It's also likely that Merrill would have taken Bellara's place in The Veilguard if it wasn't possible for Hawke to kill her in Dragon Age 2, as many of the thread's commenters have pointed out.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard devs confirm that Hawke won't be part of the story this time. Instead, the Inquisitor will make an appearance. It's unclear if the other protag, The Warden, will be ...

Throughout Dragon Age: The Veilguard, recurring chess motifs may hint toward BioWare's use of castling within its narrative between Rook and Solas.