall in love again by canalsobemoe
*Anders/Karl by cap-danger-99
*Anders/Karl by cap-danger-99
*Anders/Karl by cap-danger-99
*Anders/Karl kiss by choowy
*Anders/Karl by djkaeru
*And there will be no Templars to tear them apart drawsshits
*Karl death scene by drawsshits
*Anders/Karl by drawsshits
*poor boys by eggpy
*Anders/Karl by enrychan
*thinking about... them by freckled-knights
*they don't care that karl was someone’s son... someone's lover by freckled-knights
*Karl/Anders by iheartapostates
*Anders/Karl by jaegervega
*Kanders by kiivg
*first kiss by kisu-no-hi
*One Good Thing by kosmonauttihai
*Commission for muutant by ladymalstroemart
*Hopping on the bandwagon! by mrgabel
*sudden anders/karl feels by mrgabel
*A private lesson with Karl and Young Anders in the Circle by muutant
*Anders/Karl wedding by nambnb
*Anders/Karl by pinkfadespirit
*Blushing/Stolen Glances by pinkfadespirit
*a stolen moment in the Circle together by protect-him
*It's AU where everything is alright by pony-dwarf
*Anders/Karl hug by osatokun
*Candle Light by SarcoLaniar
*Illustration for "The Gratest Gift" (+ sketches) by SarcoLaniar (NSFW)
*Omelette du Frottage" by SarcoLaniar (NSFW)
*Anders/Karl by silverchimaera-art
*Anders/Karl by silverchimaera-art
*Anders/Karl by silverchimaera-art
*Anders/Karl kiss by silverchimaera-art
*lets not forget anders is good with kids by tabrisfam
===Fanfiction===
==Archives & Fannish Links==
* Anders/Karl Thekla works at AO3
* Anders x Karl tag on Tumblr
* Kanders tag on Tumblr
== References ==
Category:Dragon Age Relationships
Category:Slash Pairings