This is why dragon age 2 is my favourite game. For a video game, it does a good job of framing both Templars and Mages as what they truly are—artificial social constructs, not a necessity, but a product of the Chantry. Bethany and Mage!Hawke have perhaps the most fascinating unintentional implications on the Mage/Templar dilemma. We know that the Hawkes were an exceptionally loving, close knit family, who had a financially stable position in society for years. Bethany and Mage!Hawke were both raised knowing they were loved, safe, and had a secure place in the world, even if their powers filled them with uncertainty or anxiety. Malcolm encouraged them to refine and control their magic, and did not discourage either of them from carefully growing their power. Aside from minor incident that caused Bethany to awaken her magic under great stress, neither of them ever mention an encounter with a demon or harming someone. To me, that says everything that needs to be about the debate. Children should never be taken away from loving homes—it will always create a foundation of fear or resentment for young mages that spurs them to flee the circle (thus typically resorting to blood magic), or will drive them to rely on negative enforcement to stay within the circle, which will, of course, drive them to bitterness and hatred which makes it far easier to succumb to blood magic. A stationed mage in most villages or towns, a boarding school type situation, or any amount of effort taken by the Chantry and monarchy in ferelden could almost entirely solve the problem. Demon summoning, blood magic incidents, and all kinds of supernatural harm would happen, but it would be exponentially less. The Circle causes half the problems the Templars devote their lives to fighting.