I finished last night but this is mostly about my space boyfriend. I can't even talk about the genophage because I am an emotional wreck from that and I'm still processing endgame in my head... what I *have* processed enough to share intense feels on is the Garrus romance. With helpful video embeds.
This? was EVERYTHING I ever dreamed it would be. Just the perfect level of awkward and uncertainty and cuteness and... guh. Not a lot to say other than this scene was PERFECT. I will sidebar to say that my Shepard imported BEAUTIFULLY and had this wonderful look of weariness sometimes... and she wore that hoodie the entire time because, in my head, she was just so worn out from everything that dressing up wasn't even on her radar.
Then there was the Kaidan stuff and I wasn't actually upset over that scene. I was worried words like "cheating" and "faithful" would come up in ways I didn't want them to, but I managed a nice note of "I'm sorry if it hurts you, but this is how I feel" to it. Very happy.
And then this happened. INHUMAN NOISES. Again, it was so perfectly on pitch and my Shepard felt SO IN CHARACTER. Like, she still looks tired but there's this lightness there and she's having fun and he's still awkward because he's GARRUS but there's more confidence there and.. OH MY GOD THAT KISS. I wasn't expecting kissing because, well, I've seen his mouth... lol. But the framing on that was PERFECT, how it didn't show their faces so we don't have to know how that possibly worked, lol. And then, don't end with that because we have to get that AWESOME scene with the sniping and showing that even though they love each other they're still THEM and it was just this beautiful light moment that they both needed SO BADLY.
After that scene, when the paramour achievement unlocked, I figured that would be it except the inevitable scene before endgame and I was fine with that. BUT I WAS WRONG. SOP WONDERFULLY WRONG.
There were a few other ones but this is the scene that stuck with me the most. That's just SUCH a lovely moment and such a quiet moment and just. I don't really have words but of this entire arc and series of videos I'm posting, this was my favourite. I just... I loved this. I loved how they supported each other, I loved how tired my poor Shep is. I just loved every second of this scene.
And then the inevitable pre-endgame love scene. This was *perfect*. I was talking to![]()
valiasedai about it and the things we really loved about it was how... how quiet and subtle it was. I've watched the other romances, I know there were some pretty graphic love scenes and a lot of groping on the bed and yknow what, this is so much better. Logically, I know it's a way around having to animate alien sex or Turian anatomy, but I think those limitations actually made this so much better. It really reads like a couple that loves each other and gets each other and like, he can just sit there reading and he hears her wake up and just goes and sits beside her? It's just SO romantic and touching and real and not about "Let's get it on while we have the time" and instead about how much they love each other and support each other and can be quiet together. (Though, really, she could've had the sheet over her.... lol)
So I figured that was going to be it and I was BEYOND happy with how the Garrus romance had turned out. And then this happened.
I just. I can barely talk about this scene. My heart was hurting SO MUCH. The voice acting in this just KILLED me. You never hear Femshep sound like that and it just... God. And again with the framing of their kiss, showing their hands and the catch in her voice and that final line from her? God. It was so perfect, so on point with every emotion and was just the PERFECT ending note to this relationship.
And as far as the ending... She destroyed the reapers. It's what she was there to do, it's what Anderson wanted and she was just so tired... and Garrus was with her until the conduit. I like to think he saw her make it to the light and as far as I'm concerned, he died down there and she died up there. And now they're together in a theoretical afterlife having a drink. Shepard and Vakarian. The more I think about it, the more I don't want an ending where Shepard lives, and I don't want Garrus to magically survive down there and end up off with Joker. It's sad and heartbreaking and just kills me, but I think the best happiness my poor Shepard could have would be to do what she set out to do. To stop the reapers with her last ounce of life and now she and Garrus are together somewhere else. Regardless of my opinions on religion and the afterlife and if I even think that Shepard really believes in it, I think the idea of having that thought and that dream that when it's all over, they'll still be together out there somewhere? That's beautiful and hopeful and... that's love.
So regardless of my thoughts on the rest of the game (which will come. And are 99% positive. I was blown away by the sheer emotional impact and any gripes I have are really minor.) The Shepard/Garrus arc was perfect. Surpassed my expectations and wildest dreams and I can't imagine another game or another character or another romance ever being this fulfilling and meaningful and perfect.
Bravo.
A couple parting notes:
-If any non-gaming friends read any of that, I promise you I'm not insane. It's a natural evolution of my insane shipper past, even. (Now go play Mass Effect.)
-I have no idea what to do with my![]()
f_march_madness bracket. It's actually really awesome because I did so well in previous years and having all these different fandoms and wild cards really shook it up, so psyched
This? was EVERYTHING I ever dreamed it would be. Just the perfect level of awkward and uncertainty and cuteness and... guh. Not a lot to say other than this scene was PERFECT. I will sidebar to say that my Shepard imported BEAUTIFULLY and had this wonderful look of weariness sometimes... and she wore that hoodie the entire time because, in my head, she was just so worn out from everything that dressing up wasn't even on her radar.
Then there was the Kaidan stuff and I wasn't actually upset over that scene. I was worried words like "cheating" and "faithful" would come up in ways I didn't want them to, but I managed a nice note of "I'm sorry if it hurts you, but this is how I feel" to it. Very happy.
And then this happened. INHUMAN NOISES. Again, it was so perfectly on pitch and my Shepard felt SO IN CHARACTER. Like, she still looks tired but there's this lightness there and she's having fun and he's still awkward because he's GARRUS but there's more confidence there and.. OH MY GOD THAT KISS. I wasn't expecting kissing because, well, I've seen his mouth... lol. But the framing on that was PERFECT, how it didn't show their faces so we don't have to know how that possibly worked, lol. And then, don't end with that because we have to get that AWESOME scene with the sniping and showing that even though they love each other they're still THEM and it was just this beautiful light moment that they both needed SO BADLY.
After that scene, when the paramour achievement unlocked, I figured that would be it except the inevitable scene before endgame and I was fine with that. BUT I WAS WRONG. SOP WONDERFULLY WRONG.
There were a few other ones but this is the scene that stuck with me the most. That's just SUCH a lovely moment and such a quiet moment and just. I don't really have words but of this entire arc and series of videos I'm posting, this was my favourite. I just... I loved this. I loved how they supported each other, I loved how tired my poor Shep is. I just loved every second of this scene.
And then the inevitable pre-endgame love scene. This was *perfect*. I was talking to
valiasedai about it and the things we really loved about it was how... how quiet and subtle it was. I've watched the other romances, I know there were some pretty graphic love scenes and a lot of groping on the bed and yknow what, this is so much better. Logically, I know it's a way around having to animate alien sex or Turian anatomy, but I think those limitations actually made this so much better. It really reads like a couple that loves each other and gets each other and like, he can just sit there reading and he hears her wake up and just goes and sits beside her? It's just SO romantic and touching and real and not about "Let's get it on while we have the time" and instead about how much they love each other and support each other and can be quiet together. (Though, really, she could've had the sheet over her.... lol)So I figured that was going to be it and I was BEYOND happy with how the Garrus romance had turned out. And then this happened.
I just. I can barely talk about this scene. My heart was hurting SO MUCH. The voice acting in this just KILLED me. You never hear Femshep sound like that and it just... God. And again with the framing of their kiss, showing their hands and the catch in her voice and that final line from her? God. It was so perfect, so on point with every emotion and was just the PERFECT ending note to this relationship.
And as far as the ending... She destroyed the reapers. It's what she was there to do, it's what Anderson wanted and she was just so tired... and Garrus was with her until the conduit. I like to think he saw her make it to the light and as far as I'm concerned, he died down there and she died up there. And now they're together in a theoretical afterlife having a drink. Shepard and Vakarian. The more I think about it, the more I don't want an ending where Shepard lives, and I don't want Garrus to magically survive down there and end up off with Joker. It's sad and heartbreaking and just kills me, but I think the best happiness my poor Shepard could have would be to do what she set out to do. To stop the reapers with her last ounce of life and now she and Garrus are together somewhere else. Regardless of my opinions on religion and the afterlife and if I even think that Shepard really believes in it, I think the idea of having that thought and that dream that when it's all over, they'll still be together out there somewhere? That's beautiful and hopeful and... that's love.
So regardless of my thoughts on the rest of the game (which will come. And are 99% positive. I was blown away by the sheer emotional impact and any gripes I have are really minor.) The Shepard/Garrus arc was perfect. Surpassed my expectations and wildest dreams and I can't imagine another game or another character or another romance ever being this fulfilling and meaningful and perfect.
Bravo.
A couple parting notes:
-If any non-gaming friends read any of that, I promise you I'm not insane. It's a natural evolution of my insane shipper past, even. (Now go play Mass Effect.)
-I have no idea what to do with my
f_march_madness bracket. It's actually really awesome because I did so well in previous years and having all these different fandoms and wild cards really shook it up, so psyched
