The problem is if you ignore on the job training (gameplay/story segregation!) then by that measure:
Me1: only squadmates are ash and kaiden (maybe wrex too)
Me2: jacob, mordin, zaeed, the arse (although does she have any combat training?) and maybe garrus
Me3: james, javik and probably garrus by now.
So to be honest I think it is ridiculous to single out liara, but whatever floats your boat.
Actually, in ME1, Ashley and Kaidan are both fully trained Marines: Kaidan is an experienced officer who has strong biotic ability. Ashley, while in my personal opinion not anywhere close to being suited for the kinds of operations that is taking place, is an Infantry Non-Commissioned Officer. Wrex is a Krogan Battlemaster with a very long history of being a mercenary, a soldier, a gun-for-hire, etc. He's seen a lot of things, and he knows how to fight. Garrus meanwhile is an experienced C-Sec officer, with a prior history of service as in Turian Special Operations. He was apparently good enough that he was one time considered a candidate for being a Spectre (No easy task). Tali is the daughter of a Quarian Admiral; this doesn't necessarily mean she's military, but she was raised around a military environment, and it is specifically mentioned that she has received combatives training prior to leaving the flotilla. Liara, beyond her basic compulsory biotic training that all Asari go through, has no mention of any kind of combat ability or skill. The only thing going for her is that, due to her career working in the field, sometimes has faced armed pirates, so she has to have some kind of proficiency to be able to defend herself. She and Tali are the only ones who's actual skill in the field I'd call into question. And Tali at least has a prodigious affinity for technology and engineering. She doesn't necessarily need to be valuable on the battlefield to be a strong addition to the team. Her talents lie elsewhere. That leaves Liara with the only real questioning of utility. It could be argued that once you find the location of Ilos, there's no point to her being on the ship. She's the civilian who gets caught up in events, meant to be a beautiful, innocent LI for Shepard. And when you look at all the characters, she's by far the least qualified for field operations.
In ME1, it is acceptable to single out Liara; she's really the only person who can't pull her own weight on the ship. Or in ME2 for that matter. ****, or ME3. At least in 3, she has her information network that she operates, but in ME1, her purpose is to be the innocent civilian and damsel-in-distress that is tangentially related to the plot via relation to her mother being the dragon to Saren and her specific knowledge of the Protheans (that can actually be shown to be rather redundant if you save her after every other mission prior to Ilos.)
In ME2, everyone on the squad was specifically chosen for their skills in combat and beyond:
Miranda is TIM's top Lieutenant and operative, having at least a decade (possibly longer) of service in Cerberus. She's a genetically perfect polymath: her asset listing in ME3 describes her as a gifted biotic and skilled shot, and she demonstrates that she's a strong leader in combat on the SM. She has a level head and isn't fazed at all over the times she comes into conflict on the battlefield. Her Foundation comics show that she's definitely familiar with field and spy work. She'll do perfectly.
Jacob is a biotic who was also a former military officer in the alliance. He's got skill and capability, and he's a dependable, level-headed individual who is solid under fire.
Mordin is a former STG operative with wetwork and combat experience, and he's a polymath in many fields.
Zaeed is a veteran mercenary and former alliance soldier with decades of experience and a history of missions accomplished, both known and unknown, that could be described as suicide missions.
Garrus has even more more experience having led his own anti-mercenary group throughout Omega, and single-handedly managing to take on and make a very good showing against no less than 3 of the biggest mercenary organizations in the Terminus Systems. He had his own team of skilled operatives, but he was still able to fight them on his own.
Grunt is a bloodthirsty and genetically perfect Krogan supersoldier with the inborn skills and knowledge of several of the greatest Krogan warriors.
Jack is a psychotic career criminal with extreme psychopathic tendencies and unheard of levels of strength as biotic with years of her life being spent as a criminal, mercenary, kidnapper, pirate, and killer. While she's very unstable mentally and emotionally, there's no denying her affinity for killing and carnage.
Samara is an Asari Justicar. These people are absolutely revered and feared in equal measure in Asari space. She has centuries of combat experience and skills as a biotic that rival that of Asari Matriarchs. She has a very cool and dispassionate demeanor, willing and able to do absolutely whatever she has to do.
Thane is a feared Drell assassin, trained from his youth to be a hypercompetent agent for the Hanar, and with decades of experience as a sharpshooter, combatives expert, and biotic.
Tali is the same as before, but likely with more military training considering she's being sent as a civilian technical attache on special operations missions. She's not a fighter, but she knows what to do, and her skills are better than ever for engineering and technology.
Legion is a specialized Geth platform, hyper-durable, and capable of operating in any environment with machine precision and efficiency.
Morinth is a psychopathic ardat-yakshi who has successfully managed to evade her mother, a justicar, for centuries. She has extreme talent with biotics that rival her mother.
James is a special forces Marine who has experience fighting the Collectors. He's capable and confidant, and, despite goofiness and relative inexperience compared to others, has the skill and training to be a productive member of the crew.
Javik is a 50,000 year old Prothean warrior, renowned even among his own people with very powerful and unique biotic skills. He has training, experience, and an understanding of the bitter reality of the nature of war that no other squadmate has.
EDI meanwhile is an AI in a mech body very similar to Legion.
As I said, Liara doesn't have much on these people. At all. I'm not singling her out over the others. She legit deserves criticism on this context. Kasumi and Tali are the only ones even remotely close on that level, but they at least having saving graces: Kasumi with her stealth skills and affinity for tech (I still don't know why her admittedly useful skills at thievery are relevant to a combat mission), and Tali with her engineering and technical skills.
Retour en haut
