Anders/Hawke

Anders/Hawke, also known as Handers, is the pairing of Anders and Hawke from Dragon Age II. It can be either het or slash depending on if the player romances Anders with a female Hawke (Fhanders) or male Hawke (Mhanders).
==Canon==
Anders will flirt with Hawke, whether male or female, early in their acquaintance. He is eager to earn Hawke's approval and allegiance. Romancing him does not significantly affect his main storyline in Dragon Age II.
As with all companion relationships in Dragon Age II, Hawke's relationship with Anders may be supportive or antagonistic, with a romantic relationship being possible in either case, referred to in fandom as "friendmance" and "rivalmance," respectively. Anders's friendmance path generally involves Hawke being supportive of the rights of mages and critical of the Chantry, whereas the rivalmance involves Hawke being skeptical or critical of the mage rights movement and supportive of the Chantry. However, not all decisions that give Friendship or Rivalry points are related to this ideological divide, which can result in dialogue-gameplay dissonance if, for example, a mage-friendly Hawke rivalmances Anders, as once the type of relationship is locked in, all Anders's dialogue assumes Hawke is pro- or anti-mage, accordingly. 
In Dragon Age: Inquisition, Hawke expresses a degree of disapproval of Anders's actions to the Inquisitor regardless of the player's actual choices in Dragon Age II, which frustrated many players who were sympathetic to Anders.
==Fandom==
As a returning character from Awakening (and already a moderately popular, though non-canonical shipping partner for player characters), Anders was a popular love interest early after the release of Dragon Age II. This was complicated by his polarizing plot trajectory as more fans finished the game, with some fans abandoning the ship, while others embraced it more strongly. 
A subset of Handers shipping also prominently involves the Fade spirit, Justice, in various roles, including as part of an OT3."| Lots of Words On Why Hawke Should Smooch An Abstract Concept" by Firelight_and_Rain on AO3
====Tropes in Fanworks====
* Hurt/Comfort - Anders's history of poor treatment at the hands of the Templars and other canonical traumatic events make this a popular theme in Handers fanworks
* Mutual Pining - Anders's in-game romance dialogue suggests a longstanding romantic interest in Hawke developed well before they get together, which is prominently explored in many fanworks
==Fanworks==
====Fanart====
With female!Hawke
* hey, spirit ~ <3 by 1ichen
* A little balm for my soul by alienturnipp
* Let's start the year with a dance, shall we? by alienturnipp
* Nothing can keep me away from you by alienturnipp
* Oh, my love, what have we done? by alienturnipp
* Apostates by arisupaints
* so uhh there's these two apostates and i like them the normal amount by artist-rat
* i want to cast fireball and im never going to play inquisition by brilleg
* Anders and Saoirse by CarrotCakeBandit
* hawke and anders by CarrotCakeBandit
* Wending Wood by CarrotCakeBandit
* Hawke's mage husband is kinda cringe but that’s ok by cybercrocss
* Anders x Hawke by faietiya
* Anders x Hawke by faietiya
* Handers, commissioned by my friend by fleshwerks
* Ten years from now, a hundred years from now..." by hawkeish
* Anders x Hawke by i-am-shepard-commander
* Anders x Hawke by king-of-the-knights
* they're in love by keyblademermaiden
* Blankets by Lingering-Song
* Kiss it and make it better? by Lingering-Song
* This will be a disaster by Lingering-Song
* Safe and Sound by LittleSweetie
* Anders x Hawke by milly0309
* Through chaos as it swirls/It's us against the world by mothdogs
* Anders x Hawke by naomimakesart
* After the Battle by noctuaalba
* Mirella Hawke and Anders: Two lovey-dovey Mage birds by pandamothium
* Anders x Hawke by prosoop
* Anders x Hawke by prosoop
* Anders x Hawke by prosoop
* Anders x Hawke by prosoop
* Don’t cry I’m not dead by prosoop
* dug up an old sketch by prosoop
* night night by prosoop
* a simple hug by prosoop
* Anders x Hawke by pxkibu
With male!Hakwe
* Hawke x Anders by Ami-Fly
* three years of UST by Ami-Fly
* screenshot redraw (kinda) because i'm replaying these idiots by arisell
* smooch by arisell
* Anders x Hawke by argor-hands-hooks
* No mage I know has ever dared to fall in love... by blatterburys (NSFW)
* Save me by Blutoo
* no mage I know has ever dared to fall in love by cansofbees
* Anders x Hawke by cap-danger-99
* Garrett, I am working! by the-clock-is-set-for-nine
* a cat person, huh by dorkishdorkish1905
* Look at these two adorable nerds! by factorykat
* Anders x Hawke by giffex
* The Lovers Tarot for Anders and Adalwolfe Hawke by heinrippy
* I love to see you smile by jessicamariana
* Hawkeanders by Kazekuart (NSFW)
* "I lied. There is no potion." by lich-loved
* You had a vision they couldn't see so by lich-loved
* ahhhhhhhhhh by maturiin
* Anders x Hawke by mothdogs
* i discovered this vintage gay tumblr and i kept giggling at all the poses!! by muckkles
* Handers by niksonsh
* Your honor, they’re married—court adjourned by noswordstyle
* So um, the original post was hidden :3 by not-shy-of-a-spark (NSFW)
* Anders x Hawke by pandahart
* Anders x Hawke by piskmage
* ive been drawing handers none stop someone please take dragon age away from me by piskmage
* Anders x Hawke by petitpotato
* Anders ♥ Hawke by pookydraws
* Anders x Hawke by queen-schadenfreude
* Anders x Hawke by queen-schadenfreude
* nobody does romance like apostates do by ratwhisperer2
* Anders x Hawke by raxacorica
* ponytail boyfriends by rebelrevolutionary
* For No Good Reason by storybookhawke
* safe and sound! by tantaliart 
* Anders x Hawke by verbjectives
====Fanfiction====
====Cosplay====
* Hawke and Anders by ArcaneArchery (male!Hawke)
* Dragon Age Cosplay09 – Eisblumen as Anders, Kiriye as Hawke (female!Hawke)
* Dragon Age Cosplay 08 – same as above (female!Hawke)
* DAII - Anders and Hawke - This won't hurt anymore by MilliganVick (female!Hawke)
* DAII - Want to see what's under these robes?.. by MilliganVick (female!Hawke) (NSFW)
* Anders and Hawke (Cosplay) by OvoshPolufabrikat (female!Hawke)
* Anders and Hawke Cosplay by OvoshPolufabrikat (female!Hawke)
* Anders|Hawke by OvoshPolufabrikat (female!Hawke)
* This is the will of justice by paszulyEstonia (female!Hawke)
* One last choice by Raikk0 (male!Hawke)
* Dragon Age 2 - Hawke and Anders Cosplay by zahnpasta (male!Hawke)
=== Zines ===
* Another Time, Maybe
* Confession from Andersfels
==Gallery==
===Fanart===
File:Anders and Hawke 1 by anobouzo.jpg|Art by anobouzo (female Hawke) 
File:New Morning by anobouzo.jpg|New Morning by ‎ anobouzo (female Hawke) 
File:Birthday Mages by anobouzo.png|Birthday Mages by ‎ anobouzo (female Hawke) ‎ 
File:Comfort by AridanBlack.jpg|Comfort by AridanBlack – Featuring anobouzo's custom female Hawke.
File:Warm and Warmer by AridanBlack.jpg|‎Warm and Warmer by AridanBlack – Featuring anobouzo's custom female Hawke.
File:Dragon Age -Let the world burn by AlanaKai.jpg|Let the World Burn by AlanaKai (female Hawke)
File:Anders & Hawke by chantryBOOM.jpg|Hawke & Anders by chantryBOOM (female Hawke)
File:The Wounded Coast by demoxo.png|The Wounded Coast by demoxo (male Hawke)
File:Warmth of Your Love by Dungeon-Spirit.jpg|Warmth of Your Love by Dungeon-Spirit (female Hawke)
File:Hawke and Anders by Heisedebao.png|Hawke and Anders by Heisedebao – Featuring anobouzo's custom female Hawke.
File:I'll be your Miss Pounce-A-Lot by ilaEfra-chan.jpg|I'll be your Miss Pounce-A-Lot by ilaEfra-chan (female Hawke)
File:Anders and Hawke by MagpieSly.jpg|Chibi art by MagpieSly featuring anobouzo's custom female Hawke.
File:Dragon Age 2 - Kiss by maXKennedy.jpg|Kiss by maXKennedy (male Hawke)
File:Dragon Age 2 - Selfie by maXKennedy.jpg|Selfie by maXKennedy (male Hawke)
File:Dragon Age 2 - Spring by maXKennedy.jpg|Spring by maXKennedy (male Hawke)
File:Happy Valentine's Day by maXKennedy.jpg|Happy Valentine's Day by maXKennedy (male Hawke) – Valentine's Day art of Hawke kissing Anders during the "Chantry Boom."
File:Hawke-Anders by mialove01.jpg|Hawke-Anders by mialove01 (female Hawke)
File:Time is Running Out by Mila-Valentine.jpg|Time is Running Out by Mila-Valentine (female Hawke)
File:Moment in the rain by Mistiqarts.jpg|Moment in the rain by Mistiqarts (female Hawke)
File:Hawke and anders by MsGY.jpg|Hawke and Anders by MsGY (female Hawke)
File:Wyatt and Anders by NikeMV.jpg|Wyatt and Anders by NikeMV (male Hawke)
File:Hawke & Anders bysquarerootofdestiny.jpg|Hawke/Anders by squarerootofdestiny - Featuring anobouzo's custom female Hawke.
File:A Safe, Warm Place by TeaDarkA.png|A Safe, Warm Place by TeaDarkA (male Hawke)
File:Hawke and Anders by wayleri.jpg|Hawke and Anders by wayleri – Featuring anobouzo's custom female Hawke.
File:I won't let you go by Youtsuba-no-Clover.jpg|I won't let you go by Yotsuba-no-Clover (female Hawke)
===Cosplay===
File:Anders and Hawke Cosplay by OvoshPolufabrikat.jpg|Anders/f!Hawke cosplay by the Russian cosband OvoshPolufabrikat.
File:Anders and Hawke Cosplay 2 by OvoshPolufabrikat.jpg|OvoshPolufabrikat as Anders and f!Hawke.
==Archives & Fannish Links==
* Anders/Female Hawke works at AO3
* Anders/Male Hawke works at AO3
* Anders x Hawke tag on Tumblr
* Handers tag on Tumblr
* Fhanders and F!handers tags on Tumblr
* Mhanders and M!handers tags on Tumblr
==References==
Category:Dragon Age Relationships
Category:Het Pairings
Category:Slash Pairings
Category:Social Media Feature-Ship Sunday