Lucky Thirteen wrote...
As much as I love Kaidan, I do prefer Thane as a LI for my Shepard. There is this hope amongst the Thane fans that the recent events in the Cerberus Daily News about the Eupulmos respiratory device could provide something that will at least prolong his life. I really don't think Bioware would kill any character off between ME2 and ME3. In Thane's case, not after they worked so hard to develop a character specifically for the female fan base, invented a new and very rare species as a result, made him a LI and people who put in the effort to make sure he survives the mission.
If there is nothing to prolong his life, at least we've got a time table set up. ME3 is going to happen right after ME2 and fast.
With all of the characters, I certainly hope they put in as much effort as possible for them in ME3. They all could possibly die except for Liara.
I'm curious to see how all of the romances develop in the end. Certainly Kaiden is a rougher one. There's so much anger amongst fans over his behavior on Horizon. I for one perfectly understand why he's pissed and if you're going to have Shepard ditch him after that, then you never cared or understood him to begin with. Good riddance, he deserves better.
My biggest problem with Thane...other than him dying and that he fix his screwup with his kid as much as it can be...is the terrible progress of his romance.
T: Let me tell you about my dead wife.
S: Let's have sex!!
The emotion in that so pure and beautiful...

I don't think BW necessarily needs to kill any squadie off. Attrition could do it for them. Suicide mission is done. Samara goes home, Tali goes home, Zaeed goes for the next big payoff, Jack finds a bigger, badder ship to steal and go pirate queen with.
There's your DLC right there.
I don't suggest that for all of them, or any of the characters, actually, and I recognize that they each have a fan base as dedicated to them as I am to Kaidan, but I want the ME universe to evolve and grow. New species. New bad guys. New good guys. New weapons, new craft that are nothing like the Hammerhead.
Most of all, I want ME3 to wrap up Shepard's story with a big fat ol' HEA as she and Kaidan finally get some shore leave.