11 réponses à ce sujet

[Skirlasvoud]

Might have been some time ago, but can you remember the scene in Mass Effect's "Bring down the Sky" , wherein Balak interogates Kate Bowman into 'betraying' whoever is out there shutting down the fusion torches?
I never understood that. Or why Kate bowman kept her mouth shut onto her brother's death either.


There's something out on the asteroid, killing your men in rapid pace, hacking systems and shutting down the fusion torches who are driving the instrument of your revenge. 

Think on it for a moment Balak... What could it be? 

Could it be a pack of fluffy kittens?
No Balak, wrong answers you bad Batarian you. Kittens don't hack into computer systems and don't take your men down with anything less then lethal infatuation. 

Considering all the variables, it must be highly trained team of Alliance soldiers, or at the very least people who don't like you very much. It's the only realistic answer and does it really matter? They're people who need dealing with! 

So why on earth are you wasting your time interogating prisoners, about obvious things, details thereof they probably don't know themselves either. Hacknyed villainy and a lack in creative character writing? Did shooting someone simply felt like the right thing to do at the moment?  
What answer Kate Bowman could have given, would have satisfied Balak, I wonder?

"Must be wilderness girls?"
"Yo Momma?"
"The pizza delivery boy I called an hour ago?"
"I confess: I hired the A-Team!"
"It's the justic lague."

Must have been that Balak was trying to tell a batarian rendition of a knock knock joke and Kate didn't get the clue.

Modifié par Skirlasvoud, 15 avril 2010 - 11:25 .

[caradoc2000]

Well, clicheed villains are like that - they do lots of villainy things.

[CaptainZaysh]

Well...given the choice of interrogating or not interrogating a hostage in radio contact with an unknown enemy, I'm not sure that choosing to interrogate her is as stupid an idea as you think.

[Pacifien]

I imagine Balak's question to Kate was just the start of his interrogation. Since she didn't budge, he killed a human to show her the consequences before moving onto other questions. Or in retaliation for ruining his well planned interrogation.

[Kid_SixXx]

CaptainZaysh wrote...

Well...given the choice of interrogating or not interrogating a hostage in radio contact with an unknown enemy, I'm not sure that choosing to interrogate her is as stupid an idea as you think.

It is actually a wise and logical course of action.  Balak's mistake was underestimating Kate's resolve.

Kate and her brother probably hatched their plot under the correct conclusion that they were good as dead if the Batarian's succeeded, so getting killed sooner rather than later would be worth the sacrifice if it allowed an infiltration commando team to take out the Batarian threat.

[eternalnightmare13]

Although I enjoyed Bring Down The Sky I do feel that Balak was very cliched. Not only the scene where he kills Kate Bowman's brother, but when you have the conversation with Balak in the HQ. Just the stereotypical villain. I enjoyed the choice you had to make and the consequences of it.



The scene with Balak and Kate's brother did seem odd. At least she could've said ''I don't know, ****!'' or "I don't know, but I hope they kick your ass''. The whole scene was poorly written.

[Mister Mida]

Skirlasvoud wrote...

Might have been some time ago, but can you remember the scene in Mass Effect's "Bring down the Sky" , wherein Balak interogates Kate Bowman into 'betraying' whoever is out there shutting down the fusion torches?
I never understood that. Or why Kate bowman kept her mouth shut onto her brother's death either.

I never understood that myself either. She could have easily said 'I don't know' (because you never say you're Shepard) , but Balak probably wouldn't believe her and shoot her brother anyway. But it would have been more realistic at least.

Modifié par Mister Mida, 15 avril 2010 - 04:58 .

[Kid_SixXx]

Mister Mida wrote...

I never understood that myself either. She could have easily said 'I don't know' (because you never say you're Shepard) , but Balak probably wouldn't believe her and shoot her brother anyway. But it would have been more realistic at least.

I disagree.  Kate's silence is an implied insult to Balak, is more realistic, and speaks more than an actual vocal response. 

IMO, Balak kills Kate's brother just as much to address Kate's blatant disrespect as he does because she refuses to answer his questions.

[Devos]

So why on earth are you wasting your time interogating prisoners, about obvious things, details thereof they probably don't know themselves either. Hacknyed villainy and a lack in creative character writing? Did shooting someone simply felt like the right thing to do at the moment? 

He would have been twirling his mostache if he was biologically capable of having one. Yeah, Balak, when considered under scrutinity, doesn't make a whole lot of sense beyond just being a hacknyed villain.

[Magical Master]

It sort of seems that answering the best Kate could would have made more sense. Balak can't send too many after the intruders or expose himself. I don't see how trying to "disrespect" Balak would be a better choice.



And the paragon ending was kind of stupid. Why couldn't you have the Normady intercept the Batarians after you disarmed the charges and rescued the hostages? Where did the Batarians go anyway?



Likewise, if renegade, why would you *tell* him to kill the hostages, basically, instead of just trying to shoot/disable him with biotics/tech/whatever before he can push the button, so to speak? You might not succeed, perhaps even probably won't succeed, but it makes more sense than telling Balak to blow them up.

[Kid_SixXx]

Magical Master wrote...

It sort of seems that answering the best Kate could would have made more sense.

Why?  What was to keep Balak from killing her even if she provided the information?  Better to keep silent and not tip off the infiltration team to Balak.

Magical Master wrote...

And the paragon ending was kind of stupid.

1) Why couldn't you have the Normady intercept the Batarians after you disarmed the charges and rescued the hostages?

2) Where did the Batarians go anyway?

1)  You are assuming that Balak had no way to override and remote detonate the charges from his ship should he be followed by the Normandy.

2) They probably plotted a Mass Relay course to take them into the Terminus Systems where they knew that Citadel forces wouldn't harass them.

Magical Master wrote...

Likewise, if renegade, why would you *tell* him to kill the hostages, basically, instead of just trying to shoot/disable him with biotics/tech/whatever before he can push the button, so to speak? You might not succeed, perhaps even probably won't succeed, but it makes more sense than telling Balak to blow them up.

The Renegade option is really stupid.  Shepard is trying to call Balak's bluff when Balak doesn't appear to be bluffing.

He also does not know what methods Balak has at his disposal to detonate the charges.  Killing Balak is a dicey move if the triggers are bio-rhythm controlled (ie. if Balak's heart slows or stops, the charges detonate).

Physically disabling Balak is also dumb if Balak has some sort of cybernetic trigger in his brain (ie. something like the greyboxes in the Kasumi DLC) that Balak can use to detonate the charges if he makes a synaptic  command.

[Magical Master]

Kid_SixXx wrote...

Why?  What was to keep Balak from killing her even if she provided the information?  Better to keep silent and not tip off the infiltration team to Balak.

Nothing.  But her cooperating means it doesn't him a(nother) reason *to* kill her.  There's clearly someone(s) slaughtering Balak's people and Balak can't do all that much regardless (can't send too many people or expose his position).  Furthermore, Kate can't really say much anyway, she doesn't know much.  Besides saying "Yeah, you guessed right, it's not kittens killing all of your people," what actual information could she provide?  Anything that might compromise Shepard?

Kid_SixXx wrote...

1)  You are assuming that Balak had no way to override and remote detonate the charges from his ship should he be followed by the Normandy.

I'm assuming you actually would disable the charges beyond just stopping a countdown and ensure they cannot detonate  (or why wouldn't Balak just set them off from his ship?).

Kid_SixXx wrote...

2) They probably plotted a Mass Relay course to take them into the Terminus Systems where they knew that Citadel forces wouldn't harass them.

I mean where was their ship.  By the time you disarmed the charges (less than 3 minutes), how could they possibly be far enough away that the Normady couldn't intercept them, they probably wouldn't even be at their ship yet.  And even if they were at their ship, the Normady would probably be able to intercept them before they reached the Relay.

Kid_SixXx wrote...

The Renegade option is really stupid.  Shepard is trying to call Balak's bluff when Balak doesn't appear to be bluffing.

No, I think Shepard is really saying "I don't care if you kill them, I'm killing you."  He doesn't *care* if Balak is bluffing.

Kid_SixXx wrote...

He also does not know what methods Balak has at his disposal to detonate the charges.  Killing Balak is a dicey move if the triggers are bio-rhythm controlled (ie. if Balak's heart slows or stops, the charges detonate).

We're talking Renegade.  If that happens, too bad for the hostages.  But attempting to do so instead of simply watching him push the button would make more sense, even if it didn't work.

Kid_SixXx wrote...

Physically disabling Balak is also dumb if Balak has some sort of cybernetic trigger in his brain (ie. something like the greyboxes in the Kasumi DLC) that Balak can use to detonate the charges if he makes a synaptic  command.

Again, tough luck for the hostages, but it's better than *guaranteeing* they'll die.