"Can we get someone in the military to put the name up... a man perhaps?"
Nah, but Garrus deserves to put my plate up as my protege and #1 bro. The confusion is compounded by the lack of a clear XO as I imagine they'd be the ones to put the plate up, even above the LI. The LI might then say a few words, but that's a different matter.
As it stands I think they should've defaulted to Joker if your LI isn't onboard. It's the most neutral, diplomatic choice and it has some merit as he's the organic second most responsible for the Normandy.
"Can we get someone in the military to put the name up... a man perhaps?"
Nah, but Garrus deserves to put my plate up as my protege and #1 bro. The confusion is compounded by the lack of a clear XO as I imagine they'd be the ones to put the plate up, even above the LI. The LI might then say a few words, but that's a different matter.
As it stands I think they should've defaulted to Joker if your LI isn't onboard. It's the most neutral, diplomatic choice and it has some merit as he's the organic second most responsible for the Normandy.
"Can we get someone in the military to put the name up... a man perhaps?"
Nah, but Garrus deserves to put my plate up as my protege and #1 bro. The confusion is compounded by the lack of a clear XO as I imagine they'd be the ones to put the plate up, even above the LI. The LI might then say a few words, but that's a different matter.
As it stands I think they should've defaulted to Joker if your LI isn't onboard. It's the most neutral, diplomatic choice and it has some merit as he's the organic second most responsible for the Normandy.
That would've been nice. Joker is with Shepard since Day One.
"Can we get someone in the military to put the name up... a man perhaps?"
Nah, but Garrus deserves to put my plate up as my protege and #1 bro. The confusion is compounded by the lack of a clear XO as I imagine they'd be the ones to put the plate up, even above the LI. The LI might then say a few words, but that's a different matter.
As it stands I think they should've defaulted to Joker if your LI isn't onboard. It's the most neutral, diplomatic choice and it has some merit as he's the organic second most responsible for the Normandy.
Can you believe I had never seen this before? Years upon years, thousands of pages upon thousands of pages and no one ever mentioned it?
And it is a great line. Truth with just the right amount of snark and condescension.
I never saw this scene either. Mass Effect 2 does have quite a few good easter eggs. But as to what Miranda says here. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. For her to have the unmitigated gall and chutzpah to speak of anyone else "Track Record" given how much of a hot mess her own personal and professional life has been the past few years. Is astounding... Your post reminded of something I wrote here almost three years ago now and its worth re-posting. Because I here this thread is "famous for analyzing Miranda's character outside the romance" So here's some food for thought:
We all have our strengths, and we all have our weaknesses. And in life, we can either decide to stay as we are.Or learn about ourselves.Strive to be better and find ways to compensate for our shortcomings.
With Miranda, I sometimes wonder if she is truly aware of how far she
still has to go.She says to Shepard that she makes mistakes like everyone else.She says to Commander Shepard that he is a far better leader than she is or may ever be.
I see alot of people in this thread saying things like, "Miranda should take over Cerberus or start up a better organization, akin to
Cerberus.
As far as getting my vote of confidence with this.There are a few
things that give me cause for concern.
1. What Operative Lawson says about the Geth in the Prologue:
They're sending him to fight geth. "Geth" We both know there not the real threat.
Okay.Hold up, wait a minute.Now if I were to meta game, I could say that we later find out that the geth that were hostile towards
organics in 2183, only represent a fraction of the geth's true might.They were merely the 'tip of the iceberg' as they say.So
Miranda's analysis of the geth threat, comes off looking really idiotic.
But even without meta-gaming. Miranda.Miranda still comes off looking like she doesn't know what the hell she's talking about:
After the death of the rogue Spectre Saren Arterius.The only viable lead that Shepard and Co. had on the Reapers were there geth allies.As Tali was able to retrieve valuable intel from a geth.That let the
Council know what Saren was playing at.Having her work with Shepard to hunt geth down and find out what else they know.Makes sense to me.
Yeah Miranda, the Reapers are the real threat and there still out there.But the only lead that we have on them is thier geth allies.So
what the hell are you talking about?! And on another point, its clear that the Illusive Man didn't concur with Ms.Lawson about how much of threat the geth might be.What with him funding Project Overlord and all.
2. Miranda statement that if she were in charge.She would have put a control chip in Commander Shepard, in order to "insist" that he does as Cerberus bids. Okay, this would have backfired for so many reasons.If Cerberus would have put an explosive device in Shepard's body and threatened to detonate it if he did not do as they command.Shepard would have been more preoccupied with finding a way to break free from Cerberus control, than finding a way to defeat the Collectors.
Here is yet again, another example of Jack Harper having far better
judgement than she...
3. Miranda is betrayed not once, but twice.In the same damn year, and
she doesn't see it coming:
Nobody's perfect, and indeed a good spy or saboteur is hard to spot, if they are doing what is asked of them, with competence and not asking alot of questions about matters that are none of their business.Or found lurking beside a place (eavesdropping) where higher ups believe themselves to be having a private conversation.How could anyone suspect that their organization has been infiltrated?
But you would think that an organization as powerful and covert as Cerberus, which has infiltrated many other agencies.Would suspect as much in theirs...Miranda kills the traitor, before finding out who he works for.And why he did what he did.For all we know, Wilson could have been convinced to become a Double Agent for Cerberus.If they made him the right offer.
And for her to justify killing Wilson, b/c taking him with them, would be to risky.Is absurd. Its much more dangerous, to have no idea who your enemies are. You can't fight an opponent, that you can't see.Her action, kind of prevents the whole, "Target acquired, threat neutralized course of action." But TIM, does a sweep of Cerberus cells, to see if they have any other moles.They later find information that reveals that the Shadow Broker was behind Wilson.(Post Horizon, Liara - Lair of the Shadow Broker intel) But no credit can be given to Ms.Lawson.I find what the Illusive Man says to Shepard about what Miranda did, to be very interesting:
Shepard: Miranda killed Wilson in cold blood.
TIM: Miranda did exactly what I expected of her.
Hmm... Is it just me, or does that sound like a very PR response.Notice how what he says, neither condones or condems her
action.And by the time Shepard gets to Operative Lawson's Loyalty Mission.He could say the same thing.What with how Miranda tries to kill an unarmed man, Nekat. Except this time.She does ask questions before she kills the "traitor".
So when its her personal crap.She doesn't shoot first and ask questions later.But when a situation arises that has to do with
professional matters.Like the security of Cerberus Command.She shoots first and doesn't even ask questions later... WTF!?
4.Miranda's apology to Shepard:
Its nothing wrong with making amends.But I sort of had to hear that
again, when Miri says what she is apologizing to Shep for.
Miranda: I have to apologize to you.I DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU WERE UP
TO THE TASK."
If there was ever a moment in the Mass Effect series to allow the player either a paragon or renegade interrupt.This was it. It is
important for adults as well as children, to know what is expected of them.So they won't be idle or wonder about aimlessly.
A leader is expected to do three things well.
1. Have a vision.
2. Get people to help you make a dream into reality.
3. Know what those who are working for you or with you are capable of.In order to properly delegate responsibilty and get the best work out of them possible. What Operative Miranda Lawson confesses to Commander Shepard, makes me facepalm and have a sense of disbelief.At her complete and utter stupidity...
Miranda tells us that she has been learning all she could about Shepard for the past two years.While working on bringing him back to life.Well then she should know fully well, that as an N7 Alliance Space Marine:
(My) Shepard distinguished himself by defending the human colony of Elysium from a massive Pirate Invasion.He and his team prevented a nuclear holocaust from happening on Eden Prime.
As the first human Spectre, Shepard goes to Pinnacle Station and
breaks all records.
Shep and Co.go on to save Terra Nova from a cosmic
collision.
Fought back an Geth invasion of the Feros Colony and freed
the colonist from mental enslavement to the Thorian.
Took out all geth outpost in the Attican Traverse, preventing them from gaining strength
in that sector of space.
Defeated the legendary Asari Commandos in a battle on Noveria.
Destroyed Saren's Krogan Cloning Facility on Virmire.When Shep and the STG were massivly outnumbered.
outgunned
And on Illos, followed Saren through the Conduit and thwarted the Reaper Invasion.
And I'm leaving some stuff out... Now how Miranda could look over the career highlights of someone as skilled, accomplished and a seasoned vet as Commander Shepard is. And think that he is unqualified to handle
their current assignment.Is quite a conundrum.
My only question for Ms.Lawson is: "If you didn't think that Shepard was up to the task.Who the hell is?!"
This is just another example of the Illusive Man being right and Miranda Lawson being wrong.
As Philoctetes of Disney Hercules once put it: "Rule number 72: Assess the situation." What Ms.Lawson has shown me is that she does a ****** poor job of doing this! From the first example I give in this post, to the last. And I could've listed a few more.Like when she volunteers to generate the biotic field.In the presence of a human super biotic: Jack and a Matriarch level biotic, Samara.Sigh...
During Thanksgiving there is a classic tradition of having the grown ups sit at one table and children sit elsewhere.There are characters in Mass Effect 2 who have earned their right to sit at the Grown Ups Table:
Like Commander Shepard, Aria T' Lok, Jack Harper, Dr.Mordin Solus, Executor Palin,
the Racchni Queen.
While others characters have shown that they belong at Chucky Cheezes Pizza:
Like Tali, Jack, Udina, Balak and Miranda.
2185 was in some ways the best and worst year of Ms.Lawson's life. On a professional and personal level.Her success as the Director of the Lazarus Project and personal achievement of interacting with her sister and also becoming Shepard's friend or lover.But she also had a rough time of it.Due to Betrayal and Miscalculations.
I have come to see that Miranda in 2185, post Lazarus Project.Was not only demoted, after Shepard's Awakening.She really became an intern.Like a med student who must do a residency or law student who passes the bar exam and has to do an internship for a year and half.
And I love this journey that she goes on in Mass Effect 2.Even though she may not fully acknowledge it herself.Early on she says that she is hear to make sure Shepard succeeds.Later on however, she says to Shep, that he would have done fine without her.Which strikes me as an admission that perhaps she had more to learn from working with Shepard.
Grunt & Miranda have alot in common.Both being genetically engineered super beings by their fathers.The difference betwixt them is: Grunt readily accepts Shepard as his Battle-master and Mentor.He's smart enough and humble enough to realize that Shepard is someone whom he can benefit from being around.I love Grunt! One of things I like so much about him.Is how he looks at Shepard when you have him in your shore party.He looks like he's just taking it all in.Like a studious a child.
Miranda on the other hand, isn't so quick to recognize how fortunate she is to have this opportunity to work with a Living Legend! Nah, she has to much pride and ego for that at first.In stark contrast, Operative Jacob Taylor is very enthusiastic about working with
Shepard.Even though Jacob has an impressive Service Record himself.He knows when he's in the presence of someone who (for lack of a better term) has the blood of the Gods within him.Like some hero of old.Warrior of reknown...
I can't speak for anyone else, but in ME2, my Shepard sort of felt like he was McDreamy of Grey's Anatomy.What with how popular he was with all the lady's, and how he related to some of them.Miranda reminded me very much of Dr.Grey.She is smart, beautiful and gifted.But she is still just an intern and not ready to "Stomp with the Big Dogs." yet. But oh, how she loves to challenge her superior officer, and thinks from time time, that she knows better than him.And sometimes, she does.But with Shepard and Miranda.Shep has been in the right like 99.8% of the time.
But this does not make Commander Shepard a "Mary Sue" like Dr.House, he's the best there is, at what he does.As in real life, there always is someone who is Top of the Class.
Even TIM and Miri's batting average is similar to what it is with Shep and Miri.But yet when it comes time to decide what to do with the Collector Base.Miranda thinks in her heart,"Ah yes, this is the time when I'm going to be right and the Illusive Man is wrong!" Mr.Harper should not have said to her, "I order you." He should have reminded her of how often she thought he was making the wrong choice or taking to big a risk.By saying something to her like:
TIM: Miranda! You thought the geth were no longer a threat.You thought bringing Shepard back was a bad idea.You thought putting a control chip in his head, was a good idea.You were wrong, in all those instances, where the decision I made, turned out to be the right one.
Even though you disagreed with me.You still followed my
orders.Miranda... Trust me now, as you did then."
But unfortunately.This is not what TIM said.But he shouldn't have had to say this to Operative Lawson in the first place.Miranda showed herself to be a true 'wild card' here.
Even though I (originally) like what Miri says to TIM, about the CB.If I were the Illusive Man.Commander Shepard wouldn't even be in my line of sight in Mass Effect 3.But Miranda Lawson better watch her back! It has been said that, "Before you can be a good leader, you must first be a good follower." Miranda in some ways is the worst employee imaginable, for she can't help but second guess next to everything she's told to do.She even goes as far as to say in the presence of Shepard's squad, (when your planning the Suicide Mission). If you choose someone that she strongly disagrees with: "You got to be kidding me!"
First time I heard her say this is when I decided for the first time ever, to let Jack of all people lead the Fire Team.Jack was my L.I. in this play-through and I recalled that she once said to me that if I ever said F*ck Cerberus, and the Council.And go pirate.She wanted to lead the boarding party.I also remembered that she and her team destroyed a space station.So it occured to me that maybe she would do alright as the leader of one of the assault teams.And she did not disappoint me.
And I love how Shepard can get in Miranda's face and make it clear to
her in no uncertain terms.That he is not interested in her input here.
Now what I'm getting at is this.Miranda has made my Shepard unsure
about her in a way.As a CO, he feels like:
If Miranda could so easily just decide to disregard a direct order from TIM, after being a part of Cerberus for so long.What's to stop
her (in ME3) from defying my orders?! On an important mission.Can I really trust that she will have enough confidence in my leadership and judgement.To do as I say, even if she doesn't agree with me?
You know its funny... I began this post, to talk about Miranda as a Leader and it ends with me talking about her as a Follower.I honestly must say, that I don't know if she's cut out for either role:
As a leader she get's results, but in-spite of that; I see her as mediocre at best. A Sociopath at worst.I say she's mediocre because I
define mediocrity as doing the bare minimum required, to get by.As the Project Director of the Lazarus Cell, she and her team brought Shepard back to life.An extraordinary achievement.No doubt.But after doing this, her attitude toward her subordinates is like a woman who suffers from post part em depression.She couldn't care less whether they live or die.Their job is finished, so they are finished is her attitude.She didn't exactly do what you would think someone in her position would do.(After bringing Shepard back to life.) Pat her employees on the back.Throw a corporate party in honor of their success.Nah, she's like:
F*ck them...
And her attitude doesn't change during the Suicide Mission.She just wants to get the job done and go home.Who cares about rescuing the crew of the Normandy SR2.The mission comes first and they knew what they signed up for...
Now baring this all in mind.Would I work for Ms.Lawson? To paraphrase what Goku said to Vegta: "Nah, I'm going to have to pass.I've seen how you treat your employees.Not a whole lot of job security."
Would you work for Ms. Lawson?
Miranda is genetically blessed.She's shown herself to be highly competent in some spheres and she is a physical marvel.On an aesthetic level and athletic level.But the only sphere in which she has truly shown herself to not be mediocre but extraordinary; is in her devotion to her younger sister Orianna Lawson.She's her big sister.And she takes that role very seriously.As the elder sibling, she looks out for her younger sibling.And goes as far as to put her own life in danger and kill to protect her.
As a 'Follower' Miranda has proven to be a wild card.
And downright pathologically have the annoying habit of constantly second guessing her commanding officer.So I'm not so sure that I would want her working for me either.
But Ms.Lawson might be best suited as an Ally.Because as an ally.She has a high degree of independence, but has decided to cooperate with others, for a mutually beneficial gain...
1. She's stating that the Reapers are the real threat, not the geth. You'd know that if you didn't leave out the rest of her speech. Anyone who's played literally ANY of the ME games knows what she's talking about.
2. This is a total non-sequitur. Miranda says she would have put a control chip in Shepard... So what does that have to do with some kind of hidden explosive inside Shepard? What train of thought are you following?
3. She's betrayed by Niket and...? Who is the second person that betrayed her?
4. Another non-sequitur. You just say "THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN INTERRUPT!" and leave it at that.
I'm not even going to bother responding to the rest of the novel you wrote. Hell, I'm not even going to read it, if it's anything like the nonsensical diatribe I DID respond to.
Well as far as i'm concerned TIM probably should have taken heed of Miranda's advice about putting a control chip in Shep as things went rather badly for him as a consequence of not doing so.
Well as far as i'm concerned TIM probably should have taken heed of Miranda's advice about putting a control chip in Shep as things went rather badly for him as a consequence of not doing so.
Things went badly for him because he's an idiot who stuck reaper tech in his head.
Shepard can still somewhat be played as someone who wanted to still work with him. That's the Paragon option on Mars. "Give me your resources.." TIM shows how little faith he has by calling Shepard a "relic". He's already hooked on the crackpipe by that point.
He was smart for not originally putting a control chip in Shep. Like Rupert says, it's good "old fashioned human ingenuity" that'll sort the Collector crap out. TIM knew that at one time....better than Miranda.
Things went badly for him because he's an idiot who stuck reaper tech in his head.
Shepard can still somewhat be played as someone who wanted to still work with him. That's the Paragon option on Mars. "Give me your resources.." TIM shows how little faith he has by calling Shepard a "relic". He's already hooked on the crackpipe by that point.
He was smart for not originally putting a control chip in Shep. Like Rupert says, it's good "old fashioned human ingenuity" that'll sort the Collector crap out. TIM knew that at one time....better than Miranda.
To be fair, he had Reaper tech in his head ever since the incident with the Arca Monolith.
Or at least, they were influencing his decision-making at that point.
The control chip always seemed like a failsafe to me. Less "beep-boop we control Shepard now" and more "if he gets out of line, this will reign him in". And it certainly doesn't have to be an explosive device like our tl;dr Billy Madison friend up there seems to think. A pain conditioning chip is much more subtle and much more effective. It's reusable, for one. It could be based on thorian spores actually. We know Cerberus studied the creepers in ME1.
And yes, they should've absolutely put the chip in, especially given what happened. But you could argue that's retrospective thinking. TIM probably passed on the chip because he figured the goals of the mission and Shepard's nature would keep him in line. No need to compel someone to do what they want to do anyway. On the other hand, why take the risk?
I think he genuinely wanted to recruit/turn Shepard. Using him as bait is one thing, taking away his free will is something else. If Shepard ever discovered the chip there's no way he would ever work for Cerberus. But sell him on the idea, show him you're not so different and you're working toward the same goal and you might get a powerful ally.
Maybe that should've been made more clear. But I see no fault with how it was handled otherwise, from both TIM's and Miranda's perspective.
I think he genuinely wanted to recruit/turn Shepard.
Yes, he did. Even to the very end ME3 scene. "I need you to understand". He respected Shepard too much to pull **** like this. He didn't even want Leng to kill Shepard.
He was smart for not originally putting a control chip in Shep. Like Rupert says, it's good "old fashioned human ingenuity" that'll sort the Collector crap out. TIM knew that at one time....better than Miranda.
To be fair here, TIM did not know this better than Miranda. It's an issue with how to get to the conclusion. Miranda wasn't as confident in Shepard's ideology, assuming that his background would make him a boy scout who would categorically reject working with Cerberus.
I also fail to see how the 'old fashioned human ingenuity' line applies here (or more specifically, doesn't apply to Miranda, as it goes both ways for both characters).
To be fair here, TIM did not know this better than Miranda. It's an issue with how to get to the conclusion. Miranda wasn't as confident in Shepard's ideology, assuming that his background would make him a boy scout who would categorically reject working with Cerberus.
I also fail to see how the 'old fashioned human ingenuity' line applies here (or more specifically, doesn't apply to Miranda, as it goes both ways for both characters).
If you want to put a control chip in someone (if such a thing was possible), then there's very little regard for their ability to solve problems. And it isn't just for ideological differences. She says it regardless if you're a boy scout or not. You could have just left meeting TIM and thanked him for reviving you.. and then thanked Miranda.... and she still says it.
She's totally on board eventually. "The difference is, you were great before". She's basically admitting that Cerberus didn't need to change anything. I like this Miranda.. and the ME3 one (there just needed to be more of her). She developed over time. And better yet, she helped kill her own control freaky father (or died trying). But TIM had it right at first... he "just wanted Commander Shepard". Not some drone who obeyed his will.
And I really don't think that's what Miranda was going for there with the control chip at all. That's certainly not how I view the context of a control chip, so I think you're definitely off there. As Miranda also says, there's no question to his skills. It's his motivations and ideology that is the problem.
She didn't trust that even Shepard would work with Cerberus, no matter the evidence. And putting a means a control on someone is not nearly the same thing as creating a drone.
She didn't trust that even Shepard would work with Cerberus, no matter the evidence. And putting a means a control on someone is not nearly the same thing as creating a drone.
It's pretty crazy actually. Even she feels like **** about it. "It's been eating away at me.."
She doesn't disagree that it could be construed that way either. I think one of Shep's lines is "I'd rather die than be someone's plaything" and she agrees.
That was a line I think better suited to the romance than anything else. You get a lot of lines in the game that seemed geared towards one particular interaction.
If I had to guess, they might have done several conversations, and cut some of them and left one particular version in.
As it is, I do think that line was written with the romance in mind. To know that at that point, she could have ruined the man she loves by taking away some, or even all of his capacity for independence, his skill, his personality, and the things that made him the person she falls in love with, and she's upset that she might have ruined that.
That was a line I think better suited to the romance than anything else. You get a lot of lines in the game that seemed geared towards one particular interaction.
If I had to guess, they might have done several conversations, and cut some of them and left one particular version in.
As it is, I do think that line was written with the romance in mind. To know that at that point, she could have ruined the man she loves by taking away some, or even all of his capacity for independence, his skill, his personality, and the things that made him the person she falls in love with, and she's upset that she might have ruined that.
Actually, I might agree there. They're kind of lazy in that respect... seems to be an issue with other characters too.
In any case, her main motivation is to not be like her father, in that conversation. This would apply outside of romance too.
To me, the armor was the second coming in Mass Effect 2. Though I love her outfit, original, loyalty or modded, having her battling in a jump suit just made zero sense and was a massive turn off in immersion (and when they put the breather masks, i was about to pull out my hair). And the armor still kept a slick design, not too bulky but rather a light armor. Perfect for me.
I like the look of the armor (the eyepiece especially), but I never really bothered equipping Miranda in it. Having her battle in her default outfit never bothered me, because I guess I'm one of 7 or so people who don't let things like that get to them. "Immersion" isn't much of an argument when the combat in the game itself (regardless of how the characters look) isn't realistic, even in-universe. Seeing that ME is a semi-RPG, "immersion" should factor in when role-playing (aka, not when fighting a wave of a hundred perfectly identical mercs using biotics that ignore established lore). It isn't like DnD where literally every action you make is role-played.
Retour en haut
