How do I get Isabella back?

To get Isabella back in Dragon Age 2, you must have a Friendship or Rivalry score of fifty or greater, and her final Act 2 companion quest must be completed, after which she will return to the party at the climax of Act 2. If romanced, she will return even if Questioning Beliefs was not completed, and she will also return with the relic for the Arishok.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

1. How do you get Isabella back in Act 3?: You should have a quest at the start of Act 3 stating that she’s shown up again at the Hanged Man, then you go have a chat with her and she will rejoin your party.
2. What happens if you don’t recruit Isabella?: If you miss the opportunity to recruit her in Act 1, she’s gone for the rest of the game, and she only appears when you go into the Hanged Man at night.
3. Can you miss Isabella in Dragon Age 2?: Yes, you can miss Isabella if you don’t get her in Act 1, and she’s gone for good.

Romance and Relationships

4. How do I romance Isabella?: After Deep Roads, go see her at the bar, then return to your estate, and she should be there looking around, just keep flirting with her and she will go to bed with you.
5. Can you romance Fenris after sleeping with Isabella?: Yes, you can romance Fenris after sleeping with Isabella, but this won’t let you romance Isabella fully.
6. Who is the best person to romance in Dragon Age 2?: Isabela is one of the two female companions that can be romanced in Dragon Age 2, and she might be a controversial pick.

Quests and Missions

7. Should I give the relic to Qunari or Isabella?: Give the relic to Isabela and receive a flood of approval from Isabela and fellow companions.
8. What happens if you give Isabella to the Qunari?: If you return the relic to the Qunari, you run into quite the tiff when you enter the Foundry, and Isabela leaves to pursue the relic.
9. How do I keep Isabella from leaving Dragon Age 2?: She’ll come back later on as long as you have enough friendship or rivalry, and you did all her quests in Act II.

Character Information

10. Is Isabela male or female romance in Dragon Age 2?: Note that Isabela, Merrill, Anders, and Fenris can be romanced regardless of your sex.
11. Is Isabela Black in Dragon Age?: She’s white or Mediterranean, and BioWare’s description of her race is pretty much “Dark skinned“, yet she’s obviously not black, middle eastern, asian or anything to that extent.
12. Why is Isabella the golden child?: Being the first grandchild of the Madrigals, she is described as the “golden child” of the family due to her grace, beauty, and gift.

Gameplay

13. Do I help Aveline or Isabela?: You’ll have to pick between Aveline and Isabela, but no matter which you choose, you’ll still be able to complete this quest.
14. Can you miss Isabela Dragon Age 2?: You only get to recruit Isabela in Act 1, and if you forgot to do so before progressing to Act 2, you permanently missed her and you can’t recruit her unless you roll back to an earlier save.
15. When can you recruit Isabela?: The opportunity to recruit the foxy vixen doesn’t come until after the Tranquility quest in Act 1, when you visit The Hanged Man and witness an amusing spectacle involving Isabela’s complete and utter victory over several unruly patrons.