1035 replies to this topic

[knightnblu]

I have been pondering that for a while now. Consider if you will, the following:
 
1. Ashley has been foot loose and fancy free for two years
2. She honestly believed that Shepard had gone to the great beyond
3. She mourned Shepard like she mourned her father
 
If all three assertions are true, then how likely is it that Ash would pine for you until the day that she died herself? Most people would move on after they had grieved, and Ash has even admitted that she has not thought about your romance for a year. Those who romanced Ashley will likely not enjoy hearing this, but if she honestly believed you were dead, why wouldn't she move on and date somebody else?
 
As an NCO Ashley is around fit, young, military men who view the world like she does. It is essentially a target rich environment for a healthy female and it has been my experience that military personnel of both genders like to blow off steam with physical diversions from time to time. Garrus being a case in point with his "I had reach, but she had flexibility." So who's to say that Ash hasn't found a certain special someone to heal that hole in her heart?
 
If so, would it really be so strange that she gave you the cold shoulder on Horizon? Perhaps she did not so much see the return of an old flame, but the emergence of a new problem. Even her apology leads to doubt.
 
When she said that she had changed and so had Shepard, what did that mean? Almost everyone who read that took it to mean that she had changed emotionally, but what if it meant something more? Even when she addressed you as skipper, she did it hesitantly. Like she was holding something back. When she spoke of her love for you, it was in the past tense. What does she feel now?
 
She has even achieved a measure of success on her own. She has become a Spectre, been promoted to Lieutenant, and she certainly now has much more confidence in her abilities. Will she be a friend or rival Spectre? More importantly, is she still your girl or is she someone else's?
 

[Cutlass Jack]

She's not my girl anymore. But I'm completely fine with her becoming her own woman.

[AngelicMachinery]

knightnblu wrote...

 
When she said that she had changed and so had Shepard, what did that mean? Almost everyone who read that took it to mean that she had changed emotionally, but what if it meant something more? Even when she addressed you as skipper, she did it hesitantly. Like she was holding something back. When she spoke of her love for you, it was in the past tense. What does she feel now?

 

I know what changed...  she's got herself a pretty young lady.   : )  

[Siansonea]

Good points! I'm looking forward to seeing what happens. Honestly, I would love it if Shepard has to 'win her back'—especially if it's not as easy as talk-talk-talk-sex, like it has been in previous games.

[Recon Member]

Siansonea II wrote...

Good points! I'm looking forward to seeing what happens. Honestly, I would love it if Shepard has to 'win her back'—especially if it's not as easy as talk-talk-talk-sex, like it has been in previous games.

Yup, no more of those.

[TheEgoRaptor]

I've had enough of Alien squeeze, bring back the good 'Ol human one nighters.

[Deanooo]

In regard to the "chat" on horizon, I can understand her being mad, but I think she should have been more empathetic.

To answer the posts question, nope.

[Recon Member]

Come ti think about it, it would be cool if Ashley had started something with James Vega. She meantions a James in one of her email records, though it could be someone else.

[Deanooo]

Edit: Stupid BSN.

Edited by xii_deano, 18 June 2011 - 11:13 PM.

[tomas2377]

I hope that she stayed faithfull to Shepard but even if she hasn't. I can understand it. 2 years is a long time. All that matters is that I/my Shepard stayed faithfull to her and no matter what he will get her back; war or no war, he will win her heart back.
But perhaps Shepard was that good that any other man pales in comparrison. 

[ladyvader]

One Shepard moved on with Jack. Another stayed faithful to Ash.

This is why I love RPGs so much. So many ways to play and see different outcomes.

[Vamp44]

For 2 of my Sheps yea. For the rest, no. So I'm all for her moving on.

Edited by Vamp44, 18 June 2011 - 11:38 PM.

[FROST4584]

Overall, Ashley is my favorite character in the series. Also , she is my favorite love interest. As a male ( I am a male in real life) , in Mass Effect, I have romanced every possible female ( Liara, Jack, Tali, Kelly, Samera, and Miranda), across many playthroughs, but overall Ashley is still my favorite character. My first playthrough of Mass Effect 3 will be my imported Ashley playthrough. I can't wait to have her back in Mass Effect 3.

[floorhugger]

I always romanced Ashley in ME1 (apart from my very first playthough when I somehow ended up with Liara even though I thought I was woo-ing Ashley at the time).
In ME2 I have a playthrough where I stayed faithful to Ashley (though does having dinner with Kelly just so she can feed my fish count as cheating on her?)
I also have a playthrough where I romanced Miranda and a renegade playthrough where I romanced Jack. I'm a big fan of Ashley but now also Miranda too so I'm hoping for another repeat conversation where The Shep says 'why can't I just have both of you?' followed by the biggest pixelated cheesy grin I've ever seen. It's a tough choice between the two but someone's gotta do it!

[Haseeo]

If my girl you mean ash on Vermire then yes

[Mystik]

maybe someone is interested in her and you get jealous? or the other way around? maybe she thought she was over Sheppard but she hears about Miranda and sparks fly again?

[Bachi1230]

Ash you still my girl?



Yeah she still my girl...

[MegaBadExample]

She's still my main Chica. So yeah. Hell yeah. See you in ME3 asholaaaaay.

[Cam-Tal]

She was never my woman!

[alperez]

Ok firstly yes she is.

Secondly they're not going to introduce competition to Shepard in me3 its too late and even where they could have done it in LOSB with feron and Liara they brushed it off as nothing. So your only competition to Ash's affections will be well you and whether or not you moved on although even on this point LOSB may be a pointer.

I always thought the comment she makes about being different was an emotional change and i think thats how it was meant to be (although given we have s/s relationships now anything is possible) lol.

As for pining til the day she dies well she kinda doesn't have to now does she, Shepard ain't dead so that's off the table.

If you read the horizon e-mail she says she mourned for Shepard and hasn't let herself think about Shepard (ilos in particular) in about a year. So that makes it about a year since she accepted Shepard was gone and not coming back and maybe from then on she would think about another relationship.

But in reality would she? She falls in love (ilos confirms this) with someone she in some way idolises only to lose him in the most tragic of circumstances (while basically making sure she live), it then takes her a year to even begin to try and move on.

During this time she's promoted, works on mission/missions for Anderson (we don't know how long she's been on Horizon) and may not have had the time or inclination yet to start or attempt to start a new relationship. After all if you read between the lines she doesn't seem that forward in coming forward (her sister's e-mail).

Now you take into account that any new suitor has to measure up to someone immeasureable (dead lover, godlike, saved the world etc) and you add into the equation that even if she's not allowed herself to remember Ilos it doesn't mean she's moved on completely, it makes sense that she'd still be single or at most casually dating.

Then lo and behold its a 24 carat miracle, the dead has arisen, Shepards back and this time he's serious (ok sue me). But Shepards return from the dead, his once again going off to save the world (ok ash might not like cerberus but she does agree with what shepard's doing just not who with) and any casual boyfriend would be kicked to the kerb rather quickly.

In my view we've had a greiving Ash who is only starting to get over Shepard only to find that maybe just maybe she now has a chance to get back under him (sorry couldn't resist).

[Made Nightwing]

@Cam-Tal. Your loss my friend

And to the OP, hell to the Yeah she's still my girl. But for Shep's that didn't romance her, I'd like the option to maybe match her up with Vega.

[Sister Helen]

Meh. I was so over the VSs after the Horizon debacle.

[Weiser_Cain]

It's not cheating because I was dead. But now I'm back so any other guys better step aside. She had better shut up with that poetry though.

[V-rex]

alperez wrote...

Ok firstly yes she is.

Secondly they're not going to introduce competition to Shepard in me3 its too late and even where they could have done it in LOSB with feron and Liara they brushed it off as nothing. So your only competition to Ash's affections will be well you and whether or not you moved on although even on this point LOSB may be a pointer.

I always thought the comment she makes about being different was an emotional change and i think thats how it was meant to be (although given we have s/s relationships now anything is possible) lol.

As for pining til the day she dies well she kinda doesn't have to now does she, Shepard ain't dead so that's off the table.

If you read the horizon e-mail she says she mourned for Shepard and hasn't let herself think about Shepard (ilos in particular) in about a year. So that makes it about a year since she accepted Shepard was gone and not coming back and maybe from then on she would think about another relationship.

But in reality would she? She falls in love (ilos confirms this) with someone she in some way idolises only to lose him in the most tragic of circumstances (while basically making sure she live), it then takes her a year to even begin to try and move on.

During this time she's promoted, works on mission/missions for Anderson (we don't know how long she's been on Horizon) and may not have had the time or inclination yet to start or attempt to start a new relationship. After all if you read between the lines she doesn't seem that forward in coming forward (her sister's e-mail).

Now you take into account that any new suitor has to measure up to someone immeasureable (dead lover, godlike, saved the world etc) and you add into the equation that even if she's not allowed herself to remember Ilos it doesn't mean she's moved on completely, it makes sense that she'd still be single or at most casually dating.

Then lo and behold its a 24 carat miracle, the dead has arisen, Shepards back and this time he's serious (ok sue me). But Shepards return from the dead, his once again going off to save the world (ok ash might not like cerberus but she does agree with what shepard's doing just not who with) and any casual boyfriend would be kicked to the kerb rather quickly.

In my view we've had a greiving Ash who is only starting to get over Shepard only to find that maybe just maybe she now has a chance to get back under him (sorry couldn't resist).

This.

I'd say more but this guy essentially summarized what I was going to say. Although I will mention that Ashley didn't mention a new guy in the message she sent to Shepard after Horizon, plus she mentions it took her a whole year to even TRY to move on... with that in mind, I find it very unlikely Ashley would have gotten herself into a serious relationship in all this time.
Possibly the occassional fling, Ashley is an attractive and independant woman of course, but I doubt much more then that. Plus as the poster above pointed out, it's too late in the trilogy to really start 'adding' stuff, like these kinds of conflicts.

That said, if any man tries to put his hands on my woman, I'll stamp on his nuts until they resemble porridge!

[skcih-deraj]

alperez wrote...

Ok firstly yes she is.

Secondly they're not going to introduce competition to Shepard in me3 its too late and even where they could have done it in LOSB with feron and Liara they brushed it off as nothing. So your only competition to Ash's affections will be well you and whether or not you moved on although even on this point LOSB may be a pointer.

I always thought the comment she makes about being different was an emotional change and i think thats how it was meant to be (although given we have s/s relationships now anything is possible) lol.

As for pining til the day she dies well she kinda doesn't have to now does she, Shepard ain't dead so that's off the table.

If you read the horizon e-mail she says she mourned for Shepard and hasn't let herself think about Shepard (ilos in particular) in about a year. So that makes it about a year since she accepted Shepard was gone and not coming back and maybe from then on she would think about another relationship.

But in reality would she? She falls in love (ilos confirms this) with someone she in some way idolises only to lose him in the most tragic of circumstances (while basically making sure she live), it then takes her a year to even begin to try and move on.

During this time she's promoted, works on mission/missions for Anderson (we don't know how long she's been on Horizon) and may not have had the time or inclination yet to start or attempt to start a new relationship. After all if you read between the lines she doesn't seem that forward in coming forward (her sister's e-mail).

Now you take into account that any new suitor has to measure up to someone immeasureable (dead lover, godlike, saved the world etc) and you add into the equation that even if she's not allowed herself to remember Ilos it doesn't mean she's moved on completely, it makes sense that she'd still be single or at most casually dating.

Then lo and behold its a 24 carat miracle, the dead has arisen, Shepards back and this time he's serious (ok sue me). But Shepards return from the dead, his once again going off to save the world (ok ash might not like cerberus but she does agree with what shepard's doing just not who with) and any casual boyfriend would be kicked to the kerb rather quickly.

In my view we've had a greiving Ash who is only starting to get over Shepard only to find that maybe just maybe she now has a chance to get back under him (sorry couldn't resist).

Yeah she is and yeah what this guy said.