Warming to Miranda (Support thread)

Because there needs to be a Miranda thread. Character I expected to hate, ended up liking.
(Miranda Social Group: http://social.bioware.com/group/1284/)

WHY MIRANDA IS AWESOME

Miranda. So, yeah, I really expected to hate Miranda. Importing my paragon Shepard, seeing her shoot the other researcher right away, and her initial standoffishness all had me thinking, "Yeah, sticking with Ashley. She wrote me quite a sweet email after blowing up on Horizon, and that little picture in my cabin is adorable." But Miranda
slowly won me over; she has a lot of great character moments. She's caged initially by her father, and then more subtly by Cerebrus; both her father and TiM see her as a tool, a means to an end. It's almost like Miranda doesn't feel like she's her own person. Her line to Shepard about how her genetic advantages made her feel LESS
accomplished was particularly touching to me (and it begged the obvious response that it's not so much your abilities, but what you do with them that really matters.) And the loyalty...well, I knew the ice queen melting was coming, but it was still well-done and interesting. Bonus points for yelling at the elevator; she's really upset, here, how often does someone designed and conditioned to be "perfect" react to making a mistake? I like how it took some encouragement to get her to go see her sister--for all Miranda had done for her, she was still worried about allowing a human connection. And her sister's email afterwards was sweet. The confrontation between her and Jack was poignant for me, because deep down, I think the two have a lot in common. If TiM had decided to use the all-powerful Biotic as a lieutenant, and the geneticall engineered woman as an intriguing test
subject, their roles would be reversed. Miranda's 'cheerleader for Cerebrus' is a slowly collapsing raitonalization, that culminates she leaves TiM on the collector base (if you choose to destroy it. Like all dynamic game characters, Miranda requires some player input.)

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Additional Character Analysis

Around page 68, posted on Original Post by popular demand:

Commander David Shepard wrote...

"Fire and Ice" By: Robert Frost

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

A
new perspective of the analysis of this famous poem. Ashley is fire and
you have already been with her. And now that you have "perished" now
you've known enough of Ashley you would rather have ice (Miranda) and
Miranda would suffice. Cool Miranda way of looking at it.

Works well as an interesting contrast with this post from Spectre_Shepard:

One of the things that really struck me as I was playing ME2 was the
contrast between Miranda and Ashley. You can really tell that its
deliberate. I like to think that Miranda is the "ice" to Ashleys "fire".

For example:
1.
They have pretty much the opposite relationship with their fathers. Ash
was really close to hers, whereas Miranda is pretty much at war with
hers.

2. Faith vs. science. Ashley believes in God, whereas
Miranda is an accomplished scientist. This type of contrast is seen in
a lot of places, and its cool how bioware subtly implemented it here.

3.
Their sisters. Here, they actually have a little something in common.
They both care a lot about their sisters, which is one thing that
helped me come to respect Miranda. although she did threaten to stick a
mind control chip in my head. But while Ashley played a direct role in
her sisters life, helping to raise them, Miranda opted to protect and
guide her sister from a distance, both of which are actions that fit
their characters perfectly.

4. And, of course, their general
attitudes. Ashley is aggressive, outspoken, guided by her own strongly
held principles (which is why she doesnt join cerberus, good for her
IMO) and just has a sort of "fire" to her. Miranda, on the other hand,
is calm, cool, and calculating. She strongly adheres to the notion that
the ends justify the means. She's a master of subtlety, whereas Ash
always lets you her emotions show.

A lot of people are
anticipating a showdown between LIs in ME3 (me included), but I'm
actually especially interested in seeing how Ashley and Miranda
interact not so much because of the romance angle but because the
things stated above. Should be really interesting.

(The above comments are not intended as a knock on Ashley, just as a way to promote discussion.)

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Miranda – an attempt at capturing her essence
aka "The Miranda Manifest"
by Ieldra2

She turned out to be the most interesting, the most fascinating woman I have ever encountered in a game on electronic media: Miranda Lawson, black-ops agent, genetically optimized superwoman, renegade daughter with a conflicted childhood, with the figure of a femme fatale and the heart of a warrior, a cool demeanor and a core of passion, a mind like a double-edged sword and a presence like a blue giant star. A powerful friend and an enemy to be feared, but to those who dare desire her – a dream made flesh. Who else could capture the heart of a larger-than-life hero? Where else would he look and not look down? Who else could walk beside him on this path and not be burned to ashes? Who else but coolly indomitable Miranda, the almost perfect companion, who settles for nothing but the best, because she is one of the best herself?

Introducing Miranda: not a girl

We live in a culture and time where women are regularly designated "girls". This tendency falls flat on its face if applied to Miranda, because for all her physical perfection, apparently the epitome of youthful health and attractiveness, she is definitely not a girl. This is most obvious when comparing her with Tali, who has grown in
character and power considerably since we met her first in Mass Effect 1, but retains a certain coy girlishness (which presents an attraction all of its own, but that’s another topic). Miranda has none of that. She is a woman not with charm but with presence, seems almost at the height of her personal power. Nonetheless, she also is no femme fatale, in spite of her physical attractiveness. There can be no doubt that she has the ability for such a role, but so far it seems she prefers to be less deceptive. If her most open moments are not a deception, then she
is as she seems: a powerful woman with a stunning presence, tempered by personal conflict, dedicated to a cause she believes in, and a tendency for blunt honesty and open confrontation. As far as I'm concerned: a
woman to be admired. In Latin: Miranda.

Deciphering Miranda: no mere beauty

Let’s face it – or, as Miranda has put it: why hide from it? – great beauty and attractiveness are never "mere". There is something dishonest in our culture’s tendency to play down the importance of the physical while dancing around it like around the proverbial golden calf. Great beauty and attractiveness may cause happiness or tragedy, they may give you power or turn you into a victim, but they are always remarkable and always influence how others perceive you. Whichever it turns out to be: the physical is as much part of your person as less tangible
attributes. Miranda fully appreciates this, she fully appreciates her own physical superiority, while having not a single bit of vanity because of it. All the while, her attractiveness goes beyond the "mere" physical. Her presence is the result of a great figure, an interesting face, the physical grace resulting from her combat training, and the
confidence she gains from her competence, all combined. If she were not beautiful, her relationship with Shepard would be very different. The story setup would be about seeing the extraordinary personality hiding behind the unremarkable or even the ugly. As it is, their story is a very different one: one of two people who both, in their different kind, may represent the best or the worst their species has to offer the galaxy, and who will decide which it is to be by the way they come together, or not.

Enhancing Miranda: no mere genetics

A much overlooked aspect of what makes Miranda fascinating is her heritage. Yes, everyone knows she's genetically engineered, but I suspect few appreciate it. We're so conditioned to see its problems that we tend to overlook that whatever the intent and the methods of her creation may have been, she really *is* enhanced, and may just represent the future of humanity. We're never exactly told what is enhanced apart from her looks and her longevity, but I take it for granted that enhanced mental acuity as well as enhanced physical
reflexes and senses are a part of the package. We have seen so many disastrous results of genetic experiments, particularly by Cerberus. Miranda represents the other extreme: because her father wanted a dynasty – I take that to mean he wanted his daughter(s) to inherit his "business empire" – she has nothing like the control chip she’d wanted to implant in Shepard, nothing making her essentially less human. No, she only got the good parts.
All the while genes only provide potential, which must still be realized. No mere genetics can substitute for learning and training, only let you have an easier time doing that. Miranda may have extraordinary potential, but her father also wanted extraordinary results. So, even apart of the emotional deprivation she may have experienced, in a way she had to work just as hard as anyone else; which, among other things, makes her as human as
anyone else - only better.

Romancing Miranda: not about need

Romancing Miranda tells us about a kind of love that is not about need. Miranda is confident and powerful. There is a core of emotional vulnerability, centered on her perception of herself as "only a tool", but that only
makes her more human, not less confident in what she does. You get the impression that, given time, she'd come to terms with it on her own. As she herself tells Shepard, she doesn't need a friend. As she herself
admits some time later, she wants one, she also wants a lover, nonetheless. But she settles for none but the best. So she is the type of woman even Shepard, larger-than-life hero that he is, must make an
effort to be worthy of. Miranda will never be taken for granted. She doesn't fall into his lap. As a rule, she doesn't cry on his shoulders even while appreciating that she could if she needed to. Because in her own way, she's larger than life herself, as Shepard's equal an almost perfect companion. By challenging him she will bring out the best in him, as he will do with her, and together they will make a total greater than the sum of its parts.

Yvonne Strahovski
The actress Yvonne Strahovski provides the face and voice of Miranda Lawson.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2088803/
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Yvonne currently stars in the series "Chuck". If reading this thread makes you want to watch more of her, do not be alarmed, this is normal.

Show Your Support
Put Banners in your sig to show your support!
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(Credit Aris Ravenstar and AndySilv87 for the Banners)

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Join http://social.bioware.com/group/1284/ to show your support!

Vote for Miranda in these polls:
http://social.biowar...700/polls/1994/
http://social.biowar...685/polls/1887/
http://social.biowar...435/polls/2013/
http://social.biowar...975/polls/2074/
http://social.biowar...267/polls/1815/
http://social.biowar...017/polls/1731/
http://social.biowar...975/polls/2091/
http://social.biowar...697/polls/2143/
http://social.biowar...5/index/1159949

Edits
Also, around page 20, the official food of the thread has been declared
to be nachos
(http://www.easystree.../SSS Nachos.jpg). Taking
nominations for other official foodstuffs and other items. All hail Rathias0114, Nacho Overlord.
And to see how our love for Miranda is expressed when translated into Japanese and back:
social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/105/index/1220708/1#1220786
Credit ToshiStation38 for this amazing, transcendent, genius idea.

Modifié par ComTrav, 18 février 2010 - 03:30 .

#1
ComTrav

Posté 06 février 2010 - 12:02

#2
Taritu

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:11

#3
CommanderShawn

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:13

#4
WilliamShatner

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:14

#5
Guest_RAMBO 46_*

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:15

#6
Sturm Jaeger

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:17

#7
Sabre120

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:18

#8
DeathCultArm

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:18

#9
MerchantGOL

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:21

#10
DeathCultArm

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:23

#11
Brahlis

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:24

#12
Sturm Jaeger

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:27

#13
DeathCultArm

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:30

#14
MerchantGOL

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:33

#15
Findurin

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:33

#16
Druss99

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:36

#17
DeathCultArm

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:36

#18
MerchantGOL

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:38

#19
ComTrav

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:38

#20
DeathCultArm

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:40

#21
MegWithAMouth

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:40

#22
IceSavage

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:42

#23
pacer90

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:42

#24
Mrcharles22

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:43

#25
Barquiel

Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:46

Warming to Miranda (Support thread)

#1 ComTrav Posté 06 février 2010 - 12:02

#2 Taritu Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:11

#3 CommanderShawn Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:13

#4 WilliamShatner Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:14

#5 Guest_RAMBO 46_* Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:15

#6 Sturm Jaeger Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:17

#7 Sabre120 Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:18

#8 DeathCultArm Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:18

#9 MerchantGOL Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:21

#10 DeathCultArm Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:23

#11 Brahlis Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:24

#12 Sturm Jaeger Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:27

#13 DeathCultArm Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:30

#14 MerchantGOL Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:33

#15 Findurin Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:33

#16 Druss99 Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:36

#17 DeathCultArm Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:36

#18 MerchantGOL Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:38

#19 ComTrav Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:38

#20 DeathCultArm Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:40

#21 MegWithAMouth Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:40

#22 IceSavage Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:42

#23 pacer90 Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:42

#24 Mrcharles22 Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:43

#25 Barquiel Posté 06 février 2010 - 01:46

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