can't anthropomorphize galaxy, but can think of favorite nephew
Yeah, so. Extremely compromised doesn't even begin to cover my reaction to Mass Effect 2. I am so mad at everyone who endorsed my decision to buy these games. Friends don't let friends compromise their mental stability like this. You're all on my shit list, assholes.
WHERE DO I BEGIN, WHICH CHARACTERS SHOULD I TALK ABOUT FIRST.
Just joking, i'm starting with Shepard and Garrus. Some people told me that if i liked Garrus on ME i was gonna perish during ME2 and reader, i did. The entire Archangel mission had me in hysterics, literally. I screamed my way through every cutscene rather pathetically but oh boy, "you realize this plan has me walking into hell too? Just like old times" oh boy, "(Archangel) it's just a name the locals gave me for all my good deeds, i don't mind it but please...it's just Garrus to you" OH BOY. The game's basically plagued with little moments like the one during Mordin's recruitment mission, where Garrus basically tells Shepard he would venture into a quarantine zone potentially deadly for turians if she needs him by his side, which, SHE ONLY JUST GOT YOU BACK, VAKARIAN, CAN YOU NOT.
Look, of course every relationship has its allure, but even if you don't romance Garrus and just keep him as a friend (why would you, though), that's pretty much the best dynamic these games have, right there. It's a given that he will always have Shepard's back no matter what, but he will also straight up tell her when he thinks she's wrong and god, the banter. My main struggle during ME2 was that every squad member was fabulous and i wanted to bring them all along, but i also didn't wanna miss any Garrus commentary during missions, that shit's my lifeblood. Also his loyalty mission was hands down one of the best - mainly because it could go either way and still be believable. I can see paragon Shepard letting Garrus take the shot (because if that was her crew, she would be merciless), but i can also imagine her blocking it so she can save him. And by him i mean Garrus, obviously. It's never really about Sidonis. I chose to block the shot and the result was basically one of my favorite scenes in the whole saga; Shepard making Sidonis talk and Garrus hearing everything from his position, holding his sniper riffle, telling her to step aside because she's protecting a coward, and Shepard stubbornly refusing to give up on Garrus' grace.
Wow i should really stop talking about this now. But yeah, i romanced him, talks about reach and flexibility were had, unfortunate metaphors were used. It was great.
I love the original Normandy crew but man, the new character introductions were so good, i fell in love with everyone almost instantly. Miranda, Jack, Mordin, Thane, Legion, Grunt, Samara, EDI, Jacob... i can't honestly pick a favorite, they're all damaging levels of great (that's a blatant lie, Samara and Jacob are not that close to my heart but you know, still great). And the loyalty missions, i was all "THIS ONE'S MY FAVORITE SO FAR", and then another equally great came along. Terrible. I got goosebumps during so many parts, pretty much every conversation with Legion and Mordin was the stuff my nerd dreams are made of. And every time Jack showed some form of affection i emoted like a loser.
Talking about losers reminds me: K a i d a n. The sort-of-not-really reunion on Horizon was so great? I know a lot of you were disappointed because you wanted him to join your crew asap but dude, that's an aspect of their dynamic i'm fully prepared to embrace; bickering exes who care enough to antagonize each other! lots of heartfelt yelling! please tell me there's more of this in ME3 because i'm here for that kind of relationship always. Not for them to actually be together again, because the way their romance is handled is all kinds of disappointing to me, but like... maybe be implicit that they still have feelings and Shepard thinks Kaidan's an idiot who lets his good intentions get the best of him (i mean, he fucking trusted/joined the Alliance again after all the shit they pull them through, put him through, how naive can you be) but he's kinda her idiot so that's okay. The way i see it, as opposed to Garrus, who will literally follow Shepard into hell, Kaidan will only do it if he considers it's the moral thing to do. And yes, paragon Shepard is good, but she sometimes does this thing where she pees on every rule that she considers to be in the way of doing the right thing and i like to imagine Kaidan hyperventilating in the background, maybe sobbing, as she announces that next i think i'm gonna help the Illusive Man undertake the council just to mess with him. That's actually my dream setting for those two. The amount of feelings about Shepard/Kaidan i'm harboring was really not anticipated, i'll tell you that much.
It was super great having Tali on the Normandy again, and seeing Wrex! He was surprisingly warm, i was so fucking charmed. Best reintroduction goes to Joker, though, no contest. I teared up when he and Shepard stood side by side as The Normandy Reborn played, god, loser poet (shit shit shit, what the shit) pilot of my entire black heart, what even are you. And i've also been informed he and EDI are a thing that happens in ME3, so i'm at peace with the world since i pretty much spent every breathing moment between the cockpit and the main battery, all sprawled over Garrus to get a fraction of his attention. Seriously, thank you Bioware for actually going there. The beauty that i know Joker/EDI is gonna be almost makes me forgive you for not making Miranda an available romantic interest for femshep or you know, Shepard being unable to tap Thane's ass like once or twice and then continue her romance with Garrus. Thane's appeal is a legitimate problem, i'm so serious. Don't you dare call her siha one more time, you good looking alien assassin motherfucker, i swear to christ.
Things that got me real bad: Mordin in his entirety, Legion asking about his soul, Tali's "i did get better, Shepard, i got you", Jack/Miranda interactions (just put your faces together shhh trust me it'll help) and Grunt going "Shepard is my battlemaster, she has no match". You charming little shits, i suffered so much when i thought i was losing someone during the suicide mission. Those were roughly two hours of me yelling NONE OF YOU IDIOTS ARE ALLOWED TO DIE as i furiously hit every button.
Now that i'm finally done with my dissertation (jesus, 10/10 with high honors, i still can't believe it) i guess i'll be finished with ME3 in like a week, tops, and i'm... not ready for it to end. All that comes to mind when i think about saying goodbye to Shepard is Barcelona's Please don't go softly playing in the background as i sob.
WHERE DO I BEGIN, WHICH CHARACTERS SHOULD I TALK ABOUT FIRST.
Just joking, i'm starting with Shepard and Garrus. Some people told me that if i liked Garrus on ME i was gonna perish during ME2 and reader, i did. The entire Archangel mission had me in hysterics, literally. I screamed my way through every cutscene rather pathetically but oh boy, "you realize this plan has me walking into hell too? Just like old times" oh boy, "(Archangel) it's just a name the locals gave me for all my good deeds, i don't mind it but please...it's just Garrus to you" OH BOY. The game's basically plagued with little moments like the one during Mordin's recruitment mission, where Garrus basically tells Shepard he would venture into a quarantine zone potentially deadly for turians if she needs him by his side, which, SHE ONLY JUST GOT YOU BACK, VAKARIAN, CAN YOU NOT.
Look, of course every relationship has its allure, but even if you don't romance Garrus and just keep him as a friend (why would you, though), that's pretty much the best dynamic these games have, right there. It's a given that he will always have Shepard's back no matter what, but he will also straight up tell her when he thinks she's wrong and god, the banter. My main struggle during ME2 was that every squad member was fabulous and i wanted to bring them all along, but i also didn't wanna miss any Garrus commentary during missions, that shit's my lifeblood. Also his loyalty mission was hands down one of the best - mainly because it could go either way and still be believable. I can see paragon Shepard letting Garrus take the shot (because if that was her crew, she would be merciless), but i can also imagine her blocking it so she can save him. And by him i mean Garrus, obviously. It's never really about Sidonis. I chose to block the shot and the result was basically one of my favorite scenes in the whole saga; Shepard making Sidonis talk and Garrus hearing everything from his position, holding his sniper riffle, telling her to step aside because she's protecting a coward, and Shepard stubbornly refusing to give up on Garrus' grace.
Wow i should really stop talking about this now. But yeah, i romanced him, talks about reach and flexibility were had, unfortunate metaphors were used. It was great.
I love the original Normandy crew but man, the new character introductions were so good, i fell in love with everyone almost instantly. Miranda, Jack, Mordin, Thane, Legion, Grunt, Samara, EDI, Jacob... i can't honestly pick a favorite, they're all damaging levels of great (that's a blatant lie, Samara and Jacob are not that close to my heart but you know, still great). And the loyalty missions, i was all "THIS ONE'S MY FAVORITE SO FAR", and then another equally great came along. Terrible. I got goosebumps during so many parts, pretty much every conversation with Legion and Mordin was the stuff my nerd dreams are made of. And every time Jack showed some form of affection i emoted like a loser.
Talking about losers reminds me: K a i d a n. The sort-of-not-really reunion on Horizon was so great? I know a lot of you were disappointed because you wanted him to join your crew asap but dude, that's an aspect of their dynamic i'm fully prepared to embrace; bickering exes who care enough to antagonize each other! lots of heartfelt yelling! please tell me there's more of this in ME3 because i'm here for that kind of relationship always. Not for them to actually be together again, because the way their romance is handled is all kinds of disappointing to me, but like... maybe be implicit that they still have feelings and Shepard thinks Kaidan's an idiot who lets his good intentions get the best of him (i mean, he fucking trusted/joined the Alliance again after all the shit they pull them through, put him through, how naive can you be) but he's kinda her idiot so that's okay. The way i see it, as opposed to Garrus, who will literally follow Shepard into hell, Kaidan will only do it if he considers it's the moral thing to do. And yes, paragon Shepard is good, but she sometimes does this thing where she pees on every rule that she considers to be in the way of doing the right thing and i like to imagine Kaidan hyperventilating in the background, maybe sobbing, as she announces that next i think i'm gonna help the Illusive Man undertake the council just to mess with him. That's actually my dream setting for those two. The amount of feelings about Shepard/Kaidan i'm harboring was really not anticipated, i'll tell you that much.
It was super great having Tali on the Normandy again, and seeing Wrex! He was surprisingly warm, i was so fucking charmed. Best reintroduction goes to Joker, though, no contest. I teared up when he and Shepard stood side by side as The Normandy Reborn played, god, loser poet (shit shit shit, what the shit) pilot of my entire black heart, what even are you. And i've also been informed he and EDI are a thing that happens in ME3, so i'm at peace with the world since i pretty much spent every breathing moment between the cockpit and the main battery, all sprawled over Garrus to get a fraction of his attention. Seriously, thank you Bioware for actually going there. The beauty that i know Joker/EDI is gonna be almost makes me forgive you for not making Miranda an available romantic interest for femshep or you know, Shepard being unable to tap Thane's ass like once or twice and then continue her romance with Garrus. Thane's appeal is a legitimate problem, i'm so serious. Don't you dare call her siha one more time, you good looking alien assassin motherfucker, i swear to christ.
Things that got me real bad: Mordin in his entirety, Legion asking about his soul, Tali's "i did get better, Shepard, i got you", Jack/Miranda interactions (just put your faces together shhh trust me it'll help) and Grunt going "Shepard is my battlemaster, she has no match". You charming little shits, i suffered so much when i thought i was losing someone during the suicide mission. Those were roughly two hours of me yelling NONE OF YOU IDIOTS ARE ALLOWED TO DIE as i furiously hit every button.
Now that i'm finally done with my dissertation (jesus, 10/10 with high honors, i still can't believe it) i guess i'll be finished with ME3 in like a week, tops, and i'm... not ready for it to end. All that comes to mind when i think about saying goodbye to Shepard is Barcelona's Please don't go softly playing in the background as i sob.