I just discovered the Mass Effect series about a week ago. Since then I've barely slept playing these two games. And like you all, I was enamoured by Ashley in the first one, so much so that although tempted I made sure to stay away from any potential funny business with anyone in ME2. I haven't made it through all 1,900 pages of the original Ash support thread and this new one, but I've read enough to get a feeling of what people are thinking and here's how this newcomer sees it (in case anyone cares).
I am really into Ashley and want nothing more than to see her and Shep end up permanently together, madly in love and settle down having little Shep children who we can play in future ME games to save the universe some more. Like many of you I was pretty pissed at the Ash interaction in ME2. One forum poster came up with a fake interaction screen showing the Ash scene on Horizon and the fake choices were something like tell her you love her, kiss her, ravage her behind some crates, or a renegade choice "act emotionless like you just saw a casual acquaintance" or something like that. Couldn't agree more, that's how the scene felt. When Shep said "it'll be just like old times" I wanted to put a bullet through the LCD screen, could you think up a worse line to say to try to start rekindling a romance with someone who thought you were dead for two years? Another poster listed a bunch of things they were hoping to do in the game but couldn't and I couldn't agree more with them (like email her back, go find her at the Citadel, tell her you had been actively trying to find her instead of letting her get away with that "why didn't you try to find me" crap). I also thought that part in her email about "I can't go where you're going" was a throwaway line, the dev's needed to put that in there as a weak excuse why she couldn't join the crew.
I'm surprised there were a lot of people on the forum trying to rationalize Ash's behavior in ME2. It helps me be less disappointed in the whole interaction remembering why they did it the way they did. This is not a new discovery but seems pretty clear that the only reason for the horrendous role Bioware scripted for Ash in ME2 was to serve as a giant emotional Alley-Oop for an ME3 reunion. That plus maybe give people more of an incentive to cheat in ME2 (screw that stuck-up Ashley, I'll bone Miranda) - also for more fireworks in ME3. That being said, that "great reward" or whatever the developer mentioned for those who stay loyal had better not be something stupid like an achievement or bonus credits - it had better be nothing less than an awesome emotional reconnection scene between Ash and Shepard.
Many have expressed desire for an Ashley/Kaidan DLC prior to ME3. I want nothing more than to find out what the next canon interaction between Ash and Shep will be. However I don't think there will be any Ash/Kaidan DLC (at least none that involves Shep) for the same reason the Ash interaction was balls terrible in ME2 - i.e., to not cannibalize potential emotional highs from ME3. If there is an Ash DLC, it will probably be something where you play her and you see her role post-Horizon but Shep won't be in it. Maybe there will be something like she has a picture of Shep in her apartment like Shep had of her in ME2, that would be classy. But I could be wrong, I heard the Shadow Broker DLC let you further your Liara relationship if you had one. But Bioware is smart and I think everything they do is with an eye towards giving us the ending us Ash fans are hoping for in ME3. That being said, if they don't, or it's just hinted at like that stupid email...well that poster who referenced Tom Cruise on the phone in Tropic Thunder had it pretty dead on.
MillaShepard wrote...
Chapter 11 of my Ash/Shep fanfic is up.
www.fanfiction.net/u/2717218/
Normally I hate fan fiction - writers take too many liberties, it doesn't make sense, not believeable, poorly written, glosses over things which should have detail, etc. I haven't read any in forever. However I was curious so I checked out Milla's. In summary I haven't read a work of fiction in years that I've enjoyed as much as reading Milla's work above. So well written, real depth. And the story unfolds in an extremely realistic way (within the ME universe of course). Good job Milla. Hurry up with more! The only thing I wish was each chapter was much longer and more drawn out, to prolong the anticipation, but written with the exact same quality and style. But at that point it would be a real novel and you'd need real money (and a lot more time) to write it!
Anyway sorry for the long post. Needless to say I am counting down the days until ME3 comes out, I don't think we'll see any Bioware Shep/Ash interaction until then (at least nothing that will bring them together).
'Dubs
Modifié par Rdubs, 13 février 2011 - 09:39 .
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I'm really glad you took the time to read my fic and actually like it. 
