azuremosquito:

snowywyvern:

Dig around in Vivienne’s character, and her dialogue with Cole and Bull in particular, and there is an implication beneath it all that her ambition and her political machinations and all of it is directly motivated by getting herself out of reach of the templars and in a position where she’s in control for once.

“She’s afraid! Everything bright, roar of anger as the demon rears. No, I will not fall. No one will ever control me again. Flash of white as the world comes back. Shaking, hollow, Harrowed, but smiling at templars to show them I’m me.”
—Cole reading Vivienne (x)

Bolded for emphasis. Mind the “again.” Cole then implies she’s afraid of templars, telling her he can protect her if they come for her. She’s unsettled.

Vivienne: “I understand that under the Qun mages are tightly controlled to protect others from their power.”
Iron Bull: "You don’t need to worry. I don’t have the intention to trying to leash anyone.”
Vivienne: ”I never worry, darling. A leash can be pulled from either end.”
—Bull & Vivienne banter (x)

With that last line there, the “leash” one, she’s essentially saying that if someone attempts to take control over her, she will find a way to twist it in her favor. She is speaking from experience there. That’s what she’s been doing and is still doing. That’s her game, her motive. She is pulling the leash.

You know, I read this dialogue as applying to demons, not templars. To me, I’ve never seen her show any fear of templars. She advocates very strongly for their presence, and that mages are dangerous. Consider her attitude toward Cole, adamantly calling him a demon and to get rid of him. She speaks often of the dangers mages pose and that templars are needed for everyone’s safety. She disapproves greatly if you make the mages allies and don’t put templar safeguards in place. 

Also, per Cole’s dialogue, he’s obviously talking about her experiences with demons in the Fade. Then he says he can protect her if they come back again. Even if you side with the mages, there are some templars/former templars at Skyhold. There are templars around Vivienne. Why would they come for her? Cole as a spirit seems better equipped to keep her demons at bay. You say “Cole implies she’s afraid of templars” but didn’t include that dialogue so I looked it up on the wiki. Here’s the whole scene:

Cole: You’re afraid. You don’t have to be.
Vivienne: My dear Inquisitor, please restrain your pet demon. I do not want it addressing me.

(If Inquisitor supports Cole)

Inquisitor: He’s not doing any harm, Vivienne.
Vivienne: It’s a demon, darling. All it can do is harm.

(If Inquisitor supports Vivienne)

Inquisitor: Cole, Vivienne doesn’t want to talk right now.

Cole: She’s afraid!
Cole: Everything bright, roar of anger as the demon rears. No, I will not fall. No one will ever control me again.
Cole: Flash of white as the world comes back. Shaking, hollow, Harrowed, but smiling at templars to show them I’m me.
Cole: I am not like that. I can protect you. If templars come for you, I will kill them.
Vivienne: Delightful. [X]

Again, that seems to me like he’s reassuring her on the subject of demons. She refers to Cole as “demon” more than once and he tells her “I’m not like that.” This whole banter reads to me as Cole trying to reassure her that she doesn’t have to be afraid of him because he’s not one of those demons. It almost makes me think she’s been possessed before and got free of it. It could be why she’s such a staunch supporter of the necessity of the Circle and the templars as safeguards to watch over the mages. 

I played two mages that were anti-Circle and I got a lot of dialogue from Vivienne about how “all mages are dangerous and they need to realize it”. The inquisitor can then ask something to the effect of “does that mean you also think you’re a danger?” and she replies that we all are and to not take precautions is foolish, especially with the Breach and demons running rampant. 

Also, some of Vivienne’s banter with Bull:

Iron Bull: So, ma’am, you’re alright with the Inquisition brining in templars?
Vivienne: Of course! Magic works best when responsibly supervised for the safety and protection of all.
───────
Iron Bull: So, ma’am, you must be pleased bought in all those rebel mages.
Vivienne: Hardly. Magic is dangerous, and with the Inquisition’s alliance the mages are now dangerously independent.
───────
Iron Bull: Your views of magic don’t quite match with what I was taught about mages outside the Qun.
Vivienne: Life is a series of necessary restrictions, Iron Bull. The small minded beat against every wall they find. The wise learn to make the most of the options they have.

——————-

Iron Bull: So was it like that when you went through your harrowing to become a circle mage?
Vivienne: No. My harrowing was nothing like that.
Iron Bull: At least I don’t have to worry from crap from the Fade trying to kill us anymore.
Vivienne: Why not?
Iron Bull: We kicked the nightmare’s ass! You gotta figure any demon is gonna think twice before coming after us now.
Vivienne: Actually the depth of emotion you experience might draw demons to you more strongly.
Iron Bull: Oh for shit’s sake.

^ That last one could explain part of why she maintains such a cool, unemotional demeanor. 

Some Viv/Solas banter:

Vivienne: So, an apostate?
Solas: That is correct, Enchanter. I did not train in your Circle.
Vivienne: Well, dear, I hope you can take care of yourself, should we encounter anything outside your experience. [x]

The wiki’s incomplete so I can’t check everything, but from what I’m seeing, all of her character’s concern with apostates vs. the Circle and the Templars is that she is incredibly wary of possession by demons.