Since the dawn of the Dragon Age franchise in 2009, players have met, adventured and saved the world with over 30 companions in the land of Thedas. There have been a multitude of NPCs, some of whom hold special places in player's hearts, and others they hope to never meet again. In the Dragon Age 4 trailer released during The Game Awards, BioWare confirmed that two important characters will make appearances: Varric Tethras and Solas.
Varric has been a fan favorite since his debut in Dragon Age 2, with fans hoping each time he reappears they'll finally have the chance to romance him. Solas comes with a mixed bag of fans and foes who either want to save him or destroy him. With the game heading to Tevinter, the opportunity to team up with a whole host of a new companions is exciting, but there are always characters fans want to see again.
Fenris
Former slave of Tevinter and potential romance for either a male or female player, Fenris has been incredibly busy since parting ways with Hawke. According to the Dark Horse comic Dragon Age: The Blue Wraith, Fenris teamed up with a Dalish elf named Shirallas to free elven slaves from a Tevinter magister named Nenealeus. Fenris and Shirallas did not see eye to eye and went their separate ways, with Shirallas becoming a mage-killer for Magister Nenealeus.
As the story progressed, it became obvious that Fenris felt somewhat slighted by his time with Hawke in Kirkwall, claiming that he no longer works with groups because, after Kirkwall, they all went their separate ways. This made him believe people only keep a person around so long as they need their power. With Fenris working in Tevinter, there is a strong possibility he could appear in the next game, perhaps as a recommendation by Varric to the new player character.
Dorian Pavus
At the end of the Inquisition, companion Dorian Pavus returned to Tevinter to take his deceased father's seat the Magisterium. He planned to use this position to make many of the much needed changes he felt Tevinter required to become a better presence in the world. He went on to make an appearance in the Dark Horse companion comic, Dragon Age: Deception, and in the companion short story collection, Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights.
Dorian's time in the Inquisition empowered him in such a way that he felt strong enough to return to Tevinter and make a real difference. There is a strong possibility he could return in the fourth game, perhaps even bringing The Iron Bull and his Chargers into the story with him.
Shale
Introduced in Dragon Age: Origins - The Stone Prisoner, the golem Shale traveled the world with fellow Origins companion Wynne after the Fifth Blight in search of a mage to help them escape the prison of their own body. With Wynne's death in the companion novel, Dragon Age: Asunder, no one actually knows what became of Shale, but assuredly they continued the search for a way to become dwarven again.
Nowhere in Thedas is magic more prominent than Tevinter, and while the majority of the magisters there seem hungry for power, that hunger often leads them to unique and interesting magical discoveries. Considering the fact that Dorian's former mentor, Magister Gerion Alexius, found a way to alter time to grant Corypheus power and preserve his dying son's life, it certainly seems like a good place for a golem looking to be made flesh again to find someone with the knowledge to help them achieve that.
Cassandra Pentaghast
Despite their constant (and often aggressive) banter since Dragon Age 2, it seems like wherever Varric is, Cassandra Pentaghast isn't usually far behind. Depending upon the player's choices in Inquisition, Cassandra could become the next Divine, which would certainly put her in the running to make an appearance in the next game. Imagine a showdown between the just and powerful Divine Victoria and the Black Divine of Tevinter.
A steadfast warrior with a noble heart, Cassandra would be the perfect force to send into Tevinter in an effort to stop the corruption there, regardless of her position as the Divine. She seeks justice, and given all that's been revealed about the Imperium over the years, Tevinter is certainly a place in need of that.
Zevran Arainai
Fan favorite and potential romance to the Grey Warden player character in Origins, Zevran Arainai went on to make a brief appearance in Dragon Age 2, and his efforts to wreak havoc within the Antivan Crows took him all over Thedas. There was a Zevran-specific War Table mission in Inquisition where he offered his services for a modest fee to his old friend, Leliana, but he did not make an appearance.
Trying to determine what role Zevran might play in Tevinter in the upcoming game is more difficult, though not entirely impossible. Most fans simply want a chance to see, hear and interact with him again, regardless of the role he takes on.
With so many past companions in the rear view, the focus in the upcoming game will certainly shift to meeting new companions, winning their friendship and favor or their ultimate rivalry. Still, fans can't help longing for the relationships they built over the years. Each and every companion in the franchise has had the potential to become a treasured friend or lover, and the idea that players may be able to spend more time with them again is an exciting prospect.