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[ELMIKE2K10]

Shepard joined the Alliance Military at age 18 so hes been in for 11 years including the time he was in the academy, that would give him about a decade (more than enough time) to distinguish himself which he did in active duty out in the field. At the start of ME1, Shepard seemed to had just recently arrived at his new assignment as XO of the Normandy (considering when he/she talks to individual crew members he ask them questions about their past), I always assumed he probably was just promoted to Commander from LT after going through the N7 program and XO of the Normandy was his new duty station. His age and his accomplishments are fairly realistic you got to remember hes the best of the best. As for Shepard getting command of the Normandy, that only happened due to him/her becoming a SPECTRE, Anderson says as much in ME1 saying Shepard needs his own ship and command and giving humanities first SPECTRE its most advance and stealthiest vessel to find Saren made since.

[bunch1]

It's also important to rember that the Normandy is a frigate and the smallest combat ship in the fleet.  These are likly were younger officers get command experince before moving onto to crusiers, carriers, and dreadnaughts.  Anderson is himself an exception as I think he was assigned to Normandy as the premier spec ops captain with Shepard the top active N7 operator and that was the Normandys proposed role.  In the modern day navy not every ship is commanded by a captain or admiral and Shepard is assigned to the Normandy as the XO to start only taking command when Anderson steps down to serve as Udia's miltary aid so the commander can have the ship when he becomes a spectre.  I see no reason why if Shepard had decided to go the fleet rount instead of marine that he wouldn't already have a command of his own particuarly with some of his history options like war hero and spacer.

[God]

I... no, just no.

 

That's not how the military works.

 

And that's not how the alliance military works.

[Han Shot First]

On the topic and youth and command...

 

Many generals in the American Civil War, Crimean War, and the Napoleonic Wars were in their twenties. The youngest general in the American Civil War (and also perhaps the general with the most interesting name) was Galusha Pennypacker, who at the ripe old age of twenty was made a Brigadier General in the Union Army. He wasn't half bad at it either and is a Medal of Honor recipient.

[Wulfram]

On the topic and youth and command...
 
Many generals in the American Civil War, Crimean War, and the Napoleonic Wars were in their twenties. The youngest general in the American Civil War (and also perhaps the general with the most interesting name) was Galusha Pennypacker, who at the ripe old age of twenty was made a Brigadier General in the Union Army. He wasn't half bad at it either and is a Medal of Honor recipient.

Young generals tended to be down to either aristocratic privilege or a lack of senior officers I think - in the case of the French because the Revolution got rid of the established officer core, and I guess in the case of the Civil War because the US had a pretty tiny army before the war.

I guess a young and rapidly expanding organisation like the Alliance Navy would tend to be a rather young organisation.

It's interesting to think that Spacer Shepard's mother have been only 1 rank ahead of Shepard in ME1, though.

[Valmar]

And actually dream up crazy ****, like thinking you're going to recruit an Adjutant army by saving Petrovsky.

 

What's crazy about that? Its clear that Petrosky/Cerberus found a way to control the adjutants. Sure, some mishaps along the way but in the end they succeeded. What's crazy about thinking that now that you have him hostage he would be able to share those secrets?

[God]

Cerberus was cool when they protected humans.. "Fight for the lost" as the ME2 slogan goes.

 

Totally defeats the purpose of a pro-human movement when humans become their victims. Even Maya Brooks thinks they're mad.

 

As for why it's crazy...he's there to provide intel on Cerberus/TIM. The Alliance isn't going to let him make adjutants (especially not in the millions, as "God" thins). At the very least, you'd have to wait until you're Reaper Shep... but at that point, the universe is fucked anyways. Knock yourself out.

 

It doesn't defeat the purpose if said humans are used to advance the cause of humanity as a whole. You're trading lives for time, power, and research. Lives that would have been lost anyway. It's not worth protecting them if they don't have any utility to the war effort. And given what Brooks is trying to do (as well as stating that she left Cerberus because they weren't anti-alien enough for her), I'd say that's a pretty crummy point.

 

I think it's pretty limiting of the game to not let you do some research or utilize Reaper forces as weapons. Especially given what you're doing with the Leviathans.

 

"A threat this big, rules go out the window" to quote Shepard from ME2.

 

Granted, it's kind of funny how you get upset about it. Pointed remarks towards me and all. 

[God]

Brooks isn't cool either (I mean, I like the character, but you know what I mean), but my point is that this is lower than even her racism. Cerberus is self-defeating in ME3. 

 

I'm not upset. I think you're being lul'zy and going for shock value, just for the sake of it. I don't take you seriously. Nor do I take you seriously about being  sociopath. You wouldn't tell anyone if you were

 

No, honestly, I don't know what you mean. Racism isn't altogether low either. Really, nothing is. Concur on Cerberus in ME3. The point of difference on that being the methodology vs the motivation.

 

I don't think you understand lulzy and shock value then. Nor did I say I was a sociopath. I said I have a lot of tendencies of a sociopath, and I understand what makes them work.

 

As well, being a sociopath is not the same thing as giving you relevant information about my own person. Being of fact is not the same as being of value. 

 

I don't think you should presume to try to dismiss how I think (and tell me I don't feel that way) just because you find it incredulous. Have I ever indicated at any point that I felt differently? Ever? 

 

As well, the fact you're bringing these kinds of comments up in a thread where it's irrelevant indicates that it does indeed bother you on some level. Especially in regards to a comment of mine that was completely innocuous to this discussion at all and well out of relevance. As I've said before, it's starting to get to a point where I think you're intentionally trying to antagonize me.

[Kabooooom]

You would know, afterall you created us all

And with many examples of unintelligent design to boot. Were you drunk that day, God?

[God]

And with many examples of unintelligent design to boot. Were you drunk that day, God?

 

I had to read Creationism for Dummies, okay!

[o Ventus]

Nor do I take you seriously about being  sociopath. 

If someone calls themselves a "sociopath", that's a pretty major red flag, and you really should just ignore whatever they say. They want to draw attention to themselves, and that's it.

[TheChosenOne]

Canon Shepard is twenty-nine years old when he's made a Spectre. Now, at this point medicine has advanced so far as to give the average human a life expectancy of a hundred and fifty years. Assuming an average real life expectancy of eighty, that makes Shepard fifteen years old!

 

Legally, modern fifteen-yearolds aren't even trusted to drive or drink in most first-world countries, but this teenie bobber is handed the keys to the most advanced warship in the galaxy? Has this been addressed at all?

 

Going by the age of the protagonist alone, Mass Effect could have been an intergalactic high school drama. At least that explains all the hormones flying around.

 

[God]

If someone calls themselves a "sociopath", that's a pretty major red flag, and you really should just ignore whatever they say. They want to draw attention to themselves, and that's it.

 

Indeed, most people throw the word around rather casually without understanding of what it means, or how a sociopath might operate. That said, tendencies and ideologies are a bit of a different beast altogether from actual sociopathy. One can have a characteristic without being one of.

[Han Shot First]

Shepard's age never bothered me. Actually compared to most Bioware protagonists he was a significant improvement. Usually Bioware protagonists tend to seem much younger.

 

The most unrealistic part of Shepard's background for me is nothing is mentioned about a college education, despite being a military officer and in command of a space ship. A degree is required for both, yet we are told that Shepard enlists in the Alliance at 18. I just head canon that he went the night class/correspondence course route after enlisting.

[Vazgen]

Shepard's age never bothered me. Actually compared to most Bioware protagonists he was a significant improvement. Usually Bioware protagonists tend to seem much younger.

 

The most unrealistic part of Shepard's background for me is nothing is mentioned about a college education, despite being a military officer and in command of a space ship. A degree is required for both, yet we are told that Shepard enlists in the Alliance at 18. I just head canon that he went the night class/correspondence course route after enlisting.

Maybe the college was under military jurisdiction? So when you join that particular college, you join the Alliance. 

[bunch1]

Shepard's age never bothered me. Actually compared to most Bioware protagonists he was a significant improvement. Usually Bioware protagonists tend to seem much younger.

 

The most unrealistic part of Shepard's background for me is nothing is mentioned about a college education, despite being a military officer and in command of a space ship. A degree is required for both, yet we are told that Shepard enlists in the Alliance at 18. I just head canon that he went the night class/correspondence course route after enlisting.

Their are several options possible. 

 

He may have gotten a civilian degree and then went through officer training school at some point like you suggest, though they never say that you haven't graduated college by 18.  Not likely, but possible for the spacer and colonist at least.

 

Their is also the option of a military academy ala West Point where he was made an officer when he graduated.

 

Also there is the option of a battlefield commission.  War hero and ruthless in particular strike me as the type to get a grut promoted. 

 

The fact that in ME3 Ash somehow went from operation chief to lieutenant commander in 3 months show that the alliance may also promote for political reasons.  Since she did nothing to earn it since her promotion from gunny chief in ME1 to operations chief in ME2.  So any of the service histories may have gotten Shepard promoted for political action.

[Han Shot First]

Their are several options possible. 

 

He may have gotten a civilian degree and then went through officer training school at some point like you suggest, though they never say that you haven't graduated college by 18.  Not likely, but possible for the spacer and colonist at least.

 

Their is also the option of a military academy ala West Point where he was made an officer when he graduated.

 

Also there is the option of a battlefield commission.  War hero and ruthless in particular strike me as the type to get a grut promoted. 

 

The fact that in ME3 Ash somehow went from operation chief to lieutenant commander in 3 months show that the alliance may also promote for political reasons.  Since she did nothing to earn it since her promotion from gunny chief in ME1 to operations chief in ME2.  So any of the service histories may have gotten Shepard promoted for political action.

 

Shepard is described as enlisting in the Alliance at 18 however, which would seem to rule out a military academy. A person who enlists in the military is someone who joins the military at any rank below the officer ranks. Officers are commissioned, and a student at a military academy would be described as a cadet or a midshipman or something along those lines. 

 

While it is possible that Shepard could have received a battlefield commission, there is still the issue of someone without a college education being in command of a space ship.

 

Its a bit of a nitpicky complaint perhaps, but I wish Shepard's backstory had him/her instead going to college first and joining the military as an officer candidate at 22. As it is the backstory can still work however if head canon is slided in where Shepard obtained a college degree while enlisted, and later either became an officer through an enlisted commissioning program or through a battlefield promotion. I think the college degree is kind of necessary for the position Shepard finds himself/herself in by ME1.

 

As for Ashley...I thought that was one of the worse mistakes Bioware made with its portrayal of a military in the series. Obviously the series isn't supposed to be some sort of ultra realistic war sim, but I wish a little more attention to detail was paid to that aspect to add to the atmosphere of the series and to aid in suspension of disbelief. The series could do with a little more realism as far as rank progression goes. It doesn't even take real world experience or extensive research. A quick google search or two would have told anyone how long it takes for the real world equivalent of an Ops Chief (Me's equivalent of a Sergeant Major/ Master Gunnery Sergeant / Master Chief) to reach Lt. Commander. (Major / Lt Commander in the real world) I think they should have kept Ashley an Operations Chief or have her either become a Warrant Officer (if they even exist in ME) or 2nd Lieutenant.

[KotorEffect3]

Shepard may be young but he isn't green.  He already has a decade or so of military experience under his belt and he already has a distinguished record.  If you want ridiculous take Kirk in the new Star Trek movies.

[God]

Shepard may be young but he isn't green.  He already has a decade or so of military experience under his belt and he already has a distinguished record.  If you want ridiculous take Kirk in the new Star Trek movies.

 

3rd year Starfleet Cadet to Captain (and high level/senior officer within Starfleet) of a ship (the newest ship in the Federation) in under 48 hours. Totally legit.

[bunch1]

Shepard is described as enlisting in the Alliance at 18 however, which would seem to rule out a military academy. A person who enlists in the military is someone who joins the military at any rank below the officer ranks. Officers are commissioned, and a student at a military academy would be described as a cadet or a midshipman or something along those lines. 

I understand the term enlist generally means your not an officer and he does mention going to the same boot camp as Ash in ME1 which would imply he started out a private/servicemen.  But we aren't sure how the alliance works and they may have everyone who joins start out in the ranks to show their dedication and commitment before allowing someone to test their way into the academy as opposed to the US system of requiring political endorsements and quotes from states.

 

While it is possible that Shepard could have received a battlefield commission, there is still the issue of someone without a college education being in command of a space ship.

Shepard only commands the Normandy because he is a spectre though.  It is possible he was meant to acquire the skills required as an XO under Anderson if his bid fell through but one he did he outranks everyone in the alliance and would be in command no matter what ship he was on.  And the council doesn't chose spectre based on education, but ability and Shepard has that in spades apparently.

[Larry-3]

In Mass Effect 1 Shepard is still kind of new on the Normandy. Not NEW new, but still -- if I had to guess I would say that he has only been on the Normandy for a few weeks. Maybe a month. Just going by the conversations you can have with the crew before the mission on Eden Prime.

Anyway, why would Shepard not be fit to run a small ship like the SR-1? It may have an advanced engine under its hull, but it is a small recon ship with a small crew. The SR-1 is not even a cruiser. In Mass Effect cruiser are mid-level ships. In fact, now that I think about it, the SR-1 does not even look like it could be a frigate -- which is smaller than a cruiser -- because it is so small.

Also, if 150 years is the common human lifespan in Mass Effect, I would assume that a human can maintain at least some strong vitality at 90.

[Display Name Owner]

Well, everyone's pointed out the flaws a dozen different ways so no point going there again.

 

I will just say that the whole 'humans live to 150 years old' thing never even came into my mind at any point playing the trilogy, actually it's a bit of a throwaway piece of information to me. Most confirmed and apparent ages of all the human characters seems to ignore it anyway. Zaeed would be the only example that comes close to supporting it, and even he seems to be, what? In his fifties, maybe early sixties?